Page 22 – Watters Garden Center

02/05/202101/27/2022

How to Grow Pinyon Pine

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Botanical Names – Pinus edulis

Common Name – Two-Needle Pinyon Pine

Plant Type – Evergreen tree

Mature Size – 20 feet tall, 15 feet wide

Sun Exposure – At least 6+ hours per day

Soil Type – Adapts to dry, well-drained soils

Bloom Time – Spring

Flower Color – Red & Yellow

Hardiness Zones – 5 to 8, USDA

Native Area – North America

How to Grow Pinyon Pine

This tree has few restrictions on how to grow it; the only place it struggles is in dense shade. It is an ideal tree to plant in locations where you want filtered shade rather than the deep shade created by many other landscape trees. It’s a good lawn tree since it allows plenty of filtered light to reach down to the grass. Keep the tree well-watered, and make sure to protect the trunks against damage from lawnmowers and other lawn equipment, as the bark is tender and prone to injury. Applying a ring of Watters Premium Mulch, of shredded cedar bark around the base of the tree is ideal, as it keeps mowers away from the trunk.

Light

Full sun is preferred by these trees, although young trees will grow well in partial shade.

Soil

The Pinyon Pine is a super hardy tree and can grow well in different types of soil. Loam is ideal, but sand or clay will also be sufficient for this tree to thrive.

Water

Water twice monthly; less once well established, more in extreme heat. The water guide for this tree is deep soak as soon as planted and weekly for the first year. A one-hour trickle that slowly saturates the root provides proper water for a new tree. Adjust watering based on rainfall.

Temperature and Humidity

Honey locust can grow in a variety of climate conditions, but it will perish if exposed to temperatures below minus -33 degrees F.

Fertilizer

Older trees rarely need additional irrigation or fertilizing, especially if they are in an irrigated, fertilized lawn. For young trees feed three times per year with 7-4-4 All Purpose Food (March, July, and October).

Pruning

Pinyon Pine trees need little pruning except to remove dead or diseased branches. The best time to prune is in late winter (January through March), when sap flow is reduced by colder weather.

Better Together: Companion Plants for February

Lily of the Valley

This gorgeous shrub loves growing in the summer shade of a Pinyon Pine. This bold winter evergreen delights with dramatic firey growth in spring, producing clusters of fragrant flowers. Exquisite wedding cake layers of white flowers hover on graceful, arching stems most of winter and spring. The easy-care rounded form stands out with shiny foliage all winter, opening to white bell-shaped blooms in spring. This knee-high shrub is utterly detestable to all deer and Javelina.

Peony

Your grandmother would fall in love with these larger varieties with so many colors to choose from. There’s nothing like the enormous flowers to add vibrant stunning pops of color. Endearing springtime blooms are more than fragrant with luscious double flowers. Perfect for cut flowers in a spring bouquet. These hard mountain varieties take the brutal sun, wind for decades of perennial enjoyment. Deer are Javelina will ignore these peony beauties.

Calgary Carpet Juniper

Rich green mounds of juniper beauty only grow ankle-high for the perfect mountain ground cover. An ideal choice for low water, low care erosion control on natural banks where monsoon run-off is a problem. The perfect green nestled between boulders or soften the top edge of a masonry retaining wall. Ideally used to add color and style next to a barren rock lawn through the winter months. Junipers are always naturally welcome in Japanese gardens or pruned into creative bonsai forms.

01/29/202101/29/2021

Evergreens Make A Garden Look Better

Winter Gem Boxwood shrubs planted down the drive

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

On the Go Answer Condensed Version of this Article

Boxwood is best planted in late winter through spring

The perfect evergreen for short hedges and sculptured topiary

Boxwood are drought hardy, so make sure they have drainage in the grand and pots

To keep robust green feed plants with 7-4-4 All Purpose Food every Easter, July 4^th & Halloween

More evergreen shrubs found at Top10Plants.com

Boxwood is deer, javelina, and rabbit proof

Garden Alert – Feed fruit tree, berry, and grapes with 6-4-4-7 Fruit & Veggie Food now

Free Garden Class on plant Wildflowers January 31 @ 9:30

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

The varieties below can be planted in February through early spring, and most are available here at Watters Garden Center. Here are our top picks and some ways to use them.

