Page 13 – Watters Garden Center

04/22/202204/27/2022

How to Grow California Poppy

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, are vibrant little flowers that grow in vacant lots and roadsides with no care. California poppies bloom throughout the mountains of Arizona in late Spring to early Summer. These festive flowers seem to spring up overnight, blanketing large areas with bright, silky petals that hover over ferny blue foliage. Pick a flower by its stem and discover the fleeting beauty as the petals fall to the ground before getting them in a vase.

Poppies are planted by seed from January through March for the best spring bloom. Watters Garden Center has mature plants in full color from March through May.

Botanical Name Eschscholzia californica

Common Names California poppy, cup of gold, golden cup

Plant Type Herbaceous, perennial

Mature Size 12–18 inches tall and wide

Sun Exposure 6+ hours to Full

Soil Type Well-drained

Bloom Time Spring

Flower Color Orange, yellow, red, pink, white

USDA Hardiness Zones 6–10

Native Area North America, Central America

Toxicity Toxic to people and animals

California Poppy Care

The key is providing them with growing conditions that mimic their native habitat. This plant is more about what you don’t give California poppies than what you do give them. Less is more when it comes to water and fertilizer. Don’t coddle your plants, and you’ll enjoy watching them self-sow and pop up for many seasons to come.

Deadheading, removing the spent blooms, promotes additional flowering. If you wish plants to reseed themselves, leave some of the last flowers of Spring on the plant to cast more seeds throughout your gardens. Plants grown in hot desert climates and containers are typically short-lived and treated as annual bloomers. Local gardeners favor pulling them after blooming, making room for heat-loving summer flowers.

Light

California poppies grow and bloom best in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. The more sunlight, the flower is expected. Poppies grown in shade conditions lean, fall over, become ragged and easily succumb to diseases.

Soil

Most flowers need rich, loamy garden soil, not California poppies. They thrive in the worst dirt. Sandy and rocky soils both provide suitable conditions for California poppies. Heavy clay soil doesn’t work because these plants need sharp soil drainage. Try planting in a raised garden bed or container if you have thick clay soil.

Water

California poppies require very little water and are good candidates for drought-tolerant xeriscapes. Sporadic spring rainfall is usually adequate to water your plants. The plants will often go dormant in areas with hot summers and need no additional irrigation.

Temperature and Humidity

The warm soil of Spring, combined with moisture from the spring rain, triggers the germination of poppy seeds. California poppies continue growing as long as temperatures remain mild; they don’t like summer heat. Excessive heat causes dormancy. Often, when cool temperatures return, the flowers regrow and rebloom. Even better, California poppies prefer low humidity levels.

Fertilizer

Yarrow adapts much like mountain wildflowers when treated with any care. Feed with Watters 7-4-4 All Purpose Food three times per year in March, July, and October for a super long bloom.

Poppy Varieties

California Golden delivers that classic bright orange color of the flowers.

Mission Bells is a mix of sherbet hues, including pink, salmon, and cream, with some semi-double blooms.

Golden West is a twist on the familiar orange bloom, as it features a darker center.

How to Grow California Poppies From Seed

Press the seeds lightly into the soil, watering gently to avoid dislodging the tiny seeds. Germination should occur in about two weeks when spring temperatures average 75 degrees. You can distinguish germinating poppy seeds from weeds by observing the blue tint of ferny foliage. Thin seedlings to about 8 inches apart.

Common Pests/Diseases

Poppies are deer and javelina-resistant and more resistant to powdery mildew and leaf spots than Iceland Poppy. Because powdery mildew, a fungus, thrives in humid weather, ensure good air circulation in and around your Poppies by giving them 8″ inches of space between plants.

Companion Plants with California Poppy for a Stunning Backyard

Arizona Gaillardia – The perfect mountain perennial with huge fiery flowers on a compact plant. She loves the heat and super drought-hardy. You can count on this bloomer to show off all summer long in raised beds, containers, or directly in the ground. Javelina and rabbit proof, this bloomer is a ‘must-have.’ Arizona plant.

Perfume Lilac – The fragrance will remind you of visits to Grandmother’s house. She is in a class by herself, even in the hottest of sun locations. The more sun she receives, the more flowers you will have. A genuinely outstanding lilac for the large flowers and captivating fragrance, and super easy to grow.

Songbird Columbine – This graceful beauty dances in the garden’s shade, holding its head high and smiling. Few Plants stand so bright in the cooler parts of the garden. Each Spring, this bloomer comes back with lacy green foliage promptly followed by a fantastic two-tone flower. An excellent cut flower that is both Deer and Rabbit resistant. So hardy, some varieties naturally call Arizona home.

Purple Twist Plum – This AZ plum is the perfect small purple tree between evergreens. Blooms in a profusion of pink flowers that precede the deep purple foliage. Large enough to use as a front yard tree and behaved enough to use as a street tree. Plant pairs flanking gateways, driveways, or in orchard-like rows to screen a view of neighbors.

