‘THE SAGE’-Klein’s Online Newsletter—MAY 2020
Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses
608/244-5661 or info@kleinsfloral.com
THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Don’t Forget Mom This May 10!
Our ‘Mad Gardener’ Is Ready for Your Questions
Springtime Greetings from Klein’s Floral Department
How to Harden Off Seedlings Before Planting
Plant Your Coronavirus Victory Garden
Klein’s Favorite Seed, Bulb & Plant Sources
You Asked the Mad Gardener about Pet Friendly Houseplants
Plant of the Month: The Summer Bulbs
Klein’s Favorite Horseradish Recipes
Product Spotlight: Mad Mats® Outdoor Rugs
Notes from Rick’s Garden Journal—From April 2020
—About Lily Leaf Beetles
—An Update on My Battery Powered Lawnmower
—Charming Visitor Leaves Behind a Notorious Plant Pest
May in the Garden: A Planner
Gardening Events Around Town
Join Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Facebook
A MESSAGE TO OUR CUSTOMERS REGARDING COVID-19…
With the safety of our staff and community of utmost importance, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close our doors to the public to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Since we still need to be here to take care of our plants and are considered agriculture and also, therefore, considered essential, staff members will be available by phone at 608-244-5661 (Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 – 5:00 & Sunday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm). In addition, our Online Shop is up and running with new items being added daily. Either shop online or email us at info@kleinsfloral.com.
Our fresh flower bouquets, plants, pottery, seeds, supplies, gift cards and everything else you like to come to Klein’s for will be available for curbside pickup.
***Please note that that the situation is changing almost daily at this time. Watch for an opening to the public soon with limited shopping and all proper social distancing guidelines in place.
THE MAD GARDENER
“Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice”
Ask any of your gardening questions by e-mailing them to us at madgardener@kleinsfloral.com. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. We’ve also posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.
Sorry, we can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS OR GARDEN TOURS that you would like posted on our web site or in our monthly newsletters, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or rick@kleinsfloral.com. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison area.
MAY STORE HOURS FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP:
Until further notice due to the COVID-19 virus:
Monday thru Friday : 8:00-5:00
Saturday: 9:00-5:00
Sunday: 11:00-3:00
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
May 5–Cinco de Mayo
May 7–Full Moon
May 6–This is Madison’s average last frost date (May 10 in the outlying areas), but keep your eye on the weather before planting. Madison has a notorious reputation for late May frosts. Many local old-time gardeners refuse to plant, especially their tomatoes, peppers, morning glories, etc. until Memorial Day weekend when the soil has warmed properly. Novice gardeners have a tendency to plant too early!
May 10–Mother’s Day.
May 25–Memorial Day
‘THE FLOWER SHOPPE’:
Springtime greetings from Klein’s floral department! It’s been an interesting one to say the least…
Hello everyone!! My name is Darcy and I am the lead floral consultant, (we’ve probably chatted on the phone.), at Klein’s. Along with my amazing team of talented designers, we hope this finds you safe and healthy as we continue to fight Covid-19. Although we are currently closed to the public, we are delighted to have the ability to continue creating amazing floral pieces for you or a special someone in your life. Be it day to day, sympathy work to honor your loved one, or bridal creations for our wonderful couples, we put our love for floral design into every piece we do. We love making someone’s day just a little more special.
First and foremost, we want to thank you for continuing to be beyond supportive during this time. We know that you have many floral shops that you could do business with and we value your patronage more than you know. You are the reason we love what we do, and we appreciate your loyalty.
With that being said, I wanted to take a little of your time today to explain how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected our day to day operations in floral; because we have had to make several adjustments. I hope that this will answer the potential questions that you perhaps have, especially as we close in on that next big floral holiday—Mother’s Day.
What has changed:
We continue to take floral orders for delivery or curbside pick-up, and most importantly we continue to provide you with the most creative and beautiful fresh floral bouquets.
Our delivery schedule:
At this time, we continue to do floral deliveries Monday through Saturday, however we are currently doing one delivery run daily. Our new cut-off time for floral orders is 12:00, and deliveries are usually out to their destinations by 12:30. We are currently not doing timed deliveries, and ALL deliveries, regardless of home or office, are NO CONTACT. WE MUST have a phone number for the recipient. We are either placing floral orders on the step or porch and then either ringing the bell and walking away, or calling from our delivery van to let them know we have left something. We cannot deliver without a phone number, so please have that readily available when you place your order. If you’d like us to call first and let them know we will be coming, we are happy to do that for you. Please also note that if you are considering a delivery to a nursing home or assisted living center you might call first and make sure that they are excepting outside deliveries before placing an order. PLEASE NOTE THAT AT THIS TIME NO HOSPITAL IN THE AREA IS EXCEPTING FLORAL DELIVERIES.
Selection:
As each week passes it gets more and more difficult to secure flowers for our use. Even our everyday staples are becoming harder to get. Our wholesalers are facing many challenges. A great deal of product comes from California. Due to their ‘lock down” even if floral product is being harvested, it struggles to get out of the state. A similar situation exists for product coming out of Ecuador and South American—it might be available, but most of it comes into Miami, and again shipping is almost impossible. Yes, we are still getting fresh product, but it’s about a fourth of what is normally available. So, we need a little help from you! We would ask that when you do place an order that you understand that it needs to be designer’s choice and not something specific (wire out orders as well). Our emphasis being, the creation of something beautiful for your recipient, (or for you) with the freshest of product! If you are ordering online and are choosing a FTD arrangement, more often than not we are having to make floral substitutions.
