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How to Grow Creeping Rosemary

Rosemary creeping down a wall

The Tasty Evergreen Anyone Can Grow

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Imagine growing Rosemary that tumbling over a wall or spreading across a dry rock lawn. This tough little gem is the perfect plant for garden walls, pots, banks, or a dry, sunny patch of ground in the garden. A superb groundcover for hot, dry locations, its habit is low and mounds just 12″ inches high, and spreading vigorously. Deep blue flowers arise in great masses that are both deer and pest resistant.

Creeping Rosemary forms a beautiful carpet of deep blue flowers backed by herbal green foliage for an attractive groundcover. This waterwise evergreen is outstanding for cascading from retaining walls or planters and is very useful in erosion control on banks and slopes. The aromatic leaves are often used as a flavorful culinary seasoning.

Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis, means ‘dew of the sea,’ that most associate with Mediterranean cooking.

Botanical Name         Rosmarinus officinalis

Common Name         Rosemary

Plant Type                  Perennial evergreen herb

Mature Size                12″ inches x 5′ feet wide

Sun Exposure 6+ hours Full sun

Soil Type                    Sandy loam

Soil pH                       5 to 10 pH

Bloom Time                March to May, often in Fall

Flower Color             Blue, white, and pink

Hardiness Zones        7 to 11 USDA

Native Area                Mediterranean

How to plant

1. Dig hole 2-3 times the width of the container but the same depth.

2. Score the root ball sides and bottom with a utility knife or pruners and plant in the planting hole.

3. Blend Watters Premium Mulch into the native soil at 1 part mulch with two parts soil dug from the hole and pack firmly around the roots.

4. Sprinkle 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food around the planting area.

5. Prevent ‘Transplant Shock’ by adding Watters “Root & Grow” to your water at 2-week cycles for the first 2 months.

6. Use the remaining Watters Mulch inside the tree well as a top dressing. This will keep weeds down, insulate roots from heat and cold, and keep the roots moist.

Light

To keep Rosemary happy, give it 6+ hours of full sunlight each day. When growing it indoors, place it in a south-facing window for bright light.

Soil

Grow Rosemary in loamy, well-draining soil. This plant is native to the rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean and doesn’t do well if its roots stay soggy. Test the planting hole by filling it with water in the morning. If water is still pooling in the dug hole at the end of the day, you have drainage issues that will need more work.

Water

Water newly planted Rosemary regularly with a garden hose for at least one month (2 months in Summer). Automatic irrigation systems may not be sufficient initially. Water frequency will vary according to the season, exposure, and plant size.

April – Oct Rosemary should be irrigated 2 x weekly.

Nov – Mar Rosemary should be irrigated 2 x monthly.

Fertilizer

Feed 4x Times per Year with either 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food, Soil Sulfur, or Humic. Here’s the recommendation by season:

Spring = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food + Soil Sulfur

Summer = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food + Humic

September = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food

December = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food

Person Holding Cut Rosemary

Propagating Rosemary

You will make things far easier on yourself if you start with a nursery-grown plant. Rosemary can take years to fill in, so expect to pay more for a mature plant than for a small rosemary start.

If you would like to start your own rosemary plant, the best option is to start cutting. Rosemary seed can be difficult to germinate and often do not grow true to their parent. It’s much faster to start with a cutting, and you will be sure of what type of plant you will get.

Snip about a 2″ inch cutting from the soft, new growth of an established plant.

Remove the leaves from the bottom inch, then dip the cut tip into a Rooting Powder’ and place the dipped end into a container of dampened seedling potting soil. Both are sold here at Watters Garden Center.

Place the container in a warm spot with indirect sunlight. Mist the cuttings daily and make sure the soil does not dry out.

In about 2 to 3 weeks, test for root growth by very gently tugging on the cuttings. Once the cuttings have roots, transplant them into individual pots about 3-4″ inches in diameter. Pinch off the very top of the cutting to encourage it to develop branches.

Common Pests/ Diseases

The biggest problem with growing Rosemary indoors is getting the humidity level right. High humidity and poor air circulation commonly result in Powdery Mildew on rosemary plants.  Powdery Mildew is a white, powdery fungus that develops if the surrounding air is humid and there is not enough air movement.

Bugs to look for in spring or summer are aphids and spider mites. These pests seem to live on houseplants through winter. Catching an infestation early makes for easy control.  Triple Action by Watters Garden Center cures both Powdery Mildew and most insects quickly.

Better Together: Companion Plants for March

Prescott Pansy

Giants 3″ flowers thrive in extreme March gardens. Large, velvety blooms dazzle with radiant colors of blue, violet, yellow, and variations of stripes that look like smiling faces and love being planted in March.

Fanciful Forsythia

This gorgeous shrub explodes with masses of solar yellow flowers followed by shiny green leaves. Every home should have one for sheer beauty, fall color, and gentle natural care.

