Our fall sale expands at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero! The bareroot season is fast approaching and we will need more room – thus the sale of our lovely roses. We have a great variety – hybrid teas, climbers, floribundas and tree roses. They are all 25% off. We still have the ongoing sale of fruit trees including citrus.

A faster way to enjoy the health benefits of broccoli – sprouting broccoli. ‘Baby Burgundy’ has tender green stems and dark sprouts. It grows quickly with high yields. Try it raw as a snack! Broccoli ‘Raab rapini’ is another sprouting variety. The flavor has been described as nutty, bitter and pungent. Place in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Saute garlic in olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the raab, saute about 8 to 10 minutes and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

A very Southwest look at Bay Laurel Garden Center. These new containers look great with the metal agaves but will look equally stylish with some live green ones!

“Wood Hyacinths” (Hyacinythioides Hispanica) are lovely bulbs to plant in shade underneath trees or among perennials. Under the right conditions they can naturalize – they are known to reseed. We have pink and blue bulbs at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Plant them 3″ deep and about 6 ” apart. Also great for containers.

No better time to plant California natives than fall. An unusual offering is the salvia ‘Desperado’ in one gallon containers. This variety is extremely drought tolerant; it’s a hybrid of Saliva apiana and Salvia leucophylla. It grows about 4 feet with lavender blue spikes in spring reaching to 5 feet. Another gem on hand at Bay Laurel Garden Center is the Fremontodendron. This shrub can grow to 20 feet with stunning golden yellow flowers. Plant away from human activity as the small hairs on the plant are a skin irritant.

A new addition to our extensive house plant collection at Bay Laurel Garden Center is Monstera deliciosa variegata. The plant is included in the Philodendron family. These are generally easy care plants. This variety may need a bit more light due to its variegation.

A couple of attractive late blooming perennials are the white flowered Campanula ‘White Cloud’ for the shade and the sun loving aster ‘Purple Dome’. You’ll find lots of perennials still in bloom at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Examples include many salvias, Penstemon, and Osteospermum.

Garvineas are back. They’re the hardy version of the Gerbera daisy. The newest variety is named ‘Majestic’. This variety has a double center. We currently have yellow and pink at Bay Laurel Garden Center. In 4″ containers you will find the hot coral and dark pink. Garvineas are considered to be sun plants but they benefit from some afternoon shade in the hottest months.

The inevitable change of seasons is about to occur. And the advent of fall seems welcome after a very hot summer. We are ready to offer some great planting suggestions at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. It’s time to prepare for the bareroot season coming up. We start with the Fruit Tree Sale. We offer: 35% off all citrus and avocado trees – $35 for all 5 gallon apple, pear and stone fruit trees or 3 for $100. Also, 15% off fig, Jujubes, persimmons, multi-budded trees and 15 gallon fruit trees.

Fall vegetables have arrived at Bay Laurel Garden Center – those healthy, cool season varieties. For your planting pleasure you will find broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, lettuce, Swiss chard and more. For a good crop you seasoned vegetable gardeners know a rich, organic soil is the secret to success. We have the right stuff!

The fall bulb season typically begins with the German bearded iris. These little, somewhat shrunken tubers will bring forth colorful long lasting flowers. During this long life they only ask for some high phosphorous fertilizer and dividing every three or four years. This is a good time to do exactly that for your established plants.

It’s never too early to start planning your bareroot fruit tree order. You can find the current selections online at baylaurelnursery.com and our new catalog is available at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. Don’t forget berries, grapes and kiwis, plus lots of roses. Items only available at the garden center include tree roses and asparagus.

Here is a striking specimen of the Polygala shrub. One of our growers has turned it into a tree! This evergreen shrub is commonly called “Sweet Pea Shrub” as the purplish-pink flowers resemble sweet peas. Polygala will grow 3 to 5 feet tall. Prune heavily in early spring for the best appearance. A compact form of the plant also exists, reaching only 2 to 3 feet.

