The Orchard Online News: March 19, 2009

Edition 9.12

March 19, 2009

Master Nursery

CCN Pro

Lafayette
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Telephone:
(925) 284-4474

Address:
4010 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette, CA 94549

E. B. Stone Citrus & Fruit Tree Food

is a blend of select natural organic ingredients for use with citrus and other home orchard fruit trees and with small fruits like berries and those grown on vines. It is formulated to encourage new growth, lush green foliage and to support bountiful crops. E. B. Stone Citrus & Fruit Tree Food is rich in nitrogen, which is essential for all fruiting crops. It also contains phosphorus and potash, which are important for fruit production. It may also be used to feed shade trees, flowering trees and ornamental vines. Don't forget to check your pH and lower as needed with our Soil Sulfur for healthy citrus.

It’s time to plant summer blooming bulbs: dahlias, lilies (Asiatic, Oriental, Calla and Canna), begonias, and gladioli, just to name a few. Bare root perennials mentioned in the article below are included in this sale. Potted bulbs and vegetables not included in sale.

Special of the Week is valid on purchases made Thursday, March 19th through Wednesday, March 25th.

Astilbe Orchard Nursery has a number of perennials available in bare root form. They can be found in the garden shop alongside our wide selection of summer blooming bulbs. Planted now in early spring, these perennial roots will quickly establish themselves. The compact root size makes them easy to plant and they are a great buy for mass plantings. Now is the time to shop for the best selection.

Perennials which tolerate at least partial shade include Astilbe (3 varieties), Convallaria Majalis (Lily of the Valley), Dicentra Spectabilis (Bleeding Heart), and Hosta (4 varieties).

Selections which require part to full sun include Daylily (3 varieties), Iris Siberica (3 varieties), Liatris (2 varieties), Rudbeckia (2 varieties) and Peony (3 varieties).

Make sure to check each plant’s specific sun needs and plant appropriately for best results.

For those of you who missed Ginger’s Tomato Tutorial last Saturday, here are a few highlights.

There are four stages for vegetable success:

First, prepare your soil.
Second, take care of pests (pre-bait).
Third, make plant selections.
Last, stagger your vegetable planting. Start your planting with tomatoes. Plant peppers and eggplants approximately 3 weeks later. Plant cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkins approximately 2 weeks after the peppers. This is because these later planted vegetables need warmer soil temperatures for successful growth. Try not to plant all of your vegetable garden at once. Timing is very important and you’ll have much more success.
Click here to read the rest of Ginger’s Tomato Tutorial.

Stop in and talk to one of our experts for specifics on each of these steps.

Stop by on Saturday, March 28th from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Aaron from Four Winds Growers will have a variety of citrus fruits for you to taste to help you decide which ones are just right for you and your garden.

This Week's Question:

Why was the shamrock regarded as a sacred plant in ancient Ireland?

Answer the trivia question by clicking here.

Prize: A $10 Orchard Nursery Gift Certificate
One winner per newsletter.
The winner will be announced in Orchard's next online newsletter.
Winner must bring an ID to the nursery to claim the prize.
Prize must be picked up in person.
Employees are not eligible for this contest. _________________
ABOUT LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION...
Thanks to all of you who pointed out that D. Landreth Seed Company is, indeed, the oldest seed company in America. It has been determined that D. Landreth Seed Company should have been the corrrect answer so we would like to award a gift certificate to the first person who submitted "D. Landreth Seed Company" as the answer for last week's trivia question. And the winner is....Charibel Ceccato!

We truly appreciate the enthusiasm that our readers have exhibited over the trivia contest!

What You'll Need:

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Step by Step:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet.
Coat with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake asparagus 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.
Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.

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