Logee's Tropical Plants Blog

Beneficial Bugs in a Bag

2011-04-04T12:59:00.000-04:00

Logee's Tropical Plants Blog has moved to a new platform. We are now using wordpress as our host. Our latest blog posted today is called: Beneficial Bugs in a Bag. Learn how Logee's is using IPM (integrated Pest Management) to treat the Western Flower Thrip and How any home gardener can use beneficial bugs to treat their indoor plants.

If you are one of our loyal followers please follow us at wordpress!

500 predatory mites will be released once a week for the next 4 weeks.

Rick Logee, Bethany Bowen (right) and Laurie Robillard distributing 1,000 sachets of Beneficial Bugs.

Connecticut Garden Bloggers Visit Logee's

2011-03-23T13:51:00.011-04:00

Much to my delight and surprise we had a group of Connecticut Garden Bloggers visit our greenhouses this week. They made a day trip out of the experience.

On my right is Scott Hokunson, of Blue Heron Landscape Design LLC. Here is his blog about gardening http://bhld.wordpress.com.

He has nice design features and good information. Plus, gardeners are really good people. Here is an excerpt of his business philosophy: "What I bring to Blue Heron Landscape Design is one of sustainability, and of ecological responsibility. Our focus is to provide our clients with gardens that will enhance their properties and grow with them as they travel the paths of their lives."

In the back to my right is another happy gardener and blogger. Joene Hendry, check out her garden blog here. http://www.joenesgarden.com/.

Joene's business called, Gardens & Turf, helps people design their own gardens and is a garden coach "coaching for anyone who wants a beautiful garden but doesn't quite know where to start."

To my far left is Cyndy Cromwell. Here is her garden blog: http://gardeningasylum.wordpress.com/.

Make sure to check out her BlogRoll which is simply a listing of all the great garden blogs that she follows. I'm so impressed with the depth of information Cyndy has on her site, not to mention the incredible photographs.

Layanee DeMerchant http://ledgeandgardens.typepad.com/ledge_and_gardens/ also has a tremendous depth of resource on her site. Although, I believe she is in the Northwest corner of Rhode Island, she still counts as a Connecticut Garden Blogger. Plus on the right hand side of her blog, I like the Categories listing. Here you can find her past blogs and information about anything from bulbs, annuals, evergreens to watergardens and the list goes on.

Here are some flowers and plants they saw on their trip this week.

Sweet-scented "Canary Island Broom"(Genista canariensis) in full flower in our Big House.

Our Kumquat tree filled with fruit.

A blaze of color with this Austrailian Tea Tree (Leptospermum scoparium 'Ruby Glow').

"Pink Powder Puff" (Calliandra emarginata) is on display in our Lemon Tree House.

Other easy growers in our greenhouses are Hawaiin Volcano Plant (Anthurium) on a sustainably harvested lava rock.

And Bougainvillea "Vera Purple" is always in bloom even in this 4-inch pot.

Check out these Garden Bloggers sites. They are real people with great gardening tips for everyone. Plus, if you want to see more pictures of Logee's, we can't thank them enough for the great pictures they posted from their trip to our greenhouses.

Logee's at the Philadelphia International Flower Show

2011-03-14T09:25:00.019-04:00

Amazing, Awesome, Mind Boggling are only a few words to describe the elaborate floral displays we saw at the Philadelphia Flower Show! It is one of the oldest and best known flower shows in the country and if you've never been, it's worth considering next year.

Greeters outside the Philadelphia Convention center invite us inside.

We were at the show on business. The Publishers of our latest book, Storey Publishing sponsored our trip and in return we talked about, Growing Tasty Tropicals in any home, anywhere and had a book signing following the talk. Many thanks go out to Storey for scheduling the trip and to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for sponsoring an amazing Floral Extravaganza- The Philadelphia International Flower Show.

Our book on display at the A1A Bookstore of Philadelphia.

Byron, lecturing about Growing Tasty Tropical Fruit. There were about 150 people in attendance.

Authors, Byron and me, (Laurelynn) signing after the lecture.

Now on to the good stuff! Here are a few pictures to give you a flavor of the Philadelphia Flower Show- Springtime in Paris, 2011.

The Eiffel Tower Display with lights and carousel animals all around.

A floral peacock!

A lion with grass tufts of hair.

A stunning display of orchids with rose petals on the ground and softly lit pink vases.

The peppermint rose display was one of my favorites.

Here are the roses intertwined in a black chain-link.

Cherry trees in bloom and colorful bands of tulips gave the effect of strolling through a park in Paris.

Le Fleuriste or The Florist!

Another angle of the florist.

Laurelynn and Byron, outside a French Cafe...Almost!

"An American in Paris" was a four part quadrant display. Here is just one segment.

Suspended in mid-air a sense of whimsy and playfulness come alive in this bright floral arrangement.

A company called Beautiful Blooms Events had an outstanding display of flowers placed in artistic designs. This box of pink anthurium blooms stood out amongst the others.

The "Best In Show" was elaborate, creative and traditional all at once. The next three pictures are different angles of the Best in Show Display.

An entire room with the chandelier, furniture and most important Floral Displays.

Exquisite Cut Flower Arrangement.

The elegant outdoor white wrought iron garden structure of the "Best in Show". Notice the gorgeous Lillies bursting forth from the water fountain.

A shaded pink pathway of carnations in dishes.

An area dedicated to bonsais was a popular stop.

This is a Japanese White Pine that is 70 years old.

Elaborate hoops of Ginger suspended mid-air won the Award of Distinction.

Another favorite of mine is this painting of a garden with the garden behind it.

Here's the garden with a fountain at the end of the walkway as shown in the painting.

Smith & Hawken with Target(notice the green bull's eye) created this gravity defying wall of furniture and plants. Take a close look.

For more pictures of our trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show, be sure to check out our photos posted on our Logee Facebook page.

Repot and ReBloom Cattleya Orchids

2011-03-09T11:45:00.002-05:00

Orchids have captivated gardeners for centuries and they are some of the easiest indoor plants to grow with a little attention to culture and care. Byron Martin, third generation owner of Logee's and our expert horticulturist shares his knowledge about the care of Cattleya orchids in the video below.

Mostly, if your orchid is floppy or loose in a pot, it needs to be repotted. If your orchid has bloomed already, check its blooming cycle and keep it healthy and well for its next blooming cycle. Watch below to find out the simple basics.

After Bloom Care for Amaryllis

2011-02-17T20:01:00.013-05:00

At Logee's, we sell all our Amaryllis around the holidays and then we don't see them again until next year. However, last week I was in our greenhouses and found lots of new varieties that were in bloom, out of bloom, and other various stages of growth. Many of these Amaryllis are still in the testing phase (are the blooms big enough, do they hold on well, do they grow to the desired height,etc) but the plant care remains the same. Take a look at what to do with your Amaryllis after the bloom.

Here is Amaryllis Aphrodite a new variety that is being tested. Notice the flower stem that is almost finished blooming. It will need to be trimmed.

A close up of the flower.

Amaryllis in our office that need plant care attention.

And more neglected Amaryllis. We need to take each Amaryllis one by one and first trim off the dead blooms.

This can be done by simply removing the flower and leaving the stem to give the plant energy until a new growth begins.

This bloom will only be good for another few days but the blooms are so spectacular that I like to try to make them last as long as they can. Notice the tall green flower stem. This may turn yellow and die which is normal. Once it tips over or dies, then cut back to around one to two inches above the bulb.

Another bloom gone. This entire flower stem can be trimmed back to the two inches above the bulb now since, the new growth has already begun and is infusing life into the plant.

These Amaryllis can be grown and cared for like any other tropical plant. They can be moved outside in the summer and back inside in the winter. There are many different thoughts on how to re-bloom them. Some say, grow the plant until fall and then take the bulb out of the pot and store it in the refrigerator for 6 weeks. Finally, take the refrigerated bulb out about 6-8 weeks before you want it to flower and start the potting process and flowering process all over again.

At Logees, we like to grow Amaryllis like any other plant and keep it pot bound. The large green leaves are giving the bulb energy for next year's flowers. If you grow your Amaryllis outside for the summer and bring it in, the leaves will turn yellow and wither. Simply trim to bulb height again.

It's important to give your plant a dormancy period for about 6-8 week. Place the plant (bulb in the pot) in a cool ( 55 degree F), dimly lit area and don't water. A cool north room works well. In November (or after your designated time) move your plant into a warm sunny window and water accurately (don't over water) until your leaves appear. Flowers should bloom in time for the holidays. Here is a great article for more details about year-round care.

Amaryllis Mount Blanc is another test plant and so far looks like it is in the running with its giant white blooms.

Clean Your Indoor Air This Winter with Plants

2011-02-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

A single leaf of Philodendron gloriosum, one of many plants that purify inside air.

Indoor plants make great air purifiers in the way of absorbing the carbon dioxide in the air and giving off oxygen in the photosynthesis process. Especially this time of year, when many of us are stuck inside with dry indoor heat and the snow outside has buried any semblance of green vegetation.

Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess', another large leafed plant that adds to indoor air quality.

Other chemicals that plants absorb are the benzenes, formaldehydes and trichloroethylenes given off typically from new carpet, plastic anything, synthetic building materials, etc. All plants are not created equal(ie: the more surface area the better air purification). Although after researching this topic, most plants are beneficial.

Philodendron 'Autumn'

Philodendron 'Prince of Orange'

According to a study at the University of Minnesota Extension, plants that were the most effective were the tropical and subtropical plants. A recent article in Better Homes and Gardens also talks about the benefits of clean air in your home. At Logee's, we grow many plants that can help cleanse the air.

Of course, the bigger and more vigorous they grow the better the air quality but Nasa's study has said that a dozen small plants in 6-8 inch pots can effectively clean an 1800 sq foot home.

