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Dear Friends of Anderson's La Costa,

Happy October and Happy Fall!

Our much-anticipated summer has officially begun! We only made it into the first week of October and here it is- beautiful, warm, clear days. El Niño is in the forecast for this winter and the prediction is that we're bound to see plenty of rainfall again. The good news is that it means fall is for planting!

October Newsletter Specials

20% Off

Outdoor Tropical Plants

Including Plumeria, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Alocasia, Bromeliads, Ixora, Gardenia, Mandevilla, Philodendron, Palm trees, and more! So many of these beauties are currently blooming and will be happy to get in the ground this fall. Take advantage of our warm days and warm soil while they last.

Steven has an awesome overview of some of the plants that have recently arrived at the nursery, and then October Gardening Tips will follow.

We hope you enjoy this gorgeous fall and you get a chance to plant something that has been on your list. Please come by if you need any ideas or suggestions. We hope to see you very soon!



Warmest regards,

Your Anderson's La Costa Team

Marc, Mariah, Steven, Manny, Tandy, Jen, Hanna, Madeline, Grace, June, Loni and Cypress

The fall vegetables and herbs are now in stock. Selections of leafy greens like lettuces, kale, spinach, bok choy, cabbage, and Swiss chard, different varieties of broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, snap peas and snow peas, carrots, beets, garlic, and even fava beans. Peas and lettuce are some of my favorite cool-season crops, but I'm going to try an assortment of carrots and beets this year, too.

Remember, once you've taken out the summer crops, amending the soil is key for success for the next cycle of crops. I personally like to add plenty of worm castings, Agrowinn organic fertilizer (4-4-6), and compost/Recipe 420 soil.

Not only have the fall vegetables come in but some of the fall flowers as well. Chrysanthemums are a quintessential sign that fall has arrived. I can remember these as far back as gardening with my grandmother when I was young. There is a whole spectrum of colors to choose from.

Snapdragons bloom great during the shorter and cooler days and grow to varied heights. Pansies and violas are some of the most colorful cool-season flowers and are also edible. The flowers are great for pressing as well. They will be in stock now through early spring. Ornamental peppers are looking very fall-colored and festive right now- 'Purple Flash' has great foliage as well. Cyclamen are one of my favorites with all their bright colored flowers. A new variety called 'Absolu de Morel' is grown for its intense fragrance.

As for a few inventory updates, we received a new stock of citrus trees (yay!) including Meyer lemon, Bearss lime, Australian finger lime, Kaffir lime, and 15-gallon kumquat trees (we’ve been out of these for a while).

Tillandsias (aka air plants) are fully restocked and looking great. It is so much fun shopping for them (we get them locally) and the display looks so much nicer when it's full!

Ornamental grasses are always nice this time of the year. We've got a great selection from flowering Muhlenbergia, to evergreen Lomandra ('Shorty' and 'Platinum Beauty' are our favorites), Dianella (nice blue hue), Carex (sedges and some are native), Libertia (not as well-known but vertical with an orange/bronze color), and Chondropetalum 'El campo' (more compact version of the cape rush).

There is no shortage of flowering plants even at this time of the year. Salvia 'Mystic spires' is a vibrant purple with a long bloom period (and a favorite of bumblebees), Tecoma love the sun/heat and are a hummingbird magnet (try 'Sparklette', 'Lydia', or 'Bells of fire'), drought tolerant Grevillea are just beginning their long cool season bloom of showy flowers.

Try some of our new grafted varieties as well! You can smell the Gardenias from far away as these late summer/early fall blooming flowers give off a wonderful fragrance when they are in bloom (make sure you keep the soil acidic for best results).

Phlomis (Jerusalem sage) goes through many bud and bloom cycles throughout the year and has low water needs. There is more than just the yellow flowering form, we also have purpurea and italica which have lavender blossoms.

Our sale this month is expanded to all Outdoor Tropical Plants! This includes Alocasia, Bougainvillea, Bromeliads, Gardenia, assorted Hibiscus, Ixora, Mandevilla, Philodendron, Plumeria, Palm trees, Queen Emma Crinum Lilies, Shefflera, and quite a few more. This is a great time of the year to plant these heat-loving shrubs. Most of these plants include colorful, vibrant, and/or fragrant flowers. Be sure to amend the soil and fertilize these regularly for best results. 

If there is anything you are specifically searching for and can't find - please ask! We love looking for the perfect plants for you and your garden.

I hope you all are enjoying the official start to fall and I look forward to seeing you at the nursery soon.

Your Local Horticulturalist,

Steven

October is when we start to see our first true days of autumn. We have already experienced some cooler nighttime and morning temperatures in addition to summer-like hot spells.

In Southern California, our mild Mediterranean climate makes it possible to plant year-round, but fall is one of the best times of the year to garden: the soil is still warm and the cooler season is soon upon us. As the temperatures start to cool down again, working in the garden becomes even more glorious.

October is the peak month for planting cool-season flowers and vegetables. Although you won't be able to enjoy some of their colors until next spring, October is also a choice month for planting perennials. By planting now, they will develop a strong root structure during the winter and then burst into glorious color in the spring.

To continue reading October Gardening Tips, click here.

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