Crocker Nurseries

March 2013 Newsletter

Rebecca — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:23:29 +0000

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March 2013 Newsletter

Frequently Asked Gardening Questions

Rebecca — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:47:26 +0000

How can I get rid of ants on Peony Buds? Don’t do it! The peony bud secretes a sticky substance that intentionally attracts the ants to eat it so that the bud can open. So when you see ants on your peonies, leave them be!
When should I prune my flowering shrubs? Most flowering shrubs should be pruned after they bloom to maximize the blooms for the next year. This would also be the best time to dramatically cut back a shrub as it will have time to grow enough to bloom the following year. It won’t hurt the plant to prune it any other time, but you may risk losing blooms . Evergreens, however, can be pruned any time of year.
How do you keep hydrangeas blue? Everyone loves the prolific array of blue hydrangeas on Cape Cod. The blue color is a result of the variety of the hydrangea such as Nikko Blue, Compact or Endless Summer coupled with the very acidic soil of the cape. If you are trying to get the same vibrant blue off-cape or your cape hydrangeas aren’t as blue as you’d like them, be sure to acidify the soil with aluminum sulfate and use Holly Tone fertilizer spring and fall.
How can I prevent cedar-apple rust on my apple tree? Cedar-apple rust is a disease that occurs on apple trees but only when a cedar tree is present. Cedar apple rust produces a harmless gall on the cedar tree but it is a host for the disease which will then attack any apple tree (hawthorn, apple and crab apple) producing orange spots on the leaves and fruit. Before you add any apple trees to your yard, make sure you don’t have any cedar trees in a radius of several hundred yards. The disease can be controlled but is difficult, so the best course of action is to prevent it in the first place by not planting these two plants near each other.
Why is my evergreen looking grey? The answer may be mites. Mites can be very devastating to needle evergreens because they build up populations quickly and can do significant damage before they are noticed. Thus early detection is key to combating mites, especially during hot dry spells. The easiest way to spot mites is to take a piece of white paper under the branches of your tree and then tap the branch and see what falls. Mites will be about the size of pepper grains and will be moving. Getting rid of mites can be done by spraying a horticultural oil or using a systemic insecticide.
Why is my newly planted tree not doing well? A common problem in newly planted trees is planting them too deep. Often times in containers or balled and burlapped trees, the soil has been pushed up over the trunk flare, which is the area where the trunk transitions to roots. Then when planted and mulched around, the soil can bury the tree flare several inches under the ground. As a result, the roots are buried too deep and are shut off from getting air. This slows the vigor of the tree as the roots grow upwards to have access to more air. Also, the part of the tree trunk that is buried will start to decay, destroying the vascular system of the tree, which can lead to the tree’s death. The solution is to find the tree flare before planting the tree, which may involve removing inches of dirt that have been pushed over it. Then make sure that when the tree is placed in the hole, the flare is even with the ground. Mulch the root zone and taper to the flare, do not pile mulch around the base of the tree.
Do I really need to amend my soil? Healthy plants start with healthy soil. Unfortunately much of the cape is not blessed with rich soil. Most of us have very sandy soil in which cultured plants do not grow well in. If you have this kind of soil, it needs to be excavated and replaced with good quality soil, not just amended. A good quality mix of screened loam, compost or composted manure, and peat moss can create a very nutrient rich soil which will allow proper drainage but also retain enough moisture for the plant to use.
I have some fresh compost, can I use that? Be careful to use fully decomposed compost or manure, otherwise it will burn the roots of the plants. Fully rotted compost will have hardly any odor or temperature. If the compost is very warm, it is still decomposing and will harm plants if planted with them.
I live on the water, what plants will do well? While there are many books and publications that address seaside gardening, one distinction that is rarely made is which side of the cape you live on. If you are on the water on the south side of the cape, the south wind is blowing during the time your trees and shrubs have leaves and flowers on them, and this is when it is most damaging to them. The wind will blow leaves and flowers right off plants, so the choices on what to plant on that side are more limited than being on the bay side or even the eastern coast. The bay and eastern edge of the cape experience the ocean winds coming through at a time when there are no leaves on the trees, which is less damaging, so the only concern with a plant is its hardiness. Thus there is a much larger variety of plants that will survive being on the water if you live on the bay or eastern coast, as opposed to living on the southern coast. An example of a plant that is often recommended for seaside landscapes is the Sycamore maple. This would do wonderfully on the bay or east side of the cape, but would be terrible on the south side as its leaves will fry from the southern ocean winds. Be sure to let us know what side of the cape you are on so appropriate plants can be chosen.
What’s the best time to seed my lawns? 90% of seeding is done in spring, but actually, the ideal time to seed a lawn is in the fall. In the spring, by the time it’s warm enough for grass seeds to germinate, weed seeds are also germinating and will be growing in with your new grass. A pre-emergent weed killer can’t be used at that time because it will also kill the young grass seeds. By planting grass in September you have the opposite situation; the soil is warm enough for grass, but for nuisance weeds such as crab grass, it’s too cool. Thus the newly planted grass has a much better chance to grow in, and you even have time for 2-3 more seedings before it gets too cold. Done this way, by the spring you will have a full and thick lawn which will be able to withstand a pre-emergent weed killer to minimize weeds ending up in your lawn.

