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Beautiful Plants and Inspired Designs since 1954

Dear Friends of Anderson's La Costa,

Happy Summer!

Just as we hoped for - the sun is shining! We hope you had a fabulous 4th of July and are enjoying this beautiful summer weather. At the nursery, we continue to receive gorgeous flowering plants, amazing pottery, fountains, and wooden furniture, and our staff are ready to help you. We've got a few specials for you to take advantage of this month, so don't delay.

20% Off

Bamboo & Staked Vines

Dracaena (Indoor Greenhouse)

A fantastic sale featuring plants that provide privacy, flowers, foliage, and will brighten up your indoor or outdoor space. Specials are good through the end of July.

Thank you to everyone who attended our "Midsummer Night's Dream" Sip, Paint & Plant event on the last Wednesday of June. It was our best-attended event yet! What a beautiful and fun night it was.

A special thank you to Kathleen, our beloved Coconut Mommy host, who guided everyone through their painting and decoupage project. Thank you to our sponsors who provided great snacks and sips, and to all of you for coming and spending an evening under the twinkling lights and stars in the garden.

Next up, you'll find Steven's awesome summer write-up with tips and plants to look out for, followed by Mid-Summer Gardening Tips.

Happy Glorious Summer! We hope you'll visit and enjoy all the plants that are in bloom right now, the birds chirping all day long, the butterflies and bees, and our lovely four-legged friends who also frequent the nursery.

And yes, we still have milkweed...

Warmest summer wishes,

Your Anderson's La Costa Team ~ Steven, Manny, Hanna, Tandy, June, Courtney, Julie, Madeline, Zoe, Josh, Marc, and Mariah

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What's New at the Nursery

...by Steven Froess

Hello Newsletter Subscribers,

Summer is officially here, and so is the July newsletter. The weather was very pleasant this spring, and I hope it continues into summer. Cool mornings followed by sunny days with a gentle breeze make me happy to live in Southern California. Besides, with a twelve-month growing season, we have some of the most diverse plant varieties you'll find anywhere.

Gardening in the summer happens early in the morning and late into the evening for me to avoid working in the heat of the day. Having planted most of my warm-season vegetables in April, I'm starting to harvest the earliest crops. I've already enjoyed several excellent cucumbers (Japanese are my favorite), zucchini, and peppers. The tomatoes and green beans are coming soon, and I'm still harvesting blueberries.

It's time for the next round of fertilizer to keep these plants producing for many more months. As I've mentioned before, I recommend the balanced Agrowinn 4-4-6. I've also recently been using E.B. Stone Ultra Bloom 0-10-10 to promote better fruiting, and I've noticed a difference from previous years without it. The health and productivity of a plant reflect the care and condition of the soil in which it's growing. Speaking of, let's talk about soil and watering...

Irrigation is essential during the summer, especially for newly planted plants. Proper watering can determine the success or failure of most landscapes. Make sure to water your new plants regularly, sometimes daily, ensuring the initial root ball and surrounding soil receive adequate moisture (roots won't grow into dry soil). I recommend watering early in the morning so the plants can use the water throughout the day.

Different soil types and slopes determine how often and at what rate water should be applied. Sandy soils absorb water quickly but don't retain it well, requiring frequent fertilization. Sandy soils can be improved by continually adding compost and organic matter. Clay soils absorb water more slowly but retain it for longer periods, which can cause problems due to the lack of oxygen in the soil. Plant roots struggle to penetrate this dense soil, resulting in slower plant growth. Clay soils take much longer to improve, so I recommend adding gypsum and chunky organic matter, such as compost with bark, lava rock, and other similar materials.

This covers only two basic soil types, but there are many more and, of course, combinations of soils as well. When you understand the type of soil you have, selecting plants and managing irrigation become much easier. Next, it's time to talk about plants!

The summer weather wakes up many plants that only actively grow in warmer conditions. Most of these plants come from much warmer or tropical regions. Examples include Breynia (Hawaiian snow bush), Ixora (thrives in tropical sun and shade), Acalypha (vibrant foliage), Hedychium (fragrant flowering ginger), Mandevilla/Dipladenia (steady bloomers), Tecoma (blooming nearly year-round), and Plumeria (fragrant flowers), among others. One advantage of growing these plants is that during summer months, you will have a continual refresh of flowers and colorful foliage.

This year marks the debut of a new Dipladenia called 'Bluphoria', featuring purple flowers. We have them at the nursery while quantities last. It’s a continuous bloomer, great for containers, and a beautiful new color.

The Proven Winner brand has been a hit in its return this year - they have some good genetics in the plants they breed. Noteworthy summer bloomers include Evolvulus 'Blue my mind' (compact, striking blue flower), Calylophus 'Ladybird sunglow' (bright yellow flowers, larger than normal Calylophus), Gomphrena 'Pink truffula' (great for butterflies!), and Euphorbia 'Diamond frost' (fluffy with tons of white flowers).

Plumeria has just arrived, mostly budded in many different varieties. We received a limited delivery of 5-gallon Leucospermum (Don's Red, California Sunshine, and High Gold) available for a short time. Ceanothus 'Marie Simon' is a unique hybrid with pink flowers.

Salvia 'Danielle's Dream' is a gorgeous, light pink-flowering version of Mexican sage. Monkey flower (Mimulus, now Diplacus) is blooming nicely in various colors, as well as the butterfly favorite Echinacea (a.k.a. cone flower). The flowering plants just keep coming in!

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fruit, vegetables, and herbs from your edible garden. Check out the before-and-now pictures of our nursery garden below. That growth is in just one month!

Passion fruit vines are now 20% off, as are all staked vines this month.

Don't miss the Indoor Greenhouse, stocked with the best and most beautiful tropical greenhouse-grown plants, including 20% off Dracaenas.

Marc and I just picked up a big load of new cactus, cactus-looking euphorbia, and drought-tolerant plants for the nursery. Cool, structural elements you'll love that'll make a statement in your low-water landscape.

I hope you have a wonderful month of July, whether you are taking a much-needed summer vacation or staying here to enjoy our amazing Southern California summer.

Please visit us to see all that is in bloom and to enjoy the shade from our ficus trees and non-stop relief from a gentle ocean breeze. I look forward to seeing you at the nursery soon.

Your Local Horticulturalist,

Steven

Mid-Summer Gardening Tips

As we find ourselves in the middle of summer, it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your garden. Take a peek to see if there's anything that might need some attention, or simple chores like watering and deadheading, that can be done in the early, cool mornings or later into the evening. Regardless, now is the time to reap what you've sown - if not literally, then figuratively! Enjoy the fruit of your labor. However, if you are inclined to poke around in your garden, here are a few midsummer reminders:

Watering and pest control will be your main tasks this month. Remember the basics: Water in the early morning, and water the soil to the extent of the radius of the leaves, and not the leaves themselves. Water deeply and occasionally, rather than shallow and frequently.

It is important to water plants deeply during the hottest days of summer. To continue reading Mid-Summer Gardening Tips, click here.