Cover story

READY FOR THE SEASON

A wide selection of starters for the home and garden are shown at Alladin Nursery.

Growing for the season Alladin Nursery owner gives winter gardening advice By JOHANNA MILLER

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Alladin Nursery features a selection of colorful pots.

For the past two years, nurseries across the Pajaro Valley have been buzzing with activity as more people than ever take up gardening and other outdoor pastimes.

The pandemic kept most people from traveling, visiting friends and family and spending time in crowds. And even as things improve, with more people feeling (relatively) comfortable stepping over their home’s threshold and into the outside world, plenty have kept gardening as a yearround pastime.

“We’re one of the few industries that actually grew during Covid,” said Gustavo Beyer, owner of Alladin Nursery in Corralitos. “People wanted to stay home and garden more, and that has definitely meant more business.”

During the winter months, Beyer said that customers tend to focus on the common fall and winter veggies such as kale, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, lettuces, onions, swiss chard and leeks. Asian veggies such as bok choy have also been popular recently. As for ornamental plants, items such as flowering tulip trees, flowering cherries and more are planted around this time and bloom early in the spring.

Fruit trees, including apple, nectarine, persimmon, apricots, almonds, mulberries, plums and more are also common to purchase and plant on the Central Coast in the winter. ➝ 6

Photos by Tarmo Hannula PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | JANUARY 28 FEBRUARY 10, 2022, 2022

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DECOR Garden ornaments are a specialty at Alladin Nursery.

GROWING 4

“We are very, very blessed with our weather here,” Beyer said, “because many of these things can be grown year-round.”

Aside from the plants themselves, gardening supplies such as fungicide and composting equipment are also essential for winter gardening—especially for items such as fruit trees.

“In California, we are very clean … but it is still necessary to spray certain fruits and berries to help avoid any disease,” Beyer said. “At this time, in the winter, there is often high humidity due to rains … these products can help protect them from that.”

Asking for advice about home gardening is always a good idea, Beyer said, whether it be from fellow gardeners or professionals at nurseries and other gardening establishments.

Talking with his customers is, in fact, one of Beyer’s favorite parts of the job.

“I always say, with this job I deal with living things: people and plants,” he said. “Sometimes I’m helping a customer … They’ll be looking at a plant, they’ll have lots of questions … I can tell that they’re not too sure. And sometimes I say, ‘you’d better not buy that.’ And they go, ‘What?’ But honestly, if you feel you don’t really need it, don’t buy it. Or find something else.”

Alladin Nursery turned 100 just over two years ago. It was established in 1919 in the same exact spot it remains today, at the intersection of Freedom Boulevard and Corralitos Road. Beyer, who took ownership of the business 17 years ago, said that even as they continue to grow in their reach, they have been able to maintain their “small town feel.”

“We help and look after each other here,” he said. “Our customers have been incredibly supportive, and we are so grateful for that. Many people drive a long way to buy from us. I have fourth-generation customers that come shop here. It’s wonderful.”

The recent uptick in sales at Alladin has allowed for Beyer to keep plenty of employees on board during the pandemic. This included two friends of his children, who had been let go from their previous positions during the crisis. Beyer’s eldest daughter also pitched in her time to help with curbside pickups and deliveries, answering phones and creating an online ordering system.

“It has been amazing,” he said. “I am so blessed to have had such wonderful help during this time.”

Alladin Nursery is located at 2905 Freedom Blvd. They are open Thursday-Monday from 9am-3pm. For information, visit alladinnursery.com.