If you hear someone say they picked up a six-pack at Bostdorff’s, don’t assume there is alcohol involved.

The six-pack is a new offering at the greenhouse as a way to pick up a variety of vegetables, herbs and
flowers that is quick and easy. As the name suggests, this is a way to try up to six different varieties
of plants without investing in an entire flat of one item.
Even if you pick up one of the six-packs or any other vegetable — with a few exceptions — you likely
don’t want to plant them in your garden yet.
“The frost date here is May 15 and it is best to not try to plant them until that date,” said Lori
Brandt, greenhouse manager at Bostdorff’s. “Some people say, ‘I’m not worried about that,’ and just go
ahead and plant. But the weather forecast is forecasting some cold nights and even perhaps some snow.
They may likely lose some of what they planted early. All we can do is warn them.”
Brandt said the six-pack is a good gift.
“The six-packs are really nice,” she said. “They make a nice Mother’s Day gift and they are also a fun
way for kids to get involved.”
Brandt and co-owner Eric Timm said there are numerous varieties of vegetables and herbs available for
planting. They have at least 22 varieties of tomatoes, including heirlooms and hybrids. They also have
herbs, peppers and onions.
Brandt said there are new varieties of miniature vegetables, some of which are identified as Tom Thumb
varieties. There are those with tomatoes, peas, peppers and herbs. There is also a Red Robin tomato,
which is a variety similar to a cherry tomato, that is small, but a little bigger than the cherry
tomato.
She said the Red Robins are small enough for containers and should not need to be staked.
Brandt said the candy onions are popular.
“Everyone raves about them,” she said.
Timm said pepper varieties are constantly expanding with many increasing the heat levels.
“Ghost peppers used to be about as hot as it got, but now they are just medium. I won’t even buy some of
them. You have to have them sign a waiver to buy them. They are just too hot to sell, they can be
dangerous and damage your esophagus,” he said.
Most of their vegetables can be purchased as singles or 3-inch pots.
In the herb section, Brandt said the buckwheat is a popular annual that flowers and also provides benefit
to combat summer weeds as a cover crop.
‘Your Winter Garden’
Timm will be the featured speaker at a presentation on May 14 at the Wintergarden/ St. John’s Nature
Preserve Rotary Nature Center, 618 S. Wintergarden Road.
Timm said the middle of May might seem an unusual time to be talking about winter gardens. However, he
said the center has some new plants and now is the time to start planning what will be planted in
October, thinking about what vegetables can be planted in the winter, and getting supplies which may be
needed. Those could include heat lamps, seed starters and glass panes.
The 6:30 p.m. program will be open to the public.
“I’m looking forward to this,” Timm said.