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Answers from The Caretaker

 

  1. Answers From The Caretaker
  2. Green Thumbs Not Necessary for Landscaping
  3. Seminars 

Have a question(s) or comment(s)?

Please email all inquiries

We look forward to hearing from you! Happy Gardening!

- The Caretaker

Featured Questions and Answers.

Q: I was disappointed with a recent purchase of about $250 worth of plants to 
discover that about 20 per cent of the 5 gallon plants turned out to be 
root-bound 1 gallon plants with a lot of dirt around them.  I realize that it 
is necessary for you to eventually transplant 1 gal. to 5 gal., but I still 
feel cheated when I realized that I could have saved some money by buying 1 
gal. plants.  If I had a suggestion on how to solve this I would tell you, 
but, unfortunately I don't.  Thanks for listening...

 

A: Thanks for using our info system to contact us.  The way to solve the issue of shifting plants is really to better educate our customers.  The plants really are sold based upon the size of the plant (not the container) but it would be very difficult to price plants that way.  So, when you buy a plant in a 5 gallon container that looks like it just got shifted, that plant is a plant of 5 gallon size.  Sometimes you can find 5 gallon size plants in 1 gallon containers that we haven’t gotten around to shifting yet and get a bargain above and beyond our regular wholesale prices.  We try very hard to stay ahead of that curve because that plant is older and has taken more labor, water and fertilizer to maintain and to sell it as a one gallon would be a loss for us.
 
We at Evergreen Nursery have a unique situation because we are a grower and you are buying plants at our working farm and get an opportunity to see how we grow and maintain our plants “in action”!  Since we do not buy in our plants from a hothouse somewhere, you get to pick them right out of the field where they have grown.  Our plants have a much better chance of living in our climate than plants purchased from many other garden centers that are not growers, and needless, to say, the savings to you are significant.
 
But our challenge is to help our customers understand how those savings occur.  I hope this has helped you a bit.  We do appreciate your business.
 
 
 

 

Green Thumbs Not Necessary for Landscaping

Maybe you don't have a green thumb, but you do not have to resort to covering your entire yard with an expanse of lawn to avoid gardening pitfalls. Some landscapes can be foolproof, and thrive in spite of your lack of gardening ability.

You can grow anything if you follow these simple guidelines:

1. Don't try to tackle too much if you don't have the time, experience and desire. In other words: Don't get overly ambitious.

2. Choose hardy plant varieties that aren't touchy. They should be able to handle our relatively poor soils and salty irrigation water.

3. Take time in the beginning to learn how to take care of what you plant in your yard. Ask your Nurseryperson. His or her advice is free and reliable.

Also, don't try to do everything at once if you are tentative. You can landscape in phases, improving your confidence as you go.

Basically, all it takes to grow vegetation is water, fertilizer and sun. The investmentof your time can be minimal. Sprinklers or drip systems have become almost a necessary convenience today. Hook them up to a timer, and your yard can water itself.

You don't need to be a horticulturalist to understand how to use fertilizer. One good rule of thumb is to feed everything in your yard four times a year, or once a season. Some plants can use more fertilizer if you have the time, but with four feedings a year they will stay healthy. One good, all-purpose, granular fertilizer like Gro-Power can be used on everything. Mix it into the soil before you plant and sprinkle it around individual plants,trees,shrubs, and flowers thereafter when you feed.

Watering and fertlizing a yard does not take a lot of know how-just a small amount of time and commitment. Where gardening can get tricky is in the types of plants you choose. Your choices can create a landscape that takes care of itself, or one that needs constant care.

Please visit any one of our four locations around the county and let one of our experienced sales staff help you get started.

 

NEW SEMINARS SCHEDULED FOR  2012

PLEASE EMAIL YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR TOPICS FOR  2013

Hands on Talks & Tours with Evergreen's Garden Experts
Seminars are on the Saturday mornings listed below

AT THE FOLLOWING STORE LOCATIONS AND TIMES:

• 10:00 am - 13650 CARMEL VALLEY ROAD, SAN DIEGO/CARMEL VALLEY

• 10:00 am - 3231 OCEANSIDE BLVD, OCEANSIDE/VISTA

 

 

DECEMBER - It’s Christmas time- No seminar this month but still come out and choose one of thousands of Christmas trees we have available every holiday season. Pick up holiday favorites like Poinsettias, Wreaths and Garland.  
 
JANUARY 7TH – Landscaping & Maintaining Your Garden in The Winter- If you love gardening then you love San Diego. We are fortunate enough to be able to be outside in our gardens all year long. Lots of people are buried in snow while we are able to do the feeding, planting, and pruning (free pruners to all participants) necessary to have that beautiful garden throughout the year. We will discuss all these things and more. 
 
FEBRUARY 4TH  - Landscaping With Succulents and Natives – Creating a beautiful landscape with succulents and natives without looking like a desert. Yes, it can be done and you’ll also use a lot less water.  
 
MARCH 3RD  - Ask the Expert -Weeds, Gophers. Bugs, & Fertilizers- Our resident expert will teach you the best ways to fight the pesky critters in your garden and how to determine the best types of fertilizer to use to promote healthy, vigorous plants. We’ll also answer your questions and discuss other gardening topics.
 
APRIL 7TH   - Landscape Design Workshop- Do you have a new yard or one that needs to be  rejuvenated? Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Learn about amending your soil, irrigation do’s and don’ts, planning, choosing, and planting your landscape correctly
 
APRIL 21ST   Starting a Vegetable/Herb Garden 
What it takes to grow your own vegetables and herbs. Learn the best techniques for growing in containers, or raised beds, or just planting directly into your garden.
 
May 5th - Choosing and Caring for Fruit Trees – How to choose, plant, and grow stone fruit trees. Fruits of topic will be: Apples, Apricots, Figs, Nectarines, Pears, Peaches, Persimmons, Plums, and Pomegranates
 
MAY 19TH - All About Roses - Come see and enjoy our huge selection of colorful roses andbecome a garden rose expert. We would love to see someof your “best” roses, please bring ‘em in and show ‘em off and share your own secrets of success!
 
JUNE 2ND - Landscaping With Succulents and Natives – Creating a beautiful landscape with succulents and natives without looking like a desert. Yes, it can be done and you’ll also use a lot less water.  
 
JULY 7TH  Ornamental Trees for San Diego- We will have a special guest speaker to explain the many different types of trees that do well in San Diego.  
 
AUGUST 4th   - Citrus & Avocado Varieties & Care - How about some fruit fresh off the tree? Wow your family and friends with your delicious fruit right from your yard!! You will learn all about your favorite Citrus and Avocado varieties and the best way to care for them. We will also have some fruit ready to taste!
 
SEPTEMBER 1ST  - All About Succulents – This class will be our  “best of” for the succulents we grow. We will talk about our varieties in detail and also discuss varieties you have planted at your home. Just bring a picture or a sample.     
 
OCTOBER 6TH  - Fall Is the Time for Planting - This is a walking seminar.  We will tour the nursery and look at our advertised plants that will be featured in our Annual Million Dollar Fall Sale and how they will fit into your landscape.
 
NOVEMBER 3RD  - Fall & Winter Color- Come check out the colorful flowers available during the fall and winter months. You will be surprised at all of the choices. We will also look at using grasses and succulents for fall accents as well.

 

 

 

Click here for directions.

 

Each seminar is approximately 1 hour long. Come to the location nearest you!

RAIN OR SHINE - SEMINARS WILL BE HELD INDOORS IN INCLEMENT WEATHER!!!