by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Optimism (op·ti·mism) definition: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. The alternate garden definition – one who plants seed or young plants; with faith it will grow into something better. Plants naturally take optimism, hope, or faith to believe in their potential, see positive outcomes, and nurture your garden. There is more, something satisfying in the sheer act of gardening. I like to think Watters Garden Center is a Center for Optimism. Enough of garden philosophy; let’s talk succulents. The popularity of ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Autumn colors are spectacular. The colors and textures are unique to the four seasons of the mountain west. As we wrap up the last Autumn leaves, the landscape can feel naked and bare. Deciduous plants, which lose their leaves through winter, often expose you to prying eyes, vehicle glare, and a yard that feels empty. Evergreens take center stage for the next few months, and you can feel when the landscape doesn’t have the right mix of evergreen trees and shrubs. Not to worry, you will find the best selection of winter evergreens at Watters Garden Center no ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) is a low-maintenance, evergreen shrub with dazzling color all year. Native to eastern Asia, heavenly bamboo thrives in Arizona’s mountains, sporting cane-like stems and finely textured leaves. In spring, dainty white flowers bloom, followed by bright red berries that persist through winter. Plant heavenly bamboo in fall for best results. Botanical Name: Nandina domestica Common name: Heavenly Bamboo Plant Type: Shrub Mature Size: 7 ft Tall 5ft Wide Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun Soil Type: Well-draining Bloom Time: Spri ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Plants communicate with us through chemical secretions and physical signals. We feel better after forest bathing in nature. Plants know we need them. While we can’t presently communicate with plants, past gardeners found ways to use plants to communicate and share. Besides their medicinal use, plants have been used as symbols for years. The Victorians used a ‘Language of Flowers’ or ‘Dictionnaire du langage des fleurs’ to communicate via coded flowers representing different emotions and messages. Here are the most popular houseplants and their Language of F ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener  Mountain landscapes are famous for their autumn colors. This month’s column is merely a list of the best-colored plants you’ll find to plant in your backyard. There are more choices, especially if you include ornamental grasses and the mountain flowers that bloom through the end of the year. For an in-depth tour of all the possibilities of fall plants consider this a personal invitation to visit the plant ambassadors here at Watters Garden Center: Don’t have time to view the entire article, see the highlights below: Super mountain shrubs with great f ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Autumn gardening is a great time to look back on garden successes and disappointments. There’s still plenty of time to do some garden maintenance. Fall gardening takes advantage of cooler temperatures and fewer weeds and insects. Putting the garden to bed is not as hectic as waking it up in the spring. You’ll have time to really see how your plants are doing. Here are some tasks to do now, to make next year’s garden brighter and better. Enrich garden beds with Watters Barnyard Manure. Spread a 2-3″ inch layer evenly over any exposed soil. Earthworms, along ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener When walking down the fertilizer aisle at Watters Garden Center or any home improvement store, you can’t help but notice the dizzying array of plant foods: bags, bottles, powders, granules, sprays, and concentrates. You also discover an increasing number of organic and “earth-friendly” plant foods. Only ten plant foods make the Top 10 List of Fertilizers. Let’s make sense of the plant nutrients before choosing the best plant food. Complete Fertilizer Native Pine, Spruce, Cedar, and Junipers prefer a balanced fertilizer or plant food. For vegetable and flowe ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Fall trees and shrubs with colorful fall foliage are a prized part of the autumn scene. Perennial and annual flowers are frosting of color at the same time. Fall flowers come in various colors, shapes, and sizes suitable for any garden style. Hardy perennial fall flowers bloom when many other plants are done for the season. Fall plantings are substantial for your garden since the warm soil encourages root growth until the ground freezes in January. The roots are well established for a robust early spring plant that will take off next year. This is an ideal ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Those new to gardening are surprised at the bountiful crops berry plants produce. Local berry bushes are more consistent fruit bearers than even fruit trees and are easier to grow. Simply plant them into the ground where at least six hours of bright hot sun are guaranteed, add them to the drip system with your other trees and shrubs, and wait for the berry harvest! Even more impressive is that berry plants don’t need to be in the ground at all. Containers are a great way to enjoy berry bushes for gardeners with limited space or those trying to keep 4-footed ..read more

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Gardening is a year-round hobby, each month providing a new opportunity to cultivate your land and forest success. Gardeners are at the harvest season’s peak and relish in the bounty of their vegetable and flower gardens. You may long for autumn as summer drags on. This is a pivotal time for your gardens. A few essential garden items ensure plant health through next spring and fewer maintenance chores at the end of fall. Here’s my personal end-of-summer to-do list. Fall is for Planting Now is the time to get things going. As the days cool, crops like kale ..read more