Moana Nursery

New “Plant Hardiness” USDA Map Released

New government “plant hardiness” map is now online with new designated zones. While there were minor changes for our area, we continue to believe that in general and by distinct micro-climates, our high desert is probably one zone too warm as listed. You can get information by zipcode at this site. We recommend that experience with various plants in different high desert and alpine areas is still the best predictor of success.  Ask us!  Here is link:
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb

High Desert Landscaping For The Do-It-Yourselfer

Quiet Reading For Winter Planning

Homeowners can add value, functionality and joy to their homes by crafting a Do-It-Yourself  landscape project for spring renewal.  Here in the link above and below, we connect you to over 25 articles written for you by two of  Moana’s talented landscape designers.  Curl up by the fire and pick a few topics to read that seem relevant to your situation.  DIY projects require inspiration, planning and tools.  Throughout our website, exploration will lead to inspiration and advice/assistance.  All you have to do is get started!

Quiet Reading For Winter Planning

Winter Watering

We can’t stop watering just because December is here and winter is on its way. Plants in the ground – especially newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials – need the equivalent of one inch of precipitation per month. If we have a dry period that lasts longer than two to three weeks, you’ll need to water according to these guidelines when the ground is not frozen:

• Water during the day when temperatures are at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit to allow water to percolate through the soil.
• Finish watering before 3:00 p.m. so water can drain away from the surface before sunset.
• Water the soil around the plants, avoiding the trunk and crown of the plants. You can use an oscillating hose sprinkler for larger areas or open end hose with the water turned on low for smaller areas.
• For potted plants, assuming they are in a quality frost-resistant black clay pot and have well drained potting soil, water approximately every two weeks.
• Be sure to thoroughly drain your hoses and store them inside your garage or shed so they will be easy to access and use.
• We recommend using Cloud Cover, burlap, and mulches to help protect your plants through our cold and dry winter.

Click here for a printable version of our Winter Watering Guide, and remember, do not water when the ground is frozen. If you have any questions, stop by any one of our three Moana Nursery garden centers.

Winterizing Your Landscape

We’ve had a bit of snow, and it’s clear that winter is on its way, so here are some tips on how to prepare everything in your landscape – from your perennials to your water features-for the coming winter months: Winterizing Your Landscape.

Composting at Home

With all the leaves on the ground, now is a great time to start composting. Composting is an easy way to keep our planet and your landscape green, and compost can be used for anything from soil conditioner to mulch. Starting a compost pile now can provide you with material to help protect your garden during the winter. But before you start composting at home, there are a few key things to remember. Click here for a detailed composting guide.

Turning Off Your Irrigation Systems

Organic Can Be Easy

Tips from Plant Doctor Jon Bruyn

By now, most gardeners are familiar with “organic gardening.” While many of you are followers of organic gardening, I imagine you have discovered some of its drawbacks. For example, an organic pesticide will not kill every insect in your yard and may not work as quickly as a chemical pesticide. Organic fertilizers will not force plants to grow as high or fast as regular fertilizers. And organic weed control can be back breaking at times.

Healthy gardening is like healthy living – it’s hard work. However, a few tasks, like taking care of all those fall leaves, can be easy. Years ago, my crew and I spent a lot of time raking fall leaves. We created several large piles and spent the rest of the day piling those leaves into a flatbed truck and hauling them to the landfill. After weeks of this, I finally had to take care of my own yard! The last thing I wanted to do was rake again.

After considerable thought I began to use my 1986 Honda lawnmower and its side chute attachment to blow leaves into the shrubs. The following spring I noticed that those leaves had disappeared as soon as the temperatures started to rise. With this knowledge, I special ordered a mulching mower conversion kit. I also mail ordered a year supply of organic fertilizer which was the only way to get a blended, organic fertilizer for lawns without the smell of bagged manure. What followed was a spring and summer of effortless lawn care without having to bag any leaves!

When fall arrived I discovered, much to my joy, that my mulching mower was able to handle the weekly deposit of leaves. While a heavy deposit gives me some trouble, a second pass from the mower gives a beautiful, clean lawn. The following year my thatch was less and my lawn required less frequent fertilizing.

I continue this routine every year. I look forward to fall and the leaf drop. Mulching the leaves adds valuable organic matter to lawn soil. To make this process even easier, you can purchase a blended, organic fertilizer at Moana Nursery. I prefer Dr. Earth Super Lawn Fertilizer for the fall. It is specifically formulated to promote strong root growth. The high potassium level is prefect for winterizing your lawn and its beneficial soil microbes and micorrhizae greatly increase the break down of leaves and thatch. It’s kind of like an easy diet, healthy for the lawn with less effort and sacrifice.

Fall Herb Tips

Here is a quick tip from www.melindamyers.com:

Enjoy fresh herbs all winter long by bringing a bit of your herb garden indoors. Take and root cuttings of oregano, rosemary, sage, and marjoram for your indoor winter herb garden. Take 3- to 4-inch cuttings from healthy plants. Stick the cut end in a well-drained potting mix. Keep the soil moist and place in a sunny window to grow like your houseplants.

Gardening with Gail – Agastache

Funny name for a fantastic native plant!

By Gail Frezzette
Moana Nursery Color Buyer & Successful High Desert Gardener

This plant is perfect for our Nevada climate and soils as well as for our bunny and Bambi populations which seem to turn their noses up at these plants.

My garden is the home to several plants from this mint family (or hyssop, as your grandmother may have called it). When I planted up my first quart size agastache in a large pot along with some penstemon and delphinium, my intention was to make an irresistible little garden for the hummers and us to enjoy. However, the next spring I was disappointed that few if any of the plants had survived and the pot was relegated to a back corner to await a makeover.  Spring turned into the 4^th of July and I discovered this lone surviving agastache had grown to 3’ high plant loaded with hundreds of light orange trumpet flowers which filled up my big, old pot.  That pot was then given center stage in the front gardens so we could enjoy the show of the flowers and hummingbird wars that continued all season.  After that I added more of these easy to grow natives.

I planted one called ‘Bubblegum Mint’ with an ‘Orange Crush’ rose, some salvia, California fuchsia and thyme ground cover; the combination was a show stopper for the entire season! The flowers lasted well over two months and were still going when the hard frost hit in late November.

Watch for Gail’s full article in our September newsletter.

Top 5 Essential Gardening Tools

Check out this cool article from foxnews.com!