Mother’s Day:
A day filled with such love for our Moms or the moms of our kiddos, Mother’s Day is probably the busiest floral event for our shop (Valentine’s Day is right on it’s heals.) Product was ordered last month, and it is my hope that we will be receiving everything that I requested. With that being said, I would ask a few things from you, our valued customer! PLEASE ORDER EARLY!! We usually have additional product available to us if we run out of something, but that will not be the case this year. Our wholesalers are keeping very close tabs of their inventory and are not “over buying” from their vendor, so numbers will be tight.
The same delivery protocol will be in place; Monday through Saturday, no direct contact with the recipient, no timed deliveries and WE MUST HAVE A CORRECT ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER. We will have multiple drivers, so we will be making multiple runs.
Again, I cannot thank you enough for choosing Klein’s Floral. We love our customers and we love what we do. You are the reason that we come to work every day. Sue, Andrea and I look forward to helping you make someone’s day special with a custom floral bouquet.
REMEMBER TO ORDER EARLY FOR MOTHER’S DAY! We look forward to the day that we can see you once again in person. Until then stay safe and most importantly stay healthy.
Darcy, Sue and Andrea
YOU ASKED. . .
We’re new to the houseplant world. We would like to start cleaning the air in our home in a natural way and we need something to brighten the environment. We also need plants that are pet friendly. One of our rooms gets good sunlight, but the other rooms do not. I’m looking for some low maintenance houseplants. Thanks. Allison
Hi Allison,
Pet friendly and rooms with
Plants that are “toxic” to pets range from those that can be deadly if eaten to those that cause mild indigestion if eaten or contact dermatitis if touched. Some pets (dogs more than cats) won’t bother with plants at all…. and both tend to go for plants with a “grassy” texture (spider plants, ponytail palms) in that in nature, grass is a digestion aid. Texture is also important. Though toxic, SNAKE PLANTS, are seldom bothered by pets due to their rigid texture. ASPCA has great printable lists of both safe and toxic plants.
For your bright area a money tree or Majesty palm might work well. Both are pet safe and eventually reach a good size. Other plants that are pet friendly are all palms (PARLOR PALM), PRAYER PLANTS, peperomias, all FERNS, SPIDER PLANTS, all succulents and cacti, BABY’S TEARS and aralias. All are OK in bright light and the ones in capital letters are also good in lower light.
For smaller plants, one can give the impression of a larger plant by using a plant stand (with one or more plants on it) or by hanging plants from the ceiling. For the darker spots, supplemental LED lighting can be used, with canister lights on the floor (behind the plants shining up) or spotlights from the ceiling. Using lighting can make any location great for houseplants.
Thanks for your question,
DID YOU KNOW. . .
. . . that the seedlings you’ve grown indoors need to be “hardened off” before planting them into the garden or outdoor containers?
How to Harden Off Plants
Preparing Seedlings for Being Planted Outdoors
Written by Marie Iannotti for The Spruce @
Young, pampered seedlings that were grown either indoors or in a greenhouse will need an adjustment period to acclimate to outdoor conditions prior to being planted in the garden. This transition period is called “hardening off.”
Hardening off seedlings gradually exposes the tender plants to the wind, sun, and rain. toughening them up by thickening the cuticle on the leaves so they lose less water when exposed to the elements. This helps prevent transplant shock, the term used for seedlings that languish, become stunted, or die from sudden changes in temperature.
The length of time a seedling requires to harden off depends on the type of plants being grown and the temperature. Be flexible when hardening off your seedlings and prepare to whisk them indoors or cover them if there is a late freeze or snow.
There are three approaches to hardening off plants:
—Gradually Expose Plants to the Outdoors
1) Begin putting your seedlings outdoors about seven to 10 days before your actual transplant date.
2) Place the plants in a sheltered, shady spot outdoors. Under a tree or even on your back porch is fine. Start by leaving them outdoors for three or four hours and gradually increase the time spent outside by one to two hours per day.
3) Bring the plants back indoors, or somewhere warm like a heated garage or porch, each night.
4) After two or three days, move the plants from their shady spot into the morning sun but return them to the shade in the afternoon. Too much direct sunlight will scorch the leaves.
5) If temperatures remain warm both day and night (at least 50º), the plants should be able to handle the sun all day and stay out at night after about seven days. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry in their small pots and bake the plants if the weather should suddenly turn warmer.
6) After seven to 10 days your plants are ready to transplant. Try to do so on a cloudy day and water well after planting.
If you opt to gradually expose your plants to longer periods of time outdoors, the moving in and out process can be made easier by putting your plants on a wagon or wheelbarrow and simply wheeling them into the garage for the night.
Don’t forget to protect your young seedlings from animals. snails, and slugs. Put them on a table or somewhere animals cannot reach them.
—Place Plants in a Cold Frame
1) Move your plants to the cold frame about seven to ten days before your transplant date.
2) Be sure the temperature in the cold frame does not go much below 50º or above 80º. While they are in this warm, sheltered environment, be sure to check the soil daily to see if the plants need water.
3) Turn off heating cables and/or open the cold frame cover for longer periods of time each day. Start with three or four hours and gradually increase the exposure time by one or two hours per day.
4) Close the cover and resume heating at night if temperatures dip below about 40º.
5) Plants should be ready to transplant in seven to 10 days. Try to do so on a cloudy day and water well after planting.
—Withhold Water for a Short Time
1) Starting about two weeks before your transplant date, stop watering your seedlings until they start to wilt. Watch closely. You do not want to leave them dry and wilting for a prolonged period of time. There is not much soil in a seedling pot, so it should not take long for the soil to dry out and the plants to wilt.
2) Once they start to wilt, you can water them and then wait for them to wilt again.
