Winter Garden Chores

Plant  Bare Root Roses, Fruit Trees, Berries, Grapes...

The most economical way to plant these garden favorites. Also, plant potatoes, garlic, shallots & onions.

Plant Cool Season Annuals & Plants for Winter Interest

For Winter color, plant Cyclamen in shady locations. For sunny spots, choose Pansies, Violas, Calendula, Snapdragons, Ornamental Kale/Cabbage, and Primrose.  All excellent for containers or in ground planting.

For colorful berries, choose Cotoneaster, Holly, Pyracantha, or Strawberry Bush/Tree.

For beautiful foliage, try Variegated Holly, Daphne, Lily of the Valley Shrub, Lilyturf, Eunomous, Flax, or Chamaecyparis.

Shrubs that bloom during the winter months include the lovely Lily of the Valley Shrub, Fragrant Daphne, Camelia, Lenten Rose, & Strawberry Bush/Tree.

Provide a good root environment by amending & mulching soil.  

Most of us have lots of clay in our native soils which makes it difficult for plant roots to grow properly and take up the nutrients and water plants need.  Healthy plants depend on a good root environment.

We recommend amending your soil with Paydirt Soil Conditioner And Mulch to achieve this.  Then use as a topdressing (or mulch) to keep roots cool and conserve moisture as the weather heats up. 

Another option is to save your back and build raised beds using our Eureka Planting Mix.  Perfect for planting directly into containers too.

Keep plants properly hydrated

Be sure plants have adequate water, particularly if Mother Nature is not providing it for us.  Deep rooted plants like trees and shrubs require less frequent deep watering. Shalllow rooted plants such as annuals, perennials and newly planted young shrubs will require more frequent watering.  A  2 - 3 inch mulch layer will conserve a tremendous amount of water and keep roots cool.  Help seal in moisture and prevent ice crystal damage by spraying plants with Liquid Fence Freeze Pruf or Cloudcover.  Improves cold tolerance up  to 9.4 degrees farenheight.
    

Feed Your Plants

Roots will grow much faster with a high dosage of phosphorus.  In turn, the plant will grow much faster.  To get your plants off to fast start use Master Start or EB Stone Organic Sure Start.  Water in with RootMaster B1 to lessen transplant shock.             Happy Gardening!

During the Fall, most plants are starting to get ready for their winter naps.  Whether a plant loses it's leaves or not, most plants still go into a dormancy during the winter.  This means that the leaves and stems either stop growing or growth slows dramatically.  The roots however continue to grow beneath the surface and food is stored for flowering later on.  Feeding any plants with a 0-10-10 (Master Bloom or EB Organics Ultra Bloom) will be beneficial during the winter especially for Winter and early Spring blooming and fruiting plants such as Citrus, Camellias, Azaleas, Cyclamen, and Primrose. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth which we do not want during the harsh Winter weather, (this is the (0).  The Phosphorus(10), and Potassium(10) not only aid in the development of roots, flower buds, and fruiting, but also help plants to resist diseases and cold weather damage.                                                

Protect Tender Plants from Frost

Spray tender plant species such as Citrus, Bouganvillea, Angel's Trumpet, and Lantana with FreezePruf Frost Protector or Cloudcover.  Ready to use spray improves cold tolerance up to 9.4 degrees farenheight.  Just apply 8-12 hrs. before anticipated freeze.  Will protect for 6 weeks.  For added protection on extra cold nights well below freezing (32degrees)you should consider covering your plants completely.  Our reccomendation is the N-Sulate Frost Blanket.  It is permeable to sun so there's no need to take it off during the day.  It is also permeable to rain so it will not weigh down and break any branches. 12'x10' $14.99 Also available cut to order $1.19 per linear foot (12' wide) 

Dormant Spray

Why dormant spray?

Dormant spraying has many advantages.  First of all, many diseases including Peach Leaf Curl, Shot Hole Fungus, Pear Blight, Brown Rot and Bacterial Canker can be prevented, but cannot be cured during the growing season.  Early season insect populations including Mites, Aphids and Scale can be reduced so that spraying is unnecessary when bees are present in the spring.  Maybe most importantly to many people, dormant sprays are among the safest and least toxic garden products available.  Their use can reduce or eliminate the need for other pesticides or fungicides when fruit is on the tree or beneficial insects are present.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.

 ·        Almond, Apricots, Cherries, Plums & Prunes
To control over-wintering insects, spray with MASTER NURSERY PEST FIGHT SPRAY OIL.  To control Brown Rot, spray with MONTEREY LIQUI-COP, BONIDE SULFUR SPRAY or BONIDE COPPER FUNGICIDE at bud swell, bud burst and weekly thereafter.  

            Apples  & Pears
To control Powdery Mildew and Scab, spray with MONTEREY LIQUI-COP,  BONIDE COPPER FUNGICIDE or BONIDE SULFUR SPRAY (See label for timing.) To control over-wintering insects, add MASTER NURSERY PESTFIGHTER SPRAY OIL.  To prevent worms, use a Codling Moth trap or spray with SEVIN at ¾ petal drop and twice again at two week intervals.

 ·        Peaches & Nectarines
To control leaf curl, spray in late fall before rains with MONTERY LIQUI-COP plus MASTER NURSERY PESTFIGHTER SPRAY OIL or SPRAY GRIP.  Spray again in mid to late winter or early spring before buds break.

 ·        Walnuts
To control Walnut Blight, spray with MONTEREY LIQUI-COP, BONIDE COPPER FUNGICIDE or BONIDE COPPER SPRAY at early pre-bloom and again at late pre-bloom.  

·        Roses
To control black spot, powdery mildew, and rust, spray with MONTEREY LIQUI-COP or BONIDE SULFUR SPRAY (See label for timing.)  To control over-wintering insects, add MASTER NURSERY PESTFIGHTER SPRAY OIL.