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2024 Spring Rose Show – April 20
Saturday, April 20th
7:00 am Enter Exhibits
10:00 am Entries Close
10:15 am Judging Begins
1:00 pm Show Opens to the Public
4:00 pm Show Closes
April Vegetable Guide
Vegetable Gardens Start This Month!
April is a great month to start planting your vegetable garden. We have seeds, seedlings, and four-inch plants to help get you going. Once the danger of frost has passed you can set out tomatoes, eggplant and pepper starts.
As temperatures warm plant watermelon, cucumbers, pumpkins, beans, and more. Melons, cucumbers, basil are very cold sensitive. We have a great selection of tomato cages, organic snail and bug baits, and vegetable fertilizer along with tips for good growing. Stop by and see us soon!
Vegetable | Plant Time | Amount Family of 4 |
Special Notes | Plant Now |
---|---|---|---|---|
Artichoke | Year ’round | 3 – 4 plants | Permanent, perennial. | 4″ Pots |
Beans, String | April – May Then later again in July and August | 15 – 25 ft. row | Suitable for a small garden. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. | From Starts or Seeds |
Beets | February – April then later again in August | 10 – 15 ft. row | Suitable for a small garden. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. | From Seeds |
Cantaloupes/Other melons | April – June | 5 – 10 hills | Soil must be warm. | From Starts or Seeds |
Carrots | Year ’round | 20 – 30 ft. row | Suitable for a small garden. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. | From Seeds |
Chives | Year ’round | 1 clump | Suitable for a small garden. | From Starts or Seeds |
Corn, sweet | April – July | 20 – 30 ft. row | Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. Soil must be warm. | From Starts or Seeds |
Cucumbers | April – July | 6 plants | N/A | From Seeds or Starts |
Eggplant | April – June | 4 – 6 plants | Suitable for a small garden. Ok in morning sun | From Starts |
Parsley | Year ’round | 1 – 2 plants | Suitable for a small garden. | From Starts |
Peppers | April – July | 5 – 10 plants | Suitable for a small garden | From Starts |
Pumpkins | April – June | 1 – 3 plants | N/A | From Starts or seeds |
Radishes | Year ’round | 4 ft. row | Suitable for a small garden. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. | From Seed |
Squash, summer | April – July | 2 – 4 plants | Suitable for a small garden. | From Starts or seeds |
Squash, winter | March – September | 2 – 4 plants | Known as winter Squash because it stores over winter but it grows in summer-fall. | From Starts or seeds |
Strawberries | March – September | 12+ plants | Bare root in November – 6-Pack arriving in Feb. | 6-Packs |
Tomatoes | March – July | 6 – 10 plants | Suitable for a small garden. Weather permitting, starting in March is possible. | From Starts |
Turnips | February – August | 10 – 15 ft. row | Suitable for a small garden. | From Seeds |
Watermelons | April – June | 6 plants | N/A | From Starts or Seeds |
Alden Lane Garden Rewards Program
We are so excited to offer our customers an incentive for shopping with us.
Purchases made during the months of April, May & October earn Garden Reward Points (formerly known as Bonus Dollars) which can be redeemed in the month of August or between Thanksgiving and December 24th.
During April/May and October, your purchases will accumulate points in our Garden Rewards program at the register. Make sure you identify yourself to the cashier! Your receipt will show a running total of your accumulated points.
When you shop in August or Thanksgiving through December 24th and have Garden Reward points available, our cashier will be alerted and let you know. You have the option to redeem the points for that purchase or save them for a future purchase.
New Garden Reward points will function just like old Bonus Dollars. Each point is worth one dollar. One point is earned for every 10 dollars spent from April 1st through May 31st and during the month of October.
Garden Reward points can be used for up to 50% of your purchases in August or between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. For example, if you have 10 Garden Reward points, you may use all 10 on a purchase of $20 or more, paying the balance with US Dollars. Garden Reward points do not expire.
Garden Reward points are more flexible than Bonus Dollars or Holiday Dollars as they can be redeemed either season, August or between Thanksgiving and December 24th.
You may convert your paper Bonus Dollars to Garden Reward points at any time. If you have a handful of Bonus Dollars and you want to tidy up your coupon box, bring them in, we’ll convert them for you. A balance will show on each of your receipts going forward.
Garden Reward points are not valid with other discounts or coupons. They are not valid on sod or sale items. Sales are limited to stock on hand, and they are not redeemable for cash. Garden Reward points cannot be redeemed outside of the redemption season.
