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Flowers

Best Plants for Seniors – Beginner Gardening

June 29, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

Senior gardening woman Edu Carvalho from Pexels

by Danielle K. Roberts

Spring has rolled in, which means it is time to get your garden ready! Doctors and psychologists have stated that gardening can have significant health effects on a person’s mind and body. There are many health benefits for senior citizens who plant gardens, such as managing your stress levels and creating a positive mindset. Gardening in retirement can also help build up your physical strength that can also improve your motor functioning. When creating an outdoor garden or a flower pot garden, some plants are easier for beginners.  Read on to learn what we think are great plants for seniors, just starting with gardening.  Enjoy our excellent planting guide for Utah vegetable gardens.  Even if you missed the first planting in spring, a second planting guide is included!  

senior man in garden

Photo Credit: AKA Ralph at Pixabay

VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR SENIORS

Growing your vegetation is a great hobby and can be cost-effective in the long run. If you have never tried homegrown vegetables, then your taste buds have a lot coming! While picking out which type of vegetables you would like to plant and grow in your garden, remember that you only want to plant vegetables that you will eat. Do not plant squash if you do not like to eat squash!

Certain vegetables are known for beginner gardeners that are easy to keep alive and maintain.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are a natural vegetable to grow and do not require a lot of maintenance. Whether you choose to plant cucumbers in the ground or a container, you will want to ensure that the soil will drain well. Cucumbers are a vine plant, so keep in mind while planting that the vine will need a place to climb.

cold crop vegetables for utah

Lettuce

Lettuce is a great beginner vegetable to plant because it grows at a fast rate; therefore, you can see results quickly! When planting lettuce, make sure that it receives enough water and that it is in a shaded area during the summertime.

Old woman gardening Piqsels

Photo Credit: Piqsels

Green Beans

Whether you want to plant pole beans or bush beans, both are low maintenance that can grow well with just water. The difference in planting the two types of beans is the amount of room they both need. If you decide to plant a pole bean, you will need to invest in a trellis on which to grow the beans. If you would like to plant a bush bean, you will need about two feet of room for it to grow (but no individual support is required.)

tomatoes on vine

Photo: Pixabay

Tomato

The most popular vegetable (or fruit) to grow! There is a wide variety of tomatoes that you can grow, such as grape tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes. The key to growing fresh tomatoes is by watering them in the morning, provide lots of sunlight, and not overcrowd them while they develop.

Click here to read up on five green veggies for a fall garden.  Or view a good list of warm versus cool-season vegetables.

pink petunias in utah garden

FLOWER GARDENS FOR SENIORS

Having a flower garden will bring bright, vibrant colors for you and your neighbors to gawk at. When having a flower garden outside your home, you can create an aesthetic appeal to your property. Caring for certain flowers can be difficult, as most flowers are very delicate. You will want to steer clear of exotic flowers, considering that they have special requirements for the up-keep and require a lot of attention. With that said, there are certain species of flowers that are perfect for beginner gardeners. 

sunflowers in utah garden

Photo Credit: by Vijayana Rasimha at Pixabay

Sunflowers

There is a minimum up-keep when planting and growing sunflowers. The sunflower seeds are large, which makes them easy to handle. After planting the seeds, you will need to water them consistently for 20 days. During the sunflowers growing season, you will want to fertilize the sunflowers with a water-soluble fertilizer.

elderly woman in flowers

Photo Credit: Edu Carvalho at Pexels

Zinnias

Zinnias resemble flowers like daisies and dahlias. But, do not be fooled – this unique flower comes in a variety of colors (except blue) and different heights. Zinnias will need space in the garden bed and lots of sunlight to fulfill their full potential.

marigolds yellow and orange in utah garden

Marigolds

Marigolds thrive in the summer sun, and their colors can range from yellow, red, and gold. Whether you choose an American or African marigold, they can grow up to be five feet tall, but here in Utah, you will find shorter varieties of all kinds. When watering, you will want to allow the soil to dry between each time you water them.

woman hold bowl of bulbs

Photo Credit: Sjozb at Piqsels

Daffodil Bulbs

You can plant daffodil bulbs in the spring or fall, and they will burst with intense colors and bloom like no other plant. Daffodils also produce a great fragrance to where you will watch yourself gravitating to them each time. Daffodils require lots of water, so as soon as they are planted, you will want to water them immediately. Once they start to bloom, you can put a halt to watering them. Don’t limit yourself to daffodils.  There are gladiolas, calla lilies, tulips, crocus, hyacinths, and more.

soil and seeds to put in their newspaper cheap gardening pots

Gardening doesn’t have to be expensive! Be creative and go for it!

