~March~

"Spring is a heart full of hope

and shoe full of rain"-Unknown

Welcoming the first day of Spring March 20th

March 17

St Patrick's Day

A cultural and religious holiday celebrated March 17th since the early seventeenth century. St. Patrick (AD 385-461) is probably the most

recognized saint world wide. He is known f

or bring Christianity to Ireland. And the shamrock being his way to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans. Today we still celebrate St Patrick's day by "the wearing the green" be it a lucky shamrock or a green t-shirt.

In keeping with our St Patricks Day celebration we are offering 30% off all in stock Green Pottery from March 17 to the 23!

-Seed Potatoes-

We are excited to be carrying seed potatoes this year from Irish Eyes Garden Seed in Ellensburg WA, the same company that supplies potatoes for the White House Vegetable Garden!

We have four standard varieties available

$3.99 for a package of ten

*Russet Burbank

*Red LaSoda

*Yukon Gold

*All Blue

as well as four organic varieties $4.50 for a package of ten

*Russet Burbank

*Red LaSoda

*Cheiftan

*Yukon Gold

Growing Seed Potatoes

Potatoes are one of the first crops you can plant in the Pacific Northwest and there are several ways to plant them. It is a good idea to chit your seed potatoes before planting, which means letting the eyes sprout. This can be done in a warm environment: a favorite method is to place the seeds in an egg carton on the kitchen counter

Traditionally potatoes have been planted in mounds in your garden and heaped over with mulch such as grass clippings, compost, or hay. They do best in well cultivated rich organic soil allowing the tubers to grow unimpeded.

Another popular method of growing potatoes is in a seed tower. These can be made in many ways but we prefer something like chicken wire which provides good air circulation. Again heaping mulch on top allowing the potatoes to keep growing upward.

When harvest time comes the potato plant dies back and you can gather up your potatoes. If you choose the tower method just remove the chicken wire and your tubers will come spilling out.

Great Rhododendron Gardens

to visit locally for inspiration

*Evereen Arboretum and Gardens

~Everett~

*Bellevue Botanical Gardens

~Bellevue~

*Bloedel Reserve

~Seattle~

*Washington Park Arboretum

~Seattle~

*Lake Wilderness Arboretum

~Maple Valley~

*Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden

~Federal Way~
*Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens
~Greenbank~
*Point Defiance Rhododendron Garden

~Tacoma~

*Lakewold Gardens
~Tacoma~
*Anderson Family Garden
~Enumclaw~
There are many other great displays of Rhododendrons in bloom locally.

Let us know your favorites!

~March Checklist~

* Finish planting bare root fruit, trees, and roses.

* Plant cool season veggies in your garden as soon as the soil can be worked

*Start tomatoes and peppers indoors

* Time for the first application of fertilizer for both your lawn and your beds

* Put out slug bait

* Divide perennials

* Weed and apply compost to your beds

You can view complete list of available roses, fruit trees and cane fruit by visiting

www.mcauliffesvalleynursery.com

Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'

Dwarf Boxwood

This shrub is prised for its' densely packed dark green foliage that has lighter undersides and a compact, rounded growth habit. Most often used as a formal hedge in traditional style gardens this versatile shrub can be used in most any garden. It may help to anchor a chaotic, English garden by adding a structured edge or as a formal statement in a container at your front door or even as a topiary. Traditionally this shrub has been boxed to form small hedges and borders, often the anchoring plant in knot gardens. It does best in full sun to part shade and acidic well drained soil. It is very slow growing and can reahc 3 feet tall. This a very popular farm grown shrub and available in several sizes.

Kitchen Garden!

Maybe it's time to quit thinking of it as a vegetable garden or an herb garden and to start thinking of it as a "Kitchen Garden". A collection of foods we love to eat, herbs we like to season with and a collection of edible flowers and great pollinators...A beautiful spot to work the earth and feed our souls as well as our bellies. When deciding what you want to plant this year, look at brilliant colors that will not only look good in the garden but beautiful on your plate. Try using a mix of both red and green leafed lettuces for both color and texture. Instead of a green leafed sage try purple or a yellow variegated variety for more color. By interplanting marigolds with your cabbages you not only have created an eye appealing mixture but you are adding some natural pest control. All those brightly colored foods to much for your liking, then trying painting an obelisk to grow your peas or beans on a bright color. If you need help choosing varieties of vegetables you will be successful with be sure to check with our knowledgeable staff.

Have you met Martha?

Dynamo...yes! Passionate...yes! Knowledgeable...yes! Don't be surprised when you see Martha exuberantly gesturing to describe the growth habit of a plant to one of her customers. She is a walking wealth of plant knowledge and a passionate gardener who has worked both the retail and landscape side of the nursery business at onetime owned her own garden shop. This unique combination of talents allows her to assist you in choosing just the right plant for your garden. She has experience in designing both large and small gardens and can happily provide you with an at home design consultation. In addition to her passion for plants her first love is reserved for her three adult children, four grandsons and an energetic dog, named Riley.