04/21/202204/21/2022

Insiders’ Secrets to Growing Tomatoes

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

With so many tomato varieties and uses in the kitchen, it’s no wonder tomatoes are one of our most popular vegetables! Watters receive a lot of customer requests for additional tips and tricks on sowing and growing the best tomatoes. It is time to start tomatoes by seed for garden planting at the end of April or choose from our great selection of Tomato varieties just in at the Garden Center

When to start tomatoes – Start tomatoes indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the average last spring frost of May 8^th. Transplant your seedlings into the gardens when nighttime temperatures are at least 45°F, and soil temperature is ideally 70 – 90°F degrees.

Containers – Use shallow, sterile containers with drainage (use 6-pack trays or peat pots at the garden center). Transplant into larger, 3-4″ inch containers once the true, scalloped leaves have emerged. Biodegradable paperboard pots are ideal, easy to label, and easy to share with friends.

Seed Starting Mix – Use a lightweight seed starting potting soil, and sow seeds at a shallow, 1/8-1/4″ inch depth. Watters seed-starting soil is sterile (unlike garden soil) and lighter than potting mix, allowing for the ideal air-to-moisture ratio.

Transplanting and Supporting – When transplanting seedlings outside, plant them deeply, burying the stem and leaving 1-2 sets of leaves above ground. The buried parts of the stem will sprout roots and develop a strong, extensive root system. The top of the seedling above ground will naturally reach toward the sun. Place any stakes, cages, or other types of supports in the ground just after transplanting to avoid root damage.

Flower Power Works Great for Tomatoes, Vegetables, Berries, and Grapes It provides high levels of phosphorus in a water-soluble form. This makes it easier for tomatoes and other vegetables to produce abundant blossoms and strong stems Use every two weeks for beautiful Tomatoes and other fruiting plants. Watters Flower Power is made specifically for Arizona and gives plants that extra boost to delicious tomatoes. It works great on hanging baskets and other flowers to keep those blooms coming all season long.

Growing Temperature – Temperatures above 55°F at night are required to set fruit. Night temperatures above 75°F in the summer inhibit fruit set and can cause blossom drop (no fruit production). Wait until night temperatures are at least 45°F before transplanting.

Water – Tomatoes need about 1-2″ inches of water per week, depending on the type of soil they are growing in. 1-2 deep soakings per week in mild weather, and 2-3 per week in hot weather should be sufficient. If tomatoes are cracking, back off on the water. Too much water can burst tomatoes and water down the flavor.

Harvesting – Each variety is different when it comes to color. Check your seed packet to see when the tomato has ripened with the best flavor.

Tomato Types – Tomatoes are grouped into two main types according to growth habits and production.

DETERMINATE types (e.g., Ace 55, Glacier, Italian Roma) grow in a compact, bush form, requiring little or no staking. Fruit is produced on the ends of the branches; most of the crop ripens at the same time. One or more successive plantings will ensure an extended harvest period. Determinate types are often the choice of those who want a large supply of ripe fruit at once for canning.

INDETERMINATE types (e.g., Better Bush, Sun Gold, Black Krim) varieties continue to grow and produce fruit through the end of October. Tomatoes in all stages of development may be on the plants at one time. The plants set fruit clusters along a vining stem, which grows vigorously and long. Under optimum conditions, some can grow over 15′ feet, but in most home gardens they generally reach about 6′. Some indeterminate have a bush form with stockier vines, which set fruit clusters closer together.

SEMI-DETERMINATE types (e.g., Lizzano) grow in between these two types. The plants will grow larger than determinate varieties, but not as large as indeterminate ones. They produce a main crop that ripens at once but also continues to produce through October.

Until next week, I’ll be helping local gardeners choose the perfect tomato plants here at Watters Garden Center

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 Top10Vegetables.com.

04/14/202204/14/2022

Healthy Herbs Best Grown in the Shade

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Organic herbs and vegetables are never genetically altered, grown to perfection, and picked fresh from your garden. There is nothing quite like biting into a fresh tomato warmed by the afternoon sun. Herbs are the same way, best picked fresh from the garden, the flavors are just better.

Lots of Sun – Herbs prefer gardens that are blistering hot to part sun. That means the spot should receive at least 6 hours of direct sun each day.

Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the rootball of your plant. Mix Watters Premium Mulch with your native soil at a 50/50 ratio to better improve the soil’s drainage and add beneficial nutrients. Fill the hole halfway with your blended soil. This should put the top of the plant’s rootball, level with the garden ground around the hole. Fill in around the sides of the rootball. Tamp down the soil firmly to get rid of any air pockets. Water deeply with Watters Root & Grow to reduce transplant shock.

