Plant of the Month

Cercis occidentalis- Western Redbud

Western Redbud

Western Redbud is a fantastic California, native for your garden, home, ranch-you name it. They are the magenta blooming plants that dot our Lake County roads this time of year. They are valued for their flowers, pods, form and foliage. The spring pea like blossoms form a rich reddish brown pod that gives it winter interest after the leaves have fallen. The leaves are heart shaped and almost blue-green in color and get some fall color.

Western Redbud in Star Gardens Parking Lot

Plant in a dry or low water area in full to part sun. They will need some water and young plants would benefit from a little shade to get established. Once established-3 to 5 years- they could go with no water at all during summer months. They get big, 10-18 ft tall and wide, so give them some room. Prune after bloom if necessary. These are on the deer and oak root fungus resistant list.

April Subscriber Coupon

Get one free gallon size regular priced perennial with any purchase of $35 dollars or more.
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April Specials

Plant of the Month- Western Redbud

  • 20% OFF regular price. We have gallon sizes and larger starting at 11.99 regular price.

Our all fescue blend of grass seed

  • 30% OFF regular price of 13.99 for 5 lbs.

Green-All Soils

  • 2 cf Organic Potting Soil-Purple Bag- Buy 3, 4th FREE
  • Organic Soil Booster-Orange Bag- Buy 3, 4th FREE

All new Formula 420 Growers Premium Mix

  • Try it special-15% OFF regular price

Plus the ongoing Fill A Flat, Bakers Dozen and 10th free of any one kind of Bark, Soils, etc.

April 2013 Newsletter

I am writing this on a rainy morning and I can not help but think of the saying-”April showers bring May flowers”.  As you can imagine we are stocking up on those summer bloomers and have plenty of spring bloomers in now.

Spring Tuplips

This is the time many wonderful shrubs are strutting their stuff. My Ornamental Quince was beautiful this year and since we sold out of most of our stock I am getting more in within the week. My Lilacs are blooming and we have many in stock for you to chose from. February’s plant of the month, Viburnum tinus is still blooming strong. The white spring blooming Spireas are starting. We have some nice 5 gal Shoe Buttons blooming now and hope to have some one gallons in on Tuesday. The Van Houts are budding and will follow the Shoe Buttons. These are tough proven deciduous shrubs that are on the deer resistant list. Plant in half to full sun with moderate water. The native ‘wild lilac’ Ceanothus are starting to bloom also. The smaller leafed varieties are more deer resistant. These are good for a well drained hillside and are available in small sizes right now. The small pots of fast growing rockroses are available now too. Our native redbuds are blooming in the county and are our plant of the month.

We are stocking up on warm season veggies. We have tomato, pepper, zucchini and a few cuke starts in now. You can still sow seeds for lettuce, cilantro, chard, beets, peas and carrots or you can get some of them in starts still. Wait until the end of the month to sow your beans, cukes, basil, corn and squash seeds in the ground. I might be pessimistic but I believe some of us are still going to have some frost. Please remember if you are planting warm season starts of tomatoes, peppers, and squash to protect at night. Most of the warm season plants need the soil to warm up before they start to grow.

The same can be said for annuals like zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers. Start indoors now or wait till the end of the month or the first of May to sow seed outdoors.

Amend your vegetable and annual flower beds with Green-All Organic Soil Booster in the orange bag. These plants deplete the soil annually so you need to add food. Our Soil Booster is buy 3 bags and get a 4th free in April. One bag will amend 30 to 50 sq. feet.

April and October are considered to be the best months to start a lawn from seed and to revamp the lawn you have. We are putting our grass seed on special for the month. Top dress your old lawn with a mix of Green-All Organic Firmulch in the blue bag. If you are starting from scratch then rototill amendments into your soil, level, seed and topdress with Firmulch. Birds can be a big problem with any seed so try to hide the seed from them.

We are growing Proven Winner Supertunias again and offering a great price to our customers. We are also getting some unique petunias in from our growers. These are available now in 4” pots now. We also have lots of petunias in 6 pks. Petunias can take a little frost so plant now. The perennial Diascias, Carnations, Guara and Catmints are looking good, along with the Nemesias, Bacopa and Million Bells.

A new shipment of iron is due next week and we have lots of fresh whimsy.

Happy Spring Gardening,
Tanya