Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

We are approaching the end of summer and fall will soon be upon us. In the nursery biz it’s trade show time. Whether is Reno, Las Vegas, Chicago or Oregon we’re out looking at the latest and greatest in our industry. This is what leads me to my question to you, our customer.

On a daily basis I read Blogs and articles in trade magazines about where our industry, the independent garden center is heading.  So many talk about the “Big Box” effect and the demise of the independents.  As a small independent we survived the opening of Home Depot here in Auburn by doing what we know they can’t do, personalized service, unique products and thinking outside the box.

So with that said I ask “what do you our customers want from us?” What niche do we not fill, what would make you more inclined to shop here? As a small independent we can typically adapt and change quickly so we want your input. Please tell us how we at Yamasaki Nursery can service you better.

More organics? Bigger selection of veggies? More seminars? Whatever it is it’s important for us to hear it. We love our customers and it’s important for us to hear how and what we can do better in, don’t be shy!!!

Email us at jeff@yamasakinursery.com and give us your feedback!

You’ve seen it sold all over the place the grocery store, drug stores and garden centers.  People ask us about it all the time, Lucky Bamboo has quickly become the popular low maintenance option of houseplants. But what is it? Lucky Bamboo is not bamboo at all its a member of the Lilly family (Dracena sanderiana), native to the Rain forests in parts of Asia. I recently ran across an article in Maximum Yeild magazine on this unique houseplant and though I’d share some highlights……

Lucky bamboo can be successfully grown in water (hydroponically) or in soil.  Here’s some tips on care and maintanence of your lucky bamboo.

1. Use tap water not distilled water, let the water sit for 24 hours before giving it to the plant. This helps remove the chlorine and other minerals.

2. If using a clear glass container change the water frequently. Using a dark colored container will let less light in and discourage algae growth which will require less frequent water changes.

3. If planting in soil use well aerated soil such as Fox Farm Ocean Forest is an ideal option. Plant in a container with adequate drainage and allow the top 1/2″ of soil to dry out between watering. Avoid over watering!!

4. Feed your lucky bamboo every other month or so with a fertilizer such as Fox Farm Grow Big which will stimulate strong healthy growth and give the plant a deep rich green color.

5. Prune any yellow or discolored leaves off with sterile scissors, just wipe them down with a little rubbing alcohol.

So what makes this plant LUCKY?? The art of Feng Shui believes arranging lucky bamboo in a certain way holds a special meaning and brings certain levels of luck.

• One stalk-Simple life
• Two stalks-Love, double luck
• Three stalks-Happiness, good luck, longevity
• Four stalks- AVOID…the word four sounds nearly the same as the word death in Chinese.
• Five stalks-Wealth,health
• Six stalks-Health, happiness and harmony
• Seven stalks-Health
• Eight stalks-Growth, wealth, prosperity and abundance/prospering business
• Nine stalks-Good fortune, most lucky
• 10 stalks- Perfection, complete
• 21 stalks-POWERFULL BLESSINGS!!

One word of caution, this plant is toxic if consumed and should be kept out of reach from children and pets.

So there you go, not only will your plant be lucky its also healthy to have plants in your home or office filtering out the harmful toxins in the air. As always if we can be of assistance to you with regard to any of your gardening questions please call us!!

“Yamasaki Nursery, Your path to a better garden”

Well another spring and soon summer will have passed. The nursery/garden center business has changed drastically in the last few years. In previous springs we saw large ornamental plants flying out of our nursery, this spring the focus was on small scale plants, quarts have been kings! Commercial growers such as Monterey Bay Nursery have focused on offering us unique plants and large selections of quart sized plants.

A big hit this year has been “Stepables” a walkable ground cover. Available is multiple varieties and for most any growing conditions customers have bought these little gems in big quantities.  a cool and sensible lawn replacement Stepables are a awesome solution to many landscaping issues.

Edibles also reigned supreme this year. berries, citrus, dwarf fruit trees all were additions to many backyard gardens. The days of just growing lettuce and tomatoes seem to be in the past. Gardner’s are now opting for larger more diverse selections of edibles in their yards.

