News from LAGUNA HILLS NURSERY

Laguna Hills Nursery

Is Winter Arriving Early?

Greetings!

I remember the fall season as skin-cracking low humidity, warm dry winds, a lot of dust and debris and wildfires. It's my least favorite season but I'm not certain that I'm ready for the typical winter storm pattern we are in the midst of right now.

It is a matter of perspective. Has anyone been to England during spring or summer? I understand that the gardeners there are terribly upset when they actually have to drag out the hoses to water the plants. WE ARE SPOILED!

Short bursts of rain are great for flowers, but when we get a good soaking the flower petals rot prematurely. This is especially problematic with heavily petaled roses. The developing flowers collect rainwater leading to petal blight and many buds that brown before opening fully. There are chemical cures, but there is an effective way to shake water from the buds. Within a half day or so following the rainstorm I'll be in the rose garden looking for buds just opening or partially open. With my palm facing down I'll slide the rose stem (just below the flower bud) between my index and middle finger and give it a good, back-and-forth, shaking by using wrist action. It's take a bit of practice and I still occasionally break one off. Done properly the water shoots out of the flower.

Unfortunately, the cool weather also makes plants grow more slowly. Things that are ready to sell in 2 weeks in summer are taking well over a month this time of year.

We are down to the last 100 bags of TROPICAL POTTING SOIL. Our stock of ACID MIX is still adequate.

We will not have gardening gloves available this weekend. They should be available next week.

The onion seedling ordering information will be available next week.

POINSETTIAS
You've been asking about Poinsettias for the holidays. We have been talking to our growers and there is a definite shortage of high quality plants. Low quality Poinsettias going to the big box stores are in decent supply, but the high end growers have been very pessimistic and the supply is tight.

If you would like to order some high quality plants, here are the sizes and prices. We will not have plants available unless ordered beforehand.

2-inch pot

6-inch pot

Pot size Prices (tax included)

2-inch red $4

4-inch red $7

6-inch red $12

6-inch red (multi stem) $14

8-inch red $18

8-inch red (multi stem) $35

The 6-inch pot is the most popular size sold.

The multi stem Poinsettias have three plants per pot instead of the usual one.

If you wish to place an order please e-mail with your request and phone number so we can call to get payment information. Poinsettia plants ordered by Monday, November 28 will then be available for pickup the first weekend of December at our farmer's market locations. Place your orders early!

AVAILABLE AT BOTH MARKETS

(all prices include sales tax if applicable)

Chandler Pummelo 5 gallon $40

Pummelo is perhaps the most impressive fruit tree to grow locally with fruit that can exceed the size of a volleyball. Pummelo is the citrus ancestor that was crossed with mandarins to create the orange and grapefruit. Grapefruit has the flavor of pummelo. The Chandler pummelo has a very mellow, low-acid, sweet flavor. The juicy pink flesh is much firmer and doesn't squirt when handled.

Chandler pummelo was the first fruit tree I can remember planting. It produced 3 fruit its first year. It quickly grew to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide within 5 years. At that size it would produce about 100 fruit per year with an average size of 5+" in diameter. A few fruit would approach 8" in diameter and a few would be the size of an orange. The flowers are very large and just as fragrant as other citrus. Very novel.

We only have a few trees right now with more on the way.

BACK IN STOCK

Milkweed Asclepias curassavica 1-gallon $8

Passion Fruit vine Passiflora edulis cultivars 1-gallon $11

AVAILABLE AT THE GREAT PARK FARMER'S MARKET

Sacred Flower of the Andes Cantua buxifolia 'Hot Pants' 1-gallon $11

This is the national flower of Bolivia and apparently an unforgettable sight. The clusters of 3-inch long hanging flowers are spectacular. They occur heavily in spring and intermittently throughout the year. The upright arching plant is covered with small green leaves and grows about 6+ feet tall and wide. We also have a few of the yellow-flowered cultivar.

This plant has a reputation for suffering from root rot problems so provide excellent drainage. Like so many other plants this unfortunate tendency is probably due to the growers using compost as a soil substitute. Otherwise, easy-to-grow. Best in half a day of sun, afternoon shade in hotter climates. Provide average to low water. Excellent in pots with our Tropical Potting Soil. Prune to shape. Hardy to 20 degrees F.

This is a traffic stopper! Very attractive to hummingbirds. Suitable for espalier.

Bush Morning Glory Convolvulus cneorum 1-gallon $9
Here's another one of my favorite plants. I like it for the silvery green leaves, the long bloom (most of the year), the bright flowers (pink buds open white with yellow throats) and its controlled growth. Expect 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It is evergreen and doesn't take over the garden.

Provide decent drainage and average to low water. Prune severely to renew growth.

I've used this as a medium to tall ground cover.

Red Buckwheat Eriogonum grande rubescens 1-gallon $10
This beauty is native to the Channel Islands off the California coast. The soft gray-green foliage creates a mounding perennial about 1 foot tall and 3 feet wide. The best show of rose colored flowers is in early summer.

This native adapts easily to most soils, even clay if well-drained. Needs little water after establishment.

Best used on slopes, in rock gardens and for naturalizing.

Pineapple Guava Feijoa sellowiana 1 gallon $10, 5 gallon $35
Here's a valuable plant in any garden. This evergreen plant grows at a moderate rate to 8-12 feet tall and wide and can be trained as a shrub or small tree. The leaves are deep green above and nearly white beneath. The long spring bloom is quite showy and the fleshy white petals are edible and sweet. The egg-sized fruit has tart skin, sweet, perfumed, firm flesh with a pineapple flavor. These are ripe in mid-fall.

Best in sun to part shade. Newly installed plants require ample water. Established plants need low to moderate irrigation. Best fruit quality requires average to ample moisture.

The 5-gallon plants are a cultivar called Unique which is self-fertile with excellent flavored, large fruit. The 1-gallon plants are seed grown with variable fruit quality and fertility.

Fuchsia thymifolia 1 gallon $9

This is an evergreen shrub that grows 3 to 5 feet tall and wide with upright reddish stems. The tiny waxy green leaves create an attractive bush of unusually fine texture. It blooms most of the year with small, hanging pink to rose flowers.

Loves coastal conditions. Situate in full sun to part shade. Protect from extreme heat. Provide regular moisture.

Black Mondo Grass Ophiopogon p. Nigrescens 1 gallon $11

This is a grass-like perennial native to Asia. The leaves emerge green but quickly darken to nearly black. The clump grows 8 inches high and 1 foot wide. The small blush purple flowers occur on short spikes.

Good in full sun or full shade, but requires moderate to ample moisture. Little maintenance is needed. Excellent in containers.

Black Mondo grass creates garden drama especially when combined with plants with chartreuse colored foliage.

Please visit us at our farmer's market locations.

EVERY SATURDAY 9am-1pm

Old Towne Orange Farmer's & Artisan's Market

304 N. Cypress Street, Orange

2 streets north and 3 streets west of the traffic circle

EVERY SUNDAY 10am-2pm

The Great Park Farmer's Market

The Great Park, Irvine

Exit 5 at Sand Canyon, go south on Marine Way (parallels the east side of the 5) follow the signs

26285 Verona Place
Mission Viejo, California 92692