Wendy Pettit

Phone Email Orders with Curbside Pickup Only

April 2, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

Due to Covid-19, we are now temporarily taking Phone and Email Orders with Curbside Pickup ONLY. The health of our employees and you, our loyal customers, is very important to us, hence our decision.

If you already know what you want to order, give us a call during regular business hours 10-6pm Mon-Sat.

SL store: 801-792-3161 or 801-364-7871. WV store: 801-968-4711.

If you can’t get through, please leave a message or call again. Know that we are busy inside the store fulfilling orders as fast as we can. We really appreciate your patience.

Order requests can be submitted ONLINE by emailing the addresses below. Please include your name and phone number. We will contact you to confirm your requests. We will get back to you within 24 hours.

Salt Lake Store: [email protected]

West Valley Store: [email protected]

Our most popular April product lists can be found below:

April 2nd Product List – PAGE 1 CLICK HERE (Double-click on the thumbnail that will appear.)

April 2nd Product List – PAGE 2 CLICK HERE (Double-click on the thumbnail that will appear.)

No Garden Consulting available at this time.

Deliveries: minimum $60 – drop-off only at the garage door.

Please know that as your local small business independent garden center, we really appreciate your business and your support during this very troubling time. We hope to serve you the best we can during this challenge and throughout this growing season. We will open our doors to walk-ins as soon as we are able.

Here are some photos for INSPIRATION or browse our blog posts. Get out of the house, to our parking lot, then to your yard!

Image credit Pixabay

phone order what you need, pick up at garden center, get out in the garden

Photo Credit via Pixabay by AKA Ralph

easy to phone order grass seed and pickup at the curb at utah western gardens

Photo Credit: WensLens

utah grown tomatoes vine ripened in your garden

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Coronavirus-19 Statement from Western Gardens

March 28, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

Due to an uptick of new coronavirus cases sweeping the nation, many states have issued stay-at-home orders, along with temporary shutdowns for non-essential businesses. Green industry businesses, however, have been deemed as “essential” and remain open in every state, if they follow state and federal guidelines on sanitation and social distancing. Western Garden Center is entirely in support of sensible steps public health officials may deem necessary to combat COVID-19.

Americans are resilient and resourceful. Faced with adversity, the opportunity to produce our food and manage any shortages, we join millions of Americans engaged in food production at home, and more are sure to follow as the COVID-19 crisis unfolds.

With thousands of garden retailers serving communities across North America, Western Garden Centers provides much-needed services. Whether helping you produce home-grown fruits and vegetables, as Americans did during WWII as Victory Gardens, as a mental and physical health relief. or providing wholesome activities for children. We offer products and support that individuals and communities can utilize during these stressful times.

Many of the products carried by Western Garden Center are agricultural, like seeds and edible plants. Others are necessary tools and supplies. Together they are essential to maintaining a healthy living environment.

We are here to serve our wonderful community.

All the best, Western Garden Centers

guide to low-maintenance indoor gardening

March 1, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

by Connie Pelton

Photo by Flickr

Indoor gardening is a growing trend in more ways than one. Not only is gardening good therapy, but it also gives you the chance to eat food picked at its most flavorful. Not everyone has space or energy to maintain a traditional outdoor garden plot. If you want the satisfaction of growing your fruits and vegetables on a more manageable scale, indoor gardening is the solution. Here are our tips for creating an indoor garden that will produce plenty without the upkeep of an outdoor plot.

Photo by Piqsels

Let There Be Light

The biggest hurdle for indoor gardening is usually finding adequate light. Plants need sunlight to grow. If there’s insufficient light, nothing else you do will matter much. “Full sunlight” means six or more hours per day of direct sun. An enclosed patio or any space with lots of large picture windows is a perfect place for an indoor plot. A kitchen windowsill also works. If you aren’t sure whether a location receives enough sun, try tracking the amount of light it gets using photos.

Photo by Piqsels

Indoor Garden Pest Control

Bugs and gardens have a complicated relationship. Grubs, aphids, and larvae can wreak havoc on a garden. But bees and other pollinators provide a service that plants can’t live without. Since some garden visitors are beneficial, you need to avoid any pest control that kills the helpful along with the harmful.

Even though your garden is indoors, you still have to worry about pests. It’s true that you won’t find rabbits or deer munching on plants in your kitchen. But, some insects can still make their way into your house. Biological pest control efforts are ideal for indoor use. Nematodes and natural repellants can safely stop unwanted pests without risk to pets, kids, or the helpful insects you want to keep around.

Photo by Pixabay

Paintbrush Pollination

While most common indoor plants will grow fine without pollination, some must be pollinated for them to produce food. Unless you’re willing and able to bring them outdoors and give them access to bees, you’ll have to pollinate them yourself. Paintbrush pollination is just what it sounds like. You rub the bristles of a tiny paintbrush around the inside of each blossom on your plants. Since indoor gardens are usually small, this is viable, though a tedious option.

