July Color in the Garden

July 5, 2023

Aaahhh summer! The living is easier.

Summer is definitely the time to enjoy your garden and patio. July is the summer midpoint and a good time to take a second look at those flowerbeds – do they need a face-lift? We have just what you need in the blooming department.

By adding Soil Moist granules in the planting soil you’ll save 50% of your water.

Marigolds – Marigolds are summer blooming flowers whose colors range from pale yellow through bright orange and then dark rust. They are a favorite for full sun, coming in various heights from 6 to 24″. Brushing against the leaves releases its unique fragrance. Marigolds are said to be excellent companion plants, repelling some of the undesirable small sucking insects.

Petunias – Petunias fill a niche beautifully with their saucer-shaped flowers with a range from pinks through reds and purples. Petunias like sunny locations and can tumble nicely down the side of a pot or basket.

Zinnias – 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. Keep zinnias consistently moist but not soggy; allowing the top inch of soil to dry between watering once plants are established.

Vinca – If you love the look & profusion of impatiens but need something that thrives in full sun, annual vinca is a great choice. Enjoy an abundance of small, colorful flowers all summer long and well into our warm fall.

Loads of flower colors to choose from and the deep green leaves are always attractive.

Cosmos – White, rose or dark pink “daisy style” flowers. It is available in a variety of sizes from compact to nearly 4 foot tall. Cosmos have finely textured foliage and is capped by the colorful blooms each with a sunny-colored ‘eye’. hardy through the first frosts.

Container Gardening

July 5, 2023

Almost everything that grows in the ground will also grow in containers, and the portability of container gardening means you can bring plants to the patio, and enjoy a summer retreat with the beauty, color, texture, and vibrance that living plants bring.

Containers allow you to have a portable garden that you can rearrange whenever the mood strikes. Containers also provide perfect drainage, so plants thrive as long as you provide adequate water and correct sun exposure.

Perennial Gardens
Colorful annuals with perennials in containers make a winning combination. Annuals provide constant color and perennials give interesting textures, foliage color, and flowers. Perennials come in many different sizes and can provide dramatic foliage as a focal point for your moveable garden. Perennials bloom at varying times of the year, so there’s always something of interest blooming in your containers. And as the perennials grow, they provide a bigger and more beautiful display every year.

Fragrant Herb Gardens
Make your herbs a decorative centerpiece this summer. Arrange your favorite herbs in a ceramic planter, wine barrel, or fill a hanging moss basket with herbs. Put thyme, rosemary, and oregano on the sides of the basket and borage, parsley, sage, basil, and chives in the top of the basket. Fertilize twice a month. We suggest that you use Master’s Pride Professional Potting Soil and E.B. Stone Sure Start Organic Fertilizer. Both products will help you grow the best herbs in the neighborhood. Once you’ve selected your container and you’re ready to plant, remember we carry a large selection of herbs including some of the favorites such as basil, chives, dill, fennel, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon.

Sweet Scented Citrus Gardens
If you’re looking for a plant that does it all – look no further than citrus. It’s a plant for all seasons. You have shiny leaves, fragrant flowers, showy fruit and to top it off you can plant the dwarf varieties in large containers. Lemons, limes & kumquats do well in partial shade while sweeter citrus such as oranges, grapefruit, tangerines need full sun. Citrus shows off its colorful fruit in winter when many plants are dormant.

Small Trees There are a number of smaller trees that are very happy to live in containers and can add visual “green” interest to a place where that might be missing. In addition to the citrus mentioned above, consider a “Little Ollie” non-fruiting olive tree or perhaps a Japanese maple.

An excellent soil mix is Master’s Pride Professional Potting Soil with the addition of Soil Moist water holding granules. The granules absorb many times their weight in water and release it as needed and will cut your watering frequency in half. These products will help you grow bigger, tastier vegetables and more beautiful flowers.

July Garden Checklist

June 28, 2023

Mulching makes the summer easier on your garden. It retains moisture and helps minimize weeds. Use a four-inch layer of nugget, micro, black or shredded cedar bark for the best results. Make sure to leave a 6″ space around the plant stems.

