Living Green Nursery

New Website

2011-03-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

The brand new Living Green Nursery website is up and running! There you can sign up for classes, find out more informatin about all the services we offer, and find out what's new in the garden.

Check it out at livinggreennursery.com

ROSE CARE CLASS

2011-02-23T05:29:00.000-08:00

This Weekend!, Saturday 2/26 10am
Celeste Wheeler of EB Stone comes to LG
to teach us about....
Pruning
Planting
Feeding
Mulching
Disease Control
Insect Control
Celeste will demystify rose care and share full insights that will help you to make your rose garden stunning!

This is a free seminar, however seating is limited to we ask you to RSVP to events@livinggreennursery.com or call (949)768-4733

This is one you don't want to miss!

Celeste is currently working with various Rose Society's throughout Southern California maintaining both public and AARS test Rose Gardens. She is a member of the Pacific Rose Society and California Coastal Rose Society and helps maintain several Rose Gardens throughout Southern California including, the Tournament of Roses Rose Garden in Pasadena, AARS test garden Carlsbad and the Magee Rose Garden to name a few.
Visit www.livinggreennursery.com for
events, classes, and store specials.
Our new site will be up by March 10th!

New Arrivals!

2011-02-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

Spring is just around the corner and lots of wonderful plants are arriving at Living Green Nursery. We're proud to offer unique plants that are ideally suited to California's Mediterranean climate. These plants are easy to grow and don't need lots of water, fertilizer or maintenance. (plant descriptions courtesy of San Marcos Growers).

Chorizema 'Bush Flame' (Flame Pea) - An evergreen plant with arching to semi erect sprays of brilliant orange and pink pea flowers with some bloom almost the year around and peak flowering from fall through early spring. 'Bush Flame' to 2 to 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide or wider with bright green heart shaped leaves. Grow in sun to light shade with good drainage. Best with water during dry periods. This plant prefers neutral to acidic well-drained soils. Excellent for rockeries, borders, large pots and will climb if given support. Frost hardy to low 20°s F. Chorizema 'Bush Flame' is a vigorous hybrid. It is reported to be a cross between the Heart Leafed Flame Pea, Chorizema cordatum and C. varium, which is actually considered to be a form of the Holly Flame Pea, Chorizema ilicifolium. It is a Koala Blooms University of California Santa Cruz 2002 Plant Introduction.

Chorizema 'Bush Flame' (Flame Pea)

Hardenbergia violacea 'Canoelands' (Purple Vine Lilac) - An evergreen vine that climbs by twining stems to 12-16 feet with simple linear leaves, that are narrower and more squared at the tip that the more common 'Happy Wanderer' but have the same pinkish purple flowers with chartreuse spot in center in winter through spring - this variety flowers longer than Happy Wanderer and we have heard reports that it can still be in flower as late as early June while the more common 'Happy Wanderer finishes up in late March. Plant in sun or light shade in hot inland areas. Requires little water once established.

Hardenbergia violacea 'Canoelands' (Purple Vine Lilac)

Erica x darleyensis 'Arthur Johnson' is a small, vigorous, spreading, dwarf evergreen shrub. It has cream-tipped spring foliage and bears long racemes of bright-pink flowers in winter and spring.

Erica x darleyensis 'Arthur Johnson'

Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' (Variegated Pride of Madeira) - Long, gray-green leaves striped with cream are held at the ends of the branches on this evergreen shrub that can grow to 6 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet wide. Large stalks of small clear blue flowers bloom in the spring and into the summer. This is a good plant for seaside gardens. Plant in full sun. It is drought tolerant and often seeds itself out. Hardy to about 25 degrees F. This cutting grown selection was made by Paintbox Plantsman in Albion, CA. It occasionally sports off plants with different variegation. One particularly interesting form we have named 'Starburst'. The genus name is from ancient Greek word for the plant as "echion" with the root word "echis" meaning "viper" but the reason for this has several interpretations including the shape of the seed resembling that of a viper or from the age old belief that Echium vulgare, a plant called Viper's Bugloss, was a remedy for the adder's bite.

Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' (Variegated Pride of Madeira)

Kalanchoe luciae 'Fantastic' PPAF (Variegated Paddle Plant) - This exciting new succulent, with its collage of foliage colors, is a interesting and beautiful sight. Like Kalanchoe luciae, the, species it is derived from, this plant grows 1 to 2 feet tall and wide with thick clam shell like 4-6 inch long by 2-5 inch wide rounded leaves that emerge from the basal rosette. The leaves are like the species with a gray-green color and red highlights but add to this splashes of cream to white variegation and you have 'Fantastic'. We have yet to see this plant bloom but as with the species it should produce flowers rising on a single long stem, to 2-3 feet, bearing clusters of pale yellow tubular flowers from late winter into early spring. Plant in full sun to light shade in a well drained soil with little to occasional irrigation. Should prove hardy to around 27° F - plants of the species survived and resprouted after several nights around 25° F in January 2007. Protect from snails which permanently disfigure the leaves. This plant was discovered and introduced by Dave Fell of Hawaiian Sunshine Nursery in 2009 after discovering this uniquely colored plant growing in his nursery from a group of plants sourced in Europe. It was the winner of both the 'Favorite New Foliage Plant' and 'Retailer's Choice Award' at the 2010 Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We first saw this plant in August 2009 at Terra Sol Garden Center in Goleta, CA where they have been calling it Kalanchoe 'Shave Ice' to honor its Hawaiian roots. this plant is most often marketed using the name Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (in this case as Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Fantastic) but it is actually a cultivar of the similar Kalanchoe luciae. See San Marcos Grower's Information page on Kalanchoe luciae for the diagnostic differences between these two species

Kalanchoe luciae 'Fantastic' PPAF (Variegated Paddle Plant

I'm breaking the trend with the last selection here as it really isn't a Mediterranean climate plant, but as it is one my favorites, I wanted to tell you about it none the less.

Cantua buxifolia (Sacred Flower of the Incas) - It is the national flower of Peru. It grows into a bit of a gangly bush-vine that appreciates some support. It rewards the grower with stunning 7cm flared cerise flowers from late winter through much of the summer.

Cantua buxifolia (Sacred Flower of the Incas)

Thanks again to San Marcos Growers for use of their plant descriptions (and for suppling us with wonderful plants!) Check out their website, smgrowers.com. We happily do special orders. If you see anything listed on their that we don't have in stock, we'll get it for you.

Living Green Nursery is proud to offer plants that add lots of pizazz to your garden with only minimal care and resource requirements. Stop by soon and see what's new!

Our "Flavorite" Peach

2011-02-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of great low-chill peach varieties out there, but one we wouldn't want to live without is Red Baron. It is a wonderfully flavored yellow freestone peach that produces fruit that ripens in July. Juicy, Sweet and home-grown!

If flavorful home-grown fruit isn't reason enough to plant one, there is more: This month they begin to bloom fully double red-pink flowers in profusion! They are breathtakingly beautiful in bloom! Another plus is that they're self fruitful, not needing another variety of peach for cross pollination. They are so self-fruitful, in fact that it is necessary to thin out some of the immature fruit in mid to late April. Picture in your mind how big the full size fruit will be come July and pick off the extra babies with your fingers so that the full sized fruit will be just barely touching.

Peach trees are easy to grow. They like to be mulched and watered deeply. Feed them during the growing season with a good fruit tree fertilizer like E.B. Stone's Fruit Tree Food.

To control the size of a tree, prune hard in Summer. Don't worry about finesse pruning like removing the inward facing branches until you shape in winter. It really isn't difficult, and peaches are very forgiving of bad pruning. Jut note that it is easy to keep a small tree small, but it is harder to make a large tree small again. Prune hard!

Pest and Disease are rarely a problem. Dormant spray in winter to prevent leaf curl with plain old copper sulfate.

Red Baron and other fruit trees are fun to grow, plus you can feel great about having fresh, organic, locally grown produce at your fingertips.

