Pallet Gardening in Arizona

Pallet Gardening in Arizona

Lots of Arizona residents love gardening and reusing pallets in creative ways.  Used pallets are inexpensive, easy to find, inexpensive, and make a great place to grow flowers or succulents.  Pallet gardens are especially useful when living in apartments in large cities like Phoenix.  The vertical pallet garden can be stood up against a patio wall and get plenty of sun and fresh air.

Pallet Planter Types

There are two main types of pallet planters, those that are standing on end, and those that are laying down on the ground. The construction of each is quite different, as is the area you will use and display your garden.

Vertical Pallet Planter

Vertical Pallet Planter ArizonaVertical pallet planters are great for smaller patio areas. They provide enough space for the soil to sit securely between the slats and don’t take up much room on your patio. Having a place to grow flowers or decorative plants while living in apartments, makes for a nice touch of life, green, and color when your plants are growing or in bloom.

Horizontal Pallet Planter

Horizontal Pallet Planter ArizonaHorizontal pallet planters are designed to be similar to a raised garden bed. They are covered on the bottom and sides to hold the soil inside and allow plants to grow through the gaps in the wood, or slats. This can be a great option for people who want to be able to move their garden.

How to Build A Vertical Pallet Garden

There are 6 easy steps to building your vertical pallet garden. They are: getting your pallet, collecting gardening supplies, preparing your pallet, stapling on your landscaping fabric, planting your favorite flowers or succulents, and then enjoying your pallet garden.

Get Your Pallet

Getting your pallet can be as easy as placing a call to a couple local warehouses or buying an inexpensive pallet.  Even local nurseries sometimes have used pallets laying around that they need to get rid of. It’s a good idea to pick a pallet that hasn’t been used to transport any chemicals that might hinder the growth of your plants.

Get The Supplies

In addition to the pallet you will need a couple large bags of potting soil, a small roll of landscaping fabric, the flowers or succulents you would like to grow, sandpaper, a staple gun and staples. You can find all of these items at local hardware stores. Some popular plants that people put in their pallet gardens are annual flowers, or succulents.

Prepare The Pallet

While you are sure to have picked a great pallet any nails that are sticking out, rough spots, or areas that might stick someone should be removed and sanded to be safe.  Smooth out any dangerous spots with your sandpaper and use a hammer to remove any nails that might be sticking out.

Attach Your Landscaping Fabric

To hold the dirt in the back and sides you are going to cover them with the landscaping fabric. Flip your pallet so it is facing down and cover the entire back by rolling out your landscaping fabric. If your cover looks thin or your want to have your pallet garden last the longest it can, cover it twice. Make sure to cover the bottom, back, and sides of your pallet with the landscaping fabric. Staple it all into place by setting staples every 2 inches.

Inspect your staples twice and ensure that you have staples everywhere possible to help contain the dirt and make your pallet garden more robust.

Plant Your Flowers & Succulents

Flip your pallet garden over so the cover is facing down and begin by emptying your first bag of potting soil onto the pallet. Push the soil through the gaps in the slats and spread it out with a trowel. Repeat the process with your second bag of potting soil and make sure it is nice and tight. Once your soil is in place you can plant the flowers or succulents you have bought. After everything is planted and secure you and have a friend help you stand the garden up on its end. Make sure the direction you choose to stand it up isn’t open on the edge.

Enjoy Your Pallet Garden

Once the pallet garden is stood up at a safe angle you will be able to enjoy the color and sight of the flowers and succulents you have chose to grow. Having the extra splash of interest and color is fun to show off to friends and guests and simply a welcome touch of life in any residential setting.

Pallet Gardening Nurseries

If you want to build your own pallet garden A&P Nursery has you covered with the best plants, tools, and materials you will need to get started.  We have a great selection of bedding plants, succulents, and annual flowers that will add the color and beauty you are craving. If you have questions about the variety we carry you can call, or to see the full selection of plants, tools, and materials stop by one of our 4 locations.

Spring Vegetable Gardening Guide Made Easy

Spring Vegetable Gardening Guide Made Easy

Are you searching the internet for “Spring Vegetable Gardening Guide Made Easy“? If so we have a great guide for you to get the most of our your garden this year.  If you want to be enjoying your freshly grown produce earlier this year than ever, follow the guidance in this article.

Although various standard variety of garden vegetables are not able to be planted outdoors or from seed unless the soil has warmed up fully, and any threats of frost gone, there are still many crops you can plant in the cool season If you are looking to get a head start on your garden, and getting food to your kitchen earlier than the summer vegetables, then this list is for you.

