AUGUST 2018Serving You Since 1955

981 Alden Lane, Livermore, CA • www. aldenlane.com • (925) 447-0280

RemindeR!!It’s Time to Redeem Bonus Dollars this Month!

Each spring you earn Bonus Dollars with your purchases at Alden Lane Nursery and in August they are redeemable. In order to accommodate summer vacations, the redemption time will include the whole month of August and through Labor Day, September 3rd. So bring those green bonus dollars in and save.

They are redeemable for up to 1/2 the value of your purchase. If you earned $20 you could apply them to a $40 purchase and get 1/2 Off for instance. Bonus Dollars don’t expire! If you didn’t participate with us this spring don’t despair! The program has been so well received we will do it each April and May.

Your bonus dollars may be applied to all purchases except sod, sale items, multiple priced merchandise and special orders. Not valid with other discounts or coupons. Sales limited to stock on hand. Not redeemable for cash. Select yOur purchaSeS carefully, all BONuS DOllar SaleS are fINal.

Catapult your roses into fall bloom with this feeding recipe. Livermore rose expert Dave Lowell inspired this feeding program and it works wonders. First, use only if your roses are well established (planted for at least six months). ALWAYS water your plants deeply and thoroughly the day before feeding. Feed during the cool of the day. Avoid feeding on an extra hot day. Lightly work ingredients into the soil around the rose if possible.

Sprinkle around each rose:1/2 cup bone meal ...............................(5 pounds feeds 18 roses)1/2 cup E.B. Stone Organics 5-5-5 .....(5 pounds feeds 18 roses)1/2 cup Iron Sulfate or GreenAll Soil Sulfur (Granulated Sulfur) ........................(5 pounds feeds 18 roses)1/2 cup Gypsum ..................................(5 pounds feeds 18 roses)2 tablespoons Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) ..................(1.25 pounds feeds 18 roses)1 shovel full of chicken fertilizer .....(1 cubic foot feeds 9 roses)

After you’ve fed the roses, be sure to soak them. Never use in conjunction with systemic rose foods. The combination of bone meal and systemic rose foods pose a serious health risk to pets.

dave’s Rose Program Gives Your Roses Autumn Beauty

Win An Italian Terracotta Pot & Soil

18" TERRACOTTA POT & SOILAugust 2018

Name: _____________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________________

Email: ______________________________________________

Yes, I would like to receive the newsletter online.

This will get you ready to plant almost anything!

  1 – 18" Terra Cotta Rolled Rim Pot  1 – 2 cu. ft. bag of Professional Potting SoilA $74.98 valueNo purchase necessary. Need not

be present to win. Drawing to be held 8/31/18.

Simply fill out the entry blank below and drop it at the nursery.

Alden After Hours!!! Summer Art Series

It’s an OutDOOr paINt party! Our subject for August is

“Sunny Sunflower”.

No artistic talent needed – just a spirit to try and the ability to have fun!

Join us thursday, august 9th from 6 to 8 p.m. at the outdoor inspirational studio of Alden Lane Nursery. Create a beautiful 2' x 2' acrylic painting suitable to display in

your garden, fence or patio. You will receive a specially constructed cement board “canvas”, acrylics and artistic instruction to blossom into your inner artist. Come and have a great time with friends and go

home with a custom piece of art worthy to brag about!

AND – There will be snacks, a glass of wine (soda or water available) and music to paint by!

Please bring yourself, your friends, and wear clothes you can get paint on. The cost is $49.00 plus tax per person. You must be 21 years young. Please contact our Alden Lane Cashiers to reserve your space today at (925) 447-0280. Space is limited and reservations taken until August 7th.

Announcements• Watch the Valley Gardener on TV30

for great gardening tips with host Jacquie Williams- Courtright at 7:30 am & 1:30 p.m. Monday - Friday and repeated on Saturday at 7:30 & 11:00 am, and 1:30 pm & Sun. at 7:30 & 11:00 am, and 1:00 & 4:00 pm. View online at tv30.org.

• Thelivermore amador Valley Garden club starts their club calendar with a meeting on September 13 at 7pm. The meeting takes place at Alisal School, 1454 Santa Rita Rd., Pleasanton. Currently the speaker for this first meeting is not confirmed but you may check the web site at lavgc.org for more info. Visitors welcome.

