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Posted by: thepinetree on 11/26/2013 07:42 AM Updated by: thepinetree on 12/08/2013 08:29 AM
Expires: 01/01/2018 12:00 AM
:



Get Your Locally Grown "Silvertip" Christmas Tree From Murphys Nursery



GARDEN TIPS & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Email your questions to us at: murphysnursery@mlode.com

Q: Can I grow vegetables in containers?

Yes. It's probably best here in the foothills due the relative poor soils most of us have. Most of our topsoil has washed down to the valley. A couple things to remember is that container soils need to be replenished on a regular basis. Every time they are watered a little bit of the nutrients are washed away when the water drains. Any type of container will work from old military shipping cans which we use at the nursery to raised beds. If you use a raised bed, be sure to put hardware cloth in the bottom to deter gophers and other burrowing critters. Be prepared to use a quality organic fertilizer on a regular basis.

Q: How do I harden off seedlings?

By placing them outside on warmer days and nights when you are sure the temperature is going to stay in the mid to high 30's or even low 40's if they are very young and tender.

Q: Which perennials thrive in the shade?

Some perennials which thrive in shade are: Monkshood, Ajuga, Lady's Mantle, Anemone, Columbine,Goatsbeard, Coral Bells, Lamium, Brunnera, Bergenia, Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, Crocosmia, Sweet Woodruff, Lenten Rose, Hosta, Lilyturf, Lobelia, Peony, Primrose, Pulmonaria, Ligularia, Epimedium come to mind for starters.

Keep in mind that due to our very hot and dry summers, many perennials labeled full sun do better with partial shade for part of the day, just like you.

Q: How do I thin seedlings?

Pull them out one by one. If they are too close together, use tweezers, which are also very helpful for weeding around cactus in pots.

Q: I am new to the area and want to know what planting zone Arnold is in.

A: Well...this is a simple question which requires a complex answer.

First the USDA lists their Zone 7 expected lows as 0 to 10 degrees F and zone 8 as 10 to 20 degrees. You should expect extreme lows to fall within these ranges depending on where your garden is. Arnold covers many nooks and crannies from very warm places such as Menominee Court in Lakemont Pines to very cold places such as out behind the lake in Lakemont Pines or the back areas of the time share condos at Mountain Retreat in Blue Lake Springs. Remember that snow actually insulates plants from severe cold.

Sunset's Western Garden Book shows Arnold as a Sunset Zone 1A which Sunset defines as "Alaska's Coldest Climate - Fairbanks and the Interior". Now we know this is not true because Sunset writes their book zones for where many people live such as the Bay Area and SoCal where they have the climates zones split into fine hairs. Sunset shows the foothills going from a Zone 7 like Murphys, to zone 1A just above Murphys. Zone 7 is associated with grey pines which do not grow in Arnold. Again, showing Arnold as Zone 1A is simply not the case.

We have adopted Sunset Zones 3A and 3B, perhaps Zone 4, as probable guides for Arnold at Murphys Nursery. These zones expect winter lows from 15 to 25 degrees and 19 to 29 degrees respectively, and a frost free growing season of 150 to 186 days. Most years will see a shorter frost free growing season than 186 days. Occasionally Arnold can get down to single digits. I have seen it as low as 11 degrees in Murphys in 1997 or 1998. It can and probably will frost as late as the 3rd week in May (Frog Jump). The old saying is "Don't plant your frost tender annuals such as marigolds, impatiens, and summer veggies until Frog Jump" or as we say at Murphys Nursery "Don't plant til you hear the Harleys".

Also keep in mind that all gardening in the Sierra is micro gardening. Often what you can grow, your neighbor may not be able to even just a few hundred feet away due to slope exposures and cold air drainage basins. I hope this helps!

Q: Can I rejuvenate a lilac tree that won't bloom?

Yes, but it would help to know why the plant won't bloom. Lilacs prefer and alkaline soil so liming the soil with dolomite lime may help correct the situation. You may want to test the soil with a ph test kit, costing a few dollars at most garden centers. I would also try feeding in the fall and very early spring with a very low nitrogen fertilizer in the fall such an 0-10-10 to encourage flowering in the spring and continue feeding with a good quality organic fertilizer throughout the growing season. Proper pruning is also essential. Lilacs subject to a severe pruning may take several years to flower again.

Q: When should I sow vegetable seeds indoors?

That depends on the vegetable you are trying to grow, where you live, and the expected first and last day of frost in your area. Many vegetables do not transplant well. My suggestion would be to purchase quality seeds at the garden center. Our seeds, from Botanical Interests, have growing tips on the outside of the package and very detailed growing instructions on the inside.

Q: Which annuals will grow in a hot, sunny location?

Marigolds, Cockscomb, Portulaca, Petunia, Million Bells, Zinnia, Summer Vinca, Snap Dragons, Alyssum, Dianthus, Pentas, Amaranthus, Asclepias, Cleome, Cuphea, Foxglove, California Poppies, Flax and cosmos are some of the more common ones

Many plants listed above may be perennial or biennials in warmer winter locations.

Q: How do I deadhead a flower?

Removing a spent flower or "deadheading" encourages a plant to flower again rather than using it's energy to produce seeds from the spent flowers. Most annual and perennial flowers just need to be pinched off or sniped with small pruners. Larger plants, such as a rose should taken down to the first set of leaves with five leaves, with the growth eye pointing to the outside of the stem, rather than towards the center of the bush. For all of the many flowering trees and shrubs, it would be best to consult your nursery professional or obtain a copy of a pruning handbook.

Q: Should you stake or cage tomatoes?

Yes, they do better up of the ground because there is less rot and generally better air circulation and you can get more plants in a limited area.

Q: How do I get rid of weeds - for good?

You don't. A concrete slab may do the trick, but the weeds will still pop up in the expansion and control joints. It is a continuous battle with species of plants that have evolved to take advantage of very adverse situations and spread immense numbers of seed. Modern weed controls such as glyphosate are fairly safe to use, much better than the herbicides of the past. Another strategy is to apply a pre-emergent which kills the seedling as soon as they reach the surface of the soil. Pre-emergents have to be reapplied regularly three to four times a year, depending how heavy each application is. They come in both liquid and granular forms.

Email your questions to us at: murphysnursery@mlode.com


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