All the Dirt on Gardening

Mountain Valley Growers California Sunset Salvia is one of the pink flowering sages for sunny, dry spots. And, it's one I don't have yet though it is on the wish list for sure. unlike many sages, this one maxes out at 2 feet tall. It's cold hardy in zones 7 to 11, which means a mild winter here since we are just zone 7.  To play it safe I usually take cuttings of all my zone 7 hardy sages in the fall so the next spring when I'm plant shopping I don't have to replace those and can add to my collection. Mountain Valley Growers has 32 sage varieties - whose photo this is - It is a company I've had good luck with in the past. They sell this one $4.95 for a 3-inch pot, plus shipping of course. Plant Delights offers the same salvia for $12.00 though I looked throughout their webpage and can't get any information on the size of the pot or plant they are offering. My assumption is that it must be larger than Mountain Valley's. Their catalog says, ...

A great email newsletter just arrived from the University of Minnesota. Called Yard and Garden , the email has tips for each month for that area. Yard cleanup is one of the fall suggestions and I made some headway on that today. It is amazing how much dead and half dead material is on the beds at this time of year. But the weather is still good so it is pleasant to be out taking care of it. Fall is for planting - Mountain Valley Growers plants are on sale in groups of 6. I've had good luck with their sale plants though not 100%. Renee's Seeds is having a 30% off all seeds sale. Jungle Paradise is having a going out of business sale....retirement sale. Click on the link and then click on Plants for Sale. Owner Jan Jost said in an email that they also have Alocasias - macrorrhiza Borneo Giant Amorphophallus albus bulbifer (a few) dunnii (aka odoratus) Titanum Anthuriums guildingii hookeri clarinervium berriozabalense verrapazense vietchii Mon...

Photos: Both photos are from Mountain Valley Growers : Chocolate Scented Daisy or Berlandiera lyrata. Their Internet site describes it as having "a quarter-size, vibrant, yellow daisy with striking red striped undersides and chocolate-colored stamens." Mountain Valley Growers has the plants. The scoop on this beatuy - it is native to the southwestern United States, dies back in winter, and, grows to 1.5 feet tall. Blooms at night and emits its chocolate scent in the morning. I have purchased several items from Mountain Valley Growers and most survived. In the shed there are 3-butterfly bushes from MVG. I also bought a collection of Salvias that did well last summer and now are quite happy in the shed for the winter. The Maraschino Cherry Salvia was a knockout. I really, really want Hotlips Salvia now and will order it this month. Click here to see their list of available plants. MVG has a 6-plant minimum, so 6-hot lips salvias plus shipping comes to about $37.00 wi...