Spruce up the garden with pots of red-white-blue petunias for the holiday. We have lots of instant color flowers to make holiday parties and barbeques all the more enjoyable. Shop before or after the holiday because we close the nursery for July 4th.

Pay a little extra attention to your roses this month, water deeply and mulch around the root zone.

Now is a great time to enjoy water gardening. It can be as small as a large pot or as grand as an in-ground pond.

Tasty, crunchy vegetables, juicy tomatoes, crisp peppers, and tender beans all benefit from regular fertilizing during their growing season. We recommend E.B. Stone Organic Tomato & Vegetable Food.

Look out for cucumber beetles! They are active and hungry during late summer. These green ladybug-look-a-likes eat all but the veins of leaves and flowers, leaving lace like skeletons and devouring whole plants in no time. Use Captain Jack’s Spinosad for the best results.

Plant Crape Myrtles now. These sun and heat-loving summer bloomers come in shrub and tree form. Choose from white, red, lavender, and many shades of pink.

Summer Gardening Tips

June 28, 2023

Summer gardening is a bit different here in the Livermore Valley. There are days the cooling layer of fog barely reaches the Oakland Hills let alone Livermore. So take some hot weather precautions for your garden to protect it from the withering temperatures. Glance through our gardening tips for some great ideas.

Watering
The blazing hot sun of summer and a warm afternoon breeze can pull the water out of plant life like air out of a balloon. Any plant, but especially newly planted ones will appreciate having water very nearby. Give new plants a good thorough soaking, making sure their root ball gets wet from their tips to their toes.

Building a berm or basin around each plant is especially helpful. You can see the difference between those that have a basin, and those that don’t after just a few weeks. Those that do – flourish. Build a basin which holds one gallon of water for one-gallon plants; 5 gallons of water for 5-gallon plants; and 15 gallons of water for 15-gallon plants.

Discourage surface rooting by providing supplemental deep waterings. We suggest three such soaks one in early summer, one in mid-summer and a third in late summer. Starting at the trunk lay a soaker hose on the ground and continue around the tree in a spiral fashion until you get to the drip line (the edge of the foliage down to the ground). Turn the water on ever so slowly and let it soak for 24 hours straight.

Water your garden in the morning. It’s best to water on the RISING temperature. It helps to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases in your garden. An exception would be on those extra hot days when early evening watering is fine.

MULCH! Mulch! Mulch! Spread 3 to 4 inches of mulch around shrubs and trees. Leave a six-inch area open around the trunk of the tree so it can breathe. Mulching helps retain moisture and keeps the roots cool.

Put shut-off valves on all your hoses. This way, you can turn off the water as you move from place to place.

Check the sprinklers. Replace damaged ones. Clean out clogged heads. Adjust so they aren’t watering sidewalks and driveways.

Use Polymer gel “Soil Moist” in your potting soil when planting sunny container plants. Soil Moist water holding polymer will cut your watering in half. It’s great for the plants to provide extended even moisture and great for you… less watering to do on hot summer days. This soil additive is a must in thirsty hanging moss baskets.

Water each plant thoroughly if in a container. At the nursery, we water frequently in the summer heat. The correct procedure is to flood the containerized plant until the water runs slightly over the top sides of the container and drains out the bottom of the pot.

How often do I water? This is a frequently asked question. You are the best judge because you know the surroundings better than we do. Test the soil around the plant. Water thoroughly if needed. Allow the plant to go slightly dry before watering thoroughly again. After 2 or 3 times of following this procedure, you will know the intervals of days the plant can go without watering again.

Remember, if there is a drastic change of temperature; either way, it will affect your watering schedule. As a rule of thumb, hanging baskets need to be checked once or twice daily. In hot spells, moving hanging baskets to cooler shade temporarily is not out of the question.

Tropical Planting

June 20, 2023

Tropical plants such as Palms, Hibiscus, Lantana, Bougainvillea, Bird of Paradise, Rose of Sharon are a sampling of the plants that will transport you to the tropics – and most are water-wise.

These hot summer lovers will add a splash of color and texture to your landscape, train bougainvilleas up a south or west-facing wall. The warmth of the wall will encourage early bloom and offer some cold protection in the winter.