We are also seeing a huge push to organic solutions when we talk to customers. Gardner’s are looking for more environmentally sound solutions to their insect and fertilizing issues.  Organically speaking the industry has come along ways in a few years to offer organic products that WORK.

So where do we go from here…………..As 2010 draws to a close and 2011 lurks in the distance we are looking at the next evolution, lots of changes ahead for us. 2011 will bring a bigger presence in the hydroponics market, a larger assortment of smaller scale plants, a selection of edibles that will more then double and an even bigger selection of organic soils and fertilizers.

But thinking outside the box is our focus, look soon for “Urban Chicken Coupes”, yes I said chicken! And heading into fall look for our exciting new Plant Party and for the first time ever Living Christmas Tree RENTALS!!

We end the spring / summer season thankful for all of you our customers. We promise 2011 will be more exciting then ever! Things slow down for a bit we re-group then fall will come roaring in, and soon after that it’s mandarin season and once again we will be partnering with the best mandarin grower in Placer County, Newcastle Mandarin Ranch.

People are thinking more and more about being organic in their garden.  Organic gardening has really come of age within recent years. This has forced the industry to produce organic products that not only are environmentally friendly but get results!

It’s important to remember when you plant your fruits and veggies this spring think about your soil amendments and your fertilizers. Often we run to that orange big box store and get that big bag of soil for $4 run home and amend our garden or fill up our containers. Do you know what is in that soil??? Whatever is in that soil ends up in the fruit or veggies you produce.

So lets start with Soil 101, big soil companies often use fillers in their blends. Fillers can be any of the following, construction debris, ground asphalt, waste from water reclamation facilities, ground diseased trees. In most cases these fillers are sterilized as they are blended. The ends result is the soil is dead. Plus it’s loaded with things that I would not want to eat.

I remember a lady who came to a workshop I gave early last year on soils. I believe the workshop was early February. She called me on a busy Saturday morning in April. The conversation went much like this…..”I know you told us that Fox Farm was the best, but honestly I did not want to spend that much on dirt. Now I’m driving home from the big orange box store with 10 bags of soil in my car and my whole car smells like tar, why is that?” I replied, “remember I said that often construction debris or ground asphalt is used as fillers? I’m sure that’s what you are smelling.” “WOW” she said I don’t want that in my garden.” Long story short she is now on her second year using Fox Farm and is amazed at the production of her garden!

So as you amend your garden this spring think about your amendments. I highly recommend Fox Farm Soils and Soil Conditioners. These products are 100% organic and natural and are healthy for not only your plants but you as well. Not the cheapest but they are honestly in my opinion the BEST!!

Much the same can be said for fertilizing. When looking for a fertilizer look for two things, ORGANIC and TIME RELEASED. Organic means you are giving your garden a healthy fertilizer not loaded with chemicals. It also means that as you consume your edibles you know that they were grown safely without harsh chemicals often added to non organic products.

Time Released is another important aspect of a good strong fertilizer. I use the analogy that its like having 10 cups of coffee to get going, you have energy for a brief period but soon you start to crash, even if you keep drinking the coffee your body starts to reject it and shuts down. A fertilizer that promises miracles does the exact same thing to a plant. plants like people need a slow release of nutrients to keep them strong and healthy. A non time release fertilizer can cause the plant to develop above ground but at the same time it struggles to develop its root structure below ground.  The result is a weak unhealthy plant that struggles to produce.

We recommend Fox Farm or Earth Juice Organics for your fertilizing needs. Whether granular or liquid your plants will respond better, be healthier and offer you a bountiful harvest as a payoff. Plus as with any organic product and residual product that may wash or run off is not harmful to our wildlife or watershed.

If you were not thinking organic I hope you will consider it, not only because its an Earth Freindly option but because its healthy for YOU and your FAMILY!!

And remember, “Yamasaki  is your path to a better garden!”

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Spring might not be here yet, but that’s no reason to put off getting your hands dirty. February is the perfect time to start seeds indoors for spring flower and vegetable gardens. Here’s what you need to get started:

A strong light source. Shop lights with fluorescent tubes, available from hardware stores, are an easy and affordable option. A combination of warm and cool lights works perfectly for seed starting. Just make sure that lights are suspended from chains so they are easy to adjust—the light source needs to be 1-2 inches above the seedlings. Placing the lights too far away from the seedlings will result in thin, leggy plants that won’t mature properly.

