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Quotation of the Week: "What a man needs in gardening is a cast-iron back, with a hinge in it." — Charles Dudley Warner

What Is the Shelf Life of Common Organic Products?

By Tamara Galbraith It's a great time of year to clean out the garage, isn't it? Phase 1 of that daunting project has been completed at my house. Next up? Reviewing what organic gardening products I'll need to replace before the growing season begins. It's important to do this each year, as some products can become less effective over time, while others may do the opposite. Some liquid pesticides and fertilizers can develop gas as they deteriorate, making opening and handling containers hazardous. Powdered products (like fertilizers and insectides) can usually be stored indefinitely if kept away from moisture, and out of both the sun and extreme temperatures. Liquid fertilizers have a shelf life of approximately 1-2 years, if stored under the same cool conditions. Oil- and soap-based insecticides generally last 1-2 years as well. Bacteria-based products such Bts (bacillus thuringiensis) and other biological products may have shorter shelf lives. In fact, beneficial nematodes should be used immediately after purchase, if possible. Two days' storage in the refrigerator is about the maximum if you can't apply them immediately. Of course, check the container of all of your products for an expiration date, and adhere to it if there is one. If there isn't, feel free to contact the manufacturer for advice if you're not sure whether to keep it or toss it. When disposing of any gardening chemical — either organic or synthetic — it is important that you do so properly. Under no circumstances should you pour products down the drain or sewer. Many cities now have Environmental Waste Chemical Pick-up services. Call your County Extension for direction if you're not sure what to do.

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Seeds for Flower and Vegetable Transplants

Although February is too soon for planting all summer flowers and vegetables in the ground, it's certainly not too early for planting seeds. Ambitious gardeners with lots of space to fill can grow their own transplants in flats or peat pots filled with sterilized potting soil or seed starter (we recommend Whitney Farms Seed Starter). Use bottom heat (70° F, 21° C) from a heat cable to germinate seed. (Alternatively, a 15- or 20-watt bulb in a "trouble light," protected from moisture by several layers of plastic, can be used under flats raised on bricks or flower pots.) Bright light for healthy transplants can be provided by a fluorescent shop light hung 7 to 10 inches above your flats. Leave it burning from fourteen to sixteen hours per day. When it is time to move plants outside and/or transplant them into the ground, give them a gentle transition into the garden — first a week in the shade, then one in full sun, bringing them inside at night. The third week leave them out at night too, to harden them off.

Unusual Plants: Euphorbia 'Tasmanian Tiger'

By Tamara Galbraith One of the plants I currently have on order and am looking most forward to receiving is the beautiful (and fairly new) variegated Euphorbia 'Tasmanian Tiger' (Euphorbia characias). Hardy to USDA Zone 7 (or 6 with some pampering), this drought-tolerant beauty from the spurge family more closely resembles a green-and-white zebra than a tiger. It is an upright, shrubby plant and can get 3-4' high including the wildly striped flower stalks...but it's the gorgeous, white-margined foliage you'll be drooling over. Tasmanian Tiger was discovered in 1993 in — you guessed it — Tasmania, which says everything about its growth habit. Keep it in a well-draining, sunny spot, and prune the flowers back at the base after blooming is finished. Expect this vigorous euphorbia to get about 3' wide, so plan accordingly to allow for sufficient spacing and air circulation. This tiger does have teeth, however; as is the case with all euphorbias, you should ALWAYS wear gloves when handling. The plant's white, milky sap is both poisonous and a skin and eye irritant.

Feeling a Little Rusty

By Tamara Galbraith And you thought the BlackBerry® personal device was in trouble. Turns out the juicy, plump summer berries we enjoy so much could be shut down soon too. Some important information has surfaced recently regarding a fairly new rust fungus that is hitting U.S. blackberry crops particularly hard. The fungus -- Phragmidium violaceum -- was apparently introduced in Austrialia, New Zealand and Chile to help control the invasive Himalaya blackberry. However and unfortunately, this fungus has shown up in Oregon and Washington and has since started to infect commercial plantings of certain blackberry cultivars, causing significant losses. Evergreen blackberries in those regions have been particularly hard hit. According to Purdue University's report on the rust, most of the varieties grown in California, Washington, and Oregon are not closely related to the susceptible varieties; however, many eastern varieties have susceptible species in their parental background, and studies have shown it is possible that this rust disease could spread to eastern plantings in the next couple of years. If you like growing your own blackberries, watch for these symptoms: wine-colored spots on the top of infected leaves with circular patches of cream-to-yellow spore masses surrounded by a violet tinge directly under the spots on the underside of the infected leaves. Advanced stages of the disease will also have black spores mixed in with the yellow spores. Older leaves close to the canes are the first infected and can eventually die. (While the rust affects the plant's leaves and fruit production, the Oregon Department of Agriculture stresses that eating the fruit of an infected plant is not a health risk or a danger to humans.) Researchers say the disease should be controlled with fungicides, but as always, fungicides are most effective before symptoms of any kind appear. Good gardening practices, such as the removal of dead leaves and other debris from around plants and allowing plenty of space between plants for adequate air flow, are also important preventative measures.

February Is The Time To:

Choose and plant camellias, azaleas and Chinese magnolias Purchase clivia Plant gerberas and gladioli Plant lilies of the valley Plant asparagus from bare-root Prune kiwi vines Cut back fuchsias once they begin to grow In coastal zones: prune begonias, ginger, cannas, asparagus ferns, ivy and pyracantha Deadhead cool-season flowers to keep them blooming Propagate running bamboo in coastal zones Continue to fertilize citrus trees in coastal zones Continue to fertilize epiphyllums with Bandini Super Bloom (2-10-10 or 0-10-10) Fertilize avocado trees in coastal zones Feed deciduous fruit trees Fertilize roses Fertilize fuchsias Spread manure over the roots of bananas, ginger, cannas, asparagus, and old clumps of geranium Fertilize cineraria with Bandini Super Bloom (0-10-10 or 2-10-10) to promote blooms Fertilize cane berries as they begin to grow Keep roses and bulbs well-watered Bait cymbidiums and clivia for slugs and snails Control pests on citrus trees, sycamore, ash and alder trees Protect cineraria from leaf miners, aphids, and slugs and snails Mulch young avocado trees

Care For Camellias

Continue to buy, plant, and transplant camellias now, while they're still in bloom and before they start to grow. Most people choose camellias simply by picking out something that looks pretty. It's better to select them for your climate zone and ease of growing. Some are slow growers, others vigorous. Some are good in warmer climates but many varieties need extremes of temperature in order to open their blooms. Many people who have just moved from a milder area to an area with more variation (or vice versa) try to grow their favorite camellias from their old home and are disappointed. Your best bet is to buy your camellias at a local nursery - like us - that knows the area. As a general rule, singles and semi-doubles do best in milder areas, though many formal doubles will open. Anemone-form and peony-form camellias usually won't open in milder climates, because the winters are too warm.

What You'll Need: 8 oz. uncooked chorizo sausage (Soyrizo is a good substitute if you want to reduce fat) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 15 oz. can Mexican-style or Tex-Mex-style chili beans 1 15 oz. can hominy 1 6 oz. package regular Spanish-style rice mix

Step by Step:

Remove casings from sausage, if present. In a medium skillet cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Drain fat. Transfer sausage mixture to a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker Stir in undrained chili beans, hominy, and the contents from the seasoning pack from the rice mix. Set aside remaining rice mix. Pour 6 cups water over all. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours. Stir in remaining rice mix. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 1 hour more, or on high-heat setting for 45 minutes more. Makes 6 servings.