‘Cezanne’ and many other clematis featured at Squak Mt. are particularly striking when planted in a container.  Insure your pot is at least 18” in width. To plant, place your clematis along with a small trellis or obelisk in your pot. Use potting soil amended with our organic ‘Bouquet’ fertilizer. The root crown should be covered by about 1” of potting soil.  Place clematis in sun to part shade conditions and water deeply throughout the summer. Also insure you plant other plants around the clematis to provide shade for the clematis’ root system.  Pairing with annuals such as ivy geraniums, dragon wing begonia, or calibrachoa will provide incredible bloom power all summer. Come in to Squak Mt. today to check out our fantastic collection of Raymond Evison clematis, decorative trellis’ and containers to bring vertical interest and color to your patio or landscape this summer.

Here are some of the Raymond Evison varieties we are featuring at Squak Mt. this spring:

‘Cherokee Purple’ is an heirloom variety that grows large fruit from 8 to 12 oz. with rich, full flavor.  Typically we have dissuaded area gardeners from growing heirloom types, because they are disease prone and often do not have time to mature in our short summers.  In 2011 grafted specimens of ‘Cherokee Purple’ grew beautiful fruits here in Issaquah despite the very cool temperatures we experienced.   We have included this old time favorite in our crop of grafted tomatoes.  Additionally you will find a more modern variety, ‘Big Beef’ with its tasty 1 lb. fruits, in our grafted crop.  The vigor of this plant will allow it to get to maturity more quickly, and will also provide you with a longer more abundant harvest.

When planting a grafted tomato we recommend you plant directly in the ground, or if you must use a container, insure it is wine barrel size or larger.  You must insure that the graft is well above the soil level when planted.  Essentially this means that the soil level of the tomato you purchase will match the soil level in your garden.  Do not plant them deep!  Remove any suckers or roots that form above or below or above the graft.  Because the varieties listed here are indeterminate (the plant continues growing all season) we recommend that you selectively prune out foliage throughout the summer, to allow more energy to be placed into fruit production.

In addition to grafted tomatoes we are also growing standard tomatoes and a full line of summer vegetables.  Grafted tomatoes will be ready for sale in early to mid May, as will gallon pot size standard tomatoes.  Standard tomatoes in smaller pots are available as soon as you are ready to plant.  Here are the tomato varieties we are growing today:

All of the plants in our design are grouped together at Squak Mt. to make it quick and easy for you to select them.  Size and number of plants can be adapted for any size pot. The quantities listed here fit a pot approximately 18-22” in diameter. We also have pre-planted containers with this recipe so that you may take them home complete and ready to enjoy. Our friendly staff would be pleased to assist you further as you create bring the ‘Purple Tropics’ to your garden.

1. Perilla ‘Magilla’ – 1 plant –   Purple and magenta coleus like foliage.  Grows 18-24” high.
2. Festival Cordyline – 1 plant – Strappy burgundy grass like foliage with a cascading habit can grow 2’-3’ high.
3. Geranium ‘Indian Dunes’ or ‘Vancouver Centennial’ – 1 plant – Fancy leaf zonal geraniums provide striking color contrasts.  Foliage is bronze with a border of lime green.  Also features bright orange blooms in summer.
4. Potato Vine ‘Blackie’ – 3 plants – This ipomoea with nearly black foliage gracefully drapes over the edge of containers.
5. New Guinea Impatiens – 2 plants – See article in this newsletter.  Consider varieties with fuchsia or bright orange blooms.
6. Coleus ‘Gay’s delight’ – 1 plant – This sun tolerant plant features lime green foliage with black veins.  24-36” high.

We recommend waiting until May before planting summer annuals (such as those featured in this recipe) outdoors in our area.

A diagram of how we recommend laying out your container is available as a printed handout at Squak Mt. today.

The photo taken here is of a recently potted container to give you a better idea of the colors and textures in this design.  The plants will continue to fill the pot out quickly in the days ahead.