Here's our Logee's List of the Best Plants for Clean Air.

We have a ready made category for the air purifiers. We call them our Indestructibles, which simply means they are easy to care for and can withstand dry conditions and take partial sun. Plants such as sansevierias, philodendrons, aloes, agaves, polyscias, and aeschynanthus.

Sanseviera trifasciata 'Twist' is an attractive addition to any home's interior.

Sanseviera trifasciata 'Bantel's Sensation'

Byron says Begonias are the way to go for attractive air cleansers. Plus, they are good for the inattentive gardener or the gardener who has a dry household. Begonias like to be kept dry between watering and do not need full sun.

Begonia 'Palomar Prince' is a rhizomatous begonia that fills out into a large leafed specimen. This is a 4-inch pot that we are ready to ship out.

Begonia 'Tea Rose' also in a 4-inch pot, has large green leaves with fragrant pink flowers.

Other plants that are easy to grow and are excellent to clean indoor air are below.

Anthurium 'Misty Rose' is in a six inch pot, loves the shade and is an everbloomer.

Anthurium 'Red' is also called the "Hawaiin Volcano Plant" and grows on a volcanic rock.

Calathea lancilota "Rattle Snake Plant" is one of my favorites for its maroon markings on its long sword-like leaves.

In the main greenhouse is this Maidenhair Fern that not only adds greenery but is lovely in its shape and form. Ferns are more difficult to grow. They need lots of humidity and water.

In the foreground is a stray branch from our Ficus Pumila plant that covers the inside ceiling of our retail store. We have a built in air cleaner with this plant.

Finally, think lots of leaf surface. The Alocasia sp. Zebrina gets relatively large leaves and has an attractive striping on the stem.

But we are talking BIG with this next variety.

This large elephant ear known as colocasias esculenta 'Thailand Giant Strain' is extraordinary in its leaf size and structure. Let's just say one plant this large would take care of your entire household clean air needs. Notice our son, Elijah when he was 12 years old, amongst the leaves. This was grown outside for one season but can easily grow inside in a pot if you have the space and full sun exposure.

New Greenhouse- Ready for New Year

2011-01-26T17:29:00.007-05:00

We celebrated the opening of our new Greenhouse with a ribbon cutting ceremony in late December. Our local senator, Don Williams was present and complimented us on taking our business to the next level. (From left to right- Laurelyn Martin and Byron Martin;Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn); Jonathan Healy, the USDA Rural Development State Director).

We also had an opportunity to take a group photo of our amazing staff!

Here is a bench of Angel Wing Begonias which grow more easily in this new structure. Some of our new features include automatic vents, automatic watering and heat retention curtains. The energy efficient aspects will reduce our fuel consumption by 70 percent and makes us a truly "Green" company.

More rows of begonias. On the right our town economic developer, Elsie Bissett and Logee's financial manager, Marie-Claire enjoy the plants.

However, for all our die-hard Logee fans, our seven retail greenhouses that have character and charm will remain open with display plants.

You can still walk under an archway with ficus pumilla covering the ceilings and doorways. the real "Secret Garden" remains and actually connects to of our retail greenhouses.

The original entrance opens into the "Long House" which continues to boast spectacular floral displays- Like this Chenille or Lipstick plant with red long velvety catkins.

To see the actual ribbon cutting ceremony, click on the video below.

Blizzard At Logee's

2011-01-14T11:57:00.015-05:00

Like everyone else in the Northeast, we had a genuine Blizzard. The old-fashioned Nor'easter that dumped a lot of snow on us at Logee's. This is the day after and except for a bit of snow on the roofs, we were amazingly fine! Take a look!

Our sign is just about covered from the 22 inches of snow.

A day later and we are open for business.

Our Lathe House under a blanket of snow. In the springtime, hanging baskets and flowers galore will be bursting forth with color.

Next to the Lathe House is a bush covered with the heavy snow. The two snow lumps in the lower left of this picture are the hardy bananas that we are wintering over. We'll see how they do in the springtime.

The lattice sides on the tool shed serve as a climbing structure for our goji berries and honeyberry plants in the springtime.

Inside one of our retail greenhouses, the snow has covered the panels and is preventing light from shining through.

This bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst' is usually in a bright spot, but until the snow melts it is getting a bit of shade today.

The snow you see is actually covering our under ground greenhouse called the Herb Pit. Once it warms up a bit, we will carefully shovel the snow off the glass.

This branch of our greenhouse is known as the Potting Shed and that layer of snow is bringing shade to our plants.

Inside the potting shed, it is rather dark for this "Golden Trumpet Vine" (Allamanda Cathartica 'Williamsii'

Our camellias in the big house still poking their heads out with lots of brilliant color.

Another Colorful surprise in the Big House called Tibouchina urvilleana "Edwardsii'

Empty snow-filled benches.

Pallets of soil will need digging out.

Another burst of color in the Greenhouses.

Clerodendrum Quadriloculare "Fireworks Plant"

An Angel Wing Begonia called 'My Special Angel' in the darkened Greenhouse.

The white plastic wrapped statue in the left is a fig wintering over.

Another fig wrapped in black plastic.

Horticulturist Byron Martin with a hot cup of green tea in one hand and his cell phone in the other.

The old range, emptied of plants but giving way to the blue sky through its metal ribs. In the spring this propagation house will be dismantled.

The outside of our new propagation greenhouse.

Lots of life inside our new building.

At the top of the photo you can see the shadow of snow, which will continue to melt in the gutters.

A christmas cactus Schlumbergera 'Cristen' at our grower's desk.

The seven circuit labyrinth resting 'til springtime.

Christmas Cactus still in bloom last day of December

2010-12-31T07:11:00.009-05:00

The Christmas Cactus, also known as Schlumbergera, are going strong. They are easy-to-grow and some of the new colors are just breathtaking. My favorite is Schlumbergera 'Cristen' with its bright, electrifying pink color.

The common name Christmas Cactus refers to its blooming season. Although, the varieties shown below actually start blooming in the fall and can bloom all the way into late winter.

Here is an array of colorful Christmas Cactus.

The bright pink is called Schlumbergera 'Cristen.'

The salmon colored group is called Schlumbergera 'Christmas Flame.'

The white with pink edges is Schlumbergera 'Thor Tena.'

Here a trio of Christmas Cactus ready to go out the door.

In the center is Schlumbergera 'Thor Carmen'

Remember to care for Schlumbergera, they need to dry out between watering. They can be susceptible to root fungus, if they are kept too wet. Also, partial sun to shade is fine for light requirements. It is the shortened day length and cool night time temperatures that induce bloom. Prune after flowering and during active growth feed 1/2 tsp of balanced fertilizer (7-9-5) to 1 gallon of water every two weeks.

Christmas Cactus can grow for years in the same pot and cuttings can be given to friends and family. It's not unusual to hear someone say, "That's my grandmother's christmas cactus that I've had since my childhood."

Happy New Year!

How to Winter Over Your Banana Plant in the Northeast

2010-12-16T13:38:00.007-05:00

Musa basjoo "Hardy Banana"

Wintering over a tropical banana in Northeast, Connecticut (Zone 5-6) is easier than you think.

To find out your zone you can go to our website and enter your zip code. A zone number will appear. Or you can look at a USDA Zone Map.

First, the two bananas that we discuss in the video below are the Musa basjoo, our true hardy banana (Zone 4) and Musa sikkimensis, a banana that is a little more sensitive to the cold but can be grown in Zones 5 or higher. These bananas are grown for their defining tropical look in a garden.

Musa sikkemensis

The Musa Basjoo grows so fast it can produce up to a leaf a day. Musa sikkimensis is grown for its red underside and adds a splash of color to its large leafed foliage. Both bananas grow extremely fast when given full sun, plenty of water and lots of fertilizer. It's not unusual for the height to get upwards of twelve feet in one growing season. Finally, although they don't produce bananas, they do have the ability to flower, which is also edible. See our new book,Growing Tasty Tropical Plants for more details.

Logee's Ponderosa Lemon featured at Book/Open House Weekend

2010-11-14T08:59:00.013-05:00

Our famous Logee's Ponderosa Lemonade and Lemon Bread were featured at our Book Launch Party/Open House Weekend.

Our Ponderosa Lemon Tree has been growing in the same spot since 1900 and was brought to Logee's by train from Philadelphia, then by horse and buggy from the train station. It has been producing lemons reliably for over one hundred years and has given us thousands of cuttings.

We used the lemons from this tree for our Ponderosa Lemonade and for our Ponderosa Lemon Bread.

Our recipe has been tweaked for the past five years and now we have the perfect combination of sour and sweet. We served complimentary Lemonade Friday night at our Book Launch Party and all Weekend at our Open House.

Byron and I started the weekend signing books for customers and friends.

Here, my mother and I are standing in front of her Ponderosa Lemon Bread.

She made six loaves. One of her secrets is in the Glaze. Take some fresh squeezed lemon and sugar mixture and spoon it over the warm loaves while they are still in the pan. Do not Remove from the pan until the glaze has been absorbed. This makes for a wonderfully moist and fresh lemon tasty tea loaf.

Her recipe is featured in our book on page 33. If you would like the recipe, visit our website where it is posted.

My sister, Gwendolyn Carbone, is serving other beverages for us too.

She also transformed our lunch room into a warm and welcome event.

She is the owner of The Blue Door Emporium, which features collectibles and antiques.

There's always some comic relief with our son, Elijah.

Someone else showed up at the book signing too. Bella Rose, (our daughter's shitzu/bichon puppy). Bella Rose has been designated by our staff as Logee's mascot.

Amy,our retail supervisor gets ready for the Open House.

Tiffany takes a break from the greenhouse and helps Amy make more Lemonade for the weekend. They made over 10 gallons of lemonade.

Napa Howe, one of our growers gave a tour of Logee's, in spite of our muddy, construction site.

