Monday, April 29th, 2013 by admin, 106 comments
Come rain or shine the last week of April and first few weeks of May are when the roses in my garden start their spring show. Even though we are a few weeks behind because of cooler than usual weather, the roses are right on schedule. This is good because Mike Shoup of the Antique Rose Emporium is coming for a visit in just a few days.
Mike is an expert on heritage roses so I thought it would be appropriate to invite him to speak on the subject when the roses are at their peak. To make the event even rosier Mike's talk is at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion where heritage roses abound in the gardens.
I know not everyone can make it to the lecture and not everyone has roses blooming yet so I'm giving away a copy of Mike's book Empress of the Garden. It's a big, coffee table-sized book that defines rose varieties by their personalities, which makes it easy to decide if a rose is right for you. Mike introduces us "Balloon-skirted Ladies" and "Petite Party-goers" as well as "Mysterious Ladies." And let me tell you it's always good to know you've fallen for a "Petulant Diva" before you bring her into the garden.
If you'd like to win a copy of Empress of the Garden tell me what you love most about roses – fragrance, color, rose hips? Just post a comment below. I'll select a winner at random on May 8th, 2013.
Congrats to Nancy Olig! She's the winner of this month's giveaway. Check your inbox Nancy for an email explaining how to get your copy of Mike's book. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Monday, February 25th, 2013 by P. Allen Smith, 594 comments
What's the secret to a bountiful vegetable garden? Healthy soil. Good soil, combined with ample sunshine and consistent moisture will produce a garden that’s easy to maintain and very productive.
Out at the farm we give the soil a leg up with Jobe's Organics Fertilizer. Their products contain three essential microorganisms - bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi and a unique species of Archaea. Archaea sets Jobe's apart from other microbial fertilizers because it is so aggressive, quickly breaking down material into nutrients for plants. Our tests of Jobe's resulted in better looking plants, with increased resistance to weather extremes.
Do you want to try Jobe's Organics out in your own garden? Leave a comment below for a chance to win an 8 pound bag of their Heirloom Tomato and Vegetable Food.
I'll pick a winner on March 6th at 9:30 a.m. CST.
Congratulations to Jim Allen! He's the randomly selected winner of the giveaway. Get ready for a a bountiful vegetable garden this summer Jim!
Monday, January 28th, 2013 by P. Allen Smith, 925 comments
Congratulations to Anita Spence! She's the randomly selected winner of the Self-watering Greenhouse. Check your email Anita for confirmation!
When it comes to sowing seeds I love English peas, sweet peas, hyacinth bean vine, gourds, yard long green beans and of course, sunflowers.
What's your favorite plant to grow from seeds? Tell me for a chance to win a Jiffy self-watering seedling greenhouse. This handy seed starting tray comes with starter pellets, a no-mess self-watering mat and a lid to keep in moisture.
Enter your response in the comments section below and I'll pick a random winner on Wednesday February 6, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. CST. Click here for the official rules.
