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Plant the Best Fall-Colored Trees Now

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Not all trees are created equal when it comes to autumn colors, and this is their season. Autumn is also the ideal planting window for trees and tall shrubs. Increased garden success is achieved when plants are showing their colors. The days are cool and the soil is warm, so plants start with a burst of new root growth.

Most properties don’t have many trees. You can count on one hand the number of trees in the average landscape. Trees stand out in any landscape like anchors that bring together the foundation of a good plan. Also, don’t forget that trees increase the value of your landscape more than spas and grills.

Don’t waste money by cutting corners. Trees are where the landscape value is and no place to pinch pennies. Buy the best-looking tree you can find; bigger is better. Nice looking trees at the garden center turn into big, bold specimens as they mature. An ugly tree only stays ugly its entire life. Cut landscape dollars on shrubs, flowers and hedges so your budget can afford a few specimen-sized trees to enhance your outdoors. Below are the showoffs of fabulous fall foliage.

Red Prescott Maple

This very fast growing shade tree blazes in reds and orange through autumn. It produces a tall, narrow tree with ascending branches more resistant to wind and storm damage. Widely used as a street tree, driveway lining or any place tight spaces demand, the red Prescott maple will not spread past 20 feet with the brightest of reds in fall.

Flame Maple

This little maple is famous for blazing red foliage that ignites a landscape. It is well adapted to mountain clay soils, sun, wind and cold winters. Once rooted in a landscape, it’s easy on irrigation, and perfect for fire-wise landscape needs. Though sometimes mistaken for a Japanese Maple, this mountain variety is the far hardier of the two trees. Whether grown as a short, multi-trunk tree or a 10-foot shrub, it is on my list of preferred “water-wise” plants.

Ornamental Pistachio

These trees are for gardens that are exposed to the wind and subjected to micro-bursts or other weather anomalies. This autumn show-off thrives not only in harsh environments but also neglect. The attractive umbrella shape turns a brilliant crimson; no other tree produces such a vibrant, broad range of fall reds and orange. It can serve dozens of uses: as a shade tree, street tree, accent or first yard specimen. The ornamental pistachio is the ideal choice for flanking driveways, or planted in pairs to meet overhead at street sides. Grow this colorful low-water-need tree against a solid evergreen background to provide intense contrast to any landscape.

Aristocrat Pear

This is the last tree to turn autumn red, which happens in December, but it also celebrates the other three seasons of the year. It produces gigantic masses of white flowers in spring before the leaves appear, followed by glowing green leaves through summer that are disease- and bug- resistant. In winter, the clean winter outline is upright to pyramidal when young and becomes broadly oval at maturity, which resists wind damage. The autumn colors are disputed to be brighter than maple and rival the purple of Raywood ash.

Regal Petticoat Maple

This newly developed tree is striking as a shade tree. Large maple leaves are glossy green with a dark velvet purple underside. In autumn, the leaves are equally striking with aspen gold on top and a bright magenta pink on the bottom with accents of red, orange and salmon throughout the tree. The regal petticoat maple thrives in our high pH soils and matures above 35 feet with age. Petticoat has proven itself even in commercial landscapes and is very hardy against wind damage.

Quaking Aspen

For the past four years, the undisputed best seller here at Watters Garden Center is quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, or trembling leaf poplar. Growing in the wild at 6,000-foot-plus elevations, it does well as a cultivated specimen. Aspens have the classic pure white bark like a birch, but unlike a birch, handle our clay soils even better. True to their name, the dainty leaves shiver and quake at the slightest breeze. For a natural look with aspens, plant them in clusters or buy a clump of aspens in the same container. They are social trees and like to hang out together in groupings. These are best planted before the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

Until next issue, I’ll be helping gardeners plant just the right trees 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 his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

 

 

Creating Privacy with Head-High Hedges

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Privacy and hedgerows are not top-of-mind until your neighbor dumps his leftover construction material for all to enjoy at the next backyard BBQ. My favorite is the super-sized motor home parked within feet of the property line that is now a chrome-covered albatross sitting between yards. We spend a lot of time outdoors in Arizona and a little privacy is essential.