Cornus mas aka Cornelian Cherry

One of our favorite small trees for the Pacific Northwest is Cornus mas. This spectacular tree is a beautiful four season tree that adapts to most growing conditions. including clay soil. At the end of winter you will be treated to a show as the fat flower buds burst into a brilliant display of bright yellow, incredibly fragrant blooms on it's bare branches. In summer a small, brilliant red fruit appears that is rich in vitamin C and is used for making jam, sauces and flavoring vodkas, while attracting birds to your garden. The fall brings a display is primarily yellow leaves with purple-red under tones. While in the winter months the exfoliating, gray-tan bark is sure to add an interesting texture. This is tree that we grow on the farm here, to view other farm grown trees be sure to visit our web sight at www.mcauliffesvalleynursery.com

The Rhodies are Coming!

Scheduled to arrive the first week of March

In 1959 Rhododendron macrophyllum, Coast Rhododendron was

officially made the state flower of Washington state. This native rhododendron is not as showy as other species and is seldom used in landscaping today, but is till wonderful to see when out hiking. This popular genus now includes over 1,000 species. Rhododendrons are usually evergreen and spring flowering but can range in size from a foot tall to over 10 feet. Besides it's stunning spring floral show rhodies are very popular because they are general easy to care for. By choosing the proper sight you are sure to be successful. Rhodies thrive in acidic, well drain soil, often seen planted on a hillside or raised berm to insure best drainage. Most prefer a shady spot in your garden but there are some sun tolerant varieties. Look to varieties that have interesting foliage like 'Ken Janek' with it's furry leaves or 'PJM' who's foliage turns a beautiful mahogany bronze in cooler weather. This great plant needs little care and is not prone to many pest. By using a good organic fertilizer(Dr. Earth RAC) twice a year you will not only have beautiful blooms but a stronger, lusher plant. If yellowing leaves are a problem with your acid loving shrubs be sure to add liquid iron in late winter. Click here to view our complete Rhododendron Availability Catalog.

Feed your soil!

Organic fertilizers like Dr. Earth feed the living micro-organisms in your soil. These tiny microbes in the soil break down organic matter into a usable form that your plants roots can absorb to create plant growth. In the winter the activity of these microbes slow down as does the plants growth, but as the weather warms your plant wants to start pushing new growth. It needs the organic food that these microbes can provide. Healthy plants are far more resistant to insect, disease and even frost. We are proud to continue our partnership with Dr Earth and offer both blended fertilizers, single ingredients and what we feel is the best transplant fertilizer available. Stop by today so we can help you choose the best food to feed your soil.

Building a Simple Obelisk

Supplies:

5-pieces 3/4"x1 1/2"x8' lumber 1-wood finial 1-2"x2" wood block Nails, wood glue, jigsaw, nail gun, exterior paint or stain
* Attach wood block to finial * Cut 4 pieces of 8' lumber to 74". Mark 1 1/2" down and cut a 45 degree angle on all legs * Attach legs to wood block with nails and wood glue. I pre-drilled this and then nailed them on
* Cut 8 cross pieces. 4 of them 10 1/2" long and 4 of them 16 1/2" long. Mark 3/4" in on both ends and trim ends so that cross pieces will lay flat. * Nail first set of cross beams at 32" down from top of leg
* Nail second set of cross beams at 60 1/2" down from top of leg * Finish with either an exterior stain or paint

2014 Northwest Flower & Garden Show

Have you ever wondered just what goes into planning and building a display garden? We thought we would just give you a glimpse at some of the pre-show prep work. Each year the show has a theme that the gardens must portray and appropriately name their garden for, this year's was "Art in Bloom". For the past 8 years McAuliffe's Valley Nursery has worked with designer Kristy Ditmore of

Under the Arbor Landscape Design in supplying both the plant material as well as the installation labor. The concept for the garden is submitted in July and from there the plan really develops. This year Kristy started with an open structure that had crisp, clean lines that would be enhanced with art and lighting. Kristy supplies Tiffini a list of Northwest hardy plants rich in color and texture to provide a great all season garden. Many of these plants are from our farm but all others are sourced locally. (Click here for a complete list of show plant material) The Saturday before the show opens Jamie and his crew head south with truck loads of plant material to begin installation. The first layer in is the sawdust, this forms a base for structures,

patios and plants. The plants used in this booth are all alive, so the containers are buried in the sawdust so you get the illusion as if they were in your own garden. Large rocks are set in place with a crane to define the booths edge. The structures are built on sight, patio laid and decorated, and water feature added.

The final step is to set all the plants in place, it is important to remember these plants are all watered and cared for during the show. Wednesday morning the show opens to the public and we are once again inspired and hopeful that Spring is just around the corner!

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(360) 862-1323

11910 Springhetti Road

Snohomish, WA 98296

Visit our website www.mcauliffesvalleynursery.com

E-mail us info@mcauliffesvalleynursery.com