By Cindy Poore

There is nothing quite like a fresh new calendar or the first, blank page in a journal. The possibilities are endless! And unless your time is up sooner, you are going to get 365 new fresh starts this year. What will you do with them? Better yet, what would you do with them if you knew you weren’t gonna get all 365? The same thing I hope.

I’ve always wanted to learn a second language. I have been traveling on my treadmill (courtesy Google earth and Ifit technology) and exploring so many places I will never go in real life. I marvel at how much the world looks the same and at how much it is different at the same time. And I realized that I really do speak a second language.

The language of plants! I see the strange and faraway places and then I see the familiar in all that. I see and smell the heady aroma of the orange blossoms in Florida. I hear the crunch of fallen maple leaves and smell just a hint of fireplace smoke in Connecticut. I revel in the color explosion of the papery blooms of the Bougainvillea and the scent of the sea in Greece.  I’ve never been to any of those places, but my plants take me there. They translate these places to me. And I am a world traveler without having ever left home.

My 2014 resolution: Visit someplace I never thought I could. Really.

I guess we will check back in December and see how I did.

Holy Moley Have We Got Challenges!

Winter/water/warm equals weeds! We’ve had enough rain followed by warm weather to germinate some major weeds.

Don’t have any now? Want to keep it that way? Have I got a plan for you….

By now you know I am all about planning and preparation. I may be impulsive, but not when it comes to the landscape. Thinking and planning ahead is the turtle that will win the race for you.

Now is the time to put down your weed pre-emergent applications. Which, of course we would love to do for you! One spray application will last for months and most likely get you all the way through the spring rains to prevent nearly all the big bad weeds that are waiting to eat up your spring and summer weekends. We can spray some or all of your problem areas to make it affordable for you.

Small Print. Oh, there is always the small print. Once an application of weed pre-emergent (preventer) has been made, it requires water to get it off the top of the soil, gravel, or plants to wash it into the soil where it can perform it’s duty. So, it needs to rain. 1 day after we apply or up to 21 days after we apply. You have a 3 week window. Since I cannot predict when it will rain with certainty, SOMEONE has got to water.  Only ONCE though. Equal to half an inch of rain. A pain for sure but necessary for the pre-emergent. OR you can just wait until the weeds come in and we can spray to kill them. But they may need additional sprays if you can’t water in the pre-emergent. So give us a call and we will schedule you in!

Garden tasks January 2014

January is prime time for pruning roses. A little time and expertise now will deliver some fabulous blooms come spring time.  Remember to remove all foliage from the canes. This will force the plant into a kind of dormancy that puts the growth energy back into the canes and roots for a healthier plant.

Now is also the time to prune your deciduous fruit trees. Foliage has dropped and it is easy to see where to make the cuts. Different types of fruit need different types of pruning, so get a good pruning book like Cass Turnbull’s ”Guide to Pruning”. One of my favorite books on pruning and a great refresher course for those of us that do this all the time.

Apply dormant oil treatments after pruning to smother any potential pests. January and February are prime months for this.

You may be able to find bare-root lilacs to plant now in some nurseries. The old-fashioned lilacs (syringa vulgaris) are the best smelling and easiest to grow here in the high desert and worth looking for. The French varieties are pretty in bloom, but I have not found them to smell as good.  The only way to tell the color or intensity of the bloom is to buy them when they are in bloom in  the spring. Do little or no pruning to your lilacs the first two seasons and thereafter, prune to maintain shape. Lilacs bloom on old (second year or more) wood so prune just after blooming.

Yes, you can plant in the winter. Unless the ground is frozen, here in California you pretty much can plant year-round. Some times are better than others, but with care, you can plant all year long. Some of the best types of plants to plant in January are bare-root anything and natives. They will adapt very well to being planted now and the wetter spring weather will help establish a good root system before summer’s heat.

Pansies will give you color all through the winter. Put some in pots!  Also you can start seeds of onions indoors in a sunny window to plant in March. Garlic is a good bet  for planting now along with cabbage-like plants such as kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

We can do all these services for you if you need help!

Call us at (760) 868-6104

For whatever new start you are planning in this new year keep in mind this quote and Get Growing!

“The beginning is the most important part of the work”

                                                            Plato

My Favorite Recipes

Broccoli/Spinach Soup

Serves 4  220 calories each serving

I love to find quick, tasty healthy things to eat. And if they warm you up while they fill you up even better. A bonus is, I get to use my immersion blender with this one, but you can use your regular blender if you want.

2    leeks, cut in 2 inch links and washed repeatedly

until sand-free.

2    Tablespoons Butter

6    Cups vegetable or chicken broth

1    bunch broccoli, (about 4 oz) chopped

1    small russet potato, peeled and chopped

5    ounces spinach, washed

Sour Cream and Salt and pepper as needed

Cook the leeks in the butter  in a large pot over medium-high heat stirring occasionally until softened, 4-6 minutes.

Add the broth, broccoli and potato. Simmer until tender 18-22 minutes

Stir in the spinach until wilted. Transfer the mixture to the blender or use your immersion blender and puree until smooth. Add salt to taste. Top with a dollop of sour cream and grind some cracked pepper  on top and serve with some fresh fruit and a slice of French bread.

MORE!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4  135 calories each serving

 1 1/2      lbs. Brussels sprouts

2-3       tablespoons olive oil

Sea Salt and/ or pepper  to taste

Rinse Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Toss sprouts into large bowl along with the loose leaves. Sprinkle olive oil over sprouts and add salt and pepper. Toss all sprouts to evenly coat with oil and seasonings.

Place sprouts, cut side down along with loose leaves on foil lined baking sheet. Place in pre-heated 400 degree oven. Roast for 30-40 minutes  Sprouts will brown in spots but still have some green, but do not roast until burnt. (you can remove loose leaves sooner as they brown earlier and snack on these while preparing the rest of the meal!)