An unfortunate mistake so many homeowners make is planting a hedge that becomes massive within several years, overgrowing its space and obscuring walkways and the front of your house. Screens taller than head-high can obliterate vistas and obscure sunsets. This article is dedicated to those plants that are easily maintained at head height with a little manicuring. Here is my list of the top seven local plants that make great scenes in local landscapes.

  1. Climbing Roses are a natural barrier for Prescott gardens. Not only are roses stunning the entire growing season, but in their thorny nature, they keep out the unwanted. Roses only need pruning in March, so they are far less work than other head-height shrubs. Also, check out the new Easy Elegance Shrub Series roses in a host of colors and fragrances. Now is a great time to plant a rose or any hedge.
  2. Gilted Edge Silverberry is a new hedge plant with a native twist that rivals manzanita and grows equally tall. Bright gold edges highlight every blue leaf for a stunning native hedge plant. Plant at four-foot intervals and you have a head high privacy screen so thick and bright no one would dare enter. Investment property owners use this plant because it classes up a property’s value, yet is hardy enough to keep up with a landscape’s deadliest tenant.
  3. Glossy Privet is a better choice with the same look. Growing to only head high, the broad green leaves form a thick hedge that ultimately reaches human height. The waxy leaves hold moisture within the plant’s structure, creating a low water, low maintenance hedge with fewer bug problems than its red-tipped counterpart.
  4. Golden Euonymous is the most popular of the hedge plants and as tough as they come. Bright gold foliage appears festive and fun for year-round class. An ideal hedge, it can be sheared or left to grow into a natural form dense enough to make an excellent visual and sound barrier. Look to the Silver King Euonymus for the same design element, only in a silver cream color that is equally striking. Feel free to mix and match the two for long hedgerows.
  5. Grape Holly is a natural alternative. Several varieties grow wild in the mountains of Arizona and snowball to six feet with minimal care. Once up to size, this hedge could be cut off from all care except very scarce water during the heat of summer. Fun gold flowers cover this plant in early spring, followed by a grape-like berry; the birds will love this hedge. The leaves resemble English holly, but are well adapted to our wind and bright sun. This plant makes an excellent fence along driveways, entrances and property lines.
  6. Mint Julep Juniper is another super hardy plant your grandfather used as a hedge, but with much better color. Of course, Northern Arizona is famous for our juniper forest, so a juniper hedge fits and is equally hardy. The signature seafoam green foliage proliferates to head high, needing little help and even less water. It forms a very thick hedge that requires infrequent trimming to keep it perfectly manicured.
  7. Victory Pyracanthia is another Victorian plant ideally suited to an eight-foot hedge row. White flowers in spring form orange berries the birds dearly love. Thick, glossy, green leaves are small, surprisingly hardy and the fastest growing of the tall hedge plants. This plant has all the seasons covered for a breathtaking landscape. Long thorns prevent a visitor’s escape through this hedge, and are equally good at keeping the unwanted out.

Spacing is critical for a fast filling hedge. Use the plant’s ultimate height as the spacing recommendations for a thick hedge. If the plant tag says that your plant will grow five to seven feet tall, use the smaller of the two numbers. Our arid Arizona climate seems to dwarf plants, or at least force them to grow on the small size of natural.

Ask for Help

When the perfect hedge requires planting 15 perfectly spaced specimens that create your ideal garden abode, ask that they be planted for you. We have staff members who love planting and watching a new garden come alive and the beauty of a new hedgerow in a customer’s yard. A good gardener will know the soils, wind and environmental issues and how to compensate for a plant’s best performance. When planting yourself, ask for insider tips and the three things needed to have a new plant genuinely thrive in our mountain soils.

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

 

By Lisa Watters-Lain

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

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.

Ladybug Release

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The week between Earth Day and Arbor Day is really something special! April is the peak planting season for local gardens. To celebrate these important gardening holidays, Sunday, April 28, Watters Garden Center will host it’s annual ‘Great Ladybug Release’ at 2 pm. Fun for gardeners of all ages, so bring the grandkids! Free for all to attend, with prizes for those that come in costumes Ladybugs will love. This event is an Instagram dream.

