About this Newsletter: The Gardener’s Notebook is published bimonthly by Sloat Garden Center for the education and enjoyment of Bay Areagardeners. Information is collected from Sloat’s expert staff, current horticultural publications and Sunset’s Western Garden Book. Send address

corrections to: 420 Coloma Street, Sausalito, CA 94965.

8 SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008

Plant:m Plant an ornamental orfruit tree now before spring.This is the time for maples,magnolias, dogwoods,flowering cherries, plumsand crabapples.m Say yes to summer bulbs!Plant gladiolus, dahlias &lilies now for summer color.m Start spring vegetableseeds indoors or in a green-house. Heirloom varieties,seed trays, soil and everythingelse you need are available atSloat.

m Plant fragrant vines andshrubs: lilac, wisteria,daphne & pink jasmine.m Rhododendrons andazaleas are budding andblooming. Feed them withE.B. Stone’s organic UltraBloom.m Plant more spring annuals:violas, pansies & Icelandpoppies.

Fertilize:m Fertilize your garden and houseplants withOsmocote to provide ongoing nutrition for up tofour months. Use SureStart fertilizer for new plant-ings to establish them quickly.

m Apply a lawn fertilizerwith Concern to controlannual weeds.m Stock up on a season’s-worth of top quality, plant-specific fertilizers from E.B.Stone. The “Naturals” and“Organics” lines are environ-mentally friendly.

Prune/Maintain:m Snails and slugs are hatch-ing in your garden right now.Non-toxic Sluggo can help.m Clean up and pruneplants and trees to enhancetheir appearance and preparethem for spring growth.m Prepare planting beds forspring.Test your soil for pH,

nitrogen, phosphorous andpotassium and add appropri-ate fertilizer. We recommendamending your soil withSloat Loam Builder, Sloat Forest Mulch Plus & SloatPlanting Mix. Also, add E.BStone’s Agricultural Limeto soil to provide needed cal-cium for vegetables & fruit.m Aphids are beginning toappear. Stop them early withGreenlight Rose Defense.Use it on roses and all yourplants! And don’t forget ladybugs for combatting aphids;availableonce theweather beginsto warm.

Pre-SortedStandard

U.S. PostagePaid

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420 Coloma StreetSausalito, CA 94965-1428

Visit Sloat on the Web: www.sloatgardens.comOpen 7 days a week 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Richmond District3rd Avenue betweenGeary & Clement(415) 752-1614

Sunset District2700 Sloat Blvd.46th & Sloat Blvd.(415) 566-4415

Marina District3237 Pierce StreetChestnut & Lombard(415) 440-1000

Novato2000 Novato Blvd.at Wilson(415) 897-2169

San Rafael1580 Lincoln Ave. just offHwy. 101(415) 453-3977

Mill Valley657 E. Blithedale at Lomita(415) 388-0102401 Miller Ave. at La Goma(415) 388-0365

Kentfield700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.at Wolfe Grade(415) 454-0262

Danville828 Diablo Road at El Cerro(925) 743-0288M-Sat hours: 8 to 5:30pmSun hours: 9 to 5

San Bruno675 El Camino Real(650) 869-60003 blocks south of I-380

Garden Design Department401 Miller, Mill Valley(415) 388-3754

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Summer hours begin March 9th8:30 am to 6:30 pm

Here in the Bay Area, spring arrives in late winter and natureshouts yellow to wake us up from the grey doldrums of rain. Yellowis everywhere, bringing the sun and the Acacias. Daffodils opentheir trumpets and the Euryops daisies shine. (If you missed plant-ing Daffodils in the fall, mark your calendar now for next fall’s bulbplanting. Many of our stores currently have 4” and 6” pots of bloom-ing bulbs in stock that are great for table décor or make sweet gifts).

February brings an awakening of the senses and the unnoticedplants of winter dazzle the eyes with forgotten color. Primroses (thebest of the season in a myriad of colors), Sweet Alyssum, Violas andForget-me-nots perfume the warmer air. And guess what? The yellowPrimrose smells the sweetest! Perennial borders come alive.