3) After two weeks of this process, seedlings should be ready to transplant. As always, do so on a cloudy day and water well after planting.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT—Each month we spotlight some product that we already carry or one that we’ve taken note of and plan to carry in the near future. Likewise, if you would like to see Klein’s to carry a product that we don’t currently, please let us know. Our goal is to be responsive to the marketplace and to our loyal clientele. If a product fits into our profile, we will make every effort to get it into our store. In addition, we may be able to special order an item for you, whether plant or hard good, given enough time.
Mad Mats® from Mariachi Imports
Klein’s is excited to be carrying a huge selection of outdoor weather-proof rugs from Mad Mats® in a wide assortment of sizes, colors and patterns.
About Mad Mats®
All of our products are made or finished by hand – people producing artful works with incredible care and pride. That also means that no two products will be exactly alike, and that there will be some imperfections. That is the beauty of hand-made products.
We adhere to best fair trade and environmental practices. We treat the people who make our products, regardless of where they are in the world, as we ourselves expect to be treated. Equally important, we strive to minimize our environmental footprint both through the materials we use and our production processes.
As an example, our outdoor rugs are made from the highest quality, 100% recycled polypropylene (plastic milk jugs, containers, etc.) enriched with state-of-the-art colorants and UV protectors. Our brooms are manufactured from 100% renewable sorghum and bamboo, and dyed with non-toxic colors. In short, we create beauty from materials that are land-fill bound or literally grow like weeds. Read more and see the pictures:
Mad Mats are made of 100% recycled polypropylene with a polyester/nylon ribbon.
Mariachi Imports has been developing innovative household products since 1994 when we first brought handcrafted, lead-free tableware to the U.S. from Mexico. Ten years ago we designed and started to produce the phenomenally successful Sweep Dreams broom line of working designer brooms in Thailand. This was quickly followed by the introduction of Mad Mats®, the best-made line of outdoor rugs on the planet – indispensable for carefree outdoor living.
Founders Amy Kimmich and Maury Letven have always looked for the design potential in otherwise mundane household products. Both graduated from the Philadelphia College of Art, and apply their creative training to all aspects of their business and product lines.
At the same time, Mariachi is dedicated to producing environmentally and socially responsible products. “We are passionate about two things “says Amy, “One, the environment, and two, fairness in the work place. It is essential to us to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. It means tighter margins for us, but it’s always worth it. In fact, we have found that incorporating this principle into the structure of all our operations is rewarding in a way that extra dollars could never be.” In the end, it’s actually pretty easy to do the right thing.
Source: https://madmats.com
NOTES FROM MY GARDEN JOURNAL–Tips and Observations from My Own Garden by Rick Halbach
ENTRY: APRIL 19, 2020 (About Lily Leaf Beetles)
Last fall I planted about 50 new lily bulbs throughout my gardens and all are now about 6” tall. I’m hoping for an impressive display this upcoming summer. That said, Wisconsin has another new insect pest and as a reminder, I’m reposting an article that appeared in our September 2019 newsletter.
Lily Leaf Beetle Spreading in Wisconsin
By Lisa Johnson for the Wisconsin State Journal, August 11, 2019 @ madison.com
Lily leaf beetle spreading in Wisconsin: The lily leaf beetle (LLB), Lilioceris lilii, is a small, bright red beetle native to Europe and Eurasia; it is believed to have arrived in the U.S. via lily bulbs shipped from Europe. Since LLB is not a U.S. native, it has no natural enemies, which assists in its spread. It was first detected in Wisconsin in 2014 in Marathon County, but has now spread to nine other counties including Wood, Portage, Shawano, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Taylor, Door and recently, Dane County. The adult beetle, though small (¼ to ½ inch long) is very visible: it is bright scarlet-red with a black head, antennae, legs and underside. Adult females lay eggs mostly on two members of the lily family: true lilies (genus Lilium) and fritillaries (genus Fritillaria). True lilies include Asiatic, Oriental, Easter, Turk’s cap, Orienpet, trumpet and tiger lilies, as well as native lilies such as the wood lily. True lilies don’t include canna lilies, calla lilies, or daylilies. LLB feeds on lilies and fritillaries primarily, but they also feed on Solomon’s seal and flowering tobacco plants (genus Polygonatum and genus Nicotiana). Asiatic lily hybrids appear to be most susceptible to LLB, but some Oriental varieties seem resistant. The insect overwinters as an adult in soil near the plants it feeds on and emerges early spring through June. Females can lay up to 450 eggs on the underside of lily or fritillaria leaves. The orange to light green larvae appear slug-like, and cover themselves with their own feces to make them less appealing to predators. The larvae feed for 16-24 days, then pupate in the soil. The fluorescent orange pupae emerge as adult beetles in 16-22 days. LLB can be controlled via a variety of organic methods. These include hand-picking the insects and depositing them into a bucket of soapy water, using insecticidal soap and neem oil. Caution should be taken when applying the soap or oil during very hot weather due to potential phytotoxicity.
Other traditional contact insecticides include products containing permethrin, pyrethrins, cyhalothrin, or deltamethrin. Follow all label instructions as required by law.
If you think you have found lily leaf beetle, submit a sample to PJ Liesch at the Insect Diagnostic Lab on the UW-Madison campus or contact Liz Meils at the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) as the spread of this insect is being tracked. The email at DATCP is DATCPNursery@wisconsin.gov. You can also contact your local UW-Extension office.
Lisa Johnson, Dane County UW-Extension horticulture educator
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ENTRY: APRIL 26, 2020 (An Update on My Battery Powered Lawnmower)
Now that the weather has warmed up the grass is getting long quite quickly. With that in mind, I charged up my electric lawn mower batteries today.
The following article appeared in Klein’s August 2014 newsletter. Here we are almost 6 years later and I couldn’t be happier with my electric lawnmower purchase. In fact, the two original batteries hold their charge as well as back in 2014!
