The Greenery Nursery & Garden Shop
Feb 03
For some reason I don’t think I have paid much attention to Groundhog Day before. However this year, as soon as I noticed it on the calendar I was anticipating it. Is it because I’m ready for spring? I don’t know about you but I am done with cold weather and ready for some warm [...] [...more]
For some reason I don’t think I have paid much attention to Groundhog Day before. However this year, as soon as I noticed it on the calendar I was anticipating it. Is it because I’m ready for spring? I don’t know about you but I am done with cold weather and ready for some warm sunny days!
After a little reading on Groundhog Day, I found studies that say the Groundhog is not always right. On top of that everyone celebrates it differently. How do you?
I hope the Groundhog is wrong this year. On the other hand, a few more weeks of cool weather gives us a chance to plant some more cool season crops like spinach and lettuce.
What do you think? Will you change your gardening plans based on the Groundhog’s observance or do you even pay attention?
Happy February!
-Adria
Jan 30
Parsley is one of those ridiculously easy herbs to grow and I always forget to plant it! You can plant it in containers or in the ground. I would put it in partial shade so it has a break from the summer sun. Any fertilizer will do, it is not picky! I just tucked some [...] [...more]
Parsley is one of those ridiculously easy herbs to grow and I always forget to plant it! You can plant it in containers or in the ground. I would put it in partial shade so it has a break from the summer sun. Any fertilizer will do, it is not picky! I just tucked some in to my existing flower beds.
Parsley I just tucked into one of my flowerbeds
Another little flowerbed I tucked parsley into
Parsley is a great ornamental herb because it is nice and lush green during our winters when not much else is! It also offers great filler and texture to a flowerbed as well as container. This herb also has no particular problems with insects, short of very hungry slugs or snails.
Parsley is great to use fresh as well as dried and is easy to dry yourself. So why not grow your parsley and enjoy it too!
Happy Seasoning!
-Adria
Jan 22
Do you repurpose anything to use in the garden? I don’t like waste so I reuse or repurpose everything I can. For instance, when we purchase our fresh cut Christmas tree this year I saved the netting that they wrapped it in for pea trellising.
I just started saving gallon milk jugs again for mini greenhouses. [...] [...more]
Do you repurpose anything to use in the garden? I don’t like waste so I reuse or repurpose everything I can. For instance, when we purchase our fresh cut Christmas tree this year I saved the netting that they wrapped it in for pea trellising.
I just started saving gallon milk jugs again for mini greenhouses. My family goes through a lot of milk so there is no shortage of these! I wash them out, toss the lid and cut the bottom out. They make perfect mini greenhouses for the first plantings of my summer garden. The only issue is that you have to kind of dig them into the soil or they can blow away.
I’ve also just started saving paper egg cartons for seed starting. They are perfect in that you can start the seeds directly in them (adding seed starting soil of course!), cut them apart and plant directly in the ground! My family eats quite a few eggs too so I have to shortage in these either. The downside to using these is that when they are wet or moist, they can fall apart so make sure they are in a plastic tray or something for support. I currently have some spinach starting right now.
If you want more tips on seed starting, check out The Greenery’s FREE upcoming seminar, Seed Starting!
I would love to hear what you repurpose!
Happy Repurposing!
-Adria
Jan 16
Well if you haven’t already noticed…Citrus is in season! As I did with my summer harvest, I am also preserving the citrus harvest. I started by canning the Cuties Mandarin Oranges that are really popular. My kids love these mandarins (also known as Tangerines) as well as the canned mandarins that you can buy [...] [...more]
Well if you haven’t already noticed…Citrus is in season! As I did with my summer harvest, I am also preserving the citrus harvest. I started by canning the Cuties Mandarin Oranges that are really popular. My kids love these mandarins (also known as Tangerines) as well as the canned mandarins that you can buy at the grocery store any time of year. I decided to can mandarins to save money as well as offer fresher, better fruit for my family to eat. I had lots of Cuties around since they are cheap right now. Here is my first canning…
Cuties brand Clementine Mandarins
This was my first time canning mandarins on my own. I decided to use a light syrup since they are already very sweet. I did one batch in my canner which holds 7 jars. All but one sealed properly so we ate these the next day. I learned 2 things: 1. I should have packed them plain water since the sugar actually made them seem slightly sour. 2. And, since they were store bought and probably not thoroughly tree ripened they turned out a little pale in color.