To Sum it Up

You are never too old to plant a garden of sorts. Planting your garden can bring stimulation to the mind in many ways. Creating and maintaining a garden, even a small garden, is a great hobby for any age, and it will also keep you present in the day with a special award at the end.

senior woman in garden

Photo Credit: Anna Auza from Unsplash

Filed Under: Flowers, Gardening, health, Utah Gardening, Vegetables Tagged With: beginner gardening, best plants, cucumbers, flowers, marigolds, senior gardening, sunflowers, Utah gardening, vegetables

GARDEN CENTER IS NOW OPEN!

April 25, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

utah garden center open to public

Dear Valued Customers:

We have opened our gates to the public!  Store hours on Saturday are 10-6 pm.  Beginning Monday the 27th, store hours will be 9-6 pm.

Please know that we take Covid-19 seriously and aim to protect YOU AND OUR EMPLOYEES.  Therefore, we are doing the following:

  1. Sanitizing common surfaces continually throughout the day.  This includes shopping carts. 
  2. Installing plexiglass barriers at checkout stands.
  3. Requesting our employees AND customers to adhere to the CDC recommendation to wear a mask or a fabric covering while in our store.  A bandana can work just fine.
  4. Requesting our employees AND customers to adhere to the CDC recommendation to maintain a 6-foot social distance as much as possible. We have 6 feet markers throughout the store. One way to figure is that one of our shopping carts is approximately 3 feet, imagine 2 carts.      ***PLEASE*** when picking out your favorite plant, be aware of your spacing.  We all need to be patient during this crazy time!  If you need to pass someone in the aisle, walk past and do not stop to talk.  Using common sense and being courteous will help everyone have a good experience.
  5. Use CREDIT CARDS if possible.
  6. No Public Restroom and drinking fountain.
  7. Customers may still order via email with parking lot pick up the same day or next business day.  Due to the heavy volume, no more phone orders or in-the-parking-lot orders can be accepted. All our employees are busy inside servicing the in-store customers.

Salt Lake Store: [email protected]

West Valley:  [email protected]

No Garden Consulting at this time.

We appreciate your cooperation to protect our employees and our other customers. It means a lot to us.

We remind you of the other CDC recommendations:

  1. If you are sick, PLEASE STAY HOME, get better, and then come to visit us!  We want to see you healthy!  Should you choose, you can email your order and have someone pick it up for you.
  2. If you need to sneeze (we know it is ALLERGY season), sneeze into your elbow with your mask on!
  3. Wash your hands regularly with soap & water.  A liberal rubbing with hand sanitizer is the next best thing. 
  4. Remember to not touch your face if you haven’t washed your hands. 

Covid-19 doesn’t have wings to fly on its own.  It is transferred by contaminated hands or with droplets when we talk, sneeze or cough.  Hence washing hands, wearing a mask when social distancing isn’t always possible, coughing/sneezing into an elbow, and keeping the 6-foot social distance are important, and very doable!  We can do this!

THANK YOU for your cooperation and patience during this challenging time.  We are grateful that we offer an essential service to the community and wish for your best success in growing your own food, beautifying the community, remaining healthy physically and mentally, and tending your gardens and yards this season.

Happy shopping and happy planting,

Western Garden Centers

Feast your eyes on this sampling of temptations!

wall of peonies waiting to open

A wall of peonies loaded with buds waiting to open

Healthy tomato plants

Ingrid Bergman Hybrid Tea Rose

Giant succulent plants

Sun-Believable Brown Eyed Susan

Iceberg Floribunda Rose

Marigolds of all varieties

Ruffled Red Echeveria

Begonias

Gorgeous petunias

Good As Gold Hybrid Tea Rose

Anna’s Promise Grandiflora Rose

Rosie the Riveter Floribunda Rose

Celestial Night Floribunda Rose

Filed Under: Covid-19 updates, Flowers, Fruit, Gardening, Herbs, Lawn Care, Perennials, Products, Tomatoes, Tools, Trees, Utah Gardening, Vegetables, Yard Care Tagged With: covid-19, garden center open, safe shopping, shop the nursery, social distancing, Utah gardening, wear mask

Western Gardens Plant Material April 2020

April 13, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

Plant material at western garden centers utahWith the current pandemic situation, we now only do phone and email orders for pick up.  On this page, please find some videos and photos showing the excellent prime material we’ve had delivered to our door.  We will do our best to choose the best selection for your yard or needs.  Just let us know what you want, and we will get it.  You’ve trusted us for years, you can trust us now!

vivid orange and yellow ranunculus for early spring in utah

Ranunculaceous in vivid colors

Plant material as of April 13, 2020 –

SPRING COLOR ANNUALS & PERENNIALS

CLICK – Spring colder color annuals & perennials

 

GROUND COVERS

CLICK – Ground cover by Utah local growers

 

HERBS – VEGETABLES – BERRIES

CLICK – Berries –  Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, pomegranate, currant, and more…

CLICK – Strawberries

CLICK – Herbs – cold-hardy herbs for April

CLICK – Herbs BASIL

CLICK – Tomatoes

CLICK – Vegetables cold crops

 

peony white and pink

Peony

FLOWERING SHRUBS & ROSES

Our prime ROSES will be here by the end of April.  We have a few that wintered over and just beginning to come out.  Email your requests.

