# Mollers Garden Center ### Posts #### 10 Creative Small Garden Ideas for Your Backyard or Patio Got a cozy patio or a petite backyard? No worries, don’t let limited space deter your green thumb and daydreams! At Moller’s Garden Center, we believe that even the smallest of spaces can bloom into a colorful and productive garden. You just need a little creativity and the right inspiration (and a little tlc). We’ve gathered 10 fantastic small garden ideas to spark your creative mind and help transform your space, no matter the size! Let’s dig right in. Vertical Planting for Apartment Gardens Leading our list of 10 small garden ideas, look upward when ground space is limited! Vertical gardening offers a fantastic solution for small spaces. For a creative touch, repurpose old ladders into plant stands, which maximizes your growing area and introduces visual interest. Container Planting for Patio Gardens Whether it be your old fast food cups, pretty decor, or spare wooden boxes, embrace the versatility of containers. They’re perfect for a patio garden and balconies because you can easily rearrange them. Raised Beds for Small Gardens Another practical Even in a small backyard, a compact raised bed can offer a dedicated space for veggies, herbs, and flowers. They improve drainage and soil quality and can be built in various sizes to fit your specific needs. Plus, they reduce bending, making gardening more accessible. Upward Climbing Plants for Small Landscaping Projects Train climbing plants like peas, beans, cucumbers, or even climbing roses to grow vertically on trellises or garden obelisks. This not only saves valuable ground space but also adds height and structure to your small landscaping project. Adding a beautiful sense of dimension to any gardening space. Utilize Your Windowsill Don’t overlook the simplicity of your windowsills! Window boxes are a charming way to add a splash of color and fragrance to your apartment garden or any small outdoor area. Hanging Baskets for Small Backyard Gardens Another fantastic vertical solution, hanging baskets! These types of planters are ideal for showcasing cascading flowers, trailing vines, ivy and other foliage. You could even plant small fruiting plants like cherry and grape tomatoes. These plants will add a visual appeal at different heights and free up valuable surface space. Edible Plants for Your Small Garden Combine beauty and practicality by incorporating edible plants into your small garden. Think of combat varieties of vegetables, herbs, and other plants that can be tucked into flower beds, or even dwarf fruit trees in containers. Fresh homemade goodness is just steps away from your home! Layering for Lushness To create a sense of depth and abundance, layer plants with varying heights and textures. Position taller plants at the back and gradually introduce shorter ones towards the front of your garden or container arrangements. Microgreens For the ultimate space-saving solution among our small garden ideas, consider growing microgreens indoors or in a tiny outdoor setup. These nutrient-packed seedlings require minimal space and can be harvested in just a few weeks. Clever Pathways and Paving for Small Landscaping Projects The final tip in our 10 small garden ideas is to utilize walkways effectively. In a small space, well-designed pathways and paving can delineate distinct areas and create a greater sense of spaciousness. So there you have it! Ten helpful small garden ideas to ignite your imagination and demonstrate that even the most compact spaces can become thriving, green, and lush havens. Don't let limited square footage hold you back from the joys of gardening. With a little creativity and the right approach, your patio and petite backyard can blossom into a beautiful area. Dreaming of a Small Garden? Our Team Is Eager to Help It Bloom! Visit the Moller's Garden Center #### 3 Common Garden Pests and How to Get Rid of Them Organically   Many species of bugs will view your beautiful garden as an all-you-can-eat buffet. Noticing these garden pests early on can be what saves your garden but spotting them too late could destroy it. How Do I Spot Garden Pests Early On? In the beginning, you may not notice the signs that bugs are chowing on your plants until you notice the wilting leaves, brown spots, and holes on the leaves. It's upsetting for sure, but plants are resilient and can bounce back with a little of your help! Checking your plants weekly will help you spot any signs of pests early on and stop the problem before it becomes a bigger issue.   What are Garden Pests, and Why Are They a Big Deal? There is a wide variety of pests, they are not prone to only species. They range from bugs, moths, rodents, and/or fungi that feed off the plant's roots, leaves, blooms, or fruit. Leaving you to have no crops and taking away from the plant's natural nutrients, causing plants to slowly die. You may think that pests only eat your plants, but that is sadly not the case. Garden pests can also cause your plants to become sick and can reduce your plant’s growth and the garden's overall production to produce fruit and stop flowering. Thankfully, it is possible to get rid of our uninvited guests! We’ll be listing 3 common pests and how to get rid of them below. Just remember if these organic methods don't work for you, you can always try pesticides. After doing research on it of course! 1. Aphids Aphids are small, greenish, and soft-bodied insects that will feed off the plant's nutrients by sucking on the plant. They multiply fairly fast and large clusters of them will weaken the plant drastically, causing harm to flowers and fruits. Luckily, they move pretty slowly, so getting rid of them isn't such a daunting task! There are times when all Aphids need is a strong hose-down to get rid of them. Spraying an infested plant with a strong stream of water will detach them from your plants, and they usually aren't able to find the same plant twice after being blasted off. 2. Spider Mites Spider Mites are very tiny, tinier than the head of a pin! This makes identifying them difficult to spot. Though they may have “spider” in the name, they are not actually spiders. They’re just really tiny arachnids. They feed on the juices of plants and trees, weakening them and making them susceptible to diseases. It’s very important for you to identify Spider Mites before an all-infestation because they multiply quickly. To avoid attracting Spider Mites, mist your plants daily. Spider Mites prefer dry, hot climates! Spraying neem oil or rosemary oil on your plant’s underside leaves should kill them. Be very careful and spray the infested plants in the early evening, so pollinators, such as butterflies or bees aren't as active! 3. Mealybugs Mealybugs are attracted to overwatered and over-fertilized plants. They damage plants by sucking the sap from stems, leaves, and flowers. This can result in yellowing leaves, stunted growth, or the death of the plants... Yikes! They’re small, but easy to spot. White, cottony wax is usually the first sign of their presence. Mealybugs move slowly, you can usually see them crawling on the undersides of your plant’sleaves, on stems, or flowers. Diluting 1 cup of 70% rubbing alcohol with 1 quart of water into a spray bottle is a quick, homemade kill spray that helps get rid of these garden pests in a quick manner. You might have to spray them every now and then to be sure they’re gone for good. If your plants are not too badly infested, use a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol. Then touch every Mealybug one by one, with it. This will kill them instantly! Time to Get Rid of Those Garden Pests! Garden pests not only eat your plants but can also cause them to become ill. No one wants bugs in their garden! Having consistent check-ups on your plants will help them stay safe from meddling bugs looking for a tasty treat. That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### 3 Forms Of Fertilizers To Use For Your Houseplants!   Properly fertilizing your houseplants are essential to growing healthy, beautiful plants. Houseplants don’t receive the same nutrients as their outdoor counterparts, which are surrounded by natural nutrients. The amount of nutrients available to a houseplant is all up to you!  What Is Fertilizer? Before we buy and use fertilizer, we have to understand what it is and what it does for our houseplants. So what is it? Fertilizer is an all-natural or synthetic, chemical-based substance that’s used for the benefit of enhancing plant growth and fertility. There are two types of fertilizers, organic and inorganic. Organic fertilizers sources mainly from animals and other plants. Products contain a large range of several mineral components and organic acids! Inorganic fertilizers are filled with chemical-based substances, such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus which are the main components.   Why Should We Fertilize Houseplants? Fertilizing your houseplants provides them with the nutrients they need to thrive and grow to their truest potential. Houseplants lack the natural nutrients outdoor plants will receive, so it’s our job to provide them with a substitute. Your plants will surely thank you in their own little ways, such as pushing out new growth for you to enjoy, or blooming their beautiful flowers!   1. Liquid Fertilizer Liquid fertilizers are mixed into water that you pour into your houseplant’s soil. Water-soluble fertilizers are more often quick releasing. Always read the instructions on the back of the bottles, there you’ll find exactly how much fertilizer to add to the water. This type of fertilizer is pretty easy to use, liquid fertilizer can also be diluted in case the feed is too strong. Diluting liquid fertilizer can make for a lighter-concentrated feed. This is very important if your plants are in a much smaller pot! 2. Slow-Release Fertilizer Slow-releasing fertilizers are great for people who worry about over-fertilizing their plants. Adding these small pellets in your plant’s soil will slowly release a small amount of nutrients over time. This allows the plant to take in the nutrients at a steady pace. Slow-release fertilizers are usually coated with plastic resin, or a sulfur-based polymer that dissolves over time by being exposed to the heat of sunlight and water. 3. Fertilizer Spikes Fertilizer Spikes are sticks filled with nutrients that will almost immediately release into the soil. These are normally used for outdoor plants, but some brands make indoor versions of fertilizer spikes for houseplants. Before adding fertilizer spikes to your soil, read the instructions carefully! How many spikes you add to your pot will determine how big, or how small the pot is. The ideal number of fertilizer spikes you may need will vary from each size of your houseplants pots to the product you buy! In Conclusion… Indoor plants don't get the same nutrients as outdoor plants, which means we’re responsible for keeping them healthy, and of course, fertilized! Fertilizing your plants can help them grow lush, green, and look stunning all year round. Make sure you do your own research on your plant’s specific fertilization needs! That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### 3 Stunning Flowers for an Outdoor Garden! Is your garden yearning for lush green foliage and stunning shades of color? At Moller’s Garden Center, we support adding a little vigor to your life. Whether you have a small home garden or large outdoor flower beds, there are a few colorful wonders that will have your space looking bright. Here are 3 stunning flowers for an outdoor garden that will infuse your green space with a POP of vibrant colors! 3 Stunning Flowers For An Outdoor Garden The 3 flowers for an outdoor garden we’ll be covering are the Dahlia, Lily, and Marigold flowers. A beautiful new addition to your outdoor gardening beds, the blooms can transform your garden into a lovely haven of intense colors and fragrances. Whether you’re seeking bold and bright shades or desire full, lush bushes, these flowers have got you covered. Dahlia Starting our list is the lovely Dahlia. This is a stunning plant with rows of petals that form a big rosette. This flower can grow tall or short depending on whether you grow a dwarf-sized Dahlia. Dahlias come in a huge variety of colors and hues, ranging from purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, white, and even “black”. You’ll find just about any shade you could dream of! Best of all, Dahlias are one of the easiest flowers to grow, so give it a shot. Lilies Like Dahlias, the Lily comes in a wide range of flowers too. Ranging from purple, pink, red, and orange, you’ll love having a Lily as flowers for an outdoor garden. These flowers are a beautiful addition as they can grow tall and proud. We recommend the Lily for smaller flower beds, as they grow vertically and make a perfect flower for compact areas. Depending on the Lily type you choose to grow, you could have flowers bloom all of spring and summer! Marigolds Marigolds are another plant that can bloom for 6-8 months at a time, just be sure to keep up on deadheading. These flowers come in beautiful shades of yellow and orange. Marigolds are flowers that can be on the shorter side, so if you’re not looking for tall growing flowers, Marigolds can be a great choice. Just be sure to keep the soil relatively wet! And if you enjoy attracting pollinators, an easy bet would be to go with the Marigold flower. Dahlias, Lilies, and Marigolds can be wonderful flowers for an outdoor garden. As long as you provide them with the care they require and add a little love, they can be stunning new additions to any garden. If you’re looking for fun, bright colors, and full, lush bushes, we’ve got you all set! Head Over to Moller’s Garden Center #### 4 Pet-Friendly Houseplants You’ll Love!  We love houseplants, and unfortunately our pets might as well! To keep our furry friends safe, we are going to list a few pet-friendly houseplants so our fur-babies are always safe and not nibbling on plants that may harm them. Be Aware of the Houseplants You Bring Home Unfortunately, some houseplants are toxic or poisonous to our furry friends and ingesting them could cause serious harm. This is why it’s important to do thorough research on the new plants we bring home. It also wouldn’t hurt to check on current houseplants in your collection either! Fortunately, a lot of houseplants are non-toxic, so here are four pet-friendly houseplants we’re sure you and your pets will love!   4 Pet-Safe Houseplants You’ll Love… Chinese Money Plant First up on our list is the Chinese Money Plant, also known as the Pancake Plant. This popular pet-friendly houseplant has circular leaves with long stems. This plant is very unique looking but is still an attractive plant. It will add a bit of fun to any collection and is very easy to care for! Peperomia Back on our list from last month's post is the Peperomia plant! Not only is this bushy plant low maintenance and easy to care for but is also pet safe! These plants grow slowly but offer stunning foliage that is eye-catching! This houseplant has a wide variety of shapes and colors and spices up any plant collection. Ponytail Palm By first glance you wouldn't guess that this plant is a succulent plant, but it is! This long-lived houseplant loves being in full shade and can thrive when neglected. Since it is part of the succulent family, it does not need to be watered often! If you’re looking for a tree-like plant, the Ponytail Palm is the one for you. Spider Plant Last but not least on our list, is the Spider Plant! This flowering plant has stunning green leaves with a white stripe running down the middle. It’s a bushier plant that looks best in hanging baskets and is relatively easy to grow because of its resilience! In Conclusion... So here are the 4 pet-friendly houseplants to ensure your pets are safe when left alone with them. These plants are beautiful, easy to care for, and will be a lovely addition to your collection! That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### 4 Things To Know About Fertilizing Your Plants   There are a few things every plant owner should know about fertilizing your plants! From what fertilizer is, how it works, and when to use it, we want to cover the basics for you today so you’ll understand more about why you should apply it to your plants regularly.   4 Things to Know About Fertilizing Your Plants 1. What is Fertilizer? Fertilizer is another way to supply your plants with extra nutrients for stable growth so that they stay healthy all year long. Regularly fertilizing your plants will boost the nutrients in the soil that your plants might be lacking, but be careful not to over - do it. Depending on your plant, you may not need to fertilize it for weeks, or even months at a time. 2. Why is Fertilizing Your Plants Important? Fertilizing plants are vital for their success. Fertilizers provide nutrients to the plant to help them grow, heal from sickness, produce flowers, fruit and just allows them to flourish in their own unique ways. Houseplants unlike outdoor plants who are surrounded by organic matter, are more likely to lack the nutrients they need to thrive. So make sure to fertilize your plants to help them thrive. 3. How to Use Fertilizer Understanding how to fertilize your plants means doing your due diligence. And while it requires doing some research up front for each of your plants, once you know what they need and how often, it’ll be much easier to facilitate moving forward. Something to always keep in mind is to never apply fertilizer to dry soil; it should always be applied to soil that is moist. Instructions are always on the back of the bottle and should help you understand the strength and frequency your plants need. 4. When to Use Fertilizer Fertilizing your plants when they are actively growing is the best time to do so, that means during spring and summer. You want to fertilize less during the colder seasons, or not at all depending on your plant because some plants will not be as active or may even be dormant. Fertilizing Your Plant is Very Important! Make sure to do lots of research regarding fertilizing your plants for full success, whether that be your flowering plants shooting out more bloom buds for you to enjoy, or your bushier plants becoming more green and lush. Stop by the Garden Center at Moller’s to ask any questions you have and to find a variety of different fertilizers we have in stock. #### 40% Off All Christmas Items 40% Off all Christmas Items December 26 - January 9     Thank you for your continued support of Moller's Garden Center, Inc. Visit us online at www.mollersgardencenter.com #### 40% Off All Gift Shop Items for the Month of May All items in the gift shop and garden gift store are on sale 40% off through the entire month of May. Selected items have been marked down even more, including pottery, ceramics and gift items. Every week new merchandise is added to the sale. Come in and enjoy great deals as we celebrate our customers. Just a Reminder Mother's Day is Sunday May 8, 2010. Don't forget to order something special for Mom at Moller's Garden Center.com! #### As Temperatures Rise As temperatures rise, be careful not to over water. You can always add water but you can not get it back. #### Beautiful Holiday Plants To Add In Your Home! Hey there plant enthusiasts! For the upcoming holidays, we’ve found 5 stunning plants & flowers to add to your festive holiday home. Our picks for 5 beautiful holiday plants are easy to care for, and a joy to look at. So, let’s jump right into it! Our Pick For 5 Stunning Holiday Plants... Amaryllis The amaryllis flower is stunning red, white, or a mix of the two, with a green center. It’s perfect for Christmas displays as it resembles similar colors of candy canes! This holiday plant blooms for a decent amount of time if under the right conditions. Keep them in a bright area with evenly moist soil. Cyclamen Cyclamens are a popular winter plant as they can tolerate temperatures in the low 40s and can flower for 8 weeks with the right care! The blooms are a delicate white with stunning foliage. Caring for this plant is fairly simple. Keep the plant near diffused light, not super bright. Bottom water the plant, never top. And keep the soil moist but not soaked. English Holly English Holly produces bright red berries, along with dark green leaves with a yellow outline. These plants grow great in a hanging basket and can become full and bushy. English Holly is hardy and can be grown in full sun or part shade. Well-draining soil is required for these plants, and keep the soil on the damp side. Poinsettia Now, poinsettias are by far one of the most popular holiday plants out there! And there’s no surprise as to why. These plants produce beautiful deep red flowers and the foliage is a stunning dark green. Keep poinsettias in bright, indirect light. When watering your poinsettia plant, be sure to only do so when the soil is dry to the touch. Overwatering these plants is a common way of killing them! Rosemary Last up on our list of is rosemary! Rosemary is used for savory additions to roasts, but can also be grown as a decorative bush plant. It also smells amazing. Its piney scent earned its way on our list. Rosemary is a hardy plant that’s incredibly easy to grow. Place the plant in a bright area and keep the soil fairly damp, but not soggy! In Conclusion... We listed 5 beautiful holiday plants for this upcoming season! Time to get festive and show off a few of these colorful plants to your loved ones, and enjoy what this season has to offer. Happy Holidays! #### Burnt Earth, Scorched Leaves and Other Tales of Summer The Desert has been offered summer’s full palette this year. We’ve enjoyed mild weather, hot & humid days and rainy days complete with thunder, lightning and wind. We’ve even had a few days of that dry heat we are so famous for. Recent high temperatures have inflicted quite a bit of damage to gardens throughout the Desert. Citrus trees, ficus trees, tropicals & ground cover — just about everything living in the full sun suffered some burn damage in the last few weeks. Hastily planted ‘drought tolerant’ gardens where decomposed granite (DG) was used have suffered reflective sunburn. The ‘browning’ of the Desert is particularly noticeable this summer due to the reclamation of so many green belts throughout our desert communities. It is not pretty to look at but fear not, this too shall pass. Leave your sun burned plants alone, as we march into September temperatures will drop, humidity will rise and new growth will emerge from most of the damaged foliage. Sunburn may be the most visible issue but it is by no means the biggest problem faced by our Desert gardens. From Palm Springs to Coachella and all cities in between, effective irrigation remains the most significant gardening problem. State and local water agencies have encouraged specific water application guidelines which may not line up with actual plant requirements. Most plants are simply not meant to go three days without water during the intense heat of our summer. Cutting back on water is difficult if you were already adhering to responsible, efficient watering practices. A garden in north Palm Springs is going to have different water requirements than a garden in south La Quinta. A rose in south Palm Desert will dry out more quickly than a rose planted in Bermuda Dunes. Soil along the base of the mountains tends to be coarse, almost granular; water runs right through it. Along the central corridor (Highway 111 +/-), the soil is comprised of fine sand and tends to hold on to water a bit longer. Many areas in Indian Wells, La Quinta & Thermal have very heavy soil, almost clay like. This is difficult for water to permeate, yet slow to dry out. These generalizations exhibit how water use can differ from one area to another within the greater Coachella Valley. We are not a one size fits all desert when it comes to gardening. Why the preaching? It is imperative each household takes the time to learn about your individual garden, determine what works for you aesthetically, what works for your garden location and how to use water effectively and efficiently within those parameters. We are here to help choose the best plant material within those guidelines. #waterwithpurpose Healthy plants are generally not at risk for too many diseases, but plant material becomes vulnerable when suffering from stress due to poor watering habits and weather extremes. A stressed out plant is a prime candidate for all varieties of plant malaise. Cottony Cushion Scale, Pink Hibiscus Mealy Bug, Citrus Leafminer, Bougainvillea Looper, Palo Verde Root Borer Grub/Beetle, Agave Borer Weevil(or Agave Snout Weevil), Red Spider Mite are but a few of the unwelcome visitors. One disease often invites another as the plant weakens. It is important to walk your garden regularly. Check your plants, in between the leaves and underneath them too. If you see something that doesn’t look right, bring us a sample and we will assist in the diagnosis to get you on the road to recovery, certain you are using the right antidote for the job. Too often we rely on gardeners or landscape employees to monitor everything in the garden but we forget their time on the job site is limited; a few short hours a week is not a comprehensive examination of the garden. Don’t forget to check your sprinklers while you are at it. We offer two simple gardening ‘must do’s’. Mid-September is a perfect time to start fertilizing everything in the garden. Plants don’t grow much when temperatures remain high but the minute the thermometer drops, look out. Regular fertilizing will promote healthy new growth. September is also the time to treat for leafminer. Citrus trees in particular have been greatly affected by this little devil; it is the pest that causes new growth foliage to become severely rippled (as opposed to the gentle bumpiness of thrip). Dose the soil with an insect control drench specific to edible plant material. This kills the leaf miner from the inside out, a sort of penicillin for your fruit trees. MAKE SURE YOU USE SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO FOOD PRODUCING TREES; we like Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus & Vegetable Insect Control. This will keep you ahead of the game. Spray with Captain Jack’s Bug Juice when break thru symptoms are visible. We are here to answer any questions you may have. Once again, following directions with any pesticide is paramount. Depending on the weather, mid to late September is usually a great time to start pruning that which needs pruning. Prune for shape so you will have beautifully laced trees and shrubs to enjoy through the winter. Many like to prune roses this time of year though we don’t recommend it. Shape them if you must but do not defoliate them. Begin a regular fertilizing protocol. Rinse rose foliage occasionally to prevent red spider mite. Shrub roses are a bit more resilient during the heat but the hybrid teas, grandifloras and floribundas have suffered this summer. In a few short weeks, vegetables and herbs will start arriving on the shelves. New plant options for the Desert will be available. Bedding plants and perennials arrive to rid the Desert of this dull brown. Water use should remain efficient through the fall planting season as long as new roots have time to become established. Cooler weather uses less water. The FLOWER SHOP at Moller’s Garden Center will open for the season on Tuesday, September 8th. Winter hours at the Nursery are coming soon; based on cooling temperatures. Look for gardening hints and new hours on Facebook. Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer. #### Clean Plants are Happy Plants Occasionally rinse off your shrubs and bedding plants to prevent the infestation of opportunistic pests. Dust laden foliage are perfect growing grounds for many garden pests. #### Commercial Landscaping: The Benefits of Plants for Office and Retail Properties In today's competitive business world, first impressions matter more than ever. A well-maintained commercial property can significantly impact your brand image, attract customers, and even increase property value. That's where commercial landscaping comes in… Elevate Your Commercial Landscaping Space with the Power of Plants! Seize the season and transform your commercial space. Now is the perfect time to design your dream layout and create a lasting impression with a beautifully landscaped property. Allow our experts to help you choose the perfect set of plants, and provide useful gardening tools/decor to help you achieve your commercial landscaping goals. Why Commercial Landscaping Matters: First Impressions Matter: A lush landscape is often the first thing potential customers or clients see. A visually appealing property can create a positive and welcoming atmosphere, making it more likely to attract business. Market Appeal: The beauty of well-designed landscapes can make your property more desirable to potential buyers or tenants. Studies have shown that properties with attractive commercial landscaping often sell for higher prices and rent for more money. Positive Work Environment: Beautiful outdoor spaces can create a more pleasant and relaxing work environment. Employees may feel happier and more motivated when they have access to green spaces. Nature's Healing Power: Spending time in nature has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety. A well-designed landscape can provide a peaceful and calming atmosphere where employees can relax and recharge. Environmental Benefits: A diverse and well-maintained landscaping property can help improve air quality, conserve water, and provide habitat for local wildlife.   Moller's Garden Center: Your Partner in Landscaping Success At Moller's Garden Center, we're passionate about helping you create a commercial landscape that exceeds your expectations. Our team of experienced professionals can assist you with: Plant Selection & Supplies: Our knowledgeable staff can help you choose the right plants for your climate and soil conditions, ensuring a vibrant and healthy landscape. As well as providing gardening tools to help you get started and outdoor decor to spice up your space. By investing in commercial landscaping, you're not just beautifying your property; you're enhancing your business's overall appeal, value, and functionality. The Moller’s Nursery is here to provide you with stunning plants and charming outdoor decor. Get excited to create a stunning landscape that flourishes and contributes to your success. Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Cultivating Color: Why Now is the Perfect Time for a Pollinator Garden in the Coachella Valley Why Pollinators Matter in the Desert Pollinators do more than just look pretty among the petals. Approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce. In the Coachella Valley, our native bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds help maintain the biodiversity that makes the Sonoran Desert so unique. By planting a pollinator-friendly garden, you are: Supporting Local Biodiversity: Providing a "refueling station" for migrating species. Improving Your Garden’s Yield: If you grow citrus or vegetables, pollinators are your best employees. Reducing Maintenance: Native and desert-adapted pollinator plants often require less water and fewer pesticides once established. Top Pollinator Plants for the Coachella Valley When selecting plants for Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, or La Quinta, you need varieties that can handle "The Big Heat" while offering high-quality nectar. Here are our top recommendations currently available at the nursery: 1. Desert Beles (Tecoma stans) Also known as Yellow Bells, these vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers are a hummingbird magnet. They are incredibly drought-tolerant and love the full desert sun. Attracts: Hummingbirds and bees. Care: Needs well-draining soil and can be pruned back in late winter to encourage lush new growth. 2. Desert Lavender (Condea emoryi) This isn't your typical English lavender. This native shrub smells heavenly—especially after a rain—and produces spikes of violet flowers. It is one of the best plants for attracting native desert bees. Attracts: Honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. Care: Very low water once established; thrives in rocky or sandy soil. 3. Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) If you want year-round color and constant hummingbird activity, this is the shrub for you. Its red, "puff-ball" flowers are irresistible to pollinators. Attracts: Hummingbirds (primarily) and butterflies. Care: Heat-loving and requires very little pruning. 4. Milkweed (Asclepias subulata & Asclepias albicans) For the butterfly lovers, Desert Milkweed is a must. It is the host plant for the Monarch and Queen butterflies. Without milkweed, these butterflies cannot complete their life cycle. Attracts: Monarch and Queen butterflies. Care: It has a unique, architectural look with rush-like stems and small cream flowers. 5. Salvias (Cleveland Sage & Autumn Sage) The Salvia family is a staple for any pollinator garden. Varieties like Salvia clevelandii offer an intense fragrance and beautiful blue-purple whorls of flowers. Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Care: Provide good drainage and avoid overwatering during the summer months 6. Lantana (Lantana camara or Lantana montevidensis) Lantana is a desert staple for a reason: it is nearly bulletproof. Available in upright shrubs or trailing groundcovers, its clusters of tiny, bright flowers act as landing pads for butterflies. In the Coachella Valley, it blooms almost year-round. Attracts: Butterflies (especially Skippers and Swallowtails) and bees. Care: Loves full sun and is very drought-tolerant once established. Prune back hard in the winter to keep it from getting "woody." 7. Passion Vine (Passiflora) For a dramatic, vertical element, the Passion Vine is unmatched. Its intricate, otherworldly flowers are a favorite of larger bees, but its real value is as a "nursery." It is the primary host plant for the Gulf Fritillary butterfly. Attracts: Gulf Fritillary butterflies (larval host), carpenter bees, and hummingbirds. Care: Needs a sturdy trellis or fence to climb. While it loves the sun, providing some afternoon shade during the 110°F+ days will keep the foliage looking lush. Planting Tips for Success To ensure your new additions thrive, keep these desert-specific tips in mind: Group by Water Needs: Place your high-nectar "thirsty" plants together and your desert-natives in another zone to make irrigation more efficient. Mulch is Your Friend: Use organic mulch or decorative rock to keep the root systems cool as the temperatures begin to climb. Skip the Pesticides: Remember, if you want butterflies, you have to accept caterpillars. Avoid systemic pesticides that can harm the very creatures you're trying to attract. Provide a Water Source: A shallow birdbath with a few stones (so bees don't drown) provides much-needed hydration for your garden visitors. Why Shop at Moller’s Garden Center? At Moller’s, we’ve been the Coachella Valley’s trusted nursery for generations. We don't just sell plants; we provide the expertise needed to help them flourish in our specific microclimates. Our team can help you select a mix of early, mid, and late-season bloomers so your garden provides a constant food source for pollinators year-round. Now is the time to plant. Getting your perennials and shrubs in the ground now allows them to establish deep root systems before the intense summer heat arrives. #### Day Light Savings Have you remembered to re-set your time clock times when Day Light Savings began? #### Daylight Savings Check Be sure to reset your time clocks to reflect the fall time change. #### Desert Bloom: Exploding Colors for Your Spring Garden Spring is calling in the desert and your garden is yearning for a touch of colorful magic! Moller’s Garden Center has the perfect solution to transform your outdoor space into a vibrant paradise. Look no further than these 5 beautiful desert flowers, bursting with color for your spring garden. They'll add charm and personality with their stunning hues, making your yard the envy of the block. 5 Vibrant Desert Flowers for Your Spring Garden... Bring magic back to the desert with 5 magnificent desert flowering plants! These beauties pop with vibrant beauty that is guaranteed to attract attention and leave fellow gardeners in awe. Our 5 picks add charm and texture to any outdoor space or spring garden, so get ready for a yard bursting with color! Agave While the Agave plant only flowers when 8 years or older, you shouldn't skip out on having this drought-resistant succulent in your spring garden! This calming green succulent with dagger-like leaves thrives on neglect and infrequent watering, making it a great addition to any outdoor space. Bougainvillea The vibrant blooms of the Bougainvillea come in shocking colors, from orange, yellows, pinks, and purples, perfect for adding bright hues of color to your space. They need well-draining soil and regular sun for nonstop blooms. This plant is drought-tolerant and can be watered weekly. Desert Willow Although the Desert Willow prefers full sun, the plant can grow well in partial shade with occasional deep watering. Cascading pink, lavender and white flowers drape this drought-tolerant tree, making any spring garden pop! Lantana This butterfly bush is a great flowering plant that explodes with clusters of orange, yellow, pink, or red flowers all season long. It prefers full sun but well-draining soil. Water Lantanas weekly, especially if it’s hotter than average. Mexican Honeysuckle One of our favorite flowering plants is a hummingbird magnet. With fragrant deep orange tubular flowers, the Mexican Honeysuckle thrives in the sun with filtered afternoon shade. Though the plant is drought-tolerant, keep in mind, it may need an occasional watering.   Let springtime in the desert come alive with a burst of color! Moller’s Garden Center has everything you need to transform your outdoor space into a vibrant paradise. With a wide variety of drought-resistant desert flowers and expert advice, we may just become your one-stop shop to create the spring garden of your dreams. Head down today and let the experts help you cultivate an exploding color masterpiece in your own backyard! Head to the Moller’s Garden Center to Grab Your Spring Gardening Supplies! Visit Now #### Desert Chic: The Ultimate Guide to Year-Round Cactus & Succulent Beauty   The Nursery: Finding Your "Anchor" Plants When you step into our nursery, the sheer variety can be a bit like a high-end candy store. To keep your garden looking intentional, start with your "anchor" plants—the bigger, structural pieces that provide interest even when nothing is in bloom. The Classics: You can’t go wrong with a Golden Barrel Cactus. Their spherical shape and vibrant yellow spines provide a geometric pop that looks incredible in groups of three. The Texture Kings: Look for Agave attenuata (Foxtail Agave) for a softer, sculptural look, or Aloe ‘Blue Elf’ for those stunning orange blooms that hummingbirds can’t resist. Pro-Tip: Wander through our nursery rows and pay attention to how the light hits the plants. We have dedicated sections for both full-sun warriors and those succulents that prefer the dappled shade of a patio.   