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Edition 5.48 Almaden Valley Nursery News December 1st, 2005

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 Need a Handout?
In addition to the helpful advice of our Certified Nursery Professionals, we have more than 30 handouts to help show you how to properly plan, select, plant and take care of your garden and plants once you get home.

Please don't hesitate to pick up your FREE copy of any of these brochures. For a complete list of all of our handouts please visit our website at:
www.almadenvalleynursery.com

Need a Gift?

Cottage Shop
Visit the Gift Shop

A great selection of unique gifts, entertaining items, décor for the home and patio, books, candles, soaps, lotions, florals, frames, linens, prints, potpourri, and more!


SPECIAL ORDERS

Ever had the problem of finding that one special plant or product no one seemed to carry? Almaden Valley Nursery offers a special order program that may be just right for you. If you can't find a plant or product, or if we are out of it at the present time, we will place a special order just for you.

We can usually fill your order in 1-2 weeks, depending on availability and quality, via our vast network of suppliers. So the next time you are frustrated, banging on walls, and plain old "can't take it anymore," take advantage of our special order program. Just ask any one of our Celebrity Service Staff for details and we will be more than happy to help you.



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DECEMBER

Remove mistletoe if you find it in one of your trees. It is a parasitic plant that weakens trees, and can even kill them. If you hang up mistletoe for some holiday cheer, hang it out of the reach of pets and children, as it is poisonous (especially the berries).


Be a Guest Gardener:

Gardeners love to learn from other gardeners "over the fence". We would love to include a tour and or an article from one of our readers!


Contact Information:

E-Mail:

Click to e-mail us.
Telephone:
(408) 997-1234

Address
15800 Almaden Expy
San Jose, CA 95120-1503

Hours:
Weekdays 9AM-5PM
Weekends 8AM-5PM


Gardner & Bloome

Shady Hollow
Shady Hollow

Color Dept
Color Dept

Dr Earth

Color Courtyard
Color Courtyard

Dr Earth

Perfect Perennials
Perfect Perennials

quote of the week

Quotation of the Week:

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."
— Lewis Grizzard


Fresh Cut Christmas Trees!

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Holiday Greenery Christmas Trees is now open at Almaden Valley Nursery, featuring the fresh, high-quality, grower-direct trees you have become accustomed to. In addition to offering Noble Fir and Grand Fir, Holiday Greenery is one of the only retail locations in all of the Bay Area to offer Fraser Fir.

New this year is the Nordman Fir, the best selling Christmas tree in the UK and Europe. The Nordman comes from the Caucusus Mountains separating Turkey from Russia and makes a wonderful cut tree.

We are currently receiving weekly shipments into the Nursery. Delivery is available for a nominal fee. We invite you to come visit us at the nursery and look forward to seeing you this holiday season.

The Collector's Corner: California Wax Leaf Myrtle

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The California Wax Leaf Myrtle is a clean, attractive, easy-to-grow plant. It makes a valuable addition to any garden with its shiny green foliage and spring-flowering white blooms, followed by fragrant berries. Better yet, it does just fine in either sun or shade locations, and handles normal garden watering.

It can be kept to a height of 8 feet with yearly pruning, making it a lovely, carefree, informal hedge or screen. Left alone, it can grow as tall as 20 feet, creating a pleasant centerpiece as well. What's not to like? See the California Wax Leaf Myrtle for yourself as our featured plant in the Collector's Corner at Almaden Valley Nursery.

The Christmas Shop at Almaden Valley Nursery

If you're looking for unique and tasteful ways to decorate your home for the Christmas holidays, we invite you to visit the Christmas Shop at Almaden Valley Nursery. We offer distinctive and attractive holiday items you won't find anywhere else. Whether for artificial Christmas trees, ornaments, gifts or home décor, we invite you to make our garden center your home for the holidays.

Artificial Christmas Trees

trees

Christmas Ornaments

ornaments

Christmas Gifts and Home Décor

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Almaden Valley Trivia!

triva

This Week's Question:

Who was the first person to put electric lights on a real Christmas tree? (NOT the person to invent Christmas tree lights as we know them.)

Trivia Prize: One free 6" poinsettia.

 

Click Here to Answer

Last Week's Question:

Who was the first US president to "pardon" a turkey?

Winner: Tiffini Chau-hanrahan wins an amaryllis bulb.

Answer: President Harry Truman.

Week Before Last Question (sorry about the delay):

Who was the first President of the United States to put a Christmas tree in the White House?

Winner: Susan Bega wins a Corona Extendable Garden Tool.

Answer: President Franklin Pierce was the first to put a Christmas tree in the White House.

