Spring is coming! Winter hours are over, beginning March 1. Back to 9-5, rain days 10-4. We are in that changeable time of year between true spring and winter. I just spent a good part of February in Southeast Asia and came back to snow on the ground and a few very cold days. Now we are back up to the 60s and 70s. I have not spent much time in the tropics, and I was at a loss to identify most of the trees and shrubs in the landscapes of Cambodia and Vietnam. I even had to ask my fellow travelers to identify the Frangipani that were everywhere. And what the heck is that almost leafless tree with those big pods hanging down? Turns out they call it the Cotton Tree, and Sai Gon is named after it. The pods are full of ‘cotton,’ and they use it for filling. I did recognize bananas, maybe the mangos, but not Passion, Jack, or Dragon fruit, or Cocoa trees. We did go to a silk farm and got to see them produce silk thread from the cocoons of the silk worm, and I do know what a Mulberry tree looks like. Bedding plants were a different story. Those were the same. We were there right up to Chinese New Year, and flowers are a big part of the decorating and the belief in bringing good fortune for the new year. People were bringing home huge pots of orchids, gold mums, and loaded kumquat trees on the back of their scooters. It is comforting to know there are very old cultures that believe flowers bring good fortune. We are often touting all the benefits of plants and flowers here at the nursery.
So what has been happening since the last newsletter? The bare-root roses are breaking dormancy due to all the warm weather we have had. We should be done putting them in pots by the end of the weekend. We will offer them at 20% off the regular potted price through March. The same goes for the potted fruit trees. We have had to pot up a lot of the plums and pluots that were beginning to leaf out. If you want bare root pricing, you had better not delay any longer. Everything will be in pots before the month is out.
Summer flowering bulbs are here, but we are still waiting for the rhubarb, more potatoes, and onions. Due to the cold in the East, the new ship date is March 15. Bare-root strawberries came today. We have some new metal birds and roosters, plus stocked up on a few of our missing styles of pottery. We received an order of statuary, mostly Buddhas and the like, but also Saint Francis and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Cambodia is a Buddhist country, and everyone has Spirit Houses (made of wood) in their front yards with offerings for their ancestors. All the hotels we stayed at in both countries had altars for the ancestors in the lobby. In De Nang harbor, there is a huge statue of Quan Yin, the listener, so fishermen and seamen can see her, and she can ‘hear’ their thoughts and prayers.
Availability for bedding plants and 4-inch perennials is still limited from our suppliers, but we still have a good selection. They have a winter look is all. Our shipments of plugs for our hanging baskets will be trickling in over the next few weeks. We cannot get them in too early, as our little greenhouse holds only so much and isn’t heated. Herbs are the first to arrive, followed by light frost-hardy petunias and calibrachoa. Non frost hardy don’t come until April. We are still seeding out some cool-season vegetables in 6 packs, and for those of you chomping at the bit, those are your best bet for planting in March. If you plan on growing your summer vegetables from seed, then this is a good month to start them indoors or in a heated greenhouse. We will probably get some tomato starts this month for those of you who want to get an early start in your greenhouse or solarium. We don’t really stock the summer veg starts until April and May. Remember that if the weather is too cold, you are not doing yourself any favor by trying to plant too soon before the soil has warmed up. Be patient.
This is a good month to feed your blueberries with an acidic food. It is also time to start feeding your citrus again after holding off on the monthly feeding in winter. Good news is we finally have FST back in stock. This is iron and sulfur, and both blueberries and citrus benefit from a once or twice yearly application, as do other acid-loving plants. I like to wait until April to feed everything, but this month would be fine too. Top dressing with manure and Firmulch or applying the long-term EB Stone granular fertilizer with mycorrhizae are all good bets. I especially like the Firmulch for roses, but it is great for your shade-loving plants too. Fungicide spray your nectarines and peaches one more time when 2/3 of the flowers have dropped. Finish all winter pruning before things break dormancy if possible. Prepare your annual and vegetable beds with Soil Booster, manures, compost, worm castings, and the like. Remember to add some Firmulch to your large containers to help keep the soil level topped off.
It has been hard for me to get up to speed after my travels. I am already dreaming of my next adventure, although it will most likely be a ways off yet. For the time being, I am looking forward to spring and the challenges the garden and everyday life brings.
March Specials
20% Off
- Potted fruit trees (not including olives or citrus)
- Potted Roses
- #3/#5 gallon Camellias
- Organic Potatoes and Garlic
- Cool-Season Vegetable Starts
- Primrose and Cyclamen
Buy 3, 4th FREE
- GreenAll Organic Potting Soil 2 cu. ft. Bag