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

Proper spacing is easy to calculate when a tight hedge is desired. Read the plant’s tag and space plants at half their suggested mature width. They will fill in exactly the way you want. Here are three of the hardiest mountain varieties ready for planting now:

Winter Gem Boxwood

Variegated English Boxwood

Green Mountain Boxwood

Boxwood in Containers in a rustic setting

Green Accents – Enhance your front door area with a single boxwood or with several of these shapely plants. Use them to define corners in a border or add to billowing borders for structure. These cultivars make it easy:

Chicagoland Green Boxwood

Faulkner Boxwood

Green Velvet Boxwood

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

Green Tower Boxwood

Green Mountain Boxwood

Golden Triumph Boxwood

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

Keeping Boxwood Happy

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

Keep them clean – When a boxwood is sheared to produce denser outer foliage, it’s important to clean dead leaves out of the middle of the plant. In late winter, prune back all dying branches to healthy wood, remove all debris from the center of the plant, and thin out some of the outside growth so air and light can reach into a healthy center.

Sun Exposure – Boxwood thrives in either full sun or light shade. But if exposed to extreme winds and full sun, boxwood can struggle the first years in a garden. These conditions are especially common on mountain ridge-lines. Protect boxwood by keeping them vigorous and healthy; water as needed and apply a fresh layer of mulch over the roots to help prevent winter damage. Spray with Watters’ Wilt Stop’ to withstand extreme exposure.

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

Garden Alert – Take advantage of the weather this week and fertilize fruit trees and ALL spring bloomers with Watters Fruit & Vegetable Food. I know this locally sourced plant food was mentioned in last week’s Soil Prep article, but this is the perfect storm for better fruit, berry, and grape harvest. My Lilacs and spring-blooming Purple plum, Redbud, and Crabapples received the same food this week. This special formula is loaded with calcium for larger, sweeter fruits this year. Apply now and hope for even more snow!

Free Garden Class – Why January is the Best Month to Plant Wildflowers. Truly wild seed needs to be planted in winter and this week’s snow is absolutely ideal for starting a new patch of your own. Join us at this weeks free garden class, January 30 @ 9:30 for all the details here at Watters Garden Center.

Until next issue, I’ll be here at Watters Garden Center helping locals design better winter gardens.

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 .

01/22/202101/22/2021

What Houseplants are Saying when Leaves Curl

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

On the Go Answer Condensed Version of this Article

One of 4 reasons leaves curl on houseplants

They need more water

Bugs are eating your plant

The room is too bright

Plants need to be repotted

Reporters from three different states called last week asking how Watters Garden Center has does so much for the community through COVID? The discussion comes up often at family dinners, and a theme emerges. As a garden retailer, we share much with everyone, even those that may not be aware. A garden center is more than a plant store. We are a Backyard Paradise center, Garden Therapy center, Garden Bliss center, Tension Release center, Joy in the Garden center, Stress Relief center, Backyard Nature center, Escape to the Garden center. What do you think of these ideas generated by local gardeners?

January is when you’ll find more houseplants at the garden center than any other month. Trucks of plants fill the greenhouses. You buy the perfect specimen, plant in a brand new ceramic pot, and revel in your garden brilliance. What does it mean when your new plant curls and shed leaves?

Relax – there are only one of four reasons a plant shows curled leaves.

Help, I need water!

A plant that needs water will tell you when it’s thirsty and show faint, curly leaves that often develop brown spots on the ends of the foliage. You need a moisture meter at this point. I’ve often simply left the meter sticking out of the soil for continual reads. Pre-technology, your grandparents stuck a finger in the plants’ soil. When the top 2 inches feels completely dry, soak your plant in the sink for an hour until the soil rehydrates. This is perfect for smaller houseplants. The master bedroom shower works for larger floor plants. Ensure the container has a drainage hole is essential, and don’t drench a plant for more than a half-day.

Help, I’m being eaten alive!

Unwelcome bugs cause a lot of issues, with curling leaves being one of them. Holes in the leaves, speckling, yellowing, or pale leaves are other signs of pest problems. This week gardeners had problems with fungus gnats here at Watters. Tiny black gnats buzz around the house, but the larvae live in your houseplants’ soil and eat the plant from the roots up. Systemic Granules obliterates this pest with one dose. Aphids are next and often seen with the naked eye sucking a plant’s lifeforce from the top down. Triple Action is the safest spray to negate this pest. If in doubt, bring a sample to Watters Garden Center, and we can stick it under the microscope to see what is really going on.

Help, I’m burning up!

Not all plants like direct sunlight; any thrive without any. If your plant looking scorched, curled, and crispy, and it’s in direct sunlight, there’s a good chance it wants a darker room in your house.