Culinary Herbs for Mountain Gardens

Many herbs can be planted year-round in local gardens like rosemary, lavender, chives, thyme, and mint. Cool-season herbs can be grown anytime, but your best selection is found September through April, like sorrel, borage, and chervil.

The mountains of Arizona grow exceptional heat-loving herbs as well. Warm-season herbs are found here at Watters April through August, including basil, tarragon, oregano, cilantro, fennel, bay laurel, and dill.

Herbs like the sun, more the better, shady gardens make growing herbs difficult. On a north-facing patio, herb gardening under trees and apartment dwellers find it challenging to find the perfect spot for growing healthy herbs. There is an impressive list of herbs for this challenge.

Culinary Herbs That Grow Well in Shade

This lesson came quite by accident years ago when planting the cutest herb garden in an area receiving less sun than realized. This new herb garden was planted and needed to figure out how to survive in the shade, survival of the fittest. Low and behold, the garden grew beautifully for years. Here are the six herbs that outshined the rest.

Shiso – This handy herb grows as an annual up to 2′ feet tall. It can be used in dishes just like basil or cilantro. . . Yummm.

Lemon Balm – It is heralded as one of the calming herbs and is beautiful in appearance. Grows excellent up to 2′ feet tall.

Oregano – There are many varieties at the garden center, from zesty to spicy and Italian. All grow well in light shade.

Thyme – this low-growing perennial herb grows 3-7″ inches tall and loved the shade. If you’re looking for groundcover, creeping thyme is your flavor. While wooly thyme is heavenly on bare feet.

Parsley – Another sun lover that doesn’t mind some heavy shade. Both the curly leaf and Italian flat-leaf do equally well in the shade. Grows well to about one foot tall.

Corsican Mint – Yes, Corsican mint likes the sun but behaves well in light shade. It grew a bit shorter in the shade to about 4″ inches tall. Aside from pulling their weight in the kitchen, these herbs can take the place of the more common shade plants like vining Ivy. Once established, these herbs have far fewer water requirements.

Many of these shaded herbs find their way into container gardens. If you are planting herbs in pots, plant them in Watters Potting Soil. Feed twice per month with Flower Power for better flavor and outstanding performance.

Water your plants thoroughly after planting. For the first month or so, you may need to water every other day. Feel the soil before irrigation. It should be allowed to dry between each cycle.

Growing herbs is an easy way to start gardening, even in the darker parts of the garden. Watters plant ambassadors are here to help you get started.

Until the next issue, I’ll be helping local gardeners plant healthier herbs.

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

04/06/202204/08/2022

Fast Vegetables for Impatient Gardeners

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Impatient gardeners want vegetables that grow fast! Discouragement sets in while waiting for the tomato and pepper harvest. Supplement with these fast-growing vegetables, and you will be picking fresh vegetables in just a few weeks. Succession plant every other week for a continual supply of healthy goodness the entire year. Here are the nine plants you can start early in the growing season.

Watters Flower Power made specifically for Arizona, gives flowers that extra boost to burst into bloom, produced peppers that pop and tomatoes that triumph.

Arugula Planted in the garden Eruca vesicaria

Arugula (Eruca vesicaria) has a slightly peppery flavor that makes it delicious in salads. Replace basil with arugula for pesto with zing. Because its roots are relatively shallow, arugula can also be grown successfully in containers. Seeds emerge in under 14 days and are fully ready to harvest by the end of the month. The earlier you harvest the leaves, the more tender and sweet the arugula will be. A better flavor is had through the heat of summer when this plant has some shade.

Bok Choy (Brassica rapa) is another quick-growing vegetable. Bok choy (also known as pak choi) is a type of Chinese cabbage. You can grow two varieties: baby bok choy, which is less than 10″ inches tall, and standard bok choy, which grows 1-2′ feet tall. Bok choy is best planted in partial shade for best results, though it can handle full sun in spring. Directly sow your seed into the garden and realistically harvest it in 45 days. Transplant a Watters starter plant and harvest next week:)

Broccoli Rabe (Brassica ruvo) is called broccoli raab or rapini and resembles broccoli; it is closely related to turnips. This vegetable grows best in full sun and is ready to harvest in 50-60 days. This plant bolts fast into flowers, so harvest the clusters as soon as they appear. The leaves and stems of broccoli rabe are also edible and taste best when young.

Cress (Lepidium sativum) is another unique green made popular by its peppery flavor and ease of growing. The flavor is better when grown in spring or autumn. The summer heat increases this peppery flavor to almost hot. It’s often grown throughout the winter as a delicious microgreen. Sprout cress seed in shallow trays lined with wet paper towels. Sprinkle the seeds over the surface and cover them with plastic wrap. The cress germinates within a couple of days. Harvest as soon as leaves are about 2 inches in size. You can sow each week successively for a continual harvest.