The Pottery Areas: Indoor Sophistication vs. Outdoor Durability The right plant in the wrong pot is a missed opportunity. At Moller’s, we’ve separated our indoor and outdoor pottery areas to help you make the right choice for your plant’s health. Outdoor Pottery: For your heavy-duty succulents and sun-loving cacti, explore our outdoor pottery fields. These are built to withstand the desert heat and provide enough room for root systems to stay cool. Indoor Planters: Heading inside? Our indoor pottery section features chic, glazed ceramics and modern silhouettes that turn a simple Snake Plant or Echeveria into a piece of living furniture.   The Garden Shop: The Toolkit for Success Even the hardiest cactus needs a little love. Before you head to the checkout, swing by the Garden Shop. This is where the magic happens. The Right Foundation: Standard soil won’t cut it here. Grab a bag of our specialized cactus and succulent mix—it’s designed for the rapid drainage these plants crave. The Gear: If you’re handling anything with spines, a pair of our professional-grade, thorn-resistant gloves is a game-changer. We also stock the precision shears you’ll need to trim back those succulents and keep them from getting leggy. Atmosphere & Art: Fountains and Decor A desert garden is more than just plants—it’s an environment. To truly highlight the beauty of your cactus collection, you need to consider the "extras." Soothing Sounds: Our outdoor fountain area offers everything from bubbling basalt columns to grand Mediterranean tiers. Placing a fountain near a succulent bed creates a beautiful "fire and ice" contrast between the dry-climate plants and the cooling water. Garden Decor: Use our metal yard art and architectural pieces to add height and whimsy to your cactus beds. These items provide year-round interest even on the rare days when the sun isn't shining. The Gift Shop: Curated Inspiration After you’ve picked out your plants, take a stroll through our eclectic Gift Shop. It’s filled with curated items from around the world that reflect the desert lifestyle. Here, you’ll find the finishing touches for your home—think artisanal botanical prints, unique tabletop decor, and global finds that complement the natural aesthetic of your new garden. The Moller’s Signature: Hand-Created Bowls If you want the "Moller’s Look" without the guesswork, you have to check out our collection of hand-created plant and flower bowls. Our experts spend their days meticulously pairing the best cactus and succulents in artisanal containers. These bowls are perfect for: Instant Impact: Perfect for a patio table or an entryway. A Starting Point: Use them as a "design North Star" to inspire the rest of your garden. Gift Giving: They are the ultimate "evergreen" gift that keeps on growing. Each bowl is a tiny, self-contained ecosystem designed to thrive in our specific climate. They take the "best of" from our nursery and package it into a stunning, ready-to-go arrangement. Your Year-Round Oasis Gardening in the desert is about embracing the unique beauty of our environment. By focusing on high-quality cactus and succulents, you ensure that your outdoor (and indoor!) spaces remain vibrant and stylish through every season. Whether you’re searching for a rare specimen in the nursery or a one-of-a-kind treasure in the Gift Shop, we’re here to help you build a garden that is as resilient as it is beautiful. Stop by this week and let’s get planting! #### Desert Harvest: Fall Decorating Ideas From Your Local Garden Shop Fall is just around the corner, and there’s no better time to transform your outdoor space into a cozy autumnal retreat. Moller’s Garden Center is your one-stop shop for all things fall, offering a delightful selection of live decor and whimsical gift shop treasures that’ll boost your fall decorating ideas and elevate your curb appeal. Fall Decorating Ideas with Moller’s Garden Center As spooky season makes it’s way to the desert floor, it's time to transform your outdoor space into a cozy and inviting fall haven. Moller’s has all your fall decorating ideas and inspiration right here in shop. Offering a breathtaking selection of plants, flowers, and decorative accents to create a stunning seasonal display- visit our Palm Desert shop today! Moller’s Has the Perfect Flowers to Create a Stunning Fall Display From vibrant mums in rich hues of red, orange, and yellow to the enchanting textures of ornamental grasses, Moller’s has the perfect flowers for fall decorating to create a stunning fall display. Browse our flower arrangement for your next Thanksgiving table centerpiece or a pick up a heartwarming gift for a loved one, Moller's offers a stunning selection of floral arrangements that will leave a lasting impression.   Classic Fall Favorites: Mums and Marigolds: These cheerful blooms come in a variety of colors and are a staple of autumn decor. Pumpkins and Gourds: Not just for carving, these iconic symbols of fall add texture and color to your outdoor space. Ornamental Grasses: Their feathery foliage creates a soft, airy look that complements the season's cooler tones.   Unexpected Fall Beauties: Pansies and Violas: These cold-hardy flowers offer a burst of color when other plants are fading. Sedum: This succulent-like plant boasts vibrant fall foliage and attracts birds to its seed heads. Asters: These late-blooming perennials come in a range of colors and provide a welcome splash of color as the season changes.   Gnomes, Knick-Knacks, Fairies & More Decor! The magic doesn’t stop there! Moller’s gift shop is a treasure trove of whimsical decorations that will add a touch of enchantment to your fall decorating. Fairies, gnomes, and other fantastical creatures can be playfully scattered throughout your garden, creating an inviting atmosphere for your garden and patio this fall. With fall just around the corner, there’s no better time to unleash your creativity and transform your outdoor space. Moller’s Garden Center is your go-to destination for fall decorating ideas, from live decor to enchanting accessories that will bring the magic of autumn to your doorstep. Visit us online today for a virtual tour of our gardens and a sneak peek at our gift center!   Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Designing Desert Living Spaces: Elevate Your Home with Style Outdoor living isn’t just a trend in the Coachella Valley—it’s a way of life. Here, where sunshine stretches 350+ days a year and the mountains shape the skyline in every direction, the outdoors becomes an extension of home. Patios turn into living rooms, gardens become gathering spaces, and style moves seamlessly from inside to out. And when it comes to designing outdoor spaces that feel as beautiful as they are livable, Moller’s Garden Center is the go-to destination for locals, snowbirds, and design lovers throughout Palm Desert. With more than an acre of outdoor inspiration to explore—complete with pottery, fountains, sculptures, plants, and décor—Moller’s is where vision turns into reality.   Where Design Meets Desert Beauty Forget flat and ordinary—outdoor spaces should feel layered, atmospheric, and uniquely yours. As you stroll through the grounds at Moller’s, inspiration arrives in every direction. Rows of handcrafted pottery burst with color and texture. Towering palms and desert-ready plants stand tall like living sculptures. Oversized planters create stunning focal points, while elegant fountains add movement and soothing sound. From earthy neutrals to bold statement pieces, the collection is curated to match the Palm Desert aesthetic—modern, sun-kissed, and full of character. Because style shouldn’t stop at your door.   Make Your Backyard a Destination Great outdoor design isn’t about filling space—it’s about creating an environment where people want to linger. At Moller’s, you’ll find everything you need to transform your patio, courtyard, or poolside retreat into a space that feels like a getaway: Premium pottery & planters in every scale for instant visual impact Outdoor sculptures and art pieces that spark conversation Statement fountains that bring sound and ambiance to life Indoor/outdoor décor that blurs the lines between home and escape Garden supplies designed for practical beauty Whether your vibe leans rustic, modern desert, lush tropical, or minimalist chic, there’s something here for every style and every imagination.   Curated Spaces That Inspire New Ideas One of the best parts of visiting Moller’s is seeing design come to life. Display vignettes are arranged like magazine-worthy mood boards, giving a real-world sense of scale, color pairing, and layout possibilities. Because sometimes you don’t know what you want until you see it. The property itself adds to the experience, surrounded by mountains and desert wildlife, creating a natural backdrop that fuels creativity. It’s no wonder designers and homeowners alike wander, take photos, sketch ideas, and stay longer than expected—it just feels good to be here.   Outdoor Living with Heart What truly makes Moller’s special is the feeling of connection. Team members are passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to help you bring home something that reflects your personality and lifestyle. There’s no rush, no pressure—just real conversation and real creativity. And when you design a space you love, it changes everything:Coffee tastes better outside.Evenings last longer.Memories become richer.Home feels like an escape.   Bring Your Vision to Life Whether you’re refreshing a corner of your patio or dreaming up a full-scale outdoor transformation, Moller’s gives you a starting point—and a spark. Come explore.Come dream.Come leave with something that inspires you. Because beautiful outdoor living isn’t something you find online—it’s something you feel when you experience it in person. And there’s no better place to start than right here at Moller’s Garden Center, where style grows under the desert sun. #### Drip Irrigation Do you know the difference between a drip bubbler emitter and a drip emitter? Become a fan on FACEBOOK for the answer. #### Easing Into Summer It's time to get the garden ready for summer hibernation once again. We made it through another season in the Desert. How does your garden look? How are things holding up through these days of warm weather and low humidity? There is still plenty of opportunity for "gardening" tasks through what we call early summer. We start with a word aboutWATER as we so often do. Irrigation clocks should come on every day now. What type of irrigation system do you have? "Sprinklers" should be on one time a day in the morning, 8-10 minutes per station......there are always exceptions. Deep shade areas and turf may require less water. "Drip irrigation" should run daily not less than 45 minutes per station. It sounds like a lot of water but remember, each drip head emits a minimum of one gallon of water per hour. You may need to run the water even longer. The worst possible scenario - short of no water-- is to have the drip lines run several times a day for short periods of time. It is a completely inappropriate method of water distribution and will surely stress the plants out causing their certain demise. Deep watering produces deep roots which is what we want to see in a garden. It makes no difference whether the plant is 'drought tolerant' or tropical; correct watering is the key to an established garden. Time Clocks The single best thing you can do for your garden during the summer months is to invest in a rechargeable 12 volt battery for your time clock. If you spend summers here, you know that power outages are an inevitability and the battery backup ensures that your time clock will maintain its summer schedule. Otherwise factory presets will cause the time to reset to about 10 minutes a day. Great if you run a 'standard' sprinkler system. Not so great if you have a DRIP irrigation. Fertilize Be sure to FERTILIZE the entire garden one more time before the real heat hits the Desert. We love our boutique fertilizers at Moller's Garden Center, those specially formulated for specific varieties of plants. Dr. Earth and Fox Farm are our favorites. Mulch By now you know the Desert is made up of many different soil types. MULCH is often overlooked in our area but it so important for many different reasons. Some areas have blow sand which is great for growing anything; others have more coarse soil--the water runs right through it without proper mulching. Still other areas have heavy soil where water penetration is a problem. Here mulching helps to break up to soil which allows roots to breath. Healthy roots create healthy plants. A thick layer of mulch spread at the base of your roses will keep them happy all summer long. Almost anything in the garden will benefit from summer mulching. Pruning PRUNING is always a little tricky through summer. May is generally a great month to prune the shrubs and trees that have offered us beautiful flowers all spring but the pace slows down we approach mid-June. Let the weather be your guide, when we bump up well above 100 degrees consistently it is time to put the pruning shears away. We are well on our way to a warm summer. A little snip here, a little snip there is a perfect way to sustain the shape of your garden through the summer months. This maintenance practice prevents runaway gardens from occurring, thus avoiding the horrific pruning/butchering we see all too often in the fall. Your garden will stay lush and natural with regular ‘snipping‘ all summer long. Summer Color The tradition of summer annuals is upon us once again. This is a perfect time to change your fall flowers to summer color. Vinca, angelonia, gomphrena, marigolds, zinnia and rudbeckia fill our shelves along with perenials such as verbena, salvia, million bells, pentas, gaura and numerous other bursts of color. Keep in mind when shallow rooted plants such as bedding flowers are initially planted they may need a little extra water the first two weeks they are in the ground to get them established. Just push manual on your time clock to run the station through if you feel you need a little extra water in the garden. There is still plenty of time to plant just about anything through May and early June and we have lots of great product to plant! If it is in the nursery, it can be planted in your garden! Thank you once again for a great season this year. As always, we really appreciate your business at Moller's Garden Center, Inc. Have a great summer! #### Easy Summer Recipes Using Your Desert Harvest In the heat of a desert summer, gardening takes a well-earned break—but that doesn’t mean the bounty stops. If you’ve recently harvested tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, or fresh herbs like basil and mint, now is the perfect time to enjoy them in the kitchen. These light, refreshing, and easy-to-make recipes celebrate everything you’ve grown and give your summer meals a flavorful, garden-fresh twist. Whether you’re looking for a way to cool off, eat lighter, or use up an overflowing harvest basket, these summer vegetable recipes are just the thing.   1. Garden Gazpacho Cool, crisp, and packed with flavor, gazpacho is the ultimate no-cook meal for hot desert days. This chilled Spanish soup is perfect for using up ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Ingredients: 4–5 large ripe tomatoes 1 cucumber, peeled 1 red bell pepper 1 small red onion 2 cloves garlic ¼ cup olive oil 2 tbsp red wine vinegar Salt and pepper to taste   Instructions: Roughly chop all vegetables and add to a blender. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, then chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve cold with a drizzle of olive oil or chopped herbs.   Garden Tip: Heirloom tomatoes bring extra depth and color to this dish!   2. Zucchini Noodles with Basil Pesto Skip the stove and spiralize your freshly harvested zucchini into cool, crunchy "zoodles." Toss them with homemade basil pesto for a light lunch or dinner. Ingredients for Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts ½ cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic ¼ cup grated Parmesan Salt and pepper to taste   Instructions: Blend all pesto ingredients until smooth. Spiralize 2–3 zucchini. Toss the zucchini noodles with pesto. Top with cherry tomatoes or a sprinkle of Parmesan.   Garden Tip: Basil thrives in the warmth—if you’ve got extra, freeze pesto in ice cube trays for later!   3. Cucumber Mint Salad This hydrating side dish is as simple as it is satisfying. Fresh cucumbers and mint are a match made in summer heaven. Ingredients: 2–3 cucumbers, thinly sliced Handful of fresh mint, chopped 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp olive oil Salt to taste   Instructions: Combine cucumbers and mint in a bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Toss and serve chilled.   Garden Tip: Add a pinch of chili flakes or feta for an extra punch of flavor.   4. Grilled Veggie Wraps If you’re firing up the grill, use up your summer veggies with these tasty wraps. Peppers, zucchini, and onions are perfect for roasting. Ingredients: Assorted vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes) Olive oil, salt, and pepper Tortilla wraps Hummus or goat cheese (optional)   Instructions: Toss veggies in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill until charred and tender. Spread hummus or cheese on wraps, add grilled veggies, and roll up.   Garden Tip: If you have fresh herbs like thyme or oregano, sprinkle them on the veggies before grilling.   Don’t Let Your Harvest Go to Waste Summer gardening in the desert may slow down, but your freshly harvested vegetables are just getting started in the kitchen. These recipes are designed to make the most of what’s ripe right now—no oven required. Use them to cool off, eat clean, and savor the rewards of your garden.   Visit Moller’s Garden Center Need advice on what to plant next—or how to care for your garden through the heat? Stop by Moller’s Garden Center in Palm Desert. We’re your trusted source for plants, gardening tools, seasonal tips, and expert advice all year long. Visit the Moller's Garden Center #### Enliven Your Holidays at Moller's Garden Center The Holidays are Front and Center at Moller's Garden Center! Whether you’re entertaining, gift giving or perfecting your surroundings, Moller’s Garden Center offers an exciting selection of holiday adornments and plant varieties to enrich the spirit of the season in and around your home or office! Celebrate the Season with Unique Artistic Expressions Decorate your environment this year with gorgeous flowers, plants and decorations to uplift and inspire! How about giving gifts that make a fun and lasting impression on your loved ones? Whatever you envision, we can bring to life! Holiday wreaths, garlands and accessories Fresh seasonal flowers creatively arranged Unique, hand-crafted gifts from our gift shop Tree ornaments and gingerbread houses Hearty succulents and exotic flowers A full assortment of organic gardening options Books and resources for all things birding   Send Beautiful, Seasonal Flowers to Someone Special Flowers speak the language of the heart. So, when you want to let someone know you’re thinking of them during the holidays, what better way than to send them a gorgeous personalized arrangement? Our floral designers are eager to create a unique bouquet or plant arrangement for the special ones in your life. Speak with Our Floral Designers Today! (760) 346-9415 #### Fall Gardening in the Desert Make plans to celebrate the season with some well-timed fall gardening, right here in the desert! With cooler temperatures rolling in, it’s officially the perfect time to plant just about anything in your garden! It Really is the Perfect Time for Fall Gardening! From trees, shrubs, and roses, to bedding plants, cacti, herbs, and vegetables starting in October you can plant to your heart's content and rest assured your garden is safe and has the best chance of thriving. The heat is retreating, and cooler temperatures are bringing with them the chance to not only plant new additions but also to replace and rescue those plants who may have been damaged during the summer months. Since the soil is still warm enough to encourage root development and growth, you can plant with confidence knowing your new plants can get established and thrive! Before you get started, there are some things you’ll want to consider to make sure your fall garden is successful.   Make a Plan, Or Plan to Fail We’ve all heard this before, and it seems to apply to just about every situation! Well, fall gardening is no exception, in fact it’s one of the biggest keys to success-so make sure you make a plan for your garden and think things through. This may include things like: What is the best location for your fall garden How much sun the garden will get during the fall and winter months What plants do you intend to have in your garden   Once you have a plan and know exactly what you want to plant and where you would like to plant it, you can move forward with preparing the area and buying your plants! We recommend you stop by Moller's Garden Center and speak with someone if you have any questions about plant varieties, what to expect or need advice on things like mulch, pesticides and even fertilizers! Our staff is always here to help and willing to offer suggestions and tips! In fact, here are 3 tips for fall gardening we think you’ll enjoy! 3 Tips For Fall Gardening in the Desert! Double Check Your Irrigation Systems Make sure to check your irrigation system to be sure heads are open and working properly. Water will not be wasted when irrigation systems are properly maintained and working effectively. Check that the clock is set to the correct time ~ because with summer power outages, time clocks can reset, and you’ll want to make sure water is coming on as expected. Irrigation cycles need to be reset as the weather cools. Water frequency changes but the amount of water remains the same. Instead of having sprinklers come on once a day; skip to every other day to ensure the health of your plant material. And remember deep watering is key; water once to produce healthy roots. Don't Forget to Fertilize Don’t forget to fertilize this Fall! Start preparing your planting beds with soil amendments to ensure adequate water absorption! We recommend you fertilize everything in the garden including your trees, shrubs, citrus & fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, palms & cacti as well as new rye lawns after the second mowing! You’ll love our full assortment of organic gardening options including down-to-earth organic fertilizers along with tried-and-true synthetic fertilizers all available in our Garden Shop! Pesticides Are Not One Size Fits All Pests can become active on new growth and with new plantings, so keep an eye out for damaged foliage. First, you’ll want to determine which host pest has taken up residence! Pesticides are not a one size fits all business. It’s important to correctly identify, then treat for the host. You want to always be certain of what you are treating before using herbicides or insecticides -treatment of garden pests is not a one stop shop. Ready to Start Planting in Your Garden This Fall? Stop by Moller's Garden Center to find a few single plants to add to your existing garden, or to plan your whole fall gardening landscape starting from scratch! Tour Our Nursery #### Fall Overseeding & Smart Scalping The over-seeding process begins mid to late September reduce but do not eliminate the amount of water applied to the turf reduce the amount of water applied to the turf, cut the water back every other day TURF ONLY continue to water the rest of garden as usual Begin reducing mowing heights reduce heights ¼ to ½ inches weekly remove grass clippings height should not be lowered below 1/2 inch take care not to lower the mowing heights too much to prevent damage to mowing equipment and ensure healthy regrowth in the spring if you see dust during the final mowing, it can be suppressed by slightly wetting the turf Schedule seeding around the middle of October this is the date average night time temperatures drop below 60 degrees cooler temperatures slow the growth of bermuda significantly --gradually forcing it into dormancy seeding before this will result in rapid re-growth of bermuda areas with heavy re-growth will become unsightly in December when bermuda grass goes dormant Seed be sure to use perennial seed such as HTI 3 ryegrass; perennial grass grows slower and preforms better in shaded areas annual grass is cost effective but you will be mowing twice a week. Coverage one pound of seed per 50 - 100 sq ft of lawn best done by using multiple passes in a criss-cross pattern use humus seed cover for quicker germination and to produce a thicker, healthier lawn. One bag per 50 sq ft lawn Irrigation seed must be kept moist, your turf should run on a valve separate from the rest of your garden. water in short cycles at regular intervals 3 - 5 minutes; four times during the daylight hours ( every 2 hours during daylight ); do not water at night constant monitoring is required, failure to do this will result in poor germination maintain this schedule until first mowing ( approximately 2 - 3 weeks ) THEN CUT THE WATER BACK TO ONCE A DAY, 5 - 8 minutes. Follow winter watering schedule. First Mowing mow turf when it reaches 2 inches in height re-seed areas with poor germination and top dress where necessary Fertilize use Best Turf Supreme fertilizer after the first mowing be certain to water fertilizer into soil continue fertilizing through the warm months. Check with a Moller’s associate as fertilizing practices change through the winter months. #### Fall Planting Season Planting Season Arrives to the Desert Once Again. Mother Nature offers us a much better attitude this fall, with warm days and cool nights. It is the perfect growing season. We are in that weather roller coaster mode, daytime temperatures hover around the 90 degree mark, then dip to the 70’s and back to the 80’s. Winter rye pops up as the Bermuda grass goes dormant for the winter. Planting beds are prepared, now it is time to get the planting party started! A quick note about your lawn; many HOA’s and golf courses have already seeded their green belts. Not to fear, you have plenty of time. Reseeding weather continues through mid–November as our temperate climate allows the seed to germinate late into the fall season. Click on the link for directions on reseeding and watering practices. Link to reseeding. We suggest you plant annual color once your lawn has been reseeded and the garden is back on a ‘normal’ watering schedule. Irrigation What is the ‘normal’ watering schedule this time of year? The target temperature for a once daily watering is consistent 90 – 95 degrees. This time of year the daily temperature bounces all over the place. Skip a water day when temperatures fluctuate much below the 90 degree mark, established gardens will enjoy the day off. Keep in mind that newly planted material will require daily water for the first two weeks after planting to establish strong roots, especially shallow rooted plants. As the temperature drops to 85 degrees and below, you may begin alternate water days but remember, we are looking for consistent temperatures before committing to alternate water days. It's a lot to remember…..Moller’s is here to help. It is crucial this time of year to walk through your irrigation system and make certain everything is working properly. It’s a good idea to take a look at the system yourself even if you have a landscape maintenance team working with you. Become friends with your time clock, learn how it to set it and how to manually start your water stations. Check that the time clock is set to the correct time of day. Be certain the station run times coincide with the type of irrigation you are using. (Sprinklers and bubblers vs drip irrigation.) For those who use drip irrigation, be sure your system is set up with either gallon per hour emitters or adjustable emitters, but not both. They distribute water differently so they should not be used on the same line. Heads can get broken or clogged through the summer; verify the water is being distributed where it is meant to land. Fertilizer Fall is one of those critical times to fertilizer. If you are one who feeds the garden only occasionally, this is one of the times you should absolutely fertilize. Cooling temperatures offer the perfect growing environment for your plant material— fertilizer (and an appropriate water regimen) keeps them growing healthy. As you know, we like the organics….Dr. Earth or Foxfarm fertilizers. It is important to choose the correct product for the plant material you are fertilizing. Rose food would not be great for palms. Gardenias require different nourishment than citrus trees. We are here to help; let us know what you need to fertilize and we will set you up with the appropriate formula for the job. Flowers, Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs The last two weeks of October and first two weeks of November provide a premium window for planting annuals, herbs and vegetables here in the Desert. Petunias, pansies and begonias were the limited color options of days gone by. Today, annual varieties number in the dozens. The choices are many but the formula is simple. First, determine the light exposure for the areas you wish to plant. Think about the height you can use in the space. What is your color scheme? Are you looking for drama, textural variation or just a pretty flower bed? Perhaps you want to change what you always do.....head on down to Moller's where we will assist you as you make your selections. If you don't find what you are looking for or if you need large quantities, we are happy to order it in. Our inventory changes daily this time of year. COLOR OPTIONS: coleus, pentas, lobelia, guara, begonia varieties, stock, phlox, bacopa, salvia varieties, lavender varieties, million bells, African daisies, New Guinea impatiens, Santa Barbara daisy, nemesias, plectranthus, malacoide & English primrose, kalanchoe, cyclamen, foxglove, echinacea, snap dragons, pansies and of course petunias. CONFUSED? Don't be, the Moller's sales staff is here to help you choose the best color material for the area you are planting. Herb, fruit and vegetable choices are bountiful this time of year. Thyme (lemon & English), oregano (Italian, Hot & Spicy), basil (sweet, Italian or Thai), parsley (curly & Italian), chives (garlic & onion) are but a few of the choices you must make when putting together your herb garden. Mint varieties are abundant – from chocolate to apple, spearmint and peppermint. (We suggest you use mint in pots or as a ground cover, as it can take over your garden.) Tomatoes offer alternatives in size, color and age. Lettuces, arugula, broccoli, eggplant, peppers - sweet and hot, cauliflower, artichokes, kale, Swiss chard and strawberries are among the edible offerings we stock this time of year. Once again, we are happy to special order anything for you. Container Planting & Pots Pots and planters allow home gardeners to do just about anything in the garden. Seasonal plantings of annuals in small patio courtyards provide depth and color to otherwise plain spaces. Pots themselves sport colorful glazes; rich blues, greens & oxblood red planters frame cactus and succulent combinations to create a dramatic statement for a particular space. Larger sculptural specimen cacti act as art when thoughtfully placed in your garden. Texture is a big trend now; specific greenery and succulents merge to provide interesting contrast. Pots can break up monotony and create continuity. Planted containers provide the answer to problem spaces where nothing else will grow. Pots allow flexibility to create new ‘looks’ every season; they act independent of permanent landscape and hardscapes in the garden. Irrigate your planters as often or as little as the material you choose will allow. Thoughtful Thoughts and Common Mistakes There is a lot of information in this newsletter; there is a lot to do in the garden this time of year. Irrigation can be especially confusing. We have done our best to cover major garden issues. Bring any questions or issues you may have down to Moller’s and we will do our best to solve the problem. We say it all the time........ Be sure your water is on long enough to fully saturate the plant you are watering; then allow the material to dry out before the next application of water. Newly planted, shallow rooted material such as herbs, vegetables, ground covers and bedding plants may require a second dose of water the first few weeks after planting if temperatures push that 90 degree mark. The same goes for freshly planted shrubs and trees. As roots have a chance to become established, once a day water is the rule. If you don’t get to planting the material you have purchased for a few days, don’t forget to water...sometimes twice daily water is necessary, depending on the product and the temperature. We often see plants come back to the Nursery simply because they did not get enough water before they were ever planted. Newly seeded grass requires multiple water times as the seed germinates but only for a few weeks. The rest of the garden should be watered just once a day. When the new lawn reaches about 2 inches, (about 2-3 weeks), resume once daily water for your lawn. Cut the grass after one month and fertilize just after the first mowing. One more thing about turf.....when you first stop watering the lawn to force Bermuda into dormancy, take care you do not cut water from surrounding planter beds, hedges and other plantings. It can be too warm for anything other than turf to endure more than two days without water. Questions? Please feel free to ask the sales team at Moller’s. Drip irrigation requires a commitment. Use either gallon per hour emitters or adjustable emitters, but not both. We often find garden maintenance crews replace these two hears interchangeably. Doing so will provide way too much water for some plants yet not nearly enough to others. Water stations with drip heads (gallons per hour) must run 30 minutes or more, depending on the heads used. Adjustable emitters generally run 8 – 10 minutes, the same as sprinklers…..they simply localize where the water is distributed. When it comes time to plant anything in your garden, think about the sun exposure as you choose your plant material. Remember the sun can change in the garden through the course of the year. What is a shade area now may transition to full sun exposure come next May. Shade tolerant plants will burn severely when the sun hits them in the spring. Conversely, plant material that requires full sun will suffer under constant shade. Planting mix is NOT fertilizer. It is a soil amendment meant to enrich the soil – not nourish the plant. Planting mix holds moisture in the ground, cools/warms planting beds and curtails weed growth. Fertilizer nourishes the plant to promote new growth and create a healthy root structure Use planting mix at the time you plant. You may also apply organic fertilizer at the time of planting and then monthly throughout the growing season. Just remember: planting mix = soil; fertilizer = plant material. Pests cannot be managed with a one size fits all pesticide. It is important to properly identify the problem and choose the right protocol to correct the problem. The Internet offers a lot of great information but it can still leave the reader to guess what the problem is. Not all pesticides are available in all states. Oil-based pesticides are effective but will quickly kill plant material if used at the wrong time of year here in the Desert. Certain weeds are active on a different time table here than they are in other parts of the country. Bring in a leaf sample of what ails you, the Moller’s team will help find the cure. Pots & Saucers. In a perfect world, a saucer collects water as it drains from the pot after the planter has been watered. Automatic irrigation may distribute more water than the saucer can hold, especially when pots are watered daily. Proportionately larger saucers may help the issue, but water spilling over is almost always an issue when using drip irrigation on pots. Please keep this in mind as you look to protect your terrace from water damage. A little water goes a long way with container gardens. Often pots are much deeper than the roots they hold. The rules of irrigation are the same for pots as they are for the garden. Water enough to saturate the roots and allow the material to dry out before the next water application. #### Fall Reseeding / Smart Scalping Over-seeding process begins mid to late September reduce the amount of irrigation applied to the turf reduce water to the point the turf is stressed but not turning brown do not eliminate irrigation Begin reducing mowing heights reduce heights ¼ to ½ inches weekly remove grass clippings desired final height of ½ inch The height should not be lowered below ½ inch lower heights are not necessary for germination lower heights will affect the ability of Bermuda grass to re-establish in the spring lower heights will also cause wear or damage to mowing equipment Schedule seeding after October 15th this is the date average night time temperatures drop below 60 degrees Bermuda growth slows significantly seeding before this will result in rapid re-growth of Bermuda areas with heavy re-growth will become unsightly in December when Bermuda grass goes dormant * If during the final mowing dust is noticed it can be suppressed by slightly wetting the turf Apply seed use HTI III ryegrass one pound per 50-100 sq ft best done by using multiple passes in a crisscross pattern use Humus Gro Seed Cover for quicker germination and a much thicker and fuller lawn Increase irrigation seed must be kept moist run off should be avoided so seed remains in place short cycles at regular intervals ( every 2 hours during daylight ) constant monitoring is required failure to do this will result in poor germination maintain this schedule until the first mowing (approximately 2 – 3 weeks ) Mow turf when it reaches 2 inches Re-seed areas with poor germination and top dress where necessary Fertilize with Turf Royal after your second mowing Manage water for established turf #### Fall Watering Begin alternate watering days as temperatures drop consistently below the 90 degree mark. #### February is For Fertilizing Fertilize every thing in your garden and watch it grow. #### February is For Fertilizing!! Spring comes early to the Coachella Valley making the month of February one of our best growing months of the year. Your garden is coming out of its “winter sleep”. Warm temperatures mixed with a good dose of the right kind of fertilizer will provide the garden with an instant WOW FACTOR. Don’t turn the water up!Plant material continues to thrive on water just two or three times a week. Remember to have the time set correctly for either drip irrigation or sprinklers. Say goodbye to frost damage. While it is possible to get a frost in the month of February, the threat of severe cold is typically over. It’s a great time to get the pruners out and clear away damaged foliage.Avoid heavy pruning - - - it is all about appearances now; shape trees and shrubs just for looks. Once trimming is out of the way, it is time to fertilize - - - everything! Begin monthly feeding in February. Moller’s Garden Center suggests Dr Earth products for just about everything in the garden. This is an organic, long-lasting product with specialized formulas specific to roses, hibiscus, bedding plants, camellias, fruit trees, palms, vegetables and new plantings. After all, not all plants are alike. Come have a chat with one of the Sales Associates here at Moller’s to determine the best formula for your garden. Turf Royale will keep your lawn looking golf course ready. Queen palms will benefit from mineral spikes formulated for desert soil…………..come on down. Don’t forget mulch. It is a great aid for holding in moisture and makes the flower beds look fresh and clean. Blueberries, peaches and apples, OH MY! It’s true; these fruits and many others will grow in the Desert. We enjoyed a bowl of fresh, homegrown blueberries at our Mother’s Day brunch last year.Many stone fruits flourish in our Desert weather. They offer double bounty: beautiful blooming trees in the spring and plentiful apples, peaches and plums in early summer. Roses & Powdery Mildew Long, cool mornings, warm days and a little humidity make perfect conditions for powdery mildew. This is a rose problem that requires weekly attention during the spring. Use GREENLIGHT Rose Defense or ROSE RX by Bonide. Both products contain the 3 necessary ingredients for perfect roses during spring: fungicide, miticide and insecticide. Be sure to exercise the five leaf rule when you cut roses - - go down the stem and cut the rose just above the first leaf stem containing five leaves. This promotes a better growth pattern for the rose bush. Herbs are back, along with the second crop of winter vegetables. Basil abounds!! If your tomatoes wintered over, you are one of the lucky ones. If they did not, we have over 10 different varieties to offer you. Heirloom tomatoes are not just a fad; they taste great. Try the Green Zebra or Mortgage Lifter varieties. Spring brings out the birds. Those of you who visit Moller’s on a regular basis are quite familiar with Finch Socks. These are seed socks that can be hung almost anywhere in the garden to attract some of the Desert’s more colorful birds. Quail can be enticed with Nyjer Wild Delight. Hummingbirds are everywhere this year. Have you ever noticed how territorial they can be? They are nesting so hummingbird turf wars abound. Look for hummingbird nests tucked in cactus, ocotillo or any protected tree limb that comes to a Y. These birds require a lot of energy, they eat a lot. You will find numerous varieties of hummingbird feeders at Moller’s. Happy Valentine’s Day!! February 14th is coming fast. We offer roses of all colors as well as mixed spring arrangements, arrangements of one color, orchids, blooming plants and Valentine gifts sure to make your Valentine smile. Phone the Flower Shop at Moller’s for all your Valentine needs. (760) 346-9415. #### Fertilize Your Citrus Trees in January January is a great time to fertilize citrus trees with a high bloom fertilizer. This promotes more blossoms which will yield more fruit next season. #### Flowers to Plant in March We’ll cover our pick of the top 3 flowers to plant in March.  