In the shade, Heuchera, Clivia (orange and yellow), Helleborus,Violets and Bacopa make magic. Heucheras, and their cousins theHeucherellas and Tiarellas, are noted for ease of growth and color-ful foliage of mauve, purple, chartreuse, magenta and amber. Eventhe green-leaved varieties show some speckling of white or pink.Long stems of delicate bell-shaped flowers froth above the foliage inpink, rose and white.

Helleborus are self-maintaining and well adapted to dry shade. Somany new varieties are available now, from Ivory Prince with green-white flowers to Lady in Red, which is a very rosy pink. In the sun,gray-foliaged plants shine with their silver leaves – Artemesia,Cerastium, and California poppy. The showy white display of Iberisis perfect as an edging for walkways or shady garden beds.Euphorbia with their chartreuse flowers look grand! They will seedthemselves freely in sun or light shade. Foliage ranges from burnt redto green-blue.

All this orchestrated unfolding of spring seems to happen soquickly. Clematis armandii, one of the fastest growing vines (anddeer resistant), is lovely for fences and walls, exploding into clouds offragrant white flowers. Deciduous Magnolias, the aristocrats of thegarden, open their fuzzy buds, revealing teacup-sized blooms of pur-ple, pink and mauve. The Lady Banks Rose, a sprawling, shrubbyvine, blossoms only in the early spring. Look for her in white or yel-

Volume 22, No. 1 News, Advice & Special Offers for Bay Area Gardeners February/March 2008

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spring 2008

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Houseplants 50 Years of Sloat Plant a Tree this Spring Bonsai Basics

CCoonnttiinnuueedd oonn ppaaggee 22......

Pottery

Color of

the Month:

February

Galaxy Blue(left)

March

Sugarcane(right)

Founded in the early 1920’s, Corona Clipper beganpounding, compressing and flowing hot steel into high

quality, classically designed tools. Years later, thesame hand tools are often passed on to the next

generation. Corona heat-treats the entire toolso you can resharpen blades while retaining

hardness and strength. Sloat gardenerslove them because their nonslip gripsare extremely useful (and comfort-able).

We recommend Corona tools for allyour garden projects. We stock a number of different Coronashovels and rakes. Stop in and take a look!

2 SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008

Before the gardening season really gets going, we urge all gar-deners to consider appropriate tool safety and maintenance. Hereare some useful tips.

Sharpening: A sharp blade cuts cleanly, adull blade can slip, so keep those tools sharp-ened.

Cleaning: All tools should be cleanedwith soap and water after you are finished,then dried (and if applicable, sprayed witha lubricant; we carry Felco LubricantSpray). Pruners and loppers can also besterilized with alcohol between cuts, espe-cially if you are pruning plants with dis-eases, like rust, cankers or unexplaineddieback.

Use the right tool for the job. Allcutting tools have the maximum cut-ting diameter listed on the package.Trying to cut a big branch with apruner instead of a lopper mayresult in breaking the branch or thetool, or even a trip to theEmergency Room.

Some other tips: Wearing gloves can prevent a nasty cut and aholster keeps tools close and the cutting edges covered. Changingfrom constant, repetitive pruning to another task will help reducearm & wrist fatigue.

low. The monstrous purple blue spikes ofEchium begin to elongate. Look for theseplants later in March. They certainly areshowstoppers and the number one plantinquired about by visitors to the Bay Area. Ashort road trip from Sausalito to SanFrancisco’s Presidio and Golden Gate Parkwill attest to their stature. Our nativeCeanothus burst into a haze of blue in everyshade. Concha, Dark Star, Julia Phelps,Frosty Blue, Ray Hartman and Yankee Pointare just a few of the varieties you will find inour stores.

The flowering Quince greets the new yearin prestigious orange-red. This plant thriveson neglect and will do fine in an unirrigatedshrub border. While nondescript in leaf, hav-ing blossoming branches to cut and bringinto the house makes it worthy of attention.