Kale (Brassica oleracea) is one of the most cold-tolerant plants on this list of vegetables. It can be grown all 12 months of the year in mountain gardens. Proper irrigation is important because drought bitters the flavor. Harvest leaves from the outside of the bunch when they’re large enough to eat and continue to let the plant produce.

Mustard Greens (Brassica juncea) also need consistent water, as they will turn unpleasantly bitter if allowed to dry out. Although it’s not as cold-hardy as kale, it can tolerate light spring frost. Like lettuce and other greens, mustard greens are sensitive to heat and do best in early spring or given shade during the hot summer months. Harvest your mustard greens when the leaves are large enough to eat.

Radishes (Raphanus sativus) are one of the fastest-growing vegetables to tuck into your garden. Every garden should have some. The perfect vegetable for impatient children because of how quickly they grow. They can be harvested just three weeks after planting. Try planting heirloom radishes for unique colors, shapes, and flavors. Thin seedlings once they’ve sprouted so the roots can grow without constraint. Don’t bother trying to start radishes indoors either––just sprinkle the seeds outdoors where you want them to grow.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a nutritious vegetable that grows quickly in cool weather. Plant in 6+ hours of sun, and it’s ready to harvest in 4-6 weeks. Cut the individual older leaves and let the young inner leaves continue to mature. Cut all the foliage leaving 1″ inch showing at the base, and your spinach patch erupts with all new foliage all over again.

Turnips (Brassica rapa) are an old-fashioned vegetable that provides a great harvest. Both the leaves and the roots can be eaten. Turnips are among the least fussy plants on this list when it comes to temperature and garden conditions and can be planted through the entire growing season. Pick roots when they are tender, around 2–3″ inches in circumference, and harvest leaves when they are young.

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

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

03/30/202204/14/2022

Getting the Most Out of Annual Flowers

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Readers Digest Condensed Version of this Article

Look for young, bushy plants just starting to set flowers.

Get them in containers or the ground ASAP.

Water immediately after planting.

Feed every 2-Weeks with Flower Power Liquid Food.

Premium Mulching keeps shallow roots cool and moist.

New modern flowers pinch and clean themselves.

Most of us plant annual flowers because they bloom for months, giving undemanding color all season. There’s nothing like a container of annuals to brighten a porch or deck. Even though plenty of annuals are grown for their foliage, like coleus and caladiums, flowering annuals remain the most popular.

Flowers we call annuals are really hardy perennials only in tropical climates. One gardener’s annual is another gardener’s perennial or houseplant. Here we focus on flowering plants sold at the garden center meant to be enjoyed for one season and expected to be composted at the end.

Plant breeders do a fantastic job of creating flowers that bloom non-stop, many with no help from the gardener. These stunning bloomers tend to be on the shorter side for easy care, shipping, and display in the garden. We still grow sizable old-fashioned plants like Coleus, Zinnia, Sunflowers, Dahlia, and Petunias.

Whether old classics or new designer styles, these insider tips keep your annual flowers looking fresh and blooming all season long.

Choosing and Planting

Look for young, bushy plants just starting to set flowers. These acclimate better in your garden than pot-bound plants going to seed.
Choose plants for your growing conditions. Struggles are had when finagling fun sun plants into gardens with less than six hours of sun or bake part shade flowers with more. These flowers aren’t established enough to take that kind of stress.
Get them in containers or the ground ASAP. Don’t let them outgrow their nursery pot. They need time to adjust to being in the ground while young and actively growing.
Water immediately after planting – even if rain is predicted.
Water deeply and feed every 2-Weeks with Flower Power Liquid Food.
Annuals have shallow roots. Irrigate when the soil feels dry 1-inch below the surface. A good moisture meter comes in handy at this point. Even low-water flowers bloom better with regular water. In the heat of summer, hanging baskets and small container gardens may need water more than once per day.
Water Caution – few plants like sitting in wet, soggy soil or the roots begin to rot. Plant them in well-draining Watters Potting Soil. This mountain-specific soil holds water long enough for roots to soak it up while allowing excess water to drain.
Aqua Boost Crystals infused into your plants’ roots regulate their moisture needs. This easy-to-use soil additive reduces your water requirements in half. It is beneficial for hanging baskets and small container gardens.
Heat leaves your annuals feeling hot in the afternoon. Gardens are best irrigated in the cool morning sun before 8 am. They will be ready to take on the heat of the day. There will be days when leaves become crisp and dry, that’s OK. Don’t be afraid to cut damaged foliage off and prune the plants back to healthy leaves. Flowers grow back quickly.
Premium Mulching keeps shallow roots cool and moist. The major drawback to mulching is that it inhibits re-seeding, so I try not to mulch until the volunteers from last season are up and growing.
Deadhead often. Remove faded flowers to keep the seed from forming. This is most important with older varieties of plants that hold onto their old flowers, like geraniums, marigolds, pansies, petunias, salvia, snapdragons, sweet peas, and zinnias.
New modern flowers can pinch and clean themselves. Their faded flowers seem to disappear as new buds form and open. Ask us whether the variety you’ve chosen needs pinching to become fat and bushy and set many buds.
Many of the most popular varieties like Flowering Tobacco, Nicotiana alata, Sweet Alyssum, Lobularia maritima, Impatiens, Trailing Petunias, and Begonias require no deadheading to keep blooming.
If plants begin to look ragged in midsummer, don’t be afraid to dramatically prune them. Petunias become long and leggy and look better when cut back 3-4″ inches to encourage new growth and new flowers. Coleus grows straight up and flops over if not pinched regularly until they become bushy and full.

