Zinnias: Sow and Grow

May 13, 2025

Zinnias make a brilliant addition to the summer flower garden, loved by novice and expert gardeners alike. The pollinators love them too! They bloom effortlessly from summer to frost, and the more you cut, the more they branch and bloom.

Zinnias are native to Mexico and as a frost-sensitive annual appreciate warm weather. They bloom heaviest when daylight is less than 12 hours.

GENERAL SOWING OR TRANSPLANTING

Sow or plant outside now. Zinnias love the warmer weather ahead. The ideal temperature for sowing zinnias and many warm-season annuals is about 70°+. Think of it as sunbathing weather. Or you can get a headstart planting zinnias from starter plants.

We have starts ready to go into the ground now as well as many varieties from seed.

Zinnias thrive in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun (6 hours or more). Improve the soil with Bumper Crop soil conditioner before transplanting. Sow a group of 3 seeds every 8″-12″ apart and ¼” deep, depending on the variety (consult your seed packet). Or plant 4″ or 6-pack starters.

Weeding
Keep zinnias well weeded, so they aren’t competing for water or nutrients. A well-weeded patch of zinnias also has more airflow, which helps avoid fungal disease. Cultivate shallowly, as zinnia roots are close to the soil surface.

Fertilization
Plan on fertilizing with E.B. Stone Organics Rose & Flower Food – It’s slow release, organic and promotes blooms.

Water
Keep zinnias consistently moist but not soggy; allowing the top inch of soil to dry between watering once plants are established. Water the soil, avoiding the foliage to help prevent fungal disease. Mulching zinnias can help to keep down weeds, avoid soil splashing that can spread disease, and also keep the soil more consistently moist.

Special Care
Once they have four sets of leaves, clip or pinch zinnia seedlings back to just above a set of leaves, to encourage them to branch out. Deadheading frequently keeps zinnias blooming because it stops them from producing seeds, encouraging them to begin the bloom cycle again.

HARVESTING
For extended vase life, harvest before the small yellow flowers emerge from between petals.

COMMON PESTS AND DISEASES

Powdery Mildew looks like a white powder on leaves and thrives in humid weather with cool nights. Reduce chances of this disease by keeping leaves dry while watering only in the morning and during the day. Proper spacing of plants will provide good air circulation, too. Do not compost diseased plants; spores may over-winter and re-infect crops the following season.

Water-Wise Summer Perennials for May Planting

May 7, 2025

Our perennial section is alive with color this week. Perennials perform year-after-year. Here are a few of our water-wise favorites that provide interest over a long season. These are easy to grow and last to bloom again in future years. Now is a great time to plant so you can enjoy them as summer unfolds.

Beard Tongue (Penstemon sp.)

Beard Tongue (Penstemon sp.) Elegant and reliable perennials; valued by gardeners for their spires of foxglove-like flowers. Outstanding color varieties make it difficult to choose just one. Hummingbirds aren’t choosy; they like them all. Penstemon will perform all summer with regular deadheading, full sun & good garden soil.

Gaura Lindheimeri

Gaura Lindheimeri Gaura means “superb”, and it is. Imagine tall, loose wands of pinkish white stars, dancing on the wind. From spring to fall, this plant will flourish on a hot, dry slope, and in many other water-restricted sites. Blended with other perennials, it serves as a softening element for brighter colors. Give it a full season to establish.

Lavender (English, French & Spanish)

These heat-of-summer bloomers produce fragrant flower spikes that you’ll love. Their lavender-blue flowers are great for dry arrangements, sachets, or they may be made into aromatic stove-top potpourri simply by boiling. Cool the water, strain; use as a counter-top cleaner. Different varieties range in height from 18″ to 3′ with an equal spread. Well-drained soil is essential.

Salvia Greggii

Known as Autumn Sage, they are available in a number of flower colors – red, yellow, pink, white and purple. Erect growth to about three feet with medium green foliage. Blooms for much of the season, spring through fall. Plant in full sun.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Evergreen Perennial usually in the range of 18″ high, creating a spreading mat much of the year, then stretching to full height when it blooms with white, cream, pink red or yellow “landing pads”. Butterflies love them, and so do ladybugs!

Santa Barbara Daisy

One of the easiest daisies to grow, and very water-wise. Adds sparkle to the flower garden, usually grows about 12″ high and 18″ wide. Blooms heavily in spring and then moderately through the warm season.

