MAY 2017Serving You Since 1955

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

Celebrate Mom With A Lovely Picnic Lunch on Mother's DayJoin us on Sunday, May 14th between 11:30-1:30 for a simple and delicious boxed lunch

by Sweet and Savory Bakery and Café.The choices are

listed below and will be accompanied with complimentary iced tea and water.

We offer two different times for lunch: 11:30 am and 12:45 pm. We’ll provide picnic style seating near our roses, where you'll be surrounded by their array of color and fragrance . . . or grab a seat on one of our many garden benches placed throughout the nursery.

Wherever you choose to enjoy your lunch, you'll be delighted and inspired in this

unique setting. We look forward to you joining us!Meal choice: Chicken Salad Sliders: Chicken Salad on 2 homemade rolls with herb aioli and lettuce leaf, with chips and a cookie. ORGorgonzola Salad with Chicken: This yummy salad includes: spring lettuce, apples, sweet spicy walnuts, gorgonzola, chicken and balsamic vinaigrette, with a roll and cookie. Cost is $16.00 plus tax per person by reservation only. Payment is due upon reservation.

SAVE THE DATE!!Join us for Art Under the Oaks on July 15 & 16 from 11-4 p.m.

The event showcases many talented artists, musicians and wine makers. 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!

Win A Free Modern Bush Rose

  A Modern Bush Rose  1.5 cu. ft. Master’s Rose Planting Mix  5 lbs. Master Start

A $59.97 Value

No purchase necessary. Need not be present to win. Drawing to be held May 31, 2017.

MODERN BUSH ROSEMay 2017

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Yes, I would like to receive the newsletter online.

Plus Planting Supplies

Bring Orchid Angst to “Orchid Aahhh”!

Orchid TutorialSunday, May 28th from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Experiencing a little leaf drop? Tired of looking at green leaves and no flowers? Want to boost your bloomers?

Join the class that will cause your understanding to “blossom” with simple suggestions for great results! Knowledge is powerful, and your orchids will thank you for taking the time to understand their needs. Sue Fordyce has 40 years of experience, but makes the conversation simple and give you orchid growing solutions that make sense. You are welcome to bring an orchid or two you have questions about for a free consultation. The class is $15.00 – and bring a friend for FREE!

See our cashiers for reservations, or give us a call at (925) 447-0280 to reserve your space today.

Add Smoke Tree for Drama and Drought

ToleranceSmoke trees typically come into glorious bloom

in the nursery this month. We have one in our demo garden, it's worth coming in for a look! Smoke trees are typically dark red small trees or large shrubs to about 12 feet, Golden Spirit is a lime green variety, They are perfect for a patio or a tree near the front entry.

In spring, they come into bloom with a cloud of purple smoke. Smoke trees also come in a beautiful gold.

The "flowers" are so light and airy they appear to be just a cloud.

Plant a smoke tree in full sun and don't worry too much about watering after it is established. They have been seen growing in

places without additional water similar to some native plants. They will appreciate water once or twice a month when established. Give them water a couple times a week for two years to establish.

It’s Time for Bonus Dollars Again!

Our traditional springtime event – Bonus Dollars are back!

•  Bonus Dollars are distributed April 1 thru May 31. •  You earn 10% of your total purchases

and are paid in Alden Lane Nursery Bonus Dollars. •  These Bonus Dollars are redeemable

August 1-31. They are to be used for up to 50% of your purchases in August. For example: if you have 10 Bonus Dollars you may use all 10 on a purchase of $20 or more. (Bonus Dollars are not valid with other discounts or coupons. Bonus Dollars are not valid on sod, sale items or other special orders. Sales limited to stock on hand. Not redeemable for cash.)

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Veggie Classes 4 May 13th at 10:00 a.m. – Time

to plant your cucumbers and pumpkins. We’ll cover fungus control.

4 June 10th at 10:00 a.m. – Herb planting and planting a summer garden in containers.

4 July 9th at 2:00 p.m. – How to maintain veggies during hot temperatures. We’ll discuss mulching and shade protection.

4 August 13th at 2:00 p.m. – Soil preparation for Fall veggies. What vegetables are coming in September.

Protect your cherry crop! Prevent wormy fruit. Start spraying weekly when fruit begins to change from green to strawberry color. Spinosad and Malathion are sprays to consider.

Feed roses now and every two weeks for maximum rose production. Use MaxSea plus Kelp Sea Life for the trace elements and minerals.

Thin apple and peach crops if too much fruit has set, you’ll get fewer but larger, juicier fruit.