Insider Tip

Here’s one for travelers that plan to get away for a week or two. Prune your annuals before leaving, and feed them with Flower Power Liquid Food. They will be packed with new blooms upon your return.

Until next week, I’ll be helping gardeners get the most out of their flowers here at Watters Garden Center. Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Flowers.com

03/24/202203/24/2022

10 Easy-to-Grow Plants Anyone Can Grow

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Mountain landscapes offer diverse four seasons of tremendous plants. Because of the cool summers, you have far more choices the desert dwellers only dream of. It can be overwhelming with where to start. Start with this list of easy-to-grow plants for local landscapes.

We chose two for each type of plant as a starting point. Each loves blistering summer sun, is cold hardy, and takes the fiercest mountain wind.

If you’re new to mountain landscaping or don’t have a lot of time for plant care, you can have a great-looking yard by choosing versatile, easy-to-grow plants that require little maintenance. There are plenty of great plants, from ground-hugging to shade trees. And some are sun-loving, while others are suitable for shady spots. You can also choose from flowering standouts as well as foliage plants that are prized for their fall colors.

Top 2 Annual Flowers

Prescott Pansy, Viola x wittrockiana – Giant 3″ flowers thrive in extreme spring gardens. Large, velvety blooms radiate in colors of blue, violet, yellow, and variations of stripes resembling smiling faces. They love being planted when the gardens are their coldest. This repeat bloomer supplies your gardens with reliable spring flowers.

Ranunculus, Ranunculus asiaticus, is a “beauty from ugly” phenom because from its strange, claw-like tubers emerge some of the most densely ruffled blooms that resemble peony flowers! She is so tough it thrives through early spring frost in a continual wave of flowers.

Top 2 Perennial Flowers

Autumn Sage, Salvia greggii, it the longest blooming sage in crimson-red that signals spring with continual flowers that broadcast right through Autumn. Hummingbirds and gardeners alike fall for this knee-high bloomer that deserves a prominent location in the garden’s hotter spots. Keep lightly clipped for a low informal hedge or a single specimen in borders or courtyard containers. Javelina and deer-proof.

Columbine, Aquilegia – Never underestimate the value of native choices when seeking low-care plants. This local wildflower is native to your region and quite capable of blooming without much care. Lots of colors to choose from, this perennial bloomer has adapted to conditions in your neck of the woods over eons.

Top 2 Groundcovers

Coral Beauty Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeri planted in the landscape

Coral Beauty Cotoneaster,Cotoneaster dammeri, is ideally suited to flow over embankments and raised beds. The six-foot spread is ideal on banks and covers large open rock spaces in hot locations. An outstanding groundcover with dense foot tall branches covered with shiny evergreen leaves. Dainty white flowers produce rich red berries the birds adore. Deer and Rabbit don’t like the taste either.

Huntington Carpet Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis. This tough little gem is the perfect plant for garden walls, pots, banks, or a dry, sunny patch of ground in the garden. Spreads vigorously to form a beautiful carpet of deep blue flowers backed by herbal green foliage for an attractive 12-inch groundcover. The aromatic leaves are often a flavorful culinary seasoning, impervious to Javelina and Rabbit.

Top 2 Blooming Shrub

Sensation Lilac, Syringa vulgaris in bloom

Sensation Lilac, Syringa vulgaris – the intriguing two-tone flowers of this lilac make it a shrub you will want within reach. An outstanding lilac noted for its large trusses of purple-red florets edged in white. A mid-season bloomer typically flowers in mid-May with equally showy gold autumn colors. A lovely perfume only adds to its charm.

Panchito Manzanita, Arctostaphylos coloradensis, is an outstanding local native with broad, evergreen leaves on red barked branches. Little urn-shaped flowers form in spring, dangling from every branch. Small red berries often form through Autumn.

Top 2 Trees

Mountain Blaze Maple,Acer freemanii in autumn

Mountain Blaze Maple,Acer freemanii, offers extreme growth of 3′ feet or more each year. The branching pattern is dense and ascends to 35′ tall and 20′ wide. The fall color glows like embers in a blazing hot fire, thus the name. There is no better maple to plant in Arizona. It loves mountain soil in extreme conditions and takes wind better than other shade trees. Perfect for patios, hot sunny walls, street, and driveway trees, or anyplace shaded relief is needed.