Oklahoma Redbud

At just 16′ feet tall, this local native is super easy to grow. Vibrant, red flowers cloak the branches of early Spring. Luscious heart-shaped leaves emerge with a soft pink tinge that matures to a vibrant green.

Mountain Heath

This impressive bloomer is covered with flowers right now. Animal resistive with fragrance all pollinators adore.  A knee-high evergreen is super easy to care for in the ground or containers.

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How to Grow Pansy

pansy mix in a bowl

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

pansy mix in a bowl

Giant 3″ flowers thrive in extreme March gardens. Large, velvety blooms dazzle with radiant colors of blue, violet, yellow, and variations of stripes that look like smiling faces and love being planted in late winter through March. A tight form with excellent branching and dense, green foliage. This early and repeat bloomer will supply reliable spring and fall color to beds and containers.

Pansies are a form of cultivated, hybridized violet, noted for their large multi-colored flat flowers and their fondness of cool temperatures. The types most often sold commercially are a hardy type of Viola.

The gardener knows pansies as flowers with almost heart-shaped, overlapping petals in bright colors or bi-colors, often with face-like center markings. Breeding has produced pansies that are able to stand up to the cold rather than the heat of summer. And like their cousins, the violas and violets, the flowers are edible.

Technically, pansies are short-season perennials, but they are usually grown as annuals. In warmer mountain gardens, they are grown as biennials lasting a couple years.

Compact, low growers, pansies are ideal for edging and squeezing in between rock walls and paths. They’re a great choice for early and late season containers. In the garden, they complement spring-flowering bulbs, flowering as the bulb foliage begins to fade. Most pansies don’t get very tall; they will flop or cascade a bit if they do.

Traditional pansies bloom from spring through early summer, with some repeat bloom in the fall. USDA Zones 7 and warmer can grow pansies throughout the winter. There are newer varieties, such as the ice pansy, that are bred to withstand mountain snows.

Botanical Name         Viola x wittrockiana

Common Name         Pansy

Plant Type                  Short-lived perennial usually grown as an annual

Mature Size               4-8″ inches tall, 4-6″ inches wide

Sun Exposure            Full sun to part shade

Soil Type                    Loose, well-draining soil

Soil pH                       Slightly acidic, 6.0-7.0

Bloom Time               Spring through early summer

Flower Color White, yellow, purple, blue

Hardiness Zones        7 to 11 (USDA)

Native Area                Europe, eastern Asia

How to Grow Pansies

When buying plants, choose pansies that are stocky, bushy, and have plenty of buds. If you can allow your pansy plants to remain in your garden and rest during the hottest months, they will most likely bloom again through Autumn. Shearing the plants back when they start to set seeds encourages fresh new growth. Pinching or Dead-heading spent flowers encourages more bloom.

Light

Pansies bloom best in full sun to partial shade. In mountain gardens, they stay fresh-looking and keep blooming longer if grown in partial shade.

Soil

Although pansies are not fussy plants, they will grow best in loose, rich soil with a slightly acid pH (6.0 to 7.0). They are heavy feeders, so amend your soil with Watters Premium Mulch to give them a good start.

Water

Regular watering helps Pansy bloom into early summer, but don’t expect your pansies to last all season. Make sure to use containers with drainage holes, or if planting in the ground, make sure the soil drains well.

Temperature and Humidity

Pansies do not like heat at all and will begin to decline the summer mountain heat.

Fertilizer

As with any long-blooming annual plant, pansies appreciate some fertilizer. They respond well to foliar feeding at two-week intervals. Feed every other week with Flower Power created by Watters Garden Center.

Suggested Varieties of Pansy

If you like the variety of colors but still want a sense of cohesion, select plants from the same series. They’ll be similar in size and markings, regardless of the color.

  • Bolero Pansy – Large, ruffled, semi-double flowers; does well in both spring and fall.
  • Bingo Pansy – Large-flowered in 14 colors from pale blue to burgundy; blooms earlier than the popular Majestic Giants series.
  • Cool Wave Pansy – Fast-growing with vibrant bloom; plants have a spreading habit, like Cool Wave petunias. Good “spillers” for containers
  • Freefall Pansy – Day-neutral, trailing plants; great for containers
  • Joker Pansy – Very pronounced faces; bicolored in complementary colors
  • Princess Pansy – Compact growth habit and dainty flowers; monochromatic tones from cream to deep purple, with yellow centers

Growing Pansies From Seed

If the plants are not dead-headed, pansies will drop seeds that readily take root. It’s not unusual to find next spring brings a large cluster of volunteer seedlings where the old plants were located.

However, most pansies are F1 hybrids, and the seeds they produce will not grow into plants that resemble the parents. You will likely get flowers that have reverted to one of the genetic parents of the hybrid. This is not always bad, as you may well appreciate the surprising result. A patch of pansies planted one year may self-seed into a group of volunteer Johnny-jump-ups (Viola tricolor) the next year since V. tricolor is one of the parents of many hybrid pansies.

The best way to grow hybrid pansies from seed is to buy commercial F1 hybrid seeds created by hand-pollinating one species with the pollen from another species.

