Happy Gardening this weekend. The weather looks great!

Gardening helps ease depression?

Interesting article in Medical News Today. Read the full article by clicking here: www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=66840

UK scientists suggest that a type of friendly bacteria found in soil may affect the brain in a similar way to antidepressants.

Their findings are published in the early online edition of the journal Neuroscience.

Researchers from Bristol University and University College London discovered using laboratory mice, that a "friendly" bacteria commonly found in soil activated brain cells to produce the brain chemical serotonin and altered the mice's behaviour in a similar way to antidepressants.

They are suggesting this could explain why immune system imbalance could make some people vulnerable to mood disorders like depression.

Lead author, Dr Chris Lowry from Bristol University said, "These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health".

"They also leave us wondering if we shouldn't all be spending more time playing in the dirt," he added.

GORGEOUS Calibrochoa in all stores now

They are truly dazzling! Ah, we really love spring around here...

Gardening Quote of the Day #4

Each garden has its own surprise.
- Susan Allen Toth, writer

Plant Report from the Sloat Boulevard store

We just received word from Molly, one of the plant buyers at our Sloat Blvd store that she has some of the most beautiful trailing plants for hanging baskets in stock: verbena, calibrochoa, and brachyscome for sun. For shade all the impatiens are looking great with tons of trailing plants to round out your planters. Molly also recommends checking our their extensive rock garden plants (we do live in a coastal bluff, after all...). Sedums, armeria, sempervivum and erodium are all beautiful. Check them out!

This just in: gorgeous 5 gallon ROSES have arrived!

It's that time of year again, when we can offer five gallon roses. These roses are fresh, fragrant and will produce beautiful blooms all spring long. Last year Julia Child was a fast seller and we have more in stock for 2007. Also, the new Burgundy Iceberg is available -- so beautiful with its rich purple color. Shop early for the best selection -- these roses will sell out soon. (In store rose arrival date: 4/23/07!)

Updates from our stores...hope everyone had a wonderful Earth Day this weekend!

Danville location - Great outdoor rugs for that al fresco dining experience (picture below) along with new pottery in smashing colors and textures! Spirea "goldflame" is in this week, also Monrovia's Viburnum opulus is at its peak and the new kid on the block is Dappled Willow (salix integra) -- Great coloring of pink, cream and green.

Kentfield location - Now has lots of roses, staked 5 gallon bougainvillea, kangaroo paw, wegelia "wine and roses" with dark leaves and lovely flowers -- so pretty. Also, this store has multiple fountain displays to inspire a paradise in your own backyard.

Happy Gardening this weekend!

Just in at Sloat on 3rd Avenue!!

Our 3rd Avenue store has lots of one gallon strawberries... "Albion' produces a medium size fruit, and also "Ever Bearing" are large plants full of flowers and developing fruit.

Our 3rd Avenue store also has the striking variegated Echium "Pride of Madiera". This incredible plant impresses so many visitors in Golden Gate park with its big cone-shaped spikes of bluish purple flowers. Its leaves are margined with cream bands to contrast with the flowers. WOW!!

Recipes from Sloat's Herb seminars

These very delicious recipes are a delicious way to use for your just harvested parsley, cilantro, mint, thyme and rosemary!

CILANTRO CREMA- Yields 2 ½ cups
1 c sour cream
1 c plain yoghurt
2 oz fresh lime juice
½ c half and half
1 ½ Tb salt
1 Tb pepper
½ bunch cilantro chopped fine
Mix together all ingredients with a whisk. Can be used for veggie dip, dressing, marinade for chicken or pork or shrimp.
These very delicious recipes are a delicious way to use for your just harvested parsley, cilantro, mint, thyme and rosemary!


GOAT CHEESE HERB DIP
8 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
3 Tb olive oil
3 Tb plain yoghurt
2 Tb chopped chives
2 Tb chopped Italian parsley
1 Tb chopped cilantro
1 tsp chopped mint
1 tsp chopped thyme
½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Blend goat cheese, oil and yoghurt in a food processor/mixing bowl until smooth. If done in the processor then transfer to a bowl.
Mix in all the herbs.

This can be made the day ahead, and stored in the fridge. Can be used as a spread on baguette slices or raw vegetables or for stuffing vegetables. Tastes even better the next day.

Now showing at our Kentfield location

Now showing at our Sloat Blvd. location

Daylight Savings means more time for gardening

Sun is in the forecast again for the Bay Area this weekend and with the Daylight Savings time change, Sloat Garden Center is now open until 6:30 pm, 7 days a week. Hope to see you this weekend!

Whatcha doing next weekend ???

