Here is yet another good reason to avoid all Scotts Miracle-Gro products. If you can't read the whole thing at least read the fifth paragraph. Yes, I am obsessed!
Here is the link: Scotts Miracle-Gro Will Pay $12.5 Million in Crimainal Fines
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
September 2012
- FRIDAY, AUGUST 31ST IS THE LAST DAY OF THE 20% OFF TREE SALE!!!
- WE WILL BE CLOSED SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH THE 3RD FOR THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND.
- SEPTEMBER 4TH THROUGH THE 15TH ALL LAKE VALLEY AND PAGANO SEEDS ARE HALF PRICE!!!
THINGS TO DO:
Plant cool season veggies and annuals. Last month I talked about planting vegetables that like to mature when it is cool from seed but this month you can plant a lot of these same vegetables by plant. We will have Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts and more in six-packs soon. It is also time to plant Pansies, Violas, Snapdragons, Stock, Dianthus and Mums. These are plants that like cool weather. Chrysanthemums are perennials that will bloom this fall and next fall if you keep the buds pinched off until July 4th. The Pansies and Violas will flower through the winter and the Snaps and Dianthus will reward you with early spring blooms when planted now. If you still don't believe Pansies and Violas go through the winter, keep an eye on the pots outside Aunt Judy's Attic. You will be amazed! As always, amend your soil with Back to Earth Compost when planting in the ground and use Uni-Gro Potting Soil for your pots. Watch for our sign on Hwy 180 announcing the arrival of our Pansies and Veggies or subscribe to our blog and be the first to know.
Apply a winterizer fertilizer. (This is a copy of last September's blog) You will want to use Gro-Power 3-12-12. This fertilizer is low in
nitrogen but high in phosphorus and potash. Nitrogen promotes green
growth which can be damaged by freezing temperatures. Phosphorus
increases winter hardiness and stimulates healthy root growth. Since
this is the time of year that plants naturally do the majority of their
root growth, using this fertilizer will get them off to a good start
next spring. Potash or potassium produces strong, hardy stems and
trunks, promotes disease resistance and also increases winter hardiness.
The Gro-Power 3-12 12 contains 7% humic acid which encourages
beneficial microorganisms in your soil. It also includes sulphur to help
bring the alkalinity of our soil down and several micronutrients that
act as catalysts for the primary chemicals. Use this fertilizer at a
rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet of lawn or bed area and 2
tablespoons per foot of height or width for trees and shrubs. One cup
will fertilize an 8 foot tree. Lightly work the fertilizer into the soil
around the root area and water thoroughly.
PLANT OF THE MONTH:
Caryopteris x clandonensis 'White Surprise'. Bluebeard or Blue Mist Spiraea as this woody shrub is sometimes called is fast growing, a low water user and deer resistant. It grows 2-3' tall and wide, has 2" long white edged green leaves and whorls of lavender-blue flowers mid-summer through fall. It is small enough for a large pot but could also be used in a perennial bed, as a border or in mass in front of evergreens to bring out the white surprise.
 | |||
| Caryopteris x clandonensis 'White Surprise' |
 |
| Can you find the praying mantis? |
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Another Sale!
Sorry for the extra post but we have put all of our annuals on 50% OFF. This includes some nice Geraniums, Gerber Daisies, Fuschias, 6-packs, gallons, hanging baskets and much more!!! So if you need to fill in a few spots or just need a nice houseplant Silver Heights Nursery is the place for you.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tree Sale and Things To Do!
Tree Sale!!! I know a few of you have have been waiting for this so here it is. Starting July 31st and running through August all of our fruit, shade and evergreen trees are 20% off! We still have a good supply but this sale is always well received so do hurry in for the best selection.
THINGS TO DO:
Plant cool season vegetables from seed. I know it is hard to think about "cool season" anything as hot as it seems to be. But believe it or not there are cooler days ahead and there are a lot of vegetables that will enjoy maturing during those days. Plant the seed of beets, carrots, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, radishes, spinach and turnips now and they will germinate quickly in the warm soil. These crops will be ready for harvest in the fall. We have many of these seeds available from Lake Valley and Pagano and we will have cool season vegetables for sale by plants in early September.
Deadhead. I know I write about deadheading often but it is especially important this time of year if you want to encourage your landscape plants to continue to bloom and flourish through fall. Remember that the purpose of a flower is to attract pollinating insects and birds so that the plant can produce seed. Once plants start going to seed they will usually stop flowering or at least flower less. If you interrupt this cycle by removing pollinated or seed bearing blooms from your perennials and annuals they will put their energy back into producing flowers. This also keeps invasive plants from self-sowing and taking over. Prune spent flowers off to where a new bud has formed or if there is no new bud take it down to the next leaf. When the deadheads outnumber the blooms, shear the whole plant back to the foliage and it will soon rebloom. Towards the end of the season you may want to let desirable plants reseed, collect the seed, or leave it for overwintering birds to enjoy.
