Spring is sprung, the grass is ris.
I wonders where the birdies is.
They say the birds is on the wing.
Ain’t that absurd?
I always thought the wing was on the bird.
This springtime declaration, sometimes attributed to Ogden Nash or E. E. Cummings, is actually by an anonymous poet. However, Northern Arizonan gardeners do not go nameless when proclaiming that long-awaited spring is finally here.
Gardening enthusiasts know that high country gardening is a bit different. Sunshine, moisture, temperatures and soils vary greatly over a short growing season. The key to gardening success begins with quality plants well suited for growth and development in the northern region. Gardeners who have been in the area for a long time know that they need to choose well-acclimated and hardy plants that meet the growing demands of Northern Arizona and at Warner’s Nursery, that’s what you’ll find. Here are five additional tips for getting your home or workplace garden off to the right start this spring.
Five Quick Tips to get your Garden off to the Right Start:
- PRUNE: Prune any limbs and branches broken by the heavy spring snows.
- PREP: Soil type is critical to your garden’s success. Take a walk outside on a day when the ground is not too dry or wet, and scoop up a handful of soil. If it feels sticky and doesn’t crumble in your hands, your soil mimics clay and roots will have difficulty growing deep into the ground. If your soil slips through your fingers like sand, plants will have trouble soaking up nutrients because water drains too easily through the soil. However, if your soil maintains its shape until you physically crumble it with your hands, then you’ve got loam, the ideal type of soil for growing. Loam is thick enough to hold water, but thin enough to allow roots to dig in. If your soil isn’t loamy, the addition of Warner’s Supreme Planting Mix will do the trick.
- FEED: Test your soil’s fitness. You can’t make your soil drop and give you 20 push-ups, but you can put it through a fitness test to ensure it has the proper balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Stop by Warner’s to pick up a soil testing kit, and then speak to Warner’s experts about the results. An overabundance or shortage of any one of these elements affects growth.
- WEED: Mulch around flowers and vegetables to help suppress weed growth. Not sure of the difference between a weed and a cultivated plant? Take a sample to the horticulturalists at Warner’s.
- SEED: Understand your seedlings’ personalities. Before you plant anything in the ground, spend some time cultivating seedlings in starter containers using biodegradable peat pots. Once seedlings sprout, observe how each one adjusts to cooler or warmer temperatures. Understanding your seedlings’ personalities is critical to their development and growth. If you sow seeds too early, the cold air and ground could stunt their growth; a late frost may even kill them. On the other hand, if you sow too late, you’ll shortchange yourself and your seedlings by shaving critical days off the growing season. Stop by Warner’s and ask one of our experts about the ideal time to transition starter seedlings into the ground and the best way to go about it.
Warner’s Nursery and Garden Center grows many of its own plants to ensure that you get the best value and selection suited for growth in Northern Arizona. Right now in the heart of the Verde Valley, Warner’s is tending over 15 acres of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, trees and shrubs for Northern Arizona gardens.
No time to get your hands in the dirt? No worries; Warner’s landscape and design experts will take care of all your planting and maintenance needs.
Wonder where the “birdies is?” Talk to the experts at Warner’s and they can help you select plants that will attract the birds, bees and butterflies commonly found in your neighborhood. A Flagstaff Birding Check List is one of many tip sheets available for download at the information-rich Warner’s website.
It’s time to get growing and with a visit to your local hometown nursery. Warner’s experts will help you get started so that you’re sure to enjoy all that the season has to offer. Happy Gardening! FBN
Warner’s Nursery and Garden Center
1101 E. Butler Avenue, Flagstaff
928-774-1983
By Misti Warner
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