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Planting the Hardiest Perennials in Local Gardens

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Gardening may be one of America’s favorite hobbies, but it does have a downside. Imagine investing dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars redecorating your bedroom, only to have it crumble to ashes in less than a year! That is a good analogy to planting and nurturing a garden that withers away after one season. Fortunately, not all plants will go belly-up each fall/winter. By choosing those vigorous perennial plants that tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, you can be assured that your investment of time and money will bring you pleasure repeatedly for many growing seasons.

Bee Balm Much is made of the drought tolerance of plants, but a wet place in the garden can be just as difficult to cultivate. Bee balm is one answer to the soggy garden dilemma. Three-foot-tall clumps feature blue, pink, red or white flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. As a member of the mint family, bee balm is an assertive plant, but those plants that spread out of bounds are easily pulled out to maintain control. New varieties boast superior mildew resistance.

Butterfly Bush Gardeners who make room for a Buddleia in their landscapes will soon discover that it’s a one-stop, non-stop buffet for many species of butterflies. The long flower panicles are comprised of many individual blooms, each filled with a rich store of nectar. That’s why numerous butterflies are observed lingering around the shrub on warm, sunny days. Flowering happens on new wood, so frigid zone 5 winters have no effect on the summer show. Plant butterfly bushes in full sun in average soil and cut back plants in early spring to encourage strong branching.

Catmint More than just a little herb for the cat to frolic in, catmint gained permanent cult status when the “Walker’s Low” variety was named the 2007 Perennial Plant of the Year. Lovely grayish-green foliage complements, and bees delight in, the nectar-rich violet blooms that appear throughout the summer months. Plants grow to about two feet tall but have a prostrate habit that looks attractive at the edge of a wall or path.

Daylily Stella D’ Oro daylilies have become an office park landscaping staple, but everblooming daylilies have much more to offer than this popular gold variety. Although the color spectrum is limited to the warmer side of the color wheel, exciting color patterns and flower forms take the available cultivar numbers into the thousands. Full sun is best, although darker varieties may benefit from afternoon shade to prevent sunscald. Fertilization isn’t necessary, but an occasional deep watering during summer dry spells is beneficial.

Feather Reed Grass Ornamental grasses belong on every lazy gardener’s wish list. Many of them originate from the prairie so are accustomed to surviving a range of pests and demanding weather conditions. The deep roots of feather reed grass make it adaptable to wet and dry soils, and it grows just fine in lean soils, requiring no fertilizer. The six-foot flowering stalks make a beautiful vertical accent that endures well into fall.

Lamb’s Ear This a plant for the fifth sense of a garden, as it is a physical plant like few others. More than just fuzzy, the silvery leaves are downright woolly and hold up to stroking more than a silky flower petal would do. The lavender spikes don’t look like much, but bees love them. Lamb’s ear plants grow in full to partial sun and are quite drought tolerant. The clumps that spread each year provide pass-along plants for friends, or can be added to enhance the volume of foliage in containers.

Sedum Sometimes tough plants have a reputation for being invasive, but drought tolerant sedum plants always mind their manners. Also called stonecrop, this plant can survive for years without any watering, dividing, mulching or deadheading. The diverse genus offers tall and creeping varieties, all with succulent leaves that shrug off insects. Gardeners new to sedums should start with the wildly popular, dependable and nearly maintenance free “Autumn Joy,” which at end of summer produces nectar-rich pink flower clusters.

Russian Sage In neighborhoods with new construction, topsoil is stripped away, and the rubble that’s left behind hardly qualifies as soil. What to plant in such a harsh environment? Start with this tough-as-nails perennial that features a cloud of sky blue flowers for three months in its first season. The one factor Russian Sage can’t live without is full sun, as it’s essential for healthy bloom production. As we all are aware, “full sun” is bestowed very generously upon our local area gardens!

Until next issue, I’ll be helping local gardeners here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through her web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

Planting the Hardiest Perennials for Local Gardens

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Gardening may be one of America’s favorite hobbies, but it does have a downside. Imagine investing dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars redecorating your bedroom, only to have it crumble to ashes in less than a year! That is a good analogy to planting and nurturing a garden that withers away after one season. Fortunately, not all plants will go belly-up each fall/winter. By choosing those vigorous perennial plants that tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, you can be assured that your investment of time and money will bring you pleasure repeatedly for many growing seasons.