Carpenteria is a charming, native, evergreen shrub. These sprays of white flowers appear in June. Carpenteria is one of the most drought tolerant natives. It prefers afternoon shade and will grow 5 to 6 feet. We currently have 1 gallon plants, a rare occurrence. 5 gallons are also available. Why is the plant pronounced CarpenTERia and the city CarpinterIA?

You might be in need of a gift or unusual addition to your garden. Pictured is a rustic bird house. Remember to visit our Garden Gallery at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero – chock full of gift ideas.

Here is a rare and striking member of the genus Sansevieria – boncellensis. The most commonly known varieties often called ‘Snake plant’ have much thinner leaves. All the plants in this genus are known for their toughness. The easiest way to kill them is by overwatering. Check out our selection of unusual house plants at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero.

Summer reminds us how great it is to have shade trees around us. We can enjoy their shade while also adding lovely flowers to the landscape. The Chitalpa tree is a great example. The orchid-like flowers perch atop slim green leaves. Chitalpas are grown with either multiple or single trunks. Their water needs are minimal. Other summer flowering trees at Bay Laurel Garden Center include Crape Myrtle, Albizzia (Mimosa) and Vitex.

You can choose some cool color combinations to aid in abating the heat. White is the classic choice. Try pairing it with blue. Here are a few plants to cool down your garden. In the shade – white Impatiens and begonias, blue Bacopa. Perennials for a sunny locale – white Penstemon, white flowered Tulbaghia (society garlic) and Gaura, blue salvia and Convolulus. It’s been a known trend to have an all white garden (Moon Garden). This can be particularly effective in the evening.

We have lately been able to secure “self watering” pots at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. These are known to be particularly beneficial to African violets. Our supply of house plants regularly changes. We have some truly unusual plants as well as the old favorites.

A cutting garden can be very rewarding. Here are a few suggestions – Alstroemerias and Lisianthus are both long lived cut flowers. Roses vary with variety. Other choices include Shasta daisies, Zinnias, Veronica, Dahlias. Our strong recommendation is a do-it-yourself preservative. One recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 of white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of bleach for every quart of WARM water. Dahlias have a special formula – immerse the stems in hot water for 30 minutes before arranging. Good fillers include Aster ericoides, Baby’s Breath and Statice. Leather leaf fern, bay leaves and Myrtus can provide the greenery.

Water – the crucial element for the gardener. Should I water early in the morning? In the evening? There may not be a right answer. But the challenge is keeping the water in the soil to hydrate the plants. Mulch certainly helps. We have several types. Another helpful product in time of excessive heat is shade cloth – we have some available in rolls. New plants are the most demanding. Water every day for at least two weeks – perhaps twice a day if the temperature is in the high nineties.

We have a couple of unusual perennials we’d like to highlight at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. Dicliptera (Uruguayan Firecracker) starts its bloom in July. The showy red-orange flowers last for several months, especially if the top blooms are removed after flowering. An added plus is its attraction to hummingbirds. The other plant, Glaucium (Orange flowered Horned Poppy) is totally new to us. The gray foliage is very unusual – we’ll wait to see about the flowers!

Figomenal is back! This is a great fig for containers. One advantage with container planting is the fact that gophers adore figs. The plant is very low growing and spreading and produces a crop of very tasty figs. We do also have a variety of other figs available at Bay Laurel Garden Center.

We have some great California natives in 4″ containers at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. Two of these are native milkweeds, Asclepias speciosa and A. fascicularis. Also in stock a variety of the native Salvia and Lepechinia fragrans. The latter benefits from some afternoon shade. Once established they should all be quite drought tolerant.

Here comes summer! Bay Laurel Garden Center is geared up for the season. Plant a Buddleja or two for yourself and the butterflies. Gorgeous colors – white, blue, lavender, fuschia and purple. Sizes vary as well from 3 to 8 feet. When the flowers are spent prune for a second bloom. Prune the plant heavily once year to prevent it from becoming woody.

