Author Archives: Logee's Plants for Home & Garden... Specializing in Rare and Unusual Plants

About Logee's Plants for Home & Garden... Specializing in Rare and Unusual Plants

Co-owner/Vice-President of Logee's Plants for Home & Garden
July 28, 2010 · 10:32 am

>New Greenhouse Construction Update

>We are half-way through building our new energy efficient production greenhouse, funded in part through a Federal Rural Development Grant and a Connecticut Agricultural Viability Grant. All of our tropical plants will need to be undercover and protected before frost sets in so we plan to finish by mid-September. Look at the process over the past two months. Edwin’s Greenhouse Construction company from Pennsylvania and Rimol Greenhouse from New Hampshire and Dave and Terry Papuga of Donovan construction are doing an amazing job.


Our group of managers toasting the start of the new greenhouse.

(left to right)
Sham, Byron, me and Margaret sipping on sparkling lemonade.

The empty back lot at Logee’s.

A total of 72 holes for the steel poles being dug.

The first of many tractor trailer trucks backing down the narrow pathways.

It’s a tight fit maneuvering between our freestanding greenhouses.

Unloading the poles between the plants.

Poles standing tall

Green foam board hand placed for the radiant heat.

Tubing which will carry hot water for heating purposes.

Byron taking a break for a picture, Corey kneeling and Dave Papuga organizing the project during the heat wave.

A sea of green.

Byron explaining the project to Elijah, our 14 year-old son.
Byron meeting with Robyn from New Alliance bank.
The concrete has been poured over the green foam.
Another Truck loaded with the polycarbonate for the roof.

The truck was carefully unloaded by hand.

Each sheet was in good shape.

More Steel arrives.

Trusses are being built by the construction crew.

Trusses secured on the base structure.

Byron and John Wells from Rimol Greenhouses.

Deciding where to put an interior sliding door.

The polycarbonate roof is carefully going on the 4 bays.
The new greenhouse from afar.

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Filed under Edwin Greenhouse, Greenhouse Construction, Rimol Greenhouse

July 13, 2010 · 2:54 pm

>July Heat Wave at Logee’s

>Like most of the country, this past week and a half has been humid and hot. How do tropical plants do in this weather? Mostly the plants, as long as they are kept well-watered, do well and in fact, is a time that our plants rapidly grow. The workers on the other hand get here at 7 am to water plants and get their “hot” work done before the heat of the day is upon them. However, the greenhouses can reach temperatures up to 105 degrees and our staff needs to keep well-hydrated to complete their daily tasks. This year, we are in the middle of building an energy efficient greenhouse so many of our plants are growing outside this summer. Take a look.


Two Angel’s Trumpet standards with colorful hanging baskets on either side of our front entrance.


Pelargoniums adding a relief of color to the outside oppressive humidity.


Rows of Bananas growing fast in the heat. Musa ‘Dwarf Lady Finger‘ and Musa ‘Double Mahoi’ are growing here in 4-inch pots.


A “Hardy Banana” Musa basjoo is rapidly growing in a 10 gallon pot.


Trays of Buddleia davidii ‘Peacock’. Some of the flower bracts have gone by and will be groomed before they are shipped.


Solanum quitoense “Naranjilla” a new variety with heart-shaped purple leaves is an unusual plant that produces small orange edible fruit.

Healthy looking “Chocolate plants” or Theobroma cacao are on a cart getting ready to find a growing spot for the holiday season.


A large specimen “clown fig” Ficus aspera grown for its variegated fruit.


“Angel’s Summer Dream” Brugmansia is known for its ability to grow and flower at less than a foot. Pictured here it is grown as a standard and is about 6 feet tall.


Papaya’s love the heat and can create fruit this size in less than a year. This Carica papaya ‘T.R. Hovey’ is about 6 feet tall and is a three-year old specimen.

Little papayas shown growing in 4-inch pots.

The new greenhouse structure on the left and hibiscus growing on the right.
Here’s a close-up of Hibiscus ‘Estelle K’. Its orange blossom is large and magnificent and glows the fiery heat of the sun.

