Product Spotlight

• Why Grow Grafted Tomatoes?

  This year we introduce “Grafted Tomatoes” from Burpee Home Gardens.
  They took a tasty heirloom variety and grafted it on a hybrid rootstock,
  producing twice the fruit of a normal heirloom variety.

  

  Grafting has been around for centuries. We’ve been grafting certain desired traits in trees onto hardy rootstock, tender roses onto a hardy rootstock, and now our vegetables onto a more vigorous root system. This was initially done to allow fruit production in regions that could not support normal growth, areas of periodic flooding or low rainfall became productive regions.

  Now grafting has been taken on a whole new meaning and for our gardens. Vegetable gardening has seen ever increasing numbers the past couple of years. As we venture forth into grocery stores, the disappointment in the quality and flavor of the fruit and vegetables that we buy has allowed us to try vegetable gardening for the first time, and we haven’t seen this kind of interest since the 1970’s.

  Be sure to plant the grafting scar one inch above the soil line. Typically we tell you to plant them as deep as possible. If you do, they will produce roots off the heirloom stem, bypassing the hybrid rootstock, reverting back to normal heirloom growth, and lower fruit production.  But this is the only requirement. They will feed and need water as normal.

  Posted on May 22, 2013

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• Vertical Gardening: 101

  

  Vertical Gardening is happening right now. I said precisely that on the news one day with Belinda Jensen, and my friends haven’t let me hear the end of it. (Here's the clip of Dave's infamous quote at 1:50): http://www.kare11.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=2332844124001. 

  That said: it is TOTALLY HAPPENING right now! You can quote me on it as much as you like! Why? People are living in smaller spaces. Some of you have been gardening for many years and others are just getting started, or maybe you aren’t gardening at all because your space is too limiting. Whatever the reason, lack of space to garden in is becoming quite common. This is where vertical gardening comes in, if you can’t sprawl across the ground, grow up!

  But what is vertical gardening, we understand that vertical means gardening “up,” but how is it accomplished? Well, there are a variety of ways, and since the concept is gaining traction, the methods are constantly evolving into easier to use and more manageable systems. Ten years ago, we were nailing felt “pockets” to walls, and while that can work, it doesn’t always look like an award-winning gardening practice. If you hang out on Pinterest at all, specifically in the gardening realm, you’ve likely seen a variety of DIY methods along with a few purchasable methods here and there. Naturally Urban at Linder’s in Saint Paul will be happy to you with DIY projects as well as some locally made vertical gardening systems that we feel are the number 1 option for people that are serious about ‘growing up.’

  The system I’ve been raving about since I “discovered it” at a horticulture expo this past year is the Gronomics Vertical Gardening system. This system is already the coolest, most logical way to vertically garden, and they’re only getting started. Their initial system which is available now at Linder’s in the Naturally Urban section offers 7 tiers, or basically 7 “shelves” to plant about 4-5 plants per tier. The vertical garden stands at just under four feet tall and 3 feet wide, and is 9 inches deep from front to back. This thing takes up less than 3 square feet of floor space but allows you to grow over 30 plants! And not to sound too much like an AS SEEN ON TV guy…But wait, there’s more! This handy vertical garden comes with a drip line system that runs through the soil, secretly quenching your plant’s thirst while not wasting any water or creating any mess. Nifty! This vertical garden is only getting better, they are crafting a base on wheels that will have a water reservoir and pump system that will take care of your tower of delish while you visit nana up in Minot or go fishing around the Boundary Waters.

  Now I’m not here to tell you there is only one way to do it! The beauty of what we do at Naturally Urban is innovate and make new stuff. We have more ideas than “hey I just found this cool thing, you should buy it.” Like our vertical gutter garden, a hanging masterpiece of chopped up gutters and greenery, allowing you to do multiple rows of lip-smacking, nostril-flaring herbs. They’re also handy as a privacy creating, hanging wall of awesomeness. Let the wind whip through those beauty’s and smell glorious fresh greens. 

  
  So if you’re in the mood to garden but feeling cramped by your living arrangement, stop into Linder’s and visit our Naturally Urban section. We’ll set you up with a solution and do everything we can to make your thumb green, aside from painting it.is innovate and make new stuff. We have more ideas than “hey I just found this cool thing, you should buy it.” Like our vertical gutter garden, a hanging masterpiece of chopped up gutters and greenery, allowing you to do multiple rows of lip-smacking, nostril-flaring herbs. They’re also handy as a privacy creating, hanging wall of awesomeness. Let the wind whip through those beauty’s and smell glorious fresh greens.

   

  - Dave Linder

  Posted on May 22, 2013

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• Combo of the Week: Main Street USA

  
  
  

  This week’s combo, Main Street USA, reminds us of the patriotic spirit that our great nation provides. It combines three Supertunia varieties of petunias from Proven Winners for a combination that will continue to flourish and provide a bounty of flowers well into the fall season. Supertunia Royal Velvet, Red and White complement each other with their vigor and performance. As with all of the Supertunia varieties, no deadheading required!