Colorful annuals abound at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. We have a great variety of Zinnias. They have the capacity to bloom throughout the summer. ‘State Fair’ and ‘Benary’s Giant’ are wonderful cut flowers. Many of the smaller varieties are perfect container plants like the ‘Profusion’ zinnias in the picture.

As you sit in your cabana by the pool imagine a dish with your delectable, juicy tomatoes in an Italian sauce over a bed of your homegrown, low calorie Spaghetti squash. Add to that a bit of Basil and sweet Marjoram. The growing season for vegetables will soon be over, so do not tarry!

Our customers at Bay Laurel Garden Center are often seeking plants to act as screens. The most common candidates are privets, Photinias and oleanders. A plant we don’t see nearly often enough is the Jasmine ‘Revolutum’. This evergreen shrub can grow to 8 or 10 feet. It sports fragrant yellow bells in late spring. Another sturdy hedge is the native shrub Atriplex. It also grows 8 to 10 feet tall with silvery gray leaves. It is considered to be deer resistant.

What better place in which to spend your summer days than in the shade. Lamium is a choice plant for shade. The variegated leaves lead to flowers in an array of pastel colors – lavender, pink and white. Lamium is a perennial and grows only 3″ tall but will spread to over 1 foot wide.

The USDA has recently updated the climate map, generally bumping everyone up a warmer zone.. The actuality will most likely be decided by experimentation. Several plants such as Dodonaea (Purple Hopseed) were previously considered too tender for our area. We’re now hearing they do quite well. The question of chill hours for certain fruit trees is another matter. A chill hour is considered to be 45 degrees or less. We do have a lot of temperatures that low, so only time will tell if certain varieties get enough chill.

Everyone is quite used to calling Pelargoniums Geraniums. The former types are not considered to be frost hardy. The different species include zonal, ivy, regal and scented. A new introduction from Armstrong is the ivy Pelargonium ‘Caldera’. This closely resembles an older type, ‘Balcon’ with smaller flowers. These tend to be more heat resistant and to produce longer flowering stems. The actual Geraniums are very cold hardy; they are generally relatively lower growing. Currently at the nursery we have ‘Rozanne’ and ‘Tiny Monster’.

Some handsome faces to add a distinctive touch to your landscape at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. The Hydrangeas are in their full glory. Use them in the garden or in containers. They like water.

The garden beckons! It’s time to get ready for the next season and we are prepared to help at Bay Laurel Garden Center. You might want to start your planting with some impressive background plants. The burgundy Cotinus (smoke bush) is very popular for its striking color plus drought resistance. This shrub can grow to 20 feet or more but it’s quite prunable. We have, at this time, its polar opposite, Cotinus ‘Golden Spirit’. This relatively rare specimen’s bright chartreuse brightens up a shaded corner.

A welcome gift on Mother’s Day is a lovely bouquet of roses. It will last for two weeks if you’re lucky! A potted rose, however, will last for years. We just happen to have a great selection which includes many tree roses both patio size and taller. Hybrid shrub roses include Ingrid Bergman, Tropicana and many more. Julia Child is a lovely floribunda. The hybrid teas are great for cut flowers but the floribunda tends to bloom a bit more. Come in and smell the roses at Bay Laurel Garden Center!

Vegetable growers are filling up their carts at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Tomatoes and peppers are the most sought after. What to choose? Just a few of the sweet peppers you can plant – standard types include green, red, orange and purple – within that range are the small lunch box types. ‘Roumanian Rainbow’ is 4 to 5 inches long – the fruit ripens ivory, then turns orange and finally red. All three colors appear at the same time for a unique display You might try ‘Dragonfly’ – these 3″ thick-walled peppers turn from green to dark purple.

Some definitely like it hot! Check the Scoville chart by the vegetable rack at Bay Laurel Garden Center. It shows the Scoville units indicating the pepper’s hotness. ‘Carolina Reaper’ nears the top with Ancho/Poblano near the bottom. The pepper is called Poblano when green and great for stuffing, Ancho when red and dried.