Bee Balm Much is made of the drought tolerance of plants, but a wet place in the garden can be just as difficult to cultivate. Bee balm is one answer to the soggy garden dilemma. Three-foot-tall clumps feature blue, pink, red or white flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. As a member of the mint family, bee balm is an assertive plant, but those plants that spread out of bounds are easily pulled out to maintain control. New varieties boast superior mildew resistance.

Butterfly Bush Gardeners who make room for a Buddleia in their landscapes will soon discover that it’s a one-stop, non-stop buffet for many species of butterflies. The long flower panicles are comprised of many individual blooms, each filled with a rich store of nectar. That’s why numerous butterflies are observed lingering around the shrub on warm, sunny days! Flowering happens on new wood, so frigid zone 5 winters have no effect on the summer show. Plant butterfly bushes in full sun in average soil and cut back plants in early spring to encourage strong branching.

Catmint More than just a little herb for the cat to frolic in, catmint gained permanent cult status when the “Walker’s Low” variety was named the 2007 Perennial Plant of the Year. Lovely grayish-green foliage complements, and bees delight in, the nectar-rich violet blooms that appear throughout the summer months. Plants grow to about two feet tall but have a prostrate habit that looks attractive at the edge of a wall or path.

Daylily Stella D’ Oro daylilies have become an office park landscaping staple, but everblooming daylilies have much more to offer than this popular gold variety. Although the color spectrum is limited to the warmer side of the color wheel, exciting color patterns and flower forms take the available cultivar numbers into the thousands. Full sun is best, although darker varieties may benefit from afternoon shade to prevent sunscald. Fertilization isn’t necessary, but an occasional deep watering during summer dry spells is beneficial.


Feather Reed Grass Ornamental grasses belong on every lazy gardener’s wish list. Many of them originate from the prairie so are accustomed to surviving a range of pests and demanding weather conditions. The deep roots of feather reed grass make it adaptable to wet and dry soils, and it grows just fine in lean soils, requiring no fertilizer. The six-foot flowering stalks make a beautiful vertical accent that endures well into fall.

Lamb’s Ear This a plant for the fifth sense of a garden, as it is a physical plant like few others. More than just fuzzy, the silvery leaves are downright woolly and hold up to stroking more than a silky flower petal would do. The lavender spikes don’t look like much, but bees love them. Lamb’s ear plants grow in full to partial sun and are quite drought tolerant. The clumps that spread each year provide pass-along plants for friends, or can be added to enhance the volume of foliage in containers.

Sedum Sometimes tough plants have a reputation for being invasive, but drought tolerant sedum plants always mind their manners. Also called stonecrop, this plant can survive for years without any watering, dividing, mulching or deadheading. The diverse genus offers tall and creeping varieties, all with succulent leaves that shrug off insects. Gardeners new to sedums should start with the wildly popular, dependable and nearly maintenance free “Autumn Joy,” which at end of summer produces nectar-rich pink flower clusters.

Russian Sage In neighborhoods with new construction, topsoil is stripped away, and the rubble that’s left behind hardly qualifies as soil. What to plant in such a harsh environment? Start with this tough-as-nails perennial that features a cloud of sky blue flowers for three months in its first season. The one factor Russian sage can’t live without is full sun, as it’s essential for healthy bloom production. As we all are aware, “full sun” is bestowed very generously upon our local area gardens!

Until next issue, I’ll be helping local gardeners here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through her web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

Eight Fragrant Shrubs for Mountain Gardens

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What is the most fragrant plant? Which flower has the best smell? What is the most fragrant flower in the world? What is the most fragrant lavender? What is the most fragrant rose?

Shrubs have many uses in the landscape, but gardeners who appreciate sweet-smelling plants will be especially drawn to the most fragrant of these shrubs. Whether cold-hardy or tropical, bushes in this group are valued for scenting the air and thereby diversifying the enjoyment of your yard. The blooms on many of these also boast great beauty.

Daphne is a must-have plant for gardeners who like scented plants or for perfume lovers. The flowers have an orange + lemon + honey + molasses scent and fill a 15-foot space bordering a partial shade garden.

Purple-Leaf Sand Cherry has sweet-smelling blossoms in spring, but this ornamental cherry has value throughout the growing season thanks to its purplish, almost black, foliage. Purple-leaf sand cherry can reach a tree-like 8 feet tall if allowed, but many choose to keep it pruned down to more of a shrub size of 5 to 7 feet. This plant thrives in blistering sun locations and looks great skirting a mountain deck.

Gardenia is easily one of the most fragrant shrubs, and it offers glossy evergreen foliage to boot. I have several that winter over in large pots for us. They are sultry as a summer evening and as intoxicating as an exotic perfume. The blossoms are just as enticing. Buds shaped like seashells unfurl into velvet soft flowers. Several locally hardy shrubs are available at Watters Garden Center this spring.

