Watters Garden Center Prescott

Best Evergreen Shrubs for a Greener Winter

October 27, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Not to worry, you will find the best selection of winter evergreens at Watters Garden Center now, and it’s an excellent time to plant one of your own.

Autumn colors are spectacular. The colors and textures are unique to the four seasons of the mountain West. As we wrap up the last autumn leaves, the landscape can feel naked and bare. Deciduous plants, which lose their leaves through winter, often expose you to prying eyes, vehicle glare and a yard that feels empty. Evergreens take center stage for the next few months, and you can feel when the landscape doesn’t have the right mix of evergreen trees and shrubs.

Not to worry, you will find the best selection of winter evergreens at Watters Garden Center now, and it’s an excellent time to plant one of your own.

Here are the Top 15 most popular evergreen shrubs planted through winter.

Blue Star Juniper – This is strictly a foliage plant. If you like the look of a blue spruce tree but lack the space for something that big, merely scale down and grow a Blue Star Juniper. With its short blue needles, it looks terrific when planted next to shrubs with golden foliage.

Boxwood – This is a small, rounded evergreen that forms tufts of growth resembling clouds if left unpruned. This slow-growing dwarf form is ideal for edging borders along pathways or around flower beds. It is well-suited for topiary and containers and resistant to boxwood leaf miners.

Gilt Edge Silverberry – A splendid Arizona native, this shrub sports a combination of golden-yellow margins on bright green foliage that provides incredible year-round landscape interest. It’s superb as a hedge or low screen that tolerates heat and wind and requires little maintenance. Tiny, fragrant, silvery flowers followed by ornamental red fruit. Impervious to both javelina and deer.

Heavenly Bamboo is an evergreen with bright red highlights through winter. Bamboo-shaped foliage is graced with clusters of white flowers in spring that form red berries as summer heat arrives. Think versatility with this 3-foot-tall plant, as it is happy in any amount of sun, most soils, and tolerates any amount of cold or heat.

Holly is a broadleaf evergreen that usually grows 6 to 8 feet tall. The holly leaves develop a darker color that contrasts nicely against the bright red berries. It is perfect for north-facing borders, screens, hedges, and for foundation plantings. Easy to grow and impervious to mountain wildlife.

Indian Hawthorn – This easy-to-grow evergreen produces vast clusters of fragrant, pearl-pink flowers. Perfect for planting along driveways and parking medians where reflected heat is an issue for many other plants. This spring-blooming evergreen loves Arizona heat!

Mugho Pine – With its dense, symmetrical growth and compact, rounded form, this dwarf pine is perfect for confined spaces. Stunning green foliage takes on a golden hue during colder months. Its slow habit makes this evergreen an ideal specimen in smaller gardens or massed to make a bold statement in more significant landscapes.

Oregon Grape Holly – This is the perfect mountain evergreen, often mistaken for holly. Solar yellow flowers cover the entire plant in spring, followed by a summer berry that is attractive and edible. Heading into winter, the leaves turn a mixed cranberry and orange color that remains until spring blooms. This plant loves sun, heat, wind and requires less water than many natives.

Red Cluster Berry Cotoneaster – With white flowers in spring evolving to red berries that remain on the plant through winter, this plant is a welcome food source for feathered friends hanging around after welcoming in the new year. Growing 10 feet tall and wide, it loves the sun and is easy to grow.

Spreading Yew – This plant has rich green needles that border on black. The 4- to 6- foot spread is used as a hedge, screen or border in a shaded or dapple sunspace. Scarlet berries show off against all the wintergreen and are highly attractive to birds. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his websites at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Shrubs.com.

Insider Secrets Your Landscaper Won’t Share

October 1, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Until next month, I’ll be helping locals design better landscapes here at Watters Garden Center.

Whether you are having hardscape features installed, performing chores or selecting plants for the yard, it’s helpful to understand the insider secrets landscapers won’t share. Thinking like a professional saves lots of money, time and frustration. Best of all, unlocking these pro tips help transform your plantings from a mere collection of plants into a sophisticated landscape design.

Hardscaping is everything non-living, like irrigation, raised beds, ponds and retaining walls. Hardscape features are captivating, but not all are equally necessary. Some types of hardscapes are exceedingly expensive; it is essential to prioritize landscaping on a budget. Give priority to those projects critical to your enjoyment.

