smells amazing!

It’s that time of year- Daphne is all budded up, ready to fill the air with intoxicating aroma for the next month or two.

To fully intoxicate your senses, we have these old fashioned beauties ON SALE for $24.99. Young and robust, in 2-gallon containers, with flowerbuds.

I can’t get enough of the potent, citrusy flower clusters. Mmmmm- heavenly! I cut new bouquets every few days, putting them where the scent can be enjoyed the most. I’ll even bring some along when I go to visit friends and neighbors- perfect little hostess gifts.

There are more reasons to love this old-fashioned beauty than just the flowers:

Deer resistance. This is one plant that is reliably impervious to deer, regardless of where you live.Yay! No spray!

Drought tolerance. Not only is daphne tolerant of drought, but it requires low water (especially in the summer months). Wow, no problem- I like to keep that water bill down.

Evergreen. The glossy leaves are showy on their own, true green with nicely contrasting cream margins. Each leaf is somewhat different than the next, so you’ll see variations in the pattern of color.It really pops next to deeper tones- I have it against a dark wooden fence.

Daphne is a moderate grower, topping out at about 4′X4′ over time. It does well in a fair amount of shade, but also in a fair amount of sun, so where you plant will perhaps depend more on daphne’s water needs than the sun exposure. I have mine planted beside my front walkway, to best enjoy the delicious fragrance.

Hello, Gorgeous!

We are the rose leaders. We only carry premium, grade #1 roses. They are planted, pruned and grown here at King’s, and right now they’re ON SALE- $5 OFF- thru January. Get the plants, the things you need to plant them, and all the information to go along with it, right here.

If you’re not sure which rose you’re looking for (or not that familiar with roses in general) here are some things to consider:

Location, location, location. Full sun or afternoon sun is best. Pick a spot that gets at least 6 hours a day for best vigor and flowering; any less than that and you may not see much color (and perhaps invite unwanted disease). Simply put, if you have a really shady garden this is not the best plant for you.

Size matters. Ever walked along a sidewalk that’s overgrown with roses? Not a pleasant experience….make sure to be aware of the plant’s expected size at maturity and put it where it can grow to full size. There are all different heights and sizes of roses, so you’re sure to find one that will appeal to you that fits a particular spot.

What’s your type? Choose a rose according to what you most enjoy- do you want to mainly view it in the landscape, will you want to regularly cut bouquets (or both)? Is fragrance important, or just the right color? There are so many types of flowers, in all kinds of colors- pointed, frilly, classic, open, clusters, single-stemmed. No need to settle!

You’ll want to give roses regular water. Consistent (monthly) fertilizer will keep the flowers coming, as will cutting off the spent blooms every week or two.

Contact us if you need to know anything else rose-related. Call us at (707) 542-4782 or come on in; we’re open every day 9-5.

getting ready to pop

This season has produced a bumper crop of camellias, bigger plants with more buds than usual. You know what that means- tons of flowers!

You’ve probably seen them around, since these long-lived evergreens are growing all over the county.  Because they are easy to grow, accept a wide range of growing conditions and put out copious amounts of showy blossoms in winter (when not much else is blooming), camellias have been a standby since the Victorian era.

'Yuletide' is perfect for the holidays

Lots of shade? No problem- put a camellia japonica there. It will bloom happily, adding a dose of color to brighten up a darker spot. Super sunny garden? Camellia sasanqua will flourish in full sun. All types will make a great hedge or screen- even espalier- and are outstanding in containers, as a focal point or specimen, or as a backdrop to summer-blooming plants. There are even low-growing varieties for groundcover purposes.

I’ll mention some of our favorites:

‘Yuletide’- Usually the first to sell out, since it blooms early enough for the Christmas holiday. Dusky red, single flowers have a bright yellow contrasting center, so this one really stands out. Upright habit; will slowly reach 8-10′ tall over time.

Fragrant!