Hibiscus are stunning in pots. What a great accent for your sunny porch or patio and since they’re in containers they’re easy to move away from winter’s chill.

Rose of Sharon is a hardy hibiscus producing lovely blossoms mid-summer. No cold protection needed.

Lantana comes in trailing and shrub forms and will bloom summer through fall. Bring on the heat for these nonstop blooming sun lovers.

Whatever you are looking for we are here and very happy to help . . . So please come by and let us do just that.

Bougainvilleas

We have gorgeous bougainvilleas to train up a south or west-facing wall that will give you sheets of color all summer long. Choose from a variety of tropical colors. Don’t forget to ask for planting directions as they have sensitive root systems and will need frost protection in winter.

Tropical Hibiscus

Bring shades of Hawaii to your plantings with glossy leaved tropical hibiscus, again in lots of vibrant colors like red, yellow and pink. We have these both in bush and patio tree forms, to give instant height to your garden. Plant these in a protected spot in the garden as they require shelter from the frost and wind. Hibiscus love sun and heat. They bloom late spring through the fall.

Rose of Sharon

A deciduous, frost hardy member of the Hibiscus family is the Rose of Sharon. It produces stunning flowers in the summer and makes an excellent single stemmed tree as well as a large shrub.

Cordylines & Phormiums

Add tropical texture with the addition of Cordylines and Phormiums. Both have sword-like leaves but attain different heights. Cordyline is an exceptional plant to use for height and texture in container plantings. Available with bronze/red or green foliage.

Phormiums or New Zealand Flax are big dramatic plants with sword-like leaves. They produce red or yellow flower clusters on stems that reach high above the leaves. Available in foliage colors ranging from purple-red, bronze, purple and variegated with green leaves with a creamy white stripe. Available in varieties with varying heights from 3-9′.

The tropical Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, and Banana are frost tender but can survive in the Tri-Valley area. They may freeze back to the ground in harsh winters but should re-grow. In sheltered spots or mild winters, they should be fine, but we recommend the use of insulated fleece blankets and bags, plus non-LED type Christmas lights to add a little extra warmth on those cold winter nights. Planting in pots also means that you can move them into a more sheltered position at the end of the season.

Gardening with Kids

June 14, 2023

Kids and gardening seem to go hand in hand. Dirt itself has a natural draw for children, as is the magic of planting a seed and discovering its power to change and morph and grow. If you have kids in your life, include them in the gardening process by planting with them or at least with them in mind.

Many childhood memories are formed in the garden and can be re-triggered later in life when certain smells re-enter consciousness. Many plants offer unique color, texture or olfactory stimulation, and of course many are edible!

Here are some plants you can place into a garden today that may be of particular interest for kids!

Radishes

Radishes from seed are extremely quick to germinate and grow to fruition within just 3 to 4 weeks from seed packet to table; radishes are the fastest way to illustrate the harvest cycle from start to finish.

Marigolds

Marigolds planted from seed have child-appeal partly due to the bright orange or yellow color and also for the distinct fragrance of the crushed leaf. Do you remember your first marigold? Marigolds are also kid-friendly because as the flower fades, the center can be tugged away to reveal the seeds as they form. These can be dried and planted again (and again), teaching the circle of life.

Cherry Tomatoes

They pop in your mouth, bite-sized, juicy, and growing at just the right height to harvest whenever a child needs a natural snack. Cherry Tomatoes climbs like a vine and can cover a trellis or arbor in a season.

Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums, being both colorful and edible, naturally lend themselves to gardening with children. A few seeds set into a semi-shady spot will sprout and clamber to grace a corner with mildly spicy flowers and foliage.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are awe-inspiring both in the garden or as a cut flower on the table. Plant the “mammoth” giant blooms but don’t overlook the smaller branching ones that can be cut for a bouquet and tend to rebloom.

Pumpkins

Everyone knows that pumpkins have child appeal. The value of a pumpkin planted and harvested from one’s garden is immeasurably more memorable and valuable than one purchased from the supermarket.

