Sunset Greenhouse

05/29/2026

SALE! Mixed Herb 4 pak

We have 4 paks of herbs (basil, chives, oregano, parsley) that need a good home. Originally priced at $9.99, now 50% off!

05/29/2026

Sorry, folks! The City’s doing some roadwork on Union and Uintah, so you can’t get through there. But if you go south one block to San Rafael and head east four blocks, you’ll find us!

05/27/2026

Linum perenne is not our native Blue Flax (Linum lewisii). It’s a native to Europe naturalized in North America. If you want to find out more about Blue Flax “roots“, continue reading. For those of us with shorter attention spans- it’s blooming now about 12-18”, reseeds itself (mostly) can come back for a few years, then disappears. The bloom is stunning in the morning sun!

Copilot search explains:
“The main difference between Linum lewisii and Linum perenne lies in their homostyly and heterostyly. Linum lewisii is homostylic, meaning it has the same number of stamens as the number of pistils, while Linum perenne is heterostylic, having different numbers of stamens and pistils. This distinction is significant for botanists and horticulturists, as it affects the plant's growth habits, flowering patterns, and potential for self-seeding.”

Found in the article:
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_lile3.pdf

05/24/2026

A peony bud doesn’t need ants to bloom, although the old wives tale would tell you so! It’s common to see the ants, but they are attracted to the sweet sugars emitted as the bud begins to open.
Some peonies set the bud, turn brown and dry out. Some research says that that’s environmental or fungal. (see link)

If your peony doesn’t set bud at all, chances are that it’s planted too low- they should be planted at exactly the same level they were purchased at if not slightly higher. If you purchased them bareroot, follow the directions from your supplier.

When established, the plants can go pretty dry! Make sure there’s adequate drainage by providing organic matter.
If you have clay soils, add organic matter (peat moss or compost) to increase air pore space and please reduce the frequency of watering. If you have sandy soil add organic matter (compost or manure) for nutrition and water retention.

Here’s a quick link to learn about peonies…
https://www.peonies.org/post/why-peony-buds-don-t-open-common-causes-and-solutions

We have plenty available in a #1 for $15.99

05/23/2026

Thursday was a tricky day: we landed 3 truck deliveries almost simultaneously and the alley has never looked prettier! We were running low on some of our annuals, herbs, perennials, and vegetables, but we are stocked up now! We even busted a buggy in the unloading process.

05/08/2026

We’ve got some 2.5” tomatoes that are too tall, and are looking for a good home @ $4 each.
Varieties include:
Champion
Cherokee purple
Early girl
Juliet
Sweet 100
Sun Gold

Good tomato gardeners know to sink the stems about halfway, so these will be fine!

(sale is good May 8-9)

05/08/2026

PEAT POT PARTY this weekend, May 8-10!
(while we’re open 9:00-5:00)

We provide the 12” peat pot, (round or rectangle) the soil and you get 5 plants: four herbs (basil, chives, oregano, parsley) and a marigold for color! $20. We have all the supplies set up at a self serve station and you do the potting! It’s simple!

05/07/2026

05/07/2026

As the misconception goes, plants will not grow under spruce trees because the fallen needles make the soil too acidic. Is this actually true?
While it is true that nothing seems to grow under spruce trees, needles are not the problem. Plants fail to grow because the soil is depleted (lacking organic matter) and because the plants lack sunlight and moisture. Both shallow and exposed tree roots may also interfere. While spruce needles themselves are somewhat acidic, the soil beneath evergreens is not much different than the rest of the soil in your yard. This is because free lime is already in our soils and because the buffering capacity of Prairie soil actively resists changes in pH.
(Colorado Springs is considered high plains/ grassland)
(from University of Saskatchewan https://gardening.usask.ca/articles-and-lists/articles-healthysoils/soil-ph-under-conifers.php #:~:text=Spruce%20needles%20are%20somewhat%20acidic%2C%20but%20the,and%20exposed%20tree%20roots%20may%20also%20interfere)

05/05/2026

WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR!

Because of the inclement weather, we have covered and protected some of our crops and they’ll not be available until Thursday. They include Calendula, California Poppy, Marigold’s, some Petunia’s, Stock, Strawberries and all of our Perennials.
BUT!! Inside the greenhouses it’s warm and the blooming plants are beautiful!
HOWEVER!! Plants coming from inside the greenhouse are 60° at night and you should hold off on planting until we are warmer!

05/05/2026

Some look to buy the perfect bloom, perfect tomato, or perfect strawberry. When they get the plants to the cash register, we recommend taking off that perfect bloom, that perfect tomato and all the strawberries. We believe in roots before fruits.
Fact is, you may be the first in the neighborhood to have a tomato, but that plant will stall trying to mature into something that can produce more. If you remove the fruit (or bloom) when you put it in the ground or a bigger pot, you’ll have a plant that anchors in well and shows its maturity in production. You may not be the first to have the tomato, but you will have the most!