Old Fashioned Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks are a quintessential old fashioned garden favorite. Growing up to 10 feet tall, their stalks of single, free-seeding blooms adorned our grandmother's backyard.

They were also planted in the 19th century to screen outhouses. Abundant and long-blooming hollyhocks would signal to women where the facilities were without having to inquire. Thus prim ladies would state they were "going to see the hollyhocks" rather than announce their true intention. 

Our 'Outhouse' variety includes pink, white, red, and burgundy flowers, some with contrasting centers. Fairly drought tolerant, although Hollyhocks will perform best with ample moisture and rich soil. Plant these pollinator attractors and deer resistant flowers in full sun.

Don't miss our other outstanding varieties now available in our outdoor shop. 'Chater's Double' boasts tall, elegant spires of gorgeous peony-shaped double blossoms that are stunning in fresh or dried bouquets! Plant 'The Watchman' along your fence and enjoy stunning blooms in a black satiny hue, and we love the unusual fig leaf-shaped foliage of the 'Happy Lights' variety with richly colored petals!

A biennial, now is the best time to plant for foliage this fall and bountiful blooms this spring. We love Hollyhocks for their prolific reseeding, a bonus that will ensure your garden is full of beautiful flowers year after year! Stop in and sow your seeds today! 

Cover Crops 101

What are Cover Crops? 

Cover crops are fast growing plants, usually grains, legumes or grasses, that are utilized by farmers and gardeners for one or more of their beneficial qualities and not usually intended as food crops. These crops are usually worked into the soil or removed before they set seed. The use of cover crops has taken place since ancient times. Over 2500 years ago the ancient Japanese and Chinese noticed that many crops grew and produced better when following the growth of certain plants. This practice continued with the ancient Greeks and Romans and continues up to the present.

Additional Benefits:

• Weed Control: Because of their fast-growing nature, cover crops are often able to out-compete weeds for resources like water, light, and nutrients. In some cases this competition suppresses weeds to a manageable level. In other cases it stops weed growth altogether. When used in this manner, they are referred to as "smother crops."
• Disease and Pest Control: When used as part of a healthy crop rotation, cover crop plants displace disease organisms by replacing their preferred hosts. The same can be said for their ability to prevent insect pests. Weeds often harbor insects that prey upon garden plants. By suppressing weed growth, cover crops can suppress pest insect populations as well.
• Soil Flora and Fauna: Some of the best know benefits of cover crops are their effects on the soil. When cover crops decay and leave behind organic matter, they act as a food source for earthworms and beneficial soil microorganism. Increased diversity of soil life usually leads to healthier soil and therefore healthier plants.
• Physical Effects: Many cover crops, like buckwheat, oats, and crimson clover have very fine roots that are able to penetrate tough soils. They loosen the hard soil as they penetrate and when the roots die they leave behind looser soil and organic matter. When cover crops are incorporated into the soil, their decay provides organic matter that lighten soil, improves its texture and aeration, and can equilibrate its water holding capacity.
• Nutrients: Cover crops are often referred to as "green manures". This is because, like manure, they add organic matter to the soil. But, also like manure, they can increase the fertility of soil. The humus that they add to soil helps hold nitrogen for plants to utilize and prevents it from leaching away. Some cover crops are legumes, like peas, and have the ability to, with the help from soil microorganisms called Rhizobium, take nitrogen from the air and turn it into a form that plants can use as food. Some others, like buckwheat, are adept at gathering phosphorus from the soil and making it available to other plants upon their decomposition. These two nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, are major contributors to plant health and production and are also often added as fertilizer. 

Our Planting Tips:

Cover crops are easy, fast growing plants that anyone can grow. Cultivate the soil to a depth of about 1 inch and rake out any large debris or weeds. Check your seed packet for the recommended planting depth. Cover crops can usually be scattered evenly and it is unnecessary to sow careful rows or thin crowded plants. After sowing, tamp down the soil lightly to create good contact between seed and soil. Water immediately after sowing and keep the area moist until your plants emerge. After establishment, most cover crops require minimal additional water.

Our cover crop seed packets are available in the outside shop, pick up a few today and get planting! Questions? Stop in today and be sure not to miss our Sheet Mulching and Cover Crop Demo led by Mercy on October 17th! RSVP today! 

Excerpts of this article are take from Botanical Interests, our seed supplier. 

Cool Season Color

Our stock of fall color is beginning to arrive! Now is the perfect time to plant your cool season bloomers for vivid color through fall and winter. For the best selection, stop in Friday afternoon and shop our newly arrived beauties!