CLICK – Magnolias

CLICK – Peonies – beautiful shipment just waiting to plant in your yard

CLICK – Lilacs – an old-time favorite with fragrance

 

SMALLER SHRUBS for TEXTURE & COLOR

CLICK – Barberries

CLICK – Spireas

 

FRUIT TREES

Realize that the fruit trees are just now coming out of dormancy.  Some look like sticks, but they are healthy and prime – ready for your yard!

CLICK – APPLES, APRICOTS, APRUMS, CHERRIES – bush or tree form

CLICK – NECTARINES, NECTAPLUM & FRUIT SALAD (varieties on same tree)

CLICK – PEACHES (including favorite “Donut”), PEACHOTUM, PLUERRY, COMBOS

CLICK – PEARS – all kinds including the Asian Pear

CLICK – PLUMS, COMBOS, PLUOTS, WALNUT

 

SHADE TREES

CLICK – FLOWERING CHERRIES – Beautiful selection of all types –

Special Local Note:  If you haven’t seen them, hurry and witness the color and fragrance of the cherry blossoms at the Utah State Capitol.  They are gorgeous!  (April 12, 2020)

 

MORE TO COME

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Annuals, Flowers, Fruit, Gardening, Herbs, Outdoors, Perennials, Products, Tips & How To's, Tomatoes, Trees, Uncategorized, Vegetables Tagged With: annuals, apple, blueberries, cold hardy perennials, currant, fruit trees, Herbs, peach, pear, plum, pomegranate, shade trees, strawberries

SEEDS, SEEDS, SEEDS

April 5, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

seed packets

Several of our customers want to see what seeds we have available during this COVID-19 pandemic.  Since we currently and temporarily are only taking phone or email orders with curbside pickup, we are posting photos of the seeds we currently have inside the store.  Limited to supply on hand.  We apologize if these photos are difficult to see, but until we get some closer photos, these will have to do.  You may need to ZOOM in close to read the varieties.

Thank you again for supporting the small businesses in our community.  We appreciate you shopping at Western Gardens for quality products and services during this more than unusual spring.

ORGANIC SEEDS

organic vegetable seed packages at utah garden center

Organic Vegetable Seeds – soybean, beets, huckleberry, sunberry, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, corn, collards, cucumber, greens, kale, melons, peas, peppers, gourd, and more.

organic vegetable seed packages for natural garden in Utah

Organic Seeds (minus the bottom 2 rows) – radish, squash, tomato, pepper, beans, corn, peas, spinach, and more.

VEGETABLE SEEDS

Utah vegetable seed packets

Vegetable Seeds – Artichoke, Asparagus, Bean, Beets, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Grains, Kale, Lettuce, Melon, Okra, Onion, Peppers, Radish, and more.

Vegetable seed packets from peas pumpkins leeks, beans, and more

Vegetable Seeds – Beans, Carrots, Collards, Corn, Greens, Melons, Peppers, Pumpkins, Rutabaga, Spinach, and more.seed packets of vegetables for gardening

Vegetable Seeds – Bean, Berries, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Corn, Cowpea, Eggplant, Endive, Greens, Lettuce, Melons, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Pumpkins, Gourds, and more.Summer squash seeds for a vegetable garden

Vegetables – Squash-Zucchini, Winter squash, Strawberries, Swiss Chard, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Watermelon, and more.

HERB SEEDS

seed packets of herbs for gardening

Herb Seeds – basil, chives, cilantro, coriander, dill, fennel, lavender, oregano, parsley, rosemary, stevia, thyme, and more.

FLOWER SEEDS

Flower seeds packets

Flower Seeds – Alyssum, Amaranth, Butterflyweed, Caster beans, Daisy, Gourds, Lavender, Nasturtium, Petunia, Morning Glory, Poppy, Salvia, Snapdragon, Sunflower, Sweet Peas, Mixes, and more.

