Vern Goers Greenhouse

The Art of Bonsai

Christian Goers — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:26:34 +0000

This post is from Dan Kosta, a horticulturist here at Vern Goers Greenhouse. Dan has been working with Bonsai for over 40 years. For any additional questions reagarding Bonsai, feel free to e-mail Dan here.

What if you could bring the beauty of the high mountains to your backyard? Or would you prefer the power of a windswept seashore? Perhaps you would want the majesty of an ancient, weathered pine as a garden focal point or to bring the serenity of a tropical rainforest right into your home. Any of these can be possible through the art of bonsai.

Bonsai (pronounced bone-si) is a practice that has its roots in ancient China. It is known to have existed there, in a simpler form, as early as 220BC. It was eventually brought to Japan where it was further refined until it became the art form we know today. It was
during the 20th century that bonsai was taken from the Orient to other parts of the world and now it is practiced in every country on Earth.

Many Americans were first introduced to bonsai through the movie “The Karate Kid” which featured the old man, Mr. Miyagi, working on his bonsai trees as well as teaching martial arts. In traditional Japan it is quite common for someone to practice a selection of the traditional arts rather than to focus on only one. This is often true of many Western practitioners as well.

Visitors to bonsai shows often remark not only on the beauty of the bonsai they see on display but also on a sense of serenity and calm that the trees seem to bring forth. It is something that many people find inherent in the trees. This sense of peace was one of the
attributes that attracted the samuri to take up the practice. It is also something that still attracts the modern day hobbyists to take up the practice of bonsai. This low tech practice can be a sort of antidote to the craziness of our harried, high tech world.

Growing bonsai is often thought of as being shrouded in some sort of Oriental mystery. Strange practices such as highly restricting watering, lack of nutrients, or even the removal of the roots are said to be the reasons for why the trees stay small. This is actually far from the truth. Many of the techniques involved in growing bonsai trees are ordinary garden practices. You do not need to study under a Japanese sensei (master teacher) in order to learn the practice. It is a pastime that can easily be learned by anyone who has a working knowledge of regular gardening. Also there are now many resources
such as clubs, books, magazines, and classes that can help the novice to learn the basics quickly.

Like any living plant bonsai have certain requirements The three most important are water, light, and minerals. Proper watering is crucial to the success of any plant. Mistakes in watering are known to kill more potted and garden plants than any other factor. Since the trees are grown in relatively small containers, and in well-drained soil,
the trees can need to be watered frequently, sometimes daily. The bonsai grower needs to check the soil on a regular basis. If the soil is found to be dry the tree should be given a thorough watering. When the trees are outdoors in the summer they will likely need daily
watering.

Proper light is often not a problem outdoors. Simply place the trees in a sunny location and they will be fine. Tropicals that are kept indoors should be kept close to a sunny window. Usually within two feet of the window is considered optimum. A position in the middle of the room, against a wall, or under a skylight in the ceiling will not
provide adequate light.

The trees should be fertilized whenever they are in active growth. This is generally the spring and summer months. Do not exceed the amount recommended on the package. Personally I prefer to use the fertilizer at one-half strength and apply it every two weeks, rather than full strength once a month.

Placing the tree in the proper location is also important. If your tree is a type that is hardy as a landscape plant, such as a pine, maple, juniper, etc., it is what is called an outdoor bonsai. This means the tree must be kept outdoors year-round, including the winter
months. Such a tree can be brought indoors for a couple of days every month or so during the spring and summer but must otherwise be kept outside. These are the traditional types of bonsai. Tropical trees such as ficus, schefflera, podocarpus, and Fukien tea can be grown indoors year-round or kept indoors in winter and outdoors
in summer. This is a relatively new type of bonsai, begun in the early 1950’s, and is still not fully accepted by some bonsai masters.

Most bonsai are man-made creations. The trees do not take on the shapes that you see on their own nor do they maintain those shapes without human intervention. They will need occasional pinching back or pruning to maintain the size and shape that you desire for them. This regular trimming is the actual reason why the trees stay small.
Branches are often trained into position by the use of wiring, that is winding copper or aluminum wire around the branches and bending them to shape.
The question of age is often brought up. The actual, or chronological, age of the tree is not important unless the tree is truly old. It is the visual illusion of age, the bonsai age, that is the most important. Thus a bonsai may appear to be 25, 50, or even 100 years old when in reality it is only 5, 10, or 20 years old. This illusion is created by the shaping of the tree into form that appears like an ancient tree. Simply placing a woody plant into a bonsai pot does not make it into a bonsai.

Bonsai are always grown in pots, specifically chosen to highlight the tree. Bonsai are never grown in the ground as landscape materials. The word bonsai loosely translates as “a tree in a tray (pot).” The pots restrict the root growth to some degree and also aid in keeping the trees from growing large.

Bonsai is a very worthwhile, interesting, and relaxing hobby that should be tried by any gardener or plant person who wishes to bring the beauty of nature up close in their own backyard or home.

