Seasonal

January is the perfect time to sit back and assess your winter landscape. In the excitement of

 warm sunshine and vibrant blooms that vie for our attention other times of the year,

 this season in the garden is often forgotten even though it is no less important. While many

 of our beloved perennials and deciduous beauties sleep away the winter chill, it's time to look

 out and see what the bones of your garden look like. What structure do you see?  What colors

 stand out? What views are framed? What structures and pathways are softened? Much of these

 elements can be established by using a few conifers with character. They add upright or stout

 structure throughout the landscape and are perfect for guiding paths and softening hard lines

exposed in the winter months. They also add an array of textures and colors often amiss this

 time of year, like yellow, bronze, shades of green, and blue. And let's not forget the added bonus of

 pine cones they show off, adding a whole new level of appreciation. Between their hardiness, alluring

 facade, and charming accessories, conifers are a big win in the landscape! Some fine examples of

these PNW garden staples is the Avatar Colorado blue spruce with its extravagant blue needles or the

 dark green foliage of the spectacular Compact Gem Bosnian pine and for that smaller garden nook, the

Laarheide Mugo pine with its compact habit and bright gold tones in the winter.  These are just a few

of the fine conifer selections from Iseli that are available now at the nursery.

 Dormant Season Pruning Basics

This time of year many plants are fast asleep with bare branches that let us

see and evaluate the plants' structure and form.  From these observations, we

can see areas that are in need of attention.  One of the first things to do is to

remove the dead wood.  Once this is accomplished, take a step back and take

a good look at the overall shape.  Often times we are pleased to see that the

the overall shape has improved and our plants look refreshed.  Next, it's time to

address crossing branches as they have a tendency to damage the bark of

the shrub or tree which can lead to disease or fusing of branches over time.

To address the crossing branches, a good rule of thumb is to remove the branch

that is growing counter to the direction that you would like, for example horizontally,

or remove the branch that is weaker than the one it crosses.  Additionally, if there are

any diseased parts on the shrub or tree it is important to remove this to prevent

it from spreading.  Dispose of the diseased wood in the trash and not your compost

 bin and remember to clean your pruning tools thoroughly afterward to prevent

 the additional spread of diseases. 

Planting Your Live Christmas Tree

Now that the holidays have come and gone, we are looking forward to the New Year

 it is time to transition our living Christmas trees to the landscape. Allow your tree 3-4 days

 of transition time from your home to your landscape by acclimating it to the outdoors in

 a garage or enclosed porch.  Mixing in a quality compost or soil amendment, such as G&B

Purely Compost or Soil Conditioner when preparing the planting site will get your tree off

 to a great start.  Dig the planting hole the same depth and slightly wider than the root ball of

 your tree. Set the tree in the hole so that it is a little higher than the finished grade and the

 trunk flare is not covered by the soil.  Carefully cut the twine on the top of the root ball and

 unravel the burlap from around the trunk of the tree. You can push the burlap down inside

 the hole or trim the top portion away. Do not, however, disturb the original clay root ball.

Apply a quality fertilizer to support the root growth, such as Dr. Earth Starter Fertilizer.

Back-fill with the amended soil, using care not to plant too deeply. Water the tree regularly,

 with special attention given during the warm, dry weather of spring and summer. A few inches

 of organic mulch around the base of the tree will reduce moisture loss and provide insulation

 during the cold months and protect it from the heat of summer.  Enjoy your tree in the

 landscape, as an enduring symbol of Christmas past.

The Fragrant Winter Garden

Fragrance in the garden is a wonderful way to accentuate places in the landscape that can evoke 

memories from a distant past like the garden of your grandparents for example.  Throughout the spring

and summer we have many options, from annuals, perennials, and the like. But in the winter we have

 very few options to choose from.  However, right now we have a selection of shrubs and trees with

fragrance in winter to late winter to place in the landscape to remind us of the promise of spring.

Sarcococca is a shade-loving broadleaf evergreen shrub with lovely glossy deep green foliage with a

 mounding habit that features intensely fragrant white blooms reminiscent of jasmine in late winter followed

 by black or red berries depending on the species.  Conifers can also bring fragrance and a bold presence to

 the landscape as well.  Consider the Incense Cedar with its fragrant rich green foliage and cinnamon-colored

 bark. Another shade-loving broadleaf evergreen that blooms in the late winter is the ever-popular Daphne

Odora. With its round habit and glossy green leaves that can feature gold edges depending on the cultivar

feature pink highly fragrant flowers that smell similar to jasmine

 and orange blossoms.  Call ahead for availability.

Heavenly Hellebores

There are so many good reasons to love this warm-hearth, frosty-breath time of year.

 One of the things we look forward to are the abundance of blooms we get to enjoy

 from Hellebores (Lenten Roses).  This evergreen perennial is dainty in appearance but

 tough and sturdy in stature. Gorgeous blooms grace upright stems in luscious shades of

 burgundy, pink, cream, and white. A perfect pairing for the shade garden and containers,

 there are varieties and sizes for any space you may have to fill.  Right now, we have a lovely

selections of these garden favorites in stock now.  These timeless beauties go fast so hurry in. 

January Garden Tasks 

As our gardens are dormant it is a good time to apply dormant oil spray to treat

 for damaging insects. We recommend All Seasons Horticultural Spray Oil. 

Prune out any dead, damaged or diseased wood from trees and shrubs. 

Repurpose your cut Christmas tree for mulch.

Remove snow loads from trees and shrubs to prevent damage.

Refresh containers with evergreen plantings to

 endure through the winter months.

Check containers and beds that are underneath the eaves of your home,

 they may need supplemental watering during the winter months.

We recommend staying on top of slug and snail control with

 environmentally and pet friendly Sluggo and Sluggo Plus.

Mulch your garden beds with high quality Gardner N Bloome Soil Building Conditioner,

which will also increase your soils fertility with composted plant material and manure.

Plan your vegetable garden and purchase seeds to start indoors. 

Dream of your garden to come in the spring.