• TheMt. Diablo rose Society will meet Wednesday, September 12th at the Dublin Library, 200 Civic Plaza, Dublin at 7:30 p.m. You can listen to tom carruth talk about his body of hybridizing work in a talk tentatively titled “The Little Soulieana Seedling That Could”.

• Bonsai club meetings: 3rd Saturday of each month – 2 p.m. at Alden Lane Nursery. Come one, come all!

• fremont Garden club meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month February – October. Guest speakers, field trips, Annual Garden Tea. For more information go to fremontgardenclub.org or email fremontgardenclub98@gmail.com.

• attention rose lovers! Our 2019 Rose Pre-Order program will begin on Sept. 1st. Check out the offerings on the web or drop by for a list. By pre-ordering and paying you will enjoy a 15% discount. The program begins on September 1st and ends December 1st. The Annual Rose Show will be held the weekend of October 13th and 14th at Alden Lane Nursery. All are welcome and encouraged to enter and share their lovely roses, so mark your calendars. Watch the Newsletter for further information.

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Keep after tomato hornworms and petunia budworms with another application of Monterey B.T. It’s an effective, safe environmental control.

Don’t forget your citrus! In order to get bumper crops feed lemons, oranges and other citrus monthly with Master’s Citrus Food. Remember to water the day befo r e applying fertilizers. Also avoid feeding or treating on extra hot days.

Is your garden suffering from the summer blahs? Perk it up with colorful petunias, marigolds, vinca and dahlias!

Invest in spring. Plant delphiniums, Columbine, Foxglove, Canterbury Bells, Carnations, Shasta Daisies from six packs now.

Keep those flowerbeds neat and blooming! Deadhead (re-move all old flowers). Cut back leggy petunias. Fertilize with Master Rose and Flower Food to encourage more flowers.

Keep your harvest coming! Feed with Master’s Tomato & Vegetable Food every 3 to 4 weeks.

Sow flower seeds. Many wildflowers and spring blooming annuals grow from seeds scattered now. Try California Poppy, Bachelor Button, and Alyssum. Also plant biennials such as hollyhock from seed now.

Hard to believe but it’s time to start planting winter vegetables from seed! The cabbage family members, root crops, and leafy vegetables such as broccoli, beets, carrots, radishes, onions, spinach and chard are ready to be planted this month from seed. Farmers in the valley are planting winter vegetable crops from seed this month. Planting from seed now allows for a deep, established root system and a very long growing season resulting in larger harvests. Starter plants are available in mid-September.

Start working now to prevent fall weeds. Apply Bonide Weed Preventer plus Lawn Food. This product does a great job of creating a protective barrier to prevent the pesky annual bluegrass. If you plan to reseed your lawn next month, delay this application.

Sunflowers are extremely easy to grow from seed in our area and those planted now will sprout and bloom by fall. This is one of the secrets of sunflowers. They make a great fall display. Choose from several varieties.

August is a great time to refresh summer scorched Japanese Maples. Snip off crispy leaves even if it means deleafing the plant. Feed with Dyna-Gro Protekt. In four weeks to the day your maple will look Spring refreshed. Just in time for the new leaves to color for fall.

Save the Date for Orchids 101!

Saturday, august 25th from 10-11:30 a.m.!Are your orchids looking bedraggled, leaving you befuddled, and a little

bummed out? Behold! We have solutions that will leave you beaming and your orchids on the way to blooming! Our orchid expert Sue will teach you to understand the language of orchids and nudge you on the way to being an orchid whisperer. It is amazing what a little practical information (hands on – not from books or video) can do for your confidence in dealing with orchid issues.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just requires a basic understanding of where they come from and their needs – just like any other plant. But

they are NOT just any other plant. They are extraordinary in their variety and beauty! So join us, and ask questions to your hearts content. You are also invited to bring in a plant or two that you have questions about. The cost is $15.00, and bring a friend for free. Sign up with our Alden Lane Cashiers today! Call (925) 447-0280.

Being Mindful and in the Moment . . . Houseplants can Help!