Ladybugs are the best way to control aphids, scales, mealy bugs, white flies and mites NATURALLY! These colorful carnivores can eat 60 aphids per day, and live for years in the garden, consuming over 5,000 garden pest in a lifetime. These pint-sized powerhouses keep gardens insect-free by just having lunch. No spraying, no chemicals, and NO WORK required! Beneficial Insects are stocked full all week with ladybugs, praying mantis, nematodes and worms ready for release into you the garden.

Ladybugs are a special friend to roses, and Watters Garden Center has especially grown 700 organic roses just for this event, along with a free garden class Saturday, April 27th @ 9:30 am titled “Everything Fragrant with Roses.” The entire garden center will be filled with the fragrance of roses and ladybugs.

How to Release Ladybugs in Your Garden

Keep them Cool – Ladybugs have wings and like to use them. You need to slow them down long enough to find your gardens attractive. When you get home with your ladybugs, leave the cup sealed and place them in the refrigerator or cool space. Being cool calms ladybugs down. Keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to release them that evening.

Ladybugs are thirsty – Spray or mist the parts of the garden you plan to release your ladybugs. This allows them to rehydrate before searching for a meal.

Release them at night – plan to release ladybugs in your garden at the base of a plant just as dusk arrives in the evening. If you have a plant with a particular aphid problem open the cup at the bottom of that plant. This gives them the night to settle in, find food and realize that your garden is a great place to live!

Get your kids involved! Children especially have fun releasing ladybugs, and this is a great way to teach them about environmental responsibility. Ladybugs stick around safe sources of food so kids will find them all season long. Stop by Watters Garden Center for a cup of ladybugs, take them to your garden, then have fun enjoying nature in your own backyard.

Contact:

Ken Davis

Watters Garden Center

kendavis@wattersgardencenter.com

Cell 603-456-3581

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.

The Secret Garden: Using Plants as a Natural Screen

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As the autumn colors drop the last of their leaves, the gardens can feel naked. Without strategically placed evergreens in the yard, it easily feels like prying eyes look right through your home. Not only does your privacy seem to disappear, but that neighbor’s debris pile can be witnessed through winter.

The solution to both of these unwanted invasions of privacy is not rocket science. November is an ideal time to plant a wall of living trees to block the messy view and to create the privacy you desire. Enjoy that hot tub once again. 

To successfully add evergreens to a landscape, there are several essential steps worth your time and energy. The most important requirement for evergreen trees to thrive is drainage. Blend one shovelful of Watters Premium Mulch into every three shovels full of native earth to pack around your plant’s roots. Feed new trees with my specially formulated “All Purpose Plant Food,” 7-4-4; the cottonseed meal in this natural food promotes better root formation while maintaining good foliage color. Finally, water your newly planted trees with a solution of “Root & Grow.” This water additive tickles the roots of a plant and helps to form a deep root system.

When you’re ready to choose the trees for your living wall of green, read through the list that follows. It is comprised of screeners that do well locally. The list contains the names of evergreens that have performed well over the years.

Austrian Mountain Pine

This dense pine is easy to care for and is as cold hardy as native pines. Its rich green needles are sturdy and more numerous than those of other pines, with less needle drop in summer. Thick right to the ground and 25 feet tall, it makes the perfect windbreak while preventing prying eyes from looking in on your private hot tub sessions.

Deodar Cedar

This is the largest of the screening plants, growing to more than 50 feet tall and 18 feet wide with long swooping branches of Arizona blue foliage. Growing some two to three feet per year, it is one of the fastest growing of the screeners. As with most upright evergreens, this cedar can thrive on low water use, drought conditions and drip irrigation. Make sure to give it plenty of growing space, because this tree is going to need it!

Norway Spruce

Very cold-hardy, this spruce is the perfect symmetrically-
shaped Christmas tree. It is an excellent choice for a front holiday tree or as a semi-formal accent in large yards. It also makes a pretty evergreen background for contrasting foliage colors, flowering shrubs or to highlight an autumn leaf show in trees and shrubs. Line them up into a windbreak and they will easily hide lights and create a sound barrier along busy streets.

