Jeff Rice

Bare root season continues through February. The selection of bare root fruit trees is still good. I did a count yesterday and we have more than 300 bare root fruit trees still available. The cool nights and not too warm days are ideal for the bare root trees, and now is the time to plant them. Looks like more moisture coming over the next few days so it adds to this being ideal time to plant bare root trees. THREE WEEKS LEFT TO GET BARE ROOT FRUIT TREES. At the end of the season we pot up what has not been sold bare root and then the price goes up. Take advantage of bare root prices and selection and get your fruit trees in now. Final Dormant Spraying is Due This Month The third and final dormant spraying to prevent leaf curl is due this month. Don’t delay. The final spray should be done before you see color in the flower buds. Usually mid February is a good time but watch your trees closely. Depending on weather, they may start budding to bloom early in the month. Get the spraying done before the buds open. Use copper and horticultural oil …

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BARE ROOT FRUIT TREES ARE ARRIVING MONDAY JANUARY 5TH. We will begin the sorting and preparing them for sale as soon as they arrive. Hopefully we will have many ready to go on Tuesday the 7th, (yes, we will be here Tuesday the 7th) and all ready on Wednesday the 8th. Roses came in a couple of weeks ago. Blueberries, cane berries, figs, and pomegranates in pots are in. Complete price list for bare root fruit trees is available on our website, at the nursery, or via email by request. Bare root season goes through the end of February. We have a large selection of fruit trees during bare root season, but don’t wait till the end of the season to shop. Once a variety is sold out, it is gone until next year’s bare root season. At the end of February, the trees that are left, which should be few, are potted up and sold later in the year and the price is higher after we pot them. Bare root roses are now available as well. We have a nice selection of roses to choose from. We sell them bare root until the end of February and after that …

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Lots of things going on in December here at the nursery. WE ARE OPEN YEAR ROUND RAIN OR SHINE. REMEMBER, WE SELL GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR HOLIDAY GIVING. BARE ROOT ROSES Our bare root roses usually ship the second week of December. Once they arrive we will get them ready for sale. So hopefully they will be ready to go by the 14th or 15th. All pending shipping schedule. I will send out an email as soon as they are in and ready. If you would like a list of the roses for 2026, it is available on our website, or you can send me a request via email, and I can email one to you. BARE ROOT FRUIT TREES The bare root fruit trees will be in late in the month. Hopefully we will get them right before Christmas which has historically been when they come in. We will begin working them as soon as they arrive. Again I will let everyone know. I will send out emails as soon as things are in and ready to go. Complete lists of fruit trees and roses are available at the nursery, on our website, www.baldmountainnursery.com, or request one and I can …

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Fall feels like it is getting here. The nights are nice and cool and the days very comfortable. We’ve had a couple of decent rain events so far. A little over 2″ of rain on the season here at the nursery. More rain due this coming Wednesday. Forecasts say maybe an inch. Hope so.  It is the best planting time of all the seasons. I know I sound like a broken record but I can’t emphasize enough that fall is the ideal time for planting trees and shrubs. The diagram above shows very well why. The diagram shows a tree but the same logic applies to shrubs.  FALL IS THE BEST TIME FOR PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS. Take advantage of the beautiful weather we are having and do fall planting. Your fall installed plants will do much better next summer than those planted in the spring. Plant wildflower seeds this month as well. Sow them right before a rain and they will take hold and next spring will be beautiful blooms. Dormant Spray on Fruit Trees This month you will need to be thinking about spraying your first dormant spray on your fruit trees to prevent leaf curl. Use liquid copper …

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The weather so far this fall has been pretty nice. The 10 day forecast shows perfect fall weather. Some slight chances of rain the next couple of days and temperatures in the mid 70’s to low 80’s. Farmers almanac forecast I saw calls for a mild and average to wet winter for our area. Other long range forecasts I’ve seen say similar, so sounds like at least an average winter to come. La Nina they say so a 50/50 chance. Pretty easy to forecast a 50/50 chance I think. Regardless of the forecasts, FALL IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR FOR PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS. Now is the best month for planting fall/winter vegetables. We have a great selection of organic winter vegetable starts in now. We also have a large stock of onion and garlic for fall planting. Tulip and daffodil bulbs are also in now and fall is the time for planting them. Fall fertilizing should be done as soon as the weather cools down. I would say you want to get it done over the next couple of weeks before the plants start showing lots of fall color. This fertilizing is important because it gives plants a …

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Well, it’s been a very cool July this year. August looks to be seasonal from the forecast I see. My current long range shows highs in the 90’s for now. Maybe a little warmer towards the end of the 10 day forecast. But days are getting shorter so even the warm part of the day doesn’t last as long. Fall will be here before you know it. Start planning for your fall planting and maybe even get a jump on that fall planting now. The temperatures are going to start trending down as the month goes on. Mornings will be cooler and the cool mornings are a great time for gardening. Remember that fall is the best time for planting trees and shrubs. Especially trees. The ground is a bit hard after the summer but if you start a hole and soak it, and then dig a little more and soak it, pretty soon the hole you need for the tree or shrub is done and it is a fairly painless way to dig a hole. It’s worth the effort to get things planted in the fall. Note the diagram describing the advantages of fall planting. After the heat of …

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Well I really expected July to be hot as usual, but this year has turned out to be great. Aside from a few warm days it’s been great gardening weather. Even with the cooler than normal July weather this year, it’s still important to pay close attention to the watering needs of trees and shrubs. Be sure to give then more when it is typical July weather. deep soak your established trees two to three times a week. Trees in particular benefit from deep soaking, not frequent shallow watering. frequent shallow watering causes surface rooting and will lead to leaf burn and overall stress to the tree due to not enough water down deep for the tree to use. With summer here and longer days, it gives a lot of time for gardening. Do your planting early in the day or in the evening if possible. Plants will handle the transplant just fine as long as you water them well as soon as they are transplanted, and make sure you give additional water for the first week or two after planting to make sure it is kept well hydrated. Also be sure to mulch to hold the moisture in the …

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It has been a beautiful spring this year and June weather is nice too, although a little warm here and there. The long range forecast shows some warm days but certainly not all. The upcoming weekend looks cool. Actually the whole week looks nice. MId 90’s and upper 80’s. WATERING It’s time to pay close attention to watering. Deep soaking and watering early are the best practices. When watering trees, be sure to give established trees a deep soak once or twice a week depending on temperatures. Newly planted trees should be watered daily for the first week or so then cut back to about two or three times per week. Do not give short daily watering. Give good deep soaks. A good rule to use is to give 10 gallons of water per week for every inch of trunk diameter and be sure to soak to a depth of at least 12 inches. On larger trees you’ll want to soak to a depth of 2 to 3 feet. Use slow drip and let it run long enough to soak deep. Add 3″ of mulch around your trees and shrubs to hold the moisture in the ground and not allow …

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The weather this spring has been mild except for a couple of warm days and a little rain, and long range forecasts, aside from a couple warm days this week, indicate seasonal temperatures as far out as the forecast goes, and hopefully all the way into June. We have had a beautiful spring this year. It’s a great time to do some gardening and planting. Check your watering systems and make sure all drippers and sprinklers are working. Don’t want to find out a dripper is not working when you see a dead or dying plant. Remember to mulch around your trees and shrubs. This will reduce your water usage by as much as 50% and your plants will withstand the warm days much better because the moisture you apply stays in the ground and does not evaporate. Two to three inches of mulch is what you want around your trees and in your planting beds. Also mulch your vegetable gardens. Saves water and gives you healthier plants and cuts down on the weeds. If you did not get fertilizing done in April, this is a good time to do it. Use a balanced fertilizer on almost everything. Azaleas, rhododendrons, …

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