Gardening Climates

Each area’s weather climate and patterns are different, so it will all be based on your local weather. These cool season vegetables are able to be planted directly in soil either uncovered or covered or under a low tunnel. Alternatively, they can be started in trays or pots and placed in a sunny window.

By planting your vegetables under a low tunnel or roe covers does not just assist with warming the soil faster, but it also helps to protect seedlings from any frosts. Of course, a long period of cold weather or a hard freeze could still kill the plants that use row covers.

Indoor Gardening Head Start
Indoor Gardening Head Start

One method is to start plants in trays or pots that are able to be moved outdoors into the sun on warm days, but brought back in at nighttime. This helps avoid any frost that may occur, if you don’t forget to bring them in. It can allow you to start an early spring garden prior to the soil being ready. Container style gardening also allows you to begin growing your food on balconies, windowsills, or decks, which is great for those without a garden plot outside.

The winter here in east Phoenix has been mild, allowing gardeners to begin planting using row covers in February, but have been able to start spring vegetables directly in soil without cover. Although, this is still a risk as the normal frost date remains a month away. Due to starting rather early baby lettuce greens are ready for harvest sooner, as well the as the spinach, and  kale, radishes and baby chad are sprouting up sooner. These are all things that gardeners should look forward to eating once winter is over, because they won’t have to travel hundreds to thousands of miles to my table.

Early Spring Gardening Plants

The following spring vegetable options can be easily planted from seed. They are all amazing options for starting an early garden, and usually considered foolproof, meaning even beginning gardeners should find them easy to start out with.

  1. Spinach
    Gardening Spinach Spring Arizona

One of my favorite greens is spinach, and it is one option that is quick at sprouting and can be grown in a spring garden. Also, it can be rather frost-resistant, even more so when under cover. Spinach comes in various varieties, most are categorized by being semi-savoy or savoy, which often have a curly or crinkled crispy leaf. However, they can come in a smooth lea that has a softer texture and flatter leaves. I suggest growing several types of spinach to see which will work best for your type of soil and location. Of course, finding out which varieties you prefer the taste of is also important.

I enjoy growing these closely for my early spring greens, then harvesting the leaves while small. This can be as soon as three weeks from time of planting, weather and variety depending. If you have a fall garden, spinach is a great option too. You can cover it with mulch and it’s often ready for early spring harvest.

  1. Chard
    Gardening Chard Spring Arizona

Chard is related to the beet, and another great option for an early spring vegetable. Chard is easily grown from a seed and can be cooked or ate fresh, or even toss it in a smoothie to drink! I usually plant them closer together than suggested on the seed packet, and harvest the crowded chard to use as baby greens when thinning beds. There is a variety of color, size and textures available, but most color is often in the thick stems, with leaves being mainly green. You can add color to your spring salads by growing white, yellow and red chard with the usual green chard, and it will make your garden more colorful too! Depending on the variety, some chard can be harvested for baby greens early as 25 days, and about twice as long to reach full size leaves.

  1. Lettuce
    Gardening Lettuce Spring Arizona

Lettuce is commonly grown into a full size head that many of us are used to seeing in the grocery stores, but I have discovered that rowing lettuce just as a baby green is not just faster, but easier and offers an almost constant supply of salad greens between spring until well into summer. I prefer using a mixed lettuce seed, sometimes known as mesclun mix. Rather than sowing seeds farther apart, which is recommended for full size heads, I sow close together in each row, this yields me a solid row for lettuce leaves which are easy to harvest. I can repeatedly cut these through the season. Lettuce can come in various shapes and colors, not simply the standard green romaine, but green and red leaf lettuce, and butterhead varieties. By growing a mixture of baby greens offers you a larger selection of texture and colors for salads. You can usually harvest baby greens in just a couple weeks, with a rather constant supply when planting successions of seeds each week or so.

  1. Radishes
    Gardening Radishes Spring Arizona

In addition to various types of greens, radishes are among the fastest growing vegetables. With many varieties available, they can be harvest ready in just three weeks. Also, radishes are a great option for interplanting with various spring greens, like lettuce. It can also assist in thinning crops naturally as radishes are harvested.

When it comes to radishes, many only think of the round red or white and pink variety, commonly found in stores. However, they have many colors, sizes and shapes. Radishes can be sweet or spicy, it all depends on the variety. Radishes are easy enough to let the kids help plant them too, the seeds are big enough that small children can easily manage. They are also fast to mature, simple to pull up, and make a great option for impatient gardeners.

