Smooth,round & full-flavored.
Meaty with few seeds.
Velvet Red
**
75-80
Red
1"
l
Heavy yields of sweet cherry
tomatoes.Slightly fuzzy.
Tomatillo-Toma Verde
70-75
Green
2"
l
Papery husk. Sweet/tart.
Great in salsa & dishes.
2010 Pepper Varieties
Name
Shape/Size
Characteristics
Anaheim Chili
Two celled
24-30" plants. High yields
Ancho
5-6" long
Known as Poblano when fresh, Ancho when
dried.
Banana Hybrid
Thick walls
16-24" Plants. Great fresh or cooked.
Purple Beauty
Thick walls
Great stuffed and in salads.
Red Beauty ™
4 lobes
Santa Fe Grande
1.5"wide x 3.5" long
Medium walled-great for salsa,canning,pickling.
Serrano
2" thin walls
Good for salsa,hot pepper vinegar and
pickles.
Sweet Havana
5" long
3-4 lobed. Thick walls-great for tuffing/grilling.
Wonderful,rich flavor.Matures early.
Thai Hot
2-3" long
Very ornamental. Good in containers.
As we slip into the long, hot days of summer, Wyntour
Gardens’ congratulates our sister nursery, the
Red Bluff Garden Center, on the opening
of their very own website. Designed in the same basic
format as this site, you can now learn all about what
is happening at the Red Bluff Garden Center; the history
of this long-standing Red Bluff nursery; information
about their staff; interesting growing tips and other
gardening tidbits at: www.redbluffgardencenter.com.
Next year, the Red
Bluff Garden Center will be celebrating their
50th Anniversary! A small, intimate setting, Red
Bluff Garden Center has been owned by the Winter
family since practically the beginning! They have a very
knowledgeable, energetic staff, and they carry most of
the same great, locally grown plants as Wyntour Gardens,
plus a selection of indoor plants. They have recently
begun to hold interesting and informative classes and
seminars, which are scheduled through the rest of the
year. We invite you to visit their nursery and visit their
site – it’s
just a click away.
This spring and summer have been particularly
windy. Strong winds can quickly dry out soil, especially
in containers and in newly planted garden beds. Don’t
let the wind wreak havoc on your garden. Take time to
check your garden and to water all garden beds and container
gardens often.
To determine how dry your planted areas
are, before watering dig down 2-3” in a spot as
close to the root ball as possible. This will indicate
the depth of your moisture content. When watering, infrequent,
long, deep watering is preferable to frequent, shallow
watering. For optimal plant success, water deeply enough
each time to moisten the entire root ball.
Check container plantings often, as plants in containers
dry out even faster than garden beds. Water containers
at least once a day, especially on windy and hot days.
Unglazed terra cotta pots dry out more quickly than
glazed ceramic pots and plastic pots.
On the flip side, take care to not over-water, and
keep in mind that strong wind can also make leaves appear
wilted. It’s very difficult to find the perfect
balance, especially when the weather is so fickle and
has such a strong impact on our gardens. If a plant
sustains wind and/or cold damage, be patient before
pruning and cleaning up damaged plant tissue. Wait for
new growth to appear before removing damaged growth.
(or The Art of Pruning
Perennials)
Yarrow (Achillea
millefolium ‘Paprika’) benefits from
pruning off spent flower stalks.
Flowering perennials are a very large
category within the plant kingdom, and their wide array
of foliage color, growth habit and huge range of flower
display have always entranced gardeners. Most flowering
perennials will reward gardeners with a continual flush
of summer bloom for several years, if they are cleaned
up, cut back and cared for correctly throughout the season,
especially during the spring and summer months.
Often gardeners are overwhelmed as to where to start and
how to cut back each type of perennial plant. The following
guidelines are meant only as a general guide to the seasons.
For specific information, there are many books and websites
available.
In early spring, general clean-up of
garden beds should be the focus. First, remove any dead
or diseased leaves, stems and flowers. This not only gives
your garden a cleaner look, but it deters snails, slugs
and other pests that may be over-wintering amongst your
plants and soil. Remember that some perennials retain
their foliage throughout the winter, though some die back
to the ground completely, emerging once again as the weather
warms up. It is helpful to mark the areas where such plants
are located, to help with springtime care and cleanup.
It is also important to contain springtime enthusiasm
for bed cleanup, leaving on the ground the fallen leaves
that have created a warm, protective blanket around tender
plants, until all chances of frost have passed.
Early to mid-summer is time to remove spent blossoms
and foliage growth. Removing or “deadheading”
spent flowers stops flowers from going to seed, diverting
the plant’s energy to producing more flowers. There
are a variety of techniques that can be employed for this
task, much of which will be determined by the amount of
plants to be pruned, and the amount of time you have available.
