Spring is here and summer is knocking on the door. Whether it is for a bold splash of color in the garden or an artful color-coordinating pot, your palette is endless with the selection of annuals for the warm season.
 
Here is a list of annuals you can purchase at Orchard during the warm growing season! These annuals will become available at different points in the season. Stop by to see what’s in this week.
 
Warm Season - Spring Summer Annuals

The rare and sought after ITOH hybrid Peonies have just arrived:  a cross between bush and tree peonies which exhibits the habit of a bush peony with the foliage, flowers and low chill requirement of tree peonies. That means they will re-bloom readily in our area and even do well in the mild climate of Alameda County. These will die down to the ground like traditional bush peonies. There is a spectacular array of flower colors to choose from.
 
A RARE FIND! Established five gallon plants at $100... Don’t miss out, supplies are limited.

Setting "fruit" (eggplants, peppers, squash, tomatoes, etc.) is the objective of warm season crops. The crops require soil warmth and short days to germinate, but need long days and higher temperatures to form and ripen fruit.

Early varieties need less total heat than later ones. Late varieties need more heat to mature. The early varieties are good for the home gardener who lives in an area with a short growing season, or for the gardener who wishes to make two plantings.

Vegetables for April - August
(Warm season)

Figuring Out Planting Time

Our area is not subject to prolonged frost or water-saturated soil. However, this doesn't mean that you can plant crops all year round. Warm season crops need warm temperatures, for example. In many cases, you will not speed up your harvest by planting earlier than suggested. Plants grow more slowly in cool weather, so earlier planted vegetables of the same type end up being harvested at the same time as those planted later. For cool season crops, planting them early in their season and getting them established will give them optimal growing conditions.