Living Green Nursery has a wide assortment of container grown fruit on sale this month including Red Baron peaches. Looking for big trees? We have mature 24" box specimen on sale for only $99. (compare at $399). Smaller sizes available too.

Rose Care Class - Feb 26th, 10AM

2011-02-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

Join us Saturday, February 26th at 10am for a fun and informative class on rose care with E. B. Stone's Celeste Wheeler:

A little about Celeste:

An enthusiastic interest in gardening, combined with a career in the organic fertilizer and amendments industry, makes Celeste Wheeler a caring and knowledgeable spokesperson for E.B. Stone & Sons.

Her interest in organics has its roots in her gardening experiences in Oregon, Colorado and now at her home in Orange County, CA. This led to a career in the garden industry working for companies such as Whitney Farms and Scott’s before she joined E.B. Stone & Sons in 2002.

In addition to meeting with nursery professionals throughout Southern California and Oregon, she helps take the guesswork out of gardening by appearances at public gardening events and talking to individual gardeners to explain the uses of the many organic amendments and fertilizers produced by E.B. Stone & Sons.

She currently is working with various Rose Society’s throughout Southern California maintaining both public, and AARS test Rose Gardens. She is a member of the Pacific Rose Society and California Coastal Rose Society and helps maintain several Rose Gardens throughout Southern California including, the Tournament of Roses Rose Garden in Pasadena, AARS test garden Carlsbad and the Magee Rose Garden to name a few.

Celeste will demystify rose care and share use full insights that will help you to make your rose garden stunning. This is a free seminar, however seating is limited to we ask you to RSVP to events@livinggreennursery.com or call (949)768-4733

Pre-Spring Parking lot SALE

2011-01-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

Living Green’s First Annual Pre-Spring Parking lot SALE starts TOMORROW!

$75.00 24" Box ornamental trees

$!00.00 24" Box Fruit trees

$20.00 15 gallon trees and shrubs

$5.00 5 gallon shrubs

Lots of varieties to choose from!

While we get ready for Spring, Living Green puts beautiful box trees and shrubs in their front parking lot to make room for the new arrivals!! This is one you won’t want to miss. Spread the word…

Also, save 40% on all Terra Cotta Pottery.

New at Living Green Nursery - Mini Farm Box

2010-11-14T13:23:00.000-08:00

Growing is Easy with a MinifarmBox™

MinifarmBox™ Cedar Raised Beds are easy to install and maintain. All you need is a flat area that gets 6-8 hours of sunshine with access to water.

•MADE IN USA FROM 100% RENEWABLE CEDAR
•SIMPLE TOOL-FREE ASSEMBLY IN MINUTES
•USE LESS WATER - GET LESS WEEDS
•EXTREMELY TERMITE AND ROT RESISTANT
•LASTS MINIMUM 10-15 YEARS, UNTREATED

Save Water and Double your Crop Yield
Besides saving water, a MinifarmBox™ optimizes soil drainage and aeration, giving your plants more root space. You’ll grow bigger plants with bigger crops - up to twice the yield of regular ground planting.

This Saturday- Edible Borders Seminar

2010-11-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Join us Saturday, November 13th at 10AM

Edible Garden Borders

We all love locally grown organic vegetables. With Living Green Nursery’s help you can grow your own! Don’t have much space? No problem! Many edibles are so beautiful that they can be incorporated right into ornamental beds. Join us Saturday, November 13th at 10:00 am for an exciting and informative foray into the world of ornamental edible plants. Garden Consultant Justin Galias will teach you the secrets of success for growing the healthiest, most delicious Fall fruits and vegetables right in your flower beds. From soil preparation to harvesting, Justin will guide you through every step of the process. So what once may have seemed daunting will now seem simple. Stop buying your all produce at the market, and start growing them in your own garden.

Good for the environment and good for your health, growing and eating organic seasonal fruits and vegetables can become part of your daily Living Green lifestyle. Call ((949) 768-4733 or e-mail events@livinggreennursery.com to reserve your space now.

New at Living Green Nursery- Atmospheric Water-From-Air System

2010-11-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

EcoloBlue Atmospheric Water Generators extract pure, perfect, delicious drinking water straight from the air. Unlike other Atmospheric Water Generators, ours are state-of-the-art in every way. All our components are the most advanced, and highest quality available anywhere in the World

EcoloBlue Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) produce unlimited, pure, delicious drinking water from just the humidity in the air. The machines utilize a cutting-edge, proprietary technology –the most efficient, and energy conscious condensers available today– to extract more moisture from the atmosphere, quicker and more efficiently than any comparable machine.

Free yourself from municipal waterlines and plasic bottles and say hello to limitless, sustainable, and portable hydration. Come in to Living Green Nursery and taste the differnce for yourself.

November Garden Checklist

2010-11-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

Here is this month's to do list:

• Rake leaves and make compost
• Plant California Natives, Mediterranean climate plants and most perennial
• Plant Groundcover
• Start a worm bin
• Clean, sharpen, and oil garden tools.
• Start forcing bulbs like Paperwhites, Hyacinth and Hippeastrum for the holidays
• Mulch garden beds
• Control newly emerging weeds
• Perennials can be divided now
• Plant Azaleas and Camellias
• Get ready for bare root rose and fruit tree season.
• Sow grass seed to start a new lawn, repair spots, or over-seed Bermuda grass with annual rye.
• Keep planting bulbs that don't require a cold period (amaryllis, anemone, calla lily, freesia, homeria, lilies, oxalis, Ranunculus, Sparaxis, watsonia) and garlic
• Plant cool season vegetables and perennial herbs*
• Replace summer's annuals with cool season bloomers*
• Sow wildflower seeds
• Apply the first application of Aluminum Sulfate at month’s end to turn Hydrangeas blue.
• Keep an eye out for insect pests & control snails
• Ignore roses – don’t feed, prune or even deadhead roses now.
• Wait to plant tropicals, avocados, and citrus.

*Some veggies to plant now include beets, peas, carrots, Swiss Chard, kale, broccoli, lettuce, bok choy, kohl rabi, radishes.

*Cool season color to plant now: pansy, cyclamen, snapdragon, stocks, viola, ornamental kale, Primrose, Primula.

Please ask questions. If you have a pest or any other problem, bring your question and any evidence you may have (i.e. dead foliage) in to Living Green garden center. We’ll be glad to identify the problem and suggest a solution.

Living Green's Gardening-by-the-Season Series

2010-10-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Join us Saturday, November 6th at 10AM

November In the Garden

Southern California’s mild climate makes it a prime location for year-round gardening fun. Yet, each month requires specific tasks and adaptations in order to maximize the opportunities for beautiful, healthy plants. Living Green Nursery’s new monthly series will take you step-by-step through the seasons, showing you what to plant, what to do, and what not to do to make the most of your garden all year long.

Sign up each month to learn tips and tricks from horticulturist Erick Lux that will make your gardening experience easier and more enjoyable. A change in from one month to the next can demand sometimes the slightest alterations in your gardening patterns to maximize your garden's beuaty, and Erick will identify key areas where changes will bring about the most reward in your garden. Beyond what to plant, Erick will address common issues to consider according to season, such as watering habits, fertilizer, pruning, and varying what you grow to keep your soil healthy.

What are you waiting for? There's no better time to begin learning how to harness the benefits of our incredible Southern California climate. We've all heard that knowledge is power, so become a more powerful gardener today by learning how to adjust your gardening patterns according to the season. The more you know, the better your garden will look! The most gorgeous garden you've ever had is within your reach, so sign up today to find out how to maximize your garden's potential.

\Please RSVP to events@livinggreennursery.com.