A new colocasia to be released this fall called ‘Thai Giant.’ It has happily grown in our test gardens for two years. The leaf span will reach 4 feet across by the end of the summer.

Finally, this hardy perennial “Bouncing Bet” Saponaria officinalis ‘Flore Pleno’- is growing outside of Logee’s retail store and is perky as ever on this 95 degree day.

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Filed under Brugmansia 'Angel's Summer Dream', Buddleia davidii 'Peacock', Carica papaya 'T.R. Hovey', Hibiscus 'Estelle K', Musa basjoo, Pelargoniums, Theobroma Cacao

July 2, 2010 · 2:01 pm

>Summer Wall Climbers

>Byron Martin’s three favorite summer wall climbers: Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis), “Goji Berry” (Lycium barbarum ‘Crimson Star’), and “Hops” (Humulus lupulus ‘Williamette’). All three are extremely easy to care for and are growing side by side at Logee’s. Also, they are hardy perennials so once established on a wall or lattice, they will come back year after year and produce delicious berries and flowers.


Pictured here is the Schisandra vine growing on a lattice. This chinese herb is said to increase and balance body energy or chi.

The vine flowers in April and May followed by berries.


Here are the green berries in the beginning of July.

By the end of August they will ripen to clusters of bright red and this beneficial berry will be ready to eat.

The “Goji Berry” vine is Hardy to Zone 5.


“Goji Berries” will form the first year.

The ripe “Goji Berries” are a super food and will grow and ripen from August to October. They are sweet and delicious whether eaten off the vine or sun-dried and saved for later.

“Hops” is a fast growing hardy perennial.

This vine at Logee’s is two-years old and by the first of July has already reached the top of the lattice.

The fragrant flowers bloom in abundance from female plants.

We grow ‘Williamette’ an aromatic variety which is one of the most favored hops for pale ales, brown ales or UK style ales.

Grow all three vines on support in full sun. Feed during the active growing season and be prepared for a delicious harvest at the end of the growing season.

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Filed under goji berry, hops, schisandra vine

June 23, 2010 · 6:24 pm

>Logee’s on A Field Trip

>

Our retail store space is small, only about a 20’ x 20’ area inside and a pergola about the same dimensions outside. By next year, we may be able to double or triple the size of our retail sales space once our new production greenhouse is built. So we went on a field trip to see how some of the more famous garden centers around the Boston area use their space.
Logee’s has been around since 1892 and two of the garden centers that we visited have been in business longer than us. Take a look.

Our pergola with limited space.


A few pots that we sell inside.


We stopped at Mahoney’s in Winchester, Mass. They have eight different garden centers and this is their original store started in 1959.

They have unique displays!


Tubs for large sized plants.


A bougainvillea cultured as a bonsai.


Amy, Logee’s retail supervisor and Tiffany, also from our retail department surrounded by plants.

More interesting displays. These were some of our favorites: pottery toadstools displayed in tree stumps.

Great signs, directional and inviting.

We stopped at Wilson Farms, which is a local produce/small garden center store that’s been around since 1884.

A fish pond at Wilson’s Farm.

We stopped at another famous garden center in Wayland, Mass called Russell’s. They have been around since 1876.

Amy and Tiffany standing under a Pitcher Plant.

Amy admiring a variety of plants, including a delphinium.
Lots of signs at Russell’s too.

We ended our trip at J.P. Bartlett’s, a wholesale geranium grower that’s been around since 1911. Pictured from left to right:
Michael Hoffmann, manager at Bartlett’s, Laurelynn Martin, co-owner of Logee’s, Laura Abrams, president of Bartlett’s, Amy Miller, Logee’s retail supervisor, Tiffany Debruycker, Logee’s retail/grower.

Tiffany, in the collage of colors of Bartlett’s Geraniums.

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Filed under J.P. Bartletts, Mahoneys, Russells, Wilson Farms

June 12, 2010 · 11:38 am

>The Chenille Plant-Everbloomer

>


The Chenille Plant has been well-loved at Logee’s for many years. Whenever, you visit Logee’s you will almost always see the everblooming Chenille plants lining the benches, showing off their dazzling, fuzzy bloom.