If you have lots of time on your hands, you can carefully
remove spent flowers with pruning shears, taking the flower
stems down to the ground level, unless they contain mid-stem
blossoms which will result in additional flowers. At this
time of the year, do not remove foliage all the way to
the ground – simply cut back to where the leaves
look healthy. Pinching off tips during the growing period
increases branching, making a compact, dense plant with
more flowers.
African Daisys
(Arctotis ‘Bumble Bee’) are
much happier with their old flowers removed.
Some gardeners, including several members of our staff,
prefer the quick and dirty “lazy gardener”
pruning method, using hedge clippers to quickly bring
plants down to the desired shape and height. One particularly
busy staff member has even taken her weed whacker to her
scabiosa, commenting that the plants “only looked
stunned for about a week.” (Not recommended for
perennials with woody stems.)
Either method works, as most flowering perennials are
sturdy and hard-wired to keep growing.
Winter
is time once again for overall bed clean-up, removing
dead and/or diseased material, taking special notice of
those perennials that die back to the ground. Placing
small flags or markers near these plants can be very helpful.
Mulch beds with compost, leaves, or bark to keep soil
warm and weed free during the winter months. Flower seedheads
may be left on plants to serve as food for birds, and
possibly reseeding.
Each type of plant has a slightly different growth pattern,
and knowing what to trim is a skill that is developed
with time and experience. Observe you plants, watching
how they grow. Start slowly, pruning more as your confidence
develops. Remember that perennials are quite hardy, and
pruning helps them to develop and grow. You probably won’t
kill them, and they will reward you with many months of
exquisite color as the years go on.
If you are overwhelmed or new to the art of pruning, your
local independent garden center is always a good place
to ask for assistance.
In our ongoing efforts to provide gardeners with as much
information as possible, we are happy to include several
new articles this summer:
Companion Planting
for Garden Harmony contains valuable
information for vegetable gardeners and ornamental gardeners
alike, including ideas on which plants do well when
planted together, and which ones do not.
Gardening at
Elevation is information compiled by
owner George Winter, after moving to Shingletown and
learning to grow a successful garden at 1800 feet.
Kiwi’s
for the Home Garden talks about growing,
pruning and harvesting these interesting fruit which
are native to New Zealand. Kiwi’s do quite well
in our Mediterranean climate, and would be a great addition
to the North State garden.
Wyntour Gardens is happy to announce that customers
will once again have the opportunity to special order their
favorite fruit and nut trees for the 2010 season. This special
“Soft Order” program is made available by the Dave
Wilson Nursery, our primary fruit tree growers.
Orders
must be placed by November 1, 2009.
The extensive list of available tree varieties
can be obtained at Wyntour Gardens, or we can send the list
to you by mail. Call 365-2256 or e-mail your interest to: sales@wyntourgardens.com.
A handout with descriptions of the different varieties is also
available.
There is no minimum order required, though orders must be paid
in full at the time of ordering. Customers will be notified
in early 2010 when the trees arrive. Special order bare-root
trees carry the same bare-root guarantee as our other bare-root
trees. Quantity discounts are available, with a minimum order
of $850.00.
Our monthly Discount Coupons
are now redeemable at both nurseries, and of course, Wyntour
Gardens’ and Red Bluff Garden Center Gift Cards may
be used interchangeably at both nurseries. Great for special
occasions, or just because, our Gift Cards give your favorite
gardeners a chance to get exactly what they want.
SAVE GAS – Order Gift Cards
on-line. We will mail them to the recipient for you.
Thank you for visiting our site. We invite you to check
out all the information within, and hope that you come away
knowing a bit more about your garden, because we have learned
that - -
Gardening
at Elevation
Temperatures in the foothills
surrounding the North State run about 10 degrees cooler than
in the Redding basin during both, summer and winter, which is
a welcome relief during the summer months. Nighttime temperatures
drop significantly. This climate is ideal for plants that require
a definite seasonal pattern and need a specific period of pronounced
winter chill to thrive - such as peonies, lilacs, and flowering
cherry. There are also many blueberries, fruit and nut trees
(requiring 800 hours of chilling time) that will thrive in this
region, which is noted for growing apples, pears, peaches and
cherries. Grapes are another crop that is becoming popular,
with an increasing number of vineyards and small wineries dotting
open hillsides at higher elevations.
For those people living in the foothills surrounding the
Redding area, you are no doubt in Sunset Western
Garden Book's Zone 7, characterized by hot dry
summers and mild but pronounced winters. Temperatures typically
run from 23 degrees down to 9 degrees (daytime or nighttime)
giving the area sharply defined seasons without severe winter
cold or extreme humidity. The normal growing season is from
the middle of May to early October - approximately six weeks
later than in the Redding valley.
