Ellen Solomon is a gardener, certified arborist, horticulturist and garden designer in Grass Valley. She has a degree in environmental horticulture from Sierra College.
If you plan to attend, you must register soon! Call 530-272-4769 x106
The cost is $10. Participants will also receive a 10% off coupon for use in the store.
A PVFS Customer Email – With Staff Response
Question:
Hi,
I’m thinking of ordering a couple of fig trees (Desert king / Osborne Prolific), persimmon (Fuyu) and grapes (Interlaken). Do you know long it will take for them to start fruiting?
Thanks
Answer:
Regarding the Fig and Persimmon trees, it’s possible that they will fruit the 1st year for the Fig and 2nd for the Persimmon. It is better for the trees if you do not allow them to fully fruit out the first couple years so the tree will use it’s resources to establish a healthy root system. If they put out very much fruit the first couple years pick most of it off.
The grapes will possibly fruit by the 2nd year, again you want the first couple years focused on the root system for longevity and higher, healthier yields later on. Plus all this has variables related to the health of your soil and placement of the trees and vines. Southern exposure with full sun will fruit out the grapes faster.
Hope this helps. Thank you for your interest.
If you haven’t been to Peaceful Valley Farm Supply nursery you really must come and check it out. There is a plant here that is my new “favorite” plant! They are carrying a Silverberry Fruitlandii (Elaeagnus pungens) that has the most surprising fragrance. In fact it’s hard to tell where that smell is coming from! It actually reminds me of Hawaii! The flowers are small and somewhat hidden at the base of the shrub.. probably the last place you’d look for flowers, but that SMELL will keep you looking! The leaves have the two tone leaf color, gray/silver undersides and olive green top. It’s in it’s prime now so you have one last summer hold out that makes you lift your head and breathe deep… ummmmm! It can be pruned to various bush type shapes or allowed to go wild and shoot up toward the sky, well anywhere from 6 – 12 feet high that is. This is a hardy shrub that stands up to very dry conditions. So plant it in places your hose can’t reach. Plant it now and the fall and winter rains will help get it established in it’s new home.
Of course, there’s lots more to see and choose from. Native plants, vegetable starts, trees, bulbs, annual and perennial flowers even cacti. Come see what’s growing here at Peaceful Valley Farm Supply just waiting for a happy home to live out it’s life.
A PVFS Customer Email – with Staff response.
Question:
I used a 50lb bag of budget soil builder mix last year but only plan to use 1/2 that amount this year and would like to know if I can store the unused amount along with the unused amount of the innoculant for the following year if it would be ok.
The other question I have is on the mini perennial clover-grass mix (SCM750) and the low-growing clover mix (SCM700). Which one would be a better long term use with the least amount of care and how much water should I expect to give them and how tall should I let them grow before mowing them. I have pretty light sandy soil where my fruit tress are planted and I plan to use one of these produts in between my fruit trees to keep the dust down and leave the area around the trees rototilled. Thank you.
Answer:
The seed should be fine if you store it in a cool, dry place. You should purchase new inoculant next year, however.
Both the low growing clover and the mini clover-grass mix are good choices as far as low maintenance. It just depends on whether you want some grass as well as the clover. They are both perennial mixes, so you should expect to water regularly (the frequency and length of time really depends on how fast draining your sandy soil is. Keep in mind that the trees like deeper watering, you might consider sprayers for between the trees and soakers around the dripline of the trees). Once established, you can mow after about 4″. Fall would be the best time to plant.
Hope that helps and thank you for growing organically!