Our yearly Annuals Plant sale is here just in time! Choose from our selection of easy-care flowers such as Impatiens, Fuchsias, and Geraniums, and make your home the envy of your neighborhood. All our annuals (around 400 varieties!) are 25% off through 5/31.

If you’re looking for a prolific bloomer that spills vivid color over the sides of your planters, try Calibrachoa or its larger cousin, the Wave Petunia. Both are available in a literal rainbow of colors. For a tropical look, add Mandevilla to your patio planters.

We guarantee your satisfaction with our plants. They arrive alive and ready to plant.

Use coupon code AAPS13 at checkout to take advantage of this 25% savings, while supplies last!

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All Lantana On Sale ’til May 31!

The lovely Lantana will be one of the first shrubs to bloom in the spring and will often bloom right through to the first frost. Well-suited to growing in the South, many of our customers in the North love them so much they grow them in large containers or on the sunniest side of the house and lovingly protect them throughout the winter.

 They just can’t wait to see those colorful blossoms come springtime!

The Lantana (lan-TAH-na) has been hybridized through the years to produce woody shrubs that don’t require a lot of care. No longer do you have to remove the fruit in order for reblooming to happen—they just do that all by themselves! The new breeds of Lantana also are widely adaptable to various soils, have an extended blooming season, and are exceedingly drought and salt tolerant once well established.

Carefree, eco-friendly and beautiful—what more could you possibly want?

Oh…you want them cheap?

They are all 15% off! 

Our Bandana Lantana grows more compactly than many other Lantana varieties, while the available colors are simply glorious! The Bandana Lantana is well-suited to growing in containers and even in hanging baskets, most trailing up to 36 inches. In fact, some of our customers grow Bandana as a flowering groundcover. You can choose from a variety of fantastic colors, with some cultivars exhibiting four colors, all in one blossom and all at the same time!

Our Carolina Lantana has an improved mounding growth habit, with some varieties trailing up to 4 feet. Most Carolina cultivars will yield bicolor blossoms in hues from creamy yellow to peach to hot pink and brilliant reddish-orange. Carolina Lantanas seem to have a more decidedly tropical personality.

Contrary to popular belief, the Lantana doesn’t have an unpleasant aroma; the leaves, when crushed, can emit a somewhat pungent, citrusy scent.  Just don’t walk on them! 

Our Son Lantana Series is the most “shrubby.” Reaching heights and widths of three to five feet, these well-branched and compact woody shrubs can be one of your perennial foundation plants in the southern zones and grown as a large, containerized shrub in the northern zones. Many of our gardeners on the cusp of the north and south grow them as a tender perennial, covering them with a plant protection cover and/or mounding a thick layer of straw or mulch at the base of the plant.

And finally, we have more Lantana, which do not fall into a specific breeder’s series, but are no less beautiful or carefree. You should see the Lavender Trailing Lantana on this page!

Lantanas today are not the invasive species the “wild” lantanas were; many of today’s hybrids having no seeds (fruit) at all or sterile seeds. Their tropical beauty is so loved it encouraged Lantana growers to breed options that would be non-invasive while preserving the fantastic colors and growing habits, sometimes with remarkable improvements in the species.

So, here’s your chance to experience the charming Lantana for yourself,

or to add to your Lantana collection.

 Just enter discount code 15LAN0513 at checkout…

and enjoy your new Lantanas! 

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When Short on Patience or

Time, Plant our Premium

Plants

…And Save!

Our Premium Plants are plants that have had an extra year of growth. Grown and shipped to you in larger pots, not only are the roots more developed, but these premium-sized plants will grow larger than ever and bloom in the very first year.

Are you landscaping a new home or upgrading existing landscaping?

PREMIUM PLANTS provide a more mature look, right out of the pot.

Are you planting for a wedding or other special backyard occasion?

PREMIUM PLANTS grow quicker and bloom sooner.

Do you prefer an instantly mature garden bed over waiting for seedlings to grow?

PREMIUM PLANTS provide instant ‘green’ gratification!

Is your thumb less than green?

PREMIUM PLANTS arrive larger, with a better-developed root system.

All Premium Plants on Sale

15% OFF!

Our Premium Plants may be YOUR answer

to having the most beautiful garden you’ve ever had.

ALL of our Premium Plants are On Sale until May 15, 2013:

Just enter discount code PP0513 at checkout

and reap the fantastic savings!

