JUNE 2013 Serving You Since 1955 981 Alden Lane, Livermore, CA • www.aldenlane.com • (925) 447-0280

Announcements Berry Festival • Watch the Valley Gardener on TV30 for great gardening tips with host ­Jacquie Williams-­ & Bonsai Show Courtright at 7:30 am and 1:30 p.m. Monday - Friday and ­repeated on Saturday at 7:30 June 15th & 16th & 11:00 am, and 4:00 pm & ­Sunday at 7:30 & 11:00 am, and 10:00-4:00 1:00 & 4:00 pm. View online at Come out and make merry at our BERRY www.tv30.org. ­FESTIVAL on Saturday and Sunday, June 15 and • The Livermore Amador 16th from 10 to 4. Bring the whole family for Free Berry Tasting. ­Valley Garden Club will hold We will also have fresh made berry pie, jams, syrups and more for sale, its June meeting of the year on made from local berries. We have strawberries,­ Thursday, June 13th at 7 p.m. at blueberries, blackberries, olallieberries.­ If they’re Pleasanton’s Alisal Elementary School, 1454 Santa Rita Road. in season, we’ll have them fresh from local All are welcome! Charles F. ­growers. Don’t miss our “Growing Berries” Crohare of Olivina will speak seminar with Alex on Saturday at 11 a.m. The on olive growing and history. cost is $5.00, and bring a friend for free. Visit www.lavgc.org for more Gizdich Ranch makes the most delicious information. berry pies we've ever had. If you like one for your • Plan to attend the Alameda very own celebration, don't forget to order­ by June County Fair – June 19 to 8th. You can choose a fresh (highly recommended!)­ July 7. (The fair is closed on or frozen pie, the price of the pie is 15.95. Choose Mondays.) Advanced Sale Fair from Olallieberry, Boysenberry, Verry Berry, Tickets are sold here at the Apple/Berry, Strawberry/Rhubarb, Blackberry, ­Alden Lane Nursery. Log on for Apricot, or Apple. These incredible pies will be more ­information: ready for pick up by Saturday, June 15th. We'll www.alamedacountyfair.com. also be serving by the slice for the weekend, while • The Mt. Diablo Rose Society supplies last, so come on by to try a slice. meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd The Valley Bonsai Society Show will be the Wednesday of each month except July and August. The meetings same weekend. Come see beautiful miniature trees trained by local enthusiasts. are in the Dublin Library, 200 Sign up for a FREE bonsai class held at 12 noon both days. Civic Plaza, Dublin. All meetings This Festival runs both Saturday AND Sunday, so bring Dad out for a glass of are free and open to the public. Blackberry Tea and Berry Tasting on Fathers’ Day, and make a day of it! • Composting Information: Call the Rotline, 510-444-SOIL for information on starting your own composting pile or visit the Terrarium Workshop website at www.stopwaste.org. Saturday, June 8 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. What was old is new again! Join the fun as we put together all the elements to make an easy to care for Miniature World! We provide the instruction, a beautiful glass container, plants, soil, gravel, moss and more. The cost is $40.00 plus tax, and the inspiration is free. Terrariums make a lovely gift, and it would be a great present for an office,­ or an easy to care for delight for a senior on your gift list . . . and don’t forget Father’s­ Day is just around the corner. Enter the ­County Pots, Pots, Pots! Fair Amateur We have our full selection of pots in for the ­Gardening Season! We have beautiful rich red, bright orange, creamy cream, tan and taupe, cobalt ­Competitions blue and many shades of green. We have a fine selection of purple pots too! We have lots of self- Rose Show watering pot for African Violets, Bonsai Pots Period 1 Wednesday, June 19 and Orchid Pots. Look for our glazed ceramic Period 2 Saturday, June 29 balls, they come in blues, orange, teal and red and add a nice splash of color to your garden. Cut Flowers, Floral Designs, Arrangements & Produce Period 1 Saturday, June 22 Period 2 