Korean Spice Viburnum is such a fragrant shrub that one of its common names is “fragrant spicebush.” It smells like the color pine, clove-like with a hint of sweet berries and musk. The best flowers are produced in full sun growing to head height.

Lilacs have a new appreciation. Growing up in Prescott, playing in the small town in the weight of their scent, lilac now has new meaning and remembrance in the garden. In full sun, few shrubs rival their beauty and fragrance. Traditional varieties grow into mini-trees, but several new dwarf varieties reach only hip high and bloom several times a year. Grandma would be jealous.

Mock Orange takes us by surprise every year. Stepping through a doorway walking along as the moon begins to rise, the scent of honey and orange is suddenly everywhere, sweet and floral and strong enough to lie down on. The white flowers are guaranteed each spring with minimal care. It grows naturally to 6 feet tall and blooms best in full sun gardens.

Roses are practically synonymous with fragrant shrubs in the minds of many gardeners. The spectrum of rose aromas is large. They vary from pleasant to sheer delight. The fragrances are described as green tea, honey, vine, moss, fruit or like other flower species. Roses grow better in high, dry gardens. In March, you will find the latest introductions here at Watters, with 700 roses all in bloom arriving the last week in April.

Fragrance Does Not Come from Flowers Alone

Lavender plants smell sweet like flowers with herbal notes and balsamic undertones. Watters specializes in mountain hardy varieties often dried and used in potpourri. The beautiful thing about fragrant foliage is the leaves stay in the garden a lot longer than do flowers. Lavender grows in the ground and looks spectacular in large containers.

Celebrating the 57th Spring Open House March 16, 17

It was 57 years ago this month that Watters Garden Center opened its doors as the first nursery in Northern Arizona. This year, we introduce new plant varieties, new flower colors and a vast selection of cold hard blooming baskets specially grown for the event. Meet our growers and talk directly to the plant breeders that have made Watters Garden Center famous all these years.

Until next issue, I’ll be here at Watters Garden Center helping local gardeners choose just the right fragrance for their gardens.  QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd. in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

Experiencing the Seedy Side of Watters Garden Center

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 The 2018 organic seed has arrived at Watters Garden Center. Each packet is stamped with an official non-GMO seal, ensuring that these seeds have not been genetically modified. Make sure to verify a seed’s freshness date, organic status and whether it is genetically modified before you buy your seeds for this spring.

If you buy your seed online, there are some cautions that are important to have in mind before hitting the “Buy it Now” button. Make sure to check for seed freshness. Seed should have been tested and packaged within the last nine months for optimal performance. All seed packages should be tested and stamped for germination rates and viability. Know the source from which you are buying seed or you can have failures from old leftover seed. Make sure you know what you are buying before you claim black thumbs this spring.

Here are my pointers on starting seedlings indoors. Start your seed growing process by assembling all the materials you will need in your work area.

– You will need containers and trays with drainage. These may be clean plastic pots, trays or peat trays. For the planting medium, I prefer to use a “Soilless Seedling Mix” or peat planting mix because of its sterility and handling ease. Either of these mediums is available at the garden center.

– Because many seed varieties require a constant temperature for germination, you should invest in a waterproof soil-heating mat. Although normally factory set to keep soil at 72 degrees, there also are mats that have variable thermostats. A heating mat is money well spent; it increases success with seedlings and can be used for years.

– It is important to know if the seeds you plan to sow need any special treatment before sowing. Some may need to be soaked for a few hours, some need days in the freezer and others will need to be scarified (nicking the seed hull). For this information, consult with your local nursery. Whatever seed you’ve chosen it is a good idea to do your sowing in stages so that in the event of disaster you have a second chance at a good crop!

– Depending on the size of the seed you may have to create either a seed “trench” or, using a dibble stick, punch a row of small holes. The rows should be at least an inch apart. The planting depth is critical, usually one or two times the diameter of the seed. Very fine seeds or seeds that require light for germination should not be covered at all.

– With the seeds planted you should create a miniature greenhouse environment for the pots or flats. This can be done by placing them inside a sealed plastic bag (using small stakes to hold the plastic from actually resting on the soil mix), or by placing a sheet of glass over the tray. An old aquarium works very well as do ready-made seedling greenhouses. A greenhouse environment almost eliminates the necessity of watering the bed again before the seeds germinate; be sure to keep an eye on them, though.