In addition to Ipomoea, Squak Mt. grows a multitude of other top performing annuals that trail, for sun or shade, including: bacopa, calibrachoa, nemesia, snow princess alyssum,  trailing petunias, verbena and many more.  Here is a complete listing of varieties we are growing for your summer enjoyment.  Supplies are limited.

Click here to view a list of many of the summer annuals we are growing this year, that feature a trailing habit.

Summer Annuals, Trailers 2012

As refreshing as a scoop of orange sherbet on a hot summer day, ‘Salmon Star’ sports large 6” apricot-salmon petals with a vivid coral stripes and red freckles. It only grows 2-3’ tall making it a terrific addition for containers, or garden borders. Paired with blues and purples it’s coral tones are stunning.  Tuck it among spring bloomers and it will bloom later in the year for added show. Oriental lilies naturalize well in the garden, forming ever larger clumps in future years.

Lilies prefer full sun to part sun areas, well-drained soil, and a shot of bulb food when planted. Because they never go completely dormant, it is important to buy early and plant early. The best flower show is achieved by planting groups of 3 to 5 bulbs 6-8” apart. Because they have narrow, columnar forms, lilies can be easily tucked in between other plants or shrubs.

‘Salmon Star’, as well as other great summer flowering bulbs, are available today at Squak Mt.  Select your favorites to bring fragrance and color to your summer garden.

Select a container that is at least 24 to 36” high and wide when growing blueberries in a pot.  Fill your pot with potting soil for proper drainage.  Our favorite varieties for containers include ‘Sunshine Blue’ which typically keeps its leaves year round (evergreen) and grows 3’ tall and wide with tasty, medium sized berries.  ‘Bountiful Blue’ also has evergreen foliage and boasts large tangy, sweet berries.  ‘Top Hat’ grows only 1’ to 2’ high with a wonderful wild blueberry flavor. 

In addition to bearing delicious fruit the whole family will enjoy, many varieties boast beautiful fall foliage colors and are attractive plants mixed in the landscape. 

Blueberries at Squak Mt. Nursery

(supplies are limited)

Bright yellow, green, metallic purple and black combine to create a striking, contemporary wardrobe for your containers.  The designers at Squak Mt. have created this exclusive design to inspire you as you welcome the first hints of spring to our neighborhoods.

All of these plants in are grouped together at our nursery to make their selection quick and easy.  This recipe is designed for a container about 15-18” wide.  Our friendly staff would be pleased to assist you in adding or subtracting plants to fit a pot of any size. We also have some stunning black or mirrored silver containers pre-planted with this design to allow you to take home instant beauty for your front porch or patio.  Light conditions are not as important during the first months of the year.  In future months, many of the plants in this recipe can either be transplanted to your landscape, or kept in the pot for year round interest in a sun or partial sun location. Come outfit your pots with eye catching style and color at Squak Mt. today.

(This recipe and the suggested layout for this pot is available as printed handout at Squak Mt. Nursery today.)

A.   Ceanothus ‘Diamond Heights’-1 plant: Attractive chartreuse leaves with a dark green center, pale blue flowers in April or May. Low growing evergreen shrub grows 10-12” high, trails nicely in containers.  Hardy to 20 F.

B.   Heuchera ‘Shanghai’-1 plant: Shimmering metallic silvery-purple leaves on a tightly mounding plant. Evergreen foliage performs well through winter. White flowers above dark purple stems in the summer. 10” H x 12” W.

C.   Dwarf Hinoki Cypress ‘Meroke Twin’-1 plant: Gold-green evergreen foliage. Slight twists of branches lend movement and individuality to upright growth. Excellent for tight spaces or containers.

D.   Black Mondo Grass-1 plant: Glossy black grassy foliage with a dense, clumping habit. Spikes of tiny lavender flowers are followed by black berries in the autumn. 6-12” H.

E.   Emerald Isle Spike Moss-1 to 2 plants. Small mounding moss with bright green foliage. Good groundcover for shade to part shade.

F.    Obconica Primrose-1 plant: Upright growing clusters of lavender, pink or purple blooms, soft green round leaves. This primrose grows to 9” tall.