Being mindful or present in the moment seems easy. But it’s not. There are many distractions, for example stress at work, in our relationships, in the news and so on. Studies show practicing mindfulness produces a variety of physical, psychological and social benefits. “In today’s fast-paced world, taking time to center yourself, quiet your thoughts and live in the moment should be something we regularly make time for,” says Justin Hancock, garden expert at Costa Farms, in Florida. “Thinking about something as simple as caring for a houseplant calms your mind.” Keeping indoor plants in the home and office connects us to nature. Plus, there are multiple scientific studies that prove proximity to plants reduces stress, increases productivity, and even helps you heal and sleep better. Make houseplants an integral part of your daily routine for your own peace of mind and part of your healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to see our deep selection of houseplants.(excerpt from an article by Costa farms, FL 2018)

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Just a Taste of What’s New at Alden Lane!Celebrate the beach and those elusive sea creatures, mermaids. We

have new ceramic mugs, trays, plates and bowls with a beautiful mermaid on them.

Also in ceramic trays, mugs, bowls and plates is our new horse themed collection. They make great gifts for horse lovers.

We have new candles from rosy rings that smell delicious and look beautiful with dried botanicals.

Reversible children’s hats are back in stock from flapjack Kids. They come in different sizes and many different themes and colors. They are cuter then a bug’s ear

and protect your kids from the sun! August is the perfect month to add a

little water feature to your garden. We have lots of elegant fountainettes that are under three feet tall and less than 18" wide. Come and check our stock today!

Fairy Garden Workshop (and Dinosaurs, too!)Saturday, august 4th, 10 to 11:30 am

cost is $38.00 plus tax.put some creative fuN into your life and

join us in making a fairy Garden (or Dinosaur Habitat).

This miniature garden comes with a 10" terracotta pot, an assortment of outdoor miniature plants of your choice, soil, and a wonderland of colored gravels, stones, jewels, logs, trees for swings, rocks, shells, mosses – and of course, a fairy chair (or 2 dinosaurs).

We have lots of pictures for inspiration, and other tempting miniature accessories for sale.

This is a great parent-grandparent/child activity, or get a bunch of your friends together for some Fairy bonding fun. No matter what, we guarantee a good time! Fairy Dust included!

Call our cashiers at Alden Lane (925) 447-0280. We can only take paid reservations, as space is limited.

Mark Your Calendars!

Saturday & Sunday, September 22nd & 23rd • 9 am - 4 pmEach year Quilting in the Garden at Alden Lane Nursery is a showcase for the amazing art of quilting.

Hundreds of quilts from celebrated artists and the quilting community are hung for display throughout the nursery. Our enormous and beautiful heritage oaks serve as both support structure and background for this wonderful 2-day display of color. The quilts go up by 9:00 each morning supported by dozens of quilt lines. Quilts come down each night.

Every year the show features a well-known quilter and a guest artist. • Thisyearourfeatured artist is eleanor Burns. Eleanor Burns

introduced her first Quilt in a Day book over 30 years ago and has been making an impact in the quilting world ever since. She sought to bring the tradition of quilt making to a new audience with her innovative techniques. They sped the time required to successfully complete a project. Her aptitude for writing instructions that were concise and easy to understand made her books popular. It is not surprising these abilities further lent themselves to a long career of teaching in person and on TV. She has had additional success by developing her own fabric lines and special edition sewing machines. Alden Lane is thrilled to have Eleanor Burns as our featured artist for our 2018 Quilting in the Garden. Eleanor will be teaching on friday, September 21, 2018 from 9 am to 4 pm. The class she is offering is called Mexican Star. Please call the Nursery at (925) 447-0280 if you are interested in signing up.

Guest Artists exhibiting in the Greenhouse:•park Bench Stories by leni levenson Wiener consist of 39 pieces

that represent people who have come to sit on a park bench at some point during a day, a week, or longer. The bench is implied until the very last piece in the exhibition, which shows the empty bench. Until that point, viewers are invited to imagine for themselves the bench and its location. The interactive connection makes this a good exhibition for school groups, writers’ groups as it inspires viewers to create their own stories based on the pieces. Those interested in fiber art, art quilts or the psychology of body language also find this an intriguing exhibition.