Cast the seeds over a tray of Seedling Potting Soil, moisten the tray, and keep covered 2-weeks with black plastic until the seeds germinate. Then remove the plastic and transfer the tray to a sunny location and keep the soil moist. Stratifying the seeds for two weeks helps improve germination. When the seedlings are a few inches tall with at least two sets of true leaves, transplant them into small pots. They should be growing in a sunny location until it’s time to transplant outdoors. Harden off seedlings for two weeks, gradually introducing them to outside conditions before planting outside.

Growing Pansies in Containers

With their trailing habit, pansies are very popular in containers and window boxes. They don’t like soggy roots, so make sure to use Watters Potting Soil when planting pots and raised beds. Pinch off leggy growth and dead-head regularly, and feed with Watters Flower Power every 2 weeks for riotous flowers.

Common Pests and Diseases

Slugs can be a nuisance during wet seasons, especially if growing in partial shade. Use a slug bait or thin out the planting, so it drys better. Occasionally, aphids attack pansies. Use caution if you prefer to kill aphids with a strong blast of water since pansies are relatively small and delicate. Watters Multi-Purpose Insect Spray removes any bug issues.

Better Together: Companion Plants for March

Mountain Heath

This impressive bloomer is covered with flowers right now. Animal resistive with fragrance all pollinators adore. A knee-high evergreen is super easy to care for in the ground or containers.

Oklahoma Redbud

At just 16’ feet tall, this local native is super easy to grow. Vibrant, red flowers cloak the branches of early spring. Luscious heart-shaped leaves emerge with a soft pink tinge that matures to a vibrant green.

Fanciful Forsythia

This gorgeous shrub explodes with masses of solar yellow flowers followed by shiny green leaves. Every home should have one for sheer beauty, fall color, and gentle natural care.

Rosemary Creeper

A local favorite for rock gardens, groundcover, or spilling over retaining walls, not all local rosemary is created equal. This one lives where others die. Knowing you can also use it in the kitchen is sheer bliss.

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How to Grow Forsythia

Forsythia Bush

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Forsythia Bush

This gorgeous shrub explodes with masses of solar yellow flowers followed by shiny green leaves. Every home should have one for sheer beauty, fall color, and gentle natural care.

Forsythias are a genus of deciduous flowering shrubs that belong to the olive family. These low-maintenance, fast-growing shrubs feature an upright, arching form. They are known for their long branches that fill with brilliant yellow blooms early in the spring. The flowers precede their leaves, which means you get a good look at the blooms with no foliage to block your view.

Bees and butterflies love forsythia, and they provide a cheerful backdrop, border, or centerpiece for any yard. Some smaller forsythia varieties only stand a couple of feet tall with a slightly wider spread, while many larger types can reach 8′ feet in height and spread.

Forsythias are fast-growing shrubs that can grow as much as 24 inches in a year, especially the larger varieties. They are best planted in late fall or early spring while the plants are still dormant, but gardeners in frost-free climates can plant them in winter, as well.

Botanical Name         Forsythia x intermedia

Common Name         Forsythia, golden bells

Plant Type                  Deciduous shrub

Mature Size               2–8′ feet tall, depending on the variety

Sun Exposure            6+ hours of sun

Soil Type                    well-draining soil

Soil pH                       5.0–8.0 (acidic to alkaline)

Bloom Time               Spring

Flower Color Yellow

Hardiness Zones        5 to 8 (USDA)

Native Area                Asia

Toxicity                      Non-toxic

Forsythia Care

Forsythia bushes are often used as a living privacy wall summer through autumn because of their dense foliage. They are often used for erosion control on slopes and in foundation plantings. The weeping type, Forsythia suspensa, can even be trained to grow as a vine on a trellis or planted behind a retaining wall and allowed to cascade.

Forsythias are tolerant of poor garden soil, and they are drought tolerant once established. The biggest burden when growing forsythia is to keep these fast-growing shrubs pruned to maintain the desired shape and size. This can be ignored if you like a somewhat wild-looking shrub.

Light

Forsythia bushes grow best with at least 6+ hours of direct sun on most days. If your plant gets less sun than this, it might not produce as many flowers.

Soil

Forsythias prefer loose, well-draining soil. They have a good tolerance for both acidic and alkaline pH levels.

Water

Water newly planted Forsythia regularly with a garden hose for at least one month (2 months in Summer). Automatic irrigation systems may not be sufficient initially. Water frequency will vary according to the season, exposure, and plant size.

April – Oct Forsythia should be irrigated 2 x weekly.

Nov – Mar Forsythia should be irrigated 2 x monthly.

Temperature and Humidity

They’re happiest when spring temperatures are between 55 and 70 degrees. Many varieties do not respond well when winter temperatures fall below minus -5 degrees Fahrenheit. Flowering for the following spring may be absent or reduced, then returns to normal flowering a year later.

