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3 Simple Tips for Picking Ripe Cantaloupe

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tips for picking ripe cantaloupe

If you’re like me, you can use some tips for picking ripe cantaloupe, because it can be hard to tell when it’s ready to eat!

I find it disappointing to be preparing a cantaloupe for dinner, only to take one taste and it is bland and flavorless.  I’ve learned my lesson and discovered how to choose or pick a cantaloupe that is ripe and ready to eat.  Now when I’m either picking fruit at the store or from my own garden, there are three simple tips to remember to help you wisely spend your money and time.

vine ripened cantaloupe

Follow these simple tips to choose a melon that is ripe and ready to eat.

  1. LOOK – Cantaloupe should be a nice golden yellow color.  Don’t pick cantaloupe that are greenish.  They are not ready!  Don’t worry about rough spots that may be on the outside of your cantaloupe.  They don’t mean anything as to the ripeness.
  2. FEEL – You should be able to feel the edges of the outer skin.  A smooth skin means it is not ripe.  The flower end (the end not attached to the vine) is soft.  You should be able to press it gently in.  If it springs back out after pressing, your cantaloupe is ready.
  3. SMELL – Place the flower end or the “button” of the cantaloupe just under your nose and take a whiff.  A strong sweet aroma indicates the cantaloupe is ready.  Sometimes you will smell the strong aroma without smelling the button.  If it doesn’t have a scent, don’t pick it or buy it.  It is not sweet.

Cantaloupe from the store or market can be yummy, but my favorite is freshly picked from my garden. Now when I eat cantaloupe, it is like a little slice of heaven. Picked right off the vine, it is heavy, fragrant, juicy, and still warm from sitting in the sun.  I love to garden!

TIP FOR GROWING:  Be sure to begin your seeds indoors early spring so you can have good healthy larger plants when it is warm enough outside.  Melons like a long hot growing season!

Fresh From The Garden Gift Tags

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gift tags for garden produce for neighbor gifts
We’re heading into the very best time of the year when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables.  If you’ve got a garden you know how quickly, once things start to ripen, you can end up with lots of extras.  These Fresh from the Garden gift tags may be incentive to get out and share your joy!

I have loved sharing my bounty with friends and neighbors over the years.  It’s always nice when something I’m not in need of brings a smile to someone else’s face.

July 15th is National “Give Something Away” Day.  I created these bright “Fresh from the Garden” and “From our Garden to You” printable tags to celebrate this fun day.  Grab a small basket (or large, depending on your bounty), fill it with garden fresh fruits and veggies, print off a cute tag and deliver to one of your favorite people.

This would also be a cheerful tag to use with a fresh loaf of zucchini bread or other garden fresh treat.
Ready to print garden gift tag for giving fruits and vegetable away from your garden.

Click HERE for the Fresh From the Garden tag.

Garden gift tag "From Our Garden to You!" - ready to print

Click HERE for the From Our Garden to You tag.

I think sharing is one of my favorite things about having a garden (and having chickens, I love sharing fresh eggs).  In the past, a few neighbors and I were very intentional with our gardening.  We looked at the things we knew we wanted to grow and used a lot of and then sort of split up the planting.  Why would everybody in the neighborhood plant zucchini plants when we knew a couple well maintained plants would supply more than enough for us all.  Same with tomatoes and cucumbers.  As I’m trying my hand more at canning having a couple plants each of my own has been awesome and there is still plenty to share.
Fresh from the garden gift tags to use on a basket of produce for someone in need.
I hope you take advantage of National Give Something Away Day this July 15th.  Remember while these fresh from the garden and from our garden to you tags are created for you to gift something from your garden this is also an opportunity for other ways to give something away.

Give Something Away Idea – Go through your home, find those items that are still in good repair that are just not being utilized by you or your family, then donate them as well!

Give Something Away Idea – Put together your own little farmer’s market where neighbors can gather and share their bounty.

Give Something Away Idea – Create a little swap-n-shop where people can bring things they no longer need and look through things others have brought that might be a perfect fit in their home.

You can download the free printable tags here and here.  We’d love to see how you use them!
Happy Summer!!

June Gardening To-Do List

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Welcome gardening friends!  So glad you stopped by!

