Spring 2010 Newsletter B

It’s SPRING!

•Gorgeous Roses

•Flowering Trees

•Sweet Potato Plants

•Soil & Mulch

Mother’s Day PARTY!

Spring Shopping Hours

Monday through Saturday, rain or shine .............................. 8 AM to 6 PM

Sunday................................................................................................ Noon to 5PM

Maps, Directions & Schedules at www.goodseedfarm.com

GoodSeed Farm Spring Hours:

Growing With UsGrowing With Us

May 2010 Volume 9 Issue 2

It’s time again for the annual gathering of mothers and daughters, grandmothers and grandkids, mothers-in-law and mothers-to-be, at GoodSeed Farm for the an-nual Country garden Mothers day party. After thirteen years this has become a tradition and an annual ritual. Do you have a GoodSeed Farm Mother’s Day plant collection? Looking back, there have been dogwood trees, redbuds, Virginia rose, Old-fashioned lilac, weeping willows, snowball bush, and the list goes on. We know many mothers with a whole collection; this year it’s the PeeGee Hydrangea. There’s one for you. If this is your first year in the GoodSeed Farm commu-nity, it can be the beginning of a wonderful family Mother’s Day tradition for you and your family. As ever, we’ll have live music by Sax Appeal (Friday noon-5) and the Bourbon Street Strutters (Saturday and Sunday noon-5). Ryan Rader will serve up mouth-watering pulled pork sandwiches and lemon-ade. Papa’s Kettle Korn will have pork cracklin’s and kettle corn. The Peebles Senior Citizens will be on hand to distribute 1200 PeeGee hydrangea bushes, one for every mother, no strings attached. We’ll have plenty of unadvertised specials of 30%, 40% and even 50% off on plants at their peak. We’ll start the weekend with over 900 rose bushes to choose from, all in bloom for the occasion.

Plan on visiting GoodSeed Farm on Mother’s Day

weekend Friday, Saturday or Sunday and bring every

mother you know. We’ll make it worth your trip!

Mark your calendar!

“Steve’s Soapbox:”

A Big Box

of BLIGHT Stores like Walmart and Lowes are getting lar-

ger and more powerful, and for good reason. It’s a convenient, and sometimes cheaper, way to shop. Big chains allow consumers to do all their shop-ping under one roof; plants and potting soil go into the grocery cart along with medicines, clothing, hardware and pet food.

As huge retail chain stores grab a bigger and bigger share of the garden center market, plant growers are consolidating and growing into mega-corporations right along with them. But this consoli-dation can have unintended consequences.

The latest trouble is the explosion of late blight, a fungus similar to the one that caused the Irish potato famine at-tacks potatoes and tomatoes. Late blight appears innocent enough at first — a few brown spots here, some lesions there — but it spreads fast. Although the fungus isn’t harmful to humans, it has devastating effects on tomatoes and potatoes grown outdoors. Plants that appear relatively healthy can turn toxic within a few days.

According to plant pathologists, this killer round of blight began with vegetable plants from huge greenhouse op-erations in the South, bought by consumers at large retailers like Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart. Once those infected starter plants were purchased and planted, they spread their pathogens like tiny Trojan horses into home gardens, making 2009 the worst tomato harvest in memory.

GoodSeed Farm wasn’t affected at all; we buy all our seedling tomato plants from local growers. But we were in-trigued and checked out the story. We found out that virtually every big-box store in the Cincinnati area buys their vegetable plants from just one company; mega-grower Bonnie Plant farm based in Union Springs, Alabama. Whether you buy plants from Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart or K-Mart they all come from one company. Bonnie is a huge grower with 13,000 accounts nationwide and 450 salespeople, primarily serving huge retail chains.

This degree of centralization invites the lightning spread of plant diseases. If late blight occurs in a small nursery it’s relatively easy to recognize, as straightforward as being able to see the plant, recognize its symptoms and isolate it before it has a chance to spread. This is less of an option on a factory farm that’s spread out over dozens of acres, nor is it likely once the plant gets to a large retailer. Last year’s tomato blight crisis provided yet one more argument for buying locally from local growers. Support them or they’ll be gone and you’ll have no choices.

Page 2 Growing With Us

The Irish Potato Famine Revisited?

