May 05
We were very excited and anxious when we decided to try a Ladies Night Out at The Greenery. Thanks to our loyal patrons and fellow businesses the night was a great success! It was a wonderful night and we have received lots of positive feedback about it. It sounds like everyone enjoyed themselves, even our [...] [...more]
We were very excited and anxious when we decided to try a Ladies Night Out at The Greenery. Thanks to our loyal patrons and fellow businesses the night was a great success! It was a wonderful night and we have received lots of positive feedback about it. It sounds like everyone enjoyed themselves, even our hardworking staff. Thank you Teresa, Ali and Chavelle for all your hard work to put together such a wonderful night.
I wanted to share some photos of the evening.
We had a great turnout!
Teresa's daughter, Katie, and Jay's daughter, Sara, checked in our guests.
Two Guys Catering did the Hors d' ouerves
Our guests enjoyed Two Guys menu.
It was as delicious as it was beautiful.
Jay of The Greenery served the wine.
The guests enjoyed the wine, but who wouldn't?
Desserts by Angela's Sweets.
The desserts were as irresistible as they looked!
Cammie and Bobbi from The Spa.
One of the new products highlighted during the evening. Soy Toi is made of 100% soybeans and is a natural source of vitamin E and Lecithin, both of which are necessary for healthy skin.
The highlight of the evening was Chavelle's presentation on floral arranging.
Our talented designer, Chavelle.
One of the beautiful displays that evening.
The evening was gorgeous, as was the nursery. What a perfect setting!
It was a drop-dead beautiful evening!
As the sun went down, the nursery lit up.
Again, thanks to The Spa, Two Guys Catering, Angela’s Sweets and all the hardworking staff at The Greenery for such a wonderful evening!
-Adria
Apr 14
If you are looking to add beneficial insects like Ladybugs or Praying Mantids to your garden, now is the time. It is best to release them before the harmful insects populate. Now Ladybugs, also called Ladybird Beetles, are most known for their beneficial capabilities. Not to mention they are pretty to look at and kids [...] [...more]
If you are looking to add beneficial insects like Ladybugs or Praying Mantids to your garden, now is the time. It is best to release them before the harmful insects populate. Now Ladybugs, also called Ladybird Beetles, are most known for their beneficial capabilities. Not to mention they are pretty to look at and kids love them. However my favorite beneficial is the Praying Mantis. Ladybugs tend to be very flighty and leave if there is not enough harmful insects to pray on, whereas Praying Mantids tend to stick around. Now you can use Ladybug Lures that have pheromones (insect hormones) in them to keep them attracted to your garden. The pheromones make the Ladybugs think there is someone there to mate with, so they try to stick around. Praying Mantids don’t have to be coerced to stay. Ladybugs also prefer to prey on aphids and other soft bodied insects while Mantids are not so picky.
Praying Mantids are very territorial so they find a plot in your garden and hang out, literally! They will even fight with other Mantids that approach their territory. Their actions are fun to watch. Sometimes you can find one perching on a leaf, slowly swaying. I learned that they do this to pretend they are a part of the leaf, then when an insect flies by, they grab it and munch down. How cool is that!
So adding beneficial insects to your garden is without a doubt the best way to fight insect populations the natural way. Just pick your favorite and enjoy!
-Adria
Feb 03
Today is such a beautiful day and we have had a few lately, but don’t let it fool you! It is still only February 2nd and the groundhog saw his shadow today. Which means 6 more weeks of winter.
So veggie and flower gardeners don’t get too excited and plant too early. Tomato growers should wait [...] [...more]
Today is such a beautiful day and we have had a few lately, but don’t let it fool you! It is still only February 2nd and the groundhog saw his shadow today. Which means 6 more weeks of winter.
So veggie and flower gardeners don’t get too excited and plant too early. Tomato growers should wait too. Even when tomatoes are first planted be sure to protect them thoroughly. I like to use a Season Starter that is like a mini greenhouse where the walls are filled with water. This can be left on until the end of April or beginning of May to ensure a good early crop.
So enjoy the weather while it is nice and imagine the beautiful weather to come!
-Adria
Sep 11
As I mentioned in the Small Space Veggie Garden Seminar post, I would continue to blog about companion planting. I wanted to try it out for myself. Below are some pictures I took of my vegetables, you will see my comments below each.
My pepper bed planted with chives, oregano, basil, parsley and thyme.
My pepper bed [...] [...more]
As I mentioned in the Small Space Veggie Garden Seminar post, I would continue to blog about companion planting. I wanted to try it out for myself. Below are some pictures I took of my vegetables, you will see my comments below each.
My pepper bed planted with chives, oregano, basil, parsley and thyme.
I took this about 1 week after I planted this bed.
My pepper bed later on.