Today, when I walked through the greenhouses the long drooping catkins (flowers) of the chenille plant seemed brighter and more cheery than usual. June sunshine is much brighter and intense than even the March sunshine just several months ago. So of course, this would make sense because the chenille plant loves bright sunny light, which brings out the richness of color in its blooms.

Another, observation I had was Chenille plant’s versatility. All in the same space I noticed the two different varieties that we grow and their subtle differences in shape and culture.


Acalypha hispida “Chenille Plant” also known as “Red Hot Cattails” makes an eye-catching standard, where the central stem is trimmed clean of all leaves and flowers and left with a full crown on top.

Acalypha hispida can also be grown in a hanging basket as seen here.


Or trained to have a central stem with flowers and leaves cascading off the stem for the entire height as shown here.

Another notable difference is the length of the catkins. The length of the fuzzy catkins is longer than our other variety and resembles a show girls’ boa, hence its other common name “Red Hot Cattails.”

The other variety we grow called Acalypha pendula “Strawberry Firetails” has plumper and shorter fuzzy red catkins. And, like its name implies, the flowers pedulate and are shown off when grown as a hanging basket.

Acalypha pendula flowers like crazy at a young age as seen here growing in two and a half inch pots.

Care for both varieties are simple. Full sun, lots of water and fertilizer, especially in the active growing season. They can be grown outside year-round in Zone 10 or higher or simply bring outside seasonally if in the north. Read our cultural care sheet for more details on the easy care of these plants.

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Filed under Acalypha hispida, Acalypha pendula, Chenille plant, Red Hot Cattails, Strawberry Firetails

May 31, 2010 · 11:55 am

>Creating Mixed Containers

>Creating tropical mixed containers is one of my favorite activities in early spring. The possibilities are endless.

I like to start with a center focal point plant and two or three other plants in a 14 inch pot. Plants that I use for a center focal point are the dwarf cypress papyrus, a red cordyline australis ‘red star’, a striped phormium, lemon grass, a bamboo or even a black- stemmed sugar cane.

Here’s a mixed container that I just started this past weekend. It has a dwarf Papayrus, aStrobilanthes, a Pelargonium and a variegated bougainvillea in the back.

An article in Fine Gardenin magazine a couple of years ago referred to the assembly of mixed containers as the Thriller, the Filler and the Spiller. Keep this in mind when you are assembling your mixed containers.

The Thrillers are the centerpiece plant. The Filler plants are some of my favorite accent plants. These are usually upright growers with lots of color or form. You can use short growing coleus,Nemesias. Begonia ‘Christmas Candy’, Angelonias, Heliotropes. I use Heliotropium aborescense alba. I love this white flower filler because of its vanilla scent. Heliotropium arborescense ‘Iowa’, a purple blooming plant with a slight wine-scent is another good choice.

Abutilons are also great plants to use, such as our Abutilon ‘Kristen’s Pink’ has wide open bells.


Our Summer Breeze collection is one of my favorites.


Finally, the Spillers or trailing plants can be plants such as Ipomeas. There are chartreuse green ones, black ones or even variegated ipomoeas that trail. I used Pink Frosted in my container that will bring out the colors in the other Pelargoniums balcon royale are good choices. Another great trailer is scaevola or fan flower or Plumbago auriculata ‘Imperial Blue’.

Try two mixed containers of the same plants and balance a walkway or front entrance to make a dramatic effect! Like this Guardian Gate collection which boasts Cypress Papyrus, Begonia Christmas Candy and Scaevola

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Filed under abutilon 'Kristen's Pink', angelonia, begonia christmas candy, heliotrope, ipomoea, strobilanthes

May 18, 2010 · 11:56 pm

>Preparing For A New Greenhouse

>Many of you know that we are preparing to build an energy efficient four bay greenhouse in our back lot. Many of our greenhouses are old and inefficient. We will keep the retail greenhouses that have been around since 1892 but we will be upgrading our production facility, thanks in part to a state and federal grant. This will make us more competitive in the market place. Plus, we will reduce our carbon footprint by reducing our fuel consumption.

