Park Seed Newsletter: Welcome to Your Park Seed Garden News

What's News at Park Seed? - View this email online.

In this issue:

Park Seed Wins AAS Award
Know Before You Grow!
Another Reason to Love Honeybees
"Farmers Would Drop Trou and Sit on the Earth..."
Naturally Sweet Stevia
White House Vegetable Garden
Winners of the Garden Resolutions Contest
New Contest: Savvy Seed Starting
Notes From Chris
February Dates to Remember
Park in the News
Fun Freebies

May our heart's garden of awakening bloom with hundreds of flowers. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Stephanie shows off our AAS award Park Seed has been awarded a great honor! All-American Selections just announced our Park Seed Trial Gardens as the winner of the 2008 AAS Display Garden Exemplary Education Category II Award.

Our annual Flower Day event, on June 21, 2008, included guided tours of our 9-acre Trial Gardens, Q&A sessions with HGTV Gardening by the Yard host, Paul James, presentations by the Director of Seed Product and the Director of Horticulture, a rare plant auction, seed sales, and over 2000 varieties of gorgeous plants for the guests to photograph and enjoy!

We put in a lot of hard work and everyone had a great time, and we're honored to receive this AAS award! Thank you! Be sure to visit us for Flower Day 2009 and see the trial gardens for yourself!

We're thrilled to announce our new weekly Know Before You Grow newsletter series! Each edition is focused on a particular vegetable, giving you the most up-to-date information on germination, growth, cultivation, and any other useful or interesting tidbit we think you'd need or enjoy.

So far, we've explored all about Tomatoes and Peppers, and one of the great things about this project is that we're learning, too! In the world of gardening, there is always something new and exciting to learn, so please join us as we bring you a different veggie every week. We want to help your garden grow!

What's not to love about honeybees? They're truly amazing creatures — pollinating flowers, fruit and veggies so our world is constantly growing in natural beauty, scaring off destructive caterpillars so our beloved plants stay healthy, and of course giving us that coveted and irreplaceable treat, HONEY!

Which shall I Choose?
Among these pretty fragrant flowers,
I buzz away the happy hours,
Finding which one tastes the best,
To bring its pollen to my nest.
Now no need to sit on thistles,
Which prick my feet and make me whistle,
Flower fairies get out of the way,
I've serious business to do today,
Making honey baby bees will eat,
To grow strong on this delicious treat,
So I work the daylight hours,
Thanking the one who planted the flowers.

- Submitted by Laura Peterson

So, as we're discussing topics for topics to include in this newsletter, always-good-for-a-laugh Denise Smith mentioned a fun historical gardening tidbit — farmers used to test the temperature of the soil by dropping their trousers and sitting on the ground. If the dirt was too cold for bare flesh, it was too cold for seeds!

I believe the end of Denise's email was "G'ahead. I dare ya," as in, there is no way that is an appropriate topic for an email our customers and readers. As a matter of fact, we feel it is precisely the type of thing that would interest our dear customers and readers! (For the record, Trial Gardens Manager, Chris Browne, asked us make it clear he does not "Drop Trou" in the trials before he plants!!)

Stevia has been in the press a lot lately, with Coke and Pepsi considering "new," safe sugar alternatives for sweetening drinks and it seems the FDA considers Stevia-derived sweeteners every few years. New sweetener Truvia™ has come onto the market and into your local grocery store in little packets to put in your coffee and tea.

Have you noticed that many people don't seem know Stevia is a plant? Not just a sweetener derived from some rare plant harvested in a remote rainforest, an actual Stevia plant (an easy-to-grow-in-your-kitchen-windowsill one at that)! And what has gardeners laughing is the fact that this little plant is far sweeter than sugar cane and has been used in other countries for centuries, but isn't loaded with calories and doesn't promote tooth decay.

Also known as Sugar Plant or Sugar Herb, Stevia is great for sweetening your coffee, tea, or cereal — just drop a leaf into hot or cold drinks or cook it with meat and vegetable dishes (it's heat-stable!). You can also grind up the dried leaves to sprinkle over your cereal. Life really is sweet!

Home-front gardening is growing in popularity! Many of you have joined us in the new Victory Garden movement, with wonderful results. Not only does growing your own fruits and veggies provide enough food for your household, but it can also allow many of you to share with friends and neighbors or donate to local food banks.

There is a growing campaign to persuade our new president, Barack Obama, to plant a vegetable garden on the White House grounds. Several past presidents had them, the most notable being that of First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, who started a Victory Garden on the White House lawn in 1943. Her efforts encouraged millions of Americans to follow in her footsteps. By the time WWII ended, home gardeners were producing approximately 40 percent of the fruits and vegetables being consumed in the United States!

In these hard economic times, growing our own healthy, delicious vegetables at home simply makes sense. And we're delighted with how many of our fellow gardeners agree!

Are you planning a Victory Garden this year? Tell us all about it! We'd love to keep in touch and hear your updates and see photos of your harvest!

With all the gardening resolutions being made out there, 2009 should offer a wealth of healthy and gorgeous gardens like never before! Thank you so much for being willing to share the mistakes you've made over the years. These tips will help us all!