The winter-flowering Australian nativesoffer late winter’s first foods to the humming-birds: Grevillea with red or orange spider-likeblossoms, Correa with bells of ivory, salmonand red, Metrosideros and Leptospermum inan array of pink, rose and red. They are alllow maintenance, deer resistant and drought

tolerant. Hardenbergia, with its clusters of purple

flowers resembling miniature sweet peas,seems to appear as if by magic on an arbor orgate. This vine will bloom in sun or lightshade. Nemesia, lovers of cool weather, shinein white, blue, pink, peach and cranberry.They’re great in containers too. Rosemaryand Spanish Lavender are in full bloom.Spanish Lavender blooms in the cool weathermonths, finishing its bloom just as theEnglish types begin to spike in May.Rosemary comes in all shapes and habitsfrom tall and upright to sprawling. Use themas an informal hedge or for erosion controlon a bank.

The Coleonema are clothed in hundredsof tiny pink blossoms. Coleonema, which isrelated to citrus trees, has fragrant lemonyfoliage. It is at its best when sheared into tightglobes. Not only is it available in a green-leafed form, there are also chartreuse-tonedvarieties such as Danny’s Gold Sport andSunset Gold that will add interest to deerresistant gardens.

By Valentine’s Day, all the Plums are

appropriately pink. Fresh Azaleas are juststarting to bud; Japanese Maples are startingto leaf out. There are annual flowers for potsand walkways. Ranunculus and Anemoneare bright in gold, red, pink, orange, yellow,white and blue. Find them in 4” pots or gal-lon cans.

Though there still may be a frost or a rain-storm, these hardy plants will perk right backup when clouds blow away.

Here at Sloat Garden Center we offer allthis and more...come take a look!

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CCaarriinngg ffoorr ggaarrddeenn ttoooollss:: Tool safety and maintenancetools

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SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008 7

Here’s a unique plant project for the spring...bonsai! It’s a good activity for older children,and it gets you ready for “full scale” gardeningas the weather warms. Here are some plantselection and care tips for beginners:

Most bonsai are grown outdoors in partsun. They can also be grown indoors usingevergreen tropical, subtropical, and warm cli-mate plants like sago palm, ficus and schefflerathat normally experience little if any dormantperiod.

Humidity should be fairly high to keep theseplants healthy. Placement on a saucer with alayer of pebbles and water will help raise thehumidity. Indoors, a kitchen or bathroomlocation will provide moisture. Adequateindoor light may be found at an east or westwindow in the fall, winter, or spring. In theselocations, summer light is best filtered thougha sheer curtain.

Watering frequency depends somewhat onweather and placement. Here are some generalguidelines:

• We recommend thorough watering everyone to three days in the spring, summer, andfall; less in the winter.

• Do not let the roots dry out completely. Ifit is very hot, watering more than once a day

may be necessary. • It is best to water in the early morning or

late afternoon. • Simulate rainfall when watering; use an

attachment on the watering can or hose thatmakes the spray soft enough not to disturb thesoil. Water until excess water runs out ofdrainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

Application of a 4 month time-release plantfood like Osmocote in early spring and againin mid summer should last for the season. Ageneral, all-purpose liquid food (such asMaxsea) can be applied once a month in the

main growing season to supplement the slowrelease food. Use fertilizer in moderation onericaceous plants such as azalea.

For flowering and fruiting trees, feed with a0-10-10 fertilizer in the fall to winter-hardenand improve the next year’s production.

After repotting a tree, give it several weeks toadjust to its new soil before feeding.

Sloat Garden Center has bonsai tools, potsand plants to help you get started. Stop in andlet us know how we can help you along thebonsai way!

BBoonnssaaii 110011 –– TThhee bbaassiiccss ooff bboonnssaaii ccaarree

Attendance is limited. Please call ahead tothe seminar location to reserve a seat.Seminar fee is $5. (Gardener’s Reward

Program members are free.)

OOrrcchhiiddss 110011 Glenn Smith, from the Marin Orchid Society

and a Master Gardener, goes over basic orchidcare and feeding.