Why is March a Good Time to Start Planting? The month of March is the beginning of Spring. It’s a sign of new beginnings, and change. In March, the weather starts to get warmer and bees will start coming out of their hibernation to start pollinating the flowers... This is what makes March the perfect time to start planning your Spring garden! March is the time of year that you will notice more flowering plants, seedlings, shrubs, and perennial herbs available at local nurseries. Which are easily transportable and can be plopped right into your new Spring garden!   The Best Flowers to Plant in March! 1. Daffodils First up on our list of flowers to plant in March is the Daffodil. This flowering plant is among the most popular and easy-growing perennial plants. Coming in white, pink, orange, and yellow blossoms, this plant is surely a beauty to look at! These beautiful plants are pretty hardy. Meaning, they don’t go down without a fight. Though Daffodils prefer being grown in sunnier weather, they don’t mind a shadier climate. A well-draining, moist soil mix will do great for these flowers. Be sure to take into consideration that Daffodils are toxic to both humans and animals! 2. Tulips Second up, is Tulips! Tulips are some of the most versatile flowering plants ever. They come in a wide variety of stunning colors like reds, oranges, yellows, whites, pinks, and purples. Planting tulips in your garden will give it a colorful pop! Tulips are not too difficult to care for, rather easy. With the right conditions and care they’ll do just fine and are an excellent choice of flowers to plant in March. Tulips are usually classified as perennial flowers. Planting Tulips in a warm, sunny place is ideal. The soil should be well-draining! Keep children and pets from ingesting these flowers, as they are toxic to both humans and pets. 3. Roses Lastly, we’re brought to Roses! A pretty, basic flower, but beautiful, nonetheless. If you’re looking for simple and pretty flowers to plant in March, Roses are a must! Roses come in a few different colors other than red. There are pink, orange, yellow, and white varieties! Whichever color you choose, they will look beautiful in your garden. These beautiful plants don't require much attention, but keeping up with pruning will ensure your Roses stay neat and beautiful. Roses are best grown in full sun, with well-draining, moist soil. Though Roses aren’t usually toxic, it’s best to keep children and pets away from them. In Conclusion… March is a great time to start planting all your favorite flowers, vegetables, and even your cacti and succulents for the upcoming spring! March is the beginning of when the days start getting warmer, so choosing to plant now has its perks. Remember, always be kind to our fellow bees! As this is the time of year when they start becoming more active. That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you and all of the beautiful flowers you plant in March! #### Garden Art & Hardscape Features That Bring Desert Plants to Life URL: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/garden-art-hardscape-desert-plants/ #### Gardening Ideas As always we have a few gardening ideas to start your summer off. Consistent daytime temperatures of 90 - 95 degrees generally marks the start of a once daily water schedule. Remember to water in the cool of the day, ONE TIME A DAY. We water too little and too often in the Desert. Be certain the water is on long enough to saturate the deepest root ball. Keep in mind, newly planted material may require a bit more water when first planted but once the roots are set; o n c e d a i l y is the rule of thumb. Remember, cactus and succulents are not the same as hibiscus and citrus trees; they have completely different water needs -- never the two shall meet. Most cactus do well with weekly water, while their more lush counterparts require daily irrigation. Container gardens may need a little more water when temperatures spike; cactus in pots need water twice a week. Rye seed is slowly dying out as Bermuda grass awakens this time of year. Don't be fooled into thinking your grass needs more water -- this is the natural transitional process for turf when evening temperatures rise. Give your irrigation system a pre-summer physical. Is the back up battery in your time clock up to date? Is your clock set to the correct time? Is your water start time appropriate? Summer power outages can create a real problem if even one irrigation cycle is missed. Be certain sprinkler heads and drip emitters are functioning properly. Check for clogged heads and low water pressure. A beautiful garden requires a little work! Mulch in May (or June) as preventative medicine against heat all summer long. Mulching enables plants to retain moisture; it keeps the roots cool. Surface mulch inhibits weed growth and prevents reflective sun damage. All of this puts less stress on plant material which keeps them healthy. Finally, adding mulch to planter beds fights against erosion. Spread a two inch layer of mulch throughout your planter beds to take advantage of all these benefits. Fertilize! June is a fantastic growing month for any and everything in the garden. Daytime temperatures remain relatively mild while evenings become warmer; this optimizes daytime grow-time. The goal is to promote healthy growth enabling plants to stand up to the dog days of summer. Fertilizer helps the process along. Choose the best fertilizer option for the task at hand. Watch for pests. Insects are a huge problem this year because the winter was so mild; they've had the full year to grow fat and happy. This is especially true of whitefly. Leaf minor and bougainvillea looper remain tenacious as well. All the usual suspects; mites, scales, mealy bugs and ants have moved in apparently to stay. Combat the agave borer weevil this month; treatment is quick, easy and mandatory. It is critical to stay ahead of garden pests through the summer. Apply all pesticides as directed. Choose the right product for the job and apply at the correct time of day. Visit Moller's, we are here to help all summer long--except Sundays. Hummingbirds remain present and hungry this spring. Many of you may have noticed nests in precarious places. It may seem the birds are not eating as much. This is largely due to the fact there is so much natural food out there….never fear. Hummingbirds are always hungry. In the mean time, feed the finches – they too are always hungry and equally as interesting to watch. You have plenty of time to plant through June and plenty of material to plant. This is the time for seasonal color change. Don't forget your pots, summer color does great in container gardens as well as in your flower beds. Moller's is open all summer long -- except Sundays. It has been a terrific Season at Moller's and we thank you. #### Gardening in the Desert: Tips for Gardening in the Summer Heat Are you looking to beat the desert heat and spruce up your outdoor space? Well, Moller's Garden Center has got some tips and tricks for you! We offer plant-tastic advice on watering techniques to conserve water and keep your plants flourishing, as well as additional tips on maintaining your plants while gardening in the desert. We’ve also picked out a few desert-loving plants that’ll transform your outdoor space into an oasis wonderland! Now, Let’s Hop Right Into Our Desert Gardening Tips... Don't be afraid of the sunshine – with a splash of water and the right plant picks, your garden can become a vibrant oasis. We'll share all the tips and tricks to make your desert dreams a reality. So grab your gloves, because we're about to dig into the beautiful world of gardening in the desert! Watering Techniques & Gardening Tips Deep Soaking, Not Frequent Sprinkling - Aim for infrequent but thorough waterings. This encourages roots to grow deep, seeking moisture. Earlier Waterings - When gardening in the desert, water in the cool mornings to minimize evaporation. Evening watering can encourage fungal growth. Know Your Plants - Different desert plants have different needs. Cacti and succulents need very little, while vegetables might need more frequent drinks. Mulch Coverings - Apply a layer of mulch around your plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds that compete for water. Embracing Technology - Consider a drip irrigation system for efficient, targeted watering that saves water and reduces waste. Desert Loving Plants Agave - Agave is a stunning addition to any desert garden, offering bold, sculptural form and exceptional drought tolerance. With its striking blue-green or silvery leaves and dramatic rosette shape, agave adds instant visual impact while thriving in hot, dry conditions. Low-maintenance and deer-resistant, it’s a perfect choice for creating structure and interest with minimal effort. Desert Willow - A beautiful and versatile choice for desert gardens, Desert Willow is known for its graceful, willow-like leaves and trumpet-shaped blooms that attract hummingbirds all summer long. This hardy, drought-tolerant tree thrives in hot, arid climates and adds a splash of color with minimal water needs. Its airy form and seasonal flowers make it a standout specimen or a lovely addition to a xeriscape. Ocotillo - This unique plant has slender, spiny red or orange branches that resemble coral. In the spring, it produces clusters of pretty yellow flowers! Ocotillo tolerates extreme heat and drought and is a great choice for a low-maintenance desert landscape. Ready to transform your scorching yard into a flourishing paradise? Moller's Garden Center has everything you need to conquer gardening in the desert! With our watering techniques, plant recommendations, and desert-specific advice, you'll be a cactus in no time. So grab your gardening gloves and get ready to create your very own vibrant oasis – Moller's is here to help your desert dreams bloom! Enjoy Leveling Up Your Desert Garden with a Quick Stop at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Getting Ready for Summer Gardening! In this post, we’ll be listing 4 helpful tips about what you need to know when preparing your summer garden for the rising temperature. Adapting To Summer Gardening Habits. As the temperature starts to rise in the desert, you may have to start adding a few summer gardening habits into your scheduled routine. Now, these aren’t big changes. Just a few new additions that need to either be added to your garden or by reducing certain treatment habits!   Our top 5 tips for getting your summer garden prepared: 1. Adding Mulch to Your Garden Beds. First up on our list… is Mulch! What IS mulch? And why should you add it to your summer garden? Mulch is a layering material that is set on top of gardening soil. It’s used to retain moisture, keep your garden beds cooler, protect the soil from sun rays, and improves the health and fertility of your soil. There are many advantages to adding mulch to your summer garden bed, one of the best results of mulch is that it reduces weed growth! 2. Adjust Your Watering Routines As the heat rises, we’ll need to stay on top of watering our summer gardens more frequently, possibly even daily. Since the temperature will begin to steady in the upper mid-80s, make sure to water your garden only once, at the coolest part of the day! The amount of water you use will not change, the only change you’ll be making is how often you water your gardens. 3. Cover Your Sun-Sensitive Plants! The sun hitting your summer garden might cause your sun-sensitive plants to suffer… This is where the shade cloths come in! Remember, not all plants are sun-sensitive! So you’ll need to do research on which plants in your garden are. A general rule of thumb to go by is if a plant is receiving direct sun throughout the year, it doesn't need to be covered. But if the plant is in a shady area throughout the winter, but enjoys some summer sun, it's time to bring out the shade cloth... 4. Stay on Top Of Weeds. Lastly, if you haven’t added mulch to your summer garden bed, weeds will be more active and frequently pop up. Especially because it’s nearing summer, so it’s important to regularly check up on your garden every now and then! A useful alternative to get rid of weed without using mulch would be a good, long-lasting weed killer. Use them responsibly, and always research the product before using them! Check out our shop for all your weed remover needs. In Conclusion… As the hotter season arrives, we may have to make a few changes to our routines! Though they are not difficult adjustments, these little changes could make a big difference to how your summer garden grows and looks! That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### Green Side Up!! We are a few weeks into the 2012 fall planting season. Mother Nature is in much better spirits; Summer 2012 seems to be finally behind us. The daily highs may reach into the low 90's but that should not deter you from putting your garden gloves on, breaking out the planting trowels and getting your hands dirty! Water As always we start the conversation with a few words on the subject of H2O. There are many differing opinions on how best to water your garden. Our suggested irrigation schedule is intended to create healthy, well rooted plants while at the same time make efficient use of our precious water resource. NOW is the best time to cut the water back to ONE TIME A DAY, every OTHER day watering for established gardens. Remember, you want the water on long enough to fully saturate the roots. Just because the water comes on three times a day does not mean the plants are getting enough water. Roots on established shrubs are at least 18" deep. Established tree roots can reach 10 feet into the soil. A three minute watering cycle would not provide water for that tree no matter how often it comes on. Newly planted material will benefit from daily water the first few weeks after planting, especially during 90 degree weather. Give the roots the opportunity to reach into the soil. This goes for your pots as well. Newly planted turf requires multiple watering times through the first 2 - 3 weeks of growth; reduce water to every other day AFTER the first mowing (when the grass is approximately 2" in height). Please don't assume your gardener has your time clock set correctly. Have the conversation with your maintenance people so you are all on the same watering schedule. Fertilizer Continue with a monthly fertilizing protocol through the warm fall months. Choose the correct product for the specific plants you want to feed. Use enough, but not too much. Just follow fertilizer application directions. Don't forget your palm trees; you can still use the spikes during this warm weather. Expose Yourself The best advise we can offer for fall planting (next to proper watering techniques) is to know the exposure for the area you want to plant. Sun exposure may change from summer to winter in your garden. Some gardens spots may enjoy shade all winter then change to direct sun for the summer. Take a little time to visualize what will happen with the sun as we transition from fall to winter to spring. Vegetables & Herbs Each year we experiment and find that more and more fresh produce can be grown in home gardens. On the shelves this week, we have peas, eggplant, two types of cauliflower including cheddar cauliflower! (It's orange) Tomatoes: yellow pear, Sweet 100's, Celebrity, Roma, Early Girl, Better Boy, and Beef master. Squash: spaghetti, butternut and table ace. Peppers: Yolo Wonders, Holy Mole, and Habanero for the hardened chili connoisseur! Start with good soil, proper water and adequate fertilizer. Don't forget the full sun. You will have a bountiful Thanksgiving harvest. Fall Color There are limitless choices for fall color plantings in the Desert. We offer a few hints to keep in mind as you plan your garden. Rabbits don't eat geraniums! (Nor do they like Liquid Fence which is a rabbit repellant.) Similar color schemes will make your garden seem 'taller'; blended or solid color choices will elongate your planting beds. White shows up great at night. Properly placed yard lighting and white flower beds will make the garden pop at night. Create interesting garden accents by coordinating your blooming shrubs with bedding plants. Contrast yellow euryops with crown blue pansies. Blend rosenka bougainvillea with hot pink petunias. Your garden is your canvas; the plants and flowers your color palette. Cool Plants We have a few new plant ideas for you this fall. Many of you love tropical hibiscus and gardenia; yet find them a little tricky to grow. Gardenias are particular about the soil they set roots in. Hibiscus are particular about everything except the bugs they attract. We have a few suggestions as an alternative to these problematic plants. Tecoma or Esperanza is a great beginning. Bright, colorful flowers most of the year; green foliage during the coldest months; varieties of this plant offer a multitude of colors for your planting pleasure. It is bug resistant and will grow in just about any kind of soil. Tecoma lends itself to desert landscapes, traditional and transitional gardens. Look for tecoma stans, tecoma solar flare and tecoma crimson flare. Tabornaemontana (crape jasmine) is a great alternative to the gardenia. It does well in full sun or shade. It is anti-bug, grows in just about any kind of soil and isn't particular if the roots are a little too wet. Great privacy plant for those of you in HOA's. The white bloom is delicate, fragrant and present most of the year. Our offering for shade to morning sun is the plectranthus mona lavender. Beautiful bronze foliage with prolific lavender flowers; this beauty can be a little frost tender; it's showy blossoms are worth the risk. It is a hummingbird mecca! It is planting season and we are here to help! We're open 7 days a week through the season. All kinds of new plants, pots, houseplants, garden accessories, orchids and bromeliads to offer you. EVEN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! Let us entice you with something wonderful! #### Happy Holidays from Moller’s Garden Center Just a few quick gardening tips as we make our way through this very busy time of year. Are you watering your garden every day? S T O P!! Established gardens in the Desert can easily get away with a single application of water every two to three days at this time of year. ‘Winter’ has set in for the season and daytime temps are likely to stay in the 60’s to 70’s. Plant material isn’t doing much at this time so daily water is not necessary. It will do more harm than good. Remember, you can always add water but you can never take it away. It’s a good idea to water a little later in the day to avoid slippery sidewalks early in the morning. Finally, did you remember to reset your time clock when the time changed in November? Check your adjustable drippers and emitters. They work well until they don’t. We have ‘hard’ water here in the desert which leaves lots of mineral deposits in irrigation equipment. Sand in the water line can also cause sprinkler heads, drippers and emitters to clog. It is a good idea to check your irrigation system at least once a month. We have yet to experience our first frost this season. Thanksgiving weekend last year brought freezing temperatures to the desert but so far so good this year. We know cold temperatures are coming. Watch evening temperatures. Drape your frost tender plants with freeze cloth, (conveniently located at Moller’s Garden Center.) Frost tender material includesbougainvillea, impatiens, begonia,geranium, natal plumb varieties, lantana and crown of thorn. Frost issues are a function of where you live in the valley... folks in South Palm Desert are less likely to see frost damage than those who live in Palm Springs and La Quinta. Better safe than sorry. We wish you all a lovely holiday season and all good things in the New Year. #### Herbs at Home: How to Start an Herb Garden Starting an herb garden is a great way to add fresh flavor to your meals and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of gardening (and saving a few bucks in the long run!). Herbs are relatively easy to grow, even for beginners, and they can thrive both indoors and outdoors. Let us help guide you when starting your own indoor/outdoor herb collection with a few tips and pointers. How to Start your Herb Garden Journey… Choosing the right herbs is very important! Only pick herbs you will absolutely be using, so nothing goes to waste, and you won’t feel overwhelmed. Some herbs, such as basil, chives, and mint are well-suited for indoor growth. Others like rosemary and thyme, are more suited for outdoors. Keep this in mind when thinking of starting your herb garden, think about what’s right for you! For an Indoor Garden Containers: First off, we must select the right containers for our herbs. Make sure your containers have drainage holes to prevent overwatering issues You can use anything from small pots, leftover containers (poke drainage holes at the bottom), and even large planters. Don’t plant herbs in planters too big for their roots, this may lead to problems such as overwatering – and eventually, root rot. Soil Mixture: Choose the right soil! Use a well-draining potting mix that is specifically formulated for herbs, and will provide the nutrients they need to thrive. Your mini herb garden will thank you! Light: Provide plenty of light. Most herbs need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. If you don’t have enough natural light, you can always supplement with grow lights. Watering: Water regularly, but keep the soil moist, not soggy. A good rule of thumb is to water when the first few inches of soil are fairly dry. Fertilizing: You’ll need to fertilize your herbs occasionally. Use a balanced fertilizer formulated for herb gardens, like the ones found at Moller’s Garden Center.   For an Outdoor Garden Location: Select a spot in your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Be sure it’s not an area that gets harsh sunlight though, as this will scorch your herb's leaves. Soil Preparations: Amend the soil with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage and fertility. Your herb garden will greatly appreciate the nutrients! Planting: When starting to plant your herbs, space your herbs according to their mature sizes. Never plant baby herbs too close to each other or this will cause overcrowding as they grow larger in the future. Watering: Water your herb garden as often as needed, this will all depend on the climate and temperatures of your area. It’s important to remember most herbs love to stay moist, so water when you notice the soil becoming a bit dry. Mulch: Place mulch around your herbs! Mulch helps to retain moisture and suppress pesky weeds. Fertilizing: Same as indoors, you should be fertilizing your herbs occasionally depending on which herbs are in your garden. Always use a balanced fertilizer formulated for herbs specifically.   Start Your Herb Garden With Moller’s Garden Center Starting an herb garden is a rewarding experience. Perfect for adding a little flavor to your meals or saving a little coin at the grocery store, herbs are a delicious way to spice up your palette. With a little care and love, you can enjoy fresh herbs all year round. As always, happy gardening from Moller’s Garden Center. Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### How to Take Care of Succulents Indoors A brief insight on different varieties of these pretty, easy plants! In this post, we will be covering 5 easy succulents to care for. Whether you're just starting out taking care of plants or you’re a plant-expert, succulents are the perfect plants for those small touches around your home. Getting Started With Succulents What Are Succulents? Succulents are a type of plant that holds water in their leaves and/or stems, making them drought resistant and able to sustain very dry climates for long periods of time. They come in a variety of colors, ranging from greens, reds, blues and yellows. Most succulents are fairly small, and grow slowly. This makes them perfect for compacted-potting arrangements.   Taking Care of Succulents Succulents are low maintenance and drought tolerant, meaning they can go weeks without water. So don't be afraid if you forget to water your plants-they’re most likely going to be just fine! They can be sensitive to colder weather, so warmer climates are ideal for these plants. Although keeping them away from drafty windows and using a small grow light to keep them happy would help in colder locations as well as during the fall and winter months. Direct or indirect light will help these plants thrive. Just be sure to watch over your new succulent for about the first week. And adjust your lighting if you notice sunburned leaves, that’s a sign of too much sun which can be harmful to your plants. Succulents aren't very picky when it comes to potting soil. For these plants, a basic cactus mix with perlite will be fine. Add sand if you want it to be really loose and airy. The better drainage, the less likely your plant will succumb to root rot. Lastly, succulents can be toxic so avoid ingestion. Top 5 Decorative Succulents Now that you know a little about what succulents are and how to best care for them, let’s talk a little about the 5 top decorative succulent plants to help you decide which ones might make a great new addition to your plant collection. 1. Echeveria First up on our list is the Echeveria. A flowering succulent that comes in numerous colors, shapes and sizes! Some with pointy and long leaves. Others with round, stubby leaves. Most have a rosette shape starting from the center. They flower in late summer to early fall and are very low maintenance plants. They can tolerate inconsistent waterings and only really need well-draining soil and bright sunlight daily to thrive. Typically, they’re fairly small plants. Making them perfect for sunny windowsill. They prefer warmer weather, so temperatures below 50°F could cause them to go dormant. Echeveria are not known for being poisonous, but just to be safe, keep away from children and pets to avoid ingestion! 2. Sedum Jelly Bean plant This jelly-bean looking plant will be a great addition to your home. Whether outside on your porch, or inside placed on a windowsill. This plant will brighten up the room with its stunning color. Depending on how much light it receives, it can go from its usual soft green color to a deep reddish shade. Its stems and leaves sprawl out as it grows longer. Creating a full, bushy look. Warm weather is ideal for these plants. Giving them lots of sun will help it flourish! They appreciate being neglected, as they don't need a ton of water. When watering these plants let soil dry out thoroughly before watering again. Well-draining potting soil would do just fine. Winter to spring is when this plant usually blooms. In early years of its life, this plant can produce small, yellow flowers shaped as stars! If ingested, this plant can be poisonous to humans and pets. 3. Aloe Vera The Aloe Vera, is a pretty popular succulent! It has thick, greenish leaves with white speckled dots. It’s pretty much stemless, or rather short stemmed. They do well in bright, indirect light. They shouldn't be placed in direct sun or their leaves will start to crisp. When watering this plant you want to wait until the soil is fairly dry before watering again. A simple, well-draining soil is fine for these plants, when it comes to soil mixtures they are not very picky. These plants do best in temperatures 55°-80°F. The gel from the Aloe Vera can be used to relieve pain from cuts when applied topically. Do not ingest the gel from this plant, as it is toxic to humans and pets. 4. Jade plant If you’re looking for a tree-like plant, the jade plant is the one for you! This easy plant does not require a lot of attention, but does grow fairly slow. The Jade plant has shiny, oval-shaped leaves and thick stems. The plant is usually muted green, but if placed in direct sun for some time, the leaves will start showing a red hue. Bright sun is preferred for these plants, as they favor warmer weather. These plants aren't fussy. A well-draining potting mix, like cactus soil will do the trick. When watering let the soil dry out completely between waterings to avoid root rot. Keep this plant out of reach to children and animals, as it can be toxic to both humans and pets. 5. String of Pearls Last, but definitely not least, is String of Pearls. A viney plant, perfect for hanging baskets in the corners of your home, or outdoors. Its round leaves give them a pea shaped look. This plant is very easy to care for. The thing most people have trouble with is overwatering. When watering your String of Pearls, let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Use a well-draining mix with perlite and sand so it's fairly loose. Placing this plant in bright, indirect sunlight would be ideal. This plant is a quick grower, so it is recommended to trim back the vine. Once you've cut some pieces off, you can add them back into the pot to create a fuller plant. Around spring, the String of Pearls can produce pretty blooms. It rarely flowers indoors, but it's not impossible! The blooms are white, with a hint of pink. Some even say it gives off the scent of cinnamon! Be careful to keep this plant away from children and pets, it is toxic and should not be ingested. In Conclusion... Succulents are an amazing addition to your plant collection. No matter if you're a plant-pro or just a beginner, succulents are easy to care for plants that can bring life to your collection and your home. Not needing much attention is what makes succulents so popular, and of course their beautiful color varieties are a joy to look at. That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful, hopefully from reading this you can keep your succulent plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### Irrigation Time Clock Battery Check the battery in your irrigation time clock. Be certain it is rechargeable. #### It's All About Roses in the Winter! Roses thrive in the cooler weather, offering rainbows of colors and scents while other plants may be a little less enthusiastic about the cold. Roses do require a push start to productivity; the next four weeks are the best time to 'trick' your roses into dormancy. You want to cut your roses back to 1/3 their original size, remove all the leaves, add a splash of fresh mulch, followed by rose food as the first new leaves appear and voila! Beautiful roses throughout the season. This is generally a one month process but the roses may leaf out more quickly during milder winters. Many choose to cut roses back in September so as not to lose any bloom time through the season. We do not condone it. It is not a good idea, but we understand it... Boxes of bare root sticks arrived; we've planted them and now Mother Nature will take over to form perfectly rooted shrubs for your gardening pleasure. Moller's rose bushes will be available sometime in January, as the weather permits. Look for an e-blast from us when the roses are ready for sale. The 2013 Rose List is now available through our web site at www.mollersgardencenter.com. Reserve your roses early. Desert gardening rule of thumb through the winter months is: Sit back and enjoy. Watch for cold weather frost warnings. Freeze cloth (available at Moller's) is a lightweight breathable blanket used to cover frost tender foliage like bougainvillea and impatiens. This protects plant material from damage when the temperature drops. It can cover plants for several days because it is a breathable fabric. Continue fertilizing through the winter months; just be sure to use liquid fertilizer products from Foxfarm or MiracleGro to ensure proper absorption. CUT BACK ON YOUR WATER!! Every DAY, we hear water horror stories. A yellow leaf does not mean a thirsty plant! Be sure the water is on long enough to fully saturate the roots then leave it off long enough for those roots to dry out before watering again. Generally speaking, one time a day watering every three days (or twice weekly) is ample water for any established plantings in your garden. One more watering trick: begin water start times a little later during the cold months to keep water from freezing. This prevents slippery walkways and damaged plant material. Come visit us in the Nursery with any questions you have. Sit back and enjoy! Winter Gardening News You may have noticed our newsletters tend to follow weather trends rather than months of the year. So much of desert gardening is dependent on weather and our weather often keeps us guessing. The fall season for us can feel like summer to others; our winters tend to be like spring for most of the country. #### It's Time to Get Back to Gardening September offers great growing weather, especially with the humidity we recently experienced. We remind you that gardening is a bit different in the desert; while we remain inactive through most of the summer our gardening season is in full swing come the fall. WATER We have had a tremendous amount of humidity these last weeks. Humidity leaves a lot of moisture in the air; this moisture enables plant material to use less water than during dryer months. Save a little on irrigation, turn your time clocks off occasionally to allow plants to dry out – just remember to turn it back on after a day or two. As long as temperatures remain consistently above the century mark, stay the course this time of year – water one time a day during the cool of the morning. PESTS Humidity provides perfect growing grounds for perpetual seasonal garden pests such as Scale, Red Spider Mite and Mealybug. These pests attack when plants are stressed due to over-water, lack of air movement and dust build up. It doesn’t take long for them to move in; they’re not always easy to spot. There is a garden tattle tale. If you’ve got ants in your plants, you probably also have one of the aforementioned pests. AMDRO Fire Ant Bait will take care of the ants. Look for fluffy, cotton-like Mealybug along leaf midribs, leaf or stem axils and the underside of leaves. Scale is a bit more difficult to see, it coats the interior growth on a plant and looks like paint spatter. Spider Mites present as dust on foliage along with yellow discoloration. If you keep your plants clean and allow the soil to dry out you will generally be able to keep Spider Mites at bay. Our old friend the Bougainvillea Looper will become more prevalent as new growth appears. Be certain you have identified the pest correctly. Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew is a great antidote for most of what ails your garden. PLANTING Now for some good news: Vegetable seeds have arrived in the Nursery. Late September into early October is the best time to plant your seed starts. Numerous vegetable and herb varieties including lettuces, peas, carrots, radishes, watercress, beans, squash, melons, basil, peppers and tomatoes are here for you to choose from. Did you know ‘heirloom’ doesn’t just apply to tomatoes? You will find seeds for heirloom lemon cucumbers, black beauty zucchini, scallop squash, pink banana squash, Borettana cipollini onion and cayenne blend chilies to name, well to name a lot. Organic seeds also available. Prep your beds with enriching Harvest Supreme soil amendment. Planting mix added to the desert soil helps the newly planted seeds grab onto the water, stand up to erosion and stay warm as nights cool. REMEMBER that mulch is not fertilizer – fertilizer is applied when the seeds have developed. FERTILIZER At Moller’s we like to see plants fertilized every month. It is the best thing for your plants. We water more often and push the nutrients through the soil a little more quickly. However if you are that occasional feeder – spring and fall are the times to do it. Everything in the garden will see notable new growth through the fall. Fertilizer will ensure healthy plants during this growing season. Use the right product for the plants you are feeding. Rose food for roses, palm food for palms and tropicals, all-purpose fertilizer for the majority of your shrubs and trees. DR EARTH products are the best we know of. Skip feeding your lawn this month as the ‘scalping’ season will be upon us in October. SMART SCALPING The ‘scalping’ season is upon us. This is the method by which we force summer Bermuda grass into dormancy in preparation for winter Rye grass planting. CLICK HERE TO VIEW SMART SCALPING GUIDE Begin the over-seeding process mid to late-September; seeding should be complete by mid-October. PRUNING It is time to break out the pruning shears after the summer off. Regular readers will know that we are not proponents of heavy or severe pruning. It is harmful to plant material and it is quite simply UGLY. We do understand that it is easier to trim heavily a few times a year, we cannot recommend it. If you must engage in heavy pruning practices, take a little time to go back through the garden with a pair of hand shears. Leave some branches long and some branches short. This will allow the plant material to maintain a more natural look as it grows out. Rose pruning is always a little controversial. Many of you just don’t want to cut roses back when they are supposed to be cut back. Roses are meant to rest during the coolest winter months, they should be cut back mid-December into January and left dormant for several weeks. This practice promotes big, healthy blossoms for the rest of the season. THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED METHOD OF CARING FOR ROSES. However; we know some seasonal homeowners can’t bear to endure the 6 long roseless winter weeks. Late September would be the time to trim off the summer growth; you don’t want to cut the roses back as much as in December but IF YOU MUST, cut them back a little more than normal maintenance requires. THE INTERNET There is a lot of great information on the Internet about plants, gardening, pruning, just about anything. This is the good news. There is A LOT of great information on the Internet about plants, gardening, pruning, just about anything. This is also the bad news. Not all information available on the Internet is applicable to the needs of our Desert, our environment, our gardens. Google ‘roses’ and you will find a huge variety or roses, many of which will not grow in the Desert. Growth patterns for the same plant can be drastically different in Newport Beach, Palm Springs and Portland. Very different growing seasons, temperature fluctuations and rain fall dictate how the plant will grow. Pesticides you may use in Chicago may not be allowed in our Desert. We at Moller’s are here to buffer the information superhighway. Questions? Be sure to come in and visit us at Moller's Garden Center, Inc. We are always happy to help. Visit us online at www.mollersgardencenter.com #### January is All About the Roses! 2015 Rose Collection Now ON SALE at Moller’s Garden Center January is all about the roses. Mid-December through mid-January is the perfect time to winterize your rose bushes. If you aren’t sure how to go about it, come on into the Nursery and we will gladly explain the process. Not all roses are created equal. Roses come in all shapes and sizes, or so it seems: shrub roses, tree roses, miniature roses, climbing roses and ground cover roses. Fragrant roses and scent free roses. Hybrid tea, grandiflora and floribunda – we are happy to explain the difference. You have a full rainbow of color from which to choose; the purest white to the deepest red, with blues, lavenders, pinks, oranges, salmons, corals and yellows in between. Then there are the unique names: Best Kept Secret (new this year), Ketchup and Mustard, Ch-Ching, In The Mood, Look-A-Likes Hydrangealicious; Hydrangealicious? You get the gist. We have introduced 10 new roses to the Moller’s collection. The 2015 rose collection is now available for purchase at Moller’s Garden Center...and they are ON SALE through the month of January. Pre-emergent is a pretreatment to prevent weeds from settling into your garden throughout the coming months.Bonide Crab Grass & Weed Preventer with Dimensionas the active pre-emergent agent is the best product we know for Desert lawns. It should be applied January – February in order to prevent weeds from germinating. Use Greenlight Amaze Grass & Weed Preventer in established flower beds for the same purpose. Stop those pesky weeds from germinating before they ever have a chance to take hold. Follow application instructions carefully. As with any chemical, be sure to use the right product for the job. The cold weather may seem to have come and gone, but don’t be fooled. Desert temperatures can easily drop down below freezing through the month of February and even into March. Enjoy the warmer weather while we have it but keep the freeze cloth close at hand. Continue watering the garden a little later in the morning to avoid icy walkways and frozen plants. Remember to limit watering frequency. A thorough application every two to three days for established gardens should do the trick at this time of year. Frost damaged material isn’t pretty to look at but DO NOT trim it away yet. Though an eye sore, the frozen foliage protects tender new growth. Garden pests tend not to be prolific when the weather is cooler but they can still be present. We continue to see bougainvillea looper, spittle on rosemary and leaf minor on the citrus trees. If you are not sure what ails your plants, bring us a leaf sample. We will help you identify the problem and set you up with the correct pesticide. Monthly fertilizing with organic fertilizers such as Dr. Earth andFox Farm is a fine idea but the BIG month for fertilizing is February, so get ready. Enjoy a quiet month of gardening in January but have your pruning shears at the ready. May your garden grow healthy and prosper in the new year. #### Join Moller's Garden Center on Facebook Spring is on its way to the Desert. The days are longer and the weather is just a little warmer. AVOID TEMPTATION: continue to water your garden just two to three times a week. Be sure the water is on long enough to fully saturate the soil. This practice will optimize the blooming season. Your citrus trees are in bloom, setting their fruit for next season's crop. Once the blossoms have dropped, it is an excellent time to prune the trees to give them a beautiful shape. Your gardeners do a great job but what garden doesn't benefit from a personal, hands on approach? Right now is an excellent time to prune anything and everything in the garden. This time of year, the focus is on SHAPE. It is important to have quality pruners; the right equipment for the task at hand. At Moller’s you will find a variety of options for your pruning needs; from Corona to Felco, shears, loppers and replacement blades as well. Keep your shears sharp and clean. Fertilize your Cactus Yes, your cactus. We suggest feeding cactus two times a year, in the fall and again in the spring. They have been dormant through the winter and will now begin their growing season. Dr. Earth All Purpose Organic Fertilizer is the best product to feed cactus whether they be in the ground or in pots. Simply sprinkle it around the base of the cactus and water it in well with a hose or watering can. Most cacti are watered with drip irrigation; this does not allow the fertilizer to get to the roots. A single application of additional water will not be a problem for your cactus. Think of it as a forced spring shower. Birds are everywhere. They begin calling at sun up and continue long past sundown. They are busy nesting in your garden. Moller's Garden Center carries a new product this year to assist hummingbirds with the task at hand. Hummingbird nests can appear anywhere two branches come together. A topiary, a patio tree, even an ocotillo can provide space for a hummingbird to build its nest. If you are lucky enough to have a hummingbird nest in your garden, be certain to give it lots of space. They tend to be on the territorial side and will abandon the nest if they feel encroached upon. Spring also means allergies and one of the worst culprits is the blooming olive tree. Many of you have these beautiful old trees in your yard. Olives are a mess. Did you know the trees can be sprayed to prevent olives from setting? Use Florel brand Growth Regulator to eliminate undesirable fruit (yes, olives are a fruit) from setting. Status Quo is the name of the game. Continue the limited water regimen. Fertilize monthly with Dr. Earth Organic Fertilizers. Keep an eye on the roses for powdery mildew. Trim and shape your plants to promote healthy growth and beautiful gardens. If you see a problem with a plant, bring us a leaf sample. Our Moller’s Sales associates will be happy to help pinpoint the pest and provide you with the right product for your garden problem. DON’T GUESS! The wrong product may only add to the problem. Enjoy spring! #### Late Spring Gardening in the Desert Watering ONE TIME A DAY!! We cannot say it enough. It is not necessary to water your garden more than one time a day: winter, spring, summer or fall. You may not need to water every day but when you do water, do so just once a day. Keep an eye on the temperature. Daily watering should occur when the temperature holds consistently in the high 90's. Temperatures in the Desert during the spring can be all over the place... watch the weather. Take some time to check your irrigation applicators -- your sprinklers and drip emitters. Make certain there are no clogged heads, errant geysers, or other suspicious activities in your irrigation system. Many of you have outside help with your gardens. Communication is key!! Work together with your gardeners to get the watering schedules correct. Fertilizing May is an important month to fertilize your garden. Application of the correct fertilizer for your shrubs, trees and bedding plants one more time before the heavy heat arrives will push new growth after the spring pruning discussed in earlier newsletters. DR EARTH fertilizer is back on the shelves; they've changed the packaging but it is the same great product. Summer prep: lay a thick layer of mulch in your planter beds towards the end of May. Surface mulch inhibits weed growth and saves on water by holding moisture in the ground longer. It also makes the garden look fresh. We have endured a fair amount of dust during the recent winds. You may notice your plants covered in a layer of dust. Take the time to rinse them off. Accumulation of the dust during warm months creates the perfect growing grounds for unwelcome pests such as red spider mite. Bugs Pretty little butterflies in the garden are lovely but generally mean you have a greater evil lurking. Look for worms or caterpillars on shrubs and bedding plants alike. You will typically see them out in the morning, munching away. The tell-tale signs are small holes in leaves. CAPTAIN JACK'S DEADBUG BREW will take care of the problem, quickly and easily. Agave May is the time to treat all varieties of agave. Use BONIDE TREE AND SHRUB DRENCH as a preventive against the pesky agave weevil. As you work in the garden, you may find other creepy crawlers present. Remember it is important to correctly identify the pest and then choose the appropriate treatment to eradicate the problem. If you are unsure of the culprit, bring us a sample so we can diagnose and treat accurately. May and June Gardening There is plenty of time to plant anything in the garden through May and June. Citrus and trees of any kind, gardenia, roses, drought tolerant plants, bougainvillea, salvias, duranta, evergreen shrubs.......virtually anything we have in stock now will flourish once planted in the ground. Take care not to place sun sensitive material in direct sun at this time of year. Sago palms are best planted in the fall so they have the season to toughen up - once acclimated, they survive quite nicely in the full sun. Orchids Orchids: enjoy and ignore. Phaleanopsis may last up to four months through the winter season, yet just 6 weeks in the spring. WHY? It's all about metabolism.... think of orchids as being dormant in the winter. The blossom lasts a long time on the stem because the plant isn't doing anything. The orchid uses more energy as temperatures rise; they work a little harder to survive. We recommend watering orchids once a month through the cool winter months and every week or two through the summer. Use ice cubes or a turkey baster to regulate the amount of water. A little goes a long way. Orchids just do not last as long during the summer under the best of circumstances; it's a nature thing. Your houseplants may also use a little more water through the summer. Stick to your once a week watering schedule; just up the amount you water. #### Let the Planting Begin! We have magical weather in the Desert and we are enjoying an “Indian” fall, the weather remains warm and G R E A T for planting anything your heart desires. From citrus trees to begonias, sago palms to groundcovers, gardenias and a few golden barrel cactus in between. Yes Virginia, we even have a few roses. If you can plant it, you will find it at Moller’s Garden Center. Hibiscus? Calliandra? Bougainvillea? We’ve got them. In the mood for a little color? We’ve got petunias, geraniums, pansies, obconica primrose, cyclamen; any kind of bedding plants you can imagine you can find at Moller’s. We are fully stocked in the houseplant department: rhapis palms, dracaena marginatas and kentia palms of varying sizes. If we don’t have it, we can order it. The cactus and succulent area is also full of great selections of agave, aloes, dasylirion, yuccas and of course the ever popular flap jack kalanchoe! Remember to really cut back on watering your cactus and succulents through the winter season. Vegetables and herbs remain popular. As long as the warm weather continues, the vegetables and tomatoes will flourish A word about rabbits: they are cute but in the garden they are an absolute nuisance! They will eat just about everything, including all the pretty flowers you may have just planted. Great for Moller’s business, not so much for your pocket book. Liquid Fence is an effective rabbit deterrent and you will find it at Moller’s. #### Let's Face it, There Isn't Much Gardening to Do in January. It is just too cold for most of our plants to do more than simply sustain themselves. You may notice a little frost burn on some of your plant material - - avoid the urge to prune it back. The ‘frozen’ foliage can help protect the new growth against additional frost damage during the remaining 30 days of winter. Once the threat of frost is over, trim the damaged foliage back, FERTILIZE and literally watch the garden grow. If you are in the mood to prune, focus your attention on your roses. Late December to mid-January is the optimum time to cut your roses back. Once the new leaves sprout out, apply Dr Earth’s Rose and Flower food and stand back! Spring provides one of the best growing seasons we have in the Desert. As a general rule, you should be watering just 2 or 3 times a week right now. Your irrigation system will dictate how long the water should be on. Whether you work with a gardener or not, it is a good idea to walk your garden yourself to check the sprinklers- -perhaps as you enjoy your Saturday morning coffee. Be sure that sprinklers are sprinklers and drip emitters are drip emitters. Feel free to contact Moller’s with any questions you may have. January is a fantastic time to start a rose garden! If roses aren’t quite the color you are looking for, fear not. Succulents and cacti offer an array of color for the drought tolerant garden. It's rose season. Hard to imagine that roses would flourish in the California desert, but they do. This years AARS winners, Dick Clark and Walking On Sunshine are among the 171 rose selections we offer at Moller's Garden Center. There are 20 new roses on the scene this season. Dick Clark is a beautiful, disease resistant grandiflora rose with long stems. This rose cannot make up it’s mind on color, covering every hue from cream to burgundy; it is reminiscent of those great old cherry lollipops from days gone by. Walking On Sunshine LOVES to show off with lots and lots of blooms. This floribunda is suggested as an easy rose for those new to the rose habit; an avid bloomer, sure to top off any rose garden. Intimidated by roses? DON’T BE. Visit with any one of the Moller's sales associates to get you started on the rewarding journey of rose collection. This year, we are offering our roses for sale on-line. Many of you like to pick out your own roses, so please feel free to come in the Nursery and take a stroll through the roses. On the other hand, if you know what you want, just visit the our on-line store, click on rose bushes and shop to your heart’s content. Sales are based on availability. Click here to view Moller's 2011 List of Roses Handmade crafts have a long tradition at Moller’s Garden Center Handmade crafts have a long tradition at Moller’s Garden Center and ceramics are a big part of that. This spring we offer old friends and new: Earthborn Studios presents rich and beautiful glazes coupled with unexpected shapes. Some things just make you smile and Lisa Neimeth’s artful, one of a kind pieces leave you with a feel of whimsy and joy. Lisa’s ceramics are new Moller’s and we are excited to present them to you. Our old friends at Alex Marshall Studios have ventured out into the baby market in addition to the beautiful glazes and shapes we know so well. Fall has been the time to take care of everyone else, now visit the gift shops at Moller’s and treat yourself to something GREAT. #### Low Maintenance Houseplants You’ll Love Today we’ll be going over 4 houseplants that aren’t hard to care for, and that will be a great addition to your collection! Taking Care of Low Maintenance Plants When taking care of low maintenance plants, keep in mind that not a lot of care or nurturing is involved, hence why we call them “low maintenance plants”. These plants typically don't need loads of care to thrive, making them perfect for busy houseplant owners!   4 Beautiful Plants That Don’t Require Much Attention: Monstera Mosterias are a popular houseplant, and there's no guess as to why that is. These plants are stunningly deep green, with dozens of holes in the leaves, giving them the nickname “Swiss Cheese plant”. They’re low maintenance plants and don't require much fuss. Generally, Monsteras are pest and disease resistant. Perfect for new plant hobbyists and experienced growers. Peperomia These plants are perfect for collecting, as they come in a wide range of colors and sizes. Peperomias foliage can go from hints of reds and pinks, to greens and yellows. Soon you can build a lovely collection of this plant, and not have one plant that looks the same. They are low maintenance plants, easy to care for and even produce flowers in some (rare) cases. Pothos The Pothos plant is a stunning, bushy, trailing plant that plant hobbyists adore! Pothos come in a variety of shades and color patterns. From dark greens and light greens, to whites and yellows. These leafy plants will add pop to your home! If you’re looking for an attractive, low maintenance plant, adding a Pothos to your collection is a must! Rubber Plant Last on our list for low maintenance plants is the Rubber Plant! This indoor tree is a medium sized houseplant, which comes in fun colors. Rubber Plants can reach impressive heights if allowed to! These plants come in marble patterns with shades of green, pink, and white. It’s definitely a show-stopper! In Conclusion... We covered 4 low maintenance plants that will add a pop of uniqueness to your home! Whether it be a trailing Monstera, or a tall and colorful Rubber Plant, we know you’ll love having any of these plants added to your houseplant collection! That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### Low-Maintenance Landscaping for Commercial Properties In the fast-paced world of commercial real estate, first impressions matter the most. A well-maintained landscape can significantly enhance your property’s curb appeal, attract tenants, and create a welcoming atmosphere for customers and employees. However, managing a sprawling landscape can be a time-consuming and expensive demand. That’s where low-maintenance landscaping comes in, and Moller’s Garden Center is here to help! How to Truly Achieve Low-Maintenance Landscaping… Creating beautiful and functional outdoor spaces that require minimal upkeep can help save you time, money, and stress. This approach focuses on easy commercial landscaping instead of elaborate, hard-to-manage spaces. Let’s dive into some key strategies for achieving low-maintenance landscaping for your commercial property. Strategic Plant Selection for Commercial Landscaping Drought-Tolerant Species: Choose plants that can withstand dry periods, reducing the need for extensive irrigation. Succulents, ornamental grasses, and certain shrubs are excellent choices. Slow-Growing Varieties: Another way to achieve low-maintenance landscaping is to select plants that grow at slower paces, minimizing the need for frequent pruning. Consider Plant Size at Maturity: Make sure to consider the mature size of the plants when placing them. This will help prevent overcrowding and limit the need for excessive pruning in the future.   Helpful Tips for Commercial Landscaping Use organic or chemical herbicides to prevent weeds from germinating, try to stay on top of existing weeds as well. It will make your space look so much better in the long run. A thick layer of mulch around your plants helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Choose organic mulch, such as wood chips of shredded bark, which will decompose over time, enriching the soil that will later boost plant health. Mulch also reduces the need for frequent watering and weeding, saving you valuable time and resources. Install a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses to deliver water directly to plant roots, minimizing water waste. Use a smart irrigation controller that adjusts watering schedules based on weather conditions. Also consider installing rain sensors to prevent unnecessary watering during rainfall.   Commercial Landscaping in Coachella Valley At Moller’s, we understand the importance of creating beautiful and functional landscapes that require minimal upkeep. Our team of experienced gardeners can help pick out the best species for low-maintenance commercial landscaping and provide you with top-quality plants ready for planting. Our nursery is perfect for cost-effective landscaping for businesses helping you stay within budget. We offer a range of services from: The widest plant selection of indoor and outdoor specimens in the Coachella Valley. We offer plants, flowers, succulents/cacti, trees, shrubs, and other leafy greens. Pots, planters, outdoor/indoor decorum, and much more to decorate your space with. Helpful gardening tools and handy, informative books to keep on standby. An assortment of organic options for fertilizers along with synthetic pesticides and fertilizer options.   Exceptional Commercial Landscaping in Palm Desert! We can help you create stunning commercial landscaping that will help enhance your property’s value from views alone! And by implementing these low-maintenance landscaping strategies, you can create a beautiful and welcoming outdoor space without the hassle of constant upkeep. Let the Moller’s Garden Center be your source for high-quality plants, outdoor decoration, and more!   Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Managing Your Garden During the Cold Winter Months Frost damage becomes an issue when prolonged night time temperatures drop to 32 degrees and below. The Desert has already experienced one heavy freeze this season with more sure to come. Protect bedding plants and vegetables with freeze cloth. Cold sensitive plants such as bougainvillea, lantana and boxwood carissa will also benefit from this protective cloth when temperatures drop. It may be a good idea to keep plant material covered for a few days during cold spells. When in doubt, cover your plants....freeze cloth will not harm plants. If your garden has experienced damage from the recent frost, leave your pruning shears in the closet. Just as sunburned branches protect new growth, so will cold damaged foliage. As we know, winter temperatures in the Desert run the gamut; warm days allow growth only to suffer damage when night time temperatures drop too low. The good news is our winters generally last all of two months so unsightly foliage from frost damage grows away quickly. Please limit water application in the garden to no more than every other day this time of year. A single deep soak on alternate days will provide ample water for ALL your plants. Traditional sprinkler systems and adjustable drip heads work nicely with 8 - 10 minutes water; drip irrigation must run substantially longer to fully saturate plant material. Set water times to begin a little later this time of year to avoid icy sidewalks. Continue fertilizing through December months. This is the time of year it is best to use liquid fertilizers such as Miracle Gro or Fox Farm products. Nutrients get to the plant quickly with liquid fertilizers. The 2014 Rose List is now available. Click here to view it. Mid December through the middle of January is the best time to prune back your roses. Roses need to be dormant for a time each year to promote large blossoms, optimum growth patterns and prize winning roses. Many of you do not like to lose BLOOM TIME during season and choose to prune your roses back in September. This is not a good practice and may distort rose blossoms. It is best to cut your roses back to 1/3 their original size, remove all the leaves, add a splash of fresh mulch, followed by rose food as the first new leaves appear #### Moller's Garden Center 2014 Rose Release We have 14 new roses in the catalog this year and they are beauties. They are: BOUGAINFEELYA (from the Look-A-Like series) CORETTA SCOTT KING (grandiflora, rose tree) EBTIDE/JULIA CHILD (rose tree) FIRED UP (floribunda) GOOD AS GOLD (hybrid tea, rose tree) HAPPY GO LUCKY (grandiflora, rose tree) JUMP FOR JOY (floribunda) MERCURY RISING (hybrid tea) MORNIN’ SUNSHINE (floribunda) RASPBERRY KISS (shrub rose) ROSANNA (climber) SOUTH AFRICA (grandiflora) SUMMER SUN (floribunda) WEDDING BELLS (hybrid tea) They are all beautiful roses and offer choices in grandiflora, floribunda and hybrid tea varieties. With over 200 rose selections to choose from the novice and the expert will surely find something to please their rose pallet. Knockout shrub roses have become a landscape staple in the Desert. The all-mighty white Iceberg remains a favorite as a shrub, a tree rose and a climbing rose. Tree roses make colorful statements in gardens and containers alike. Climbing roses are an interesting alternative to mainstream shrub vines (bougainvillea, etc). Roses do well in all areas of the valley; they flourish in south eastern exposures. Avoid planting roses in unprotected western exposed planters where they will receive the full brunt of afternoon sun through the summer. PULP POTS Our roses are planted in pulp pots. These are biodegradable containers that help reduce transplant shock. Simply remove the pot bottom, slit the sides, tear off the rim and plant the rose. Mother Nature will do the rest. Be sure you plant the rose so soil levels inside the pot are the same as outside the pot. Water the newly planted rose every other day or so until the roots have had a chance to take hold. Adjust irrigation according to weather conditions. When you see signs the roses are leafing out, it is time to fertilize. Roses are food HOGS. Feed once a month – no exception. CITRUS TREES Citrus trees come into bloom as we round the corner into February. January then becomes a critical feeding time for citrus. Use either Dr. Earth Bud & Bloom or FoxFarm Big Bloom liquid fertilizer this time of year to give the blooming process a little extra boost. This ensures more blossoms, more fruit set and more fruit for next season. BE SURE you are not overwatering your citrus. Established trees need very little water through the winter. Citrus planted in lawn areas are often victims of poor water habits; shallow frequent application of water does a tree little good. Remember grass can get by with one time water, 2-3 times weekly. You may choose to deep water citrus every other week to send the roots deep into the soil. GARDEN HABITS No trimming this time of year. We still have lots of potential cold weather ahead of us. Check your irrigation to be sure you are not using more water than you need to. Watch for garden pests; they are generally quiet during cold weather but will feast on new growth. Bring us a clipping, we will identify the problem and send you home with a solution. Enjoy your garden. MIKE CONE CERAMICS We have just received a new shipment of Mike Cone ceramics. New colors, new shapes – these pieces are created for cactus and succulent plantings. We find all sorts of uses for these creative, whimsical vessels of high design. #### Moller's Roses Moller's roses are grown in biodegradable containers; you can plant them directly in the ground! Dig a hole twice the size of the container you are planting. Back fill with a little Gardner & Bloome Rose and Flower Planting Mix and dirt. Plant the container so the soil inside and outside the can are level; top it off with Dr. Earth Rose and Flower Fertilizer and let the growing begin! #### Moller's Tip: Have You Remembered to Re-Set Your Time Clock? Moller's Tip: Have you remembered to re-set your time clock times when Day Light Savings began? Spring is here, it is time to adjust your watering schedules. Remember drip irrigation has very different needs than standard irrigation. Please consult one of our Moller's team to be sure you have your time clocks set correctly. Early morning and one time a day watering remain the standard, you should up the number of days per week you water. Your citrus fruit should now be set for the season, it is time to fertilize again with Dr. Earth Organic Citrus Food. Feed your trees regularly through the Spring. Remember that acid loving plants have different nutrient needs than your citrus trees or your roses. Feel free to come in and chat with one of the Moller's team. Weeds, weeds, weeds! We have lots of them in the Desert; weeds have become a very specialized crop, they can be controlled by specialized weed killers. You may have noticed the rain has allowed weeds to grow where you don't typically see them. Com-Pleet for unplanted areas, Sedgehammer for nutgrass, (don't forget the sticking agent), Greenlight Wipe-Out for the broadleaf weeds and Crabgrass Killer 2 for, you guessed it: crabgrass. April and early May are when you typically see your lawns go through their seasonal transformation. The winter rye will slowly die out and the bermuda will begin to take over. Spots of yellow are normal as the Spring takes it's course. Don't forget your roses! Powdery mildew can remain an issue through the Spring and feeding with Dr. Earth Rose and Flower food continues to be important. #### Mother's Day Sale at Moller's Garden Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th Take advantage of the May Sale for great gift ideas for Mom. CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY!! Phone the flower shop @ 760.346.9415 to arrange for a beautiful floral bouquet or visit us online at www.mollersgardencenter.com #### Mulch Lay down a thick layer of mulch in the garden to hold moisture in the ground through the summer months. #### Mulch in the Month of May Summerize your garden with a layer of mulch in all planting beds. Mulch holds in moisture, keeps weeds down and protects against summer sun. #### New Year, New Look: Let Moller's Decorate Your Home As the new year begins, it's the perfect time to refresh your home with new decor. Moller’s Garden Center gift shop offers unique finds of home decor, offering a wide range of options to suit every style. From handcrafted artifacts to stylish ceramics for bathrooms and kitchens, and a vast selection of pots, vases, lamps, and more, you'll find everything you need to decorate your home like you’ve been dreaming of. Shop Til’ You Drop, Let the Gift Shop Decorate Your Home If you're on the hunt for unique home accessories that will elevate your decor, The gift shop is your one-stop destination! This eclectic assortment offers a curated collection of primitive and contemporary artifacts from around the globe. All That You’ll Find When Shopping at the Moller’s Gift Shop: Handcrafted Artisan Artifacts: Admire the intricate details and timeless beauty of hand-crafted Indonesian and Middle Eastern items. Perfect to decorate your home with for a touch of glamour. Stylish Home Furnishings: Elevate your living space with our selection of stylish home furniture, you’ll find anything from cozy seating to elegant accent pieces to suit your style. Luxurious Bath Accessories: Gaze through the self-care section with our range of French-milled soaps, bath accessories, and aromatic candles. It’s a wonderful way of adding nice smells to your home. Functional and Stylish Kitchenware: Decorate your home by upgrading your kitchen with our stunning collection of functional and stylish kitchen accessories. Adding a nice touch of detail to your living space.   Complete Your Look With the Perfect Accents To truly personalize your space, choose from our vast selection of vases, planters, pots, lamps, baskets, and vessels. These versatile pieces can add a touch of elegance and warmth to any room you decorate your home with, all at the Moller’s Garden Center. Visit the Moller’s Garden Center today and let your creativity run wild! Whether you’re seeking something as simple as candles or soaps, or looking to find your next signature piece, you’ll find it at Moller’s. Stop by and get excited to decorate your home for the New Year! Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### NEWS FLASH: Moller’s Garden Center Now Open on Sundays!! We began our Winter Hours on Saturday, October 2, 2010. Are you worried about anything in your garden? Please visit Moller’s and check in with our Sales Associates. Bring us leaves, bugs, strange looking citrus, no challenge is too great. Moller’s is here to help. Summer is over - - - sort of. It has been tough on your gardens, ours too. High heat and low humidity are not the best combination for Desert gardens. It just takes one HOT day and we had a few this summer. You may notice that some of your plants have burn damage. The good news is your gardens are coming back to life. Cooler days and nights allow shrubs and trees to focus on growing once again. Set your time clocks to come on every other day. Remember, watering ONCE early in the day is the most efficient and effective method for watering your garden. The timer should be on long enough for deep root watering. This goes for drought tolerant, tropical and all plant material in between. Determine whether you have a drip or sprinkler irrigation system and set the clock accordingly. Become friends with your time clock!!! VEGETABLES and HERBS have arrived at Moller’s and it is the perfect time to get them in the ground and in container gardens!! Boutique varieties adorn our shelves! “Hot and Spicy” oregano is GREAT in salads and salsas. Throw sprigs of lemon thyme on the grill with anything from vegetables to shrimp, beef kebabs to chicken. The flavor is fantastic. Fertilize, FERTILIZE, F E R T I L I Z E!! Early fall is a fantastic time to fertilize any and everything in the garden; from roses to citrus trees. Dr. Earth Organic Fertilizers offer a full selection of specialized formulas for all your garden needs. Moller’s recommends continued monthly feeding through mid-December when our Dreaded Desert Winter sets in. Turn the soil in your flower beds with Harvest Supreme soil amendment to ‘wake up’ the planters in preparation for fall planting. Tomatoes of all varieties are ready to plant. YOU KNOW HOW GOOD A FRESH, HOMEGROWN TOMATO IS!! We have Celebrity, Better Boy, Early Girl, Romas and Heirlooms to name a few. There is a new pepper in town, the “Black Cobra.” You don't know HOT till you have met a Black Cobra. ABOUT THE LAWN: We all know that fall means scalping and scalping means allergies!! Many desert cities have instituted the practice of “Smart Scalping.” This method works by gradually reducing watering times and lawnmower blade heights to allow the Bermuda grass to go dormant naturally without severe cutting or ‘scalping’. Be sure to use CBS II perennial ryegrass seed for the best result. We have spreaders and seeders available at no charge for the DIY (do it yourself) lawn experts. Visit Moller’s Garden Center for more detailed information on SMART SCALPING, seed application, watering and feeding. #### Palm Desert Gardens: Watering Your Plants in the Summer Summer in Palm Desert brings scorching temperatures that can be challenging for your garden. However, with the right watering strategies, you can keep your plants thriving even in the hottest months. Join us as we dive into some helpful information on how to water your plants in the summer. Understanding Your Plants’ Needs… Different plants have different watering requirements. Some plants, like succulents, are adapted to arid conditions and require less frequent watering. Others, like tropical plants, need more water to stay lush and healthy. It's important to understand the specific needs of your plants to avoid overwatering or underwatering when watering your plants in the summer. Watering Techniques Deep Watering- Instead of frequent shallow watering, water your plants in the summer deeply and less often. This encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil, making them more resilient to drought. Early Morning Watering- Water your plants in the early morning before the sun gets too intense. This allows the water to soak into the soil before it evaporates. Mulching- Apply a layer of mulch around your plants to help retain soil moisture and reduce evaporation. Mulch is also beneficial for suppressing weed growth in your garden beds.   Signs of Overwatering and Underwatering… Overwatering can be just as harmful as underwatering. Signs of overwatering include yellowing leaves, wilting, and root rot. Underwatering can cause leaves to become dry, brown, and brittle. When watering your plants in the summer, you’ll want to keep a close look on these signs and catch the problem early.   Additional Tips Consider using a drip irrigation system to deliver water directly to the roots of your plants. Group plants with similar watering needs together to make watering more efficient. Monitor the weather forecast and adjust your watering schedule accordingly.   By following these tips on how to water your plants in the summer, you can help your plants thrive in the Palm Desert heat and enjoy a beautiful garden all summer long. Moller’s Garden Center offers a huge variety of outdoor and indoor plants to choose from, so make your trip over today! Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Planting Season Continues . . . . . .it never really disappeared this year with the winter weather remaining so temperate. Spring is the best time of year for planting or transplanting anything in your garden. Day (and night) time temperatures rise optimizing new growth on existing plant material. Watering frequency gradually increases. It is simply the best time of year to plant just about anything in our Desert. We would like to focus on some of the many problems and questions our customers bring us. Watering Correctly and Effeciently As always, we want to start by talking about watering your garden. Our favorite question? "How much do you water your garden?” Our favorite answer? "The water comes on twice a day so the plants are getting plenty of water!” Not necessarily. Water is measured in gallons, not time. Be sure the water is on long enough to soak the roots of your shrubs thoroughly. The plant should then have enough time to dry out thoroughly before receiving water again. Water requirements increase as daily temperatures rise--but not everywhere in the garden. If you have a very shady area or a planter with heavier soil you may only need to water twice a week. The rest of the garden should be watered about three times a week this time of year. This is where the different stations of your time clock come in. Do not cheat by watering everything more often for less time. Water enough to fully saturate the plant roots and then allow them to dry out. Run your time clock for an extra cycle a week if needed. You can always add water but you can't get it back. More Water Issues Drip irrigation is great, but not if the emitter is located too far away from the plant it is meant to water. Newly planted material requires the water source to be located directly on top of the root ball. If the emitter is too far from the plant material, the roots can't benefit from the water. The plant dries up and dies. The same problem occurs with traditional irrigation (spray heads and bubblers). Your sprinklers may be on every day but the lawn is spotty and dying. (Note: we do not recommend your sprinklers come on every day this time of year.) Dry spots in the lawn may be the result of improper coverage. This VERY COMMON problem is often masked by overwatering. The coffee cup test will work well here. If you suspect water coverage might not be adequate, place an empty coffee cup in the dry space and run the sprinklers. Is there enough water in the coffee cup to fully saturate the roots of the plant? If not, you have a problem. The answer is not always to run the water for a longer period of time. Be certain the sprinkler is reaching the area it needs to reach, THEN CHECK that the water is running for a long enough period of time to saturate the root ball. ‘Sprinkler Science' has come a long way. Correct irrigation choices in the beginning will prevent extra work on down the road. It is important to have the right equipment for the job. Chemicals We have many different fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides at Moller's; they do a lot of different jobs. Garden chemicals are not a one size fits all answer to gardening. It is important to properly identify the issue you are having and then use the correct material to adequately resolve the problem. Frizzy top on a Queen Palm requires manganese spikes--citrus fertilizer will not do the trick. Worms on vegetables need to be treated with an insecticide that has no residual effects on the food product to be consumed. You do not want to enjoy unsafe insecticides with your home grown tomatoes. Fertilizing At Moller's Garden Center, we like to recommend everything in the garden be fertilized monthly during the growing season. (September - November and February - June) Product packaging may suggest application every 6-8 weeks. Keep in mind this direction is a 'one size fits all' suggestion for consumers throughout the entire country. What goes for us in the Desert does not necessarily work in Iowa. We tend to water a little more often in our warmer climate, flushing necessary nutrients through the soil more rapidly than in other parts of the world. Our warmer weather allows for a more prolific growing season. Proper fertilizing is crucial to promoting healthy growth for your plants. This in turn allows plants to sustain themselves through the cold and hot months of the year. Improper Pruning Last month's newsletter dealt with this issue but it is worthy of additional mention. Material pruned at the wrong time of the year can suffer severe sun burn causing permanent scarring or death to the plant. Unnaturally pruned material remains unsightly throughout the season--it can take up to two years for a plant to grow out of a bad haircut. Communication with maintenance personnel is critical here; they are not mind readers. One client may like the garden heavily groomed and another may like the wild, overgrown look. Take a little time to make certain your gardener knows how you would like your yard to look. What, Where, When and Why? One of the biggest problems we see is plant material planted in the wrong location for its size and exposure requirements. Someone comes into the Nursery, falls in love with a bougainvillea bush--plants it in a morning shade area and wonders why there are just a few blooms. (Bougainvillea require full sun.) A winter resident plants a camellia in a shaded location, leaves for the summer and returns to a crispy camellia in the fall. (Camellias MUST be planted in full shade) Winter shade can turn to full summer sun as the sun changes position throughout the year. This is where experience and knowledge of our sales associates come in. Most of the plant material in the Nursery comes from out of the Valley. Growth and exposure instructions found on many of the labels do not always apply to our Desert. Labels may be one size fits all but maintaining a beautiful garden in the Desert is not! Rules that apply in San Diego or Orange County do not pan out here. Please remember Moller's is happy to assist. Does My Cactus Look Good With My Azaleas?? Your garden should look exactly like you want it to look. If you like a mixture of overgrown shrubs and vines, you should have it. If a rock garden is your thing, go for it. The only real rule to follow is to plant material with similar water and exposure needs. We suggest you carry one theme throughout a space in your garden--have a tropical theme in the front yard, a desert oasis in the back and roses in the side yard. Cactus planted right next to an azalea will generally have trouble coexisting due to sun and water needs. Plant selection and space have a direct bearing on how your garden looks. A mixture of several different plants will make the area appear smaller than it is. Linear plantings of one or two items will result in more spacious surroundings. Improper Planting Some plant material can have very tender root balls. Mishandling a bougainvillea may cause the root ball to fall apart and the plant to fail. Plants may be planted with the root ball too deep or too high. The soil level of the material to be planted should be the same level as the ground around it. Too high and the roots do not get the water they need. Too low and the plant is choked out by surrounding soil. It is ALWAYS a great idea to create a water well around transplanted and newly planted shrubs to ensure they receive enough water to get the roots started and the plant growing. The Right Plant for Desert Gardening We live in the Coachella Valley; there are literally thousands of plant options for your garden. However, there are some things that just will not survive here. Leave your hydrangea and bristlecone pine trees at home. You can enjoy just about every kind of garden design in the desert: cottage gardens, Mediterranean landscape, rock gardens, desert landscapes and tropical gardens, the trick is to choose the right plant for the area and be certain it receives the correct care. #### Planting Season is Quickly Approaching in the Desert There are a few things you can do to get your garden planting ready. Water, Water, WATER! We talk about it in every newsletter yet we still have lots to say. The temperature is cooling down a little but daily watering remains the standard. Over and over, we hear of people who water several times a day for short periods of time. They are confident this is the best way to water. In fact, there is never enough water to reach the root ball. WATER IS NOT MEASURED IN TIME; IT IS MEASURED IN GALLONS. While the weather remains hot, water one time a day to fully saturate the roots of whatever it is you are watering. It’s important. Pruning. All summer we have advised that you refrain from any heavy pruning in the garden to prevent sun burn; your garden may be looking a little overgrown. Late September early October is a GREAT time to get the pruners out and do some shaping but be careful not to over-prune. So many times, we see shrubs and trees trimmed to within an inch of their life after the long summer. Aside from not being healthy for the plants, the natural aesthetic disappears. Proper pruning is a year round commitment and does not evolve from once a year pruning. Mulch vs Fertilizer. There is a difference between MULCH and FERTILIZER. Mulch is spread over the soil’s surface to be used as a covering. It helps retain water, suppress weeds, reduce erosion, cool roots AND it looks good. This is a great time to work the mulch into the soil in preparation for fall planting. Mulch does not provide nutrients--that is the job of fertilizer. Fertilizers supply food or energy to plants. Fertilizers are best applied at the time of planting and afterwards, not before as it gets washed away with daily water. This is a great time to get your established plants back on a regular fertilizing schedule now that the heat of summer is behind us. Pesticides. Summer brings all kinds of critters to the garden. Leaf minor, bud worms, mealy bug and scale are but a few of the opportunistic pests that attempt to overtake the yard during the long, hot summer. Early fall is a great time to treat citrus trees with Captain Jack’s--an organic pest spray used to fight leaf minor and thrip. Bougainvillea generally never have pest problems but this year we have seen a lot of bud worm issues. Both mealy bugs and scale can appear as a result of water stress. Please come into Moller’s and speak with one of our associates about any pest problems you may have. Be sure to bring us leaf samples. To scalp or not to scalp. Fall brings the age old tradition of over-seeding the lawn. Have you noticed a change in the process over the last few years?? What used to be an overnight process, spewing countless allergens into the atmosphere is now a gradual process. Click here to learn how to follow the new procedure for over-seeding. #### Planting Seasons There are three planting/growing seasons in the Desert; late October/November and February/March are the most prolific growing seasons of the year. Just about anything can be planted during these months. EVERYTHING GROWS WELL. Feeding during optimum growth months is the key to promoting healthy plants all year long. Fertilize the entire garden: the lawn, shrubs, cacti, palms, trees of all kinds (a word about citrus follows), roses....everything planted in the ground or in containers will benefit from appropriate feeding. We write about proper water and fertilizing a lot in this newsletter. Spring is MOST IMPORTANT for new growth in your garden; fertilizing is critical to promote that new growth. Vegetables No doubt we are experiencing a very mild winter; it has been great for growing 'vegetables' this year. Tomatoes have not stopped producing, basil has wintered over. Fruits and vegetables that usually die off in colder weather have survived through the winter. Nevertheless, it is the best time to start planting your spring vegetables. We have peppers, broccoli, artichokes, onions of all kinds, zucchini, chiles, lettuce and herbs. There are new varieties too numerous to mention. Something new in every shipment. Be sure to give a little extra water to newly planted material and fertilize!Citrus Trees Citrus trees can bloom anytime during February and March--your citrus trees should be blooming by now due to our very mild winter. It is perfectly acceptable to feed your citrus trees while they are in bloom as long as you use a mild, ORGANIC fertilizer. As always, we suggest using Dr Earth Fruit Tree fertilizer. Organic fertilizers will prevent the blooms from burning off. If blossoms fall off the tree before the fruit has set you will not have fruit to enjoy next winter. Garden Geometry Or, the geometry of gardening. We often see shrubs and trees take on various geometric shapes foreign to their natural growth pattern here in the Desert. Bougainvillea are not meant to grow in the shape of pom poms. Texas sage (leucophyllum) are not supposed to look like mushrooms. Shrubs of any kind are not supposed to look like trapezoids. Why does this type of pruning occur? Unfamiliarity with proper pruning practices and basic economics are the main issues. It is simply more cost effective for landscape personnel to electronically prune shrubs and trees two or three times a year rather than prune by hand on a regular basis. This practice has become status quo in many public garden spaces and HOA's. Some of you may see this in your own gardens. There is a difference between a well groomed garden and a poorly pruned one. As always, communication and education are key and it will require a little extra work but the outcome is well worth it. The staff at Moller's Garden Center will be more than happy to help with specific questions you have regarding correct pruning. Be sure to have the right equipment for the task. Clean, sharp pruning shears appropriate for what you plan to prune are a must. You can't prune a tree limb with hand shears. Clean as you go; carry a small bucket or plastic bag to make clean up an easy task. Properly dispose of your pruning harvest. Many live in areas where 'green' waste removal is provided. Proper pruning and spring growth will allow severely pruned plants to quickly return to their natural state. Your garden will become a welcoming, serene space to enjoy all the year round. Garden Pests in Spring Garden pests are a reality of spring in the Desert. Warmer weather and and an active growing environment make plant material perfect hosts for all kinds of pests and diseases. This is where appropriate watering is key. Healthy plants are able to fend off these pests; stressed plants have no defense system at all. Look for powdery mildew on your roses. (use Rose Defense with Neem Oil or Bonide Rose 3in1) Leaf minor can appear on your citrus trees. They should be sprayed with a Spinosad product while tender new growth is present. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Citrus trees are not vulnerable to Leaf Minor once the new growth hardens off. Look for bud worm on your geraniums and petunias--use Liquid Sevin to keep them under control. A preemptive strike against grubs involves Bonide Tree & Shrub drench. Drench the soil in the spring to get the defense system working on your agaves, yuccas and palo verde trees. Weeds Weeds are also unwelcome visitors to the garden. Pre-emergents will prevent weeds but you must use the correct product for the job. Flower beds need Amaze granules, which are released slowly each time you water. For the lawn use Bonide Crabgrass Control to fend off unwanted weeds in your turf. Watching where the water is dispersed will also help prevent weed growth -- weeds can not grow where they do not get water. Container Gardens We have enjoyed a very mild winter this year. As we write this newsletter, we are expected to reach 87 degrees. Temperature highs seem to fluctuate by 15 degrees on a day to day basis this year. This can be a little tough on container gardens who have spent the winter rooting out. Twice weekly watering is great for plants in the ground but might not be enough to sustain your potted gardens. You may need an extra watering for your container gardens as we roll into spring. Don't forget to fertilize these plants as well! Things to think about in the coming months Do you have a blooming OLIVE TREE in your yard? It is a HUGE contributor to allergies in the desert. Prevent the tree from fruiting with a simple, two step spraying process to avoid messy fruit and unwanted allergies. Watch your tree, you want to spray it just as the blossoms begin to appear. #### Popular & Affordable Flowering Houseplants For all the flower lovers out there, we have come up with a list of popular and affordable flowering houseplants. The Love for Blooming Plants Adding a blooming plant to your home will help brighten up your living space. All the different flower shapes, colors, and sizes make it easy to find the perfect plant you’re looking for. Flowering houseplants are also relatively easy to care for, as long as you provide them with what they need to thrive. Many indoor flowering plants will bloom regularly, or even year-round.   3 Popular Houseplants That Make a Great Addition to Home Decor… African Violets The African Violet is one of the most popular flowering plants out there, and there’s a good reason for that. African Violets flower year-round with several flowers on one stem giving them a full head of blooms. Flowers come in all types of shapes, sizes, and colors across the whole spectrum. Caring for an African Violet isn’t too difficult either. Water the soil only when the top soil loses moisture, soggy soil is a no-go. Use a topsoil mixture that is airy and loose, usually a 50% - 50% ratio of perlite and peat moss. Lighting should be indirect for a few hours a day; they bloom best in these conditions. Begonias Similar to the African Violet, Begonias require almost the same care but are still rather low-maintenance. Begonias like indirect sunlight or partial shade. Water the plant once a week, when the top inch is on the drier side as they like to be semi-moist. Well-draining soil is best for these plants and using a 50% - 50% ratio of peat moss and perlite is recommended. Begonia flowers come in orange, yellow, red, pink, and white. Their blooms can be less showy than other flowering houseplants, but the foliage is stunning. The flowers can last for a long period of time, some for many weeks with a few varieties blooming non-stop. These flowering plants bloom during the summer to late autumn. Moth Orchids Last up, we have the Moth Orchid! A lot of people steer clear from Orchids, but they’re really not hard to care for. The main reason Orchids die is because they’re in the wrong potting medium and are often overwatered. Orchids should be grown in a bark mixture, not peat moss! This plant must be allowed to dry out in between waterings, when the bark is dry to the touch, that's when you thoroughly water this plant. Lighting is also a key factor in allowing this flowering plant to thrive! The light conditions should be bright, indirect sunlight. Orchid flowers can last for months at a time, year-round. Their blooms can be purple, red, yellow, pink, and peach! Different varieties can have a speckled combination of these colors, making them pretty unique and beautiful! In Conclusion... If you’re looking for flowering houseplants that are affordable and bloom year-round, African Violets, Begonias, and Moth Orchids are all amazing choices. The flowers come in dozens of shapes and colors. These plants themselves also range from small to large, giving you a variety to choose from. That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this, you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### Recommended Practices for Fall Over-Seeding of Landscape Turf The over-seeding process begins mid to late September reduce but do not eliminate the amount of water applied to the turf: reduce the amount of water applied to the turf, cut the water back every other day TURF ONLY. Continue to water the rest of garden as usual Begin reducing mowing heights reduce heights 1/4 to 1/2 inches weekly remove grass clippings height should not be lowered below 1/2 inch take care not to lower the mowing heights too much to prevent damage to mowing equipment and ensure healthy regrowth in the spring if you see dust during the final mowing, it can be suppressed by slightly wetting the turf Schedule seeding around the middle of October this is the date average night time temperatures drop below 60 degrees cooler temperatures slow the growth of bermuda significantly --gradually forcing it into dormancy seeding before this will result in rapid re-growth of bermuda areas with heavy re-growth will become unsightly in December when bermuda grass goes dormant Seed Be sure to use perennial seed such as CBS II ryegrass; perennial grass grows slower and preforms better in shaded areas. Annual grass is cost effective but you will be mowing twice a week. Coverage one pound of seed per 50 - 100 sq ft of lawn best done by using multiple passes in a criss-cross pattern use humus seed cover for quicker germination and to produce a thicker, healthier lawn. One bag per 50 sq ft lawn Irrigation seed must be kept moist, your turf should run on a valve separate from the rest of your garden. water in short cycles at regular intervals 3 - 5 minutes; four times during the daylight hours ( every 2 hours during daylight ); do not water at night constant monitoring is required, failure to do this will result in poor germination maintain this schedule until first mowing ( approximately 2 - 3 weeks ) THEN CUT THE WATER BACK TO ONCE A DAY, 5 - 8 minutes. Follow winter watering schedule. First Mowing mow turf when it reaches 2 inches in height Re-seed areas with poor germination and top dress where necessary Fertilize use Best Turf Supreme fertilizer after the first mowing be certain to water fertilizer into soil continue fertilizing through the warm months. Check with a Moller’s associate as fertilizing practices change through the winter months. #### Reset Winter Time Clocks Set your time clocks to come on a little later in the day at this time of year to avoid icy walkways and cold damage on plants. #### September Planting Planting season is just about upon us once again. Gardens are beginning to wake up after a very long, hot summer. It's time to dust off the pruning shears, break out the fertilizer and get the beds ready for fall planting. Gardening in the desert runs in reverse of the rest of the country. Our gardens are dormant during the summer but we enjoy a full eight months of growing season the rest of the year. With temperatures well above the 100 degree mark, there isn't a lot of planting to do just yet but September offers several other activities in preparation for fall planting. Water Once daily watering continues as long as the temperature remains consistently above 100 degrees. Be sure your water is on long enough to fully saturate the roots of the plant you are trying to water. Multiple water times throughout the day is just about the worst thing you can do for your garden. Remember, deep roots need deep water. Shallow rooted plants such as bedding plants, ground covers and turf survive nicely with once a day watering - especially with the humid weather we have so enjoyed this summer. You may find the more shaded areas of your garden are staying too wet with once daily water. If you are able to isolate these areas, go ahead and cut that water back to every other day - this will allow the area to dry out in between watering. Irrigation Inspection September is a great time to give your irrigation system the once over. Irrigation heads are easily clogged with the hard water (high mineral content) we have here in the desert. Sand in the water lines will also clog up irrigation heads. Garden Gremlins can attack, turning irrigation heads sideways so the water does not spray in the direction it is intended. Inappropriate/incorrect sprinkler heads may have been changed out, again resulting in inefficient watering techniques. (HINT: Your sidewalks and driveways should really not be getting wet if you use appropriate irrigation heads and ensure they are properly adjusted.) Inspecting your irrigation system is an important task even if you have help with your garden - irrigation issues do not occur only on the day your gardener visits! Pruning Generally, September brings more temperate climate to the Desert. Mid-September is a great month to break out the heavy pruners and get after the plants that have become unruly through the summer. High heat no longer threatens tender new growth as we cool down into fall. This does not mean garden shrubs and trees have to be butchered into the odd geometric shapes that make us CRINGE at Moller's. There is an art to natural pruning but it is not difficult. The benefits of a beautiful garden will surely outweigh the slight additional time it takes to prune the garden correctly. Check your pruning hardware; everything sharp enough? Do you need to oil the springs? Are the shears clean? Are you using the right equipment for the task at hand? Getting it right will make the work go by quickly and easily. Step into Moller's for quality garden tools. Fertilizer It's really simple: fertilize everything in your garden through the fall months, starting NOW. Take advantage and get the most out of the mild weather just around the corner. We always recommend the organics. You will enjoy the best results with Dr. Earth or Foxfarm products. Remember, feeding the garden is a specialized endeavor these days. Visit the Nursery with any questions you may have. EXCEPTIONS There is always an exception, isn't there? The lawn is the one thing you do not need to fertilize in September. Re-seeding is quickly approaching so fertilizing your bermuda grass right now would just be a waste. Re-seeding is a two-part process. First, you want to force Bermuda grass into dormancy. Second, plant the perennial rye seed. Please CLICK HERE for our Desert Re-Seeding Directions. Soil Prep We are big proponents of mulch here at Moller's Garden Center, specifically Harvest Supreme. Work it into your beds to enrich the soil in your flower and vegetable planters. Remember, mulch is for the soil; fertilizers are for the plants. Mulch helps keep weeds at bay, provides water retention and prevents erosion. It does not provide nutrients to plant material; that is the job of fertilizer. Mulch can be laid down several weeks before planting, during planting and layered on top of your beds throughout the year. Pest Guests This summer we have seen more than our share of pests in the garden. The never-ending humidity we have experienced has been a perfect host for pests of all kinds. ANTS are everywhere and they are generally a sign that you have other guests as well. Follow your ants into the plants; look for signs of white fly or aphids. The ants are after the sticky secretion left on foliage after the white flies have done their thing. (Aphids become more abundant as the weather cools.) The absolute best thing we have found for ants is Amdro Fire Ant Bait. This product is effective on all ants. Ants are more active in the summer; treating them aggressively now will help control them throughout the year. VEGETABLES, HERBS AND TOMATOES WILL START ARRIVING IN THE NURSERY ABOUT THE 19TH OF SEPTEMBER!! As we have stated, it is time to get to work! #### Simple Tips for Planting & Growing Agave Plants   If you’re looking for a large glamorous plant to spice up your yard, that requires minimum effort to care for, look no further than Agave plants! What Are Agave Plants? Agave plants are really large succulents, with more than 250 species in the Agave genus. Larger species of Agave can grow up to 10FT tall, and sometimes even taller! Smaller species can be the size of a small bowl. These succulents have long leaves with pointy tips. Agaves have a blue and greenish hue, and are covered in a powdery substance called “Epicuticular Wax”, “Farina”, or “Bloom”. This powder is completely normal for succulents. In fact, it acts as a built-in sunscreen for the plants! How cool is that? The thicker the layer is, the more sun-resistant your succulent is.   Simple Care Instructions for Agave Plants 1. Soil Mixture Any well-draining soil is preferred for Agave. Sandy and rocky soil is great for these plants, airy and light soil allows moisture to dry fast but still provides the plant with hydration. Agave does NOT like to be sitting in wet, soggy soil. Leaving Agave in these conditions will lead to Root Rot! 2. Watering Agaves are drought tolerant, especially mature plants. This means they don’t need to be watered frequently and can go a long time without a drop of water. Typically for weeks at a time, and sometimes over a month! Water the plants when you notice their leaves losing their plump look, slightly wrinkly. 3. Light Conditions Providing Agave plants with as much sun as you can get will do them wonders. They love sunny areas. Depending on how mature your plant is, it may burn more easily. They can tolerate a little shade but prefer full sun. Rule of thumb is the hotter the climate is, the more shade they will tolerate. 4. Fertilizing Now, we suggest holding off on fertilizing Agave… When fertilized, these plants are more susceptible to blooming, as fertilizers encourage blooms. Agave plants flower once in their lifetime, and once they flower the plant will die. It isn’t necessary to fertilize Agave, so unless you want a flowering plant with a short lifespan, don’t fertilize! 5. Propagation Mature Agave plants produce “pups” or “baby plants” at the base of the plant. This is an inexpensive way of getting many of the same plant! Wait until the small pups are about a few inches wide before separating from the mother plant. Try and get as many roots intact with the plant as you can, then transport the pup in the same soil mixture in a small pot. Water only when the soil is bone dry. Now you have an adorable baby plant! In Conclusion… Planting Agave is a fun and great way to make your yard pop with color! The maintenance of these plants isn’t too difficult as they require little care to thrive, making them an easy addition to your garden. That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this, you can keep your agave plants beautiful and healthy! Don’t forget to stop by our shop for all things gardens! https://www.mollersgardencenter.com Best of luck to you. #### Simple Ways to Help Save the Bees in Your Garden Buzz, buzz, buzz… That is the sound we know and love from our famous pollinator friends, as it shows signs of a healthy ecosystem. But that buzz may be fading. Bee populations have been declining at alarming rates, and it’s our job to help these buzzy creatures thrive by being kind! From planting habits to hydration stations, let’s discover five ways to save the bees in your garden by Moller’s Garden Center. Help Save the Bees in Your Garden Bees are essential pollinators and are responsible for the reproduction of a vast number of plants, including many of the fruits and vegetables that we rely on for food. Without them, our world would look very different. The good news is that we can all play a part in helping these fuzzy creatures thrive. Plant a Bee-Friendly Garden: One of the biggest challenges faced by our bee population is habitat loss. Planting native plants for bees is by far one of the best ways to help save the bees. By planting bee-friendly flowers, herbs, and even some vegetables, you can create a valuable food source for bees in your backyard! Avoid Harsh Pesticides: Pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, are extremely harmful to bees. Whenever possible, opt for natural pest control methods that are safe for bees. It helps to encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, which are natural predators of many garden pests. Provide a Water Source: Bees need water just like any other living creature. During hot weather, they can become dehydrated. A simple bird bath, a shallow dish filled with water and pebbles (so they have somewhere to land), or even a damp sponge in a dish can be a very helpful bee hydration station. Support Local Beekeepers: Another good way to save the bees is by buying local honey from local beekeepers. This not only supports their business but also helps ensure the health of local bee populations. Spread the Word: Educate your friends, family, and neighbors about the importance of helping save the bees! Encourage them to grow native plants for bees in their gardens or cut down on their harmful pesticide use. Talk about the decline in bee populations and point them to this helpful guide! The more people are aware of the problem, the more likely we are to find solutions. Be Kind and Save the Bees in Your Garden Saving the bees is a collective effort and can be as simple as planting native plants for bees in your garden. By making small changes in our own lives, we can create a more bee-friendly world and ensure that these incredible pollinators continue to thrive for generations to come. So, let’s all do our part to save the bees and ALWAYS be kind to them!   Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Spring 2014 SPRING All Winter Long. That about sums up our winter this year. We had a little frost back in November and it has been warm ever since. Some gardens are already seeing their rye grass die off and Bermuda begin to take hold. We suggest sneaking in a few spring-like garden activities before summer settles in. WATER IS MEASURED IN GALLONS, NOT TIME. Water, water, water. All we ever talk about is WATER. Despite the frequent subject matter, there are still those gardens who fall victim to water abuse. FREQUENT, BRIEF, DAILY WATER is the WORST THING you can do for your garden; period. It creates shallow roots fooling plant material into craving more water. Soil holds onto moisture at deeper levels. Plants become more sustainable when roots are allowed to seek water deep below the soil level. Temperatures may rise in the spring but there is no need to water established gardens more than every other day. (Daily water isn’t necessary until well into May.) You can manually add a water time anytime if it gets warm one day---but you cannot take it away. Know your irrigation style; is it sprinkler or drip? Adjustable drip heads or drip emitters? It makes a difference when it comes to duration of water times. Choose one irrigation style or the other but DO NOT combine both. Visit Moller’s for more clarification. Sprinkler controllers tell time too......did you remember to reset the time on your irrigation time clock? This is a good time to check your time clock’s back-up battery as well. The Appropriate Watering Rule Book requires you water early in the day when water does the most good...roots soak up water in the morning and use it throughout the day. Early water times enable roots to dry out before the next application of water. FERTILIZE This is a great opportunity to fertilize any and everything in the garden. Use the right tool for the job -- rose food on roses, all-purpose fertilizer for shrubs and trees and so on. We like the organics from Dr. Earth and Foxfarm. Hibiscus will bloom prolifically with Dr. Earth Acid Lovers fertilizer. Cactus and succulents benefit from Dr. Earth All Purpose fertilizer. They do not require feeding as often as other plant material but Spring is thee time to feed cactus and succulents to ensure healthy growth. AVOID BAD HAIRCUTS Spring pruning is most beneficial when seeking to create beautiful, natural shapes in the garden. We are not talking about the strange, geometric circles and squares we see abused plants reduced to. Gently lace out shrubs and open up trees to create a natural growth pattern as we head into the warmer months. It is important to have clean, well sharpened tools to work with. Scale, mealy bug and spider mite can transfer from plant to plant through contact from hands, gloves and pruning shears. Treat yourself to a new pair of quality hand pruners or tree loppers. Moller’s carries Felco and Corona gardening tools. It makes a difference! Stock up on gloves, hand trowels and espalier material while you are at it. Espalier—to train to grow flat against a wall. Vines are meant to be attached to the wall, not on wooden trellises. Redwood just doesn’t hold up well in the desert. We stock metal trellises, galvanized wire and anchor kits. Not sure what espalier style you want to use or how to do it properly? This too is important, especially in our windy weather. We are here to answer questions. PESTS Garden pests did not ‘fly north’ this winter; there has been no cold weather to deter them this year. Did you know that ants are a secondary sign of a primary infestation? They feed on scale, aphids and mealy bug; ants do not feed on plants. Even the most seasoned gardener can fall prey to scale, mites and leaf minor. These pests are not always in plain sight so it is important to examine plants thoroughly. Check roses for rose chafers and powdery mildew though we are at the tail end of the season for these particular problems. Use Bonide Rose Rx 3 in 1 ready-to-use treatment to rid roses of these pesky pests. New growth is prime real estate for all opportunistic pests. Citrus trees may show signs of thrip as the weather warms up. It is more cosmetic than harmful; you can treat it as long as you are careful not to knock off new fruit when you spray. The same holds true for leaf minor. Captain Jack’s spinosad spray is the best option for the problem. DO NOT USE SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES on your citrus trees or any other food crop. Bougainvillea have problems with looper; an inch worm variety that causes foliage to appear scalloped and can result in defoliation. These symptoms are tricky and may look like something else entirely. Fear not, bring us a leaf sample and we will help diagnose the problem. Captain Jack’s with spinosad comes once again to the rescue. Soon scoop-like chunks of foliage will disappear from the bougainvillea; remember this is due to the nesting Cutter Bee. It’s a ‘nature’ thing, there is no treatment. Mother Nature always wins. Tiny holes begin to appear on vegetables, flowers and other new foliage though you may not always see the culprit. Worms are active in the cool of the night. We suggestMonterey Bt Ready-to-Use. It is quick, easy and organic. It will safely stop these unwelcome guests from eating herbs, flowers and vegetables before you can enjoy them. It is important to remember you may ONLY use organic pest controls on food items. Live to garden another day! WIND AND DUST Proper pruning will help prevent wind damage to trees when wind is able to move through foliage rather than around it. Think of a tennis racket vs. a paddle. The air passes through a well maintained tree. Dust on plant material is a huge issue as it creates welcome growing grounds for pests like scale, red spider mite and mealy bug. It is a good practice to occasionally rinse off plant material so these pests have one less reason to move in. Sometimes dust is dust and sometimes it is spider mite. Red spider mite is tough to control and already quite active in the desert. Keeping plants clean is the best deterrent. We suggest Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect Disease and Mite Control for particularly stubborn mites. This treatment has residual effects to help stay off the beasts. As with any stubborn pest, the garden may require more than one application. It is always important to follow the instructions on the packaging. This product is NOT organic and therefore NOT FOOD SAFE. Live to garden another day… This is the optimum occasion for planting permanents in your garden. Shrubs, trees, roses, perennials, cactus, drought tolerant material, palms and almost anything else we have forgotten. It’s also a great time to transplant material you might like to see in a different location as well. Keep in mind exposure as you choose the new location. Plants that have spent all winter in the shade might not be so happy if moved to a full sun or afternoon sun site. It’s planting season; the garden is open! And so is Moller’s Garden Center. #### Spring Forward into Gardening It's time to GET YOUR GARDEN ON! The weather is great, the sun is shining, no frost in sight - it's time to reap the rewards of spring. Time Clocks Celebrate Daylight Savings. We remind you to reset the clock on your irrigation controller the same time you reset your house clocks. What difference does it make? Water time is almost as important as water amount. Plants need time to absorb the water they receive and time to dry out before more water is applied. Irrigation should be completed no later than 1pm to ensure root systems have dried out. We suggest watering early in the morning during the warmer months; anytime between 5 am and 8 am. Checking in with your time clock a few times a year gives you the opportunity to protect yourself from the 'time clock ghost' Power surges, power outages and the 'ghost' may cause time clocks to reset themselves. This creates unwanted changes to water frequency and water start times. Checking your clock at the same time house clocks are reset helps prevent this problem. Be sure you have a rechargeable battery backup in place to ward off the pesky 'time clock ghost'. Water THIS IS our favorite topic! Longtime readers know that we at Moller's are proponents of deep and infrequent watering. Apply sufficient water to saturate the root ball of each plant. Enough time should then pass so roots can dry out. This time of year we suggest you water two to three times a week, just one time a day. Spring provides an interesting scenario for water application; our weather can be a little tricky. 