The shear task of moving greenhouses, while keeping plants alive is logistically a challenge.


We call this temporary structure “The Dog House.”


Here our large Dragon Fruit Tree “Hylocereus species” is sitting outside of the “Holding House” waiting for a new growing place.



Inside the “Holding House” are many of our succulents. Here a Euphorbia is in a lunch crate waiting to get moved.

Our crop of Pelargonium “Mrs. Cox” is another group that will be moved in the upcoming week.


With good weather, we hope to grow many of these plants outside. Plywood boards are placed outside with temporary water lines.


Bags of soil had to be moved to achieve this space.


In the midst of everything happening down back Tiffany is still smiling, selling plants in Retail. She just finished labeling Kalanchoe ‘Mirabella’ (right) and Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ (left).


Amy, our retail supervisor, is talking to Sham our business manager, sorting out details. A sweet smelling plumeria is blooming in the forefront of the picture.

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Filed under 'Pelargonium "Mrs. Cox", Dragon Fruit, Euphorbia, Kalanchoe 'Mirabella, Plumeria

May 5, 2010 · 2:55 pm

>Tropical Plants Photography At Logee’s

>Taking photos of tropical plants at Logee’s is a year-round task. The everbloomers are the simple ones to capture because they’re available anytime. The seasonal bloomers or fruiting plants require more attention and planning.

Recently, we had a customer and photographer visit from Marlborough, CT. His name is Stan Malcolm. Every time he travels to Logee’s he takes pictures. You can view his pictures at: www.performance-vision.com/Logees-3-5-10

He took a picture of this Thunbergia grandiflora on one of his visits.
While Stan was at Logee’s, he shared a few things about photography. Mostly, what I learned was don’t be afraid to experiment with the F stop, shutter speed and distance. He first took some pictures of a Bougainvillea in bloom in the Big House. Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’ is an everbloomer and loves to climb and vine around any support.


We moved into one of our greenhouses where our succulents grow. It was close to 90 degrees, overcast, rainy and humid, a true tropical feel. Once the camera lens cleared from the humidity, we shot a picture of a new Euphorbia and a new Adenium.

Both will be offered in our fall catalogue. Euphorbia punicea “Jamaican Poinsettia” and Adenium “Tawaiin Beauty”are everbloomers and need lots of hot sun.

The Euphorbia is the close-up shot and the Adenium is the full specimen shot. We used a piece of black card board to highlight the flowers, although Stan thought a piece of gray cardboard would be better.


We tried photographing a Hibiscus called Hibiscus schizopetalus “Japanese Lantern” but the image was not sharp enough for publication. I tried using the auto settings but for close-up work or creating the right depth of field, manual settings work better. Thanks Stan for new photography ideas.


Lastly, Byron Martin, is our horticulturist, photographer and one of the owners. Here he is working on a picture of our Theobroma cacao or Chocolate plant that now has three chocolate pods ripening. The yellow pod is almost ready to be plucked. Although, we are on a temporary backorder, this one is worth getting on a waiting list. Grow you’re own Chocolate!!

He also, hybridized a Papaya that will be released sometime in the coming year. Here he is preparing it for a photo shoot by striping off the dead leaves. Our most popular Papaya is a dwarf variety called T.R. Hovey


As a small company, we try to learn everyone’s job but clearly some of us are more gifted at photography than others. I think I’ll stick to writing.

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Filed under Adenium 'Taiwaiin Beauty', Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst', Hibiscus schizopetalus, Papaya, Theobroma Cacao

April 16, 2010 · 3:02 pm

>Tropical Plants in the Outdoor Garden Waking UP!

>Today’s blog, although not as colorful with flowers, I hope will be useful for gardener’s in the north who crave the beauty and exotic nature of tropicals. Of course, the first plant that I think every outdoor garden should have is the “Hardy Banana” Musa basjoo. Although, bananas are not produced from this variety, the defining tropical look of banana leaves growing in a northern garden is delightful and a mind boggler.