Fertilizer

Feed 4x Times per Year with either 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food, Soil Sulfur, or Humic. Here’s the recommendation by season:

Spring = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food + Soil Sulfur

Summer = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food + Humic

September = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food

December = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food

Forsythia Varieties

There are many varieties within the forsythia genus, offering varying sizes and shapes. Some favorites forsythias include:

  • Forsythia ‘Sunrise’ is a compact shrub, growing around 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. Its flower buds can withstand colder winter temperatures than many other forsythia varieties.
  • Forsythia ‘Meadowlark’ grows around 7 to 10 feet tall with a similar spread. It’s known for having very few issues with pests and diseases.
  • Forsythia ‘Kolgold’ matures at around 4 to 5 feet in height and spread. It sports larger flowers than most forsythia bushes, at roughly 1 inch across.
  • Forsythia ‘Lynwood Variety’ has somewhat larger yellow flowers, and the leaves turn an attractive yellow with purple tinges in fall.
  • Forsythia ‘Courtasol’ is a dwarf shrub that reaches just 1 to 2 feet tall with a spread of around 1 to 4 feet. It produces profuse light yellow flowers in the early spring.
  • Forsythia Suspensa is the pure species known as weeping forsythia. It has drooping branches that can grow as long as 10 feet; they can be trained up a trellis if you wish.
  • Forsythia ‘Arnold Dwarf’ is a low-growing, spreading shrub that grows only 2 to 3 feet tall, but spreads nicely. Though it does not flower as profusely as other varieties, it is an excellent ground cover plant for large areas.
  • Forsythia ‘New Hampshire Gold’ is an excellent cold-hardy shrub, hardy through zone 3. It grows 4 to 5 feet tall and has attractive red color in the fall.
  • Forsythia ‘Northern Sun’ is another good shrub for colder climates (zones 4 and south). It grows 10 feet tall and 9 feet wide, with clear yellow flowers.

Propagating Forsythia

If you wish to propagate more forsythia plants, you simply take a stem cutting, root it, and transplant it wherever you want. You also can allow the parent plant to spread on its own. When a branch makes contact with the soil, it will often put down roots on the spot, creating a new shrub.

To root a cutting, take a 4-10″ inch stem after flowering is completing and when the shrub has foliage. Remove the bottom leaves, then plant the cutting in a moistened Seedling Potting Soil. Roots from the buried nodes.

Mist your cuttings daily until the roots are about 1 inch in length, which will take at least a month. Grow the plant in a pot in a controlled outdoor environment for one or two seasons before planting it in a garden location.

Pruning

If left to their own, forsythia bushes can take on a wild shape as branches shoot out in random directions. Many gardeners prefer this wild look, and annual pruning is by no means mandatory. If you’re happy with your bush’s shape, you can go for several years with no pruning.

If you prefer a neater look, you can prune your bush to be more shapely. Pruning Forsythia is best done after blooming in spring because the following spring’s flowers will bloom on wood produced the previous year. If you prune past the end of July, you run the risk of losing all blooms for the following spring.

Begin by pruning roughly a quarter to a third of the oldest branches, cutting them right down to the ground. This will encourage new growth and a more compact form. Beyond this “renewal” pruning, you can selectively cut newer branches to improve your plant’s overall shape.

Common Pests/ Diseases

Forsythia shrubs can be prone to knobby galls forming along the stems and fungal twig blights. Both problems are easily treated by removing affected branches. Twig blights can be prevented by keeping the plant well pruned to improve air circulation and applying a fungicide like Revitalize.

Better Together: Companion Plants for March

Prescott Pansy

Giants 3″ flowers thrive in extreme March gardens. Large, velvety blooms dazzle with radiant colors of blue, violet, yellow, and variations of stripes that look like smiling faces and love being planted in March.

Mountain Heath

Thisimpressive bloomer is covered with flowers right now. Animal resistive with fragrance all pollinators adore.  A knee-high evergreen is super easy to care for in the ground or containers.

Oklahoma Redbud

At just 16′ feet tall, this local native is super easy to grow. Vibrant, red flowers cloak the branches of early Spring. Luscious heart-shaped leaves emerge with a soft pink tinge that matures to a vibrant green.

Rosemary Creeper

A local favorite for rock gardens, groundcover, or spilling over retaining walls, not all local rosemary is created equal. This one lives where others die.  Knowing you can also use it in the kitchen is sheer bliss.

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How to Grow Heath

Closeup of heath blooming in the landscape

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

This impressive bloomer is covered with flowers late Winter through Spring. Animal resistive with fragrance all pollinators adore. A knee-high evergreen is super easy to care for in the ground or containers.

The evergreen foliage produces so many flowers the fern-like leaves are lost. This little shrub has flowers at a time of year when few other plants bloom. Winter heath is valued by homeowners seeking year-round interest in the yard.

Botanical Name         Erica x darleyensis

Common Name         Heather

Size                             1′ ft. tall x 3′ ft. wide

Bloom Time               Winter to early Spring.