Feb.6–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Wed., 5:30 pmFeb 9–Danville, Sat., 10 am

Feb. 10–Kentfield, Sun., 10 am

LLaasstt CChhaannccee ttoo PPrruunnee RRoosseess!!Check in with the San Francisco and San

Mateo Rose Societies and Dawn Smith, localexpert, for your last chance to shape happy,

gorgeous rose bushes!Feb. 9–S.F. (Third Ave.), SFRS, Sat., 10 amFeb. 10–San Rafael, Smith, Sun., 10 amFeb. 10–San Bruno, SMRS, Sun., 10 am

Feb. 17–Novato, Smith, Sun., 10 amFeb. 24–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), SFRS, Sun., 10 am

Feb. 24–Mill Valley (Miller Ave.), Smith, Sun., 10 am

PPrruunniinngg JJaappaanneessee MMaapplleessMarie Miller, aesthetic pruner,

demonstrates how to bring out the naturalbeauty of these popular plants.

Feb 10–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Sun., 10 amFeb. 17–Kentfield, Sun., 10 am

LLaawwnn MMaakkeeoovveerrss Mary Te Selle, award-winning designer,

shows slides of gorgeous and earth-friendlyalternatives to the high maintenance lawn.

Feb. 9–San Rafael, Sat., 10 amFeb. 16–Kentfield, Sat., 10 am

SShhaaddee GGaarrddeennss iinn SSaann FFrraanncciissccooCindy Bonilla, CCN Pro, shares colorful,easy-care plants for those shady spots.Feb. 19–S.F. (Pierce St.), Tue., 5:30 pm

Feb. 20–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Wed., 5:30 pm

LLiigghhttiinngg tthhee WWaayyTom Bressan from the Urban Farmer Storeshares do-it-yourself outdoor lighting tips.

Mar. 1–Mill Valley (Miller Ave.), Sat., 10 amMar. 2–San Bruno, Sun., 11 am

PPrruunniinngg AAzzaalleeaass,, CCaammeelllliiaass,, aanndd RRhhooddiieessMarie Miller, aesthetic pruner, discusses

pruning and rejuvenating theseflowering shrubs.

Mar. 2–Kentfield, Sun., 10 amMar. 5–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Wed., 5:30 pm

Mar. 16–Mill Valley (Miller Ave.), Sun., 10 am

CCoommppoossttiinngg!!Master Composter Lynn Adams demonstrates

composting for every lifestyle.Mar. 8–San Bruno, Sat., 10 am

Mar. 18–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Tue., 6:30 pm

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Bring a leaf sample (in a plastic bag) for ourbilingual local Master Gardeners to examineand receive advice on how to solve disease

and bug problems in the garden.Mar. 8–Kentfield, Sat., 10 am

Mar. 29–San Bruno, Sat., 10 am

SSuuppppoorrtt tthhee LLooccaallss IIIIMelinda Rose, gardener/designer, discusses

more California Native plants and how to usethem in your garden.

Mar. 12–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Wed., 6:30 pmMar. 16–San Bruno, Sun., 11 am

BBeeeess!!Mike Stefanos of “Hometown Honey”

discusses the importance of bees and howwe can co-exist peacefully with these

important pollinators.Mar. 26–S.F. (Sloat Blvd.), Wed., 6:30 pm

Mar. 29–Danville, Sat., 10 am

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for 2008, Mediterranean plants,drip irrigation, and more!

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6 SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008

We think COIRMulch Block isthe greatest thingsince sliced bread.All joking aside,it’s an ingeniusidea.

This compressed little block of mulchexpands to 2 cubic feet once water isadded. It is made from COIR – coconuthusk fiber, a completely renewableresource derived from the husk of thecoconut. This second use of the husksalso prevents them from being throwninto waterways when coconuts are har-vested, providing an additional benefitfor the environment.

Mulch Block can be used exactly likepeat moss (which is not a renewableresource and is stripmined from peatbogs). It’s a truly eco-friendly product!

The benefits to gardeners? It’s lightand easy to carry and will not make amess in your trunk.

National Arbor Day - a day set asidejust for tree planting – is celebratednationally on the last Friday in April, butmany states observe Arbor Day on datesaccording to their best tree-planting times.

In California, Arbor Day is often cele-brated on March 7, which is also thebirthdate of pioneering Santa Rosa horti-culturalist Luther Burbank.

This year Sloat Garden Center wouldlike to encourage you to do your part toreduce global warming by planting a tree.