Everyone gets excited about the idea of having an elite terrace complete with an outdoor kitchen. You may not enjoy it much when baking in the sun though. A straightforward patio roofed with a covered pergola is often a better investment. It offers a permanent, shaded retreat for dining, chatting with friends, or simply enjoy the flower beds planted nearby.

Save Time with These Lawn-Care Hacks

Lawn care can be a chore. Here are some hacks those in the know use to save considerable time by laying down a mowing strip and using a mulching mower.

After you lay down a mowing strip and see how much time it saves, you’ll kick yourself for not discovering this landscaper’s secret sooner. It consists of a row of pavers separating the grass from an adjacent area or structure. You run the wheels on one side of the mower on top of this strip, giving you a clean cut along the border. No need to go back later to edge and touch up.

Save additional time by using a mulching mower rather than mowing with a bag attachment. No more emptying those dirty grass clippings. The finely mulched grass acts as lawn fertilizer, saving the time required to buy more fertilizer.

Strike a Balance Between Monotony and Variety

Every homeowner prefers variety in a landscape. A way to add style to your design is to vary the viewer’s sightline rather than keeping everything flat on one plane. A landscape berm is the easiest, but intelligent plant selection will also do the trick. Grow a variety of plants that differ in terms of height. Provide transitions between them for a smooth flow.

Let’s say a row of landscape trees line the northern property line. To bring the viewer’s eye level down a notch, plant shrubs in front of them. Complete the three-tiered design with an edging of ground cover plants at the front.

A secret landscape designers swear by here at Watters Garden Center is planting a group of plants together in odd numbers and repeating this grouping elsewhere in the yard. This could be three Gold Star Potentilla grown together in a flower border at the driveway, complemented by a group of five more in a foundation bed. Each group achieves a more significant impact than a solitary shrub, while the repetition brings unity to the design, bringing different parts of the yard together.

Keep Your Plants Healthy.

The best autumn advice I can give you is to feed and care for the plants you do have. The most important feeding of the year is applied in the fall. Feed everything in the yard with Watters 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food for better autumn colors and healthier plants next spring. Second, treat your evergreen pine and spruce with Plant Protector. This easy-to-use plant drench keeps the bugs out of your trees and larger evergreens for the year to come.

Feed and Prevent at the same time or over several weekends. The two easy chores make for better gardening this fall and into next year.

Until next month, I’ll be helping locals design better landscapes here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Throughout the week, Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

Twelve Low-Maintenance Landscape Tips, Tricks

June 30, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Here are time-tested techniques that save you time and energy while still having a stunning yard.

Every landscape needs some upkeep. Many are labors of love for the outdoors, nature and all plants that grow in the yard. Water by hand and mowing take up large amounts of time and resources. Weeding and pruning require seasonal time and energy as well. Many ornamental plants need care to keep them looking vivacious and their best. Low maintenance landscapes have many of the same traits. Here are time-tested techniques that save you time and energy while still having a stunning yard.

