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Magnolia Gift & Garden Newsletter
February 2012 | | |
| Spring is Right Around the Corner
Message from the owner, Chris Hunter
 | | Morning Dew on Japanese Maple |
Spring is right around the corner! We are beginning the process of acquiring the most plants that we order all year, and I will personally be traveling to many wholesale nurseries this month to scope out what looks good. I would love some feedback about the plants our customers are interested in, for this is a great time to place any special orders you may have for the spring. We pride ourselves for getting different and unusual plants, so don't be shy! Drop me an email at Chris@magnoliagardening.com for any request and I will do my best to find them for you.
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Pottery Color of the Month
'Midnight Eclipse'
As many of you know, we have a new and great se
lection of glazed pottery. For all of you Rustic Pottery lovers who steer more toward subtle earth tones, we are working on another order which is due in early-summer.
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"If you would have a lovely garden, you should live a happy life."
~Shaker Saying | | |
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Meet Peaches the Nursery Cat
 If you have been to the nursery in the last couple of months, you probably have met Miss Peaches, who appeared at the nursery in mid- December. At the time, she was very timid yet talkative. We gave her some kitten chow and she scarfed it down like she had not eaten for days! She was such a beautiful cat that we were surprised she was so hungry - she surely must have a home! Still, day after day she greeted us. We began to look for her owners via the Butte Humane Society website and Craigslist; we asked the neighbors; we even gave her a collar tagged with the nursery's phone number, thinking her owners (if any) would call us. After a month of her constant companionship we took her to the local Cat Hospital to make sure she was in good health. Long story short... she is now officially ours! She is still very vocal and no longer so timid, usually up for vigorous pets and chin scratches. She is very friendly and we love her. If you have not met her, we're sure you will on your next visit to our nursery.
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Tomatoes Already?
Tomatoes are one of the easiest of all veggies to start from seed, and right about mid-February to late March is the time to start them here in the North Valley. Typically, you should plant tomato seeds about 8 weeks before the last frost - we usually consider the second week of April as Chico's last frost date. However, in recent years the last frost was in mid-to-late March.
 Of course by April there is an abundance of tomato plants wherever you go. So if buying plant starts floats your boat, you will have no trouble finding a myriad of varieties. However, there is just something so wonderful about seeing those first signs of life emerge out of a tiny seed. In a few short months you can watch delicate sprouts peek through the crust of soil and evolve into gargantuan fruit-laden plants!
One of my personal favorite tomato-seed packs is called 'Rainbow's End'. This mixed seed pack includes the heirloom varieties 'Brandywine', 'Marvel Stripe', and 'Green Zebra'. If you look closely enough, you can identify the different varieties by the color of the seed. I enjoy the element of surprise, waiting and watching until the fruit forms to see which is which. No matter what variety it ends up being, I will be happy!
We carry the full Tomato line of seeds from Renee's Garden. Her web site is full of useful information. I highly recommend checking it out @ www.reneesgarden.com.
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Concern Weed Prevention Plus for Gardens
Weeds can ruin a garden in so many different ways. They can hog all the nutrients in your compost and soil, causing your plants, fruits, and veggies to suffer as a result.
Weeds can also crowd out your plants and confine them to a space that will not allow them to grow and flourish. Plus, weeds just look terrible!
The Concern Weed Prevention Plus harnesses the power of corn gluten meal, supplying powerful weed prevention. Up to 90% effective weed control in the first year on dandelions and crabgrass. Concern Weed Prevention also makes one with fertilizer, with an NPK of 8-2-4. You can now weed and fertilize your whole yard with one step!
It is intended for use in flower gardens, vegetable gardens and in landscaped areas around trees, shrubs and ornamentals. It is also very gentle on your plants and will not burn them.
Concern Weed Prevention Plus is composed of 100% granulated corn gluten meal. Children and pets can play on the lawn immediately after application.
Since Concern Weed Prevention Plus kills only the roots of sprouting seeds, it can be used with confidence around established plants, including transplants, flower beds, shrubs and roses. When your flower or vegetable sprouts have true leaves, it is safe to apply Weed Prevention Plus even up until the day of harvest.
Give your back a break this spring and stop weeds before they start. Now is a great time to apply Concern Weed Prevention Plus!
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Simon Says
February To Dos
-Prune Crape Myrtles, Butterfly Bushes, and Spirea while they are dormant
-Weeds are still popping up. Make sure to pull them before they reseed and apply Concern Weed Prevent.
-Apply third application of Liqui-Cop to prevent fungal problems such as Peach Leaf Curl.
-Divide summer blooming perennials such as Agapanthus, Daylilies, and Coreopsis
-Begin plotting your summer vegetable gardens.
(Simon is one of Chris and Courtney's three dogs. He loves dishing out wisdom he has picked up while spending time in the garden.)
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"I pray, what flowers are these? The Pansy this, O, that's for lovers thoughts." ~George Chapman
 | | Violas and Pansies |
"Heart's ease of pansy, pleasure or thought, which would the picture give us of these? Surely the heart that conceived it sought Heart's ease." ~Algernon Charles Swinburne
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Join Me
On February 22nd I will be attending a Horticulture Society meeting at the Butte County Library in Chico. There will be a meet and greet starting at 9:30 am and the program begins at 10 am. David Walther of Spring Fever Nursery will be speaking on Hellebores and other spring interest plants. David is a personal friend, and is always interesting with lots of knowledge to share. The meeting is open to the public (that means you can come)! This will be my first meeting in attendance, and I am sure looking forward to meeting other plant enthusiasts in the community.
-Courtney
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Sincerely,
Magnolia Gift & Garden
1367 East Ave. Chico, Ca 95926
(530) 894-5410 www.MagnoliaGardening.com
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