HOW TO PLANT A TREE:Purchasing a healthy, vigorous tree is the first step to a success-

ful planting. Choose a tree that has branching and foliage onabout 2/3 of its total height. This will help distribute stress fromwind along its trunk. Large roots should not be exposed above thesoil. This usually indicates severely kinked or circling roots thatcan eventually girdle (strangle) the tree, weakening or killing it intime.

The planting hole should be only as deep as the root ball andtwice as wide. A deeper hole might cause the tree to settle too

deeply, possibly causing crown rot. If thesides and bottom of the hole are glazed(shiny and smooth), roughen them with ashovel so the roots can penetrate into thesurrounding soil easily. Prune any dead,broken or twisted roots. Roots matted atthe bottom or circling around the root ballshould be removed or straightened. Amendthe backfill soil with 50% Planting Mix orother organic amendment if your soil isclay-like or sandy.

If wind, hot sun or aesthetics are not fac-tors, position your tree so that the majority

of the branches are facing away from the afternoon sun. This willhelp the tree produce more foliage on the “barer side”. If hot sunis an issue, position the tree so that the bud union (the crook) ona grafted tree is facing away from the afternoon sun (it can burn!).If wind is a factor, position the tree so that the majority of branch-es face the oncoming wind. Once the position has been deter-mined, backfill ½ of the soil, making sure there is good contactwith the roots, and water. Fill the hole with the second ½ andwater again. Mulch around the tree (leaving the crown uncovered)with fine or micro bark to reduce evaporation and subdue weeds.

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Plant a Tree for California Arbor Day March 7-14

SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008 3

The San Rafael Sloat location is one ofour most distinctive stores. Set very close tothe road on Lincoln Avenue in central SanRafael, the store gets its strength from thecommunity surrounding it. Manager SteveMauricio came to manage the location in

2004 after working at Sloat Garden Centerin Kentfield, and he talked to us about hisstore.

How is our San Rafael location unique?It’s a community store, the community

really feels like it’s part of their neighbor-hood. A lot of our neighbors enjoy comingin for a walk and touring the store, bringingtheir doggie friends with them. One of thebiggest attributes to our store is the way it’sset up. All the pathways and individual gar-den rooms, indoors and out, lend them-selves to a cottage-like feel. We’re actuallysituated 3 feet below the street level. Theupside is that you’re kind of nestled in thiscozy little cove. The downside is that it’shard to see the nursery.

Tell us about the history of the location.The store was built in 1946 and we still

have a following of clientele who have beenshopping since day 1. We feel this locationis truly a community nursery, not a heavy-

paced box store. The advantage is we havethe time to spend with customers, so weknow people by their names and they likethat. We also enjoy helping gardeners withtheir designs. We have time to work withpeople on their schematics and to give themsuggestions.

What are some gardening trends at yourstore?

The cottage look; we do a lot of perenni-als for cut flowers.

What are your personal favorite plants?Some of the plants that I like to deal with

are tropical plants, fall color and ornamen-tal grasses.

What do you like about working forSloat?

It’s a free-flowing environment here. I’veestablished quite a few nurseries from theground up, and this one is very special.

Gloria Sanchez, Garden Design DepartmentManager at Sloat Garden Center, offers a fewideas to consider if your front doorway is not quitewhat you would like it to be.

What does the entry to your home say tovisitors? Is it easily visible? Does it fit the styleand scale of your home? Take a step back andlook at your home objectively from acrossthe street.

To make the entry of your home clear andeasily visible when the yard is mostly lawn,consider adding a small, planted area ateither side of the entry path from the streetor sidewalk. An asymmetrical planting witha small tree such as a Japanese Maple orsmall Magnolia and medium height shrubsalong with some seasonal color in the fore-ground can mark an entry nicely; eventuallythe tree will create a semi-covered entrance.Add to this a grouping of potted plants closeto the front door. Repeating the colors andsmall plantings from the entry will guide vis-itors in and further define your entrance.

For a more formal, symmetrical entrance,mirror the same plantings on either side ofyour entry. A pair of matching Spartan

Junipers or topiary Camellias can anchor thegroupings. Add a pair of sculptural elementsor pots for even more architectural interest.Include a second grouping of plantings or apair of matching pots closer to the frontdoor to draw and welcome your visitors.

