40% OFF ALL OUTDOOR RUSTIC AND GLAZED POTTERY!

SPRING BLOOMING BULB BLOWOUT - 40% OFF ALL REMAINING SPRING BULBS!

25% OFF ALL FOUNTAINS AND STATUARY

20% OFF ALL BIRD ITEMS

20% OFF ALL IN-DOOR PLANTS! (LARGEST SELECTION IN THE AREA!) Excludes Poinsettias

10% OFF ALL CANDLES

1st ANNUAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE!	Let Gray's Deck the Halls
Holiday Color!	Great Holiday Pic's
Don't forget the Birds!	Garden Tips from our Experts!
Early Orders for 2009!	Conservatory Corner
	Holidays? Start Planing with Gray's

Join us on November 13 for our 1st Annual Holiday Open House 9am-7pm in Eugene and Springfield!

Looking for the perfect Christmas tree? Come to Gray’s where we carry only premium quality, fresh cut trees locally grown, and all at reasonable prices. Sizes range from table tops to 10 feet tall. We also have a large selection of flocked trees too. Choose from Noble Fir, Grand Fir, or Douglas Fir.

For your convenience we’ll deliver a fresh, fire-retarded or flocked #1 quality Christmas tree to you and set it up ready to decorate. Don’t forget wreaths, garland, and poinsettias too.

We offer a great selection of wreaths made locally to insure freshness. Several sizes to choose from including holly, juniper, ornament decorated, pepperberry, citrus spice, rose hips, rose dreams, and traditional mixed greens.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce is one of the most common dwarf conifers used today. This is a miniature tree which grows very slowly and stays in a neat, formal cone shape, rarely needing to be pruned. Dwarf Alberta spruce are also a novelty plant with many topiary shapes. Many people use them for container plantings. They are a great choice for Christmas to be decorated with ornaments for inside or out.	Live trees come in more varieties, so choosing a tree that fits your landscape is easy. We have over 20 varieties of live trees from traditional sizes to dwarf varieties for small spaces. Live trees work well for enjoyment inside and out. Trees placed inside should be allowed to acclimate first. Both of our stores have a free care sheet making it easy to care for your tree. Outside live trees can be decorated on the porch or in the yard.

GPG MEMBERS SAVE $3.00 OFF #1 REG. $12.99 $5.00 OFF #2 REG. $29.99 $10.00 OFF #5 REG. $49.99 Limited to stock Good thru Nov. 30	$10.00 OFF ANY LIVE POTTED CHRISTMAS TREE Limited to stock Good thru Nov. 30

Camellia Sasanquavarieties have been selected for their outstanding ability to perform. These graceful evergreen shrubs clothe themselves with hundreds of blossoms set against a lavish background of dark green leaves. Their ability to flourish in full sun or shade allows for greater freedom of use in the landscape. Upright growers can reach 8 feet tall and wide, while lower spreaders grow 4-5’ tall and wide. Blooming season ranges from Nov. into Jan. flowering in pink, red, or white colors. Favorites include Yuletide, Apple Blossom, and Showanosakae.

Our staff says they are the biggest Amaryllis bulbs they have ever seen and they are truly gigantic! Christmas blooming Amaryllis is hugely rewarding, and so easy to grow. Planting by mid-November should assure a Christmas bloom. Showy blooms range in color from pure white thru the spectrum of pink/red and even stripes! As always with Simple Pleasures bulbs, "the bigger the bulb, the bigger the bloom", so some of these gigantic bulbs should produce an 8-10" cluster of blooms!

Paperwhites (Indoor Narcissus) create a dynamic fragrant centerpiece when clustered together and should bloom 6-8 weeks after planting. Our paperwhites require no special "chilling" and can be put into a warm environment immediately after planting, are guaranteed to reward you with strong robust blooms. (Gathering the kids and planting a container for Grandma is a great, easy and affordable holiday idea!)

Attracting, feeding and viewing natures wild birds in your yard is easy, affordable and is a pleasure for the young and the young at heart. (And Birding gifts are great for Christmas!)

Gray's is pleased to offer you a great selection of feeders, houses and a full line of premium seed for all our small, feathered friends. Gray's best seller is Waste Not. This excellent blend is attractive to a wide variety of birds, virtually every morsel is edible and nothing will sprout under your feeder. Wild finches especially enjoy Finches Favorite, containing only their two favorite seeds, sunflower chips and nyjer thistle. Fresh feed is important, as is keeping all feeders clean. Adding natural food and shelter sources is another great way of expanding the varieties of birds you will attract. Our back nursery staff can help you select shrubs and trees that produce small fruits and berries. Water is another great addition and birdbaths are a perfect compliment. Just in time for the holidays we have a beautiful selection of ceramic birdbaths in rich colors and great style.