‘Pink Yuletide’- New for 2012! A sport of the original, but this one’s FRAGRANT! Same habit and size as it’s predecessor, with true pink flowers instead of red.

‘White Doves’- Semi-double flowers are great for cutting. A low growing habit, reaching 4-5′ tall and substantially wider over time- perfect for small spaces, groundcover or border.

‘Nuccio’s Pearl’- If there ever were a perfect flower, this would be it. Pure white petals edged with a blush of orchid pink, so symmetrical and formal- nothing quite like it! Gets about 6-8′ tall.

'Setsugekka'

‘Setsugekka’- Extra-large open-faced flowers with ruffled edges. The leaves are a darker green, lush and glossy, with a semi-weeping habit, making for an exceptional evergreen whether it’s blooming or not. Slow growing, to 10-12′ tall.

‘Fairy Blush’- This one’s really different looking, with distinctively smaller (but more prolific!) fragrant flowers blooming their way up the branches, white w/a blush pink edge. The leaves are smaller, too, as is the plant- 4-5′ tall and wide at maturity. Perfect for smaller gardens or tight spots.

'Shishi Gashira'

‘Shishi Gashira’- A true dwarf, topping out at half the size of most camellias, 4-5′ tall and wide. This variety puts out more flowers, too, semi-double and bright rose pink. One of our most popular.

‘Marge Miller’- A rare and exclusive weeping camellia, first of it’s kind. Closely cascades straight down, creating a dramatic curtain of flowers and foliage- stunning! Full, soft pink flowers.

Regardless of style, these are some of the easiest-to-grow plants around, requiring little fertilizer and water (once established). We have plenty of our favorites in stock, plus a quite few others, so think about adding one to your garden:)

loaded with buds

'Debutante' camellia japonica, just starting to open

I can’t believe it’s time to plant sweetpeas!!!

These next couple months are the very best time to put in seeds and starts, since we still have such nice, warm weather. The plants are able to get established quickly and produce a vigorous root system, which will continue growing in the cool winter months. An established root system, come spring, will give you substantially more growth and flowers than if you had planted them in spring.

'April in Paris'

Oh, to write a proper ode to these frilly, girly, intoxicatingly fragrant flowers…..

Spencer English is by far my favorite kind. The flowers are sizable, with nice long stems for cutting, and come in so many colors and combinations- dark jewel tones, pastels, bicolor, picotee, stippled. All are amazing to smell; nothing smells quite like it!

Heirloom styles, the most scented of all, bring back a lot of my first garden memories. Small, plentiful flowers rambling or climbing through my great-grandmother’s terraced garden, making their way through the cement goldfish pond, down and beyond. We’d pick kid-sized bouquets (that quickly became forgotten in our back pockets).

Hand-picked that day

Every year in the fall I get the seedlings going, sometimes from seed; other years I just put in the starts, since I’m often too busy this time of year to pay much mind to getting the seeds started. Either way is great, just make sure you put out some kind of snail protection (snailbait, copper tape, etc.). Snails exceptionally love to eat the tender new growth.

We have a nice selection of young plants right now. You can choose some mixed six-packs in full height or knee-high varieties. The individual 4″ potted starts that we grow exclusively are especially wonderful for achieving specific color schemes. Click on this link to learn more about how to grow them: http://kingsflowernursery.com/2010/01/31/sweet-peas/, and you can always come in or give us a call if you have any questions.

Our front fence last spring

Now is an ideal time to get some fall/winter edibles going, like spinach, broccoli, beets, carrots, radishes, cabbage, peas, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, lettuce and much more. We’re getting all kinds of starts in right now, and our seeds are freshly stocked for the upcoming season. You can tuck stuff in among your summer plants, or start them out in small containers that you can transplant later.

Never planted cold season veggies? You’ll be pleased to know it’s a breeze, with less watering and weeding. Frost is not an issue, since these plants like it cooler. Why would you have a bare patch of ground waiting until spring when you could have home grown food all year….