•Gail Sims: Art has always been a part of my life. In my earlier years, one of my closest neighbors was the Brooklyn Museum which provided hours of exposure to art in most of it's forms. The Botanical Gardens and Prospect Park were sanctuaries of beauty and peace in the midst of high rise apartment buildings. As I studied mathematics, there was always an art class involved somewhere to rest my brain. Over the years, my journey has encompassed many art forms from painting to pottery, textiles in weaving, yarn, dying and paint-ing on cloth, and now, full circle to painting with wax (Encaustics) on boards and paper. My hope is to draw the viewer into my journey. I hope to make someone ponder, smile, find the combination of color, value, shape or design pleasing. My ultimate goal is that the viewer is as satisfied with the end product as I am.

•Out of the Box’ers exhibit: The Out of the Box’ers Friendship group is part of the Amador Valley Quilt Guild. We strive to improve our skills

creating art quilts. In the past four years we challenged ourselves creating 12" by 15" quilts with themes drawn from our notorious secret box! Each person interprets the word or phrase as they wish. We hope you enjoy the display.

Watering Tips for A Hot SummerAugust sun can be merciless – beating down heat. While we can escape to the house and hide

with air conditioning and fans (as long as the electricity stays on!) the plants cannot. å Any plant . . . but especially newly planted ones . . . will appreciate having water right near

by. å Be ready to water new plants daily, give them a

good thorough soaking, making sure their root balls get wet from their tops to their toes. å Building a berm or basin around each plant

is especially helpful. You can see the difference between those that do have a basin and those that don’t after just a few weeks. Those that have a basin – flourish. å Use these guidelines for building a basin around your plants. A basin

which holds one gallon of water for one gallon size plants; five gallons of water for five gallon size plants; and 15 gallons of water for 15 gallon size plants.

Come and make a

FELTED BOWLSaturday, august 18th from 1:30 to 3 pm.

Join us and learn the ancient art of “felting” with a contemporary twist! We will be crafting a pot using raw materials,

including dyed wool (many colors available), and shaping the bowl over a stationary form for a unique, one of a kind rounded 6 x 4" container. This creative art will be taught by our own Scottish craftswoman, ruth haddow, who has taught many of our staff felting techniques.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to learn this wonderful

skill! The cost for this class is only $30.00+ tax, and all materials and instruction are provided.

Though the project is primarily for adults, interested children 10 and up are welcome to join us. Please sign up by Wednesday, August 15th with our Alden Lane Cashiers by calling (925) 447-0280. Prepayment is required to reserve your space.

FRUIT TREE PRE-ORDER

Take advantage of our 2019 pre-Order fruit tree program

that runs until November 5th. Select from our fruit tree, grape and berry

list, pre-order, pre-pay and enjoy a20% DIScOuNt.

Plants will be available for pickup the end of January. Stop by and pick up the Fruit Tree

list or check out our website for details.

Recipe for Good Garden Soil!Good Garden Soil Starts Here!! For each 100 square feet add:

10 cubic ft. of soil conditioner: Master Gold Rush or Bumper Crop ® (5 - 8 bags). 5 lbs. Iron Sulfate to acidify and add iron. 10 lbs. Master Vegetable Food or Master Flower Food, Master Formula 49 can be used for ground covers. 40 lbs. Gypsum. It loosens hard soils as it adds sulfur & calcium. (An excellent addition in our heavy soil.)

Mix well with your soil to an 8" depth and water well.

If you are preparing a vegetable garden now or just dreaming about it, it’s still a great time to improve the soil. Follow our “Recipe” to improve the texture and fertility of your little piece of earth. This should be a part of your vegetable garden routine 1 to 2 times a year. Amend the valley soils to give your plants their best opportunity for growth. Keep this recipe handy for your planting needs.

Brilliantly Flowered Tropical Hibiscus Just Say “Summer”!