Arizona Cypress

My favorite native evergreen screener is the Arizona cypress. It is like a large alligator juniper in size and color, but grows faster and fills in more completely than other screen plants. Growing to more than 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide in just a few years, you can see why this is the number one choice for a planted screen. If you prefer a cypress in rich green instead of an Arizona blue, go for the Leyland cypress. Both trees grow to the same size and have the same water and soil needs.

Juniper

Finally, let’s look at the juniper family. Hillspire, blue point and Wichita are on the extensive list of junipers available at the garden center now. Juniper forests surround us, so you know that junipers are naturals to plant locally. Whichever color and height you like, all grow well here.

There are more choices, such as the larger evergreen shrubs and deciduous trees like aspens, but we’ll save those landscape tips for another time.

Book Just Published!   

“The Secret Garden: Plants as a Natural Screen” is an all-local garden book where I go into deep detail. Free copies are available for download at WattersGardenCenter.com under tips.

  Until next issue, I’ll see you in the 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 his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or  FB.com/WattersGardenCenter.

Memorial Trees Celebrate Those We Love

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It’s been over 77 years since I lost an uncle in Europe during World War II, but his memory is strong within our family. Stories live on about the last time the family saw him before he headed off to that fateful day and they are filled with details of his bravery. Because of these memories, I hope to travel and see his gravesite someday.

At the Lain house, we like to remind ourselves of those who have made definite differences in our lives. In addition to memorials for people, we especially love to plant a tree in memory of the animals in our lives, especially our dogs. You will know the canine memorial tree in our yard by the collars hanging from its branches!

Remembering family members is essential, and planting a memorial tree is the perfect token of remembrance. No matter which month commemorates that special someone, Watters is featuring the perfect trees for memorials. Each is the variety that looks its best in a specific remembrance month.

For example, the tree for a June memorial is the Golden Locust and proven as a hardy street and shade trees, being fast-growing, heat and drought tolerant and well-suited for the demands of mountain landscapes.

Here are the trees chosen for each month. (See all 12 on Watters Pinterest Board.)

January – Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra) A resilient evergreen pine to poor soils and alkaline conditions. It is remarkably tolerant of hot and cold mountain wind and is a crucial component in shelterbelts and windbreaks. Adapts well to dry conditions of Arizona, both in semidesert and mountain foothill regions where soils are thin and poor. Makes a very graceful single specimen for front yards, parks or expansive estate-sized landscapes.

February – Aspen (Populus tremuloides) A superior tree for cold Northern Arizona regions. It is most attractive in groves, and as components in windrows and shelterbelts. It will stand alone as a columnar tree in the suburban environment. The tall narrow form is ideal for filling gaps between tall buildings. Somewhat adapted for street and boulevard planting. An excellent foreground tree against the dark background of evergreen conifers. Ease of cultivation is suited to naturalistic plantings in prairies or open space habitat.

March – Thunder Cloud Purple Plum  (Prunus cerasifera) Delivers a storm of color. In spring, it bursts with a surge of pink blossoms, reminiscent of a cherry tree in full bloom. As the flowers fade, royal purple leaves emerge as a shade tree for the summer. The purple leaves remain in contrast against the jewel-box yellows and reds of other autumn leaves. It is very hardy and thrives anywhere, but the best purple leaf color is had in full sun.

April – Crabapple (Malus) An outstanding flowering tree with an upright form that becomes rounded with age. Reddish new foliage matures to dark green. Lovely deep pink flowers produce persistent, small, dark red-purple fruit. A colorful accent for smaller landscapes.  

May – Purple Robe Locust (Robinia) grows just about anywhere you plant it. A fast-growing tree that thrives in tough, barren, even sandy soils. You can count on hundreds of purple wisteria flower to cover this tree every Mothers Day holiday, filling the yards with a heavenly scent that is bound to bring back memories.

June – Golden Locust (Gleditsia) is proven as hardy street and shade trees, being fast-growing, heat and drought tolerant and well-suited for the demands of mountain landscapes. Trees grow with an open, spreading canopy and have attractive, elegant, somewhat weeping foliage. The Sunburst variety grows to a thornless tree, a versatile small to medium-size and is distinctive for its color – bright yellow shoots turning later to yellow-green and yellow autumn colors.

