The days grow short as we move into the end of the 2020 gardening season. This is the time when gardeners like to relax, sip some tea while warming our feet by the fire, and reflect on our gardening successes and near misses of the past season. But, gardening activity doesn’t come to a complete halt, as there are a few things to do in December. Here are my five gardening tasks for closing out 2020 strong and ensuring that our plants prosper in the New Year: #1 Houseplants Watch closely for … [Read more...] about Five Gardening Tips to End 2020 Strong
Watters Garden Center Prescott
Examining the Top Evergreen Trees for Mountain Landscapes
This is the season when decorated evergreens dominate living rooms and sparkle in the winter landscape. The list provided grows best outdoors and is often used as a living tree through holiday celebrations, then planted in the yard when the festivities are over. Here is a list of the top seven evergreen trees that stand up to mountain wind and winter cold and resist the naturally occurring insects and diseases found at higher elevations. You will find each at the garden center. Below you’ll … [Read more...] about Examining the Top Evergreen Trees for Mountain Landscapes
Identifying Plants that Attract Butterflies
I believe that butterflies, some of the most beautiful, magnificent and interesting creatures in any garden, are God’s gift to gardeners. Fortunately, butterfly numbers are increasing in our landscapes. The reason so many butterflies are appearing in gardens is that they are losing their natural habitats. The building of homes, roads and farms in Arizona contributes to the increased butterfly populations in cultivated gardens. Creating a butterfly garden is an easy way to attract more … [Read more...] about Identifying Plants that Attract Butterflies
Growing, Reaping Benefits of Rosemary
Rosemary is commonly used in cooking to flavor soups, sauces and meats. Perhaps less well known, it also has many health benefits and can be used as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments. Here are 10 health benefits of rosemary that will prompt you to grow this plant and find ways to use this valuable, fragrant herb. Cancer Prevention - Rosemary contains carnosol, found in studies to be a potent anti-cancer compound. Researchers have had promising results of its efficacy against breast … [Read more...] about Growing, Reaping Benefits of Rosemary
Run on Garden Center has Official Name – Victory Garden 2.0
The spring planting season has an unusual twist, a consumer-run on garden supplies, seed, plants, and fruit trees are selling out. The garden center industry has even names the phenomenon - Victory Garden 2.0. The demand is surprisingly healthy for anything edible in the backyard. Greenhouse space is shifting from flowers over to consumable plant sales. "In past flowers outsold vegetable plants 2-to-1, but not this spring. I'm worried about not having enough seed and … [Read more...] about Run on Garden Center has Official Name – Victory Garden 2.0
Planting Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays
Using living trees instead of fresh-cut trees to decorate for the holidays has increased in popularity. More than half of my local Christmas tree sales are for living trees that will be planted in January. Because of their waxy needles and high internal pitch, most conifers need surprisingly little water. This is true for the high- country natives like pine, cypress, cedar and juniper. Once these trees reach their mature sizes, they thrive in our arid climate, dry soil and extreme mountain … [Read more...] about Planting Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays
Should You Plant a Fruit Tree?
You used to need a lot of land to grow fruit trees. Most standard-sized fruit trees mature at a height and width of between 18-25 feet. Not only do trees of this size require a big chunk of your garden, they are too tall to prune and spray without a ladder. Dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees have made it possible to grow them in just about any yard. Even with smaller trees, growing fruit is a long-term investment. It can take anywhere from two to 10 years for trees to begin bearing fruit. If … [Read more...] about Should You Plant a Fruit Tree?
Monday Garden with Ken Lain
Ken Lain of Watter's Garden Center offers Monday Garden, offering tips and insights to northern Arizona's unique outdoor landscapes. Watch the new arrivals for fall video. More information at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Road. (928) 445-4159 … [Read more...] about Monday Garden with Ken Lain