Giant Pumpkin Weighs In!!

Our HUGE pumpkin out front (and all our others that we had for sale this season )was grown for us again this year by Scott Goodpasture of Pioneer Farms. He weighed the pumpkin before he brought it down to the store. That's right, Scott SEALED the envelope with the weight in it so we could not peek. If I didn't know better, I would think he didn't trust us or something.

Rose sorting through the hundreds of entries

 The envelope please........

 And the winners are............IT'S A TIE!!!!

 Both ladies will receive a gift certificate for their lucky guess.

 Harriet would like to thank all of you for participating. And.....if you would like seeds from the GIANT beauty, just let us know and we will save you some. (Not this one, Harriet was to afraid to sit on the big one)

And the CAPS Winner is.....

Every few months they ask me to come into this place filled with trees and wander around. I'm pretty big, but they don't even mind if my tail hits a few things. I know there is a cat here, and I think her name is Harriet, but she doesn't really like me. I like her though.

Not sure why - but they always do this silly game called "Find the Dog Biscuit in the Papers", but I'll play along. There is usually something good at the bottom.
hmmmmm......I smell a winner......

My job here is done......time to relax!

Melinda, David and Abby picking up their new tree

 THANK YOU! To everyone who purchased tickets for the Fall 2012 CAPS raffle. It was a huge success, with $372.00 worth of donation tickets sold! To find your new best friend like Budro above, visit the CAPS Website 
Next up is our Winter Raffle, watch for info soon on the gorgeous Colorado Blue Spruce that could grace your home this holiday. Thank you again for helping us support this much needed cause, Susan

Free Seed Offer is back for 2011

Do you qualify for 20 FREE PACKETS OF SEEDS?

Every year the seed companies take back hundreds of packets of seeds that we have not sold and give us credit towards our next years order. Last year we happened to ask them "Just what do you do with all these seeds that are returned ever year?" We were told that they were either;

1. Sent to developing countries

2. Repackaged and sold again the following year (something I can not imagine! them doing, opening up all those little seed packets and re-marketing them)

3. Destroy them.

So we asked very kindly if we could give them away to non-profit organizations, and they said YES!!! Just as we did last year, we thought we  put it out to more of the community that these packets are available, and since we reach over 5000 now on our email list every week...........here goes!

** FREE ** 20 PACKETS OF SEEDS
(approx value $60.00)

Available to any Non-profits in the Fallon/Fernley area. All you need to do is bring in some sort of ID or information on how your non-profit will use the seeds. We will let you sort through the hundreds of seed packets that are available. Please share this information with your friends that might also be able to use them. Seeds continue to keep their germination success for years, you can store these until next spring and then plant.

Think of the possibilities:
Teachers - class project

Senior Citizens - start a community garden at the Senior Center

Churches - Want to start a growing area around your Sunday School program?

The seeds will be available until they run out! And a huge Thank you goes out to our two seed suppliers that have agreed to allow us to do this:
Livingston Seeds and Botanical Interests.

Pumpkin Planting 101

1. Find a great pumpkin, ours happen to be grown especially for us by Scott Goodpasture of Pioneer Farms here in Fallon - Many of you probably know him, he is the one that sits on the side of the road selling the "Fallon Grown -Hearts of Gold Melons" all summer.  He is also the one that grew us our GIANT pumpkin this year that is on display at the nursery. Guess the Weight Contest is going on now! Stop by and put in your entry, NO purchase necessary, and......you could win a $50.00 Gift Certificate from The Flower Tree Nursery!!!!!  We will draw the winner on Saturday, October 29th at 3pm.

2. cut off the top, CAREFULLY  (yes, that is a bandage on her hand....from an earlier practice planting)

3. scoop out all the goodies...and SAVE THEM. These happen to be going to Rose's worm bin since she had first dibs, and a bandage to prove her worthiness.

4. Pick out some flowers, (we used mums and pansies) then walk the nursery and the display garden back on the river with a pair of pruners to get all the extras that will fill out the arrangement and VIOLA! you have a beautiful and inexpensive piece  for the front porch or even Thanksgiving table.(these averaged $8.00 INCLUDING THE PUMPKIN)  We clipped cattails from the pond, Virginia creeper that was climbing up the pole behind us, dried lambs ears and even some cabbage leaves from the back veggie garden....you get it..... anything else that pulled at our creative spirits.

and if you are ever so lucky, as we are.....you have a special helper named Harriet

 

One of the many gardeners that stopped by to make their own creation. Korena with our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture - www.mewaldtorganics.com ) here in Fallon - The Garden Goddess

Rose with her creative centerpiece

a great time - had by ALL!

 

Peony time

I am a lucky, lucky gardening girl. People bring me things all the time and my garden is the recipient of many new varieties of plants that I may not have otherwise. Yesterday one of our favorite Flower Tree fans, Janice M., brought by some pink peonies that she had just divided. Her garden is overwhelmingly beautiful and she has been on our sponsored garden tour many times. Rose thought I had a bag full of dead roots to take home, so I opened it up further and showed her where the peony starts were coming off the roots. Gave her one to take home also, (that is what gardening is all about) and took the rest home to my own garden.

On the way to the spot I have picked out in my Moon Garden to plant the peonies, I had to stop and take a picture of this magnificent rose. I planted it from a little 1 gallon pot this last spring. It is now almost 8' high and stretching all over the trellis. It has been in bloom for about 5 months now. Wow oh wow, this was a great find. (Fourth of July - climber)

Staghorn sumac starting to put on it's fall dress for the party

One thing peonies like is especially rich, composted - well drained soil. From adding cocoa mulch to these beds the last couple years this spot should be perfect. Morning sun, afternoon shade. They are all planted and tucked in for winter. I can't wait to see what sprouts in the Spring. 

Well of course I had my ever faithful gardening buddy to assist........Chopper

 This is the color that Janice has told me to expect come Springtime, ahhhhhh

See you in the garden soon, Susan
Peony Fact Sheet

My garden visitor

Isn't she beautiful - guess she loves the zinnias as much as I do. Can't wait for the 100's of babies she will leave for next spring.