Specialty Annuals Herbs Vegetables Caring for Annuals Choosing Annuals  Russell's sells live plants only from our store, in Wayland, Massachusetts; we do not ship plants. Please visit us for quality plant material, cared for by expert staff, and for friendly service. These are some of our favorites: Cleome dwarf “Sparkler” series—only 3.5 to 4" (Shown: “Sparkler Lavender”) Gomphrena “Woodcreek” series—24" (Shown: “Woodcreek Carmine") Viola (Pansy) “Dynamite” series—6-8" (Shown: Viola “Accord: Black Beauty"- black!) Back to Top Specialty Annuals (Colocasia 'Illustris') We hope you will find the special annuals that complete your garden. Our coleus selection, alone—over 40 varieties!—is sure to please. Tropicals, like Alocasia (Elephant Ear plant), Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet), Ipomea (Sweet Potato vine), Ruellia (False Petunia), and Strobilanthus (Persian Shield) are just a few. Look for the “Bodacious Temperennials” line, from Sunny Border Nursery—tender perennials that we treat as annuals in this climate. Back to Top Vegetable Plants Russell's carries new and heirloom, as well as old-favorite varieties. We offer these varieties for 2009: Organic tomatoes PDF Traditionally-grown tomatoes PDF Specialty tomatoes PDF   Organic vegetables PDF Traditionally-grown vegetables PDF Specialty vegetables PDF   All, in HTML view We grow our own certified organic vegetable plants! We recognize the growing demand for organics, and we support any reduction in the use of synthetic chemicals. We also feature specialty plants—unusual, heirloom, and non-certified-organic items. We continue to offer traditionally-grown plants. Some cold-tolerant varieties, such as lettuce, mesclun mixes, kale, and broccoli, are available right now; the others are ready April 10. Peg Mallett (x336), our Vegetables manager, gets you started in her latest clip on Fox25—have a look! And stop by our own raised-bed Victory Garden. It's so easy to build, from a kit. In addition to the popular hanging-bag tomatoes, Tracie Ward (x367), our Vegetables grower, is introducing hanging strawberry bags! They will be ready for sale in early May. Tools Supplies, and Helpers We are so excited about the widespread interest in home vegetable gardening this year! At Russell's, you can find everything you need to create and care for your own plot—hundreds of varieties of seeds, seed sprouters and grow-lights, raised-bed kits, organic soil mixes, composted manure, plant supports and trellises, trowels, and organic fertilizers. Our gardening advisors are ready to help you. New for 2009: Seed Sprouter Multi-tier seed sprouter, from Thompson & Morgan We grow veggies in the DOT Pot™ · Certified organic · Biodegradable · 20% peat moss · 80% wood fiber from sustainable thinning Unlike glued peat moss pots, DOT Pots contain zero glues or binders, allowing the plant roots to grow right through the pot. This creates a vigorous, non-girdled root system. Back to Top	Caring for Annuals Soil preparation is the key to a successful garden. Soil that is too light or sandy can be improved by adding organic matter in the form of manure or compost. Heavy clay soils can also be improved by the addition of gypsum. Our acid New England soil needs lime. Apply it a rate of 6-10 lb. per 100 sq.ft. Apply fertilizer at planting, and again after 5-7 weeks. We have many choices of fertilizer. We encourage using organics that build up the soil. Most organics need a supplement of superphosphate, at 2 lbs. per 100 sq.ft. Whatever you choose, do feed your plants—it makes a big difference. Loosen soil to a depth of 4-8". This mixes in the lime and nutrients and allows roots to spread. Plant annuals and water thoroughly and carefully. Choose a nice day to plant, one that is not windy, cold, or extremely hot, and when no bad or cold weather is forecast. Frequent watering of newly-planted gardens is necessary. Once the garden is established, gradually lengthen the intervals between thorough waterings. Using mulch helps conserve water. About Frost Danger The latest frost date in this area ranges from May 10 to June 5. Low and open valleys get the latest frosts. The higher or more sheltered areas (protected by a roof or trees) are safe the earliest. Here at Russell's, there is a low, open pocket that is not safe from frost until June 5. Just 600 feet away, on higher ground under a tree, is an area that can be planted safely on May 15. Coastal areas are generally safe about May 1-10. Pansies, perennials, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, and peas can stand a lot of frost and are usually safe for planting about April 10-25. Cucumbers, eggplant, melon, squash, tomatoes, ageratum, begonias, dahlia, annual geranium, impatiens, marigolds, salvia, and zinnia do not tolerate frost. Be prepared to cover these, if you rush the season! Impatiens Impatiens are part-shade lovers, but newer varieties have increased sun tolerance. However, they appreciate protection from the sun between 11 am and 4 pm. If you provide this, they will be more dwarflike, sturdy, and colorful. Planting close together causes all varieties of impatiens to grow taller, as does increased shade. Providing more sun and wider spacing of plants makes them more compact, and they blossum more profusely. In heavily shaded areas, we recommend that you plant impatiens already in bloom, as green plants may not blossom in shade. There are four series of impatiens. Accent and Dazzler are dwarf. Showstopper and Super Elfin are slightly taller and more vigorous. Here at Russell's, we arrange impatiens by color, rather than size or variety. We grow our impatiens in small and large six-packs. Our small six-packs are larger than those of most other growers, and our larger packs are, to the best of our knowledge, a Russell's exclusive. We recommend the larger packs. The plants are much fuller and larger, and can be planted further apart. They save you time and money, and they provide you with a better, more colorful garden. Back to Top Choosing Annuals Annuals that are good for cutting sold in six-packs: Ageraterum “Blue Horizon" Gomphrena “Woodcreek” series Aster “Matsumoto” series Back to Top