Favorite Annuals for Spring 2013

Rebecca — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:31:30 +0000

New Guinea Impatiens

It seems like spring is finally here to stay! After what seemed like an exceptionally long winter, trees are finally regaining their leaves and spring blooming shrubs and perennials are fully in bloom. Our annual department has been planting since March and we have a wonderful selection of carefully grown annuals for you to choose from. Here are some of our favorites:

New Guinea Impatiens: Unlike regular impatiens, this tropical plant does well in the sun and provides striking color with it’s flowers and also visual impact with it’s dark, rich foliage. They will get to be 1-2ft tall and wide making them a great addition to a flower bed. They also will not be affected by impatiens downy mildew.

Euphorbia: This strong growing plant looks great in containers because of it’s delicate small

Euphorbia in a container with Geraniums and Angelonia

white flowers. It will withstand full sun and we have found it to be very easy to grow and take care of.

Callibrachoa hanger in Pink

Calibrachoa: This vigorous annual produces a tremendous amount of blooms during the season. It’s mini-petunia looking flowers come in a wide array of colors, yellow being our favorite, and the ‘spilling’ effect of it’s blooms make it a wonderful addition to container gardens as it will start to trail over the side of the pot. It will also do well in the ground, creating a carpet of beautiful blooms.

Herbs: This year we decided to grow many herbs in 1 gallon containers, and we think it was a great decision! Already these herbs are so lush and full, they can immediately be used vigorously in the kitchen. If you don’t have space for an herb garden, create a container garden using these gallon herbs, or our wide variety of 4” herbs. New this year we are trying out Mexican Cilantro. Since regular cilantro does not respond well to hot weather, this herb has a very similar flavor, but is a much better choice to last through the summer.

Plants for Shade: Impatiens are usually our go-to plant for very shady areas, but with the threat of impatiens downy mildew, many people are looking to find a substitute. Wax begonias do very well in the shade, and are available in 6-packs, so if a large area needs to be covered, this is an economical choice. Some other shade lovers are Torrenia, which is available in several colors, caladium and coleus, which don’t really flower, but provide striking color through their variegated leaves, and blue scaevola, which is a great spreading plant to cover a larger area.

Succulents: Over the past two years we have seen an increase in popularity in the use of succulents in containers as decorations. They are very easy to care for, so they are great to use in various containers around the house.

Mother’s Day May 12th

Rebecca — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:39:25 +0000

We have a wide selection of beautiful hanging baskets that are perfect for Mother’s Day! We offer delivery on Mother’s Day as well, please call and we can help you select the perfect gift for Mom!

For sunny areas, we have classic geranium hangers in plastic hanging pots as well as moss baskets:

Also for sun we have many varieties of Callibrachoa, which have a very pretty mini-petunia looking flower. These produce a tremendous amount of blooms all summer, and we offer solid colors and also mixes of colors that look stunning together.

For shady areas we have just gotten in some very nice fuschia hangers, and we have begonias in moss baskets and plastic hangers.

Open House and Customer Appreciation Day!

Rebecca — Thu, 02 May 2013 05:17:30 +0000

On May 18th 2013, join us for our annual Open House and Customer Appreciation Day! We will have a free plant to give away to the first 100 customers, then enjoy free refreshments as you shop for your spring plants. Also, enter to win a $100 gift card.

We will also be holding a Grill Dome and Holland Grill demo on Saturday and Sunday from 10am -3pm both days. The delicious food cooked on this grill will make you stop in your tracks!

Chicken legs being cooked during a grill demonstration

As always the helpful staff of Crocker Nurseries will be available to assist you in your plant selections, and help answer any questions you have about your yard.

