April…we’ve missed you!

By Cindy Poore

Love, love, love April. The flowers in our landscapes are bustin’ out all over with blooms and reminding us that everyday is another chance at a more colorful life.

Hope you are making the most of yours.

My tulips under my bedroom window are  a riot of reds and yellows. They don’t usually show their colors until mid- to late April but have been blooming since middle of March. This past winter of warmer than expected weather has given all the plants (and weeds) a jump start.

The warmer weather and nice days inspire people to get out in their yards and enjoy the landscape. Or if the landscape isn’t what you want, now is the perfect time to plan what changes you want to make.

We get really busy this time of year with oodles of calls for landscape designs, installations  and  sometimes just consulting for people who want to do the work themselves and aren’t sure how to get started.

Even if you aren’t sure where and what to do, you can get started on improving your yard and scratching that landscaping itch with some plants in pots. Pots are great for people who want to try their hand at gardening or growing vegetables, but are afraid to make a mistake. Plant

something in a few pots and set them out on the patio and enjoy them for a while. You can plant them in the ground later.

I like to get really big pots  of various shapes and size and put some nice drainage in the bottom. Use some shipping peanuts topped with landscape fabric and then really great soil. Make sure you use the regular peanuts and not the biodegradable kind or they will melt under the soil and your plants will sink.

When planting pots for color, I like to put in a foundation shrub, preferably evergreen. Plant it off center and put some  single color annual or perennial plants and at least one “spiller” near the edge to fill the bare spots. A spiller is a ground cover or plant that will drape over the side of the pot.

Think in contrasting colors. Use a tall heavenly bamboo with the sharp orange of a Gallardia and a  nice gray foliage of Snow-in-Summer for the spiller. This would look stunning in a deep blue pot. Practically a whole landscape in a pot…

Keep your color scheme to only three  main colors. Any more and the whole effect is diffused and distracting. Keep in mind, that freezes are still possible, so protect your new plants for at least another month from freezing, by covering at night or keeping in an area close to the house and with overhead protection.

Call us today

For help with your landscape

 at (760) 868-6104

Spring is nature’s way of saying “Let’s Party!” 

Robin Williams

April Tasks

¤April is when, near the end of the month, you will be safe to trim back your perennials and frost damaged plants. Some of your perennials look a little sad from winter weather (or what little we have  had) and I’m sure you have been itching to get going on this.

¤Those of you that have fruit trees, now is the time to thin out some of the fruit while it is still marble sized. Take out about 1/3 to ½ of the fruit and you will get larger fruit in return.

¤Check your small plants for rabbit damage. Rabbits will eat anything except chain link. Put wire cages or fences around susceptible plants or planters to protect them, at least while they are small.

¤ Spray your weeds in your lawns while they are still young. Dandelions are crazy early this year! We can do it for you. Call us! 760 868-6104

¤ Time to prune back your butterfly bush (buddeladia) but leave the lilacs alone until after blooming unless you have ignored them in the past, then a renewal pruning is ok you will just get less blooms.

¤ Sow vegetable seeds like Swiss chard, carrots, peas and leeks in the ground and sow seeds  for warm weather vegetables  like tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, squash indoors for later transplanting.

Let Us Help You With All Your Landscape Needs

(760)868-6104

Ssssssssst!  Watch out for snakes.

The local paper is reporting that the first snakebite of the season has already happened. Another marker of our early warm weather and short winter. REMEMBER: Constriction injuries are often the most serious part of a snake bite. Loosen or remove the clothing in the affected area of the snake bite, remove ALL jewelry. You will puff up and the damage that the tight clothing or jewelry causes,  could result in loosing a finger or even a limb!

Don’t stick your hand into a bush or debris pile without looking first so you can stay out of trouble altogether.

My Favorite Recipes

   April means Easter is not far off and lots of BBQs and parties coming up. If you want a really easy cookie to serve, try these. From my friend Annabel. I’ve eaten these baked by her hand and they are heavenly.

Really Easy Pecan Puffs

From Annabel O’Leary

½ cup real butter, room temperature

2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup ground pecans

½ tsp vanilla

Dash of salt

Powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients and roll in 1 inch balls. Bake in 300 degree oven for 45 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while hot and again when cold.

Chick Salad

By Cindy Poore

I love to find new ways to put healthy, but tasty in my diet. Try this salad for your next BBQ with grilled fish, chicken, beef or Portabellas.

Salad:

1 15 oz can Chick peas drained

1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 yellow or orange sweet pepper, chopped

2 or 3 chopped Kale leaves

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbs sugar or Stevia to taste

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour over salad. Mix well and serve alone or over a bed of shredded lettuce.