January Pruning – What to Prune When

pruning[1]We have officially entered pruning season. Most leafless plants are fair game for pruning right now. Exceptions include ornamental flowering cherries, plums, and lilacs that bloom once a year in spring and are leafless now. Prune these just after they bloom otherwise you will be cutting off next spring’s blooms. Most other plants, including fruit trees and shade trees “can” as opposed to “must” be pruned because many plants are happy with little or no pruning.

Feel free to visit us for additional information.

For additional reading, the University of California has produced an in-depth article. Click Here For Handout

Orchids 101 – August 25th.

Elegant Orchids Made Easy!

Saturday, August 25th from 10-11:30 a.m.!

Are your orchids looking bedraggled, leaving you befuddled, and a little bummed out? Behold! We have solutions that will leave you beaming and your orchids on the way to blooming! Our orchid expert Sue will teach you to understand the language of orchids and nudge you on the way to being an orchid whisperer. It is amazing what a little practical information (hands on – not from books or video) can do for your confidence in dealing with orchid issues.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just requires a basic understanding of where they come from and their needs – just like any other plant. But they are NOT just any other plant. They are extraordinary in their variety and beauty! So join us, and ask questions to your heart’s content. You are also invited to bring in a plant or two that you have questions about. The cost is $15.00, and bring a friend for FREE. Sign up with our Alden Lane Cashiers today! Call (925) 447-0280.


Helpful Tips

The following are a few tips Sue shares to get you on the right path with your orchids

When in doubt, go drought! It is much better to dry an orchid out than to risk over-watering — most are designed to go through drought periods. It is worse to create an environment of slow death by killing it with kindness and drowning the roots and/or creating root rot.

Whatever you do, do it before noon! Orchids will react far better to care early in the day rather than later.

Light, Light, LIGHT! Most orchids will not bloom without it. We all say we have enough, but if you have had it for over a year without blooms, you don’t. Give as much filtered bright light for as long as possible, without putting it in direct, midday sun.

Beware of Sunburn! If you place an orchid in a very bright, hot window, leave it for 5 minutes then feel the leaf– if it is warm you need to move it further back from the light or it will sunburn.

Most house orchids like to be watered about once a week. Pick up the container and see how light it is. Note: moisture meters don’t work in bark mixtures or moss. When you do water don’t be stingy — flood them well, let them drain, and dry them out thoroughly in between waterings.

When repotting an orchid, pick the pot you will use in repotting AFTER you have unpotted the orchid. You pot according to how many roots you have; not according to how big your plant is. Once you uncover the roots and do some trimming, you may decide it doesn’t need a bigger pot after all. They all love to be tight in the pot with just a smidge of wiggle room.

Orchids are beautiful and can be fun to grow and show off. Plan to attend this fun and informative Orchid Therapy class and learn how to grow orchids your friends and neighbors will envy.