JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2007 Serving You Since 1955 981 Alden Lane, Livermore, CA • www.aldenlane.com • (925) 447-0280 Announcements Orchids Under the Oaks • Watch the Valley Gardener for great gardening tips with host January 20th & 21st 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jacquie Williams-Courtright at 7:30 am every day, repeated on Saturday & Sunday at 11 am. Mark your calendars for a Very Special NEW • Livermore-Amador Valley Event happening here at Alden Lane Nursery! Garden Club meets on the first Tuesday of the month. The January 20-21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 January meeting is on the 9th. p.m. we are hosting an Orchid Show and Ivy Langendorf will talk on a Sale in partnership with Diablo View “Simple Guide to Irrigation” at Orchid Society. Alisal Elementary School, 1454 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton. We have planned a weekend full of Visitors welcome, please call Bev at orchid workshops, educational exhibits, and 485-7812 for more information. professional orchid vendors will provide a fantastic array of orchids for sale. We will • Mt. Diablo Rose Society meets also feature Brian Petraska (the “orchid the second Wednesday of the month, 7:30 p.m. at the Dublin guy” as seen on Henry’s Garden TV Library, 200 Civic Plaza, Dublin. program) as our “on call” orchid doctor to Call for details 829-4929. answer your orchid questions from 10 to 4, Saturday & Sunday. All events will be held indoors, including the vendor booths. • Save the Date! Bay-Friendly Garden Tour – Saturday, April The excitement continues, as Orchids Under the Oaks will showcase a 29, 2007. A self guided tour of over huge display of orchids in our greenhouse provided by you – our own Bay Area 40 public and private gardens in orchid lovers. We welcome all of you who have orchids in bloom on January 20th Alameda County. Registration is & 21st to bring them in to be put into our “Orchid Adventure” display in the required. On line registration and greenhouse (indoor or outdoor grown). This is truly a community event, from a sneak peak of the 2007 will be novice to seasoned orchid growers, and they will be judged by orchid lovers such posted on www.bayfriendly.org. as yourself. No professionals here – just folks like • Christmas Tree Recycling – If yourselves who share the passion for orchids. you haven’t made arrangements You may download a registration form (or pick for your cut Christmas tree yet it one up at our information counter) to enter your can be dropped off at the Nursery plants into our exhibit at www.aldenlane.com, on Sat., January 6th from 8:30 to and the plant(s) must be brought in by Thursday, 3:00. Local Boy Scouts will be on January 18, 2007. The registration will be closed hand to take your cut tree for a $5 at 8 pm Thursday evening. Please make sure your donation. plants are pest free and staked (if needed) for • Celebrate Your Special display. Someone! Our greenhouse at Alden Lane is transformed with Workshops gifts and decorations to make Saturday, Jan 20th this a memorable Valentines Day. 11:00 am Cymbidium Workshop by Dennis Olivas Place any special orders early – we can make up wonderful orchid 1:00 pm “Going to Pot” - Orchid Repotting Basics baskets and centerpieces and we 3:00 pm Brian Petraska (the “Orchid Guy” from Henry’s Garden TV specialize in making one of a kind Show)presents Orchid Basics for Beginners living arrangements just for your Sunday, January 21st Valentine which will be as unique 11:00 am Simply Beautiful- Orchids in arrangements by Knodts Flowers and as special as they are! Call Sue 1:00 pm Brian Petraska (the Orchid Guy from Henry’s Garden TV show) to order something Spectacular! presents Orchid Basics for Beginners (See more announcements inside.) 3:00 pm Orchids to grow Outdoors in the Bay Area Bonsai Talk DOn’t FORGET.... January 27th, Guarantee A Picture Perfect “pink bud” stage. This is when the flower Lawn – Prevent Crabgrass! buds just start to show color at the tip of 2007 the bud. Generally this occurs sometime Crabgrass has pale green-yellow foliage between the second and third weeks of 2:00 p.m. that spreads through your darker green February. For peaches and nectarines spray lawn, spoiling the uniform good looks. again at 3/4 petal fall. This stage is the best Crabgrass dies with the onset on cold time to control Peach Leaf Curl. weather, leaving seeds that will sprout as NOTE: If it should rain within 24 hours the spring weather warms the soil. January of application then reapply material. Rain and February are the months to prevent can make your treatment spotty at best. crabgrass