Quaking Aspen, Populus tremuloides shading a patio

Quaking Aspen, Populus tremuloides – Leaves dance with excitement in the slightest breeze, making this Aspen the most personal of all shade trees. Harvest gold leaves represent Autumn foliage 30′ feet tall and 15′ wide. The narrow form is ideal for small spaces to screen or define property lines and driveways. A native to surrounding hilltops.

Evergreen Bonus

Colorado Spruce, Picea pungens in the landscape

Colorado Spruce, Picea pungens, stiff, regular, horizontal branches forming a broad Christmas tree pyramid. This native forest evergreen is best used on large properties. 50′ feet tall when fully grown and 20′ foot wide. Use it to separate tall multistory buildings or in shelterbelts and windbreaks. Tall enough to screen the view from second-story windows. It is gorgeous in estate-sized landscapes, where it stands out against deciduous trees.

Until next week, I’ll be helping gardeners plant east to grow plants in their landscape.

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

03/24/202203/24/2022

How to Plant a Cactus the Easy Way

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

My love for cacti has grown, no pun intended. Planting without getting spines in your fingers is challenging when working with cacti. You’ve likely had a few pricks to your fingers and had spines stuck in your skin for days. We have some insider tips that guarantee poke-free success when planting yours.

Use Nitrile dipped gloves

Leather is animal skin. The cactus spines will cling to it just like they would to your skin. Leather provides some protection, but spines still pierce through.

Nitrile is a synthetic material that works better than leather for protecting your skin against prickly cacti. Nitrile Gloves are fabric dipped in nitrile coating around the fingers. Long spines can still get through, but the obnoxious tiny hair-like spines have a much harder time penetrating than leather.

No Fear Cactus gloves. It is one of the best ideas for handling all cacti. Keep all thorns away by wearing two gloves on each hand. Keep them in their own container away from other gloves and only use them when working with cacti.

I’ve found it’s pretty safe to handle cacti without any other tools. Especially when the cacti don’t have large spines or only spines along the edge of their body, using nitrile-coated gloves is a superb option.

Use a gentle grip when handling cacti. It’s best for your cacti if you are gentle as you move them. The same technique works for holding succulents with sharp edges, such as Aloes, Jovibarbas, and Agaves.

Working cactus into a large open area is more straightforward than sandwiching it between other plants. It is best to start your arrangement by placing the cactus and then working to fit other succulents around it. Wearing gloves also help protects your hands as you begin placing different succulents around your cactus.

Use Tongs

It is recommended to use nitrile-coated gloves any time you handle cacti. It’s a good “just in case” measure, even when using other tools.

A great way to handle bigger cacti with more prominent spines or be a bit more prickly is to use tongs. I like using silicone tongs that you can find for cooking. These are relatively soft along the edges, so they aren’t as likely to damage your plant as metal or wood tongs.

Keep a light grip on the cactus. Squeezing too hard can cut or bruise your plant. Use the tongs to guide the cactus or succulent and shift it into the soil as needed.

Aside from handling the cactus with just your hands, this method seems to give the most control with placement. It also keeps the cactus reasonably far away from your hands which helps prevent accidentally bumping the spines.

Towel or Newspaper

Using a towel or newspaper is an excellent option for bigger cacti and those with long spines. Simply wrap the towel around the top of the cactus and use it as a handle to move the plant into place.

Newspaper works surprisingly well to provide an extra barrier between the spines and your hand. This can work really well for sharp succulents that are otherwise difficult to handle.

Chop Sticks

I often use a chopstick to help balance the cactus when placing smaller cacti in a bowl. While this method allows you to easily pick up the cactus, it is trickier to get the cactus settled into the pot right.

Cactus Soil

Cacti need fast-draining soil for encouraging deeper roots. This is especially true for container plants. Plant directly into this soil for best results. Unique soils designed explicitly for Cactus, Aloes, and Succulents should be used.

Plant Food for Best Cactus Flowers

Flower Power 54 encourages your cactus to grow and bloom for a unique color. Add this water-soluble plant food to your irrigation monthly for impressive blooms.

Planting cactus presents a few challenges, but hopefully, these simple tricks and techniques will help make your next planting session a success! Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com

03/16/202203/16/2022

Dramatic Weeping Trees for Any Garden

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

The branches of a weeping tree gracefully flow and draw style into your garden. Many weeping varieties have “pendulum” or “pendula” in their name, stemming from the Latin pendula, meaning “hang down.” Weeping trees cannot be propagated by simply planting seeds as the drooping habit will not carry through. This habit is usually achieved through propagation, where cuttings of certain species are grafted onto the rootstock of a common species.

The unusual drooping habit makes it a real eyecatcher, a focal point in the garden. Here’s my list of small to tall weeping trees used in local landscapes.