Automatic Irrigation System skips the maintenance of dragging a garden hose. These systems make watering your plants convenient and precise. Specific gardens are targeted for maximum efficiency. For travelers, your plants will never go thirsty when you are out of town.
Container Gardens have multiple benefits that minimize plant maintenance. Watters Potting Soil significantly impacts a plant’s health for more robust roots and accessible care. You can control how much water and sunlight the containers receive. And pests and diseases are less likely to strike containers. Overall, you’re likely to spend less time dealing with plant problems. By moving your containers indoors for winter, you no longer have to replace plants each spring.
Control Erosion by taking measures before erosion occurs. You can save yourself a lot of maintenance later. Select plants grown on slopes to hold back soil and avoid sucking up water. Creeping junipers and cotoneaster are commonly used for this purpose.
Deer Resistant Ground Covers are an intelligent landscape solution reducing water and mowing time. Select plants that deer avoid, such as Creeping Mahonia, sweet woodruff and lamb’s ear. Watters Deer & Rabbit Resistance Plant List will help.
Drought-Tolerant Perennials last many years. There’s nothing wrong with growing an annual plant that needs lots of water. Gardeners love the fragrance. They require work for one growing season’s enjoyment compared to drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials, especially in areas that receive full sun, which look great for years of enjoyment.
Hardscaping is all the non-living landscaping components, including brick patios, concrete walkways, stone walls, wooden fences, pergolas and gravel beds. They certainly require less work than your plants in the yard. Trade some grass for a paved courtyard. You will add some usable outdoor living space and reduce your yard maintenance.
Landscaping for Dogs can keep your yard from becoming ragged. Switch to grass that holds up under “paw traffic,” such as Tall Fescue grass. A clover lawn is also ideal because it won’t show the unsightly yellow stains or burns from canine urine, unlike typical grass.
Low Maintenance Ornamental Grass is both beautiful and easy to care for. It fills gardens with texture, height, foliage colors, floral displays and more. Tall grass has a wide array of appearances and growing requirements, so you will find a species you like. Maiden grass is a hip-high grass that is both drought-tolerant and low maintenance. Likewise, Blue Fescue is a short, drought-tolerant variety with no serious problems with pests or diseases.
Mulch is an unsung hero of the landscape. An application of mulch reduces water needs significantly by maintaining soil moisture and keeping garden soils from sunburn. It also suppresses weeds, making yard care much more effortless. A 2-3” inch layer of mulch protects plants through the winter rather than having to remove and replant them.
Rock Gardens use drought-resistant plants that need little care. The rocks themselves are decor that never needs water or tending. Stones help keep weeds down while having a natural visual appeal. Ensure your plants are companions and have the same water and sun needs. That way, you won’t have to worry about providing individualized plant care.
Trees significantly impact landscapes, providing essential focal points and shade. Some trees are better than others when minimizing maintenance. Look for trees that don’t drop messy seeds or fruit to reduce time cleaning up and preventing seedlings from growing in unwanted places. Consider dwarf trees like Purple Leaf Plum or Redbud, especially if the yard is small. These trees mature around 15 feet tall, making pruning a cinch. They are deciduous varieties that need minor leaf cleanup in autumn, compared to large trees.
Xeriscaping is a landscape with plants that require minimal supplemental water once established, especially lawns. Maintaining a lawn is labor-intensive and costly when you consider water, lawn food and even replacing one that has succumbed to drought. Avoid this entirely by changing your landscape design with xeriscaping native plants found on our Yavapai Friendly Plant List (https://wattersgardencenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Water-Bills-be-Gone-Plant-Guide.pdf).

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

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

Identifying Best Smelling Plants for Outdoor Gardens

April 30, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Here is a list of the best plants for easy fragrance through your gardens.

Arizona is famous for outdoor activities. When all this activity brings the party to your deck, patio or pool’s edge, the fragrance of the garden should be positive and uplifting to the friends that gather. This is the perfect place to add sweetly scented plants for ambiance. Forget the candles and citronella. The right plants remind us why the mountains of Arizona are meant to be enjoyed outdoors.

The fragrance of many plants intensified at night are yet another reason to relax under the stars. Enjoy the aromas of the sweetest-smelling plants at the garden center today.

What’s the first thing we do when we see a flower? Most of us smell it, of course. Children primarily identify the sight of a blossom with fragrance. While we can occasionally be surprised, disappointed or repulsed by a plant’s odor, its scent is essential to gardens.

Using fragrant plants in the landscape is not a new concept. The botanical reason for plant fragrance is simple. Humans identify hundreds of odors. Many trigger solid reactions and emotions. Smells attract pollinators to the flowers. White or pastel blossoms seem to have more potent scents. This trait is probably to help them compete with their more brightly colored cousins.

The fragrance is not limited to flowers. Heavenly aromas are found in other parts of the plant’s foliage, seeds and bark. Herbs are perfect examples.

Viburnum by the front entrance to your home invites guests to take a moment to stop and smell the flowers. Remember, our prevailing Southwest mountain wind directs the aroma. You want to place fragrant plants where they can be appreciated.

Best Planting Locations

Container Gardens on Rolling Caddies – create your own portable plant aromatherapy using rolling plant caddies under your containers. Move them where you want.
Open the Window – any window that allows a breeze to enter your home is enhanced by the fragrance of plants.
Porches, Patios, Decks – anywhere you have seating is a great place to enjoy fragrant plants, especially evening blooming plants like jasmine and moonflower. A solitary bench in the garden is an excellent place to escape.
Trellis to Climb – bring the fragrance up to nose level. Arbors, especially over garden gates and pergolas, bring the aroma to you.
Walkways and Entry – passers-by enjoy the aroma of blooms. Scented leaves release their scent when brushed as you walk by.