Help, I can’t . . . Breathe!

Older plants need more room to breathe after 3-4 years in the same container. Fresh potting soil and more space make houseplants happy. Gently pull the plant out of its pot to see the roots. If they have a dense crust of soil around them, you’ll need to give your plant some fresh potting soil.

Bottomline – curling leaves are a plants’ way of talking, and a gardener understands the language. Plants respond quickly to the gardeners’ touch. Check their water level, soil, light, and pest, or simply pluck the curled leaf from the plant, and they look better in no time.

Best Houseplant Food Ever! When leaves are on the yellow side of green, and dropping foliage, give them Root & Grow. I developed this composted tea years ago that reduces transplant shock for new seedlings, tomatoes, and shrubs, but houseplants like it even better. Dump the chemical fertilizers and switch your houseplants over to this organic plant food for outstanding results. My cactus, succulents, and African Violets receive the same food for striking blooms indoor and out.

Until next week, I’ll be helping local gardens with houseplants here at Watters Garden Center.

01/08/202101/08/2021

9 Plants that Love the Bedroom as Much as You

Aloe Vera plant in a green pot on the counter

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Bedrooms are meant to be a haven to recharge your battery, and greenery goes a long way in achieving a sense of serenity. Whether your home is illuminated with natural light or relies on lamps and sconces, these plants love your bedroom as much as you do. Start with this list of tried and true for sounder sleep.

Aloe Vera in a Green Container on a counter

Aloe Vera – The fleshy leaves of this plant need a bright spot in the bedroom but won’t mind if you forget the water for a few weeks. These succulent plants produce offshoots you can remove to start new plants, serving as replacements if you remove leaves to harvest the healing gel for cuts and sunburns.

Corn Plant Dracaena in a container in the living room

Corn Plant (Dracaena) gives homeowners the look of a tree without the unmanageable height issues of a tropical tree. Long, glossy leaves top stout trunks, a concrete plant that serves as a handsome anchor in bedroom corners. Although its name suggests otherwise, the corn plant is poisonous. It should not be kept around nibbling pets or curious children.

english ivy Hedera in a container sitting on a table

English Ivy (Hedera) can behave aggressively when grown in the garden, sending clinging tendrils over structures and up tree trunks. You can take advantage of ivy’s spreading tendencies in the bedroom by training the vines across a small trellis, hoop, or topiary form to create a living work of art. Thriving in all light situations, the English ivy’s trailing vines look attractive in hanging baskets or draped over side tables. Plants do fine with little watering and survive a week-long vacation without a hiccup.

Woman beside a fiddle leaf fig Ficus lyrata plant in a container

Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) is one of the trendiest houseplants around, given its frequent appearance in home magazines and blogs. Its large leaves are its focal point, so providing the right lighting is essential to keeping your plant lush in the bedroom. The plant thrives in shady rooms with the help of an east-facing window. Set your plant on a plate of pebbles filled with water to increase the plant’s vicinity humidity. Fiddle Leaf Fig likes everything in moderation, including light, water, and temperature. Too much or too little of these elements cause the plant to struggle.

palor palm Chamaedorea elegans in a container in the living room

Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) grows in partial to full shade, which is why you’ll see these specimens thriving in office and indoor spaces with little to no natural light. In fact, too much light will burn the parlor palm leaves, so keep this plant away from bright windows in the bedroom. A location close to a steamy bathroom that provides a humidity boost is ideal.

Peace Lily plants (Spathiphyllum) are one of the most popular plants in bedrooms. Its glossy leaves thrive in all light situations, the roots tolerate a variety of irrigation habits. Peace lilies take the guesswork out of watering by wilting when they’re thirsty and quickly perk up with a drink. If your room has a window, situating a peace lily nearby will increase the white flower-like spathes’ production. For naturally dark bedrooms, choose a plant with variegated foliage.

philodendron hanging on the wall in a bedroom

Philodendron is a non-fussy bedroom plant. They are just as happy trailing from a hanging basket in the corner as they are stealing the spotlight as a trellised specimen. Philodendrons tolerate a wide variety of light but get a bit lanky if conditions are dim. Less is more when it comes to irrigation, and you can easily root new plants in a vase of water if you decide to propagate more plants for a collection.

snake plant Sanseviera in a white container in the bedroom

Snake Plant (Sanseviera) is sometimes nicknamed “mother-in-law’s tongue.” The leathery, strappy leaves have adapted to survive the harsh conditions of West Africa, where the soil is poor and rain is irregular. You don’t have to deal with messy dropped leaves or complicated pruning with the snake plant; just water it every couple of weeks.

spider plant Chlorophytum in a container on a table

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum) lets the personality of this plant infuse your bedroom with fun and fresh air. Nicknamed the airplane plant for its ability to produce multiple “pups” on stems that dangle from the mother plant. You may choose to leave these baby plants or clip them and repot for other rooms.