WINTER SPECIAL - WASTE NOT 20# (REG $28.99) SALE $21.99

TRADITIONAL BIRDBATH ONLY $99 FLUTED BIRDBATH ONLY $89.99

November 7-16th Only

November through February is the season to do dormant spraying. Prevention of common fungus and disease issues are not limited to backyard fruit trees. Many trees and shrubs including Roses, Dogwoods and Arborvitae all benefit from dormant treatments and a thorough fall clean up. Our dormant spray schedule recommends 3 dormant oil and lime sulphur spray applications beginning in late November/December when all leaves have fallen. The oil serves to smother and kill over-wintering insects and eggs such as Aphids, Mites & Scale and the lime sulphur burns out the spores leading to fungal diseases like Peach Leaf Curl, Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose, Rust and Scab. For healthier foliage and blemish free fruits, prevention is your best cure.

Understanding a little about slugs and how they live can help you deal with them in the garden. Slugs have very soft, exposed bodies, and exude a slime that they then slide across. Slugs will bother a wide range of plants, but they have their favorites. Unfortunately for those of us who love hosta, slugs do too. They go after them like they're slug candy. They prefer cool, moist areas, and they feed largely at night. Slugs multiply so quickly, it helps to know that they are hermaphrodites, creatures that have both male and female body parts. Slugs lay eggs that look like clumps of tiny gelatinous pearls, each about the size of a pin head that are deposited in the soil where they may hatch in a few weeks or lay dormant for months. Slugs take about a year to mature and overwinter in the soil. Their natural predators are toads, snakes, birds, turtles, ducks and even chickens!

There are several ways to deal with slugs in the garden. These include a variety of ways to create inhospitable environments, such as trapping or poisoning and creating barriers.

If you have a strong stomach you can always pick off the slugs and dispose of them. Early morning is best.

Think sun. Slugs avoid any place sunny.
Keep the surfaces surrounding your plants rough and dry. Cocoa mulch is a wonderful natural slug deterrent. Slugs don't like its rough texture. As it breaks down it returns nitrogen to the soil, smells good and cats don't like it either.
Clean up any plant residue and other places slugs may hide during the day, and avoid composting slug infested plant material.
Diatomaceous earth (DE) can be spread around an area or a plant to deter slugs from reaching it. DE works because it is actually flat, sharp edged crystals that shred the slugs' soft undersides, causing them to dry out. DE does have to be renewed after a rain.

Copper strips are available at Gray's. Slugs will not cross copper. This is one method that works even after it has rained.

There are two basic types of bait: One type is made with iron phosphate (Gray's staff recommeds Sluggo), and is safe and effective when used as directed. Although it may seem more expensive, you use a lot less of it in the long run, making it an affordable alternative. Another form of slug bait has been around for years and contains the chemical metaldehyde. This bait comes in pellets, powders and a gel. Metaldehyde-based baits need to be reapplied frequently.

Whether you are baiting or trapping, a consistent year round program will significantly reduce their numbers. By preventing a spring hatch you may finally enjoy the luscious healthy foliage of a prized hosta, or spring strawberries without having shared them...bite by bite with hungry slugs.

Now is the time to preorder roses for the 2009 growing season. There are several new varieties to choose from plus lots of your old favorites. All preordered roses are pruned, potted, and ready for pick-up in mid February. All preordered roses will receive $3.00 off the retail price. You can view catalogs at both Gray’s locations.

Preorders for bare root fruit trees are also available. Ready for pick-up in February bare root fruit trees are 5-6’ tall with several branches and of age to start bearing fruit. All preorders will receive $5.00 off the retail price. Gray's offers over 60 varieties to choose from.

Christmas Cactus

While the poinsettia remains the most popular of the holiday plants, a healthy Christmas cactus in full bloom is a great gift idea for that special gardener. They are easy to care for and can be grown indoors throughout the year. The flowers range in color from yellow, salmon, pink, fuchsia and white or combinations of those colors.

Light
While the Christmas cactus can adapt to low light, more abundant blooms are produced on plants that have been exposed to high light intensity. Keep your plants in a sunny location indoors. Plants can be moved outdoors in summer, but keep them in a shady or semi-shady location. Too much direct sunlight can burn the leaves. When it's time to bring the plants back inside in the fall, slowly adjust the plants to life indoors by gradually increasing the number of hours they spend indoors each day. If you want to grow it indoors in a south or west window, you should shade the plant with glass curtains. No diffusion of light is needed on the north or east. Many growers move the plants to the broken shade of a porch or patio or plunge the pot in a shady spot in the garden during the summer months. Christmas cactus needs shading from the sun between May and September.

Soil
Well-drained soil is a must for Christmas cactus. Use a commercially packaged potting mix for succulent plants or mix your own. The ideal soil for Christmas cactus is composed of equal parts of garden loam, leaf mold and clean coarse sand (not sand from the seashore). Add a quart of wood ashes per bushel of mixture. One-tenth part by bulk of old dry cow manure may be added if garden soil is poor.

