It is not every year that I get to write a newsletter on Feb. 29th. Hopefully, not too many of us will lose power due to the forecasted weather for the next several days, and you will receive this. Normally, March 1st is when we go back to 9-5 on nice days, rainy days, 10-4. Looking at the weather, we are postponing 9-5 until after the time change, so this year, it will begin March 11th for good weather days.
Spring is definitely in the air. Bird song and activity is happening. The ravens have been busy repairing their nest at the top of the Ponderosa pine. They will most likely have more work to do after this storm passes. How a nest even survives in these winds up is a testament to the bird’s construction abilities. We also have a hummer nesting in the bottom branch of the same tree. I can’t help but think it is way too early for tiny little hummer babes to survive. We can only hope. Our tiny frogs, whose voices make them sound a whole lot bigger, are happily croaking away the evenings. The Almonds, Quince, and Forsythia are blooming, and the Willow leaves are starting to emerge. The lilac buds are swelling along with a lot of fruit trees.
Speaking of fruit trees, we are starting to pot up some of the bare-root because they are breaking dormancy. We had to do some pluots and plums, and it looks like the Southern Bartlett Pears are emerging, too. That means time is running out if you were hoping to get some bare-root trees this year. Bare root roses are basically over, as we have been busy getting those potted up before we have to start on trees. The good news is we have the early buy special on roses through March at 20% off the regular prices.
We received 4 pallets of pottery last month to add to our stock. To make room for them, we put the speckled line on sale at 50% off til they go. We opted for the Etruscan line from Deroma this year as it was different from any terracotta we have had in the past. It has more of an antique look. One style of Pacific Home and Garden pottery came in at a very reasonable price, and although the style is simple, the larger pots are half the price of some of the other styles.
March is potato planting time, and we have them in stock, along with the Super Sweet onion sets. Asparagus and Rhubarb crowns are delayed, as are our main order of summer blooming bulbs. Strawberries are available now in 6pks, and a couple of varieties are here in bare root bundles of 25. We did get in a couple of flats of tomatoes, Early Girl and Roma, for those who want to baby them until it is safe to plant. Our vegetable table is full of a diverse array of cool-season vegetables for planting now. If the tags are handwritten, that means we grew them ourselves organically, although not always from organic seed. We continue to reorder seed varieties as needed and are doing our best to keep our racks fully stocked. Vegetable growing is starting, and this year, we decided to change up our buy 3, 4th one free spring special to be Soil Booster for March, not potting soil.
Are you on the lookout for easy-care spring blooming shrubs to welcome the return of warmer weather? Here are some of the great varieties you can find at Star Gardens.
Deer resistant and sun: Lilacs, Western Red Bud (bare root) Quince, Grevillea, Coleonema, Viburnum tinus, Rockrose, Wild Lilac, Manzanita, and Toyon.
Deer resistant and shade or morning sun: Daphne, Oregon Grape, Choisya and some Viburnums and some Spireas.
Other: Deciduous Magnolias, Forsythia (possible deer resistant), Dwarf Peaches, and Nectarines.
And for some of the earliest blooming perennials, you have Veronica Georgia Blue, Pulmonaria (shade), Candytuft, Hellebores, Violets, Sea Pink, and, of course, spring blooming bulbs like Anemones and Ranunculus. Also hard to beat are those cheerful yellow daffodils. Primrose and Winter Daisy are classified as perennials, but our summer heat makes them unreliable, so we treat them as annuals. The same can be said for Iceland Poppies and Calendula, but they are dear-resistant colors for spring. Winter Daisy, Daffodils, Anemones and Ranunculus are also deer resistant. Unfortunately, they can eat the flowers even if they leave the green stuff alone.
Many of you know we grow some things from ‘plugs’ in the spring, like our wonderful hanging baskets and popular colors like petunias and calibrochoas. This year, we are starting with herbs, then moving on to petunias and callies, and finishing up with the more frost-sensitive lantanas and scaveolas. These are arriving in two-week intervals, so at least we have something to do under cover if the weather is bad.
Life is a challenge, and some times are more challenging than others. I will finish off the letter with a reminder of the positive benefits of gardening. There is a joy to be found outside. Listening to the frogs because we have provided a water feature for them. Seeing the butterflies, bees, and hummers flitting around our organically grown flowers with the knowledge that we are helping these key pieces of our food chain survive. The fragrance of fresh-cut grass. Picking a bouquet of blooms. Eating fruit and vegetables, we grew ourselves. Providing habitat for birds and small rodent-eating mammals. Listening to a breeze rustling through the leaves of the tree we planted for shade. The earthy smell of rich soil. A bed full of worms. Getting dirty. Picking the first tomato. A job well done. Priceless.
March Specials
- Soil Booster: Buy 3, 4th FREE
- 15% off 3 or more bare root fruit trees and liners
- 20% off Firmulch and gopher cages with purchase of bare root
- Early bird special: 20% off potted roses
- Potted Naked Lady Amaryllis 7.99 ea