Checklist for May Gardening

April 29, 2025

Protect your cherry crop! Prevent wormy fruit. Start spraying with Captain Jack’s spinosad weekly when fruit begins to change from green to strawberry color.

Feed roses now and every two weeks for maximum rose production. Use MaxSea plus Kelp Sea Life for the trace elements and minerals.

Thin apple, plum, apricot and peach crops if too much fruit has set, you’ll get fewer but larger, juicier fruit.

Ladybugs and praying mantis to the rescue! Control aphids, beetles, scale and leafhoppers naturally.

Deep-root water trees and shrubs. Never depend on lawn watering to take care of trees and shrubs. The use of soaker hoses helps deliver deep water as well. Your trees and shrubs will thank you for doing this at least monthly through the warmer months.

Do you have small sucking bugs on your vegetables? Use vegetable safe Bonide All Season Spray Oil.

Plant 4-inch or larger vegetable plants and save several weeks of growing time. Remember to protect them from hungry snails and slugs with Sluggo Plus or pet safe Sluggo. Both are labeled for organic gardening, both control slugs, Sluggo Plus controls insects too.

Prevent olive fruit set with Florel Fruit Eliminator. Spray the olive when the tree has just reached full bloom. Olive flowers are tiny, so watch carefully. Full bloom usually occurs in early May. Spray the whole tree thoroughly. We have the names of commercial spray companies that can help too.

Turflon Esther for Bermuda grass control controls that wiry-stemmed, nuisance weed Bermuda grass. It also works wonders on Oxalis, a yellow clover look-alike.

The miracle of mulch. As well as looking good, mulching conserves water and suppresses weeds and keeps roots cool. We suggest a mulch layer of 4 inches thick. Don’t mulch right up to the plant trunk or stem. Leave 4 to 6 inches of breathing room.

Protect the trunks of fruit trees with Go Natural Tree Trunk Paint. Applying this coating to the trunk will reflect heat away from the tender tissue and protect the trees.

Regular feeding for Citrus. Citrus performs well with monthly light feedings of fertilizer specifically formulated for Citrus. This will ensure that your tree gets a nice even supply of food year-round instead of occasional periods of highs or lows. We recommend Master Nursery Citrus Food, or for a completely organic approach, use E.B. Stone Citrus and Fruit Tree Fertilizer. Make quarterly applications of Iron Sulfate for optimum feeding and greening.

Prep your roses for the second wave of bloom! Cut back and feed roses as the first set of blooms fade. Feed with Master Nursery Rose and Flower Food. Water and stand back (roses typically rebloom six weeks after pruning and feeding. For special treatment, feed roses with water-soluble Maxsea. It can be sprayed on the leaves and gives the plant a dark glossy appearance.

Hummers & Butterflies

April 29, 2025

Your garden can be much more than a lovely, serene place for family and friends to gather. It can be a bird and butterfly oasis. Creating this oasis doesn’t take much more than planting the kinds of plants which will attract birds and butterflies.

To help get you started, we’ve listed some of the annuals and perennials that will entice these critters into your garden. Remember that birds need to feel protected before they begin to gather so try centering these plantings near or around groups of established trees and shrubs.

Hummingbirds and Butterflies enjoy many of the same features in your garden. Both enjoy flowers for food, shelter from the weather, and a place to bask in the sun. Water is another essential — a hollow in a rock or a shallow birdbath can provide the needed water and hours of enjoyment to the observer!! Both hummingbirds and butterflies like to fly freely; and will give aerial shows almost hourly!

A well-planned garden with the proper plants and positioning is the secret to luring hummingbirds and butterflies. Even better, it is also practical and attractive…

Lantana

Flowers in reds and yellows provide a nectar source for butterflies.

Phlox

Butterflies and hummingbirds take nectar from the white and purple flowers. Other birds feed on the seeds in the fall.

Zinnias

Flowers provide nectar for butterflies while birds eat seeds in autumn and winter. Single flowering varieties are best.

Lavender

Fragrant purple flowers attract butterflies for nectar.

Stonecrop (Sedums)

Butterflies take nectar from the small pink flowers that bloom from August to September.

Sweet William (Dianthus)

Red, white, rosy purple flowers provide nectar for butterflies.

Achillea (Yarrow)

Yarrow is easy to grow and rewarding with sprays of summer flowers, making great butterfly landing pads. Ladybugs are attracted to this plant as well as butterflies. Grows 18″-24″ high.

Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush)

Can reach 9-15 feet. Cut to knee high in November. Reblooms through summer if old blossoms removed. Great for both hummingbirds and butterflies.

Salvia Greggii (Autumn Sage)

This, and in fact, most sages are hummingbird attractants. Blooming for over half the year, Autumn sage is found in shades of red and pink.

Gaura lindheimeri

Can almost bloom its heart out. May remain in bloom 6 or more months. 2-3′ high and wide. Attracts hummers and butterflies.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Easy to grow, strap leaves are a nice contrast. Flowers are 2-3′ and attract both hummingbirds and butterflies.

Hydrangeas

April 22, 2025

Hydrangeas are among gardeners’ favorite blooming shrubs, especially for the summer shade garden. They are available in a wide variety of colors and types from white, pink, purple, blue and mixed colors. Their flowers are large and range in shapes from pom-pom-like globes to lace bouquets.

The different shades of blue, pink and white reflect the acidity level of the soil – blue or purple in acid soils, pink or purple/red in alkaline mixtures — this allows you to choose the color of your hydrangeas. In our Valley soil, hydrangeas are naturally pink, you can make yours blue by applying Hydrangea Blue (aluminum sulfate).

Hydrangeas are low maintenance, fast growing and attractive both as single plants or mass planted. The Endless Summer® series have the ability to produce new flowers repeatedly. It is not unusual to see them blooming well into December. Older varieties typically bloom only once per year and need careful pruning.

Choosing The Right Site
All hydrangeas perform best in dappled shade, with evenly moist, well-drained soil. Ideally, a location where they will get minimal morning sun and plenty of afternoon shade. A semi-shady corner set among ferns for color contrast will enhance any yard landscape. The plants have a stocky growth pattern and will reach 3-5 feet in height and width so be sure to choose an area with enough space.

Hydrangeas are “heavy drinkers,” we have found you can cut your watering in half by adding “Soil Moist” polymer granules to your planting mix.

How To Plant Your Hydrangeas Step-by-Step:

Prepare a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball. Then mix the soil from the hole with an equal amount of Acid Planting Mix. Add Master Start Fertilizer (adjust amount for size of plant) and 2 Tbsp. of Soil Moist to the mix.
Backfill the hole with this mixture leaving the top of the root ball at ½ inch higher than the surrounding soil.
Add mulch around your new plant taking care to leave a 6″ space around the stem.
Keep moist in hot weather.
Feed monthly from March through September with Master Nursery Camellia Azalea Gardenia Food.

Things You Will Need:

Acid Planting Mix
Soil Moist
Master Start Fertilizer
Master Nursery Camellia Azalea Gardenia Food

April 6th is California Poppy Day

April 1, 2025

eschscholzia

Many people love the brilliant golden blossoms and delicate frilly, fernlike blue-green foliage of the California poppy. The California poppy or Eschscholzia californica — a member of the Papaveraceae or poppy family — is native to California, Baja California and Oregon. It now ranges from Washington to Baja California and throughout California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.

California poppies (Eschsholtzia californica) are native to the Western United States, including California. The poppies have many uses, including harvesting California poppy seeds to plant or taking cut flowers to brighten up your home. The flowers grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 10 and generally bloom from February through September.

On Dec. 12, 1890, the California State Floral Society voted to select a state flower. The three nominees were Eschscholzia californica, the California poppy; Romneya coulteri, the matilija poppy; and Calochortus, the mariposa lily. After almost 13 years, the California Legislature adopted Eschscholzia californica as the official California state flower on March 2, 1903. Seventy years later, in 1973, the law was amended to designate April 6 of each year as California Poppy Day.

A favorite as an annual springtime ornamental planting, Eschscholzia californica can be a perennial in mild areas or it can be an annual in cooler conditions. It is easy to grow. Just scatter seeds in the fall where you would like them to bloom in the spring. The California poppy loves full sun but appreciates a little afternoon shade. This rugged plant is extremely drought tolerant and rarely needs fertilizing.

Eschscholzia californica was first described by Adelbert von Chamisso, the naturalist on the Russian ship Rurik, captained by Otto von Kotzebue on its scientific expedition to California and the greater Pacific in the mid-1810s. Chamisso named the genus in honor of Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz, his close friend and the expedition’s physician.

A Lilac in Every Garden

March 12, 2025

Lilacs have been around forever. Their nostalgic fragrance will transport you to earlier times and bring a smile to your face. Their romantic fragrance has inspired poetry, songs, romance and for many bring fond nostalgic memories of springs past. It is a MUST HAVE and a grandmother in your life – or me – would agree!