We are focusing on elevations above 1800 feet, including
Shingletown, Mount Shasta, Weaverville, Whitmore, and Oak
Run. Climate Zones can vary from Zone 1A to Zone 7, depending
upon the lay of the land and the specific microclimates in
your area. It is most useful to identify your specific climate
zone, as it will help greatly with plant selection and care.
Microclimates
Know your microclimates. It is common for several microclimates
to be located on a single piece of land, causing variations
in temperature and exposure. Cold air falls into low-lying
areas, making lower areas colder than higher ones. Track the
temperatures in different areas of your property. For ideas
on what to plant, observe what is growing in your neighborhood.
Some Good Plants
The most important criteria for plant selection in areas of
higher elevation is to choose cold-loving and deer resistant
plants. Some suggestions are:
Try scattering high-mountain
wildflower mix on large expanses of property.
Rugosa Roses
Japanese Maples (like cooler
temperatures and dappled shade)
Lilacs
Peonies
Daffodils (deer resistant).
Try planting tulips and hyacinths amongst the daffodils,
as the deer will probably stay away from the area.
Avoid frost-sensitive citrus,
unless you have a greenhouse.
Extending the Growing
Season
In the higher elevations, start veggies in a greenhouse or
cold frame about six weeks prior to the last frost date or
purchase started plants. Curb your enthusiasm for planting
outdoors, keeping vegetables in cold frames or greenhouses
as long as possible. Choose cold-hardy varieties, and those
varieties with shorter growing seasons for best results. Harden
off plants before planting outdoors. Creating raised beds
will enable the soil to warm up sooner.
Plastic milk jugs with the bottoms cut out make good individual
cold frames, and are great over young tomatoes, peppers, squash,
and other frost sensitive seedlings. Once temperatures begin
to warm, remove the milk jugs during the day. Replacing the
caps at night increases the heat and humidity in these tiny
micro-climates. Frost Cloth & twinkly lights help on frost
sensitive plants.
Amend your Soil
Here in the North State foothills, there are large areas of
volcanic soil, resulting from the eruption of Mount Lassen.
Volcanic soil provides great drainage, but inferior water
retention.
Volcanic soil is also lacking in nutrients.
In the higher elevations, it is not unusual to find volcanic
soil and basic "Redding red clay" virtually next
to each other in the landscape. Both types of soil will receive
great benefit from amending the soil. We recommend using Bumper
Crop or Paydirt, both excellent soil amendments, full of beneficial
nutrients which will improve soil content.
Mulch
Gravel and/or stones will absorb heat to warm the soil earlier
in the season, and can be used effectively as mulch in garden
beds.
Oh, Deer!
Gardening in the foothills does have its special challenges.
One over-riding complaint is the presence of deer, and the
best thing folks living in the higher altitudes can do is
to learn to live with them. It's not their fault that they
feast on our landscape - we moved into their territory. The
deer have had to learn to live in close proximity to humans
(the rose bushes have definitely been a bonus!). Deer are
creatures of habit. They travel the same trails from one place
to another that they have used for years.
To keep deer away, you must be consistent in your efforts.
Remember that when deer numbers increase and when food becomes
scarce, deer may eat plants that they otherwise avoid, ignore
repellents, and overcome their fear of scare devices. No single
technique may work for keeping deer out of your yard all the
time. For best results, it is recommended that several different
methods of deer repellent are used. Liquid Fence, Deer Scram,
and Bobbex are products that we have tried and carry at Wyntour
Gardens. ScareCrow outdoor animal deterrent is a motion sensitive
device that shoots a long stream of water to frighten the
deer away.
Dogs are a good deterrent if the dog will chase the deer.
Take caution when you have older dogs which may be harmed
by the deer. Deer can become aggressive and charge a less
threatening animal, striking it with its sharp hooves. Dogs
on a chain aren't a threat to the deer, as they soon learn
that the dog can only go to the length of his chain, likewise
a kennel.
Sources for Deer
Fencing:
Benners Gardens www.bennersgardens.com
A mail order company with great product.
Anderson Farm & Yard Supply, 2715 Highway 273, Anderson
365-2707
Local, and always helpful.
Here at Wyntour Gardens, we highly recommend the Sunset
Western Garden Book as the foremost source
of information about gardening in our area. Zones are listed
for every plant in their extensive list, and be sure to refer
to the Plant Selection Guide in
the front for a listing of deer resistant plants and many
other interesting special gardening situations.
Order our GIFT CARDS directly
from our web-site.
No need to leave home to purchase perfect gifts for all
your gardening family and friends.
Receive a FREE gift with your Holiday GIFT CARD purchase
- click for details.
8.Kid's
Corner Special
information and projects for young gardeners.