Here is a list of the best plants for easy fragrance through your gardens.

Annual flowers bloom in riotous waves of fragrant colors. The best flowers are Alyssum, Marigold, Nasturtium, Pansy, Petunia, Poppy, Primrose, Stock and Viola.

Evergreens are famous in the mountains of Arizona for their pitchy pine scent. Many have incredible flowers with a fragrance that outdoes most. Evergreens with aromas are Azalea, Cypress, Deador Cedar, Desert Broom, Holly, Euonymus, Juniper, Lavender, Pine, Rosemary, Silver Berry, Spanish Broom and Waxleaf Privet.

Herbs – Most herbs are fragrant. Sage and rosemary are undeniably fragrant. Creeping thyme is used as a ground cover in stepping stone walkways simply because it smells good when stepped on. Almost the entire family of herbs is fragrant: Basil, Bay, Catmint, Chamomile, Lavender, Mint, Oregano, Scented Geranium, and Thyme.

Perennials at the top of the fragrant list would have to be Astilbe, Candytuft, Daylily, Dianthus, Hosta, Iris, Lilies, Lily-of-the-Valley, Peony, Phlox, Primrose, Russian Sage, Sedum, Sweet Woodruff and Verbena.

Shrubs are more fragrant for one reason only: their size. The most fragrant of all would be Butterfly Bush, Cotoneaster, Daphne, Forsythia, Gardenia, Lilac, Manzanita, Mock Orange, Osmanthus, Roses, Viburnum, Big Sage Bush and Silverberry.

Trees come in all scents and flavors. The most notable local trees for uplifting aromas are Crabapple, Flowering Cherry, Crape Myrtle, Chitalpa, Fruit Trees, Serviceberry, Pine and Spruce.

Vines are ideal for climbing up arches, pergolas, fences and deck posts for a fragrance that reaches any location. Have them climb or spread out as a ground cover. Here are the top picks: Akebia, Clematis, Climbing Roses, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lady Banks Rose, Sweet pea and Wisteria.

Until next month, I’ll be helping gardeners grow more fragrant gardens here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

Identifying Nine Vegetable Blunders

April 3, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Vegetable gardening is an ongoing learning experience made up of lots of small successes and some failures.

As we progress into the vegetable planting season, the potatoes, garlic, kale and lettuce are already planted. The summer edibles will take center stage with the last frost quickly approaching.

Garden success often depends on things out of our control, including rainfall, temperature and soil type, to name a few. Here are the personal mistakes I wish readers to avoid as we plant the spring gardens.

Mistake #1: Starting Too Early

Gardener and impatient are used in the same sentence. The planting season starts in March, but frost is expected through April. Ensure early garden plants can take the freeze-thaw cycle the Central Highlands are famous for. Leafy plants like broccoli, cabbage, peas and parsley love this early spring weather.

The first of May is our local last frost. You will find the most extensive vegetable selection when you shop early, but have a plan to protect them if a late frost is predicted. Otherwise, you will be back at the garden center buying more plants. Here is Watters local Vegetable Calendar for Mountain Gardens.

Mistake #2: Garden in the Wrong Spot

A vegetable garden should be conveniently handy. In days when zucchini grow to the size of bowling pins, or rabbits break through your fence to finish the peas, daily visits will be needed. Vegetables require six or more hours of sun per day. Too little, and the fruits are small without flavor. A hose or watering can is needed until summer monsoon rains arrive. The closer the garden is to water, the easier it is to irrigate.

Mistake #3: Going Cheap on Soil and Plant Food

Plants use up garden soil as they grow. Starting off with poor soil ensures a struggle all season. Refresh annually with Barnyard Manure and Premium Mulch at the start of every planting season. Containers and raised beds need fresh Potting Soil that revitalizes pots. Earthworms are always a good sign.

Use water-soluble Flower Power twice monthly for a fantastic vegetable harvest. Watters Fruit and Vegetable Food is even better for more extensive gardens.

Mistake #4: Picking Too Slowly

Enjoy your vegetables while at their peak. A plant won’t set more cucumbers or peppers if its branches are already full. Herbs, like basil and cilantro, benefit from frequent harvesting.

