Rhododendrons bloom at Bay Laurel open house

By Tony Tomeo

In the last Gardening column, I said that I would have more information about the open house at Bay Laurel Nursery, including dates. Although the dates for the first two open house events have been set for two Saturdays on April 15 and 22, it is not yet known if the third will be on Saturday, April 29 or Sunday, April 30. Again, I will need to put this information in a later column. Bay Laurel Nursery specializes in rhododendrons; but also grows azaleas, camellias, hamamelis, pieris, lilacs and Japanese maples. The open house is a great opportunity to see the nursery, which normally does wholesale business with retail establishments or landscapers, and is only open to the public during this event. This is also an opportunity to meet the legendary Peter Moerdyke, proprietor of Bay Laurel Nursery, and, the authority on rhododendrons.

In April, many of the rhododendrons are in bloom and the show is always impressive. Many like to see how rhododendrons are grown or how they can perform in a garden environment. The landscape surrounding the nursery contains many large field-grown specimens as well as other unusual species of plants and trees. Picnic tables are set up throughout the landscape for those who want to bring lunch; snacks are also served. The nursery is located at 1554 Bean Creek Road, in it's own small, very scenic valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains, slightly west of Scott's Valley. For an invitation which includes directions to the nursery call 831.438.3999 and leave your mailing address.

I have been helping with this event since it was established a few years ago, and I highly recommend it. I will be there again this year and hope to see many of you there.

For the horticulturally inclined with free time on Saturdays, I also recommend some of the lectures presented by Common Ground Organic Garden Supply and Education Center. On March 11, double digging (10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.) and composting (2-4 p.m.) will be presented by Mike Shannon. Machei Matysiak will discuss seed propagation (10:30 a.m.-noon) and companion planting (2-4 p.m.) on March 18. On March 25, Adrienne Duncan will present Planning Your Spring and Summer Garden (10:30-noon); and Kevin Stevens will conduct a tool clinic for sharpening tools (noon-1 p.m.). After the lecture, Kevin will stay until 4 p.m. sharpening tools, (prices to be posted).

Admission to each lecture is $15, with the exception of the tool clinic, which is $5; seniors and low-income persons may request a $3 discount on classes. Advance registration is highly recommended, but not required (I recommend telephoning if you are interested in a class this Saturday.) Registration can be done by mail or directly at Common Ground, 2225 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 94306. For more information, the telephone number is 650.328. 6752.

Common Ground Organic Gardening Supply and Education Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays in the spring. Gardening classes are offered throughout the year, and the education center includes an extensive reference library on bio-intensive organic gardening and related subjects. Many open pollinated vegetable, flower, herb and compost (cover) crop seeds are available, as well as organic fertilizers, fine gardening tools, books, natural pest control products and organically grown vegetable and herb seedlings and perennials.

Now that the weather is warming up between rains, you might want to start working in the garden and acquiring the vegetable and flower seeds and plants you want for spring. If the soil is dry enough to work, this is a good time to loosen it up and mix compost into it. Seed for most spring and summer vegetables and flowers may be planted as soon as there is no longer a threat of frost. Seedlings may be planted as soon as the weather is reliably warm. If planted early, they will not likely be damaged by frost, but eaten by snails or slugs. Plants which thrive in heat grow slowly in cold weather, so are eaten faster than they can grow. When planting peas, sweet peas and eventually beans, it is not necessary to soak them in water a few days prior to planting. If the soil is kept moist, as it normally is in new gardens, the seeds which are not soaked prior to planting will be soaking underground.

Seed which has been soaked is more likely to split during planting, and any excess cannot be stored for later use. If the weather remains cold and rainy, don't rush vegetable and flower gardening. Like many of us, young plants are not very active in such weather and will not benefit from early planting.

Tree of the Week: Blue Palm

Unlike most palms used in Northern California, the blue palm, Butia capitata (a.k.a. Pindo palm) is very slow growing. I know of a specific blue palm in West San Jose which is about as old as I am, and only now developing a trunk. Very old trees may be as tall as 10 to 15 feet; but this species is best used as a coarse foliar shrub. Blue palms are very hardy and require only average irrigation and will tolerate light shade.

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Horiculturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574.

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