Category: Flowers

Implement Winter Feeding Strategies!

Change fertilizers for many of your shrubs this month. Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and Camellias need monthly applications of Master Bloom (0-10-10) to ensure good bud set for the spring. Citrus plants need regular feedings with Master Nursery’s Citrus Food to help protect them from frost damage.

The first cool rains of fall are a reminder that now is a great time to apply sulfur products to citrus, camellias and other acid-loving plants.

Citrus foliage commonly turns yellow in winter Soil Sulfur or Iron Sulfate help counteract this tendency.

We recommend 2-3 applications per year of some form of sulfur. Apply one before rains stop in early spring, one as rains begin in fall, and one application mid-summer.  Now is a perfect time because gentle rains (we hope) will wash nutrients into the soil.

Several products fit the bill and provide a pH adjustment which releases iron. or simply apply an iron product.  We suggest you rotate through products, applying one now and another later, so the plant gets a well-rounded diet of minerals and nutrients.

Sulfur products:
Gypsum or PH Adjuster Plus

Sulfur products containing Iron:
Greenall Iron Sulfate
Greenall F.S.T.
Master Nursery Iron Plus

Apply sulfur or iron products now to help citrus, camellias, azaleas, and gardenias stay green.

Now is also an excellent time to apply gypsum to the lawn or hydra-blue to Hydrangeas.

Lawns in general (if yours is still green) will appreciate a fertilizing before the weather gets too cold… this will help keep a green lawn through winter. Hydrangeas treated with Hydra-blue now will stay on the bluer side as opposed to pink.

Start Sweet Peas Now


September and October are sweet pea planting months for us here in the mild-winter west. We have a great selection of seeds to choose from including the earliest bloomers and the very popular Old Fashioned varieties. Old Fashioned sweet peas are particularly fragrant. We also have collections of sweet peas from 6-packs.

Sweet peas planted now, in soil that has been enriched with 2-3″ of Gold Rush or Steer Manure will sprout and become established before winter cool temperatures arrive.

The earliest ones can actually bloom as soon as January as they require just 10 hours of sunlight per day to set buds. The later varieties will be nice large plants by the time early spring arrives and will set a profusion of blooms.

Protect new seedlings from insects, snails, and slugs with Sluggo Plus.

Sweet peas are beautiful and fragrant and they make great cut flowers. Choose from dozens of varieties including a number of mixes.

If you’d like to start with plants, we have six packs of knee-high & tall trellising varieties.

 

Orchid Tough Love

orchid2400Tough Love for Your Orchids to Thrive

For those of you who have experienced disappointment with the orchids you have loved and nurtured, only to have them turn on you, becoming sullen and unresponsive to your good intentions and constant worrying and care . . . I say STOP!

In order for most indoor orchids to flourish and thrive – stop hovering. Find them a very bright spot to call their own, in or near a window, (or under grow lights), and figure out their watering needs – which, if you have lost orchids in the past, usually means you have over-nurtured and drowned them in your loving good intentions.

They are plants that grow in trees, hang around without the benefit of soil (or YOU), get watered only when it rains, and are designed to go through drought. So water only when very dry. In most cases they are potted in moss, or moss and bark, and in a typical 4″ pot you would water every 2 to 3 weeks, and never let them sit in water for more than a few minutes.

One of their other needs is very strong, filtered light in order to thrive and bloom. They can’t bloom without it! So I say, in the language of tough love, kick them out of the house! When our temps are above 50 degrees at night (usually around May to October), find them a cozy spot under cover of porch or patio where they get bright shade and occasional water and fertilizer, and before you know it they will THRIVE!

Having said all this in the spirit of tough love – if you need an orchid counselor, I am on call most days at Alden Lane. So let me know if you need some hand-holding and words of ­­encouragement. I am here for you – just ask for Sue.

 

Gardens at the Fair

We’re proud to announce that Alden Lane Nursery has won Best of Show at the Alameda County Fair Professional Landscaping Competition!

Big thanks to landscape designer, Eric Teberg, for the fabulous design, and to Vineyard Landscape for the installation!