Wednesday, June 26 Period 3 Wednesday, July 3 • Deliver to the Ag Building, “P”, West End between 7 - 9 a.m. Enter Gate 12 off Valley Avenue. • Bring address labels for easy ­entry. There are nominal entry fees. All cars must be removed from the delivery area after drop off by 9:30 a.m. Pick-up by claim check only. • For more details go to www. AlamedaCountyFair.com, click on Exhibit Catalog, look at Exhibit Categories and click on Amateur Gardening or call (925) 426-7600. Summertime Houseplant Vacation! Summertime refreshment is not only for the humans, you know – ­houseplants and orchids would revel in a little outdoor vacation of their own. In summer, and even into fall when the nighttime temps are mild, is a perfect time to move some of your houseplants onto the porch or in an area where they get shade and shelter from strong drying winds. Outdoor light, even in the shade gives your houseplants, and especially your indoor orchids, an extra shot of light to refresh them and give them extra energy for the winter ahead. Remember, outdoors the plants will need a bit more regular watering, as they will dry out quickly. When it comes time to bring them indoors, check them over carefully so you don’t transfer unwanted pests back inside. Win A Customized Patio or Porch PATIO / PORCH PLANTER Planter June 2013 Planted and brimming Name:______with your choice of shade Address:______City:______or sun annuals. Phone:______A $66.30 Value Email:______No purchase necessary. Need not be present to  Yes, I would like to receive the newsletter online. win. Drawing to be held June 30, 2013. Notes ­ for June Gardening Protect Japanese Maples. Apply Cloud Cover to the Before your cherries and other summer fruit begin to ripen foliage before the end of June and then monthly thereafter protect them from hungry birds with bird scare tape to protect the leaves from moisture loss. (shiny tape that moves in the wind), plastic netting, and plastic owls. e Graduations and weddings are coming up this month! e Stop by the nursery for great gift ideas or a gift card. Hungry tomato hornworms as well as geranium ­budworms and other caterpillars are ready to munch on And don’t forget Dad! Alden Lane has many wonderful your garden. Control them with earth friendly Safer’s B.t. e gifts for him. Choose from delicious blueberries, fragrant Caterpillar Killer. Citrus trees, a handy gardener’s tool belt with pockets e for his tools and gloves. Roses to perfume the garden and Remember to water plants under eaves and in hidden remind him of your love and so much more! ­corners. Soak hanging baskets and container plants during e the summer heat. Plant 4-inch & gallon can vegetable plants and save several weeks of growing time. Remember to protect them e Before you have trouble with blossom end rot in your from hungry snails, bugs, and slugs with pet safe Sluggo tomatoes use Foli-cal. Blossom end rot creates a leathery Plus. brown patch at the bottom end of a tomato and is caused e by insufficient calcium. Deep root water trees and shrubs. Never depend on e a lawn watering to take care of trees and shrubs or they The Alameda County Fair opens Wednesday, June 19th will end up with surface roots. Begin deep watering with a and runs through July 7th. Make plans to enter your prize- Yard Butler® Deep Root Irrigator now and continue winning flowers and vegetables. e monthly through the hot summer months. e Spruce up the garden with pots of red, white and blue Mulching does wonders for your garden. As well as flowers! We have lots of colorful blooming plants to make looking good, mulching conserves water and suppresses holiday parties and barbeques all the more enjoyable. weeds and keeps roots cool. Mulching promotes beneficial Shop early because Alden Lane Nursery will be closed microbial activity at the soil level and encourages earth- e on July 4th. e worm activity. Use a 3" - 4" layer of Master Nursery Gold Rush for the best results.