Photo by Pikrepo

Water, Soil, and Fertilizer

One advantage of indoor gardening is that you can control your growing conditions. Unlike outdoor plots that are subject to wind, drought, and downpours, your indoor garden is only exposed to the things you choose. This means you can tailor the soil composition and watering schedule to individual species.

You’ll want to use a potting mix rather than plain soil. The mix contains vermiculite or perlite, and some bark to provide your plants with better drainage. It’s less compact than outdoor dirt, giving your plants the air and moisture they need. With the right soil mix, you should only have to water your plants once a week. Additionally, you’ll want to use plant fertilizer, which depends on which type of plant you are growing.

About every seedling or seed packet you encounter has a small section on the label detailing the needs of the specific plant. One of the most useful things you can do to ensure a good harvest is to read these instructions. Most herbs, including parsley, sage, mint, and rosemary, are easy to grow and don’t take up much room. Plan early and follow the instructions as carefully as you can. That way, each species you grow is in the kind of soil it prefers and getting the amount of water it needs to thrive. Now, combine that with the right amount of sunlight. You’ll soon have an indoor garden you’ll want to show off to everyone who visits.

Connie Pelton is a retired teacher who spends most weekends gardening with her grandchildren. Together, they built and planted an indoor vertical garden wall taller than both of them.

How to Plan a Vegetable Garden

February 13, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

by Kevin Jefferson

You’ve come to the right place to learn some important tips on how to plan a vegetable garden. Planting a vegetable garden might not be the easiest hobby in the world, but it’s definitely among the coolest ones. This is a way to do something good for your family and keep providing them with healthy veggies every single day, and that’s what we all want. But, planting a garden requires some planning and thinking things through, so here are a few tips that might help you do that more easily.

vegetable garden with carrots and green onion

Photo by Pixabay

Pick the Spot

There are lots of factors that will determine the success of your garden, and its location is one of the most important. Living in a house with a yard makes your vegetable garden plan easier to formulate. Find the sunniest part of your yard – front or back. Partial shade is okay but you will have the most success if your plants can get 6-8 hours of direct sun. Look at all the possibilities. You may have a corner you’re not using or a plot you could clear and turn it into a vegetable garden.

To plan a vegetable garden when you may live in an apartment or a condo, can be more challenging. However, many small apartment dwellers find success utilizing a sunny porch or balcony in their cozy space. Planning the right plants for an apartment space is very important. Your local garden center, like the well established Western Garden Centers in Utah, can give you suggestions that will do okay growing in a planter or large pot. Not all plants like the confinement of a pot.

Photo by Pixabay

Determine the Size

Bigger backyards will give your new garden more space, but don’t worry if you’re stuck with a tiny backyard – you can still make this work if you put your mind to it. Even with a large yard, a designated 8 foot by 4 feet spot of earth, maybe the best for your first garden experience. Four boards from the lumber yard, nailed together, and set on the ground may be the only size you can deal with at first. Get your hands dirty and the next year, you’ll be eager to expand and try new plant material. Again, don’t start with a massive vegetable garden if you’re doing this for the very first time.

Starting small and expanding your garden as you gain experience makes more sense in the long run. Pick a few low-maintenance plants to start with such as tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers.

Make it Visually Appealing

The main purpose of planting a vegetable garden is to give your family lots of healthy vegetables, but there are a few other benefits you should keep in mind. A nice tidy little garden will boost the value of your property and lots of greenery is great for making your backyard look more inviting. Plus, foliage helps keep a yard cooler in the summertime. So visually appealing doubles for your little climate control.

Plant a variety of vegetables paying attention to their different shapes and sizes. Plant colorful flowers or herbs along with your vegetables to add interest and help attract beneficial insects too.

vegetable garden plan with lettuce and onion

Photo by UnSplash

Choose the Layout

Even though most people don’t think you need a particular plan when planting a veggie garden, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Unless you make a proper plan and know where everything is, your garden is going to be messy and cluttered, and that’s never good. Instead, work on your layout. Plan the vegetable garden with taller plants in the middle or all together and lower growing root vegetables on the outer edges. For example, a row of carrots between zucchini plants or cabbage heads will make it difficult to work those carrots. Be sure to determine your planting zone. Choosing the proper plants for your climate area will determine your garden’s future success. Visit a reputable local garden center like Western Gardens. They won’t try to sell you plants that will not do well in your area. They also will direct you how to protect certain seedlings from unpredictable early frost we often experience along Utah’s Wasatch Mountains.

As outlined above, the effort you do to first plan your vegetable garden, you will find more success. Now it’s time to prepare your soil, plant it, care for it, and soon you will harvest the many fruits of your labor. It’s really not that difficult, but it brings great satisfaction to you and your family’s life. Therefore start small and simple, define every task to be accomplished, and then stick to your plan every step of the way. Your garden center experts would love to help you find success! Remember that success doesn’t come overnight with a garden; so stay patient, stay focused, and stay dedicated to your vegetable garden. Before you know it, you’ll be picking and munching on those delicious fresh vegetables!

