A Grower Perspective

 I haven't had much time at home. Yesterday I was preparing our home for out-of-town company. I planned to serve dinner on our back deck so needed to get out there to clean things up. I realized that I had sorely neglected my beautiful patio containers. Lack of water and attention had left those plants droopy and looking out of sorts from the heat. I drenched them good and they quickly started to look better. By this morning, they had perked back up - nearly back to how they looked before.

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  When is a good time to plant? This is a common question that I am asked by customers and random people at cookouts and dinner parties. Many people think that you only plant in fall or spring. In my experience this isn't the case. I have planted in July and August and the plants have grown and done well. If you plant in summer the key is to water the root ball once every three days to the point of saturation. I usually turn the hose on very low and lay it at the base of the plant and let it run for about an hour. This allows for a deep watering that will sustain the plant through the warm summer days. With a little fastidiousness you can plant when you are inspired and not by the seasons.

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Last night my daughters' and I planted a Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Duke' next to their sandbox. They are 2 years old and make the job take twice as long but they really enjoy it and it is fun to watch them learn where Blueberries (or in their terminology "Beedies") come from. The fruit isn't quite ripe yet so they were having a hard time not picking them. Planting edibles around children's play areas can supply them with healthy snacks that are just steps away and a knowledge that food doesn't just appear on grocery shelves, but is grown and cultivated by people just like them.

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  Walk out and cut some flowers or lots of flowers and make bouquets for all over your home. By doing this you encourage more flowers on your perennials. Just cut today: lavender, white lavender, veronica, grasses, salvia.

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 We started doing something new at our weekly company meetings at Pleasant Hill Nursery.  At each meeting, someone has to bring in a plant from the nursery and educate everyone about that plant.  The goal is to help those with less knowledge to become more educated about plants.  Truth is, we all learn something. 

It was my turn this week and I chose Rosa rugosa.  It was one of my mom's many favored plants.  Dave remembers her collecting seed and starting her own Rosa rugosas.  (I'm grateful he has these memories from her days being around her in the nursery.) I researched this plant and had great fun sharing my new findings with the group.  Here's what I learned about

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