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Christianson's Nursery

La Conner Chamber of Commerce  

Mt Vernon Chamber of Commerce



15806 Best Road

Mount Vernon, WA  98273
Map and directions 

www.christiansonsnursery.com 

360-466-3821

1-800-585-8200

Open Daily 9 am - 6 pm

Weekly Radio Broadcast: 

Sunday Mornings at 10:30 am 

 'The Garden Show
with John and Mike'
KAPS AM 660 

Voted Best Greenhouse and Nursery

in Skagit Publishing's

People's Choice Awards for

2010, 2011 and 2012 

NW Flower & Garden Show

"People's Choice Award 2011"  

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I was on my way out to the chicken coop one morning, when I noticed that the new growth on my apple tree was curled and distorted in the way that only an aphid infestation can do.  Usually aphids are on the bottom of my 'bad bugs' list, but when I stopped to take a closer look...YIKES!  This was bad! There were aphids in every color of the rainbow it seemed, and loads of them.  They were crawling all over each other and I saw that some had wings, which means that the population had become too large and it was time for some to move on to colonize somewhere else.  I felt that I had to do something quick - anything!  I contemplated all of my options as I was turning over leaf after leaf in alarm and growing disgust. 

Then something caught my eye that I had never seen before.  There were tiny golden orange ovals that looked like eggs neatly arranged in rows. These little ovals were all standing on end, maybe 30 of them, clustered on the underside of one of the leaves.  I peered closely at the other leaves and saw that there were indeed more just like the others.  I had a hunch as to what they were, and a little research confirmed my hopes - they were ladybug eggs!  I knew then what I had to do about my aphid problem - nothing at all.  Nature was going to take care of it for me!  How perfect is that?  A couple of days later I went out to inspect the eggs and aphids and, to my delight, there were tons of ladybug larvae all voraciously eating their aphid meals.  It was a beautiful sight and a great reminder to me that a little tolerance goes a long way, and that close observation in the garden is an excellent way to learn.

In the ornamental garden:

• I think that the most important thing you can do for your garden in July is keep everything watered, especially if you have any new plantings (and I hope you do).  We have finally reached true summer in the Pacific Northwest, which means warm dry weather for a change.  Time your irrigation so that it happens early in the morning so as to minimize moisture loss due to evaporation later in the day.  If you're hand watering, early morning is a lovely time of day to be out in the garden and I always appreciate the quiet coolness before the day begins in earnest.  If you're ever in doubt as to whether you need to water or not, wiggle your ungloved fingers 4-5 inches down in the soil.  If it feels cool and moist, then you're probably okay, but if it's dry and crumbly all the way down then you need to water.  Try to keep water off the leaves and flowers of tomatoes and roses to help prevent disease problems.

• Keep bird baths clean and filled with water.  The birds need water just as much as your plants.

• Dead-head roses.  That is, remove the spent flowers to encourage more to come.  In fact, dead-head any repeat blooming perennials and annuals to keep the flowers coming.

• Summer prune early flowering shrubs like forsythia, lilacs, and mock orange.

• July is the perfect time to fertilize your roses after their initial flush of flowers. Side dress with a slow release organic fertilizer and a generous handful of alfalfa meal too.  Alfalfa meal, by the way, is a great source of nitrogen and other vitamins and minerals that roses seem to love!

In the edible garden:

• Begin thinking about fall crops.  I know we just got into summer, but by planning ahead for fall you can ensure that you'll have something good to eat from the vegetable garden all winter long.  We have a great class lined up at the nursery on this very subject if you're interested in extending your vegetable gardening season. It's on Sunday, July 14, from 1 - 2 pm and it's called 'Vegetables for Winter' with popular author and speaker, Bill Thorness. More details are provided in the 'Class Calendar' section of this newsletter (below), and on our website. 

• Remove any veggies that have bolted (that is, flowered).  If you're tight on space then this is a chance to clear some room for something new.

• Keep the birds away from your berries with bird netting.

• Make sure that any seeds you have sown recently don't dry out.  Keep the seedbed moist to ensure good germination.  If you're seeds have sprouted already, then you can prevent them from bolting too soon by ensuring soil fertility and adequate soil moisture.

• Keep picking!  Many veggies will continue to produce if you continue to pick them.  Peas, beans, zucchini, and cucumbers are all like that.  If the fruit gets to be too large, then the plant feels that its job of procreation is complete and it begins to yellow and die.  So keep picking!  If you feel like you have more food coming from your garden than you know what to do with, consider sharing what you can't eat with friends and family or donating to a food bank or shelter.  They are always very grateful to receive fresh, seasonal produce.