Corkscrew Willow, Salix matsudana, there when you want to liven up a garden, especially in winter. Both the branches and the leaves twist and curl. It grows 20′ x 10′ feet wide. The Golden Curls Willow benefits from aggressive pruning in early spring.

Higam Weeping Cherry, Prunus subhirtella, branches cascade and dazzle the garden in showy double pink flowers, which serve as an early food source for pollinators. There are many weeping cherries in the Prunus genus. The ‘Pendula’ cultivar is grafted to form a stable trunk with gently weeping branches. It grows 20′ x 10′ feet wide and has pea-size cherries the birds find delicious.

Inversa Weeping Norway Spruce, Picea abies. Without a support structure, it grows as a weeping ground cover. The height depends on its training. Choose a central leader and attach it to a stake or pole to encourage vertical growth, which has something to lean against.

Ruby Falls Redbud, Cercis canadensis, is a dwarf cascading beauty with tons of purple power! If you are looking for a small flowering tree to significantly impact your landscape, this is it. With maroon to purple leaves from spring to autumn and lavender spring blooms that sit atop bold red stems, she excites springs arrival! But this distinctive weeping redbud is beautiful in winter with its flowing branches and unique habit. It looks natural in a large container at a mere 6′ feet tall and 5′ feet wide at maturity. Surprisingly easy to care for, grows in full sun to part shade, and tolerates most soil conditions!

Twisty Baby Locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, is a unique dwarf tree with interesting twisted branches. The contorted form makes an excellent small patio specimen and conversation piece. Grows well for many years in large containers. Prune back annually to encourage distorted growth.

Weeping Birch, Betula pendula, are notable for their white-colored bark and usual rich yellow foliage through autumn. Whitebark like aspen, but far hardier and handsome. Growing to 40′ x 20′ feet wide, the draping branches of the weeping birch create a graceful focal point in the garden.

Weeping Crabapple, Malus, provides beauty and grace throughout the year. In spring, it is covered with a profusion of flowers. These form red fruits that add color and provide food for wildlife in the fall and winter. Weeping crabapple pollinates most fruiting apple varieties for those that only want one fruiting tree in the yard. Make sure the trees are planted within at least 100′ feet of each other. Bees will have an easier time the closer they are, especially with dwarf weeping varieties.

Weeping Pussy Willow, Salix caprea, The sweet, fuzzy catkins, and the weeping form welcome spring with lots of style. This easy-to-grow deciduous tree does not demand a lot of work. It is fast-growing and long-lived and tolerates all soil types. It looks great all year long. In summer, you’ll love the dark green foliage that lushly cloaks the downturned branches. Even in fall, you’ll appreciate the golden-yellow tones. The lyrical weeping form easily elevates the look of any landscape.

Weeping Willow, Salix babylonica, are commonly found by rivers, lakes, streams, and other bodies of water. This willow can grow 50′ feet tall and wide with slender, graceful branches reaching the ground. This riparian species loves wet soil. For that reason, it is best planted away from the house, lest the roots find your pipes. Since the wood tends to snap quickly, choose a safe location from high winds.

The best selection of twisted, dropping, weeping trees can be found in spring. Now is the ideal time to plant a weeping accent in your own yard.

March Plant Food – the best recommendation for every tree in the yard is to feed them with 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food by the end of the month.

Spring Open House – Watters Garden Center celebrates our 60th Spring Open House through March 20. This year’s newest fruit trees, roses, flower baskets with unusual perennial colors are unveiled for the 2022 planting season. McKenzie Lain, 3rd generation owner, “Gardeners will simply fall in love with this year’s colors. It’s been fun growing up in the family business and watching the nursery grow with the community.”

Until next week, I’ll be helping gardeners plant the fanciest trees in their landscape.

Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Trees.com.

03/10/202203/10/2022

Growing More Flowers in the Garden this Spring

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

There are lots of annuals grown for their foliage, like coleuses and caladiums. Blooming plants remain the most popular annuals. That’s because annual plants repeatedly bloom, giving undemanding joyous color throughout our warm months. They are intended to deliver season-long color and then be added to the compost pile as we head into winter. There’s nothing like a container of annuals to brighten a porch or a deck through the spring season!

Plant breeders have done a fabulous job creating flowers that bloom non-stop with little to no help from their gardeners. Whether old classics or new designer styles, these 3 tips keep your annuals looking fresh while blooming.

#1 What, When, Where to Plant

Look for young, bushy plants that have many flower buds. Young plants acclimate better in the garden than pot-bound plants already producing seed.

Choose annual plants to fit your garden’s growing conditions. Sun-loving plants need 6+ hours of sun, or they will st-r-e-tch reaching for more light. Shade lovers want no more than six hours of sun; no amount of water keeps them from baking in our mountain sun. Shade plants just aren’t meant to tolerate the stress of mountain heat.

