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fruit trees

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

Fall Pruning Your Utah Garden – Basics

October 5, 2017 by Wendy Pettit

Time to do your fall pruning in your Utah garden along the Wasatch Front.  Pruning your garden for winter is fairly simple. Follow two main basic pruning rules and then follow guidelines for various plants listed.

Follow these simple guidelines for fall pruning your garden and yard.

GENERAL Pruning Rules to Remember:

Rule #1 – Don’t prune plants until they are finished blooming.

Rule #2 – Prune dead or broken branches at any time of the season.

FALL Pruning Guidelines:

Fall Pruning of Flowering Shrubs

To keep with Rule #1, remember not to prune fall blooming shrubs until they are done blooming.  Examples of fall blooming shrubs include Rose of Sharon, Hydrangeas, etc. Spring blooming shrubs (forsythia, spirea, lilac, etc) should be pruned in the spring or summer after they are done blooming. Often, these shrubs bloom on new growth, so prune them early in the season to get some good growth for the next year’s blooms.

Before you get started pruning your flowering shrub, keep in mind to retain and enhance the shrub’s naturally graceful habit. Take care not to cut the shrub into a boxy or unnatural shape (unless you want to sacrifice flowers and make a hedge). Remove dead and crossing branches.  Cut ¼ of the oldest canes to the ground. This gives the plant renewed strength, letting light and air circulation into the center of the plant and provides growing space for new flowering stems.

fall pruning your evergreen shrubs

Fall Pruning of Upright Evergreen Shrubs

Lightly prune to shape.  Shrubs like Arborvitae may need wrapping or tying with twine to keep the snow from breaking off the branches.

Fall Pruning of Rose Bushes

Pruning depth depends on the type of rose.  If a hybrid tea or a floribunda type, prune down to 24” above ground.  Otherwise, prune to shape the bush. Prune out dead and broken branches. May mulch around the base of the bush in case of unexpected sub-zero winter temperatures.  In the spring, if there has been winter damage, you will be able to prune off the winter-kill.  Click here for a good article on how to prune your roses.  

fall pruning your vines in your utah garden

Fall Pruning of Vines

Pruning depends all upon the type of vine.  Some clematis need pruning, other clematis do not.  Follow the directions on the plant tag from a reputable local garden center, or ask the experts at the local nursery.

fall pruning your berry plants

Fall Pruning of Berry Plants

Again, pruning requirements drastically vary depending on type of berry and cultivar.   Ever-bearing plants require different pruning techniques than main crop berries.  And even then there are different needs.  You don’t want to trim back too far in the fall if you need to leave that newer growth for next year’s berries.  Again, consult the expert gardeners at your reputable garden center.  Be sure to know what variety of berry you have.

fall pruning your utah fruit trees

Fall Pruning of Fruit Trees

Do not prune fruit trees until winter when they are dormant, i.e. leaves have fallen and temperatures are in 30’s & 40’s.  In northern Utah, we recommend pruning during January and February.  Follow proper tree pruning techniques in the winter.  Winter Pruning video.  Remember that at any time, you can prune away dead or broken branches.

fall mowing your lawn for winter

Fall Mowing “Pruning” of Lawn/Turf

Mowing your lawn is actually a type of “pruning”.  Your last mowing of the season should be shorter than during the summer months when you want the shade of the blades to help retain moisture in the soil and more green for healthier roots.  When you are ready to put your lawnmower away, set your lawn mower to 1½” setting and give your lawn a good pruning!  WARNING:  Don’t be overly ambitious and “scalp” the lawn.  A nice short cut is desired, but you don’t want to injure the base of the plant.  

Additional Fall Lawn Note:  Now is a time to spread your fall fertilizer.  If you have had issues with fungus, now is the time to apply a fungicide treatment.  Also, weed control is still viable when daily high temperatures are higher than 55-60 degrees. Weeds love the forgotten fall lawn.

fall pruning your utah perennials

Fall Pruning of Perennials

Be sure to remember Rules #1 and #2 above.  Not pruning until the plant finishes blooming also applies to dividing and transplanting in the fall.  Don’t transplant until the plant is done blooming.  This means that your fall bloomers like Autumn Joy Sedum, chrysanthemums, etc., need to finish blooming before you divide and transplant or prune.  Be patient! You have plenty of other pruning and garden work to do.  These are the last ones to prune before the beds are done for the winter.  

Two Additional General Fall Pruning Rules for Most Perennials: 

  1. Prune when the plants begin to die back, leaving their greenery to continue feeding the roots as long as possible. 
  2. Cut them down to 3-4 inches above the soil. This is because most perennials die down to the ground in the winter.  Leaving 3 inches will mark the plants during winter.  Also in the spring the 3-4 inches is low enough you won’t need to go back and prune as the plant emerges.  

