Fall is in the air.  It may not seem like it with the smoke and the temps still in the 90s.  But the days are getting shorter and we know that cooler temperatures and autumn rains are right around the corner.  

You won't want to miss that prime opportunity to get planting.  Fall is the best time to plant in the Rogue Valley.  Especially higher investment plants like shade trees.  There is less stress involved when transplanting them during cool weather and when they have started to go dormant.  We like to define fall as when we start to get some rain, the days have cooled off and are shorter.  That can mean late September or early to mid October.  The Rogue Valley doesn't have the extreme winters of the east coast, so we can enjoy fall planting into November and December when trees and deciduous shrubs are fully dormant.  

Top 5 Reasons for Planting in the Fall~

1.  Cool weather means less stress on the plants (and the gardeners!).

2.  The soil is still warm so root growth continues during the fall months; getting the plant better established for the following summer.

3.  You can plant more drought tolerant plants and have to water them less because they will be more established than a spring planting.  If we have a dry fall, you will still need to water deeply until the rain is more consistent.  

4. You can plant more natives and support wildlife and local habitat.  - Natives will have happier roots with a fall planting.

5.  The soil is easier to work with over the wet soils of spring.  So make the most of those crisp autumn days!

The nursery has a whole series of fall classes to support you in your gardening endeavors.  We are fully stocked for fall, it won't be the dregs left over from summer.   Fall is a great time to add some color or texture to your garden.  Think ornamental grasses, seed heads, and crimson fall leaves.   If you think you need an expert eye on your landscape, contact us about our design and consult services.  Happy Planting!

With these cold winter months ahead many gardeners are eager to get back outside and work on projects. Bare Root Fruit tree season is here!  So many great varieties of fruit trees are available this time of year that become harder to find during the rest of the growing season. While we carry all of the classic favorites like apples, cherries and pears, we also bring in some in some unusual fruit trees such as persimmon, walnuts, and Chinese Jujube.  

Most people prefer to grow fruit varieties they are more familiar with, like ones they purchase at the store (Pink lady Apples, Santa Rosa Plums). While these varieties are popular for good reason, consider planting a lesser known fruit tree like the ‘Chocolate’ Persimmon or a Mulberry. You’ll never find them at the store- often because they aren’t bred for a long shelf life.  So, you can enjoy unique flavors right from your yard!  

The non-astringent ‘Chocolate’ Persimmon has bright orange skin and brown flesh, thus it’s reference to chocolate.  The fruits form and color late in fall and resemble lanterns hanging from the tree after leaf drop. Letting the fruits freeze on the tree a few times before harvest is recommended to enhance sweetness. The rare ‘Chocolate’ variety has a hint of nutmeg spice along with the sweet flavor.

Mulberries you will almost never see at a store or even a farmer’s market because they are best picked ripe from the tree and tend to get juice down your arms in the process.   But they are worth the mess- with a flavor and look similar to blackberries, but almost more complex.  They have elongated black fruits and can make a large bush or small tree that could be hedged.  Just plant it far away from the family vehicle.  We carry the variety 'Black Beauty' which is hardy to Zone 7.

One confusing topic when it comes to fruit trees is pollination. Fruit trees are either self-fertile or they require a pollinator. If a tree is self-fertile that means that it will produce fruit on its own without the help of another tree. If a tree requires a pollinator than you need to plant two or more varieties of that species that are compatible.  There are several pollination charts out there to reference.  Our fruit tree descriptions tell you if they are self-fertile or need a pollinator.

Example: A Granny Smith apple is self-fertile as well as a pollinator for the ever-popular Fuji apple. They would make a great pair! One type being sour and one sweet.  But even if a fruit tree is self-fertile, it will set more fruit with other fruit trees of the same species nearby. Don’t stress too much about how close they are to each other, bees are pretty good at traveling. The important point is that diversity is a good thing .Growing fruit is a rewarding experience. It allows you to share food that you’ve grown with friends and family. It’s important to grow fruit that you not only like but will also use. You would be surprised how fruitful a couple of trees can be once they mature.

What if I am limited in space? You’re not alone: if you would like to grow more varieties than your space will allow there is a way. One solution is to plant genetic dwarfs like the ‘Dwarf Empress' Peach or 'Golden Prolific' Nectarine. These compact trees only reach about 5’ tall and wide, while still producing a healthy amount of tasty fruit! Another solution is to use a technique called espaliered pruning. This allows you to control the size and form of your trees. Espaliered trees are also a very beautiful way to incorporate fruit trees into your landscape and garden space

Be sure to pre register for any upcoming classes you are interested in.  Many of them have limited spaces and the fruit tree classes are always popular.  Looking forward to seeing you!

 You can also see descriptions of most our fruiting trees and shrubs here.  Our availability is always listed here.

When we plant berry bushes, we look forward to picking handfuls of luscious berries all summer long. To achieve that, it's best to get your pruning and cleaning up of your berry patch done now. I love late winter for pruning- most leaves have dropped so you can see what you are doing and nothing is actively growing so no damage is done.   

LEFT PHOTO: Here is a 'before' photo of a blackberry patch that has been in the ground for 4 years or so. Notice there is a lot of growth from the previous summer.

Prune out the dull-colored, more hollow stems that fruited this past summer, and any small scraggly stems. Choose 3-5 main, healthy new stems that were the new growth from this past summer. These will be green in color. Train them up to be your fruit-producing canes for this summer.  

RIGHT PHOTO: Here is what it looks like after removing the spent canes. It's actually fairly simple to prune blackberries once you know what to look for.