  1. Kale
    Gardening Kale Spring Arizona

This is a green that many love hating, but it is a great spring veggie for growing from seeds. Since it can also be harvested as baby greens or full size leaves, it has the option of providing many forms of food from less effort. Kale can be consumed raw in salads, or put in smoothies, even stir-fried or steamed. It makes a good added to greens for any diet.

Kale can be crinkly and dense, like ‘dinosaur’ kale, or it can be ruffle-y and flatter, like red Russian types, but often it is sweeter when used as baby greens in spring gardens. It often produces again in late fall after the first frost. Baby kale can be ready for harvest in just three weeks, and full size leaves coming to maturity between 40 and 60 days, variety depending.

  1. Peas
    Gardening Peas Spring Arizona

Last in our list are peas of various variety, including pod peas and snow peas. These are good options for spring gardens that kids often enjoy. Seeds are large enough that children can easily help in planting, and many kids enjoy looking through the garden to find peas or harvesting and even eating then and there!

It often takes a little longer for snap peas and shelling peas, but kids also tend to love these as well. There are kids out there that won’t eat a cooked pea, but I have seen them eat them fresh from the pods. Peas usually take between 50 and 65 days to reach maturity, variety depending. They may grow as ‘bushes’ or vines, so they are good in a garden or trellising. To achieve the best germination rates, you should soak pea seeds in water overnight prior to planting.

Spring Gardening Nursery Supply

If you live in the Phoenix valley and want to get the best plants, expert advice, and quality fertilizers and tools A&P Nursery has 4 locations in the East Valley of Phoenix. With a wide variety of vegetables we will be able to help you get your garden started for the year. Call or stop by our of the 4 locations below to ask a question or get started.

Growing Tipu Trees In Arizona

Growing Tipu Trees In Arizona

Are you searching the internet for “Growing Tipu Trees In Arizona“? If so A&P Nursery has you covered with this guide to growing the tree in Arizona. We hope this answers any questions you might have, if not we welcome you to stop by or call one of our 4 East Valley locations.

The Tipu Tree, or Tipuana  Tipu is native to South America. This makes it naturally accustomed to hot summers, and its leaves are lush, full and provide great shade. Growing a Tipu Tree in Arizona can provide much needed and welcomed shade for backyards, parks, and landscape projects.

During the summer months the Tipu tree features small apricot-yellow flowers. These flowers give way to a bunch pea-like pods developing that have the “helicopter” like leaves attached. The beautiful flowers give a much welcomed splash of color to Arizona gardens during the summer.

The Tipu can grow as high as 25 feet in just a few years from a sapling bought at a nursery in Arizona. Outside of Arizona, the Tipu tree is known to grow much taller, some reaching as high as 100 feet. These fast growing trees need to be trimmed and pruned frequently during the first couple of years to ensure that a good overall balance and structure is created. The pruning also helps the tree grow better root networks.

Planting The Tipu Tree
tipu-tree-flowers-arizona

The Tipu tree is famous for its amazing growth rate. This is a benefit for people that want to plant a tree for shade in their yard. However care must be taken when choosing a location to plant the Tipu tree. The root systems grow quickly and are strong enough to disturb concrete walkways, foundations, or pools. Its best to plant these trees away from concrete structures. However if a trench is dug about 3 feet deep and filled with roofing shingles, gravel, or other barrier material it will help contain the root structure of the Tipu tree.

If your soil is clay or sandy, like much of the soil is in Arizona, plan to amend these soils with organic matter. Compost can be a great source of nutrients and help with drainage. If your home is a place with high winds you might consider some support stakes to help the tree weather the winds before it has an established root system to help it stand straight.

Watering The Tipu Tree
watering-the-tipu-tree-arizona

When the Tipu Tree is first planted you will want to water it deeply. This helps the soil settle around the roots and will help you know if you need to level more soil around the tree.

In the arid desert environment that constitutes most of Arizona the Tipu Tree will need watering about 2-3 times a week. This is best achieved with drip or soaker type watering hoses. The goal is to keep the soil moist, but not wet. Mulch on the ground around the base of the Tipu tree can help retain the water during the hottest parts of the year.

Tipu Tree Pruning

With the speed that Tipu trees grow it is important to prune them to create an upside down vase like shape early, and continue to train the tree to maintain this shape is it reaches its adult growth size. It’s best to prune the Tipu Tree later in the year when it has lost its leaves. This is a time of year where the tree is dormant and the pruning will be accepted best.

Drooping Branches Need Pruning
tipu-tree-prunning-arizona

Drooping branches of the Tipu Tree take away from its beauty. When you see these branches first identify where it should be going, either up, down, or sideways. Track back from the drooping section along the branch until you find a shoot going the direction you want the tree to grow in. This is the spot you want to prune at. Use a pruning saw, chain saw, or pruning lopper to remove the drooping branch close to the branch you want to continue growing.

