Please RSVP at
915-276-3024
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pmaxwell@bnsl.org
Happy Monday! We want to take a minute to thank everyone who came by our booth to say hello and take a look at the many new plants and items we have to offer at the nursery! If you missed it, the El Paso Home and Garden Show was a huge success! Under the direction of a new production company, this years Spring Show had many new vendors offering a large variety of new ideas and items for your home and garden. We look forward to the show again in the fall, and hope in the meantime, you will make it a point to come out and see us at Sunset Gardens and let us help you with all of your lawn and garden needs!
Sincerely,
Your Friendly Sunset Gardens Staff
Thinking of adding fruit trees to your garden this year?
Sunset Gardens has a variety to choose from. To help get your fruit trees off to a good start here are a few helpful planting and care tips taken from our local extension service:
For maximum tree and fruit growth, water needs must be satisfied from bud swelling through harvest. Watering frequency during the growing season can vary from seven to 21 days, depending on the age of tree, climate and soil type. Young plants have small root systems and require close attention.
Mature fruit trees respond to deep watering; saturate the soil to a depth of 2 to 3 feet.
Build basins to extend past the trees drip line (an imaginary line extending to the outer edge of the plant canopy). Mulches will help conserve moisture.
Normal fruit development depends on a continuous supply of water. Not only does proper watering allow fruit to develop normally on the tree, but summer irrigation helps the crop for the following year. Flower buds are initiated in the summer and develop in the fall.
Thinking of adding fruit trees to your garden this year?
Sunset Gardens has a variety to choose from. To help get your fruit trees off to a good start here are a few helpful planting and care tips taken from our local extension service:
1. February/March is a good time to plant fruit trees.
2. Establish tress in native soils.
3. Dig holes when soil is dry or only slightly moist. The inside of hole can glaze or seal off if dug wet. This prevents roots from penetrating into surrounding soil.
4. Dig holes twice as wide as the pot and only as deep as the root ball.
5. Prune any roots that are broken or discolored.
6. Form a mound in the bottom of the hole and spread the roots over the mound.
7. Place tree in hole at its original planting depth.
8. Fill hole with soil firm around roots.
9. Form a watering basin, which extends beyond the edge of the root ball. Water thoroughly. Check planting depth, as tree may sink.
10. Cover entire basin area with 4 inches of mulch.
Water the day you plant and the day after.
We’ll cover watering in depth in our next blog post!
Happy Valentines Day to all of you celebrating a day of Love!! We here at Sunset Gardens are full of love too. Love for Trees, Shrubs, Flowers, Plants and yes, even Yard work!!
In the last 2 weeks, much has been happening here at the nursery. We have received a new shipment of concrete fountains, benches, pots and statuary all ready to be delivered and installed for Spring weather that is just around the corner. (Given the warm temps the last few days, maybe Spring is already here??)
If you are still looking for a last minute perfect gift for that special person in your life, you might consider a selection from our new shipment of Southern “Teddy Bear” Magnolias, or a beautiful Pink Magnolia Ann or Magnolia Jane that we have in a variety of sizes. It’s not too late to choose a beautiful one for your Valentine!!
Today, we received a selection of Fruit trees….Peach, Apple, Pear, Almond and Pomegranate to name a few. Now is the perfect time for planting your fruit trees, so come by and take a look at our selection.
The next few weeks are certain to be hopping at Sunset Gardens, we do hope to see you getting out and about……come by, take a look at all of our latest, and let our friendly staff help you with all of your gardening needs.
With a brief pause from football season, and Just under two weeks before the big Superbowl game, why not use this break to get your lawn jumpstarted and ready for your own summer games??
With the El Paso weather still cool, now is the perfect time to top dress your aging lawn with a layer of compost that will nourish your soil and help build a healthier, thicker, and greener lawn. Of course, you can just toss the compost on top of the grass, but for best results, here are a few tips to help you get the most green for your efforts.
· Mow your dormant grass ¼ inch lower that you normally would during growing season.
· Rake, Bag and remove all debris (A thorough raking at this point is very beneficial)
· If you choose, you may also aerate your lawn at this point
· Apply an application of a good Soil Acidifier, such as Fertilome Iron Plus Acidifier. Follow the package directions for your square footage. (Repeat this application every six weeks throughout the year)
· Apply a ¼ inch layer of compost evenly across your entire lawn.
· Water in thoroughly.
Adding compost to your lawn, Builds good soil flora, helps improve soil structure, reduces the risk of lawn disease, eases traffic stress, relieves compaction problems and aids in water retention.
So, go ahead get up from that recliner and by Superbowl Sunday you can relax and watch the game knowing, you went for the touchdown, didn’t fumble the ball, and are already ahead of the game!!
Welcome 2014! Greetings and Salutations!
This past year at Sunset Gardens has been filled with much growth, learning experiences and opportunities to introduce ourselves to so many enthusiastic gardeners, which made 2013 a pleasurable first year.
With a new nursery well rooted, we now look forward to the new year with great enthusiasm in our desires to continue to expand and improve our service and relationships with our fellow gardeners. First on the agenda will be the addition of our Sunset Garden blog; located on our web page. It will offer cheery tid-bits, handy tips and helpful information to help you improve your gardening experience. We invite you to stop by anytime!
And with winter still upon us, garden lovers alike are already getting the itch to be outdoors. So while we wait for warmer weather and the hummingbirds to return, here are a few things to consider doing during these dull winter months:
*Being indoors gives us a chance to tend to our indoor plants. Excellent time to repot that one plant that is busting at the seams. A quick planting tip: it’s better to turn plant upside down, gently tap bottom of pot while allowing gravity to help pull your plant out rather than pulling it out from the top. The chance of root breakage and stress is decreased.
*Take an inventory of garden tools and supplies. Great time to clean tools and sharpen dull blades; especially the lawn mower blade.
*Now that perennials are fast asleep our landscapes are easier to view, which makes winter a perfect time to make or change landscape designs. Make a map of the overall look you desire and then research which plants would be best to use. Then come spring you will be ready to go. Our staff at Sunset Gardens would be happy to help you get your yard off to a great start!
*Remember pre-emergent for spring lawn care. Our grass lawns become vulnerable when winds pick up seeds from weeds and drop them off in our yards. One way to help stop the growth of weeds in grass is by applying pre-emergent. Pre-emergent is a chemical that targets seeds and kills them. So if the mighty wind drops a weed seed in your yard and it hits the pre- emergent it will die. This lessons the amount of weeds you will have in your yard.
Remember, even though its winter, keep watering. Many plants are dormant but still alive. Not as much water is needed as in the summer months but keep water available.
Also water before a hard freeze. Water acts a barrier around roots and will freeze protecting the roots from the full onslaught of freezing temps.
We thank you all for stopping in. Happy Gardening!
The Friendly Staff of Sunset Gardens
