Timely Gardening Tips

 

Rake lawn thoroughly.  Leaves left on the lawn smother the grass & harbor insects and disease.  Add leaves to compost pile. 

Turn off automatic irrigation system and drain.  Also, disconnect & drain your hoses & store them in the garage or shed.

Core aerate lawn now to improve water and fertilizer penetration. Do not remove plugs; allow them to break down over the winter.

Feed lawn with a Scotts Winter fertilizer.

All newly planted shrubs & trees need to be watered once or twice a month during the winter.

Yes, you can still plant trees, shrubs and bulbs as long as the ground isn’t frozen.  Just dig that hole, put them in and water them well.

Tie branches of tall pyramidal evergreens together to keep heavy snow from breaking the branches or bending them so severely that their appearance suffers.

'Winter Kill'  results from our erratic weather with frequent sunny, warm days
in January and February, dry air, low precipitation, and strong cold winds.  A plant’s
best defense is a good supply of moisture and a deep root system.  Water all your plants deeply before winter and monthly through the winter if precipitation is low.

Apply Cloud-Cover®  to your broad leaf evergreens before frost season to help them over winter better.  This flexible polymer coating allows plants to retain moisture and reduces stress caused by temperature extremes and dry environments. 

Use Cloud-Cover®  on Christmas trees and fresh greens to  prevents needle drop and reduce fire hazard.

Clean and FILL all birD feeders for the winter months.  Hang a thistle feeder or sock to attract colorful finches.

Remove houseplants from windowsills.  Cold outside temperatures can make their way through windows and cause damage.

Plants of the Month

COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE (Picea  pungens glauca)

The Colorado Blue Spruce is known for its stately, majestic, symmetrical form and beautiful silver-blue color. It makes a great specimen, windbreak or screen in the landscape. 
Blue Spruce is also widely used as a living Christmas tree; enjoy it decorated  in your home, then plant it in the yard after the holidays to enjoy for years to come.  However, since
Blue Spruce can grow 40 to 60 in height and 10 to 20 feet wide,  be sure to plant it where it will have plenty of room to grow.

JULIE’S HOLIDAY BLOOMERS ON PARADE

The Moana Lane store will have the best selection of unusual holiday blooming plants that will brighten everyone’s holiday.  Consider these long blooming plants instead of poinsettias this year.  All make great hostess & holiday gifts for anyone. And they make lovely additions to holiday decorations in your own home or office.

CYCLAMEN

The Cyclamen’s flowers look like butterflies stopped in motion. Flowers are held high above handsome foliage and face downward, but the petals reverse, pointing upwards.  Cyclamen is a long lasting bloomer that comes in several colors and is perfect for the holidays.

AMARYLLIS

Amaryllis is a popular holiday plant because it has spectacular lily-like flowers sitting on top of a tall stalk. They come in a multitude of colors from deep red to nearly pure white.  Amaryllis can be purchased as a plant already blooming or about to bloom or as a bulb that can be planted in one of your own favorite holiday containers.

PAPERWHITES

Paperwhites produce small, star-shaped, fragrant flowers that will last for several weeks. Some varieties have pure white flowers; others have white perianths (outer petals) with pale yellow “cups” in the center.    These bulbs will bloom about four to six weeks after planting, so plan accordingly if you want flowers for the holidays or other special occasions. For continuous bloom throughout the winter, plant bulbs every two weeks from late fall through February.

But that’s not all —we also have a great selection of

       Fall Mums

       Cymbidium & Cattleya Orchids

       Christmas Cactus

       Gardenias

       Potted Tulips & Freesia

       Premium Poinsettias

 

From The Florist
at Moana

After 15 years at our Moana Lane location we have gotten a facelift!   We have a spacious, new counter that’s attractive and easily seen as soon as you enter the store.  Our fire place has been given a complete makeover – it’s gorgeous and now gives off ‘clean’ heat.   Our cooler has new units for display, making it easier for you to pick our fresh arrangements. And our giftware is transitioning to more unique items   from bamboo cutting boards & serving pieces & handpainted  items from a local artist to Pimpernell placemats, coasters and decorative art.  Come in to see how things are really coming together for us here at The Florist.

We hope that the holiday season brings you all the merriment, joy and fun you have come to expect from everyone here in the Florist.   We look forward to seeing you at our annual holiday open house on November 11th.

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

One of a kind Christmas ornaments

Framed artwork

Distinctive holiday decorations – Thanksgiving, Christmas & Hanukkah

Local artist Mary Ann Sien’s handpainted  cache

pots & home accessories

Judy Havelka potpourri—yummy holiday scents

Bamboo cutting boards & serving pieces

Pimpernell placemats and coasters

Handmade jewelry

Handmade floral bookmarks

Tapestry table runners and tree skirts

Custom wreaths & floral arrangements, both fresh & silk

 

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS for the GARDENER

 

For the Gardener — shoes, tool belts, tool bags, hats, gloves, hand lotions and more.