Mistake #5: Planting Too Many

Planting more than you can eat or even care for is common. Start with varieties you enjoy or cannot purchase fresh locally. Learn how to grow them and expand your repertoire. It is best to enjoy success with a smaller garden than struggle to keep up with a large one. Here’s my list of the Easiest Vegetables to Grow in the Garden: https://wattersgardencenter.com/10-favorite-vegetables-easily-grown-in-pots/.

Mistake #6: Lack of Spacing

Seeds of lettuce, carrots and beets are planted close and thinned as you harvest. Plants set out as seedlings, like tomatoes and peppers, or large plants, like corn and beans, need much more space at maturity. If squashes, pumpkins and cucumbers are in your garden, they require even more room. To make the best use of space, interplant early vegetables like spinach, radish and lettuce underneath or around those that require a longer growing season.

Mistake #7: Deferred Maintenance

Different vegetables have different needs. Tomatoes need water at ground level. Overhead watering can encourage diseases and blights. Vegetables like corn, lettuces and broad-leaf plants like squashes are more tolerant of overhead irrigation.

Weeds take water and nutrients from your vegetables. They also provide cover for bugs that carry disease and eat your garden. Your hoe may be the best tool in the shed.

Mistake #8: Letting the Animals In

The need for a sturdy fence cannot be overstated. Deer, javelina, rabbits and gophers can wipe out a garden overnight. Planting vegetables is like ringing the dinner bell.

Mistake #9: Not Dealing with Problems Early

Monitor your plants regularly. Yellowing leaves or spots are best corrected before the entire row is infected. Catch insects early before they take over. Problems like blossom end rot are remedied simply by removing the affected fruit.

Vegetable gardening is an ongoing learning experience made up of lots of small successes and some failures. Begin with good soil, quality seeds and regular garden practices, and success follows.

Until next week, I’ll be helping gardeners plant better vegetable gardens here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Vegetables.com.

Are Fruit Trees a Good Investment?

February 24, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Watters has the most extensive local selection and ready to set fruit and grow.

You used to need a lot of land to grow fruit trees. Dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees have allowed growing them in just about any yard. Most standard-sized fruit trees mature at a height and width of between 18-25 feet. Not only will this require a big chunk of your yard, but it also makes them tall to prune and spray without using a ladder.

Even with smaller trees, growing fruit is a long-term investment. Fruits can take anywhere from two to 10 years to bear fruit. If you plan to be harvesting for years to come, it pays to do some upfront planning.

Choosing a Size
The terms dwarf and semi-dwarf can be confusing. Dwarf fruit trees reach a height and width of about eight to 10 feet. At this height, they can be tended and harvested without a ladder. Pruning keeps them even smaller. Unfortunately, dwarf fruit trees tend to be short-lived.

Semi-dwarf fruit trees are a little larger, with most topping at 12 to 16 feet tall and wide. Maintenance and harvest require a ladder, but the average yield is eight to 12 bushels, about twice what you expect from a dwarf tree and far longer living.

There is not much space difference between the two types of trees, and both should start producing fruit within five years. With just a bit more work, the yields are far greater on semi-dwarf trees. With actual dwarf trees, you will have all your fruit within arm’s reach.

For those of you thinking that even eight to 10 feet is more space than you have or can sacrifice, don’t give up. Fruit trees can be grown in containers as well. The yield is not as heavy, but every bit as delicious.

Which Fruit Trees Need Pollinators?
Most fruit trees produce better fruits if two or more trees are planted nearby. Just don’t put your house or barn between the two trees. Anywhere in the landscape will do.

Although the trees need to be the same type of fruit, they should not be the same variety. You can plant two different kinds of apples and they will cross-pollinate with each other, as long as they bloom simultaneously. Most fruit tree catalogs and plant labels give you suggestions for excellent pollinators. We have several local charts here at Watters Garden Center that will help.

If you only want one tree, your best options are peach, apricot, nectarine and sour cherry. These are self-pollinating or self-fruitful and pollinate themselves with help from bees. One notable exception is a Stella Sweet Cherry, which is also self-fruitful.

A second option is a multi-grafted tree, where three or more varieties of fruit are grafted onto one trunk. Another name for this fruit tree is a “Fruit Cocktail Tree.”

Some Like it Cold
Fruit trees need a certain number of hours when the temperature drops below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Without this chilling period during their dormancy, they set little fruit the following spring. We have locally proven varieties available here at the garden center.

