Spray with Bonide Liquid Copper Fungicide or Monterey Liqui-Cop. If rains occur within 48 hours of applying, reapply spray.

Clean Up Your Garden

Debris will harbor insects and diseases. A good general garden clean-up, removing leaves, spent flower heads, old fruits, nuts, dead and broken branches eliminates insect and disease hiding places. Although a potential problem in the garden, these materials are perfect candidates for the compost pile as long as your compost pile generates sufficient heat to kill insects, their eggs, and diseases. For more information, visit www.stopwaste.org

Houseplants, just like people, need to adjust to winter conditions. Without making some seasonal changes, our houseplants may begin to look unhealthy. Visible symptoms include sudden leaf loss, leaf tips turning brown, and a generally droopy or wilted appearance.

Reduce Watering

Houseplants experience a slower rate of growth during the cold weather, and some even go completely dormant. Because of this, they need a little less water during the winter months. Allow your plants soil to dry out more than usual during this time. The top surface soil might appear dry, but you should poke your finger into the soil and check to see if it is dry an inch or two below the surface.

Watch the Temperature

Windows can get chilly in the winter time, so it’s best to move your plants away from them. Additionally, you should make sure to move your plants away from doors that might bring in a cold draft. Be careful not to put your plants near a hot vent or other sources of heat. Fluctuations in temperature can kill houseplants just as easily as prolonged periods of heat or cold.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Pothos tolerate a wide range of environments. They can do well in bright indirect light (just be careful to keep them out of direct sunlight!) as well as low light. If you choose a highly variegated they may not grow as well in low light. A good rule of thumb is the lighter the colors, the more light they require. They could lose their variegation if the light is too low.

Pothos will thrive in nutrient rich soil, but have been known to do almost as well in nutrient poor soil. You can opt to fertilize your pothos plant every few months (about 4x per year). This will help the plant grow more quickly. One of the great things about pothos is that they grow fairly quickly!

While pothos plants are an easy to care for houseplant, you should be aware that they are considered toxic. Some people experience skin irritation on contact with the sap. Keep pothos out of reach of cats, dogs and children.

With all the crazy in the world around us, we are lucky to be here every day at the Nursery surrounded by plants. As we have mentioned, there are so many benefits to adding plants to your interior or spending time outside in nature. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits. Concentration & Memory Being around plants has been shown in multiple studies to improve concentration and memory. People who are around nature performed better and with greater accuracy. Attention span and memory performance can benefit by being in a natural environment which helps to successfully complete tasks. Plants and Flowers Generate Happiness It goes without saying that having plants and flowers around improves people’s moods. That’s why we send them to our friends in the hospital! The natural aesthetic is soothing and reduces stress levels. When stress levels are lowered, your positive energy and outlook grow. They offer pleasing visual stimulation and an increase in perceived happiness which helps improve overall mental health. Health & Recreation Being inspired by your natural surroundings can increase desire to move. Your body and mind benefit from continued movement and physical activity. Increase physical activity makes you less susceptible to physical ailments and more resilient when a minor illness comes along. The soothing powers of just seeing plants help you heal more quickly when illness does occur. Improved Relationships People who spend time taking care of plants are more likely to have better relationships with others. Taking time to think of someone or something and their needs instead of your own develops compassion and empathy. Extended contact with nature encourages people to want to better their environment and the people in it. We would love to help you find a way to be “under the influence” of plants.

We have talked a lot over the last few months about the many great benefits of houseplants – they remove pollutants from the air, add oxygen, reduce stress, etc. If you are looking for an easy houseplant that offers these benefits, consider a ZZ plant.

The ZZ plant, which is short for Zamioculcas zamiifolia, thrives in a number of adverse indoor environments that might challenge another plant. Regarding light, the ZZ plant prefers to be in indirect light (meaning away from windows and direct sun). It even works in offices with fluorescent light or a room that doesn’t have windows!

The deep green leaves look tropical, but it actually is a succulent. It has rhizomes (bulbs under the soil that store water) so it is naturally adapted to survive long periods without water. During the cooler months, the ZZ plant only needs to be watered about once a month or so – when the top inch or two of the soil gets completely dry. During the warmer months, you will need to offer your plant more water. Make sure you get to know your plant throughout the year as your indoor conditions vary and with it your plant’s water needs. A sure way to kill it is to overwater it!

Another great feature of the ZZ plant is that it has very few pest and disease problems. It also doesn’t need to be fertilized much – maybe a small application in spring and summer.

Looking to purify the air in your home? Houseplants to the rescue. These air cleaning plants will help you remove toxins and improve air quality.

1. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

One of the easiest houseplants to care for. It likes light, but can live in lower light. They like to dry out between waterings. It’s trailing, heart shaped leaves come in different colors.

2. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

Peace Lilies are another easy plant. Their glossy leaves & white flowers make them a great addition to any room. They can tolerate lower light, are very happy in bright indirect light and love water.

3. Philodendron

Another heart-shaped leaf, philodendron is a welcome addition to indoor spaces. They are relatively easy to care for. They just need moderate water and bright, indirect sunlight.

4. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plants are a favorite of new plant parents or those with a bad track record. They thrive in bright, indirect sunlight and tolerate a wide temperature range.

5. Rubber plants (Ficus elastica)

These popular ornamental plants are hardy indoor addition. They love bright, filtered light and weekly* watering in summer (you can go to twice a month in winter). Rubber plants can vary in size. They will grow in a small pot or can be encouraged into a larger indoor tree.

*watering frequency varies with pot size, light and room temperature.

6. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata v. Bostoniensis)

This lovely fern with sword-shaped fronds makes it perfect for a hanging basket or plant stand. The Boston Fern likes a more humid environment and requires consistent moisture – think about your bathroom. They do like bright indirect sunlight near windows, balconies and patios.

7. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas)

If you are looking for a unique, easy care plant, consider a ZZ Plant. They do well in low light to medium and like to dry out completely between watering.

8. Dracaena

Dracaena are another statement plant as they can grow up to ceiling height. They have one of the widest range of “looks” – colors and width of leaves vary quite dramatically. These guys love indirect sunlight and can survive in lower light than many. They definitely won’t do direct sunlight.

9. Ficus/Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)

Like many of it’s air purifying friends, the ficus prefers bright, indirect sunlight. They enjoy regular water and like to dry out between drinks.

10. Snake Plant/Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)

One of our customer favorites is the Sansevieria or Snake Plant. It is a succulent plant that grows fairly straight upright. Sansevieria is a low-maintenance plant that is hardy and thrives on neglect. It is one of the few houseplants that continues to produce oxygen round the clock. This plant needs to go dry between waterings!

Chrysanthemums just say “Fall”! We will have many wonderful colors to choose from. Use in the garden, for pots and for seasonal indoor decorating. Come in and check out what’s new.

Sow flower seeds. Many wildflowers and spring annuals grow from seeds scattered now. Try California Poppy, Bachelor Button and Alyssum.

Feed your fruit trees one last time until March for increased vigor in the spring. Use E.B.Stone or Master’s Fruit and Vine Food.

September is a wonderful time to set out winter vegetables and flowers. We will have a full range of cool-season seedlings by the middle of the month. Plant root crops like carrots, radishes, and beets from seed now.

Revitalize your lawn now with these easy steps: Thatch, aerate, add Iron Sulfate, Gypsum, seed, Master Start Fertilizer and top with Gold Rush. 

Attend to acid-loving plants such as camellias, gardenias, and azaleas now. Feed them this month with Master’s Camellia, Azalea, Gardenia, Rhododendron Food. In October start feeding with Master Bloom 0-10-10 Fertilizer monthly through March. For Gardenias, continue the acid fertilizer through November then transition to the Master Bloom.

Start working now to prevent fall weeds. Apply Bonide Weed Preventer plus Lawn Food. This product does a great job of creating a protective barrier to prevent the pesky annual bluegrass. If you plan to reseed your lawn next month, delay this application.

It’s time to start planting winter vegetables from seed! The cabbage family members, root crops, and leafy vegetables such as broccoli, beets, carrots, radishes, onions, spinach, and chard are ready to be planted this month from seed. (Farmers in the valley are planting winter vegetable crops from seed this month.) Planting from seed now allows for a deep, established root system and a very long growing season resulting in larger harvests. Starter plants will start arriving when the weather cools (probably mid-September).

Aphids are usually found in clusters on the underside of new leaves or stems where they feed. Aphids are attracted to plants with new growth because they prefer to feed on young, tender plant tissue. Aphids feed by piercing plant tissues and sucking out the sap. This can cause leaves to curl, yellow, or drop prematurely.

There are several approaches to fighting aphids on crape myrtle trees:

1. The first line of defense is to blast them off with a strong stream of water daily
2. Horticultural Oil or Neem Oil (only if less than 90 degrees)
3. Spray with all-natural Take Down Garden Spray = oil + pyrethrin (fast kill of insects) (only if less than 90 degrees)
4. Introduce natural enemies such as ladybugs
5. Control the ant population

Any of these approaches may need to be repeated as aphids quickly reproduce.