EXCEPTIONS to Pruning Perennial Rules:  Woody perennials like lavender need only light pruning to shape and evergreen perennials like candytuft should also only be lightly pruned.  If you question what to prune or how much, follow the guidance from your master gardener at the independent garden center like Western Gardens.  We would love to help you have a successful garden.

How to prune ground cover in the fall

Fall Pruning of Ground Covers –

Simply trim lightly.

How to prune your ornamental grasses in the fall

Fall Pruning of Ornamental Grasses

If you enjoy the silhouette of your grasses, leave them to admire throughout late fall.  Later trim to 6-8 inches above ground.

Fall Pruning Questions:

If you have any questions about fall pruning for winter, please feel free to stop by our Western Garden Centers and visit with one of our expert gardeners. We’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Fall Reminder:

While you are pruning and cleaning up, breathe deep the fresh autumn crisp air and admire the changes taking place in your garden.

What fall pruning do you enjoy doing in your yard?

 

The beginner basics of fall pruning your utah garden for winter.

Photo credit: Pixabay

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Filed Under: Gardening, How To, Lawn Care, Tips & How To's, Utah Gardening, Yard Care Tagged With: berries, berry plants, evergreen shrubs, fall pruning, flowering shrubs, fruit trees, ground cover, ornamental grasses, Perennials, perennials pruning, pruning, pruning roses, rose bushes, roses, shrubs

How to Choose an Apple Tree in Utah

September 21, 2017 by Wendy Pettit

Learn 3 important criteria to choose the right apple tree for your yard

Photo by Pixabay

Fall is a wonderful time to plant trees and the apple tree is one of the easiest fruit trees to grow.  Surprisingly, how to choose an apple tree is easy to learn as well.  Learn these three basic criteria as you prepare for this investment.  Nearly all apple trees require a second variety close by in order to pollinate.  So as you are considering, be sure to have a first and second choice.

How to Choose an Apple Tree – 3 Criteria:

  1. Right SIZE – Choose the right size of tree for your space.  You need to look at your space and maybe even measure the space so you know what you are purchasing.
  2. Right VARIETY – Type of fruit desired.  Do you want fresh eating apples, or just cooking apples?  You will be investing time and effort into you tree, so they may as well be apples that will please you and serve your purpose.
  3. Right TIME – When does it flower and when is harvest time.  Apples require a second variety to cross-pollinate, therefore you want 2 apples trees that will bloom about the same time.
Tree size for the right space is important when you choose an apple tree

Photo by Pixabay

SIZES of Trees:

  • Standard size tree – can grow to 25-30 feet tall along Wasatch Front with a spread of 25-30 feet.  You need a large area for the standard size tree.  Standard trees take 4-8 years to produce mature fruit.  These trees are very good in cold-climates, but be ready to prune every year.
  • Semi-dwarf (sometimes called half-standard) – can grow 12-15 feet tall along the Wasatch Front and same width if not pruned.  This tree will have mature fruit in 3-5 years.
  • Dwarf or Genetic Dwarf tree or Bush trees – Can grow 6-10 feet tall along the Wasatch Front and just as wide.  These trees produce mature fruit in 3-4 years.
  • Others:  There are several other types of fruit trees.  These would include espalier and columnar.  See your local experts at the neighborhood nursery for what will grow in your area and for availability.

Nearly all semi-dwarf and dwarf or bush trees are grafted.  Growers graft or attach the desired fruiting branch to a “rootstock” trunk.  The rootstock determines how big your tree will get.  Shopping your reputable local garden nursery will ensure that you are buying a quality product – good grafting onto a quality rootstock.  There are different rootstocks for different areas.  Your local nursery experts will only sell what will work here along the Wasatch Front, versus a big company back east somewhere that orders for their stores throughout the country.

How to choose an apple tree with the right variety of apple for your needs.

Photo by Pixabay

VARIETY of Fruit:

There are literally over 7000 apple varieties.  Obviously many more than what you find at the local grocery market.  Visiting a good local farmers market can expose you to other varieties you can taste before you make an investment into your own tree.

Click HERE to see a basic break down of the more popular varieties and their best uses.

 

Remember that your tree is your investment, so you want to produce something you will use and enjoy for years and years to come.  Apples trees can live as long as 60 years or more.

The blooming time of apple trees is important to pollinate the blossoms.

Photo by Pixabay

TIMES for Blooming:

As mentioned above, nearly all apples need a pollinator apple tree in the general area.  If you have neighbors that have apples trees, planting one in your yard should still give you plenty of harvest.  But if you are the only one, then you may need to plant two different varieties of apples.  For example, in commercial orchards, farmers often plant some golden delicious apple trees along with their main crop.  Golden Delicious trees are known to be good pollinators.  Be sure to choose two varieties that overlap their flowering time.

