Now that March is behind us… we can begin to feel the blessings of spring. I love April… It’s like a new beginning, and we look forward to the sun.
April is the time to prepare your vegetable gardens and flower beds with our “Bumper Crop Soil Builder,” the highest quality natural & organic-certified soil amendment. And of course, we are offering our best deal of the year, buy 3 get the 4th one free.
In late April, Dogwoods begin to bloom, my favorite flowering tree. So naturally we have a great selection… 17+ varieties you probably won’t see anywhere else. You may have heard that Dogwood trees won’t grow in full sun in the Rogue Valley. My 46 years of experience tells me otherwise. With proper planting and care you can have dogwoods in full sun. Here’s how… be sure to plant new trees with our “Bumper Crop Soil Builder” and “Bumper Crop” azalea acid plant food. The most important thing to remember is to keep the soil surface mulched or planted with low groundcovers to help keep the soil moist through the hot summer months of July, August & September. This keeps the humidity up and the root zone cooler. Dogwoods are not drought-tolerant, so summer moisture is crucial. Good drainage is also important, so plant on slopes or mounds above existing grade. For Dogwoods & Japanese Maples… I tell everyone that “It’s all about the roots, not the sun.” These are the primary Dogwood groups and their different characteristics.
Pacific Hybrid Cross (Cornus nuttallii x kousa): These are taller (20+ ft.) stately trees with extra-large white flowers in May and beautiful fall color. Eddie’s White Wonder, Venus & Starlight are common varieties.
Eastern dogwood (Cornus florida): These are native to the eastern U.S., and they are what most folks think of when they picture a dogwood tree. These grow to 15-20’ tall and have the classic rounded, four-petal flower in either pink or white and have excellent fall color. Common varieties are Cherokee Brave, Prairie Pink & Cloud Nine.
Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa): These grow to 15-20’ tall and have more of a star-shaped flower with pointed petals and offer pink and white options, as well. They bloom a bit later May – June and develop bright little red fruits in summer to fall. They shine with reddish fall color and are extremely resistant to disease and easy to grow. Scarlet Fire & Milky Way are favorites.
For a true nature fix… stop by the nursery and experience all the sights, sounds and fragrance that April has to offer… all in one place. Our family business has been providing Rogue Valley residents with trees, shrubs, house plants, garden supplies and professional customer service for over 45 years. We also provide landscape design, construction, and planting services.
We would love to share all our April favorites with you… and we’ll be glad you came.
Your friends,
Paul & Valley View Crew