• Harvest garlic when the tops have yellowed.  Let them cure for a week or so in the garage before rubbing away any soil and loose papery sheathing.  I've learned that garlic keeps longer if it's kept attached to the tops, than if the tops are cut off.  If you've got lots, then store it in a cool dark place.

Hopefully the warmth of summer and the beauty of your garden will lure you outside to your favorite chair with a good book and a tall glass of something tasty and cold.  The hard work is done for now and it's time to relax and enjoy.

 To download a printable copy of this article, click here  

Rachel has been gardening since childhood, thanks to her mom, and has been part of the team at Christianson's since 2002.  She's a Certified Professional Horticulturist with a passion for roses and vegetable gardening.  Rachel and her family enjoy gardening together and now share their urban garden with a menagerie of ducks, chickens, two cats, and a dog.    

This month our 'Staff Picks' come from Matt Groff, a Christianson's staff member since 1994. After doing landscape work in Seattle, Matt went to Western Washington University in Bellingham and earned his B.S. in Environmental Studies. It was during his time at Western that he came to work at Christianson's. In addition to his work at the Nursery, Matt has a commercial landscape and lawn maintenance business.

Matt with 'Jersey' blueberry (photo taken in mid-June)

Throughout his career, Matt has had a passion for native plants and follows the practice of 'permaculture,' an approach to landscaping that advocates self-maintained agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems. Matt believes that when we use native plants and do things in natural, sustainable ways, plants are healthy and naturally low maintenance (without the need for spraying and other interventions). As he says, "the plants know what to do." 

Part of the permaculture approach involves incorporating veggies and fruit trees and shrubs into the ornamental landscape. For example, huckleberries and blueberries can easily be added to the residential perennial garden. These are native plants with lovely foliage and flowers, and they also produce fruit. To learn more about permaculture, click here 

Here are a few of Matt's favorite picks for July:

Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa):

Chokeberry is native to the northeast United States but it's easy to grow here in our region. They like full sun and grow to about 3 - 5', spreading to 2 - 4'. Once established, they are drought tolerant. In the spring, the bush is covered in a lovely profusion of little white flowers, followed by little blueberries (which are great for attracting birds). The berries aren't great for eating because they have a leathery skin, but they are excellent for juice because they are very high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Best to use a press, not a juicer, because of the tough skin.   

Chokeberry bush in mid-June

Chokeberry blossoms

Most blueberries are self-fertile but you will get the best results if you plant a mixture of different varieties, including an early, middle and late-season variety. For example, 'Duke' starts bearing fruit in mid-July, 'Blue Crop' will be producing in late July or early August, and 'Jersey' will come on in mid-August.

Here are a couple of my favorite blueberry picks:

1. 'Jersey' - This is my all-time favorite. It's one of the sweetest berries there is with overtones of cinnamon and nutmeg. The berries are small but that's why they are so good. Many people like the bigger blueberries but I think they are less flavorful. The smaller the berry, the more concentrated the flavor. Be sure to let these berries really ripen on the bush. Another cool thing about 'Jersey' is that it has yellow twigs so it's pretty in winter.

   Blueberry 'Pink Lemonade'

2. 'Pink Lemonade' - This is a new variety and I have to admit I was a bit skeptical but man - these are delicious berries! The berries are actually pink and taste like lemonade. Very tasty and unusual. In addition to the great berries, the bushes have really nice foliage and are semi-evergreen.

Huckleberries: 

Evergreen huckleberry 'Thunderbird'

Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum):

This is a northwest native and, with its little bell-shaped flowers (similar to pieris), it's quite attractive and can be used as an alternative to rhododendrons. Evergreen huckleberries are easy to grow and will do well in part-shade (in the woods you'll find them growing on old rotten logs). One of my favorites is 'Thunderbird' because of its attractive reddish new growth in the spring (also a feature of pieris) and a profusion of soft pink flowers.

Red deciduous huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium)

The foliage is not as pretty as the Evergreen huckleberry but I think the berries are tastier.

Matt and a baby Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

Here are a few of Matt's favorite trees:

One of my quirks is that I love deciduous conifers, including the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), Larch (Larix decidua), and Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum).    

I also love the Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum), which is the largest living organism in the world and the king of the plant world. This tree is native to California but it does well here. There are many amazing things about these trees...too many to list here. Given their size, they may not be practical in many residential landscapes, but they are magnificent trees and deserved special mention in my 'top picks' list.  

  Click here to learn more about Giant Redwoods

And last but not least, this is one of Matt's very favorite gardening books:

Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest by Arthur R. Kruckeberg. 

Join us on Saturday, September 14, from 11 am - noon,

as Guest speaker Ani Gurnee presents 'Native Plants for Small Gardens'

For the full class description, visit our website

For reservations, please call us at 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200