Calendula

A sure source of bright color from fall through late spring, these easy-to-grow, old-fashioned favorites are available in dwarf (10-15”) or tall (18-24”) forms. Effective in borders and massed beds, they are also wonderful in containers! Great as long-lasting cut flowers, grow and decorate your fall table centerpiece with these vibrant yellow-orange blooms. Remember to remove spent blooms to prolong flowering! Calendula prefers sun, good drainage and moderate, but thorough watering - avoid overhead watering if possible.

Violas

Free-flowering violas are perfect for all those hard-to-fill gaps in your winter border! Plant for edging, massing, accent, container and spring bulb cover. Hardy, compact blooms are guaranteed in our mild winters! More heat resistant than pansies, violas will bloom winter through summer from fall plantings. Sun or light shade. (Partial summer shade in our hottest areas!) Plant in rich, moist soil with regular watering and fertilizer.

Pansies

Pansies provide easy and dependable color in mass bedding, border or container plantings. Plant now for winter and spring blooms, they make a great for a spring bulb cover! Choose a spot in sun or light shade, these beauties prefer rich, moist soil with regular watering and fertilizer. Don't forget to keep spent flowers picked off to prolong blooming!

Primrose

For those dreary months, there is nothing better than cheery primroses! These outstanding plants are noted for their large, showy, abundant flowers of vivid color on dwarf plants. A hardy perennial often grown as an annual, Primroses reach 4-6” high and are excellent for accent, woodland border, edging or container plantings. Very cute in straw baskets! Plant in morning sun or light shade; loose, well-drained soil and moderate watering. Remember to remove spent blooms and stems to extend blooming time. 

Flowering Cabbage and Kale

A tasty way to add color to your fall and winter garden, these hardy annuals feature attractive, edible foliage. Use for mass beds, accents and pots - their leaves also make a beautiful garnish for buffet plates. (And the colder the weather, the better their color gets!) The large, 8-10” “flowers” are brightly colored in white, cream, rose or purple. The big difference between the two: Cabbage leaf edges are not fringed like Kale. Plant in sun, well-drained, fertile soil and average watering.

Stock

For fragrance in the garden, and the house, Stock is second to none. Plant it near an entry and treat yourself, and your guests, to its delightful perfume - most noticeably on cool, overcast days, and at twilight. Stock prefers moist, well-drained soil, and sun or light shade.

Chrysanthemums AKA Mums 

A fall favorite, plant Chrysanthemums in sun or light shade and enjoy an assortment of colors and forms all season long! We love planting Mums as borders, edging and in containers for an abundance of free-flowering color. Mum's the word, and if you missed it on our newsletter, be sure to sign up here! 

For all your fall color, we recommend planting with Master Nursery's Eureka Planting Mix, now on sale thru the month of September. (Buy 3 and get 1 free!) Upon planting, don't forget to fertilize! Apply E.B. Stone Organics Sure Start 4-6-2, a starter fertilizer that will help your plants develop sturdy roots and healthy growth. 

Are You "Deadheading?"

To extend your summer blooms through fall, keep on deadheading! Here's a bit of advice from Shawna, CCNPro and head of our Custom Container Department. If you haven't met Shawna, stop in and say hello! And definitely don't miss her custom designs on our container patio or her free upcoming demos! 

It’s summertime…the time to kickback and enjoy your garden. All the spring planting you've done has been in full bloom, right? Well if they aren’t, then you need to deadhead! 

Yes, deadheading will convince many plants not to go to seed but continue to bloom through fall. If left alone, a flowering plant will put forth a bloom. The blossom would then be fertilized and subsequently set seed. In this complete reproductive task, the plant expends its energy and nutrients to set seed instead of producing more of those beautiful flowers we all love to enjoy!

For single flowers, including Gaillardia, Coreopsis, Echinacea and Zinnias, prune the flower and stem down to the base of the plant. For those on "spikes" including Salvia, Veronica and Angiozanthus, wait until flowers are wilted and cut down to the crown. 

Below are a few annuals and perennials that will benefit from deadheading:

• Achillea sp. (Yarrow)

  • Remove brown and faded flowers by cutting right above the flower stem where another branching flower mass shoots off the side.

• Adenophora bulleyana (Bulley’s Ladybells)

• Alcea rosea (Hollyhock)

• Alstroemaria (Peruvian Lilly)

  • Pull the entire stem, do not cut.