Timing is important for grub control. If you had trouble with grubs last summer and fall, now is the time to ready a treatment plan for prevention. Treating your lawn in May with Bayer Season Long Grub Control or Nematodes while the grubs are young and vulnerable is best. Use Nematodes in your vegetable garden.

Ladybugs and praying mantis to the rescue! Control aphids, beetles, scale and leafhoppers naturally.

Deep root water trees and shrubs. Never depend on lawn watering to take care of trees and shrubs. Begin deep watering with a Ross Root Feeder now and continue monthly through the hot summer season. The use of soaker hoses helps deliver deep water as well.

Plant 4-inch vegetable plants and save several weeks of growing time. Remember to protect them from hungry snails and slugs with pet safe Sluggo or Sluggo Plus. Both are labeled for organic gardening, both control slugs, Sluggo Plus controls insects too.

Scale insects affect citrus as well as a slew of ornamentals. Adults are little stationary bumps on stems and leaves. Offspring hide beneath mother’s protective shell, venturing out as the weather warms searching for a new place to colonize. Control by spraying with Bonide All Season Spray Oil; or for tough cases on ornamental plants apply Malathion, or Captain Jack’s All Organic Spray.

Do you have bugs on your vegetables? Use vegetable safe Bonide All Season Spray Oil.

Prevent olive fruit set with Florel Fruit Elimina-tor. Spray the olive when the tree has just reached full bloom. Olive flowers are very small, so watch closely. Full bloom usually occurs in early May. Spray the whole tree thoroughly. We have the names of commercial spray companies that can help too.

Mulching does wonders for your garden. As well as looking good, mulching conserves water and suppresses weeds and keeps roots cool. We suggest a mulch layer 4 inches thick. We are especially fond of Micro-bark because it looks good and breaks down relatively soon. Don’t mulch right up to the plant trunk or stem. Leave 4 to 6 inches of breathing room.

Whitewash the trunks of fruit trees with Tree Trunk White. Applying a white wash coating to the trunk will re-flect heat away from the tender tissue and protect the trees.

Regular feeding for Citrus. Citrus perform well with monthly light feedings of fertilizer specifically formulated for Citrus. This will ensure that your tree gets a nice even supply of food year round instead of occasional periods of highs or lows. We recommend Master Nursery Citrus Food, or for a completely organic approach, use E.B. Stone Citrus and Fruit Tree Fertilizer. Make quarterly applications of Iron Sulfate for optimum feeding and greening.

Turflon Esther for Bermuda grass control controls that wiry stemmed, nuisance weed Bermuda grass. It also works wonders on Oxalis, a yellow clover look alike.

Prep your roses for a second wave of bloom! Cut back and feed roses as the first set of blooms fade. Feed with Master Nursery Rose and Flower Food, water, and stand back (roses typically rebloom 6 weeks after pruning and feeding. For a special treatment, feed roses with water soluble Maxsea. It can be sprayed on the leaves and gives the plant a dark glossy appearance.

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Get Ready to Visit

Scotland!Enjoy the beauty of the

Scottish countryside, tour magnificent gardens, and relish the experience of a

lifetime. Plans are well underway for an August visit to Scotland.

Join us August 24 to September 2, 2017. For more information contact Michele at Destinations Unlimited, Pleasanton, CA 94566, (925) 462-0402, michele@travel-desk.com.

The itinerary is on the Alden Lane website.

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Earth Boxes are well engineered, self-contained gardens with a water reservoir and an overflow feature that prevents plants from receiving too much or too little water. Used correctly, no water is wasted either by evaporation or by over filling. This makes them a great way to garden.

Earth Boxes are essentially a passive hydroponic system. A significant amount of research has gone into them and because they pull up water from below, on an as needed basis, and because the season-long fertilizer supply is placed just under the plastic mulch, Earth Boxes deliver just what the plant requires. All the gardener has to do is keep the reservoir filled with water.

We have enjoyed using Earth Boxes here at the nursery with tomatoes, cucumbers, snap peas and kale – this year we will try herbs. Each Earth Box requires one (two cubic) bag of Potting Soil and a few plants.

Consider giving an Earth Box to a new or experienced gardener in your life. Compare a gift like this to say a floral bouquet which fades in a week and you will conclude, the gardening mom, or grandmother garden lover will reap exponentially more blessing from an Earth Box than from a bundle of flowers. (Mother's Day is May 14th.)

Water Wise Earth Boxes

Sunny CitrusDo you remember walking around your neighborhood during those chilly, wet

February days and seeing formerly nondescript small bushy evergreen trees all of a sudden come to life with glowing golden orbs of bright juicy oranges? Or sunny yellow footballs of lemons? I do, and I remember thinking, “Wow! Those trees are just loaded with fruit! Plenty to share with a neighbor like me!”

