Late Landscape Show

My idea of a good time is losing myself in the garden but I must confess it’s right up there with spending time on the water. Many of you have told me that you enjoy my fish tales as much as I do, so here are a few words about my latest angling adventure.

This week’s photo was taken Thursday on the shores of Lake Powell. I needed some “male bonding time” with friends from around the country so we spent last week hunting the illusive striper. This four-pounder was hanging out at the 60-foot level and gave a serious fight as he reached the boat. He was fat and melt-in-your- mouth-good, which made for a delicious dinner around the campfire. Truly, a life-enriching experience!

Over the years I have initiated several new garden center ventures, departments, and farming operations. My latest undertaking, a huge online garden center, www.wattersstore.com, was launched this week! It was intended as a really good resource for local gardeners, but the first sale was shipped to California. Of all things, it was a hydroponic item that constituted the first sale.

The most exciting moment of any new business is the first sale. It was a real pleasure to enjoy this special moment once again. I am so excited that I plan to frame that first order and hang it in my conference room.

Selling online garden items like composters, rain harvest systems, specialty seed, and other very specialized items makes good sense. The items are kept in the warehouse and shipped the same day the order is placed. If customers have any problems or questions, they have a brick-and-mortar garden center to assist with issues.

Seed, orchids, bromeliads, perennials, and roses are yet to come, but the 1800 items presently offered make for a tremendous, readily available stock of gardening necessities. I invite you to take a critical look at this new website and share your impressions and opinions with me.

Isn‘t fall one of the best times of year? Beautifully warm days are filled with bright sun, yet the evenings are cool enough to lull us to sleep the instant our heads hit our pillows. Without question, fall is the best time to plant trees, spring-blooming shrubs, evergreens, cool season vegetables, along with winter color plants like pansies, kale, and violas. The best selection of fall colored plants is at garden centers right now.

As I’ve mentioned before, the most important benefit to planting now is the reduced risk of transplant stress. Even though plants may lose their leaves to winter cold they continue to root. By the start of the spring growing season well-rooted trees and perennials will push out tremendous growth, proving the value of their fall planting. This is also the time to be fertilizing the entire yard with a balanced 7-4-4 organic plant food.

I’m excited to be helping out at the Yavapai County fair this week; I’ll be serving as one of the agriculture judges. You’ll also find me hanging out in the floriculture section answering gardening questions from 1 to 3pm on Saturday. Don’t hesitate to bring along your best fishing stories!

Until next week, I'll see you in the garden center.