We have more than 30 new introductions this year and will be featuring a couple of them in each week in our newsletter. As always, these new varieties tend to sell out quickly, so make sure and come in early for the greatest selection.

For more information, pictures, and a complete description of every variety we stock, visit our online Day Lily Catalog at www.almadenvalleynursery.com or pick up your free copy of our 2005 Day Lily Catalog.

Herman Apps: Evergreen, 28" high, with 51/2" blooms. The gorgeous cerise-pink flowers with bright yellow throat and white midribs will definitely grab your attention.

Pastures of Pleasure: Deciduous, 36" high, with 4" blooms. Vivid opalescent blooms of bright lavender-orchid with darker veining and white midribs are set off with a bright yellow throat.

Many homeowners revel in the glory of their garden in spring, only to be disappointed when plants start to dry out and look stressed in the heat of summer. The natural reaction is to pour more water into the garden to "moisturize" the plants. This in turn leads to root rot and the continuous lowering of soil temperature to the point that plants aren't stimulated to grow or just plain die. But all of these symptoms can be averted by summer mulching.

The goal of summer mulching is not only to reduce summer heat stress on plants, but to create an environment for plants that will be conducive to good growth. Mulch is to a garden what a roof is to your home. We couldn't heat or air condition the home without the roof. The same seasonal temperature variance occurs in your garden. A 2"- 3" layer of mulch not only retains moisture in the soil but it maintains a cooler temperature in the summer and a warmer temperature in the winter.

Mulching also brings many other benefits to the garden. It gives the garden a tidier appearance, and greatly improves the growing conditions for plants. Mulch helps suppress weeds and helps to conserve moisture. It creates an environment where earthworms can grow, and they will enhance the soil's condition. Nature provides this for us in the natural setting and by applying mulch to our garden we mimic what is naturally done on the forest floor.

The strategy is to stimulate the growth of good soil bacteria which in turn digest plant foods that the plant will recognize as nutrients and absorb. By keeping moisture in the soil you will attract earthworms and beneficial microbes and bacteria. The earthworms loosen up the soil easing compaction, and the beneficial microbes help digest nutrients more efficiently making them more readily available to the plants. Maintaining "moist" soil as opposed to "wet" soil keeps the temperature of the soil at a more consistent level for optimum growth. Mulch also provides a blanket to the soil that protects against the crusting effect that happens as a result of watering or rain. Organic mulches decompose and add humus to the soil.

The remedy is to spread a 2" inch layer of mulch or bark over the top of the native soil before the heat of summer hits. There are many mulching materials available. Color, particle size, and nutrient exchange are considerations when choosing your material. While decorative barks are attractive, they can become a home for insects and they will drag nitrogen from your soil. We recommend Bumper Crop for organic mulch and any of our natural top dressings such as Cocoa Mulch, Mini Mulch, Shredded Cedar or Shredded Redwood Bark to "top dress" plants. Non-organic decorative mulches (rock and such) are an attractive addition in gardens but give nothing back to the soil and can also be a hiding place for pests.

When mulching is incorporated with a good organic fertilizing program such as Dr. Earth Organic Plant Foods, the plants in your garden will not only survive the stress of summer, but will thrive in it. A good rule of thumb for mulch is to apply it at least 1½ inches and up to 3 inches in depth. Mulch should never be placed right up against the stem of the plant or trunk of the tree. In addition to all of the cultural advantages created by mulching, you will also give your garden a more "finished" look, adding to its overall beauty. So don't delay, mulch your way to a better looking and happier garden today!

If you're someone who doesn't like to wear gloves when working in the garden, but you don't like the way your hands feel dry and cracked after, then we have the product for you!

Yard Glove is a hand lotion that puts a protective barrier on your hands before gardening. It helps prevent penetration of dirt, mulch, and fertilizer while protecting and moisturizing your skin.

Yard Glove Barrier Lotion is specially formulated with natural ingredients for gardeners and people who work around the yard. Before you start gardening or yard work, apply a dime-size amount to your palms and rub in like regular lotion. When you're done with your work, hands clean up effortlessly and thoroughly.

One 4 oz. tube will last for more than 100 applications. We invite you to try this new lotion and see how much better your hands will feel!

A weed is any plant growing where you don't want it to be. That can include flowers too!

Why weeds are a problem:

They are aggressive, look bad and crowd out desirable plants. Some are toxic and attract pests as well. This month we will get some hints about how to remove them.

Annual weeds are like annual flowers. Their life cycle is complete when the flowers go to seed. Removal when they are young, before they go to seed, will be much more successful.

Since many prefer to grow organically, myself included, perennial weeds are more of a problem. If you remove them, roots and all, when they are young you can eventually get rid of them. If they have a tap root get it all or they'll be back! Dandelion and stinging nettle, for example, have taproots.

Getting to know weeds takes some skill. Most garden books have photos and descriptions. The best way if you're not sure is to bring a sample in for us to see. Our nursery professionals are trained in plant and weed identification. If you feel you must resort to chemicals, please bring in the weed(s) involved and talk to a nursery professional to ensure you have the right product for the job.

Some favorite flowers can become weeds if their growth becomes out of control. Vines are an example, especially the beautiful morning glory vine. They can choke out their neighbors — but are so beautiful they're worth the trouble. Just keep an eye on them if they start getting carried away. Be prepared to do a little clipping and guiding. They're great for covering old fences, sheds and tree stumps. Perennial morning glories are best; the annual types drop lots of seeds.

And some plants that are normally considered weeds have their uses! Consider clover. Although it is thought of as a weed in your lawn, it works great as a "cover crop" for a bare spot to enrich the soil. When you turn it in, it has nitrogen fixing qualities. And purslane is considered a weed, but it is edible! You might want to consider transplanting some of your weeds instead of getting rid of them completely.

Fighting back against weeds:

Weeds are seasonal, just like some insect pests. Sometimes the time of year gives a clue to their identification. In the spring you will see crabgrass and foxtails; in summer it's purslane, oxalis and spurge. These are annuals — hoeing, mulching and hand picking (before they go to seed) are usually successful. Hint — if you're turning your soil, don't go too deep or you may bring up dormant weed seeds to the surface.

Seeds need moisture and warmth (the sun) to sprout and our Benefits of Mulching article will show you how mulch helps prevent weeds. Or you can pick weeds when they are small and, with a little elbow grease, you may be able to avoid chemical control. But be sure to get the roots — or they will be back. For those of you who don't want to break your backs or use elbow grease to remove weeds, check in with us next week as we suggest a number of different remedies for weed control.

Eric was born in Redwood City and moved to San Jose when he was 10 so his mom and dad could start the nursery.

He always had a love for music from an early age and was bitten with the rock 'n' roll bug right out of high school. He played in numerous night clubs during an 8-year career as a keyboard player in all-original hard rock "hair" bands and had a song produced by 70's guitarist Ronnie Montrose.

He met the love of his life, Lolli, 20 years ago and has been happily married to her for 18 years. They share an active lifestyle of hiking, whitewater rafting, skiing, scuba diving, traveling, shell collecting, wave running, and going to the movies.

Actively involved in volunteer work in the nursery industry, Eric has been involved in a number of landscape projects at the San Francisco Zoo, where he has been able to combine his knowledge of plants with his passion for wild animals.

He is a published writer in nursery industry magazines and is a guest seminar speaker at various events across the country. Eric is very involved in student and global ministries at his local church and works with Mission's Partners around the globe. He has participated on teams to El Salvador, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. In June he will be leading a team to help children in Mozambique.

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