Calendar of Events

Rebecca — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:28:17 +0000

Calendar of Events 2013

March 29th-31st Perennial Sale: 20% off all perennials and early annuals

March 30th Grill Demos: Holland Grill and Grill Dome will be demonstrated, come see and taste why these grills are unique. From 10am-3pm.

March 31st Easter: We have many house plants including Hydrangeas, daffodils, and more!

April 26th-28th Arbor Day Weekend Special: In honor of Arbor Day we will be giving free delivery with any tree purchased during this weekend.

April 27th Free Container Gardening Class: Join Ann Marie Crocker as she guides you to creating your own beautiful containers!

April 27th Grill Demonstration: Holland Grill and Grill Dome will be demonstrated, come see and taste why these grills are unique. From 10am-3pm.

Hiring for Spring 2013

Rebecca — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:53:42 +0000

Now Hiring for Spring!

Seasonal Annuals Help: Looking for 2 upbeat, friendly people to work in the annuals department for the season. Knowledge of plants is a plus, but we will train.

Seasonal Perennials Help: Looking for an upbeat, friendly person to work in the perennial department for the 2013 season. If you love plants this is the place to be!

Nursery Stock Help: Looking for seasonal help working with trees and shrubs. Some heavy lifting is required. Ability to operate a tractor and forklift is a plus.

Garden Shop Cashier: Experience with point of sale registers is a plus, but we will train.

Call for more information 508-896-5060 or email info@crockernurseries.com. Also, come in to fill out an application if interested.

March Perennial Sale!

Rebecca — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 04:44:39 +0000

Join us for our pre-season perennial sale that takes place in our production greenhouses! This is your opportunity to get your plants early while saving 20% off the retail price. Enjoy the best selection of plants that haven’t been out for sale yet!

When: March 29th through 31st

New – Grill Dome!

Rebecca — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:31:14 +0000

To flank our very popular Holland Grill line, we are now offering a new grill for those people who are not gas grill users, and who want to use charcoal to acheive that grill flavor. The Grill Dome is different, and far superior to a traditional metal charcoal grill. This Kamados style grill is made of thick walls of ceramic that are insulating, where as metal conducts heat and allows heat to escape the grill. The thick walls of the Grill Dome trap the heat so less energy is needed to cook the food, as heat stays in the dome and doesn’t escape out. This also creates a very safe grill, because most of the time the outside of the grill won’t burn your skin if you touch it, since the heat is not conducted. This grill is designed to reduce the amount of flare-ups as the fat is being absorbed into the ceramic walls and is burned up in the air-tight dome, thus protecting yourself and your food.

We have grill demonstrations throughout the year. The next one is May 18th and 19th from 10-3. Come by and have a taste of good grilled food from both of these grills!

For more information on the grill dome visit www.grilldome.com

Holiday Decorating Classes 2012

Rebecca — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:18:34 +0000

Come get a jump on your holiday decorating by coming to one of our free classes starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving. These projects also make great handmade gifts for friends and family! All classes start at 10am and are usually completed by 12pm.

Saturday November 24th 10:00am – Decorating a Holiday Wreath

Learn how to add your own decorations to a plain wreath. This is perfect for creating your own personal wreath to match the decor of your house. You will have access to the huge selection of decorations used at the nursery including many varieties of ribbons, pine cones, shells and decorative balls.

Saturday December 1st 10:00am – Outdoor Holiday Containers

This class will teach you how to arrange greens and decorations for window boxes, patio containers, cemetery logs and more! Bring in your empty containers, or purchase one at the nursery. Then you’ll have access to multiple types of greens, winter berries, bows and various decorations to create a beautiful decorative container.

Saturday December 8th 10:00am – Make and Decorate a Boxwood Tree

In this class you will start from scratch with a plain oasis block and container of your choice (bring your own or choose from our selection). From there you will learn how to make a boxwood tree ad decorate it how you like. This is the most labor intensive of all the classes, so be prepared to go a little longer than 12pm.

Saturday December 15th 10:00am – Holiday Centerpieces

Get ready to be creative! Starting with a plain piece of oasis you will be able to choose from a large variety of greens to add to your centerpiece as well as countless decorations. Create a centerpiece that will compliment you home’s holiday decorations, or make a very special gift for friends and family.

The classes are all free, however there will be a charge for the materials used. Space is limited so please call 508-896-5060 or email info@crockernurseries.com to reserve your space.