Dan West Garden Center

January 2008 Newsletter©

Pecans, Roses…

and January chores

Welcome back class. I hope ya’ll had a great holiday season and you’re looking forward to a great new year of gardening. As I write this, it’s 13° outside and a forecast of 70° in 4-5 days…don’t you love Memphis weather! It’s cold, but we’ve had some rain lately, the soil is moist, the duration of cold is short, so I don’t expect much damage from this round of cold.

The important thing to remember, with cold weather approaching, is to water your plants. Most plants don’t absorb water when the soil temperature drops below 45°, so it’s important that they not be water-stressed going into a prolonged cold spell. Pay particular attention to new plants that don’t have roots into your surrounding soil yet. They can be easily dessicated and killed by prolonged cold and wind.

Covering your bedding plants with ice, once the cold spell has begun, helps protect plants from the drying wind. Marginal plants (like the older gardenia varieties) can be covered with sheets (not plastic) for some wind protection through long cold periods. You can run a few strands of Christmas lights under the sheets for some additional heat.

Plastic should not be used for plant protection. Frost forms quickly at night on plastic which can damage flowers and buds and then it must be removed during the day to prevent heat buildup which would cause the buds to swell and be easily damaged. Even on a cold, clear, windy day, our greenhouses get quite balmy and have to be opened to release some heat. The same thing happens to a plastic covered plant.

The record low for Memphis was -13° on December 24^th, 1963. The lowest January temperature was -4° and the lowest February temperature was -11°. If it gets that cold and stays below freezing for a few days…your gardenia, and lots of other plants, will be top or totally killed and there’s not much you can do to prevent it except have them moist going into the freeze. But if it does get that cold, the good news is …Dan West will have a REALLY good Spring!

Now let’s talk about pecans. First, let’s get the pronounciation out of the way. Karla (one of our perennial experts) is from some place well northeast of here and she calls them “pea´-cans”. I (and dang near everybody I know) call them “puh-cahns´”. I think the latter is correct because they don’t even grow where she comes from. But regardless of how you say it, they make really good pies.

Pecans get quite large (50’-60’ tall and equally as wide) and need to be planted where there’s no interferance from other trees to get the best harvest.. Plant two trees if possible, one from each category below, for even better production. My choice…Candy and Desirable. One is a small, excellent quality nut that produces at a very young age and ripens early and the other is a larger, later maturing nut.

Candy - Excellent quality. Kernels are golden in color, smooth textured with wide dorsal grooves. About 66 nuts per pound. Heavy producer, bears at 5 years, ripens early.

Cheyenne - Light cream color kernels, 48 nuts per lb., smaller tree, ripens after Stuart.

Choctaw - Cream colored kernels with darker veins. Heavy producer, large nuts, about 37 per pound.

Desirable - Golden kernels, rough shell. Consistent high quality nuts due in part to self thinning. Ripens just after Stuart. Large nuts, about 38 per pound.

Elliott - Golden kernels, small nuts, about 67 per lb., slow to produce, but kernels are excellent quality.

Mahan - Parent of most new pecans. Long, thin shelled nut, often not full to the end. Tends to produce heavier crops every other year.

Oconee - Similar to Desirable, about 48 nuts per lb.

Pawnee - Good flavor, golden kernel. Matures early, 44 nuts per pound. Some tendency to biennial bearing.

Stuart - Light brown kernels, most often planted variety. Produces at about 7 years, around 51 nuts per pound. Matures late.

For best production, plant two trees, one from each column below.

Protogynous varieties	Protandrous varieties
Candy	Pawnee
Stuart	Desirable
Choctaw	Cheyenne
Elliott	Oconee

Mahan can be planted with either column.

PROTOGYNOUS: Releases pollen after their stigma have become receptive.

PROTANDROUS: Releases pollen before their pistillate flowers are receptive.

We now have a soil applied systemic insecticide that gives full season protection for pecans (also labeled for apples, pears and all ornamental trees and shrubs). Best applied in December – February, Imidacloprid will control pecan phylloxera (the little round galls you see on the leaves and stems later on), aphids, borers, scales and many other insects. As the new growth starts, the chemical moves out into the foliage. It’s applied as a soil drench right next to the trunk and takes about ½ gallon of product for a mature tree.

Got black kernals on an existing tree? That’s called rosette. It’s not a disease, it’s a zinc deficientcy. It causes black kernals and the new foliage to compress into a rosette shape, thus the name. Apply zinc sulfate around the root zone every 2-3 years to prevent it.