In either scenario the trees will bring alarger scale to the foreground and visuallyconnect the separate parts of your yard.

If you have a fenced yard, think about howthe entrance is differentiated from the rest.

Consider adding an iron gate to a woodfence, and/or a vine-covered arbor.

If you have room, add a pair of largeshrubs. Phormium or variegated Fatsia

japonica at either side of your gateway willannounce and strengthen the entrance.

Whatever your circumstances, a thought-ful consideration of your home’s architec-ture along with your own personal style canguide you towards a unique and invitingentrance.

If you need more assistance in deciding onplantings and placement, call Sloat’s GardenDesign Department for a one-hour gardenevaluation or consultation and let us help youform specific, personalized garden plans.

Sloat Garden Design Department415-388-3754

Garden Design Corner: Inviting entryways that shout, “Welcome!”

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4 SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008

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2008 marks 50 years since Sloat GardenCenter was established. As a retrospective to fivedecades in the nursery business, we proudly pres-ent our history.

Sloat Garden Center, the Bay Area’slargest independent nursery, started in 1958in the Sunset district of San Francisco. DaveGeller, the original owner, ran the businessout of an old building at the corner of 45thAvenue and Sloat Boulevard. Geller wasn’tsure what to do with his building, so hethought he’d try a plant nursery.

He turned the garage into a sales area andthe backyard into a garden center (at thetime the property was shared with a gas sta-tion).

Sloat Garden Center soon became a dis-count nursery under the umbrella of SanFrancisco’s discount department store, GET,in which Geller was a tenant.

In 1962, current owner Dave Straus cameto work at Sloat as a 14-year old, unloading40-pound bags of manure for a Washington’sBirthday sale. He was soon loading cars,unloading trucks, sweeping, cleaning, water-ing, working in customer service and eventu-ally becoming a manager. By the time Strauswas 21, he was traveling to southeast Asiaand making pottery connections for a localimport company. Once he returned to Sloatto work full time at age 23, he never left.

In 1968 Dave Straus bought into the com-pany as a minor partner and over time

bought out Dave Geller. Additional loca-tions were opened beginning in 1973. In1985, Vice President and part owner TedWarshauer joined the team.

In 1993, Sloat made the decision to focuson the highest quality plant materials andgarden products. “What we sell enables us tooffer a guarantee of satisfaction that is sec-ond to none,” explains Dave Straus. “Andwe have never waivered from that decision.”

Now, fifty years later, Sloat is firmly estab-lished in the Bay Area. Over time we havebecome the largest independent potteryimporter in the U.S., with strong ties to

many other independent garden chains thatpurchase their pottery through Sloat.

Looking back on almost five decadeswith Sloat Garden Center, Dave reflects.“Obviously I love plants and gardening, butover the years, the pottery part is what I’veenjoyed the most,” he explains. “It gave methe opportunity to travel, design product,pick new glaze colors and work with manydifferent factories in many different coun-tries. Bringing this beautiful pottery to ourcustomers is a joy in itself. At Sloat we lovehelping Bay Area gardeners do what they dobest – and that’s garden!”

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1958: Dave Gellerstarts a nursery as

part of GETDepartment store

1973: SanFrancisco’s 3rdAvenue location

opens

1993: Miller Avenue(Mill Valley), Kentfield

and Novato locations open

1979: Mill Valley’sEast Blithedale location opens

1999: Danvillelocation opens

1990: San Rafaellocation opens

2006: San Brunolocation opens

2000: New buildingon Sloat Blvd

is unveiled

1958: Sputnik islaunched!

1968 Dave Strausbecomes a partner

at Sloat

2007 Pierce Street(Marina) location

opens

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2008

SLOAT NOTEBOOK February/March 2008 5

At the end of each growing season we often forget to take stock ofwhat good and bad happened in the garden so we can plan for nextyear. Here are some of the most common mistakes that some garden-ers make year after year. The good news is that these mistakes areeasy to avoid....and the potential reward is a more beautiful andbountiful spring than ever.