Until the next issue, I’ll be helping gardeners rest with their plants better 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 web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

12/30/202012/30/2020

What Happens when Plants are Dormant

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Those new to the four seasons of Northern Arizona: Autumn is a time of intense transition in the yard. Leaves fall off deciduous trees, and flowering perennials bloom one last time before fading underground until spring. This is when evergreens are most noticeable in the landscape.

Desert gardeners new to four-seasons are bewildered by their garden. Why do mountain plants hibernate, and what does it mean?

In garden terms, ‘dormancy’ refers to a perennial plant’s state of temporary metabolic inactivity or minimal activity. Plants go dormant in response to adverse growing conditions, such as the colder months of December through February. Grass lawns go dormant during periods of intense heat or drought in summer. It’s important to remember that perennials don’t die during this period rather in a state of suspended animation. While the outer leaves and above-ground foliage may die back, life still lurks in the plant’s core.

Spring blooming plants such as Forsythia, Lilac, Azalia, and Camellia need this winter season to rest. It requires a tremendous amount of energy to create such fragrance and beauty. These spring bloomers take advantage of Winter to form their spring flowers.

If you’re unsure which of your garden plants are annual or perennial, stick an irrigation flag or popsicle stick in the ground marking your dormant plants. Next spring, you will quickly find out which plants decided to rest through Winter and which plants died ultimately as an annual!

Plants stop growing and conserve energy during this period of dormancy until the right growing conditions present themselves in spring. This happens naturally as the seasons and weather change. This change can also be provoked artificially.

We force many perennials into bloom before their natural bloom cycle. By tricking the plants into flower, we enjoy them out of season for particular holidays. Tulip and daffodil bulbs are artificially chilled, sending them into dormancy, then brought out of inactivity at the desired time and forced to flower, say Valentine’s Day. The same technique is employed for holiday Easter lilies, poinsettias, and Christmas cactus.

This week we forced cyclamens and ornamental peppers to flower for Watters’ winter plant shop. This process is positively unnatural for living plants but fun for gardeners who enjoy them through the winter months.

Outside perennial gardens are in danger should plants break dormancy too soon. Many perennials are lost when an unseasonably warm cycle causes plants to send up new growth and subsequently killed back to the ground when the weather turns cold again. It is recommended that gardens be insulated by a 3-inch layer of Premium Mulch as protection against this thaw-freeze cycle that kills perennials in spring.

Not all plants are bothered by this winter cycle. A new crop of evergreens, spruce, and pine just arrived for the winter planting season. Each can easily be planted even on the coldest days with great success. Many are exceptionally large and heavy. You might consider having the larger specimen trees planted for you. Even this week, I had Watters planting crew install a new pine tree in my own yard. Tree planting is back-breaking work.

2021 Garden Classes are just announced. Each hour-long class is held in Watters largest greenhouse every Saturday at 9:30.

January 16 – Happy, Healthy Houseplants with Professional Style

January 23 – Top Local Landscapes with Flare

January 30 – Why January is the Month to Plant Wildflowers

Until we are out of this COVID crisis, Watters will also live stream each class through our Facebook page at FB.com/WattersGardenCenter, same time just on your screen.

Until next week, I’ll be helping local gardeners choose just the right winter 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 web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

12/30/202001/20/2021

How to Grow Evergreen Yew Shrub

Japenese Yew growing in beds along the side of a house

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Yews, Taxus, plants are conifers, so they produce cones, along with red berries. They feature evergreen needles in two primary forms, a spreading shrub or a tall columnar tree. They have a relatively fast growth rate that slows as the plant matures. Britain and elsewhere in Europe use the evergreen branches in holiday decorating. Sprigs are cut to be used like holly in natural Christmas decor.