Sunflower seeds and more

Flowers – Bachelor Buttons, Cosmos, Flax, Hollyhocks, Marigold, Nicotiana, Penstemon, Poppy, Sunflowers, Zinnia, and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Annuals, Covid-19 updates, Flowers, Fruit, Herbs, Perennials, Seeds, Tomatoes, Uncategorized, Utah Gardening, Vegetables, Veggie Gardening Tagged With: flower seeds, garden seeds, herb seeds, organic, organic seeds, packaged seed, seed packets, seeds, vegetable seeds

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

Cucumber on vine in vertical garden

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

small patio garden for Utah

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!

tips for gardening in small spaces

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.

Filed Under: Container Gardening, Flowers, Gardening, How To, Outdoors, Utah Gardening, Veggie Gardening Tagged With: gardening in small spaces, small gardens, small space garden, small utah gardens, vertical gardening

Favorite Edible Flowers from the Garden

August 3, 2017 by Marjorie Carter

Welcome Friends! Glad you are here.

Favorite edible flowers you probably already have in your yard

Edible flowers from the garden are an often overlooked delicious treat.  As a young child, each summer we would visit family living in California.  In the yard was a giant honeysuckle with beautiful red-gold flowers.  My cousins showed me how to pluck the flowers, pull off the green at the base of the blossom, and suck out the sweet nectar; hence, the name honeysuckle.  My young taste buds looked forward each summer to that sweet taste. 

As an adult, I have since learned that there are many kinds of flowers that are edible.  For example, many people know that dandelion blossoms and greens are edible.  However, there are a number of commonly grown flowers that are generally overlooked as a possible addition to a salad. 

Recently, I’ve experimented with flowers that are not simply beautiful but are also edible, with some surprises along the way.

Important points to remember about edible flowers:

  1. Pesticides – If you are going to eat any of your flowers, be sure you never use pesticides or other chemicals on any part of the plant that produces them. Your edible flowers could become not so edible.
  2. Research – Before sampling something, please be sure you research whether or not it is safe to ingest. Not all blossom are edible flowers.  Also, even if the flower is edible, it does not automatically follow that all other parts of that plant are also edible. Those honeysuckles blossoms I loved to taste as a child are safe, but the berries produced by the same vine are not.
  3. Allergies – As with any other food, be aware that some people are allergic to some flowers. If you already know you are allergic to a particular plant, avoid eating the flowers.
  4. Birds vs Humans – Just because birds can eat a berry, doesn’t mean that they are safe for human consumption.
  5. Cleanliness – Remember to wash the blossoms before eating them.  This will help remove any dust, dirt, or small insects that may be hanging out on the petals.
  6. Environment – The flavor of flowers will be impacted by how much water the plant receives, the timing of when you harvest it, the soil conditions, and the variety (and sometimes even the color of the flower). 

A few Edible Flowers to Try:  

Chamomile can make a tasty tea

Chamomile – Photo Credit: Pixabay

Chamomile – These simple white flowers are lovely and they also make good herbal tea.  I’ve grown them a few times and had to learn to harvest the flowers while the plant was young or the flavor became less to my liking.  Plus, my home grown chamomile had a more “wild” taste than the product I buy in teabags at the grocery store.  It was a bit of an adjustment.

Roses are edible flowers.

Rose – Photo Credit: Pixabay

Rose – Roses are not only a beautiful and dramatic garden favorite, they are edible.  I’ve heard of sugared rose petals, though I’ve never personally tried one.  Rose water is a popular ingredient in a variety of dishes, from cakes to beverages. 

Herb blooms like basil blossoms are edible flowers.

Basil Flowers – Photo Credit: Pixabay

Herbal Flowers (dill, basil, thyme, mint, etc.) – Eating the flowers from your herb garden can provide new options for seasoning your foods.  The flowers generally taste much like the leaves but can be a milder flavor, or a spicier flavor, or different enough that maybe you don’t like it as much as the leaves.  Give them a try and see what you think! 

Sage blossoms in a green salad.

Sage blooms in salad – Photo Credit: Marjorie C.

I personally love the flowers from sage.  They remind me of honeysuckle because of their sweetness, which was a surprise to experience.  We add edible flowers to salads or eat them straight off the plant.

Sage edible flowers

Sage – Photo Credit: Marjorie C.

Tulip – This spring we tried eating our tulips.  They basically grow wild in our back yard. My daughter described the flavor perfectly, “sweet red lettuce”. 

Lilacs and tulips are common flowers we can eat.

Lilacs and Tulips – Photo Credit: Marjorie C.

Lilac – I learned only recently that lilacs are edible, too!  I have about half a dozen lilac bushes on my property (thanks to the previous owner).  I love their scent and now look forward to trying out the taste next spring.  I will have purple, pink, and white lilacs to sample.  I think I’ll try a blind taste test to see if I can identify the color of the blossom from its flavor. 

