Thursday, February 11, 2010

What do you get for Valentines Day????

Youre asking me?  Something to make Margaritas of course!

New cold hardy citrus just in at all New Nurseries, for pots on your patio or ornamental trees

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But what do you mean cold hardy?  Well, to the untrained eye, you cant see it.  But to the experts, the only citrus worth growing are grafted on to the most cold hardy rootstock.

Why spend time growing an inferior tree?  The best Citrus are grown on trifoliate or flying dragon rootstock.  The cheaper inferior plants are grown on sour orange rootstock.  Trifoliate and Flying Dragon (flying dragon intentionally dwarfs the tree) are more disease resistant and up to 5 degrees more cold hardy.

The best varieties?

Meyer Lemon for taste (actually not a lemon, it’s a yellow orange with lemon flavor)

Bloomsweet or Rio Red Grapefruit for the scent of the blooms

Kumquat for year round ornamental color

Satsuma for good eating.

And finally.Mexican Limes for Margaritas!!!

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What blooms in the deep shade after weeks of cloudy weather? Nothing? Nope...something......

The never ending question.would you like the foolproof answer?

It takes two to (Blue) Tango!

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Blue Tango is a relatively new subtropical plant, along with Loies Pride, Del Mar and a few other choice hybrid bromeliads. 

These guys are easyjust place them in the garden, dont worry about the roots, in fact theyre best remaining in the pots.  Certain varieties have colored foliage, some spiky blooms, but all exotic.  Theyre even a striking houseplant.  The pups babies may be removed and planted for next years crop.  So care free even dummies can do it. 

Loies Pridea perfect houseplant.

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How do you decide which Loropetalum?

Not too many years ago, we old timers never heard of the word Loropetalum.  (At least these purple ones)

Along came Barry Yinger from the USDA and trips to Korea, China and Japan and now Loropetalum is a household name.

But now we have the question, Which One?

Let New Nurseries help you with choosing the best.

LOW GROWING

Pixie- new patent from PDSI and in the Southern Living Collection, Pixie stays almost flat, 6-12 prostrate ground hugging.  Makes a great accent in a container flowing over the sides.  Keep Pixie dry, dry, dry.  Hes very touchy to overwatering which makes a great plant for containers.  I have even seen a few in large hanging baskets with accent color that look unexpected and elegant.  Mix the purple of Pixie with whites, or even Spanish Moss for a tropical look.  Available at all New Nurseries in 3 gallon and 7 gallon.

MEDIUM GROWING

Plum Delight- trademarked by Hines Nursery in the early 90s, Plum Delight is a robust medium grower that keeps the purple foliage better than others.  (Many turn to a muted dingy brown-purple as the weather gets warmer)  Plum Delight is the best foundation shrub of all the Loropetalum varieties because hes (or she???) more dense and compact than others.  Part shade or full sun.   Looks great with white caladiums or impatiens

Purple Diamond- this little boy has the manners your mother tried to teach you.  Tidy, uniform and compact.  Good color, great performer.   Not always easy to find at most wholsale nurseries.until you try The New Nurseries.

LARGE GROWING

Ever Red Sunset WOW!  Best blooms ever, Clear red and luminous foliage.  Undoubtedly the best color.  A bit untidy if allowed to go unpruned. 

ZhouZhou Fuchsia- Cant say that too many times without a tongue twisting.  Z-Z gets big, which in turn makes one of the BEST small ornamental trees.  Very picturesque, almost a poor Southerners Japanese Maple.  However, dont feel too sorry for the poor southerner, this Big Daddy blooms its head off and makes a stunning accent if pruned to a small tree.  30 gallon specimen trees arrive at New Nursery Central and New Nursery West March 1.

BEST BLOOMER

Emerald Snow- a white selection of green foliaged Loropetalum that blooms, blooms.blooms.  Want another bloom cycle?  Just tip the plant lightly with pruning shears and in 3 weeks here comes another set of blooms.  Emerald Snow is another superior selection from the Southern Living Collection.  Looks great combined with Plum Delight or Purple Diamond.

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So confusing are all these iris....

Dont be confused, whether Butterfly, Bicolor, African   Use the best one you canUse only Katrina.

Perinos Garden Center in New Orleans was devastated by flooding in Hurricane Katrina that lasted for weeks.  The Perino brothers, Peter and Buddy found one lone survivor in a bed of thousands of dead Butterfly Iris.  This tough new survivor, appropriately named Katrina was studied and patented for its hardiness traits by Monrovia Nurseries.  We are proud to say that The New Nurseries helped introduce Katrina three years ago and we find it to be a much better proven performer. 

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Root rot resistant, vertical evergreen to 24, almost always blooming white with a hint of yellow and orange.

Patent royalties for Katrina go to preserving Americas wetlands. 



Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea

Youve never seen this color before in the South.

A new hybrid Encore everblooming Azalea, Lilac was just released to a few exclusive nurseries.  Come check ours out, ready for your landscapes in 3 gallon.  Lilac is a low grower, to 24.  Tolerates full sun to light shade.  Shape and fertilize after each blooming and youll have a great performer for your customer

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What's all the buzz about Southern Living Plant Collection?

Well, lots of buzz actually!   www.southernlivingplants.com

A great resource, Southern Living has been working with leading plant innovators, breeders and growers to select the best plants for the South.  New Early Blooming Crape Myrtles will be here later this year, and more exciting is a Lilac colored blooming Encore Azalea.  No azalea before has ever had this color, so perfect for Easter themed gardens.  Lilac Encore Azalea coordinates with almost every color, whether a traditional Southern Colonial or a stark white contemporary home. 

New Nurseries continues to carry the Southern Living line, look for the Southern Living Pots.

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www.southernlivingplants.com