Plant spring annuals now! Don’t let them outgrow their pots. They need time to adjust to the garden while young. Water immediately with Root & Grow after planting, even if rain is predicted. This organic rooting solution stabilizes young plants and encourages deeper roots for more flowers.

#2 Water and Feed Often

Annuals don’t have deep root systems. Water whenever the soil feels dry about 1 inch below the surface. This is an excellent reason to own a Moisture Meter. Even drought-tolerant annuals bloom better with regular water. Daily watering in the heat of summer is not uncommon in mountain gardens.

Good potting soil retains water long enough for roots to soak it up while permitting any excess to drain away. Flowers need to breathe, as they tend to rot when sitting in wet soil. This is why good quality Potting Soil is essential, as it allows plants to grow without root rot.

Annuals expend a lot of energy, setting buds and blooms. Feed your bloomers every two weeks with Flower Power 12-48-8 for outstanding color this spring.

The heat of some summer afternoons can leave blooming annuals wilting. Their flowers prefer a deep soak very early in the morning before the heat of the day.

I tend to mulch when volunteers from last season are up and growing in the gardens. A two-inch layer of Watters Premium Mulch keeps shallow roots moist and fresh. It inhibits weeds and dissuades previous year’s flower seeds from coming back.

#3 Groom and Pinch

Deadhead often. Remove faded flowers, and don’t let seed pods form. This is most important with plants that hold onto their spent blooms like geraniums, marigolds, pansies, petunias, salvias, snapdragons, sweet peas, and zinnias.

Many modern hybrids have been developed to be self-cleaning. Their faded flowers seem to disappear as new buds form and open. Don’t hesitate to ask a garden center’s expert if a particular plant needs pinching to set buds and become whole and lush.

Insider Tip

my secret to impressive blooms: Two weeks before a backyard wedding, party, or event, clean up, deadhead, and trim your flowers. Then feed everything with Flower Power 12-48-8. Follow up 2 days before the party with the same plant food. Your flowers will be admired and enjoyed by everyone in attendance. Utilize this insider tip, and even you will be amazed at your garden results!

A Special Invitation

Watters Garden Center celebrates our 60th Spring Open House the weekend of March 11-13. Meet the growers that create Watters plants as they travel directly from the farm to share their insider tips and tricks of the trade. This year’s newest fruit trees, roses, flower baskets with unusual perennial colors are unveiled for the 2022 planting season. “It’s been fun growing up in the family business and watching the nursery grow with the community.” McKenzie Lain, 3rd generation owner.

Friday, March 11th, starts the celebration with a 3 pm Happy Hour only with plants. The Friday afternoon garden class kicks off our 2022 Spring Open House by showcasing the first blooming colors you have never seen until now: salvias, pansies, gaillardia, and more.

Saturday, March 12^th features a free, fun, information-packed class and demonstration at 9:30 am. Participants learn directly from the growers in the know about the newest plants, local favorites, and tricks of the trade for a more successful garden this spring. Experts are on hand to help with container gardens, local pest issues, rose and vegetable questions all weekend!

Sunday, March 13^th – Ken and Lisa Watters-Lain, Mountain Gardener radio show, is live at the garden center and sharing their garden secrets from 10 to 2 pm.

“Gardeners will simply fall in love with this year’s colors,” says Lisa Watters-Lain, 2nd generation owner. This weekend-long event is open to the garden public.

Until next week, I’ll be helping gardeners with the best flowers here at Watters Garden Center.

Ken Lain can be found at Watters Garden Center throughout the week, 1815 Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Flowers.com.

03/07/202203/07/2022

Help us Celebrate 60 Years of Spring

Meet the growers that produce Watters plants as they travel directly from the farm to share their insider tips and tricks of the trade. This year’s newest fruit trees, roses, flower baskets, with unusual perennial colors are unveiled for the 2022 planting season.

Friday, March 11th starts off the celebration with a 3 pm Happy Hour only with plants. This special Friday afternoon garden class kicks off our 2022 Spring Open House by showcasing the first blooming colors of spring many have never been seen until now: salvias, pansies, gaillardia, and more

Saturday, March 12th features a free, fun, information-packed class and demonstration at 9:30 am. Participants learn directly from the growers in the know about the newest plants along with local favorites, along with tricks of the trade for a more successful garden this spring. Experts are on hand to help with container gardens, local pest issues, rose and vegetable questions all weekend!

Ken and Lisa Lain Owners of Watters Garden Center Prescott AZ

Sunday, March 13th – Ken and Lisa Watters-Lain, Mountain Gardener radio show, are live at the garden center and sharing their garden secrets from 10 to 2 pm.

“We load the garden center with botanical beauty for this annual event; gardeners will simply fall in love with this year’s colors,” says Lisa Watters-Lain, 2^nd generation owner. Open to the garden public, this weekend-long event features giveaways, impromptu gardening classes, 2022 plant introductions, and local advice for gardeners at all skill levels.