A unique and exotic Azalea is ‘Double Cannon’. This isn’t exactly Azalea country but given shade and good drainage with an acid fertilizer you have a good chance for success!

A peek into the shade house at Bay Laurel Garden Center. The stately foxgloves are in bloom. We have a great variety of Heucheras (Coral Bells) – some varieties are grown for leaf color and other for the tiny bells. As they increase in size they can create a lovely display.

California natives are always desirable. Hurry on in to Bay Laurel Garden Center if you want to plant one of the showiest and least available shrubs – Dendromecon rigida. The bright yellow flowers remain on the plant for many months. Dendromecon requires good drainage and is extremely drought resistant.

The popularity of lavenders is totally understandable. Fragrant, colorful and deer resistant! The first types to show their faces are the Spanish varieties – Lavandula stoechas. We now have a variety of bloom colors to choose at Bay Laurel Garden Center from ranging from dark purple to pink.

Beware the tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris). This insect is most often found preying on the young fruits of the nectarine – sometimes peaches. It is necessary to spray the plant when the fruit is very young – perhaps twice a week – with a general insecticide, Use Captain Jack’s, Take down, etc. The insect will disfigure the fruit skin and cause it to be very undesirable.

We have lots of tough Euphorbias to fill your garden beds at Bay Laurel Garden Center. There are dark leaved varieties, variegated ones and ground covers. All come with a warning – do not let the sap get into your eyes!

What a lovely time of year this is! We gardeners are so anxious to get out in the garden. You might want to start your spring planting with some hardy shrubs. The rock roses (Cistus) are great candidates. They vary in size and color – flower colors are white and shades of pink.

It’s so reassuring to plant perennials that promise to return year after year. They’re just starting to fill up the bins at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Delphiniums are gorgeous plants in colors white to darkest blue. We stock them in 4″ plants, 6 packs, gallons and even have a few 12″ specimens. These plants seem to thrive in heavy soils but be on the lookout for earwigs!

The North County loves vegetables! Tomatoes top the list of desired plants. There are just too many varieties to be able to carry them all but we try to order the ones that are favorites. The old timers are Early Girl, Celebrity, Better Boy, Sweet 100 and Sungold. Juliet, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim and San Marzano also seem to have a following.

What’s happening in the shade house at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero? We have a striking new Heuchera from Monrovia. It’s named ‘Red Lightning’ and will surely light up your shady area! The leaf colors on these plants are ever expanding. The plain old green varieties sport charming bell flowers and also merit a place in your shade garden.

A jumbo pack of strawberries seem to go hand in hand with a cart full of vegetables. It’s hard to surpass home grown strawberries. Varieties include Seascape, Chandler, Sequoia and Albion. Although some are classified as everbearing they tend to peter out in the hot summers. A crop of delicious early berries is still worth the effort. We also have other berries in small quart pots including blueberries at Bay Laurel Garden Center.

Summer annuals brighten your borders and containers. Calibrachoas (million bells) are always a favorite. The color palette expands endlessly! We have hanging baskets of these lovelies or you can make up your own at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Check out the marigolds, petunias, sweet peas, Cleome, and nasturtiums among others.

New houseplants are arriving every week at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. We have some handsome specimens. The fiddle leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) have been very popular – some of them require a very tall ceiling! We have lots of smaller plants for the more moderate consumer.

We’ve added some new items specifically targeted for hydroponic growers at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Most hydroponic enthusiasts tend to grow marijuana or tomatoes. However, some of these products contain bacteria and mycorrhizae which can be beneficial for any grower.

As the bareroot trees slowly recede into the horizon Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero turns green! It’s an ongoing process with new plants arriving weekly. Early blooming shrubs include Genista (Sweet Broom), Forsythia, Ornamental Quince and Coleonema (Breath of Heaven). We also have some lovely deciduous Magnolias.

