Posted: March 3rd, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Kathleen and her brother as children with the animals.
is a tiny little farm in Southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania specializing in heirloom vegetable and herb seedlings. Their selection is perfect for gardeners who enjoy growing food for the table that has been served in American homes for generations
Tulip Tree Hill specializes in not your run-of-the-mill varieties. Instead, they offer many unique heirlooms including
tomatoes,
peppers,
eggplants,
cucumbers, and
melons. They also raise interesting and unusual seedlings for the adventurous gardener:
artichokes,
licorice,
roselle, and even
cotton, not to mention flowering beauties like
German Chamomile and
Munstead Lavender.
With such an extraordinary selection, we wanted to know more about Tulip Tree Hill and Kathleen, the wonderful grower behind these great heirloom varieties.
1) What’s this history behind Tulip Tree Hill, and how did you come up with such a beautiful name for your farm?
Five years ago I purchased this property from my parents who were ready to downsize after living here for nearly thirty years. The name of the farm and studio stems from the numerous Tulip Poplars in the woods at the back of the property. Also, the farm sits at the top of a hill which is one of the high points in the area.
2) How does being in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania influence what you grow and raise?
Lancaster County is blessed by some of the richest farmland around and has a long farming history. Southern Lancaster County, especially, is still largely composed of small family farms, although Tulip Tree Hill is likely one of the smallest!
3) When did you start specializing in heirloom vegetable and herb seedlings, and what made you turn to growing such unique heirlooms plants?
2009 was my first real foray into growing heirloom vegetable and herb seedlings. While there are many greenhouses locally, most sell bedding flowers and perennials and it is almost impossible to find heirloom and unusual vegetable seedlings. Since my own interest lies in unique and unusual varieties, I saw a niche that had yet to be truly filled. So 2009 became a year of planning learning, and building the greenhouse.
This year sees not only the beginning of selling heirlooms, but also of the market garden. The very same varieties I’m selling as seedlings will also be put in the ground here to be nurtured, raised, harvested, and sold at local growers markets.
4) Which heirlooms are are you favorites to grow and eat?
Tomatoes have to be at or near the top of the list because of the many sizes, shapes, and colors available. But I also adore peppers and enjoy making hot sauces for my own kitchen as well as gift-giving. Eggplants also come in a surprising variety of colors and I’m looking forward to the reactions I’ll get with them at market. Something new in my kitchen last year was fried squash blossoms – delicious!
5) What heirlooms would you recommend to someone just starting out with their own vegetable garden?
I’d say don’t try to fight your local weather, but work with it. Someone gardening in a warm, sunny area would do well with tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, while a gardener in a cool, wet area might have better luck with broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. But having said that, I have to admit I’ve never let that stop me! Last year, for instance, I tried growing cotton here in zone 6, just for fun. It was the coldest, wettest summer I can remember and even so, I still got a couple of cotton bolls. My best advice is to experiment, have fun, and see what happens!
6) Does Tulip Tree Hill grow anything besides plants?
Tulip Tree Hill is also home to Babydoll sheep, Shetland sheep, American Buff geese, and a variety of bantam chickens. We have a limited number of their offspring available for sale here on the farm in the spring (we don’t ship animals). Keeping me company amongst all of this are my three standard schnauzers, Big, Dora, and Ava.
The resident sheep of Tulip Tree Hill
7) Beyond growing plants, you’re also a very accomplished artist. How do you see Tulip Tree Hill influencing your art and your art influencing your outdoor surroundings?
Where I live definitely influences my art. The natural world, with it’s flora and fauna is where I draw my inspiration from. The cawing of crows in the woodland, a quiet dewey morning, and seeing the sheep grazing at twilight all fill up my soul.
Kathleen Stoltzfus, “Migration Song”
Kathleen Stoltzfus, “Wonder of Flight”
Posted: February 18th, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Pennsylvania Pride, an extraordinarily unique farm near Leesport, PA, provides a unique selection of over 200 trees including dogwoods, willows, cedars, and cypress. Also, they really stand by their trees, producing healthy plants and a wealth of knowledge fit for any gardener or landscaper. We’ve been enamored with their Japanese Dogwood, Niobe Gold Weeping Willow, and Dawn Redwood. We found that their story is every bit as unique as their selection. Here’s more about Pennsylvania Pride.
1) What makes Pennsylvania Pride worth checking out?
Pennsylvania Pride is unique because through this premier brand we are now able to take the trees we grow directly to the homeowner. Pennsylvania Pride also provides assistance for years to come through our grower team on the nursery. We are able to offer advice and tips for all those who choose the brand through our support website www.pennsylvaniapride.com. In addition, Pennsylvania Pride grows over 200 types of trees. We will be making more and more trees available as the season goes so it is definitely worth checking out regularly.
2) When did you start Pennsylvania Pride and why?