Start out the same as you would for summer crops- spread a layer of compost, sprinkle some starter fertilizer on top. You can rototill, or try my method: incorporate the top layer of compost/fertilizer into each hole you dig, leaving the surrounding layer intact. The top dressing will act as a mulch, holding in moisture and keeping out weeds while also enriching the soil. Now it’s time to plant!

peas, please

Put in vigorous young starts from 6-packs, making sure to space them properly. You can direct sow seeds right into the ground, too, thinning them as they grow. Make sure to think about slug and snail protection right when you plant, as tender new seedlings are their favorite.

I like to feed my veggies every month or so with a vegetable food, just like in summer. It makes a big difference come harvest time, with lots more produce to eat. An occasional boost of compost (especially for the leafy greens) has also worked well in my garden, keeping up a nice steady nutrient supply.

'Eureka' lemon tree loaded with fruit

I’ve been collecting citrus trees in my garden these last few years, and I have to admit I’m hooked!

Along with fresh herbs, citrus fruit has become a staple at my house. I keep a large bowl on the table, with lemons, limes, oranges and the occasional grapefruit inevitably outnumbering the other seasonal offerings. Salads, drinks, cooking and baking can always use some fresh juice or zest, and I absolutely relish a good batch of lemon curd now and then…

You can have all kinds citrus in your garden, too. They’re fairly easy to grow, and there are so many different kinds that do well here. The flowers smell phenomenal, plus the ornamental value is nice- glossy,  evergreen leaves create a lush background for the display of fruit.

Planting in containers is just fine (especially with dwarf varieties, since they only top out between 8-12′). You can even graduate in container size as you go, as long as you end up in something about the size of a 1/2 wine barrel. Use Planting Mix straight from the bag, and mix in a nice starter fertilizer (like Masterstart, Surestart). In-ground plantings get started off right when you add plenty of rich compost into the native soil, along with the aforementioned fertilizer. For happy, productive plants, fertilize pretty regularly with citrus food.

Home grown 'Washington Navel' oranges

We carry lots of citrus all through the year, and we make sure to grow the unusual varieties as well as the favorites. Here are a few of the coolest:

Meyer lemons are the tastiest!

‘Meyer’ lemon- there’s a reason these are so popular;  just one taste will tell you why. Full flavored, with a delightful balance between tart and sweet. Ultra productive, too, with year-round fruiting.

‘Bearrs’ (or persian) lime- I call it the ‘Meyer’ of limes. Bigger, juicier, and more flavorful than the kind you’d find at the store, and I must say, this is the tastiest lime I’ve ever tried. Grows better here than any other lime.

young limes

‘Owari Satsuma’ mandarin- hardy and vigorous, with a bushier appearance than other citrus. Plentiful, snack-sized fruit.

For something different, try a few on the more exotic side:

‘Variegated Pink’ lemon- Make pink lemonade! Clear pink flesh inside of green & yellow striped rind, with nice acidity. The foliage is downright gorgeous, with bold cream-colored splashes and bright pink new leaves.

variegated pink lemon leaves

‘Kieffer’ lime- the leaves are used in Asian cooking, as are the small bumpy limes. Deep purple-red new growth is interesting, too.

Calamondon- this is a striking plant in the landscape, with a compact habit and variegated cream and green leaves. The small fruit has a sweet rind and tart pulp, and you eat it whole like a kumquat.

calamondin

You can plant any of these (and many more) right now, so come in and see our selection- there’s a lot to choose from!

Living Bouquet Basket for shade

King’s has specialized in hanging baskets for many years. None are more fun to make or grow than the mixed baskets of flowers we call Living Bouquets. Planted and maintained correctly, they will give you an entire season of colorful blossoms. Making your own basket can be lots of fun, although quite a challenge for us to explain. The following is a guideline to get you started. If you have questions or need advice, drop by the Nursery; we’ll be happy to help.