July – Mountain Magnolia ( Magnolia grandiflora) Lustrous, leathery foliage is rich, dark green above and cinnamon brown underneath. Large, 5-6″ inch creamy white flowers are exotically fragrant. A hardier magnolia that transplants well and does not lose as many leaves as other varieties, and exhibits better evergreen cold tolerance.  

August – Birch (Betula utilis) This tree is far superior in heat and drought tolerance to Aspen. Densely pyramidal form with glossy green leaves that fade to clear yellow in autumn. Planted as a large tree as focal point that shades its surroundings. Will make an excellent narrow front yard tree for limited spaces. It’s a natural around water gardens and dry streams. Use in mixed forest groves to add interest with white bark.  

September – Gingko (Ginkgo biloba) Leaves on the Gingko are an exciting fan shape that flutters in the slightest breeze. Unique fan-shaped green foliage turns brilliant golden yellow in fall. Gingko Trees have been known to live 1,000+ years, and have grown in gardens since the dinosaurs.  

October – Blazing Red Maple (Acer x freemanii) show off in brilliant, long-lasting, red fall foliage. This upright form has the perfect branch habit and super fast growing. An excellent lawn, park or street tree that easily takes mountain wind. The fastest growing of the red maples.  

November – Aristocrat Pear (Pyrus calleryana) Vigorous and upright with a dominant central trunk excellent for lining streets or drives or as a specimen for smaller spaces. Adapts to a wide range of soils, including mountain heavy clays. Bridal white flowers in spring are followed by disease-resistant glossy green leaves with a unique wavy edge. The last tree that turns red in autumn.  

December – Fat Albert Spruce (Picea pungens) A superb evergreen conifer with rich blue needles on a densely branched, naturally pyramidal form. An outstanding landscape specimen. A very slow grower that will become quite large over time, in ideal conditions. A fantastic choice for use as a living Christmas tree. QCBN

Serviceman Barnie Lee. The best memorial trees will outlast their mountain gardeners.

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

 

 

Large Raptors to Descend on Watters Garden Center

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With razor sharp hooked beaks, powerful grasping talons, and wingspans that can be more than 5 feet, Arizona’s birds of prey are magnificent to watch and essential to our native environment. Watters Garden Center is partnering with Arizona’s Raptor Experience in Chino Valley to teach local gardeners about birds in the landscape.

Saturday, March 4, at 9:30 am these majestic birds take flight at Watters Garden Center during a free class and demonstration. Students learn the right trees for protection, water and nesting needs, and foods that attract more birds into the gardens. Raptor Experience’s birds spark a connection between people and nature and inspire curiosity and concern about natural conservation issues. The birds are living examples that show what we all have to lose if we aren’t more careful with our environment.

Fantastic photo opportunities abound during flying demonstrations of several local birds of prey and their even larger African cousins. This will be an awe-inspiring class for students of all ages. Free to the gardening public.

Picture Perfect Pottery for Container Gardens

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The creativity of container gardens can add punches of color, elegance and drama to our gardens. As with statuary and garden art, they are the accent pieces in gardens, drawing the eye and saying, “Look how beautiful it is here!” Because the plants grow quickly, the constant morphing makes boredom a non-issue!

The key to success with a container garden is choosing a pot that has good drainage. Here are some other considerations for choosing your new container:

Pick a pot that appeals to you. The creative gardener within doesn’t care what others think. Determine your style, and satisfy it! Just like choosing art and the decor for your home, consider your style and what best suits you. Pot selections are almost unlimited, as pots come in all sorts of styles, from traditional terra cotta to sleek-glazed pottery, painted ceramics and even lightweight pottery.
Style

Pick a pot that appeals to you. The creative gardener within doesn’t care what others think. Determine your style, and satisfy it! Just like choosing art and the decor for your home, consider your style and what best suits you. Pot selections are almost unlimited, as pots come in all sorts of styles, from traditional terra cotta to sleek-glazed pottery, painted ceramics and even lightweight pottery.