Midseason bloomers:

  • Crimson Beauty
  • Gala
  • Jonamac
  • Jonathan
  • McIntosh
  • Golden Delicious
  • Jonagold
  • and others

Late bloomers:

  • Fuji
  • Granny Smith
  • Rome Beauty
  • Winesap
  • and others

Poor pollinators:  Jonagold and Winsesap (plus a few more), are considered poor pollinators.  Don’t plan on them being your pollinating tree.

Hardiness and Cold Requirements:  Be sure to check at your local garden center for those varieties that are actually hardy for your area.  You need to choose an apple tree that will survive your climate year round.  And on the other hand, realize that apples require a certain amount of cold temperatures to have the sugars set and the fruit to ripen properly.  If the fruit doesn’t get the required coldness, the fruit will be a disappointment for all the time and effort you’ve put into your harvest.

For example, my parents planted a Red Delicious apple down south in the area of St. George, Utah.  The fruit grew but never turned red and always had a mealy texture and flavor. The fruit never was like their Red Delicious apples from their trees up in northern Utah.  The tree eventually was cut out.

Conclusion:

Now you know the basic criteria for how to choose an apple tree.  You need to consider the right size of tree, the right type of apple, and the right blooming time for good pollination. What a great investment for your yard, yourself, and your family!

In future posts, we will go through proper planting procedures, learn about any pest control needed, and how and when to properly prune your tree.   Soon you will be enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Check out these recipes for apple goodies (submitted by Western Garden patrons):

Simple Apple Chips and Apple Pie Filling

Simple Applesauce and Apple Butter

 

Learn 3 important criteria to choose an apple tree for your yard

Filed Under: Fruit, Gardening, How To, Trees, Utah Gardening Tagged With: Apple trees, blooming time, choosing trees, fruit trees, How To, how to choose, tree size, utah apple trees, utah fruit trees

It’s Time to Thin Fruit Trees

June 8, 2017 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome Gardening Friend! Glad you dropped in.

Did you know it is important to thin fruit trees from all the blossoms that were pollinated?  Read why it is important and some tips on how to do it!

If all went well in your garden this year, your fruit trees were covered in blossoms that were successfully pollinated. Now your tree branches are filled with a plethora of small fruit that promises to be a bumper crop. All that’s left to do is to keep an eye out until harvest to treat any insects or diseases, right?

Now is the time to thin your fruit trees and remove a lot of the developing fruit.

“Wait,” you say. “Don’t I want all the fruit that the tree produces? I was hoping to can up lots of jams, as well as eat them fresh. If I take some off, I certainly won’t have enough!”

Fruit that is too close on a tree won't be as good as if you had thinned it, likely

These are clustered far too close together. Image by Swallowtail Garden Seeds under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

Think About How the Tree Produces Fruit

Each year, the tree is driven to create flowers and fruit in an effort to reproduce itself. Since at least some of them are destined to fail (frost at a tender time, failure to pollinate, and other disasters), the plant will produce as many fruits as possible.

The most important part of the fruit, reproduction-wise, is the seed inside. The fruit surrounding it is meant in part to help entice animals to eat the fruit and deposit the seed somewhere else, where it can germinate. However, it takes energy and nutrients to form the sweet flesh. When the tree is loaded up, these nutrients have to be spread out between them and you get smaller fruit overall. They will also likely not be as sweet as they could have been if thinned.

You Also Run the Risk of Tree Damage

Even though the sight of a tree branch completely loaded with fruit is a delightful thought, it can be very stressful for the tree if it has to bear so much weight. In some cases, it can even cause the tree to break. You could try to prop up the branch in an effort to avoid this, but it is safer if you just remove the proper amount.

Thin you fruit trees for optimal production

These peaches are properly thinned and look like they’ll be luscious! Image by Forest & Kim under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

How DO You Thin Your Fruit Trees, Then?

When the fruits are about 3/4″ in diameter (about the size of a dime), it’s time to perform this task. Grab a pair of trusty hand pruners and head on over to your tree. You may also need a ladder, depending on height. Start looking over the branches to find the best fruit. Take off any of them with visible damage or that is smaller than others in the cluster. Leave only one fruit out of each bunch. In the end, you want all fruit to be no closer than 6″ for optimal results.

In the end, you want all fruit to be no closer than 6″ for optimal results. Your tree will thank you, and the fruit that you harvest will be large and higher quality.

Make sure that you thin your fruit trees every year

Have you thinned your fruit trees yet?

Filed Under: Fruit, Gardening, Trees, Utah Gardening Tagged With: fruit trees, thinning fruit trees, tree care

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