Consider enrolling in a Container Planting class sponsored by Sloat and the San Francisco Botanical Garden!!

Make and Take a Seasonal Container Planting
Cosponsored with the San Francisco Botanical Garden
Contact SFBG for details: PHONE (415) 661-1316, ext 354
Sat, April 21, 10:00am--1:00pm at the San Francisco Botanical Garden
$40 - $80 depending on the size of the container
Select your planter then learn to fill it with fresh seasonal ideas with our container planting experts. You can create professional looking planters that have the correct soil mix and the right plants for your perfect spot. Learn techniques that professional designers use to keep planters looking great through the season and throughout the year. Containers and plants will be available for purchase. Price based on planter size chosen.

Wishing you a terrific weekend of planting...

Get out into the garden and enjoy!

All about GERANIUMS and PELARGONIUMS

Geraniums and Pelargoniums are in Sloat stores now, and the choices will only increase as we get deeper into spring.

Geraniums: Are mostly herbaceous clumping perennials, thriving in a cool climate. Geranium comes from the Greek word ‘geranos’ for crane. The fruit has a beak that resembles a crane’s bill. Some well-behaved disease-resistant examples are the lovely geranium endressii, geranium macrorrhizum, geranium sanguineum and the voluptuous geranium incanum.

Centuries ago plant hunters brought back a new species to Europe from South Africa. The flowers looked like the local geranium species, so they are erroneously called geranium. They were later reclassified as pelargoniums.

Pelargoniums: have five petals, but there are often two upper ones that are larger and colored or marked differently form the lower ones-many varieties have semi-double or double flowers-their leaves come in a variety of shapes. They come from warmer regions, most have aromatic leaves. Their fruit also has a beak, thought to be more like a stork. ‘Pelargos’ is Greek for stork. Pelargonium hortorum, the regular Zonal geranium, grows well in containers or beds and needs six hours of sun and protection from strong winds. The soil should be well-drained and watered on a regular basis. Pelargonium peltatum, the ivy geranium is much tougher, with ivy-shaped fleshy leaves. It’s great for hanging baskets, window boxes, covering retaining walls and hillsides. It can tolerate drier conditions in the summer and wetter conditions in the winter as well as salty coastal winds and sandy soils. Pelargonium domesticum, the Regal or Martha Washington geranium, has serrated leaves and often bi-color blossoms. In warm weather plants should be watered deeply once a week.

Scented geraniums are amazing. Pelargonium graveolens, pelargonium crispum, pelargonium capitatum and pelargonium fragrans have smaller blossoms but intense fragrant foliage. They are good for entrance ways, along paths and seating areas. The leaves can be used for potpourri, tea, cooking and a stress-relieving soak in the tub. Pelargonium tomentosum (intoxicating!) can even be used in part-shade as a sprawly ground cover.

All about GERANIUMS and PELARGONIUMS

Geraniums and Pelargoniums are in Sloat stores now, and the choices will only increase as we get deeper into spring.

Geraniums: Are mostly herbaceous clumping perennials, thriving in a cool climate. Geranium comes from the Greek word ‘geranos’ for crane. The fruit has a beak that resembles a crane’s bill. Some well-behaved disease-resistant examples are the lovely geranium endressii, geranium macrorrhizum, geranium sanguineum and the voluptuous geranium incanum.

Centuries ago plant hunters brought back a new species to Europe from South Africa. The flowers looked like the local geranium species, so they are erroneously called geranium. They were later reclassified as pelargoniums.

Pelargoniums: have five petals, but there are often two upper ones that are larger and colored or marked differently form the lower ones-many varieties have semi-double or double flowers-their leaves come in a variety of shapes. They come from warmer regions, most have aromatic leaves. Their fruit also has a beak, thought to be more like a stork. ‘Pelargos’ is Greek for stork. Pelargonium hortorum, the regular Zonal geranium, grows well in containers or beds and needs six hours of sun and protection from strong winds. The soil should be well-drained and watered on a regular basis. Pelargonium peltatum, the ivy geranium is much tougher, with ivy-shaped fleshy leaves. It’s great for hanging baskets, window boxes, covering retaining walls and hillsides. It can tolerate drier conditions in the summer and wetter conditions in the winter as well as salty coastal winds and sandy soils. Pelargonium domesticum, the Regal or Martha Washington geranium, has serrated leaves and often bi-color blossoms. In warm weather plants should be watered deeply once a week.

Scented geraniums are amazing. Pelargonium graveolens, pelargonium crispum, pelargonium capitatum and pelargonium fragrans have smaller blossoms but intense fragrant foliage. They are good for entrance ways, along paths and seating areas. The leaves can be used for potpourri, tea, cooking and a stress-relieving soak in the tub. Pelargonium tomentosum (intoxicating!) can even be used in part-shade as a sprawly ground cover.