4″ Vegetables as of 3-21-24
Here is a list of the vegetables that have come in on this week’s orders. There is no guarantee about specific availability when you visit. We have lots of fun varieties to try this year!
Eggplant
Black Egg
Cloud Nine
Fairy Tale
Ichiban
Millionaire
Nadia
Pintung Long
Rosa Bianca
Shikou
Garlic
Early Italian Purple
Spanish Roja
Pepper
Anaheim
Better Belle IV
Calabrian
Cascabella
Chicago Hot Dog
Chile de Arbol
Chipotle
Fresh Bites Orange
Fresno
Golden Cal Wonder
Habanero
Habanero Orange
Hatch Green Chile
Italian Roaster
Jalapeño
Jalapeño Purple
Jalapeño Sweet Popper
Jimmy Nardello
Manzano Orange
Marchant Italian Pickling
Mini Chocolate Bell
Mini Red Bell
Mini Yellow Bell
Orange Sun
Pablano/Ancho
Padron
Red Knight
Santa Fe Grande
Scorpion
Serrano
Shishito
Sriracha Hybrid
The Big Early
Yum Yum Mix
Pumpkin
Dill’s Atlantic Giant
Jack O’Lantern
Squash
Anton
Bush Baby
Gold Rush
Sunburst
Zucchini
Strawberry
Chandler
Fort Laramie
White Soul
Tomatillo
Cisneros
De Milpa
Purple
Verde Puebla
Beefmaster
Berkeley Tye Dye
Black Cherry
Black Zebra
Brad’s Atomic Grape
Brandywine Red
Brandywine Yellow
Carbon
Cherokee Purple
Chocolate Sprinkles
Copia Striped
Costoluto Genovese
Dr. Wyche’s Yellow
Early Girl
Grape
Green Zebra
Helix
Hybrid Cherokee Caron
Hybrid Genuwine
Hybrid Jersey Boy
Hybrid Marzinera
Hybrid Perfect Flame
Invincible
Jetsetter
Mortgage LifterPatio
Pear Red
Pear Yellow
Premio
Purple Zebra
San Francisco Fog
San Marzano Redorta
Snow White
Stellar
Stupice
Sugar Rush
Sun Gold
Super Fantastic
Sweet Baby Girl
Tazmanian Chocolate
Vintage Wine
Drift Roses
Colorful & Classy Groundcover
Drift Roses are prolific bloomers, disease resistant, low maintenance, drought tolerant, and best of all, attractive garden and landscape focal points in themselves. In addition to being an excellent choice for general “ground covers”, their size and versatility make them an ideal addition to smaller gardens, combination planters and even container gardens and hanging baskets where their attractive good looks provide dimensions of color and foliage probably unavailable through any other means.
Since the Drifts were specially created to be ground cover roses, they have a low growing characteristic 1½’ tall and 2′ wide. And beautiful colors including white, pink, peach, coral, red & soft yellow. We are currently well stocked with plants that are continuous bloomers from spring to early frost; they are naturally dwarf, with very dark glossy attractive foliage.
As ground covers, Drift roses kept the best of their parent pedigrees — they are a cross between full-size groundcover roses and miniatures. From the former they kept the toughness, vigor, disease resistance and winter hardiness. From the miniatures, they inherited their well-managed size and repeat-blooming nature. To top it off, Drift Roses are easy to establish and are low maintenance landscape plants.
With all these benefits and good looks too, it is no mystery that Drift Roses are becoming one of our Valley’s most popular flowering plant options. If you have been looking for a way to add a fresh new look to your to garden and landscape check out Drift Roses.
Prevent Wormy Apples – Controlling Codling Moths
If you have apple trees and want to monitor codling moths to determine the best time to spray, use our Codling Moth Traps.
Periodically looking into the trap in search of captured moths will alert you as to when the moths are present and therefore when to spray.
When codling moths first appear (usually when about 3/4 of the flower petals have fallen from the tree), wait one week and spray every 10 days with Captain Jack’s, (Spinosad) for 3 applications.
Replace traps monthly and repeat spray regime after additional generations of moths are trapped.
Check out the UC Cooperative Extension Service website for more detailed options.
Let Spring’s Floral Fireworks Begin
March brings our “Bud Break” Season. Spring bloomers are waking up from their winter rest and are ready to put on a SHOW! Here are some of our favorites.