Byron gets ready for a lecture about growing fruit in containers.

More Ponderosa Lemonade.

Sham, our business manager and his son Malek helping in our retail store.

If you go to Logee's retail store now through the end of the year, we sell the Ponderosa Lemons from the tree. They are $5 each, but when you walk into a holiday party with a lemon that size, heads turn and conversations begin. Or better yet, a lemon this size will easily make two loaves of bread, then go to the party bearing gifts.

Logee's New Fruit Book Launch on Martha Stewart TV

2010-10-31T11:32:00.017-04:00

Our fruit book "Growing Tasty Tropical Plants in any home, any where" will air on Martha Stewart TV (Hallmark Channel) this Friday, Nov. 5th. We travel to New York City on November 3rd to tape the show and the fruit plants that we have chosen for the show are pictured below.

First, our Black Olive plant (Olea europaea 'Arbequina'). The plant pictured is two years old and is a 5 foot tree with unripe olives (green) and ripe olives (black). Growing an olive tree is easy as long as you have nighttime temperatures in the winter down to 40˚F. It is the chill down that brings on flowering and ultimately the fruit.

Next, our five year old Dragon Fruit(Hylocerus undatus) plant that is in fruit. The pink fruit when sliced open has a delicious custardy center that can be scooped out and eaten. If you just want to order the fruit and not the plant go to From the Farm, a tropical fruit grower in Florida does a really nice job of growing and shipping the fruit.

Our amazing Dwarf Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola 'Dwarf Maher') is an abundant producer of sweet juicy fruit. When cut in half a five-pointed star is created. Fruit starts forming at only 2 feet in height. Give plenty of sun, and water when dry and you will have your own starfruit in no time.

The Flower of chocolate. The ripe Chocolate pod.

Chocolate is a must and our Chocolate Plant (Theobroma cacao) will be featured on the show as well. Of course, the previous blog just talked about all the in's and out's of growing chocolate. We will be showing how to make chocolate nibs from the cocooned chocolate fruit. Basically, the chocolate beans need to ferment for a week and then roast and dry them. Then, you can eat the beans or use a mortar and pestle to crush them into chocolate nibs. Delicious. From the Farm also offers the roasted chocolate beans for the daring and curious fruit connoisseur.

Our Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis 'McCann') is slotted to travel to NYC with its golden yellow fruit that is as sweet as they come. Passiflora is grown for its amazing flowers and delicious fruit. It is vining so needs support but is relatively easy care. Passion Flowers in their native habitat grow in poor soil and at time drought like conditions.

Finally the last plant is a pineapple that we will show how to cut off the top of a pineapple and put it in a pot for easy propagation.

All of these fruiting plants and many more can be found in our new book Growing Tasty Tropical Plants, which is available from Logee's or your local bookstore.

Our shipment of books arrived and we learned today that it was voted in the top 10 for the Best Book in Craft and Garden for the 2010 year.

How to Grow a Chocolate Plant

2010-10-10T09:25:00.003-04:00

Chocolate is a well loved commodity in our world and believe it or not you can grow your own Chocolate Pods. The ripe fruit or pods contain the raw chocolate pieces that can be made into chocolate nibs. Chocolate nibs are sited as the new super food for their anti-oxidant qualities. The chocolate candy bars that we know come from the chocolate pods as well but is a highly mechanized process.

To get started with growing your own Chocolate Plant which will produce the chocolate pods watch the video below.

Byron Martin shows how to grow Chocolate (Theobroma cacao) in containers and what to do with the inherent browning leaves that are typical of chocolate plants.

The chocolate pods can be cut in half once they turn an orange/golden color which indicates that they are ripe.

In our new book, Growing Tasty Tropical Plants, (available after Oct. 27th) has a nice section on how to grow chocolate and how to make your own chocolate nibs from the cocooned chocolate pieces inside the chocolate pod.

Angel's Trumpet In Full Bloom

2010-09-30T21:58:00.012-04:00

The cooler nights and shorter days have given way to an abundance of Angel's Trumpet Blooms at the Greenhouses. For those of you who have never grown Angel's Trumpets (Brugmansias), these are fast growing fluted flowers that emit an intoxicating nighttime fragrance. Easy-to-grow, simply give lots of fertilizer and full sun and the blooms will reward you time and again. I took pictures of three varieties that were in full bloom yesterday.

Angel's Trumpet 'Cherub' has hundreds of open flowers. The nighttime fragrance is overwhelming.

This is a 6 year-old specimen. Every fall, we prune it back to a bare stem, about 3 feet high and then overwinter it in a cool greenhouse or you can overwinter an Angel's Trumpet in a basement or a garage that doesn't go below freezing. Water only once a month and when springtime arrives put the plant in a sunny spot and watch it sprout back to life.

This year a bird's nest made a home in 'Cherub' at its trunk bifurcation.

The blooms are a translucent pink when viewed from underneath.

The flowers gather in frilly pink clusters.

The Italian Terra-Cotta pot is about 32 inches wide and has been in the Logee-Martin family for nearly 60 years.

A new Variety of Angel's Trumpet will be introduced in 2011. It is another Byron Martin hybrid called Brugmansia 'Angel's Blushing Beauty'.

I turned the pot for another view of this two year-old specimen. Notice the lovely soft pink blooms that cascade in layers of color.

Of course, our old standby Brugmansia 'Angel's Summer Dream' was blooming its head off and does so most of the year.

A New Pup variety at Logee's

2010-09-18T09:10:00.012-04:00

Last week, we talked about banana pups, which are little banana plants forming along side their mother plant. This week our new variety is a pup but not a banana pup. It is a real live puppy which belongs to our 12 year-old daughter, Angel. The puppy is a Zuchon (Shih-tzu/Bichon), her name is Bella Rose and she is our newest addition to Logee's. Take a look!

Angel is ready to go to school and Bella Rose is going to work with me at Logee's. Notice the Ficus 'Chicago Hardy' fig behind Angel's head and in the lower left corner is one of my favorite fall-blooming Salvia's called Salvia van houttii 'Dancing Flame.' It is just coming into flower.

Today was a bit rainy but Bella made her rounds. She started in the tray of Pelargoniums. The red flower is Pelargonium 'Balcon Royal Red' and the pink flower is Pelargonium 'Desrumeaux'. These Pelargoniums bloom from spring to fall and make excellent hanging baskets. They can be grown inside during the winter.

Next, she posed with the 4-inch Buddleia davidii 'Peacock'. These Buddleias are still in bloom and attract lots of butterflies on a sunny day.

She has plenty of room in a 14-inch pot.

This wet pooch is ready to go inside to our retail store.

Surprise, Tiffany wasn't expecting a soggy puppy kiss.

Amy, our retail supervisor with the frisky, Bella Rose.

Bella and Amy working on Open House Fliers.

Well, sitting on Open House Fliers.

Our Annual Open House is Nov. 5-7th. We will start with a book launch party (Growing Tasty Tropical Plants in any home, any where) Nov. 5th and then all weekend long we will be giving tours, lectures and great sale prices. Plus don't forget to stop by for a complimentary taste of our famous Logee's Lemonade, made with our Ponderosa Lemons.

Next, Bella visiting Penny in shipping.

And, Sabina our shipping supervisor taking a camera break. She and Penny just finished packing 120 boxes of plants. As long as the weather is above freezing the plants can travel by mail for 3-4 days and be in good shape by the time they reach their destination.

Bella stays in the office most of the day. She has her crate and her rug. Here is Kim, one of our Customer Service Representatives in the background.

Bella was brushed for this picture.

Next, Bella explored Kim's desk.

Ashley, our customer service supervisor, holding Bella.

In the back row from (left to right) Deb, our new bookkeeper, Kim and Margaret both customer service reps. They have all taken on the "Auntie" role quite well.

Marie-Claire, our financial supervisor.

At the end of the day, Bella sleeping on Ashley's desk!

Another picture of Bella resting in the office, but it looks like she is getting ready to get up and go again. Oh No!

How To Divide Your Dwarf Banana

2010-08-31T09:05:00.004-04:00

One of the Tropical Dwarf Bananas that we grow, called Musa Cavendish 'Super Dwarf' is an amazingly fast grower, especially when taken outside during the warm days of summer. Its typical growing pattern is to send out "side pups" (new banana plants). These side pups are vital for the health and integrity of the main banana plant but only one pup is needed. The other side pups can be divided, re-potted and given away. My 'Super Dwarf' was in need of division. Although the mature specimen shows a single banana with fruit, we have found that growing 'Super Dwarf' with one side pup allows the plant to grow faster and fruit better.

Dwarf Banana (Musa Cavendish 'Super Dwarf') with two side banana plants (side pups).

CLICK ON THE ARROW TO WATCH: Byron Martin, owner and horticulturist of Logee's Tropical Plants shows how to divide the 'Super Dwarf' Banana.

The original banana plant (left) with the new single banana plant (right). The new 'Super Dwarf' will be going to some friends of ours who have an outstanding French Bakery in Wellfleet, Mass called PB Boulangerie Bistro.

Quick Growing Instructions: During the active growing season give the banana full sun, lots of water and feed regularly (twice a week) with a balanced fertilizer (5-7-9). Minimum temperature is 40 degrees so these bananas for the northern gardeners are meant to be grown inside during the winter. For more detailed growing instructions go to our banana cultural care sheet or pre-order our new book due out in October: Growing Tasty Tropicals in Any Home, Any Where.

Keep Your Tropical Plants Looking Good!

2010-08-16T08:32:00.011-04:00

Summer's not over yet and with a little bit of attention your tropical plants can still bring lots of color and joy to your living space. When mid-August arrives, the growth of summer is at its fullest. Managing this growth is simply a matter of trimming, pruning, and fertilizing. Sometimes removing the old flowers and turning the pot is all that is needed. With a little focus on care, my tropical plants were spruced up in about an hour. Of course, before looking with a critical eye, I made sure to look at the beauty before me and appreciate the lush growth of the season.