Plant Type                  Evergreen Perennial

Flower Color Pink

Foliage                        Green

Growth Habit            Mounding

Growth Rate              Moderate

Landscape Use          Border, Container, Erosion Control, Rock Garden, Ground Cover

Sun                             6+ Full sun, Partial sun

Special Feature          Easy Care, Year-round Interest, Bird Friendly

Water Need                Moderate

USDA Zone                6 – 8

Key Feature               Winter Flowering

Plant Specs

Its leaves take on tiny needles. The pink flowers are bell-shaped and almost totally cover the shrub when the plants are in bloom. The common name “winter heath” alludes to the blossoming period.

How to plant

1.Dig hole 2-3 times the width of the container but the same depth.

2. Score the root ball sides and bottom with a utility knife or pruners and plant in the planting hole.

3. Blend Watters Premium Mulch into the native soil at 1 part mulch with two parts soil dug from the hole and pack firmly around the roots.

4. Sprinkle 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food around the planting area.

5. Prevent ‘Transplant Shock’ by adding Watters “Root & Grow” to your water at 2-week cycles for the first 2 months.

6. Use the remaining Watters Mulch inside the tree well as a top dressing. This will keep weeds down, insulate roots from heat and cold, and keep the roots moist.

Closeup of heath blooming in the landscape

Light

To keep Heath happy, give it 6+ hours of full sunlight each day. When growing it indoors, place it in a south-facing window for bright light.

Soil

Grow Heath in loamy, well-draining soil. This plant is native to the rocky alpine hillsides and doesn’t do well if its roots stay soggy. Test the planting hole by filling it with water in the morning. If water is still pooling in the dug hole at the end of the day, you have drainage issues that will need more work.

Water

Water newly planted Heath regularly with a garden hose for at least one month (2 months in Summer). Automatic irrigation systems may not be sufficient initially. Water frequency will vary according to the season, exposure, and plant size.

April – Oct Heath should be irrigated 2 x weekly.

Nov – Mar Heath should be irrigated 2 x monthly.

Fertilizer

Feed 4x Times per Year with either 7-4-4 All Purpose Plant Food, Soil Sulfur, or Humic. Here’s the recommendation by season:

Spring = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food + Soil Sulfur

Summer = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food + Humic

September = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food

December = 7-4-4 All Purpose Food

Uses in Landscaping

As small shrubs with dense foliage, Heath can be massed together to form a ground cover that suppresses weeds. Heaths can be treated as spreading groundcover or as small mounding shrubs. They are best used in wild or rock gardens, where they can develop naturally. Particularly attractive when allowed to cascade off retaining walls and edges of raised planters.

Better Together: Companion Plants for March

Prescott Pansy

Giants 3″ flowers thrive in extreme March gardens. Large, velvety blooms dazzle with radiant colors of blue, violet, yellow, and variations of stripes that look like smiling faces and love being planted in March.

Fanciful Forsythia

This gorgeous shrub explodes with masses of solar yellow flowers followed by shiny green leaves. Every home should have one for sheer beauty, fall color, and gentle natural care.

Oklahoma Redbud

At just 16′ feet tall, this local native is super easy to grow. Vibrant, red flowers cloak the branches of early Spring. Luscious heart-shaped leaves emerge with a soft pink tinge that matures to a vibrant green.

Rosemary Creeper

A local favorite for rock gardens, groundcover, or spilling over retaining walls, not all local rosemary is created equal. This one lives where others die.  Knowing you can also use it in the kitchen is sheer bliss.

Posted on

Exceptional Houseplants Anyone Can Keep Alive Indoors

  • The best low-maintenance houseplants.
  • Easiest Houseplants Anyone Can Grow.
  • Local link to buy houseplants online. 

Audible Stories provided by SignalsAZ.com

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

The internet is filled with exotic tales of hard to find plants that are even harder to keep alive. Yes, we do have most of these unusual plants, but this column is dedicated to the new home gardener just starting out. It’s best to start with easy to care for plants. This is even more true when adding plants to a low light office, the throngs of people in a commercial setting, or RVing calls more than plants at home. This list of plants love the indoors and bound back with even a little love for easy to grow houseplants.

Aloe Vera plant in a green pot on the counter

Aloe Vera is a straightforward plant to grow and cultivate. The key to keeping an aloe alive is not over-watering it. Aloes like dry soil, so you only give them a good soak about every two weeks. They prefer low light rooms away from the sunlight pouring directly through windows

Jade Plant in a Container in the landscape

Jade –You’ll find more than a few succulents on this list because they’re some of the easiest plants to grow. While Jade doesn’t need a lot of water, it does require more than aloes do. If the soil is dry on top, give it some water. Also, unlike aloe, jade plants need to be in a bright room or direct sunlight.

Hens and Chicks in a clay container

Hen and Chicks flourish indoors and out. The plant grows many offshoots, the ‘chicks,’ which can be separated from the original plant, the ‘hen’. You can then transplant these chicks into their own pots. If you like to gift plants, a hen and chicks provide endless gifts for everyone in your life. Naturally, it grows in dry, rocky areas. They are so tough gardeners like to plant them in old boots and other fun DIY planters.

