It's Summertime !
                Agapanthus are Bloomin'
                Hummingbirds are Zoomin'

    Fun in the Sun for August:

¤   Be sure to keep your hummingbird feeders full right now as they are fattening up for the fall and winter.   There are still great plants you can add to your garden to keep them fed, Sages and Zinnias are just a few.

¤   Now is the time to plant a beautiful Crepe Myrtle.   They are showing great color and we have a variety to choose from.

¤   Be sure to use Caterpillar Killer from Green Light on your tomatoes for Hornworms and on your Petunias and Geraniums for Budworms.

¤   Add a bubbling fountain or gurgling waterfall for that relaxing calming atmosphere in your garden.

¤   Deadhead fading summer flowers to keep plants in bloom longer.

¤   Orchids: Feed those regularly.   With cymbidiums, switch to a low nitrogen fertilizer from now until January.

Be sure to feed all your vegetable plants with either Dr. Earth or Master Nursery Vegetable fertilizer.

      Now's the time!   Fill your garden pots with colorful annuals such as cosmos, impatiens, vinca, verbena, million bells, huchera, allysum, zinnias, begonia and many more, all of which are in bloom right now.

      If you have trouble with weeds, nematodes or fungus in your beds now is a good time to solarize the soil.   Moisten the soil well and cover with a thick layer of clear plastic secured with stakes.   Leave it in place for at least 4 weeks then replant.   Solarizing works best in the full sun.

            More Summertime Fun Things You Can Do:

      June is really a great time to put together beautiful, easy to maintain, pots which will last all through the summer and beyond.   Jadwiga is our planting specialist.   Considering the size of your spot, the amount of sunlight, and other factors, she can advise you on what flowers work best for your specific needs.
      And don’t forget for bigger pots to use 'Better Than Rocks'.   It fills the bottom of the pot so that you save on soil and provides better drainage.

            Now is a good time to mulch your garden and shrub beds.   It helps to keep the weeds down and the soil cool during those hot summer months.   Don’t forget to mulch your flowerpots too.   We highly recommend Master Nursery Black Forest Compost.

            Remember to water deeply, but less often, both to conserve water and encourage the roots to go deeper.   For trees place your garden hose by the tree and let it soak with a slow trickle for two to three hours.   Soak every two weeks from May through September.   Redwood trees especially need this deep watering technique during the hot summer months.

            With the cool spring weather this year, June is still in time to start a beautiful vegetable garden !   For tomatoes that actually have taste? Grow your own!   And don't forget the Morris Gift Store is packed with wonderful treasures for your home and garden.   You simply must come visit to see all the great ideas and selections.   Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize!   Give ALL your flowers, berries, citrus, lawn and vegetables a good feeding with either Dr. Earth or Master Nursery fertilizers designed for your particular plant.

                        Be sure when planting to use Bumper Crop ...

¤   Preventing Garden Tomato Blossom End Rot

            Tomato blossom end rot can be prevented or stopped after it has begun with an application of good old Epsom salt to the garden soil.   Tomatoes are one of the favorite vegetables home gardeners grow and the satisfaction of planting and watching the fast growing tomato plants produce their red or yellow fruits can only be rivaled by the taste of a home grown tomato.   However, there are several issues that a gardener has to be vigilant about when growing healthy tomato plants, and one of those is blossom end rot, which strikes just prior to the maturation of the tomatoes.   Quite a disappointment for the gardener who has tended the tomato plants for weeks and greatly anticipated eating the fruits of their labor.   Blossom end rot can be prevented and even stopped after it has already begun to attack a tomato plant, with several applications of Epsom salt.

¤   What Causes Blossom End Rot:


            Blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the garden soil.   The calcium deficient soil is just not able to bring the tomatoes to the ripe stage before the fruit rots.   Blossom end rot starts out as a small dark circle on the tomato’s blossom end and will spread through the green or partially ripe tomato.


¤   Preventing the Blossom End Rot:

            To prevent blossom end rot, work Epsom salt into the garden soil before planting your tomatoes.   Apply one pound of Epsom salt to the standard sized raised bed garden (four feet by six to eight feet) or one cup of Epsom salt per container which your tomatoes will be grown in and then work it into the soil well with a spade or tiller. The Epsom salt will then be a readily available source of calcium and magnesium for a healthier tomato plant.   Epsom salt also promotes root growth and development for all garden vegetables and flowers and should be worked into the soil along with organic matter at the beginning of spring.   A side dressing of Epsom salt or watering gardening vegetables with a mixture of ½ cup of Epsom salt dissolved in one gallon of water a couple of times during the growing season will keep plants healthy and growing vigorously.   When applying dry Epsom salt as a side dressing, be careful not to allow the Epsom salt to touch any part of the plant.

¤     Stopping Blossom End Rot Once It Starts:

            If blossom end rot strikes tomato plants, it can be stopped and the plant can still go on to produce healthy tomatoes.   At the first sign of blossom end rot, remove all affected tomatoes from the plant and discard them.   Begin watering the tomato plant with an Epsom salt mixture once per week. Dissolve ½ cup of Epsom salt into a gallon of water and slowly pour the entire gallon around the base of the tomato plant.   The Epsom salt mixture will go directly to the plant roots and be absorbed by the plant and stop future developing tomatoes from being afflicted by blossom end rot.   Note that Zucchini plants are also susceptible to blossom end rot.

Things To Do In May

April Projects

  ¤ For your fruit trees (apples & pears) - as the petals begin to fall spray the tree with Green Light BT Worm Killer or Sevin.  This will help keep the Codling Moths from laying their eggs and ruining them.   Also place Codling Moth traps in the trees.

  ¤ Help with Aphids - the Lady Bugs are here.   For trees use Monterey Once a Year for Trees to keep them under control for 12 months.

  ¤ Worm Gold- worked into the ground around your vegetable plants will keep them in good condition and helps ward off aphids.   Also works well with Roses.

  ¤ Lawns-
      now is the time to apply Bayer Advanced Lawn Weeds and Crabgrass Killer.

  ¤ Slugs and Snails- Lilly Miller Slug, Snail and Insect Killer keep them all away from your plants.   If you have animals you can use Sluggo or Gro Power Snail & Slug Away.

  ¤ Nematodes were a large concern last year for tomato plants and after doing some research a few things may help keep them under control if you want to plant in that area this year.   Definitely use Dr. Earth products for planting as they provide beneficial soil microbes that eat nematodes also Marine Cuisine will provide elements that help kill the Nematodes.

         Our spring supply of perennials and annuals are in
             and the nursery is blooming with color!

March To-Do List