Tag: sage
5 Herbs You’ll Only Plant Once
05/31/2017 Ken DavisBy Ken Lain, the mountain gardener With May our local peak planting month, right after Mother’s Day the garden center fills to capacity with plants, long-time local favorites, and many 2017 introductions. Organic herbs overflow the nursery as vegetable gardens…
Read MoreHerb Salt – Fun Recipe
03/20/2017 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerWe’ve recently discovered herb salts as savory, mouth-watering additions to recipes, and also as an ingenious way to prolong the life of fresh herbs. Salt preserves the herbs, and the herbs infuse the salts, making a flavor combo you can’t…
Read MoreEasy Care Less Water
11/23/2012 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerSeveral studies of western gardens show that homeowners overwater their landscapes by 50 percent. My experiences at the garden center concur with that finding. I can say that 80% of my customers’ plant replacements are to replace plants killed by…
Read MoreFirst Impressions
11/13/2012 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerMost homeowners recognize the need to remodel the insides of their homes but don’t realize that their landscaping also benefits from an occasional updating. A front landscape covered in junipers and rocks screams out: “Look how old and outdated I…
Read More2012 Parade of Perennials
11/13/2012 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerThis is the best month to experience mature perennial specimens in bloom at your favorite garden center. The spring season is too early for most perennials to show off, but June brings the encouraging warmth essential to heat lovers like…
Read MoreBird’s Eye View of Arizona Mountain Gardening
07/28/2012 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerUsually this column is dedicated to specific local gardening topics and reacting to local garden issues. Today’s article takes a broader, more global approach that I like to call a bird’s-eye view over local landscape facts. We are a climate…
Read MoreNo Weeds, No Bugs, No Problem
07/14/2012 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerSummer brings Russian sage in all its glory. However, it is so happy in mountain landscapes that this stunningly dramatic plant can get out of control or become difficult to maintain. That violet color also can seem overdone and overbearing…
Read MoreSuperheroes of the Summer Lands
07/07/2012 Ken Lain, mountain gardenerWell, we’re into July again, and with its rising humidity it presents the right climate to give growing things a very welcome and beneficial pick-me-up. Right now landscape plants are somewhat scrawny, starving, and ready to lap up whatever the…
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