About the Author

Kevin has gone through an extensive home renovation with his son, which he has both thoroughly enjoyed, and dreaded every morning. He is now the proud owner of half his dream house (the other half has been waiting for spring). You can read more of Kevin’s work on PlainHelp.

Tips for Gardening in Small Spaces

February 5, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

by Rachael Elizabeth

Wall step gardening for small utah gardens

Photo from Needpix

There’s nothing like picking a ripe, red tomato from the vine and popping it in your mouth … yum! Garden-fresh vegetables are a treat, especially when you grow them yourself. You don’t need a large plot of land or lots of tools to spread your seeds. You can do your gardening in small spaces. Plant Utah flower and veggie gardens in small nooks or pottery — as long as they receive direct sunlight for most of the day.

gardening in small spaces with geraniums on wall

Photo from PxHere

Light in Small Gardens

When it comes to plants, “full sunlight” is defined as six or more hours of direct sunshine per day. Before choosing varieties for your garden, you’ll first want to assess the growing space for light. Light-measuring instruments are available, but you can do this yourself by drawing a diagram of the plot. Upon each hour beginning at 7 a.m., jot down on paper, or use your smartphone’s camera to record which areas have sun or shade. Remember that each hour, the angle of the sun determines the direction of light, and it changes as summer begins to fade into fall.

Soil

Now that you know how much sunlight your garden space receives, all you need is soil, seeds (or seedlings) and water. Garden soil in Utah should be well-draining, loose, fertile, and have a pH balance between 6.0 and 8.4. Decaying organic matter in the soil helps plants absorb natural nutrients for feeding. Test the soil and then amend it as necessary with products from your local nursery.

Small Garden Choices

Photo from PublicDomainPhotos

Gardening in small spaces means choosing varieties of flowers, fruits, and vegetables that don’t spread sideways.

Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and lettuce don’t take a lot of space in gardens, and you can plant these vegetables in containers. If you like cucumbers, there are two kinds; vining and bush. Vine cucumber plants will spread; crawling along the ground or climbing trellises. Bush cucumber plants are more compact and better suited for containers and small gardens.

Creative Small Gardening Locations

Why limit yourself to the backyard? Plant your small garden along the driveway; in some old, rehabilitated wall shutters; on a vertical tower; on a flat rooftop; — even on a bird feeder! Anywhere you can place a soil bed that’s in direct sunlight can be a garden. Window boxes, trellises, arbors, potted patio umbrella stands, and framed boxes are just a few ideas to bring your garden to life.

Little Patio Gardens

Photo from Pixabay

Large containers are just as effective as dirt bed gardens, as long as there’s enough sunlight and water available. A mini-garden won’t be overflowing with veggies but, there will be enough for snacks and to add to salads. Beans, tomatoes, peppers, kale, and herbs are perfect for growing in containers. Flowers are also great. Choose some of Utah’s favorites: showy goldeneye, hummingbird, golden currant, or curlycup gumweed.

Pest Control When Gardening in Small Spaces

Much like your Utah lawn, small-space gardens benefit from natural products and predators to control pests. Beneficial nematodes are micro-organisms that feed on grubs and larvae — those tiny worms that eat plant roots. These beneficial nematodes feed on more than 200 species of insects, but they don’t damage plants or roots, and they are not harmful to people or animals.

Slugs and snails are garden-loving pests that enjoy chewing on lettuce, cabbage, strawberries, and other leafy plants, but “normal” pesticides usually don’t work on snails and slugs. Therefore, you have to get creative.

A beer trap is just what it sounds like — snails and slugs like to belly up to the bar. Fill a small, flat container with beer but don’t let the liquid spill into the soil. Slugs and snails are attracted to the beer, go for a sip, and then fall in and drown. Place a beer trap every 3 feet or so in the garden for this method to be effective.

When gardening in small spaces, don’t forget that natural predators such as those microscopic nematodes will destroy slugs and snails in their early stages. Birds eat them, too!

Gardening space is all relative. You don’t need more than a few basic tools and a little bit of space to experience the wonderful benefits of gardening. Make the most of your limited growing area with color, scent, and taste. That small space is waiting for your green thumb!

About the Author

Rachael Elizabeth is a gardening guru and writer. She takes pride tending to her small space garden that is constantly flourishing with fresh herbs and florals. When she’s not practicing her green thumb she can be found exploring nature on a hike or swimming in the lake.

Get Better Sleep with Houseplants

October 4, 2019 by Wendy Pettit

Utah gardeners enjoy breath the “fresh air” in the yard and watching nature in the garden or patio. We find it adds to a healthy living. But have you thought about the 6-8 hours that pass in the night? Can we get better sleep with plants in our bedrooms? The answer is yes!

I used to think that the mattress, the sheets, and pillow I used was what affected my sleep. I later learned that room temperature and personal stress are also factors to the quality of my sleep. But now I consider another one, plants!