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Gardeners

Christian Goers — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:08:21 +0000

Cyclamen: Not only does this beautiful flower continue blooming throughout the winter, but its beautiful patterned foliage will add beautiful greens, sages and silvers to your home. The key to cyclamens is sunlight. They want direct sunlight or a very bright room, so southern exposure is best this time of year.

Bonsai Tree: These trees make a great accent piece that will keep the gardener you love practicing their gardening skills throughout the year. Just like a relationship, Bonsai Trees need tender love and care to continue growing, and Saturday, February 18, Vern Goers Greenhouse will be hosting a workshop to help teach beginners the do’s and don’ts of Bonsai.

Azalea: A great choice for a houseplant this time of year, azaleas bring instant spring to any room that they’re in. The key with these beautiful flowers is water. They like to be watered about every other day.

English Garden Basket: These beautiful arrangements are like an indoor garden to hold any gardener over throughout the winter. They not only add green to your home, but the various plants and flowers add color, texture, and many more benefits to your home. There will also be a free class on creating English Garden Baskets on March 17.

Vern Goers Greenhouse Gift Card: Your gardener can use this during this winter for a little dose of spring, or this summer. Either way, they will be thinking of you while they plant their selections and each time they see those flowers.

The Art of Bonsai

Christian Goers — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:02:04 +0000

Solve our Cyclamen Puzzle

Christian Goers — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Bored at work today? Try to solve a puzzle we made via jigdi.com with one of our many photos taken here at the greenhouse. Check back for more challenges to come...

Succulents, Bromeliads & More

Christian Goers — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:26:37 +0000

Yesterday, before the blizzard, we got a great variety of plants in that have added loads of color and textures to the greenhouse. Our first shipment of Rieger Begonias arrived, along with more kalanchoe and hydrangea.

We also got beautiful bromeliads Bomeliads come i na variety of colors, from bright pinks and yellows to darker reds and purplesin 4" pots and 6" pots. These are great houseplants that add a tropical feel and bright colors to your home.

Frosted Ferns arrived as well in 4" pots. These beautiful ferns have a unique texture and appear to have frost on the foliage. A great plant for winter.

Finally, we got a great variety of succulents in both 2" and 4" pots. These plants are great year round and have been growing in popularity the past few years. During the colder months, when the plants are more dormant, they only need to be water once every few weeks, and only once a week during the spring and summer months. They like light, but not necessarily direct sunlight, which is great for this time of year. Also, these should be in a sandy or rocky soil. Typical potting soil is generaly too rich for these, so look for a cactus potting soil.

Come check out the new stock and more should be arriving soon!

Frosted Fern

Winter Newsletter

Christian Goers — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:13:06 +0000

Our winter newsletter is out this week. Our newsletter is a thank you for being such loyal customers, and gives you guys the inside scoop on what's happening at the greenhouse, as well as coupons that you can't get anywhere else. The coupon changes each month and is sent directly to your inbox.

The winter newsletter covers a variety of topics including Bonsai, houseplants and Valentine's Day. It also previews our events that will be taking place in the next few months, such as our Bonsai Workshop on February 18 and our English Garden Basket Workshop on March 17.

In case you haven't signed up and are interested, please visit our Contact Page, send us an e-mail with the Subject "Newsletter", and we will add you to the list.

For daily updates, don't forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter!

Houseplants: They’re Not Just for Show

Christian Goers — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:07:13 +0000

Many gardeners have house plants during the winter to bring a little bit of the outdoors in, and some green into the otherwise gray and white environment. But did you know that having houseplants in your home can actually improve your health? Here are a few reasons you should have houseplants:

Plants are Cold-Fighters: According to MastersinHealthCare.com, indoor plants reduce cold-related illnesses by more than 30% due to the fact that they increase humidity while decreasing levels of dust in the air.
Plants can remove airborne contaminants while also reducing the levels of carbon dioxide: During the process of photosynthesis, plants draw in carbon dioxide from the air and then release oxygen. By drawing in the carbon dioxide in your home, plants are not only removing CO₂ which can help prevent drowsiness but also purify your air. Indoor plants help remove pollutants including VOCs that cause headaches, nausea, and more. It has also been found that certain plants, such as the Peace Lily, can help remove airborne chemicals from cigarette smoke and negate the effects they have on people.
Plants are a Headache Medicine: By filling your home with plants, you can decrease or eliminate headaches all-together. This comes as a result of having cleaner air flowing through your home. Stale or stuffy air is often to blame for headaches, but the plants help reduce that.
Houseplants make you Happy According to mastersinhealthcare.com, it has been found that houseplants can contribute to a feeling of wellbeing, and make you calmer and more optimistic. There have been studies performed that have shown recovering patients who face a garden view in their hospital rooms often recuperate more quickly than those facing a wall.
Plants help your brain work better & aid your mental health: It was found at The Royal College of Agriculture in Circencester, England, that students demonstrated 70 percent greater attentiveness when they’re taught in rooms that contained plants. In the same study, attendance was higher for lectures given in classrooms with plants. Not only can potted flowers improve your ideas and mood, but caring for a living thing can help when you’re depressed and lonely. Winter is a time when many struggle with depression because of the lack of sun and the cold, so now if the perfect time to incorporate plants into your home.