These flowering maples (abutilons), which love partial shade, are at my front door and are such a great contrast to the black solar fence. Abutilon ‘Kristen’s Pink’, ‘Vodoo’ (the red one), and ‘Bartley Schwartz’ (the orange one) are happily growing. I fertilize these with an organic topical feed about once a week.

Next to the Abutilons, I’ve used Salvia’s as a border plant. The Salvia gaurantica ‘Black and Blue’ and Salvia coccinea ‘Peach’ attract a multitude of hummingbirds every morning.

Enough admiring, now it was time to get to work. My old but trusted pruning gear.

I removed the dead lower leaves of this Lemon Grass potted in a blueberry pottery container. I found this pot at a yard-sale last year for $2.

Nicely groomed, it was time to take a picture of Lemon Grass. I use lemon grass in tea and it is also used as a favorite ingredient for Asian cooking.

My Mandevilla Sun Parasol ‘Giant Crimson’ that grew inside last winter, is in non-stop full bloom this summer. However, it needed its old flowers removed.

A close-up of the discoloration of old blooms.

Now the new flowers looked better and the buds about to open have room to fully display their magnificient color.

The Geraniums needed a few dead leaves and branches removed.

The two plants in this container, Pelargonium Balcon Royale Red, and Desrumeaux started out as plugs only 8 weeks ago.

Angel’s Trumpets (Brugmansia) are always fast growers in the summer. They are heavy feeders and need fertilizer at least twice a week with plenty of water.

This Brugmansia I’m making into a standard. I won’t be able to identify this one until it blooms.

This is my Angel's Trumpet, Brugmansia “Angel’s Summer Dream” grown as a standard. I love the multitude of blooms. This was in a 4 inch pot in mid-June.

Origanum ‘Kent Beauty’ (oregano) started as a single 2 1/2" pot in June. I fertilize this once week.

My three year-old Hardy Banana, Musa Basjoo is in need of fertilizer. Notice the lime green leaves.

My other three-year-old hardy Banana in the lower gardens and has been well fed. Notice the dark green leaves.

A view from afar

A new Bamboo to be released next Spring. We test our plants for at least a year before we release them in our catalogue

Simply turning the Bamboo gave it a whole new look.

Ficus 'Chicago Hardy' Fig growing in my garden. This has been wintered over twice and is in its third year of growth.

One of my mixed containers with growth gone wild. The variegated Ipomoea batatas 'Pink Frost' and the Scaevola aemula "Fan flower" (bluish,purple) draping over the tall flowering pink Agastache 'Tutti Frutti'.

The wild look contained.

New Greenhouse Construction Update

2010-07-28T06:32:00.014-04:00

We are half-way through building our new energy efficient production greenhouse, funded in part through a Federal Rural Development Grant and a Connecticut Agricultural Viability Grant. All of our tropical plants will need to be undercover and protected before frost sets in so we plan to finish by mid-September. Look at the process over the past two months. Edwin's Greenhouse Construction company from Pennsylvania and Rimol Greenhouse from New Hampshire and Dave and Terry Papuga of Donovan construction are doing an amazing job.

Our group of managers toasting the start of the new greenhouse.

(left to right)

Sham, Byron, me and Margaret sipping on sparkling lemonade.

The empty back lot at Logee's.

A total of 72 holes for the steel poles being dug.

The first of many tractor trailer trucks backing down the narrow pathways.

It's a tight fit maneuvering between our freestanding greenhouses.

Unloading the poles between the plants.

Poles standing tall

Green foam board hand placed for the radiant heat.

Tubing which will carry hot water for heating purposes.

Byron taking a break for a picture, Corey kneeling and Dave Papuga organizing the project during the heat wave.

A sea of green.

Byron explaining the project to Elijah, our 14 year-old son.

Byron meeting with Robyn from New Alliance bank.

The concrete has been poured over the green foam.

Another Truck loaded with the polycarbonate for the roof.

The truck was carefully unloaded by hand.

Each sheet was in good shape.

More Steel arrives.

Trusses are being built by the construction crew.

Trusses secured on the base structure.

Byron and John Wells from Rimol Greenhouses.

Deciding where to put an interior sliding door.

The polycarbonate roof is carefully going on the 4 bays.

The new greenhouse from afar.

July Heat Wave at Logee's

2010-07-13T10:54:00.008-04:00

Like most of the country, this past week and a half has been humid and hot. How do tropical plants do in this weather? Mostly the plants, as long as they are kept well-watered, do well and in fact, is a time that our plants rapidly grow. The workers on the other hand get here at 7 am to water plants and get their "hot" work done before the heat of the day is upon them. However, the greenhouses can reach temperatures up to 105 degrees and our staff needs to keep well-hydrated to complete their daily tasks. This year, we are in the middle of building an energy efficient greenhouse so many of our plants are growing outside this summer. Take a look.

Two Angel's Trumpet standards with colorful hanging baskets on either side of our front entrance.

Pelargoniums adding a relief of color to the outside oppressive humidity.

Rows of Bananas growing fast in the heat. Musa 'Dwarf Lady Finger' and Musa 'Double Mahoi' are growing here in 4-inch pots.

A "Hardy Banana" Musa basjoo is rapidly growing in a 10 gallon pot.

Trays of Buddleia davidii 'Peacock'. Some of the flower bracts have gone by and will be groomed before they are shipped.

Solanum quitoense "Naranjilla" a new variety with heart-shaped purple leaves is an unusual plant that produces small orange edible fruit.

Healthy looking "Chocolate plants" or Theobroma cacao are on a cart getting ready to find a growing spot for the holiday season.

A large specimen "clown fig" Ficus aspera grown for its variegated fruit.

"Angel's Summer Dream" Brugmansia is known for its ability to grow and flower at less than a foot. Pictured here it is grown as a standard and is about 6 feet tall.

Papaya's love the heat and can create fruit this size in less than a year. This Carica papaya 'T.R. Hovey' is about 6 feet tall and is a three-year old specimen.

Little papayas shown growing in 4-inch pots.

The new greenhouse structure on the left and hibiscus growing on the right.

Here's a close-up of Hibiscus 'Estelle K'. Its orange blossom is large and magnificent and glows the fiery heat of the sun.

A new colocasia to be released this fall called 'Thai Giant.' It has happily grown in our test gardens for two years. The leaf span will reach 4 feet across by the end of the summer.

Finally, this hardy perennial "Bouncing Bet" Saponaria officinalis 'Flore Pleno'- is growing outside of Logee's retail store and is perky as ever on this 95 degree day.

Summer Wall Climbers

2010-07-02T10:01:00.009-04:00

Byron Martin’s three favorite summer wall climbers: Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis), “Goji Berry” (Lycium barbarum ‘Crimson Star’), and “Hops” (Humulus lupulus ‘Williamette’). All three are extremely easy to care for and are growing side by side at Logee’s. Also, they are hardy perennials so once established on a wall or lattice, they will come back year after year and produce delicious berries and flowers.

Pictured here is the Schisandra vine growing on a lattice. This chinese herb is said to increase and balance body energy or chi.

The vine flowers in April and May followed by berries.

Here are the green berries in the beginning of July.

By the end of August they will ripen to clusters of bright red and this beneficial berry will be ready to eat.

The “Goji Berry” vine is Hardy to Zone 5.

“Goji Berries” will form the first year.

The ripe “Goji Berries” are a super food and will grow and ripen from August to October. They are sweet and delicious whether eaten off the vine or sun-dried and saved for later.

“Hops” is a fast growing hardy perennial.

This vine at Logee’s is two-years old and by the first of July has already reached the top of the lattice.

The fragrant flowers bloom in abundance from female plants.

We grow ‘Williamette’ an aromatic variety which is one of the most favored hops for pale ales, brown ales or UK style ales.

Grow all three vines on support in full sun. Feed during the active growing season and be prepared for a delicious harvest at the end of the growing season.

Logee's on A Field Trip

2010-06-23T14:24:00.012-04:00

Our retail store space is small, only about a 20’ x 20’ area inside and a pergola about the same dimensions outside. By next year, we may be able to double or triple the size of our retail sales space once our new production greenhouse is built. So we went on a field trip to see how some of the more famous garden centers around the Boston area use their space.

Logee's has been around since 1892 and two of the garden centers that we visited have been in business longer than us. Take a look.

Our pergola with limited space.

A few pots that we sell inside.

We stopped at Mahoney's in Winchester, Mass. They have eight different garden centers and this is their original store started in 1959.

They have unique displays!

Tubs for large sized plants.

A bougainvillea cultured as a bonsai.

Amy, Logee's retail supervisor and Tiffany, also from our retail department surrounded by plants.

More interesting displays. These were some of our favorites: pottery toadstools displayed in tree stumps.

Great signs, directional and inviting.

We stopped at Wilson Farms, which is a local produce/small garden center store that's been around since 1884.

A fish pond at Wilson's Farm.

We stopped at another famous garden center in Wayland, Mass called Russell's. They have been around since 1876.

Amy and Tiffany standing under a Pitcher Plant.

Amy admiring a variety of plants, including a delphinium.

Lots of signs at Russell's too.

We ended our trip at J.P. Bartlett's, a wholesale geranium grower that's been around since 1911. Pictured from left to right:

Michael Hoffmann, manager at Bartlett's, Laurelynn Martin, co-owner of Logee's, Laura Abrams, president of Bartlett's, Amy Miller, Logee's retail supervisor, Tiffany Debruycker, Logee's retail/grower.

Tiffany, in the collage of colors of Bartlett's Geraniums.

Logee's annual company picnic

2010-06-19T13:42:00.013-04:00

Our annual picnic last week was not held in its usual grassy spot because the land was being prepared for our new energy efficient greenhouse. Plus, the weather was questionable.