Squash blooms are edible.

Squash Bloom – Photo Credit: Pixabay

Squash – The blossoms from pumpkin vines, zucchini plants, and all other varieties of winter and summer squash are edible. Everyone knows that we all end up with more zucchini than we know what to do with by the end of the summer.  Consider plucking some of the flowers earlier in the growing season and stuffing them, frying them, or making them into soup.

Eat some tasty daisies.

Daisies – Photo Credit: Pixabay

Others – A few other varieties of edible flowers that are common across Utah include: lavender, pansy, peony, marigold, nasturtium, violets, hibiscus, dandelion, clover.   Read about additional  Favorite Edible Flowers.

Finally, just because a flower is edible doesn’t mean it will taste good to you!  Some will taste better to you than others.  Be safe and have fun sampling!

Filed Under: Eat from Garden - Recipes, Flowers, Gardening, Utah Gardening Tagged With: chamomile, edible flowers, edible garden flowers, flowers safe to eat, flowers to eat, garden flowers to eat, herbal flowers, lilac blossoms, rose petals, safe to eat flowers, sage blossoms, squash blooms, tulips

Harmful Garden Insects: Organic Management

July 18, 2017 by Marjorie Carter

 Welcome, Friends! Glad you’re here for some tips to organically manage those pesky harmful garden insects so you’ll have produce left to harvest!

Harmful garden insects can be managed organic methods

All yards and allotments will have harmful garden insects every year; it’s part of nature.  These insects need to eat in order to feed the beneficial insects.  Eliminating ALL the harmful insects from your garden would be time, labor, and resource intensive. You also run the risk of depleting the food source for beneficial insects and other animals that feed on the harmful critters.

Wise Goal – An important and wise goal is to control the harmful garden insects enough to reduce the damage to your garden to a manageable level.  Meaning that by harvest time, there is something left for you to eat.  Losing one or two tomatoes is manageable and probably hardly noticed, but an entire decimated crop means there’s a problem to address. 

aphids are harmful garden insects that can be easily controlled

Aphids – One year we had aphids on our herbs which was easily treated by spraying the affected plants with neem oil, a wonderful organic product found at Western Gardens.  This significantly reduced the number of bugs.  They were further kept at bay by some helpful ladybugs, also found at your garden shop. 

Neem Oil is safe organic product. Read label

We were careful to thoroughly wash our herbs before eating them to remove any remaining aphids. Washing anything you harvest before eating it is always a good idea anyway.

Harmful garden insects include the Leaf Miner

Leaf Miner – Last year, our challenge was leaf miner larvae on our Swiss chard.  In this case, we simply discarded any leaves that had been extensively chewed.  Otherwise, we snipped off the parts that didn’t look as appetizing, like anything that had a visible egg attached to it (usually on the underside of the leaves), washed everything, and then enjoyed our tasty green salad.

tracks of leaf miner on pepper plant leaves

This year, now that we know to look for the leaf miner eggs on the leaves, we were more attentive with our starts for our garden and inspected them daily, looking for them or other harmful garden insects.  We found eggs on our pepper plants and did our best to remove them when the plants were small.  We used a piece of duct tape wrapped around a finger to remove the eggs.

duct tape wrapped around one finger helps lift off insect eggs from plants

We found that using a gentle fingernail was still too rough for the tender young leaves, so gently touching the tiny eggs with the sticky duct tape easily lifted them off.  

Eggs of the leaf miner on pepper plants

Once the plants were more mature and could withstand a little insect activity, we were less vigilant at egg removal, but still mindful of looking for eggs once in a while.  Read more on homemade remedies for treating leaf miners by clicking here.

harmful garden insects also include squash bugs

Squash Bug – This year, we planted pumpkins for the first time.  We had heard of the dreaded squash bug and had been looking for them but hadn’t seen any damage to the plants.  Then, just last week (late June), one of our pumpkin plants was nearly devoured overnight by something.

Squash bug eggs are easy to spot and remove.

