Typically Goldfinches migrate to the Central Valley in the late fall and by January their plumage changes to the eye catching gold and black (the males anyway). Right now they are a dull olive green in color so you may not notice them. However, with time you can learn to recognize them by their habits and distinctive chirps. Here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for American Goldfinch sounds click here.

To feed goldfinches you can use feeder socks or seed feeders. What you use is your preference. The feeder sock, filled with Nyjer seed, it very fun to watch because they hang on to the sock while they eat the seed they pull through the sock. They will hang upside down while they eat and knock each other off as they flock to the feeder. Using this type of feeder will prevent other birds from eating the seed since any other bird is too big and can’t hang on to the sock like Goldfinches can.

You can also use a special tube feeder for Nyjer seed that has small holes or slots for the tiny seed to come through. If you use a feeder with larger holes all the seed will spill out since it is smaller than a grain of rice. Using a tube feeder for finches can limit how many finches come since there are only so many ports at one feeder.

If you want to attract a broader range of finches you can use a Finch Mix instead of Nyjer seed. The Finch Mix will attract Goldfinches, House Finches, Purple Finches, Sparrows (on the ground) and more. The Finch mix can be used in tube or hopper style feeders.

So that’s my brief overview on Finches. I hope this answers any questions you may have. If not, feel free to leave any comments or questions.

Oh and don’t forget to put up your Finch Feeder! Happy Birding!

-Adria

What if hummingbirds don’t seem to be feeding from your feeders anymore? Concerned about wasting nectar? With everyone having to watch every dollar you spend it is hard to replace nectar in feeders as often as needed. I am going to suggest a few tricks.

First, it is important to keep your hummingbird feeder(s) clean. Mold and fermenting nectar can cause hummingbirds to become sick. Typically hummers won’t feed from a feeder that is not clean. So make sure to refresh your nectar and clean the feeder every 3 to 5 days. During our heat spells (which we haven’t had much of this summer) you may need to do this every day or two. During the fall and winter you can go longer between cleanings but still wouldn’t recommend any longer than one week. You can clean feeders with hot water and a bottle brush, put them in the dishwasher (if they are dishwasher safe, of course) or clean and sterilize them with a 1 part bleach, 9 part water solution. Make sure to rinse the feeders thoroughly if you use soap or bleach and allow them to air dry before filling again.

So you are probably thinking, if I have to clean my feeder that often, what about all the wasted nectar that the hummers didn’t drink? I am wasting my money! You can not reuse the nectar, so the trick is not to completely fill the feeder. Put only as much as they typically drink between cleanings. You don’t have to have the nectar all the way to the top for it to work. The hummingbirds don’t have to see the nectar either, hence the success of the clear nectar. Hummingbird feeders are designed specifically to attract hummingbirds, so they will. Hummingbirds are also very curious by nature so they will try it, even if it is dry. This is why you see hummers feeding from flowers that are not tubular or the color they typically prefer. If they taste nectar they like, they will be back!

Hope this helps you feed your hummingbirds successfully. Feel free to leave any questions or comments!

-Adria

One reason I think I don’t prevent these growing nuisances is that I take great pleasure in ripping them out by their roots! There is something so gritty and rewarding about yanking weeds right out of the soil where they are thriving. Once I am done cleaning an area there is something so rewarding about stepping back and enjoying all the hard work I have put into it.

This year my excuse is that I had my twin girls in January so all my time is spent taking care of my son, the girls and all the daily chores. I really wanted to do what little work it took to prevent weeds this year since I am home most of the time to enjoy my yard. Well, that didn’t happen. I think I sprayed a few weeds once and weeds thrive on procrastination!

So I should have been faithful with the Amaze to prevent weeds and a little weed killer here and there to get any strays but now I get to complain and take my frustrations on those weeds!

Ok so you’re doing it again… the annual ritual of comparing your lawn to everyone else in the neighborhood. How come the guy two houses down has such a beautiful green lawn? Well let’s look at a few things that might be holding you back from winning this unofficial contest for the greenest lawn on the block.

First let’s remember that every gallon of the water we use today is now being metered, and all of us are now paying good hard earned money for that water! So having the greenest lawn on the block may be more of a challenge than in the past where you could simply pour on the water and fertilizer to get great green results. It is new day for those of us who got used to having no water meters. From here on out we better make sure we are getting the most out of the water resources that we have if we want to keep those beautiful green expanses of oxygen producing chlorophyll we call “LAWN” (because playing ball in my bare feet, it feels soooo good on my toes!)

I am going to skip over a few things that are basic and really need to be reviewed in a separate blog. Briefly however, they are fertilizing and having a functioning, properly installed irrigation system, and that you actually know how to change the time on your controller. These things are basic to having a great green lawn.