I canned another batch after I was given some fresh Satsuma mandarins from a friends tree. This time I packed them tighter and in plain water. Here’s the result…
Fresh Satsuma Mandarins in water
As you can see, they are much prettier! All 7 jars sealed this time so we haven’t tasted any from this batch yet.
I also received some fresh Meyer Lemons from my friends tree as well. With these I juiced most of them. Eight ounces of straight juice went into the freezer for use in the future. The rest of the juice went to make homemade Lemonade! I also sliced some of the lemons and froze them for use in tea or lemonade this summer. Some lemons I chopped and put in ice cube trays, filled the trays with water and froze them as well. Now I have 2 forms of lemons to use later! Oh I almost forgot that I sliced 2 lemons and dried them. These I will try in drinks later as well. By diversifying my preserving I can determine which I will use best for next citrus season!
Here’s my frozen lemons…
Lemon chunks in ice cubes and sliced frozen lemons
You may be thinking “She must have time on her hands” and “She has kids?!” The answers are no and yes. I both times I canned, it took me about 2 hours from start to finish. Both times my 5 year old son helped me peel and segment the mandarins (that’s the nice thing about mandarins, they are typically easy to peel!) and yesterday my 2 year old twins even helped segment the mandarins. Really, they did! I would have taken a picture but didn’t get a chance. So my point is, anyone can preserve, it is just a matter of preserving what is practical and best for you.
My next project…1 more batch of mandarins then Preserving Oranges! Stay tuned…
Hope this has given you some ideas! Oh and if you are thinking about planting any citrus, it is almost time, it’s just a little to cold at night right now. The Greenery will be receiving a new shipment of citrus in the coming weeks.
Happy Preserving!
-Adria
Jan 16
A few years ago CalTrans planted some wildflowers along Highway 99. Every year I have enjoyed them and got mad at myself for not planting my own! Well this year I will not make the same mistake.
Here are a few wildflower seeds that I literally threw out the other day…
Some of these are included in [...] [...more]
A few years ago CalTrans planted some wildflowers along Highway 99. Every year I have enjoyed them and got mad at myself for not planting my own! Well this year I will not make the same mistake.
Here are a few wildflower seeds that I literally threw out the other day…
Some of these are included in the mix you see along the highway and others are my favorites. All of these will sprout soon if not right away, long before we even think about planting our summer flowers! The seeds in the top left are Bachelor Buttons. Bachelor Buttons are one of my favorite early spring and summer flowers. The top right is Linaria, also known as Toadflax. These are dainty little flowers that the hummingbirds and bees love! The lower left is Blue Flax. These are dainty little blue flowers that make me smile. Lastly, the lower right packet is Butterfly Flower. All of these are great sources of nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. All of these varieties are available at The Greenery right now!
I also threw out a little mulch over the top so they won’t blow away. I will keep you posted on their progress!
Happy Seeding!
-Adria
Jan 11
Well we have had a very cold but dry winter so far. There tends to be 2 separate and very different mindsets when it comes to watering in the winter. I will to illustrate them and correct any myths.
1. Never turn the sprinklers off. What can, a little extra water, hurt?
Our seasons here in the [...] [...more]
Well we have had a very cold but dry winter so far. There tends to be 2 separate and very different mindsets when it comes to watering in the winter. I will to illustrate them and correct any myths.
1. Never turn the sprinklers off. What can, a little extra water, hurt?
Our seasons here in the Central Valley are quite different from eachother. In the summer we can have long, extreme heat spells but in the winter it can be relatively cold and wet. In the summer we need to water much more frequently than in the winter, typically. Yet in the winter, we usually get enough rain that additional water is not necessary. So what does a little extra water hurt? Well overwatering can be an issue any time of year. Overwatering causes root rot because the soil is too wet and lacking air for the roots. Once the roots rot, then part or all of the plant can die.
