Early Summer 2014

As always we have a few gardening ideas to start your summer off.  Consistent daytime temperatures of 90 - 95 degrees generally marks the start of a once daily water schedule.  Remember to water in the cool of the day, ONE TIME A DAY.  We water too little and too often in the Desert.  Be certain the water is on long enough to saturate the deepest root ball. Keep in mind, newly planted material may require a bit more water when first planted but once the roots are set;  o n c e  d a i l y  water is the rule of thumb.  Cactus and succulents are not the same as hibiscus and citrus trees; they have completely different water needs -- never the two shall meet.  Most cacti thrive on weekly water while their more lush counterparts require daily irrigation during the summer.  Container gardens may need a little more water when temperatures spike; cactus in pots need water twice a week.  Rye seed is slowly dying out as Bermuda grass awakens this time of year.  Don’t be fooled into thinking your grass needs more water -- this is the natural transitional process for turf when evening temperatures rise.   

Give your irrigation system a pre-summer physical.  Is the backup battery in your time clock up to date?  It your clock set to the correct time?  Is your water start time appropriate?  Summer power outages can create a real problem if even one irrigation cycle is missed.  Make certain sprinkler heads and drip emitters are functioning properly.  Check for clogged heads and low water pressure.  A beautiful garden requires a little work!

Mulch in May (or June) as preventative medicine against heat all summer long.  Mulching enables plants to retain moisture; it keeps the roots cool.  Surface mulch inhibits weed growth and prevents reflective sun damage.  All of this puts less stress on plant material which keeps them healthy.  Finally, adding mulch to planter beds fights against erosion.  Spread a two inch layer of mulch throughout your planter beds to take advantage of all these benefits. 

Fertilize!  June is a fantastic growing month for any and everything in the garden.  Daytime temperatures remain relatively mild while evenings become warmer; this optimizes daytime grow-time.  The goal is to promote healthy growth enabling plants to stand up to the dog days of summer.  Fertilizer helps the process along.  Choose the best fertilizer option for the task at hand. 

Watch for pests.  Insects are a huge problem this year because the winter was so mild; they’ve had the full year to grow fat and happy.  This is especially true of whitefly.  Leaf minor and bougainvillea looper remain tenacious as well.  All the usual suspects; mites, scales, mealy bugs and ants have moved in apparently to stay.  Combat the agave borer weevil this month; treatment is quick, easy and mandatory.  It is critical to stay ahead of garden pests through the summer.  Apply all pesticides as directed.  Choose the right product for the job and apply at the correct time of day.  Visit Moller’s, we are here to help all summer long--except Sundays.

Hummingbirds remain present and hungry this spring.  Many of you may have noticed nests in precarious places.  It may seem the birds are not eating as much.  This is largely due to the fact there is so much natural food out there….never fear.  Hummingbirds are always hungry.  In the mean time, feed the finches – they too are always hungry and equally as interesting to watch.

You have plenty of time to plant through June and plenty of material to plant.  This is the time for seasonal color change.  Don’t forget your pots, summer color does great in container gardens as well as in your flower beds.  Moller’s is open all summer long -- except Sundays.  It has been a terrific Season at Moller’s and we thank you.

Spring Newsletter 2014

SPRING All Winter Long. 

That about sums up our winter this year.  We had a little frost back in November and it has been warm ever since.  Some gardens are already seeing their rye grass die off and Bermuda begin to take hold.  We suggest sneaking in a few spring-like garden activities before summer settles in.

WATER IS MEASURED IN GALLONS, NOT TIME.

Water, water, water.  All we ever talk about is WATER.  Despite the frequent subject matter, there are still those gardens who fall victim to water abuse.  FREQUENT, BRIEF, DAILY WATER is the WORST THING you can do for your garden; period.  It creates shallow roots fooling plant material into craving more water. Soil holds onto moisture at deeper levels.  Plants become more sustainable when roots are allowed to seek water deep below the soil level.  Temperatures may rise in the spring but there is no need to water established gardens more than every other day.  (Daily water isn’t necessary until well into May.)  You can manually add a water time anytime if it gets warm one day---but you cannot take it away.  Know your irrigation style; is it sprinkler or drip?  Adjustable drip heads or drip emitters?  It makes a difference when it comes to duration of water times.  Choose one irrigation style or the other but DO NOT combine both.  Visit Moller’s for more clarification.

Sprinkler controllers tell time too......did you remember to reset the time on your irrigation time clock?  This is a good time to check your time clock’s back-up battery as well.  The Appropriate Watering Rule Book requires you water early in the day when water does the most good...roots soak up water in the morning and use it throughout the day.  Early water times enable roots to dry out before the next application of water. 