Apart from that, why care about the health of your lawn?, “If it looks green that’s all that’s important right” that is mostly true, but many problem turf issues can be slow to develop and often show up later or many seasons down the road because of something you didn’t do or where doing wrong.

The first thing to remember is that turf is a plant with leaves. It looses those leaves at various times in its life, the parts that we don’t cut off with our lawn mower, falls to the ground and then starts the process of decay. Some so called mulching mowers actually leave all the clippings in the grass to help “Mulch the Lawn”. A buildup of this decaying leaves is called “thatch”. How this thatch is handled can be something that can be a good thing for the health of the lawn or something that can be a problem later down the road, usually a problem. Another thing that relates to this slow buildup of thatch is poor water penetration. We often get customers who say their lawn just doesn’t look that great anymore and the weeds are taking over. And so, most people have been conditioned by television to think that there lawn needs a Weed-n-feed and that will fix the problem. The television advertisements during sporting events are full of commercials showing guys with nice green lawns using whoever’s brand of fertilizer to make their lawn green. There is more to it than that and in these days of wise water use we have an obligation to share what we know as professionals to help you maintain you lawn to its most healthy condition.
Okay now that I got that off my chest… what we are really talking about? Turf is a living plant. Plants have roots that go down into the soil (hopefully). The relationship of the plant to the soil, to the roots, to the health of the plant is critical. The first most important piece of advice I give to my customers at The Greenery is to set your lawnmower to its tallest setting when mowing and leave it there. Field test trials have shown this will make for a plant with a far deeper root system, a plant more able to make food for the roots and the new emerging shoots, and a plant more able to compete with weed seeds for space in the lawn. The first step to a healthier lawn! And all you had to do was change the setting on your lawnmower! How easy was that? Your new deeper healthier root system is now more able to slurp up every precious drop of water that you put on! And when you do fertilize, the lawn will be able to really get the most of the nutrients it needs because of the more extensive root system. Sounds pretty basic, and it is.

So now you’re probably thinking here is where Lee starts to talk about it being time to fertilize right? But wait, Here is another tip to make you lawn even better, remember were talking about improving the health of you lawn here! Ever heard of “Aeration” or “Aerating the Lawn” I can see a few puzzled looks on your faces so allow me to explain. Aeration is the process of mechanically removing a small vertical 2-4” long core of grass, roots, and soil from your turf, leaving a hole that you could easily poke a finger down. Greens Keepers on golf courses have been doing this to their lawns for years. Why should you poke holes in a perfectly good lawn you ask, here is why. Those holes make little paths for water and air to have better access to the roots of the lawn. And it also removes a small part of the thatch. This process also helps to reduce compaction of the soil thus making you lawn healthier! I have personally observed many lawns spring back to life after their first aeration treatment. This process should be performed by a professional who knows how to protect the sprinkler system. This professional can also make recommendations as to how often this process needs to be done for your unique lawn situation, however usually once every couple of years is a good rule of thumb.

Ok, so now we get to the fertilizing part. Here again we are going to recommend something to not only feed the lawn but to improve the health of the turf itself and the soil where the roots reside. Remember my earlier comments about thatch? Some relatively new turf fertilizing theory is recommending the use of organic fertilizers to help stimulate the soil microbes, whose job it is to aid in breaking down the dead plant material building up on the surface of the soil. This breaking down process of the thatch converts dead organic material into food and nutrients for the beneficial bacteria living in the soil down among the roots of the turf. This is particularly good if you have a mulching mower and you are leaving your lawn clippings behind each time you mow. So here is a word picture for you, to help illustrate the process I am describing. Think of this process as a microscopic composting pile living in the soil among the roots of your turf. How cool is that! (“Honey - I’m composting in my soil below my turf”)
This composting process works well because you are encouraging the living microorganisms down in the root zone of the turf with the proper amounts of air and water along with a slow release organic form of fertilizer that actually feeds the soil microbes while it feeds the turf. You get a two for one deal here! We at The Greenery are recommending the Gardener & Bloome lawn food to accomplish this job. A word of caution here, if you choose to use a synthetic fertilizer you will not get the benefits from the beneficial soil microbes that in the organic fertilizer and are doing the composting job. Furthermore you could even windup decreasing the number of existing healthy microbes living in the soil, the turf will look green but you will not be doing anything to help with the reduction of the thatch layer.

So to summarize:
• Mow tall
• Aerate your lawn every 2 years
• Fertilize with an organic based fertilizer containing beneficial soil microbes

Have fun with this information and go forth and take claim to your
New Healthiest and Greenest Lawn on your block!

Look for more information to come on fertilizing, proper irrigation systems and watering practices!