Lucky Bamboo in a glass vase
By Toby Lee Spiegel from United States – https://www.flickr.com/photos/34703706@N02/3720677197/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9469522

Lucky Bamboo is closely related to asparagus. It acquired the “lucky” reference because it is frequently gifted to new homeowners to bring good luck to their new place. The real luck is how easy it is to care for. Short of pure neglect, you’ll be hard-pressed to kill a lucky bamboo.

African Violet in orange container on a window sill

African Violet is one of the rare plants that bloom in low light. An east-facing window is the magic placement for seemingly endless blooms.

Repot them in a designer African Violet pot, and this bloomer is even easier to grow

spider plant Chlorophytum in a container on a table

Spider Plant just looks elegant. This plant got its name from the offshoots extending down from the mother plant that resemble spider legs. They make excellent hanging plants and perform well when dangling off a plant stand, table, or cabinets.

English Ivy houseplant on a shelf

English Ivy never stops growing with a full long life. Ivy likes drier soil, so don’t water too often. You will find several varieties at the garden center, but English ivy is most common. These plants grow almost anywhere but seem to prefer bright rooms and sunlight.

ZZ Plant in the Bedroom

ZZ Plant – With its tall succulent stems and architecturally bold structure, this plant is a favorite for homes with modern decors. It requires little maintenance and is nearly indestructible. It is the perfect plant for those that travel a lot. Place ZZ in medium to high light and water only when the soil is bone dry.

Madagascar Palm in a container in the landscape

Madagascar Palm –The swollen stem grows upwards with the leaves surrounding the crown. This palm has a healthy Southwest style that is sure to please. Just don’t poke yourself on the spine covered trunk.

Garden Alert

Garden Alert! There is an outbreak of spider mites on local houseplants. If your plants appear dusty, dry with possible spider webbing, your plant needs help. Another test is to tap an infected sample over the glass of your cellphone; if the dust appears to crawl over the surface, your plant has a spider mite infestation.

Plant death is certain if left untreated. Treat the soil with Systemic Granules and spray the foliage with Triple Action ASAP. Reapply the spray in 10 days, and the plant will rebound quickly. Just catch this pest early. If you have any doubts, bring an enclosed sample to the garden center. We will place it under the insect microscope for instant clarity.

Feed with Root & Grow Houseplant food after the last Triple Action application to encourage rich new leaf growth.

Until next week, I’ll be helping local gardeners choose the easiest plants to grow in their homes.

Posted on

How to Grow Peony

by Ken Lain, the Mountain Gardener

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. Lovely 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.

By some estimates, there are 33+ different species within the genus Paeonia, known collectively as peonies. Most are traditional herbaceous perennials, though a few are woody shrubs. Peonies have tuberous roots that combine thick storage roots and thin roots designed to absorb water and nutrients.

Botanical Name         Paeonia

Common Name         Peonies

Plant Type                  Perennial flower

Sun Exposure            6+ hours Full sun

Soil Type                    Well-drained

Soil pH                       6.5 to 7.5 pH

Bloom Time               Late spring thru summer

Flower Color Wide range

Hardiness Zones        3 to 9, USDA

Native Area                Asia, Europe, and Western North America

How to Grow Peonies

Peonies are classic garden plants that can thrive for decades with minimal care when planted in a spot they like. One of the longest-lived garden plants, it is often handed down generations in families. But it is essential to do the initial planting correctly because peonies can be temperamental about being moved once they are established.

Give each peony plant 3-4′ feet of space to grow without being crowded. Peonies are especially prone to gray mold (botrytis) when planted too closely, and air cannot flow freely between plants. Choose a location that is sheltered from strong winds. Plant your peonies well away from other trees and shrubs since they don’t like to compete for nutrients and water.

Peonies like cold winters. To set flower buds, properly plant this perennial close to the garden surface, no more than 3″ inches deep. Peonies actually need this chilling to attain dormancy and set buds. Bloom time for peonies varies from late spring to late summer.

Light

Peonies need a location that receives at least 6+ hours of sun each day, and a full day of sun is even better. Without sufficient sunlight, fewer blooms and smaller flowers are expected. Powdery mildew is also an issue in shade gardens.

Soil

Peonies are very adaptable; they do like well-drained soil. Watters Premium Mulch makes it easier for your plant to settle in when planting in heavy clay soil. Since peonies can remain in the same spot for upwards of 70 years, preparing the soil before planting is time well spent.

Water

Peonies need moist, well-drained soil to thrive. Ideally, they should receive 1 to 2 inches of water weekly. Mulch your peonies to help them retain water and lessen the likelihood of weeds. Water regularly – weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers. This plant prefers consistently moist but not soggy soil. Water whenever the soil begins to dry out due to a lack of rainfall and/or hot weather.

Temperature and Humidity

Peonies prefer cooler areas (hardiness Zones 3-8 and do best when they experience cold winters.