G.   Primrose-2 to 3 plants: Rosettes of green foliage and cheery flowers in an array of colors on this perennial. Orangey-red or purple hued blooms recommended.

H.   Dwarf Narcissus-1 plant: A sure sign of spring when these cute daffodils are blooming. Tete-a-Tete or other dwarf varieties will work best. 6-12” H.

The first thing Alan said was do not go near trees with heavy burdens of ice or snow on them.  They are not safe!  True, there is no ice or snow now but remember this for future storms.  In addition he emphasized that broken tree tops and branches that are still hanging in trees pose a serious danger, and you must assess the danger they pose today.  Unless they are definitely wedged in the tree so they cannot fall, they should be removed for safety.  Alan spent much of his talk on the danger of  material falling out of trees, so please be warned.

You may have a tree, often a white birch, that has been bent by the weight of ice and snow, often into a perfect bow.  Be extremely careful if you want to cut this tree, it has large amounts of energy stored in the bow and can cause injury or damage when it is released.  A twisted tree presents the same danger.

When trying to decide if a tree should be completely removed because of extensive damage review the following:

1. What was the overall condition of the tree prior to the storm?  If it looked sickly and past its prime, now might be the time to remove it.

2. Has the tree outgrown its current location?  If so, why try to repair it? Considering removing it and planting a more appropriate tree.

3. After damaged branches are removed will the tree have sufficient branches to produce enough leaves to sustain life?  If not, then cut your losses by removing the tree.

4. Are the main scaffold branches basically in good condition?  If yes, then you probably have a tree worth working on.

5. What species is the tree?  Some trees like Douglas firs and cedars live a long time, so work invested in these trees will give will have a long pay back period.  Other trees like alders, big leaf maples, and cottonwoods have a short life span and may not be worth repairing.

If you are pruning broken branches, cut back to the main branch, making sure you leave a smooth, flat cut.  Also, if a branch has completely broken off, make a fresh pruning cut to produce a smooth flat surface.  Jagged surfaces leave more surface areas for disease and insect to invade the tree.

For branches that are cracked but mostly still attached to your tree you may want to stabilize the branch by wrapping the cracked area with duct tape or electrical tape.  If the tape does not stabilize the branch, a splint or tying the branch to an adjoining branch may be necessary.

There is no need to apply a paint or pruning compound to the cut areas.   They do not provide any benefit and may provide a cover for insects to hide in.

If  you have questions concerning your tree please gives us a call Squak Mt. Nursery.

Holiday dollars will be redeemable December 17^th through the 23^rd in 2011.   When redeeming Holiday dollars you can save up to 50% off of your purchase of holiday merchandise.

Each holiday dollar redeemed must be matched with a U.S. Dollar.  (For example: A $100 purchase = $50 cash, plus $50 Squak Mt. Holiday Dollars)

Holiday merchandise includes all ornaments, greens, cut and permanent Christmas trees, poinsettias, holiday ribbon and holiday décor.   This offer is good while supplies last.

Our general holiday sale for the public will not begin until December 26, 2011.

One of our favorites at Squak Mt. is the Camellia ‘Yuletide’, featuring cherry red blooms with golden yellow centers. Blooming from the beginning of December through the first of the year, this shrub provides color in your garden for the holiday season.

For those of you that live in the colder areas of the greater Eastside (North Bend, higher areas on Cougar Mt. or the plateau) consider picking out an extra cold hardy camellia, which has been bred for a zone 6 hardiness (-10 to -0 F).  They include ‘Winter’s Snowman’ which features pink buds that open to white anemone formed flowers.  Foliage on this beauty is dark green with burgundy new growth in the spring. Another good choice is ‘Winter’s Joy’, which boasts semi-double bright pink flowers.

Squak Mt. Nursery has a wonderful crop of camellias offered in a wide selection of sizes and varieties, including some espaliered on trellises. We are sure to have the ideal camellia for your landscape or large container.  Visit us today and allow our friendly, knowledgeable staff to assist you.