Unfortunately, we had way too many entries to be able to award everyone a prize, but we do offer all of you our appreciation! After a lot of deliberation, we finally managed to pick out 4 winners: Judy Weymouth of Buxton, ME, Irene Lyons of Midland, MI, Lisa Willmon of Houston, TX, and Kelly Palmer of Winslow, AR. Congratulations! You will each be receiving a $25 Park Seed Gift Certificate!

I had the brainstorm one year to plant Nicotiana next to our many (~60) tomato plants...not thinking that Nicotiana is related to tomatoes, & that Nicotiana has the loveliest night-time fragrance, & that lovely fragrance would draw in night-flying moths to visit, & that apparently MOST of those night-flying moths would turn out to be Sphinx moths. The strong-flying parents of the Tomato Hornworm. We had the best crop of Tomato Hornworms EVER. Hundreds of them. Hundreds. Not only on the tomatoes, but also the Nicotiana. That's a lot of hunting & squishing. We'll never plant Nicotiana again, anywhere, as long as we grow tomatoes. And a caveat to gardeners trying to attract butterflies, moths, & other wildlife to your plot: investigate what their "babies" like to eat before planting! Every year in the garden is a new adventure, even after 40+ years!

— Judy Weymouth

My New Year Resolution for gardening is To Never Sneeze Again with Seeds in My Hands.

— Irene Lyons

1. I resolve never again to allot three feet square for zucchini plants. 2. I resolve never again to raise eight tomato plants at once for a table that feeds two people. 3. I resolve never again to let my dog romp through my unplanted garden. 4. I resolve never again to let the heat and weeds and bugs beat me back by April.

— Lisa Willmon

I will never again buy the leftover pitiful looking disease ridden plants that nobody else wanted at a nursery that tells me they just need a little TLC and some good soil and that they'll catch up. I'll start with quality and plan ahead even if it takes a few days longer to get them.

— Kelly Palmer

Congratulations to all our winners and thank you again to everyone who participated! Good luck with your gardens in 2009!

We're confident that our fellow gardeners are clever and downright resourceful! Now we want you to prove it. Send us a description of your most unique and ingenious seed-starting kits — it has to be something of your own invention and something you've recycled from various materials in order to sprout those precious seeds!

You have until Tuesday, February 24 to send us your brilliant ideas! There will be one $50 Gift Certificate Grand Prize awarded and 4 $25 Runner Up Gift Certificates given out. More info on how to enter can be found on Parkseed.com.

Chris Browne works hard to plan the layout of Park's Trial Gardens

So, how do we continue to grow such a beautiful garden here at Park Seed? The answer is planning! Right now is the time when we are brainstorming and planning how to arrange the layout of the Park Seed Trial Garden. We start over with a clean slate every season, making changes to things we have added or taken away. This process includes figuring out which annuals and perennials will be planted where and making sure each variety fits where it is planted. For instance, all of the annuals planted in the Butterfly and Hummingbird garden will unquestionably attract butterflies and hummingbirds. As the planning stage comes to an end, all trial items and lists are finalized. And what does that mean? That spring is here, the newest and most popular varieties are in our Greenwood, SC trial gardens, and it is time to get our hands dirty and start planting!

There are a number of great weekly observances in February, including the World AG Expo in Tulare, California and the Great Backyard Bird Count, which takes place across the country! And if you're looking for things to celebrate or get involved in throughout the entire month, February is National Black History month, and in Fort Valley, GA you can enjoy the Festival of Camellias! Check out more fun and interesting February holidays and observances.

February 1 — Superbowl XLIII — The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Arizona Cardinals!

February 2 — Groundhog Day — Today, Punxsutawney Phil, that most famous of groundhogs, will emerge from his burrow to let us know if we can expect more cold weather or if spring is at hand!

February 11 — National Shut-In Visitation Day — If you know anyone who can't get out of the house for whatever reason, go visit them — bring groceries, grab a paper, bring a houseplant to him or her, or just have a sit-down and a chat!

February 13 — Blame Someone Else Day — You have a whole day to pass the buck! Go ahead, say it — "It's not my fault!" Enjoy today, because tomorrow you have to take responsibility again!

February 13 — Friday the 13th — The fear of this day is called paraskavedekatriaphobia. Say that 5 times fast! Lots of people think this day is unlucky! Go out there and prove them wrong... but don't walk under that ladder!

February 14 — Valentine's Day

February 16 — President's Day

February 24 — Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras — This festive season occurs immediately before Lent and involves a parade, a street party, and people masquerading during the celebrations.

February 25 — Ash Wednesday — The first day of Lent, this Christian holiday gets its name from the practice of tracing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of their repentance.

February 28 — Floral Design Day — Create your own floral arrangement or delight in the beauty of someone else's!

Keep your eyes peeled for Park products featured in these national and local gardening publications!

Garden for Victory Seed Collection was featured in Dallas Morning News
Fragrant Corkscrew Vine was featured in Fine Gardening Magazine
Stephanie Turner was interviewed about the increase in vegetable gardens in Chicago Tribune
Stephanie was also interviewed about home vegetable gardens in Miami Herald
Begonia BIG™ series was featured in Rapid City Journal
Park Seed was mentioned in an article about the return of Victory Gardening in The Bulletin

Brand new Desktops for Spring 2009!

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800-213-0076

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Plants, bulbs, and trees ship at the proper time for your zone.
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Park Seed Co.
The Best Flowers & Vegetables
1 Parkton Ave. | Greenwood, SC 29647
800-213-0076 www.parkseed.com
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