We needed a spot and greenhouse manager, Rick Logee had the perfect solution. He and his crew cleared out half a greenhouse that was slotted to be removed the next day and turned it into a temporary picnic pavilion.

Surveying the scene.

Part of our picnic set-up.

Some of our growers:Claudia (standing), Paula (in red), who runs our tissue culture lab, Kathy(in blue), a veteran grower; and Kim ( a former grower, now customer service rep).

Nate, who is a grower and does our Integrated Pest Management is pictured here sitting with his girlfriend Laura.

The party in full swing!

Allamanda cathartica 'Cherries Jubilee' growing in the corner.

Rick and Korey talking shop. Notice in the background flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata) and a spiky plant that is home to a friendly garden snake.

Tiffany and Amy leaving the party to go back to our retail shop. A papaya (T.R. Hovey) outside the door.

The next day, Pete is taking down the greenhouse and

The steel poles are being erected.

The Chenille Plant-Everbloomer

2010-06-12T07:38:00.010-04:00

The Chenille Plant has been well-loved at Logee’s for many years. Whenever, you visit Logee’s you will almost always see the everblooming Chenille plants lining the benches, showing off their dazzling, fuzzy bloom.

Today, when I walked through the greenhouses the long drooping catkins (flowers) of the chenille plant seemed brighter and more cheery than usual. June sunshine is much brighter and intense than even the March sunshine just several months ago. So of course, this would make sense because the chenille plant loves bright sunny light, which brings out the richness of color in its blooms.

Another, observation I had was Chenille plant’s versatility. All in the same space I noticed the two different varieties that we grow and their subtle differences in shape and culture.

Acalypha hispida "Chenille Plant" also known as “Red Hot Cattails” makes an eye-catching standard, where the central stem is trimmed clean of all leaves and flowers and left with a full crown on top.

Acalypha hispida can also be grown in a hanging basket as seen here.

Or trained to have a central stem with flowers and leaves cascading off the stem for the entire height as shown here.

Another notable difference is the length of the catkins. The length of the fuzzy catkins is longer than our other variety and resembles a show girls’ boa, hence its other common name “Red Hot Cattails.”

The other variety we grow called Acalypha pendula "Strawberry Firetails” has plumper and shorter fuzzy red catkins. And, like its name implies, the flowers pedulate and are shown off when grown as a hanging basket.

Acalypha pendula flowers like crazy at a young age as seen here growing in two and a half inch pots.

Care for both varieties are simple. Full sun, lots of water and fertilizer, especially in the active growing season. They can be grown outside year-round in Zone 10 or higher or simply bring outside seasonally if in the north. Read our cultural care sheet for more details on the easy care of these plants.

Creating Mixed Containers

2010-05-31T07:55:00.002-04:00

Creating tropical mixed containers is one of my favorite activities in early spring. The possibilities are endless.

I like to start with a center focal point plant and two or three other plants in a 14 inch pot. Plants that I use for a center focal point are the dwarf cypress papyrus, a red cordyline australis ‘red star’, a striped phormium, lemon grass, a bamboo or even a black- stemmed sugar cane.

Here's a mixed container that I just started this past weekend. It has a dwarf Papayrus, aStrobilanthes, a Pelargonium and a variegated bougainvillea in the back.

An article in Fine Gardenin ma gazine a couple of years ago referred to the assembly of mixed containers as the Thriller, the Filler and the Spiller. Keep this in mind when you are assembling your mixed containers.

The Thrillers are the centerpiece plant. The Filler plants are some of my favorite accent plants. These are usually upright growers with lots of color or form. You can use short growing coleus,Nemesias. Begonia ‘Christmas Candy’, Angelonias, Heliotropes. I use Heliotropium aborescense alba. I love this white flower filler because of its vanilla scent. Heliotropium arborescense 'Iowa', a purple blooming plant with a slight wine-scent is another good choice.

Abutilons are also great plants to use, such as our Abutilon ‘Kristen’s Pink’ has wide open bells.

Our Summer Breeze collection is one of my favorites.

Finally, the Spillers or trailing plants can be plants such as Ipomeas. There are chartreuse green ones, black ones or even variegated ipomoeas that trail. I used Pink Frosted in my container that will bring out the colors in the other Pelargoniums balcon royale are good choices. Another great trailer is scaevola or fan flower or Plumbago auriculata 'Imperial Blue'.

Try two mixed containers of the same plants and balance a walkway or front entrance to make a dramatic effect! Like this Guardian Gate collection which boasts Cypress Papyrus, Begonia Christmas Candy and Scaevola

Preparing For A New Greenhouse

2010-05-18T19:56:00.006-04:00

Many of you know that we are preparing to build an energy efficient four bay greenhouse in our back lot. Many of our greenhouses are old and inefficient. We will keep the retail greenhouses that have been around since 1892 but we will be upgrading our production facility, thanks in part to a state and federal grant. This will make us more competitive in the market place. Plus, we will reduce our carbon footprint by reducing our fuel consumption.

The shear task of moving greenhouses, while keeping plants alive is logistically a challenge.

We call this temporary structure “The Dog House.”

Here our large Dragon Fruit Tree “Hylocereus species” is sitting outside of the “Holding House” waiting for a new growing place.

Inside the “Holding House” are many of our succulents. Here a Euphorbia is in a lunch crate waiting to get moved.

Our crop of Pelargonium “Mrs. Cox” is another group that will be moved in the upcoming week.

With good weather, we hope to grow many of these plants outside. Plywood boards are placed outside with temporary water lines.

Bags of soil had to be moved to achieve this space.

In the midst of everything happening down back Tiffany is still smiling, selling plants in Retail. She just finished labeling Kalanchoe 'Mirabella' (right) and Echeveria 'Black Prince' (left).

Amy, our retail supervisor, is talking to Sham our business manager, sorting out details. A sweet smelling plumeria is blooming in the forefront of the picture.

Tropical Plants Photography At Logee's

2010-05-05T10:55:00.014-04:00

Taking photos of tropical plants at Logee’s is a year-round task. The everbloomers are the simple ones to capture because they’re available anytime. The seasonal bloomers or fruiting plants require more attention and planning.

Recently, we had a customer and photographer visit from Marlborough, CT. His name is Stan Malcolm. Every time he travels to Logee’s he takes pictures. You can view his pictures at: www.performance-vision.com/Logees-3-5-10

He took a picture of this Thunbergia grandiflora on one of his visits.
While Stan was at Logee's, he shared a few things about photography. Mostly, what I learned was don't be afraid to experiment with the F stop, shutter speed and distance. He first took some pictures of a Bougainvillea in bloom in the Big House. Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’ is an everbloomer and loves to climb and vine around any support.

We moved into one of our greenhouses where our succulents grow. It was close to 90 degrees, overcast, rainy and humid, a true tropical feel. Once the camera lens cleared from the humidity, we shot a picture of a new Euphorbia and a new Adenium.

Both will be offered in our fall catalogue. Euphorbia punicea “Jamaican Poinsettia” and Adenium “Tawaiin Beauty”are everbloomers and need lots of hot sun.

The Euphorbia is the close-up shot and the Adenium is the full specimen shot. We used a piece of black card board to highlight the flowers, although Stan thought a piece of gray cardboard would be better.

We tried photographing a Hibiscus called Hibiscus schizopetalus “Japanese Lantern” but the image was not sharp enough for publication. I tried using the auto settings but for close-up work or creating the right depth of field, manual settings work better. Thanks Stan for new photography ideas.

Lastly, Byron Martin, is our horticulturist, photographer and one of the owners. Here he is working on a picture of our Theobroma cacao or Chocolate plant that now has three chocolate pods ripening. The yellow pod is almost ready to be plucked. Although, we are on a temporary backorder, this one is worth getting on a waiting list. Grow you're own Chocolate!!

He also, hybridized a Papaya that will be released sometime in the coming year. Here he is preparing it for a photo shoot by striping off the dead leaves. Our most popular Papaya is a dwarf variety called T.R. Hovey

As a small company, we try to learn everyone's job but clearly some of us are more gifted at photography than others. I think I'll stick to writing.

Behind the scenes- Customer Service

2010-04-22T12:22:00.013-04:00

Hello everyone! My name is Ashley; I’m the Customer Service Supervisor and the GUEST BLOGGER for this week! This week’s topic is customer service. Customer service, quality plants, reliable shipping, you name it - we care about it - deeply. Logee's takes all feedback very seriously and we are constantly making changes in the way we handle customer service to better fit our customers' needs. Each week, before the phones start ringing, we have an office meeting with all of the customer service staff in which we discuss how we can provide better customer service.

This is me, I'm the Customer Service Supervisor. I also manage the inventory and print out the labels that are included in each pot. My favorite plant is the Colocasia gigantea "Giant Elephant Ear" because of its large size and the unique aspect it adds to container gardening.

Here is Margaret, the customer service representative who answers all of our emails and proofreads the catalogs before we send them to be printed. On average, Margaret answers between 100 to 150 emails during our busy season. Margaret's favorite plant is the Mandevilla laxa "Chilean Jasmine" because of the growth habit and vigor.

This is Kirstin. She is currently processing orders for shipment. This process takes about two days. On the first day, the paperwork is generated. Then, the paperwork is sent to the correct department; the pick tickets go to the picker who will find the plants in the 13 greenhouses, and the shipping department gets packing slips so the order can be shipped. Kirstin's favorite plant is the Begonia 'My Special Angel' because of how easy it is to grow and she likes the spotted leaves.

Sherrie is currently first on the phones. This means that she answers the majority of the phone calls. She also takes turns with Kirstin processing orders. Sherrie's favorite plant is the Hibiscus 'Bon Temps' because of the color of the bloom and how easy it was to get it to start blooming!

Donna does the bookkeeping as well as some customer service. Donna's favorite plant is the Hibiscus 'Rumrunner' because of its big, beautiful flowers and how well it blooms.

