Fri, Aug. 29th thru Sun, Sept. 7th!

Our way of thanking you for 33 years of support!

30% off all PLANTS!
(1 gallon or larger)

50% off ROSES!
(pulp-potted)

50% off FRUIT TREES!
(pulp-potted, deciduous)

20% off POTTERY!
(Terra Cotta and Glazed Pottery - Incredible Values!)

We are clearing out our inventory of roses and fruit trees to make space for exciting new 2009 inventory. We have negotiated great prices with our vendors specifically for this sale, and the nursery will be packed with truckloads of exceptional plant material!

Sale items subject to stock on hand and may not be combined with previously reduced items or volume discount items.

The sage (Salvia) family is one of the most adaptable, dependable and beautiful species of perennials for home gardens. Sages are closely related to the mint family and can be grown as herbs and ornamental plants. They can be found naturally in almost every country in the world.

In addition to the natural beauty of sage, many also have a medicinal attribute to them. (The name "salvia" comes from the Latin word "salvare," meaning "to heal.") Indeed, many varieties are highly regarded for their healing qualities. The ancient Greeks used it to treat ulcers and snake bites.

The Romans considered sage a sacred herb and followed an elaborate ceremony when harvesting it. They also used sage for toothpaste, and believed it to be good for the mind and senses.

More important today, however, is the beauty that sage can add to your home landscape. Most flowering varieties bloom reliably from spring through fall and come in a vast array of colors. They require very little maintenance, have only moderate water and fertilizer requirements and virtually no pest problems.

Sage plants also attract plenty of wildlife--including hummingbirds, butterflies and many beneficial insects--to the garden. We stock a great selection of salvia and invite you to visit us throughout the year as different species become available.

If you are looking for a little color inside your home, try growing orchids as houseplants. Orchids are fascinating because of their extraordinary variety of sizes, colors, shapes, and habits, as well as the variety of their fragrances. And best of all, orchids can be grown by just about anyone able to grow other houseplants. Different varieties bloom at different times of the year and can be combined to provide some type of bloom almost year-round.

Like any other houseplant, orchids require proper watering, feeding, light, temperatures, and humidity. Plants should be grown in an east, south, or west window, but should be protected from direct midday sun.

In nature, most orchids grow attached to trees, with the roots hanging loose in the tropical jungle air. They usually receive a good rain once a day and then they dry out. In the home, it is best to allow orchids to dry out well after each watering. If the roots are kept too wet, they may start to rot.

Orchids perform best when not fed during their bloom cycle. After blooming, feed with Grow More Growth Formula (Red 30-10-10 Feb-Oct) and Grow More Bloom Formula (Blue 6-30-30 Oct-Feb) at every watering throughout the growing (non-blooming) season.

Many gardeners give up on their roses in the summer, believing they produce quality flowers only in the spring. Rose blossoms do tend to be smaller in the summer and the colors not quite as vivid because the summer heat forces the blooms to open before blossom size and color pigment have completely developed. But given the proper care, combined with a few simple pruning techniques, roses will re-bloom every six weeks until the first frost.

There are two ways to prune roses during the growing season, and both will encourage new blooms to set. Most roses have leaflets (with three to seven leaves) every couple of inches along the stems. In order to produce blooms you need to prune at least to the second five-leafed leaflet. (Pruning just above will eliminate nasty dead stems called hat racks.)

If you also want to prune for size control, you can go as far down as two leaflets above the previous cut. Pruning beyond the previous cut tells the rose you don't want it to bloom. Remember that hybrid tea and grandiflora rose stems tend to grow at least 18 inches after each pruning before blooming, so if you prune only the minimum amount you will have a very tall (and possibly leggy) rose by the end of summer.

Because roses are constantly growing, they are in constant need of food. It's important to feed roses every 4-6 weeks with a quality rose food like Master Nursery Formula 49 Fertilizer. Continue feeding through September, and you will have quality rose blooms into fall. So don't give up on your roses. With a little help, they will provide loads of blooms for you all season long.

How often should I add mulch to my garden and how much should I use?

Answer:
Most types of mulch take a few years to break down and decompose. How much you use--and how often--depends on why you are using it.

• If you are just looking for aesthetics, maintain at least a 1" layer of mulch over your native soil.
• If you are also trying to suppress weed growth and want your soil to retain more moisture, we recommend maintaining a 2-3" layer of mulch around your plants.
• Always make sure to leave a little space around the stem base of bushes or tree trunks. This prevents rotting and allows your plants to get more oxygen.

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Matt was born and raised in San Jose (Almaden Valley). After graduating from high school, Matt left Almaden to attend Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, where he received a degree in Ornamental Horticulture, concentrating in Landscape Design.

Matt first worked as a foreman with a landscape maintenance company at the Stanford Research Institute and then at another retail nursery before joining Almaden in 1993. In July 2006, Matt and his wife Jeni purchased Almaden Valley Nursery. Matt is very active in the industry and has served as president of the local chapter of the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers and now serves on state boards for the same organization.

Matt has an extensive wine collection as well as rock 'n' roll art memorabilia. In his spare time he likes to go wine tasting with his wife Jeni and big game fishing with his friends in Mexico. Matt and Jeni have two boys--Ryan and Shane.