“In the 30 years we’ve owned our home we’ve owned just 2 lawnmowers; both a Sears Craftsman that have served us well over the years. The deck of our current lawnmower had completely rusted through, posing a potential safety hazard were we to continue using it (In addition, it hasn’t been starting well lately). With our small yard, I’ve toyed over the years with the possibility of buying and electric lawnmower. But back in the day, the thought of using a corded mower sounded dangerous and unappealing.
Times are different and the technology has changed drastically. Instead of the corded electric of the past, I opted to purchase a battery powered Ryobi mower from Home Depot and I couldn’t be happier with the results…so far (however, only time will tell). The extremely lightweight mower I chose came with two chargeable batteries that can be used in any of Ryobi’s garden tools (leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, weed whackers, etc.). Each 40-volt lithium ion battery runs 20 minutes if fully charged and in continuous use. Our small yard doesn’t even take 20 minutes to mow!! The best feature (other than the fact that it doesn’t spew pollutants into the air) is it’s noise level. The sound is essentially a loud hum; a noise far quieter than most hand held hairdryers.
Other than sharpening the blade occasionally and remembering to recharge the batteries, the mower requires no maintenance. Seeing as it’s completely collapsible and so lightweight, I’m planning on storing it in the basement during the winter. With no gas tank, doing so is obviously completely safe. The grass clippings are either expelled the traditional way, bagged or mulched by putting the mulching plug in place at the rear of the deck.
I highly recommend, that anyone with a small urban yard who is considering a new lawnmower, make the leap to battery powered electric.”
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ENTRY: APRIL 26, 2020 (Charming Visitor Leaves Behind a Notorious Plant Pest)
What a beautiful spring Sunday….clear skies, no wind and temps in the 60’s! After a month in my garage, I was finally able to move my overwintered plants to the outdoors as the weather forecast for at least the next 10 days should be “warm” with nighttime temps in the 40’s.
Right after moving my plants outdoors, the first butterfly of the season showed up in my yard as if curious by all this new foliage. Though a cabbage butterfly, it seemed particularly interested in the foliage on my angel’s trumpets. Deemed a pest in caterpillar form, cabbage butterflies are usually the first of the butterflies to appear each season.
The European Cabbage White Butterfly Is a Charming Visitor That Leaves Behind a Notorious Plant Pest
When spread flat, it is easy to see the charcoal gray coloring at the upper corners on the white, pale wings of the Cabbage White. Males have 1 black spot on the center of each forewing, while females have 2 spots in the same place. The color under the forewings may be yellow or light green and is visible if the wings are raised. A frequent visitor to vegetable patches, the Cabbage White adds whimsy to a garden scene. The unfortunate consequence of this may mean a caterpillar problem a few weeks later.
The green larva of the Cabbage White eats cabbage, nasturtiums and other plants related to mustard. It is covered with hairs and has 5 yellow lines running down its length. Because the caterpillar has a voracious appetite and usually has siblings nearby, the leaves of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can be chewed through in a matter days. Because of their destructive dietary needs, they are considered a garden pest and require population control in order to save harvests. The use of row covers when adults are seen in the area can reduce egg laying on host plants. This practice can help lessen chemical use on produce and reduce labor in the garden.
KLEIN’S RECIPES OF THE MONTH—These are a selection of relatively simple recipes chosen by our staff. New recipes appear monthly. Enjoy!!
The Oracle at Delphi told Apollo that the radish was worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, and the horseradish its weight in gold. We don’t place such values on our plants today, but it’s hard to imagine Passover or hot roast beef without grated horseradish or cold seafood without cocktail sauce. Actually, horseradish only appeared in the Passover seder as maror in the Middle Ages (ca. 1215-1293) as Jews migrated north and eastward into colder climates. Horseradish provides a unique pungency different from that of black and red peppers, and the tall, broad leaves provide a textural contrast in the herb garden. Horseradish is also notably high in vitamin C and has anti-microbial activities to preserve meat. The root of horseradish is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe). Excessive doses of horseradish may lead to diarrhea or night sweats. One case of a heart attack has been recorded—the patient survived.
Once you grow horseradish, you’ll have this hardy perennial forever; even the smallest piece of horseradish root can grow a new plant, and whenever you are absolutely sure you’ve eradicated the horseradish bed this time, ‘lo and behold, it comes back. Superficially, horseradish resembles dock (Rumex spp.) with tall, stalked, slightly rumpled leaves.
Armoracia rusticana is one of three species in the genus, and may be an ancient hybrid of the other two species [A. lacustris (A. Gray) Al-Shehbaz & V. M. Bates and A. sisymbroides (DC.) Cajander]. All are smooth-leaved, perennial herbs with deep roots or rhizomes. The leaves are strap-like, either simple or dissected, and the flowers have four sepals and petals. Armoracia was the old Latin name for horseradish, while rusticana means rustic or of the country. The most primitive name seems to be chren, still common to Slavic languages and introduced into German and French dialects in variations. The German Meerrettich means literally sea-radish, as it sometimes naturalizes near seasides, and this name provided the later English name horseradish; meer seems to have been misunderstood by the English for mähre, an old horse, as if for the rankness and toughness of the roots. Some have made the apocryphal claim that horseradish, an herb of northern Europe, was cultivated prior to the Exodus of the Hebrew slaves (c. 1500 B.C.E.) from Egypt. In England, it only became popular in England in the late 1600s. From there it was transferred to North America.
In the past, commercial cultivation of horseradish in the U.S. was centered around Chicago; plants were brought to this area about 1856 by a German family named Sell, who gave roots to the Sass family. St. Louis was another commercial area, where horseradish has been grown since the 1890s. Today, the majority of horseradish is grown in Illinois, in the three counties closest to St. Louis.