Here’s a list of January chores you should be tending to…weather permiting, of course.

Liriope (monkey grass) should be trimmed to the ground. Crape myrtles should be pruned. Roses should be sprayed with lime sulfur (and Cloud Cover if you haven’t already). Christmas lights should be taken down (that’s for a neighbor). Check your houseplants for insects.

Here’s the 2008 rose list from Dan West. We’ll start potting Jackson & Perkins roses around January 28^th, Weeks roses about a week later. There’s more info after the list!

2008 ALL AMERICAN ROSE SELECTIONS
$19.98	DREAM COME TRUE (GR)*	2008 AARS Winner, clear yellow, ruby red edges, very disease resistant, mild tea fragrance.
$19.98	MARDI GRAS (FL)*	2008 AARS Winner, flamboyant pink and yellow flowers that intensify with maturity, light fragrance.

2008 JACKSON & PERKINS ROSE OF THE YEAR
$19.98	LOVESTRUCK (FL)	2008 JP Rose of the Year, hot pink brushed cream petals, soft white reverse, light spicy fragrance.

BUSH ROSES
(FL) = Floribunda (GC) = Ground Cover (GR) = Grandiflora (HT) = Hybrid Tea (OF) = Old Fashioned (Shr) = Shrub Rose (M) = Miniature
$16.98	APERITIF (HT)	Long lasting, sunny yellow blossoms on long stems, easy to grow.
$19.98	APRIL IN PARIS (HT)	Classic seashell buds, pale dawn pink edged in soft pink, cuts well, intense tea fragrance.
$19.98	AROMATHERAPY (HT)	Perfect pink, long lasting, one of the most fragrant roses ever.
$16.98	BARBARA BUSH (HT)	Lovely coral & ivory blend, tall vigorous bush, slightly fragrant.
$19.98	BELOVED (HT)	Ideal cutting rose with thick, velvety red petals, disease resistant.
$16.98	BILL WARRINER (FL)	Salmon coral, compact, vigorous, disease resistant.
$19.98	BLACK CHERRY (FL)	2006 JP Floribunda of the Year, cherry red petals edged in velvety black, damask scent.
$19.98	BLACK MAGIC (HT)	Vivid dark red, cuts well, highly mildew resistant, subtle sweet fragrance.
$16.98	BRANDY (HT)*	1982 AARS, rich golden apricot, fragrant.
$16.98	BRIDE'S DREAM (HT)	Profuse bloomer, long pastel pink buds, long low-thorned stems, disease resistant.
$19.98	BRILLIANT PINK ICEBERG (FL)	Cerise pink & cream blend, heavy bloom producer.
$19.98	BURGUNDY ICEBERG (FL)	Purple-red burgundy with a cream reverse, constant bloomer, nearly thorn less.
$16.98	CENTURY TWO (HT)	Large pointed buds, long stem, rapid rebloom, good disease resistance, sweet rose scent.
$19.98	CHANGE OF HEART (HT)	Ruffled pastel pink buds with lighter reverse, very fragrant.
$16.98	CHRYSLER IMPERIAL (HT)	Very large brilliant red flowers, extremely fragrant.
$19.98	CRIMSON BOUQUET (GR)	Vivid garnet red, exceptional bud, dark green foliage, light sweet fragrance.
$16.98	CRYSTALLINE (HT)	Classic white with moderate fragrance, heat tolerant.
$19.98	DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES (HT)	Portion of each purchase goes to charity. Ivory overlaid with clear pink blush.
$16.98	DOLLY PARTON (HT)	Orange red, full figured buds, powerful perfume.
$16.98	DOUBLE DELIGHT (HT)*	1977 AARS. Creamy white bud with ruby tips, fragrant.
$19.98	DREAM COME TRUE (GR)*	2008 AARS Winner, clear yellow, ruby red edges, very disease resistant, mild tea fragrance.
$16.98	EASY GOING (FL)	Golden peachy yellow, bright green foliage, vigorous and disease resistant.
$19.98	ELLE (HT)	Shell pink with yellow, more compact than most tea roses, strong citrus and spice fragrance.
$19.98	FALLING IN LOVE (HT)	Large warm pastel pink with white reverse, strong rose and fruit scent.
$16.98	FRAGRANT CLOUD (HT)*	Bright coral red, fragrant.
$16.98	FRAGRANT PLUM (GR)	Lavender, purple blush, long stems, strong fruity scent.
$19.98	FRAGRANT WAVE (FL)	New for 2008, large clusters of showy white flowers, spicy tea fragrance.
$19.98	FRANKLY SCARLET (FL)	New for 2008, unique light red, prolific bloomer, spicy, peppery fragrance.
$16.98	GEMINI (HT)*	Exceptional hybrid tea, luscious coral-on-cream, excellent flower form.
$19.98	GENTLE GIANT (HT)	Monstrous vibrant pink buds and blossoms with an inner glow of golden yellow, long stems.
$16.98	GOLD MEDAL (GR)*	Deep yellow flowers edged in orange-red, very hardy plant, light spicy fragrance.
$16.98	GRANADA (HT)	1964 AARS, orange, yellow and red blend, fragrant.
$16.98	HOT COCOA (FL)*	2003 AARS, chocolaty orange to dark red blooms, deep orange reverse, disease resistant.