A good heat source. If you’re starting plants in a chilly attic or basement, you’ll need a little heat. Many summer vegetable seeds simply won’t germinate if temperatures are cold. Yamasaki’s will soon (by Friday) be receiving in everything you need for your indorr gardening project!

A great seed-starting mix like Light Warrior. Seeds germinate best in a grow medium that stays uniformly damp and is light enough to allow easy root development. Light Warrior offers the added benefit of beneficial microbes to stimulate root growth and enhance fertilizer uptake, humic acid to help in seed germination, and earthworm castings to help plants thrive.

Grow Big Liquid Plant Food to nourish seedlings once they start to germinate. Young plants need a complete nutrient solution to get them off to the right start, so stock up now and plan to start feeding seedlings about five days after you plant them. For seedlings, use a lower dose than package instructions.

Stop by Yamasaki Nurserry as mentioned we will soon be your indoor gardening headquarters as well. Everything that you’ve grown to expect from us with Fox Farm will now by available in the hydro area as well.

This is an awesome article courtesy of Urban Garden Magazine on Indoor/Hydro Gardening. Sorry for the length but it does answer many questions. Enjoy and as always if you have questions give us a call here at the nursery.

Hydroponics is the science of growing plants without soil. Plants grown in hydroponic systems will develop faster and they tend to produce higher yields. As a result, hydroponics is used extensively in commercial agriculture.

But what about a hydroponics set-up in your home? Does the idea of growing your favorite plants in a hydro system seem a bit high-tech or alien to you? Or do you harbor misgivings about growing plants in anything other than good old-fashioned dirt?

Hydroponics in a Nutshell
The word “Hydroponics” comes from Greek, “hydro-ponos”. Literally it can be translated as “water (hydro) at work”. So what “work” is the water doing? Well, as it happens, quite a lot! Hydroponic plants are not grown in soil. Instead all the nutrients they need are supplied directly from the water. This is achieved by first dissolving special hydroponic nutrients into the water – the resulting “mix” is often referred to as a nutrient solution. It contains all the essential food in a directly accessible form. This allows hydroponic plants to put less energy into creating root systems (as all the food they need is right there) and more energy into fruits and flowers!

Hydroponics is way too complicated.
“I’m just an everyday gardener. Just give me plain old pots and soil! Hydroponics is too technical and difficult for most people to get to grips with! It involves too many expensive parts, pieces and gadgets and things can easily go wrong. Also, there’s a bewildering choice of system options and too many decisions to make!”

FALSE!
Hydroponics is quite simple with a little thought and a realistic plan for your growing goals. It’s simply the science or craft of growing plants without soil. That’s all. It’s about growing plants with water, thereby providing complete access to the nutrients and additives in your solutions. The environment (temperature, humidity, and CO2) is the same in hydro or soil, so this is not an additional concern related to running a hydro system. Regularly test the pH of your nutrient solution using a digital pH pen or a manual test kit. Both are available very cheaply at your hydro store. You should drain and clean your nutrient reservoir regularly – ideally once a week, especially important as your plants mature.

If things go wrong in hydro, you can lose your whole crop.
“If a pump fails, all my plants could die within a day, even hours! Soil is far more forgiving than hydroponics.”

TRUE!
Hydroponics gives the grower ultimate control over their plants’ nutrition. The observant grower can respond to subtle changes in the appearance of their plants almost instantaneously. But that greater precision in control comes with a decreased tolerance for neglect. In most hydro-based systems you can lose the crop rather quickly if things go seriously awry. I don’t mean to be alarmist, just realistic! There are limited factors that can go wrong and they are readily avoidable.If your environment is correctly adjusted (temperature, humidity, CO2 and air flow), then the two most common problems associated with hydro-based systems are: nutrient deficiency due to incorrect pH levels and pump failure (resulting in plants not getting water.)
In hydroponics, pH is king! For most plants, it’s vital to maintain a relative zone of 5.8-6.1 at all times. pH governs which nutrients can be absorbed, and at what rate. If reservoir pH is off, even a perfect nutrient solution will contain elements that are “unavailable” to the plants for uptake. A small pH change in a hydro-based system is very important as far as your plants are concerned. The pH scale is exponential, so don’t think for one minute that a 0.1 shift in pH isn’t a big deal – it is! pH can be thought of as a “door” between the root zone and the nutrients. If your pH swings out of range, you are effectively locking that food away from your plants. Check and adjust your pH daily.

