December, 2008

In This Issue:

Mark's Choice Gift Guide for Gardeners

Seasonal Tip

Mark's Choice Product of the Month

Toronto Trees Calendar 2009

How to Care for a Poinsettia

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Merry Christmas!

I am in the Christmas spirit early this year.

Last weekend I was invited to read a portion of the original Christmas Carol at St. Andrews United church in Markham, Ontario. It was a wonderful experience, listening to the other 5 readers and having the opportunity to read to a couple of hundred people the Stave 3 - the visit of the Ghost of Christmas Past.

If you would like to get into the action - the spirit of Christmas that is - I would recommend that you take a look at the many Christmas tree varieties that are available out there this year. I wrote a detailed blog on the subject this week. Go to Yahoo! Canada for all of the info.

I have heard all of the talk of recession, as you have, and I believe that there will be a lot of Canadians pulling back on their Christmas purchases this year. But Christmas trees will not be one of them. I put the family tree in the same category as the turkey and the chocolate orange at the bottom of the stocking... there are some traditions that you just don't give up without changing the course of history. I am hopeful that we are not quite there yet, economically speaking.

And speaking of Christmas, some gift suggestions for the gardeners on your list:

Hand pruners. Every gardener needs another pair of quality hand pruners. There is no such thing as too many of these. I recommend the new Mark’s Choice pruners by Corona. They truly are excellent quality, especially for the $30 price tag. There are two sizes: one that cuts up to ½ and inch of wood and another that will cut up to 5/8”. Both are made of high carbon steel, to hold an edge for a long time. They resist ‘twisting’ in your hand when you cut green wood and they always spring back into the cutting position after you have made a cut.

Mark’s Choice gardening gloves. The best in the business. Know why? Look for the reinforced finger tips, the goat skin palm, the synthetic back (which allows your hand to breathe in summer) and the Velcro closer at the wrist.

While in Neepawa, Manitoba this fall for the Communities in Blooms awards ceremonies, the head gardener from their parks and recreation department came up to me and said, “Your gardening gloves have outlasted all of the gloves that I have ever used. And I use them hard!” or words to that effect.

For $15 they are a steal. Go to www.HomeHardware.ca for info. A Home Hardware exclusive.

A Sandbox of a Different Kind. This 52 chapter gardening book is my 17 th, but the first ‘story’ book that I have written. Anyone that either enjoys gardening or just enjoys looking at gardens will enjoy this light read. My kids say that if you read it before you go to bed you will sleep like a baby!

Based on stories that I have heard from Coast to Coast in Canada, plus family experiences and many personal ones too, this is a fun book that will shorten your winter and lengthen warm memories of your own gardening experiences.

Sub title: Reflections on the Canadian Gardening experience, by Mark Cullen.

$15 at Indigo, Chapters, independent book stores and Home Hardware.

Other suggestions for either the gardeners on your list or (if YOU are the gardener) for the list that you are giving to your friends and relatives:

And if you are looking for something out of the ordinary for the gardener that would prefer to give back, consider a gift to S.H.A.R.E. Agricultural Foundation. Their motto: A hand up, not a hand out. I have observed their work for many years and I believe that they get more ‘bang for your buck’ than any charity out there. Primarily, they serve subsistence farmers and their families in Central and South America by providing resources so that they can help themselves.

C.I.D.A. feels so strongly about the quality of work that S.H.A.R.E. is doing that they are currently matching funds $3 to $1. In other words, for every $1 that you give it is matched by 3 more dollars from the Feds in Ottawa.

Go to www.shareagfoundation.org for more info.

That said, you can always give to a local conservation foundation like the GreenBelt foundation (in Ontario) or the Conservation Foundation on a national basis.

However you choose to give, I hope that the act of giving comes back to you many times with blessings unexpected and bountiful.

Be sure to visit me at www.markcullen.com for more Christmas gift suggestions and to just say hi! I am always pleased to hear from you.

Merry Christmas!

And keep your knees dirty,

Mark

p.s. go to www.ctv.ca/canadaam for the latest segments featuring Jeff Hutchison and myself. Our regular Friday morning segments are streamed there.