$16.98	ICEBERG (FL)*	One of the top 10 roses in the world, pointed buds, crisp white flowers, disease resistant.
$16.98	INGRID BERGMAN (HT)*	Dark red, full double blooms, velvety texture, handles heat well, sweet fragrance.
$16.98	JOHN F. KENNEDY (HT)	Presidential white.
$19.98	JULIA CHILD (FL)*	2006 AARS, loved by Julia for it's butter gold color, licorice scent and great disease resistance.
$16.98	JUST JOEY (HT)	Rich apricot, intoxicating fragrance.
$19.98	LET FREEDOM RING (HT)	Red flowers of impeccable form, great vase life.
$16.98	LIVIN EASY (FL)	1996 AARS, apricot orange, moderate fragrance, vigorous bloomer, disease resistant.
$19.98	LOVESTRUCK (FL)	2008 JP Rose of the Year, hot pink brushed cream petals, soft white reverse, light spicy fragrance.
$19.98	MARDI GRAS (FL)*	2008 AARS Winner, flamboyant pink and yellow flowers that intensify with maturity, light fragrance.
$16.98	MEDALLION (HT)*	1973 AARS, peach to soft apricot.
$19.98	MELODY PARFUMEE (GR)	Deep plum buds open to rich lavender, mature to silver, heavy sweet/spicy fragrance.
$16.98	MEMORIAL DAY (HT)*	2004 AARS, enormous old fashioned blooms in orchid pink, super strong rose fragrance.
$16.98	MIDAS TOUCH (HT)*	1994 AARS, bright yellow blossoms, consistent bloomer, moderate fragrance.
$16.98	MISTER LINCOLN (HT)*	1965 AARS, deep velvety red, fragrant.
$19.98	MOONDANCE (FL)	2007 AARS Winner/ Floribunda of the Year, large white flowers, raspberry fragrance, mildew resistant.
$19.98	MOON SHADOW (HT)	Dusky lavender, more silver than purple, strong antique rose fragrance.
$16.98	MOONSTONE (HT)	White, finely edged with pink, huge blooms, great for cutting.
$16.98	NEPTUNE (HT)	Big lavender blossoms edged lightly in purple, powerful sweet scent, vigorous.
$16.98	OKLAHOMA (HT)	Velvety black-red petals, strong rose fragrance, large leaves.
$16.98	OLYMPIAD (HT)*	Abundant brilliant red blooms, hardy.
$16.98	OPENING NIGHT (HT)	1998 AARS, true bright red, large double blooms, long stems, slight fragrance.
$16.98	PASCALI (HT)	Outstanding (if not the best) white, disease resistant, slight tea fragrance.
$16.98	PEACE (HT)*	1946 AARS, yellow blend.
$19.98	POPE JOHN PAUL II (HT)	2007 Introduction, white.
$16.98	PRISTINE (HT)	White with pink tinge.
$16.98	QUEEN ELIZABETH (GR)*	1955 AARS, orchid pink buds.
$16.98	RADIANT PERFUME (GR)	Lemony scent, JP's most fragrant yellow rose, large, long-stemmed blooms.
$16.98	RIO SAMBA (HT)*	Gold with blushes of red, light fragrance, strong and vigorous.
$16.98	ST. PATRICK (HT)*	1996 AARS, yellow gold shaded green, slight fragrance, a yellow that likes the heat.
$19.98	SEXY REXY (FL)	Large clusters of ruffled medium pink flowers, light fruity fragrance.
$19.98	SHEER MAGIC (HT)	2007 JP Rose of the Year, big, deep coral-blushed blooms, disease resistant.
$16.98	SONIA (GR)	Soft coral pink, sweet and fruity fragrance, excellent for cutting.
$16.98	STAINLESS STEEL (HT)	Lavender, easier to care for, easier to grow and has longer lasting flowers than Sterling Silver.
$19.98	STRIKE IT RICH (GR)*	2007 AARS Winner, deep golden yellow spun with orange-pink, long elegant buds.
$16.98	SUNBRIGHT (HT)*	1984 JP Rose of the Year, deep yellow buds.
$16.98	SUNSPRITE (FL)	Bright yellow, strong fragrance.
$16.98	SWEET SURRENDER (HT)	Pink double blossoms reminiscent of cabbage roses, heavy tea rose perfume.
$19.98	TAHITIAN SUNSET (HT)*	Peachy apricot pink with yellow highlights, good disease resistance, strong licorice scent.
$16.98	TIFFANY (HT)*	1955 AARS, pink, yellow base.
$16.98	TORO (UNCLE JOE) (HT)	Ruby red, gigantic blossoms, big opulent buds.
$16.98	TOUCH OF CLASS (HT)*	1986 AARS, warm pink shaded coral and cream.
$16.98	TOURNAMENT OF ROSES (GR)	Medium pink, darker reverse, outstanding bud, no fragrance.
$16.98	TROPICANA (HT)*	1963 AARS, clear orange, fragrant.
$19.98	VETERAN'S HONOR (HT)	Long lasting deep red blooms, sales benefit a special veteran's care fund.
$19.98	VOLUPTUOUS (HT)	2005 JP Rose of the Year, beautifully shaped with satiny fuchsia petals, hardy.
$16.98	VOODOO (HT)	Deep orange, peach, yellow blend, large flowers, sweet scent.
$19.98	WHISPER (HT)*	2003 AARS, ivory blossoms, vigorous, well branching, light musk fragrance.
$19.98	WILD BLUE YONDER (GR)*	2006 AARS, ruffled red-purple with a lavender eye, strong citrus blossom and rose scent.