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center

25290 Jeronimo Rd., , Lake Forest, CA, 92630-4900

(949) 768-GREEN (4733)

Fall is for Planting: Cool Season Vegetables with Erick Lux

2010-10-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

Join us Saturday, October 30th at 10AM

We all love locally grown organic vegetables. With Living Green Nursery’s help you can grow your own! Join us Saturday, October 30th at 10:00 am for an exciting and informative foray into the world of this season’s vegetables. Renowned horticulturist Erick Lux will teach you the secrets of success for growing the healthiest, most delicious Fall vegetables. From soil preparation to harvesting, Erick will guide you through every step of the process. So what once may have seemed daunting will now seem simple. Stop buying your vegetables at the market, and start growing them in your own backyard.

Good for the environment and good for your health, growing and eating organic seasonal vegetables can become part of your daily Living Green lifestyle. Call ((949) 768-4733 or e-mail erick@livinggreennursery.com to reserve your space now.

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center
25290 Jeronimo Rd., , Lake Forest, CA, 92630-4900
(949) 768-GREEN (4733) - Venue Website

Soil Class at Living Green

2010-10-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

FALL SOIL PREPARATION

With so many products on the market, we understand how difficult it is to choose the right fertilizer or soil for your gardening needs. Join us this Saturday, Oct. 23rd at 10am, and see why Living Green has chose EB Stone Organics as their preferred choice for fertilizers and soils. Duane Wheeler of EB Stone will be onsite giving us in-depth information

about what's in the various products and how to choose the right one for you. This is one you don't want to miss!!

Please RSVP to events@livinggreennursery.com.

Save 10%	This coupon is good for all rainy days! Just bring this in on a rainy day and shop 'til you drop...
No expiration date

Succulents- Care and info sheet

2010-10-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to our class this morning at Living Green Nursery in Lake Forest, Ca. For those who missed it, here is the handout:

Succulents

The term succulent comes from the Latin word succos, meaning juice or sap. What we call succulents refers to a diverse group of plants from more than 60 families and 300 genera. Succulents have evolved special water-storage tissues in their leaves, stems and/or roots that help them to survive in arid environments. Succulents can be found in many places throughout the world. Southern Africa, Mexico and the American Southwest are especially rich in their diversity and quantity of succulent plant species.

Descriptions of main categories of succulents

Leaf Succulents: Leaves are almost entirely composed of water storage cells covered by a thin layer of photosynthetic tissue. Examples: Aloe, Haworthia, Lithops, Sempervivum.

Stem Succulents: Fleshy stems contain water storage cells overlaid by photosynthetic tissue. Leaves are almost or entirely absent, reducing surface area to prevent evaporative loss of water. Examples: most cacti, Euphorbia obesa, Stapelia.

Root Succulents: Swollen fleshy roots store water underground away from the heat of the sun and hungry animals. Stems and leaves are often deciduous and shed during prolonged dry seasons. Examples: Calibanus hookeri, Fockea edulis,
The above qualities may occur in combination, with more than one organ used to store water. Some caudiciform succulents store water in roots or swollen stems and stem bases, with either deciduous or long-lived fleshy leaves. Examples: Ceraria pygmaea, Tylecodon paniculata, Cyphostemma juttae.

Care of succulents

Considering that succulents constitute such a diverse group—coming from many not-so-closely-related plant families—one is forced to over-generalize a bit when making suggestions about their care. Still, while there are exceptions, most succulents found at a nursery are easy to grow, care for, and will thrive if one follows a few basic steps

Feeding

As you can imagine, arid climates usually feature soils that are nitrogen poor but are well supplied with potassium and minerals. Most succulents do well with being fed quite sparingly, for too much food will lead to elongated, unattractive, weak growth that is more prone to pests and disease. I suggest using a liquid kelp (seaweed) type food as it supplies lots of trace elements without too much nitrogen, conditions similar to those found in nature. I feed at half the recommended rate every month or so during the growing season.

Light

Just because succulents come from arid areas doesn’t mean they all want googolplex photons of sun. Many succulents look their best with a bit of protection from the hottest summer sun. For this reason most growers cultivate succulents under buffering shade cloth. It is also important to consider acclimation. Just like people getting sunburned at the beach on the first day of summer, a plant that normally can take full sun will burn if not used to it. It’s best not to move plants in and out of the sun. Often you will find that plants with bluish or grey foliage are adapted to more sun than those with deep green or variegated leaves. Thin, curvy, or rolled leaves are often less likely to burn in intense sun than large, wide, flat leaves

Watering

More succulents die from overwatering than for any other reason. Planting in a fast draining soil with lots of airspace (porosity) can help prevent problems. If plants get a little too dry, the leaves may shrink and prune a bit, but they will recover quickly and plump back up when watered. When in doubt, it is better to err on the dry side. (With some specialty species like Dudlea and Lithops, it is important to know their growing season and give them an even drier rest period during their dormancy.)
Pests

Pests can be an indication of other problems such as overwatering, overfeeding, or not enough light. Happy succulents are quite pest resistant. Should the need arise to use pest management procedures, take a sample of the pest to a local expert—a nurseryperson, succulent club member, or any other plant professional—to identify the pest and take measures accordingly.
In conclusion

Succulents encompass a diverse array of plants that share similar adaptations (convergence) for surviving in arid lands. Most are easy to grow and care for, and they make beautiful additions to any garden. Their many shapes, colors and sizes provide year round interest.

References

Orange County Cactus and Succulent Society - http://www.occss.org/

Erick’s Photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/botaniverse/

Living Green University, Saturday October 16th, 10am - Container Gardening with Succulents.

2010-10-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Want to fill a garden container with year-round color and interest? Think succulents!

With so many shapes, colors and sizes to choose from, succulents allow you to easily create natural, artistic displays for your home that you can enjoy for years.

This Saturday at Living Green Nursery, find out all about succulents with horticulturist Erick Lux, and learn how to design and plant succulent container gardens with Dee McCartan. Then after class, you are invited to build your own succulent container at the nursery. Dee will provide hands-on help and design suggestions. Erick will answer any questions you have about the full spectrum of succulents there are to choose from and how to keep them healthy.

Succulents are fun and easy to work with, and they are a unique addition to any home. Don’t spend money on cut flowers that will only last a week. Instead, learn how to design and create your own succulent bowls that are as long lasting as they are beautiful.

Join us Saturday the 16th at 10:00 am and learn the fundamentals for building your own piece of art, a sculptural, long-lasting succulent bowl.

Call (949) 768-4733 or
e-mail events@livinggreennursery.com to reserve your space now.

Now available at Living Green Nursery - Renee's Garden Seeds

2010-10-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Renee's Garden Seeds

I've always been a big fan of seeds. Like a kid watching a magic show, the thrill of seeding a plant emerge from what appears from a speck of debris still brings a a smile to my being. Renee's seeds captivate even before I get them in the ground. They're beautifully packaged, featuring the watercolor art of Mimi Osborne, feature planting guides and lots of cultural information. What really draws me in is the personal nature of the seeds. Renee shares personal experience and even cooking tips right on the pack's label. One can find additional information on everything from water thrifty varieties, planting butterfly of container gardens, recipes, and kitchen garden design. Renee is passionate about gardening and enthusiastically shares that passion with you.

The company mantra sums it up well:

"Sharing the pleasure and satisfaction of growing the best seed varieties chosen by gardeners for gardeners"

I've never been disappointed. Renee's recommendations are spot on and the quality of the seed

is perfect. I get terrific germination percentages.

I'm going to grow 'Ruby and Emerald Duet' Lettuce and 'Bright Lights' Swiss Chard as I can't help but blur the line between edible and ornamental plantings. Chard and Lettuce make lovely additions to an ornamental bed. They're so pretty.

Swiss Chard will always have a special place in my heart. It saved my life. When I was just a wee nurseryman, I had spent all my hard earned cash on flower bulbs one fall, forgetting to buy groceries. Fortunately, there was huge ornamental display planting of multi-colored chard at the nursery I worked at. I had never tried it before, but spurred on by hunger I plucked a few of the bright yellow, white and red stalks. I was amazed at how delicious it was. Cold steamed chard at breakfast, chard salad for lunch and chard soup for dinner...everyday for two weeks, you'd think I'd never be able to look at chard again, but it has had a place in my garden ever since.