Plums, almonds, pears, apples, peaches & nectarines lead the way when it comes to ornamental and fruit-bearing trees. Ranging from white to soft pink, blossoms light up the bare branches. As the petals release and flutter in the breeze, we enjoy our version of a soft snowfall.
Magnolias are real show stoppers. Their big fuzzy buds will give way to the tulip and daisy-shaped flowers. The architecture of the plant coupled with stunning lavender to white blossoms is a real eye-catcher. Find a garden spot that has a shade break in the heat of the afternoon and these plants will thrive for years.
Forsythias are easy to grow and real knockouts. When you see lemon yellow flowers covering its branches, you know spring is around the corner. Plant in full to half day sun nestled into your evergreen border and it will surprise you each year with its sunny blooms.
Enjoy the Spring Garden Color Explosion!
March Garden Checklist
Feed! Feed! Feed! It’s time to refresh your garden plants. Fertilize all of your plants to support spring growth. For landscape shrubs and trees feed with Master’s Formula 49 All Purpose Plant Food. If you have citrus or avocado trees, use Master’s Citrus Food. Early March is an ideal time to start feeding fruit trees, grapes, and berries. We recommend Master’s Fruit Tree & Vine Food for the nutrition your plants need to produce the best crop ever! Your roses will appreciate a monthly feeding of Master’s Rose & Flower Food.
Prune azaleas and camellias into shape after their blooms have faded. Feed them with Master’s Camellia, Azalea and Gardenia Food and Iron Plus monthly through October.
Place Yellow Jacket traps out early this month to catch the queen before she starts her family. Prevention is the best cure!
Give your lawn “a meal – not a snack” with Master Green Lawn Food.
Control snails with organic Sluggo Plus and pet-safe Sluggo.
This is a good time to think about lawn renovation.
Add a lilac to your garden and enjoy its fragrant spring blossoms.
Remember to plant gladiolus bulbs (corms) every two weeks, and you’ll have armloads of cut flowers through the summer.
Remember to water plants under eaves and in containers. It’s important now to deep water trees and shrubs if it isn’t raining on a regular basis. Their root systems are starting to grow now.
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!
Combat Citrus leafminer organically. Hang traps in your citrus to catch the flying adult, doing so will reduce damage to new growth of your lemons, oranges and other citrus plants.
pH Adjustment for Citrus
Citrus plants and other acid-loving plants often suffer from yellow leaves. Yellowing leaves are usually related to low fertility, alkaline soils, or low levels of available iron. Now is a good time for corrective measures.
Citrus food can address the fertility, Iron Sulfate or Soil Sulfur can improve the soil pH by steering alkaline soils toward acid, both make the existing iron in surrounding soil more available to the plant. Iron Sulfate also adds additional iron for quicker nutrient uptake.
Our citrus grower recommends a little bit of citrus fertilizer each month of the year. We offer Master Nursery Citrus Food or EB Stone Citrus Food (the organic option).
We also recommend treating the soil with either Soil Sulfur or Iron Sulfate 3 to 4 times a year. Now is an ideal time because remaining rains will carry these products down into the soil. The impending spring growth will benefit immediately from this nutrient blast. Iron products such as Iron Sulfate help prevent yellow leaves on citrus, blueberries, azaleas, camellias and also keep a lawn greener with less mowing.
Most products containing iron can stain paving. Take extra precautions to be sure you don’t stain your patio or driveway. Iron Plus will not stain.
Plants take nutrients up from the soil most efficiently when soil pH is neutral or slightly acidic. pH Adjuster Plus gently acidifies the soil and allows nitrogen, iron and other essential nutrients and elements to be released for uptake by plant roots. Apply these granular products over the soil surface and let the rain water them in. The result is a healthier, more beautiful plant with brighter, greener foliage.
pH Adjuster Plus is a pelletized soil sulfur that is much easier to apply than more conventional soil sulfur (no annoying dust).
Almost all plants will appreciate 3 to 4 applications per year, but those plants that respond most dramatically to a pH adjustment include citrus, blueberries, camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons, gardenias and other plants that develop a seasonal yellowing of the leaf related to iron deficiency. Most likely you can think of at least one plant you have around your home that suffers from leaf yellowing. Apply and then water or time your application to let winter rains do the watering for you.
Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts) has also shown to have a great greening effect. A little bit goes a long way and should only be applied twice a year; once in early spring and again in early fall.