Mint

A little mint underfoot will fill the air with the fragrance of so many familiar sweets. Tuck some in a shady spot near the hose spigot where it will soak up the spills. Beware! It travels and spreads if you are not looking. Mint can be invasive, so grow in a pot.

Thyme

Thyme is easy to grow and full of the familiar scent of pizza. It is always good to show kids that their food comes from the earth. Vegetable and herb gardens drive this point home.

There are dozens of more options for growing a kids’ garden. Consider planting veggies in with your ornamentals as long as you treat all with vegetable safe care products. Pumpkins and tomatoes can grow right in with the roses and perennials. The basic idea is to enrich the lives of the little set and provide some memories that will linger with them!

June Gardening Checklist

May 30, 2023

Plant vegetable plants. Remember to protect them from hungry snails, bugs, slugs & earwigs with Sluggo Plus.

Before your cherries and other summer fruit begin to ripen, protect them from hungry birds with bird scare tape (shiny tape that moves in the wind), plastic netting, and plastic owls.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?!!! Tomato hornworms, as well as geranium budworms and other caterpillars, are ready to munch on your garden. Control them with earth-friendly, all-natural Monterey B.t. Caterpillar Killer (available in concentrate or ready-to-use).

Before you have trouble with blossom end rot on your tomatoes, use Foli-cal. Blossom end rot creates a leathery brown patch at the bottom end of a tomato and is evidence of insufficient calcium.

Remember to water plants under eaves and in hidden corners. Soak hanging baskets and container plants during the summer heat.

Water trees and shrubs deeply. Begin deep watering with a garden or soaker hose now and continue monthly through the hot summer months.

Flowering Vines Grace Garden Walls with Color

May 24, 2023

Flowering vines add color, texture and a vertical element to the garden

***Yellow Lady Banks Rose (we are out of yellow, but have the white available)***

The vine section is showing color now as spring unfolds. Wisterias, Jasmine and Lady Banks Rose are showing off, others will follow shortly.

Growing a vine up a trellis or along the top of a wall, or over an arbor will give a splash of color or screen a view. Vines provide a cooling effect by reducing the intensity of reflected light, casting a puddle of shade. They are great for creating layers in a garden without using a lot of space. Vines provide a background for other plants and add a contrasting texture. Consider creating a focal point by planting a vine to grow up an obelisk or topiary.

Let vines help set the mood or reinforce your theme, whether you are recreating a bit of Europe, aiming for an English cottage-style garden or drawing inspiration from the tropics.

Shade a patio by covering a pergola with a large vine or grape. Vines are a versatile set of plants to provide a dynamic, exciting look to your garden.

We love the following short list of great performing vines:

Blooming now

Pink Jasmine is a beautiful and fragrant evergreen climber that is easy to keep to a manageable 10’. It is lovely when placed left and right of an entry arbor.
Lady Banks Rose is a thornless yellow or white vine that blooms once a year and has the impressive ability to raise the height of a fence by about 2’, creating a perfect privacy screen.
Honeysuckle offers a profuse show of fragrant white blossoms. Good for covering a fence or bank.
Clematis can provide masses of white or shades of purple flowers midsummer through fall.

Blooming soon

Climbing Roses make a stunning, colorful cover for arbors or a wall. Many colorful options abound. Some will reach 12 or more feet and provide a beautiful frame for a country garden.
Morning Glory is a free-flowering informal vine perfect for an English Cottage-style or country gardens.
Pink Bower Vine blooms intermittently through the warm months providing a tropical-like look to sunny or part sun areas.

Blooming or fruiting later

Vine Lilac can handle sun or shade and blooms purple in late January/early February when little else is happening.
Grapes are fruitful performers whether you plant table grapes or wine grapes or plant a California native, like Rodger’s red to say, “California.”

Recently bloomed

Wisteria is a massive, rampant climber best suited for a large patio cover or pergola. Cooke’s Purple will flower intermittently through summer as well as a big splash in March/April.

Most vines mentioned here can enjoy living with occasional water… especially if you plant in well-prepared soil, and mulch to improve moisture retention.

Zinnias: Sow and Grow

May 16, 2023

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 10, 2023

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.

Category: gardening