Looking for some Kidz Club News ­summer fun? It’s time for Kid’s Club! Kidz Club is an hour long experience packed with gardening fun at our Alden Lane Farm. They learn all about what it takes to grow their own food by “hands on” practice, and take a special treat home each week. We love to energize your kids about nature! Kidz Club is designed for Kids 5 to 10 years old. Please reserve 5 days in advance of each class. The charge is $10.00 per child, and is non-refundable unless you want to apply the fee to a future class. • June 19, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. SENS-SATIONAL! Learn the language of plants by touching, smelling and tasting! Visit the farm to see the progress as seeds transform into flowers and veggies, and help along our compost pile as we turn trash into treasure before your eyes! We’ll visit the chickens and give them some greens and make sure their water bowl is filled. Along the way we will see, touch, smell and taste different plants, and pot up some wonderful, fragrant herbs to take home. • July 24, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. FEATHERED FRIENDS Discover the wild life of Alden Lane! We are off to the Alden Lane Farm to check on the crops, do a little watering and harvesting, then it is back to the clubhouse to make a special bird feeder using the all time favorite – Peanut ­Butter! We will make a yummy concoction to hang up in your own backyard to make your backyard birds tweet with delight. • August 7, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. WHAT’S THE BUZZ?? Explore the world of bees and learn why they are so important! Let’s get a our hands dirty and see what we can harvest in the Alden Lane Farm, checkout the henhouse for any eggs, and feed the “girls”. We will go on to explore the interesting life of bees by observing our own working beehives at the Alden Lane Farm and the honey they produce. Just for fun, we will make our own bee craft to take home and remind us of all we’ve learned about this VERY important insect. SAVE THE DATE! July 20th & 21st Alden Lane Nursery & Livermore Art Association Celebrate “Art Under the Oaks”! It's time once again for Art Under the Oaks! This year’s date is July 20 & 21 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. As many of you know, Alden Lane Nursery hosts this wonderful community event each summer to showcase the many talented local artists, musicians, wine makers and caterers we have here in the Livermore Valley. Local artists will be on hand, spread throughout the spacious nursery, exhibiting their work as well as demonstrating their skills for everyone to see. Please mark your calendar and plan to come and support your local community! You can participate in hourly raffles and have a chance at the grand prize of original art awarded at 4 p.m. on ­Sunday. Admission is FREE. Parking is FREE. Additional FREE parking is available at Sunset Business Plaza ­located at the corner of Concannon and Holmes – FREE SHUTTLES! For more information call the nursery at 925-447-0280 or visit our website at www.aldenlane.com.

It’s Not TOO Late! Edibles in the Garden – Plant Your Summer Expand your horizons beyond the vegetable garden Vegetable Gardening and into the landscape by June is a great month to plant a training some berries on vegetable garden. Alden Lane has a good a fence or wall. Our berry selection of vegetable in 1 and 5 gallon sizes patch has a variety of cane berries such as Raspberries­ that will help you with growing time. Stop Don’t forget and Blackberries, as well as by the nursery and let us get you growing about winter many options for Blueberries, this season! For those gardeners who have dormant fruit Strawberries, and of course planted their vegetable gardens and are looking trees!! There are many Table and Wine Grapes. forward to tasty, mouth watering tomatoes, ­varieties that don’t require snappy beans, sweet corn or crunchy peppers, We have a large selection of much pruning or spraying take action now to improve the quality of dwarf citrus available for and can serve more than one harvest and prolong it, too! planting in the landscape or ­function. Fuyu Persimmon­ is a in containers! Meyer Lemon low maintenance­ fruiting tree è 1. First, fertilize the vegetable garden with continues to be our gardener’s top Master’s Tomato and Vegetable Food. that also makes a great shade choice for home