Native Roots Garden Center » Recent News

Class February 25

Jeri — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:13:11 +0000

Starting plants from seed. Learn the best medium, light, heat and equipment requirements. Learn when to plant the seeds for the best size to plant in your garden or start your potted plants. For a list of our upcoming classes go to http://www.nativerootsgarden.com/2012-classes

Geodesic greenhouse kits

Jeri — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:25:54 +0000

If you are thinking about a greenhouse you’ll want to consider the Geodesic greenhouse kit from Growing Spaces located in Pagosa Springs. They come in seven sizes from 15′ to 51′.

The dome is insulated and both heated and cooled by solar energy, requiring little heat on the coldest nights in winter.

Check out their website at: Growingspaces.com

Do you have a greenhouse?

Jeri — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:23:50 +0000

If so, you’ll need supplies this winter. We have many products in stock. Let us know what you need.

Poinsettias for a house plant all year

Jeri — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:09:38 +0000

Poinsettias are a beautiful holiday tradition, but your enjoyment of these charming plants does not have to end when the Christmas tree comes down. With just a little effort, you can derive pleasure from your poinsettia all year long and bring it to bloom for many holiday seasons to come.

Poinsettias like lots of bright, indirect sunlight and prefer humid conditions (so you may want to mist your plant if your home is very dry due to heating or climate). As for watering, let the soil dry out between watering. The soil should be dry to the touch. Also, be sure not to let the plants pot stand in water at the plants base or saucer(A layer of pebbles in the bottom of the tray keeps the plant out of the water and increases the humidity around the plant). Poinsettias are sensitive to extreme temperature, so don’t place your plant next to a heater or near a drafty window or doorway. A daytime temp of around 65 degrees and nights around 60 degrees will provide perfect conditions for your poinsettia. Whitefly can sometimes be a pest for this plant; check your purchase closely. If you pick it up, and things fly, and they’re white, well, there it is. Pretty easily taken care of with insecticidial soap or my favorite indoor pesticide, pyrethrine (made of daisies; it’s organic and safe if you don’t drink it).

Your poinsettia will not only make a beautiful indoor plant all year long, but can also be coaxed to bloom again each year in time for Christmas. Poinsettias bloom in response to shortening daylight hours. If you wish to coax your poinsettia to bloom in time for the holidays, you will need to put the plant in total darkness for at least twelve hours (fourteen is better) each night for approximately ten weeks (this also applies to forcing Christmas Cacti to bloom). Late September or early October is a good time to begin this regimen. You can place your plant inside a box, a cupboard, or a closet to achieve complete darkness. Be sure to bring your plant out during the day and place it in a bright, sunny spot. After it flowers, gradually decrease the water until the bracts all drop, then allow the plant to dry out completely (like many of the euphorbias, this is a desert plant). Store in a place with cooler temperatures (50 degrees); remember we are trying to recreate a Mexican Winter, so a 50 degree basement or garage makes a fine location.

When it really begins to warm up again (Late May for us, but just so long as you’re around 50 degree evenings), repot your mummy in the same pot with fresh soil and start to water again (we stopped gradually and that’s a good way to start) and fertilize (also gradually). Around August, cut the plant back by a third and make a decision. Do we want bushy with small flowers or shrubby with big flowers (my pick)? If we choose the latter we cut the plant back to three to five stems and grow it out (remember gloves if you have sensitive skin). A poinsettia can look quite lovely when planted with foliage plants with contrasting leaf color, shape, and/or size. Don’t prune your plant any later than September, however, if you wish to force it to bloom for Christmas.

40%off Spring Blooming Bulbs

Jeri — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:58:29 +0000

It’s too late to plant bulbs in the ground but they can still be planted in in pots for an early splash of color. Spring Blooming bulbs are now 40% off.
*Not including Amaryllis or Paperwhites.

Planning your garden

Jeri — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:06:46 +0000

Now that this year’s garden is put to bed, you can think about what you would like to add or subtract for next year. Make notes on what plants did well and what other plants your would like to add.

Consider companion planting. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service describes the basic concept and has a chart to help you plan your garden.

Flowers in your garden add beauty and act as a natural pest control. Plant marigolds throughout your garden and with beans to keep the bean beetles away. Other plants attract beneficial insects. Black-eyed susans and asters attract hover-flies and lacewings which eat aphids. Sunflowers attract pirate bugs which dine on white flies. You can purchase ladybugs and lacewings here. Release these in your garden.

Edible flowers are the new rage in haute cuisine as whatscookingamerica.net proclaims. Once you have all the zucchini you can eat, feel free to eat the blossoms. This site has a chart of edible flowers, their flavor, and how they are used. When harvesting flowers be sure of your identification, do not use flowers that have been sprayed with a pesticide, and if you are allergy-prone, it’s probably best to forego consumption of flowers.

You can have your soil tested any time during the year. Go to the extension office at 2500 Main Ave. (Fairgrounds). They have bags for your soil with instructions printed on the bag. You collect soil in the bag and mail it to the address given on the bag. There is an 800 number on the bag if you have any questions. The cost per bag runs about $28.

We carry organic products to amend your soil and will be happy to help you choose the products you need. (go to the Soil Amendment page for more info on what we carry)

Check out our herbs & vegetables. Our herbs and vegetables are grown pesticide-free at our nursery in Bayfield.