Have you ever linked the tradition of taking a flowering plant to a hospital patient in recovery? Now I understand why. Flowering plants have significant benefits for patients. If it can help patients with their recovery, then logically, and biologically, placing plants in your bedroom can make a difference.

Houseplant Studies

Many comprehensive studies have been conducted by NASA and others to explore this phenomenon. Scientists have discovered individual plants can clean the air more than others. Some plants help people sleep longer, and different plants are better at cleaning certain toxins from the air. Toxins like formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. For example, one “study suggests Gardenia is as effective as valium.”

I read several articles about getting better sleep, including 10 Plants That’ll Help You Sleep Better by Martha Stewart, 7 Bedroom Plants that Improve Your Sleep, and my favorite article on the topic – 10 Plants that Help Sleep by Tuck. Tuck is a very comprehensive resource on sleep. They are worth the read. The articles discuss the qualities of several houseplants and how they can influence your rest. Did you know that English Ivy is known to help with sleep apnea or reduce allergens like airborne mold! Some of the tests could be great science projects for young ones.

Care and Access to Houseplants

Most of these houseplants are easy to care for inside a home or apartment. Of course, remember the general rule of the Finger Tester. Water your plant when you can stick your finger in the soil and it comes out dry. Over watering is often the culprit for disaster. Find houseplants for sleeping at your local garden center like Western Gardens. They have a fantastic selection of these and other houseplants.

Better Sleep is Around Corner

We gardeners realize the immense satisfaction of getting our hands dirty to create a piece of heaven to view or taste the fresh grown foods all summer. That endorphin created with labor are real and do help us be more healthy. Therefore, this fall, while you are putting your Utah garden to bed, consider what you can bring into your bedroom to help with your winter sleeping hours! Outdoor gardens and indoor houseplants truly can be medicine for the soul and body all year round.

Recommendations of Houseplants for Better Sleep

TipsBulletin.com has another list of wonderful hanging houseplants.

Garden To Do List for May 2018

May 1, 2018 by Wendy Pettit

GETTING OFF TO A GREAT START

This year the weather is cooperating with Utah’s gardening plans. While the weather is good, it’s a great time to go through this garden to do list for May. Do as much as you can before the heat of summer is here.

You may not need to do everything on this list. Choose what applies to your yard and plan out when you will do it throughout the month!

PLAN and PLANTING

Plot and Plan – If you didn’t get your plot planned or your own yard to-do list in April, do it now. Sometimes there are so many things to do in the yard, if you write down a list or draw a map, your tasks will seem more manageable as you’ll more clearly see what should be done first.

Plant Trees & Shrubs – In the last 2 weeks, Western Gardens has received all the prime plant material they ordered for you. Selection is the best now before certain items sell out. May is a wonderful time to plant. Be sure to ask your Western Garden’s expert or observe store signage if the new plant needs to be hardened off for cooler temperatures.

Save Water and Money by training your lawn to grow deep roots

Article on training your lawn to grow deep roots

TURF CARE (LAWN)

Turf Training – Now is the time to really resist the temptation to flip the automatic sprinklers on your lawn. Fine for pots and flower beds, but you can train your grass roots to grow deep for a healthier lawn that uses less water. Read the article.

Turf Weed Protection – Broadleaf weed control (liquid application) for dandelions, violets, spurge, etc. We recommend Fertilome Weed Free Zone concentrate. It is a newer formula that works really well temperatures above 40 degrees. If our temperatures are going to be in the 70’s, the Fertilome product “Weed Out” will work too. Spot treat or apply to big areas of lawn where needed. ALWAYS follow manufacturer’s application instructions.

Turf Aeration – May is still a good time to aerate. Remember you do not need to aerate new lawns for a couple of years.

Turf Fertilizing – If you didn’t get to it in April, apply that first round of weed and feed fertilizer.

Turf seeding or over seeding – You are not too late if you need to over seed or seed a new lawn. You won’t want to wait much longer as our Utah summer heat isn’t good for starting new lawn. If you can’t do it this month, you’ll want to wait until fall. Here is our good article about over seeding bare patches of your lawn. Visit Western Garden professionals to learn the best way to seed a new lawn and with what drought tolerant seed. It is much cheaper than sod and will give you a better product, but you will need to tend it in the beginning.

Lawn Mowing – Time to get that lawnmower out and going, if you didn’t already! Be sure to set lawnmower height to 2½-3 inches. This allows the lawn to “shade” its soil, making for a healthier lawn.

TREE & SHRUB CARE

Deep soak ALL trees & shrubs – If you didn’t get your trees and shrubs deeply watered, do it now. Your trees will love you, and you’ll love your trees!

Fruit & Shade Trees – If you haven’t already, fertilizing your trees and shrubs is good to do this month. Tree stakes work well, or you can even use a water soluble fertilizer mixed with your hose water.

FLOWER BEDS

Soil Amendments – Perfect time to mix your soil with our gardener’s favorite “Bumper Crop.” Discover for yourself why this is one of our most popular products. You will love the results!