Botanical Name Taxus

Common Name Yew bush, yew tree, yew shrub

Plant Type Evergreen Conifer

Mature Size 4 to 15′ feet tall, depending on the variety

Sun Exposure -4 hours of sun to full shade

Soil Type Loamy, medium moisture, well-draining

Soil pH 6 to 8

Bloom Time Nonflowering

Hardiness Zones 2 to 10

Native Areas Europe, Africa, Asia

How to Grow Yew

Yews often serve as foundation plantings around the home. They are also common in hedges and topiaries. Preferring the shader spaced in the garden, they brighten the north side of tall walls and stucco homes. The low spreading varieties are more suitable for foundation plants or short decorative hedges.

Excellent soil drainage is vital for growing yews. These plants can be susceptible to root rot and other fungal infections, often due to soggy soil conditions. Overall the plants are low-maintenance.

Light

Yew plants can be grown in partial shade, even full shade. Preferring the shader spaced in the mountain garden, they brighten the north side of tall walls and stucco homes. Yew grows well under the canopy of other trees and among pine forests.

Soil

Yew can tolerate several soil types, as long as the soil has good drainage. Poorly drained soil can result in root rot. Yew tends to thrive in rich loamy soil with a soil pH of 6 to 8.

Water

Along with adequate drainage, Yews grow best in moderately moist soil. Irrigate young plants twice a week to maintain soil moisture. Once established, it becomes more tolerant of dry conditions.

Temperature and Humidity

Yews grow in all cold climate conditions in zones 2-8. In scorching summer weather, the shrubs will appreciate more water and shade. Humidity typically isn’t a problem for yews, though they can struggle in scorching, humid summer weather.

Fertilizer

Feed with Watters 7-4-4 All Purpose Food 3 times per year (March, July, and October) for denser foliage and deeper green color.

Toxicity of Yew

All parts of yew plants except for the berry’s flesh are poisonous. Even the berries are inedible because of the toxic seed developed inside each berry. Some signs of poisoning in both people and animals include vomiting, difficulty breathing, irregular heart rate, blood pressure, and dilated pupils. The good news is animals find yews equally toxic and leave this plant alone, including deer, elk, javelina, and rabbits.

Pruning

Overgrown yews can be rejuvenated with good pruning and shaped to your preference. It’s not essential to prune annually, but it can be helpful to promote lush growth. The best time to prune is late winter to early spring before the new foliage appears in March. Start by removing any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Use hand pruners or branch loppers to cut stems back to where they join other branches.

Varieties of Yew

Many types of Yew are popular for landscape use, including:

Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’: This plant has a columnar shape at around 15′ feet tall X 4′ feet wide and is often used for privacy hedges.
Taxus baccata ‘Repandens’: This variety grows roughly 2′ feet tall X 12′ feet wide and is used for foundation plantings or short hedges.
Taxus canadensis: Canadian Yew, this species has a spreading growth habit and reaches around 4′ feet tall X 7′ feet wide.
Taxus cuspidata ‘Monloo’: This variety grows to 3′ feet tall X 8′ feet wide and is used for foundation plantings or short hedges.
Taxus media ‘Hicksii’: This plant also has a columnar shape at 12′ feet tall X 6′ feet wide and is used for privacy hedges.

How to Plant a Yew Bush

Companion Plants with Evergreen Yew

Arizona Cypress

Austrian Pine

Mint Julip Juniper

Red Cluster berry Cotoneaster

Boxwood

View all Our January Companion Plants

See our Current Selection of Evergreen Shrubs on Top10Plants.com

12/30/202001/20/2021

How to Grow Evergreen Boxwood Shrub

By Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Winter Gem Boxwood down the drive — Winter Gem Boxwood

The Buxus genus includes about 70 species of slow-growing broadleaf evergreens. Most varieties used in mountain landscaping are dwarf varieties. These dwarf boxwood shrubs are prized for their densely packed, light-green leaves and rounded compact growth habit.

Botanical Name Buxus

Common Names Boxwood, English boxwood, box

Plant Type Evergreen shrub

Mature Size Dwarf varieties are typically knee to hip height

Sun Exposure 4+ hours of Full sun

Soil Type Medium moisture loamy soil

Soil pH 6.8 to 7.5

Bloom Time April to May

Flower Color Green to creamy yellow (flowers are not significant)

Hardiness Zones 5 to 9

Native Area Southern Europe, Asia

How to Grow Boxwood Shrubs

Boxwoods are best planted in loamy soil in a full-sun to part-shade location. Their roots are shallow, so the ground must be protected from the heat. Maintain a 3″ layer of Watters Premium Mulch to prevent sunburning of the soil’s roots. Keep the garden soil cool by spreading this 3″ layer of mulch one foot around the plant.