It’s a right of passage when moving to California – try wine tasting, learn to surf and plant an orange tree . . . and a lemon. A quintessential California garden has a sunny spot perfectly suited to growing an array of your favorite citrus. After you’ve planted your navel orange, (maybe a ‘Robertson’ - earlier ripening than its parent ‘Washington’ and heavy bearing) and favorite lemon, (classic ‘Eureka’ or the milder ‘Improved Meyer’), then branch out and have some fun. Here are some less well known varieties to try – juice up your snacking and cooking!•  Variegated Pink Lemon – lovely cream and white variegated foliage makes this tree a standout, and the stripy, pink fleshed lemons are a delightful novelty

•  Mexican Lime – the standard bartenters‘ lime; aromatic, juicy small round green to yellow-green fruits

•  Buddha’s Hand – like a lemon with fingers! Wonderfully fragrant with no juice or pulp; use shaved thin in salads, infused in vodka, or as candied citrus peel

•  ‘Nagami’ Kumquats – roll the small orange fruits on the counter just before eating to mix flavors of the sweet skin and the puckery pulp

•  ‘Moro’ Blood Orange – dramatic deep red flesh and a slight berry like flavor•  ‘Valentine’ Pummelo – distinctive grape-fruit relative with low acid juicy red pulp•  Thai Lime – glossy dark green leaves have a “waist”. Used to flavor traditional Thai dishes •  Yuzu Citron – a rare Japanese lemon prized by chefs for its highly fragrant, sour rind

Have your citrus do double duty in your yard. Plant it as an ornamental tree, or a dense evergreen hedge – offer the fruit on their side to your neighbor. Or pot up a cute mandarin or lovely variegated calamondin in traditional terra cotta or a cobalt blue glazed container.

After selecting a sunny spot (6 hours plus of full sun), ensure citrus success in a location with good drainage. If unsure of your drainage, plant in a raised bed or on a low mound. Amend the soil with lots of lower pH compost like Master Nursery Acid Mix, then add starter fertilizer, such as E.B. Stone Organic Sure

Start to get the new roots off to a good start. After planting, regular fertilizing and occasional deep watering will keep your citrus thriving. Don't forget to stop and smell the blooms as they richly perfume your garden!

Happy Mother’s Day!We have sourced all kinds of new gift items Mom will

love!Beautiful tea and

coffee mugs are here in herbal lavender prints and bird images in many colors.

Happy Wax Melts are brand new and come in heart and darling teddy bear shapes. Use in a wax

warmer to scent your entire room. The fragrances are delightful and come in

many different scents including Sweet Pea, Lilac and Hydrangea.

Also brand new are Spongelle fragrance infused sponges. They are designed to moisturize and rejuvenate the skin, from neck to toe and can be used for many washes. Bulgarian Rose, Coconut Verbena and French Lavender can be found in our gift shop!

You’ll find wonderful Wall Art pieces from suns to geckos to sea turtles! Made out of metal and painted with UV resistant paints, you can add a colorful accent to a garden fence or wall.

We have new scarves and garden hats that make great gifts too! Ruthie’s Room is fully stocked with gift items and houseplants. Come in to see what’s new and we will wrap your gift compliments of Alden Lane!

Announcements•  Watch the Valley Gardener on

TV30 for great gardening tips with host Jacquie Williams- Courtright at 7:30 am and 1:30 p.m. Monday - Friday and repeated on Saturday at 7:30 & 11:00 am, and 1:30 pm & Sunday at 7:30 & 11:00 am, and 1:00 & 4:00 pm. View online at tv30.org.

•  The Livermore Amador Valley Garden Club will meet Thursday, May 11th. Corky Quirk will speak on Bats – Environmental Benefits and more. All meetings will be held at the Alisal School, 1454 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton. Guests are always welcome and refreshments will be served. Visit www.lavgc.org for more information.

•  The Mt. Diablo Rose Society meets the second Wednesday of the month, 7:30 p.m. in the Dublin Library, 200 Civic Plaza, Dublin. Hear Dr. Lisa Tell from UC Davis talk about Hummingbirds on May 10th. For more information, visit mtdiablorosesociety.org for more information.

• Fremont Garden Club meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month February – October. Guest speak-ers, field trips, annual garden tea. For more information, phone 510-401-0138 or email fremontgardenclub1@yahoo.com.

• Bringing Back the Natives Tour; Sunday, May 7, 2017, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free self-guided tour of 30 East Bay Gardens. Visit www.bringingbackthenatives.net for more information.