From bud through bloom you’ll enjoy lilacs for 6 to 8 weeks usually in April and early May. They indeed say, “Spring is Here.” Soak up their beauty in the garden or cut in a vase.

These deciduous shrubs are the perfect reminder that warmer days are soon to come. They can be used as a hedge or screen in the landscape, a single accent, or planted in mixed borders. Lilacs attract hummingbirds and butterflies and are surprisingly resistant to deer. We have a selection of different sizes and colors that will bloom in your garden this year and many years to come. What’s important to remember is where they would happily live and where you would like them to grow. Since lilacs lose their leaves in winter and are in glorious bloom for 6-8 weeks in spring, my suggestion is they be planted in an area that’s not the highest profile but certainly within ‘enjoyment’ view.

Lilacs will prosper in our heavy Valley soils; transplant easily; are drought tolerant; prefer full sun, with a touch of afternoon shade, but will grow in light shade. They will endure a wide range of temperatures — our occasionally frosty valley winters will not phase the hardy lilac, they like the winter chill.

Low maintenance and very forgiving of occasional neglect, lilacs are ideal for busy valley weekend gardeners faced with time conflicts. All they ask is well-drained soil with good air circulation and lots of sunlight. In return, they will give you good looks, a fragrant bloom and cut flowers your neighbors will envy.

One of the oldest European garden favorites, Lilacs were spread throughout the world by Dutch, English, and French settlers and now adorn gardens and landscapes from America to China. Many mid-West and Eastern Gardeners in California yearn for lilacs to remind them of home.

Lilacs are a treasure in people’s hearts and minds for their classic scent and beauty. Establish them in spring before summer heat arrives and enjoy them for generations to come. We have several varieties for you to select from. Come and find just the right color to add to your garden and do some “Time Traveling” with its perfume.

Dave’s Rose Fertilizer Program

March 12, 2025

Learn from the Winning Rosarians – Feed your Roses now for a glorious display in spring. This feeding program is inspired by the late, David Lowell, a local rosarian and friend who developed a number of hybridized roses and always took home ribbons for his rose show entries.

Dave’s Rose feeding program provides for general plant vigor and beautiful looking roses! For use on established roses only (planted for at least six months). Apply in MARCH and also AUGUST.

For each rose apply:

Master Nursery 16-16-16 – 1/2 cup/rose (5# bag for 18 roses) (August application recommended E.B. Stone 5-5-5 fertilizer 1 cup/rose)
Bone Meal 1/2 cup per rose (4# bag for 18 roses)
Sulfur* 1/2 cup per rose (5# box for 18 roses)
Gypsum 1/2 cup per rose (5# box for 18 roses)
Magnesium Sulfate 2 Tbs. per rose (5# box for 70+ roses)
Chicken Fertilizer 1 shovel per rose (1 bag for ~ nine roses)

*to supply sulfur, use one of the following: Iron Sulfate, Iron Plus*, or Soil Sulfur. Iron-containing products can stain. Wash off adjacent paving after application. (*Iron Plus is non-staining.)

Water your roses deeply the day before feeding.

Sprinkle the first five ingredients around each rose and mix into the soil if possible. Then sprinkle the chicken fertilizer around each rose and water everything in.

A two-inch mulch layer may be put around your roses to conserve water and insulate roots from the summer heat. Pull the mulch back 6″ away from the plant stem.

Leading Ladies

March 5, 2025

To celebrate Women’s History month, let’s take a look at some lovely roses named after inspiring women.

Start Morning Glory Seeds

March 4, 2025

Start annual morning glories from seed this month and establish them in the garden or a pot by summer! Morning glories are one of the most stunning of the old-fashioned garden flowers. Flowers are huge – three to five inches across – and bright, colorful blue, purple or pink. Best of all, morning glories are easy!

Start indoors to transplant later, or directly sow in the landscape now. Improve the soil by mixing a couple of inches of Gold Rush soil conditioner into the garden soil. Plant seeds a half inch deep. Water to get them started.

Morning glories from seed are typically annuals, dying completely in winter, though they will most likely reseed to sprout next year.

Try planting morning glory among sunflowers. The sunflowers will grow quickly, providing a natural trellis for the Morning Glory to climb. Sunflowers also may be started from seed outdoors now or in the coming weeks.