– Place your flat in an area where it will get good light but not direct sun, and can remain as close to the desired temperature as possible. Depending upon the seed, germination can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of months. Once the seeds have poked through the soil, remove the greenhousing and gradually move the flat into brighter lights or sun.

– At this stage, the seedlings have underdeveloped root systems, so it is critical that you check daily for watering! The potting medium must remain moist, but never soggy. Very wet soil starves the roots of oxygen and drowns new plants. – Bottom watering is best at this point because spraying can dislodge the plants and water on the leaves can lead to fungus attack. Temperatures should be kept at about 70-75 F degrees.

– Until this time, the seedlings have been nourished from the food in the seed itself. Once the second set of leaves develops you can begin to feed your new seedlings. Fertilizing should be done from bottom watering, using a very dilute ¼-strength mix of soluble “Fish Fertilizer” once a week. When the plants have reached about three inches, you can begin to water and feed the plants from above.

 

Until next issue, I’ll be helping gardeners choose the freshest seed here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain, the mountain gardener, can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

Boxwoods Make A Garden Look Better

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Thanks to its versatility, boxwood can fit into any landscape, whether a formal or casual design. In winter’s sparse garden, this shrub’s strong shape, rich green color and air of old-world formality can dominate the scene. In summer, when the garden is in full bloom, it blends into the lushness, providing shape and structure. There are about 90 species and over 365 different kinds of boxwood. They vary tremendously in size, shape, leaf characteristics, growth rates and hardiness. The secret to working with these evergreens is in choosing the varieties that best fit the growing conditions where you are creating your landscape. Here are our top picks and some ways to use them.

Hedges – Boxwoods take well to shearing, which makes them likely candidates for hedges. They are suitable for defining different spaces in the garden, as a border along a property line or for a tidy foundation cover-up.

If you want a tight, close hedge, place your plants half as far away from one another as the mature width listed on the plant tag and they will fill in exactly the way you want. Here are three of the hardiest mountain varieties ready for planting now:

Winter Gem Boxwood

Variegated English Boxwood

Green Mountain Boxwood

 

Edgers and low hedges – Gardeners have been clipping boxwood shrubs into tight formations since 4,000 BC when some Egyptians picked up a pair of shears and went to work. From parterres and knot gardens to defined borders along walkways or beds, low-growing boxwoods such as these three varieties lend themselves to a structured look:

Dwarf English Boxwood

Morris Midget Boxwood

Wee Willie Boxwood

 

Green Accents – Enhance your front door area with a single boxwood or with several of these shapely plants (we love three staggered heights packed into a tight grouping). Use them to define corners in a border or add to billowing borders for structure. These cultivars make it easy:

Chicagoland Green Boxwood

Faulkner Boxwood

Green Velvet Boxwood

 

Topiary – Select taller varieties for swooping spiral or tiered ball topiary forms. Smaller varieties can be sheared into whatever shape you fancy, from a classic orb to whimsical whatevers. Take clippers and shape these varieties:

Green Tower Boxwood

Green Mountain Boxwood

Golden Triumph Boxwood

 

Containers and Raised beds – Almost all boxwoods are candidates for containers because they look just as good in January as they do in June. Choose a fast-draining pot that is at least as wide and tall as the plant itself, and preferably bigger. The larger the container, the more soil it holds and the less often you have to water. This one’s a great container candidate:

Petite Pillar Dwarf Boxwood

 

Keeping Boxwoods Happy

Provide excellent drainage – Boxwoods are highly adaptable to various soil types, including average or poor soils and acidic or alkaline conditions provided the soil is well drained. Boxwoods can’t take standing water and heavy wet soil which can lead to root rot. Prevent this problem by amending your garden soil to a 50 percent blend of Watters Premium Mulch and native garden soil; then plant on a slight mound in the yard. For containers and raised beds plant directly into Watters Potting Soil.

Keep them clean – When a boxwood is sheared to produce denser outer foliage, air circulation is inhibited and light is prevented from reaching the inner sections of the plant. The resulting dead leaves and stems that accumulate in the center can promote fungal diseases that can be fatal. Prune back all dying branches to healthy wood, remove all debris from the center of the plant, and thin out some of the outside growth so that air and light can reach into and maintain a healthy center.

Sun exposure – Boxwoods thrive in either full sun or light shade. But if exposed to extreme winds and full sun, boxwoods can struggle the first years in a garden, especially in winter. These conditions are especially common on mountain ridgelines. Protect boxwoods by keeping them vigorous and healthy; water as needed and apply a fresh layer of mulch in fall to help prevent winter damage. Spray with Watters “Wilt Stop” to withstand extreme exposure.