Which Fruit Trees are Low Maintenance?
All fruit trees require some care and the right Fruit Tree Food. Most require annual pruning. However, some can get by with minimal supervision once established. At the top of the list of low-maintenance trees are cherries. These require pruning only when branches are damaged or crossed.

Stone fruits like peaches, apricots, plums and nectarines are also easy to maintain. Some pruning is required to keep the trees open to light and may need fruit thinning in early summer for a larger harvest.

Apples and pears are the best mountain producers. Because apples and pears are the last fruit trees to blossom in spring, it reduces the likelihood of frost damage. This one trait puts them in the number one producer spot.

Pruning fruit trees is a vast topic and varies with the tree type. But starting with the right tree for your location and getting it off to a healthy start is a solid first step toward your first fruit harvest.

If you’re thinking fruit this spring, now is the time to plant. Plant before they leaf. Late winter and early spring are the ideal planting window for fruit trees. Watters has the most extensive local selection and ready to set fruit and grow.

Until next week, I’ll be helping gardeners plant the perfect fruit tree here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10FruitTrees.com.

Top Seven Spring Cleaning Tasks Every Garden Needs

January 27, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Here are the insider tips for a gorgeous garden this spring.

Serious gardeners are in the garden on the first warm day of spring. While there is no harm in cleaning up fallen branches and debris, wait until the soil is no longer wet enough to form a ball in your hand before walking on it and compacting. But start your cleanup quickly. It’s much easier to cut plants back before the old growth gets tangled up in the new growth. Here are the insider tips for a gorgeous garden this spring.

#1 Remove Mulch and Prune Your Perennial Flowers

The first task is removing and composting dead annual plants that remain through winter. These will not return, and any self-seeders will already have done their job.

The perennials look pretty ugly as spring approaches. Herbaceous perennials hibernate underground through winter. Look closely. Once you see new growth at their base, it is time to remove winter mulch and prune them back to ground level.

#2 Prune Woody Perennial Flowers

Shrubby plants with woody stems, like artemisia, butterfly bush, caryopteris and lavender, must be cut back before spring; they only bloom on new branch growth. Most of these woody perennials send signals when it is time to prune, showing open buds on the lower portion or base of the plant. Prune then to encourage the plant to grow tender new flower branches.

#3 Prune Ornamental Grasses

If you left your ornamental grasses up for winter interest, cut them back as soon as possible. Don’t wait for new growth to show. Cut grasses to within a few inches of the ground. They will grow back when ready.

#4 Care for Your Roses

Prune, clean and fertilize roses as soon as new buds grow. Generally, this is the end of February through March. Most shrub roses appreciate pruning down to knee height with 3 to 5 young canes remaining. Pick off all remaining leaves and rake the area clean. Spray what remains with Horticultural Oil and feed with a Systemic Rose Food.

#5 Prune Trees and Shrubs

Most spring-blooming trees and shrubs set their flower buds last summer and fall. You prune off their spring flowers by pruning now. Waiting until after they bloom is the best time to cut them back. Focus pruning on summer blooming shrubs like Rose of Sharon, Potentilla, Russian and Autumn Sages. These are safe to prune now. Vines like honeysuckle, ivy and trumpet vine are safe to prune now. Maple, aspen, oak, ash and the rest should all be pruned now.

#6 Spring Weed Prevention

Early spring is the time to take action against weeds. Damp soil makes it easy to pull young seedlings. Do not compost weeds. They come back to haunt you. Clean the gardens up, then apply Watters Weed & Grass Stopper to keep the area weed-free. This granular weed seed killer prevents weeds from germinating and is worth the extra step.

#7 Feed all Your Plants

Plants enjoy being fed in the spring when they have their initial growth spurt. Watters 7-4-4 All Purpose Food is the ideal granular plant food. Feed everything in the yard by using a hand spreader. The soil will look “salt-and-peppered” when complete. Another benefit of this natural plant food is the margin for mistakes. It is much harder to burn plants with slow-release organic plant food. This food is also excellent for vegetables and container plants inside and out.

Spring + Soil Sulfur is the secret to the best Spring gardens ever. Our mountain water works against you because of the high pH. Soil Sulfur counteracts high pH, so plants grow richer greens and brighter colors. Apply once to the entire landscape with the Spring feeding for maximum beauty, silvery blue from spruce, holly and hydrangea, larger roses and taller perennials. Even grasses benefit.