PLANT OF THE MONTH:
Cherry. Cherries are beautiful, vase shaped trees that flower light pink to white in spring and produce an abundance of fruit in early summer. Semi-dwarf varieties will reach 12-15' tall where regular size trees can grow to 30'. The leaves are dark green and 3-5" long with a finely toothed edge. They require a high number of chill hours (number of hours below 45 degrees before they will bloom) so reliably set fruit in our area. The biggest enemy of the fruit is birds and netting is a good defense against them. The varieties we have in stock are 'Lapins' which is a dark red sweet cherry best known as the self-fertile 'Bing', 'Stella' is another self-fertile sweet cherry that bears at a young age and is an excellent pollinizer for other sweet cherries and 'Rainier' which is a yellow sweet cherry with a red blush that has excellent bud hardiness and can be pollinated by a 'Stella'. We planted a 5 gallon 'Stella' last summer and it is already 9' tall and gave us 8 cherries this year-ok, we got 7 & the birds got 1.
THINGS TO DO:
Plant cool season vegetables from seed. I know it is hard to think about "cool season" anything as hot as it seems to be. But believe it or not there are cooler days ahead and there are a lot of vegetables that will enjoy maturing during those days. Plant the seed of beets, carrots, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, radishes, spinach and turnips now and they will germinate quickly in the warm soil. These crops will be ready for harvest in the fall. We have many of these seeds available from Lake Valley and Pagano and we will have cool season vegetables for sale by plants in early September.
Deadhead. I know I write about deadheading often but it is especially important this time of year if you want to encourage your landscape plants to continue to bloom and flourish through fall. Remember that the purpose of a flower is to attract pollinating insects and birds so that the plant can produce seed. Once plants start going to seed they will usually stop flowering or at least flower less. If you interrupt this cycle by removing pollinated or seed bearing blooms from your perennials and annuals they will put their energy back into producing flowers. This also keeps invasive plants from self-sowing and taking over. Prune spent flowers off to where a new bud has formed or if there is no new bud take it down to the next leaf. When the deadheads outnumber the blooms, shear the whole plant back to the foliage and it will soon rebloom. Towards the end of the season you may want to let desirable plants reseed, collect the seed, or leave it for overwintering birds to enjoy.
PLANT OF THE MONTH:
Cherry. Cherries are beautiful, vase shaped trees that flower light pink to white in spring and produce an abundance of fruit in early summer. Semi-dwarf varieties will reach 12-15' tall where regular size trees can grow to 30'. The leaves are dark green and 3-5" long with a finely toothed edge. They require a high number of chill hours (number of hours below 45 degrees before they will bloom) so reliably set fruit in our area. The biggest enemy of the fruit is birds and netting is a good defense against them. The varieties we have in stock are 'Lapins' which is a dark red sweet cherry best known as the self-fertile 'Bing', 'Stella' is another self-fertile sweet cherry that bears at a young age and is an excellent pollinizer for other sweet cherries and 'Rainier' which is a yellow sweet cherry with a red blush that has excellent bud hardiness and can be pollinated by a 'Stella'. We planted a 5 gallon 'Stella' last summer and it is already 9' tall and gave us 8 cherries this year-ok, we got 7 & the birds got 1.
 |
| Our 'Stella' cherry tree, 1 year old |
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Pots and Peppers!
Just got in a load of pottery. These are high-fired frost-proof pots in
deep colors and interesting shapes. Some large, round low bowls without
drain holes that could be used as birdbaths or fountains.
We have a few peppers and chilies left and they are half price!!!
See you soon.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
July 2012
THINGS TO DO:
Plant natives. Native trees, shrubs and perennials perform best when planted in warm soil, during the monsoon rains so now is a great time to plant them. They are genetically programed to grow and thrive during this season. When choosing natives keep in mind that they are not all drought tolerant or even low water plants. Some are native along waterways and need moderate water and some are understory plants that require either more water or some shade or both. Remember that drought tolerant plants are only drought tolerant once established and will need regular watering for at least a year or until they have developed an adequate root system. Plant natives from containers as you would any other container grown landscape plant, digging a hole twice as wide and 1 1/2 times as deep as the container and amending the soil with compost. You need to create a transition area from the good soil in the pot to the reality of our local soil. Do not try to dig up or move plants that are growing in their natural habitat. These are very deep rooted and will usually die when their roots are cut off. Not only will you have wasted your time and effort but you will have depleted a native species.