Fertilizing – Apply Watters 7-4-4 All Purpose Food in spring, summer, and fall for the greenest plants. Gardeners who plan around holidays use Easter, Independence Day, and Halloween as reminders to feed their healthy boxwoods.

Until next issue, I’ll be here at Watters Garden Center helping local gardeners care for their boxwoods. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web \site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

 

Eight Gardening Tasks You Must Complete This Month

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October is a critical month in landscape maintenance and should not be ignored. As we transition into autumn and the first frosts in November, these key steps keep our landscapes healthy, weed-free and ready for their long slumber through winter. These strategic steps also will provide a rich harvest from the vegetable garden through the holidays. Broccoli at Christmas is possible with task #6, weed prevention with #8, and vibrant green evergreens right through the coldest winter days with #1. So, here are the essential October gardening tasks that should be completed by the end of the month.

#1 The most critical job of fall is also the easiest gardening task: feeding everything in our landscapes. The entire yard should be fed within the next few weeks. Stay away from synthetic winterizer plant food. Much safer results are delivered with my 7-4-4 “All Purpose Plant Food.” This locally blended natural plant food is safer for pets and people, and is less threatening to our drinking water than synthetic foods. Evergreens will keep their vibrant green color through winter with this October feeding, and it’s a must for spring bloomers like lilacs and forsythias. Native pinion and ponderosa pines should receive this meal to fend off bark beetles, scale and aphids. Even houseplants should be given a small taste.

#2 This is the time to treat pinion pines for scale. Each tree gets treated with Watters “Plant Protector,” and it doesn’t take an arborist to apply this liquid bug killer. Diluted with water in a two-gallon watering can and applied at the base of each evergreen, the roots will absorb it and do the rest. I think of it as an antibiotic for trees. Reapply in March, and you will have great-looking pest-free trees in your landscape.

#3 When nighttime temperatures drop below 55 degrees, it is time for a cool weather weed killer. Glyphosate based weed killers will not work in October. Ragweed, dandelions and all the other nasty autumn weeds are controlled easily by using liquid “Weed Beater Ultra.” Spray it on and watch them “melt away” in a day.

#4 Watch for large aphids. If the leaves and rocks at the bases of trees are glistening like a morning’s dew, aphids have begun their assault. Get on them right away by hosing down these pests with specially formulated “Multi-Purpose Insect Spray.” Not only will it eliminate aphids from any landscape, it will do away with any other bugs. Spray at the house foundation to keep away ants and spiders.

#5 This move can save you from a plumber’s bill to repair frozen water systems. Every fall I buy next spring’s mulch, manure and shredded bark products and use them as insulating bags. They are perfect to use as cold protection over my valve box lids, around the well house, and around back flow preventers. The garden will need them anyway next spring, so why not get double duty out of those bags of soil amendments?

#6 By the end of October, trees will be bare and the summer flowers dead. Strategically place some blooming autumn plants in your landscape, containers and vegetable garden, and you’ll have flowers in bloom through the end of the year. By the end of the month, plant pansies, kale, mums, violas, broccoli, cabbages, lettuces and cauliflowers to avoid having your landscape left looking bare.

#7 If your lawn looks heat-stressed or doggie-damaged, it’s best to de-thatch before adding that one last feeding of 7-4-4 “All Purpose Plant Food.”

Two weeks after applying food to your lawn, add a granular supplement called “Soil Activator.” This food-activator combination should keep the lawn green long after your neighbors wish they had done the same. This extra step encourages growth in the damaged spots of the lawn as well.

#8 If you have a rock lawn, apply “Weed & Grass Stopper.” Winter weeds like fox tails and dandelions will emerge and become a serious problem just after the holidays. This granular weed stopper prevents weeds from coming back by seed. This is especially important if you missed applying it during this summer’s monsoon season.

With these minimal maintenance tasks, you’ll find your winter-blooming flowers brighter, your evergreens greener and your spring growth more vibrant. If you have questions about any of these eight tasks, please stop by the garden center where my staff and I will be glad to sort out your concerns.

Plants of October – It’s the start of autumn; that means that Prescott’s Pansies are celebrating their existence! Blooming through autumn right into spring, this clown-faced variety blooms more months of the year than any other mountain flower. This local favorite will bloom like crazy through the end of the year, but for success, the right planting time is paramount. They need planting before the first frost so they have time to root fully.

