I need a greenhouse stretcher.

With Easter being so late this year, the greenhouse is almost completely full and I have a lot more plants coming in.  I think we will have to use the back greenhouse. I would prefer to keep everything in the big houses so we can keep an eye on growing conditions, however, that isn' possible this year.  Here are the latest pictures of the greenhouses.  Notice the Easter Lilies are starting to bloom.  They are a bit ahead of schedule, so I am now cooling that greenhouse down a bit.  The hydrangeas are starting to color up.

Lots of 4.5 inch plants that are pre-sold.

6 pack

and sometimes we grow dandelions...no worries it will get removed prior to shipping

6 inch geraniums are phenomenal

hydrangeas coloring-up

a few early bloomers... they got sold this morning.

We are almost finished with the 6 pack transplanting.  From there it is time for tomato and pepper transplanting.  I still have to sow a few onions.  If you have never tried growing onions from seedlings, you are missing out on some really great sweet tasting onions.  One of our favorites is called Candy.

Punching Plugs - IT'S SPRING!

In this edition of the blog, I am focusing on our transplanting activity.  In the old days, we would sow seeds in a flat.  The seeds would be broadcast in the flat and allowed to germinate. When it was time for transplanting, we would have to take a chunk of seedlings and soil and gently untangle the roots.  Each seedling would have to then be hand dibbled into the pot or cell tray.  Dibbling is punching a hole in soil to allow the roots to enter the soil undamaged.

Back in the early 1990's we transitioned from broadcasting seeds to placing the seed in individual cells.  We have special seed sowing machines that allows us to move efficiently with this process.  Germinating plug seedlings helped speed up the transplanting process, but nothing has sped up the process more than our Punch-n-Grow, transplanter.

The transplanter punches the seedling plug through the bottom of the cell.  The cell bottom has an "X" cut that allows the small plant to move through.  Underneath the plug tray is bedding plant flat.  Our flats have 6-six packed trays.  In other words, we punch 36 plants with each stroke of the Punch n Grow transplanter.  The pictures will show you better than I can explain in words.

here are a few shots of the greenhouses this afternoon

As you can see, I am running out of space. The back greenhouse is going to get utilized this year, where we will grown bedding plant flats.

The easter lilies are maturing right on schedule

Thinking Spring, cont'd......

The greenhouses are starting to fill up with plants and the plants that are in the greenhouses are quickly filling out their containers.

 Above picture shows some plant liners.  These will get used in hanging baskets.  The below picture shows some of the seedlings that we sowed in January.  Another couple weeks and we will transplant them.

 Blue hydrangeas are coloring up nicely.

 Geraniums in six in pots. They are looking super!

 Easter Lilies.... the moving target crop.  This is a difficult crop to grow because Easter doesn't fall on the same date each year.  Since it is a bulb crop, the timing of these plants is critical.  You have to monitor this crop daily and sometimes hourly.  Once the buds swell to a creamy white color, it is time to ship them.

 This is a close up of the blue hydrangeas.  I love that color!

Thinking Spring.................

It's hard to believe that I haven't added anything to this blog since 24-December.  Since we are finished with poinsettias the blog will focus on Spring Holiday blooming plants and Spring and Summer garden plants.

In the first photo you see the Easter Lilies. They are about 4 inches tall.

The second shot the Easter Hydrangeas

 and the third and fourth shots show us sowing and germinating seeds.

  This is particularly interesting so I hope to give the germination process a lot of attention.  Also, this week, we received our geraniums so as I take pictures of the greenhouses you should see it filling it up quickly.

Merry Christmas, 2010... the poinsettias are done. hello Easter.

here is the last ... at least I think it is the last .... blog about the 2010 Christmas Poinsettia Season.  It's hard to believe that the 6 months ago, my kids were out in the greenhouse with me sticking the unrooted poinsettia cuttings.  As I conclude the poinsettia blog, I will start the Spring Bedding plant season blog.  Hopefully, as we go through the cold months of January and February, the images of the little seedlings and cuttings will inspire new gardeners, as well as the experienced gardens to stop in the greenhouses in the next few months.

Nothing is better than eating fresh vine-ripened tomatoes from your own garden.

Anyway, here is how the greenhouse looks, 24-December-2010.  We sold about 90 pct of the poinsettias.

A week before Christmas and all through Mioux's Greenhouses

...poinsettias were moving out and into others peoples houses.

.Overall, we are having a good year with poinsettia sales.  We had an excellent crop of poinsettias and attention to detail was paramount this year.  We had to pay special attention to certain issues.  One of those issues was white flies.

It appears that white flies have evolved and have become somewhat resistant to a very popular systemic insecticide.  Close monitoring allowed us to switch to another insecticide.

Also, as we moved into November we needed to pay special attention to some fungal diseases.  One of those diseases is Botrytis.  Again careful monitoring and timely applications of fungicide prevented an outbreak.

Our wholesale customers have all been pleased with the quality and selections.

 Christmas Feelings White:  I really like this white poinsettia, however, I don't believe all customers will like it. It has a greenish white color.  I will post comparisons of the other white poinsettias in the next blog.  The other white poinsettias that I had this year was Mira and Mars.  Both exhibited good strong branching.  The bracts were a creamy-yellowy white.

 The above red poinsettia is Christmas Day.  We really like this poinsettia for both pinched and non-pinched configurations.  The leaves are very dark green and the red bract is very deep in color.

 Christmas Feelings Red:  Excellent Branching, I probably won't use this poinsettia for non pinched poinsettias as side shoots emerged even without branching.  Unfortunately, those side shoots zapped some of the plant's energy and didn't allow full main bract expansion.

Note, the above two photos.  Both pictures were shot at the same time.  I have noticed a little fading of red with Christmas Feelings.  Overall, I still like Christmas Feelings.

Novelties:  Sales of novelties, other than Ice Punch, were very weak this year.  I will keep growing some of these types of plants but at reduced numbers.

Hopefully, I will post one more edition of Mioux Poinsettias 2010 before Christmas Eve Day.  As a update to this blog.  We will change the blog's focus from Poinsettias to Easter Lilies.  We have 1200 planted and need to get another 1500 planted before 22-Dec-10.