We assumed it was the infamous squash bug.  This assumption was reinforced when, upon closer inspection of the plant, we found a mating pair of squash bugs with a third one waiting on the side-line and eggs attached to the underside of the remaining leaves and the stem. We posted photos of the damage to a Facebook gardening group and learned of some other likely culprits.  That night my husband went out with a headlamp and a bottle of neem oil to investigate.

earwigs are harmful but also beneficial

Earwigs – Someone suggested the damage looked like the work of earwigs.  My husband found several earwigs eating on the plant and a swarm of them hiding in a nearby crevasse. Earwigs are a complicated insect in the garden.  They are not only harmful, but also beneficial.  They aid in breaking down organic matter (composting) and they also eat aphids and other harmful insects. However, when there are too many of them around a young susceptible plant, they can be very destructive.  We could also see evidence of earwigs damage on a few leaves of nearby tomato plants.  This minimal damage doesn’t pose a risk to a plant that has hundreds of leaves to perform.  In comparison, the pumpkin plant had only a dozen leaves to start with and most of those were very damaged. 

earwigs eating pumpkin plant leaves

My husband sprayed neem oil on the earwigs on the plant, in the swarm nearby, and even in their nest. It’s still uncertain whether the plant will survive though it already shows signs of new growth. We monitor it closely to prevent another insect attack that would probably kill it.

Another organic alternative that works to kill earwigs is diatomaceous earth, which also now offers a nice dispensing bottle which helps cut down on waste and mess.  Check it out at Western Gardens.

diatomaceous earth is a natural organic product to control crawling insects in the garden.

As for the squash bugs, not the main culprits to the pumpkin plant, they were probably snacking on it also.  We’re still removing eggs as we find them (using the duct tape trick mentioned above) and killing any adults.  Their numbers can quickly get out of hand. Again, diatomaceous earth works well to control squash bugs.

Beneficial vs Harmful Insects – Lady bugs, praying mantis, and birds are a few examples of creatures that feed on the harmful garden insects; hence, we like to see these around around the yard.  When considering how to handle any harmful garden insects, the first reaction should generally not be total annihilation.  Rather, try to reduce their numbers and also allow the beneficial insects and animals to do their part until the plant is mature enough to withstand the damage. 

Good luck and happy hunting!

CLICK HERE to read about beneficial insects you want in your garden.

10 beneficial insects you want in your garden! If you spot these in your yard, you're in good shape!

Filed Under: Flowers, Gardening, How To, Insects, Tips & How To's, Utah Gardening, Vegetables, Veggie Gardening, Yard Care Tagged With: Gardening, harmful garden insects, harmful insects, How To, organic management, organic pest controls, Utah gardening, Western Gardens

DIY Porch Planter Box for Mother’s Day

May 7, 2017 by Jenn Crookston

Welcome – Glad you dropped in for a great idea!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I’ve got the perfect Mother’s Day gift that you’ve got plenty of time to create because it is such a fast build.  Your mother/wife/friend will love this DIY Mother’s Day Porch Planter Box.
Geraniums in a planter box for your porchI’m pretty sure it’s a proven fact that anything is automatically cuter when it’s small.  That fact holds true with this Mother’s Day Porch Planter Box.  I am completely smitten with how cute it looks sitting on my steps and can’t wait to make it a couple of sisters.  You’re going to love me when I tell you how easy this was to make too.
Because I wanted this planter box to be able to sit on a single step on my porch I needed to find materials that weren’t big and bulky.  After walking around the home improvement store for a while and looking at the different options I went with wood fencing and stakes.  Since both of these items are made to be outside in all weather conditions I figured they were perfect for this project and they aren’t bulky pieces of wood which means more room inside the box for flowers.
Here is a good photo of the box assembly.  The fencing is less than $2 a board and the stakes we had on hand but I’m pretty sure were around a dollar each.  I used just over 1 fencing board and 2 stakes for one box.  I think with 4 boards and 7 stakes you could make 3 planter boxes, including nails I think you’re looking at 3 planter boxes for under $20, pretty awesome if you ask me!
construction of DIY porch planter box for mother's dayI used our miter saw to cut my pieces, if you don’t have a saw at home here is your cut list and the people at the home improvement store can cut them for you.

Cut List:

10 #1 (side pieces) – 3.5″x 6″
4 #2 – (long side braces) 1.4″x 8 5/8″
1 #3 – (middle bottom) 3.5″x 11.5″
2 #4 – (side bottom) 1.5″x 11.5″
2 #5 – (short side braces) 1.5″x 5 1/4″
8 #6 – (corners/legs) 1.5″x 8″

Porch Planter Assembly:

I used a brad nailer to create the box with 1″ finish nails.  If you don’t have a nail gun you can use tiny nails and a hammer to create the box it’ll just take a little more time.  These nails are perfect because they’re easily painted over and hidden if you choose to paint your planter box.

To create my planter box I started by creating one side as shown in photo 1. 

Once I got that side done I created the corners as shown in photos 2-4.

When I had the corners done assembly was easy.  I placed the side brace against one corner piece and then nailed into place.

When it was attached I then placed the next side piece in place and attached it to the side brace.

Photos 5 and 6 show the bottom of the planter box.  As you can see in photo 5 there isn’t quite enough room for 2 pieces of fencing on the bottom.  Photo 6 shows how perfect once piece of fencing and two pieces cut from a stake fit leaving enough room between the pieces to allow water drainage.