FERTILIZE  This is a great opportunity to fertilize any and everything in the garden.  Use the right tool for the job -- rose food on roses, all-purpose fertilizer for shrubs and trees and so on.  We like the organics from Dr. Earth and Foxfarm.   Hibiscus will bloom prolifically with Dr. Earth Acid Lovers fertilizer.  Cactus and succulents benefit from Dr. Earth All Purpose fertilizer.  They do not require feeding as often as other plant material but Spring is thee time to feed cactus and succulents to ensure healthy growth.   

AVOID BAD HAIRCUTS    Spring pruning is most beneficial when seeking to create beautiful, natural shapes in the garden.  We are not talking about the strange, geometric circles and squares we see abused plants reduced to.  Gently lace out shrubs and open up trees to create a natural growth pattern as we head into the warmer months.  It is important to have clean, well sharpened tools to work with.  Scale, mealy bug and spider mite can transfer from plant to plant through contact from hands, gloves and pruning shears.  Treat yourself to a new pair of quality hand pruners or tree loppers.  Moller’s carries Felco and Corona gardening tools.  It makes a difference! 

Stock up on gloves, hand trowels and espalier material while you are at it.  Espalier—to train to grow flat against a wall.  Vines are meant to be attached to the wall, not on wooden trellises.  Redwood just doesn’t hold up well in the desert.  We stock metal trellises, galvanized wire and anchor kits.  Not sure what espalier style you want to use or how to do it properly?  This too is important, especially in our windy weather.  We are here to answer questions.

PESTS    Garden pests did not ‘fly north’ this winter; there has been no cold weather to deter them this year.  Did you know that ants are a secondary sign of a primary infestation?  They feed on scale, aphids and mealy bug; ants do not feed on plants.  Even the most seasoned gardener can fall prey to scale, mites and leaf minor.  These pests are not always in plain sight so it is important to examine plants thoroughly. Check roses for rose chafers and powdery mildew though we are at the tail end of the season for these particular problems.  Use Bonide Rose Rx 3 in 1 ready-to-use treatment to rid roses of these pesky pests.  New growth is prime real estate for all opportunistic pests.  Citrus trees may show signs of thrip as the weather warms up.  It is more cosmetic than harmful; you can treat it as long as you are careful not to knock off new fruit when you spray.  The same holds true for leaf minor.  Captain Jack’s spinosad spray is the best option for the problem.  DO NOT USE SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES on your citrus trees or any other food crop.

Bougainvillea have problems with  looper; an inch worm variety that causes foliage to appear scalloped and can result in defoliation.  These symptoms are tricky and may look like something else entirely.  Fear not, bring us a leaf sample and we will help diagnose the problem.  Captain Jack’s with spinosad  comes once again to the rescue.  Soon scoop-like chunks of foliage will disappear from the bougainvillea; remember this is due to the nesting Cutter Bee.  It’s a ‘nature’ thing, there is no treatment.  Mother Nature always wins.

Tiny holes begin to appear on vegetables, flowers and other new foliage though you may not always see the culprit.  Worms are active in the cool of the night.  We suggest Monterey Bt Ready-to-Use.  It is quick, easy and organic.  It will safely stop these unwelcome guests from eating herbs, flowers and vegetables before you can enjoy them.  It is important to remember you may ONLY use organic pest controls on food items.  Live to garden another day! 

WIND AND DUST    Proper pruning will help prevent wind damage to trees when wind is able to move through foliage rather than around it.  Think of a tennis racket vs. a paddle.  The air passes through a well maintained tree.  Dust on plant material is a huge issue as it creates welcome growing grounds for pests like scale, red spider mite and mealy bug.  It is a good practice to occasionally rinse off plant material so these pests have one less reason to move in.

Sometimes dust is dust and sometimes it is spider mite.  Red spider mite is tough to control and already quite active in the desert.  Keeping plants clean is the best deterrent.  We suggest Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect Disease and Mite Control for particularly stubborn mites.  This treatment has residual effects to help stay off the beasts.  As with any stubborn pest, the garden may require more than one application.  It is always important to follow the instructions on the packaging.  This product is NOT organic and therefore NOT FOOD SAFE.  Live to garden another day…..

This is the optimum occasion for planting permanents in your garden.  Shrubs, trees, roses, perennials, cactus, drought tolerant material, palms and almost anything else we have forgotten.  It’s also a great time to transplant material you might like to see in a different location as well.  Keep in mind exposure as you choose the new location.  Plants that have spent all winter in the shade might not be so happy if moved to a full sun or afternoon sun site.  It’s planting season; the garden is open!  And so is Moller’s Garden Center.  

