Herbs

GARDEN CENTER IS NOW OPEN!

April 25, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

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:

Sanitizing common surfaces continually throughout the day. This includes shopping carts.
Installing plexiglass barriers at checkout stands.
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.
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.
Use CREDIT CARDS if possible.
No Public Restroom and drinking fountain.
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:

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.
If you need to sneeze (we know it is ALLERGY season), sneeze into your elbow with your mask on!
Wash your hands regularly with soap & water. A liberal rubbing with hand sanitizer is the next best thing.
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!

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

A Guide to Vertical Gardening

April 17, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

By Connie Pelton

The lack of a large space discourages many would-be gardeners. But if you can’t go out, perhaps you should consider going in a different direction: up.

Vertical gardening is a highly efficient way to make the most of a small area. Vertical gardeners enjoy higher yields per square foot than their traditional counterparts. They also have an easier time with pest control and harvesting. Whether you dream of bountiful blooms or tangy tomatoes fresh off the vine, you can make a vertical garden work. Here is a guide to vertical gardening to get you started.

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Location and Orientation

Plants, like people, are particular about where they like to live. Some love full sun, and others want a smattering of shade. If you follow the rules, you’ll have a successful vertical garden. Most vegetables and herbs thrive in as much sun as possible; morning sun is essential. If you have a south-facing wall, fence, or railing, this is your spot.

Planting Systems

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You have numerous vertical gardening systems to choose from.

Pocket systems hang on walls.
Modular systems stack atop one another.
Pallets are made with upcycled materials, with one side covered in fabric or plywood, then leaned against a fence or wall and filled with soil.
Ladder-like shelves hold potted plants leaning against a wall.
Hanging baskets are linked together in a chain.
Rain gutters let you plant strawberries in them and hang on a fence.
Trellises can be shaped like a teepee or A-frame and arranged over a soil-filled bed.

Photo by Luisgopa at Pixabay

Photo by Dieneves at Pixabay

Feeling overwhelmed? No worries! See some tips for early spring gardening here.

Layering and Light

Because vertical gardening involves trellises and tiers, be mindful of plants that will cast shade on one another. You can underplant vining veggies such as tomatoes and squash with herbs such as mint, chives, tarragon, cilantro or parsley, which can handle a bit of shade. Try to plant varieties that are close to the same height and grow at the same rate to avoid crowding and shading. Sweet corn has such a solid stalk structure that you can use it to support climbers like beans. “Companion planting” is actually an ancient crop tradition.

Caring for a Vertical Garden

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Vertical gardens have some special needs. If you have trellises, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your climbers and do a bit of training to make sure vines stay where you want them. If you’re using containers or a raised bed, check the soil moisture often to make sure your plants don’t get dehydrated. You’ll also want to add a heavy layer of mulch – 2-4 inches– over the soil surface of raised beds. This helps the garden retain water during the hottest months of summer.

It’s easy to spot pest problems since many of your plants’ leaves will be exposed and closer to eye-level. Using organic pest control will ensure that your harvests are free of chemicals. If you see signs of aphids or other pests, you should treat them immediately. Hand-picking is your first line of defense against large pests such as caterpillars and beetles. For smaller insects, your approach may vary. Biological pest control is an organic, ecologically friendly way to combat garden pests on your lawn or in your garden. By attracting or placing predator insects (praying mantids, ladybugs, lacewings) into the garden, you can let nature take care of your pest problems.

cages and drawers for utah vertical gardening

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Harvesting

Whether you use a tiered or trellised system, most vertical gardeners enjoy the relative ease of vertical harvesting. Rather than having to bend or crouch, you can harvest from a vertical garden while standing upright. This makes it a preferable option for the mobility-impaired or elderly gardeners.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just developing your green thumb, vertical gardening is a beautiful way to take your gardening to the next level. Onward and upward!

About the author: 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.

Western Gardens Plant Material April 2020

April 13, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

With 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

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

SEEDS, SEEDS, SEEDS

April 5, 2020 by Wendy Pettit

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

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

Vegetable Seeds – Beans, Carrots, Collards, Corn, Greens, Melons, Peppers, Pumpkins, Rutabaga, Spinach, and more.

Vegetable Seeds – Bean, Berries, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Corn, Cowpea, Eggplant, Endive, Greens, Lettuce, Melons, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Pumpkins, Gourds, and more.

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

HERB SEEDS

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

FLOWER SEEDS

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

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

5 Dos and Don’ts for Planting Herbs

May 17, 2016 by Sydney Anderson

Hi friends! I’m so glad you stopped by!

Don’t you just love the smell and taste of fresh herbs?! Want to have fresh, healthy herbs at home without the expense of an extra grocery store run? (And have you seen how much they charge for a tiny container of wilted herbs?!)

I’ve cooked with both store-bought and homegrown herbs, and I can tell you two things. One, homegrown always tastes better, and two, you can’t just plant a bunch of herbs in a pot and hope they thrive.