As you can see in photo 7 I wasn’t too worried about a perfectly smooth surface, you can sand and paint/stain as desired, I love the little more rustic look so this was perfect for me.
Planter box with living flowers on front porch stairs of houseCan’t you just picture a few more of these darling little planter boxes leading all the way up the stairs.  I can’t wait to get them all finished and filled with beautiful flowers from my local independent garden shop Western Garden Centers.
You can easily make this planter box and fill it with flowers for less than you would spend on a bouquet of cut flowers for Mother’s Day and they’ll last all season long and the planter for years to come.
western gardens have geraniums for your planter box

Filed Under: Container Gardening, Flowers, Gardening, How To, Outdoors, Tips & How To's Tagged With: container gardening, DIY, flowers, mother's day gift idea, porch planter, simple gift

Differences between Perennials and Annuals – What’s Best for My Garden?

May 5, 2017 by Becky

WELCOME FRIENDS, Come learn with us!

difference between perennials and annuals

image: Pixabay

As a novice gardener, I need to know what is the difference between perennials and annuals?  Whenever I went to the nursery, I was confused by the terms “annuals” and “perennials.”   When choosing plants for your garden it’s important to know the difference, so I thought I would share some of what has made it easier for me to remember.

Annuals

Annuals are plants that came from seeds earlier this spring.  You can plant them as seeds or you can purchase them as seedlings or starts in flats and pots.  Annuals usually bloom the entire summer until frost kills them.  They don’t survive the winter.  I remember the plants that are annuals because I have to buy them “annually.”

However there are exceptions, some tropical plants are perennial in a tropical climate, but in Utah’s colder climate, they are annuals.  They die every winter and need to be replanted as a new plant.  Geranium, Impatiens, and Bougainvillea are good examples of annuals.

impatiens are annuals in salt lake city

Image: Pixabay

Begonia annual in Utah

Image: Pixabay

Perennials

Perennials that do well in our climate are a different story.  Perennials survive our Utah winters in the growing zone 5.  They bloom again year after year.  The tradeoff is that perennials have a definite blooming season and don’t bloom all summer long.  Usually they bloom from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.  There are many varieties from evergreen, to shade tolerant, or even drought tolerant.  Most die to the ground in fall or winter and spend most of winter dormant.  Most perennials like well-drained soil with plenty of organic material in it.

Peonie perennial in Utah

Image: Pixabay

Gloriosa daily perennial

Image: Pixabay

So basically, that’s the difference between perennials and annuals. How long they survive in the climate zone you live in.  In the Salt Lake Valley, we are usually a zone 5, and sometimes can be a zone 6, so be sure and talk to one of our expert gardeners to make sure you get the perfect plants for your soil and landscape.

A Word about Placement

Placing a plant in a good site, in a place it will thrive, is one of the most important differences that will make your flower garden successful.  In my yard I have hot, sunny sites, cool shady sites, and everything in between.  I am always careful not to place a plant that prefers shade, like a Hosta, Fern, or Begonia in a hot sunny spot because it will do poorly.  A hosta in the sun will show it’s displeasure with burned, scorched leaves.  However, planting a peony, Petunia, or Sunflower in the shade will not produce good results either.  Any of our gardeners can help you identify which plants do best in sun, shade, etc.

A Word about Soils

Most soils in Utah are either clay or sand based (like my garden) and will do very well with some organic amendments.  For perennials create a 50/50 mix with existing soil.  For annuals simply spread a 2-3″ layer of organic amendment evenly on top of the existing soil, then dig or till it in.  The hole for perennials should be about twice as wide as the container and an inch or so less in depth.  Place the plant in the hole after popping it out of the container.  If it’s root bound (lots of white roots wrapping around the soil ball), use a short blade utility knife to make a few shallow, vertical cuts around the root ball to stimulate new root growth.  Press the root mass into the hole to make sure there are no voids under the roots and water well using a root starter (we can help you with that at Western Gardens too).

Come see us!

Our garden experts at Western Gardens have a lot of great suggestions to help you get your flower garden blooming all summer long.  From root starter to organic compost, we have everything you need.  Be sure to visit us on Facebook for specials and daily tips.

What do some of you expert gardeners do to keep your flowers strong and healthy.  Feel free to share your experiences here too.

Post revised by Wendy P 5/2017

Filed Under: Annuals, Flowers, Gardening, Perennials, Tips & How To's, Utah Gardening Tagged With: annuals, flowers, Perennials, planting flowers, utah annuals, Utah gardening, utah perennials

Plant Summer Blooming bulbs, corms and tubers

May 4, 2017 by Heather Hammerschmidt

Welcome Gardening Friends! Good to see you again.