Not sure what to do in your yard & garden this month? Check out our June to-do list on www.westerngardens.com

Do you love to work in your yard, but aren’t sure of all the things you should be doing?  Then you’re in luck!  We’ve put together a list of things to do in June!

Not sure what to do in your yard & garden this month? Check out our June gardening to-do list on www.westerngardens.com

You may not need to do everything on this list.  For example, if you don’t have a cherry tree, you won’t need to worry about treating for Cherry Fruit Flies.  Just pick what applies to your yard and plan out when you will do it all throughout the month!

June Gardening To-Do List

➺Plant shrubs, trees and evergreens

➺Fertilize vegetables every 4 weeks with a slow-release fertilizer, and
fertilize roses

➺Watch For Insects show a sample in a clear plastic bag to a garden expert if you suspect a problem

➺Fertilize Lawns and apply iron sulfate if needed (to green up your grass)

➺Watch For Insects like grasshoppers, potato bettle, squash bug & spider mites.  If you suspect a problem, take a sample in a clear plastic bag to a garden expert.

➺Thin Out fruit trees for a better yield

➺Control Powdery Mildew on apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines,
grapes, peas, roses & euonymous

➺Treat For Cherry Fruit Fly when cherries begin to turn pink, unless already
using fruit tree spray

➺Control Peach Twig Borer once a month with spinosad

➺Watch For Slugs & Snails control with bait or other techniques

➺Adjust Sprinklers if needed, for increasing heat

➺Move And Replant Bulbs if the foliage has died down

➺Watch For Lawn Insects and treat as necessary

➺Prune & Fertilize flowering shrubs

➺Watch For Signs Of Lawn Disease take a sample to a garden expert if you
suspect a problem

➺Control tobacco budworm on geraniums & petunias

➺Control Weeds before they set & disperse seed

➺Plant Outside
Until June 15th: carrots & endive
Until July 1st: cauliflower, parsley, swiss chard, rutabaga
Until July 15th: beets & broccoli
Until Sept 1st: radishes

*This is not an exhaustive list.  If we’ve overlooked something important, feel free to leave a comment and we will add it to the list!

If you’re local to the Salt Lake area, come in to any of our locations with questions or samples!

Not sure what to do in your yard & garden this month? Check out our June to-do list on www.westerngardens.com

utah gardening to-do list in April

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Utah Gardening To-Do List in April | Easy Garden Tips | How to Garden in Utah | Beginning GardenerFeeling overwhelmed with so much to do in your yard?   Wondering where to start? lawn? vegetable garden? flower beds?  Check out our helpful Utah Gardening To-Do List in April for the Wasatch Front in Utah.  If you live in a similar growing season, this list can work for you too.

Realize that you may not need to do everything on this list; skip over those that do not apply to your yard.

Take the entire month to do the list.  None of us can do it all in one day off.  Enjoy the process of being out in your yard and digging in the soil.  In other words, stop to smell the roses or other blooms this month.

If you need some inspiration, stop by your local independent garden center like Western Gardens in West Valley or Salt Lake City.  We would love to show you our #1 quality material, expert knowledge, and friendly personal service to inspire and help you be a satisfied and successful gardener.  Your success is our success.

Press HERE for the April Gardening To Do List.

Here are a few blooms at Western this last week.

cold crop starts at local independent garden center in Utah geum bloom at western garden centers utah utah hellebores at western gardens celery starts on a rainy day at garden center salt lake city western gardens shipment of heuchera pansies of all colors at garden center in utah buttercup primrose blooms at western garden centers utah bees love saxifraga at salt lake city western garden centers unique succulents at salt lake and west valley city garden centers burkwood viburnum in bloom west valley western gardens

Drop in and see more!

western gardens two locations in utah

Red, White & Blue Patriotic Flower Pot

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Hi friends, thanks for stopping by!

Red, White & Blue Flower Pots to dress up your patriotic 4th of July porch!

Patriotic Flower PotDo you love unique, patriotic outdoor decor?  Especially when flowers are involved?  Me too!

When I started my flower pots this year I knew I wanted a red, white & blue patriotic flower pot.  I love how all the colors look together and I love how this variety of flowers blend in this container.  The colors, the flower sizes & styles, and the greenery all just work perfectly.
Patriotic Flower PotI’m so happy with how my pots are doing this year!  I know that learning the proper steps from the Garden Solution Experts at Western Gardens has really increased my success, and because of how well my plants are doing, I keep wanting to plant more and more!