The vegetable season is ongoing at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We have some giant artichoke plants. You can plant lettuce, broccoli, celery, herbs and lots more. Search the internet for recipes for Escarole (it’s big in Italy). And we finally succumbed to the tomato devotees and brought in a limited number of 6 packs and some 4″. Strawberries are here in jumbo packs.

For tomatoes beware the cold night temperatures of March – or even possibly April. If you have a greenhouse, you’re safe. Otherwise be prepared to cover them. A couple of solutions are available at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We have sheets of row cover. The other protection is “Kozy Coats”, formerly known as Walls of Water. These water filled reservoirs will protect the plants and can be kept on until the weather warms. Each package contains 3 coats and they can be used for several years.

Perhaps you neglected to plant all the glorious fall bulbs that should be blooming now. We can help at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. We have plants of Ranunculus and Italian Anemones. And we have small containers with dwarf daffodils and violas.

This is a great time to fertilize and there are quite a few options. We stock Down to Earth organic fertilizers for fruit trees, citrus, vegetables and more. A popular local product is Black Diamond worm castings. This product will maximize the effects of your fertilizer. Many soils lack sufficient iron, or they require more acidity; we have solutions. Gypsum will help break down heavy clay soils.

A few more early spring inspirations for your landscape. Erysimum ‘Sunstrong Violet’ is available in 3 sizes at Bay Laurel Garden Center. It sports bright violet purple flowers, needs minimum irrigation and blooms when you most need it! Pair it with some dark purple Osteospermum and white Iberis (candy tuft).

Dahlia tubers have been very popular and therefore we have ordered more at Bay Laurel Garden Center. A new offering this year are the cold hardy bulbs of the orchid Bletilla. The pink flowers will bloom for about 6 weeks in spring or early summer and the plants become dormant in winter. Bletilla requires at least part shade and does well as a container plant. We also have some lovely, fragrant lily bulbs. If you’re planting bulbs or tubers in the ground we highly recommend using wire baskets. We have some new very sturdy quart baskets.

The potting of bareroot fruit trees has begun at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. If you have trees on order to pick up or wish to buy those still bareroot, hesitate no longer!

Ceanothus, one of the most spectacular native California shrubs is about to burst forth! This drought tolerant shrub has brilliant blue flowers as well as white and light blue. We recommend using Ceanothus as an accent as it can be a bit temperamental, often living only 5 to 7 years.

The bare root season has been in full swing for a month at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero – many delicious varieties remain. Please call us at (805) 466-3449 to check availability. Rain can complicate gardening, but we remind you to spray the peaches and nectarines with copper in between the showers. A sticker spreader will help keep the spray on the tree.

Bare root roses are no longer available this spring at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We do, however, pot them in biodegradable pots so you can plant them without disturbing the roots. If the rose of your choice is sold out we will order additional varieties later in the season. Please call us at (805) 466-3449 to check availability.

More delights to fill your cupboard – vegetables! Lettuce is in high demand and we’ve brought in lots more at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We also have 4 inch and gallon artichokes and jumbo packs of strawberries.

Potato lovers rejoice. You will find the inspiration for any potato recipe with our potato starts. The selection includes French fingerling, German butter ball, Purple majesty, Russet Burbank and more. Garlic mashed potatoes? Add some California garlic or Elephant garlic bulbs to your shopping list at Bay Laurel Garden Center.

Take advantage of the rain – spread the seeds of our native wildflowers about. We have packages large and small of California poppies and mixes of native California wildflowers. Great for ground cover are white and strawberry clover in 1 pound packages.

There’s never a month without California native plants in the nursery. Newly arrived at Bay Laurel Garden Center are 1 and 5 gallon Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia). A tough plant with many attributes – glossy leaves, evergreen, bright red berries and extremely drought tolerant. The deer may nibble at the bottom leaves but you can trim the shrub into a standard tree. A native iris Iris x Pacifica ‘Native Warrior’ sports raspberry red flowers.

