holiday

Nothing says Fall like a bed of beautiful orange and yellow marigolds. We try to plant them every fall in front of the Alameda Store for a show- stopping pop of color. By now the grower is usually out of them for the season, but this year we still have them in stock for you to plant. Marigolds also represent a Mexican holiday dating back hundreds of years. Día de los Muertos is also known as “Day of the Dead”. It is a Mexican Holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, particularly the Central and South regions, and acknowledged around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. Traditionally, families honor the deceased by visiting their graves with sugar skulls, marigolds, and their favorite food and beverages. Whether you are honoring your loved ones, or just adding that wonderful look of Fall to the yard, remember marigolds are very easy to grow and love our Fall temperatures. Plant all your Fall annuals now while we still have the day lengths to get them established. They will reward you with beautiful color all Fall and Winter.

-DeAnna

Family holidays, like Easter this Sunday, are different this year. BUT, special meals and (virtual) gatherings with family and friends are still on!

We’re offering reduced pricing on in-town delivery of gift plants for Easter weekend.

If you’d like to send a cheerful arrangement to a local loved one or decorate your space for a holiday video-chat gathering, give us a call. We’ll put something together for you and drop it off on the porch of your choice.

We love this time of year here in the garden center, and we want to make sure you get the very best out of your holiday favorites! So, we made a list of quick care tips to help you out:

Poinsettias

Place in indirect sunlight, indoors or out
Water every other day to every 3^rd day by setting in sink to soak, then drain or place 4-5 ice cubes per day in pot
Fertilize every 2 weeks with Hasta Gro
Periodically freshen up by pulling old leaves

Christmas Trees (Fresh Cut)

Avoid placing tree in draft of heater or air conditioner
Keep water reservoir filled! Tree will drink a lot at first and then slow down once the tree is hydrated

Living Christmas Trees

Limit the amount of time they are indoors – up to 2 weeks is good
Water when dry, about every 3 days depending on size of root ball
At end of season, when moving back outdoors acclimate to full sun

Christmas Cactus

Keep in indirect sunlight, indoors or out
Water when dry, about every 4-5 days
Fertilize every 2 weeks with Hasta Gro

English Ivy Topiaries

Keep in indirect sunlight, indoors or out
Water when dry, about every 7 days depending on root ball size and air humidity
Again, fertilize with Hasta Gro every few weeks
Trim as needed to shape our tuck new runners into the topiary form

Blooming Amaryllis

Keep in good indirect indoor light
Keep soil moist but not wet
Once bloom fades, trim and plant in garden, leaving center of bulb above soil level

Blooming Cyclamen

One more time…keep in good indirect indoor or outdoor light
Water when dry
Trim spent blooms to encourage new blooms
Best outdoors in pots once holiday season is over

We are so happy to report the Christmas trees are here and… BEAUTIFUL! The garden center is stocked with fresh-cut trees ranging from 5ft to 12ft, and the Gill’s crew has set up one very special Nordmann Fir measuring 22ft at The South Texas Botanical Gardens! Here’s some more info about our tree varieties this year plus a few important care tips.

FYI…

Real fresh-cut trees are sustainable and 100% recyclable. For each tree cut, 1-3 more saplings are planted. These man-made forests can consume several thousand pounds of carbon dioxide per year helping to clean our atmosphere and provide oxygen. Recycled trees can be used for building barrier sand dunes on Padre Island, creating artificial reefs in local bay waters, and chipped for garden mulch. No waste!

Tree Varieties at Gill’s

Noble Fir in traditional form plus a new look called “layered” that is super cool. Nobles are known for their long-cut life and stiff branches that hold ornaments well. Very fragrant foliage adds to their appeal for the holidays.

Nordmann Fir has a soft needle and little to no fragrance. It is a great choice for those with allergies. With excellent needle retention, they are very pretty with contrasting dark green and silver foliage.

Fraser Fir is one of the most popular trees. They are highly sought for their needle retention, tolerance to warmer climates, soft silvery foliage, and fragrance. We have seen Frasers in March look almost as good as they did in December!

We offer delivery + set-up as well as Xmas tree takeaway after the season.

2 Very Important Xmas Tree Tips:

#1 – Keep your tree in water! Our trees have had a fresh cut and have been immediately placed in water to maximize freshness. As soon as you get your tree home, get the base of the trunk in water. If you need to wait to put it on the stand, get it in a bucket of water. If you plan to give your tree a fresh cut when you get home, only cut ½” off the base, and you must get it in water within 10 mins, or the cut will seal over and not allow the tree to take up water. Keep monitoring your water level in the stand throughout the season.

#2 – Keep your tree away from heating and A/C vents (if a vent is nearby, close it). Heating and A/C will dry out the tree quickly – you don’t want that! You want to keep it as hydrated as possible.

Go See The Big Tree!

We are happy to be a part of the annual Botanical Gardens holiday light display. This year, the majestic 22ft Nordmann is about 20 to 25 years old, younger than most of the big trees the tree farm will harvest. Visit the Botanical Gardens website for more info about holiday hours.

-Debbie

November in South Texas is all about spending time outdoors and gathering with family & friends. Cool weather, crisp evenings, outdoor fires & a beautiful garden… a welcome invitation. Here are our tips to help.

Check out our November Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Spruce Up With Fall Flowers

Here’s our list of Fall/Winter flowers – tons of choices for outdoor color to redo pots & inground plantings. Flowers take a little time to grow and bloom. Plant early this month so they can be WOW for the holidays! Once they’re all planted, give them a good meal of organic Plant Tone or Hasta Gro.

2. Plant Trees and Shrubs

Now is the best time to plant cold-hardy shrubs and trees. They grow & develop a good root system for better success next Spring and Summer. They will need water & care, just not as much as during warmer seasons. Always fertilize when you plant and follow our watering instructions.

3. Last Chance to Feed Your Lawn!

Fertilize now if you have not done so this Fall. Our top choices: Medina Growin’ Green or Gill Lawn & GardenFood. Apply pre-emergent for winter weed control & treat brown spots in lawns with peat moss or Nature’s Blend Compost to help with fungus control. You can also lay new sod or overseed with winter rye grass in lawn areas that are unsightly.

4. Freshen Up Inside and Out

Time to freshen up before the guests arrive! If you have houseplants that aren’t looking their best, take them to a shady spot outside on a warm day to get some fresh air. Some fresh air + a shot of liquid Hasta Gro works wonders for houseplants. There’s plenty to do outside too: pull weeds, trim shrubs a little to shape, rake beds, then feed your plants with a good organic fertilizer such as Plant Tone or Rose Glo. Finally, add new mulch to give everything a polished look! Water once a week if we don’t get rain.

5. Fall Herbs For Holiday Cooking

Cooking without herbs would be such a waste of thyme! Sage, Rosemary, Cilantro, Parsley, Fennel, Dill, (and Thyme) are just a few herbs that thrive in our Fall & Winter months. Limited space? A sunny spot, container & a few favorite herbs is all you need. We can even pot them up for you.

With Passover starting Friday & Easter this Sunday, many will be gathering with family & friends to cook, eat, play games, and visit. Wonderful times for relaxing outside!

We’ve filled our store with beautiful blooming annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, and tubs of flowers for last minute “dress up” your garden for the holiday! Come see us this Friday & Saturday for the best of the best in gardening supplies to get your home, yard, and patio ready to greet your guests. We all wish you a very happy holiday!

… and we’ll be closed this Sunday for our time with family. Thank you!!

– Sally & James & Your Gill Landscape Nursery Team

We’ve finally had some great sunshine! So, with the time change this weekend and cooler temps, it’s the best time to get your fall and winter flowers planted. Planting now gives them time to grow and bloom! Your family and friends will be super impressed with your green thumb and your beautiful flowers for the holiday season.

There are many varieties to choose from for sun and shade. Here’s a few of our faves.

For shade gardens, nothing blooms better than New Guinea Impatiens and Begonias. Both will give beautiful color to brighten up your shade areas. They last all winter with not much care.

Plant in the shade: Begonias, New Guinea Impatiens

For sunny areas, try Petunias, Violas, Dianthus, Calendula, Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Geraniums, Stock, Snapdragon, Alyssum and Pansy. All have dazzling colors that will bring your landscape to life.

Plant in the sun: (Clockwise from top left) Alyssum, Calendula, Pansies, Stock, Ornamental Kale, Dianthus

Here’s a few tips for planting for your best success:

Prepare the soil. Most annuals have fine hair-like roots that require rich loose soil with good drainage. Turn the soil with a digging fork or tiller, add Cotton Burr Compost and mix, rake area, top dress with Natures’ Blend and you’re ready to plant. The Nature’s Blend acts as a natural fertilizer and helps with controlling certain disease possibilities. If you are planting flowers in containers, use a good potting mix like Landscapers Pride Potting Soil.

Start planting! It’s important to know how close or far apart to plant your flowers. Most annuals need some space between each plant so they can grow to their potential. We can help you determine the plant spacing when you come in. Set out the plants in a zigzag pattern, equal spacing between each plant, to fill the area. Use Bio-Tone in each hole as you plant. It really helps the roots to grow and be very healthy! Healthy roots-healthy plants.

Mulch, water, fertilize. Mulch makes your new planting look great, helps with weed control and reduces watering. Water the area well with a gentle shower of water; you don’t want to beat up your new young plants. Fertilize with Hasta Gro every week or Rose Glo every month.

Check your new planting every day for water for at least the first couple of weeks, cutting back as the plants grow and temps cool down. If you get worried or just not sure, we are always here and ready to help!

Happy Gardening!

-Debbie

With Passover starting Friday & Easter this Sunday, many will be gathering with family & friends to eat, play games and visit. Wonderful times!

We’ve filled our store with beautiful blooming annuals, perennials, hanging baskets and tubs of flowers for last minute “dress up” your garden for the holiday! Come see us this Friday & Saturday for the best of the best in gardening supplies to make your home it’s best. We all wish you a very happy holiday!

…And we’ll be closed Sunday for our time with family. Thank you!!

– Sally & James & Your Gill Nursery Team