For a perfect flower pot in Red, White and Blue, start with your choice of pot (make sure it has drainage holes in the bottom).  Fill your pot 1/3 full with packing peanuts (this helps with drainage and takes up space without adding weight to the pot) and then fill another 1/3 full of fresh potting soil (I use Gardener’s Gold).  Lay your plants out how you want them to look in the pot before removing them from their plastic containers and filling the rest of the way with potting soil.
Patriotic Flower Pot

Red, White & Blue Patriotic Flower Pot:

Red – Verbena Voodoo Red Star, Verbena Obsession Red, Zonal Geranium
Blue – Lobelia Dark Blue
White – Petuna and Bacopa Snowtopia White
Green – Cordyline Indivisa Spikes

Both the Cordyline Spikes and the Zonal Geranium are the thrillers for this pot.  My spillers are the Bacopa Snowtopia White and the Lobelia Dark Blue.  The fillers for this pot are White Petunia and Verbena Voodoo Red Star and Verbena Obsession Red.

I planted the Spikes and Geranium in the middle of the pot and then laid my other flowers out in a red/white/blue pattern around the outside.  It has all filled in so perfectly, I just love it!
Patriotic Flower Pot
I’m excited to create a smaller table top version of this pot for my 4th of July decor.  It’s hard not to create 20 of these pots to line the whole front of my house, they’re just perfect for the summer!

For more 4th of July fun check out these projects!
Patriotic Flower PotHand Print Flag Shirt – United States of America Wood Sign – Patriotic Star String Art

Warm Weather Plants for Porch Pots

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Hi there, I’m so glad you stopped by!

If your porch pots or window boxes need some freshening up, don't miss this list of warm-weather plants to add! Beautiful and perfect for summer.

Did you start your porch pot or window boxes early in the Spring?  Are you ready to refresh your plants that may look a little past their prime, and get some warm-weather flowers in there?  Then you’ve come to the right place!  I’m sharing some of my favorites flowers to freshen up my pots.

warm weather 2

This year I started my flower pots and window boxes early (you can see how my window boxes started here and how my pots started here). I loved finding plants and flowers that brightened up my porch while we still had unpredictable weather with snow and cold snaps.

Now that we’re in to summer, it’s time to add warm-weather plants to my pots and window boxes…plants that will do well in the heat of Utah summers.

I’m sharing 10 gorgeous flowers that do well in the heat and will really make your pots and window boxes stand out this summer!
western gardens 3

Warm-Weather Plants for Porch Pots:

  1. Petunias
  2. Hawaiian Mahalo
  3. Bacopa Snowtopia White
  4. Pentas
  5. Lantana
  6. Million Bells
  7. Sweet Potato Vine (gorgeous for spilling over pots)
  8. Lobelia
  9. Bidens (usually just comes in yellow, this year Western Gardens has it in red and orange too!)
  10. Portulaca

Click NEXT for photos of each of these flowers, so you can see what they look like before you go to the nursery!

Western Gardens | Utah

DIY Tabletop Terra Cotta Fire Pit

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Hi there, thanks for stopping by today!

DIY Fire Pit: Make Your Own Campfire At Home For Less Than $5 | Western Gardens

Do you love camping with your family in the summer?  Roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over a fire with the people you enjoy most?  Me too!

Some of my favorite memories are of camping in the mountains, at the lake, in the desert, and even in the backyard!  I can’t wait to make the same memories with my boys…but since I’m 20+ weeks pregnant, sleeping on the ground isn’t very appealing.
DIY Fire Pit: Make Your Own Campfire At Home For Less Than $5 | Western Gardens

So we’re bringing my favorite part of camping right to our front porch—campfires!

There’s nothing better than sitting around a camp fire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores and just spending time together, laughing and telling stories. Currently we live in a great little townhome community— without a backyard—so building a fire pit was out of the question.

I couldn’t let that stop me!

DIY Fire Pit: Make Your Own Campfire At Home For Less Than $5 | Western GardensI took matters into my own hands and made a mini fire pit out of a terra cotta pot for our front porch!  I took my husband, who is definitely the brains of our family, into Western Gardens and he picked out this terra cotta pot with holes in the bottom.  The holes allow more oxygen to enter the pot (just like on a charcoal grill), which will let the fire burn longer.

