Have you been thinking about replanting your garden?  Would you like to invite hummingbirds or butterflies to your backyard?  Do you want to give the front entry of your house a more contemporary look?  Consider making a consultation appointment with Jody Stix Garsia who provides on-site landscaping design consultations. 

Jody has been affiliated with us for over 15 years and we consider her to be one of the best in the business.  Jody will meet with you at your house, talk over your ideas, then prepare a sketch of your yard with the new design including plants.  She will write up a plant list at the time of her visit as well.  You will have a complete project to work with immediately.  Jody is well aware of the plant material we stock for different styles and sun-shade exposures.  She is also ahead of the game when it comes to new plant introductions and landscape techniques.  Call for an appointment today.

You can reach Jody at (831) 464-3652.  Also, you can visit her NEW WEBSITE at www.jodylandscapedesigns.com

Forcing bulbs to bloom inside the house is a wonderful, easy way to get through the cold gray days of winter while adding fragrance and color to your life indoors. If you plan ahead, you can have red tulips for Christmas Day, pink and white hyacinths on Valentine's Day, and the fragrance of springtime in your home all winter long.

Narcissus (paper whites-4 varieties) hyacinths, amaryllis (we will have 20 varieties this year), and lily of the valley will grow indoors in water. You can use a bulb vase or a shallow dish filled with clean pebbles or marbles to stabilize the roots and to support the bulbs above the water. Just wedge the bulbs among the pebbles, close to each other but not touching, and cover the pebbles with water. Allow air space between the top of the water and the bottom of the bulb to prevent rot.

Feed weekly with a half-strength solution of a good houseplant fertilizer, such as Schultz's Indoor Plant Food . Turn the pots every couple of days to help the flower stems grow straight and strong. When the foliage and buds are well developed, move the pots to a bright, sunny window in the house. Once the flowers begin to open, take the plants out of direct sunlight to prolong the bloom. Then sit back and enjoy the early breath of spring indoors!

Annuals quickly provide more color in the landscape for longer periods of time than any other garden plants. They are versatile, sturdy and inexpensive. Fall is a great time to plant winter-blooming annuals because the still-warm soil will stimulate faster root growth, helping the plants to get established sooner.

While there aren't quite as many winter blooming varieties as in the summer, there are still plenty of flowers that prefer the cool season to perform their best. Most sun annuals need at least 4 to 6 hours of sun per day while shade annuals prefer just morning shade and can tolerate full shade as long as there is some filtered light.

Among sun-loving varieties consider alyssum, calendula, dianthus, Iceland poppy, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies, phlox, snapdragon, stock, sweet pea and violas. For shadier locations, you can count on cyclamen, English primrose, fairy primrose (primula) and primrose to perform their best.

Most annuals will perform better in flower beds that have been turned over and been amended with an organic soil conditioner, such as Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix and a starter fertilizer, like Dr. Earth #2 Starter Fertilizer. This helps ensure water retention but also good drainage. Avoid planting in areas where water stands after a heavy rain.

We have a great selection of fall and winter blooming annuals just waiting to light up every corner of your garden. When the dreary days of winter get you down, you can count on annuals to cheer you up and make your day!

By Tamara Galbraith

Nowadays, Americans are eating five times more fresh spinach than we did in the 1970s. And forget about the canned, slimy stuff Popeye downed in one shot back in the old days; we now prefer our spinach fresh.

And what could be fresher than growing it yourself? The cool temperatures of autumn are perfect for optimum spinach production. Those of us gardening in warmer regions can grow spinach through the winter, as long as temps stay above 25 degrees. A light frost will not hurt it.

There are generally two types of spinach: smooth or savoyed. Smooth types are more tender and are best for salads, while the crinkly leaves of savoy spinach can be rubbery and are better for cooking. Some spinach cultivars walk the line between smooth and savoyed and are pretty yummy either raw or cooked.

Before planting, amend your soil with Master Nursery Bumper Crop. Place transplants about six inches apart, and make sure the soil stays moist and cool. The biggest enemy of spinach is heat, so use shade cloth if temperatures rise dramatically during the day. Mulch is also a good addition for keeping the soil cool. Spinach, like lettuce, does well in containers, with the advantage that you can move them into shadier areas when there's a warm spell.

You can harvest spinach by individual leaves or by cropping off the entire plant at the base. As long as temperatures remain cool, the plant will continue to produce leaves...and keep those delicious spinach salads coming.

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.

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

Matt Lepow

"This week's featured recipe is one of Jeni's own creations.  We know you've probably tried many artichoke dips and may even have a favorite recipe of your own, but anyone who has had this has raved it's the best they've ever tasted.  This is a much coveted recipe and now you have it too.  Careful... it's addicting!"

What You'll Need:

• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained (Maria brand is best)
• 1 cup Best Foods mayonnaise
• 1 tub shredded parmesan cheese
• 7 oz. can chopped green chilies (mild), drained
• 1 cup sour cream

Step by Step:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Drain the artichokes very well (lightly squeeze out and discard all excess water).  Separate the hearts with fingers so they are broken up into many bite size chunks and add into a medium sized baking dish.  Add all other ingredients.  Mix well so all ingredients are distributed. 

3. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  About 20 minutes into the baking time, stir up a bit to make sure it's warming through.  Dip is done when all cheese is melted,  dip is very hot throughout and the top is a golden brown around the edges. 

4. Serve with baguette bread slices and/or “Scoops” type chips (Tostitos, Fritos, etc.)