As our family grows, so does our food budget. I’m starting to find ways I can cut our grocery bill here and there so that by the time my kids are teenagers we won’t be stuck spending $1000 a month just on food!

One of the first things to know is not all herbs are created equal! Some need more water, some like less sun, some have long roots and need space to grow. I’m going to share five lessons I’ve learned when it comes to growing your own herbs!

Click NEXT to see the 5 Dos and Don’ts for Growing Great Herbs!

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Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

May 1, 2016 by Kirsten

Hello and Welcome!

Do mosquitoes drive you crazy? Do you love spending time outside until you become a feast for these pesky creatures? Keep reading for our list of plants that repel mosquitoes…a simple solution that doesn’t involve chemical-laden sprays!

Mosquitoes are a real problem, not just because they’re annoying and no one likes the itchy bumps they leave behind, but because they carry disease. Zika is the newest threat here in the U.S. and it’s particularly alarming for women who are pregnant or who want to become pregnant, as it causes birth defects.

The first step to reducing mosquitoes is to make sure you don’t have standing water around your home, as they need water to reproduce. This includes rain gutters, outside toys, wagons, dog bowls, etc. Even a bottle cap of water can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The next thing to do is add some mosquito-repelling plants to your landscape and containers. It’s important to note that the mere presence of these plants doesn’t necessarily repel mosquitoes. {There are a lot of claims that they do, but there is no scientific backing to support this idea!}

So now what? To harness the power of these plants, you must actually break the leaves on the plants and rub the oil on your skin in order to truly repel the mosquitoes.

If essential oils are your thing, try THIS recipe for a kid-friendly spray. You can also try making your own essential oils! But whether or not you make your own oils, add these plants to your yard to keep your family safe from the summer mosquitos!

Plants that Repel Mosquitoes

1—Lavender ⇧

Lavender is a beautiful plant with a lovely fragrance. It’s known to bring on calmness and relaxation, and can even help you get to sleep. Lavender oil has also been known to stop the itchiness of bug bites and sunburns. Spraying lavender on your body masks your natural scent and will help keep you free of mosquito bites! You can make your own lavender oil by removing the flowers and allowing them to dry, then boiling them in fractionated coconut oil.

2—Lemon Balm ⇧

Many people enjoy lemon tea from lemon balm leaves and say they have found relief for indigestion, better sleep, and reduced anxiety. You can easily crush the leaves in your hands and rub them over your skin as a natural mosquito repellent.

3—Peppermint ⇧

Not only is peppermint used in tea and in baking, but it is a fantastic repellent for mosquitoes. It’s easy to gently crush some leaves in your hands and rub over your skin or exposed areas where mosquitoes can bite you. Not only can peppermint repel mosquitoes, it can help relieve the itch, as it has a cooling/tingling feeling when applied to the skin.

4—Rosemary ⇧

Rosemary is a great herb to have in your garden as the scent helps repel mice and deer. You can make delicious savory dishes and have the added benefit that using just a few leaves a day gives you all the vitamin A you need. Rosemary can be boiled in fractionated coconut oil and then be sprayed on your body as a natural mosquito repellent.

5—Sage ⇧

Sage isn’t just for cooking anymore! This herb is a little different from the others on our list…you can actually burn some dried sage bundles to help keep the mosquitoes away. We recommend using it in combination with some of the other essential oils mentioned above for total mosquito repelling success!

When you apply natural mosquito repellents on your skin for the first time, make sure you place a small amount on the back of your hand and rub it in. Wait one to two hours to see if the repellent causes irritation. If you have no irritation, you can spray or rub the repellant over the exposed areas to keep the mosquitoes away.

Have you found another natural way to keep the mosquitoes at bay? Tell us in a comment below!

See the Happy!

Garlic & Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

November 24, 2014 by Becky

Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple in nearly every home. They are simple to prepare…but if you don’t do it quite right they can turn out gluey and stiff. This is my favorite way to make them, and my favorite way to eat them! They turn out perfectly delicious every time.
If you are in charge of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving this year, these could make you a very popular person! The garlic and rosemary give it a subtle flavor, so it will compliment your turkey and sides without overwhelming your guests’ palates. They are creamy and delicious and the perfect texture…so light and fluffy that you won’t even realize that you’ve had three servings!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/garlic-rosemary-mashed-potatoes/

* I have made these mashed potatoes with raw garlic added to the boiling water, and I’ve made them with roasted garlic added right before they get mashed. It’s delicious both ways, so do it the way that speaks to your mashed potato loving heart!

*This recipe doubles easily if you have a big crowd to feed.

*I have mashed this recipe by hand and using an electric stand mixer. I prefer using a mixer because it’s so much faster and easier!

*Yukon Golds are another great variety for mashing. I have also used Russets, but I don’t like the texture *quite* as much. Many people love Russets for mashing though, so try what sounds best! Stick with it if you like it, or try something else if you think they could improve. No matter what you choose, you really can’t go wrong!