60 degrees on a Monday can turn to 95 degrees by Friday. Learn how your time clock works. If an additional start time is needed, it can be added manually with the simple push of a button. 2 - 3 times per week water is ample for most gardens as long as the average temperature remains in the 80's. If you have newly planted material such as spring vegetables or bedding plants you will need to water a little more often so the new roots can establish themselves. Just a few weeks is all it takes for the new plantings to make themselves at home. Fertilizer This is an important time to fertilize everything in the garden and we mean EVERYTHING. Your citrus trees are in bloom so apply a shot of organic fruit tree fertilizer to help the new fruit as it sets and matures into next years' crop. (Be sure you use organics so you don't burn the blooms off the trees before the fruit has set.) Frost burned shrubs will pop right out of their damage with a well fed root system and the warm desert sun. When in doubt, use an all-purpose fertilizer for all your garden plants including cactus and succulents--this is their growing season too. Dr. Earth and Foxfarm products are our favorite fertilizers. Palms put out new fronds in spring and fall; applying a fertilizer formulated for palms will encourage healthy growth. Don't forget manganese spikes for your queen palms. Tropical plants such as camellias and gardenias also require unique feeding needs. It is important they receive the nutrients not present in our alkaline desert soil. Palm and Tropical Plant Food by Gro Power provides the necessary formulation to keep these beautiful plants healthy and bountiful. Blooming plants and flowers will explode with color after fertilizing. Miracle Gro and the aforementioned organics are great choices. Fertilize, fertilize, fertilize! Pruning Spring is an excellent time to get your pruning shears out and prune trees and shrubs into the shapes YOU will enjoy in your garden. Pruning shears require a little bit of maintenance. Make certain they are sharp, they may need a bit of oil. Be sure to have the right equipment for the job....don't use hand shears to prune mature citrus branches. Cut away damage from frost bite to make room for healthy, new growth. This is the time to manicure your trees and shrubs; shape them into pretty specimens. Avoid the lollipops and trapezoids... unless you like that look in your garden. Pests and Diseases As we have discussed, spring brings plentiful blooms to the desert along with a bounty of pests and diseases. Here we point out a few problems and offer a few solutions for common garden issues. Use the correct potion for the problem. Garden pest and disease control is NOT a one size fits all situation. It is imperative to correctly apply the chemical. Remember that many garden issues are ongoing and require multiple applications. ROSES: POWDEREY MILDEW is a fungus that occurs in humid, temperate weather -- in other words -- in the spring. Foliage appears to be covered in mold and becomes wrinkled. Rose Rx and BONIDE Neem Oil are great for powdery mildew as long as the weather remains moderate. The threat of mildew disappears when evening temperatures rise. Be sure to mix the correct dilution and spray during the cooler part of the day to avoid burn damage to your roses. ROSE CHAFERS appear for about 6 weeks in the spring. They attack the light colored blooms, consuming flowers as they open. This is a tough menace to battle; BAYER 3-in-1 provides some help for this pest. BUD WORMS are another rose pest; the worm eats the bud before it even has time to open up. We suggest LIQUID SEVIN. It has been around forever and still does a great job. CITRUS TREES: LEAF MINOR and THRIP show up on citrus trees as the weather warms up. If you are unsure which you have, bring in a leaf sample and ask one of our associates. Control the problem with CAPTAIN JACK'S SPINOSAD spray. Do not spray citrus until after your fruit has formed; you do not want to knock off the blooms before the fruit has set. Be certain not to use systemic pesticides on your fruits and vegetables -- not healthy for the end consumer! BOUGAINVILLEA: CUTTER BEES: Small, perfectly cut circles appear on honeysuckle and bougainvillea in the spring. This is the work of leafcutter bees. There is little you can do as the bees do not ingest the plant but rather use the foliage to nest. Bees are good, bees are necessary. Do nothing to cause harm to bees in the garden. We need our bees in the desert; we want them happy and healthy to conduct the business at hand--spreading good cheer and happiness to plants everywhere! GREEN PLANTS: MEALY BUGS can appear on many garden shrubs such as gardenia and pittosporum, even cactus. This is not a discriminating pest; they can appear on many varieties of plants in the garden and in the house. Mealy bug is the fuzzy, cottony goop you find on stems and branches-- not so much on the leaves. There are two treatments, BAYER Advanced Complete insect killer can be sprayed for immediate treatment. BONIDE Tree and Shrub Insect Control provides a systemic treatment to fight from the inside out. #### Spring Gardening in Desert Warmer weather means it is time to think about making some changes in the care we give our gardens. This spring has been a wild ride of warm warms, cool colds, a little rain and some big winds. The combination makes for interesting times working with irrigation, pests and all things Desert gardening. There are some spring things that remain the same each and every year. We remind you to reset your irrigation time clock to coincide with daylight savings. Check the back-up battery (if appropriate) at the same time, always a good idea to change it before summer hits. Many times clocks will revert to factory presets if power is interrupted. This does not always result in effective irrigation, especially through the summer months. While on the subject of time clocks: this is a good time to review water times for each irrigation station—how long is the water running when the sprinklers come on? 3 minutes? 8 minutes? 45 minutes? Three minutes isn’t enough water for anything this time of year. You want to create deep roots with whatever is planted in the yard. Watering less frequently, for longer periods of time will achieve this. Many believe running a 3-5 minute station 2 x day will have the same effect. This is false; you just water the same roots twice, creating shallow roots. This is one of the most common occurring mistakes we see. If you have drip irrigation, each station could easily require 45-60 minutes and must be on that long to ensure enough water gets to the deepest roots. Work with your gardener to be sure you are on the same page when it comes to watering the garden. Spring is a temperature roller coaster every year, it can be 95 degrees one day and 75 the next. This year is no different. Why is this an issue? When temperatures rise much above 90 degrees, shallow rooted plants (turf & flower beds) quickly dry out and need water whereas deep-rooted trees and shrubs have no problem. Irrigation becomes tricky. It is easier to add water than take it away. Leave your time clock set to water 2-3 x week; simply tap the manual irrigation option to add an additional water day if needed. Remember, we do not suggest watering daily until temperatures remain consistently 90 - 95 degrees and NEVER water more than once a day. More time, less frequent water is the key to healthy plant life. February through June is crucial for fertilizing since spring is the optimum growing season. Use the right tool for the trade. Blooming plants have different feed needs than citrus trees; roses, different than palms. The many plants in your garden require more than a one size fits all feeding protocol. We like the Dr. Earth organic fertilizers with their array of options to tempt the botanical palette. Wind is always a factor of spring. This year the wind has been particularly violent with downed or damaged trees present after every wind storm. There is a direct correlation between appropriate irrigation and damage to these trees. Deep and infrequent water forces the roots to travel deep into the earth thus providing the necessary anchor to stand up to the winds. This same watering tactic creates healthy limbs which are less likely to break off. Of course tree trimming is a crucial part of the equation but it should be noted that appropriate watering carries equal weight. The wind stirs up dust which invites red spider mite into the mix. These mites attack a variety of plant life, from roses to photinia, impatiens to Italian cypress. Look for a dusty appearance on the underside of leaves. Foliage often yellows and forms tiny dots. In only the most severe cases will you see actual webbing. The very best line of defense against mites is to rinse the plants off occasionally, just enough to remove the layer of dust that accumulates which creates the perfect environment for mites. (A good rain will also do the trick. Remember to turn the time clock off for a few days to allow soil to dry out – remember to turn it back on again.) Mealy bug is the cottony looking goop that appears in the underpinnings of plants like hibiscus, pittosporum, even citrus trees. You will find it in the joints of small branches below leaves you see casually. Scale is another opportunistic pest, a bit more crusty in appearance but equally tenacious. All three are difficult to see because they are not often on the sunny side of the plant. Once any of these pests take hold, they are difficult to completely eradicate. Take a little time to get close and personal with the members of your garden to prevent these pests from taking hold. The warmer spring weather brings other pests drawn to new growth on plants such as bougainvillea and citrus trees. Leaf minor, looper and thrip all appear when temperatures rise. They just love the luscious, tender new foliage. There are several options with which to arm yourself in the war against garden enemies, we ask you to bring in a leaf sample to ensure you have proper weaponry for the battle. Care must be taken when offering pesticides to fruit trees and other edibles as many are not food safe. We are here to help. Enjoy spring in the Desert! #### Spring Gardening in the Desert: Coachella Valley Success Guide The Foundation: High-Performance Soil In a climate where the sun is relentless, your soil has to do the heavy lifting. Desert earth is notoriously sandy and alkaline, meaning it doesn't hold onto moisture or nutrients effectively. If you want that "estate-style" vibrancy, you have to invest in the foundation early in the season. Amending for Success Before you put a single new plant in the ground, give your soil a boost. Mixing in high-quality organic compost or specialized amendments improves the soil structure significantly. This allows the ground to hold onto water longer, providing a "safety net" for your plants during those first random heat spikes in late April. For those focusing on potted arrangements or raised beds, a premium potting mix specifically formulated for arid climates can be a total game-changer for plant health. Mulch: The Climate Control Layer If there is one essential pro-tip for spring gardening in the desert, it is mulching. A thick, three-inch layer of organic mulch acts as a cooling blanket for your plant’s roots. It suppresses water-stealing weeds and prevents the sun from baking the moisture right out of the ground. Beyond the performance benefits, it provides a clean, professional aesthetic that instantly elevates your curb appeal. Whether you prefer wood chips or a clean gravel finish, keeping that "root zone" protected is the MVP move of the season. The Curated Palette: Choosing Your Spring Stars The key to a stunning desert garden is balance. You want plants that bring the visual impact but have the grit to handle the local climate. Choosing the right varieties now ensures your landscape stays looking fresh even when the mercury starts to climb. The Drama of Bougainvillea Nothing says Coachella Valley luxury quite like a wall of vibrant Bougainvillea. Whether you prefer the classic fuchsia or a soft white, these plants thrive on heat and actually bloom better when they are a little thirsty. Spring is the time to give them a light prune to shape their growth and encourage a fresh flush of color. They are the ultimate "high-impact, low-water" anchor for any desert yard. Desert-Chic Perennials For color that lasts, Lantana and Salvia are the desert’s most reliable performers. Once established, they are essentially "set it and forget it" additions. Lantana provides a carpet of gold or purple blooms, while Salvias add height and attract hummingbirds, turning your backyard into a private sanctuary. These plants are built for the intensity of spring gardening in the desert and beyond. Native Inspiration Incorporating California natives like Desert Willow or Texas Sage isn't just an eco-friendly choice—it’s a style choice. These plants offer a soft, silvery-green palette that perfectly complements the desert's natural light. They are evolved to handle our heat and require significantly less water than traditional tropical species, making them the smart pick for a sustainable oasis. The "Lush" Factor: Roses and Citrus For many homeowners in Palm Desert and La Quinta, roses and citrus are the crown jewels of the garden. They require a bit more attention, but the payoff is a sensory experience that defines desert living. Peak Rose Performance Spring is the "Grand Finale" for desert roses. To keep them looking their best, feed them with a high-quality rose fertilizer in early spring. Regular deadheading—removing the faded flowers—signals the plant to keep the new buds coming. As the days warm up, keep a close eye on new growth for aphids; a quick spray from the hose is usually the only pest control you’ll need. This is the time to enjoy the fragrance before the plants go into their summer "nap." The Citrus Refresh If you want a bumper crop of lemons, limes, or grapefruit, spring is your primary feeding window. Use a specialized citrus fertilizer to provide the nitrogen and micronutrients these trees crave during their growth spurt. Ensure you are watering deeply; citrus roots go deep, and a shallow sprinkle won't reach where it’s needed most. A well-fed citrus tree is not only more productive but also more resistant to the stress of summer. The Edible Transition: From Greens to Heat-Seekers If you’re growing your own food, the desert spring is a major pivot point. Your cool-weather crops like lettuce and cilantro are likely starting to bolt as the days warm. It’s time to swap them out for the heat-seekers that can handle the sun. Warm-Season Staples: Get your tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants in the ground as soon as the night temperatures are consistently above 55°F. The Tomato Window: In the desert, the goal is to get your tomato plants large enough to set fruit before the daytime temperatures hit 100°F. Look for "early-season" varieties that mature quickly. Resilient Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme, and Oregano love the desert sun. They are incredibly hardy and add a sophisticated, fragrant element to your garden paths. Irrigation: The Desert Lifeblood In the Coachella Valley, your irrigation system is your most important piece of infrastructure. As the weather warms, your winter watering schedule is officially obsolete. The System Audit: Walk your garden and check every emitter. Desert heat can make plastic lines brittle, and a single clogged head can mean the end of a prized shrub. Deep Watering vs. Frequent Watering: You want to train your plants to be tough. By watering deeply and less frequently, you encourage roots to grow further into the earth where the soil stays cool. Smart Adjustments: Gradually increase your watering frequency as we head toward May. If you have a smart controller, make sure it’s synced to local weather data to account for those sudden spring wind events or unexpected heat spikes. Own the Season Successful spring gardening in the desert is about more than just putting plants in the ground; it’s about curating an environment that reflects the unique beauty of our region. By focusing on soil health, selecting the right varieties, and staying ahead of the heat, you can build a landscape that remains a vibrant retreat all year long. The best time to start your spring transformation is right now, while the mornings are cool and the potential is high. Whether you are refreshing a few pots or redesigning your entire estate, the effort you put in today will pay dividends when the desert summer arrives. #### Spring Tip Water conditions vary throughout the Desert. We can generally maintain a one time a day, every-other-day watering schedule during the temperate spring months. Remember, you can always add a water time but you cannot take it away. #### Start Your New Year With a Bang at Moller’s Garden Center Happy New Year everyone! Moller’s Garden Center welcomes all, from experienced growers to newbies looking for a fun hobby. About Moller’s Garden Center Nestled in the heart of Palm Desert, Moller's Garden Center has been a cornerstone of the Coachella Valley since the mid-1950s. What started as an irrigation company evolved into a landscape contracting business and eventually blossomed into the family-owned and operated nursery we are today, proudly serving the community since 1973. Kind & Understanding Service Our team at Moller's is dedicated to providing you with not just service, but an experience. We're here to assist, guide, and share our passion for gardening with each visitor. Our staff is as caring and knowledgeable as the plants we nurture. Helpful Gardening Info & Tips Along with expertise from our knowledgeable staff, we offer a treasure trove of gardening wisdom via our blog, from practical tips to engaging plant stories. Whether you're looking to enhance your garden, tackle pests, or learn about plant nutrition, our blog is another go-to resource. Top Quality Flower & Plants At Moller's Garden Center, we take pride in offering an unparalleled variety of plants and flowers in the Coachella Valley. From cacti and exotic flowers to citrus trees, our selection is curated with care and expertise, ensuring you take home only the best. Pots, Tools & More at Our Gift Shop Our gift shop is a gardener's delight, stocked with an extensive range of pots, tools, and garden accessories. Add charm to your garden with unique decor like wind chimes and hummingbird feeders. You'll also find a wealth of gardening books and supplies to enhance your gardening journey. In Conclusion... Visit Moller’s Garden Center for a unique and enriching experience. As a family business with deep roots in the community, we offer exceptional service, quality products, and a wealth of knowledge. For all your gardening needs, there's no need to look further than Moller’s Garden Center in Palm Desert. #### Suddenly Summer The past few weeks have provided everything summer has to offer us. We kicked it off on the mild side through May and June but now the heat is here to stay. We are on the roller coaster that is summer in the Desert. High one-teens followed by days of humidity, settling back into a block of mild, dry triple digits will be the norm for the next two months or so. Extreme heat with low humidity has caused sun burn and sun damage to a great many plants. High humidity and heat encourage some plants to grow more quickly than others. Particularly dusty windstorms as well as ash have deposited debris on plant material. We generally suggest taking it easy in the garden through the summer but there are always a few things to do. PRUNING Sunburn and unruly growth on plant material are best left alone. Over-pruning at this time of year exposes vulnerable branches and new growth to permanent sun damage. We advise just LIGHT pruning through the rest of the summer; a branch here, a stem there and only when you absolutely, positively cannot stand it. Better to endure a few burned leaves than risk permanently harming plant material. Absolutely NO HEAVY PRUNING UNTIL SEPTEMBER. PESTS We are seeing two prominent pest issues this summer. The first is the Bougainvillea Looper. Active at night, this starts as a small caterpillar and matures to a gray or brown moth. Damage occurs to the bougainvillea foliage. Scalloped, uneven or torn edges appear on the leaves. Severe infestations may cause the plant to defoliate. Hope remains! Spray CAPTAIN JACK’S DEAD BUG BREW to control both young and mature larvae. SAFER CATERPILLAR KILLER is effective against the larvae. Remember to spray in the early part of the day or in the evening after sun down. You may need more than one application. The other problem pest this summer is Whitefly, a winged insect in the aphid family; this is not actually a fly. They attack quite a few plant varieties, especially hibiscus and lantana. Tell-tale signs are fly away insects present when the plant is disturbed. Heavy infestations will leave honeydew residue on the leaves followed by a white fungal deposit. Treatment is a bit more aggressive for Whitefly. BAYER ADVANCED COMPLETE INSECT KILLER is one of the more effective options. Several applications are likely needed. We remind you again to spray in the cool of the day. GREENLIGHT MALATHION is another option. Occasionally hosing down plant material is a great way to prevent infestation. A clean plant is a happy plant. Pest all stars such as the agave snout weevil remain active and can be treated with BONIDE TREE & SHRUB INSECT CONTROL. Red Spider Mites are controlled by keeping plant material dust (and soot) free. Apply BAYER 3-in-1 to eliminate infestation. Cutter bee damage may still be present. Remember there is little to be done for this pest as the problem is cosmetic, not harmful. AND we like bees. It is very important to follow application instructions for any chemicals you choose to use in your garden. Also important is the time you choose to spray; early morning and after sundown are best. Some sprays contain ingredients not meant to be used in extreme weather conditions. Improper application can damage your plants. Questions? Moller’s sales associates are here to help! WATER The roller coaster that is summer may confuse your irrigation schedule; it shouldn't. Our basic rule remains the same: WATER ONE TIME A DAY. 'Sprinklers' should run about 8 - 10 minutes every day. ‘Drip Irrigation’ should be on long enough for the water to reach the bottom of the root ball of whatever you are watering. A one gallon an hour emitter needs to run for one hour to apply ONE GALLON of water....it's a math thing. When the temperature does rise into the high one-teens and humidity is scarce, an afternoon watering is acceptable to create humidity and thus a sunscreen for the plants. Newly planted, shallow rooted plant material may also require a second application of water. It remains important for plant material to dry out between irrigation cycles. Desert gardens can be tricksters during the summer. A wilting plant does not always require water, it may just be hot. Heat fatigue is an issue for people, animals and plants alike. Plant material does not dry out as quickly during periods of high humidity... so do not add extra water. WEEDS Weeds are difficult to keep up with this time of year. Mulch helps. Monitoring where water sprays also helps. Avoid overspray in areas where water is not needed such as unplanted flower beds, sidewalks, etc. Weeds need water to grow. No water – no weeds. Nut grass or nut sedge is the big weed culprit through the summer. ROUND-UP is great for spot weeding but not effective for nut grass control. NUTGRASS KILLER SELECTIVE HERBICIDE by Monterey applied with HERBICIDE HELPER STICKING AGENT are the best products for the job. (They must be used together) Allow the weeds to get a fair amount of growth on them and spray when the foliage is completely dry; evening is probably best. Multiple applications may be needed. FERTILIZER Organic fertilizers are safe to use through the summer. Tropical plants particularly enjoy this warm (hot) growing season and fertilizer will promote healthy growth. A shot of fertilizer on the lawn can improve its appearance for the duration of the summer. Fertilizer should be watered into the soil upon application so plan your application time. Mulch can be put down to hold water in and deter weeds. #### Summer Gardening Take the summer off from heavy gardening. Your plants are doing all they can to stay alive through the extreme summer heat. Let them do their job outside and you can enjoy your garden from the inside. #### Summer Gardening 2012 It appears we are in for a long summer season this year. Summer arrived early in May and we have seen little relief since; completely opposite weather of what we experienced last year. These days of high heat leave little to do in the garden but check sprinklers and watch for pests. Water Is King! Water is king, queen and the whole royal family during the summer. It is imperative to water the plants long enough to fully saturate the roots. Please do not assume that because the water comes on twice a day that your garden is receiving adequate water. Once a day watering should be enough. New plantings, shallow rooted plants and container plantings may require a second watering in the afternoon. Remember our urging you to become friends with your time clock?? It is easy to set the timer for an automatic second cycle or run through the programs manually. DID YOU REMEMBER TO CHECK THE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY IN YOUR TIME CLOCK THIS SPRING? No Transplanting or Pruning We do not suggest a whole lot of change in the garden at this time of year. No transplanting. Virtually no pruning - a little snip here, a little snip there if you must but avoid any heavy pruning that would open up young and unprotected foliage to sunburn. Fertilizing should also be kept to a minimum-- organics are the only way to go. Mulching is always safe should you decide you simply must get your hands dirty. Pests Pests continue to be a problem through the warmer months. Summer provides perfect conditions for the onset of red spider mites. This pest can attack lantana, zinnia, several types of shrubs including roses; even herbs. The affected plants will appear to be very dusty. Occasionally but thoroughly rinse your plant material through the summer to help keep these pests at bay. Have you noticed huge, creepy bugs flittering about your desert landscapes? Derobrachus germinates or Palo verde root borer beetle are the culprit. These are the product of borers found eating the roots of your Palo verde trees; they are responsible for many trees downed during wind storms. The grubs can stay in the soil for years before morphing into these uncomfortably ugly bugs. Check the soil around your trees; if you find creamy colored 'worms' among the roots measuring about the size of your middle finger it is time to drench the soil with Bonide Tree & Shrub Insect Control. We continue to see 'worm' damage on bougainvillea, bedding plants and assorted shrubs - Sevin or Spinosad products will help control this problem. Weeds Weeds also like to visit in the summer. Treat pop-up weeds throughout the garden with topical herbicides such as Round-Up. Careful not to over-spray surrounding plant material. Weeds in the lawn have to be managed individually as the window to apply pre-emergent has long since passed. (this should be done in February/March). Applying herbicides now will only burn the healthy turf. Nut grass is probably the biggest problem. Herbicide application can be a little tricky because you must prevent the treated area from getting wet for a time but it is a workable problem. All too often we see valuable time wasted on ineffective weed management. Better to treat the problem once chemically rather than pull the same weed over and over and over again. Extreme heat in the summer is stressful on plant material. This is a perfect summer to do little in the garden - there will be plenty of time to play catch up come late September so take the summer off. #### Summer Has Arrived Well, it is official. Summer has arrived. The truly wonderful winter and spring we have enjoyed this year are a part of history and we now enjoy the long, hot summer months of July, August and into September. Have you made certain your irrigation is properly adjusted for the weather? Early morning watering just one time a day is key for your garden to make the best use of the water it receives. A good deep watering in the morning allows the roots to drink up and dry out through the day so that when the sun goes down, the plants are at rest. Watering once the sun disappears may cause harm to the root structure, thus weakening the plant and putting it at risk for disease and opportunistic pests. Remember photosynthesis? Once the sun has set, plants are done working for the day. Be sure all your sprinkler/drip heads are working properly. Is the time correct for all the stations? Is the water on for the correct amount of time? How about the correct time and date? Our recent earthquakes and power outages can wreak havoc with a time clock. Your irrigation should be thoroughly checked at least once a week. Become friends with your time clock. They are just not that scary anymore. YOU SHOULD BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR TIMECLOCK, not whoever comes to service the yard just once a week. Summer is still a great time of year for planting in your garden. Citrus trees, shrubs and bedding plants do great as long as they receive regular watering. Even drought tolerant material needs daily water when newly planted. There are all sorts of bedding plant options for color in the summer; coreopsis, vinca (periwinkle), zinnia, marigold, scabiosa, scaveola and salvia to name a few. Planting key beds in the garden keep it looking fresh and alive with color through the hot summer months. Your garden has a lot of work ahead of it this summer. It takes a lot of energy to stay alive in our desert heat. MULCH is a great help to the whole garden calm and cool. A thick layer of mulch to cover the root bed helps to hold moisture in, keep the roots cool and replace soil that settles or is blown away through the year. LIGHT pruning is the name of the game in the summer. You want to prevent your plants from growing out of control and at the same time leave enough growth to prevent the plant from burning in the high heat. Pests are active in the summer. Red spider mite is a big problem, yet easily controlled through proper watering and simply hosing off the plant material once in a while. Mites thrive on dust. Hosing susceptible plants down occasionally prevents the mites from taking hold. Roses are a perfect example. It is perfectly fine to fertilize through the summer as long as you use a slow acting organic fertilizer such as our Dr. Earth products. There are several different formulas specific to various plants. Fruit trees, tropical foliages, roses and all purpose fertilizer are a few examples. Your palm trees can be fertilized through the summer as well. Any questions? Please feel free to visit the Nursery or phone one of our knowledgeable sales associates. The Nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 4pm and we are here Saturdays from 7am to 3pm. PLEASE bring in samples of any problems you may be experiencing so we can stop the problem before you have a dead plant. #### Summer Has Arrived - Again Cool mornings, pleasant evenings and mild temperatures have made for an almost perfect spring this year. Annual rye is slowly giving way to the summer Bermuda grass. Seasonal flowers have surrendered to the heat allowing room for summer flowers. A few simple tasks done now will allow your garden to thrive through the next several months. WATER For most of the year, we urge you to limit your watering. Now, we suggest you water the garden once a day, in the relative cool of the morning. Deep water makes for deep roots. The basic premise remains the same: water enough to fully saturate the roots, and then allow the plant to dry out between watering. This promotes healthy foliage growth throughout the year. Newly planted material may temporarily require additional water in the afternoon, but just for a few weeks. Once new material is rooted return to the once a day watering schedule. A plant will dry out much more slowly during humid weather. Keep in mind that plants may wilt from heat as well as from lack of water; just because a plant looks thirsty does not mean it is thirsty. CHECK YOUR TIME CLOCK!! Is it set to the correct time and date? Is there a battery back up? Check the water time, what time of day does the water come on? (Should be between 5 and 8:30 am) How long is each station set for? Does the water come on for a long enough period of time allow deep root watering? This is the key to maintaining a healthy garden. DRIP IRRIGATION AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS administer water differently. Water is not measured in time, water is measured in gallons so be certain of the amount you water your garden. Adequate water is not simply an issue of the water coming on every day. HOW MUCH WATER COMES ON EVERY DAY, that is the question? MULCH A two inch thick layer of mulch at the base of all your plantings is great preventative medicine for your garden. Mulch will hold moisture in, keep roots cool and protect plant material from heat and sun damage. Fresh mulch replaces soil that has settled or blown away throughout the year. A thick layer of mulch even helps keep garden weeds at bay. It is a simple duty with lasting benefits for the garden. FERTILIZE Early summer is a great time to fertilize the entire garden one last time. Citrus trees, roses, gardenias, turf, ground cover, herbs and vegetables, vines, palms, shrubs and trees all will benefit. Fertilizing is no longer a one size fits all practice. use Best Turf Supreme for the lawn. Lutz Palm Spikes for queen palms; Gro-Power palm and tropical fertilizer for all your other palm trees. Use organic fertilizers throughout the summer for all your shrubs and trees. Dr. Earth and FoxFarm organic fertilizers are both highly effective boutique fertilizers. Boutique fertilizers?? The art of gardening has become a highly evolved practice. Boutique fertilizers offer specific nutrients to meet the particular needs of specialized plant specimens: the better the food, the healthier the plant material. PRUNING One of the great misperceptions of gardening in the Desert is that there is little to be done in the summer. In fact, summer weather provides us with our longest growing season. Many homeowners end up with a ‘jungle’ at the end of the summer. Excessive pruning typically ensues and the result is a squared off, unnatural looking garden. Spring is the best time for major pruning and summer is a great time for sustained pruning; a little here, a little there. It is all about maintenance and keeping your garden looking natural. Please come in and speak with our sales staff for further information. Looking for something new to add to your garden? Something you can plant in the heat of the summer?? (Actually you can plant just about anything throughout the summer, as long as you water it properly.) We have some new entries for you at Moller’s Garden Center. Two new varieties of honeysuckle have just arrived: the solar flare and crimson flare tecoma hybrids offer rich, warm yet subtle hues of red and gold. Perhaps you are looking for something a little more ‘Desert’? Hesperaloe Brakelight is a new drought plant whose blooms are a beautiful magenta red. We have numerous old favorites to offer you as well. Gardenias do well in the summer, bloom in the early summer for those of us who enjoy the Desert all year long and offer over 10 different varieties for your shopping pleasure. Please feel free to bring in a sample of any garden problems you may be experiencing; the staff at Moller’s is here to help. #### Summer This Summer is Summer August is the half way point for us Desert folk; half the summer is behind us with half the summer to go. Gardening advice remains the same; do little but keep an eye open. June & July gave us everything summer has to offer. High, high heat with low humidity damaged a great many shrubs and trees. Plants that ‘never suffered before’ have suffered indeed this year. Some of you learned what happens when you don’t quite water deeply enough. Ficus hedges and Tipuana Tipu trees completely defoliated within days of the 122 degree highpoint. Plant material can be very forgiving when under watered during cooler months but with high heat, there is no such leniency. New growth quickly reappeared as the humidity rose. Sun damage remains visible on many other hedges and trees with no signs of recovery to date. It is unsightly but not uncommon. Carolina cherry (prunus) and pittosporum are classic examples. Plant material tends to shut down during periods of high heat, there is no new growth. This is where humidity comes in. Warm, humid days provide a great growing climate and new growth should appear soon enough. Fortunately, August and September will likely provide that humidity. Don’t prune burn damage away just yet; believe it or not, this eyesore helps to protect tender new growth and August can still get pretty hot. Pests never seem to take a break and summer is no exception. We are seeing damage on Tecoma foliage (aka yellow bells) where new growth becomes skeletonized; Leaf rollers are the culprit.  