Ps.s. go to Yahoo! Canada for my weekly blog (look for ‘From the Garden Shed’). More gift suggestions and gardening stories.

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1. Potting Bench. (Home Hardware item# 5011-701)
2. Oxybubbler Watering Wand. (Home Hardware item# 5043-835)
3. Corona Hand Pruners. (Home Hardware item# 5067-232/130)
4. Amaryllis Kit. (Home Hardware item# 5029-275 red, 5029-300 striped)
5. Men's and Women's Leather Gloves. (Home Hardware item# Goatskin/spandex: 5032-300, 5032-301, 5032-302. Goatskin: 5032-307, 5032-308. 5032-309. Goatskin/spandex: 5525-837, 5525-838, 5525-839, 5525-840)
6. Aluminum Plant Markers. (Home Hardware item# 5093-198)
7. Extend-A-Tools. (Home Hardware item# 5034-050 handle, 5075-573 cultivator, 5075-574 trowel, 5075-575 hoe, 5075-576 transplanter, 5075-577 weeder. 5075-578 scoop)

As you decorate for the holidays remember to treat all of your greens and your Christmas tree with WILT-PRUF® before you bring them indoors. This is an anti-desiccant spray that will considerably prolong the life of all evergreens, keeping them fresh and green through the entire holiday season. It also reduces fire hazard.

Exclusive to Home Hardware.

Mark's Choice burlap wrap is easy to wrap and tie! This burlap wrap is 8" x 20'. It protects trees and shrubs from snow, wind and salt damage. The unique design allows for easy installation with 5 ft ties on each end. Never again struggle with wide, awkward swaths of burlap, while someone else secures it to the tree. Just wrap the narrow band of natural jute burlap around your upright evergreen, like you would dress a wound, secure in place with twine and the job’s done. Reusable for several years.
(Home Hardware item# 5094-515)

For more information on Mark's Choice products at Home Hardware visit my Buyer's Guide or visit www.homehardware.ca.

Exclusive to Home Hardware.

The Mark's Choice Amaryllis Kit comes complete with a decorative wooden planter, hand-finished and made to last. My amaryllis are guaranteed to bloom. The bulbs are 'super-sized' and 28% bigger than most of the amaryllis sold in Canada. This means bigger flowers and more of them.
(Home Hardware item# 5029-275, red and # 5029-300, striped)

For more information on Mark's Choice products at Home Hardware visit my Buyer's Guide or visit www.homehardware.ca.

The Toronto Tree Portrait Calendar 2009 is now available. This calendar features photographs and text by Roberta Bondar. The Toronto Tree Portrait Calendar is a celebration of the importance and uniqueness of Toronto's tree heritage.

The calendar is formatted as a self-standing desk calendar. It measures 7.75" by 5.5". The proceeds from the sale of the calendar go directly towards preserving, enhancing and increasing Toronto trees and urban forest. The Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization that works with the City of Toronto and community groups to enhance and preserve Toronto's parks and trees.

Reasonably priced at just $15.00 (plus $3.00 shipping for orders less than three) Toronto Tree Portraits Calendar makes an excellent gift. To order visit www.torontoparksandtrees.org/portraits.

With proper care your poinsettia will last through the holiday season and well into the New Year.

  Place in a room where there is sufficient light and warmth, not where the sun will shine directly on the plant.

  Avoid hot or cold drafts or excess heat from appliances, baseboard heaters or heat ducts.

  Place the plant high enough to be away from traffic and unmonitored children and animals.

  Set the plant in or on a waterproof container to protect your furnishings.

  Water the plant thoroughly when the soil is dry to the touch. Remember to discard excess water from the saucer.

  To prolong the bright colour of the bracts, temperatures should not exceed 72 degrees F during the day or 60 degrees F at night.

For more information, refer to Mark's best selling gardening books — or tune into CanadaAM every Friday morning at 8:45am on CTV. If you have a specific question, simply search Mark's Library at www.markcullen.com.