  
  
  
  

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  Linder's 2013 Combo of the Week Program
  

  Given the spectrum of colors available, do you sometimes have trouble deciding on a color scheme? What did you plant last year that worked and what didn’t? Most times it’s hard to decide on a color scheme for your garden or a plant recipe that will complement each other as they grow throughout the season. And what about the different planter sizes that you have at your disposal? Linder’s is here to help!

  We spent the time looking over all the different container recipes to develop a foolproof schedule of Proven Winners recipes. You can be ensured success and peace of mind knowing that Proven Winners will grow and thrive in your gardens.

  This season we offer those combination recipes in a full range of pot sizes to complement your outdoor space, from hanging baskets to container planters, a finished product to started combinations in smaller starter sizes. Every week we are featuring a new combination alongside other Linder’s fabulous creations. Each week we feature a different design.

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  Here are the previous week's combos still available:

   

  Three popular plants on their own will be even more popular when combined to create Velvet Skies. Chosen as the 2013 National Combination of the Year, Velvet Skies is a delightful blend of three popular and colorful annuals from Proven Winners® Blushing Princess™ Lobularia Supertunia® Mini Silver Petunia Supertunia® Royal Velvet Petunia and is a combination that is sure to appeal to gardeners.

  “Above & Beyond”. This week’s combination combines three Proven Winner Supertunia varieties for a pastel mix of pink colored petunias. The combination of Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, Vista Silverberry, and Vista Fuchsia create a massive ball of color that just keeps getting bigger and better all summer. This one is aggressive, be sure to fertilize weekly using Proven Winners water-soluble fertilizer. Be sure to apply a second application of Proven Winner time-released fertilizer in July, this is one hungry combination!
  “Sweet Tart Punch”. It combines Grape Punch Calibracoa, Sweet Tart Calibracoa, and Babylon Deep Pink Verbena to spark your taste buds. This combo thrives in full sun and cascades down to fill your vertical space. Be sure to fertilize weekly with Proven Winners Time Released and Water Soluble fertilizers. The plants will often run out of energy as the end of July approaches.
  "Bermuda Skies" This combo is a beautiful pastel mix of salmon petunias, yellow superbells, and blue lobelia. It loves a sunny position where the sun shines for 6 or more hours each day. Supertunia® Bermuda Beach Petunia hybrid Superbells® Yellow Chiffon Calibrachoa hybrid Laguna™ Sky Blue Lobelia erinus

  
  

   

  Posted on May 21, 2013

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• Proven Winners® Top Picks from our Staff

  Ever wonder what the professionals choose in their gardens?

  This week we take a look at a few of the Proven Winners® plants that Linder’s staff find special and plant consistently each year. We admit, there are lots to choose from and everyone has special qualities in their own right, but each year they make sure to grab these Proven Winners^® varieties first!

  Our President, Dave Linder, is first on the list and his plant of choice is Supertunia Vista Bubblegum. Dave says “Simply the best petunia you can plant. A single plant can get up to 2 feet wide.”
  	From our Vice President, Lill Linder, comes her favorite in Lobularia Snow Princess. Lill states “It’s very showy, vigorous, and great for ground planting and containers. It is heat tolerant and thrives all summer. I plant it all over my yard in the ground and containers.”
  Our Product Identification Director, Gabriella Heath, loves King Tut Cyperus Papyrus. To her “It’s versatile, great in landscapes, and does really well by the pond. It looks like a Dr. Seuss plant.”
  	The Marketing Director, Mark Armstead, is partial to Colorblaze Coleus. Mark says “I love the Colorblaze line of Coleus! The size and color patterns to the foliage are a true standout in my garden.”
  And finally, at the St. Paul Garden Center, General Manager, Craig Corby’s favorite is Luscious Berry Blend Lantana. Craig states “Super easy to take care of and loves the heat. It’s also extremely drought tolerant.”

  
  

   

   

  Posted on May 6, 2013

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• Pondering Pansy Planting?

  Discover the best deal in town on Pansies right here at Linder’s!

  Pansies are one of the few flowering plants that can brighten an empty spot in your landscape during the cooler temperatures of early spring. Their cheerful flowery faces shine brightly in your direction every moment of the day and provide the earliest color to our gardens. But you can’t just buy pansies and plant them directly outside.

  All pansies are produced in greenhouses to protect them from inclement weather of winter. They were seeded back in January and transplanted into their final containers in February. During this time the greenhouse environment is kept warm to ensure proper growth. But the temperatures outside right now don’t exactly match the ones they had during growth. Pansies can take some cold temperatures, there is no doubt, but they need to be acclimated to those colder temperatures slowly.

  By all means place them outside during the day, but as temperatures begin to drop at sundown, be sure to bring them inside. If you do this over a week’s time, they should be adjusted to what Mother Nature has to dish out…to a point. Pansies can take temperatures down to 28 degrees, they can even take a snow cover without much damage, but a continuous freeze they cannot.

  Click here to see our Pansy Specials

  Posted on May 5, 2013

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