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You have spent the latter part of the winter looking through seed catalogs and surfing online garden sites. You’ve ordered your vegetable seeds and grumble when it’s snowing again or when the nighttime temperatures are still causing your furnace to kick on way too often. If you’re anything like us, you can’t wait for the day you can get your hands dirty in the garden.

We know the feeling and we also know how hard it can be to be patient. For many gardeners, the time to plant seeds into the garden is still a ways away, while some warm-climate residents are already happily crawling around on their hands and knees as they sow the seeds for this year’s garden. (We’re jealous!) We thought we would pass along the optimal soil temperatures for sowing vegetable seeds outdoors.

However, there are some vegetable seeds that are best sown indoors and are rarely started right in the garden. For various reasons these seeds will germinate best and produce premium crops when sown indoors and then hardened-off and transplanted outdoors:

• Broccoli: is best germinated indoors at temps of about 85°F, 6 weeks before you plan to transplant

• Celery: is best germinated indoors at 75-85°F. These tiny seeds are very hard to sow without overplanting and will have to be carefully thinned to the strongest plants.  A handheld seeder is really handy for these dust-speck-sized seeds.

• Kohlrabi: is best sown indoors for a spring crop, but can be sown outdoors for a fall crop with soil temps of at least 70°F.

• Peppers (hot & sweet): are best started indoors at 80°F about 8 weeks before transplant

• Tomatoes: are best started indoors at soil temps of 70 to 90°F, and then transplanted outdoors when soil temperatures are consistently above 50°F.

Chard is an exception to almost every rule: its seeds enjoy and germinate best in cooler temperatures. As soon as you can work the soil, sow your chard seeds.

The following seeds can be sown directly into the garden when soil temperatures reach a minimum of 40°F:

• Beets

• Cabbage

• Endive

• Herbs

• Parsley

• Potatoes

• Turnips

• Radish

• Spinach

You can sow the following seeds when soil temperatures reach a minimum of 45°F:

• Leek

• Mustard

• Peas

These vegetable seeds prefer slightly warmer soil and can be sown when soil temperatures are a minimum of 50°F:

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Lettuce

• Onions

• Corn

These veggie seeds will germinate best when soil temperatures are at least 60°F:

• Beans

• Cantaloupe

• Cucumber

• Gourd

• Kale

• Pumpkins

• Squash

It may seem late in the season, but these seeds prefer it warm and should be sown with soil temperatures at a minimum of 65°F:

• Chicory

• Okra

• Popcorn

And last, but definitely not least, these seeds really like it warm! Sow them when soil temperatures reach a minimum of 70°F:

• Eggplant

• Watermelon

• Kohlrabi (fall crop)

Keep in mind your soil will not necessarily be the same temperature as is shown on your outdoor thermometer. Soil holds and releases heat at varying levels depending upon a number of factors. Your soil may not even be the same temperature as your neighbor’s—especially if you use compost and your neighbor doesn’t. You may use mulch, or over time you may have built your soil to a healthy, fertile level. It IS true that dark soil will hold both heat and water more efficiently; dark soil = healthy soil (in most cases). We recommend you purchase an inexpensive soil thermometer to ensure better germination results on direct-sown vegetable seeds.

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Most creeping or vining plants will seek some form of support.  And if it’s a pumpkin vine, it can apparently latch onto a nearby tree and use it as a host.  That’s what this heirloom pumpkin plant did when its seeds were planted close to the base of a well-established redwood, and the wayward vine produced some lovely pumpkins as it ascended the base of this large trunk.

Our customer, Manfred S., shared his story and photos:

Dear Garden Harvest Supply Folks,

We live in a cooperative housing complex in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Have lived here since 1965 and in that time I have planted a lot of shrubs and trees on common property, including a Dawn Redwood just across the sidewalk from our unit.  In the fall of 2011 a friend gave me some seeds, which I forgot to label.  In the spring I planted them near the tree and they grew into large vines that eventually climbed the tree, twined around it and blossomed.  I didn’t know if it was a squash, a gourd or a pumpkin.  Three of the blossoms bore fruit and it turned out to be heirloom pumpkins that grew between and above a fall clematis.  That fascinated the co-op grounds crew and they kept coming by every week to check on their growth.  We finally harvested two of the pumpkins on October 15, 2012.  That’s me with the bald spot wearing the brown jacket.

What an anomaly, to see a pumpkin vine growing vertically and producing large fruit on the trunk of a giant tree!

The tree’s bark provided a rough surface for the tendrils of the pumpkin vine to easily attach to, and the girth of the trunk gave the pumpkin plant’s large leaves plenty of room to spread out, to get lots of air and light, and to look really lush.  When the plant bore blossoms and then fruit, they too had lots of room to breathe. It’s possible the creeping vine even stole some of the tree’s nutrients for its own welfare.

That fluke worked out well for the pumpkins but it’s not so great for the giant redwood.  Tree trunks, even with thick, mostly dried bark, still need air and light, or they’ll suffocate.  This particular tree was covered in ivy before the pumpkin grabbed on for a free ride.  Even that ivy, if dense, could choke out some of the tree’s necessary elements for survival.  It’s best to keep all tree trunks free and clear of parasitic or freeloading plants.

Although tree bark is a wonderful surface for vines to take hold of, it’s not a tree’s main purpose to support other growing vegetation.   Luckily, pumpkin plants can grow right along bare soil on the ground, as long as they’re not left on wet earth for long periods—and they shouldn’t be subjected to harsh windy conditions, which is tough on their sensitive leaves.  Generally speaking, pumpkins will grow in any fertile soil and will thrive anywhere they have room to spread, since vines can grow 20-30 feet long.

Some pumpkin growers in wetter regions build mounds to plant seeds in, so their plants stay on the drier side during rainy periods.  In drier regions, the opposite can hold true, where planting seeds in shallow trenches will catch and retain needed moisture.  As long as pumpkins aren’t exposed to frost, and they get full sun and pollination by bees, they’ll produce large and healthy fruit in most growing conditions.

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This is one of the most frequently asked questions, since not everyone who wants to grow a vegetable garden is blessed with an area that receives full sunlight all day long, or with an area large enough to allow the adequate separation of taller plants to keep them from shading shorter plants. Such an example would be corn or tomatoes; these taller plants tend to shade anything planted east of them. Large-leaved plants will also provide shade if planted too closely to other crops.

You may also have to take into consideration the existing trees, fences and architecture that can affect the amount of sunlight reaching certain areas of your vegetable garden. For example, some trees have a high, open canopy, allowing dappled sunlight to reach the garden during all times of the day. On the other hand, trees with a lower, denser canopy can mean your garden area is plunged into full shade for more than all but an hour or two a day, a situation impossible to grow almost any vegetables in. Sometimes it is a simple matter of trimming the lowest branches of the tree, in many cases improving the health and overall appearance of the tree, but also enabling more sunlight to reach your garden plot. In extreme cases, gardeners have been known to cut down the offending tree, using the stump to mount a birdbath or birdhouse, instead. It’s all a matter of priorities and what matters most to you. When it comes to existing architecture or a fence, the fix can often be as easy as applying a coat of white paint in order to reflect the sunlight and to help dispel some of the shade. You will also want to take your garden site into consideration when planning on planting trees or installing that new garden shed or privacy fence. These projects are often completed in the fall, after the active gardening season is over, but will directly affect your garden come spring.

So, for the purpose of describing shade or sunlight—it is not an exact science; it can depend on where you live. For instance, full sun in the northern part of the country can be 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight per day. However, in the desert Southwest, full sunlight can mean at least 6 hours of morning sunlight, but almost full shade in the afternoon hours in the heat of the summer. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the middle, in Zones 4 through 8, with any adjustments being made up or down in he amount of sunlight depending upon the area:

• Full Sun—at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day
• Partial Sun—at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day
• Partial Shade—at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day
• Full Shade—less than 2 hours of direct sunlight per day. If your prospective garden area experiences this type of shade, we do not recommend planting vegetables

It will be necessary to observe your garden area throughout a sunny day as spring approaches, and to take a look every couple of hours or so, to determine the total hours of sunlight different areas of your garden will receive. An easier solution, one that doesn’t require your taking that walk out to the garden, and which is definitely more precise, is to use our SunCalc® Sunlight Calculator or Light Intensity Meter to accurately determine the amount of sunlight reaching any particular area of your yard.

As an easy-to-remember rule, leafy vegetables are the most adaptable to low light conditions, with root vegetables being the next in line and fruit-bearing vegetables requiring the greatest amount of sunlight. Most vegetables will grow in lower light conditions, except for fully shaded conditions, though their productivity could be adversely affected. When in doubt, err on the side of more sun.

As a solution to a garden site with less than desirable sunlight, consider planting your garden in two separate areas or think about planting your tomatoes and other fruit-bearing crops in containers on your sunny deck or patio. Bear in mind that you can also use shade-cloths to provide shade to overly sunny areas where you want to grow leafy vegetables.

As a guide to the amount of sunlight required for specific vegetable plants, you can use the following recommendations, making adjustments as needed for your particular situation:

Crops requiring at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day (Full Sun):

• Asparagus (perennial)
• Beans
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cantaloupe
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Goji Berries (perennial)
• Honeydew
• Okra
• Peppers
• Pumpkins
• Rhubarb (perennial)
• Squash
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Turnips
• Watermelon

Crops requiring at least 6 hours but can grow with less than 8 hours of sunlight per day (Partial Sun):

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Collard Greens
• Kale
• Leeks
• Onions
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Radishes
• Rhubarb (perennial-can also grow in full sun)
• Swiss Chard

Crops requiring at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day (Partial Shade—ideally midday sun):

• Asian Greens
• Herbs
• Lettuce
• Spinach

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Our 2013 Flowering Combinations Are Now Available for Preorder At 10% off!

Now is the time to be thinking about those hanging baskets to be filled, those standing containers you’ll be decorating your breezeway or patio with, and what annual flowers you would like to plant in your deck boxes, flowerbeds and other outdoor spaces.

First introduced last year, our designer-style combination flower plantings thrilled customers:

Each flowering combination has been artistically designed, taking into consideration the amount of light and water necessary for each variety of flower, as well as the aesthetically pleasing final appearance of their complementary colors, textures and architectural composition.

All you have to do is plant them and feed them!

Having gorgeous planters and flower beds has never been easier!

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Hi, Attached are photos of my garden from several past years. The one thing they all have in common is Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes. I am very happy with the results and will continue to use them. Ray R.

GHS: Ray, we’re really glad you shared your photos with us.  Your raised garden beds are extremely attractive, and they look very well maintained.  The Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes are clearly doing their job to make your vegetable plants lush and productive.  Jobe’s fertilizers are formulated for each different kind of plant (garden, landscape, and houseplants), and as you’ve discovered, they couldn’t be easier to use.  Their slow-release delivery system lets you fertilize once with no measuring–then forget about it until the next application time.  We congratulate you on your beautiful gardens and look forward to seeing what you grow in 2013!

Ray R. has shared photos of his gorgeous raised-bed garden.  He’s apparently learned a little about companion planting, as his onions look very happy next to his tomatoes.  His plants have had the benefit of Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes, which clearly have produced plants heavy with fruits!

This photo shows just how lovely a garden can be with a little planning, a lot of love, and Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes to help make plants lush, healthy and productive. Ray R. shared this photo of his handiwork to show how happy his tomatoes are.  He’s a fan of Jobe’s and it’s no wonder why.

What a beautiful way to garden.  Besides being ornamental, these raised beds are practical in that they’re protected from many pests, and they are easy to maintain, with less bending over.  It doesn’t take very much effort at all to plan your plantings and have a garden this neat and pretty.  Ray R. used Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes in these beds, and the results are visible:  Those are some healthy and happy vegetable plants!

Those raised beds sure do make access to your plants a breeze.  And they look like works of art, too! The Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes clearly helped make these plants thick with foliage and there are abundant tomatoes hidden behind all those leaves—especially on the plants at the far end.  Thanks for sharing, Ray R.

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Dianthus and Sedum and Echinacea…OH MY!

All of Our Perennial Plants Are ON SALE for 10% OFF When You Preorder!

Upgrade Your Yard This Season

Perennials are the foundation for your decorative landscape. Once planted, your perennial plants will bloom for 3 to 5 years in the Zones where they are hardy; and then, although the original plants may eventually fade, your perennial flower beds will continue to regenerate for years, through reseeding, multiplication, or new growth.

Our Selection is Endless…

We have almost 300 varieties to choose from, such as our:

Tuberosa Asclepias plant. This Butterfly Weed with its brilliant colors and sweet fragrance will attract the hummingbirds and butterflies in droves.

Scent First Coconut Surprise Dianthus plant. This Sweet William is all the sweeter for its stronger-than-average fragrance and showy double blossoms.

Pow Wow Wild Berry Echinacea plant. You can choose from more than 40 echinacea varieties, but this is one of our favorites and well worth a look.

Arizona Sun Gaillardia plant. The Blanket Flower got its alternate name from the fact it grew “like a blanket” across our nation’s prairies. This variety is aptly named, its blossoms radiating the brilliant colors of the sizzling Arizona sun.

Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia plant. This is the first- ever red Black-Eyed Susan hybrid that will re-sow, true-to-form, from seed. And its appearance is so very striking!

Dragon’s Blood Sedum plant. You might know it as Stonecrop. This cultivar bears brilliant red blossoms, but the dragon’s-blood-red foliage in the fall has everyone talking!

So, grab a mug of coffee or tea and browse our perennial plant department. Then, take a walk in your yard and imagine the beauty our perennial plants will provide. Picture them growing alongside your favorite annuals. Imagine them coming back year after year, the foundation on which to build your seasonal palette. Plan with the future in mind. Paint your yard with your favorite colors in blossoms and foliage. Be bold; be imaginative.

Save 10% by Ordering Now!

Just enter discount code PPS113 at checkout. We will hold your order, shipping your perennial plants according to our Shipping Schedule. We can also ship them according to your schedule. Just let us know in the “comment box” as you are checking out, or call us at 1-888-907-4769.

Our perennial plant preorder sale prices are in effect through January 22nd.

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 Worth the wait…

Patience is a virtue…

Good things come to those who wait…

These mottos fit many circumstances, but they’re especially appropriate for the harvest from our Bare-Root Strawberry Plants and more than ever when they are on sale for 15% Off!

Shipped in the spring, at the end of April, planting our bare-root strawberry plants is the easy part. Just choose a spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day and is within hose-reach of your water source; then watch our short video to see how easy it is to plant your own strawberry patch. You can also read our article with growing tips and fun facts.For the healthiest start, we suggest you use a water soluble or controlled-release fertilizer as recommended, usually once a month. It is also important to provide regular and consistent moisture for your strawberry plants if rain is not plentiful.

And then remember those oh-so-true clichés and wait for it…

It is the waiting for those first juicy berries that will be the hard part, though there is plenty to be said for watching your plants grow and mature. Throughout the first spring and summer your plants will be growing strong, healthy root systems underground, while putting on full, leafy tops and cheery white blossoms above ground. Exciting as these new leaves and flowers will be, the blossoms should be pinched off this first season, before the berries start to form. This step is vital for growing the strongest strawberry plants, ensuring a healthier root system and larger plants next spring.  Just consider it a teaching moment for your children or grandchildren (and maybe even a lesson in patience for an adult in your household). Don’t give in to temptation and let those berries form.

Wait for It…

As winter approaches and the leaves on your berry patch start to turn brown, add a few inches of straw, the go-to mulch material for strawberries, covering the plants completely. This will provide protection during the winter months, especially if you don’t live where the ground has at least a few inches of snow throughout most of the winter. Straw will insulate your plants, just as snow can, retaining moisture and keeping them from “heaving” out of the ground, possibly killing them. Then, next spring, as new growth appears, simply brush or rake the straw into the area between the plants, and you’ll have to water and weed less. Feed your plants at this time, as well. Most of our customers use Neptune’s Harvest or High-Yield.

Wait for It…

Late spring or early summer will bring those pretty white blossoms again. This is the time to use a fertilizer high in phosphorous, the result being more prolific blossoms with a more plentiful harvest of fruit.

Now…Go for it!

Now you can harvest! You’ll want to check your strawberry bed daily once fruit starts to ripen. Make sure to gently lift those leaves out of the way to get the berries underneath. You don’t want any of your very first strawberries to go to waste and the more diligent you are about picking them, the more your plants are likely to produce.

From here on out, you can maintain this strawberry bed for years. You’ll know when the harvest begins to decline that it is time to thin your berry patch in order to rejuvenate and perpetuate the growth. This usually happens every 3 to 5 years. You will be removing the oldest plants, making room for the younger plants to send out more runners and allowing more aeration to the root systems of the remaining plants. We’ve seen strawberry beds that are decades old, as long as they are maintained; and a little maintenance goes a long, long way.

So, a year goes by pretty quickly. This year you may have to rely on the produce aisle or the local farmers’ market, but next year, and for many years to come, you’ll be harvesting strawberries from plants you bought this year at 15% off!

How many should you plant? We’ve done the research and you can find the answer here.

And then,

Pre-order your bare root strawberry plants. Use code SSP13 during checkout to receive your 15% discount!  Sale price is valid through January 14.

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