The natives we have in stock right now are:
Trees; Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and Berrinda Ash (Fraxinus velutina 'Berrinda')
Shrubs; Three-leaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata), Golden Currant (Ribes aureum), Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii) the yellow one that is actually cold hardy and has naturalized here, and New Mexico Olive (Forestiera neomexicana)
Perennials; Many varieties of Penstemon, Blue Flax (Linum perenne), California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Hyssop (Agastache) and Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera)
We also have a wide variety of flowering landscape plants that are not native but are very drought tolerant.
FERTILIZE ANNUAL FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. Annuals use a lot of nutrients since they only live one season while producing flowers and fruit. Adding compost and manure to your beds and fresh potting soil to your pots is a must if you want to get your plants off to a good start but they will need fertilizing throughout the growing season to ensure an abundance of flowers and a bountiful harvest of yummy veggies. If you prefer to use organic fertilizers, Yum Yum Mix, Chickity Doo Doo, Fox Farm Happy Frog and Big Bloom are all well balanced. Fox Farm Grow Big and Tiger Bloom contain earthworm castings and bat guano along with a low dose of nitrates and phosphates. The pots we planted outside of Aunt Judy's Attic are planted in Uni-Gro and have been fed Tiger Bloom on a regular basis. Soft Rock Phosphate, Bat Guano and Bone Meal are forms of phosphorus and can be added to improve root production, blooming and fruiting. Blood Meal, Fish Emulsion and Alfalfa Meal supply nitrogen for green leafy growth and Seaweed Extract is full of trace minerals and potassium for overall plant vigor and disease resistance. Be aware that prolonged use of chemical fertilizers such as Miracle Gro kill the beneficial microorganisms in your soil and produce weak growth that insects and disease find very inviting. Here is a link to an article that explains other harmful effects of chemical fertilizers Harmful Effects of Mircale Gro. Whatever you choose to fertilize with, make sure you follow package directions carefully and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
PLANT OF THE MONTH:
Grasses. Ornamental grasses can be used in containers, in a native landscape, as a screen or to add texture to a perennial bed. Some grasses are deciduous and some are evergreen and the leaves can be green, red, blue or variegated. Many produce beautiful flower plumes and seedheads. Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) is technically a giant grass that can reach a height of 6-10' with its culms growing to 2'' wide. It runs and can make a good screen by planting it in a trench that has been amended with compost and composted manure. It is cold hardy to 0 degrees and tolerates drought. Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus') grows to 5-7' tall and wide with narrow, green, upright leaves producing silvery blooms in August. The leaves then turn from an orange-red-copper fall color to tan in winter. It is a zone 5 plant (hardy to -10 to -20F) that should be cut back in spring just as the new growth starts. Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') will grow each year to 3-4' then bloom in summer and sport tan-golden seedheads in late summer. It is also very cold hardy and should be cut back in spring. Mexican Feather Grass (Nasella tenuissima aka Stipa) is the most drought tolerant grass we have. It will grow to 18-24'' tall and 2' wide and reseeds freely. The green thread-like foliage has red hues in summer and fall and the feathery seedheads are white and sway with any little breeze. Blue Lyme Grass (Elymus arenarius 'Glaucus') is a clumping grass that has gray-blue leaves and will reach a height of 2'. It would do well planted on a bank to help hold soil. It is evergreen, will take sun or shade and is hardy to 30 degrees below zero. Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) has variegated white and green leaves with hints of red. It gets 2-3' tall and wide, is hardy to -30 and can be planted in the shade. Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) forms a small, silvery blue mound 10'' tall. It has buff colored seedheads in summer and should be deadheaded to improve foliage growth. It tolerates our poor, dry soil and looks good planted in mass. Twisted Arrows (Juncus spiralis) is an evergreen clumping grass that prefers a moist somewhat shaded spot. It grows well in a pot or even a pond. It has corkscrew-like green leaves and grows to 2' by 1'. Two grasses that a great in pots are Purple Fountain Grass and Fireworks. Neither of these Pennisetums are cold hardy for our area but make a beautiful show throughout the summer and fall. This is a helpful list of the best grasses for our area; I am sure you can find a one or several that is right for your landscape. Grasses add grace, drama, and beauty to any yard while being easy to live with and are underused in the area so be a person with vision and lead the way in your neighborhood.
Plant natives. Native trees, shrubs and perennials perform best when planted in warm soil, during the monsoon rains so now is a great time to plant them. They are genetically programed to grow and thrive during this season. When choosing natives keep in mind that they are not all drought tolerant or even low water plants. Some are native along waterways and need moderate water and some are understory plants that require either more water or some shade or both. Remember that drought tolerant plants are only drought tolerant once established and will need regular watering for at least a year or until they have developed an adequate root system. Plant natives from containers as you would any other container grown landscape plant, digging a hole twice as wide and 1 1/2 times as deep as the container and amending the soil with compost. You need to create a transition area from the good soil in the pot to the reality of our local soil. Do not try to dig up or move plants that are growing in their natural habitat. These are very deep rooted and will usually die when their roots are cut off. Not only will you have wasted your time and effort but you will have depleted a native species.
