I said in the last newsletter that the hot days of summer were behind us. Little did I know. At least the days are not as long, but it is still brutal out in the sun in the afternoon. Looks like it will be hot all week, then start to cool down somewhat. We should be doing our fall planting right now but this heat is not helping. October is prime planting time for trees and shrubs. You can save money on your water bill next summer because your plants will be better established. October is also prime grass seeding month if you need to establish a new lawn or repair your existing one.
Even though the rains have not started yet, it is also a good time to scatter wildflower seeds. You will be mimicking nature. Wildflowers are busy dropping their seeds right now if they have not done so already. Then they sit out for a while before the rains and cooler weather happen. Some will germinate this year, and others will wait til spring. This process of heat and cold is called vernalization and is part of the way seeds germinate in nature. We have some large packs of CA wildflowers, CA poppies and canisters of poppies, wildflowers, and a cover crop mix.
Burned out on the vegetable garden? Even if you do not plan on doing cool-season vegetables you could seed out our Soil Builder mix or fava beans. Planting a cover crop in the fall and digging in in spring is a great way to replenish and build up your soil. For those of you who are planning on winter/early spring vegetables, we have the seeds and a full long table of starts ready to go in the ground. Onion sets are here, and the garlic has finally arrived. (Irish Eyes apologized for the delay, saying they are short-staffed.) Do not forget to amend the soil once again with your favorites, whether it’s manure, worm castings, EBStone Soil Booster, bat guano, or all of the above and then some.
I have yet to do any summer pruning on my younger fruit trees, but I plan on it this month. I want to do it before fruit/ flower development starts happening within. This is the month to feed fruit trees and spring-blooming shrubs with EBStone Ultra Bloom food, aka 0-10-10. This is a no nitrogen fertilizer, just phosphorus and potassium for flower production, disease resistance, and strong vascular system with some calcium and sulfur. Phosphorus takes time to break down, hence feeding in the spring is too late for spring bloomers (yet okay for summer bloomers). We also plan on doing some light pruning on our remaining fruit trees. Speaking of bloom food, Maxsea has been having some production issues, and deliveries have been delayed. We were out of the Bloom, but it is back in stock.
Our 50-count bags of daffodils have arrived, so our selection of spring flowering bulbs for fall planting is here. I read that it was another bad year for bulb production in Holland, so they are expecting a tulip shortage. We did not get that many, but we received everything we ordered. There are 12-15 count bags of different daffodils, including doubles and pinks. The double tulips are popular, and we have a couple of different colors to choose from. Look for the species tulips, too. These are true to nature, not hybridized varieties that are really cute. Flowering bulbs are such a welcome addition to the spring garden after our dark, cold winter. They just scream spring.
We can not have an October newsletter without mentioning some of the best trees and shrubs for fall color. One of the best in our climate is the Chinese Pistache, a heat and eventually drought-resistant shade tree with small leaves that gets up to 50 ft tall and wide. Colors and sex vary with seedling-grown ones, but there are a couple of male varieties if you do not want the berries. The berries are bird attracting, which is good for habitat, but you will discover some volunteer seedlings. The colors on mine vary from year to year but range from gold to oranges with some reds. Raywood Ashes have similar leaves, do well here, and have a burgundy fall color. They are also called Claret Ash. Ornamental Pears turn red in the fall, and those are the trees planted in downtown Middletown. Persimmons are the best if you want orange. Maples are another good choice if you are looking for fall color. Many like the warm yellow that Fruitless Mulberry turns. Most fruit trees get a nice fall color, along with Blueberries, Hawthornes, and Crabapples. Crepe Myrtles also produce some of the best show of foliage colors. Shrubs that put on good color include Barberries, Spireas, Burning Bush, Hydrangeas, and Lilacs. For a vine, you can not beat Boston Ivy for reds.
We have picked several hornworms off our tomatoes although we never saw the hummingbird moth that laid them. We deported them. The white butterflies are very active, but spraying Bt at the full moon has really helped with the caterpillar damage on our vegetable starts. Those pesky Harlequin beetles have also been a problem on our veggies and we are alternating with neem and pyrethrums sprays to combat them.
We still have a lot of peaches and plums in stock, so they will be 30% off the regular price. We are putting all our deciduous shrubs (the ones that lose their leaves) on special, too. This includes shrub Crepe Myrtles, Roses, Lilacs, Hydrangeas, Barberry, Spireas, Burning Bush, etc. We have a diverse selection of ‘4-inch’ perennials, and you can get them, along with succulents, at a 20% discount this month. Just in time for fall planting, we have Matilija Poppies. These CA natives have a better chance of taking if planted in the fall. The nursery is still well stocked, has lots of blooming flowers, and looks great with all the seasonal decor.
The two cats I adopted have been spending time at the nursery, so you will be seeing them around. Suerta is the black female, demanding but on her terms. Zorro, the grey male, is more laid back. Yes, they have been fixed. Shep is hanging out more at the sales office, filling in for Tor. He has always been skittish with customers and prefers to be ignored by you. He also has hearing loss and is starting to show his age, He has always tried to make himself scarce around children and does not trust them.
Pending elections, wars, fires, floods, and a myriad of stress got you down? Do not discount the proven therapeutic value of creating your own sanctuary with gardening or just being out in nature. We are fortunate to live in a rural area where these things are close and can be right out of our back door.
OCTOBER SPECIALS
30% OFF PEACHES, PLUMS AND GRAPES
20% OFF
- Succulents
- 4 inch perennials (the priced $7.99 and up ones)
- Deciduous shrubs (excludes natives)
- Roses
- Hummingbird feeders