 

Free Gardening Classes are hosted here at Watters Garden Center every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Each is fun, filled with truly local advice and has lots of local gardeners asking the right local gardening questions. Take a look at the October class schedule.

 

Until next issue, I’ll be here at Watters Garden Center helping local gardeners with their October gardening list. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain, the mountain gardener, can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

 

 

Design a Rose Garden in Five Steps or Less By Ken Lain

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Ah, roses. From bud to bloom to falling petals, no garden, from cottage to contemporary, is complete without at least a few of these dreamy flowering shrubs. Their broad variety of growth habits, sizes, colors and textures can fill any niche in the home landscape, and as breeders have made improvements in disease resistance, they’re less work, too. As long as the site is right, there is no reason you can’t have roses in all parts of your garden. Here are five favorite ways to use them.

Create Structure

Sure, you could plant an evergreen or conifer, but taller shrub roses planted close together make a beautiful, efficient hedge to create privacy or to define property lines. Lower growers are spectacular when used to outline a path or dividing parts of the garden from another. The secret to a dense rose hedge is planting your bushes close, not more than 18” apart. Here are three to try: White Rugosa Rose, Tahitian Treasure Rose, Sunny Knock Out Rose.

 

Vertical Impact

Climbing and rambling roses such as Eden Climber Rose are great at adding interest to dull walls and fences. They also provide cooling, flower cover to arbors and pergolas; use shorter varieties to cover pillars or tuteurs. We recommend these three with caution: some climbers grow large, so choose accordingly and provide a sturdy structure. Here are three to try:

Cecile Brunner Climbing Rose (10-20 ft long)

Golden Showers Climbing Rose (12-14 ft long)

White Lady Banks Climbing Rose (15-20 ft long).

 

Spruce Up a Mixed Border

Roses can play a supporting role as well. Look for taller varieties such as The Charlatan Climbing Rose to add height and scale to the back of a border and free-flowering, mid-sized shrubs to amp-up the summer show of foundation plantings comprised of mixed evergreens. Here are three to try: Iceberg Shrub Rose, Francis Meilland Hybrid Tea Rose, Chateau Merlot Shrub Rose.

 

Romance a Container

Most larger roses are eye-popping in a large container and can live their lifetime in just one large pot. Many places in the yard are nearly impossible to plant in. Using resort sized pots poolside, on patios and hard parts of the garden to plant is a beautiful solution to problem areas. Try planting one of the new compact roses such as a Sweet Spot Peach alone or snuggled in with a mix of perennials and annuals. Here are three to try: Sunrosa Soft Pink Shrub Rose, Sweet Spot Calypso Rose, Peachy Keen Shrub Rose.

 

Dressed to Thrill

Roses are always impressive when planted in mass, trained into unique forms like a tree rose or allowed to ramble as a groundcover like with an Apricot Drift Rose. When designed correctly, your landscape will be a showstopper worthy of any garden tour and easier to care for than you think.

 

Until next issue, I’ll be helping locals design with roses here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain, the mountain gardener, can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

Ten Foolproof Plants Fun to Grow with Kids

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Some of our fondest memories are gardening together, collecting worms from under the tree pots at the nursery, picking a basket full of flowers and the summer harvest. When my kids were small, they worked with me, and instead of money we would visit the pet shop, buy a goldfish and release them into the pond. This was always after the ice cream shop, of course.

My grandson and I now hang together in the same way. His unofficial nickname is “Garden Guy Junior,” and we love gardening together. These are memories that bind generations together.

Kids love to get outside and get their hands dirty! They are naturally curious about nature. It’s the reason my latest grandson and I can spend 15 minutes watching a bug crawl across the driveway, and he’s only three. Spend time with your child in the gardens. Teach them to appreciate caring and nurturing plants and the value of growing your food. With fun early gardening experiences, there’s a greater chance they develop their green thumbs and enjoy gardening on their own when the time comes.

Here are my foolproof ideas that get kids involved with nature and the gardens that naturally follow:

 

– Give them their spot. Give them a row at the back of your vegetable garden, a small raised garden bed or a group of containers on your deck. Teach them pride of ownership with their spaces to plant.

 

– Grow plants from seed. Seed germination is as fascinating thing to adults and even more so to children. Be sure to pick seeds that quickly germinate to keep their interest piqued. Here are some fun and easy plants children can start by seed and readily available here at Watters Garden Center:

 

*Vegetables: Beans, Cherry    *Tomatoes, Lettuce, Sprouts, Squash, Pumpkins, especially giant pumpkins.

 

*Flowers: Sunflowers, Nasturtiums, Zinnias, Marigolds, Wildflower seed mixes.