All of our customer service representatives are trained to provide the best customer service possible, whether it is taking an order, diagnosing plant problems, tracking an order or simply answering a question, they can help you! Our customer service representatives are always ready and willing to help. We have many different resources available to us, we have helpful care sheets that can be sent out upon request (and are also located on our website), we use many reputable gardening websites and we also have an on-site horticulturalist to help us answer any questions you may have! You can call us at any time Monday-Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m EST at 1-888-330-8038.

Tropical Plants in the Outdoor Garden Waking UP!

2010-04-16T11:02:00.019-04:00

Today's blog, although not as colorful with flowers, I hope will be useful for gardener's in the north who crave the beauty and exotic nature of tropicals. Of course, the first plant that I think every outdoor garden should have is the "Hardy Banana" Musa basjoo. Although, bananas are not produced from this variety, the defining tropical look of banana leaves growing in a northern garden is delightful and a mind boggler.

At Logee's our stand is now four years old and every year keeps getting bigger and bigger.

The chicken wire and hay is Hardy Banana's resting place for the winter.

Here is a picture from last summer. At the greenhouses, the "Hardy Banana" (Musa basjoo) gets fed every watering and in one season grows taller than our storage shed (the roof in the upper left corner of the picture).

My banana stand at home is not as large as at Logee's but I only feed my banana twice a week. Plus, this banana is only two years old. Here is my stand of bananas in early April after taking off the hay. Notice how the brown growing tips are starting to unfurl. Soon with the increase of sunlight the stocks will turn green and start shooting straight out of the center.

Another favorite in early spring is watching how our fig plants came through the winter. You can winter over practically any fig with the right procedure. This past winter we left the fig in the ground, cut the fig back to about four feet in height, tied up the branches and then wrapped it in insulation and then a layer of plastic.

To our amazement this fig, one week after being uncovered, is already forming little figs and new leaves. We will most likely get two crops of figs this year. The figs we have in stock right now are Ficus carica 'Petite Negra' and Ficus carica 'Ischia' ( a yellow fig).

Another surprise this past week was how quickly our Hardy Kiwi set (Actinidia arguta 'Anna') is leafing out.

Here we've planted a male and female plant side-by-side for pollination, to insure fruit. We didn't cover the kiwi since it is Zone 4 and we are in Zone 5. We simply have given it good support. These plants are in their second year.

Finally an experiment I'm doing at home is with our Hardy Gardenia (Gardenia jasmenoides 'Frostproof)'. I planted it near my front porch so on summer evenings I can sit outside and breathe in the heady scent of gardenia. 'Frostproof' is a Zone 6 plant so I wasn't sure it would survive the winter. I mulched it with leaves and figured since it was planted near the house it might have a better chance of surviving. Well to my great satisfaction it is sprouting green leaves. Byron has warned me that this may be false hope because he doesn't think I mulched it enough. I'll let you know as the season progresses.

Notice the green leaves at the base of the plant.

The Gardenia is one of my favorites and is a perfectly formed flower with a welcoming sweet fragrance.

Early Spring Blooms at Logee's

2010-04-09T15:16:00.011-04:00

Spring is in the air at Logee's especially with this past week of warm weather. Flowering plants in the greenhouses are showing off their brilliant bloom like this Red Stictocardia macalusoi or this "Purple

Horn of Plenty" (Datura metel 'Cornucopaea'). This Datura is in bloom in a 2 1/2 inch pot and is well known for its evening fragrance, often used in moon gardens.

The Thunbergias were also shouting loud and clear with their bold strokes of color. Thunbergia 'Sunlady' with its dark defining eye in the midst of bright sunshine yellow petals and its cousin Thunbergia 'Grandiflora' also known as the "Blue Skyflower of India." Although, I think the color has more of a purple hue than blue. Both of these Thunbergias are great plants for the summer patio or outdoor

garden if you have a trellis, wall or fence for it to climb up and around.

Next, happy trays of the "Chenille Plant" (Acalypha hispida) were boasting their cattails of lipstick red bloom. These full sun plants can be grown in a hanging basket or trained as a standard.

When trained as a standard the catkins get very long and look like a chenille scarf. When put in direct sun the catkins will remain bright red.

And right around the

corner were pots filled with Plumbago auriculata 'Imperial Blue' . These are both full sun plants that are everbloomers. Of course, if given more sun the color

of the blooms become brighter. We had a friend that put Plumbago auriculata in 15 moss hanging baskets and had them placed around her pool for the summer. Stunning doesn't even begin to describe the effect!

Growing Tropical Fruit Book in the Works

2010-03-31T18:57:00.015-04:00

Growing Tasty Tropicals in Any Home, Anywhere (pending publication by Storey publishing, fall 2010) has been in the works for a long time. Byron and I have been collecting exotic and tropical fruits for well over a decade and have finally taken the time over the past year to write all the interesting fun facts and cultural tips on how to be successful with potted fruit. The title page (pictured to the right) plus 160 other pages were sent to us this week for our review.

We recently had our illustrator, Beverly Duncan, visit us to get a

first hand account of the plants. Byron explains to Beverly the growth habit of our Black Olive (Olea europaea 'Arbequina'). Later she shows us her sketched olive tree.

Our category of citrus in the

book needed clarification. Here Beverly has the fruit of an Australian Finger Lime (the small

green fruit) and she is comparing the color of a Tahitian orange and the Myrtle Leaf orange. Both varieties

are miniature oranges but the color

distinction is subtle unless side by side. The lighter colored orange is the Myrtle Leaf Orang e pictured here as a bonsai tree.

Another interesting fruit that we showed Beverly on her visit was our "Brown Sugar Fruit" (Manilkara

zapota Sapodilla 'Silas Woods'). This is a rare and tasty fruit that when mature will produce egg shaped fruit that can be cut in half and scooped out. The brown sugar taste and custard like texture is a delectable treat. Sapodilla plants are also known for their ability to produce chicle, a natural latex used in chewing gum.

Lastly, Beverly needed to see how Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus species) grew. It is shown here growing up a support and once the vines get a little bigger the red dragon fruit will appear.

Recently, I was in Florida collecting plants and I couldn't help but notice a local nursery that had neat rows of Dragon Fruit Trees cultured like standards. If you look closely the central stem is simply a pole that the vines have wrapped around. Impressive!

Jade Vine In Bloom at Logee's

2010-03-25T16:13:00.008-04:00

The Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) is in bloom in our Greenhouses and the eye-catching display of jade-colored flowers will stop even the most casual visitor. In the Long House and in the Fern House you can see this native Philippine vine, each with 8 to 10 dangling chains of flowers.

The flower chains pictured are in different stages of blooming. First, the flower chains emerge out of either woody or new growth to start their trek downward. Then, as the chains reach their full length the blooms start opening from the top down. The flowers only last 4-5 days but the succession of bloom will continue. Flower chains can reach a few feet to 10 feet in length, if space permits.

As the flowers open, the stem bends with the weight of the bloom and forms a display of unusual jade flowers. Once the plant gets to be the size of your thumb in width, the plant is ready to bloom.

Our vine was two years old before it started blooming and presently is four years old. To be successful make sure you have plenty of room, lots of sunshine and sturdy support for your vine to

ramble around. Once it has reached maturity hard pruning will be necessary.

These are excellent plants for conservatories or sunrooms or a trellis in the south, which is Zone 10 or higher. Come take a peek!

How To Assemble Logee's Sunrise Succulent Collection

2010-03-15T17:05:00.022-04:00

Succulents are a great way to bring color, form and texture to your indoor garden. Our Logee Sunrise Succulent Collection is comprised of 5 different succulents and then arranged in a way that makes an eye-catching statement!

Our Greenhouse manager, Rick Logee, loves

growing succulents. He says, "They are easy-to-grow, and only need water every other week or so." What about light level? "Grow them in

full sun and in the summer, take them outside on a deck or patio for the strongest light."

Follow the video instructions below to create your own

Logee Sunrise Succulent

Collection. You will receive in the mail five plants, clay saucer and soil.

The five plants that make up the Collection are: Euphorbia 'Firesticks' shown growing in trays with red-tipped ends, "Variegated String of Buttons" (Crassula perforata), "Watch Chain" (Crassula lycopodiodes), Anacampseros 'Sunrise'- the pink-blushed low grower, and Echeveria

'Black Prince'- the dark rosette-shaped plant.

Click on the arrow below to play the instructional video.

Logee's on Facebook and Twitter

2010-03-08T14:27:00.008-05:00

Whoo Hoo...Logee's is on facebook and twitter. Yes, this year 2010 we are exploring all the social networking. Logee's is over 118 years old and change is sometimes difficult.

Well, we are changing with the times, at least a little bit. If you want to follow us on facebook and be a fan, click on our facebook link. When you get to Logee's facebook simply click on Become a Fan. If you want little tweets (up to 146 characters) about sales, new items, visitors, etc, then click on our twitter link.

Here's Ashley our Customer

Service Supervisor taking on the task of keeping us current on Facebook and Twitter.

We are learning all about how to reach people in a way that is convenient and useful. If you want blogs, you are in the right place. We're committed to blogging at least once a week,

but don't worry we will keep the "Secret Garden" aspect of Logee's the same. We don't want to get to far away from the natural world. Plus part of

the intrigue of Logee's is walking through the the narrow aisles, looking for the secret door that leads into the next greenhouse where little plants and big mother plants all grow side by side. Notice the tray of trichodiadema densumin bloom today and the archway into one of our retail greenhouses covered with a ficus vine. Enjoy!!

The Plant Shipping Process

2010-03-03T11:51:00.011-05:00

At Logee's, we take great pride in shipping our plants that have been carefully grown in our greenhouses. We ship nationally and our plants have to be tucked in, stabilized and carefully wrapped to ensure safe delivery.