Water
The plant is not a true cactus and is not quite as drought tolerant as the name infers. However, it is a succulent plant and can store a reasonable quantity of water in the leaves. Water thoroughly when the top half of the soil in the pot feels dry to the touch. The length of time between waterings will vary with the air temperature, amount of light, rate of growth and relative humidity. During the summer, water so that the soil is continually moist. When fall arrives, water the plant only well enough to prevent wilting.

During the month of October, give the plant no water. Cautiously resume watering in November, but don't let stems get flabby from over watering. If the atmosphere is dry, place pot on a tray of pebbles. Keep pebbles moist with water in the tray.

After plant completes blooming, let it rest by withholding water for six weeks. When new growth appears, re-pot and top-dress with fresh soil. Resume watering to keep soil fairly moist.

Fertilizing
As tender growth appears in the spring, apply a weak solution of liquid houseplant fertilizer at 2 to 3 weeks.

Temperature
Prefers warm temperatures, although evening temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees F can be used to initiate flower bud formation (which normally is responsive to day length). From October on, keep the plant where it is cool at night (60 to 65 F). Keep away from drafts from heat vents, fireplaces or other sources of hot air.

Propagation
Shady conditions or filtered light are necessary for Christmas cactus to thrive. You can force bloom by setting the plant in a coolish (60 to 65 degrees F) location, where the light is low but not absent during the day. Do this soon for Christmas bloom. Do not let the soil dry completely, but water infrequently to keep the soil just moist. Watch for signs of buds at the ends of the leaves, and increase humidity and light when they appear. If buds appear too soon, hold them back by reducing the temperature.

The Christmas Cactus is easily propagated by taking short Y-shaped cuttings of the stem tips. A well-tended cactus will reach unmanageable size in time. To root cuttings for new plants, cut back shoots from the tips, cut at the second joint of each tip. Place cuttings in a moist peat and perlite, or peat and sand mixture. Water sparingly at first to prevent rotting of cuttings. After two or three weeks, water as you would any other cutting. When cuttings are rooted, pot them in a very loose mixture of good potting soil.

Re-potting
Plants should be re-potted every two or three years, or whenever pot is filled with roots and the soil appears to be depleted of nutrients. Christmas cactus usually is re-potted in the spring, but a plant which is unhealthy because of the root system can be re-potted at any time of the year.

Bud dropping
Common causes of bud dropping are over watering, exposure to cold drafts, a position too close to a hot radiator or vent and lack of sufficient potash in the soil. Water plant sparingly and feed a little liquid manure weekly.

How to get your Christmas cactus to flower
These plants are easy to grow but are sometimes difficult to get to bloom. A medium light intensity and a soil high in organic matter are recommended. Do not allow the plant to dry out, water when the soil surface begins to feel dry. The plant may be kept drier in fall. Any fertilizer may be used according to label directions. Cool temperatures or long nights are required to induce blooming. The plants bloom when given night temperatures near 55 degrees and day temperatures below 65 degrees.

Flowering is related to day length and night temperatures. The temperature range for flower bud development is 55 to 60 degrees for a six week period. If temperatures remain in this range they will develop buds regardless of day length. If temperatures get above that range, the plant will need 13 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night. This can be done by placing them in a completely dark room, or covering them for the recommended time, or longer, each night with a dark piece of cloth.

Or just keep the plants in total darkness like a closet till buds develop. For holiday blooms this usually means in late September to mid October.

During flower bud formation, stop fertilizing and only water enough to keep the leaves from becoming shriveled. Once buds do form then you can keep the plant in normal light and temperatures. Keep it evenly moist and fertilize every other week with a mild fertilizer solution.

The schedule of the ideal life of a Christmas Cactus

January - Flowering.

February to March - Resting (55 degrees, infrequent watering).

April to May - Water thoroughly when potting mix begins to dry out.

June to August - Place outdoors in a shady spot.

September to October - Plant prepares to flower. Reduce length daylight hours. Keep on the dry side and cool (55 to 60 degrees F) until flower buds form. Then increase water and temperature.

November to December - Flowering. Water normally. Temperature no less than 55 degrees F.

Bring those tropicals in!

Now is the time to systemic the houseplants you've had outside. You may also consider spraying for pests. Cut back on water and fertilizer.

Here are just a few things that the folks at Gray's can do to enhance and bring ease to your holiday planning.

Call and schedule a brief appointment and let us take some of the stress off this holiday season!

We at Gray's are proud to carry on the tradition of quality that Reed&Cross has carried for over 50 years. With Reed&Cross floral and gifts at Gray's, we truly can provide the best of both worlds under one roof.

From all the staff at Gray's and Reed&Cross Floral, we wish you the best that this holiday season brings and we look forward to seeing you soon!