Frasier Fir is going fast so come get yours today!

Most homeowners look at pottery as just a container to hold a plant on the patio or inside the home. But with so many unique shapes and sizes available today, more homeowners are using pots as decoration to add a piece of interest to the home or garden.

Sometimes a pot can be the perfect solution to turning a space that is missing something into a dazzling focal point. Just like a water fountain or a piece of statuary, a well-placed piece of pottery can turn a boring area into a visual treat for the eyes.

Consider glazed containers in unique vase or urn shapes. Tall and slender pottery can be especially stunning when placed in the right location. Instead of just putting out a sea of plants, consider how you can lead the eye to points of interest throughout your landscape or home by using a well-placed piece of pottery.

We have a great selection of pottery. Come in for a visit and our staff of nursery experts will help you find the right container to transform your empty space into a visual delight. In the right setting, the perfect pot will look like a work of art. They make great gifts, too!

By this time of year, many people are running out of gift ideas. Well, if you have a gardener (or a potential gardener) among your friends and family, we have a few ideas for you!

For already enthusiastic gardeners:

You can always buy a plant for your gardener. But that's too easy--let's be a little more creative.

If you know a fellow gardener who would like food plants but just can't resist those beautiful flowers and decorative plants, plan a decorative food garden for them! Many vegetables and herbs have lovely flowers or foliage. Ornamental kale, for instance, is often grown simply as an ornamental but it is both pretty and nutritious. Many herbs have not only pretty flowers but also edible flowers! Plan and design the garden, slip a gift card to your favorite nursery into the plans, and you've got the perfect garden gift.

Some herbs grow well inside, too; you might also consider designing and planting a decorative herb planter for the kitchen. Pretty, and nicely fragrant as well!

A gardening book can rarely go wrong. You might want to buy them something about some aspect of gardening that they haven't tried yet. Do they have limited space? Perhaps a book on bonsai and a starter plant or two would be just the thing.

If you still are looking for ideas, we invite you to come in and look around--we're sure you'll find some here!

During the winter, we don't get to spend as much time in the garden. So why not spend some quality time with the garden tools instead?

First, see if you have any tools that really should be replaced--and replace them.

Thoroughly clean your tools and store those you won't be using again until next year.

Remove any rust on metal portions with a wire brush and wipe with a oily rag (a general-purpose oil will do). For wood handles, use boiled linseed oil.

Winter is a great time to get all those dull blades resharpened, too--don't forget the lawn mower!

Store the tools you won't be using till spring in a protected area, and your winter tool care will keep them as good as new for next spring and summer.

Many people have become interested in organic gardening, both from a desire for safer foods and an interest in the environment. But many people also have the feeling that organic gardening makes it much more difficult to deal with pests, disease and weeds. However, the use of organics to feed the soil does produce stronger plants that, from the start, are more able to resist pests and disease. And there are plenty of organic alternatives to using harmful poisons in your garden, even if you do have pest or disease problems. Weed control is also easier than you might think!

Pest and Disease Control
While some insects can simply be washed off or picked by hand, many require some kind of insect spray to control them. Slugs, snails and crawling insects can be controlled with Sluggo or Sluggo Plus. Aphids, mites, whiteflies and other insects can be controlled with an insecticidal soap like Safer Insecticide Soap, a pyrethrum spray, such as Take Down Insecticide, or a spray oil, such as All Seasons Spray Oil. Caterpillars and tomato hornworms can be controlled with an insect spray containing Bt like Safer Caterpillar Killer.

Some plant diseases can be eliminated simply by hand-picking the infected leaves and depositing them in the garbage. For more difficult cases of powdery mildew, rust, blackspot and other diseases we recommend using a sulfur spray like Safer Garden Fungicide or a copper soap, such as LiquiCop.

Weed Control
If you are using an organic approach to gardening, then it goes without saying that you want to resist spraying herbicides to control weeds. The key to weed control in an organic garden is prevention. This can be done by applying an organic pre-emergent weed control , such as Corn Gluten, twice a year. Then cover your open spaces with a 2-3" layer of mulch. The mulch not only helps control weeds but also helps the soil retain moisture, providing a great environment for the beneficial microbes in your soil and for your organic plant food to multiply.

Gardening organically can be a truly rewarding experience. Not only will your garden be healthier, but the food you grow will be delicious too. And most important of all, you will be actively making a positive contribution to the environment.

Steve was born in Bakersfield, raised in Los Gatos. In 2nd grade he broke his Catholic school's strict dress code by not wearing a belt, and was promptly banished to playing hopscotch with the girls. When he moved in 3rd grade, the same nun moved to his new school also to keep an eye on him. Ever the one with women, he eventually transformed the ruthless nun into liking him and he became her teacher's pet.

His closest brush with fame was having his picture taken with Willie Mays in Pony League. Not one to shy away from an adventure, Steve and his high school buddies snuck into the high school Ag-science department at night to ride the giant pig and were promptly thrown into the fence.

Steve has been in the nursery and landscape industry for the past 18 years, having previously managed another garden center in San Jose. He has been a part of our family for the past 9 years.

Steve loves to play golf and go fishing and camping. He once got a hole in one while playing golf, which he followed up by landing the "big one" on the banks of the Klamath River. (Neither episode has ever been documented). Steve lives in Redwood City with his best friend Jeanne.

Jeni grew up in The South (Alabama) and her family has quite a few good cooks in it! This traditional Southern recipe is a favorite. The dip is super easy to make and very delicious! Make sure to use Vidalia onions (or Texas Sweets) because they make the dip sweet and savory. Enjoy!

What You'll Need:

• 3 cups chopped Vidalia onions
• 3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 ½ cups mayo
• Garlic salt, to taste

Step by Step:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes--until lightly brown on top.

3. Traditionally, this dip is served with corn chips (like Fritos “scoops”). It’s also good with baguette bread slices.

Tip: I like to sauté the onions before adding them to the mixture just to enhance the flavor and make the onions a little softer. This is an optional step--don't sauté if you like the crunch. If you like your dip sweet/hot, you can add hot sauce, too.