One way to combat late blight and help biodiversity is to grow heirloom varieties and save your seeds from year to year. We have heirloom seeds from Wetsel Seed and Botanical Interests, and heirloom vegetable plants from family-owned local growers.

HEIRLOOM SEEDS AND PLANTSHEIRLOOM SEEDS AND PLANTSHEIRLOOM SEEDS AND PLANTSHEIRLOOM SEEDS AND PLANTS

SEEDS at www.goodseedfarm.com


Let’s say you’re planning a trip to GoodSeed Let’s say you’re planning a trip to GoodSeed Let’s say you’re planning a trip to GoodSeed Let’s say you’re planning a trip to GoodSeed Farm and it starts to rain (or you think it might, or Farm and it starts to rain (or you think it might, or Farm and it starts to rain (or you think it might, or Farm and it starts to rain (or you think it might, or maybe it’s not raining where you are but it might maybe it’s not raining where you are but it might maybe it’s not raining where you are but it might maybe it’s not raining where you are but it might be raining here, or whatever…) just make sure be raining here, or whatever…) just make sure be raining here, or whatever…) just make sure be raining here, or whatever…) just make sure you’re packing this handy “Rainy Day Certificate” you’re packing this handy “Rainy Day Certificate” you’re packing this handy “Rainy Day Certificate” you’re packing this handy “Rainy Day Certificate” GOOD UNTIL OCTOBER 31. That way, if it’s raining GOOD UNTIL OCTOBER 31. That way, if it’s raining GOOD UNTIL OCTOBER 31. That way, if it’s raining GOOD UNTIL OCTOBER 31. That way, if it’s raining while you’re shopping you can spend it like cash on while you’re shopping you can spend it like cash on while you’re shopping you can spend it like cash on while you’re shopping you can spend it like cash on any purchase over $20. any purchase over $20. any purchase over $20. any purchase over $20. What a concept! Is it worth $10 to you to get a What a concept! Is it worth $10 to you to get a What a concept! Is it worth $10 to you to get a What a concept! Is it worth $10 to you to get a little wet? The worst that can happen is it’s not rain-little wet? The worst that can happen is it’s not rain-little wet? The worst that can happen is it’s not rain-little wet? The worst that can happen is it’s not rain-ing while you’re shopping. Now you just enjoy the ing while you’re shopping. Now you just enjoy the ing while you’re shopping. Now you just enjoy the ing while you’re shopping. Now you just enjoy the nice weather, take home some nice plants and save nice weather, take home some nice plants and save nice weather, take home some nice plants and save nice weather, take home some nice plants and save the certificate for another day!the certificate for another day!the certificate for another day!the certificate for another day!

WORTH GETTING WET!WORTH GETTING WET!WORTH GETTING WET!WORTH GETTING WET!

GoodSeed Farm RAINY DAY CertificateRAINY DAY CertificateRAINY DAY CertificateRAINY DAY Certificate

$10 Value! Garden shopping in wet weather Garden shopping in wet weather Garden shopping in wet weather Garden shopping in wet weather can be fun! This coupon should can be fun! This coupon should can be fun! This coupon should can be fun! This coupon should help. If it’s raining while you’re help. If it’s raining while you’re help. If it’s raining while you’re help. If it’s raining while you’re shopping at GoodSeed Farm, shopping at GoodSeed Farm, shopping at GoodSeed Farm, shopping at GoodSeed Farm, present this coupon for $10 off any present this coupon for $10 off any present this coupon for $10 off any present this coupon for $10 off any purchase over $25.purchase over $25.purchase over $25.purchase over $25.

Valid until October 31, 2010Valid until October 31, 2010Valid until October 31, 2010Valid until October 31, 2010. Not to be combined with any other discount or offer. Limit one per customer.

GoodSeed Farm COUNTRY GARDEN CENTERCOUNTRY GARDEN CENTERCOUNTRY GARDEN CENTERCOUNTRY GARDEN CENTER 200 Storer Road Peebles, Ohio 45660 937-587-7021 www.goodseedfarm.com

Is there anything more delicious than a plate of baked sweet potatoes with fresh cracked pepper, salt and melted butter? Yes. The same dish made with fresh-dug sweet potatoes from your own garden! Or for something really extra special, Marjorie’s delicious creamy sweet potato pie!