 

– More plants that are fun to grow are plant color packs and 4-inch pots of Geraniums, Dahlias, Petunias, Impatiens, Salvia, Lantana, Eggplant, Corn, Peppers and anything else that piques your child’s interest. Summer is so much fun when visiting the garden center with the kids young and old alike.

 

– Keep them involved in the harvest. Let them harvest the vegetables and help prepare them for dinner. Assist them in cutting flowers and arranging them in a vase.

 

– Teach kids about beneficial insects. Bugs good for the garden are available here at Watters. Pick up a packet of Ladybugs, Praying Mantis or Red worms, then release them in your garden together.

  

– Plant miniature gardens together. Air plants, terrariums, fairy gardens, and miniature train gardens are all popular with kids. Choose a wide, shallow container and plants with small foliage, or ground cover type plants. Arrange the plants into miniature landscapes complete with gravel paths, mini benches and arbors. Let your child help pick out the little accessories or choose their toys to include in the garden.

 

– Plant places to play. Make a teepee using bamboo sticks tied together at the top with twine. Help your child plant bean seeds at the base of each pole and watch them grow. If you have enough space, you can also grow a “house” of sunflowers.

 

– Plant a garden for birds and butterflies. Kids love to watch birds at a feeder and to chase butterflies. Teach children how to attract hummingbirds and butterflies into your landscape. Provide these winged friends with plants for shelter, a place to protect their young, food, flowers and water.

 

Don’t forget to take photos of your child in their garden and share them with friends and family. These moments are treasured for years to come.

 

Until next issue, I’ll see you at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

 

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain, the mountain gardener, can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at www.wattersgardencenter.com or Facebook page facebook.com/WattersGardenCenter .

Eight Trees That Attract More Hummingbirds

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Hummingbirds are highly prized visitors in the garden. These inquisitive little birds zip around from flower to flower in search of nectar. This local list of trees is guaranteed to attract more hummingbirds. Provide a source of water for your hummingbirds, and use nothing but organic products in, on and around these fiery little creatures to keep them healthy.

 

  1. Crabapples – Each spring, crabapple trees burst into bloom in shades of white, red, pink and purple. As a bonus, crabapples can pollinate most kinds of apple trees within a certain radius, which is potentially beneficial for both you, your birds and your neighbors.

Size: 10-25 feet depending on the variety

Exposure: Full sun lovers

 

$25 off these mentioned trees, all sizes, including the really big specimen size (while supplies last, through July 2017)

 

  1. Eastern Redbud – This is one of the earliest plants to bloom each year, illuminating branches with pristine pink flowers just before heart-shaped leaves emerge in April. One distinctive cultivar is called ‘Forest Pansy’ and produces purple foliage.

Other Name(s): Judas-tree

Size: 15-25′ tall and 10-20′ wide

Exposure: Blistering Full sun to part shade

 

  1. Chitalpa is crossed with our native Desert Willow, only with much larger flower clusters without the formation of beans. Shows off large clusters of blossoms that resemble orchids. The tubular shaped flowers are utterly irresistible to hummingbirds.

Other Name(s): Orchid Tree

Size: 15-30′ tall and 10-18′ wide

Exposure: Full sun

 

  1. European Mountain Ash is known for its showy white flowers that form clusters of bright red berries. Its alternate name “Rowan” comes from an old Scandinavian word meaning red. Mountain Ash has smooth dark gray bark that is mottled by prominent horizontal lines. The fruits mature in late spring but often remain on a tree through fall and early winter.

Other Name(s): Orchid Tree

Size: 25-35′ tall and 15-20′ wide

Exposure: Full sun

 

      5.  Silk Tassel Tree has an abundance of pink blossoms that look like powder puffs. This amazingly tough survivor thrives in inhospitable conditions.

Other Name(s): Mimosa, Powderpuff tree

Size: 15-30′ tall and wide, sometimes growing larger

Exposure: Full sun

 

  1. Timeless Beauty Desert Willow is a local native that grows wild from the 3,400 to 6,000 foot elevations of Arizona. It’s no wonder this drought-hardy tree is a hummingbird’s delight. Vibrant purple flowers fade to pale pink all showing on the same tree. We have these trees at the garden center now, or you can buy them online at Monrovia.com.

Other Name(s): Orchid Tree

Size: 15-20′ tall and 10-15′ wide

Exposure: Full sun

 

 

 

 

  1. Tulip Tree has irresistible yellow and orange flowers that resemble tulips. The leaves are also shaped somewhat like tulips, thus the name. With leaves the size of your hand, this is an excellent choice as a dark shade tree to sit under through hot summer days. A stronger tree than willow and cottonwoods combined, with the bonus of tulips shaped flowers and more hummingbirds to entertain us in the yard.

