California Rare Fruit Growers – West LA Chapter
because the best things in life do grow on trees
Obviously not our traditional Second Saturday meeting day (or meeting time for that matter), but we are just so grateful to Dan Nelson for finding another slot for us — after draconian weather forecasts led him and us to cancel the trip in early September.
Temperatures should be much more comfortable for all concerned so make sure to get this onto your calendar pronto. Unfortunately, we don’t have a plant availability/price list yet but will get it to chapter members as soon as we do.
By now all chapter members should have received the address and plant price list for our field trip on the 10th. If you haven’t, please let us know! Because we are going to be allowed to park on the grounds this year, there will also be an updated address in your meeting reminder later this week.
Please, please, please email the list of your wants to us by Wednesday so we can get them to Laverne in time for them to pull the plants. They will be waiting for us at the end of the tour. They have to be paid for in CASH.
If you need more information on the size of the plants, this is a more detailed .pdf. The dates listed are when the plants, mostly described last week as SS or substandard, are expected to be up to snuff. Some of the dates will have already passed by the time we get to Piru and therefore those plants should be full size. Other dates are as soon as 10/1 but some are not until next year. Please keep that in mind when making your selections. You can also see the number of plants available for each size. and their actual dimensions.
Many of you have been startled by how much more expensive the plants are this year than in the past. We are assuming the skyrocketing prices of gas and water have much to do with that. Out of curiosity, I stopped by my local Armstrong’s Garden Center today where 5 gallon citrus trees are $59.99 and 5 gallon avocados are $69.99. Obviously the prices we are being offered are much better than that.
Anyhow, plant acquisitions aside, this is always one of my favorite tours. Our host, Director of Nursery Operations Dan Nelson, is both knowledgeable and charming and it is always fascinating to see how the pros propagate and grow up some of our most loved plants.
For the first time in almost three years, we are finally getting up close and personal again with the amazing growing fields (and propagation greenhouse) of the great wholesale fruit nursery LaVerne . It was recently purchased by Everde Growers but we have been assured the staff and congeniality will remain the same. This is primarily an outdoor field trip (with the exception of the grafting tables/ greenhouse) so you will need a hat. Also there are no restrooms so stake out nearby gas stations!
Exact address and further details will be sent to members as soon as we have them; as will, of course, a plant availability list for any who want to buy fresh new plants at wholesale.
Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash
This field trip is for WLA and LA chapter members ONLY. The online address per Google Maps is WRONG. The nursery has been without electricity due to wind/fires. Specific directions and actual available plants will be emailed to you as soon as the nursery can get them to us.
We will have a tour of La Verne Nursery at their huge Piru Facility. La Verne is one of the premier sources of tropical and subtropical fruiting plants in our area. We all probably have at least a plant or two from their nursery. Daniel Nelson, Director of Nursery Operations, will be our tour guide. He will discuss such topics as mass propagation, container culture, and specific care instructions for various fruit trees, as well as answer any questions our members may have. This is a rare chance to see how a large nursery goes about producing many thousands of plants a year and to learn from Dann’s professional expertise. We will be able to see their propagation facilities and techniques. Perhaps we will see how their nursery grafts new scion wood to rootstock.
Although La Verne Nursery does not sell retail, as special guests we will be able to purchase trees after the tour at near-wholesale prices. The last time we purchased trees from La Verne Nursery, the plants were large, healthy, and beautiful! Everyone was immensely pleased with the plants purchased.
You can pre-order any plants that you want (before we get to the nursery). Go online to see what plants are available at: http://www.lavernenursery.com/current-availability.html. This list shows what plants the nursery has in abundance and may not include all the possibilities you will find when you are there. As noted above, we will receive a more complete list of available trees by the end of this week and that list will be emailed to you as soon as it is received. Please note that you cannot order online. Select your plants and email Susan Guggenheim to tell her what plants you want to order.
All sales will be cash; buyers will be responsible for paying for and transporting their own purchases at the end of the tour.
The nursery is some distance from West LA, so plan to carpool. Members of the LA Chapter are welcome. Only CRFG members may attend the field trip.