Renee's Garden is a company whose products I'm proud to offer. They procure quality seeds from around the globe, many that can be hard to find anywhere else, vigorously test them to make sure they perform in a wide variety of climates and offer them in beautifully designed packs that are full of useful information.

www.reneesgarden.com

Mediterranean Climate Plants

2010-09-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

Mediterranean Climate Plants

Map: Wikipedia

Southern California features a climate that is quite different from the rest of the country. In fact, our Mediterranean climate is a geographic rarity the world over. Only western Australia, central Chile, western South Africa and the Mediterranean basin share this special climate. Small in terms of size (covering roughly 3 % of the world’s landmass) but spectacular in its diversity of flora (containing an estimated 20% of the world’s plant species), this climate zone boasts some of the planet's most unique and beautiful flora. Fortunately for Southern Californians, many of these plants make excellent landscape subjects and are perfectly suited to our climate, as they have evolved in climates so similar to ours. Most love full sun and require relatively little supplemental irrigation once established.

Mediterranean climates feature cool wet winters and warm dry summers. All Mediterranean climates are bordered both by an Ocean (or sea) and a desert and are often found on the southwestern side of continents. Virtually all rainfall occurs cool season and droughts are common.

Romneya coulteri

Natives and Exotics:
When we talk about “California natives”, we are simply referring to all plants within the geographical borders of the state of California. This can be confusing when we consider how diverse the state’s microclimates are; a plant native to the Sierras, for example, would be very unlikely to thrive in the desert, yet it is certainly a California native plant. Also important to remember is that climate zones do not follow state lines.

Concerning plants, the term “exotic” does not mean that a certain species rare or special (it doesn’t mean it isn’t either). An exotic plant is simply one that is not native to the region that we are speaking of, in this case, not a California native, nothing more than that.

The term “exotic” should not be confused with “exotic invader” which refers to introduced species that have the potential to displace natives and cause ecological changes. Nurseries need to do their part by not carrying invasive species.

Both the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and UC Davis are helping to make it easy for concerned gardeners to make responsible decisions when selecting plants. The Metropolitan Water District has designated 1500 plants as “California Friendly”, while UC Davis is collaborating with growers such as Native Sons to make climate appropriate plants they call UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars available to a wider audience.

Both UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars and California Friendly™ plants have been selected because they; thrive in California gardens, have low water needs, are non-invasive, and are attractive landscape plants. Neither is an exhaustive list of plants appropriate for areas in California but combined they are a good start.

My own criteria for selecting plants also includes considerations of maintenance, pest resistance, and whether or not the plant attracts positive garden creatures such as bees, butterflies, and/or humming birds.

There are many great plants for Southern California’s landscapes found throughout world’s Mediterranean climates. Utilizing both native and exotic Mediterranean plants will give the garden diversity, year-round interest and help save precious resources. I hate see California native plants being marketed as the only solution to the state’s limited water supply. There certainly are some wonderful California native plants, but diversity gives a garden year-round interest.

Planting and Care:Most plants from Mediterranean climates have adapted to grow in poor soils and don’t usually require the addition of large amounts of soil amendments or fertilizers when planting. Especially concerning members of the Protea family, the addition of high phosphorus fertilizers can be fatal.

Protea 'Pink Ice'

Seasonality can also play a huge factor in the successful planting of your Mediterranean garden. Fall is the best planting time for Mediterranean plants. At this time, the winter growing season is just around the corner. The winter rains and cooler temperatures will help the plant to become established before the next warm, dry season. Many Mediterranean plants will tolerate planting at other times of the year, but it is much more difficult due to the fine line that exists between watering enough to establish the plant and overwatering.

The most common problems encountered with Mediterranean plants are associated with overwatering issues, especially during the summer, which is the rest period for many Mediterranean natives. Planting slightly above grade can help the crown of the root ball dry out, and the addition of pumice can add air space to the soil. Still, the best prevention is to take advantage of the plant’s water-wise attributes. Water thoroughly when needed and allow the soil to dry before watering again. Once established, most plants in the category are quite adept at utilizing minimal soil moisture and need little supplemental irrigation. It is better to err on the dry side than to keep a water-wise plant too wet.

Living Green Nursery specializes in low-water and Mediterranean climate plants for Southern California gardens. From exotics to natives --from succulents to ornamental grasses, we aim to be your one stop resource.

Here are a just a few new and exciting arrivals:

Euphorbia 'Glacier Blue'

Euphorbia 'Blackbird'

Calothamnis villosus'

Calothamnis villosus (flower detail)

Aloe ‘Rooikappie’

Further Reading / Links
The Mediterranean Garden Society - http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California - http://www.bewaterwise.com/
Native Sons Nursery (wholesale only) - http://nativeson.com/

Suncrest Nursery (wholesale only) - http://www.suncrestnurseries.com/
San Marcos Growers (wholesale only) - http://www.smgrowers.com/
UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars - http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/arboretum_all_stars.aspx

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail Erick at: ericklux@livinggreen.com

Click Here for the ‘Plants for Mediterranean Gardens’ set. http://www.flickr.com/photos/botaniverse/sets/72157617868817901/

'Sunshine Blue' Blueberries

2010-09-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

They're good for you. They're delicious. They're elusive at times. There in stock now.

Sunshine Blue blueberries are one of our favorite types of blueberries for Orange County for may reasons. They are a tight, compact, evergreen shrubs that produces a plethora of excellent quality blueberries. 'Sunshine Blue' blueberries thrive in USDA zones 5-10. So they will thrive and produce in all areas of the county. They are even self-fruitful, so you don't need a pollinator.
They fair better when planted in soil that is better draining and a more acidic than the typical local clay affords. So, container planting or well amended raised beds are de rigueur. They like to be feed cottonseed meal or a similar organic food now and then. They are pest resistant and quite low maintenance. Of course you'll have to pick the fruit, but that is hardly a chore.

Living Green Nursery just received a large new shipment of beautiful 2 gallon plants.

2010-09-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

South Coast Research Center Open House

Demonstration Landscape Open House

Discover Gardening Practices that Protect our Water!

Click image for flier

On October 2, the University of California's South Coast Research & Extension Center in Irvine will be opening its doors to the public to showcase its premier Demonstration Landscape designed especially to show you ways to reduce water and chemical run-off from your own property.

Booths and Informal Talks throughout the day on:

Irrigation

Composting

Low-water Use Plants

Pest Management

Run-Off Prevention

UCCE Staff and Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.

For Location and Driving Directions, CLICK HERE.

What	public
When	Oct 02, 2010 from 09:00 AM to 03:00 PM
Where	South Coast Research & Extension Center, 7601 Irvine Blvd., Irvine CA
Contact Name	Tammy Majcherek
Contact Phone	Office (949) 733-3970

It's Pineapple Guava Season --Acca sellowiana

2010-09-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

Pineapple Guava - Acca sellowiana (formerly Feijoa sellowiana)

Acca sellowiana fruits - Pineapple Guavas- are ripening all over Southern California. But not only do they have delicious fruits, they also make fantastic landscape plants.

Acca sellowiana is a Brazilian shrub /tree that is easy to grow in virtually all areas of Orange County. It has lovely grey-green leaves that will challenge even the most lovely olive in a beauty contest. It features lovely pink flowers with red stamen in spring and summer, but the part that puts it over the top, meriting 3 "you need this tree" stars, is its fruit.

Egg shaped and green, pineapple guavas fall to the ground when they're ready to eat, making harvest easy, even for a highly concentrated individual like myself. Unlike peaches, they're not mushy, so don't fret about a rotting, fruit fly attracting mess, underneath the tree.

The fruit is reminiscent of pineapple and kiwi and is quite fragrant.