Sweet potatoes are easy to grow. The key to success in Ohio is an early start, since sweet potatoes need a long season of sunny days to mature. Sweet Potatoes are in the same plant family as morning glories. They need warm soil, so now is the time to prepare your garden for these delicious tubers. You’ll need to make a raised ridge in a place with full sun all day, working the soil and perhaps covering it with some black plastic for a week or two to warm the soil.

Sweet potato plants are rooted cuttings; stems with a few leaves and well-developed roots sold in bunches. You can keep them in a jar of water until you’re ready to plant. After planting, water them regularly to keep the soil moist while they develop. Control the weeds in your row until the plants spread out enough to shade the ground.

Which sweet potatoes should you grow? Here’s a run-down of varieties we have this season:

Georgia Jets are the sweetest of sweet potatoes. They grow extremely fast, producing #1 size potatoes in only 90 days, and extra-high yields. Five years of testing in the state of New York shows that Georgia Jets produce 2 1/2 times the yield of standard sweet potato plants. Yields in other sections of the country are even more exceptional. Jets have deep orange inside color with moist flesh and a marvelous flavor. The outside skin is so red it is almost purple.

Vardaman is the next sweetest type we sell at Good-Seed Farm. A bush variety with the deepest, brightest in-side color of all sweet potatoes, Vardaman has golden yel-low outside skin that darkens after digging.

Beauregard has been accepted by farmers every-

where. Chances are this is the sweet potato that is avail-able at your local market. The outside color is red-orange and the inside color is orange. The Beauregard is a quick maturing potato and has a good shape.

Centennial has carrot color inside with copper to or-ange outside skin, and produces "Baby Bakers" in about 90 days. Perhaps the most widely recognized sweet po-tato, the Centennial has been used in many bake-off con-tests.

O’Henry is a white-skinned, cream-fleshed sweet po-tato that cooks up drier than other sweet potato varieties. It has a different look from the other darker-skin varieties.

White Yams are one of America's oldest varieties. Known also as Triumph, Southern Queen, Poplar Root, "Choker" and White Bunch, are white as cotton inside and out, and sweet as sugar. White yams are the driest sweet potato.

Set sweet potato plants 12 to 18 inches apart, prefera-bly on a wide, raised ridge about 8 inches high. A ridge not only dries better in the spring but also warms earlier. Covering the ridge with black plastic can speed early sea-son growth by capturing and storing more of the sun’s heat in the soil under the plastic cover. The vines of spreading varieties need a great deal of space, so allow at least 3 to 4 feet between rows.

After early cultivation (which is not necessary with black plastic), sweet potatoes need minimal care to keep down weeds. Once the vines spread to cover the ground, little weeding is required. Irrigate if an extended drought occurs.

Do not water during the last 3 to 4 weeks before har-vest to protect the developing roots. Sweet potatoes will be ruined by frost, so make sure you harvest them as soon as they are ready. If an early frost takes you by surprise, harvest them immediately before the decay from the dead vines travels into the potatoes and rots them.

Oh SoOh SoOh SoOh So

SWEETSWEETSWEETSWEET ‘TATERS‘TATERS‘TATERS‘TATERS



“KNOCK“KNOCK“KNOCK“KNOCK“KNOCK“KNOCK“KNOCK“KNOCK--------OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!!OUTS R US!!! ...at GoodSeed Farm

Choose from:Choose from:Choose from:Choose from: “Knock“Knock“Knock“Knock----Out” RedOut” RedOut” RedOut” Red “Knock“Knock“Knock“Knock----Out” Double RedOut” Double RedOut” Double RedOut” Double Red “Knock“Knock“Knock“Knock----Out” PinkOut” PinkOut” PinkOut” Pink “Knock“Knock“Knock“Knock----Out” Double PinkOut” Double PinkOut” Double PinkOut” Double Pink “Blushing Knock“Blushing Knock“Blushing Knock“Blushing Knock----Out” Out” Out” Out” “Rainbow Knock“Rainbow Knock“Rainbow Knock“Rainbow Knock----Out” Out” Out” Out” Hundreds in stock!Hundreds in stock!Hundreds in stock!Hundreds in stock!

Plus: Climbers, Miniatures, Plus: Climbers, Miniatures, Plus: Climbers, Miniatures, Plus: Climbers, Miniatures, Hybrid Teas, Groundcover Hybrid Teas, Groundcover Hybrid Teas, Groundcover Hybrid Teas, Groundcover and Shrub Roses!and Shrub Roses!and Shrub Roses!and Shrub Roses!