Check out our new pottery direct from China – our container just arrived and we have a wonderful selection of pottery at both locations.

For the Garden — small statuary and bird baths at Moana Lane and larger fountains & statuary at South Virginia.

For the Birds – we’re well stocked for the holidays with everything to keep our feathered friends well fed & sheltered all winter long.

For that Special Friend or Relative — visit the Inspirational Corner at the Moana Lane store

 

AN EXCITING NEW PRODUCT FROM MOANA NURSERY…

Planter Technology’s Controlled Watering Systems

We are proud to announce that we are carrying Controlled Watering Systems (CWS) for interior & exterior applications.  Planter Technology provides systems that make pots and planters easier & less expensive to maintain while conserving water!  Benefits of CWS include:

Less stress on plants; eliminates drying out & overwatering.

Less maintenance; longer periods between watering – up to 2 weeks for large containers.  Especially great for those who are frequently gone from home.

More aesthetically pleasing & flexible; eliminates unsightly drip lines connected to outdoor pots & allows them to be sited virtually any where in the yard  instead of being limited to sites near an irrigation line or hose.

Stop in at either Moana Nursery location and let our knowledge sales consultants show you how they work and can help your plants thrive.

 

Boy Scouts

The Boy Scouts of America Troops #15 & 35 will be selling the freshest cut Christmas trees available at our Moana Lane location and Boy Scout Troop #1631 will be at our South Virginia location.  Trees will be available for sale the day after Thanksgiving.

 

HOLIDAY LIGHTING FOR THE DISCERNING HOME & BUSINESS OWNER

_ Not enough time or energy to put up outdoor lights and reinstall them after each strong wind?

_ Tired of Christmas decorations that look like all the others on the block?

_ Want to create a winter wonderland in your own style to delight your children and neighbors?

Then Moana Brite Lights is your answer!  Unique, sturdy, award-winning decorations are superior in every way;  they’re built to last and easy to install.  Moana offers a complete holiday decorating service that includes design, installation, takedown & maintenance by factory-trained installers, plus off-season storage .

Call Bruce at 527-3153 today to learn how Moana Nursery can take the hassle out of holiday lighting with the service & quality you’ve grown to expect from us.  Visit either store to see our lighting displays. 

 

 

Local Artists Offer

“SMALL WORKS OF ART FOR CHRISTMAS”

 

During November and December, nine artists will be featured at the Moana Lane store. All artwork displayed is 8“ x 10” or smaller and will make wonderful Christmas gifts.  Artists participating in our “Small Works of Art for Christmas  gallery include: 

Stephanie Hogen - Photographer

Carol Pallesen - Calligrapher

Gini Campbell Annis - Oil Painter

Sandi Burke - Water Colorist

Diana Filkin - Oil Painter

Betty Ann Beaulieu - Water Colorist

Linda Yuroff - Painter

Luverne Lightfoot - Oil Painter

Velma Nowatt - Water Colorist

 

 

FALL FESTIVAL WINNERS

Our 9th annual Fall Festival was a real success.  We want to give a special thank you to our celebrity judges:  Mike Alger from KTVN and Gary Aldax from KPS|3.  We also want to thank local resident, Dana Pastrell, a talented pumpkin carver who did a wonderful carving demonstration for our many customers. This year’s winner of the annual Pumpkin Growing Contest was John Martin with a pumpkin weighing in at 319.7 lbs.  His daughter Robin won the teen’s division with her pumpkin of 164.4lbs. Sara Oleson won in the kid’s division with her pumpkin weighing in at 59.9 lbs. In addition to our heavy pumpkin contest, we had winners in these divisions:

_ Smallest Pumpkin: Kirsten Oleson

_ Tallest & Skinniest Pumpkin:  Lizzy Dutton

_ Most Unusual Pumpkin:  Ariana Kukulica

_ Best all Around Pumpkin:  Jonathan Dutton

_ Best Painted Pumpkin:  Jonathan Dutton

_ Largest Tomato @ .9 lbs.: Jonathan Dutton

_ Largest (heaviest) Zucchini @ 13.1 lbs.:  Elyssa Dutton

_ Most Unusual Vegetable:  Elyssa Dutton

_ Best in Show Flower:
Ariana Kukulica

At both stores we had a humungous pumpkin nick-named Big Jack and we invited kids only to guess the weight.  At the Moana Lane location Sam was the winner and Nicholas won at the South Virginia Store. (Both pumpkins weighed over 300 lbs each). Their prize was the pumpkin to take home.

Special thanks to all who participated this year.