Plants & Allergies: While many people fight allergens like mold and pollen, bringing a plant into your home can help prevent your kids from having allergies. Exposing them to these allergens early on in life will help them build a tolerance and immunity to them.

Plants are natural humidifiers: During the winter, when your furnace is pumping dry air into your home, having plants around can help add humidity to the air. Instead of buying a humidifier machine to soften the air, just bring in a plant or two.

So now that you know the benefits, the next step is to choose which houseplants you want to incorporate into your home. Here are ten low-maintenance plants that we recommend

Sansevieria/SnakePlant/Mother-in-Law's Tongue
Philodendron
Pothos
Dracena
Anthurium
Zebrina/Wandering Jew
Nepthytis/Arrowhead Plant.
Neanthe Bella Palm
Zygocactus or Christmas Cactus
Kalanchoe

Winter at the Greenhouse

Christian Goers — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:32:35 +0000

Many of our customers ask us, “What do you do all winter?” Or, “Where are you heading for the winter?” And while we wish we could put our feet up on a sandy beach in the Caribbean, we are here prepping for spring. (Truth be told, we actually do get a tan on sunny days inside the glass greenhouses.)

In fact, we began prepping for this spring before the holidays even began. We started our geraniums in November, and in mid-December we started our pansy and viola seeds. We also have our vinca vine and ivy cuttings growing and getting ready to be transplanted, and our Mexican heather pots and fuchsia hanging baskets planted already.

Transplanting pansy seedlings for spring flatsAs the weeks progress, we will sow seeds and transplant bedding annuals, like dianthus and petunias, vegetables, like peppers and tomatoes, and a few perennials, all in preparation for the season to come.

We are open to the public year round, so when the greys of winter get you down, stop in for a dose of spring. Take home a kalanchoe or cyclamen for a little bit of color in your home. Or stop in for one of our workshops that take place over the winter. This year, keep a lookout for our English Garden Basket Workshop and a Bonsai Workshop taking place in February and March.

Plants for sale during the winter months include:

• Houseplants like Ferns, Ivy, Mother-in-Law Tongue, Diffenbachia, Jade, Philodendrons, Pothos, Palms, Peace Lillies, Spider Plant, Hoya, Cactus, Anthurium, Shefflera, Croton & Norfolk Island Pine

• Flowers like Kalanchoe, Azalea, African Violets & Cyclamen

• Beautiful English Garden Baskets

•Bonsai Trees, soil & fertilizer

•Seeds will be available in late February. Check our Facebook page for their arrival.

Our winter hours are Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and closed Sundays. Also, to kick off the spring season, we will be having our Second Annual Flower Happy Hour on Friday, April 20 from 6:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on what we’re planting and dates for our events and workshops.

Enjoy the winter and we hope you’ll stop in and see us!

Looking Ahead to 2012

Christian Goers — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:57:28 +0000

It’s the time of year when everyone starts making their resolutions and planning ahead for the next year. In the gardening world, we’re doing the same thing. Here are a few things to look out for in 2012:

Each year, the National Garden Bureau predicts an annual, vegetable and perennial to be showcased that are chosen for their popularity, versatility, and simplicity. NGB is predicting 2012 to be the Year of Herbs, the Year of Geraniums and the Year of Heuchera. All of these have not only been popular for years, but are great plants to grow in our Midwest conditions.

Also on the rise are succulents. For the past few year succulents have gained popularity for their unique shapes, colors and textures, as well as for being easy to grow. They do well in shallow containers indoors and can also be used in the new vertical walls that are becoming popular. Succulents will definitely continue to make a splash in the next year.

Each year, Anthony Tesselaar Plants makes a prediction for the popular colors in plants for the year. They are predicting black and amber to be the big colors of 2012. This past year, the black petunias became a hit and with the beautiful amber hues of heuchera and other plants available, these colors will be popping up in gardens all over.

A few gardening trends that are going to become even more popular than they were in 2011 are vertical gardening, miniature gardening and edible gardening. Each of these offers something different for gardeners, and edible gardening is becoming more popular for novice gardeners as well.

In the container gardening world, using unusual items for planters is becoming more and more popular. Gardeners are using everything from watering cans to old soup cans to old boots to decorate their decks and porches with flowers to create a unique look. Basically, if there’s drainage, their planting in it.

All in all, 2012 is shaping up to be a great year for gardening….now if only the weather would cooperate we will be good to go!

Happy Holidays!

Christian Goers — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:33:37 +0000

Here are our holiday hours:

Saturday, December 24: 8:00am - 2:00pm

Sunday, December 25: CLOSED

Monday, December 26 - Friday, December 30: 9:00am - 4:00 pm

Saturday, December 31: 9:00am - 2:00pm

Sunday, January 1 : CLOSED

Monday, January 2 we will re-open with our winter hours: Monday-Saturday 8:00am - 5:00pm