CLIMBING ROSES
(FL) = Floribunda (GC) = Ground Cover (GR) = Grandiflora (HT) = Hybrid Tea (OF) = Old Fashioned (Shr) = Shrub Rose (M) = Miniature
$16.98	CL. ALOHA	Medium pink, tolerates some shade, high petal count, strong green apple scent.
$16.98	CL. AMERICA*	1976 AARS, coral salmon, fragrant, repeat bloomer.
$19.98	CL CANDY LAND	Rose pink striped ivory yellow, clusters of hybrid tea shaped flowers, moderate apple scent.
$16.98	CL. DON JUAN*	Deep velvety red, fragrant, free flowering.
$19.98	CL. DREAM WEAVER	Bright coral pink flowers, summer long flowering, light antique rose scent.
$16.98	CL. HIGH SOCIETY	Huge, damask scented, uncommon dark pink hybrid tea like flowers.
$19.98	CL. JACOB'S ROBE	Blushing yellow and peach multi-color, blooms on new and old wood, moderate spicy scent.
$16.98	CL. NEW DAWN	Cameo pink, fragrant, repeat blooming, disease resistant.
$16.98	CL. SALLY HOLMES	Free flowering white, resembles hydrangea flower, disease resistant, blooms on new wood, little scent.
$16.98	CL. SOCIAL CLIMBER	Good coverage, old fashion pink flowers, sweet spicy scent.
$19.98	Cl. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN	Strong lateral growth, red blooms, good repeat bloomer, very disease resistant, light sweet scent.
$16.98	CL. WHITE DAWN*	White, heavy bloomer, disease resistant, fragrant, recurrent bloomer.

ANTIQUE ROSES
$16.98	SOUVENIR DE LA MALMAISON	Enormous soft pink flowers, compact plant to 3', strong spicy sweet fragrance.
$16.98	ZEPHIRINE DROUHIN (CLIMBER)	Famous climber, deep rose blooms all season, perfect for covering an arch or wall.