Roses from Weeks,

Jackson & Perkins,

and Bailey in

FULL BLOOM for

Mother’s Day!

The perfect gift for Mom! Give her hours of pleasure selecting The perfect gift for Mom! Give her hours of pleasure selecting The perfect gift for Mom! Give her hours of pleasure selecting The perfect gift for Mom! Give her hours of pleasure selecting wonderful plants and garden gifts. Available in our store, or wonderful plants and garden gifts. Available in our store, or wonderful plants and garden gifts. Available in our store, or wonderful plants and garden gifts. Available in our store, or charge by phone at 937charge by phone at 937charge by phone at 937charge by phone at 937----587587587587----7021 and we’ll send one for you!7021 and we’ll send one for you!7021 and we’ll send one for you!7021 and we’ll send one for you!

Cat’s Meow Quilt BarnCat’s Meow Quilt BarnCat’s Meow Quilt BarnCat’s Meow Quilt Barn

The very first quilt barn mural in the country to be reproduced as a “Cat’s Meow MY WORLD” collectible. This is a model of the quilt barn at GoodSeed Farm, on the country’s first quilt barn mural trail, the Adams County “Clothesline of Quilts”. Only $24.99.

Gift Card

Gift Card

Gift CardGift CardGift Card

Gift Card

Gift CardGift Card

GoodSeed Farm

Www.goodseedfarm.coMOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS...MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS...MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS...MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS...


It’s been a long time coming; people are finally catching on to the raised bed explosion. Easier and more productive than the tradi-tional garden plot, raised beds are catching on with busy families who want fresh home-raised vegetables and fruit without endless weeding, and who often live in areas with heavy clay soils. This trend makes perfect sense to us. We see professional grow-ers using well-drained pots filled with pine bark/peat moss soilless mixes to produce rapid turns of perfectly matched plants. We never saw the point of tilling garden soil year after year, only to pack it down by walking on it in order to raise garden crops. Frustrated gar-deners are at the mercy of the weather, waiting weeks for water-logged garden patches to dry out enough to plant, only to see seed-lings drown in mud the next time it rains. Drainage and soil texture are the keys to healthy plants. Raised beds full of fluffy, compost-rich soil are bound to produce better crops with less effort. Specialty plants like strawberries and blueber-

ries can be grown in straight pine bark or pine/peat mixes, providing the perfect drainage and acidity. We’re now offering specially made “square foot gardening” kits for making raised beds out of white Cedar. These 4x4 foot beds can be easily stowed in your car trunk or shipped by UPS, assemble in minutes with no tools, and last for years outdoors. It’s a snap to set them up on just about any flat surface. They’re nicely finished off with beveled cor-ners, smoothly planed, pre-drilled and require no painting or staining. They aren’t soaked with chemicals like pres-sure-treated pine or railroad ties, and won’t splinter. They weather to a hand-some driftwood silver gray. Next time you’re at GoodSeed Farm check out our new “square foot” straw-berry and blueberry beds, and the cute cold frame with its clear rollup “greenhouse” cover. Take home one of the kits and try it. You’ve never seen such a tidy, easy garden plot for an in-stant herb garden or vegetable bed. If you can’t make it to the store, order the kit at www.goodseedfarm.com and we’ll send you one.

The Rise of

RAISED BEDS

ONLINE SPECIAL! Get $5 off your first order at www.goodseedfarm.com Just login and use this promo

code at the online checkout!

NL52010

BLUEBERRY HEAVEN: Our Amish-made white cedar raised

bed kit (with extender kit) filled with shredded pine bark.

DRAINAGE and PH: What works

for commercial growers makes

sense for your home garden.


Visit often Visit often Visit often Visit often for our many unadvertised specials on premium plants at their peak, different each week!different each week!different each week!different each week!