Pictured below, an Acca is grown as a small tree in a Mission Viejo front lawn. Ready for a wee bit of a trim. The fruit is on last season's growth, so one can give it a light shaping anytime, even now, without sacrificing fruit. Acca's grow at a moderate rate to 8m or so, yet they can be kept to any size with light pruning. It's possible to kept then as low as a meter high hedge.

Acca sellowiana plants are easy to grow. They require full sun exposure, but don't need a lot of water. They are pest resistant and don't require much feeding. They are evergreen and don't drop a lot of leaf litter (however the spent flowers and ripe fruit do drop, but only for a brief period and are easy to clean up). All these attributes make for a very low maintenance plant.

Want a nice Mediterranean looking tree that is water wise, in easy on the eyes, is small to moderate in size, and has features reminiscent of an olive tree? -- This is the one. The roots are well behaved as well.

Acca sellowiana is simply a great tree, or shrub, for suburban sized landscapes. It gives a lot back with little care.

Pineapple Guavas are in stock at Living Green Nursery now, in a several sizes. Stop in and visit!

Important information - Global Fiesta Postponed.

2010-09-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must indefinitely postpone our Living Green Global Fiesta that was scheduled for September 18th.

We look forward to bringing you lots of fun and informative seminars in the near future. Stay tuned for more details. Better yet, subscribe to our blog and get the latest Living Green News delivered right to your e-mail.

Thanks,
Erick

New and Exciting Plants at Living Green Nursery

2010-09-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Aeonium 'Sunburst'

Fall is for planting and Living Green Nursery has lots of wonderful plants arriving almost daily. Some of our favorites this week are pictured.

Agave attenuata 'Kara's Stripes, Assorted Lithops, Asclepias curassavica 'Silky Deep Red', Erica verticillata, Aloe 'Pink Blush' , Aeonium 'Sunburst'

Assorted Lithops

Erica verticillata

Aloe 'Pink Blush'

Asclepias curassavica 'Silky Deep Red'

Agave attenuata 'Kara's Stripes

New at Living Green - FoxFarm

2010-08-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Living Green Nursery is proud to carry the Foxfarm line of products and to provide expert advice on how to use them. In stock and at competitive prices - right here in Lake Forest.

Ocean Forest® Potting Soil

Good Things From the Earth and Sea

The ultimate potting soil—everything your plants need, in one bag. Ocean Forest® is a powerhouse blend of premium earthworm castings, bat guano, and Pacific Northwest sea-going fish and crab meal. Composted forest humus, sandy loam, and sphagnum peat moss give Ocean Forest® its light, aerated texture. Start with Ocean Forest® and watch your plants come alive!

Tiger Bloom® Liquid Plant Food (2-8-4)

Vicious Bloomer with Micronutrients

Ready to bloom? Tiger Bloom® makes it happen. This is an ultra-potent, fast-acting, high-phosphorus fertilizer with just enough nitrogen to sustain healthy, vigorous green growth during flowering. The low pH keeps it stable and ensures that the micronutrients will be available when plants need them. In addition to containing critical trace minerals, we brew our liquid fertilizer with earthworm castings and kelp meal for a biologically active formula.

Grow Big® Liquid Plant Food (6-4-4)

Extra Strength Grow Power with Micronutrients

Get your garden going with Grow Big®, our fast-acting, water-soluble fertilizer for lush, vegetative, compact growth. Use Grow Big® early in the season when young plants need an extra boost. We add earthworm castings and Norwegian kelp into this special brew to encourage sturdier, healthier stems and leaves, but we also provide enough nutrients and trace minerals to create the kind of healthy branching that you’ll need later in the season for more abundant buds and blooms.

Open Sesame® Soluble Fertilizer (5-45-19)

Early Flowering Formula for Gardeners and Hydroponic Growers

Open Sesame® is a high-phosphorus soluble fertilizer that’s designed to bring plants into bloom at your command. Just say the magic words! Open Sesame® provides the optimal level of nutrition with minimal salts and other residue buildups. Whether you’re growing in hydroponic systems, containers, or gardening in ordinary soil, Open Sesame® will go right to work at the root zone and deliver targeted nutrients when the plants need them the most.

Big Bloom™ Liquid Plant Food (0.01-0.3-0.7)

Natural and Organic Blossom Builder

This odorless, liquid fertilizer is a live culture of vitamins, amino acids, natural growth hormones, enzymes, and beneficial organic microbes. Our special, micro-brewed formula incorporates earthworm castings, bat guano and other high test organic ingredients that offer a full, balanced range of nutrients. Norwegian kelp improves nutrient uptake and increases yields. Rock phosphate helps transfer energy from one part of the plant to another, which means bigger buds and more fragrant flowers.

The new website:

2010-08-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

The official Living Green Nursery Website is now up and running. On our website you can find out about our upcoming events, register for classes, and even schedule a landscape consultation.

It's all on our website - with more fun events and information to come.

Check it out at http://livinggreennursery.com/

Rose slug control -Organically.

2010-08-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

If you have roses, chances are likely that you’re seeing a lot of holes in your leaves now that the summer is heating up. The likely culprit; Rose Slugs. Rose Slugs are not slugs at all, they’re not even caterpillars, despite resembling them – They are in fact, a larvae of a certain wasp, that is called a sawfly (Endelomyia aethiops). Insects that have complete metamorphosis like the Rose Slug, tend to have voracious appetites. Change takes a lot of energy.

When it is time to take action against them, select a product that is organic, effective, and easy on your beneficial insects. One such product is ‘Spinosad’

Spinosad comes from a naturally occurring soil dwelling microorganism called Saccharopolyspora spinosa, that was collected by a vacationing scientist in 1982 from soil near an abandoned rum distillery on a Caribbean Island. The bacteria produce the compounds (spinosyn A and spinosyn D) while in a fermentation broth that kill leaf-chewing insects, but are safe for people and pets. Thus, Spinosad is suitable for use even on fruits and vegetables. – It is also very effective against Citrus Leaf Miner.

Spinosad is for chewing and rasping pests like mites, thrips, caterpillars, and beetles, but not for piercing pests like aphids, mealybugs and whiteflies. It is best to spray in the evening when the air is calm and the bees have gone home to the hive.

At Living Green Nursery, we carry two products containing Spinosad; Ready to Use Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew and Monterrey’s OMRI listed Garden Insect Spray Concentrate.

Rare plants at Living Green - Boophone

2010-08-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Like so many horticulturists, many of us here at Living Green Nursery are die-hard plant fanatics- those who really love the weird and the wonderful. Boophone disticha is one such plant. Rare in cultivation, yet easy to grow, thriving on neglect and adapting to little more than our Mediterranean rainfall. They are beautiful in foliage and remarkable in bloom. Boophone is truly a gem to be sought out and discovered. While they are almost never found in nurseries, we at Living Green have them in stock!

Boophone disticha is a bulb from the amaryllis family. It is native to South Africa where it grows in dry areas, making it a perfect companion for succulents. In nature, the species can be quite variable. Our plants at Living Green Nursery are from selections with beautiful blue-green, fan arranged foliage, and flowers of deep pink.

They are slow growing and do not off shot readily, thus they must be grown from seed. We have mature plants that have bulbs the size of grapefruit in 3 gallon containers (it may have taken a couple decades to get this large). While specimen of this quality and size are not inexpensive, they are especially long-lived treasures that you could still be enjoying next century.

Call 949-728-4733 for more details or stop by the nursery to see them!

Ornamental Tree Selection and Care

2010-08-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Living Green Nursery is your tree headquarters. We have the area's best selection of trees, in all sizes, at great prices. We have Certified Nursery Professionals and an ISA Certified Arborist on staff to help you make informed decisions and to grow your tree selections well.

We look forward to offering our Tree Care Classes at the Nursery's Learning Center in the near future with Arborist Erick Lux. Here is what you can look forward to:

(Schotia brachypetala)

Landscape trees enhance our environment in a number of ways. Many have beautiful flowers and lovely foliage colors & textures. Trees make suburbia seem more rural by attracting wildlife. They provide privacy and sound barriers. They also help clean the air, reduce water run-off and absorb the sun's heat.