Fertilizer

Keep this evergreen perennial happy by feeding 3x times per year with 7-4-4 All Purpose Food (March, July, and October).

Potting and Replanting

Peonies are typically purchased as potted plants in 1-2 gallon containers at Watters Garden Center. When choosing potted peonies, look for healthy specimens without leaf spots or weak-looking stems. A mature peony will be up to 5 years old before mature enough to bloom. Peony eyes start off as small reddish buds, similar to the eyes of potatoes.

Transplanting

Transplanting should be done carefully to avoid disturbing the roots any more than necessary. These plants thrive in the same spot for decades, but moving one hastily often causes decay. Autumn is the ideal season to move a peony.

  • At the new planting site, till up the soil 12 to 18 inches deep and mix in a 4-inch layer of Watters Premium Mulch.
  • Water the peony plant with 1 inch of water one or two days before transplanting. Your peony must be well hydrated before moving it.
  • Dig around the peony root ball using a sharp spade, getting as much soil as possible.
  • Slide a tarp under the root ball to keep it intact, lift the plant from the ground, and carefully carry it to the new garden spot.
  • At the new location, dig a hole twice as wide as the peony’s root ball and exactly as deep as the root ball.
  • Plant your peony at precisely the same depth as it was in its old location. Backfill around the plant. Tamp the soil down with your hands, but do not pack it too tightly.
  • Water thoroughly. Add a 3-inch layer of Watters Premium Mulch around the base of the plant. This will keep the roots moist and cool while the plant is establishing in its new location.

Dividing

Peonies are best propagated by lifting and dividing the root clump, then immediately replanting the divided pieces. A peony may require this after about 10 years when it begins to lose its vigor and becomes root-bound. Autumn is the best time for this activity.

  • In the fall, just before you plan to divide, cut the foliage back down to ground level.
  • Dig up the entire plant and remove as much soil as possible by soaking it with a hose.
  • Using your hands, manipulate the roots into dividable portions, each with three to five eyes, then use a sharp knife to cut the tuberous root clump into divisions.
  • Cut off the tiny roots on each division, leaving only the large, fleshy roots.
  • Replant the divisions as soon as possible, following the instructions above.

Fern Leaf Peonies

Fern leaf peonies are planted and cared for like standard peonies, but it is crucial to keep them well watered. Feed them each October with Watters 7-4-4 All Purpose Food. In the first year or two, fern leaf peonies may die back in the summer heat immediately after flowering; this is expected and is no cause for concern. Fern leaf peonies take several years to mature and flower, be patient. Fern leaves have sensitive roots, so use great care when moving or dividing this variety.

Tree Peonies

Tree peony like alkaline soil and don’t like to compete with other shrubs. Do not cut them back to ground level in the autumn. Tree peonies need iron and phosphate and do well with an annual feeding of sulfate and 7-4-4 All Purpose Food. They need regular feeding with of this 7-4-4 plant food every March, July, and October.

Better Together: Companion Plants for February

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.

Pinyon Pine – Thick, evergreen needles provide year-round beauty with summer shade to dry mountain landscapes but blend in equally well a modern or Mediterranean garden style.

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.

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2021 Garden Trends You’ll See at the Garden Center

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by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Container Garden Woman

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, 2020 was an unprecedented year, to say the least. Despite the COVID-induced problems, stay at home orders created a massive demand for gardening.

An estimated 18 million new gardeners entered the category nationwide in 2020. That trend is expected to continue and grow in 2021. In Prescott, Watters Garden Center saw a 21% increase in new customers and seeing increased demand already this spring.

In 2020 we saw double-digit growth in all things edible, from fruit trees and berries to tomato, pepper, and squash, with a noticeable increase in heirloom and organic varieties. The primary garden interest for 2021 is a mix of edible plants, vegetables and herbs, ornamentals, and house plants.

As the spring planting season begins, you will notice five distinct trends at the garden center for 2021.

Gardening for Immunity

Vitamin-packed edibles improve well-being and foster a healthy immune system. Healthy, organic foods are more vital to local gardeners than years past. Planting an immunity garden boosts health picked right from your backyard. More than COVID safe air and activity, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables support a gardener’s overall health and well-being.

Man with fresh picked roses

Joyful Gardens

New flower colors and fragrance brings joy, happiness, and laughter to the home for 2021. Flower gardens bring the kid out in us. These new varieties are easier to grow than ever. Many fresh hydrangeas you’ll witness this spring, like Watters purple blooming Serenade Hydrangea.  Even this week, the 2021 lilacs and forsythia arrived for the start of this bloom season.

Woman Holding a Basket of Fresh picked vegetables

Meatless Monday

The rising trend in plant-based meals is accelerating in 2021. Growing plenty of vegetables in your personal garden provides instant access to fresh ingredients for a satisfying meal right at home any day of the week.

