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Showing posts from August, 2013

Tomato Variety: Sweet 100

Sweet 100 tomato ( Lycopersicon lycopersicum   'Sweet 100' ) is a hybrid variety that produces fruit clusters of tomatoes on long branches. A single plant can easily produce 100’s to 1000’s of tomatoes in a single season. This tomato variety is sometimes called “vine candy” in reference to its sweet fruits. When eaten at peak ripeness they are truly a sweet tasty treat. If you planted in May you will be enjoying these tomatoes now and for the remainder of the season (until frost). I will literally fill a sandwich bag with these sweets before work and devour them at lunch. Sweet 100 tomatoes are only about ½" to ¾" in diameter and are the perfect snack for those garden grazers. This a one tomato variety Trees That Please Nursery tries to keep in stock during veggie planting season and are normally sold as 4-packs. I you have not yet tried this tomato variety remember to put it on next seasons wish list....... Photos & Narrative By: Stephen Sai

Turbinella Oak Growth Spurt Coincides With Summer Monsoon

Many of you have probably noted that Turbinella Oak has a significant growth spurt that coincides with the Summer Monsoon here in New Mexico. I have a Turbinella Oak that I water about once weekly at my home in Los Lunas. Thus far during this growing season I have noted about 6” to 8” of growth on some stem tips. With the start of the summer monsoons here nearly all stem tips have new growth with some already pushing out 8” of new growth with more coming. The acorns of Turbinella oak also mature and fall free from the tree during the monsoon season probably to ensure the emerging young oak seedling sufficient water to begin growth. Turbinella Oak ( Quercus turbinella ) is a New Mexico native tree found as close as the Sandia and Manzano mountains in central New Mexico. It is found in abundance in the foothills where the dry mesas meet the base of the mountains. It is a small evergreen oak that grows with multiple trunks reaching 12’ – 15’ tall and wide sometimes larger.

It's not all work and no play at the Nursery...

We’re not all work and no play… This week we said goodbye to one of our valued team members. Everyone was in attendance, Trees That Please Nursery and Soil Secrets Staff. We enjoyed Pizza and Ice Cream Cake. Our benefactor was there to wish her luck and thank her for everything she contributed during her time with Trees That Please Nursery… She will be a tough act to follow and we will miss her....

A Praying Mantis visited our Nursery.....

A Praying Mantis visited our Nursery Saturday. He made quite a scene flying in and landing on the front counter.   We promptly asked how we might help him. As we approached closer he flew to our literature section and took up a position on a Soil Secrets document entitled “Products of Soil Secrets”.     This particular document provides descriptions of all the Soil Secrets Products including: Earth Magic or TerraPro, Protein Crumblies, TTP Supreme Compost, Worm Castings, and Mycorrhizal Fungi. There he remained for some time apparently perusing document. Perhaps this was more than a chance visit? The word "Mantis" is the Greek word for "prophet or seer" . If you would like to learn more about the Soil Secrets please follow this link to their website: www.soilsecrets.com . Soil Secrets provides products that fix soils! The products of Soil Secrets increase plant health and productivity in the backyard garden and orchard, on large scale farm

Our Silver Lace Vines Are Blooming Now!

Our Silver Lace Vines are blooming now in the nursery yard.  Silver Lace Vine ( Fallopia baldschuanica  or  Polygonum baldschuanicum  or Polygonum aubertii ) is also known as Fleece Vine, Russian Vine, or Mile-a-Minute Vine. Silver Lace Vine is native to Asia.  Silver Lace Vine is a fast-growing ornamental flowering plant often used to cover fences, walls, arbors, porches, or other structures.  The vine is normally covered with large clusters of small silvery-white flowers from summer into fall. The flowers attract honeybees and butterflies so if planted near a garden will ensure that pollinators are nearby. Silver Lace Vine can grow 6’-10’ or more each season so is ideal for providing a temporary summer screen as it does drop its leaves in the fall. After leaf drop, the woody vines that remain accumulate and become thicker each year providing a partial screen even through winter. Silver Lace Vine can be grown in full or part sun in both sandy or clay soils. I

Our Blackberry Plants are Vigorous and Beat the Frost!

Trees That Please Nursery offers a Sweet and Tasty Blackberry!  Blackberry plants normally bloom late so can be depended upon to beat late frosts and produce fruit annually!  These Blackberry plants  are vigorous growing and spiny. They will sucker and spread, so plant them where you have space because they do have the potential to produce a nice size bramble patch. The fruit is worth the prickly canes on which they grow. The Blackberries are large, sweet, with a little juice. Pick them fresh for cereal, ice cream, pies, or tarts if you can make it back indoors before eating these tasty morsels!! We dig these canes locally from a bramble patch that has been spreading for over 20 years. Photos and Narrative: Stephen Sain Staff Plant Physiologist