If you need some flavored butter for your holiday spread, be sure to try this Chive Butter (pictured above) or Garlic-Basil Butter. You can enjoy these flavored butters on mashed potatoes, steamed or roasted veggies, crusty bread or soft rolls.

Garlic-Basil Butter

October 14, 2014 by Becky

Flavored butters are a simple way to add a touch of sophistication to your meal, especially this garlic-basil butter. Impress your guests or add it to a weeknight meal. It’s fancy enough for company, but easy enough for every day! It takes only minutes to prepare, but it makes even a simple meal seem a little more fancy with delicious flavor!

If you want to take it up a notch, you can have an assortment of herbed butters by adding our chive butter to your spread. (Spread. Ha! Sadly, that pun was intended.)

We love simple recipes, and this one fits the bill. Garden-fresh herbs and veggies don’t always need a lot of dressing up. This butter really lets the flavor of the garlic and basil shine through without overpowering your dish. Summertime perfection!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/garlic-basil-butter/

Give this garlic-basil butter a try the next time you have fresh herbs, you will not be disappointed in the lovely flavor, and you will love how easy it is to whip up!

Butter freezes very well. Place the butter on a piece of waxed or parchment paper. Roll it into a cylindrical shape, then twist the ends of the paper to seal. You can place it in a freezer bag for an extra layer of protection, if desired. When you need some basil butter, unwrap the log and slice off a disc to use for toast or veggies, or in your recipe. This is a great option if you are trying to use as much basil as you can at the end of your harvest, and it’s just as easy to make a big batch as it is a single batch.

Enjoy!

How to Freeze Basil Pesto

October 9, 2014 by Becky

Pesto is a great way to use up a lot of basil if your garden is bursting at the seams, or if you need to harvest it before a drop in temperature. The basil pesto recipe we posted last week is a great one to try, especially if you’re looking for a less expensive pesto that still has wonderful flavor (we used pecans instead of pine nuts!).

But what if you make a big batch of pesto and you can’t finish it before it starts to go bad? Freeze it! Freezing pesto is simple, but we have a few tips to keep it fresh and green. Pesto oxidizes (darkens when exposed to air), so keep reading to find out how to keep it looking bright and green!

Start out with clean ice cube trays and a cookie scoop. My scoop is 1 tablespoon, and since two would have overfilled the tray, I placed one scoop in each pocket. You will need just a little space at the top, so don’t fill it completely full.

Once you have all of your pesto scooped into the trays, gently tap them on the counter to remove any air bubbles and to settle the pesto into an even layer. Lightly drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top of each pesto cube. This will help seal out any air that could turn your pesto brown.
When you are finished drizzling the oil, cover the tray with a layer of plastic wrap and press it gently onto the pesto to remove the air. Once the air has been pressed out, just place it in the freezer!

I missed a spot on the plastic wrap…it probably pulled when I picked up the tray. Check yours before you set it in the freezer just to make sure it didn’t shift like mine! Because of the oil, it retained it’s green color as it froze, but I like to be double sure that my food will be perfect when I want to use it!

Once your pesto is frozen (I left mine overnight), remove the plastic wrap and run the bottom of the trays under cold water for a second or two to loosen the pesto, if necessary (be careful not to get water on the pesto).

Label a gallon size freezer bag, being sure to include the size of your pesto cubes.

Now just remove the cubes from the trays and toss them all in the bag!

They should be a lovely green color. Now you are ready to pull out exactly how much you need when you’re ready to eat it! Garden-fresh flavor any time. Doesn’t get much better!
Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible before you put your bag of pesto in the freezer, and you’re done! Easy!

Basil Pesto

October 1, 2014 by Becky

If you still have tons of basil in your garden and can’t stand to see it go to waste at the end of the season, basil pesto is the perfect solution! You can make it exactly how you like it for MUCH less than you will pay at the grocery store. It’s delicious in all sorts of recipes…and you can even freeze it (stay tuned for simple instructions)! There are so many reasons to make pesto, so don’t let that beautiful basil go to waste!

Pesto is very versatile…you can make it a strong flavor or make it more mild (which is especially helpful if you’re cooking for kids – or anyone else – who doesn’t like strong flavors!), and you can even add in other greens and different kinds of nuts. This recipe changes up traditional pesto just a little bit, but it still has a wonderful, rich flavor that will make you happy you made a big batch! You can always make a smaller batch, but if you have a lot of basil from your garden, this recipe is perfect for using it up!

Ingredients

https://westerngardens.com/basil-pesto/

Enjoy your pesto tossed with pasta, on baked potatoes or spread on bread! And stay tuned for some upcoming recipes that use this delicious pesto!

Pine nuts are traditionally used in pesto, and walnuts are often used as a substitution. We used pecans in our recipe and loved the results!

For a stronger flavor, add in one additional cup of basil leaves and omit the spinach.