These tiny little worms wrap themselves up in the leaves as they eat.  Boring beetles and root borers (same critter/different form) attack Palo Verde from all sides. Big worms (or grubs) show up in the soil.  They eat away at the roots causing the tree to topple.  Later these grubs morph into beetles.  These beetles bore holes into tree limbs which kill off whole sections of the tree.  Cottony looking Mealy bug can infect hibiscus, pittosporum and cactus alike.  The same goes for scale which is a bit more crusty in appearance.  Over-watering is a huge contributor to both Mealy bug and Scale.  Even with water correction, you will still need to treat the pests.  The recent haboob or dust storm left its own issues to contend with.  Heavy dust on plant material invites Mites to settle in on roses most often but can infect juniper, cypress, bougainvillea, pittosporum, vinca—just about anything.  The best defense here is to keep plant material clean.  Use the blower or rinse your plants down occasionally.  Don't guess at the problem; bring us in a leaf sample to best diagnose the issue and get you on the road to recovery. On the topic of watering, our mantra remains the same. Water once-a-day and let the water run long enough to deeply soak the roots. The type of irrigation system you have dictates how long the water stays on. Check for clogged heads. Check your water times. Early in the day is best. Plant material needs to dry out between watering to ensure healthy plants. A wilting plant does not necessarily mean a thirsty plant. Plants get hot just like the rest of us. Be sure the irrigation system is in proper working order. Double check your time clock. Summer power outages can reset the clock to factory defaults which is often too much water. Give your irrigation a break when there are extended days with high humidity, this allows the soil to really dry out. Just don’t forget to turn the clock back on to its regular cycle. Fertilize with organics when the humidity sets in, great for the growing season. Keep your eyes peeled for pests. Remember Moller’s is here for you every day but Sunday through September. Continue with the lazy days of summer — at least when it comes to the garden. #### Sun-Drenched Elegance: The Ultimate Guide to Desert Planters & Hanging Bowls   Designing for Constant Heat The primary challenge for any hanging container in the desert is exposure. Unlike plants in the ground, hanging bowls are surrounded by dry air, which can lead to rapid moisture loss. To create a bowl that looks as good in August as it does in January, the foundation must be built for durability. Container Selection In an environment with high UV index ratings, your choice of pot matters. Glazed Ceramic: These are excellent for heat resistance. The thick walls insulate the root ball, and the glaze prevents moisture from evaporating through the sides of the pot. Double-Walled Plastic: Modern high-quality resins can mimic the look of stone or terracotta while providing an air pocket that protects roots from baking against the side of the container. Avoid Thin Metal: Metal containers can heat up rapidly in the desert sun, effectively "cooking" the delicate root systems of your plants. The Soil Secret Standard potting soil often becomes hydrophobic (repels water) if it dries out completely in the heat. For desert bowls, look for professional-grade mixes that include perlite for aeration and vermiculite or moisture-retaining crystals to help bridge the gaps between waterings. The Desert-Hardy Plant Palette To achieve a look that lasts year-round, your plant selection should focus on species that view 90°F (32°C) as a comfortable baseline. Plant Type Recommended Variety Best Feature Flowering Trailing Lantana Virtually indestructible and blooms year-round in the desert. Flowering Portulaca (Moss Rose) Succulent leaves that store water and vibrant, neon-colored blooms. Foliage Dichondra 'Silver Falls' Heat-tolerant silver vines that create a dramatic "waterfall" effect. Succulent Senecio 'String of Bananas' Faster growing and more heat-resilient than the classic String of Pearls. Succulent Graptopetalum (Ghost Plant) Beautiful rosette shapes that take on pinkish hues in the sun.   The "Thriller, Filler, Spiller" Formula Even in a desert-friendly bowl, the classic design principles apply to ensure a professional, balanced look: The Thriller (Centerpiece): Use a heat-loving focal point like a Desert Rose (Adenium) or a structural Agave. The Filler (Bulk): Surround your centerpiece with mounding plants like Blue Evolvulus or Vinca, which provide consistent color and density. The Spiller (Edges): Soften the edges of the bowl with cascading plants. Trailing Mezoo or Silver Ponyfoot are excellent choices that handle the desert sun without scorching. Master the Art of Irrigation In a year-round warm climate, watering isn't just about "how much," but "when." During the peak of the heat, hanging bowls may need water every single day. Morning Rituals: Always water in the early morning. This allows the plants to hydrate fully before the sun reaches its zenith. Watering in the evening can sometimes lead to fungal issues if the moisture sits in the foliage overnight, even in dry climates. Deep Soaking: Don't just spray the surface. Water until you see it running freely from the drainage holes. This ensures the entire root ball is saturated and encourages roots to grow downward rather than staying near the hot surface. The Finger Test: Even in the desert, overwatering can happen. Stick your finger an inch into the soil; if it feels damp, wait another day. Professional Craftsmanship at Moller’s Garden Center Creating a balanced, sustainable hanging bowl is a form of living art, and it requires an intimate knowledge of how different species behave in the Coachella Valley’s unique ecosystem. At Moller’s Garden Center, we have refined this process into a science. For those who want to instantly elevate their garden collection, we offer a wide variety of hand-created plant and flower bowls for sale. These are not mass-produced arrangements; each bowl is curated by our expert staff, who select the highest-quality specimens and pair them with artisanal containers designed to withstand our climate. Incorporating a Moller’s creation into your landscape provides several benefits: Instant Maturity: Our bowls are sold at their peak, giving you a lush look from day one. Proven Combinations: We only pair plants that share the same light and water requirements, ensuring the long-term health of the arrangement. Unique Artistry: Our bowls feature rare succulent varieties and unique color palettes that you won’t find in standard big-box stores. Whether you are building your own collection or looking for the perfect gift, these hand-crafted bowls serve as excellent benchmarks for what desert-friendly gardening can achieve. Maintaining the Momentum The beauty of an evergreen desert bowl is that it evolves with you. As succulents grow, they can be trimmed and the cuttings "re-homed" into new containers. As flowering annuals finish their cycles, they can be swapped for new heat-lovers without disturbing the main structure of the bowl. By choosing the right materials and respecting the power of the desert sun, your hanging arrangements can become a permanent, thriving part of your outdoor sanctuary. Visit us at Moller’s Garden Center to explore our latest hand-crafted designs and find the perfect inspiration for your next garden project. #### Supporting Coachella Valley Wildlife with Native Plantings | Moller’s Garden Center URL: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/supporting-coachella-valley-wildlife-with-native-plantings-mollers-garden-center/ #### Taming the Desert Heat: Outdoor Shade for Your Spring Patio While the world bursts back to life this spring, our patios can become a tad too toasty for comfort. But fear not, fellow desert gardener, Moller’s Garden Center has some advice for you! Here's how to transform your spring patio into an outdoor shade oasis, perfect for basking in the beauty (not the heat) of this season. How to Achieve the Right Amount of Outdoor Shade We love the sun! But not too much... While it peaks over the horizon, transforming your patio into a stunning golden glow, that warmth can quickly turn into scorching heat. Don't let your outdoor haven become unusable! We’ll teach you how to strike the perfect balance between sunshine and shade by creating some outdoor shade for your spring patio that is as delightful as it is comfortable. Keep Your Plants Shaded with: Awnings & Pergolas Awnings and pergolas are great for outdoor shade for your spring patio! Awnings, like retractable fabric ones, offer adjustable shade for parts of your garden and are perfect for on-demand shade. Pergolas, with slatted roofs, provide dappled shade for a more permanent shade spot. Choose which option is best suited for your garden's needs. Shade-loving Plants: Bird of Paradise Surprisingly, this plant here is very much shade-loving! The bird of paradise plant is a tall palm with exotic beauty. Though it won’t bloom as frequently, the long dramatic leaves are enough to add a touch of tropic paradise to your patio. Desert Plume Desert plumes do well in the shade. Its feathery plumes add a touch of whimsy and texture to the outdoor shade of your garden. Ferns There’s no better plant to add to a shaded garden than the fern! The delicate fronds of the fern add a touch of elegance to any outdoor space. Be sure to plant them in a shady, moist area, as these plants scorch under the hot sun rays! Hostas This plant is loved by many because it absolutely LOVES the outdoor shade! Not only are they easy to care for, but hostas also come in a stunning array of colors and textures, adding lush greenery to brighten up even the deepest shade. Lungwort Lungworts are a favored shade-loving perennial. Their beautiful spotted foliage comes in a variety of colors, including green, silver, and even purple! It also produces small, blue flowers in the spring. Lungwort prefers moist areas, similar to ferns. Now that you're armed with outdoor shade solutions and a vibrant selection of shade-loving plants, the only limit is your imagination! Transform your patio into a personal sanctuary, a cool and inviting space where you can soak up the spring beauty without feeling the burn. We hope you use this blog and create your own little oasis, and enjoy the best that this season has to offer! Shop Now at Moller's Garden Center and Snag Your Favorite Shade-loving Plant Today! Visit Now #### The 2012 Release of 'Bare Root' Roses are Now Available at Moller's Garden Center Mild winter weather has allowed us to release our roses weeks earlier than usual. We have 161 rose varieties, 8 are new to us this year. Sunshine Daydream is this year's AARS winner. Hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora and shrub roses await you. Enjoy big, fragrant, beautiful and long lasting blossoms from your own garden. Our rose list is available through our web-site. Feel free to reserve roses via email at flowers@mollersgarden.com. Don't forget Bayer Rose and Flower Care, Dr. Earth Rose and Flower Planting Mix and our favorite Harvest Supreme when planting your roses. Be sure to water properly. ROSES require just a little extra care. Like it or not, it is important to cut established roses back once a year. THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT, DESPITE OUR UN-WINTER LIKE WINTER! Your roses may be beautiful now but you want them to continue to be beautiful for years to come. Anytime between mid-December and mid-January is the best time to cut them back. The idea is to force the roses into dormancy. Trim them back to 1/3 their original size. Remove any 'sucker' growth and remove all their foliage. When new leaves begin to sprout, you may fertilize your roses with a liquid fertilizer or Dr. Earth. By the end of February, you should have roses to enjoy. WIND: Many of you endured landscape damage due to the recent high winds. Trees that are watered and trimmed properly are less likely to sustain damage during a heavy wind storm. Tree trimming is a necessity in the Desert and there are many schools of thought. We often see trees trimmed every two years and then shaped into interesting geometric figures. While perhaps more economical, it is the worst possible thing to prune trees so infrequently. Summer sun can be very damaging to tree bark. It is best to have large trees trimmed once a year either in the spring or fall. Spring pruning thins the trees out to prevent damage from the wind we typically enjoy at that time of year. Fall pruning opens up the tree canopy to allow light to reach lawn and flowers below. It is a personal preference. April/May and September/early October are the best months for tree trimming in the Desert. Palm trees should be trimmed just after the bloom has sprouted, generally in the month of June. Trim your trees annually. WATER: same as last month, decrease your watering frequency -- two to three times a week through the colder winter months. Remember the water has to be on long enough to saturate the roots, then off long enough for the roots to dry out. Become friends with your time clock and don't let your gardener reset it without telling you. FERTILIZER: fertilizing during winter months is a little different. We don't want to get too technical on you but we do need you to know that liquid fertilizers work best in the colder months. They break down better than the granular fertilizers when the weather is cold. Think of them as instant vitamins. Apply Foxfarm products or good old Miracle Gro. Don't be fooled by our mild "WINTER". We are just as likely to endure cold weather in February and March as not. Stay the course on irrigating, fertilizing and pests in the garden. BIRDS: We have so many different varieties in the Desert to enjoy. Hummingbirds, quail and doves, finch of varying colors, roadrunners, hawks and mockingbirds are all plentiful in our desert landscape. Winter brings duck and geese from up north. Amateur bird enthusiasts will find many options to entice these various birds to the yard. From "Finch Socks" to hummingbird feeders and plain old bird seed - visit our birding section to determine which bird guests you want to invite to your yard. If you find you have unwanted bird visitors, we have something to deter them as well. GARDEN EXTRAS: Trim back your grasses such as muhlengergia, stipa and pennisetum to promote new green growth in the spring. Be sure to dead head your flowers. Geranium and snap dragons in particular should be snipped to promote new flowers. Prune your stone fruit trees. We have just received new pieces for your Mike Cone ceramics collection! The gift shop has new items arriving to spruce up your home after the holidays! Don't forget your Valentine on February 14th. We celebrate on a Tuesday this year. February Pipeline: The Geometry of shrubs Serious fertilizing for the spring garden. Drench for garden pests, grubs and assorted borers. Powdery Mildew Pre-emergent #### The 2013 Rose Season Has Arrived 20% off all roses the entire month of January The 2013 Rose Season has arrived at Moller's Garden Center, Inc. Our 'home grown' roses are stocked and ready for sale with many, many more to come. All roses are 20% off through the month of January. Moller's Newsletter customers will also enjoy a 5% discount on Gardner & Bloome Rose and Flower Planting Mix and Dr. Earth's Rose and Flower Fertilizer through the end of the month. If you want to do a little homework first, you can find the 2013 rose list available on our web-site atwww.mollersgardencenter.com. The roses are listed alphabetically with color and fragrance descriptions provided. COLD WEATHER IS PERFECT ROSE PLANTING WEATHER!! #### The 2015 Rose List is Here! 2015 Rose List The official Moller's Garden Center Rose List for 2015 is here. We have several new additions this year, including the beautifully fragrant Neil Diamond and the crisp white Icecap. If you're interested in Rose Trees, jump to the list of 24" trees or 36" trees. There's something for everyone! Rose List Legend P = Patended NP = Non-patented FL = Florabundia HT = Hybrid Tea Rose GR = Grandaflora CL = Clumber SH = Shrub Red indicates NEW roses for 2015 ROSE LIST 2015 COLOR FRAGRANCE ABOUT FACE - P - GR APRICOT/BROWN LIGHT ABOVE ALL- P - CL SALMON/ORANGE MODERATE ADOBE SUNRISE - P - FL SALMON/ORANGE NONE ALL AMERICAN MAGIC - P - GR RED/YEL/PINK/CR LIGHT ALWAYS & FOREVER - P - HT MED RED LIGHT ANNA'S PROMISE - P - GR TAN/PINK/BRONZE MODERATE BARBRA STREISAND - P - HT LAVENDER BLUE STRONG BELLA ROMA - P - HT YELLOW/PINK EDGE STRONG BEST KEPT SECRET - P WHITE/PINK STRONG BEWITCHED - NP - HT LIGHT PINK STRONG BIG MOMMA - P - HT MED/LIGHT PINK STRONG BLACK BACCARA - P - HT DEEP RED LIGHT BLUE GIRL - NP - HT LILAC LIGHT BRANDY - NP - HT DEEP APRICOT MODERATE BRILLIANT PINK ICEBERG - P - FL PINK BLEND LIGHT BRONZE STAR - P - HT APRICOT STRONG BURGUNDY ICEBERG - P - FL PLUM/WHITE LIGHT CALIFORNIA DREAMIN - P - HT WHITE/PINK STRONG CH-CHING - P - GR LEMON YELLOW STRONG CHICAGO PEACE - NP - HT COPPER/PINK LIGHT CINNAMON DOLCE - P - HT BRICK RED/PINK STRONG CHERRY PARFAIT - P - GR WHITE/RED LIGHT CHRIS EVERT - P - HT ORANGE BLEND MODERATE CHRYSLER IMPERIAL - NP - HT CRIMSON RED STRONG COLORIFIC - P - FL SALMON BLEND MODERATE CORETTA SCOTT KING - P - GR WHITE/CORAL MODERATE CREDCENDO - P - HT PINK/WHITE STRONG CRIMSON BOUQUET - P - GR RED NONE DARK NIGHT - P - HT DARK BLACK RED LIGHT DICK CLARK - P - GR CREAM/CHERRY PK MODERATE DORIS DAY - P - FL YELLOW MODERATE DOUBLE DELIGHT - NP - HT CREAM/RED STRONG DREAM COME TRUE - P - GR YELLOW/RUBY MODERATE EASY DOES IT - P - FL ORANGEY/APRICOT MODERATE EASY GOING - P - FL YELLOW MODERATE EDEN CLIMBER - NP - CL WHITE/PINK SLIGHT ELECTRON - NP - HT SHOCKING PINK MODERATE ELIZABETH TAYLOR - NP - HT DEEP PINK LIGHT ELLE - P - HT PINK BLEND STRONG FALLING IN LOVE - P - HT PINK/CREAM STRONG FIRE AND ICE - NP - HT RED/WHITE LIGHT FIREFIGHTER - NP - HT VELVET RED STRONG FIRST PRIZE - NP - HT PINK MODERATE FRAGRANT CLOUD - NP - HT CORAL/RED/ORANG STRONG FRAGRANT PLUM - NP - GR LAVENDER BLEND STRONG FRANCIS MEILLAND - P - HT LIGHT PINK STRONG FULL SAIL - P - HT WHITE STRONG GEMINI - P - HT CREAM/RED LIGHT GENTLE GIANT - P - HT PINK BLEND MODERATE GINGERSNAP - NP - FL YELLOW/ORANGE MODERATE GOLD MEDAL - NP - GR GOLD/ORANGE MODERATE GOOD AS GOLD - P - HT OR/YELLOW/RED MODERATE GRANDE DAME - P - HT SUPER ROSE PINK STRONG GREEN ROMANTICA - P - HT GREEN HUES LIGHT HAPPY GO LUCKY - P - GR PURE YELLOW MODERATE HEART O' GOLD - P - GR YELLOW BLEND STRONG HEIRLOOM - NP - HT LILAC/PURPLE STRONG HENRY FONDA - P - HT YELLOW LIGHT HOME AND FAMILY - P - HT WHITE MODERATE HONOR - NP - HT WHITE LIGHT HOTEL CALIFORNIA - NP - HT YELLOW LIGHT ICEBERG - NP - FL ICE WHITE LIGHT ICEBERG CL - NP - CL ICE WHITE LIGHT ICECAP - P - SH WHITE NONE IN THE MOOD - P - HT VIVID TRUE RED MODERATE JANICE KELLOG - NP - FL DEEP BURGUNDY LIGHT JOHN F. KENNEDY - NP - HT WHITE MODERATE JUMP FOR JOY - P - FL PEACHY/PINK MODERATE JUST JOEY - NP - HT APRICOT STRONG KETCHUP & MUSTARD - P - FL RED/YELLOW MODERATE KOKO LOKO - P - FL LT COCOA/LAVEND MODERATE KNOCK OUT - P - SH CHERRY RED/PINK LIGHT KNOCK OUT DOUBLE - P - SH CHERRY RED LIGHT KNOCK OUT SUNNY - P - SH YELLOW LIGHT LASTING LOVE - NP - HT RED BLEND STRONG LEGENDS - P - HT RUBY RED MODERATE LEONIDAS - P - HT BROWN/CREAM SLIGHT LET FREEDOM RING - P - HT STRAWBERRY RED LIGHT LIVIN' EASY - P - FL CLEAR APRICOT MODERATE LOOK-A-LIKE APPLE DAPPLE - P - SH PURE WHITE NONE LOOK A LIKES HYDRANGEALICIOUS - P - SH RED W/WHITE NONE LOOK A LIKES BOUGAINFEEL - P - SH DARK RED NONE LOVE & PEACE - P - HT YELLOW/PINK LIGHT LOVE SONG - P - HT LAVENDER MODERATE LOVE'S PROMISE - P - GR VELVET RED STRONG MARDI GRAS - P - FL YEL/OR/PINK MODERATE MARILYN MONROE - P - HT APRICOT BLEND MODERATE MELLOW YELLOW - P - HT DEEP YELLOW MODERATE MELODY PARFUMEE - P - GR PLUM STRONG MEMORIAL DAY - P - HT MEDIUM PINK STRONG MIDAS TOUCH - P - HT YELLOW MODERATE MISS AMERICAN BEAUTY - NP- HT HOT PINK STRONG MISTER LINCOLN - NP - HT MEDIUM RED STRONG MOONSTONE - P - HT WHITE BLEND MODERATE NEIL DIAMOND PINK/WHITE STRONG NEPTUNE - P - HT LAVENDER BLEND STRONG NEW ZEALAND - P - HT SOFT PINK STRONG OCTOBERFEST - P - GR ORANGE BLEND MODERATE OH MY! - P - FL VELVET RED MODERATE OKLAHOMA - NP - HT DARK RED STRONG OLYMPIAD - NP - HT RED LIGHT OPENING NIGHT - P - HT BRIGHT RED LIGHT OREGOLD - NP - HT YELLOW BLEND LIGHT OVER THE MOON - P - HT WARM APRICOT MODERATE PARADISE - NP - HT LAVENDER MODERATE PARADISE FOUND - P - HT LT PINK/DK PINK STRONG PARIS YVES ST. LAURENT - P - HT SALMON PINK LIGHT PASCALI - NP - HT WHITE LIGHT PEACE - NP - HT YELLOW BLEND LIGHT PEACHY KEEN - P - SH PINK/YELLOW NONE PERFECT MOMENT - P - HT OR/YELLOW LIGHT PERFUME DELIGHT - NP - HT PINK STRONG PETER MAYLE - P - HT DEEP PINK STRONG PINK FLAMINGO - P GR PINK NONE PINK PEACE - NP - HT DEEP PINK STRONG PINK PROMISE - P - HT PINK/CREAM BLEND MODERATE POPE JOHN PAUL II - P - HT WHITE STRONG PRETTY IN PINK EDEN - P - CL DEEP PINK LIGHT PRINCESS DE MONACO - NP - HT IVORY/CERISE MODERATE PUMPKIN PATCH - P - FL CARAMEL ORANGE MODERATE PURPLE SPLASH CL - P - CL WINE & WHITE MODERATE QUEEN ELIZABETH - NP - GR PINK MODERATE QUEEN MARY 2 - P - HT WHITE STRONG RADIANT PERFUME - P - GR YELLOW STRONG RIO SAMBA - P - HT YELLOW LIGHT ROCK & ROLL - P - GR BURGANDY/CREAM STRONG ROYAL AMETHYST - NP - HT MED LAVENDER STRONG SCENTIMENTAL - P - FL RED/WHITE STRONG SECRET - P - HT PINK BLEND STRONG SECRET'S OUT! - P - HT WHITE STRONG SEDONA - P - HT PINK/WHITE STRONG SPANISH SUNSET - P - FL BRIGHT ORANGE NONE SPARKLE & SHINE - P - FL YELLOW MODERATE ST PATRICK - P - HT YELLOW BLEND LIGHT STAINLESS STEEL - P - HT LIGHT LAVENDER STRONG STERLING SILVER - NP - HT SILVER LAVENDER STRONG STORMY WEATHER CL - P PURPLE/MAGENTA MODERATE STRIKE IT RICH - P - GR GOLD YELLOW STRONG SWEET SURRENDER - NP - HT PINK STRONG TAHITIAN TREASURE - P - GR SALMON PINK SLIGHT TEQUILA - P - SH ORANGE NONE TEQUILA GOLD SH - P - SH GOLDEN YELLOW NONE TEQUILA SUPREME - P - SH COPPER NONE TOUCH OF CLASS - NP - HT CORAL PINK LIGHT TROPICANA - NP - HT CORAL MODERATE THRIVE! - P - SH DARK RED NONE TWILIGHT ZONE - P - GR DEEP PURPLE STRONG VETERANS HONOR - P - HT BRIGHT RED LIGHT WE SALUTE YOU - P - HT ORANGE/PINK MODERATE WHITE LICORICE - P - FL LEMON CREAM STRONG WHITE MAJESTY - P - HT STRIKING WHITE LIGHT WHITE OUT SH - P - SH WHITE LIGHT 24" Rose Trees COLOR FRAGRANCE ICEBERG - NP - FL ICE WHITE LIGHT KETCHUP & MUSTARD - P - FL RED/YELLOW MODERATE 36" Rose Trees COLOR FRAGRANCE BRANDY - NP - HT DEEP APRICOT MODERATE CH-CHING - P - GR LEMON YELLOW STRONG CORETTA SCOTT KING - P - GR WHITE/CORAL MODERATE DICK CLARK - P - GR CREAM/CHERRY PK MODERATE DOUBLE DELIGHT - NP - HT CREAM/RED STRONG EASY DOES IT - P - FL ORANGEY/APRICOT MODERATE FIREFIGHTER - NP - HT VELVET RED STRONG GOOD AS GOLD - P - HT OR/YELLOW/RED MODERATE HAPPY GO LUCKY - P - GR PURE YELLOW MODERATE ICEBERG - NP - FL ICE WHITE LIGHT IN THE MOOD - P - HT VIVID TRUE RED MODERATE JUST JOEY - NP - HT APRICOT STRONG LOVE SONG - P - HT LAVENDER MODERATE MISTER LINCOLN - NP - HT MEDIUM RED STRONG NEIL DIAMOND PINK/WHITE STRONG ROCK & ROLL - P - GR BURGANDY/CREAM STRONG SPARKLE & SHINE - P - FL YELLOW MODERATE ST PATRICK - P - HT YELLOW BLEND LIGHT #### The Benefits of Fall Planting: Tips and Techniques for Your Desert Garden As temperatures cool and the days shorten, desert regions like Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona reveal their ideal conditions for nurturing new growth. Let's explore why fall is the perfect season to embark on your fall planting experience. Autumn Bliss: Fall Planting in the Desert While summer's intense heat might seem like an inhospitable time for gardening, fall brings a welcome respite to desert regions. This season offers a unique window of opportunity for fall planting, as the days begin to shorten and the temperatures cool down. Why Fall is the Ideal Time to Plant in the Desert? Mild Temperatures: The cooler temperatures of fall are more conducive to plant growth and establishment. The heat stress that can be detrimental to plants during the summer is significantly reduced. Reduced Water Needs: As the days become shorter, the intensity of the sun decreases, leading to lower evaporation rates. This means that newly planted plants require less frequent watering. Avoiding Summer Pests: Many pests and diseases are less active during the fall, reducing the risk of damage to newly planted plants.   Tips and Techniques for Fall Planting in the Desert: Choose Drought-Tolerant Plants: Opt for plants that are well-suited to the desert climate, such as succulents, cacti, and native plants. Prepare the Soil: Ensure the soil is well-draining by amending it with organic matter like compost. This is essential for fall planting. Proper Watering: Water deeply, but infrequently to encourage healthy root development. Use a drip irrigation system to minimize water waste. Mulch: Apply a layer of mulch around your plants to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and protect against temperature fluctuations. Fertilize: Consider fertilizing your garden to provide essential nutrients for growth. Protect from Frost: If frost is a concern in your area, consider covering your plants with frost blankets or row covers.   By embracing the unique opportunities that fall planting may offer, you can create a vibrant and resilient desert garden that will thrive for years to come. Remember, with a little planning and care, your fall garden will not only enhance the beauty of your outdoor space but also contribute to a healthier and more sustainable environment. Ready for some fall planting magic? Visit Moller’s Garden Center for all your garden needs and treasures.   Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### The Benefits of Native Plants in Commercial and Residential Landscaping Let's dive into the wonders and benefits of incorporating native plants in commercial and residential landscapes, just like the ones offered at Moller's Garden Center! We cater to both sides of the industry, with a commercial nursery stocked for landscape professionals and a residential nursery overflowing with options for homeowners. Plus, learn all about the advantages of native plants such as reduced maintenance prices, better climate adaptations, and supportiveness for local wildlife. The Benefits of Native Plants in Landscaping These plants offer a charming and sustainable solution for both commercial and residential landscapes as they are adapted to thrive in our local climate. They also require less water, fertilizer, and maintenance compared to their non-native counterparts. You’ll not only save on costs but you’ll also reduce your environmental footprint, making native plants a wise choice for any landscaping project. Benefits Local Wildlife- By opting for native plants, you support local ecosystems and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. Native flora plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and protecting the natural heritage of our region. These plants are an essential habitat and sustenance for local wildlife, including birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. By incorporating them into your landscape, you contribute to a thriving ecosystem right in your own backyard. Reduced Maintenance Costs- Choosing native flora can significantly reduce maintenance demands, freeing up your time and resources. These hardy plants are naturally resilient and require less pruning, mowing, and overall upkeep. They’re well-suited to local soil and weather conditions, reducing the need for excessive watering, fertilizers, and pesticides. This not only saves money but also helps conserve water and minimize chemical runoff, promoting a healthier environment. Beautiful Colors- Often native plants boast a variety of vibrant colors, unique textures, and captivating fragrances that can enhance the aesthetic glow of any landscape. This creates a sense of peace and harmony with the surrounding environment. Their unique beauty and adaptability make them a valuable addition to both commercial and residential settings, adding visual interest and sensory appeal to your landscape. No matter if you're designing a residential garden or a captivating commercial space, they’ll offer endless design possibilities. Moller's Garden Center is your trusted partner in sustainable landscaping, offering a wide variety of native plants for both commercial and residential applications. Visit our nursery today and let our knowledgeable staff guide you in selecting the perfect native plants to transform your outdoor space into a thriving, eco-friendly oasis! Find Native Plants for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### The Citrus Alternative: the Desert Offers Many Options Moller’s May Sale is coming!! Join us at Moller’s Garden Center on Sunday May 1st for the start of our annual May Sale. Gift and garden accessories available at 40% off. The sale lasts for the entire month but come early for the really good stuff!! Sale begins at 8 am. Choose carefully, all sales are final. The citrus alternative: the desert offers many options for growing fruit. You know citrus trees do well but did you know you may also grow peaches, apples, plums, grapes, even figs here in the desert? Tropic Snow peach is absolutely delicious with a sweet, delicate flavor. Anna apples are a refreshingly tart start to summer. These trees and shrubs offer beautiful blossoms in the spring; the fruits ripen in the early summer. Visit Moller’s for a full list of options. Pests are a fact of gardening and pests include a whole lot more than flying bugs! At Moller’s you will find products to fend off larger pests such as geese, snakes, rabbits, and feral cats. Spring brings aphids; don’t fret! Bayer Rose and Flower spray will deter aphids without doing damage to your plants. Aphids are fickle, they can appear overnight and disappear the next day all on their own. Powdery mildew on roses Powdery mildew on roses, (the dusty mess that appears on the leaves) remains a challenge with our continued cool, spring nights. Continue with the monthly application of Rose RX 3in1. Don’t forget the DR EARTH specialized organic fertilizer for almost everything in your garden. Use SPIKES for the palm trees. Stay the course with every other day watering. Not your mother’s periwinkle! We are approaching the time to change out the winter color. For years, the only option for summer color we had in the desert was the periwinkle (or vinca)-purple and white. The range of colors available has exploded. Peppermint cooler, peach melba, Tahitian apricot, pacifica orange, cobra purple and first kiss blueberry!!! They are as exotic as they sound. Not a vinca person? You will find a full color palette at Moller’s. Look for: bidens pentas coreopsis celosia cuphea salvia scabiosa gaillardia zinnia african daisies angelonia arctotis marigold gaura evolvulous verbena Sounds Greek to you? Take a stroll through the bedding plant area to plot your summer garden. Don’t forget that herbs do well all through the summer as well!! Keep on gardening; it is good for the soul! #### The Moller’s Experience: More Than a Garden Center   A destination to explore, unwind, and get inspired in the heart of Palm Desert There’s something magical about the moment you arrive at Moller’s Garden Center. Nestled against the rugged mountains of Palm Desert, this sprawling property stretches across more than an acre of walkable beauty—an oasis where color explodes, creativity thrives, and inspiration waits around every corner. It’s not just a place to shop. It’s a destination, a vibe, and a little escape from the rush of everyday life. And if you’re lucky, you may even spot a herd of bighorn sheep grazing along the hillside or catch a glimpse of desert wildlife making a surprise appearance. It’s just part of the charm.   A Stroll That Feels Like a Mini Adventure Wander the outdoor grounds beneath the desert sun, surrounded by towering palms, cacti, and citrus trees. Explore winding pathways lined with pottery in every shape and shade, pops of seasonal color, and the soothing sound of running water from statement fountains. The light shifts. The breeze changes. And suddenly, it’s not just shopping—it’s an experience. With outdoor sculptures staged like an open-air gallery and curated displays that spark instant creativity, every step invites you to imagine something new.   A Creative Playground for Every Style Inside, you’ll find more than you ever expected—indoor and outdoor décor, premium pottery and planters, unique home accents, garden supplies, and pieces you won’t find anywhere else. Need a show-stopping fountain? A desert-ready palm? A piece of art that transforms a patio into an oasis? This is the place. And for moments that matter, the Flower Shop brings artistry to life with handcrafted arrangements for celebrations, milestones, and everyday “just because” beauty. Meanwhile, the Gift Shop is a treasure trove of curated finds—seasonal gifts, candles, textiles, and décor you’ll want to take home immediately (and probably should).   Where the Community Comes to Breathe Ask any longtime local and they’ll tell you—Moller’s is more than a garden center. It’s a place people come to reset, recharge, and reconnect. Friends meet up to wander the aisles. Families stroll with coffee in hand. New homeowners dream up outdoor spaces. Snowbirds plan seasonal transformations. And everyone leaves feeling lighter than when they walked in. There’s something grounding about being surrounded by beauty and open space—about choosing plants in the sunlight rather than scrolling online.   A Family Legacy Rooted in Palm Desert Locally owned since 1973, Moller’s has grown up with the Coachella Valley. It’s woven into the landscape, the community, and the culture. After more than 50 years, it remains a place that feels familiar even if it’s your first time visiting—warm, personal, and proudly independent. This is a business built on passion, creativity, and genuine care—not just transactions. That’s why customers return again and again.   A Destination Worth the Drive Whether you’re designing a backyard oasis, hunting for a standout decorative piece, shopping for gifts, picking up a custom floral arrangement, or simply taking yourself on a feel-good stroll, there’s no wrong way to enjoy Moller’s. Come curious. Leave inspired. Because at the end of the day, Moller’s is:A place to slow down.A place to discover something new.A place where creativity lives outdoors and indoors, side by side with nature. And trust us—you’ll feel different walking out than you did walking in.In the best possible way. #### The Ultimate Guide to Building a Resilient Desert Landscape Designing a beautiful yard in the Coachella Valley isn’t just about looks—it’s about survival. The desert’s blazing summers, low humidity, and occasional gusty winds make it essential to choose the right plants, layout, and care strategies. A resilient landscape doesn’t just survive these challenges—it thrives. At Moller’s Garden Center, we’ve been helping homeowners craft landscapes that work with the desert environment for over 40 years. If you’re ready to create a yard that’s low-maintenance, sustainable, and stunning all year long, here’s what you need to know.   Start with Smart Landscape Design A resilient desert landscape begins with a solid plan. Before planting, evaluate your space for: Sun Exposure – Note where the hottest afternoon sun hits versus shadier spots. Wind Patterns – Consider adding windbreaks like hardy shrubs or fencing to protect plants from drying gusts. Drainage – Avoid low spots that can collect water during rare rains, which can damage desert-adapted plants. Using this information, you can strategically place plants where they’ll naturally thrive, minimizing stress and water waste.   Build Shade and Structure Shade isn’t just for comfort—it’s a critical part of protecting plants and soil. Incorporate: Shade Trees – Varieties like desert willow, mesquite, and palo verde provide cooling benefits and reduce evaporation. Layered Planting – Combine taller trees, medium shrubs, and groundcovers to create microclimates where more delicate plants can thrive. Structures – Shade sails, pergolas, or trellises can provide relief for patios and vulnerable plants while adding visual appeal.   Choose Hardy, Desert-Friendly Plants Selecting plants that naturally tolerate heat, drought, and poor soils will save you time, water, and frustration. Some favorites include: Agave, Aloe, and Cacti – Low-maintenance, sculptural, and ideal for focal points. Flowering Desert Perennials – Plants like lantana, salvia, and Mexican bird of paradise add vibrant color with minimal upkeep. Native Shrubs and Trees – These establish deep roots, resist pests, and handle extreme temperatures. At Moller’s Garden Center, we stock a wide selection of desert-hardy plants perfect for every layer of your landscape.   Improve and Protect Your Soil Healthy soil is the backbone of a resilient landscape. Desert soils can be sandy and quick draining, so amend planting areas with organic matter to hold moisture and boost nutrients. Adding 2–3 inches of mulch around plant bases will: Help regulate soil temperature Reduce evaporation Suppress weeds For container gardens, use potting soil blends designed for water retention, and consider soil conditioners to keep roots healthy.   Group Plants by Water Needs Hydrozoning—placing plants with similar water requirements together—makes irrigation more efficient and prevents over- or under-watering. Use drip irrigation to target the root zones, and adjust your schedule by season: Summer – Check systems frequently and consider a cooling afternoon cycle during heat waves. Cooler Months – Gradually reduce watering as temperatures drop to avoid waste and root rot.   Add Finishing Touches Resilient landscapes can still be eye-catching and inviting. Rock features, desert-friendly groundcovers, and accent plants like agave or yucca can create a polished, professional look. Hardscaping elements like stone walkways and patios reduce the need for turf and add structure to your yard.   Make Your Desert Landscape Thrive Year-Round Creating a resilient landscape isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing it right. With smart design, tough plants, and efficient watering practices, you can enjoy a yard that thrives in the Coachella Valley’s unique climate while staying sustainable and low maintenance. Ready to transform your outdoor space? Visit us at Moller’s Garden Center in Palm Desert. Our expert team can help you select the perfect plants, soil amendments, and supplies to build a landscape that lasts.   