If you grow horseradish in the home garden, early spring is the best time to plant the pencil-thin branches trimmed from larger roots. If you cannot plant the roots immediately, store them in plastic bags in the refrigerator until ready to plant. Choose a sunny location and work in plenty of rotted manure or compost to a depth of 10 inches. Depending upon your needs, plant one or two dozen roots, spacing them 12-to 18-inches apart. Set each piece so that the top is at ground level in a trench 3-to 5-inches deep. You may dig the roots as you need them, but after fall’s first heavy frost is when the flavor is at its peak. In areas where the ground does not freeze, you may harvest throughout the winter! Remove only the largest roots, leaving the small ones to survive another season; roots that are more than three years old should be discarded as too tough.
To prepare horseradish sauce, scrape the roots, grate (with good ventilation to avoid asphyxiation), and combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt with every cup of grated root. Bottle tightly and refrigerate for up to two months; grated red beets or various mustards may also be added. For longer storage, freeze the grated horseradish. Mix the sauce with ketchup to taste for shrimp cocktail sauce. If you harvest too many roots in the fall, store them in damp sand or in the refrigerator for grating later. Serve horseradish only in porcelain or glass, never silver, which blackens on contact with horseradish.
***Klein’s currently has horseradish roots in stock for garden planting***
APPLE HORSERADISH GLAZED SALMON–A fantastic and simple recipe from the pages of the May 2004 issue of Cooking Light magazine.
1/3 cup apple jelly
! TBS. fresh snipped chives
2TBS. prepared horseradish
1 TBS. champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
4 x 6 oz. salmon fillets (about 1” thick)
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 350º. Combine the jelly, chives, horseradish, vinegar and 1/4 tsp. salt with a whisk. Sprinkle the salmon with 1/4 tsp. salt and the pepper. Heat oil in a large, oven-safe, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook skin side up 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and brush with half of the apple jelly mixture. Bake for 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Brush with the rest of the apple mixture and serve. Serves 4.
BLOODY MARYS FOR A CROWD–Horseradish is an integral part of any great Bloody Mary recipe and for many, their only encounter with the herb.
4 cups tomato juice
1 cup vodka (or tequila or rum for a twist)
2 TBS. fresh lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 TBS. prepared horseradish
2 tsp. Tobasco
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground celery seed or celery salt to taste if a saltier drink is desired.
Celery sticks, sliced pickles, lemon slices for garnish
Combine all ingredients and mix well in a pitcher. Serve over ice and garnish. Serves 10.
GERMAN BEET SALAD–This is a family favorite from the “old country”. Enjoy!
1 lb. beets, peeling on and greens removed
1 TBS. prepared horseradish
1 medium onion
5 TBS. vegetable oil
3-5 TBS. vinegar
1/2 tsp. caraway seed, lightly crushed
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp. mustard seed, lightly crushed
chopped parsley
Boil the beets in plenty of water for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets, until tender. Once tender, plunge into cold water and let cool. Trim the roots and tops and slip the beets from their skins. Dice or slice the beets as desired. Chop or slice the onion. In a bowl, combine the beets, onion and horseradish. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar (to taste), caraway, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard seed. Pour over the beet mixture, toss lightly and allow to stand at least 1 hour before serving, or overnight. Garnish with parsley. Keeps at least a week in the refrigerator and freezes well. Serves 4.
ROAST VEGETABLE GRATIN–From Vermont Valley Farm’s CSA newsletter, Plow Shares, of October 17, 2002.
8 cups root vegetables of choice (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, daikon radish, turnips, rutabaga, leeks, beets, onions, etc.), cut into chunks
2 TBS. olive oil
1/4 cup white wine, sherry or broth
1 TBS. fresh snipped or 1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 TBS. chopped garlic
salt and pepper
2 TBS. butter
3 TBS. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 TBS. horseradish
1 cup shredded smoked Swiss or cheese of choice
3 TBS. dried bread crumbs
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss veggies, oil, wine, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper together in a very large bowl. Spread into a large baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the veggies and bake until the veggies are tender and browning, about 20-30 minutes more. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook over low heat for a few minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Lower the heat and cook gently 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the horseradish. When the veggies are tender, stir the sauce into the veggies. Sprinkle with the cheese and bread crumbs and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes. Serves 6-8.
COLE SLAW WITH HORSERADISH AND DILL–This recipe comes to us from the International Herb Association’s own website.
5 cups coarsely grated or finely shredded green cabbage
1 medium grated carrot
1/3 cup diced grated red or yellow onion
About 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Scant 1 cup good-quality mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly grated or prepared horseradish, or to taste
About 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped dill (about 1 tsp. dried)
About 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
About 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar or pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian-style paprika, optional
Combine the cabbage, carrot and onion in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper (start with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and scant 1/2 teaspoon pepper), and toss well. Add the mayonnaise, horseradish, dill, vinegar, and sugar or maple syrup. (I find if you use the syrup–you need a little more than when using sugar.) Sprinkle with the paprika if desired.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Remove from refrigerator, stir, and taste for seasoning. Adjust with a little more horseradish, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, or mayonnaise according to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve; keeps about 3 to 4 days. Serves 6.
NATURAL NEWS–
Plant Your Coronavirus Victory Garden
By Ilene White Freedman for Mother Earth News @ www.motherearthnews.com
Plant your own Coronavirus Victory Garden. Now is the time to get busy, a time when many of us are home social distancing. And it’s springtime. Time to plant things! As farmers, this time of year always springs up with sprouting crops, fresh succulent greens, and a full crop of hope for the season ahead. Every year we are motivated by big plans and goals, high aspirations and good faith that the seeds we sow will grow into nourishing food for our family and community. During the pandemic of COVID-19 in particular, we could all use a bit of good faith and hope for the season ahead.
