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Seasons Greetings Holiday Reveler!
We certainly hope that your Thanksgiving holiday was fat-free and exercise-ful, just like ours. I was proud of the sacrifices I made this year. For instance, I had only 2 pieces of pecan pie (vs. the usual 3-4). Plus, I reduced nap time on the recliner from the usual hour-and-a-half down to a paltry 40 minutes (my 4 year old nephew jumped on my stomach attempting to stifle the snoring....). Invigorating!
 Every year the line between Thanksgiving and the other winter holidays becomes blurrier. Heck, Hanukkah begins today at sundown, yet Black Friday and Cyber Monday are still visible in the rear view mirror (caution - holidays may be closer than they appear....).
Anyway, in that spirit, let's beat a dead horse (figuratively speaking, of course; rest assured that no animals were harmed in the making of this newsletter) and remind you once again of the perfect holiday gift for the orchid collector in your family (it's you, isn't it?).
The Oak Hill Gardens Gift Certificate is even a better deal this time of year. Until the end of December, we are giving 10% bonus dollars on every denomination of gift certificate. That  means, for instance, if you order a $10,000.00 gift certificate, the recipient gets to spend $11,000.00 at Oak Hill Gardens! This offer is good for gift certificates at lower dollar figures as well, in case you weren't feeling quite that magnanimous. You get the idea...... Order one by clicking on the giant certificate, or on the link below. If the dollar figure you want to spend isn't there, phone us and we'll make up a custom one for you.
Gift Certificate with Bonus Dollars
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| HOLIDAY ORCHID GIFT BASKETS ! | | Chicagoland Deliveries or Pickups Here
 | Paph / Dendrob
Cyclamen Basket $39.99
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Many of you may not know that Liese, in addition to being an orchid grower extraordinaire, is a trained and experienced floral designer! She has done well over a hundred weddings over the last three decades, and is quite accomplished with flower stuff!
For the holidays, we are offering, as always, our blooming orchid plants in beautifully arranged gift baskets. One, two or several orchids can be arranged (along with other plants, if you wish) to build a gorgeous work of art that will beautifying any home during the holidays!
The best thing about an orchid gift basket is that the plants are alive, allowing these flower displays to be enjoyed far longer than the usual "cut-flower" arrangement from a typical florist.
 | Phal/Begonia/Fern
$39.99
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Baskets can be built anywhere from $30.00 all the way up to $200.00, and at any price in between.
If you are anywhere in the Chicagoland area, we can have an orchid basket delivered to you or your friends home or office! Give us a call at (847) 428-8500 and let's talk!
P.S. - Also, if you're planning on taking the plunge, or know someone who is, Liese's wedding flower prices will make your local florist look like Niemann Marcus (aka "Needless Markup"). Not to mention that she'll do a better job. Keep her in mind....
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ORCHID CLASS - Saturday December 11th
| |  "Walking Cultural Tour"
Need a break from the shopping and cold weather? Come visit us on Saturday December 11th at 10:00am for a stroll through the warm greenhouses of Oak Hill Gardens. We'll take you on a tour and give you the inside scoop on what happens behind the scenes at Oak Hill Gardens! See how it's done from seed to flower, and grab some growing tips along the way. Be sure to bring your camera!
Walking Cultural Tour
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Growing Tip of the Month - by Liese
| |  "Too Much of a Good Thing"
I'm not a big drinker, but I do enjoy a glass of red wine in the evening, especially after a long day of caring for the orchids, answering e-mail, doing laundry, cooking dinner, etc. Many studies have shown that drinking a glass of red wine every day can be beneficial to our health (not to mention our state of mind!)
I also realize that if I have 2 or 3 glasses of wine in an evening, that I become too tired to be productive, and then walk around in a fog much of the next day. Too much of a good thing can sometimes not be so good!
In the same way, over-fertilizing your orchids can be counter-productive. Orchids will not die (at least not in the short term) without supplemental fertilizer. Nor is fertilizer the answer when your plants are looking dehydrated or sick. The basic elements that your plants need to survive are light and water. Supplemental fertilizer can help your plants and roots grow stronger and healthier. And, the stronger they grow, the better they will bloom. Without fertilizer, your plants may grow weaker, or turn a bit yellow, but they may still flower.
It is most important to feed with a high nitrogen food during the spring and summer when your plants are in active growth. During this time you may feed more heavily, i.e. every week or two. The more light your plants get, the more food they will eat. So, if your plants are outside or in a greenhouse, feeding weekly or every other week is fine. If growing in a home with medium light, once a month feeding is usually sufficient. If you over-feed your orchids by fertilizing too often and/or at a high concentration level, it is possible to burn the new root and plant growth....again, too much of a good thing.
This time of year (fall/winter months), we suggest cutting back on the nitrogen and feeding a blossom booster type food (with a high middle number) or a balanced (20-20-20) formula, or perhaps alternating between the two. Also, it is important to reduce the frequency at which you feed your plants - once a month is usually sufficient in the home at this latitude. Our days are now much shorter, the sun is lower and not as intense, and the plants do not use up as much food.
If your plant does not look healthy, i.e. wilted or yellow leaves, few or no roots, or dehydrated (wrinkled) leaves or bulbs.....STOP fertilizing. The food cannot be used properly by the plant in a weakened condition. Fertilizing a suffering plant often will burn the new leaf tips and roots before they get a chance to establish themselves. Postpone fertilizing until your plant starts to root in and active growth is observed. Once the plants starts to recover and send out new growth, a light feeding regimen can be reintroduced.
If your orchids eat and drink in moderation, they will grow strong and healthy and reward you with beautiful flowers.
Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time for me to go have a glass of Cabernet. And I need to stop Greg before he has another one; he's already looking wilted, and can't afford to have his growth stunted any further.....
Happy Growing,
Liese
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Happy Holidays from all of us at:
Sincerely,
Greg, Liese & Hermann
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