Sabina, our shipping supervisor at Logee's does a fantastic job heading up Logee's shipping department. During our busy season, which begins now, she will have up to 8 people working with her. The plants are groomed, wrapped, and tended to with the utmost care.

Click on the arrow below to play the video.

The small plant being shipped in the video is Jasminum Azoricum.

Pictured are the mature fragrant flowers. It is one of the sweetest jasmines we grow and can reach 2-3 feet in a pot within a season. Remember to give this vining plant some support like a trellis or wire hoop so it will bloom in full sun from spring through fall.

Martha Stewart's Gardener Visits Logee's

2010-02-24T12:40:00.035-05:00

We love showing our greenhouses to visitors and especially enjoyed the other day when Shaun Kass, Martha Stewart’s estate gardener and his wife, Jen, came for a tour. We started in the “Long House” where Shaun’s 6’1" stature barely fit into our antique Glasshouse. Byron is in the background smiling, pleased that at 5’ 10” he has no problem navigating the aisles. Notice the Petrea volubilous alba vine, also known as White Queen's Wreath, flowering on a trailing vine near Shaun's left arm.

Next, we showed them our famous Ponder osa Lemon

Tree that has been growing in the Lemon Tree house since the early 1900’s.

Byron’s Great Grandfather bought the lemon tree from a grower in Philadelphia and had the tree delivered by horse and buggy. The underside of the lemon tree and all its branches show the old gnarly structure. Thousands of cuttings have been taken from this tree and the fruit can weigh up to 5 pounds. Jen is holding only a one-pound ponderosa lemon that we just picked.

This is a photo of Shaun and Byron hunting for the red ripe coffee beans on our Coffea arabica plant that has rooted into the ground. The structure of the tree is upright and continues to grow tall. Every year, we have to cut the top off to contain the size. The plant still produces flowers and beans even when pruned hard. This variety is the coffee of commerce and it is one of the easiest plants to grow. Plus, the coffee plant produces flowers twice a year giving off a light, pleasing fragrance.

While we wandered through our propagation houses Jen couldn’t resist the “Sea of Streps” (Streptocarpus) or Cape

Primrose. We have 14 varieties and they all have the ability to bloom year-round with amazing color. This close-up bloom is called Streptocarpus 'Spiritual Corridor.' I find if you look close enough you can see the outline of an Angel.

Other plants that were in flower on this February visit were the bright yellow Thunbergia 'Sunlady' with its defining brown center and the "Blue Skyflower" of India also known as Thunbergia grandiflora. I was happy to see that some of our other reliable bloomers were performing for our special guests such as Plumbago indica in full bloom, gracefully cascading with vibrant pink color.

We love this shot of Shaun and Jen standing under our soon-to-be released flowering basket of Duranta erecta compacta 'Little Geisha Girl'. Unlike the regular 'Geisha Girl' variety, this form is more compact and blooms are held tighter on the weeping stems making it a wonderful hanging basket. John Lucas from Tradewinds Botanicals gets credit for this variety.

We made sure they had plenty of gifts to go home with. Here is Shaun with a popular Sansevieria, Lithops or Living Stones, and a rare plant from our collection called a Haemanthus albiflos, known as "Dappled Snowbrush." The leaves look like orchid foliage. Jen is holding another Living Stone and I have a citrus gift for them, our popular Meyer Lemon Plant with a ripe meyer lemon from our mother plant.

Inside Logee's, Finding the Unusual!

2010-02-17T09:18:00.021-05:00

Logee's has been around since 1892 and just knowing that will explain many of these pictures. When you walk through Logee's things have just sort of grown where they were placed. Some plants have remained in the same spot for years,

while other plants simply wind themselves around whatever structure is available. Come take a look!

The entrance photo has a metal chain pulley, which is a hand-crank vent, that towers amongst the tropical flowers and foliage. Another beauty that surrounds a man-made structure is Thunbergia mysorensis. This rare flower form makes itself known in the "Big House." Long vines dangle with yellow and burgundy flowers blooming

their heads off from winter through summer. The flowers reach for the iron heating pipe and suspend themselves in mid-air above or beyond the heat source.

Another unusual sight in the "Big House", growing in the middle of the aisle, is the base of a plant that looks like an upside down pot. Soft green moss and algae grow on the roots' ridges, attesting to the age of this kumquat tree. This impressive trunk has long outgrown its pot and has rooted itself into the ground over 70 years ago. Today, it is

home to over 5 different varieties of kumquats, plus a variegated calamondin orange. The vigor of the original tree, Fortunella margarita 'Nagami' has such a strong root system that other varieties have been successfully grafted on. 'Nagami' is the oval kumquat that can be

bought in a local grocery store. The next kumquat that is most prevalent on the tree is the Meiwa, which is the round sweet kumquat.

Logee's is a great place for vining plants. The vanilla orchid vine is a

favorite of mine climbing up the wall of our propagation house. We carry Vanilla planifolia and the vine, like this one, has to get about 4-5 feet before it begins blooming and producing vanilla beans. The trick to producing vanilla beans is first,make sure your vanilla plant is up to size and second, you must hand pollinate the flower during the blooming season.

Notice how the tendrils have wrapped themselves around

the piping, the vents and fan, yet here it has grown happily for the past 20 years.

One more site that amazes our visitors is this wheel vent that we have to crank open and shut every day. It's not so much

the antiquity of the wheel but the ficus vine that has

snuggly found a home along the pipes. Since we're on the topic of unusual, one plant worth mentioning is our very rare, intensely fragrant Tabernaemontana holstii. I walked into the greenhouses this morning and not only did its 5-pointed curled petal grab my attention, the sweetness of the flowers sent a fragrant reminder that yes, Spring is on the way! Of course, this is only a smattering of unusual forms that you'll see at Logee's. Mostly, you will be immersed in colorful flowers and intoxicating fragrance in a green world from head to toe.

Logee's Attends New England Grows

2010-02-10T15:50:00.025-05:00

Last week we attended the New England Grows show in Boston, Massachusetts, only about an hour and ten minutes from Logee’s. We go every year to keep our finger on the pulse of the gardening industry. We are especially interested in the latest trends so we can keep up with what’s new and learn how to satisfy the requests of our consumers. This year over 1400 booths displayed their wares. Sham Elshahks, our business manager, Amy Miller, our retail supervisor, Tiffany DeBruycker, one of our retail salesperson and I attended. We were told over the next three days that 13,000 green industry professionals like ourselves would walk the floors of the Boston Convention and Expostion Center. The first exhibitor that caught our eye with a lucious “Green Wall” was Quansett Nurseries from South Dartmouth MA. They built a steel frame and grew the ferns and grasses for their green wall. We learned this is an upcoming trend in home gardening, especially on a deck or patio. Next, we visited with Rimol Greenhouses, from Hookset, New Hampshire. They are in the running as the supplier for our new four-bay production greenhouse that we plan to build this spring.

The latest trend in gardening is growing succulents in your home garden. We grow sansevierias at Logee's that have become very popular. They are easy to care for, generally don’t need a lot of attention, yet their unusual form and compact nature make them great candidates for the windowsill gardener. Sunny Borders from

Kensington, CT had beautiful succulent gardens in various sized saucers on display. As did Shady Oaks from Waseca, MN . They displayed their succulents in clear juice glasses so we could easily see the healthy root system.

Amy and Tiffany at the end of the day still smiling as they pose by an impressive planter.

Logee's in Mid-Winter

2010-02-03T22:01:00.009-05:00

This morning my thermometer read 24 degrees below freezing. I couldn't wait to get to work today because I knewI could escape the cold just by walking in the front door. Outside of Logee's a blanket of white snow covered the outdoor gardens and I was glad that our hardy banana was fast asleep under the frosted haystack. With a few steps to the front door I left the stark stillness behind me and walked into an alive, pleasantly balmy space. I walked around our seven retail greenhouses, letting the flowers and fragrance guide me.

Our mid-winter flowering plants were everywhere. I couldn’t resist taking a picture of Medinilla Magnifica housed in our “Potting Shed.” This impressive bloomer displayed large umbells of pink blooms that were cheery and welcoming. Of course, it would take 2-3 years to get flowers like this from a seed grown plant but once mature, flowers can be expected from spring through summer and for high light places like the greenhouses, mid-winter gave way to blooms.

Another surprise this morning was the single bloom of a red passion flower (called Passiflora piresii) in the “Long House.” Since passion flowers only bloom for a day, it was amazing to find this bright red flower perfectly happy growing inside the greenhouses on one of the coldest days of the year.

Next, the sweet fragrance coming from the “Big House” drew me into the depths of its tropics. The double ball standard of “Canary Island Broom” (Genista canariensis) was beginning its blooming season (January to April). The Big House is cooler at night, therefore, inducing blooms for many plants in that greenhouse, like our camellias.

My walk continued into the “Extension House” where a single bloom filled the house with an intoxicating fragrance. Gardenia nitidia is a rare gardenia that blooms intermittently throughout the year and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time for flowers and fragrance.

Begonias in the Winter Window

2010-01-28T08:14:00.014-05:00

Begonias in the Winter Window are a perfect topic this time of year. As I walked through our greenhouses today, what really caught my attention were the many varieties of begonias that were just popping with color and form. The Angel Wing

Begonias, named for their leaves that look like Angel’s wings were in the forefront of my vision. Their white dotted leaves looked like they were ready to take flight. The Rex Begonias, with their swirled patterned leaves and the Rhizomatous Begonias that have flowers growing above the foliage were every bit as impressive.

All three types of Begonias are present in the picture above. This begonia display, in one of our seven retail greenhouses, shows the large Angel Wing specimen called Begonia maculata var. ‘Wightii’. The white spots on the leaves are characteristic of ‘Whightii’ and would

challenge even the most detail-oriented artist. The begonia with the white flowers held above the foliage is Begonia ‘Palomar Prince’. This is a rhizomatous begonia. The silver and red swirled

begonias in the middle are rex begonias. The variety shown is B. ‘China Curl’ (pictured in pot).