Victory gardens were popular during both World Wars in the United States. In response to promotional posters, “3 million new garden plots were planted in 1917 and more than 5.2 million were cultivated in 1918” and up to 20 million victory gardens were planted between 1942-44. (History.com) 20 million victory gardens! Can you imagine all those gardens, all that potential and growth–in yards, containers, schoolyards, the company green space? The promotional effort was so popular they turned to educating people on how to preserve their harvests by canning and drying crops. Numbers like that strengthened local food security, garden by garden.
Victory gardens raise morale, as well as crops. I feel like we could use some morale raising during COVID-19. There is so much uncertainty. We don’t know if there will be food shortages or economic changes that would impact food purchasing power. Growing a garden could nurture confidence and a greater sense of food security, as well as a source of healthy fresh food. In the immediate moment, it provides a productive therapeutic project, a focus, fresh air and a meditative activity. Gardening can be a solitary and healing project, perfect for social distancing. It is a welcome distraction from the news and social media. Gardening therapy is real. Let the zen of the garden nurture you as you grow your own food.
MAY’S PLANT OF THE MONTH:
THE SUMMER BULBS
(Shop for Klein’s bulbs online @ https://kleinsfloral.com/
Many beginning gardeners see bulb planting as a fall task; one of the last things one does before putting the garden to sleep for the winter. The bulbs planted in the fall are the spring bloomers: the tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths. These bulbs are available at garden centers from about Labor Day into early November.
The other class of bulbs are the “summer bulbs”, those from tropical or subtropical origins that will not survive Wisconsin’s harsh winters. Though called bulbs, many are actually corms, tubers or rhizomes. The summer “bulbs” include dahlias, gladiolas, tuberous begonias, cannas, callas, caladiums and many others. These bulbs are either planted directly in the garden in spring or are started indoors in pots in late winter to give them a jump start for our short Midwest growing season. These bulbs all need to be stored indoors over winter. Summer bulbs become available at garden centers beginning about February 1, but they continue to arrive until about April 1. The early arrivals are those that like that early jump start, especially begonias, caladiums, callas and elephant’s ears. These bulbs can be started in pots by March 1. Dahlias and cannas can be started indoors around April 1. They could be planted directly into the garden in May, but we then lose a month of bloom time when planted that late. Gladiolas, on the other hand, are best planted directly into the garden beginning in late April. For a summering crop, continue planting glads every two weeks into June.
Lilies (Asiatics, Orientals, Tigers, etc.) can be purchased and planted in both spring and fall. Many garden centers offer started plants in the spring. Most lilies are fully hardy in southern Wisconsin so are treated as a hardy perennial. Therefore, they are not dug up in the fall.
Storing raised bulbs for the winter is a learning experience with great success, but you’ll find some misses along the way. There’s tons of advice available on the “best” way to store bulbs. As a rule of thumb, most over wintered bulbs do best in a cool, dark and dry environment. An old-fashioned root cellar works best, but few homes have those nowadays. A heated garage is the next best choice, but most people will have at least some success in their basements–keeping in mind, the cooler, the better. Store bulbs in peat moss, sand or a mixture of the two for greatest success. The foliage of most summer bulbs can freeze off in the fall. This will not ruin the tender bulbs underground. Cut off the dead foliage, dig up and allow to cure for a few days before storage. This allows freshly cut wounds or damage from digging to callous over before storage. Most stored bulbs must remain cool, dark and dry all winter. But some, like cannas, prefer a little moisture during storage. Each bulb has slightly different requirements so a little research goes a long way. Make sure to check stored bulbs periodically throughout the winter and discard any bulbs with signs of rot.
AROUND TOWN:
For neighborhood events or garden tours that you would like posted in our monthly newsletter, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or rick@kleinsfloral.com. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison vicinity and we must receive your information by the first of the month in which the event takes place for it to appear in that month’s newsletter.
***Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, nearly all events in the Madison area have been cancelled or postponed until further notice.***
MAY IN THE GARDEN-–A checklist of things to do this month.
___By May 1, cool weather items like pansies, cole crops, onion sets, etc. should
already be planted.
___Sow successive crops of radishes and greens every 2 weeks.
___Mow your lawn frequently and at a high setting to control lawn weeds.
___Reseed bare spots in the lawn as needed.
___Begin hardening off your seedlings and overwintered plants. Move inside or cover on cold nights.
___Prep beds as soon as the soil is workable and not too wet.
___Till compost into beds.
___Perennials, shrubs and trees can now all be planted safely.
___Divide and propagate most perennials as desired (except peonies & iris)
___Plant strawberries and asparagus early in the month.
___Plant your leftover Easter Lily into the garden. They’ll bloom each July in the garden.
___Be prepared to move plants indoors if a sudden cold spell (or snow) hits.
___After May 10, begin setting out all plants, but KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER!
___Sow beans and corn after the last scheduled frost date.
___After May 20, begin planting warm weather items: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, coleus, impatiens etc.