Pump failure also poses a real threat to a hydroponic system – especially when using non-restrictive mediums that can dry out quickly, such as clay pebbles or grow rocks. It is imperative to check your plants daily for proper moisture. Some hydroponic growers prefer to use rockwool or coco coir as a growing medium. These retain more water and allow therefore afford the grower a wider margin for error should a pump malfunction occur. Some hydroponic systems work using multiple pumps as a fail-safe.

Hydroponic produce doesn’t taste or smell as good as soil-grown produce.

FALSE!
This is a contentious area so let’s tread carefully! While it can be more challenging to achieve a full-bodied taste and aroma from a hydroponics based grow, it can be done. Some crops are undeniably more suited to hydroponics than others. Keep in mind that it is significantly easier to get a vastly LARGER YIELD from hydro than soil! Now while some veteran soil growers will contest that they can match the yields in hydro, veteran hydro growers can certainly produce crops with as much aroma and taste as soil. It really comes down to experience. If you are shooting for yields first, it’s easier for a keen beginner to achieve more production out of a hydro-based system than from soil. So how do you get the best taste and aroma from a hydroponics system? First you have to start with great plant genetics. After all, everything starts in the genes! You need to find a variety that is known for yielding fruits or flowers noted for their smell or taste. Then, consider adding organic elements to your hydro system, you can create the same robust full-bodied flavors associated with soil grown plants. A grower will need to use humic acids, guanos, kelp extracts, amino acids and microbes to create that craftsman quality flavor.

Hydroponic produce is full of chemicals.

FALSE!
This is a common misconception. First off, what chemicals? Nutrients come in all shapes and sizes these days. Growers today can certainly grow purely organic in hydroponics – a technique known as “bioponics.” What are disparagingly referred to as “chemical fertilizers” are usually made from food grade minerals, which are simply purified elements. These are the same elements that come from the ground, rocks or dead organisms. The only thing that makes them “unnatural” is that chemical chelators are used in some hydroponics solutions to facilitate the absorption of minerals and to enable minerals to remain in the solution bottle without interacting with other minerals in order to avoid unwanted precipitates. These chelators are all food-grade and are used in most foods we eat daily. There are a wide range of organic and semi-organic products that use chelators in very low dosages or use only humic, fulvic, and amino devices (organic based chelation) to help preserve nutrients in solution and make them more readily available to plants. Many growers (using both soil and hydroponics) improve the taste of their crops by watering with pure water during the final week or two before harvesting. This is a technique known as “flushing”. And guess what? Flushing your crop is a whole lot easier in hydro!

Hydroponic produce is less nutritious than organic.

FALSE!
If you feed your food well, it will feed you well. Food grown in hydroponic systems with the correct availability of nutrients will, in turn, contain as much nutrition as organic produce.

Root systems don’t thrive in hydroponics.

FALSE!
Root systems tend to be smaller in hydroponics, but that’s because the roots don’t have to do as much work! All the water, nutrients and oxygen are right there in a well-designed hydroponics system. Sterile hydroponic conditions can lack beneficial microbes that protect and nurture the root zone. But this can easily be overcome. Hydroponics was conceived as a means to provide roots maximum aeration and nutrient uptake capabilities by bypassing the buffers and mediators found in soil. Nutrients are available in directly accessible form. They do not need to be “broken down” as in organics. Early hydroponics focused on sterility; ensuring “clean” nutrient solutions were devoid of any organisms (pathogenic or beneficial). However, researchers experienced difficulty in finding a good sterilizing (oxidizing) agent that wouldn’t also damage the root system. Early hydroponics pioneers didn’t realize that water temperature greatly affected the relative dissolved oxygen levels held within the water. Water at cooler temperatures holds the requisite oxygen levels in which plants thrive and also deters more pathogenic anaerobic (non-Oxygen loving) microbe growth. Today’s hydroponicists now use water chillers, oxygenators, beneficial microbe solutions and specific hormones to keep roots brilliantly healthy through an entire grow cycle – creating root systems just a strong as those found in the best soil mixes.