We want you to visit more often. That’s why we have up to a dozen different plants on sale each time you come. Shrubs, trees, perennials, all of them at their peak. We’re not waiting until the end of the season and offering you picked-over leftovers. We’re getting good deals on perfect plants and passing the savings along, just to entice you. Are you working on a project? Perhaps you could save on just the plants you need! Need the perfect gift plant? Chances are there’s something just right and you can save 30%, 40% or even 50% on it! Don’t expect us to recite the sale items over the phone or post them on our website. These are UN-ADVERTISED spe-cials. The whole idea is for you to take an enjoyable shopping trip and bring your friends. And if you see the plant you like on sale, take it home now because tomorrow we’ll move the sale sign somewhere else. Think “blue light special.” Sound like hype? See for yourself the next time you’re here.

Marjorie’s Marjorie’s Marjorie’s Marjorie’s

Perennial PickPerennial PickPerennial PickPerennial Pick

Bearded Iris “IMMORTALITY”

The new trend in Iris is re-bloomers; Iris that give two shows each year instead of just one. “Immortality” is our favorite of the many re-blooming iris we sell. This is a vigorous, hardy iris with pure white flowers in spring and again in fall. It’s a very reliable heavy bloomer. Iris are hardy survivors; we joke that the way to plant them is to throw them up in the air and they’ll take root and thrive wherever they land.

GARDEN ANSWERS ONLINE

LEARN~SHOP~SUCCEED

www.goodseedfarm.com

200 Storer Road

Peebles, Ohio 45660

937-587-7021

www.goodseedfarm.com

PRSTD STD US POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT 5400

CINCINNATI OH

GoodSeed Farm COUNTRY GARDEN CENTERCOUNTRY GARDEN CENTERCOUNTRY GARDEN CENTERCOUNTRY GARDEN CENTER

May 7May 7May 7May 7----8888----9999 Country Garden Mother’s Day PartyCountry Garden Mother’s Day PartyCountry Garden Mother’s Day PartyCountry Garden Mother’s Day Party FREE PeeGee Hydran-gea for every mother, live music, food and fun 8AM-6PM Friday and Saturday, 10AM-5PM Mother’s Day Sunday

June 19June 19June 19June 19----20202020----21212121 Father’s Day Tree SaleFather’s Day Tree SaleFather’s Day Tree SaleFather’s Day Tree Sale Huge savings on all woody plants in-cluding flowering shrubs, evergreens, orchard and shade trees! 8AM-6PM Friday and Saturday, 10AM-5PM Father’s Day Sunday

June 23June 23June 23June 23----July 4July 4July 4July 4 Truckload Annual Flower SaleTruckload Annual Flower SaleTruckload Annual Flower SaleTruckload Annual Flower Sale Outrageous savings on an-nual flats, pots and hanging baskets while they last

All SpringAll SpringAll SpringAll Spring Save 30Save 30Save 30Save 30----50% on selected perennials, shrubs and trees50% on selected perennials, shrubs and trees50% on selected perennials, shrubs and trees50% on selected perennials, shrubs and trees throughout the garden center. Visit regularly for unadver-tised half-price specials on premium plants at their peak, premium plants at their peak, premium plants at their peak, premium plants at their peak, while supplies last!

PLAN TO VISIT GOODSEED FARM OFTEN THIS SPRING! PLAN TO VISIT GOODSEED FARM OFTEN THIS SPRING! PLAN TO VISIT GOODSEED FARM OFTEN THIS SPRING! PLAN TO VISIT GOODSEED FARM OFTEN THIS SPRING! Mark your calendar so you can enjoy our special Mark your calendar so you can enjoy our special Mark your calendar so you can enjoy our special Mark your calendar so you can enjoy our special events, take advantage of special savings, bring your events, take advantage of special savings, bring your events, take advantage of special savings, bring your events, take advantage of special savings, bring your family or friends for special timesfamily or friends for special timesfamily or friends for special timesfamily or friends for special times!!!!

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900 ROSES!900 ROSES!900 ROSES!900 ROSES! • Shrub RosesShrub RosesShrub RosesShrub Roses • ClimbersClimbersClimbersClimbers • Hybrid TeasHybrid TeasHybrid TeasHybrid Teas • FloribundasFloribundasFloribundasFloribundas • MiniaturesMiniaturesMiniaturesMiniatures

• Jackson & PerkinsJackson & PerkinsJackson & PerkinsJackson & Perkins • BaileyBaileyBaileyBailey • Weeks RosesWeeks RosesWeeks RosesWeeks Roses • David AustinDavid AustinDavid AustinDavid Austin

Documents

Spring 2010 Newsletter B