Beneficial Bugs in a Bag

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

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

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

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

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.