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

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

Spring 2023 Free Garden Classes taught at Watters Garden Center

January 10, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Free Garden Class offered every Saturday @ 9:30 am in the fresh air at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott.

January 14 @ 9:30 am: Happy, Healthy Houseplants with Professional Style

You’ll learn the top plants grown indoors and how to care for them. Learn best practices for watering, light placement, and how to treat and prevent pests and problems.

January 21 @ 9:30 am: Top Local Landscapes with Flare

Students learn the best local companion plants—flowers, evergreens, and more–for maximum seasonal color, and the right places to place them for gardening success.

January 28 @ 9:30 am: Why January is the Month to Plant Wildflowers

Late winter is the ideal window to start wildflower seed outdoors, but you can’t just chuck them in the landscape and expect success. You’ll know the best seed, soils, food, and techniques that bring on the color this spring.

Top Evergreen Shrubs of Winter

December 27, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Here are the Top 15 most popular evergreen shrubs planted through winter.

Autumn colors are spectacular. The colors and textures are unique to the four seasons of the Mountain West. As we lose the last autumn leaves, the landscape can feel naked and bare. Deciduous plants, which lose their leaves through winter, often expose you to prying eyes, vehicle glare, and a yard that feels empty. Evergreens take center stage for the next few months, and you can feel when the landscape doesn’t have the right mix of evergreen trees and shrubs.

Not to worry, you will find the best selection of winter evergreens at your garden center now, and it’s an excellent time to plant one of your own.

Here are the Top 15 most popular evergreen shrubs planted through winter.

Blue Star Juniper– This is strictly a foliage plant. If you like the look of a blue spruce tree but lack the space for something that big, merely scale down and grow a Blue Star Juniper. With its short blue needles, it looks terrific when planted next to shrubs with golden foliage.

Boxwood – is a small, rounded evergreen that forms tufts of growth resembling clouds if left unpruned. This slow-growing dwarf form is ideal for edging borders along pathways or around flower beds. Well-suited for topiary and containers and resistant to boxwood leaf miners.

Euonymous – is the most popular of the hedge plants. Although its bright year-round foliage appears almost festive, this plant is tough as they come. An ideal hedge can be sheared or left to grow into a natural form dense enough to make an excellent visual and sound barrier. For long hedgerows, a combination of the two varieties creates a more exciting entity.

Heavenly Bamboo – is evergreen with bright red highlights through winter. Bamboo-shaped foliage is graced with clusters of white flowers in spring that form red berries as summer heat arrives. Think versatility with this 3-foot-tall plant, as it is happy in any amount of sun, most soils, and tolerates any amount of cold or heat.

Holly – is a broadleaf evergreen that usually grows 6’ to 8’ tall. The holly leaves develop a darker color that contrasts nicely against the bright red berries. Perfect for north-facing borders, screens, hedges and for foundation plantings. Easy to grow and impervious to mountain wildlife.

Mint Julip Juniper – is perfect for large hedges, privacy screens and specimen plantings. It is so tolerant of salt, it can be used near sidewalks, driveways and roadways. It is rarely damaged by animals, such as deer, javelina, elk and packrats.

Mugho Pine – with its dense, symmetrical growth and compact, rounded form, this dwarf pine is perfect for confined spaces. Stunning green foliage takes on a golden hue during colder months. Its slow habit makes this evergreen an ideal specimen in smaller gardens or massed to make a bold statement in more significant landscapes.

Oregon Grape Holly – is the perfect mountain evergreen often mistaken for holly. Solar yellow flowers cover the entire plant in spring, followed by a summer berry that is attractive and edible. Heading into winter, the leaves turn a mixed cranberry and orange color that remains until spring blooms. This plant loves sun, heat, wind and requires less water than many natives.

Privet – has the same look as photinia but may be a better choice for a residential landscape. Growing to only six feet high, it forms a thick, dark green hedge. The waxy leaves retain moisture within the plant’s structure. The result is a lower maintenance hedge with lower water needs and fewer bug problems than its red-tipped counterpart.

Red Cluster Berry Cotoneaster – has white flowers in spring, evolving to red berries that remain on the plant through winter. It is a welcome food source for feathered friends hanging around after welcoming in the new year. Growing 10’ tall and wide, it loves the sun and is easy to grow.