We started the Pennsylvania Pride brand in 1995 when we realized we needed to have the ability to get in touch with the homeowner. We needed to find a way to differentiate our trees from other generic growers for the benefit of our customers. All growers are not the same and all methods of growing are not the same. Our production methods are focused on growing trees that perform vigorously, not just survive. We understand the pain in failure for our customers and we work hard to avoid any plant loss. We also believe more trees are needed and with Pennsylvania Pride we can promote the benefits of trees.
Leesport's own Pennsylvania Pride farm.
3) You have a great selection of dogwoods. Why did you decide to start growing dogwoods and how many varieties do you grow?
Besides Dogwood being one of our favorite trees it is also one of the best well-known trees that does so much for the home landscape. We wanted to produce a ‘northern’ grown Dogwood that was suited to the northern climates planting season. Our nursery is about as far north as you can be to grow Dogwood successfully. We currently grow twelve selections and are testing three or four more at any one time. Our production is limited on this difficult crop but we expect to add more selections going forward.
4) Personally, what is your favorite tree that Pennsylvania Pride grows?
Wow, that’s a tough question! We love trees, all kinds and we see the value in all. There just isn’t a bad tree when grown well and planted well. If we have to choose….Redbud, a native tree that is one of the earliest flowering trees in spring. We grow five selections of redbud and hope to have these available soon. Redbuds can be grown successfully in almost any condition and they perform very well. They range from purple-leafed types, Purple, Pink and White flowered selections and weeping forms.
5) Are their any trees that you’ve grown that have surprised you, either with their foliage or their hardiness?
You know we have been surprised by Cryptomeria ‘Yoshino’, what a beautiful underused evergreen tree. Fast growing, clean and beautiful foliage. We cannot believe it is not used more, the tree just isn’t that well known, even by Garden Centers. Yoshino Cryptomeria is a great replacement for traditional overbearing evergreens and is much more suited to the smaller yard. If you have a spot, plant one of these. I love mine at home and out of the 120 different trees I have in my yard. It is my favorite!
6) Do you have advice for the gardeners out there who would like to get a dogwood but don’t know where to start?
Listen, Dogwoods are traditionally hard to get going. They are slow growers and can struggle in the first couple of years. Pennsylvania Pride specializes in Dogwood and for us to be successful, our customers have to be successful so all we do is focused on the success of our trees. Our trees are container grown and well rooted, thus avoiding the burden of field harvest and reducing almost totally the transplant shock. Not only that, but because we grow in containers you can expect real growth in the first year and we can almost guarantee blooms in the second year!
7) Are there any new tree species, varieties or cultivars that we should keep an eye out for at your farm?
I am excited about this question! We recently have applied for patent on ‘Pink Heartbreaker’ Weeping Redbud and we expect to be able to make available very soon to all!. This unique weeping form of Redbud was discovered on the nursery in 2002 and has proven to be a great tree. We are currently granting licenses to grow this tree around the world!
Other new selections we are growing include specialty type evergreens in
weeping forms and many underused trees for the home like Frankinia, Stewartia and some really cool variegated Sweetgums. While we have a limited offering today, we will be adding to our list on a regular basis. Not all Trees are available for shipping at all times so our product list will be changing monthly anyway.
Pennsylvania Pride is always worth coming back to. The farm has an ever-growing and changing selection of great trees that will bring rare and unique specimens to your region and your yard!
Posted: February 8th, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: DoLeaf sellers, garlic | No Comments »
Big John’s Garden near Klamath Falls, Oregon produces high quality certified organic garlic and shallot planting stock and is able to provide them in good quantities. Big John’s Garden is a nationally known resource for organic garlic growing, and the farm has been featured in Sunset and Domino magazines. Big John supplies Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and community gardens with five pound orders of high-quality garlic and shallots, but can also work with backyard gardener on smaller orders.
After seeing his great selection, we became very interested in Big John’s story and products. Here are our six questions for Big John.
1) What makes Big John’s Garden unique and worth checking out?
We are focused on garlic and shallots. Our quality and service are excellent and we can supply large quantities.
2) When did you start your farm? Have you always been organic?
We started the farm in 1969 and began certified organic operation 2005.
3) Why did you decide to grow shallots and garlic?
These plants excel in our area of Oregon. The temperate climate and soil types are just right for them to thrive.
4) Personally, what’s your favorite plant to grow and why?
I like to grow any type of garlic. [Big John even grows heirloom varieties like the Nootka Rose and the Lorz Italian.) Garlic is an amazing plant that can withstand just about anything Mother Nature throws at it. It’s very easy and satisfying to grow.
5) Can you share any general tips to growing good garlic and shallots?
I am lucky in that I do not have to add inputs to increase fertility. I do cover-cropping with rye, tricale, vetch and (experimentally last year) buckwheat. I am a firm believer in mulch and use about 1 inch of ground-up pasture hay. Lots of different types will work, just be careful to not have any seeds! I harvest when the bottom 4 leaves are seriously dried and browned out. It is better to get it on the slightly early side than on the late side. Full sun is a requirement and try to plant in such a way as there will never be any standing water (supersaturated soil) for any length of time. For the small grower, raised beds are great. For the larger grower, chiseling (sub-soiling) is very important. Garlic roots extend (and want to extend) down a lot farther than most people realize… I’ve seen them go down 10-12 inches.
6) Do you have specific advice for the growers out there who buy shallots or garlic from Big John’s Garden?
Order early to insure the quantities you want… we ship first come, first served.
Posted: January 26th, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: featured flora fridays | No Comments »
I’ve never had the guts to get a banana tree. Our indoor and outdoor space is shady and limited, and this tropical plant never seemed like a good idea in places with snow. A recent trip to New Orleans seduced me into rethinking my no-banana yard. There are plenty of fabulous plants in the (surprise!) Garden District, including banana trees flush with tiny yellow-green fruit. I’m still not sure if I’m ready for a Siam Ruby , Muse Bordelon or Praying Hands banana tree, but I broke down and got a lovely Hardy Banana a couple days ago .
Banana Tree in the New Orleans Garden District. From Wikimedia Commons.
The ‘Musa Basajoo’ or Hardy Banana is one of the most cold-hardy bananas around. While the fruit’s not edible, the foliage is beautiful ( rich green leaves that start out as almost chartruse). Hardy Bananas are cold hardy as far up as Ohio, and they can grow up to twelve FEET in a single season. I’m planting mine in an oversized container along with some colorful trailing groundcover. Thanks Terregan Nurseries and NOLA for the push to banana!
Posted: January 25th, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
… and “it” is our street. Every time we get a solid rainstorm in Atlanta, we generally have about four feet of rain running down each side of the street. Today’s rain was so bad, that the entire road became a fast moving river for about three hours. Micah filmed a squirrel hopping through the torrent and safely into the neighbors lawn. Another squirrel has apparently taken shelter under our house and is now bumping against our kitchen floor. Bon voyage, squirrel… and safe passage. Here are a couple pictures of today’s river.
Posted: January 22nd, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ficus, houseplants, Studley's | No Comments »
The DoLeaf team spends a lot of time doing two things: working on DoLeaf and working with plants. Since it’s the middle of winter all our backyards are pretty neglected, but our indoor plantings are going strong. Ryan’s Kansas City office looks like a Midwest jungle after he brought in his container plants for winter and added a banana tree, and Micah and my office is getting greener and greener with each DoLeaf purchase.
In December I bought two ruby rubber trees from Studley’s to give as a Christmas present. My laziness and the giftee’s home renovation left me with the two plants, which was fine with Micah, a lover of all things ficus. So, three weeks after arriving at our door, I give you our new rubber trees. Micah potted each and put them on our desks. They work pretty well with the 1920s inspired decor.
Side by Side: Micah's desk (right), Sarah's desk (left)
Posted: January 19th, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: coverage | No Comments »
American Vegetable Grower featured DoLeaf in their January issue. The article, “Leveraging the Web” explains how DoLeaf works for sellers and gives a little background about us and why we started the company.
Here’s an excerpt:
“When DoLeaf cofounder Micah Wedemeyer started digging beds in his back yard to plant the garden he’d always wanted, he quickly realized garden centers at the big box stores didn’t carry the types of plants he was looking for. He had a hard time finding heirloom vegetables and even some perennials. “Since we buy everything else online, we started looking around to see if we could find a greater variety on the Web,” Wedemeyer says.” Read More…
Posted: January 18th, 2010 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cacti, featured flora fridays, krieger greenhouses | No Comments »
One of my favorite DoLeaf tasks is buying plants from sellers to test out the quality of their shipped plants. Often, I get a shrub for my own garden, but the January weather (and frozen soil) has pushed me to get more houseplants. I must confess that Micah and Ryan are the houseplant experts on the DoLeaf team so most often my housplant purchases go to them or other indoor greenthumbs so the plants can actually live for more than a month. ( I’m around 0-10 on houseplants since I started gardening.)
But I think my luck’s going to change. I bought an assortment of cacti from DoLeaf’s latest seller Krieger Greenhouses of Jefferson, Iowa and received six super healthy plants. I’m up to my ears in cacti and succulents (in a good, not prickly way) and all of them are doing great. Here’s some pictures of the 2 lovely plantings I got from the $15.00 order. (Micah’s taking care of one at DoLeaf headquarters, and I’ve got the other.)
Three lovely plants from Krieger Greenhouses.
The other three plants from Krieger's 6 cacti assortment.
Posted: December 13th, 2009 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
While it’s chilly outside and most gardens are in hibernation, it’s a great time to give the gift of green for the holidays. Instead of giving traditional holiday plants like poinsettias and amaryllis, here are a some great options that will surprise and delight your friends and family.
Ruby Rubber Tree
Ruby Ficus has a deep, ruby red glow to the new foliage. The older leaves are a deeper green, splashed irregularly with cream variegation and sometimes still have a hint of red or pink. A striking houseplant that is easy to care for.
Budda Belly Plant
This is a delightful plant with very unusual appearance. The trunk develops its “belly” close to the ground than continues in an ever growing stem. The new leaves at the tip of the stem create a lush green crown where the flower stems develop. It will bloom year-round and makes a great container plant.
Lenten Roses
Lenten or Christmas Roses are one of the first plants to bloom in the spring — a welcome sign of warmer days to come after a long winter. They are very hardy and keep their green leaves all through the winter. Blooms can vary in color from a creamy white, to green, to pink, and in some varieties even a dark wine.
Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus is another foolproof house plant which will provide years of reliable annual color. We will choose the nicest available plant in colors ranging from shades of red, pink, white or yellow.
Madagascar Palm
Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamrei) is a stem succulent and comes from Madagascar. It has large thorns and long leaves that sprout mostly just at the top of the plant The plant bears large, fragrant flowers. They are friendly and gregarious and adapt well to captivity being relatively easy to propagate and grow.
Maki Buddhist Pine
Maki Buddhist Pine puts out vibrant chartreuse new growth that contrasts sharply with the deep, solid green of the older foliage. Older specimens can develop some character and have an interesting . They can also be trained as a bonsai specimen.
Posted: November 19th, 2009 | Author: Sarah | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Studley’s Flower Gardens has been a downtown Rochester, NH staple for more than 80 years, dazzling customers with beautiful fresh flowers and great garden services. Founded in 1928, the business has grown to include a full range of floral design services, an extensive selection of annual and perennial garden plants plus landscaping and irrigation services. Today, Studley’s continues to offer personalized service and customized solutions for every flower and garden lover’s needs and interests. “The difference will delight you!”
This interview with Jeffrey Meulenbroek of Studley’s gives more information about their nursery, their plants, their 8-decade history, and their vision for 21st century gardening!
What makes Studley’s unique?
Studley’s is unique because my parents, the owners from 1971-2008, designed the business to be a truly year round operation. Although we are still primarily a retail florist, we have expanded to include an onsite garden center and also perform landscaping and irrigation services. The original greenhouses from 1928, which once grew cutflower carnations and chrysanthemums for the florist, are now utilized to grow a unique selection of foliage houseplants as well as seasonal crops like bulbs and poinsettias, as well as a full line of herbs, annuals and hanging baskets in the spring. I think it is pretty unique to be growing foliage plants in New Hampshire. There is so much production in Florida and foliage plants are now available at every box store, however, quantity has replaced quality. I like to be able to control growing our wide variety of 3″ foliage plants. They are primarily sold as combination dish gardens through our florist.
How did Studley’s start back in 1928? Has it always been a nursery?
Studley’s began as a florist in 1928. As a true florist, all cut flowers were grown on site. Gradually, as cut flower production moved offshore to South America, the crops grown at Studley’s evolved. The houseplant craze of the 1970s provided the biggest change in what we grew. In the 1980s, the garden center began to take shape behind the florist and has evolved every year. We now carry over 500 varieties of annuals in the spring as well as over 500 varieties of perennials hardy to our area. A wide selection of trees and shrubs rounds out the mix.
What kinds of plants do you specialize in?
We specialize in having a great breadth of plant material, although not much depth. I am always scouring catalogs and other growers for new varieties, however, we are limited by our size and can only grow a few of any one item. Combining such a wide assortment of plants in one operation is a challenge, although it is enjoyable. It is always amazing to see how plants have grown and progressed. We do specialize in small foliage plants suitable to be grown indoors as well as unusual annuals. I can’t possibly post all the plants I have available on DoLeaf. If you are looking for something specific, give us a call.
Personally, what’s your favorite plant to grow and why?
Coleus. Without a doubt. I am in awe of the foliage variations and how easily they can sport into new varieties. Coleus is the plant that got me interested in growing and sticking around at my parents business. It is also perhaps the easiest plant to propagate and grow. Virtually foolproof.
Do you have advice for the gardeners out there who grow Studley’s plants?
The best way to be successful with our plants is to observe them. We will provide you with care information and the internet is a treasure trove of information from university and government websites to garden forums and blogs. However, the best way to be successful with any plant is to be observant and see how it is growing in your environment. Pay attention to the basics, such as light and watering and how your plant responds. You may kill a few plants, but gardening is a learning experience. You will be more successful with your plants if you observe and through experience can figure out their needs.