Safe Pruning Of Larger Branches

While it is relatively easy to trim the thinner branches any branch that is thicker than about an inch and a half should be removed with care. You will want to start your cut about 6 to 12 inches from the trunk of the tree. Cut the bottom side of the branch about 1/3rd of the way through. Then switch to the top side of the branch. Ensure that you are safe and your ladder is set correctly or you have someone holding the ladder to make it steady. Then cut the in the same spot from the top of the branch until it falls. Don’t forget to remove the stump that is coming out of the trunk. You can trim it back to be flush with the trunk. It may swell a bit, but leaving the stump can cause rot and endanger the entire tree.

Tipu Tree Pest Control

While the Tipu Tree does not produce fruit that we can consume there are insects that feast on the pea-like pods. The Tipu Tree is a favorite food for the spittlebug. There are also Tipu psyllid bugs that have started invading Tipu trees in southern California. With this in mind it is a good idea to use pesticides to ensure the health and longevity of your Tipu tree. Talk to your local nursery about what is available to control these pests and make a schedule of when it needs to be done.


 

Tipu Tree Nurseries In East Valley, Phoenix AZ

A&P Nursery is passionate about all things gardening. We have a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and all types of flowers to make the most of your garden or landscaping project in Arizona. We also have landscaping companies we recommend to get the job done for you. Stop by one of our locations or call us today with any questions you have about Tipu trees, or anything else gardening.

 

Growing a Vegetable Garden in Arizona

Growing a Vegetable Garden in Arizona

If you are searching for “Growing a Vegetable Garden in Arizona” you’ve probably just bought your first home in the state and want to kick off your gardening right. A&P Nursery is Phoenix’ East Valley Nursery and gardening headquarters for the right tools, right plants, and the knowledge to do it right. This article is designed to help you understand the basics of gardening in the state.

Questions answered in this post:

What it takes to grow a vegetable garden in AZWhat does it take to vegetable garden in Arizona? – Gardening in Arizona can present unique challenges whether you are growing a garden for aesthetic purposes or one that produces vegetables and fruits. The intense desert climate in Arizona only lends itself to certain plant species that can flourish in the unique and dry climate. This article is going to focus on vegetable bearing gardens and how to maximize their potential if you happen to live in the desert Southwest.

The best location to grow your vegetable garden in AZWhat’s the best location for my vegetable garden in Arizona? – The first factors you need to consider are going to be the basics that will apply to gardening no matter where you are located on the planet; soil quality, water, sun exposure, timing. Making sure you have an adequate plan and location that will fully facilitate your garden’s anticipated needs is going to have the most influence on the potential success of your garden and the extent that the success can be maximized. Scout your property and pay close attention to the lay of the land and its surroundings. If you can’t find a plot with enough sun exposure, you may need to plant or remove a tree or two and also place or remove any objects you may want that can assist in the proper amount of sunlight reaching the hungry plants in your garden.  Vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight; they also need adequate time in the shade as the AZ sun can be quite harsh on overexposed plants.

The best soil type for vegetable growing in AZWhich soil type is best for growing vegetables in Arizona?  The vast majority of Mesa plants absolutely love gardening loam.  Loam is a soil classification that means that the soil is a balance clay and sandy soil.  This gives you the benefits of both and alleviates the drawbacks.

The best size of garden to start with in MesaWhat’s the best size of vegetable garden to start with? – The size of your garden is a factor that you need to decide early on as well. Starting small is best for most people because a smaller garden is much easier to manage. Starting smaller affords you the opportunity to know how much time and effort goes into even a small amount of plants, which will let you know how big of a garden you can actually attend to adequately.

Preparing the ground for a vegetable gardenHow do I prepare the ground for my Mesa vegetable garden? – Once you find the right plot for your garden you may have some work to do to properly prep it for planting. Sod may be on the plot you select and will need to be removed in order to be able to till the soil. Once you have removed the sod and tilled the soil, you can add organic compost, manure and planting soil before tilling a final time before starting the planting process.

Raised Garden Beds in MesaHow do I control soil quality and watering better? – Another way to get started with your garden is to use raised garden beds.  Using a raised garden system is highly recommended for gardening in Arizona. This will give you valuable added control over the overall conditions and soil quality of your garden.  If you aren’t Bob Villa you can always get yourself a pre-fabricated raised garden bed kit.