Grand Prize Winning Garden at the Alameda County Fair

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Galvanized Troughs

Convert Galvanized Troughs into Planters

Here’s a fun and easy way to get your garden started! Galvanized bins are traditionally used as animal feed or water troughs, but they also make great planters and are pretty cool looking too! Best of all, this is a project you can easily complete over a weekend.

There are just 3 steps to using galvanized bins as planters:

  1. Drill Drainage Holes
  2. Position Bins and Fill with Soil
  3. Start Planting!

Think about what size would be best for your space and for what you want to grow (Alden Lane carries heavy-duty Tarter galvanized Troughs in a wide variety of sizes).

DRILL DRAINAGE HOLES

You’ll want to make sure what you are going to plant has plenty of drainage, so drilling holes at the bottom of your galvanized trough is important. This takes a little work, but it’s worth it! Here’s how:

  • Flip the Trough upside down for drilling (you may want to put a tarp or a blanket underneath to catch the metal scraps).
  • Using a 1/2-inch metal drill bit, drill holes around the perimeter of the trough, as well as across the middle. This could drain the battery in a cordless drill quickly, so a corded drill might be a better option if you have one.

POSITION BINS & FILL WITH SOIL

Consider the plants you plan to use when you choose a space, as you may need full sun or partial shade. Measure and mark the spot you’ll be placing the Troughs. Take the time to make sure they are level, which is important for drainage. Remember, once the Troughs are full of soil, they will be fairly permanent, because of their weight (though you can always empty the soil out to move them).

If positioning the planter on open ground, place four to six bricks (or more, depending on the size of the planter) in a square or rectangular pattern in the spot where your planter will sit. Space the bricks so they form a shape slightly smaller than the bottom of the galvanized tub. Depending on the size of the Trough, you may need to put some in the middle to prevent sagging.

  • Place the tub on top of the bricks, checking to make sure it sits level. If the ground is not level, add or remove soil from underneath bricks until the tub sits flat
  • If positioning the planter on a patio or other hard surface, use shims to level the planter. This will allow moisture to drain from the tub more easily.
  • For soil, we recommend Master Nursery Professional Potting Soil, or E.B. Stone Cactus and Succulent mix.
  • Fill your galvanized Troughs to the very top with soil. Keep in mind that the soil will settle, and stopping even just a few inches from the top of the bins will create a gap that will cast a shadow on your plants.

START PLANTING

Now you’re ready to plant, which is the fun part! Snap peas and lettuce are examples of cool-season vegetables that can be sown directly in the bins. Cherry tomatoes and summer squash are examples of warm-season vegetables that can either be started indoors or purchased as seedlings. You can mix and match – starting with some direct sowing early in the season and adding other seedlings and warm-season veggies as the season progresses.

Happy planting in your galvanized bins!

 

Ceanothus Displaying Color Now

California Wild Lilac (Ceanothus sp.) - spring blooms in shades of blue attract pollinators and provide homes for butterfly larvae
California Wild Lilac (Ceanothus sp.) – spring blooms in shades of blue attract pollinators and provide homes for butterfly larvae

Ceanothus, also known as California Wild Lilac, is enjoyed by gardeners around the world, with climates similar to ours. It provides a dazzling burst of blue to the garden in spring.  Ceanothus has handsome,  glossy leaves and comes in a variety of forms from shrubby rambling groundcovers to larger shrubs and small trees. While most Ceanothus varieties are native to California along the coast, some grow inland naturally up into the Sierras and the Mojave Desert and will be most suitable for Tri-Valley gardens.

Alden Lane carries several varieties of which there is certainly one to fit your nurturing needs from very little summer water to watering more frequently.

Following is a sample of varieties:

  • ‘Centennial’: a low spreading variety requiring some shade protection inland.
  • ‘Concha’: upright variety 6′-9′ tall and wide, it is longer lived if given a cooler location.
  • ‘Anchor Bay’: 3′ tall, 6′ wide, away from the coast needs supplemental irrigation and some shade.
  • ‘Joyce Coulter’: 2′-3′ tall, up to 25′ wide, in interior gardens supplemental irrigation is required.
  • ‘Frosty Dawn’ and ‘Point Sierra’: flowers vary on these two varieties, 2′-3′ tall, 5′ wide, grown successfully in interior gardens with some shade.
  • ‘Diamond Heights’: 6″-12″ tall, 3′-5′ wide, discovered in the Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, has variegated leaves thus needing some shade from the hottest sun to prevent burning, useful in woodland gardens, it will grow through the leaf fall common in such gardens.