Guest post written by
Lee of The Greenery

Integrated Pest Management - MY longtime favorite resource
http://ipm.ucdavis.edu

Stanislaus County UC Extension Gardening Publications
http://cestanislaus.ucdavis.edu/Gardening/Gardening_Publications.htm

California Gardening by The UC Extension
http://cagardenweb.ucdavis.edu/

California Backyard Orchard
http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications
http://www.anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/

Environmental Horticulture Research & Info Center
http://groups.ucanr.org/EHRIC/index.cfm

Since I am providing links to websites I wanted to talk a little about information found online. First, yes there is more information online than anyone could ever read. You can search Google, Yahoo or Bing (whichever search engine suits you) and find information to do just about anything, including gardening. However, please be aware of the source of your information when researching online. When it comes to gardening, information from another country or even another state can be different when it comes to gardening in the Central Valley. Anyone can publish something online (just look at all the forwarded emails and texts we typically get) and it doesn’t mean it is real. The above links are full of information specific to California and the Central Valley. If you use any of these links, let me know what you think.

So just to reaffirm my point, the staff at The Greenery is here to help you with whatever gardening question or problem you may have. We are your local experts. We have enjoyed serving you for the past 4 decades and look forward to many more.

-Adria

These leafhoppers are tiny, only 1/6″-5/8″ long and are often the same color as the leaf so they can be very difficult to see. Upon a little research I found that there are many different species of leafhopper and they are pretty specific about what they eat. The typical Grape Leafhopper (Erythroneura comes) will also infest blackberry, Boston Ivy, catnip, currant, maple, plum and Virginia Creeper. This insect can transmit diseases so control is important. It is related to the Sharpshooter which made headlines a few years ago and like the Sharpshooter can devastate crops.

If you think you have this or any other pest in your yard or garden, you can bring a fresh sample into the nursery for diagnosis. Please remember the sample needs to be fresh and in a sealed plastic bag.

-Adria

Aphids and whiteflies can devastate annual plants like vegetables. They can be controlled many ways but the way I recommend is using Dr. Earth Home and Garden Spray. It is all natural so it is safe for edibles and actually repels the insects too. Now the trick with whiteflies is to spray the plants down with a strong spray of water 3-4 days from the last insecticide spraying. Whiteflies have a very fast life cycle and you can not apply insecticides, organic or not, that frequently hence the use of water. This knocks down the adults so they can’t get up and continue reproducing.

Snails are a year-round nuisance here in our climate. I recommend the use of Monterey Sluggo or Sluggo Plus. Sluggo is a long lasting pellet that is safe for us and pets. Its main ingredient is iron-phosphate which is a naturally occuring element in the soil. Sluggo Plus contains iron-phosphate along with Spinosad to control other insects that live on the soil like cutworms, sowbugs and earwigs.

So I have covered the main insect pests we see in summer. Is there an insect that you have a problem with? Let me know!

-Adria

1. Did you attend any seminars this spring? If not, have you ever attended any of our seminars?
2. Is the scheduled time convenient for you? If not, what time would be?
3. Is there a topic that we haven’t covered that you would like to see?
4. Is there a topic that we DID cover that you didn’t get to attend or would like repeated?
5. Were you satisfied with the conduct of The Greenery personnel online, on the phone, in person and at the seminars? If not, please explain.

Please number your answers accordingly. Thank you!

-Adria

When I was about 12 I began growing vegetables and was so successful that I created a small business of providing homegrown veggies to friends and family. I didn’t grow anything other than vegetables because I didn’t have any appreciation for trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. I thought why grow a flower and only get a flower when I can grow vegetables and have something to take inside and eat? Well, when my parents built a new house and we had a whole landscape to develop from scratch, the rest of the gardening world won me over. Now you are saying, what does this have to do with failure? Well, when I started growing shrubs and flowers and tried to design the yard at the same time I did not have any schooling in Horticulture. I learned by trial and error. I did lots of reading and research but still had my own theories about growing plants and stubbornly tried things that I only laugh at now. For instance I tried growing a hydrangea in full sun. Now any semi-experienced gardener knows that hydrangeas need part to full shade in our climate. Well my theory was that if I kept it watered, it wouldn’t wilt or burn. Ha! I trickled water at the base of the plant all day long. It still wilted. Eventually it stressed out so bad that I decided it needed to be in the shade. The poor thing died shortly after. It was just too much.

The moral of the story? Gardening is partly trial and error. It is not rocket science and is not cut and dried either. If you kill a plant, consider it a learning experience. Why did it die? What can I do to ensure success next time? I can’t tell you how many plants I have killed in my gardening years. The other thing to keep in mind is that our yards are man made and plants aren’t. We are growing things that naturally don’t grow here. So yeah, we won’t always be successful. My hope is that we can share our experiences and learn from each other so we become that much more successful in our gardening endeavors. As gardening professionals, The Greenery staff has experienced many common gardening challenges but are always willing to learn, and we do learn new things everyday!

Do you have any gardening successes or failures that you would like to share? Click on comment and share your story. I look forward to hearing from you.

-Adria

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