Edition 9.39

September 24, 2009

Master Nursery

CCN Pro

Lafayette
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Telephone:
(925) 284-4474

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

Dr. Earth LIFE™ PRO-BIOTIC™ All-purpose Fertilizer

Same great Pro-Biotic formula with Beneficial Soil Microbes and Mycorrihizae. Easy-to-use homogenous pellets can be broadcast on top of soil. Fast, long-lasting results. Starts feeding in 7 to 10 days, lasts for months. Certified organic.

Time to Order Your Bareroot Roses and Fruit Trees

It’s time to order bareroot roses and fruit trees. Bareroot roses and fruit trees prepaid before December 1, 2009, receive a 20% discount. Bareroot will arrive in early January. In addition to the roses and fruit trees that we plan to have in stock January, we have a list of special order fruit trees that can also be ordered now. Thanks to one of our suppliers, Dave Wilson Nursery, we are able to offer many varieties not otherwise available. These varieties need to be prepaid by November 9th, and are not subject to pre-season discounts. Blueberries arrive in 2 gallon pots and are not included in the pre-season discount.

Click here for the PDF about this event.

There are still a few spots left! Call to make your reservation to enjoy a beautiful Autumn Evening in the Garden on October 1st, 5:30-7:30pm, 925-299-5444. Enjoy live music by Jack Pollard’s Party of Three, along with fabulous beer, wine and food tastings…and hand massages! Whether it’s a girls’ night out or date night for you, it’s sure to be an evening filled with friends and fun.

Our shipment of spring blooming bulbs has arrived from Holland. Now is the best time to shop for bulbs; our selection is at its peak. Stop by and see the dozens of choices of tulips, daffodils, iris, muscari, crocus, and many other bulbs.

What does fall conjure up? For Anne, the Lazy K buyer, it means rustling leaves, harvest time and the Circus coming to town! Maybe that’s why she was so taken with Bethany Lowe’s fall collection. We think you’ll be enthralled too. Whimsical mice cavort over pumpkins and an especially cute elephant. It’s a whole new take on the circus clown! Complementing our performers are Design Legacy’s vintage looking cut-outs depicting all sorts of circus folk. The Ring Master, the Trapeze Artist, and the Dancing Pig, are all here under our Big Top. Hurry and join the parade before the circus leaves for another year

Add to your collection today!

When you see Chrysanthemums you know fall has arrived! The two types of Chrysanthemums that we stock are "Garden Chrysanthemums" and "Pot Chrysanthemums." Both are popular perennials that bloom in an array of colors, from white, yellow, pink, red, cream, burgundy, bronze to gold.

The first mum to arrive is the Garden Chrysanthemum; this mum has smaller blossoms and a shorter, more compact habit. The Pot Chrysanthemum arrives later in the fall (usually late October); this mum has larger blossoms and grows taller. Both mums grow best in well-drained, moist soil in a sunny location. Prepare the planting site with organic matter and a complete fertilizer. Fertilize plants in the ground two to three times during the growing season.

After the blooms fade, cut back your plants to within 8" of the ground. As they begin to produce foliage, fertilize with Master Nursery Water Soluble Bud and Bloom and pinch them back every month and you will have beautiful chrysanthemums blooming year after year, reminding you that fall has arrived!

Many Eastern transplants get nostalgic for the color of autumn leaves when the crisp fall air nips the nose. But just because we live in California doesn't mean we can't enjoy displays of seasonal tree colors.

Liquidambars come in special clones known as 'Festival,' 'Palo Alto' and 'Burgundy.' Seedlings can be any color, but this is the best time to pick one out, since it will repeat the same color every fall.

Other trees for color displays are ginkgos, with brilliant gold leaves, and Chinese pistache, with vibrant orange to red hues. With the right choice of shade tree, you can light up the fall in your garden.

The VNA (Visiting Nurse Association) who gives the flu shots we offer here each year does not have a supply of flu shots available. So unfortunately, the two dates listed in our Harvest Festival schedule have been cancelled and will not be rescheduled this year. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Last Week's Question: From which part of the world did the first cultivated forms of the potato originate?

Correct Answer: South America

Prize Winner: Michael Steinberg has won a $10 Orchard Nursery gift certificate. Congratulations! Gift certificates are to be picked up within two weeks of winning. 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. Please stay tuned for another question next week!

What You'll Need:

3 medium cucumbers, peeled
2 tablespoons butter + 3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoons chopped marjoram (fresh or dried)
2 tablespoons minced chives
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated Swiss, Gruyere or other mild cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked lobster meat, chopped
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs

Step by Step:

Divide each peeled cucumber into 3" pieces; slice each piece in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
Blanch cucumbers for roughly 5 minutes in enough boiling, salted water to cover; remove with slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of iced water to stop cooking.
Place chilled cucumber pieces on paper towelling, allowing them to drain for about 3 minutes. Pat dry thoroughly.
Make a roux: melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add flour and cook for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
Add milk and whisk briskly into roux until smooth; continue to cook over heat, whisking constantly until thickened.
Removing sauce from heat, whisk in chicken boullon and spices until completely combined; add salt and pepper to taste and return to heat.
Stirring sauce constantly over low flame, add 1 cup cheese; cook until cheese has completely melted.
Arrange a layer of cucumber in a buttered casserole dish, and top with 1/3 of the lobster; ladle about 1/3 of the sauce over the top, sprinkling with 1/3 cup grated cheese.
Repeat layering of cucumber, lobster, sauce and cheese.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup and toss with 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; cover prepared casserole with crumbs.
Bake the gratin in the center of a preheated oven at 350° F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Recipe from "Cooking for Pleasure" by Jeanine Harsen.

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