Editor's Note: Franklin Pierce put the first Christmas tree in the White House (in 1856), for a group of Washington Sunday School children. We had two other common answers - but those were not what we were looking for. Benjamin Harrison is credited with starting the tradition of the White House tree - he was the first to have a decorated family Christmas tree in the White House in 1889, and Calvin Coolidge put the first National Christmas tree on the White House lawn (not in the White House) in 1923.


Designer Poinsettias!

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Celebrate the season in style with our Designer Poinsettias. You can be traditional or revolutionary — we give you plenty of options! Are you in the mood for spots or stripes? No problem. Feeling blue? Yes, we have blue poinsettias. Unique poinsettias are our specialty!

In addition to a large selection of red, pink, salmon, white and marble-colored plants, we also have unique varieties with deep red flowers and silver-white spots, as well as speckled peach and burgundy colors.

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Preventing Storm Damage


Late fall and winter weather often brings a natural cleanup, but unless you prepare for it, it can also cause damage. Open up spaces in dense trees. Allow the wind to pass through — a full tree with no gaps in it acts like a sail on a mast. A strong wind may capsize it, especially if the ground is wet. Remove dead and weak branches.

Make sure young trees are well staked. Tie them loosely, so they can move back and forth in the wind without being toppled. Trees need to flex in wind in order to develop strong trunks. When using wire for tying, run it through a section of old hose so it doesn't damage bark. Check all staked trees now to make sure no wires are restrictive. Once trees have become well rooted, remove the stakes and wires, so bark doesn't grow over them.

Prune top-heavy shrubs:
Cut back top-heavy shrubs, such as acacia. Where it is necessary, remove whole branches to allow the wind to pass through. Head back young shrubs to force branching and strengthen their trunks.

Prune cane berry plants:
Prune selected cane berry plants, including blackberry, boysenberry, loganberry, and spring-bearing raspberry. Cut the old canes down to the ground, leaving new ones that grew this year. On fall-bearing raspberry plants (which only grow well in the mountains) cut off the top of the cane that has borne fruit. Leave the bottom of the cane to fruit in spring.

For those in warm areas - don't prune the canes of subtropical (low-chill) raspberries, like 'Oregon 1030,' 'San Diego,' 'Baba Berry', and 'Fallgold'. These are the only kinds of raspberry to grow in warm climate zones, and all of them produce their best berries on new wood. Wait until December or January, then prune these by cutting them nearly to the ground. Dig up the suckers to make new rows.


Fresh Christmas Wreaths and Garlands!

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Almaden Valley Nursery is the place to find fresh Christmas wreaths, holiday door swags, candle rings, centerpieces, decorative arches and garlands. They will be available on Friday November 25th, with fresh, refrigerated shipments arriving on a weekly basis.

Our wreaths are made with noble fir or mixed greens, are available in 20", 22", 24", and 32" sizes, and are available plain or with cones and berries. Our mixed and cedar garlands come in 75 ft. rolls and can be purchased by the foot.

Our hand-made Christmas wreaths and decorations have become popular and tend to sell out early.

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The Perfect Christmas Gift!


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Can't decide what to get that special person in your life? Stop fooling around and get the gift everyone is asking for: the totally awesome Almaden Valley Nursery Gift Certificate! The person you purchase it for will be forever grateful for receiving such a wonderful and incredible gift! Totally awesome AVN Gift Certificates are available in any amount, for any budget.



Meet our Celebrity Service Team!


MIchael

Michael Tworek

Michael was born in a hospital and spent his youth growing up in the Windy City. You'll never find him auditioning for American Idol, as his worst subject in school was Choir.

Michael graduated from the University of Hawaii and has held some unique jobs, including working at the M&M Mars Candy Company and as a fishing guide at Lake of the Woods in Canada.

He has always been a straight arrow and in his spare time enjoys fishing, gardening, and more fishing.



Favorite Food:

A muffuletta sandwich.

Favorite TV Show:

The TV Guide Channel (where he can see there is nothing good to watch) .

Favorite Movies:

Godzilla and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

Favorite Place:

Lake of the Woods, Canada

 

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

Matt Lepow - President


Recipe of the Week: Black Bean Turkey Chili

What You'll Need:

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 lb. Italian turkey sausage
  • 2 lbs. ground turkey
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz. diced green chiles
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp. dried basil
  • 1 (12-oz.) can tomato paste
  • 1 (28-oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes
  • 1 (16-oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes
  • 1 (32-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup beer (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Step by Step:

In a large skillet, heat oil over low heat. Sauté the onions and red bell pepper for about 10 minutes or until tender but not browned.

Add the sausage and turkey and brown over medium heat. Drain any excess fat from pan.

Add the garlic, chiles, pepper, salt, chili powder, oregano, basil and tomato paste.

Stir in the tomatoes, beans  and beer. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Stir in cilantro before serving.

Can be made ahead for flavors to blend and reheated.


Yield: 8-10 servings

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