How to plant summer blooming bulbs, corms, and tubers.

I love to plant summer blooming flowers and I’ve been dreaming of a cut flower garden all winter. My dream started last fall when I decided to add more spring bulbs to my garden so that I’d have plenty of flowers for cut arrangements. There is something wonderful about bringing your own beautiful blooms indoors and sharing them with friends and neighbors. As I contemplated spring additions to my flower garden, I decided I also needed to add some summer and fall blooms. Specifically, I wanted to add lilies, gladiolas, and dahlias. These summer flowers are usually not available in late fall, so I patiently waited for them to arrive at the store this spring. Now it’s time to plant and I’m so excited to share with you everything you need to know about planting these beauties!

Lilies (Lilium)

Lilies are such gorgeous flowers. Their sturdy stems and large flowers make them great for cutting. There are two main varieties of lilies that we carry at Western Garden Center: Asiatic and Oriental lilies. Asiatic lilies bloom in early summer. They come in a wide range of colors and heights.  Oriental lilies tend to bloom later than Asiatic varieties. Oriental lilies like Casa Blanca and Stargazer are wonderfully fragrant. Western Gardens carries lily bulbs in early spring and potted lilies later in the season.

Planting lilies for summer bloomsAsiatic and Oriental lilies are cold hardy perennials in Utah and will winter over. Lilies bulbs are scale bulbs and do best if planted as soon as possible. They prefer to be planted when the soil temperature is below 60 degrees. This helps their roots establish before it gets too hot. They need a sunny location with rich organic soil.  I amend my soil with Bumper Crop® Soil Builder to give them the best possible start. I plant the bulbs 6- 8 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Plant them in groups of three to make a powerful statement. Make sure they had plenty of room, they don’t like competing for resources with other plants. The picture above gives you a visual of which end should be facing up and which end should be facing down.

Gladiolas (gladiolus)

How I love gladiolas! My grandfather would bring home gladiolas for my grandmother. Gorgeous stately blooms graced her dining room table throughout the summers. I’m planting them for two reasons; first in memory of my grandparents and second because I love how long gladiolas last as cut flowers. Their flowers fade from the bottom of the stem upward. You can continue to cut off the stem as the blossoms fade leaving the fresh blossoms for continued enjoyment. Gladiola corms are available in the spring for planting.

Gladiolas top and bottom of bulbI suggest to plant summer blooming gladiolas each weekend for three consecutive weeks so blooms will last throughout the summer. Gladiolas should be planted after the danger of frost has passed. They need a sunny location. Unlike lilies, they don’t have a problem sharing space with neighboring plants. I will plant them 3-4 inches deep and about 6 inches apart. For a greater impact, I plant them in groups of three or more. Gladiolas are not cold hardy in Utah. In the fall, dig them up and store them over the winter until planting them again next spring. The picture above indicates which direction to plant gladiola corms.

Dahlias

Dahlias are my favorite cut flower. There are so many wonderful varieties in many heights and colors.  Some of the shorter varieties bloom from spring until frost. The larger varieties start blooming in late summer and continue blooming into the fall. Western Garden Center carries dahlias in seeds, tubers, and in plant form.  This year I’ve chosen to plant some Dinnerplate Dahlias from tubers. They have amazingly large blossoms, hence their name.Planting dahlias tubers for a big show of color.Dahlias should be planted in rich organic soil, in a sunny spot, and after the last frost. I am planting mine in pots early so I can get them started. I use Gardener’s Gold Organic Potting Soil. They will remain in pots outdoors for awhile so that when I see that temperatures are going to drop I can bring them inside. After the last frost, I will plant them outside.  When planting it is important to give them plenty of room.  I make sure each tuberous root has space between itself and its neighbors and then I’ll cover them with soil. Last year’s stem (the eye) should just be barely below the surface. Like the gladiolas, dahlias are not cold hardy in Utah.  I will dig up the tubers in the fall and store them indoors over the winter until I plant them again next spring. The picture above identifies the eye of the dahlia and its tuberous roots.

Once they’ve all been planted, I’ll feed them regularly with a Gardner & Bloom’s Bud and Bloom Fertilizer. This helps these summer bloomers develop strong roots and beautiful blossoms.

I can’t wait for my first bouquets! What are your favorite cut flowers? Please share in comments below.

Filed Under: Flowers, How To, Utah Gardening Tagged With: bulbs, cold hardy perennials, corms, cut flowers, dahlias, flowers, garden cut flowers, gladiolas, how to plant, lilies, summer blooming, tubers

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