• Save the Date! Mosquito Fish Give Away. Drop by the nursery on Saturday, May 13th with a pail or bucket and take away some FREE mosquito fish for your ponds or large fountains. These fish are courtesy of the Mosquito Abatement District. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Vegetable Gardening. Join Brian on Saturday, May 13th at 10:00 a.m. He’ll discuss growing cucumbers, pumpkins and melons.

•  Plan to attend the Alameda County Fair – June 16 to July 9. (The fair is closed on Mondays). Log on for more information: www.alamedacountyfair.com.

Important Reminders For Your New Plants

Just before installing:F Water your new plant in the nursery container.F Water the freshly dug planting hole.F Check moisture at least daily in hot weather for the first few

weeks after planting – Note: when it is VERY HOT (100°+) check your plants for moisture at least 3 times a day. In areas where 2x per week watering is mandated, supplement between waterings using grey water.

F NEVER feed a thirsty plant.F Avoid fertilizing on hot days.F To be safe, water your plant thoroughly the day before feeding.F When using a drip irrigation systemF Place the emitter tubing directly over the root ball of the new

plant so water does not bypass the region of need.F Install at least two emitters per plant – one on each side – in case

one becomes plugged.F Expand and update it as your plant grows to reflect the plant's

spreading root system.F Check ground moisture often and supplement watering by hand as needed the

first season.F Check your Watering System to make sure it is operating properly.

Tomato TipOften the first tomatoes to ripen are smitten with the leathery brown patch of rot known as blossom end rot, generally caused from a calcium deficiency, Get ahead of the game by spraying the leaves now with Monterey’s Foli-cal.

  Top Cucumbers:  Diva  •  Japanese  •  Persian  •  Lemon;  Spaced two feet apart.  Top Pumpkins:  Atlantic Giant  •  Howden’s Best  •  New England Pie  •  Jack B’ Little;  Spaced five feet apart.  Top Melons:  Ambrosia  •  Hale’s Best  •  Persian  •  Cantaloupe;  Spaced five feet apart.

Planting Cucumbers, Melons & Pumpkins Join us on May 13th at 10:00 a.m. as we discuss planting your melons, cucumbers and pumpkins.

We will also cover the subject of fungus control.

Conditions: All like sunny conditions. Cucumbers can use support along a fence or trellis. Pumpkins and Melons prefer lots of room to grow. They will spread out from the center with large leaves filling any available space about a foot from the ground.Planting Times: Try to plant seeds 1-2 weeks after the average last frost, but only if the weather will be consis-tently warm for a week (2-4 weeks for pumpkins). They prefer to start when the soil temperature is warm; during April-May. Any sprouted seedlings in a cell pack can be put in the ground right away. This allows them the time to acclimate to their new home. Soil: 50% native soil, 50% Bumper-crop® Water and Feeding: Regular water (3x per week). Give new plants a gentle boost with E.B. Stone’s Organic Starter Fertilizer®, then feed monthly with Master Nursery Tomato and Vegetable Food® or E.B. Stone’s Organic Tomato and Vegetable Fertlizer®. Apply the fertilizer sparsely around the base of the plant. It can be mixed in the soil or left underneath a thick layer of mulch. Prevention: To prevent weeds, use Espoma’s Organic Weed Preventer®. Apply to soil surface right after planting. Add mulch to further reduce weed growth. A thick layer of mulch will make it easier to remove weeds and provides insulation for your soil. For weed elimination, spray weeds with undiluted distilled vinegar. Take care to not get vinegar on veggie leaves.

Solution to Common Problems: Cucumbers: Careful pruning and training on a trellis will lead to a stronger network of stems to support your large cucumbers. Allow spiders a home in between stems, or let loose some ladybugs or preying mantids on your plants to eat potential pests. Pumpkins & Melons: Mulch will prevent mud from splashing onto your pumpkins & melons. (Use organic veggie fertilizer to feed your pumpkins monthly and make them grow even bigger!)Pest Control: Sprinkle soil/mulch surface with pet-safe Sluggo®. Place a SLUGX® container under the leaves using beer as an attractant and pest-killer. Bird netting can deter both birds and small animals from nibbling on your cucumbers. Support: Cucumbers: Use big stakes connected with bird netting to

create a fine trellis that doubles as an animal repellent. They are naturally curly on the ground when grown with-out a trellis. Pumpkins & Melons: Keep them on a flat even surface to minimize gravity’s effect on their shape. Harvesting: Cucumbers: Begin growing in the summer around July and should be harvested before they get too mature. Use pruning shears to cut the stem an inch from the fruiting body. Pumpkins & Melons: (depending on their planting time and desired size) Use a Razor Tooth Pruning Saw to harvest your pumpkins from late summer to early winter; and your melons from late summer to fall.