One of the most stunning tropical bloomers is the hibiscus. This dazzling beauty is a native of the Pacific Islands and Asia and a member of the Mallow (malvaceae) family. Hibiscus come in thousands of solid and combination colored flowers, but there is not true black or blue color in its range. The blossom size ranges from 2" upwards toward 10" or more. The flowers are available singles and doubles. It is the national flower of Malaysia and the variety H. rosa-sinensis is the state flower of Hawaii. Interest in the hibiscus started around the turn of the century with strong interest developing in California, Florida, Australia and New Zealand. The American Hibiscus Society formed in the 1950’s to track and name all the varieties that could be found.

The chinese or tropical hibiscus (H.rosa-sinensis) is one of the showiest flowering shrubs. Although it needs protection here in the Tri-Valley area, it can thrive on a covered patio or in containers so it can be moved during cold weather. Position it against a southern or western facing wall in the winter so that it will benefit from the warmth after the sun has gone down. Even the hardiest varieties need the protection of a patio or roof overhang because of our freezing temperatures in the winter. Protect it from the very hot afternoon sun during the summer. H. rosa-sinensis has glossy foliage and depending on the variety it has either a loose and open growth pattern or a dense compact one. Color range includes white through pink, salmon, red, yellow, apricot to orange. They like to be kept moist but not wet. In the summer a layer of mulch around the plant will help maintain consistent moisture in the soil. If your hibiscus is in a container feed it twice monthly from April to mid September to keep it in the best shape. Do not feed after that to allow the foliage to harden for the winter ahead.

Another member of the hibiscus family is more tolerant of colder temperatures. Hibiscus syriacus or rose of Sharon is also called Shrub althaea. This blooming beauty is deciduous and can reach a height of 10 to 12 feet. It is available in either single or double flowers and has many named varieties. Rose of Sharon is more drought tolerant than the Tropical Hibiscus. For larger flowers, during the winter months prune back the previous season’s growth to two buds.

Top Five Perennial Picks for Sunny SpacesBeard tongue (Penstemon sp.) – Elegant and reliable; valued by gardeners for

their spires of foxglove-like flowers. Outstanding color varieties make it difficult to choose just one. Our favorites: ‘Garnet,’ ‘Sour Grapes,’ ‘Firebird,’ and ‘Apple Blossom.’ Hummingbirds aren’t choosy, they like them all. They will perform all summer with regular deadheading, full sun & good garden soil.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia ‘Indian Summer’) – By planting in good garden soil with great drainage, you will enjoy reliable bloom year after year. They are very tolerant of our hot, dry summers. Rudbeckias produce copious quantities of brown-centered yellow daisies for 2-3 months with their seed heads providing another element of winter landscape interest. Combine with Russian sage and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ for a great look that is low maintenance.

Gaura lindheimeri – Gaura means “superb” and it really is. Imagine tall, loose wands of pinkish white stars, dancing on the wind. From spring to fall, this plant will flourish on a hot, dry slope, and in many other water restricted sites. Blended with other perennials, it serves as a softening agent for brighter colors. Give it a full season to establish. Choose ‘Blushing Butterflies,’ ‘Siskiyou Pink,’ and white ‘Whirling Butterflies.’

lavender (Lavendula sp.) These heat-of-summer bloomers produce fra-grant flower spikes that you’ll love. Their lavender blue flowers are great for dry arrangements, or may be made into aromatic stove-top potpourri simply by boiling. Cool the water, strain; use as counter top cleaner. Different varieties range in height from 18" to 3' with equal spread. Best selections are ‘Hidcote,’ ‘Munstead,’ ‘Dentata candicans,’ and Spanish varieties. Well-drained soil is essential.

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) – This distinctive salvia says, “look at me!” Attractive gray and white fuzzy leaves boast long, arching stems with velvety, deep violet flowers from summer to first frost. One of the larger salvias at 2-3'. Dried flowers retain their color in arrangements. Easy to establish with deep infrequent watering, ordinary soil, and good drainage. Cold hardy to 25 degrees.

981 Alden LaneLivermore, CA 94550

(925) 447-0280 aldenlane.com

Nursery Hours8:30 to 6:00 Daily

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SPECIAL COUPONPresent This Coupon & A Canned Food Item

TO RECEIVE FREE

Food Donations are Optional. All donations go to local relief agencies. One coupon per family, please!

Offer Good August 1-31, 2018.

One Bonus Dollarto use on any

merchandise purchase of $2.00 or more.

SaMple