Our Nursery v.s. Big-Box Nurseries/Stores

It's no secret that there are several different plant nurseries available for you to choose from, but the right place to choose from is the concern. Many people may think we're just like the other nurseries, besides that fact that we locally grow our plants, but there's a lot more to our nursery that sets us apart from all the big-box stores. Here's why locally grown is better!

Our nursery:

• Only two employees
• Our plants are propagated by us.
• Our plants are adapted to our climate since they were raised here from seed/bulb/cutting.
• Because we grow them ourselves, we have experience and knowledge regarding our own plants.
• We only use organic sprays (if even needed).
• You know exactly where your plants are coming from.
• We take customer requests for plants, even plants that are harder to find or aren't great money-makers. We accommodate our customers.
• We don't easily give up on our plants.
• We thoroughly inspect our plants.
• Our plants are more affordable and don't include tax. For ornamentals, we pay the sales tax, not our customers.

Other Big-Box Nurseries/Stores:

• Dozens of employees
• Plants are grown elsewhere, often in other states or even in other countries.
• Plants are not always adapted to our climate and have an easier chance of going into shock/dying.
• Employees at big-box stores aren't always knowledgeable when it comes to horticulture and/or don't have the physical experience they should have.
• Because the plants are grown elsewhere, often times many of the big-box stores don't even know what is sprayed on the plants. Many of the plants do, in fact, have chemicals and are not GMO-free.
• Flowers are often force-bloomed, therefore, their blooms hardly last, especially if the plant is supposed to only have one blooming period.
• Many plants are raised in green-houses and are not hardened off, increasing the chance of them going into shock.
• Plants are brought out too early in the season, having a high chance of dying or bolting before they even reach their harvest period.
• You won't know exactly where your plants were raised in most cases or even how they were taken care of.
• Customer requests are not taken account of. What you see is what you get. "Rare" plants are not sold, only plants that are popular or are huge money-makers are even considered.
• If a plant doesn't look good, it's instantly tossed, or if not, put on clearance without the proper treatment, leaving the customer to treat the plant themselves
• Plants are not inspected; again, if it looks bad, it goes in the garbage. Most of these places do not have the proper knowledge to keeping plants healthy, or if they do, they don't feel the need to invest any time into doing so. They'll just grow or order new, healthier plants instead.
• Taxes and higher prices in most cases

Keeping Summer Garden Alive and Well

Now that autumn is just weeks away, many gardeners' first impulse is to do away with their annual summer crops. That is a mistake many of us make, especially in zone 9 where it is still a desirable temperature for warm-weather crops up until November. Here is a guide to keep your summer plants happy and alive until the first frost!

1. Decide which summer annuals you will keep until frost and which you'll rid of now.
Of course, most summer annuals won't die until the first frost, but there are some plants you may want to demolish now. Any diseased or unhealthy plants, or even plants that are no longer producing because they have already gone through their production cycle, are probably best to get rid of now. For tomatoes, put shade-cloth over them to keep them producing until frost, and cut off basil flowers for a continued harvest. Most plants, especially herbs, should be perfectly fine to keep in your summer garden right now.

2. Collect all produce before the frost hits.
If the greens on your onions and garlic have died, they are ready for harvest and can be taken out of your garden. Your potatoes are also most likely ready for harvest as well, another thing you can clear out right away. As first frost inches closer (November), a wise decision to make for summer annuals would be to harvest all of your plants beforehand. For annual herbs, chop down the whole plant; they won't come back next year anyways and should be harvested one last time before the frost takes it instead. Herbs are still growing, and plants are still producing though! Wait until a few weeks before the first frost for a final harvest.

3. Keep your peppers year-round!
Yes, you read that correctly. Pepper plants can be perennials if you keep them protected from the frost. If they're already in the ground, dig them up and pot them. Put the pot under a patio or porch where it is close to the house and covered from the frost for year-round peppers! If you'd rather keep your peppers as annuals, simply keep them until frost, harvesting every last drop of their peppers. Their peppers can then be de-seeded and de-veined and stored in a tightly-closed, air-tight plastic baggy and frozen for fresh pepper eating mid-winter. For now, peppers are perfectly fine in the wide-open as it is still very warm, but this is a great consideration to keep in mind if you love your peppers.