A well selected tree should provide years (decades! centuries?) of enjoyment with minimal effort and maintenance. A pivotal factor in determining how much you'll enjoy your tree is making sure to avoid planting a problem in the first place. Being that a tree is such an important part of the landscape, careful consideration should be given in its selection.

A lot of the best looking trees are still ugly duckings in 24" boxes and under, and still need some time to mature before they really shine. Take for example Maytenus boria, a lovely tree that sells rather poorly in the nursery as it takes a couple years after planting to develop its dreamy weeping canopy. It's never a bad idea to visit an arboretum or take a walk through an established neighborhood to see what strikes one's fancy. And don't forget the digital camera, so you can show your nursery person what captured your interest. At the nursery we can identify the trees you've imaged.

When selecting a tree for a particular site, consider the following:

Zone- Know your zone and pick appropriate plants.
Size- Height and canopy. Will the tree get too big?
Growth Rate- How long will it take to reach the desired height?
Site considerations- Know where utilities are. Will the roots or canopy interfere? Are there walls or concrete slabs nearby? Is the tree in a lawn or on a slope? What is or will be planted nearby?
Pest and Disease Resistance- Some trees have known issues.
Evergreen or Deciduous- Just because it is evergreen doesn’t mean it doesn’t drop leaves. Deciduous trees let light in during the winter and give shade in the summer.
Maintenance requirements- Does the tree need a lot of trimming? water? feeding? spraying for pests? Does it have unwanted seeds or fruit? Will it be difficult to shape into the specimen I want?

When buying a tree, take a close look at the particular specimen you're selecting at the nursery.

A high-quality tree has the following:
• enough sound roots to support healthy growth.
• a trunk free of mechanical wounds and injuries from incorrect pruning.
• a strong form with well-spaced, firmly attached branches.

A low-quality specimen has the following:• crushed or circling roots in a small root ball or small container.
• a trunk with wounds from mechanical impacts or incorrect pruning.
• a weak form in which multiple stems squeeze against each other or branches squeeze against the trunk.

When planting your new tree, remember to keep these points in mind:

• Never plant a tree too deeply. Most trees are best planted slightly above grade.
• Add organic starter fertilizer with mycorhyzae.
• Apply a 2-4” top layer of mulch under the drip line. Keep mulch a few inches back from trunk.
• Water thoroughly after planting.
• Top pruning isn’t needed to compensate for root damage.
• Stake trees properly to allow for some movement.
• Use ties that wont girdle trunk. Avoid ties with metal cores.

Diagram: TreesAreGood.com

Pruning
Always have a purpose in mind when pruning a tree. The following is a list of ways in which pruning can be executed:

•Cleaning is the removal of dead, dying, diseased, crowded, weakly attached and low-vigor branches from the crown of a tree.

•Thinning is the selective removal of branches to increase light penetration and air movement through the crown. Thinning opens the foliage of a tree, reduces weight on heavy limbs, and helps retain the tree’s natural shape.

•Raising is the removal of the lower branches from a tree in order to provide clearance for buildings, vehicles, pedestrians, and vistas.

•Reduction is the reduction of the size of a tree, often for clearance for utility lines. Reducing the height or spread of a tree is best accomplished by pruning back the leaders and branch terminals to lateral branches that are large enough to assume the terminal roles (at least one-third the diameter of the cut stem). Compared to topping, reduction helps maintain the form and structural integrity of the tree. It is easier to keep a small tree small than it is to make an over-grown tree small again.

A few of Erick’s favorite trees for Southern California:Calodendrum capense
Tabebuia impetiginosa
Schotia brachypetala
Maytenus boaria
Acacia pendula
Spathodea campanulata (pictured above)
Brugmansia species & hybrids
Chorisia speciosa (see flower detail below)

Sometimes even a well-selected tree will have an issue.

Tree Pests, Disease and Disorders

Abiotic Disorders are problems caused by non-living agents and cultural problems such as over-watering.

Biotic Disorders are problems caused by pests and diseases (many biotic ailments have an abiotic cause).

Careful examination of all aspects of the tree and its history are important for proper diagnosis!

•Many problems can be avoided by proper tree selection and care.

When choosing to take action for pest problems, consider the following control methods:

Cultural-keeping plants healthy, selecting pest-resistant varieties or species

Mechanical-trapping, handpicking, barriers

Biological-preservation, augmentation introduction

Chemical – contact poisons, stomach poisons, growth regulators, repellents, feeding inhibitors

Chemical controls, even organic, should be considered a last resort!

Some organic pest control choices include the following:

Neem Oil-Azadirachtin – works well for many sucking insects and powdery mildew
Spinosad - effective on a wide array of chewing insects; toxic to bees when wet
Dormant Sprays- lime sulfur, copper
Sluggo-iron phosphate - safe for pests but effective for snails and slugs
B.t- Bacillus thuringiensis - for caterpillar control
Clove, garlic and other plant oils

Plant the right tree in the right place. A well selected and cared for tree will bring lasting enjoyment with minimal care.

Further Reading / Links
Exceptional Trees of Los Angeles by Donald Hodel, California Arboretum Foundation, 1988
Street Trees Recommended for Southern California Tree Tree Seminar,Inc. Anaheim, CA, 1999
Ornamental Trees for Mediterranean Climates, the Trees of San Diego. Brigham, Steve. Boston: Ibis 2005.

The Mediterranean Garden Society - http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/
The International Society of Arborists - http://www.treesaregood.com/
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California - http://www.bewaterwise.com/
San Marcos Growers (wholesale only) - http://www.smgrowers.com/
UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars -http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/arboretum_all_stars.aspx

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail Erick at: ericklux@livinggreennursery.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/botaniverse/

Organic Gardening

2010-08-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, here are the handouts from the Organic Gardening talk last Saturday.

Organic Gardening
Why garden organically? It’s fun and you can feel better about yourself & your yard for it. Even setting aside a portion of your yard, such as a vegetable & herb garden, and implementing some basic principles can make a difference. The most important elements of organic gardening are universal.
· Plant the right plant in the right place – Due to natural selection every plant living on earth is a survivor. No plant is difficult to grow as long as all of its light, nutrient, temperature, humidity and water requirements are met. Ok, so some plants do have exacting requirements that can be hard to duplicate in your landscape. As a beginning gardener, you will probably want to avoid plants that are from climate zones dissimilar to yours or that are very specific in their needs. It is much easier to pick plants that will like you, (and your yard), for who you are than to completely change for them. Happy plants have fewer insect and disease problem to deal with than those that are under stress.
· Plant it right

1. Plant at the right depth. Some plants prefer to be planted slightly higher than grade.

2. Use the right planting mix for the type of plant you’re planting.

3. Don’t skimp on the width of planting hole you dig.

4. Incorporate the right kinds of nutrients (starter fertilizer, planting tablets, etc.) into the soil and inoculate new planting areas with myccorhyzae.
· Garden in harmony with nature rather than fighting it

When it comes to pests, nature has an amazing way of taking care of itself. Understand that the good bug vs. bad bug relationship is cyclic. You will have an outbreak of damaging insects before the good guys establish themselves. Using harsh chemicals will kill not only the damaging insects, but also their predators. Remember that the goal is pest management, not complete annihilation.
· Feed the soil, and plant health will follow

The soil is the foundation of the entire garden. There is a myriad of organisms that make up a garden; many of them are too small to see. Feeding to maximize a healthy living soil will reduce problems and maximize plant health.
· Water as deeply as possible, as infrequently as possible – Most of us have clay soil. It absorbs water slowly, and dries slowly. You want to water deep to get those bottom roots the water the need and to encourage them to even grow deeper. I wish I could give you a time frame like “Water once a week for an hour,” but it doesn’t work like that. How long and how frequent you’ll need to water will depend on things like temperature, humidity, soil type and type of plantings. Keep in mind; you’ll also want to adjust that automatic sprinkler timer with seasonal fluctuations of these variables.
· Ask Questions- It is the first step in learning more. We nurserymen at Living Green are here for your questions. If you have a pest or problem let us know and most likely we can help find a solution for you.
· Enjoy your plants!- Appreciate the joy and wonder that plants bring to us. They give us food, shelter, clothes….and for we plant nerds….a great deal of entertainment. The better you know your plants, the better you’ll be able to pick up their clues as to what they need.