Perennials – May is still not too hot to divide and transplant any of those summer and fall blooming perennials. Share with your family and friends. Do not divide or transplant those that bloom in spring. They won’t like being divided or moved until they are finished blooming.

Annuals & Bedding Plants – After Mother’s Day is the safe time to plant your Petunias, Marigolds, Impatiens, Lobelia, Alyssum, and your summer bulbs such as Calla Lily, Canna Lily, Dahlia, and others.

Bulbs – As your tulips and other spring blooming bulbs finish their display, only deadhead the flower. Leave the green leaves. During the next couple of weeks, the greenery is taking nourishment down to the bulb so you will have color again next spring! Bone meal can also be applied during this time. Do not trim back the greenery/leaves until they are faded and brown. Kids in the Garden Idea: Cutting off the flower stems can be a great job for children who can safely use regular or child scissors. Pay them a penny for each stem they plop into their bucket. They’ll have fun counting their long stems as well. You don’t have to do hardly anything!

daffodils leaves bent over to finish dying

Bent over daffodil leaves waiting to be pulled up after they are faded and brown.

Hyacinth bulb leaves bent over to finish dying. Tied with a long stem.

Gardener’s Tip: After the stiff stems are cut, fold over the leaves of the plant and wrap with a rubber band or other long leaf. The leaves are still attached to the bulb in the ground, but your spring garden will look more tidy and kept. When the clumps turn brown, the clump will easily pull out from the ground, leaving the bulb to sleep until next spring.

Containers/Planters – Sift out old roots from the year before. Amend your soil with Bumper Crop (one of our client’s and our favorite products).

VEGETABLE GARDEN

Planting Outside Schedule – You can begin planting your vegetables. At our garden centers, we put out a sign for those tender plants that need protection from the cold. You can always ask one of our experts too.

Here is a schedule of a few favorites:

Until May 15th: onions & peas

After last frost until June 1st: dry beans, snap beans, eggplant, peppers

After last frost until June 10th: watermelon & winter squash

Until July 1st: cauliflower, parsley, swiss chard

Until July 15th: beets & broccoli

After last frost until July 20th: cucumbers and summer squash

Until Sept 1st: radishes

and so much more…. Come in and see us!

Seedlings – When your seeds have sprouted and are up a few inches, thin them to allow vegetables to develop into larger produce. You are giving the strongest starts the room to grow. This is most important for those root veggies like carrots and radishes. However, even zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers, etc. need to be thinned out so that the healthiest plant can have room to spread out as it grows.

Article for Kid Friendly DIY Garden Grow Box

Raised Beds / Grow Boxes – Pull out any dead debris you missed in the fall. Amend your soil with some good “Bumper Crop” if you didn’t get to it in April. Your bed is ready for planting.

Vertical Gardening – Be adventurous and try some “vertical” gardening.

Garden Tools – Add one new quality tool to your arsenal of garden tools. Our gardeners can give you some worthwhile advice.

PEST CONTROL

Snails and Slugs – Continue the war against your snails and slugs. They can devour several newly planted marigolds in one night. Read this article of some ways to control snails and slugs. If you are persistent this month, you will have less plant damage during the season.

Grasshoppers – Best controlled when they first hatch. May is the time to watch for them! Once they are bigger, it’s almost impossible to rid them from your crops, except with a shoe smashing when you can catch them. On the first sighting of these little ones, we recommend sprinkling Nolo Bait (a biological Insecticide) strictly as directed on the package. It takes time to take affect on the grasshopper, so apply it early on the first sight of those seemingly cute little beasts. A little of Nolo Bait goes a long way.

Insecticides – Closely follow directions on labels when using insecticides as not to harm bees.

WEED CONTROL

Remove or spray for weeds – especially Bind Weed (aka Morning Glory) and Puncture Weed (Goat’s Head) – Be on the lookout for when they are just beginning to grow. These two are the most difficult to rid from your garden and yard. Be vigilante and use “KillzAll” on their leaves to kill their roots. It may take several applications if you let them begin to spread. Do NOT use KillzAll on your lawn. It kills any greenery it touches. Use “Weed Free Zone” for the lawn broadleaf weeds.

Gardener’s Tip: Mix up a regular squirt bottle of KillzAll. When you go on “weed patrol”, you’ll have it with you so you won’t be tempted to “pull” the weed, because it will just grow back. Plus you won’t have to remember later where you saw it. Carefully follow the instructions for mixing, divide the amount of product to water for the size of squirt bottle you have. DO NOT MIX ANY OTHER PRODUCT in that squirt bottle and clearly label it for safety. You can do the same squirt bottle method for Kill Free zone for the lawn. Label bottle clearly and do not mix anything else in the bottle, even the KillzAll. Keep the products separate in their own squirt bottles, or even larger pump sprayers.

HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING

Mother’s Day – Mother’s day is just about here. Western Gardens has beautiful planters already for you to surprise her with. Or maybe getting her own hand pruners would make her day. Put her name on them! We have expert experienced gardeners to help you know what tools are worth your time and money.