 

Plant Nasturtiums for Taste and Beauty

nasturtium

Nasturtiums have been a long time a favorite for the bright shade garden. They come in hot salsa colors of red, orange, yellow and everything in-between and they are edible!
Nasturtiums inherit their spicy attitude from a close cousin, the herb, watercress, and like its cousin, is edible. The brilliant colors are both beautiful and tasty tossed in salads or filled with cream cheese piped through a pastry sleeve.

 

Nasturtiums look fabulous in the garden or patio. They lend an informal, country feel. They are great for hanging baskets or planters or massed in a bed. Choose from dwarf varieties that hug the earth at 8″ high or vining varieties that ramble or climb.

Plant seeds for nasturtiums in a location where plants will receive morning sun and afternoon shade (or a spot with bright shade all day) if you don’t have a shady spot, plant them in among cosmos. The cosmos will grow tall and the nasturtiums will climb up through its shade.

Nasturtium seeds require darkness to germinate. Sow seeds in the garden about the middle of March or later and cover with a half inch of soil. They are very easy to grow from seed.

 

 

Begonia Tubers are Here

Tuberous begonias are here (tubers) now and grow to bloom throughout the summer.

Select your begonia tubers now, because fewer are available this year.

Begonias are Ideal for north facing areas, they thrive in shady spots where few other plants with long bloom periods and showy flowers can grow. Gardeners like their versatility; planting them as container plants on patios and porches, in hanging baskets, and as bedding plants. Their beautiful flowers come in a variety of colors and forms. Red, orange, yellow, white, salmon and pink blooms may be plain, ruffled or fringed; their petals may have margins, crests or blotches of contrasting color.

Plant Tuberous Begonias in well-draining, rich soil, preferably in a container, (for improved drainage).

Plant in Master’s Pride Professional Potting Soil enriched with E. B. Stone Bulb Food.

Plant the cup-shaped tubers concave surface, or “cup” up and cover with just 1/2″ of soil.  Completely wet the soil and don’t water again until they begin to grow.

begonias-hanging

begonias-picote

begonias-ruffled

 

Feed begonias as they reach 2″ with Maxsea Acid Fertilizer.

 

Attracting Pollinators to the Garden

woolygHummingbirds, butterflies, beneficial insects and native pollinators bring life, joy and movement to the garden and help us appreciate the smaller miracles of the natural world. Attracting Pollinators is as simple as planting the right plants and providing shelter, nectar and larval food.

Whether gardening for pleasure or to produce edibles, attracting these small marvels of nature into your garden has never been easier or more important. Alden Lane is featuring a diverse selection of natives, perennials, and annuals each month so you can “plant it and they will come”. Visit each month to see our featured profusion of beautiful host and food source plants.

Pollinator Power
“Plant it and They will Come”

We would like to encourage you to get your pollinator pride on by joining the nationwide “Million Pollinator Garden Challenge” sponsored by the National Pollinator Garden network. The network is rallying us all, from window box gardeners to those with yards and larger properties, to help ensure the health of our local flora and fauna. It’s as easy as visiting their website www.millionpollinatorgardens.org or visiting Twitter #PolliNation and registering your garden.

 

Roses Coming

Our 2018 Collection of Roses are Arriving!

Several trucks full of roses are making their way from our suppliers growing ground near Fresno to our rose department.  This week we are setting out over 1000 roses. How about blessing a loved one with a rose garden for Christmas?

Our roses are produced by a number of growers and our first are arriving now. Shrub roses, climbers and patio tree roses were off-loaded this morning and set into place. Tomorrow standard tree roses will arrive. Next week more growers will ship bringing the rose department to about 80% full for the year. The balance will arrive early in the new year.

Check back here for updates and more details as the collection grows.

 

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