Beautiful Nemesia...

What plant is easy to grow and gives you FULL color almost year round in San Francisco? The answer: Nemesia... and boy do we have a wonderful selection right now from our friends at Blooms Nursery. Wonderful colors like light blue lagoon (light blue) and bluebird (purple blue).

Oh no...APHIDS ARE BACK!

Aphids are small soft-bodied insects that suck plant juices. The whitish cast skins can be mistaken for whiteflies, an entirely different problem. That’s why it’s always best if you bring in a sample in a small plastic bag for diagnosis. The honeydew (sticky sugary sap) excreted provides an excellent medium for growing black sooty mold, many gardeners frequently mistake the sooty mold as the problem, when it is actually a symptom of aphid infestation. Copious honeydew and sooty mold can create a sticky, unsightly mess on trees, sidewalks, cars, and other surfaces beneath the plant.

Adult aphids are usually 1/8 inch, pear-shaped, with long legs and antennae, and vary from green, yellow, brown or red to black. Woolly aphids are covered with a waxy, whitish to gray coating (and may be mistaken for mealybugs). Woolly apple aphids can be found on apple trees, cotoneaster, hawthorn, pyracantha, elm, ash, and some conifers.

Aphids also have a pair of tube-like projections (cornicles) near the hind end of the body.

SYMPTOMS - Feeding by high populations can slow plant growth or cause leaves to yellow, curl, or drop early. Some species distort stems or fruit or cause galls birth to on roots, leaves, or stems. They can also transmit viruses, not usually a problem in landscape trees and shrubs.

During warm weather, aphids may go through a complete generation in less than 2 weeks. There are many generations per year, populations can increase rapidly in moderate temperatures. Throughout most of the year, adult aphids will give live young without mating! (They can also produce over wintering eggs, that’s why we suggest using dormant sprays starting in the fall.)

MANAGEMENT-
Sprays - Predators and parasites may not always appear in sufficient numbers until after aphids become abundant. To preserve beneficials use earth-friendly products like Bonide/EB Stone’s Insecticidal Soap, or Rose Defense, only in spots where aphids are most abundant. Use baits (Bonide, Grants, Terro) or sticky barriers (Tanglefoot/collars) to control honeydew-seeking ants, since they protect aphids from their natural enemies.

Mechanical Controls - Aphids can be hosed off with a strong stream of water or pinched by hand.

Biological Controls - Lady beetles (Hippodamia convergens) and their larvae, which resemble small black and orange crocodiles, the larvae of lacewings, are common predators, as well as many small wasps. The wasps lay their eggs inside the aphids, leaving “mummies” that are round and tan, with a small hole where the adult has chewed its way out.

Many aphid predators are attracted by the presence of honeydew, as well as nectar-producing plants.

EB Stone Fish Emulsion/Kelp - Fish emulsion is one of the original organic fertilizers. It is a partially decomposed blend of finely pulverized fish parts. It is high in Nitrogen, and the source of several trace elements. The addition of Kelp helps with drought-resistance, frost-protection and stress recovery of the plant. Because it is water-soluble it is immediately available and can be used in early spring to gets plants going. Regular organic fertilizers cannot be broken down until the soil is warmer. Fish Emulsion can also be used as a foliar feed, even for tomatoes.

Happy Easter, Happy Passover... Happy Spring!

We wish you a happy and festive weekend full of celebration and gardening.

Abutilon love...

Abutilon is on sale at all Sloat Garden Centers during the month of April for Gardener's Reward Members. With that in mind, we thought we'd tell you more about this lovely plant.



This evergreen, semi-tropical, frost-tender shrub is a member of the mallow family. You may notice the resemblance to hollyhocks, lavatera and hibiscus. It is often grown as a houseplant. It can be grown in a sheltered spot in the landscape or containers, and it likes full sun in San Francisco/San Bruno or part shade in Marin/Danville. Abutilons require good drainage and regular water (even an occasional spritz) and like warm days and nights.

They are not heavy feeders but tend to drop their lower leaves if underfed. Alternate using all purpose and bloom fertilizer. They are excellent candidates for foliar feeding with Maxsea fertilizer. The growth habit is open and rangy, these plants can grow 8-10' tall and wide. They should be pruned to shape in early spring. The main bloom season is spring but the white/yellow blooming plants seems to flower almost continuously. They also attract hummingbirds and butterflies!

Fast Forward!

Each month Sloat Garden Center sponsors a different school garden in Marin County for the FastForward student newspaper. The newspaper chose the school garden for April --- it's Laurel Dell Elementary School!