2. Never water in the winter. The trees and shrubs in my yard are dormant, they don’t need water.
Well, both are wrong. With watering, even during the summer, you can overwater just as easily as you can underwater. Even though many plants loose their leaves and go dormant in the winter, they still need sufficient moisture in the soil. Dormant plants are still alive and using water, just on a much smaller scale.
Obviously plants that stay green during the winter, like some types of lawn, Redwoods, boxwood and other evergreen plants are still alive and growing but tend to slow down in the cooler months. These plants still may need a drink! Especially Redwoods. Redwoods will survive but have a lot of leaf drop if not watered thoroughly. They are native to Coastal California where the consistent fog keeps them nice and moist. Well here in the Valley, it is much drier so we have to supplement the water.
Any plant, whether dormant or not, will sustain some sort of dieback or damage if they don’t have enough water. Cold, dry winters (like the winter we are currently having!) will literally suck the moisture out of the plants. When the plants don’t have enough moisture in the soil to replace that lost moisture, they will suffer some sort of damage.
So, with the rains continuing to hold off, you should be watering. You don’t need to water too frequently, but make sure to water thoroughly. Drip systems may need to run a few hours or more and sprinkler systems may need to run from 15-30 minutes. All this depends on the type of sprinklers or drippers you are using because they put out different amounts of water. For specific information on your sprinklers, call or drop by The Greenery and our staff can help you determine how long you should be watering.
For instance I had to water my lawn last week and I hadn’t watered in a month or more! I typically run my sprinklers 25-30 minutes. I haven’t watered since. However I have had to give my Pansies a good soaking about twice a week. I also had to give my veggies a drink about once a week.
Make sure to check containers as well! I just realized that I had been overlooking some my containers and they dried out pretty bad. How frequently you water your containers will depend on how much sun or wind your they receive. Again, make sure to soak them thoroughly but not near as frequently as you would have to in the summertime. For some basic tips in proper irrigation practices, check out our handout.
Sorry if this makes watering and growing so complex! I could go on but think I have made my point. Please don’t stress over this. Most of this is just common sense. If you aren’t sure if your plants need water, pick up a Moisture Meter, it will tell you! As always you can call or come by The Greenery for assistance. We are here to help you succeed in growing!
Happy Watering!
-Adria
Jan 09
These sunny days are making me itch to be in the garden. It may seem like there is nothing to do outside right now but did you know that the winters here in the Central Valley are the perfect time to transplant? There are a few exceptions as to what you can not transplant [...] [...more]
These sunny days are making me itch to be in the garden. It may seem like there is nothing to do outside right now but did you know that the winters here in the Central Valley are the perfect time to transplant? There are a few exceptions as to what you can not transplant but I will go over them.
Unlike other climates where the soil actually freezes in the winter, our soil does not! The soil is still alive right now, just working slower than it does in the warmer months. Since our summers can be really hard on plants, it is a good time to get a jump start on planting or transplanting…now!
So what should you be transplanting? You might be asking. Well any woody tree or shrub, whether it is dormant or not! This is the ideal time to plant bareroot fruit trees and berries. We have these in stock now. If you want to see what we have here is a link to our Single Bareroot Fruit Trees and Multi-Grafted Bareroot Fruit Trees. So anything that you need to plant or transplant will be fine to do now! Here are the few exceptions…
1. Citrus - it’s too cold right now and you don’t want to risk a new transplant. Just a couple more weeks…
2. Any tropical like some hibiscus, banana, Abutilon, Canna, summer flowering bulbs like Calla Lillies, succulents. I’m sure there are more, if you have something and aren’t sure, ask!