Worms!

2010-08-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

Living Green is proud to offer the Can O'Worms vermi-composting system. It makes recycling waste in to garden gold fun and easy. In stock now! This is the system that we've used personally for over ten years with excellent results.

The Can-O-Worms is an odorless, user-friendly worm composting system that allows anyone to participate in recycling and garden enrichment through composting. Whether you live in an apartment or have a backyard, you can provide organic fertilizer for indoor plants and your garden. Stacked ring-upon-ring, each section of this worm condo can house thousands of worms for composting year round. Each unit features a tap drain on the lowest ring to collect compost tea directly from the source. Harvesting of castings (worm manure) is easy because the worms eat their way up, leaving their rich castings behind which are readily removed, free of worms. The Can-O-Worms stands on five sturdy legs, approximately 29" tall x 20" wide. Made from durable 100% recycled plastic to give many years of vermicomposting success. Worms can be purchased separately. Be sure to use only special composting redworms for best composting results.

Interesting Worm Facts:

The management and breeding of worms is known as vermiculture
Worms are one of nature's ultimate recyclers
They can live 15 years or more!
They have both male and female reproductive organs
Their eggs can survive dry and harsh conditions for long periods of time
They can be bred easily at home or school
They can be used to recycle organic waste from your kitchen into valuable fertilizer
They produce castings which have a neutral pH (around 7)
Their castings increase the amount of nutrients to your plants by up to 10 times
Their castings increase crop and pasture yields
They increase the level of essential microbial activity in the soil
They can consume their own body weight in food every day
They can double in population every 2-3 months (in ideal conditions)

Here is an informative video from Worms are Us in New Zealand:

Eco-mmunity Day Schedule of Events

2010-08-06T13:32:00.001-07:00

This Saturday at Living Green

2010-08-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

1st annual Eco-mmunity Day at Living Green Nursery Saturday August 7

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center in Lake Forest is hosting its first

annual Eco-mmunity Day to cultivate community ties and foster environmental

awareness. Everyone is invited to come out Saturday, August 7, from 11:00 am to

4:00 pm, get their hands dirty and turn their thumbs green.

This free event offers lots to do and learn for both children and adults. Enjoy face painting,

planting tables, food and beverages. Learn about composting, how to start

a butterfly garden, recycling, natural pest and disease control for the garden, and

more.

Participants can take part in the “growing” phenomenon by helping Living

Green to plant a veggie and herb garden. Experts will be on hand to guide the

process and offer valuable tips on planning, soil preparation, and

complimentary planting.

Jurassic Parties will be onsite to present an exciting,up-close experience with a variety of creatures and critters such as snakes, lizards, frogs, tortoises, tarantulas and scorpions.

Living Green will also be offering several storewide specials and give-aways.

throughout the day.

Located just off the 5 and El Toro at 25290 Jeronimo Road in Lake Forest, Living

Green is a full service nursery offering everything for the new and aspiring

gardener, as well as the experienced landscape designer.

A variety of educational and inspirational classes and workshops, for both adults and

children, are led by qualified plant experts each month, and include Herb and

Succulent Container Planting, Rose Care, Fruit Tree Planting and Pruning, and

Mommy and Me.

The goal at Living Green is to cultivate a new eco-mmunity by

offering easy, affordable and sustainable garden and landscape solutions.

See you there!

Now available at Living Green

2010-07-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

There are many lovely salvias. This new hybrid, 'Wendy's Wish' has quickly become one of our favorites. It was found as a chance seedling in an Australian garden and is now available in the States. Salvia 'Wendy's Wish' makes a beautiful 3' tall and wide garden plant with pleasant deep green foliage and fuzzy flowers of magenta the extend from attractive colored calyxes. Like many salvias, it is an easy to grow perennial with low water requirements and a long blooming season.

'Wendy's Wish' flowers best if it gets at least 4 hours of strong (direct, mid-day/afternoon) sun a day. Hummingbirds love it, but so far, the rabbits seem to leave it alone.

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish is now available at Living Green Nursery.

2010-07-30T13:35:00.001-07:00

This week's super blog specials

2010-07-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Landscape Shrub Blowout - 5 Gallon Select Varities, Only $9.99 when you mention you saw it here!

This week at Living Green Nursery you can revive your old landscape or create a new one with premium landscape shrubs starting at only $9.99. Just mention you read it on the Living Green blog and save big.

Our 9.99 specials include:

Dietes bicolor- pictured above

Abelia 'Edward Goucher'

Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum'

Pittosporum tobira

Viburnum tinus 'Spring Bouquet'.

Phoenix roebelenii

Offer good through August first.

Fresh Dirt- Thanks!

2010-07-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

It is aways wonderful to see Sharon Cohoon, Senior Garden Writer for Sunset Magazine, who visited the nursery this week. We're super thankful that she wrote about us in today's edition of Fresh Dirt.

This weekend at Living Green

2010-07-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

How To Create A Beautiful Succulents Arrangements

Hands on instruction on how to create a beautiful arrangement. July 24th and

25th at 10am and 3pm both days. Materials including pot, succulents, and soil-

$20.00

To RSVP, Call (949) 768-4733

Just in:

2010-07-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

Botanical Interests' 2011 line of seeds are now in stock at Living Green Nursery. Included are lots of flowers and certified organic vegetable seeds.

Botanical Interests is a Family-Owned Business that offers excellent quality seeds that will help ensure your gardening success. As the company states, "at Botanical Interests, our goal is to inspire AND educate so that you can create beautiful and successful gardens."

Living Green has hundreds of seed varieties in stock and all the supplies you need to get growing.

Paint and Plant

2010-07-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Appletree Montessori school visited Living Green Nursery to paint and plant up pots with herbs and succulents. The kids had a lot of fun learning how plants grow and where food comes from. They also got to take home the pot they painted and planted.

Living Green Nursery is dedicated to education and the community. We can tailor a variety of educational programs for any club, school, or home-study group. Give our community programs director, Justin Galias a call at (949) 768-4733 for more information.

Summer Specials

2010-07-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

This week at Living Green, we are proud to bring you the following specials:

All 4 pound boxs of E.B. Stone fertilizers - $6.99

Five gallon roses- $15.99 Lots of varieties to chose from.

Phoenix roebelenii - Pigmy Date Palm - 5 gallon single or multi-trunk- only $9.99

Prices good through June 19th or while supplies last.

Living Green Grand Opening Celebration

2010-07-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Living Green Nursery's grand opening party part was a big hit. There was food, drink, music, art, a reptile wrangler and of course, plants. Here are a few pictures of the festivities.

That's one big lizard!

Kids got to learn about cool stuff, such as how plants help clean the air.

They had a great time painting pots and planting too.

Living Green is now 'officially' open. Stop by soon and visit. We offer expert advice, a wide selection of plants and outdoor living products- at the best prices around!

Grand Opening July First

2010-06-23T13:55:00.001-07:00

Please join us for our grand opening party at Living Green Nursery. We'll have lots of fun and informative things going on for the whole family from 4-9 pm July first.

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center

25290 Jeronimo Road, Lake Forest, CA, 92630-4900

(949) 768-GREEN (4733)

Succulents

2010-06-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Succulents are among our favorite plants, besides being low-water and generally easy to care for, they are beautiful. Whereas flowers give you color only during their blooming season, the colored rosettes of succulents, such as various Aeoniums and Echiverias, will rival just about any annual flowers out there. One can make all sorts of wonderful effects by making colors and texture bounce off one another.