Summer flowering bulbs are here at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We have a great selection of dinner plate dahlias. None of the growers are offering them in containers later in the season so now is the time to purchase the tubers. The large, colorful flowers are quite spectacular. The plants require good soil and regular fertilizer. It’s important to head them back when young to ensure strong, full plants.

The Italian Anemones are a great improvement over the old varieties. The flowers are much larger and display more dramatic colors. We don’t have a source for the tubers but have received 4 inch containers from Premier Color Nursey. The current selections are ‘Blue’, ‘Bordeaux’ (dark fuchsia) and ‘Tiger Wine’.

The popular ground cover thyme has returned. Currently in stock at Bay Laurel Garden Center are flats of pink, red and elfin thyme. Elfin is the tightest of the three. It’s great to plant in between stepping stones and unlike the other two it seldom flowers.

Bareroot trees take over Bay Laurel Nursery in January! Planting time is now – plant your orchard with the bounty of the season and there are lots of great trees to be found. For apples we still have lots of Pink Lady. Its many attributes include the tart-sweet flavor, crispness, attractiveness, size and the fact that it’s one of the last to ripen. Add to that, it’s self fruitful and is adapted to diverse climates.

One of the newest varieties of fruit trees developed are the inter-specific hybrids. A big word to describe hybrids of two different types of fruit. The pluots, apriums and plumcots have been around for quite a while. New arrivals are the pluerries – a cross between plum and cherry. All these varieties are quite unique and very tasty.

Don’t wait too long to make your bare root choices from our bare root website. You can visit the website https://baylaurelnursery.com/order-online.html to get the latest availability info. Of course you can also come into Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. If you are unable to plant at this time, you may reserve your plants to pick up at a later date.

No better month than January to sharpen the pruning shears and have at it. Most fruit trees benefit greatly from judicious pruning. The specific needs vary from fruit to fruit. The most important time to prune is when the trees are young so as to give them a good structure to build on. We have a great small book available at the nursery. You can also visit the Dave Wilson site –https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/backyard-orchard-culture/. This is an extensive primer on fruit tree pruning.

Beautiful bareroot roses to tempt you at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero! A great array – hybrid teas, floribundas, climbers, shrubs, miniatures. And not listed on the web site, tree roses in three sizes. A special type, “Romantica” from Star Roses are similar to the old-fashioned full and fragrant ones. These, however, bloom much more frequently. Hybrid teas are much touted for cut flowers. Floribundas come in clusters and tend to bloom non-stop. Go to our Fruit Trees Online website at https://baylaurelnursery.com/order-online.html for pictures and availability.

Roses tend to grow quickly in our area. Once the branches have added 2 to 3 inches, apply fertilizer. Ones that have at least 10% phosphorous are best for promoting bloom. If fungus problems including black spot, mildew or rust are prevalent, spray with products such as Neem oil. This is also a great time to prune roses. We have some gloves to protect your arms from those prickly thorns!

Most peaches and nectarines are susceptible to a fungus commonly called Peach Leaf Curl. This fungus distorts the leaves and fruit and can kill very young trees. We carry the spray Liqui-Cop, the suggested remedy. It’s best to spray 2 to 3 times during the dormant season – the most important right before the buds open. You can purchase it in 3 sizes including one that attaches to your hose, great for treating larger orchards.

This week we are expecting an influx of bedding plants to bring color back into the landscape at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. These cold hardy plants include pansies, violas, snapdragons, stock and primulas. We will also have Iceland poppies and California poppies in 6 packs. Additionally, we are expecting seed packs of California native wild flowers.

Vegetables? Yes-they’re arriving at Bay Laurel Garden Center. You can still get a planting of cool season vegetables in the ground. Expect several varieties of lettuce including green oak leaf. You might want to try the new Swiss chard named ‘Celebration’. We added to our strawberry collection jumbo packs of the everbearing types ‘Quinalt’ and ‘Eversweet’. And we have bareroot rhubarb and 4″ plants of artichokes.