The natives we have in stock right now are:
Trees; Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and Berrinda Ash (Fraxinus velutina 'Berrinda')
Shrubs; Three-leaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata), Golden Currant (Ribes aureum), Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii) the yellow one that is actually cold hardy and has naturalized here, and New Mexico Olive (Forestiera neomexicana)
Perennials; Many varieties of Penstemon, Blue Flax (Linum perenne), California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Hyssop (Agastache) and Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera)
We also have a wide variety of flowering landscape plants that are not native but are very drought tolerant.
FERTILIZE ANNUAL FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. Annuals use a lot of nutrients since they only live one season while producing flowers and fruit. Adding compost and manure to your beds and fresh potting soil to your pots is a must if you want to get your plants off to a good start but they will need fertilizing throughout the growing season to ensure an abundance of flowers and a bountiful harvest of yummy veggies. If you prefer to use organic fertilizers, Yum Yum Mix, Chickity Doo Doo, Fox Farm Happy Frog and Big Bloom are all well balanced. Fox Farm Grow Big and Tiger Bloom contain earthworm castings and bat guano along with a low dose of nitrates and phosphates. The pots we planted outside of Aunt Judy's Attic are planted in Uni-Gro and have been fed Tiger Bloom on a regular basis. Soft Rock Phosphate, Bat Guano and Bone Meal are forms of phosphorus and can be added to improve root production, blooming and fruiting. Blood Meal, Fish Emulsion and Alfalfa Meal supply nitrogen for green leafy growth and Seaweed Extract is full of trace minerals and potassium for overall plant vigor and disease resistance. Be aware that prolonged use of chemical fertilizers such as Miracle Gro kill the beneficial microorganisms in your soil and produce weak growth that insects and disease find very inviting. Here is a link to an article that explains other harmful effects of chemical fertilizers Harmful Effects of Mircale Gro. Whatever you choose to fertilize with, make sure you follow package directions carefully and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
PLANT OF THE MONTH:
Grasses. Ornamental grasses can be used in containers, in a native landscape, as a screen or to add texture to a perennial bed. Some grasses are deciduous and some are evergreen and the leaves can be green, red, blue or variegated. Many produce beautiful flower plumes and seedheads. Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) is technically a giant grass that can reach a height of 6-10' with its culms growing to 2'' wide. It runs and can make a good screen by planting it in a trench that has been amended with compost and composted manure. It is cold hardy to 0 degrees and tolerates drought. Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus') grows to 5-7' tall and wide with narrow, green, upright leaves producing silvery blooms in August. The leaves then turn from an orange-red-copper fall color to tan in winter. It is a zone 5 plant (hardy to -10 to -20F) that should be cut back in spring just as the new growth starts. Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') will grow each year to 3-4' then bloom in summer and sport tan-golden seedheads in late summer. It is also very cold hardy and should be cut back in spring. Mexican Feather Grass (Nasella tenuissima aka Stipa) is the most drought tolerant grass we have. It will grow to 18-24'' tall and 2' wide and reseeds freely. The green thread-like foliage has red hues in summer and fall and the feathery seedheads are white and sway with any little breeze. Blue Lyme Grass (Elymus arenarius 'Glaucus') is a clumping grass that has gray-blue leaves and will reach a height of 2'. It would do well planted on a bank to help hold soil. It is evergreen, will take sun or shade and is hardy to 30 degrees below zero. Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) has variegated white and green leaves with hints of red. It gets 2-3' tall and wide, is hardy to -30 and can be planted in the shade. Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) forms a small, silvery blue mound 10'' tall. It has buff colored seedheads in summer and should be deadheaded to improve foliage growth. It tolerates our poor, dry soil and looks good planted in mass. Twisted Arrows (Juncus spiralis) is an evergreen clumping grass that prefers a moist somewhat shaded spot. It grows well in a pot or even a pond. It has corkscrew-like green leaves and grows to 2' by 1'. Two grasses that a great in pots are Purple Fountain Grass and Fireworks. Neither of these Pennisetums are cold hardy for our area but make a beautiful show throughout the summer and fall. This is a helpful list of the best grasses for our area; I am sure you can find a one or several that is right for your landscape. Grasses add grace, drama, and beauty to any yard while being easy to live with and are underused in the area so be a person with vision and lead the way in your neighborhood.
 |
| Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' |
WE WILL BE CLOSED JULY !st-JULY 4th TO CELEBRATE OUR INDEPENDENCE. ENJOY A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