Our greenhouse grower, Laurie Robillard has been at Logee’s for over 11 years

and is responsible for growing the 75 varieties of Begonias at Logee’s. She is holding Begonia ‘Phoe’s Cleo.’Begonias are a great plant for the novice gardener or the gardener who has low light and low humidity conditions in the home. Begonias were known as the plant of the Victorian era. If you think of Victorian Houses they were never built with light and humidity in mind, yet begonias thrived in these times because they can take less than ideal conditions. In fact, they like to be dried out between waterings. Begonias are fast growing as well. Our begonias start in 2 ½” pots. This is a good time to pinch back the growing tips to make a full, dense specimen. In a matter of 6-8 weeks our 2 ½” pots will easily grow into an 8-inch pot. Remember, Begonias can be kept for years in the same size pot. My begonia at home,

‘Raspberry Swirl’ has been in its 8-inch pot for over 5 years a

nd gets cut back every year. I usually prune at the end of the summer before I bring it back inside.

During the active growing season, which is more or less spring summer and fall, feed begonias with 1/4tsp of organic soluble fertilizer per one gallon of water once a week. Begonias in the winter time

won’t put on a lot of growth unless grown under high light and you want to reduce or stop feed during this time but never-the-less the colorful leaves,

unusual form and textured leaves are sure to delight and ward off the winter blues.

Pictured is "the Long House" which has over a sixty foot stretch dedicated to the many varieties of begonias for sale.

Logee's Tropical Plants Prepares for Martha Stewart Show

2010-01-20T11:31:00.016-05:00

Last week, we were invited to NYC as guests on the Martha Stewart Show. (see logee blog- How to Grow Tabletop Citrus Jan 13, 2010). We love sharing our tropical plants with Martha and her audience. The week before the show, we choose the plants. We work with the producers and send them pictures, growing information and highlights of each plant. Getting ready for the show is a company wide task and our growers were all hands on deck the day before.

Rick Logee, our greenhouse manager, Laurie Robillard and Napa Howe, greenhouse growers are pictured polishing leaves, repotting specimens and grooming the plants. We rank what plants would be the best but mostly Mother Nature chooses what plants ultimately go on the show. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which plants will be in bloom or fruit in 4-5 days.The morning we left for NYC was filled with activity. I picked up the white rental van (non-commercial) so we could drive on the Merritt Parkway, while Byron gathered eighteen different mother plants into one warm spot.

We had to have a warm vehicle waiting to minimize exposure to the elements while loading our weather sensitive plants in our Northeast Connecticut freezing climate.

Three and half-hours later at 4:00 we arrived at the NYC Studios. We unloaded our plants and broke them into two groups- the segment for citrus (see blog Jan. 13) and the segment for Flowering Winter/Unusual Plants. The Winter/Unusual Plants that ultimately went on the show were Coffee (Coffea a

rabica)- the coffee of commerce; Bougainvillea ‘Vera Purple’- a colorful, everbloomer ; ‘Desert Rose’ and ‘Uranus’ (Adenium obesum) two unique plants in flower with an unusual caudex form; “Golden Brush” (Burbedgia scheizochelia) - a ginger with brilliant orange flowers; and 'Yerbe Mate’ (Ilex paraguariensis)- the foliage that’s famous for Mate’ tea.

We had to be at the studio by 8 am the next morning for the 10:00 am live show. During those two hours Byron rehearsed with Barbara, one of the producers. Martha and Byron have great charisma together and were like old friends catching up on the horticultural scene. We left the Sunquat for Martha since she didn’t have one in her collection. After the show, I dropped Byron at Laguardia airport. He was on his way to a tropical plants show in Florida and I drove back to Connecticut with a warm van filled with tropical plants and flowers.

Winter Propagation Brings Springtime Rewards

2010-01-15T13:40:00.006-05:00

AtLogee's, we propagate plants or simply stated we take cuttings from our mother plants and make baby plants. For the home gardener, learning how to propagate plants can be a fun and exciting process!

A picture of one of our propagation greenhouses shows how this time of year the "benches" (growing tables) are filled with little plants waiting to be moved into 2 1/2 inch pots and then shipped out the door.

Also, pictured is one of our lead growers, Nathaniel Howe, who will be giving a series of propagation classes at Logee's, starting this weekend. If you can't make the classes then here are a few quick tips on how to propagate your own plants at home.

Propagation at Logee's is done by vegetative cutting, air layering, grafting and tissue culture. For the home gardener, the easiest way to propagate is by vegetative cutting.

First you must choose the cutting wood. We recommend tip cutting or stem length cutting. 1-Tip cutting- simply cut the growing tip of the plant and make sure it has 2-3 mature leaves 2-Stem length cutting- the stem is cut into segments leaving 1 or 2 leaf nodes plus some stems to go under the soil. Strip off all the leaves that go below the soil.

Two Methods to Propagate 1-Traditional- Put the stem node below the soil level. This allows a sprout or growth to emerge from below the soil level, which can produce a multi-stemmed plant. Fibrous begonias do best with this method. 2-Root Gel or Liquid Hormone- Dip the cutting end into root gel or the hormone. This initiates callus. Callus is the formation of an abnormal or thickening of tissue in response to a wound. Strip off any leaves or flowers that go below soil level. If there is an excess of canopy of leaves, we recommend cutting the leaves in half to reduce the foliage.

The rooting medium we use is sand or an oasis. There are three easy steps. 1-Take the cutting. 2- Dip the cutting in gel or liquid hormone and 3-Put the cutting in sand or in an oasis or potting mix. For the home gardener in a dry home environment, we recommend putting a plastic bag over the new plant to increase humidity. Some plants will root in as little time as a week, while others will take several weeks. Remember to keep moist while the plant is initiating roots.

For more information about Nathaniel Howe's propagation classes, visit our website: www.logees.com

How To Grow Tabletop Citrus in Pots

2010-01-13T05:59:00.007-05:00

Growing Tabletop Citrus in pots is easy to do, rewarding and fills the dark days of winter with orange and golden gems of color. Today, we brought 6 different varieties of citrus to the Martha Live show (airing at 10:00am eastern time). Byron will be on camera with Martha. I am behind the scenes, talking to producers, working out details, etc. Behind the scenes will be next weeks blog. However, this week is the citrus that was on the show and the how to's of growing.

First, is the Varegated Calamondin Orange- Produces tiny sour fruit from Southeast Asia and has spectacular mottled foliage.

Second is the Sunquat-Blooms and fruits throughout the year, is a cross between a lemon and kumquat and this sweet succulent fruit can be eaten skin and all.

Third, the Sweet Lemon- (Ujiktsu)- An amazing fruit that ripens late winter into spring, is a cross between a grapefruit and a tangelo and although looks like a lemon it tastes like an orange.

Fourth, Kaffir Lime- is grown for its foliage and fruit. The foliage is well known for its culinary use in Thai food.

Fifth, Citrus Myrtifolia- This upright grower has foliage like a myrtle and produces tiny oranges, that ripen from late fall through winter. Although sour to eat, the ornamental beauty keeps this citrus around.

Sixth, Tahitain Orange- Also produces tiny bright fiery orange fruit and the fruit can hold on for months increasing its ornamental appeal as well.

In a nutshell, caring for all citrus is similar.

1-Grow in terra cotta pots to allow dry down time because citrus roots are sensitive to cold and wet in the winter time.

2-Grow in full sun, preferable above 60 degrees for best growth, although citrus can take it down into the 30's as long as it's only once in a while and not sustained.

3-Water when the soil is visually dry

4-Fertilizer moderately during the active growing season, which is generally spring through fall. Winter time feed is reduced to once a month or not at all.

5-Prune when the plant is young to produce a multi-stemmed specimen. This is necessary so as the citrus grows it has strong branches to support the fruit.

6- Once mature, prune after flowering and then prune selective leads so you will have some fruit the following season.

7-Susceptible to scale and mealybug and sometimes spidermite. Use leaf polishers such as neem oil or cedoflora for control.

That's all for now. You can check out our website for more details www.logees.com or go to www.marthastewart.com

New Year's Miracle Berry Tasting

2010-01-05T11:37:00.005-05:00

Jan. 5, 2010- Our New Year's Miracle Berry Tasting event is scheduled for this Saturday, January 9, 2010. At Logee's, we grow "Miracle Berry" also known as the "Miracle Fruit." If you are unable to make our "Tasting Party", you can get the lo down from us here.

First, the plants botanical name is Synsepalum dulcificum and can be grown indoors in a pot. The red berries, about the size of a plump raisin, will begin to appear after the plant reaches a height of about 12 inches. Give the plant full sun and go easy on the fertilizer(once a month or so), making sure the soil is acidic, and you will be producing your own berries soon.

If you aren't up to the task of growing your own berries then we recommend going to the website www.miraclefruitman.com where you can have miracle berries shipped to you overnight.

Once you have the berry in hand, simply eat the berry and get ready for a tricking of your taste buds. Literally, everything you eat afterwards tastes sweet. This is attributed to an unstable compound in the berry that actually changes the chemical properties in your mouth. At the tasting party, we will have a miracle berry for each participant. The berry has a seed inside so it is important not to bite into the seed but simply eat off the pulp and skin and keep it in your mouth, coating the inside before swallowing the berry. Of course, you can save the seed and plant it. Foods such as lemons and onions will be tasted and you'll be amazed at how a lemon tastes like a sweet drink of lemonade or how an onion tastes like an apple. Get daring and try a grapefruit or sour pickle. The only warning we have is DO NOT drink a dry expensive glass of red wine after the miracle berry for it will be the sweetest wine you ever tasted.

The effects of the miracle berry will last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.