I took this picture about a month after I planted it. Everything looks happy! As of writing this post, I had no pest problems with this bed.
Another angle of my pepper bed.
Same pepper bed, taken same time as above.
Heartland and Sweet Olive Tomato.
Taken right after planting. I planted my tomatoes with chives, thyme and marigolds.
Heartland Tomato
Taken a little over a month after planting.
Taken one month after previous picture.
Sweet Olive Tomato
Taken a little over a month after planting.
Taken a month after previous picture.
Super Fantastic Tomato without companion herbs, as a test.
Taken right after planting.
Taken a little over a month after planting.
Taken a month after previous picture.
Eggplant and Nasturtiums
This is the only picture I took of this. As you can see, it is a while after planting and the nasturtiums have swallowed the eggplant!
Here is the status as of writing this post. As I mentioned my pepper bed had no problems, except for the fact that the tomatillo never set any fruit of any size. I had plenty of peppers and herbs though.
My Heartland and Sweet Olive Tomato died within a month after the last picture. I was not sure why since this is the second time two years in a row that the tomatoes I plant there die midsummer. I sent samples to Ed Perry at the UC Extension and he believed it to be root rot of some sort. I know the soil outside the planting hole is very poor, so I will have to work on it next year.
My Super Fantastic Tomato has lived up to its name. It is still producing more than I can eat and has had just a few tomato worms. I never sprayed for them.
As I mentioned, my Eggplant was swallowed by my nasturtiums. As of now it is finally starting to grow over the nasturtiums and finally has a fruit on it!
So as far as companion planting goes, I see mixed results. The main purpose is to attract more beneficial insects to promote pollination and reduce the harmful insects. I have to agree with that. The second purpose is to promote healthier more flavorful plants. Well, since the tomatoes died for another reason (companion planting is not supposed to have an effect on diseases) then I can’t say that the tomatoes benefited.
What are your thoughts? Have you had any experience with something like this? I would like to hear any feed back you may have.
Mar 08
Well, Spring has sprung. With beautiful days like these and no promising rain in sight it is tempting to plant all our favorite summer things like Vinca, Zinnias, Tomatoes and more. But wait. Keep an eye on the weather. The days are beautiful but the nights are still a little on the cool side. It [...] [...more]
Well, Spring has sprung. With beautiful days like these and no promising rain in sight it is tempting to plant all our favorite summer things like Vinca, Zinnias, Tomatoes and more. But wait. Keep an eye on the weather. The days are beautiful but the nights are still a little on the cool side. It may not get cold enough to kill new summer transplants but it can get cold enough to shock them so they take longer to recover than if you had waited to plant.
So my suggestion is…wait. There are a few exceptions though. Tomatoes can be planted early if you are prepared to protect them. I always plant my tomatoes as early as I dare but I have invested in lovely little things called “Wall of Water”. These are made of plastic tubes that you fill with water then place over your newly planted tomatoes. These tubes collapse on themselves making a tidy little greenhouse over each plant. Also since they are filled with water, they stay warmer than the outside air. It is the only way to plant tomatoes early, in my book.
Otherwise it is wise to wait one or two weeks. Usually the middle of March is a pretty safe bet, and that is next week! Hope this helps. Good Luck!
-Adria
Feb 18
If you haven’t noticed, spring is racing toward us. The white flowering quince are in full bloom begging the bees to visit them. The pink flowering quince are starting to pop open, too. Camellias, Camellia japonica varieties are starting to show their glory. If you are looking for one of these queens of the spring, [...] [...more]
If you haven’t noticed, spring is racing toward us. The white flowering quince are in full bloom begging the bees to visit them. The pink flowering quince are starting to pop open, too. Camellias, Camellia japonica varieties are starting to show their glory. If you are looking for one of these queens of the spring, now is the time to pick them out!
Hellebores, Lenten Rose, have awoke from their sleep and are starting to show color. If you haven’t seen or grown these unique perennials before, you should. They sprout in the winter and bloom when the dark days of winter drag us down, reminding us there is still life in the garden.
Fruit trees are also starting to bloom, getting ready to produce tasty and healthy food for us later. It is almost too late to dormant spray!
Flowering Cherries are popping too. I want to note a particularly fabulous variety ‘First Lady’. In full bloom right now, they are covered in dark mauve flowers! They definitely make you think pink!
Flowering Magnolias are also breaking open. There is a huge selection of varieties and sizes here in the nursery. I recommend that you check out the Elizabeth, a creamy yellow.
A unique early spring bloomer worth noting is the Abeliophyllum, Pink Forsythia. This bush has dark pink flower buds that open to white blooms. They are cloaked in white right now!
I hope this encourages all who read to get outside and enjoy the sun when it is out. We hope to see you soon!
-Adria