Father’s Day – Keep dad in mind of what he would enjoy in the garden.

shop local independent garden center in Utah

Buy from your local independent experts! They ARE gardeners!

SUPPORT REPUTABLE INDEPENDENT GARDEN SHOPS – Why? Because they give you the best service and knowledge. Plus they take care of their product, rather than letting them die in the cold. Sometimes plants perk up after a cold or even snowy night, but they are very stressed and less likely to give you success. Your local independent shops own the product and take care of them so you can have the best chance at success. Also, your dollars spent will stay within the local economy, rather than off to a distant corporate office.

MAY’s MOST IMPORTANT TASK – Work hard on this garden to do list for May, but along the way, enjoy the satisfaction of beautifying your little spot on earth.

Garden To Do List for April 2018

March 30, 2018 by Wendy Pettit

Early Color & Turf Care – “Plan” is Part of Planting

If you’re excited to work in your yard or garden, but not sure where to start now that Spring is here, then you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together a garden to do list for April 2018 of things to do throughout the month. Don’t feel overwhelmed, there is always a bit more in the beginning of the season.

You must do everything on this list! April Fools! – In reality, you may not need to do everything on this list. For example, if you don’t have shade trees to fertilize or transplants to harden off, skip those items on the list. Just pick what applies to your yard and plan out when you will do it all throughout the month!

Photo by Felipe Santana on Unsplash

PLAN and PLANTING

Plot and Plan – If you don’t have one already, get a spiral notebook or anything you want and create a Garden Journal. (Or at least take out a piece of scratch paper.) Sit down and plot out or list the tasks you need to do specifically in your yard. ie. Where you are going to transplant certain plants? What new material you want to add to your yard this season?

Plant Trees and Shrubs – You can plant trees and shrubs anytime your ground is not frozen. Be sure to follow your garden expert’s procedures for a successful planting of your material. It truly can make a big difference in your success.

Photo by Pixabay

TURF CARE

Turf Training – Now is the time to train your lawn’s roots. Do not water your lawn! Mother Nature is taking care of that for us this month and into May. We highly recommend reading our ARTICLE for details on how to properly train your lawn. Depending on your soil type and seed type, it is possible to eventually water your lawn once every two weeks or less. If you live in Utah, this post is a must — Learn how – Train Your Lawn article.

Turf Weed Protection – If you haven’t already, apply pre-emergent or weed blocker. The blooming Forsythia bush is your guide for timing. Spurge & Crabgrass get started now, so you be vigilant at eradicating it early.

Turf Aeration – now is a perfect time to aerate your lawn. Watch out for the sprinkler heads! Also, Snow Mold can be an issue if you’ve had a lot of snow piled in certain areas of your lawn when the warm days hit. Read this article on how to prevent or deal with snow mold.

Turf Fertilizing – Apply the proper spring fertilizer. Follow the directions explicitly. Good time to apply is just before a rain storm so Mother Nature waters it in for you!

Turf seeding or overseeding – Our April weather is ideal to seed a new lawn or fill in patches. Come ask us about our new product of drought tolerant lawn seed and steps on how to properly do it yourself for success! Here is a good post of step by step instructions to reseed bare patches.

Lay Sod, if you can find it. It is safe to lay now.

TREE & SHRUB CARE

Deep soak ALL trees & shrubs – Deeply water if rainfall has been inadequate. You may have to turn your water off again if our temperatures drop below freezing, so watch the weather. Your trees will like a very good drink. Remember we do live in a mountain desert!

Fruit Trees – If you haven’t already done so AND your tree hasn’t begun to bloom or bud, you can still apply the dormant oil spray. Some trees have already passed the time, i.e. apricots

Shade Trees – Now is fertilizer time. Use the correct tree and shrub fertilizer for the type of plant material; ask our experts.

Plant your trees and shrubs – You can plant anytime the ground is not frozen. Plants LOVE to get their roots settled in the spring. Also, your best selection of trees and shrubs are when the first shipments arrive at the garden center. If there is a particular tree or shrub you are looking for, visit your garden experts at Western Gardens and ask if they will be getting some in or if they can find it from their growers.

Photo by Kiki Siepel on Unsplash

A gardener’s favorite! Bumper Crop! Photo by WensLens

FLOWER BEDS

Soil Amendments – Now is the time to prepare your soil. A good practice by most expert gardeners is to mix in or just over-dress your beds with our favorite product “Bumper Crop”. Your plants will love you and you will love your harvest!

Perennials – Time to divide and transplant any of those summer and fall blooming perennials. It’s fun to share with others. Do not divide or transplant those that bloom in spring. They won’t like it until they are finished blooming.

Annual color – If your ground is not still frozen, plant those pansies or other spring cool tolerant annuals.