Fall Planting Season

72-235 Painter's Path Palm Desert, CA 92260 Get Directions. 760.346.0545 Nursery 760.346.9415 Flower Shop flowers@mollersgarden.com

FALL PLANTING SEASON Planting Season Arrives to the Desert Once Again. Mother Nature offers us a much better attitude this fall, with warm days and cool nights. It is the perfect growing season. We are in that weather roller coaster mode, daytime temperatures hover around the 90 degree mark, then dip to the 70s and back to the 80s. Winter rye pops up as the Bermuda grass goes dormant for the winter. Planting beds are prepared, now it is time to get the planting party started! A quick note about your lawn; many HOAs and golf courses have already seeded their green belts. Not to fear, you have plenty of time. Reseeding weather continues through midNovember as our temperate climate allows the seed to germinate late into the fall season. Click on the link for directions on reseeding and watering practices. Link to reseeding. We suggest you plant annual color once your lawn has been reseeded and the garden is back on a normal watering schedule. Irrigation What is the normal watering schedule this time of year? The target temperature for a once daily watering is consistent 90 95 degrees. This time of year the daily temperature bounces all over the place. Skip a water day when temperatures fluctuate much below the 90 degree mark, established gardens will enjoy the day off. Keep in mind that newly planted material will require daily water for the first two weeks after planting to establish strong roots, especially shallow rooted plants. As the temperature drops to 85 degrees and below, you may begin alternate water days but remember, we are looking for consistent temperatures before committing to alternate water days. It's a lot to remember..Mollers is here to help. It is crucial this time of year to walk through your irrigation system and make certain everything is working properly. Its a good idea to take a look at the system yourself even if you have a landscape maintenance team working with you. Become friends with your time clock, learn how it to set it and how to manually start your water stations. Check that the time clock is set to the correct time of day. Be certain the station run times coincide with the type of irrigation you are using. (Sprinklers and bubblers vs drip irrigation.) For those who use drip irrigation, be sure your system is set up with either gallon per hour emitters or adjustable emitters, but not both. They distribute water differently so they should not be used on the same line. Heads can get broken or clogged through the summer; verify the water is being distributed where it is meant to land. Fertilizer Fall is one of those critical times to fertilizer. If you are one who feeds the garden only occasionally, this is one of the times you should absolutely fertilize. Cooling temperatures offer the perfect growing environment for your plant material fertilizer (and an appropriate water regimen) keeps them growing healthy. As you know, we like the organics.Dr. Earth or Foxfarm fertilizers. It is important to choose the correct product for the plant material you are fertilizing. Rose food would not be great for palms. Gardenias require different nourishment than citrus trees. We are here to help; let us know what you need to fertilize and we will set you up with the appropriate formula for the job. Flowers, Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs The last two weeks of October and first two weeks of November provide a premium window for planting annuals, herbs and vegetables here in the Desert. Petunias, pansies and begonias were the limited color options of days gone by. Today, annual varieties number in the dozens. The choices are many but the formula is simple. First, determine the light exposure for the areas you wish to plant. Think about the height you can use in the space. What is your color scheme? Are you looking for drama, textural variation or just a pretty flower bed? Perhaps you want to change what you always do.....head on down to Moller's where we will assist you as you make your selections. If you don't find what you are looking for or if you need large quantities, we are happy to order it in. Our inventory changes daily this time of year. COLOR OPTIONS: coleus, pentas, lobelia, guara, begonia varieties, stock, phlox, bacopa, salvia varieties, lavender varieties, million bells, African daisies, New Guinea impatiens, Santa Barbara daisy, nemesias, plectranthus, malacoide & English primrose, kalanchoe, cyclamen, foxglove, echinacea, snap dragons, pansies and of course petunias. CONFUSED? Don't be, the Moller's sales staff is here to help you choose the best color material for the area you are planting. Herb, fruit and vegetable choices are bountiful this time of year. Thyme (lemon & English), oregano (Italian, Hot & Spicy), basil (sweet, Italian or Thai), parsley (curly & Italian), chives (garlic & onion) are but a few of the choices you must make when putting together your herb garden. Mint varieties are abundant – from chocolate to apple, spearmint and peppermint. (We suggest you use mint in pots or as a ground cover, as it can take over your garden.) Tomatoes offer alternatives in size, color and age. Lettuces, arugula, broccoli, eggplant, peppers - sweet and hot, cauliflower, artichokes, kale, Swiss chard and strawberries are among the edible offerings we stock this time of year. Once again, we are happy to special order anything for you. Container Planting & Pots Pots and planters allow home gardeners to do just about anything in the