Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

Here at Peaceful Valley, we are in the throes of bare-root sales. However, the terms and restrictions for what can and cannot be planted can be confusing, especially for the first time grower.

The first thing to consider is your growing zone. This is a general description of how warm or cold your temperatures get year round. Where people tend to get confused, even experienced growers, is that in the US, there are two different forms of zone charting: The USDA and Sunset Magazine, possibly more. For simplicity, Peaceful Valley employs the USDA chart exclusively.

How, then, can you find, with any certainty, what USDA zone are you in? You can find zone maps in many locations, but even those cannot be as specific as you need. Fortunately, the good folks at the National Gardening Association have put together a searchable zone chart! Simply go here, and enter your zip code. You will get not only your USDA zone, but links to articles pertaining to growing conditions in YOUR area!

Another question many people have is “How many chill hours do I have? What is a chill hour, anyway?” According to Dave Wilson (the company that has supplied the majority of our bare-root trees for nearly a decade, and services many other nurseries around the nation) a chill hour is defined as one hour under 45 degrees Fahrenheit. However, its not always that simple. For every hour over 60 degrees, you have to subtract one hour. There are other, more specific rules (search for Utah Model Chill), but this is a good general guide.

Now, most people don’t sit out with a clipboard and a thermometer every day, calculating chill data. So, to get your approximate number of chill hours, you would go to your local Ag department — they usually have that data. If you are lucky enough to live in California, our wonderful UC system actually has monitoring up and down the state, with not only recent data, but in some cases, going back 5 years — you get a great picture of trends. The website, broken down by county, can be found here.

As always, we are here to help. Our catalog features many different icons to give you an idea of what grows well in warm climates (ideal for areas like Los Angeles), and what grows well in frigid areas, like Nebraska. But remember, we cannot hold shipments until it gets warm enough for you to plant. There is a method called “heeling in”, which allows you to care for your bare root plants until you are able to plant them in their permanent home. The literature we send out with our plants includes that information, but it can be viewed by downloading the .pdf file on the description page of all our bare-root stock.

Good luck, and Happy Planting!

As Christmas and Chanukah inch closer to us, us order department people are getting more and more calls from customers looking for that perfect gift.  Here are some great ideas for that gardener in your life:

• As always, your easiest option is the brand new Gift Gard.   Unlike the old, bulky gift certificates, these gift cards feature a beautiful design, are compact and reloadable, and available in any denomination from $10 up to $500.  They are good for any item we carry, and are redeemable online, over the phone or in our retail store.  And as always, each gift card comes with a gorgeous full color greeting card, which can be customized with your holiday message.
• Garden tools are also a great option, and are easy to buy. We offer a wide variety of tools to fit anyone’s gift budget, from inexpensive trowels (starting at just $9.99) to the long lasting, high quality Stockton Heath long handled spades, shovels and forks (around $70). We even have a nice selection of children’s tools and accessories for that “budding” gardener in your life.
•  Still available (but not for long!) are the long time favorites, the Amaryllis Bulb Gift Kits.  These all-inclusive sets come in a sturdy wooden box, making them easy to wrap or ship.
• While we cannot guarantee, at this point, the exact arrival date, our bare root fruit trees are coming back soon!  Choose from over 100 different varieties, including the hard-to-find 3-in-1s!  Imagine the bounty that will be gathered from a tree bearing three different kinds of fruit!
• Speaking of fruit trees, an essential tool for any harvest is the Long Reach Fruit Picker.  This handy tool extends to add almost 10 feet of reach to get those hard to reach apples and pears.

On anything you order, we can include a personalized, hand written greeting card for just $2.49.  Choose from 11 different styles, or trust us to pick one for you.

As always, if you have any questions in picking out that perfect gift, just give us a call.  We are all happy to help, and we always love receiving Christmas and Chanukah cards from our loyal customers…we always have a wall full of well wishes.  We love getting to know our customers on a more personal level!

Happy Holidays from the Peaceful Valley family!

Jeweled droplets of rain in moonlight,

fall like silent diamonds bouncing off of trees.

Saturation.

Through the window, the branches are weighed down.

Here in a cave of blankets,

I am in bed next to the warm body of my darling.

Meanwhile everything is dying outside.

Tomorrow  – the Sun will be reborn,

dispelling these last traces of encumbered darkness.

And like the vibrant light shown through sacred beads of dew,

I will awake in the new dawn.