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Edition 5.04 Almaden Valley Nursery News January 27th, 2005



SAN JOSE
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JANUARY

Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals. Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors.


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 (408) 997-1234

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15800 Almaden Expy
San Jose, CA 95120-1503






Quotation of the Week:

"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses."
— Alphonse Karr

WINTER COLOR FOR YOUR GARDEN

PIERIS
If you are looking for dazzling winter to early spring color consider the beautiful Pieris. Elegant in foliage and form year-round, these plants make good companions for azaleas and rhododendrons, to which they are related. The plants,native to eastern China, were introduced  to England in 1870 as P. japonica.

Pieris have whorls of leathery, narrowly oval, glossy, medium to dark green leaves that display brightly colored, shiny new growth in shades of pink, red and bronze. The evergreen plants bear clusters of small, urn-shaped flowers in shades of pink and white. By autumn most plants form flower buds  which resemble strings of tiny beads, providing color through the cool season before opening in late winter.
We currently stock four different varieties:
Forest Flame – This selection grows 5-7 ft. high and wide with brilliant red new foliage and pale pink to white flowers.

Prelude – A compact plant growing 2-3 ft high and wide with pink new growth and white flowers.

Purity – A mid-size plant growing 3-4 ft. high and wide. It blooms later than other Pieris with unusually large white flowers.

Valley Rose - This mid-size plant grows 3-5 ft. high and wide and shows off deep pink flowers.
Pieris offer a mass of flowers that are a showstopper at close range. On homesites, they look beautiful under a high canopy of old trees. Perfect on the north and east exposures as foundation planting, they are also large enough to use for background near water gardens or in small Asian-inspired compositions.

Care:
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Provide well drained soil, rich in organic matter. Feed with Dr. Earth Organic #4 after bloom. Keep roots cool with a thick layer of mulch such as Cocoa Mulch..

Hardenbergia Lilac Vine
For winter color on walls, nothing can beat the Hardenbergia Lilac Vine. This early-flowering vine is a great cloud of large drooping clusters of deep purple blossoms that rival wisteria. The large, pendulous sprays of deep purple flowers cover this twining evergreen vine most heavily from winter through early spring. The blooms are backed by lustrous evergreen foliage throughout the year.

It is best snaking up posts and columns with shorter plants underneath to provide balance. It also creates nice patterns for walls, fences, arbors or as a trailing ground cover. This is a good vine for weaving through lattice, or for creating filtered shade over arbors. It tolerates partial shade but prefers a full sun location. Moderate grower to 10 feet long. We are pleased to offer a new longer-blooming variety called Hardenbergia violacea Canoelands this year, but supplies are limited so we encourage you to come in before we run out.

Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed every two months year-round with Dr. Earth Organic #7 fertilizer. Provide support such as a trellis or arbor. Prune annually to control size.

Almaden Valley Trivia !

This Week's Question:

During colonial times in this country, every housewife made a supply of  candles in autumn.

What were these candles most often made from?

Trivia Prize:  2 oz. Trapp Votive Candle

Click Here to Answer

Last Week's Question:

Name the winning AARS roses for 2005.

Winner:

Debbie Masada

Answer:

The winning AARS roses for 2005 are
Elle, Daydream, About Face, and
Lady Elise May.

Meet our Celebrity Service Team!

Jim Citta

Jim was born in Santa Clara, California. He was raised on a small “truck” farm where his family grew apricots, cherries, almonds, and prunes. Jim once spent a night on a rabbit rampage with his brother-in-law shooting innocent bunnies from the back of a bright red convertible Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, following which he became known by his friends as the Infamous Rabbit Killer of Santa Clara County. He took political science courses in college but eventually dropped out to work in the photography field. 

After fourteen years at Eastman Kodak, Jim took a chance and quit to begin his current 10-year career in the nursery business. Years later, with a guilty conscience from the rabbit shootings, he became a passionate environmentalist and vegetarian. Jim actively participates in various volunteer organizations and park districts in his spare time, building fences, repairing trails and helping to rid parks and preserves of non-native invasive plant species. His current goals are to become a really good published author and to become the fastest runner in the world for his age when he turns 60. 

 Lifelong Ambition: A date with actress Mary Steenburgen

Favorite TV Show: (Does not own a TV)

Favorite Quote: “Be the change you want to see in others” - Gandhi

Favorite Movie: Casablanca

Favorite Food: Anything chocolate

Recommended Read: Animal Liberation – Peter Singer

My Celebrity Service staff and I look forward to serving you this year. We’ll go out of our way to make your day!

Eric Wilder - President

Recipe of the Week: Pumpkin Soup

    What You'll Need:

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 cup sweet potato, peeled & cut in 1/2-inch cubes
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cans (14-1/2 ounce) chicken broth
    • 1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin
    • 1 cup low-fat milk
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

    Step by Step:

    Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

    Add onion; saute 3 minutes.

    Stir in flour, curry powder, cumin, nutmeg and garlic; saute for 1 minute.

    Add sweet potato, salt, broth and pumpkin; bring to a boil.

    Reduce heat; simmer partially covered for 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes.

    Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.

    Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture.

    Return soup to pan; stir in milk.

    Cook over medium heat for 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often (do not boil).

    Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.

    Yield: 6 servings

     

     
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