Size Does Matter

Your plans for planting determine the size container you’ll require. Select a pot that gives your new plants room to grow for seasons to come. For maximum health and ease of growth, plan on a minimum of two inches larger than the pots the plants were in when purchased. The more room in the container, the better for trees and shrubs that you plan to keep in their pots longer than 3 years. Also, keep in mind that large pots retain moisture longer, smaller pots dry out more quickly. The more potting soil in the pot the better for its plants.

Shape

The shape of the container might be dictated by its surroundings. For example, you might want a square pot to fit into a corner or a low bowl-shape to sit on your outdoor table without obstructing diners’ flow of conversations. You might want a big bold pot with some height to accent the middle of a raised bed. Choose the shape that best fits your style and the pot’s allotted space.

Color

Look for pots to complement the colors of pots you already have, or to stand out as a bold contrast to drab surroundings. Brightly colored containers will stand out wherever they are placed. If your chosen place for a container garden doesn’t seem right with a bold splash of color, choose an earth-tone or neutral-colored pot and let the plants be the stars of the show.

Watters Garden Center has received a huge selection of new pottery for 2017 with easy-to-work-with trendy new colors, shapes, textures and styles. Most will be downright inspirational against that boring rock lawn or uninspiring, colorless, beige landscape! Browse our container departments and you’ll find the perfect pot for that new container garden.

 

Gardening in Containers is Oh-So-Easy

Regardless of their sizes, container gardens require little work while satisfying a gardener’s creative urges. The only requirement is regular watering.

 

These Easy Steps Simplify Planting a Container

 

Choose a pot with drainage holes.

 

Fill the container ¾ full with Watters Potting Soil, and tamp down firmly. The more soil, the better. A generous volume of soil increases water retention capacity, which encourages better root formation.

 

Arrange desired plants on the surface of the soil to determine a design.

 

Plant one plant at a time, firming soil around each plant, adding soil as necessary with a trowel.

 

Potting soil should be two inches below the top of the pot rim to create a water well.

 

Water thoroughly two to three times to saturate the soil (water should run out bottom of the pot).

 

If necessary, use a saucer to protect surface. From water damage.

 

Feed with Watters All Purpose Plant Food 7-4-4 every other month to encourage blooms, fruits and foliage.

 

Water your new plants at two-week intervals with Watters ‘Root-N-Grow until your new garden shows signs of growth and buds.

 

Water requirements vary with the season. Through the heat of summer watering is likely necessary at daily intervals, but through spring only every two-to-three days.
Because the 2017 containers have arrived, and beautiful spring plants are arriving weekly, yes! You CAN start gardening in February!

 

Until the next issue, I’ll see you at the garden center. QCBN

 

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 WattersGardenCenter.com or FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

 

 

Free Classes are held at Watters Garden Center each Saturday at 9:30 a.m. February’s schedule is:

 

Free Advanced Landscape Pruning to Spring Success

9:30 a.m., Feb. 4

Not all plants need pruning in the yard, but timing is critical for those that do. Learn these mountain timely techniques sure to make the yard happy, bloom better and reduce disease this spring. A guest arborist, Grant Tibbett from Jonny’s Tree Company, shares his local tree advice that makes the landscape thrive this spring.

 

Wildflowers, Ready – Set – Grow 

9:30 a.m., Feb. 11

Late winter is the ideal window to start wildflower seed outdoors, but you can’t just chuck them in the landscape and expect success. We share all the local tips that ensure these bloomers. You will know the best seed, soils, food and technique that brings on the color this spring. Come early, this class can be standing room only.

 

Gardening for Newcomers

9:30 a.m., Feb 18 

Learn all the mountain secrets to local garden success. This is an information-packed class guaranteed to increase garden blooms and fruit this year. The first 10 students to bring $10 and a soil sample receive a pH soil test done on site with advice on how to improve the garden. You will know exactly what to do this year.

 

Fragrant Mountain Roses

9:30 a.m., Feb. 25 

Beautiful roses are admired, but these roses will tickle the nose. Not only will you know which roses are most fragrant, but you’ll have all the insider tips the brings your rose to life with these season long bloomers. Oh, we’ll have a HUGE selection of fragrant roses on hand that day as well . . . imagine that.