It's Father's Day already?

Here at Ricky and Lucy's Greenhouse the gardens are in full bloom and we're busy with veggies, flowers and trees.
Unbelieveable that Sunday is Father's Day and how fast time has flown since April.
We've had a pretty good season at the greenhouse and the sun polygreenhouse has been filled to the rafters and now the tables are quickly emptying.
We attribute this to a heightened interest in organic gardening and people are coming out to get the beginnings of their own garden.
Apparently, since people are staying home this summer, improving the yard and flower beds are the "in" things this year so we have tried hard to provide the right plant for any area.
In addition to flowers, don't overlook herbs like lavender, rosemary and thyme.
Teri has turned one area of her yard into a thyme garden with four different types of thyme alternated throughout the space.
It's a great idea for those who want a more drought-tolerant yard without having to use rock.
Be sure to look at grasses that will do well in your area and as always, look at trees and shrubs that will provide not only shade but beauty in your corner of paradise.

Summer starts Sunday, be safe and have a great summer.

April is here!

Despite the snow in the Nebraska Panhandle, here at the Greenhouse action continues in the greenhouses. Not only have we gotten some beautiful Easter lilies and mums in, but we have also received, and replanted, our trees and shrubs.
If this is your year to change your family's eating habits from non-organic to organic then we are the place to buy your plants. The National Average for organic vegetables is almost $5 for a 3" inch pot and ours are only $3.10, almost half the price.

Why should you buy organic? There's always the taste factor. Even more importantly you can trust the plant hasn't been covered in chemical plant foods and fertilizers. So many times plants are covered with pesticides and herbicides but at Ricky and Lucy's it's all fresh.

Each plant is handwatered and grown to just the right size and ready for you to plant at the right time in your garden. We also sell the EarthJuice fertilizers to keep your vegetable garden growing in a healthy atmosphere.

When you pick a fresh tomato right off the vine, you can be assured nothing unnatural has gone into it.

Our mission is to walk as gently on the earth as we can which means conserving water, recycling and using all-organic growing methods. Join us in this effort by using drip irrigation, mulching and not spraying chemical on your plants, yard and vegetable garden.

If you want to know more of how you can leave smaller footprints on the earth give us a call at 308-254-2204 or visit our website at www.rickyandlucysgreenhouse.com.

Greenhouse is getting full

With the arrival of the rosemary cuttings, the special order greenhouse is getting filled to capacity. The fenugreek has germinated and last week we transplanted the Bouganvilla and Scaevola cuttings into 3 inch pots. We also made hanging baskets out of the sweet potato vine.
Teri and Dan made a very impressive presentation to attendees at the Nebraska Governor's Agritourism workshop resulting in some great contacts.

If you didn't see the story in the Omaha World Herald on Sunday, February 1, you can do a search for it or click on the above link. It was written by Leslie Reed and not only ran on the front page of the Metro-Region Section, but also ran on the front page of the North Platte Telegraph.

The big news is that GROW Nebraska is making a visit to film a YouTube video at the greenhouse and we were approached by the Omaha Herb Society to see if they could come visit the gardens.

All in all, this has been an exciting week for all of us at Ricky and Lucy's Greenhouse. On the website we have added online garden tours where you can see what the gardens look like in the spring and summer.

You can also see what pottery we have available in the showroom and catch up on the recipes you might have missed.

Spring is coming, March 21 is just 5 weeks away even if snow is still falling in some parts of the country!

See you soon,

January in Nebraska

The wind seems to blow continously in Nebraska but at the greenhouse we have had very little snow.
In the starter house there are little seedlings eagerly coming out of the soil - oxalis, blue flax, all preparing themselves for your garden this spring!
The geraniums in the Polyhouse look beautiful despite the cold snap we had not long ago and we have flats filled with yet for cuttings that will fill the greenhouses with color in the next few weeks.
Watch for February's newsletter and if you aren't signed up for it yet visit the website at www.rickyandlucysgeenhouse.com to signup.
Remember, everything is grown organically and that's better for you, your family and the environment!

Christmas 2008

In the Panhandle of Nebraska, the wind is blowing and snow is in the forecast.
At Ricky and Lucy's Country Greenhouse, we are getting busy planting the seeds that will be the mainstay of our flowers next spring.
The organic herb business has been busy and we can't keep the Afrika Meat Rub or the Cajun Spice Mix on the shelves. Our customers love the Signature Herb Blends and Spices almost as much as I love making them.
In fact, I created a new Lemon Salt Blend not long ago for a friend whose mother doesn't like pepper. So now we have a Lemon Salt and a Lemon Pepper Blend.
We are pleased to have sent out so many gift baskets to so many states and we even sent one to Canada this year, so I guess that means we went international this year!
In 2009, there will be some new products and we now have a dedicated marketing person who is trying to keep the Website updated more frequently. Don't forget we have an e-newsletter that you can subscribe to on our website:
www.rickyandlucysgreenhouse.com

We will also be sending out promotional emails to those on our newsletter list containing special offers and surprises.

We hope your New Year's Resolution includes cooking better using natural and organic methods. We hope you will let us at Ricky and Lucy's Greenhouse be a major part of your kitchen spice rack.

Have a Happy Holiday Season!!!

Teri, Dan and all of the staff at Ricky and Lucy's Greenhouse
308-254-2204

The Benefits of Going Organic

Eliminating health risks is one reason to go organic. Organic foods are grown using no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs often contain residues of harmful synthetic chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency recently determined that 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides, and 30% of insecticides are carcinogenic. Even thoroughly washing produce before consuming doesn't eliminate all of the residues! It is pretty scary to think that every time you are getting in a healthy serving of fruits or vegetables you are also getting a dose of toxic synthetic chemicals.
These same dangerous chemicals also enter our waterways. Agricultural run-off causes these harmful chemicals to enter our lakes, rivers, groundwater, and sometimes even our drinking water! By buying organically grown produce and herbs you can help support safer, cleaner waterways.
Here at the greenhouse all of our herbs and spices are 100% organically grown. Our customers have told us numerous times that they taste better than conventionally grown herbs and we agree! They are also more potent so less is needed, making them economical as well. But don't take our word for it, try them for yourself....
http://rickyandlucysgreenhouse.com/products/products.aspx?cat=4