Other Name(s): Tulip poplar, yellow poplar, canoe wood, saddle leaf tree, white wood, white poplar

Size: 50-70 tall and 40′ wide, a real shade tree

Exposure: Full – part sun

 

  1. Flowering Pear has a spectacular spring show. Without forming messy fruit, this local favorite erupts with white bridal blossoms that show just as hummingbirds are migrating north into the mountains of Arizona. This tree is preferred by local hummingbirds to eat from, but it’s the perfect height for nesting sites. You will see more hummingbirds in the landscape by planting this ornamental flowering pear.

Factoid – this is the last tree to turn fire-engine red in the fall of the year, gorgeous.

Size: 30-40′ tall and 18-25′ wide, sometimes growing larger

Exposure: Full sun

 

Until next issue, I’ll be helping local gardeners with trees here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

Planting Tomatoes’ Best Friends in the Garden

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There are plants that work well together and plants that should be kept apart. Matching the two groups into a garden plan is often difficult, especially in small spaces. Companion planting tomatoes is relatively easy.

Companion planting is part experience, part folklore and part wishful thinking. Native Americans were among the first to use companion plants to improve vitality. Iroquois legend states planting corn, beans and squash together helps all three plants thrive and produce a better harvest. Many gardeners still practice this method of growing, called the “Three Sisters,” today.

Luckily, tomatoes make good companions with the majority of popular garden vegetables. Some companions help improve health and vigor of tomato plants, some improve tomato flavor and yet other companion plants are used to repel and deter insect pests and diseases. You’re probably going to grow some of these plants anyway, so why not experiment on your own and use them as companion plants for your tomatoes?

A lot of plants are touted as improving the health, vigor and flavor of tomatoes. All of these features are hard to measure, little scientific research has actually been done to back up the claims and many other factors may be involved. Still, it’s interesting to try them out in your own garden.

If you want to have the biggest and best tomatoes, consider companion planting. Here are 10 plants that will help your tomatoes taste delicious.

Carrots

Carrots and tomatoes share space well. You can plant carrots when tomatoes are small and will be ready to harvest by the time the tomatoes are getting larger and needing more room. If you are short on space, this is a great way to increase your garden’s yield.

Marigolds

Many gardeners would never consider growing tomatoes without marigolds. These bright and chipper annuals do a mighty wonder when it comes to deterring pests. They produce a substance known as alpha-terthienyl. This substance reduces root-knot nematodes in the soil.

Leaf Lettuce

If you grow leaf lettuce with your tomatoes, it acts as a mulch to keep tomato plants cooler. It also helps reduce the chance that disease will spread from the water and soil to your tomato leaves.

Chives

This pretty herb not only helps improve the taste of tomatoes, but also helps repel aphids and makes a great addition to any tomato salad.

 

Borage

This annual herb planted with tomatoes helps in a number of ways. It deters tomato hornworms and cabbage worms. In addition, it improves tomato health and flavor.

Mint

Mint is an aromatic perennial herb that can become invasive. It is best to plant mint in your garden in pots so it does not overrun the garden. Although we may think the aroma of mint is lovely, pests really detest it. Planting some mint near your tomato plants will even keep small rodents at bay.

Garlic

Garlic alongside your tomatoes helps keep spider mites away. Besides, who doesn’t like a little fresh garlic in their tomato salad?

Calendula

Although often called pot marigold, is an entirely different plant. Both the leaves and blooms of this plant are edible and taste delicious in salads. When planted between tomato plants, calendula is a natural way to control pests that feast on tomato plants. These pretty flowers also look sweet in a salad.

Nasturtiums

These classic annual flowers not only add color and cheer to your garden, but also do wonders protecting your tomato plants. They deter whiteflies, squash bugs, beetles and aphids while keeping fungal disease at bay. Although they are annual, they often reseed making them an even more delightful garden addition.

Asparagus

This yummy perennial vegetable produces a chemical that kills nematodes. Tomatoes contain solanine, a substance that is toxic to the asparagus beetle. In addition, tomatoes grow tall, creating shade around asparagus plants, thus not allowing weeds to grow.

If you want the most from your tomatoes this year, consider some of these companion plants.

Until next issue, I’ll see among the many organic tomato plants at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

 

By Ken Lain

 

Ken Lain, the mountain gardener, can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .