Dear Friends and Fellow Gardeners,
Welcome to Autumn and to Harlequin’s Gardens 2024 Fall Plant Sale!
Whether we call it xeriscape, water-wise or Western Gardening, it is smart for us to water sparingly in our gardens. Water is a very limited resource, especially here in the West. In May it rained .44” in Boulder and 1.7” in Denver; in June .27” in Boulder, .36” in Denver. And it has been a dry July and hot. If (when) there is a drought and we have trained our gardens for low-water, they will survive. When we have ample rainfall (usually not more than 20”-22” in a year), our gardens will be full of flowers and fruit. Can we really train our gardens for hotter, dryer conditions? Yes. But it’s not as easy as turning on the sprinkler.
We need to add compost to our clay soils to supply carbon and soil biology, hold moisture, create air space, and reduce carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere. Compost supports our soil life which in turn supports our plants. And most of our soils are deficient in nitrogen, so adding a little organic fertility is good; add more for food crops, less for native plants.
Then we have to plant water-wise/Colorado-adapted plants—plants that like Colorado’s low humidity, alkaline soil, intense sun in winter and summer, hot and cold temperatures and that tolerate wind and rapid changes. Of course native plants are perfect, but many non-natives are well-adapted and offer eco-services too. And it helps if these plants have been grown tough without water-soluble chemical fertilizers and excessive water.
And we have to put those plants in the conditions where they have their best chance to thrive, along with others of similar water needs. We can have a very low water zone. It is important to mulch/keep the ground covered; this helps hold moisture and supports our soil life.
AND we must adjust our water systems and ourselves to NOT OVERWATER in the growing season. More plants die from overwatering than underwatering. And we must remember to water in the winter.
With our help, these methods will train our plants to take care of themselves.
For your success, Harlequin’s Gardens has the right plants, products and information to support your efforts. Our experience, and that of our customers, proves that this boast is not just advertising.
FALL SALE!
Our Members Sale will begin Aug 20 and run through Aug 25. For your special support, members are rewarded with first pick at 20% off all plants, except fruit trees, veggie starts and house plants; and 25% off books. Membership levels are $25, $50 and $100; membership supports staff, extras like organic and neonic-free plants, display gardens & has benefits.
Fall Sale for Everybody: August 27 into October, beginning with 20% off most plants. (Details below.)
FALL & WINTER GARDEN CARE
Late August through September is an ideal time to plant and fertilize, because now is when plants are storing food in their roots and when they are making leaf and fruit buds for spring. Giving our plants and trees nutrition at this time of year strengthens their vitality and immunity and supports flowers and fruits for the following season.
Rake up diseased leaves from fireblight, fungal or bacterial diseases, and remove seed heads from aggressive seeders. Leave seeds of desirable plants, and leave seeds for the birds.
You can extend the vegetable season by 1) planting cool season veggies, 2) using row cover fabric over veggies to add 2-4 weeks more production 3) use tomato cages over tomatoes and peppers and cover them to protect from freezing 4) mulch root crops to extend the harvest season. 5) buy Garlic in September to plant mid Oct. to mid Nov.
Winter Watering: Once our irrigation systems are blown out, we should water new plantings, especially the small plants, by hand or sprinkler once or twice a month, or more.
Lawns: September is the best time of year to aerate and fertilize with an organic fertilizer. Fall is also an excellent time to apply Corn Gluten, the organic weed and feed. Its 9% nitrogen provides fall fertilizing and it prevents weed seeds from germinating.
PRODUCTS
Besides the plants themselves, our local, high-quality composts and organic fertilizer products, our mycorrhizae, and our good advice, all contribute to your success.
Harlequin’s Fertility Mix: organic fertilizer, humate, rock minerals, coral calcium, molasses & mycorrhizae
Richlawn 5-3-2 Lawn Fertilizer: from chicken manure, blood meal, feather meal: great for berries & shrubs
Alpha One Fertilizer: alfalfa, cottonseed meal, blood meal, sunflower: veggies, perennials
Yum Yum Mix: cottonseed, rock dust, alfalfa, rock phosphate, kelp: perennials, shrubs & xeriscapes
Organic Healthy Grow , Age Old Grow and Bloom, Neptune’s Harvest: great for fall veggie planting
Mycorrhizae: both Micronized Endo and new, nutrient rich Big Foot: Root support and survival aid
Composts: 2 kinds, good quality, economical, locally sourced to use local wastes & reduce CO2
Fine Wood Chip Mulch
Mulches: Fine Wood Chip, and Soil Pep-a partially composted bark: both feed soil organisms, stay put
Potting Mixes: Coco Loco and Ocean Forest: nutritious and successful for container-growing
Expanded Shale: a porous ceramic shale to break up heavy clay, hold air and water; permanent
ORGANIC FALL VEGGIE STARTS & MORE!
Organic Fall Veggie Starts: 3 broccoli, 3 kale, 2 arugula, 4 spinach, 4 lettuces, 2 collards, 2 chard, Pac Choi, Choko, Lady Murasaki Mustard Spinach, Chinese Blues Cabbage, Endive, Kohlrabi etc. Plant in August with some shade. These new premium plants cannot be sold at a discounted price
SEEDS: fresh from Botanical Interests for cool-season greens, cover crops, sprouting
New seeds-No Discount; this past season’s Seeds (still viable)-50% off
Fall & Spring-blooming BULBS, Garlic and Shallots (no discount) Coming in September and October: many kinds of bulbs and new varieties. Check our website under Plants/Bulbs in the coming weeks for descriptions and photos of this year’s selections. Bulbs are NOT discounted during our fall sale!
PLANTS
Allium schoenoprasum (Chives)
Pollinator & Bee Lovers: Our high quality plants are 100% free from bee-killing, nerve-toxin neonicotinoids. Most of our plants are free from all pesticides and fungicides.
ORGANIC HERB STARTS: Chives, Clary Sage, Echinacea, 2 Rosemary, 4 Lavenders, many Mints, Lemon Balm, Greek Oregano, Nettles, Valerian, Pennyroyal, Fennel, Garlic Chives, Sage, Lovage, Roman and German Chamomile, Several Thymes, Elecampane, Greek Mt. Tea & more!
BERRIES: 3 Strawberry varieties, 3 Raspberries, 3 kinds of Currants, 2 Serviceberries, 3 Gooseberries; Table Grapes, 2 Thornless Blackberries, 3 Kinds of Elderberries, 2 Nanking Bush Cherries, Aronia
FRUIT TREES (no discount): grown in our own superior potting mix, with mycorrhizae, and without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Apples, Cherries, Plums, Pears
VINES: 25 Kinds Trumpet Vines, Golden Hops, Silver Lace Vine, Honeysuckles, Thorndale English Ivy, Purpleleaf Wintercreeper, Porcelain Vine, Clematis, Wisteria, Bittersweet and more
Undaunted Ruby Muhly
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES: 25 kinds Freshly potted grasses- strong and sure to be successful planted in September: Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed; Giant Sacaton, Alkali Sacaton, Karl Foerster’s, Maiden Grass, Fescues, Undaunted Ruby Muhly, Big Bluestem, Mexican Feather Grass, Indian Grass, Sideoats Grama, Blonde Ambition, Switch Grasses, Blue Avena, Northern Sea Oats
ROSES: Our proven, sustainable own-root roses, including hardy Canadian Roses
TREES: 45 varieties Chinkapin Oak, May Day Tree, Kentucky Coffee Tree, Columnar English Oak, Chanticleer Pear, 2 Hawthorns, Hazelbert, Ptelea, Silver Maple, Compact Ginnala Maple, Russian Hawthorn, ‘Sensation’ Boxelder, Maackia, Oakleaf Mt. Ash, Hackberry, Ohio Buckeye, ‘Hotwings’ Maple, Crabapples, ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Serviceberry, Aspen, Wavyleaf Oak, Gila Monster Oak, Goldenrain Tree, Catalpa, and MORE
NATIVE SHRUBS: We’re famous for our great selection of strong, neonic-free native shrubs!
NON-NATIVE SHRUBS: Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus), Cotoneasters, Butterfly Bush, Potentillas, Spireas, Viburnums, Russian Sage, Ninebarks, Caragana, Forsythia, Lilacs, Elderberry, and many more!
PERENNIALS: HUNDREDS of Neonic-free, Colorado-adapted selections – 11 varieties of Penstemons; Redbirds in a Tree, tough groundcovers including veronicas, sedums, thymes, Lotus corniculatus, many Hardy Iceplants; Limonium gmelinii, foxgloves, delphineums, rudbeckias, gaura, campanulas, asters, amsonia; Good plants for dry shade: 4 Geranium varieties, Lamiastrum, Lady’s Mantle; Showy plants for Shade: Coral Bells, Ajugas, Anemone Cinderella; Natives: Agave, Golden Banner, Campanula rotundifolia, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Chocolate Flower, Spiderwort; PLUS Agastache Blue Spires, Harlequin’s Silver Teucrium, Plumbago, Gilia rubra, Evening Primrose, Goldenrod, 3 Dianthus, Yarrows, Baptisia, Dictamnus and lots MORE
ARE YOUR FRIENDS RECEIVING OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTERS?
If not, they’re missing timely advice and valuable education, plants just in, beautiful photos!
Go to our website and join our e-newsletter list! (We’ll never share your info with others.)
FALL CALENDAR & SALE DETAILS
FALL SALE
MEMBERS SALE: Tuesday: Aug 20-Aug 25 for your special support, you are rewarded with 20% off plants, except Fruit Trees, fall veggie starts and house plants; 25% off books
FALL SALE begins for EVERYBODY: Tuesday Aug 27-Sept 1: 20% off most plants except veggies, fruit trees and houseplants
September 3 – 8th enjoy 20% off perennials, shrubs & trees. And 20% off Roses, and 10% off Compost Tea. (No discount on fruit trees, veggies or bulbs.) Our Deep Discount section will be opened: perennials $2.00 for 2 1/2s and $4.95 for quarts, Plus bargain shrubs, trees & roses
Sept. 10 – 15 take 25% off perennials, shrubs, trees; and 20% off soil products in big bags and Compost Tea. No discount on fruit trees, veggies, houseplants
Sept. 17 – 22 take 25% off perennials, shrubs, trees and roses, and 25% off soil products in big bags, & Compost Tea No discount on fruit trees, veggies, houseplants
Sept. 24-Oct 30 take 30% off perennials, shrubs, trees, roses and 30% off Soil products in big bags and Compost Tea. No discount on fruit trees, veggies, houseplants
We will NOT close for the season October 29th.
Autumn is harvest time.
Whatever bounty you have, share some of it.
You’ll be glad you did.
13th ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT MARKET
*Closed on Thanksgiving Day
Thursday November 21 – Sunday December 22
We invite you to visit our 13th annual Holiday Gift Market, featuring the best local artisan creations, for your holiday shopping! Escape the frenzy of the malls and big box stores to browse in a charming, relaxed atmosphere and discover a unique, affordable selection of high-quality gifts that you won’t find anywhere else, including many ‘stocking stuffers’.
Every year we search out wonderful new artisans to add to our exciting collection of carefully curated, locally crafted, unique, affordable crafts, art, specialty foods and useful sustainable goods. You’ll find thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list, including delicious handmade fruit jams, gluten-free shortbread cookies, original jewelry, handmade clothing and accessories, kitchen and table wares, ceramics, glass and woodwork, books, CDs, organic body-care, beeswax candles, cards, puzzles, handmade holiday ornaments and wreaths, holiday flower bulbs (Amaryllis, etc.), houseplants, fun science tools and a lot more! Bring your friends!
Join us for our Holiday Open House on Saturday 11/23 and Sunday 11/24, featuring Beautiful Live Music from local artists, Delicious Homemade Refreshments, and all our Great Gifts!
DOOR PRIZES! Every day of our Holiday Gift Market all customers making a purchase can enter to win one of two $20 Gift Certificates drawn each week, for use during our 2025 gardening season! You don’t need to be present to win – we will contact the lucky winners!
Watch our E-Newsletters and Website for Details!
FALL AND WINTER HOURS:
September and October: 9-5, Tuesday through Sunday
November 7-Nov 17: 10-5, Thursday thru Sunday for discounted bulbs, plants, soils, and for non-discounted houseplants, books, products etc.
November 21-December 22: 10 – 5, Thursday thru Sunday for Holiday Gift Market
Closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Closed December 23-January 2.
January and February: 10-4 Friday, Saturday, Sunday: for houseplants, seed-starting supplies, fertilizers, some gifts, honey, Winter Classes and who knows what?