___Mulch beds as needed to cut down on weeds and watering.
___Begin a weeding as needed. The smaller the weed, the easier to remove.
___Prune spring blooming as desired AFTER they are done flowering.
___Wait until after the foliage has yellowed to cut back daffodils, tulips, etc.
___Begin pinching tall perennials like asters, goldenrod, phlox, etc. for shorter and bushier plants.
___Visit Klein’s—SPRING PLANTING IS FINALLY HERE!
Some of our very favorite seed and plant sources include:
Some of our very favorite seed and plant sources include:
For seeds:
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds @ www.rareseeds.com or 417/924-8887
Burpee @ www.burpee.com or 800/888-1447
Harris Seeds @ www.harrisseeds.com or 800/514-4441
Johnny’s Select Seeds @ www.johnnyseeds.com or 207/861-3901
Jung’s Seeds @ www.jungseed.com or 800/247-5864
Park’s Seeds @ www.parkseed.com or 800/845-3369
Pinetree @ www.superseeds.com or 207/926-3400
Seeds of Change @ www.seedsofchange.com or 888/762-7333
Seed Savers @ www.seedsavers.org or 563/382-5990
Select Seeds @ www.selectseeds.com or 800/684-0395
Territorial Seeds @ www.territorialseed.com or 888/657-3131
Thompson & Morgan @ www.thompson-morgan.com or 800/274-7333
For bulbs:
Brent & Becky’s Bulbs @ www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com or 877/661-2852
Colorblends @ www.colorblends.com or 888/847-8637
John Scheeper’s @ www.johnscheepers.com or 860/567-0838
McClure & Zimmerman @ www.mzbulb.com or 800/883-6998
For plants:
High Country Gardens @ www.highcountrygardens.com or 800/925-9387
Logee’s Greenhouses @ www.logees.com or 888/330-8038
Plant Delights Nursery @ www.plantdelights.com or 912/772-4794
Roots and Rhizomes @ www.rootsrhizomes.com or 800/374-5035
Wayside Gardens @ www.waysidegardens.com or 800/213-0379
White Flower Farm @ www.whiteflowerfarm.com or 800/503-9624
BEHIND THE SCENES AT KLEIN’S—This is a sneak peek of what is going on each month behind the scenes in our greenhouses. Many people are unaware that our facility operates year round or that we have 10 more greenhouses on the property in addition to the 6 open for retail. At any given moment we already have a jump on the upcoming season–be it poinsettias in July, geraniums in December or fall mums in May.
IN A NORMAL MAY:
—Transplanting continues!! Early in the month we finish transplanting the seedlings for spring sales. But during mid-month we begin transplanting the seedlings for our summer “Jumbo-Pack” program. Customers continue to purchase bedding annuals through the summer months. Sometimes they’re replacing plants that have succumbed to summer heat or heavy rains. Or maybe some quick color is needed for selling a house or having an outdoor party. Whatever the case, we can fill their needs.
—The spring onslaught is in full swing. The back greenhouses are filled floor to ceiling with plants awaiting purchase. Our outdoor space is a sea of color. Flats of plants waiting for sale fill most nooks and crannies of our property.
—Watering is a nonstop endeavor. On hot, windy days, we no sooner finish the first round, when we have to start all over again. Some plants in our retail areas may need watering 3 or 4 times in a single day! You wouldn’t do this at home, but customers don’t like to see wilted plants. It’s not harmful for us to let them wilt a bit, but it makes for bad presentation.
—Restocking is also constant. Cart loads of product are moved nearly continuously from our back greenhouses to the front showrooms.
—Believe it or not, but our fall mums arrive! The small plants are put into small pots now and then stepped into larger tubs later in the summer. They won’t be available for sale until mid-August.
PERMANENT FEATURES–
KLEIN’S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Have our monthly newsletter e-mailed to you automatically by signing up on the right side of our home page. We’ll offer monthly tips, greenhouse news and tidbits, specials and recipes. . .everything you need to know from your favorite Madison greenhouse. And tell your friends. It’s easy to do.
THE MAD GARDENER–“Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice”
Ask us your gardening questions by e-mailing us at madgardener@kleinsfloral.com. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. The link is posted on our home page and in all newsletters.
We can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.
TO WRITE A REVIEW OF KLEIN’S, PLEASE LINK TO
FACEBOOK
Follow Klein’s on Facebook where we post updates and photos on a regular basis.
TWITTER
Join Klein’s on Twitter where we post company updates and photos on a regular basis.
SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT
We offer a 10% Off Senior Citizen Discount every Tuesday to those 62 and above. This discount is not in addition to other discounts or sales. Please mention that you are a senior before we ring up your purchases. Does not apply to wire out orders or services, i.e. delivery, potting, etc.
RECYCLING POTS & TRAYS
Plastic flower pots and garden edging can now be recycled as part of the City of Madison’s rigid plastic program. Flowerpots and edging must be free of dirt and can be placed in your green recycling bin. For more information call 267-2626 or visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets/
DELIVERY INFO
Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses delivers daily, except Sundays, throughout all of Madison and much of Dane County including: Cottage Grove, DeForest, Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, Marshall, McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Oregon, Shorewood Hills, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee and Windsor. We do not deliver to Cambridge, Columbus, Deerfield or Stoughton.
Current delivery rate on 1-4 items is $7.95 for Madison, Maple Bluff, Monona and Shorewood Hills; $8.95 for Cottage Grove, DeForest, Fitchburg, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Windsor; and $9.95 for Marshall, Middleton, Oregon and Verona. An additional $3.00 will be added for deliveries of 4-10 items and $5.00 added for deliveries of more than 10 items. For deliveries requiring more than one trip, a separate delivery charge will be added for each trip.
A minimum order of $25.00 is required for delivery.
We not only deliver our fabulous fresh flowers, but also houseplants, bedding plants and hardgoods. There may be an extra charge for very large or bulky items.
Delivery to the Madison hospitals is $5.95. Deliveries to the four Madison hospitals are made during the early afternoon. Items are delivered to the hospital’s volunteer rooms and not directly to the patients’ rooms per hospital rules.
There is no delivery charge for funerals in the city of Madison or Monona, although normal rates apply for morning funeral deliveries to Madison’s west side (west of Park St.). Our normal rates also apply for funeral deliveries in the surrounding communities at all times. Although we don’t deliver on Sundays, we will deliver funeral items on Sundays at the regular delivery rate.
