I can’t believe it is already time to send out another newsletter. Time is just flying by. The weather has us all guessing, going from hot early to cold late. We had hail last week, and add the cold, wet nights, our cucumber starts took a big hit. The hail shredded some of them. One of the reasons we caution people about starting them too soon. I can’t say the tomatoes were happy about it either, many showing the lighter spots of cold damage. A bunch of our little 6 packs of toms were not happy either. Hopefully, now that we are in May and May 1st being the last average frost date for the county, things will settle out some.
Our homegrown hanging baskets are looking beautiful and are ready for the Mother’s Day blitz. The warm weather early brought the petunia baskets on sooner than we expected, and the callie baskets are looking good now, too. Speaking of the 4-inch pots of cutting-grown specialty petunias, they are prime right now, and since we have plenty, we will have them on special for May. Lots of great verbena is ready now, too, including Mango and Dark Velvet. Our gauras are looking good with the best selection being Beleza White and Dark Pink. I love the gaura for being such an easy-to-grow, low-maintenance, long-blooming workhorse in containers or in the ground.
Salvias have been a little limited so far as to color availability, but are always a good, reliable deer-resistant choice, and they come in so many different forms and colors. Coreopsis is another long bloomer on the deer-resistant lists, but it does take a little maintenance to keep it flowering and looking good by removing the spent flowers. Another workhouse is the Santa Barbara Daisy. This is a great filler plant or small-scale ground cover. Lightly shear it when it gets looking too seedy. Last winter was mild enough that a lot of the lantana planted last year might be coming back. Even if it only lasts a season, this is a great choice for a low-maintenance, heat-resistant, deer-resistant flower. They have been bred to smaller sizes for containers and smaller spaces, although you can still find the original 4 ft growers.
We were able to do a one-time order with a nursery that is closing down in June. They had a selection of natives that we try to stock here. We were able to get some one-gallon Western Redbud that has been almost impossible to find. We also got in several Matilija Poppies, Elderberry, Sphaeralcea (Globe Mallow), Bush Anemones, and the native Mock Orange, Philadelphis lewisii. We have Huckleberries, too. Add to that our usual offerings of natives, and the selection is good right now.
In addition to the natives, they had one-gallon Paulonia (Empress) trees. They are a little wonky-looking, but many of you have asked for them in the past. They are very fast-growing, considered to be one of the fastest-growing hardwood trees around. We also received one gallon Mexican Weeping Bamboo and 5-gallon of the cold-hardy Fargesia and Borinda Bamboos. All would be lovely in a container or the larger growers as a screen plant.
The roses are full and starting to bloom. The patio tree roses are looking especially good, covered with flowers right now, and the rest are not far behind. Unfortunately, the cool, wet weather has led to some powdery mildew issues. Most years, due to our drier climate, disease is not an issue, and the biofungicide, Fungicide 5, has even kept the aphids to a minimum. A couple of days ago, I got out the heavier hitter, copper, and doused the roses, hoping to get them looking their best. The dark green, glossy-leafed varieties tend to be more resistant to disease, so that could be a factor for you in choosing what roses you buy.
We are just now beginning to stock melons and pumpkins, and plan to have plenty of vegetable starts through this month and probably into June. If you are like me, it can often be June before I get any vegetables planted since prepping the beds first is crucial to a successful harvest, and I haven’t found time or energy for that yet. I did manage to get a bunch of weeding done before everything set seed in my back yard. However, if nothing else, I need to get some tomatoes planted before too long. Well, maybe some peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers too, at least.
So what is on the docket to do in the yard? Have you fed everything yet? This is the one time of year when it is a good idea to feed everything in your yard. Have you run through your irrigation system to make sure everything is working properly? Prune and shape spring-blooming shrubs like lilacs and quince. You can sow out seed directly in the ground for zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, and marigolds. Just make sure the birds don’t get all those tasty sunflower starts. You can sow a lot of vegetables in the ground too. Squashes, cucumbers, corn, beans, and melons are typically easy to start from seed sown directly in the ground. Again, make sure the birds can’t get to them as they pop out of the ground.
I managed to get sick again, or I could be suffering from hay fever or a combination of both. My energy level has been in the dumps, and it has been taking its toll mentally, along with physically. It has been hard to stay positive and focused on the day ahead. Thank god I can walk out my door into the beauty that is Star Gardens. My wish is that you feel the same about your space and that it brings the peace of mind so desperately needed today.
May Specials
- All Ferns 20% off
- Peony Plants 20% off
- Fruiting Plums and Pluots 20% off
- 4-inch Petunias $1.00 off
- Last month for Potting Soil Special
- Buy 3, 4th free
GreenAll 2cf Organic
- Buy 3, 4th free