• Angelonia (Angelonia)

• Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws)

• Argyranthemum (Marguerite Daisy)

• Armeria maritima (Thrift)

• Aster sp. (Aster)

  • Pinch or snip the faded bloom along with the stem to the next leaf, stem or bloom down. Leave a few wilted flowers if you'd like the plant to self-sow.

• Aquillegia caerulea (Columbine)

• Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush)

• Centranthus ruber (Valerian)

• Chrysanthemum x supberba (Shasta Daisy)

• Cosmos bipinnatus (Cosmos)

• Consolida ambigua (Larkspur)

• Coreopsis grandiflora (Coreopsis)

  • Cut back each flower stem to the crown (center) of the plant.

• Delphinium sp. (Delphinium)

• Dianthus caryophullus (Pinks)

• Diascia (Twinspur)

  • Can be sheared.

• Echinacea (Coneflower)

• Felicia amelloides (Blue Marguerite)

• Gaillardia (Blanket flower)

• Gaura lindheimeri (Gaura)

• Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)

• Heliotropium arborescens (Heliotrope)

• Hemerocalis (Daylilly)

• Lavandula (Lavender)

  • Snip each stem of lavender at the crown of the plant.

• Monarda didyma (Bee Balm)

• Nemesia

  • Can be sheared.

• Nepeta (Catmint)

• Pelargonium sp.

• Penstemon (Penstemon gloxiniodes)

• Phlox paniculata (Border Phlox)

  • Cut off individual spent flower clusters as soon as the flowers begin to wither, then prune the entire flower spike once all buds have bloomed.

• Rudbeckia hirta (Gloriosa Daisy)

• Scabiosa atropurpurea (Pincushion Flower)

• Rose

  • Cut down approximately 1/3 of the stem to outward-facing leaflet

• Salvia sp. (Sage)

• Tagetes erecta (Marigold)

• Veronica spicata (Speedwell)

• Zinnia angustifolia (Zinnia)

After you’ve deadheaded don’t forget to fertilize! Shawna recommends MaxSea Bloom Plant Food and has been truly happy with the results. It’s easy to use, cast the pellets around the beds, water in and reap the benefits healthy plants all year long! Find it and more in the Garden Shop! 

Halibut with Roasted Peppers

Put those homegrown peppers to good use with this delicious recipe incorporating fresh coriander and halibut! This recipe comes from the kitchen of Randall Barnes, our Bedding Department Manager who states, "this is a favorite of mine when I have so many peppers and need a simple recipe!"

INGREDIENTS 

2 red bell peppers, or 1 cup of prepared roasted peppers
2 yellow bell peppers, or 1 cup of prepared roasted peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp capers, chopped
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
3 lb halibut fillet

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Rub the peppers with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and roast them in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the skins start to fall off. Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap, and allow them to steam for 5 minutes.

3. Peel the skin from the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Slice the peppers into thin strips.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until lightly caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

5. Add the capers, vinegar, cumin, red pepper flakes, and coriander. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add the onion mixture to the peppers and keep warm.

6. Preheat a grill to medium-high. Cut the halibut into eight 6-ounce portions and season with salt and pepper. Grill the halibut until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve each portion with 1/4 cup of the roasted pepper salad.

Time To Plant Your Winter Veggie Seeds!

Now is the time to begin sowing seeds for winter picking and we’ve got all the tools to help you grow a bountiful harvest!

We recommend mixing E.B. Stone Naturals Perlite, a lightweight additive into your existing planting mix to loosen up your soil for sowing. It is also great for aeration and promoting root growth. For a complete blend, use E.B. Stone Organics Seed Starter Mix, containing sphagnum peat moss, perlite, dolomite lime and gypsum, it’s great for starting all your seed types.

We offer a variety of starter trays and sprouting kits in our shop. No matter if you are looking to sow inside or out, we’ve got you covered! A 12qt. bag of our Seed Starter Mix fills a standard 10 x 20 starter tray perfectly and is fool-proof way to get your growing going!

Remember that it’s important to keep your seedlings at the right moisture level to prevent germination problems! Be sure to read the back of your seed packet to ensure your plant is on the correct watering schedule.

Here are a few of our favorite cool season veggie seeds (and gorgeous sweet pea blooms!) that are available in our shop!

Heirloom Broccoli Romanesco

Romanesco is neither and it’s not actually a broccoli, but somewhere between a broccoli and cauliflower, with 5"–6" heads. First noted by Italians in the 16th century, it is now catching the eyes of gourmet chefs. Cooked, Romanesco has a delicious nutty flavor and a texture similar to cauliflower.