The vegtables that grow best in Mesa AZWhat vegetables grow best in Arizona? – The next factor to consider is which vegetable bearing plants can thrive in Arizona. The crops that are easiest to grow in AZ are green beans, herbs, peppers, sugar, snap peas, tomatoes, radishes, and carrots. Sticking to these varieties initially will not only set you up for success, it will give you valuable experience that will be much needed if you plan on branching out and growing varieties that are harder to foster in AZ. The best times of year to plant the seeds for the plants species listed above is between the months of November and March. Understand that around January frost becomes more likely and you should make sure your crops are covered so they do not become damaged or even die, due to frost exposure.

Growing a double crop of vegtables in Mesa AZCan I grow two crops of vegetables in Mesa?  There is a unique advantage to growing vegetables in Arizona and that is the fact that many vegetables can have double growing seasons. The fact that you can double your yearly harvests in AZ means that you potentially grow twice as much produce and that can save you money on groceries while eating fresh produce almost year round. As your green thumb becomes established, your harvests will increase and become exponentially more plentiful. This article is about vegetables, but is should be noted that the same goes for fruit and having citrus growing year round will provide a great aroma to your property as the trees bud and bear fruit.

Vegtables that love growing in Arizona SoilWhat’s the best vegetable to grow in Arizona?  Green Beans are one of the best vegetables to grow in AZ. The soil in Phoenix is especially well suited to the growing of green beans.  November is the recommended time of year to plant Green Bean seeds, just remember to cover the plants once frost becomes a threat. One option to avoid frost is to start the plants life indoors, moving them outside once the frost season has passed. You can also place tomato cages around your Green Bean plants in order to consolidate space in your garden. Sugar Snap peas are another vegetable that grows well in the same window. You can follow the same steps to avoid frost with Sugar Snap Peas that we mentioned using with Green Beans.

Vegtables that love growing in Arizona SoilAnother vegetable that loves the long growing year in Arizona is Parsley.  Parsley absolutely loves the Arizona climate and can thrive as much as you want it too. You may actually have to eventually limit the parsley as it can start to take over your garden. Planting in the springtime is recommended and once your plants begin to mature, you can have fresh parsley at the ready year round.

Best seeds for beginner vegetable gardener in Mesa AZWhat types of seeds are best for beginners in Phoenix? For the beginner gardener it helps to have a type of seed that germinates quickly and is heartier.  In Arizona, it is best to select seeds that have gestation periods of 60 days or less as they are the easiest to foster in the desert climate.

Gardening Tools for Growing vegtables in Mesa AZWhat tools do I need to garden in Arizona? – Like most things in life the right tools for the job makes the job that much easier, and more fun.  A good pair of gloves for the handling of prickly items, and also to offer a little protection from insects goes a long way. You’ll want a sturdy shovel for those pesky rocks and tougher soil that you might need to dig in to plant items with deeper root system, such as trees.  Having a garden spade makes maintaining edges around flower beds and the preparation for installing raised garden beds much easier than using a rounded shovel edge.

Watering system for vegetable gardens in Mesa AZHow do I water my vegetable Garden in Arizona? – Depending on the type of garden you plant and which vegetables you choose you will need different watering systems.  But having an automated system makes it that much easier for the passionate gardener.  You can get drip lines that put the water directly on the ground next to your vegetables instead of sprinklers, which are best suited for water lawns.

Keeping pests out of your garden in Mesa AZHow do I keep pests away from your vegetable garden? – There are various kinds of pests you can encounter here in Arizona.  Some will need professional removal, such as venomous snakes or scorpions.  Contact a licensed professional that has the training and right equipment to remove such pests.  For the rest of the insects and foraging animals you can use chicken wire or other types of fencing to keep them out.  As for insects there are different kinds of sprays available at your local gardening shop.

East Phoenix Valley Gardening Supply

A&P Nursery is your local expert in Mesa, Arizona.  We have the knowledge, we have the tools, and we are here to help you start, maintain, and push your garden up to a new level.  Contact our experts for the help that will get results and make your hard work come to bear great results.

“I was in a bind, I needed to fix up the garden of a rental house that my lease was coming to an end. The owners had planted geraniums and some had died during the summer heat. I had gone to Lowes/Home Depot in hopes to pick up a few and none had any (a little too early in the season for them). I looked online for local nursery’s and this was the closest one too me. I called ahead and the person on the phone was incredibly helpful and friendly. Made my way over and was instantly greeted the second I walked in. They walked me to the geraniums and helped me pick out the best one. They picked it up, rung it up, and brought it out to the car for me. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and even funny. This will be my official nursery for all of my planting needs.”
Kelly J. – 10/1/2016

Mesa Vegetable Gardening Specialists Nursery AZ