planting with its tree with excellent fall color. ­Remember it’s better to under fertilize than ‘hint of sweet’ flavor, ever-bearing over fertilize; and never feed a thirsty plant. Pomegranates can also provide habit, and superior­ frost tolerance. an attractive flowering privacy Water the garden thoroughly the day before Also look for Bearss Seedless Lime feeding. hedge. Also consider planting – the classic bartender­ lime; or an espaliered fruit tree against è 2. Water established tomato plants winter ­ripening Washington Naval a wall or fence to provide fruit deeply and less frequently. These plants have Orange – a tri-valley favorite for as well as conversation. deep roots and frequent watering encourages decades! plant growth without much fruit production. ­Cucumbers, on the other hand, need to be kept evenly moist to help prevent them from being bitter. Recipe for Good Garden Soil! è 3. Train cucumbers, squash and pole beans to climb trellises or poles to save space. Good Garden Soil Starts Here!! Pick the fruit on the small size. This will give you a sweeter, milder tasting vegetable. For tangy peppers, pick when green, or wait until they are red for sweetness. For each 100 square feet add: è 4. Control garden pests before they  5 to 8– 2 cubic ft. bags Master Gold Rush or Bumper Crop ® control you! Snails and slugs are out in force,  5 lbs. Iron Sulfate to acidify and add iron. as well as earwigs, cutworms, whiteflies, and  10 lbs. Master Vegetable Food or Master Flower Food, Master tomato hornworms. Consult a California Cer- ­Formula 49 can be used for ground ­covers. tified Nursery Professional™ at Alden Lane  50 lbs. Gypsum. It loosens hard soils as it adds ­sulfur & calcium. (An Nursery for the best non-toxic control around excellent addition in our heavy soil.) vegetables. Mix well with your soil to an 8" depth and water well. Come Check out the Summer ‘Sizzle’ in the Gift Department Okay, so the kids are getting out of school, summer vacations are on the ­horizon, and the heat of summer is here! One of my favorite parts of summer is all of the bright colors – hot pinks, ­oranges, bright green, and the brilliant blues. To celebrate this exciting season­ we have some great new products. One of my favorite new items are the brightly colored flower shaped strainers from ZAK designs. The strainers come in two sizes and will make preparing summer dishes even more fun. In the ­collection is a four piece nested bowl set . . . red, hot pink, orange and yellow which will make a great gift for someone – or for your own use. These vibrant flower shaped bowls will make any summertime get together festive! Also in the collection are insulated, reusable cups with colorful polka dots as the design. Brightly colored metal trash cans have arrived. Perfect for storage in a kid’s bedroom, out by the pool, or outdoor­ ­living area. Let me just say, they are not your ­typical trash can. They come in four ­different sizes and colors and make any space pop with color. I see storage where others may see a colorful container for plants or vegetables. Drainage would just need to be provided if you plant the garbage cans. As you can see they have many uses, only limited by your ­imagination. Color seems to be the theme for this summer. I also have some ­colorful and whimsical frogs and owls just for fun in the house or garden. For those summertime picnics we have found the “BEST” red, white and blue products. My favorite new product line is from Pip Studios. This ceramic tableware includes pitchers, plates and bowls, all in two sizes and with a red or blue checked pattern – great for picnics. Back by popular demand are the blueberry and raspberry topped cupcake candles, red, white, and blue hanging lanterns which hold a tea light to illuminate the get together. Also in this mix are stars and stripes cloth napkins and table- cloths for creating a wonderful place setting, red napkin ­holders, and star shaped bowls to finish off the theme. For the kids we have American flag pinwheels in three sizes, plus new gardens stakes from the Round Top ­Collection. Don’t forget Dad this month. For Dad we will be showing a little a rock n roll! Coasters which resemble a vinyl album, guitar pick wine charms, flame guitar bottle stoppers, and artwork that looks like the original album covers. Do you remember . . . “We will, 25% Off All we will rock you”? How about . . . “Life is a highway I want to ride all night long”? Come in and check out the selection.