Cindy with fresh picked tomatoes from her container garden

Quiet Gardens

Homes are now filled with full-time work, kids wrestling with online learning, and isolation stresses. A garden is a peaceful place where time is relaxed. With all the hustle and bustle indoors, some relaxation outdoors is needed. It is possible to cultivate a tranquil environment where a gardener can contemplate, meditate, invigorate, and relax.

World Herb Garden

International travel has come to a grind. Although we may not physically travel, fresh herbs allow senses to travel to exotic places around the globe. World herb gardens inspire globe-trotting without leaving the backyard. Bright, punchy, aromatic herbs from around the world are easy to grow. Herbs like Thai basil, lemongrass, fennel, and cilantro grow quickly and add that exotic flavor to any organic dish or tea.

Online Shopping is Here to Stay

Online shopping experienced a massive rise in 2020 across all industries.

Top10Plants.com was launched in 2020 to mimic what’s found here at Watters Garden Center, and something really interesting happened. Just 5% of Watters sales come from online orders, but many more gardeners use it as a research tool or gardener shopping list.

This week, we had an online order for 10 Barnyard Manures and a 20# bag of Watters Fruit and Vegetable Food from a person in North Carolina. They also have a Prescott home, so they paid the online order and had their gardener pick it up. Interestingly, we find local gardeners researching local plants and building a shopping list through the site but never pay for them online. The next day, we see them at the garden center to smell and touch the plants they researched, then buy them directly from the physical garden center. The hybrid online experience is here to stay.

Container Gardening Class

Garden Classes from afar

Watters Garden Center typically hosts 50 to 100 students to spring garden classes, that has all changed. We now host 20-30 gardeners physically at the garden center with 200+ students streaming the live class through Watters YouTube channel, Twitter, or Facebook pages. Last year we had 2 million viewers of Watters YouTube videos, and we just blew past 10,000 podcast downloads. Watters has hosted garden classes 59 years in a row, and we never dreamed online learning would be so popular. The hybrid online learning experience is here to stay.

February Gardening Classes Every Saturday at Watters Garden Center.

February 13 @ 9:30 am ~ Mountain Fruit Trees and the Heavy Harvest.

February 20 @ 9:30 am ~ Gardening for Newcomers.

February 27 @ 9:30 am ~ Evergreens that Bloom Early.

Until next week, I’ll be helping locals find their own trends 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  FB.com/WattersGardenCenter .

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How to Grow Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

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.

Botanical name                      Pieris japonica

Common name                      Lily of the Valley, Fetterbush, Japanese Pieris.

Size at Maturity                    Fast-growing reaching 3 ft. tall x wide

Bloom Time                           Spring

Deciduous/ Evergreen           Evergreen

Flower Attribute                   Showy Flowers

Flower Color             Pink to pure white

Foliage Color                         Green

Garden Styles                        Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Rustic, Woodland

Growth Habit                        Compact

USDA Zone                            5 to 7, USDA

Landscape Use                      Border, Containers, Firescaping/Fire Wise, Hedge, Mass Planting, Specimen, Woodland Garden

Light Needs                            Filtered sun, Partial shade, Partial sun

Special Feature                      Dramatic Foliage, Year-round Interest, Compact Form

Water Needs                          Moderate

Key Feature                           Sensational Flowering Shrub

Lily of the Valley Care

Lily of the valley grows vigorously in almost any spot with shade. Gardeners plant it under trees where many other plants won’t grow due to shade. A long-lived plant that doesn’t have any serious issues with pests or diseases. It’s helpful to grow it in containers or a raised garden bed to avoid unwanted spread.

This plant needs little attention to thrive once established. Plan to water during dry spells. If bloom time decreases on older plants, it benefits from digging them up in winter and divide the roots to refresh their growth. Replant them where they have more space.

Light Needs

Filtered sun, Partial shade, partial sun

Water Needs

Water regularly – weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers. This plant prefers consistently moist but not soggy soil. Water whenever the soil begins to dry out due to a lack of rainfall and/or hot weather. Soil that is too dry will impede the plant’s growth and flowering.

Soil

Lily of the valley prefers organically rich soil with good drainage. But it can grow in a range of soil types, including clay soil. It likes neutral soil pH but can tolerate slightly alkaline soil.

Temperature and Humidity

Lily of the valley prefers mild conditions with average humidity. Temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees are ideal with cool mountain nights.

Fertilizer

Keep this evergreen perennial happy by feeding 3x times per year with 7-4-4 All Purpose Food (March, July, and October).

Toxins

Wild animals avoid the lily of the valley. The plant, including its orange-red fruits, often tempts children and pets, which is toxic. The toxins are most concentrated in the roots and do not translocate through touching the skin.

Fortunately, suppose you need to work with the lily of the valley in your garden. In that case, you don’t have to worry about experiencing symptoms via skin contact from handling the plant.

Better Together: Companion Plants for February

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.

Pinyon Pine – Thick, evergreen needles provide year-round beauty with summer shade to dry mountain landscapes but blend in equally well a modern or Mediterranean garden style.