garden. Seasonal plantings of annuals in small patio courtyards provide depth and color to otherwise plain spaces. Pots themselves sport colorful glazes; rich blues, greens & oxblood red planters frame cactus and succulent combinations to create a dramatic statement for a particular space. Larger sculptural specimen cacti act as art when thoughtfully placed in your garden. Texture is a big trend now; specific greenery and succulents merge to provide interesting contrast. Pots can break up monotony and create continuity. Planted containers provide the answer to problem spaces where nothing else will grow. Pots allow flexibility to create new looks every season; they act independent of permanent landscape and hardscapes in the garden. Irrigate your planters as often or as little as the material you choose will allow. Thoughtful Thoughts and Common Mistakes There is a lot of information in this newsletter; there is a lot to do in the garden this time of year. Irrigation can be especially confusing. We have done our best to cover major garden issues. Bring any questions or issues you may have down to Mollers and we will do our best to solve the problem. We say it all the time........ Be sure your water is on long enough to fully saturate the plant you are watering; then allow the material to dry out before the next application of water. Newly planted, shallow rooted material such as herbs, vegetables, ground covers and bedding plants may require a second dose of water the first few weeks after planting if temperatures push that 90 degree mark. The same goes for freshly planted shrubs and trees. As roots have a chance to become established, once a day water is the rule. If you dont get to planting the material you have purchased for a few days, dont forget to water...sometimes twice daily water is necessary, depending on the product and the temperature. We often see plants come back to the Nursery simply because they did not get enough water before they were ever planted. Newly seeded grass requires multiple water times as the seed germinates but only for a few weeks. The rest of the garden should be watered just once a day. When the new lawn reaches about 2 inches, (about 2-3 weeks), resume once daily water for your lawn. Cut the grass after one month and fertilize just after the first mowing. One more thing about turf.....when you first stop watering the lawn to force Bermuda into dormancy, take care you do not cut water from surrounding planter beds, hedges and other plantings. It can be too warm for anything other than turf to endure more than two days without water. Questions? Please feel free to ask the sales team at Mollers. Drip irrigation requires a commitment. Use either gallon per hour emitters or adjustable emitters, but not both. We often find garden maintenance crews replace these two hears interchangeably. Doing so will provide way too much water for some plants yet not nearly enough to others. Water stations with drip heads (gallons per hour) must run 30 minutes or more, depending on the heads used. Adjustable emitters generally run 8 10 minutes, the same as sprinklers..they simply localize where the water is distributed. When it comes time to plant anything in your garden, think about the sun exposure as you choose your plant material. Remember the sun can change in the garden through the course of the year. What is a shade area now may transition to full sun exposure come next May. Shade tolerant plants will burn severely when the sun hits them in the spring. Conversely, plant material that requires full sun will suffer under constant shade. Planting mix is NOT fertilizer. It is a soil amendment meant to enrich the soil not nourish the plant. Planting mix holds moisture in the ground, cools/warms planting beds and curtails weed growth. Fertilizer nourishes the plant to promote new growth and create a healthy root structure Use planting mix at the time you plant. You may also apply organic fertilizer at the time of planting and then monthly throughout the growing season. Just remember: planting mix = soil; fertilizer = plant material. Pests cannot be managed with a one size fits all pesticide. It is important to properly identify the problem and choose the right protocol to correct the problem. The Internet offers a lot of great information but it can still leave the reader to guess what the problem is. Not all pesticides are available in all states. Oil-based pesticides are effective but will quickly kill plant material if used at the wrong time of year here in the Desert. Certain weeds are active on a different time table here than they are in other parts of the country. Bring in a leaf sample of what ails you, the Mollers team will help find the cure. Pots & Saucers. In a perfect world, a saucer collects water as it drains from the pot after the planter has been watered. Automatic irrigation may distribute more water than the saucer can hold, especially when pots are watered daily. Proportionately larger saucers may help the issue, but water spilling over is almost always an issue when using drip irrigation on pots. Please keep this in mind as you look to protect your terrace from water damage. A little water goes a long way with container gardens. Often pots are much deeper than the roots they hold. The rules of irrigation are the same for pots as they are for the garden. Water enough to saturate the roots and allow the material to dry out before the next water application. Questions? Be sure to come in and visit us at Moller's Garden Center, Inc. We are always happy to help. Visit us online at www.mollersgardencenter.com