­ Birdbaths! It is fun stuff!! Looking for birdbaths? Give the birds Lots of new and exciting products this month, so stop by a summer treat! We have lots of styles in and take a look. both glazed ceramic and poured concrete and they are all on sale for the month of June! Limited Carole Frost, Accessory Buyer to stock on hand. Keeping your Japanese Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Maples Healthy in the Heat It’s time again for the Whether your maples are in containers, or in ­uninvited Geranium budworm the landscape, you will need to keep their soil to make lunch out of your moist, but not soggy. They do not like to have blooming plants. This critter­ their “feet” soaked, so make sure that the soil will pillage the petunias,­ drains quickly. Sit your container on ceramic feet ­gobble geraniums and snafu that will allow the water to drain away. In the ­your snapdragons! landscape, make sure that there is no standing­ It munches on leaves and water after the maple is watered.­ If there is makes holes in the flower ­water, amend your soil. buds. We ­recommend using Maple expert Barry Hoffer recommends the Safer’s earth friendly B.t. ­following soil mix: ­Caterpillar Killer. Containers: Soil formula: • 2 cups Perlite • 75% Small Bark 1/4 size (Micro Bark) • 25% Acid Soil (Master Nursery Acid Planting Soil Mix) Orchids 101 Mix the three in a wheel barrel/large container so that it is ready to use. Saturday, June 1st – 10 to Landscape: Soil formula: 11:30 a.m. • 1/3 Small Bark ¼ size (Micro Bark) Frustrated by bashful • 1/3 Acid Soil (Master Nursery Acid Planting Soil Mix) ­bloomers? This is the class for • 1/3 Native Soil you! In this 1½ hour session • 2 cups Perlite we will explore the basics of Mix the four in a wheel barrel/large container so that it is ready to use. orchid care in an easy to un- Morning sun is okay, but make sure that your maple only gets filtered sunlight or derstand format that will give shade after 1 p.m. Maples also like acid soil and this is the time to make sure that you you the confidence to tackle continue to treat your hard water. Come in and pick up a hand out. Feed with Dyna the orchid challenges you may Gro Pro-Tekt to improve heat tolerance. face. You are welcome to bring an orchid or two with you that you may have questions about. Spray On Fairy Garden Fun! The cost is $10.00 and bring a Sunscreen for & Dinosaurs, too!! friend for FREE.­ your Japanese Saturday, July 27, 10 - 11 am Create a wonderland for the “Wee” folk! Plant a Maples magical garden to entice those elusive fairies into your Japanese Maples are realm. Great fun for all ages! perfectly comfortable­ Join us as we provide all the elements to make in Portland, Oregon a Fairy Garden - or Dinosaur Habitat - in a 10" where the summer sky ­terracotta pot. Plants, soil, pathways, mosses, rocks, is softened with billowy­ shells, and more are included . . . plus a darling twig clouds and an occasional chair. For those who envision roaming­ Dinosaurs in- shower. The valley’s dry stead of Fairies, we include three dinosaurs to inhabit summer climate on the your miniature jungle. other hand calls for a The cost is $40.00 plus tax. Please sign up with our bit of special protection.­ Alden Lane cashiers as soon as possible. Due to the Our hot, dry and some- popularity of this workshop, we fill up fast! Growing Herbs for times windy summers­ A blessing of Fairy or Dino dust completes each ALL Reasons­ can turn the leaf edges of garden when you are done. ­Japanese Maples crispy. Classes are $5. Bring a friend Spray the leaves with FOR FREE!! Cloud Cover before Call to ­reserve your seat! the end of June and Saturday, June 15th, 1 – 2 p.m. then monthly thereafter­ Herbs 3 to ­protect the leaves Appetizing Options: from moisture loss. • Now that you have herbs, One creative­ customer what do you do with them? threaded drip irrigation­ Culinary uses: Infusions tubing topped with a and Recipes mist head up into the Non-culinary uses: maple’s canopy. Turned • Aromatherapy on hot days it provides • Potpourris, massage oils, welcome cooling. compresses, poultices June is a Month of Celebrations Remember your favorite teachers with a blooming plant or special treasure from our gift shop. We’re happy to help select and wrap. Graduations & Weddings This June give your