Spreading Yew – has rich green needles that border on black. The 4’ to 6’ spread is used as a hedge, screen or border in a shaded or dapple sunspace. Scarlet berries show off against all the wintergreen and are highly attractive to birds.

Winter Heaths – first-time growers of these alpine evergreens are impressed by their long blooming period. Winter heaths, Erica darleyensis, live up to their name, putting out flowers in the most unlikely season: winter. If the climate and conditions are suitable, they flower from late winter right through spring.

Yucca – Massed together, yuccas form an impressive display during their bloom period. Garland’s Gold and Golden Sword are bold choices with or without remarkable flowers.

Until next month, I’ll be helping local gardeners plant the best evergreens here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his websites at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Shrubs.com.

Holiday Evergreens Hide the Neighbors

November 28, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

When you’re ready to choose the trees for your living wall of green, read through these popular choices of local screening plants that fill in fast.

Now is the time to plant privacy screens for maximum growth and seclusion in spring. Without strategically placed evergreens in the yard, it can feel as if prying eyes are looking right into your home. Not only does your privacy seemingly disappear, but that neighbor’s debris pile can be on display!

Enable enjoyable hot tub sessions without prying eyes from that too-close-for-comfort neighbor. The solution to these unwanted invasions is not rocket science. Simply plant a wall of living trees and shrubs to block an undesirable view and create the privacy you desire!

An excellent example of an “evergreen and gold” hedge is Golden Euonymous. Now is the ideal planting season for fast-growing trees and shrubs to maximize autumn roots critical for a lush wall next spring.

To successfully add evergreens to a landscape, several essential steps are worthy of your time and energy. The most crucial requirement for trees to thrive is drainage. Blend one shovelful of Watters Premium Mulch into every three shovelfuls of native earth to pack around each root. Feed new plants with 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food right after planting. The cottonseed meal in this natural food promotes robust root formation while maintaining good foliage color. Finally, deep soak each plant with a solution of Root & Grow. This specially designed compost tea encourages new roots that grow deep and strong.

Best Evergreen Trees Used as Screens, Accents

When you’re ready to choose the trees for your living wall of green, read through these popular choices of local screening plants that fill in fast.

Arizona Cypress My favorite native evergreen screener is the Arizona cypress. It is like a giant alligator juniper in size and color but grows faster and fills in more thoroughly than other screening plants. Growing to over 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide in just a few years, you can see why this is the No. 1 choice for a planted screen.

Colorado Spruce Very cold hardy, this spruce is the perfectly symmetrical Christmas tree shape. It is an excellent choice for a front yard tree or as a semi-formal accent in a large yard. It makes a pretty evergreen background against contrasting foliage colors, flowering shrubs or highlighting autumn leaves. Line up several for a windbreak or to quickly diffuse lights and sounds along busy streets.

Deodar Cedar This is the largest screening plant, growing to more than 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide. It is one of the fastest growing of the screens, growing 2-3 feet every year. This cedar thrives on low water use, drought conditions and drip irrigation, as with most upright evergreens. Make sure to give it plenty of growing space because, with its long swooping branches of Arizona Blue foliage, this tree is going to need it!

Juniper Let’s look at the juniper family. Spartan, Blue Point and Wichita are on the extensive list of junipers available at Watters Garden Center now. Juniper forests surround us, so be assured junipers are naturals to add to a landscape. Whichever color and height you like, all grow well in this part of the world.

Austrian Pine This is a handsome evergreen tree with a densely branched conical form when young that becomes umbrella-shaped with age. Needles are long and dark green. It tolerates poor soils and harsh, drying winds, making it a great conifer for windbreaks or used as a large landscape specimen.

There are many more choices, such as the larger evergreen shrubs and deciduous trees like aspens. We’ll discuss those varieties another time.

Just Published

The Secret Garden: Plants as a Natural Screen is an all-local garden book with deeper detail about screening plants. Free copies are available for download at WattersGardenCenter.com under LEARN.

Until the next issue, I’ll be helping local gardeners plant privacy here at Watters Garden Center. I hope you have a Merry Christmas! QCBN

By Ken Lain

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, or contacted through his websites at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10EvergreenTrees.com.

Watters Garden Center Prescott

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