Make Your Desert Landscape Thrive Year-Round Creating a resilient landscape isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing it right. With smart design, tough plants, and efficient watering practices, you can enjoy a yard that thrives in the Coachella Valley’s unique climate while staying sustainable and low maintenance. Ready to transform your outdoor space? Visit us at Moller’s Garden Center in Palm Desert. Our expert team can help you select the perfect plants, soil amendments, and supplies to build a landscape that lasts. Visit the Moller's Garden Center #### The Ultimate Treasure Map: Navigating the Moller’s Annual May Sale Like a Pro   1. The Nursery & Pottery: Indoor/Outdoor Vibes First stop: The visual feast. Our nursery and pottery areas are divided to help you find exactly what fits your environment. The Pottery Fields: We have dedicated areas for both indoor and outdoor planters. If you’re looking for those massive, statement-making glazed pots for your patio, head to the outdoor rows. If you need something chic and breathable for your fiddle leaf fig, the indoor section has the delicate ceramics you crave. Pro-Tip: Check the "staging" areas. Our team loves to pair plants with pots to show off what’s possible. If you see a combo that stops you in your tracks, that’s your sign to take it home. 2. The Fountain & Decor Area: Sound and Vision Nothing transforms a desert garden faster than the sound of running water. Our outdoor fountain and decor section is a sanctuary in itself. What to Look For: From tiered classical fountains to modern, minimalist water features, this area is where you find the "soul" of your garden. The Detail Work: Don't overlook the garden art. Statuary, metalwork, and architectural pieces are often the hidden gems of the May sale. These are the items that give your yard a curated, high-end look. 3. The Garden Shop: The "Everything" Hub Before you get lost in the beauty of the blooms, make a pit stop at the Garden Shop. This is the engine room of a successful garden. The Essentials: We’re talking high-quality gloves that actually fit, ergonomic tools that won't give you blisters, and our specifically curated seeds and soils. Why Buy Now: The Annual May Sale is the perfect time to stock up on the "boring but necessary" stuff. Grab that extra bag of specialty cactus mix or a fresh pair of Japanese steel shears while the energy is high and the shelves are stocked. 4. The Gift Shop: A Global Treasure Hunt If you haven't stepped inside the Moller’s Gift Shop, are you living your best desert life? This isn't your average "souvenir" stand; it’s an eclectic boutique filled with hand-picked items from around the world. The Search: Look for artisanal candles, unique home fragrance, tabletop decor, and one-of-a-kind jewelry. The Strategy: The Gift Shop is the best place to find "the gift for the person who has everything." During the May sale, it’s a great opportunity to snag high-design items that make your indoor space feel as curated as your outdoor garden. Pro-Tips for Slaying the Sale To get the absolute most out of your visit, keep these three "insider" rules in mind: Work from the Outside In: Start in the Nursery and Fountain areas while the morning is cool. Save the air-conditioned Gift Shop and Garden Shop for your final "cool down" lap. Look Low and High: Some of our most unique pottery and garden art is tucked into the corners of the displays. Don't just look at eye level—the "treasure" is often found when you peek under a bench or look up at the rafters. Ask the Experts: Our staff knows the inventory better than anyone. If you have a specific "vibe" in mind—say, Mid-Century Modern Mediterranean—ask us! We can point you toward the specific global find in the Gift Shop or the exact planter in the nursery to nail the look. Your Desert Sanctuary Awaits The Annual May Sale at Moller’s isn't just about the deals—it’s about the discovery. It’s about finding that one fountain that changes the energy of your patio or that hand-crafted vase from across the globe that becomes a conversation starter in your living room. We’ve spent all year curating the best the world has to offer, and we can’t wait to see what you discover. Swing by, say hi, and let’s make this May your garden's best month yet. #### Time to Prepare Your Garden for Summer May has arrived. This is typically the time of year to ready the garden for the summer season. What exactly does this mean? FIRST, watch the weather; when daytime temperatures consistently rise to 90/95 degrees and above, it’s time to water every day—but just ONE TIME A DAY in the cool of the day (between 5am and 8am) and run water long enough to reach the deepest roots. SECOND, check your irrigation. Sprinklers are a never ending chore….especially the new drip heads. They are in constant need of tweaking and adjusting. We have hard water in our Desert, water high in mineral content. These minerals continuously clog irrigation heads of all kinds which makes consistent monitoring important. Remember you and your gardeners are a team. If you find a malfunctioning irrigation head, bring it to your gardener’s attention. Keep a few irrigation flags on hand to mark the faulty heads. THIRD, April through mid-June is the perfect time to pull out the pruners and get after new growth spouted in February and March. Properly pruned plant material uses less water. Trimming at this time of year sets the tone for summer growth. How do you want your garden to grow? Yes it takes a little more time and money to trim both spring and fall but keeping the garden in check year round will prevent the drastic pruning so prevalent in our Desert at the end of every summer. Be sure pruners are clean and sharp. FOURTH, fertilizer and mulch; note, these are two different things. Mulch tucks your plants in for the summer. A thick layer of mulch in planter beds holds moisture in the soil, helps keep pests away and weeds at bay. Fertilizer is simply food for the plant. Regular feeding promotes healthy growth and healthy roots. Both are important in the month of May. Many seasonal homeowners leave during the warmer months. For those of you who stay in the Desert there are a few additional things to look out for. (And if you are not here, it is important there be someone to look after your garden while you are away.) May extends a welcome mat to unwanted insects in numerous different plants, succulents and cacti. Look for funny looking weeds and bugs amongst your flowers, trees and shrubs. You’ve read about the culprits in past newsletters….white fly, mealy bug, aphids, thrip, citrus loopers and leaf miner are but a few of the unwanted guests we see as the weather warms up. Not all insect invasions are negative; the leaf cutter bee does some cosmetic damage to foliage but no real harm to the plant. The bees are simply gathering material to nest. We always like to suggest you bring us in leaf samples so we get the right elixir for the ailment. Proper use of insecticides and herbicides is crucial to healthy gardens and healthy gardeners alike. Planting season continues through mid-June. The key is proper irrigation, by mid-May we are typically watering every day. Daily temperatures set the rule. It’s typically better to water too little than too much. Established plants can be very forgiving, new plantings not so much. They will require daily water until the roots set. Moller's will be open 7 days a week through the end of May. Our final Sunday of the season will be Sunday, May 29. We will be closed on Monday, May 30 to celebrate Memorial Day. Our summer hours for the Nursery begin on Tuesday, May 31. The Flower Shop will close for the summer beginning Saturday, June 4. SUMMER HOURS BEGIN TUESDAY, MAY 31 Nursery M-F 7am-4pm Sat 7am-3pm Sun Closed Flower Shop June 3 last of the season closed for the summer #### Tips on How to Successfully Maintain a Hummingbird Feeder From what to feed these beautiful birds & where to buy your supplies, we’ll cover a few tips on how to become a successful hummingbird feeder! Consider Adding a Hummingbird Feeder to Your Garden Having a hummingbird feeder in your garden not only adds a fun touch of color and unique accessories to your garden but also allows these wonderful birds to visit your feeder as you watch them fly around right before your eyes!   How to Start Your Feeder the Right Way… Sanitizing and Setting Up Your Hummingbird Feeder Be sure to properly wash and sanitize your feeder before setting it up. We don’t recommend using dish soap to clean feeders, as it could leave harmful residue. You can use white vinegar and water solution to soak and clean the feeder. Then, let the feeder air dry. Besides that, setting up your hummingbird feeder is simple, just make sure to follow any instructions that may come with it! Hummingbird Food You don’t necessarily need to buy nectar solutions because it’s possible to make your own in a cheaper and more accessible way. All you need is 5 cups of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Contrary to popular belief, do not add food coloring to the mix. It’s harmful and adds no nutritional value. Also avoid using brown sugar, honey, molasses, and other sweeteners, as these ingredients can harm hummingbirds! Boil your water and remove from heat once boiled, then simply add your 1 cup of granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Allow your solution to cool completely before adding it to your hummingbird feeder. Tada! Keeping Annoying Bugs Away Keeping ants and other bugs far away from your feeder saves time and annoyance. Simply hang it up and add a bit of vegetable oil to the entire string, creating a slippery surface so that ants cannot crawl on and into the hummingbird feeder. Weekly Cleaning Maintaining a good habit of cleaning your feeder is very important. You should be emptying and cleaning your hummingbird feeder every 2 or more weeks. If your solution has gotten cloudy, we recommend changing it with a fresher sugar-water mixture. Be sure to stay on top of adding oil to the string, to keep ants away! Supplies Where should you get your hummingbird feeder supplies? Check out our garden shop selection at the Moller's Garden Center! We have tons of amazing feeders and handbooks for anyone wanting to learn this new hobby. Along with other beautiful accessory additions to add to your garden. In Conclusion... Having a hummingbird feeder in your garden adds a beautiful touch of decor to your garden bed. The Moller’s Garden Center has a great selection of unique feeders and handbooks on birds to get you started! That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### Top 7 Houseplants for Beginners Every home, no matter the size or style can be made better with the addition of a few Houseplants. For beginners, it’s best to look for hardy and low-maintenance varieties that aren’t too sensitive to routine water schedules and fluctuations in soil quality. In this post, we’re focusing on the top 7 houseplants for beginners, which are sure to make a great addition to your home, no matter the time of year! Houseplants for Beginners Succulents By far one of the easiest plants to take care of is the Succulent! These beautiful plants have a large variety of colors and shapes from the Echeveria’s rosette, to the Sedum Burrito’s jelly bean-like leaves! Make sure not to overwater these drought tolerant plants, they store water in their leaves and/or stems! Planting them outdoors or even on a sunny windowsill will surely do the trick. Potting these plants in well draining soil is a MUST. Even though they are easy to care for, without the correct potting mix, watering them could easily kill them if the soil is too thick. Cactus mix is perfect, it should be grainy and loose enough so the plant doesn't sit in constant moisture. These plants thrive best in sunny climates. 4-6 hours a day of bright sunlight is recommended. Another thing about Succulents is that they are generally pest resistant!   Peace Lily Peace Lilies require little maintenance, but unlike Succulents, the Peace Lily is not drought tolerant, more of the opposite. They love moist, but not soaked soil with good drainage! Peat-based potting mix with sand or perlite is ideal for this plant. The soil should be light. Watering your lily should happen about once per week, or whenever the top soil is dry. Bright indirect light is a good option for Peace Lilies since their leaves are so thin, they burn pretty easily! Misting your lily daily will surely help it thrive, they love high humidity as it intimates their natural home, the forest floor. You should trim any unhealthy brown leaves as it takes energy away from the plant, pruning back these leaves can redirect its focus on newer healthier leaves and even blooms! Wiping the leaves with a soft towel or t-shirt will keep your little beauty shiny and clean! Although the Peace Lily is an amazing plant, it is toxic to dogs and cats. So while they are great houseplants for beginners, be cautious of this plant's spot in your home! Snake Plant Another one of the easiest plants to care for is the Snake Plant! Generally, the hardest plant to kill most people say. These plants tolerate just about any level of light, from high to low. They are not very picky, but grow faster in brighter areas of the home. If you struggle with consistent watering, the Snake Plant is the one for you! It can be neglected for weeks at a time, so don't be afraid to let the soil dry out. They prefer warmer weather, and will suffer if temperatures are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Potting soil needs to be loose and well draining, sandier soil and cactus mix would be perfect for this plant. Monstera Adansonii “Swiss Cheese Plant” The Monstera Adansonii, also known as the “Swiss Cheese Plant” is a fairly easy plant to care for. Loving bright and indirect light. It grows best in warm conditions and thrives in high humidity levels. If you don't have a humidifier, you can always spray the plant with water in a spray bottle. Be careful not to let temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, since the plant's growing process could stop completely! Peat-based potting soil with perlite is recommended for this viney plant, retains moisture but isn't soaked. Monstera Adansonii loves moist soil, so water the plant every 5-7 days, or whenever the top inch of soil is dry. It’s a climber! So be sure to prune back its leaves when it overgrows its living space, and don't throw those cuttings out! Put those back in the soil and they’ll eventually take roots and you'll have a bushier plant. Heartleaf Philodendron The Heartleaf Philodendron is another trailing plant. That's popular among households. Its nickname is The Sweetheart Plant, seeing that it has cute heart-shaped leaves. They do come in different shapes, colors, and sizes! This plant loves humidity, so mist it lightly daily. Though, it does tolerate dry air. It loves moist soil, so water every 5-7 days, or whenever the top of the soil is about an inch dry. The Heartleaf Philodendron is sensitive to temperatures below 55 degrees, so keep away from drafty areas to keep it warm. Providing bright, indirect light is best for this plant. They tolerate low shady areas, but giving it some sun here and there will surely help it thrive! Avoid direct sunlight, it can scorch the leaves. They do best in moist soil but make sure the soil is well-draining. Soil should include peat moss, perlite, and sand for it to be light and airy. Heartleaf philodendrons should be kept out of reach since they can be toxic to both dogs and cats. Zz Plant An easy plant to care for is the Zz Plant, very low maintenance and can go anywhere from a week to two weeks without water. They are drought tolerant, you don't have to worry about inconsistent watering! A good watering every two weeks will be fine. They prefer bright, indirect sunlight, but can thrive in many different light conditions. This plant is not very picky with soil mixtures. As long as it is well-draining soil, your plant will do just fine. Avoid direct sunlight, it can scorch the leaves of this plant. They can't be in drafty spots, any lower than 45 degrees Fahrenheit might kill the plant. These plants have a natural shine on the leaves. If the leaves look dusty, softly wipe away any debris with a damp washcloth. If ingested, these plants can be harmful to humans and pets. Dieffenbachia Last, but not least on our list of top houseplants for beginners, is the Dieffenbachia, coming in a variety of colors, from dark green, light green, white, and creme, which requires very little attention. This beautiful plant is considered a fast-growing plant and can get pretty bushy. Loves high humidity, mist daily, or if you have a humidifier, place it near the plant for automatic misting throughout the day. This plant does well in corners of the home, though it shouldn't be in direct sunlight because of its thin leaves. Indirect sunlight is best for this plant to thrive. Not very picky when it comes to soil mixtures, but a well draining soil with high amounts of peat moss and some perlite will do the trick. Watering should only happen when the top of the soil is completely dry two inches deep. They prefer warmer weather, so keep away from drafty areas of the home. It’s also highly toxic to dogs, cats and humans. Ready to Purchase a Few Houseplants for Your Home? Stop by Moller's Garden Center to find a few low-maintenance houseplants. Our staff is ready to answer your questions and offer suggestions on which plant varieties will work best in your home and for your busy schedule! #### Water Frequency BE SURE you have cut your water frequency back. Two to three times a week is ample water for most gardens at this time of year. Remember you are changing the frequency of water time, not the amount of time the water is on. #### Water With Purpose water   WATER !   W A T E R!! It is thee hot topic on television and in the newspapers these days.  Appropriate water application has been the central topic of Moller's newsletters for several years now.  If you have been following our general water instructions, it will be difficult to cut down on your water use any further and still maintain the health of you plant material.  (Turf, grass, lawns and seasonal flowerbeds not included.)  Our suggested watering methods are meant to ensure proper irrigation to allow for healthy growth and established plant material.  Well rooted plants require less water than shallow rooted plants because deep roots do not dry out as quickly.  MAKE YOUR WATER TIME COUNT! Just a few bullet point reminders for your summer watering. water in the cool of the day; do not water at night (sundown to midnight) water application should be enough to fully saturate plant material roots remember that water is measured in gallons, not time. skip a day’s watering when temperatures drop or humidity rises A word about night watering; in theory, it is a good idea --- in theory.  The thought is water does not evaporate as quickly if you water at night.  ‘Night watering’ generally refers to application from sundown to midnight.  The problem is plant material is at rest when the sun is down and does not use water at night.  Plants need the sun as part of the whole photosynthesis thing.  Night watering leaves your tree and shrub roots sitting in water which can lead to root rot during cooler months.  Soil density and gravity forces the water to percolate through the soil before the plant has the opportunity to effectively absorb the water.  This drought is serious business and we take it seriously at Moller's.  We also take the health of your garden seriously.  Proper water use is key to sustaining healthy trees and shrubs.  Weakened plant material falls prey to insects and disease.  Our goal is to provide valid information to allow you to make informed decisions when it comes to watering your garden. IT IS CRUCIAL TO WATER WITH PURPOSE May Day Gardening Tips This is the time of year many of you are putting your gardens to rest for the summer.  Others are changing out summer color to enjoy the quieter time of year in the Desert.  Either way, we offer a few ideas to ready the garden so it stays healthy through the next several months. check your irrigation system to be sure everything is working properly be sure the backup battery in your time clock is up to date fertilize; we like DR EARTH products lay down a thick layer of mulch throughout the garden to hold moisture in; this can also help prevent invasion of weeds; we like HARVEST SUPREME prune your shrubs and trees for shape; this will give them the summer to grow so the fall pruning can be a little less aggressive; properly pruned plants use less water than overgrown plant material Ants in your Plants Have you been noticing ants in your potted plants?  In bedding areas?  Shrub planters?  On tree trunks headed up the tree?  The assumption is the ants are eating plants but in reality they are feasting on the bounties of other pests already in residence.  Ants are secondary pests when mealy bug, scale and aphids - among others -  are present.  Treatment is twofold.  First, determine which host pest has taken up residence and invite them to leave immediately.  It is important to correctly identify, then treat for the host.  Pesticides are not a one size fits all business.  Once the primary pest has been eradicated, the ants should move on.  Ants can be controlled by applying AMDRO Fire Ant Bait.  Please follow all application instructions carefully. White Fly Plague Last year Palm Springs caught the brunt of the white fly infestation.  The plague is making its way east and we are now finding white fly in Palm Desert and Indian Wells.  There is a certain strain particularly fond of the ficus tree—a very well represented plant used throughout the Coachella Valley. You will see white fly like insects flee from ficus foliage when the tree is disturbed.  The insect eventually causes the tree to defoliate.  White fly is a very resilient pest and one we really need to stay on top of.  Treatment is simple enough.  Spray the affected plant material with BAYER ADVANCED COMPLETE INSECT KILLER, being sure to follow instructions carefully.  The problem may require several applications.  If you continue to see fly activity after a few applications, change the spray formula to MALATHION.  Repeat multiple applications, following instructions carefully. In tandem with the spray, soak the tree with BONIDE TREE & SHRUB INSECT CONTROL.  This kills from the inside out.  This one-two punch is an effective deterrent to the very tenacious white fly! We thank you for another great season this year.  As always, we appreciate your business.  We are here all summer to help with any questions or concerns.  There is still plenty of planting time left before the real summer heat hits. Just THREE Sundays left before our summer hours begin.  We wish you all the best in your summer adventures. #### We are Officially in Winter Mode in the Desert We’ve already experienced our first frost of the season. There isn’t much gardening to do when it is cold. FIRST: CUT BACK ON WATER. Just two or three times a week is plenty of water, depending on where you are in the Valley. Established container gardens need water every 4-5 days. If you have newly planted material, give the roots a few weeks to become established and then cut the water back. Too much water through the winter can cause real problems with root rot as plants tend to go ‘dormant’ with no new growth. One final word about winter water: we repeatedly ask you to water early in the day; however; it’s not a bad idea to water a little later in the morning through the winter months. Run off water can cause icy walkways. Water on tender foliage can cause further frost damage. Watering a little later in the morning as temperatures rise will avoid these problems. What is FROST? Put simply, frost occurs when ice crystals form on solid surfaces as the temperature drops below freezing. Lawns, flowers, sidewalks--frost can affect any ‘hard’ surface unprotected from overhangs, shrubs and trees above. Vulnerable frost tender plants should be covered with a frost blanket which shields against potential damage of frost. If your plants have already sustained damage DO NOT FEAR. Continue to cover your plants through the cold weather. As you know, our warm days can green up frost damaged plants in no time. It’s never too late for a bougainvillea!! Do not remove frost damaged foliage as it will protect the lower and newer growth. Fertilizing During The Winter Liquid fertilizers are the way to go. Powder and granular fertilizers become ineffective when watering is less frequent. Liquid and water soluble fertilizers such as Foxfarm ‘Gro Big’, ‘Flower ‘N Bloom’ and the old-time favorite ‘Miracle Gro’ are all great fertilizer options to keep the flowers blooming through the cold season. This is a GREAT exercise to force new growth on frost damaged foliage. Winter and Orchids Many of you come to us from other parts of the country and have a program for watering your orchids that works back home. You may find your watering schedule to be problematic in the Desert. Our climate provides a series of extremes not native to the average orchid plant. Extreme heat, cold and very dry air can be counterbalanced by simply ignoring your tropical treasures. We find orchids thrive through winter with little or no water. The more you water, the faster an orchid will bloom out. We suggest MONTHLY water through the winter; less if your orchid is in an area with low light. Don't worry about humidity, the orchid is adaptable. Scrooge abounds when it is time to water your blooming beauties; use a very light hand when you water to be determined by the number or orchids and size of your container. Ice cubes are great as long as you avoid contact with orchid foliage. Be certain the water drains to the roots and does not get soaked up by decorative moss. A turkey baster or ¼ cup measuring cup are great watering tools as they disperse small amounts of water. Just a few tablespoons per orchid ought to do the trick. Houseplants need a little more attention, but not much. We keep our homes cooler through the winter -- even with the heat on. The winter watering rule of thumb remains the same; cut down on the water. Too much water can cause root rot in houseplants as well. Continue your weekly water routine but lower the amount of water just a bit. Avoid fertilizing your houseplants through the winter. Roses 2012 Roses are arriving soon at Moller’s Garden Center and will be ready for release sometime in January. Target date is always dependent on weather! Please visitwww.mollersgardencenter.com for the 2012 ROSE LIST. Feel free to email your requests to flowers@mgc.bz. Don’t forget to include your name and phone number Click here to view Rose List  Christmas is just around  the corner!! Poinsettias of red, pink and white welcome you to the Nursery. Don’t forget to visit the Flower Shop for all your fresh Christmas greens, ornaments and centerpiece needs. We have wreathes ready to go and great ideas for the DIY decorators as well. Lots of great gift ideas await you in the garden and gift shops. #### What to Expect During Your First Plant Nursery Trip Why shop all over for the right plant nursery when you can find everything you need at Moller’s Garden Center? Getting Your Trip Started at Moller’s Garden Center Your trip to Moller’s Garden Center will be an amazing experience! Our nursery consists of stunning plants & flowers, along with decorative pots, and other gardening essentials to get you started! Though visiting your first plant nursery can be an overwhelming experience for some people, especially if the nursery is a large greenhouse, our staff members are always happy to help you with your gardening needs, just stop by the front desk and ask! A tip we recommend beforehand would be making a list of the plants you’re looking for as this is a very helpful way to eliminate the stress of your nursery trip.   What To Expect at Our Nursery Top Quality Plants Moller’s Garden Center provides healthy, disease-free plants & flowers for our customers. We love plants and we only sell the best quality! We make sure to stock the healthiest, and best-looking plants because our customers deserve the best. A Vast Majority to Choose From Why shop all over, when you can stop by Moller’s Garden Center right at the heart of Palm Desert? We pride ourselves in selling the largest selection of plant & flower specimens in the Coachella Valley, from houseplants, cactus varieties, shrubs, citrus trees & so much more! Pots, Accessories, & More We also have decorative pots, gardening gear, informative garden-related books, and other accessories! We made sure to offer these add-ons for customers to buy at our Garden Gift Shop, so their new plants can also have cute pots to go home in! Friendly & Helpful Staff Members We like to say our staff at Moller’s Garden Center is the key to our success; many have been with us for more than ten years. They are reliable, kind, and quick to help a customer in need. Our goal is to provide the best customer service possible! In Conclusion... Make visiting plant nurseries easier by bringing a simple list of all the plants, tools, & other things you’re looking for. Moller’s Garden Center is the perfect place for shopping for plants and tools! Our staff is quick to help a customer in need, so be sure to stop by today! Take a virtual tour at: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/about/tour-our-nursery/ Flower Shop opens again in September! That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful. Hopefully from reading this you can keep your plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you. #### Winter Gardening in the Desert Happy New Year.  It has been a COLD winter so far with gentle rains promised for the winter and spring to come.  What does that mean for the garden? FIRST:  LESS WATER. Twice weekly irrigation is the most effective water schedule for your garden at this time of year. When daytime temps drop to 50 & 60 degrees, watering once or twice a week is plenty. This remains true for bedding plants, vines and shrubs. It is cold…your plants aren't doing anything at the moment. They're not using any energy, so they don't need any energy. Don't tease your plants with just a taste, water long enough to fully saturate the entire root ball. Take the time to ensure your irrigation system is working properly— don't mix drip & adjustable irrigation heads on one line. This is one of the most common mistakes we see landscape and garden technicians make. Help 'em out, check it out. Always water with purpose. SECOND:  NO TRIMMING OR PRUNING. Most local gardens have suffered some frost damage.  It is a rite of passage during winter, even in our Desert.  Leave the foliage alone.  Better yet cover those tender, damaged plants with Freeze Cloth to further protect new growth.  Keep them covered for several days if need be, freeze cloth breathes and will not damage plant material the way plastic or bed sheets might. THIRD:  PRE-EMERGE.  Pre E WHAT? January and February are prime months for pre-treating to prevent tenacious weeds from invading the garden once the weather warms up. Granular herbicides applied now will prevent spring germination. Use BONIDE DURATURF CRABGRASS & WEED PREVENTER or AMAZE GRASS & WEED PREVENTER for your lawns and ornamental beds. Ornamental beds are otherwise called flower beds or planter beds. Most pests go dormant during cold weather. You may continue to see signs of the pests right now so bring us a leaf sample and we will get you armed with the right defense when these pests return— and they will return. Use liquid fertilizers such as Miracle Gro or Foxfarm during colder weather. FOURTH:  ROSES.  Each year, we comb through our wholesale growers rose selections to choose roses best suited for the Desert. Not all roses are meant to grow in our area, this being the single biggest issue when creating a successful rose garden in the Desert. Heat tolerance and disease resistance reign supreme. Size matters in the rose world, we look for large, fragrant blooms whose colors do not fade as the buds open. Our 2016 'bare root' roses are almost ready for release. Why 'bare root'? At Moller's, we plant actual bare root roses, starting them in biodegradable pots using enriched soil to ensure you have good luck when the roses make it to your garden. Just plant the rose - pot and all - in the ground and watch them grow! planting them in biodegradable pots using enriched soil to ensure you have good luck when the roses  make it to your garden.  Just plant the rose - pot and all - in the ground and watch them grow! Click here for this year's rose selections.  Email us at flowers@mollersgarden.com to reserve your roses now. We are open 7 days a week to answer any and all questions you may have. #### Winter Gardening Tips: How to Manage Your Winter Garden As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, your garden may seem dormant. However, winter is not a time to neglect your outdoor space. With a little care and attention, you can ensure your winter garden emerges vibrant and healthy in the spring. Let Moller’s Garden Center be your guide through the chill of winter weather. Prepare Your Winter Garden for the Coming Chill… In this guide, we'll explore essential winter gardening tips to help you protect your plants, prepare your soil, and plan for the upcoming season. From pruning roses to choosing the right fertilizers, we've got you covered. Here are some tips to help you protect your plants and ensure a successful winter garden: Prune Your Roses Timing is Key: Mid-December to mid-January is the ideal time to give your roses a winter haircut. The Cut: Trim them back to about a third of their original size, removing all old foliage. Watering Routine: Don't reduce your watering schedule. Stick to your regular 2-3 times a week. Fertilizing: Once you notice new growth, give your roses a boost with some fertilizer.   Protect Delicate Plants Frost Protection: Keeping a frost cloth handy in your winter garden can shield tender plants like impatiens and bougainvillea from sudden frost. Monitor Temperatures: Be vigilant, especially between November and February, when unexpected frosts can occur.   Check Your Irrigation System Regular Inspection: Regularly check your irrigation system to ensure all heads are functioning correctly. Adjust Watering Schedule: As temperatures drop, reduce your watering frequency. Cooler days mean less evaporation, so adjust your schedule accordingly.   Choosing the Right Fertilizer Liquid and Water-Soluble: Opt for liquid and water-soluble fertilizers during the colder months for your winter garden. Less Frequent Watering: Powder and granular fertilizers may not be as effective when watering less frequently.   By following these simple tips, you can ensure your garden remains healthy and beautiful, even during the harshest winter months. Remember, a little care and attention now can lead to a vibrant and flourishing garden in the spring. Have any specific questions about your winter garden? Our experts at Moller's Garden Center are here to help! Find More for Your Garden at Moller’s Garden Center! #### Winter Gardening, Desert Style   What Winter Really Looks Like in the Coachella Valley Desert winter is mild, but it’s sneaky. Days feel perfect, nights can dip fast, and dry air paired with the occasional windstorm can stress plants before you realize it. Growth slows, water needs drop, and protection suddenly matters more than pushing growth. This is the season where thoughtful care beats overdoing it. If your garden feels “off” in winter, it’s usually not because it needs more—it’s because it needs different. Frost Happens—Be Ready, Not Reactive Yes, even in Palm Desert. Frost doesn’t show up often, but when it does, it can do real damage to citrus, succulents, tropical plants, and anything tender. The move here isn’t panic—it’s preparation. Frost cloth is your best friend. It traps warmth without suffocating plants and works far better than plastic or improvised covers. Put it on before sunset, take it off once temps rise, and you’re good. Pro tip: soil that isn’t bone-dry holds heat better, so watering earlier in the day before a cold night can actually help protect roots. Winter Watering: Less Is the Flex This is the season where most plants get overwatered—usually with the best intentions. Cooler temperatures mean slower growth and way less evaporation. That means shrubs, trees, and desert plants often need water only every 10 to 14 days, sometimes even less. If leaves look tired or roots start struggling in winter, excess water is usually the culprit. Pulling back now prevents disease, rot, and nutrient loss later. Winter is also prime time to check irrigation systems, fix leaks, and make adjustments without melting in the process. Winter Is Planting Season (Yes, Really) This is where desert gardening flips the script. Winter is peak season for cool-weather vegetables like lettuce, kale, broccoli, carrots, and herbs. They grow cleaner, taste better, and don’t bolt under pressure like they do in summer. Want color? Winter annuals absolutely show off right now. Think pansies, snapdragons, violas, and alyssum—low effort, high payoff. Citrus trees also love being planted in winter. Roots establish comfortably, stress stays low, and by the time summer hits, they’re ready. Powdery Mildew, Meet Your Match Cool mornings and winter humidity are prime conditions for powdery mildew, especially on roses, squash, and certain ornamentals. Neem oil is a go-to organic solution when temperatures are cooler. It keeps mildew in check without burning plants or throwing off your garden’s balance. Winter pests don’t disappear—they just move quieter. Aphids, whiteflies, and snails still show up, so quick action now saves bigger headaches later. Feed the Soil, Not the Frenzy Winter feeding should support roots, not force growth. Slow-release fertilizers, compost, and soil conditioners improve structure and nutrient availability without pushing plants into overdrive. Citrus, roses, and shrubs especially benefit from a gentle winter boost. Think of winter as groundwork season. What you do now determines how easy spring will be. Local Advice Makes All the Difference Desert gardens aren’t one-size-fits-all. Sun exposure, wind, soil type, and microclimates change everything—even from one yard to the next. That’s why Moller's Garden Center focuses on real-world, desert-specific guidance. Whether you’re picking frost cloth, dialing back irrigation, planting winter color, or troubleshooting something that “just doesn’t look right,” having local expertise saves time, money, and frustration. Winter is your window. Use it well, and your garden will show up strong when spring rolls in.   #### Winter Irrigation Reduce irrigation frequency and set your time clock to come on a little later in the morning to avoid icy walkways. ### Pages #### About URL: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/about/ #### About Mollers URL: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/about/about-mollers/ #### ADA Compliance URL: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/ada-compliance/ #### Blog Articles URL: https://www.mollersgardencenter.com/blog-articles/ #### Cart Your cart is currently empty. Return to shop #### Cart You may be interested in… Your cart is currently empty! 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