Morning delivery is guaranteed to the following Madison zip codes, but only if requested: 53703, 53704, 53714, 53716, 53718 and Cottage Grove, DeForest, Maple Bluff, Marshall, McFarland, Monona, Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Windsor.
We begin our delivery day at 8:00 a.m. and end at approximately 3:00 p.m. We do not usually deliver after 4:00 unless specific exceptions are made with our drivers.
Except for holidays, the following west-side zip codes and communities are delivered only during the afternoon: 53705, 53706, 53711, 53713, 53717, 53719, 53726, Fitchburg, Middleton, Oregon, Shorewood Hills and Verona.
During holidays (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.) we are able to make morning deliveries to all of the above areas. We are not able to take closely timed deliveries on any holiday due to the sheer volume of such requests.
It’s best to give us a range of time and we’ll try our absolute hardest. Orders for same day delivery must be placed by 12:30 p.m. or by 2:30 p.m. for Madison zip codes 53704 and 53714.
DEPARTMENT HEADS: Please refer all questions, concerns or feedback in the following departments to their appropriate supervisor.
Phone: 608/244-5661 or 888/244-5661
Horticulturalist & General Manager–Jamie VandenWymelenberg jamie@kleinsfloral.com
Accounts, Billing and Purchasing—Kathryn Derauf kathryn@kleinsfloral.com
Delivery Supervisor & Newsletter Coordinator—Rick Halbach rick@kleinsfloral.com
Owner, Floral Designer & Purchasing—Sue Klein sue@kleinsfloral.com
RELATED RESOURCES AND WEB SITES
University of Wisconsin Extension
1 Fen Oak Ct. #138
Madison, WI 53718
608/224-3700
Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic
Dept. of Plant Pathology
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
Insect Diagnostic Lab
240 Russell Labs
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
U.W. Soil and Plant Analysis Lab
8452 Mineral Point Rd.
Verona, WI 53593
608/262-4364
American Horticultural Society
Garden Catalogs (an extensive list with links)
Invasive Species
Community Groundworks
3601 Memorial Dr., Ste. 4
Madison, WI 53704
608/240-0409
Madison Area Master Gardeners (MAMGA)
Wisconsin Master Gardeners Program
Department of Horticulture
1575 Linden Drive
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Madison, WI 53706
608/265-4504
The Wisconsin Gardener
Allen Centennial Gardens
620 Babcock Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
608/262-8406
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Ave.
Madison, WI 53704
608/246-4550
Rotary Gardens
1455 Palmer Dr.
Janesville, WI 53545
608/752-3885
University of WI Arboretum
1207 Seminole Hwy.
Madison, WI 53711
608/263-7888
University of Wisconsin-West Madison
Agricultural Research Center
8502 Mineral Point Rd.
Verona, WI 53593
608/262-2257
PLANTS POISONOUS TO CHILDREN:
Children may find the bright colors and different textures of plants irresistible, but some plants can be poisonous if touched or eaten. If you’re in doubt about whether or not a plant is poisonous, don’t keep it in your home. The risk is not worth it. The following list is not comprehensive, so be sure to seek out safety information on the plants in your home to be safe.
•Bird of paradise
•Bull nettle
•Castor bean
•Chinaberry tree
•Crocus
•Daffodil
•Deadly nightshade
•Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)
•Foxglove
•Glory lily
•Hemlock
•Holly berry
•Indian tobacco
•Iris
•Jimsonweed
•Lantana
•Larkspur
•Lily of the valley
•Marijuana
•Mescal bean
•Mexicantes
•Mistletoe
•Morning glory
•Mountain laurel
•Night-blooming jasmine
•Nutmeg
•Oleander
•Philodendron
•Poison ivy
•Poison sumac
•Pokeweed
•Poppy
•Potato
•Privet
•Rhododendron
•Rhubarb
•Water hemlock
•Wisteria
PLANTS POISONOUS TO PETS:
Below is a list of some of the common plants which may produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction. Source: The National Humane Society website @ http://www.humanesociety.org/
•Aconite
•Apple
•Arrowgrasses
•Autumn Crocus
•Azaleas
•Baneberry
•Bird-of-Paradise
•Black locust
•Bloodroot
•Box
•Buckeye
•Buttercup
•Caladium
•Carolina jessamine
•Castor bean
•Chinaberry tree
•Chockcherries
•Christmas berry
•Christmas Rose
•Common privet
•Corn cockle
•Cowbane
•Cow cockle
•Cowsliprb
•Daffodil
•Daphne
•Day lily
•Delphinium (Larkspur)
•Dumbcane
•Dutchman’s breeches
•Easter lily
•Elderberry
•Elephant’s ear
•English Ivy
•European Bittersweet
•Field peppergrass
•Foxglove
•Holly
•Horsechestnut
•Horse nettle
•Hyacinth
•Iris
•Jack-in-the-pulpit
•Jerusalem Cherry
•Jimsonweed
•Lantana
•Larkspur
•Laurels
•Lily of the valley
•Lupines
•Mayapple
•Milk vetch
•Mistletoe
•Monkshood
•Morning glory
•Mustards
•Narcissus
•Nicotiana
•Nightshade
•Oaks
•Oleander
•Philodendrons
•Pokeweed
•Poinsettia
•Poison hemlock
•Potato
•Rhododendron
•Rhubarb
•Rosary pea
•Sago palm
•Skunk cabbage
•Smartweeds
•Snow-on-the-mountain
•Sorghum
•Star of Bethlehem
•Wild black cherry
•Wild radish
•Wisteria
•Yellow jessamine
•Yew