• Days to harvest: 85-100 days
• Days to emerge: 7-14 days
• Seed depth: ¼”

Baby Little Finger Organic Heirloom Carrots

Did you know that grocery store baby carrots are actually cut from regular sized carrots? Once you try the sweet flavor and crisp bite of this 3” true baby carrot, you will never look back! Though it tastes great fresh from the garden, Little Finger was developed in France for pickling & canning whole.

• Days to harvest: 57 days
• Days to emerge: 10-25 days
• Seed depth: ¼”

Sweet Pea Knee-High Blends

Annual. The wonderful scent and beauty that delights sweet pea lovers, but with shorter vines. Needs little or no support. Knee-High Blend offers a symphony of colors to brighten up your garden, short trellis or basket. Multiple florets of blossoms that average 1-inch for excellent cut flower bouquets.

• Days to emerge: 10-21 days
• Seed depth: 1”
• Full sun

Early Wonder Organic Heirloom Beets

Early Wonder has it all: tasty, abundant greens, flavorful beets, and early production. An excellent choice. Great for mild climates where multiple crops are possible. The 18" greens are as delicious as chard or spinach and high in vitamins A and C, iron and potassium. Beet seed is actually a dried fruit with 1-5 seeds in each fruit, so proper thinning is very important.

• Days to harvest: 48 days
• Days to emerge: 5-21 days
• Seed depth: ½”

Early Snowball Cauliflower

Available in the United States since 1888, this heirloom variety was introduced by Peter Henderson & Company. A favorite of gardeners for its high-quality, tightly packed heads. Excellent for serving raw, baked, broiled, or steamed, and freezes well for later use. Grows well in a variety of climates, but cauliflower needs cool temperatures for head formation.

• Days to harvest: 95-100 days
• Days to emerge: 8-10 days
• Seed depth: ¼”

We’ve got something for everybody in our shop! Stop in and see what other delectable cool season veggies you can be sowing this month, and be sure to check out our seed supplier Botanical Interests' Outdoor Sowing Guide to plan out the rest of your garden! 

We love Botanical Interests’ Garden Inspiration Coloring Book! Full of gorgeous botanical drawings of what you’ll be harvesting come winter! Check it out here! 

Citrus Care 101

Heavy feeders of both nitrogen and phosphorus, now is the time to feed your citrus! We recommend using Master Nursery Citrus Food 12-8-4 or E.B. Organics Citrus & Fruit Tree Care 7-3-3 to promote fruiting and healthy growth.

If you’re noticing yellowish foliage with green veins, apply Master Nursery Chelated Iron Plus 2-0-0 to encourage deep green foliage and new growth. Questions? Stop in today and let us help you get your best citrus harvest yet!

If you haven't got any citrus planted, it's a great time to plant! With so many varieties in stock, it won't be hard to find a delectable variety to add to your garden! Check out a few of our favorite citrus here.

Plant your citrus in a warm, sunny exposed spot that's protected from the wind. Use a mixture of your soil and Master Nursery's Gold Rush when planting into the ground. For containers, we recommend using Master's Planting Mix. Upon planting, feed your citrus Master Nursery’s Citrus Food 12-8-4 or E.B. Stone Organics Citrus & Fruit Tree Food 7-3-3 for a boost! 

We also recommend feeding your citrus Master Nursery’s Iron Plus regularly to prevent leaf chlorosis. Leaf chlorosis is easily identifiable as leaves will begin to yellow with dark green veins, a sign of an iron deficiency. Citrus are heavy iron feeders and in order to maintain healthy leaves, you’ll want to supplement their feeding. For immediate results, apply liquid Master's Chelated Iron Plus. Remember that organic fertilizers do not include iron, so you will need to maintain a regular supplement of iron to keep your citrus healthy!

Citrus trees like deep, infrequent watering so they stay on the dry side of moist! Watering frequency will vary with temperature and maturity but watering deeply once a week should be sufficient for a plant in the ground. Container plants may need watering twice a week but it is important to allow the soil surface to dry out between waterings.

Little or no pruning is necessary on citrus, however, the occasional erratic branch can be cut way back. Citrus round out naturally into a shapely shrub or tree—to expedite this pinch off the tips of new growth. For special or restorative pruning wait until Spring. 

Come winter, be aware of frost. Although susceptibility varies by variety and maturity, (for example, limes are the most susceptible to frost damage) in general, established plants can withstand short exposure to freezing temperatures with no damage. However, severe or prolonged frost will damage most varieties. Be sure to bookmark our Winter Care For Citrus post for our steps to prevent against frost. 

For more information, check out our general Citrus Care Sheet or stop in today!