3. Perennials - it is not quite time yet, in about 4 weeks! This includes herbs.
4. Houseplants - it is only safe if kept indoors.
Make sure anytime you plant or transplant, to amend the soil properly and use a good transplant fertilizer. My old favorite was Greenlight’s Root Stimulator which at this point in time is no longer available. The Greenery will be carrying Lilly Miller’s Vita Start this is actually a better product than Greenlight’s! Using Vita Start will help the roots recover from being transplanted as well as give it a good feeding to get growing! I have always had great success with Root Stimulator and look forward to using Vita Start!
Anytime you transplant or plant something, you need to keep an eye on the watering. We are having quite a dry winter so far so we can’t rely on rain to keep our plants watered. Just remember that the newly transplanted root ball will dry out faster than the original soil so CHECK IT frequently! I recommend once a day for now since it is still very cool during the day. Be sure to give your new transplants thorough waterings when they need it. A trickle with a hose or a dripper that runs 5 minutes is not enough! If you aren’t sure if you are watering something properly you can always call or stop by The Greenery and ask!
Happy Planting!
-Adria
Jan 01
I am so excited to release The Greenery’s lineup of seminars and events for this spring! All the details will be released this month in the email newsletter. You can look for favorite annual events like the popular Ladies Night Out and more Cooking and Preserving events! For seminars watch for the Mother’s Day Colorbowl [...] [...more]
I am so excited to release The Greenery’s lineup of seminars and events for this spring! All the details will be released this month in the email newsletter. You can look for favorite annual events like the popular Ladies Night Out and more Cooking and Preserving events! For seminars watch for the Mother’s Day Colorbowl as well as classes on Composting, Natural Gardening, Succulents, New Plants by Monrovia and much more!!
Sorry I’m using so many exclamation points, but I’m really excited!!
Happily Planning
-Adria
Dec 28
Have you noticed that vegetable production and/or development may have slowed or stopped? Vegetables are very heavy feeders by nature, especially the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower). When you planted them, you should have amended the soil well (my favorite soil amendment is Harvest Supreme) as well as added fertilizer like Gardner & [...] [...more]
Have you noticed that vegetable production and/or development may have slowed or stopped? Vegetables are very heavy feeders by nature, especially the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower). When you planted them, you should have amended the soil well (my favorite soil amendment is Harvest Supreme) as well as added fertilizer like Gardner & Bloome’s Tomato, Veg and Herb fertilizer. When did you plant? If you planted when I did that was in October and now it is almost January already! It is best to feed heavy feeders every 2-3 months. So if you have noticed that growth and slowed or stopped, then it is probably time! I realize that growth slows when it is consistently cold, just like it has been for weeks! If you are growing lettuce or spinach that has a shorter maturation period than broccoli then you may not need to fertilize again, you have probably already harvested. If you are growing baby greens or microgreens, which means that you are not cutting the entire head or bunch but literally mowing the leaves off when they are small (I am doing this with my lettuce) then you will need to continue to fertilize since the plants will live longer than if you are harvesting the plant.
When I fertilize I like to side dress/top dress with Harvest Supreme too. Apply the Harvest Supreme right over the fertilizer you apply. This adds an extra kick and ensures that your crop has everything it needs to produce an abundant crop!
Make sure to water thoroughly after fertilizing and top dressing! We have had a pretty dry winter so far so an occasional drench (once every week or 10 days, maybe) will suffice.
Happy Growing!
-Adria
Dec 20
I wanted to share this with you. I am not an avid deadheader on most of what I grow and here is why…
There are many things you can grow in your backyard that will help feed the birds without even putting a feeder out. This Bee Sage is loved by bees in the summer and [...] [...more]
I wanted to share this with you. I am not an avid deadheader on most of what I grow and here is why…
These are Goldfinches on Bee Sage in my backyard
Here is another shot.
There are many things you can grow in your backyard that will help feed the birds without even putting a feeder out. This Bee Sage is loved by bees in the summer and these Goldfinches in the winter. They are eating the seeds out of the seed heads. Can feeding the birds get any easier?
There are many other plants that will feed the birds. Check out my bird-butterfly-plant-cheatsheet for some ideas!
Happy Birding!
-Adria