The 77th Annual Pleasanton Public Rose ShowSaturday, May 13th • Free Admission

•  Pleasanton Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd., Pleasanton.•  Enter your home grown cut roses from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.•  Judging is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.•  Public viewing runs from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.•  Award ceremony is at 2:30 p.m.

This show is open to all backyard novices. For more information visit www.pleasantonroseshow.com.

Come see Alden Lane’s on-going “Rose Show”. Our plants are budded and beginning to bloom. Walk the aisles, “take time to smell the roses” and choose some for your garden. We’re here to help with all your rose needs.

Reference for planting times: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/CA/Livermore.

Recipe for Good Garden Soil!Good Garden Soil Starts Here!!

For each 100 square feet add: 5-8 two cubic ft. bags of Master Gold Rush or Bumper Crop ®. 5 lbs. Iron Sulfate to acidify and add iron. 10 lbs. Master Vegetable Food or Master Flower Food, Master Formula 49 can be used for ground covers. 50 lbs. Gypsum. It loosens hard soils as it adds sulfur & calcium. (An excellent addition in our heavy soil.) Try out the new Liquid Gypsum!

Mix well with your soil to an 8" depth and water well.

If you are preparing a vegetable or flower garden bed here’s a tried and true soil preparation recipe that works wonders. It lightens our heavy soil, nourishes it and buffers the pH to make it ‘just right’ for the success of your vegetable and flower seeds or transplants.

Berry Festival & Bonsai

Show Saturday & Sunday

June 17th & 18thCome out and make merry at our

BERRY FESTIVAL on June 17th and 18th from 10 am to 4 pm. Bring the whole family for FREE berry tasting.

We will also have fresh made berry pie!! jams, syrups and more for sale made from local berries. We have straw-berries, blueberries, blackberries, olallieberries – if it’s in season, we got ‘em fresh from local growers. We have many berry varieties you can grow in your own garden.

The Festival runs both Saturday AND Sunday, so bring Dad out for a glass of blackberry tea, berry tasting, learn about growing berries, and order your pie in advance to enjoy a wonderful olallieberry pie with your BBQ. We'll pick them up from Gizditch Ranch, and have them available for the weekend. Come and make a day of it!

Valley Bonsai Society is holding its 9th Annual Show on Sat., June 17th and Sunday, June 18th from 10 am to 4 pm each day at Alden Lane Nursery.

Demon-strations

are planned each day. The finished trees will be raffled off at the end of the demonstration. There will be a member sales table and door prizes. Admission is free. For additional information, contact Charles Harder at bonsainut@comcast.net.

Metal Leaf ArtSaturday, June 3, 10am-11:30

Back by popular demand! Do you enjoy the look of burnished metal artwork? So do we! This craft involves the look of botanical relief without the difficulty of using unwieldy metal. We will create a trio of 8"x 10" wall art pieces that come with a frame and are made from foil and real leaves. It is easy and oh! so rewarding! Once we are done you will be amazed at your talent and the finished product. The cost is $38.00 plus tax. Please sign up by June 1, as the class size is limited. Call our Alden Lane cashiers today!

Felt SucculentsSaturday, June 24th 1:30 to 3 pm

Love the look of succulents in your home, but they just don’t thrive? Here is a beautiful answer . . . Felt Succulents! We will be constructing 3 to 4 different colors and sizes of echeverias, and we will also enhance their natural beauty by dying them. They will be “growing” in a cute glass bubble to hang or put on display. You just HAVE to do this! It is a simple process, and you will be using a glue gun (if you have a glue gun, please bring it – the glue will be provided). All materials and instructions included (including the fun!) The cost for this workshop is $28.00 plus tax. Please make your reservation by Wed. June 21 with our Alden Lane Cashiers (925) 447-0280.

981 Alden LaneLivermore, CA 94550

(925) 447-0280 aldenlane.com

Nursery HoursDaily from 8:30 to 6:00.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT #274Livermore, CA

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NURSERY

We will be open Memorial Day, May 29, 2017 until 5 p.m. for all your gardening needs.

SPECIAL COUPONPresent This Coupon & A Canned Food Item

TO RECEIVE

Food Donations are Optional. All donations go to local relief agencies. One coupon per family, please!

Offer Good May 1-31, 2017.

$1.00 OFF

Any Herb Plant of your choice