from sprouting in your lawn. Applying Master’s Lawn Fertilizer Plus Crabgrass Control now will prevent pH Adjuster Plus crabgrass seeds from sprouting. Plants take nutrients up from the soil most efficiently when soil pH is neutral or Plant Summer Blooming slightly acidic. pH Adjuster Plus when applied over the soil surface and watered in, Bulbs in February gently acidifies the soil and allows nitrogen, A home filled with fragrant cut lilies, iron and other essential nutrients and gladiolus, dahlias and other blooming bulbs elements to be released for uptake through can be yours by braving the cold damp plant roots. The end result is a healthier, garden in February. Summer bulbs are here more beautiful plant with brighter, greener at the nursery. Best come early for the very foliage. Our goal is to show the very best selection of colors and varieties. pH Adjuster Plus is a pelletized sulfur basics of bonsai including Their bright and dramatic colors make that is much easier to apply than more con- a brief description as to great garden accents for the long, hot ventional soil sulfur (no annoying dust). what bonsai is, choosing summer days. If you plant the Gladiolus Almost all plants will appreciate 2 to 3 the right tree, and care and every two weeks you will have a kaleido- applications per year but those plants that maintenance of a starter scope of colorful cut flowers through the bonsai tree. We can show respond most dramatically to a pH adjust- summer. Dahlias are available in different ment include citrus, camellias, azaleas how to repot a starter tree heights and flower forms. The tubers get into a bonsai pot, what type and rhododendrons and other plants that of planting mix to use, and bigger every year and provide a larger and develop a seasonal yellowing of the leaf basic styling techniques more colorful show. Fragrant Tuberose related to iron chlorosis. Most likely you – wiring and pruning. We are very popular and generally sell out; Lily can think of at least one plant you have will discuss the difference of the Valley are delicate harbingers of around your home that suffers from leaf between indoor and outdoor spring but have a small window to prepare yellowing. Apply and then water or time bonsai, as well as formal and for them. your application to let winter rains do the informal techniques. Northern facing garden spots can benefit watering for you. We will be discussing our from the beauty of personal experience with tuberous Begonias. Plant a bonsai and showing some Vivid reds, oranges examples of different and pinks as well Memory With A techniques of our living as pastel shades are Fragrant Rose art form. available in different What’s the first thing Bonsai doesn’t need to be flower forms. Plant we do when we see a so serious or intimidating; the hanging variety beautiful rose? If your it can actually be fun and in baskets and enjoy answer to this question experimental (especially with at eye level through is that we smell its lovely inexpensive starters!) Those your windows and up- who attend will be provided fragrance, then you’ll a pot and a bonsai starter right forms in pots or be pleased to know free of charge to take home garden beds. Come by that rose hybridizes are and try. and see our fabulous making fragrance one selections. There will be a follow up talk of their priorities in the in March (T.B.A.) where we breeding process. will go further into bonsai Last Chance It has been said that techniques and care. to Dormant our sense of smell is the most powerful of our Please call today to reserve Spray your spot: 925-447-0280. five senses in provoking February is the last memory. What better month for dormant way to plant your own spray. Apply Miller memories than with one Microcop with Sta- of our new 2007 fragrant Stuk. Spray at the roses? Notes for January/February Gardening Move your living tree outdoors. Care for other holiday Choose azaleas and camellias now while they are in bloom. gift plants such as azaleas and camellias by placing them The selection is great and you’ll pick just the right color outside where they will thrive in cooler temperatures. for your Valentine’s garden. e Keep your New Year’s Resolution… join the Livermore- e Feed the lawn monthly even during cold winter months. Amador Valley Garden Club. Call to join. Phone: 485- This maintains its green color and minimizes rust disease. 7812. Masters Fall and Winter lawn fertilizer is especially formulated for the season. e Brighten the garden with jewel colored bedding plants. e Refresh your garden containers with primroses, pansies, Happy Valentine’s Day To All Of Our Customers Iceland poppies and more.