Bulbs – Spring bulbs that are blooming are absolutely gorgeous. Remember to only deadhead the flower when done blooming. Leave the greenery. During this time, the greenery is taking nourishment down to the bulb so you will have color again next spring! Bone meal can also be applied during this time. Do not trim back the greenery/leafs until they are brown. Gardener’s Tip: Fold over the leaves of the plant and wrap with a rubber band. The leaves are still attached, but your spring garden will look more tidy and kept. They the clumps turn brown, the clump will easily pull out from the ground, leaving the bulb to sleep until next spring.

Containers/Planters – Sift out any dead roots from last fall. Loosen soil. Remove about one-third of your old soil and mix in our favorite product “Bumper Crop” to amend your soil. Your plants will love you and you will love your masterpiece in a bit!

Photo by Marjorie Carter

VEGETABLE GARDEN

Planting Outside Schedule – Be sure to follow a planting schedule of when it is safe to plant outdoors in Utah, or know your area. At our garden centers, we display a sign for our customers about those tender plants that need protection from the cold. You can always ask one of our experts too.

Seedlings – If you already started seeds indoors during February or March, now is the time to thin out your seedlings. Choose the healthiest and leave it to continue growing.

Hardening Off – Harden off transplants and seedlings while we are transitioning out of winter. Move seedlings to a cool place like a garage for two or three days before planting them outside, next month for most plants!

Second Planting of Cold Crops – Examples are lettuce & radish. Plant first crop if you didn’t in March.

Raised Beds / Grow Boxes – Time to prepare these for planting. Kid-friendly grow box building project. Mix in our favorite product “Bumper Crop” to amend your soil. Your plants will love you and you will love your harvest!

PEST CONTROL

Snails and Slugs – NOW is the best time to rid your yard of snails and slugs. They are just coming out of dormancy, looking for food, and laying their eggs for hundreds little baby snails. If you are persistent this month, you will have less plant damage during the season. See our experts for some very good products and for some organic alternatives. Here is an article of 3 ways to rid your yard of snails. Just remember, consistency is your best friend and the snails worst enemy!

Puncture Weed – Photo by WensLens

WEED CONTROL

Remove or spray for weeds when they first appear; don’t let them set seeds. This will cut down on future weeding work! Past article on tips for weed control.

Bind Weed and Puncture Weed – Be on the look out for Field Bind Weed and Puncture Weed. These can make your yard and your life miserable if you let them take over. They are tough to eradicate, but again begin early and be consistent.

SONY DSC

SUPPORT REPUTABLE INDEPENDENT GARDEN SHOPS

Why? Because you don’t want to purchase plants that have already been stressed before you ever buy them. Next time it snows this spring, go by a big box store and see how many poor little plants are buried in snow and will definitely die, or if they bounce back, they are very stressed by the time you get them. Independents take care of their product because they own it until you purchase it. Big box stores don’t own the product, therefore, not as much TLC is given those plants. Read Article about spring experience 2017

WINTER TOOLS

Sno-blower – Time to drain the old gas and put away until next season.

Snow Shovel – Keep a shovel around for those little spring snows we Utahans enjoy!

HOLIDAYS APPROACHING

Mother’s Day is just a few weeks away next month. Ask your local expert about a good tool that will help your loved one in the garden. We have expert gardeners to help you know what tools are worth your time and money.

Father’s Day will be in a couple of months. Keep your eye out for something Dad would enjoy in the garden.

GARDEN TOOLS

Assess Your Garden Tools – Time to pull them out of the shed if you haven’t already and dust them off.

Add one new tool to your garden work this year. Eventually you will have just what you need and want.

Visual Satisfaction Idea – Purchase a new fresh pair of garden gloves. If you have had a problem in the past with family members taking your gloves, mark them with a sharpie. Faithfully use these gloves throughout the season. By the end of harvest next fall, you’ll have a pair of well used gloves to serve as a visual reminder of the time you spent to get such a wonderful garden.

ENJOY NATURE

Be sure to enjoy the more frequent days we can wear just a t-shirt and work in the yard.

Help a friend – Share this garden to do list for April 2018 with a neighbor!

How a Backyard Garden Can Help Save Our Important Bees

March 28, 2018 by Wendy Pettit

Author: Maria Cannon (HobbyJr.org)

Photo by: Agzam on Pixabay CCO

Since 2010, the United States has suffered a loss of 40 percent of local honeybees. Native bee species are dying off too, with many of them categorized as either endangered or significantly declining. Our food and economy, as well as the entire ecosystem, depend on bees to survive. Our survival depends on their survival. By creating a bee-friendly garden, you can do your part to help save our important bees.

Why Bees Are So Important

According to Greenpeace, “Since the late 1990s, beekeepers around the world have observed the mysterious and sudden disappearance of bees and reported unusually high rates of decline in honeybee colonies.” Bees are famous for making honey, but their most important role is the pollination of crops. A third of the food that we eat depends on pollinating insects, including zucchini, apricots, almonds, coriander, canola oil, and more.