DAVID AUSTIN ENGLISH ROSES
$16.98	ABRAHAM DARBY*	Soft peachy pink with a pale yellow reverse, delicious fragrance.
$19.98	CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE	Compact, free flowering, orange-red to salmon pink blooms, heady, lemony fragrance.
$16.98	GERTRUDE JEKYLL	Large deep pink flowers, strong damask fragrance.
$16.98	GRAHAM THOMAS	Big cupped flowers of soft yellow gold, sweetly perfumed, can become very large.
$19.98	JANET	2007 introduction, peachy pink blooms with a hint of copper and yellow, strong tea fragrance.
$19.98	L.D. BRAITHWAITE	Dark crimson red, very large shrub, slight scent, intensifies as flower matures.
$19.98	PAT AUSTIN (SHR)	Amazing orange red, somewhat downward facing flowers, strong fruity fragrance.
$16.98	TAMORA (SHR)	Large apricot yellow flowers, old fashioned cupped form, strong myrrh fragrance.

SHRUB, GROUND COVER, OLD FASHION ROSES
$16.98	CAREFREE DELIGHT (SHR)	Soft pastel pink flowers, profuse bloomer, disease resistant, light sweet scent.
$19.98	CITRUS SPLASH (SHR)	Yellow and orange striped flowers, light to pink, profuse bloomer, fruity fragrance.
$29.98	DOUBLE KNOCK OUT (SHR)	Fluorescent double cherry red flowers, a real traffic stopper, orange hips in the fall.
$19.98	HAPPY CHAPPY (GC)	Unique apricot and yellow flowers, compact plant to 2', profuse flowering, light scent.
$29.98	HOME RUN (SHR)	Flame red offspring of Knock Out, just as resistant to black spot and other diseases.
$16.98	JOHN CABOT (SHR)	Double fuchsia flowers, strong sweet scent, to 6'.
$29.98	KNOCK OUT (SHR)	Fluorescent cherry red flowers, a real traffic stopper, orange hips in the fall.
$16.98	LOVELY FAIRY (SHR)	Vibrant deep pink, free flowering, disease resistant, apple scented.
$16.98	NEARLY WILD (SHR)	Single pink, profuse, season long blooms, disease resistant, sweet scent.
$29.98	PINK KNOCK OUT (SHR)*	Medium pink color, same great habit and black spot resistance as Knock Out.
$19.98	PLUM FROST (SHR)	Deep reddish purple flowers, light lavender reverse, strong lemon scent.
$29.98	RAINBOW KNOCK OUT (SHR)*	2007 AARS award winner, coral pink buds open to flowers ranging from pink to orange.
$16.98	RED FAIRY (SHR)	Double red flowers, small blooms in clusters, hardy and disease resistant, slight fragrance.
$16.98	SCARLETT MEIDILAND (SHR)	Bright red, mounding habit, disease resistant, slight fragrance.
$19.98	SNOWCONE (SHR)	Pure white blooms that flower in cone shaped, hydrangea-like clusters, vigorous.
$19.98	SPRING FEVER (GC)	Apple blossom pink, fades to white, good container plant, black spot free, light scent.
$16.98	THE FAIRY (SHR)	Pastel pink, small blooms in clusters, hardy and disease resistant, mild tea scent.
$16.98	WHITE MEIDILAND (GC)	Clusters of double white blooms, blooms spring to frost, disease resistant, can be trained upright.

Each Dan West potted rose is carefully inspected and potted. We remove damaged roots, prune out dead or damaged canes, dip the rose in an anti-desiccant and most are potted in wood fiber “plantable” pots. (Plantable is not really a word…but it should be! Like the word “tumped”. My wife says something has tumped over. I think it’s a shortened version of “turned over and dumped out”, but it’s not a real word except in the South…but she says it should be! And she is never, ever, wrong.) We’ll have over 3800 roses to choose from including over 900 in the Knock-Out series: The original Knock-Out, cherry red, Double Knock-Out, same color with twice as many petals, Pink Knock-Out, a beautiful light pink and the newest in the series the Double Pink Knock-Out, Home Run, a true deep red and Rainbow Knock-Out, pink with a yellow center.

Concerned about your Encore Azalea® leaves? Some varieties naturally bronze in the winter. Autumn Princess' leaves turn a striking deep purple, as do Autumn Amethyst's leaves. Autumn Empress, Autumn Sunset, and Autumn Sundance all don a reddish bronze color in winter, and Autumn Ruby turns purple/brown.
Changing foliage is just another way that these Encore Azalea® varieties celebrate colder temperatures -- and when warmer temperatures return, they will return to their previous gorgeous green hue.