4. Annual flowers kept on your patio/porch will survive winter.
Annual flowers, especially vincas, can be potted on your porch or patio or somewhere where they will be protected once it starts getting colder, and they will live! This way, you won't have to say goodbye forever to your beloved beauties. Wait until around mid to late October to consider this option.

Know that it's perfectly okay to keep your summer crops or even still buy warm-weather plants from nurseries. As long as the plants are established and ready or about ready for harvest, there is no reason to get rid of your healthy annuals and jump to cool-weather planting. Take your time, and slowly get ready for your fall garden when the time is right. Most autumn plants, if grown from seed, are not yet ready to be transplanted into the ground anyways. Don't keep your garden bare until then! You can keep your summer plants lasting for another two months or even keep annuals as perennials with the proper care and procedure. Even if you don't choose to keep your summer annuals, you can always, as mentioned, do one last harvest and even freeze your peppers for a longer enjoyment of summer produce. Good luck!

Making Use of Your Summer Produce

By now, many of you gardeners have tired of summer produce and are ready for autumn edibles. The urge for tomatoes and basil have weakened, and you may have gotten tired of eating pepper after pepper. Wait right there! We have several ideas for you to spice up you summer produce to keep the desire for them alive. After reading this article, we hope to keep you pumped up for summer harvests and to use every last drop of them, whether you cook with them or use them for other purposes rather than letting them go to waste!

Tomatoes

• Make chunky, red salsa
• Add them to your homemade smoothies/juices
• Toss them in a salad
• Oven-roasted tomatoes
• Sun-dried tomatoes!
• Add 'em to a quiche
• One word: bruschetta!
• What about caprese salad? Mmm
• Slice 'em and drizzle on olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Make your own marinara for spaghetti or homemade pizza
• Massage raw tomatoes on your face for a beautiful glow and as an anti-aging product (They also help with acne, sunburns, oily skin, and help to open up your pores)!
• Burger for dinner from the drive-thru? Ask for no tomatoes and add your own instead (Real garden tomatoes without the chemicals taste MUCH better).

Peppers

• Salsa verde!
• Add them to your favorite chili recipe
• Yummy topping for taco night
• Pickle 'em
• Put them in a stir-fry
• Add them to a soup
• Love spicy peppers but too hot? Dip them in sour cream or Greek yogurt!
• Roast them
• Homemade hot pepper sauce (Harissa)
• Add them to your scrambled eggs for a little spice
• Serve some fajitas for dinner with your prized peppers as the main ingredient
• Add them to your guacamole 
• Bell peppers stuffed with meat! Yum
• Delicious touch to your favorite pasta
• Make jalapeno poppers (stuffed with cheddar or cream cheese)

Basil

• Can't forget pesto, of course!
• Use sweet varieties for teas (cinnamon or holy, for example)
• Freeze your basil into ice cubes for a beautiful, summer flare 
• Great addition to your pasta
• Add them to your grilled chicken, especially with a drizzle of lemon!
• Basil and watermelon salad - A refreshing combo
• Lovely stir-fry ingredient
• Great to add to your ramen noodles
• Make potpourri!
• Yummy in vinaigrette
• Add it to your honey!
• Even put them it in your baked cookies (Basil cookies are yummy)
• Toss them in your homemade jelly
• And our favorite, add them to your lemonade!

Squash & Zucchini

• Zucchini/squash bread (or muffins!)
• Summer squash salad, anybody?
• Stuff your pattypan squash!
• Zucchini fries - A healthier twist
• Add zucchini to your pasta
• Make zucchini latkes!
• Try them in quesadillas!
• Zucchini oven chips
• Squash soup
• Squash makes a great pizza topping!
• Spaghetti squash

Cucumbers

• Cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese! (Either add them to a sandwich, or use cucumber slices as the bread)
• Slice 'em to add to your water
• Cucumbers in your lemonade?! Extra yum!
• It's no secret that cucumbers are great to reduce inflammation. Puffy eyes? Place cucumber slices on them!
• Add them to your bath
• Make a face mask!
• Create your own cucumber toner
• Great for homemade tzatziki sauce
• Cucumber bread, in case you don't have squash to use