Mistake #1: Waiting too long to get started. It’s a great tempta-tion to wait for a bright, sunny spring daybefore running to the nursery for seeds, plantsand tools. Don’t wait for the sun this year.Spend February weeding while the ground ismoist, planting seeds and seedlings inside toprotect them from late frost, and stockpilingsupplies like soil amendments, pots and toolsin preparation for planting.

Mistake #2: Poor or no garden plan. There is plenty to besaid for spontaneous decisions in the garden, but someinspired thinking now to map out the simplest of gardenplans will pay huge dividends. At a minimum, make a list ofplants you’d like to grow and look up the growing conditionsthey require. You’ll be ready to scout your garden for idealplanting locations and spend little or no time studying plant

tags when it comes time to purchase them.

Mistake #3: Lack of good soil preparationbefore planting. Most professional farmerswouldn’t think of sowing a single seed withoutgetting their soil in tip-top condition...yet manyhome gardeners miss this crucial step. Beforethe ground in your garden dries out is the per-fect time to work and condition your soil. Anda little effort goes a long way.

Mistake #4: Not scheduling plant care.It’s not hard to kill your plants with toomuch care (read: watering) or too little care,especially when you haven’t established agarden routine. Early in the season is thetime to put in a little extra effort in caringfor your plants. They’ll become very wellestablished and you’ll enjoy your time in

the garden even more.

Mistake #5: Letting garden pests get estab-lished. Pests don’t just go away....unless they’vedevoured everything worth eating in your gardenand laid eggs for next spring. Garden pests arebest dealt with early and fast.

Five Common Gardening Mistakes to avoid this Spring

Houseplants not only bring the outdoorsinside when it’s cool, they also purify andrenew the air indoors, replacing the carbondioxide we exhale with fresh oxygen. Somecan even filter out toxins and pollutants*.Most houseplants have simple requirementsto keep them healthy and happy. Check withour staff for recommendations on low-light orspecial situations.

LIGHT: Most houseplants need bright,indirect light. Eastern or southern exposuresare best. Placing your plant directly on a win-dowsill is not recommended. The sun comingin through a window can be strong enough toburn the leaves. Indirect morning and mid-day sun are fine, but hot afternoon sun canburn leaves too. Generally if you can read anewspaper by the natural light in the room itis bright enough for most houseplants.

WATER: Check the soil in several placeswith a moisture meter or check several inchesbelow the surface with your finger to seewhen your plant needs water. Then waterthoroughly until water drains out the bottomof the pot. NEVER allow plants to sit in

water; this can cause the roots to suffocateand rot. You should apply enough water tothoroughly drain the roots and soil. Notdoing so allows salts to build up in the soil,which will lead to sick roots. Water can runout of the pot rapidly if a plant is potboundor overly dry. When this occurs, soak theplant in a tub of water for a few minutes.

FERTLIZING: Always water your plantbefore fertilizing. Light but frequent applica-tions of fertilizer are recommended Marchthrough October when plants are activelygrowing. We recommend Maxsea, FishEmulsion, or worm/compost tea. Bloominghouseplants may require more feedingand/or specialized fertilizers, such as AfricanViolet Food or Orchid Food.

REPOTTING: The best time to repot is inthe spring when plants resume active growth.The new pot should be only 2 to 4 inches larg-er in diameter than the old pot. A containerthat is too large can hold excess moisture inthe soil and root rot can occur.

It is time to repot if you notice roots cir-cling the top of the soil or coming out of the

drainage hole.Gently removethe soil ballfrom the oldpot, loosen the roots, and place it on freshsoil in the new pot. Fill in the sides with pot-ting soil and gently press it in to make goodcontact with the soil ball. Keep the same soillevel at the crown of the plant to avoid stemrot. Remember to leave at least an inch ofspace at the top to act as a water reservoir.Water thoroughly to settle the soil. After afew weeks you can begin to fertilize as usual.

*AIR-CLEANING PLANTS (partial list):Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen)

Dracaena fragrans, marginata, ‘Janet Craig’Chlorophytum (Spider Plant)

Epipremnum (Golden Pothos)Ficus elastica (Rubber Plant)

Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig)Nephroplepis (Boston Fern)

Philodendron scandens (Heart-shapedPhilodendron)

Sansaveria (Snake Plant)Phoenix roebelinii (Pygmy Date Palm)

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