Hydroponics isn’t organic.

FALSE!
Yes it can be! There are a plethora of different organic-based hydroponic nutrients and additives as well as organic-based mediums that enable growers to produce completely organic hydroponic crops. Remember, any medium that doesn’t employ soil is essentially a hydroponically-based medium as you are relying on the water to do the work of carrying the plant food. Coconut coir based products are a firm favorite with hydroponic growers. They hold onto organic materials such as humates and slowly release them back to the plant for increased flavor and aroma. Perlite and vermiculite-based mediums are also hydroponic and all natural. Rockwool, another popular hydroponic growing medium, is also derived from completely natural sources.

Hydro systems are expensive.
FALSE!
This is a major misconception. Often, people think of hydroponics as extravagant aeroponic systems loaded with PVC, white plastic, specialty fittings, etc. The truth is that a great hydro setup can be built on a shoestring budget. It’s all about the tray and the pump. Those are the two big expenses – and they’re not even that expensive! I highly recommend purchasing a tray with good drainage “lanes” built into it. (This is a tray that has been specially molded to maximize drainage.) Then obtain a pump large enough to run your system. A simple, cheap rubber-maid storage bin works great as a reservoir and can be purchased at a hardware store for under twenty bucks. Hell, that’s how I started! Your choice of media is also important (common choices include rockwool, coco, and clay pebbles), a working pump (don’t skimp on that), and a good watering schedule that’s dialed into the absorbency of your choice of growth media (the more absorbent your growth media is, the less frequently it needs to be irrigated.)
It’s absolutely not about spending an exorbitant amount of money!

All my friends are growing in soil, so I should too.

WHATEVER!
Growers learn from other growers. But just because someone you know is doing soil, it doesn’t mean that it’s the best medium for you, or anybody else! Over the last ten years soil has experienced a large resurgence due to vastly improved new mixes. These mixes boast increased aeration, they are made from better sources of organic materials (guanos, castings, fish, blood and bone meals, etc.) and employ other specialty ingredients to increase growth, flavor and aroma. However, a good hydro grow will still give most growers a larger yield and, when done properly, just as much flavor and aroma as any soil grow. Taking this into consideration, it could greatly benefit you to go against the grain and rock that hydro! Dare to be a little different and don’t be afraid to be a pioneer!

Okay – so, why hydro?
The advantages of hydroponics include:
• Higher yields.
• Increased growth rates.
• More control over nutrient and water levels.
• Many systems automate watering.
• Less maintenance, less labor.
• You can leave your plants unattended for longer.
• Soil borne diseases are virtually eliminated.
• While removing soil-grown crops from the ground effectively kills them, hydroponically grown crops such as lettuce can be packaged and sold while still alive, greatly increasing the length of freshness once purchased.
• Fewer pesticides are required.
• Edible crops are not contaminated with soil.
• Water use is reduced when using re-circulating systems, sometimes by 80% or more!
• Many hydroponic systems provide your plants with more nutrition while at the same time using less energy and space.

Check out this new addition coming in this spring from a excellent grower we use in the Pacific Northwest. This tree is a stunner that will be an welcome addition to any landscape!!

Here what J. Frank Schmidt the grower has to say about this stunner!!

Crimson Spire™ Oak melds the best characteristics of its White and English Oak heritage to produce a fast-growing, hardy, columnar tree that’s a great fit for streetscapes and landscape settings. Fastigiate habit and adaptability are inherited from English Oak (Quercus robur), while its dark green, mildew-resistant foliage and red fall color are inherited from the White Oak (Quercus alba) parent.
A fast growth rate makes this rugged oak a good choice for anchoring newer landscapes. It reaches about 45 feet in height with a 15-foot spread in 20 years in a typical urban landscape setting. Dense foliage creates living screens for blocking unsightly views and muffling traffic sounds.