What you will need:

A hanging basket, 12” in diameter or larger

A swivel hanger for the basket

Sphagum moss to line the basket

A bucket with water

Quality potting soil – we use MasterNursery “Professional Potting Soil”

Fertilizer – we use a combination of Master Start and Osmocote

A soil polymer such as SoilMoist (optional)

A selection of flowers, veggies, herbs, or greens

We need to grasp the concept that the moss is merely a liner around the basket used to hold in the soil. The moss is easy to work with when wet. That’s why we have the bucket. Submerge the moss in the bucket full of water. With the basket in front of you, take the moist pieces of moss out of the bucket. Smash the piece flat like a hamburger patty. Place the flattened moss in the bottom of the basket. Continue lining the bottom and sides of the basket, slightly overlapping flattened pieces of moss. Continue up the sides until you are about 1/3 of the way up. Remember the moss is merely a liner to hold the soil. There is no reason to completely fill the basket with moss. What you should now have resembles a bird’s nest in the bottom of the basket.

Into the nest, or depression, you want to pack in your potting soil/fertilizer mixture. Bringing it right up to the top of the moss. Your soil mix should consist of 1/3 cubic foot Potting Soil, 1/3 cup Osmocote, 2 Tbsp Master Start, and 1 to 2 Tbsp SoilMoist.

Now come the first of your plants. For a 12” basket, we only want to put 4 plants on the bottom layer. From the inside out – that means you are threading the foliage through the wire from the inside – place one plant at 12 o’clock, one plant at 3 o’clock, one plant and 6 o’clock, and one plant at 9 o’clock. Make sure the foliage extends outside the basket and the roots are inside, in good contact with the soil.

Smash down more moss and line the basket another 1/3 of the way up. Add more soil mixture to the top of the moss, packing down firmly, thus covering the roots of the plants already in the basket. On this layer put 6 plants, bracketing the 4 on the bottom row. When you have placed them to your satisfaction, continue lining the basket with moss all the way to the top, and slightly over the edge of the basket. Fill the basket to about 1” from the top with soil and pack down firmly. Plant 5 or more flowers in the top of the basket; 4 equaly spaced near the edges and one in the middle.

Carefully attach the wire hanger and water thoroughly but gently. You are now ready to hang the basket. Choose a location that is compatible with the plants you have chosen. As the basket matures, it will need more and more water. Daily during the summer is not too much. Water slowly and thoroughly. One gallon applied slowly is more efficient than three gallons squirted on. From time to time we feed with Maxsea, a superior liquid plant food.

When the season ends for your basket, you may salvage the basket, hanger, and some of the better moss. We always start over with new soil, fresh moss, and new plants. This produces a superior basket. That’s the entire procedure. Try not to skip any of the steps or materials as each is very important to the overall health and beauty od the basket. Remember, if you are confused, call or drop by the Nursery and ask for help. All of us at King’s have made many, many baskets and want yours to turn out great!

Finally, here are some guidelines for plant choices for your basket. Remember to put compatible plants together. All the plants in each basket should have similar requirements as to sun, water, etc.

Spring and Summer plants for the sun:

Lobelia

Petunia

Alyssum

Verbena

Marigold

Phlox

Zinnia

Golden Fleece

Bidens

Million Bells

Sanvitalia

Spring and Summer plants for the shade or part sun:

Impatiens

Lobelia

Schizanthus

Nemesia

Begonia

Mimulus

Bacopa

Fuchsia

Fall and Winter plants for sun:

Pansy

Viola

Winter Daisy

Dwarf Snapdragon

Toadflax

maybe Lobelia and Alyssum

Fall and Winter plants for shade and part sun:

English Primrose

Fairy Primrose

Cyclamen

Primula obconica

Ivy

maybe Lobelia, Nemesia, and Schizanthus

Let your imagination run wild. If you discover some new combinations that work for you, we’d love to hear about it…and see pictures!