Most of you will know as much or more about this as I do. I include this here for our customers who are new to the Island, and there are many.
- use grey water from dishwashing and bathing to water the plants that are important to you in your food garden or your fruit trees.
- drip irrigation if you have it or hand watering with a wand or watering can, directing water only to the roots
- Fruit trees. Decide which are most important. I have let my cherry trees fend for themselves and have concentrated on my apple and plum tree.
- Ornamentals. My choice is to water my rhodos when they show signs of water stress and leave all other ornamental trees alone.
Of course our nursery stock gets water as often as they require. Plants in pots have no resources other that what we give them.
This Week at the Nursery
July looks to be warm and pleasant. One of my famous understatements. Seems it will be very warm but pleasant.
The 9 cm pots of Rudbeckia and Echinacea were so popular that we brought in more. Most 9 cm pots at Wheelbarrel are 3.40, giving you lots of perennial drought tolerant summer colour very inexpensively.
Other summer blooming, drought tolerant plants available include:
- Shasta daisies
- Russian Sage
- Helenium
- Coreopsis
- and of course Lavender.
Some are in bloom now, some coming into bloom soon.
Gaura and Nandina Colourscape
We have a couple things not carried earlier this year. A lovely pink Gaura in bloom now. This variety has a mature height is 14 to 16 inches making it a well behaved perennial for middle of the border or a lovely pot for the deck. The other is a shrub which is new to me as well as to the Nursery. Nandina Colourscape is 4 foot by 4 foot at maturity. The summer foliage is very colourful and attractive as it is similar to winter colour in other varieties of Nandina.
Oh, almost forgot! We have managed to restock French Tarragon.
Fall Veggies
Unbelievably, we need to start seeding for fall and winter harvest. Consult the West Coast Garden planting chart. (Link below). Again I will say, it does not matter if you prefer West Coast, or Sweet Rock Farm or Aimers Organics seeds, the planting chart is a good guide.
Briefly, broccoli and cauliflower should be seeded now. Carrots and other root crops such as rutabagas and beets should be seeded no later than the first week of July to ensure they are mature enough to over winter when the cold weather comes. Again a restatement from last newsletter, I have two resources I use for vegetable garden information. One is West Coast Seeds Planting Charts , the other is Linda Gilkeson West Coast Gardening.
If you prefer starts, we will have fall veggie starts beginning July 27 and again August 10. Included will be several varieties of broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage, lettuces, swiss chard. I will send out another notification when they arrive.
Sale
40% off remaining water plants. Hope you have some space in your pond for a couple more plants. Some water lilies as well.
This is also the time of year we put the annuals on sale. This year however we do not have any left.
Happy Gardening!
Linda Black
Annuals
Our benches are full. New Guinea Impatiens are new this week. We have restocked as much as possible of the essentials.
Hanging Baskets
Our own Wheelbarrel Nursery baskets designed by Jennifer.
Veggie Starts
New this week, Squash and Cucumbers. Other starts still available, lettuce, peas, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale, swiss chard, spinach, peppers, etc.
Basil
Limited amount in. More in a couple of weeks.
Tomatoes
17 varieties, some in gallon pots.
Water Plants
Are in.
There is a nice selection of Water Lilies as well as an enticing selection of Marginals, Oxygenators and Floaters.
The tropicals some have been asking for will be included in this shipment. Canna, Calla, Colocasia, Red Abyssinian Banana, Dwarf Banana, Pitcher Plant, to name a few of the interesting ones.
New:
- Annuals. Impatiens are in and the Lantana that many are waiting for will be here today Wednesday. We are still restocking annuals every week so our greenhouses look amazing. We have lots of variety for hanging baskets, patio pots and rounding out garden beds however, the suppliers stocks are running low on certain items as is usual this time of year.
- Hanging Baskets. Ready for Mother’s Day, our own Wheelbarrel Nursery baskets designed by Jennifer, looking lovely and fresh.
- Veggie Starts. New this week, Peppers. Other starts still available, lettuce, peas, cabbage, broccoli, kale, swiss chard, spinach, etc.
- Squash. We have a few of our own squash and cucumber starts ready with the balance ready the week of May 11. That is next week already! I truly hope Mother Nature co-operates with us for the planting.
- Tomatoes. 17 varieties, some in gallon pots for. Look for a complete list later in the newsletter.
- Water Plants. Will be in Friday May 8th. There will be a nice selection of Water Lilies as well as an enticing selection of Marginals, Oxygenators and Floaters. The tropicals some have been asking for will be included in this shipment. Canna, Calla, Colocasia, Red Abyssinian Banana, Dwarf Banana, Pitcher Plant, to name a few of the interesting ones.
Coming soon:
- Water plants. I repeat this here for emphasis. These will arrive Friday.
- Cuke and Squash starts. Again for emphasis. A few of our own starts ready now with the balance here early next week.
- Peppers. Some this week, that is today, more next week.
- Basil. Hopefully next week. This is the most tender plant. Minimum temperatures must be 10 degrees and that is certainly not now. These should not go out until June. They can of course be put in your greenhouse or hardened off so they are ready to be planted out when temperatures allow.
There are so many stunning views at the Nursery right now. Try to take some time to walk about when you come. Look for a deep yellow azalea in full bloom against a backdrop of Japanese Maples and a fuschia Rhodo. Caught me by surprise as it is a view I rarely have being busy in the working part of the property. The view from the opposite direction is that same rhodo peaking out through a Japanese Maple. Lovely. The walk south of the greenhouses is really at its peak.
Enough of my raving. Please feel free to come and tour the nursery and the grounds at any time. We would love to see you.
Regular shoppers here will know that we carry Orgunique which is an organic fertilizer. This past year we have been exploring and learning about organic soil amendments. We are now carrying Earth Boost from Bio Fert. Bio Fert and Orgunique are different arms of the company.
A very knowledgeable representative from the Company is coming to give a seminar regarding organics amendments and fertilizer in early June.
The exact date is yet to be determined. Education is good both for you as our customers and for us.
