In this episode, Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener, describes an encounter with a black bumblebee while setting up a garden display featuring hibiscus plants on antique cars. These unique insects, also known as cutter bees, are distinguished by their solid black appearance and their habit of creating perfectly round, dime-shaped holes in the leaves of plants. Despite their "cutting" behavior, cutter bees are docile and gentle pollinators, crucial for the health of flowers and vegetables.

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In this episode, Ken and Lisa of Watters Garden Center share how to grow better berries in the landscape. Ample sunlight and proper planting techniques are crucial to avoiding crown rot and growing plants that will produce the best berries. What else can you do to ensure you can grow better berries? Listen in to find out.

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In this episode, Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener, shares what it means to pinch flowers. He delves into the importance of "pinching" or "deadheading" flowers, especially perennials and wildflowers. By removing spent flowers, gardeners can force the plant to produce new blooms, resulting in a longer flowering period.

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In this episode, Ken Lain The Mountain Gardener, chats about healing drought-stressed gardens. When plants are severely impacted by unfavorable weather, consider removing and replacing them rather than waiting for recovery. For newly planted or struggling specimens, it's crucial to prepare the soil to ensure proper nutrition and aeration. What else can you do to help drought-stressed plants? Listen in to learn more.

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In this episode, Ken Lain The Mountain Gardener, discusses fast-growing plants for thick privacy screens in the landscape. Living walls in landscapes bring beauty to your landscape while also providing privacy. Check out the benefits of planting Arizona Cypress, Deodar Cedar, Colorado Spruce, and more.

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In this episode, Ken and Lisa of Watters Garden Center, share the best summer flowers for Perennial Gardens. Check out the great blooms including Shasta daisies, agastache, coreopsis, and more. Learn which plants hummingbirds love and which are great for animal resistant. Listen in to learn which bring bright color, elegant white blooms, and those that love the summer heat.

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In this episode, Ken Lain The Mountain Gardener, shares how to keep tiny black ants out of your kitchen and home. We've entered monsoon season and with the increase in moisture, you may notice an increased presence of tiny black ants. Learn some great tips in this episode listen in to learn how to make those ants disappear forever!

The speaker begins by highlighting the current rainy season and its influence on both plants and pests, specifically mentioning the increased presence of tiny black ants. Before delving into ant control, the discussion shifts to two featured plants ideal for summer planting: milkweed (Asclepias), a pollinator plant beloved by butterflies and suitable for containers, and Millennium Ornamental Onions (Alliums), which are drought-hardy, deer-resistant, and visually appealing. The core of the segment then focuses on combating the elusive tiny black ants, noting their difficulty to locate due to their hidden nests. While direct sprays kill visible ants, the most effective solution for an entire colony, particularly with hard-to-find nests, is Turf Ranger, a granular product activated by water that permeates the soil to eliminate nests and is highly effective against a variety of pests.

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In this episode, Ken and Lisa of Watters Garden Center cover the top shade trees for the Verde Valley. Summertime is here and the weather is hot but having some great shade in the yard can make a world of difference. Locust, elm, and ash are just part of the list! What else made the list? Listen in to find out.

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In this episode, Ken Lain The Mountain Gardener, shares how to organically control snails, slugs, and ants the easy way. From starting with healthy plants to the best pest control products, Ken Lain shares all you need to know about eliminating pests without harming desirable garden life or the environment.

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In this episode, Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener, discusses upcoming events and educational opportunities offered at the Garden Center. He talks about upcoming gardening classes in July and August and the Sip and Shop event on July 24th. Listen to hear about the upcoming events happening at Watters Garden Center.

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