Photo by: MyriamsFotos on Pixabay CCO

A world without pollinators would not only be devastating for food production, but it would also have a huge economic impact. The worldwide economic value of bees’ pollination work has been estimated at roughly $306.4 billion annually. Obviously, they are important bees. In the United States, pollinators contribute more than $24 billion dollars to the economy, of which honeybees contribute more than $15 billion and native pollinators contribute $9 billion.

However, it’s not just the economy and our food that we should focus on. All pollinating insects play an essential role in ecosystems. Native bees may not pollinate as much of our crops, but they do pollinate wild plants, which are important to the larger ecosystem, creating food and habitats for other animals and insects. In essence, all bee populations are declining, and it’s important to help save them all.

Making Your Garden Bee-Friendly

Bees need nectar and pollen as food sources, so opt for flowers that provide both, such as goldenrod, asters, and sunflowers. You can also plant flowering vegetables and fruits. Bees need to eat until they retreat for the winter, so choose plants that bloom through multiple seasons or a variety of plants that will bloom at different times throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Aim to have at least ten bee plants in a grouping instead of spreading them out across the garden. Because bees also need water, you should add a pond, fountain, or other fresh water source.

While honeybees live in hives, native bees live in the ground. Provide a space in your garden for native bees to make their home by leaving an un-mulched space in your garden. A pile of undisturbed sand or wood will work too. Do not use pesticides and herbicides. Instead, introduce good bugs to provide natural protection against pests and weed your garden by hand.

If you live in an apartment or have limited space, you can easily grow pollinator plants in containers. Some pollinator plants that do well in containers include stinging nettles, asters, bee balm, purple coneflowers, and yarrow. You can incorporate more than one plant into a container to save space. Allow a tall plant, a rounded/full plant, and a trailing plant to share one container. All sizes of flowering plants help our important bees. Read our post on 8-tips for planting spring flower pots.

Photo by: Castlegaurd on Pixabay CCO

Starting Your Garden

When starting your garden, take the time to plan ahead. First, determine what you want to grow in your garden. There are many plants that attract pollinators, so choose the ones you like the best. As far as size, it’s best to start small and work your way toward a larger garden. When choosing the location of your garden, consider the position of the sun in your yard throughout the day and the quality of the soil.

Gardening doesn’t just help the bees. When you grow a garden, you can reap many of the health benefits it provides, including its calming effect. Gardening’s ability to calm the mind stems from it allowing you to center yourself, connect with nature, and take pride in creating something. It’s also a great form of exercise and has been proven to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and diabetes.

The rapid loss of bee populations is frightening. Not only will our food supply and economy take a big hit, but also the Earth’s entire ecosystem could be devastated. By planting a garden that’s full of pollinator plants that bloom in different seasons, you’re taking a big step in helping revamp the bee populations. Even if you simply provide a home for bees to nest, you can help do your part in saving the bees.

Gardening To-Do List for November 2017

November 1, 2017 by Wendy Pettit

Welcome gardening friends, thanks for stopping by!

If you’re excited to work in your yard or garden, but not sure what to do in the chilly November weather, then you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together this Gardening to-do list for November.

You may not need to do everything on this list. For example, if you don’t have upright bushes to tie or snow tools to inspect, skip over those items on the list. Just pick what applies to your yard and plan out when you will do it all throughout the month!

Photo by Russ Hendricks

November Gardening To-Do List

➺Tie Upright Bushes like junipers and arborvitae with burlap strips to keep the
snow load from spreading their branches during winter. You can use twine if loosely tied around the branches

➺Cut Back And Mulch perennials as they go dormant. Time to finish putting those late fall bloomers to bed. Later in the month, ROSE BUSHES may like being mulched for winter. It is like a winter blanket for the rose roots. Mound DRY leaves around the base of the rose. Make it about 8 inches deep. The leaves act as a blanket for the roots of the rose. By spring, the leaves will be mostly broken down.

➺DEEP SOAK trees, shrubs & flower beds. Moisture will actually help them when the soil is frozen this winter.

➺Fertilize lawn if necessary, according to your schedule

➺Store Away Tools that are still out. You won’t want to find them in the spring all rusted from being covered with snow!

➺Cover Beds With A Frost Blanket or Dried Leaves for an added layer of protection for your perennials. (optional – depending on what you have planted and need extra protection.) This is not real common here along the Wasatch Front. Usually we just don’t plant material that is not cold hardy for our winters.

➺Large Pots/Containers Left Outside can be covered with a large black plastic bag. This prevents those thaw and freeze periods to potentially crack your pot. Be sure to remove all plant material; you can leave in the dirt. A rock on top is helpful to not blow away the bag in wind storms. In the spring, pull off the bag, freshen up the soil and plant again!

➺Snow Shovel and/or snow blower should be checked and in good repair…..before you need them. Don’t get caught in that first snow storm that some years come earlier than we anticipate!

➺Check Ice & Snow Removal Products and replenish if necessary, before it snows. We offer a good ice melt that is friendly to nature and protects concrete. Not harmful to lawns shrubs and trees. No dangerous chemicals.

Be sure to check back for December’s to-do list!