Can you name every item on the cover of our April newsletter?

To decode the mystery, we're offering an A to Z reference. See below.

asparagus
blueberry
carrot
daisy
eggplant
fern
grass
hibiscus
iris
juniper
kale
lavender
marigold
nasturtium
orchid
pumpkin
quince
rose
strawberry
tomato
Umbellularia californica (bay leaf)
viola
watermelon
xylosma
yam
zucchini

Update from Sloat Garden Center in Novato

Our Novato store is extremely well stocked on vegetables. In fact, almost half of the bedding department is edible! Stop by...

Gardening Quote of the Day #5

The very act of planting a seed in the earth has in it to me something beautiful. I always do it with a joy that is largely mixed with awe.
- Celia Thaxter, American poet

Environmentally friendly lawns; good for your yard & the planet

According to a March 14, 2007 article in the SF Chronicle, a group called “SafeLawns” is mounting a national campaign this month to push for environmentally friendly lawn care, built around an HGTV host’s book titled ‘The Organic Lawn Care Manual’.

The average private lawn requires hundreds of gallons of water, a very real concern for drought-prone California. We are already behind on our normal rainfall. At one of our Marin County stores we recently had a request for Ammonium sulfate, an old school chemical fertilizer. This high nitrogen fertilizer causes grass to green quickly resulting in a massive growth spurt in a very short time but not encouraging a strong root system. After the first mowing, most of the nutrients have gone and the growth diminishes. Constant use of high nitrogen fertilizer will increase the acidity of the soil, which is not great for soil balance, and all the earthworms will head next door. Broad-spectrum pesticides are thankfully being replaced with safer alternatives for our children, pets, birds and beneficials.

GENERAL LAWN CARE TIPS
Watering - We encourage you to use a sprinkler or irrigation system and aim for slow, deep irrigation, applied as infrequently as possible. This encourages the roots to go deep into the soil for water. After the drought in the 80’s, growers developed sod to grow longer root systems to survive those conditions. Lawns should be watered in the morning after 4am and before 2 pm to avoid fungal problems.

Fertilizing - Use Nature’s Green Lawn Food three times a year. Apply when the soil is moist but the leaf blades are dry. Water in thoroughly after application. This food contains feather meal, blood/bone meal, sulfate of potash, humic acid, mycchorizal fungi, and added soil microbes. The humic acid provides a high carbon diet for those microbes. This helps them propagate and do their job of breaking down the nutrients in the soil. The fungi colonize the roots of the grass and become a natural extension of the root system, enhancing the absorption of many nutrients, as well as promoting drought resistance.

For Weed Control - Apply Concern Weed Prevention Plus (Corn Gluten) at least twice a year, roughly in late April/early May and again in Aug/Sept. Wet down with a fine spray, then keep dry for a few days afterward. This will create a thin barrier for the seeds to land on. The protein fraction of the corn gluten meal inhibits the growth of the tiny feeder roots so the weed seed cannot grow. Assistant Manager Erik at our Pierce St. store says this is the easiest product to use, you just zip open the bottom of the bag and shake over the area you wish to protect. (Existing weeds must be pulled or spot-treated with Burnout II, Bonide Weed Beater, EB Stone Weed & Grass, or Greenlight Bio Spot Weeder - take care not to spray the lawn).

Lawns should be aerated once a year and top-dressed in the fall with Forest Mulch or chicken manure. Spread the top dressing thinly, a quarter inch or less is plenty.
Every year or two the soil pH should be tested, lawns soil should be slightly acidic (6-6.5). For overly acidic lawns (below 5.5) apply Agricultural Lime, then water in well. If soil is too alkaline (over 7) apply Sul-Po-Mag.

Avoid mowing too often and only remove one third of the grass blade each time. Mower height should be adjusted to leave the grass at 2 ½ -3 inches tall. Taller grass will prevent sunlight from reaching those weed seeds.

It was quite the party in the Marina on Saturday...

To celebrate the new Sloat Garden Center location in the Marina, we held a big party on March 31st, complete with balloons, music, delicious salad from Lettus Cafe and our beloved carrot and bumblebee mascots gave away seeds and ladybugs. Pictures below!

Sloat Garden Center Operations Manager Dave Stoner takes a break from
inflating balloons to pose with Sloat Training Manager
(and our favorite bumble bee) Lora Kellner


Sloat Garden Center's Information Systems Manager Michael Merz loves carrots!


So a carrot and a bumblebee walk into a bar...


The new nursery just after the ribbon cutting ceremony


The front of the store... ready for the grand opening!