Living Green nursery has the area's largest assortment of varieties and a sizes in stock. You can "succulentize" your garden or make an arrangement right here at the store. Check out the beauty above created by our own design guru David. Nice!

Powdery mildew loves June Gloom.

2010-06-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

With the current June Gloom weather, a lot of plants are having fungus problems. At Living Green Nursery, many customers have been bringing in diseased leaves wondering what they can do to help their plants.

Living Green Nursery is committed to providing expert advice and environmentally friendly solutions that truly work well. One of the best new tools we have to fight disease is Serenade, a safe and natural bio-fungicide.

It is listed by OMRI ( the organic materials review institute) and is safe for use even on the day of harvest and unlike our good ol' friend sulphur, it has no known phytotoxicity issues - meaning no more burnt foliage after applications- no residue either. It is also non toxic to wildlife and beneficial insects.

Serenade is unique bio-fungicide that uses the power of a bacteria, that is harmless to humans and animals, to fight diseases.

It is listed as effective in controlling rust, powdery mildew, leaf blight, and a huge range of pathogens.

On Garden Web, southgeorgia_girl wrote

"Wow. I've been using Serenade for about 5 weeks now and it has worked wonders on early blight, septoria, powdery mildew and bacterial spot on tomatoes, roses, rosemary, other herbs. Great product and OMRI listed."

AgraQuest inc. has been making commercial products for years, and has made their Serenade product available for home owners since 2005. Pam Marrone, Chairman and Founder of AgraQuest explains:

“We developed our new retail line of Serenade Garden products so that home gardeners could benefit from the same safe, effective plant protection we provide to commercial growers around the world. Farmers report better yields and higher quality crops when they use our products, and homeowners can now get the same results in their own backyards, from a safe, organic product.”

Often one has to pay a premium for organic products that work. I was surprised to see that a 20 oz bottle of concentrate (that makes up to 20 gallons) sells for about $15. Cheap!

If your looking for a safe, effective solution to many fungal and bacterial problems on your vegetable or flower plants, Serenade might be the perfect solution.

Serenade garden disease control products are available (and used) at Living Green Nursery.

Have your garden club meeting at Living Green Nursery

2010-06-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Living Green Nursery is wonderful setting to have your next garden club meeting. We can even provide the speaker. Want your group to learn about natural pest control or how to prune fruit trees? Perhaps, you'd enjoy making succulent baskets? We can help!

Living Green Nursery

25290 Jeronimo Road

Lake Forest, Ca 92630

phone: (949)768-Green

pictured above: The Lake Forest Garden Club visits Living Green Nursery.

E.B Stone Organic Fertilizers

2010-06-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

E.B stone not only makes a line of quality organic fertilizers- Their boxes are earth friendly too.

E.B. Stone prints their carbon-neutral cardboard boxes in soy ink. Their packing is beautiful, uncomplicated, and the directions are easy to follow. Inside, you'll find a quality plant food that is inoculated with beneficial microorganisms that help make the product work even better.

There is a formula for just about any application from roses to lawns.

Living Green Nursery proudly offers E.B. Stone's 4 lb boxes at the low price of $6.99 everyday!

Living Green Nursery- In full swing.

2010-06-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to say that Living Green is a now full-fledged, full-service nursery. We've got the goods- and lots of them -roses, vegetables, fruit trees, landscape shrubs, trees, succulents, and organic fertilizers & soil amendments.

Included in our many specialties are succulents. We stock a huge array in a multitude of different sizes. We invite you to make your own special creation here on site. We've got the soil supplies and a comfortable place to get creative.

We welcome Gregory S. on board, making Living Green Nursery the place to go for expert advice. Together, Gregory and I have over forty years of retail nursery experience. Gregory has a bachelors is Ornamental Horticulture and I'm a certified arborist, CAN certified nurseryman, Master Gardener and have an AS from Saddleback College.

All of our staff is super friendly and ready to help. Come in and meet Micah, Danielle, Josh, Vernie, Dee, Ivette, Monika, Gabriel, Alfredo, Joanna, Randy and David.

Living Green Nursery

25290 Jeronimo Road

Lake Forest, Ca 92630

phone: (949)768-Green

Do something nice and save 10%

2010-06-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center honors the memory of our fallen heroes by launching a food drive for the California military families in need. Living Green is collecting non-perishable food items until June 15^th. To thank you for your donation Living Green will give you ten percent off your purchase.

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Say Hello to Living Green

2010-06-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center; A new and exciting garden shopping experience comes to Laguna Hills!

(Lake Forest, California – April 30, 2010) – A new business, Living Green Nursery and Garden Center, moves into the well known Laguna Hills Nursery building and opens Thursday, May 6th just in time for Mother’s Day. A grand opening is slated for July 1^st but the center will stay open during the remodel inviting the community to visit and see what is to come.

The vision is a partnership between Joanna Perlman, Los Angeles-based interior designer, her husband, David Itzikman, a garden lifestyle expert, and Randy Smith, one of Southern California’s largest wholesale growers.

“We are excited to introduce to the community a place where it can come, enjoy a beautiful setting, find new and exciting ideas for their home and garden, and learn about eco-conscious-living. A good majority of our plants and trees come directly from our local growing grounds, so we are able to offer some of the most competitive pricing in Southern California.” says Joanna.

Living Green Nursery will be featuring a variety of drought tolerant plants and succulents, an array of organic veggies, herbs, and fruit trees, and beautiful ornamental plants. Overlooking the nursery will be fun planting stations where kids and adults can get their hands in the dirt and assemble their own succulent, color, or herb containers. Some exciting plans are to open a farmer’s market on the weekends, have exotic birds to view, and to have educational sessions with presenting experts.

“Our team is committed to friendly, excellent service and to being a vital and active resource in the community. Come live green with us…we can’t wait to meet you!” – From Living Green Nursery Crew

Location:

25290 Jeronimo Road (nearest cross street is El Toro Blvd.)

Lake Forest, CA 92630-4900

Phone: 949-768-GREEN (4733)

www.livinggreennursery.com

Living Green Nursery

New Website

ROSE CARE CLASS

New Arrivals!

Our "Flavorite" Peach

Rose Care Class - Feb 26th, 10AM

Pre-Spring Parking lot SALE

New at Living Green Nursery - Mini Farm Box

This Saturday- Edible Borders Seminar

New at Living Green Nursery- Atmospheric Water-From-Air System

November Garden Checklist

Living Green's Gardening-by-the-Season Series

Fall is for Planting: Cool Season Vegetables with Erick Lux

Soil Class at Living Green

Succulents- Care and info sheet

Living Green University, Saturday October 16th, 10am - Container Gardening with Succulents.

Now available at Living Green Nursery - Renee's Garden Seeds

Renee's Garden Seeds

Mediterranean Climate Plants

'Sunshine Blue' Blueberries

South Coast Research Center Open House

Discover Gardening Practices that Protect our Water!Click image for flier

Booths and Informal Talks throughout the day on:

It's Pineapple Guava Season --Acca sellowiana

Important information - Global Fiesta Postponed.

New and Exciting Plants at Living Green Nursery

New at Living Green - FoxFarm

The new website:

Rose slug control -Organically.

Rare plants at Living Green - Boophone

Ornamental Tree Selection and Care

Organic Gardening

Worms!

Eco-mmunity Day Schedule of Events

This Saturday at Living Green

Now available at Living Green

This week's super blog specials

Fresh Dirt- Thanks!

This weekend at Living Green

Just in:

Paint and Plant

Summer Specials

Living Green Grand Opening Celebration

Grand Opening July First

Living Green Nursery and Garden Center

Succulents

Powdery mildew loves June Gloom.

Have your garden club meeting at Living Green Nursery

E.B Stone Organic Fertilizers

Living Green Nursery- In full swing.

Do something nice and save 10%

Say Hello to Living Green

Discover Gardening Practices that Protect our Water!

Click image for flier