favorite bride and groom or graduate a gift that will keep giving through the years. Alden Lane has a great selection of gift giving ideas. Drop by and let us show you some of the following: • A houseplant for new apartment or dorm. • Gift baskets for the new garden filled with seeds, gloves and gardening tools of all kinds! • A flowering plant that will remind you of the occasion when it blooms on the anniversary each year. • A piece of garden statuary that will improve with the passage of time. • Outdoor thermometers and clocks • Garden candles and holders. • Accessories for the home and garden • Give a tree to commemorate the occasion • A wall plaque with words of welcome

Remember Dad . . . June 16th is Father’s Day! Come by the nursery for great gift suggestions for Dad! • Shiny new tools for his gardening collection • Plant a citrus tree for dad. It’s a gift that gives more each year. • Statuary benches, arbors, garden art and more to create the feel of an outdoor room for relaxing.­ • Cheerful colorbowls. • Lush houseplants for his office that will beautify­ and clean the air. • Decorative containers to fill with plants of his choice for deck and patio. • Dorfman Pacific hats so Dad has a “cool head.” • His own orchard of fruit filled trees – citrus, cherries, peaches, nectarines and more are available here at Alden Lane Nursery. Summer Sunflowers Sunflowers against a bright blue sky say summer like nothing else. Easy to grow, available in a range of warm shades, sunflowers pack a colorful punch like few other flowers. Most of us are familiar with the giant yellow sunflowers peering over a back fence, sunny ­yellow, a single enormous flower atop a 8-10' stem. But yellow and tall is only part of the sunny story. Multi-branching sunflowers, commonly a more moderate size of 4-7' are available in a beautiful array of colors. They can be cut and enjoyed inside and they bloom (and rebloom) over a long season right through fall. Below include our favorites among our assortment of seeds. Sunflowers grow best sown from seed directly into the garden, but may also be grown from 4" containers. Those planted in June, July and even August will benefit from our long, mild fall growing season and reward the gardener with armloads of ­glorious blooms. Last year we enjoyed our sunflowers into November. Autumn Beauty: 5'-7' tall. Multi-branched plants with 5"-8" flowers in a wide range of warm ‘autumnal’ colors. Bright yellow, red, bronze, purple bi-colors. Long blooming period, great cut flower. Drought-tolerant. Flash Blend Organic: 4-7' tall. The prettiest combination of sunflowers we have ever seen! Velvet Queen, Autumn Beauty, Lemon Queen, and Indian Blanket. Colors range from soft lemon yellow to dark velvety burgundy. Drought- tolerant, long blooming, and excellent cut flowers. Mammoth Grey Stripe: 6'-10' tall. This is the big one! Native American flower with heads up to 12" in diameter. Their faces ‘follow the sun’. Plentiful seeds for birds and humans! Very fast growth, up to 6" a week. Drought-tolerant, long blooming. Sunspot: 18"-24" tall. Large 10" yellow flowers with brown centers. Fabulous for cutting and a fun plant for a kid’s garden. Just the right size for your favorite ‘Gardener in Training’! If you love the large heads of giant sunflowers, but don't have the room to grow them, Sunspot has large flowers on short stalks. It makes large dramatic cut flowers, ­container plantings or a short annual hedge. Birds enjoy the seed heads in autumn and winter. Kids can dry the seeds for their own homegrown tasty snack. Evening Sun: 6'-8' tall. Fiery, exotic-looking shades of red, orange, and burgundy. 4"-6" wide flowers with multiple flowers on branched stems. Dazzling as cut flowers. Seeds are an organic treat for the birds. Evening Sun will stop traffic as it peeks over your fence with its brilliant color! Long-blooming. Will keep your flower vases full for weeks. PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #274 Livermore, CA

981 Alden Lane Livermore, CA 94550 (925) 447-0280 aldenlane.com

Nursery Hours 8:30 to 6:00 Daily

IMPORTANT! Time Critical Please Deliver Promptly

0613

SPECIAL COUPON HOW TO FIND Present This Coupon & A Canned Food Item ALDEN LANE TO RECEIVE NURSERY $1.00 OFF a 3" ­ Herb Plant

Food Donations are Optional. All donations go to local relief agencies. One coupon per family, please! Offer Good June 1-30, 2013.