Proven adaptable to a wide range of climates and growing conditions, Crimson Spire™ Oak is appreciated by growers for its ease of care, and by landscape designers for its columnar form and stately appearance.

Columnar form is a perfect fit for narrow or confined spaces. Planted alone, in groves, or in rows, it’s the perfect vertical design element.

This fast growing, cold hardy, drought tolerant and disease resistant tree adapts to varied soils and tough urban growing conditions.

Rich, dark green leaves stay fresh and bright through the heat of summer, turning rusty red to bright red in mid to late autumn.

Ok, with all the heavy winds we are receiving in the foothills this week I’m sure several of you have experienced some broken limbs and branches on your trees. The inportant thing now is to safely remove those limbs. If tangled in power lines call in a professional to remove do not attempt to remove yourself.

For those limbs you can deal with on your own, create a clean cut on the tree. We recommend sealing the cut/wound with a pruning seal to prevent any infestation come spring. Nowe maybe the time you may want to shape the tree as well, more often then not the branch that breaks effects the cosmetic look of the tree. Seal the additional cuts you make with pruning seal as well, a little effort now may safe you a big hassle come spring.

Now is also time to start thinking insect control for those beautiful maples, ash and evergreen trees. Basically any non fruiting tree in your yard is subject to attack by a wide variety of insects come spring. One of the most effective products we have found for insect control is Bayer 12 month Tree and Shrub. Not only is this a simple product to use it provided that protection systemically for up to 12 months.

For those of you with Japanese Maples, though these are beautiful additions to any garden they also are very prone to borers. A borer infestation can slowly kill your beautiful maple in a season. Bayer Tree and Shrub provides 12 month protection from borers and other harmful insects. Just one application per year can provide adequete protection to ensure that you have a safe healthy tree.

As mentioned this product is safe to use on all non fruiting trees and shrubs. Easy to apply and very user friendly we think its a smart addition to your gardening routine!

So in my last blog we talked about going green and really how simple it is to reduce your carbon footprint by simply looking in your yard. So now let’s go even further by looking in your garden shed and or garage. We all have those half used bags of fertilizer from days gone by, come on I know a few of you have those 20 lb bags of Sulphate of Ammonia that you used to green up your lawn once or twice.

Take a good hard look at all that stuff; chances are the major part of what’s on your shelf is not organic, not green friendly and in general not good for Mother Earth. I’ll bet more then a handful of you went out last spring and spread that popular weed and feed all over your lawn. Even more of you bought that garden sprayer with the product that creates miracles in your yard and diligently sprayed it regularly all over your garden. Am I right???

Ok so we’ve all gone out and planted a tree or two to help reduce our carbon footprint. Maybe were even composting, so far so good, but then we go out and spray our roses with insecticide, fertilize our lawn with chemicals, and plant our gardens with that ever so popular soil that’s “Super”. But is it all organic? Is it all earth friendly? Did we just negate all the progress we made in reducing our carbon footprint planting those trees? Chances are yes!

We all see them on TV or at those big box stores, they provide miracles, they’re super, or maybe they’re the best. Fertilizers, soils, insecticides and weed control products all promise lots of things but are they truly organic, are they safe? I talked about spreading that weed and feed on your lawn or spaying the product that produces miracles all over your garden, but what I did not mention is that when you water the residue of those and other products get into the runoff and subsequently into the water supply via the storm drains. That residue can pollute not only our steams, rivers and lakes but can be toxic to fish and wildlife. Not to mention us!

It used to mean that being organic in your garden meant expensive not so effective products. Today that no longer is the case. Organic soils and fertilizers such as those by Fox Farm are safe and effective. They provide nutrition to the plant without releasing toxic chemicals into the soil. Monterey is an excellent choice when looking at organic insect and weed control, their products such as Sluggo Plus are a staple in many gardens. And Serenade is a top quality organic for disease, fungus and mold control.

So to decrease your carbon footprint even further, replace those old bags of fertilizer and bottles of insecticides in your shed with safe effective organics. Remember though dispose of unused and unwanted products safely. If you are fertilizing edibles remember that fertilizer or insecticide will end up in the fruit. Do you or your family want to consume chemicals? Using organics insures safe and healthy fruit. Make the earth a better place, think green and go organic!!!