Longer lasting fires are perfect for those summer nights when the kids are playing, grown ups are chatting and you want to be able to make more s’mores when you get that craving (which happens a lot when you’re pregnant!).

Click NEXT to get the simple instructions!

Western Gardens | Utah

7 Best Flowers for Beginning Gardeners

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Hi there! I’m so happy you’re here!
Just starting out in the garden? Not sure what to plant? Check out 7 plants for the beginning gardener! Beautiful and easy to grow flowers.

Are you just starting out in the gardening world and looking for a great list of flowers that are easy to grow AND beautiful?  Then you’ve come to the right place!

But first, I come to you with a confession—I was a Black Thumb most of my life. What’s a Black Thumb you ask? If a Green Thumb is someone who can make a garden blossom and grow, a Black Thumb is the opposite—a plant killer.

Yes, it’s true.

I grew up with parents and grandparents who loved gardening, and who created beautiful yards and gardens every year. Their yards were curated beautifully and I loved spending time with the fragrant blooms, feeling a sense of tranquility and peace in their spaces.

When we bought our home several years ago, I thought for certain that I would have that same ability.

But, I was wrong. I should have known better. After all, I almost killed a nearly-unkillable plant while working for my Dad in college. I’d only remember to water it when it started wilting. And that was about once a month!

After a sad attempt at gardening the first Spring in our home, I basically gave up altogether. My husband takes care of our lawn and landscape, and we have never actually had flower beds—just beautiful trees and bushes. Things that are hard to kill!

This year, however, my black thumb has turned GREEN, and I hope you will join me on this journey!

Because I’m a beginner too, I am going to share with you 7 of the best plants for a beginning gardner. So grab those gardening gloves and shovels and let’s get to work!

Click NEXT for 5 TIPS before you start planting your flowers!

Western Garden Centers | Salt Lake City | Sandy | West Valley UTAH

Cool Season Vegetables vs. Warm Season Vegetables

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Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here!

Do you know when to plant your veggies? (Hint: cool and warm season veggies aren't planted at the same time!) These handy lists will tell you what's what and when to plant!

Are you itching for beautiful weather so you can get your veggies planted?  You are not alone!  Fresh vegetables are the highlight of most gardens, with fresh, healthy and delicious produce.  Just make sure to plant the right veggies at the right time to get the best results!

Vegetable garden season is upon us and many gardeners are happily planning out their shopping trips to the nursery. It’s tempting to put out every kind of vegetable that you want to grow, all at the same time.

However, it’s important to know whether the types you are planting are cool season vegetables or warm season vegetables so that you can plant them at the appropriate times and help ensure the best crop possible.

Click NEXT to see the Cool Season Veggies and when to plant them!

Western Garden Centers | Salt Lake City | Sandy | West Valley UTAH

Image by *Jay~bay* under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives License

10 Veggies to Plant Now to Save Money Later

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Hello! So glad to you’re here!  header

Do you love fresh, delicious produce, but you also love saving money?  Then you’re in the right place!  I’m sharing ten of my favorite veggies that not only taste better grown at home, but’ll keep more green in your wallet, too!

I am blessed with a household of children who love to eat veggies.  When I hear parents planning/plotting ways to get more veggies into their children’s diet I say a silent prayer of gratitude that isn’t a battle I have to fight!

But because we love our veggies so much, we tend to fly through them, especially during the summer months, when it’s hot and a heavy meal is too much.  This year, instead of running to the grocery store every other day, we can just run out to the garden!

Let me start by saying, if your family hates tomatoes, growing them yourself probably won’t make your kids suddenly love them (even though they definitely taste better than store-bought!).

So before you start planting, think of things your family enjoys and build around that.  Eat a ton of spinach?  Plant a ton!  Love kale, but hate spending $5 every week for a bag of organic baby leaves?  Put that on your garden list.  Save money by planting what you’ll actually eat and cross them off your grocery list!

There are a ton of great veggies that grow well here in Utah.  My list saves me money every year and they taste amazing fresh from the garden (and yes, I know a tomato isn’t botanically a vegetable, but in our house it falls into that category!).

Click NEXT to see what 10 garden veggies are saving me money!

Western Garden Centers | Salt Lake City | Sandy | West Valley UTAH

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