Note: Closed July 4th
Holy cow! Halfway through 2021 already. We have already placed numerous orders for 2022. In this business, there is a lot of ordering that happens months before the actual delivery. We are still waiting and hoping to get some of our October show orders that have not made it here yet. Covid and other factors have created a demand for plants that is greater than the supply. At least that is what I am being told by some of my sales reps..” get your order in ASAP for next year,” “America is running out of fruit trees,” and “that is already sold out for next year.” So 2022 is already happening for us.
Just a few weeks ago, we nearly frosted, and now we are roasting. Our plants do not know what to think. Growth and flowering can slow down with the heat on some plants while others can thrive, granted they are given sufficient water and food. The Echinaceas, Coreopsis, and Rudbeckias are starting to bloom now, along with the Crepe Myrtles and Rose of Sharons. We just received our first supply of annual vinca. This Madagascar native loves the heat and sun, blooms till frost, and is deer resistant to boot. The flowers resemble impatiens, but that is where the similarity stops. Lantana is another deer-resistant, heat lover. The blooms are often multi-colored and in an array of hot colors but it comes in white also. Zinnias are another great summer annual on the deer resistant list that does well in the heat as long as they get regular water.
This year the run on vegetable starts and seeds was nowhere near as crazy as last year. That being said, we still have starts left, and following our tradition, they will be half off in July. This does not include herbs or berries. FYI- We have lots of melons still to sell that are prime right now. We started a few more cucumbers, so we still have the ever-popular lemon in stock. Then in August, we will begin to gear up for the fall vegetable planting season. Many of you realize the benefit of shading your summer vegetable garden for part of the day this time of year. This keeps your tomatoes and peppers from getting sunburned and cuts down on water demand. However, 5-6 hours a day is considered full sun, and let’s face it, no one wants to be out in our full sun all day long. It’s just too much. If you are looking for shade cloth, we do have it at the nursery. We have bulk rolls of 50-60% shade that are 6 ft wide, and we sell it for $2.39/linear foot.
Works on your deck, too, or put up one of our shade sails. We have a couple of market umbrellas if you would prefer that route.
I tend to get my vegetable garden planted after amending my soil and then keep postponing the follow-up fertilizing. If you are wondering why your things are not growing better, maybe it is time to feed. Besides our organic EB Stone granular fertilizers, we have some good liquid, faster-acting fertilizers like Maxsea (not organic), AgroThrive (organic), and of course, good old-fashioned fish emulsion. I have heard fish can deter gophers, specifically if poured directly into their tunnels, but regular weekly feeding in your yard is a deterrent too.
Check your plants daily and pick your zucchini and cucumbers before they get too big. Pick your beans often to keep them producing, although they do not like to flower over 90 degrees. You can plant more beans by seed this month to get a fresh crop for later. The same goes for summer squash and cucumbers.
Besides feeding, what else should you be doing in your gardens? Are your apricots and cherries finished? Summer, not winter, is the recommended time to prune them to avoid Eutypa dieback that can be spread on fresh cuts in the rain. Also, if you are planning on keeping your fruit trees low and pickable, then summer pruning is a must. Cut back a lot of the new growth several times during the growing season to keep all your fruit-producing wood within reach. Just be careful not to overdo it and open your trees up to sunburn. Dave Wilson Nursery has several YouTube instruction videos on their website to help you properly prune your fruit.
Are you blessed or cursed with a lot of shade? It can be both since it can be challenging to find a much-blooming color to brighten up those shadier spots. I have often said shade is more about textures, foliage, colors, and shapes. One of the best annuals for color in the shade is Coleus. Grown more for the varied and vibrant colors of the foliage than flowers, these frost-tender plants work in the shade, and several varieties also work in sunnier spots. You can even grow them as houseplants in a bright light location. Plant several different varieties in a pot with some lime green sweet potato vine or on their own for a beautiful display on your covered porch. Group some in your shade garden for splashes of color. Make sure the soil is well-drained, and they like to be fed with a high nitrogen fertilizer. Before frost, move smaller pots inside and grow as houseplants or take cuttings to root in water. In late winter, pot them up and plant outside after all danger of frost is over. We are getting in several varieties to choose from, and they will be on sale this month at 20% off. So what are you waiting for?
Remember, I was lamenting the lack of bees this spring. Well, the good news is the nursery is practically humming with bees right now. Not just honey bees, but bumbles and masons too. They love getting water from the trickle that comes out of our pond, and they can not stay away from all the blossoms here at the nursery. Several hummers like us too, but we have too few butterflies. Remember, pollinators need water. Bees need very, very shallow water to drink from, so make sure your bee waterer fits the bill. A shallow dish with stones, so they do not drown is ideal. Maybe you have seen them drinking out of the saucers under your pots or just damp places in the ground. Mister Toad has been spotted several times just hanging by our big fountain. Small garter snakes like the ponds, too, as the mosquito fish are a tasty treat. Yes, we had a rattlesnake, but we also had our first king snake sighting in two years, so that is exciting. We usually see a few gopher snakes early, but nothing yet.
Spending time outside in your yard right now in the evenings when it is pleasant? Evening meals out on the deck? Do you have enough grey foliaged and white bloomers? These qualify for the ‘moon’ garden. They shimmer in the moonlight and stand out with artificial light too. Consider having Artemisia, Bush Teucrium, Bush Morning Glory, grey Salvias, Helichrysum, or some good old Dusty Miller shrubs to reflect light. Plenty of white blooming flowers to be had too. Gaura, petunias, vinca, callies, scaevola, alyssum, and lantana all come in white-flowering selections. Time to enjoy the warm evenings, especially since our day temps are brutal now.
July Specials
- Summer vegetable starts- 50% Off
- Coleus- 20% Off
- Grapes- 20% Off
- Helichrysum- 20% Off
Crepe Myrtle Shrub Form-20% Off