At Logee’s our stand is now four years old and every year keeps getting bigger and bigger.

The chicken wire and hay is Hardy Banana’s resting place for the winter.
Here is a picture from last summer. At the greenhouses, the “Hardy Banana” (Musa basjoo) gets fed every watering and in one season grows taller than our storage shed (the roof in the upper left corner of the picture).
My banana stand at home is not as large as at Logee’s but I only feed my banana twice a week. Plus, this banana is only two years old. Here is my stand of bananas in early April after taking off the hay. Notice how the brown growing tips are starting to unfurl. Soon with the increase of sunlight the stocks will turn green and start shooting straight out of the center.

Another favorite in early spring is watching how our fig plants came through the winter. You can winter over practically any fig with the right procedure. This past winter we left the fig in the ground, cut the fig back to about four feet in height, tied up the branches and then wrapped it in insulation and then a layer of plastic.

To our amazement this fig, one week after being uncovered, is already forming little figs and new leaves. We will most likely get two crops of figs this year. The figs we have in stock right now are Ficus carica ‘Petite Negra’ and Ficus carica ‘Ischia’ ( a yellow fig).
Another surprise this past week was how quickly our Hardy Kiwi set (Actinidia arguta ‘Anna’) is leafing out.


Here we’ve planted a male and female plant side-by-side for pollination, to insure fruit. We didn’t cover the kiwi since it is Zone 4 and we are in Zone 5. We simply have given it good support. These plants are in their second year.

Finally an experiment I’m doing at home is with our Hardy Gardenia (Gardenia jasmenoides ‘Frostproof)’. I planted it near my front porch so on summer evenings I can sit outside and breathe in the heady scent of gardenia. ‘Frostproof’ is a Zone 6 plant so I wasn’t sure it would survive the winter. I mulched it with leaves and figured since it was planted near the house it might have a better chance of surviving. Well to my great satisfaction it is sprouting green leaves. Byron has warned me that this may be false hope because he doesn’t think I mulched it enough. I’ll let you know as the season progresses.
Notice the green leaves at the base of the plant.


The Gardenia is one of my favorites and is a perfectly formed flower with a welcoming sweet fragrance.

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Filed under Ficus carica 'Ischia', Ficus carica 'Petite Negra', Gardenia jasmenoides 'Frostproof', hardy banana, Hardy Kiwi, Musa basjoo

April 9, 2010 · 7:16 pm

>Early Spring Blooms at Logee’s

>

Spring is in the air at Logee’s especially with this past week of warm weather. Flowering plants in the greenhouses are showing off their brilliant bloom like this Red Stictocardia macalusoi or this “Purple

Horn of Plenty” (Datura metel ‘Cornucopaea’). This Datura is in bloom in a 2 1/2 inch pot and is well known for its evening fragrance, often used in moon gardens.

The Thunbergias were also shouting loud and clear with their bold strokes of color. Thunbergia ‘Sunlady’ with its dark defining eye in the midst of bright sunshine yellow petals and its cousin Thunbergia ‘Grandiflora’ also known as the “Blue Skyflower of India.” Although, I think the color has more of a purple hue than blue. Both of these Thunbergias are great plants for the summer patio or outdoor

garden if you have a trellis, wall or fence for it to climb up and around.

Next, happy trays of the “Chenille Plant” (Acalypha hispida) were boasting their cattails of lipstick red bloom. These full sun plants can be grown in a hanging basket or trained as a standard.

When trained as a standard the catkins get very long and look like a chenille scarf. When put in direct sun the catkins will remain bright red.

And right around the

corner were pots filled with Plumbago auriculata ‘Imperial Blue’ . These are both full sun plants that are everbloomers. Of course, if given more sun the color

of the blooms become brighter. We had a friend that put Plumbago auriculata in 15 moss hanging baskets and had them placed around her pool for the summer. Stunning doesn’t even begin to describe the effect!

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Filed under Chenille plant, datura, plumbago auriculata, Purple Horn of Plenty, stictocardia macalusoi, thunbergias