Laguna Hills Nursery 

The Weather Warms Up for Mother's Day

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Greetings!

 

Our current string of warm days really accelerates the growth rate of plants.  For most plants the fastest growth occurs when the air temperature is about 86 degrees F.  Last year we didn't see consistent warm temperatures until summer.  This year spring is much closer to normal.  It is very important to have a warm spell in spring to kick tropical and warm weather plants into high gear. 

Last year without any heat in spring Palm trees looked anemic with scant growth, Avocado, Citrus and Mango trees suffered from poor fruit set and many Plumerias did not bloom.  Other warm weather crops (pumpkins, tomatoes, bean, corn, etc.) did not reach their potential. 


This dry, warm, but not brutally hot, weather gives you an opportunity to install any type of plant.  Just water frequently for the first few weeks and watch it grow!

Also typically, when the weather gets warm and stays warm for a while, the deserts to the east turn into furnaces and start drawing in the surrounding air.  This then starts up our May and/or June gloom as the cool humid ocean air gets pulled inland. 

If there is minimal gloom we end up with bumper crops and outrageous growth rates.  This is my prediction for the next two months.

It is time to step up the irrigation on crops and flowering plants.  The University of California has noted that in the past farmers relied on stored moisture from the winter rains and did not start irrigating until the soil was approaching dry.  They discovered, however, that plants looked better and performed better when the farmers started irrigating while the ground was still quite moist.  Instead of letting the "tank" run dry, it is apparently better to keep the tank full.  After the crop is harvested, farmers generally allow the soil to dry out.  Between the two methods, there was not much difference in total water used (essentially one irrigation cycle).  If you want a great crop...keep the tank full. 


The Top Peach

When I first grew fruit trees in the early 1980's there were few types of peach trees available that would fruit locally.  Today there are well over a dozen peach cultivars that produce a lot of fruit reliably in Orange County.  Unfortunately the flavor of most of these rates from mediocre to fair.  The fruit tree salesmen would tell us that they compared favorably with commercial peaches (not so great!).  Most of the cultivars that boast outstanding flavor are poor producers in Orange County, requiring a cooler winter climate.  There is one excellent yellow peach that produces quite well locally. 
peach red baron

Red Baron Peach $35

Not only does it make outstanding large, yellow fleshed fruit, it produces heavily, and the fruit is preceded by flowers that look like red carnations!  Few flowering trees can make a more spectacular show in spring.  One of the reasons the fruit has great flavor is that it ripens in late July-early August.  The warmer the weather, the better the flavor. 

Tropic Snow is the best white fleshed peach that does well locally.  We hope to stock it next year. 

FRUIT TREES STILL AVAILABLE

Apples Anna

Avocados  Carmen-Hass, Gem, Stewart, Bacon (1 left)

Citrus Lisbon lemon, Bearss lime, Keifer lime, Satsuma mandarin, Gold Nugget mandarin, Minneola tangelo

Plum Burgundy (2 remaining)


New Stuff This Week

 

TOMATOES

Tomato season is winding down.  Still a great time to plant, but the suppliers are cutting back.  We do have a few new varieties:  Italian Heirloom and Watermelon Beefsteak.   

 

PERENNIALS

Heliotrope 

Fragrant Delight Heliotrope   $4 quart 

This has always been one of my favorite perennials.  It is capable of blooming all year with that deep royal purple color fading to lavender and a fragrance of vanilla.  It tends to grow about a foot tall and wide, with upright stems.  Occassionally it throws a taller stem.   This plant does require good soil.  I had a bed of these that performed for a half dozen years.  

 

GROUNDCOVERS

dymondia close up

Dymondia margaretae SILVER CARPET $3 per 4" pot

This is the best low groundcover we've ever seen.  It can survive on natural rainfall.  It grows only a few inches tall.  It spreads indefinitely.  It stops most (not quite all) weeds.  You can walk on it.  Dymondia comes from Africa.  The foliage has a rubbery feel.  The top surface of the leaves is gray green, the bottom is white.  When well irrigated the effect is more green.  When dry the leaves roll upward and the appearance is quite silvery.  The flowers are not noticeable unless you are kneeling.  The roots are surprisingly substantial.  With average water Dymondia spreads about 12-15" per year.  In my neighborhood one home has Dymondia covering the entire front yard!

 

campanula poscharskyana

Campanula poscharskyana SERBIAN BELLFLOWER  $3 per 6-pack  

This is my favorite groundcover for part shade to shade.  Campanula poscharskyana spreads quickly and levels of at about 8" high with sky blue star flowers appearing on foot high stalks.  Heaviest bloom is spring-early summer, but there are always a few flowers.  The leaves are heart-shaped and about 3" across.  This groundcover loves moisture, but is surprisingly tolerant to periodic drought.  

 

Don't Forget Mom!

We have a great selection of succulents, herbs, houseplants and living floral arrangements that will last more than a week.   

Visit us at our farmer's market locations. 

EVERY FRIDAY 1pm-6pm

Rancho Santa Margarita Farmer's Market

Lowe's parking lot at Santa Margarita pkwy and Avenida de las Flores in front of Big Lots


EVERY SUNDAY 10am-2pm

The Great Park Farmer's Market

The Great Park Balloon parking lot on Marine Way.  Exit the 5 at Sand Canyon 

26285 Verona Place
Mission Viejo, California 92692