Springtime is planting time

As the season turns, there is a time to plant. The not-so-hardy perennials that didn’t survive the snowy winter must be replaced, and many people are expanding their vegetable gardens to assist their financial situations.

Still others want to make their yards more colorful with splashes of annual color.

It is time to move outdoors.

Karen Watkins, owner of the Boring Square Garden Center in downtown Boring, has many colorful plants displayed in the nursery.

She has so much stock on hand for this planting and growing season, she seldom says no to anyone asking for something for a yard or garden. She has many products on hand, but if she can’t immediately fill the request, she will find the desired item within a few days.

“We try to meet people’s needs,” she said. “We even have lots of trees (for landscape design). And with Mother’s Day coming soon, I have lots of hanging baskets.”

Watkins says she has an abundance of plants with spring blooms that will enhance any yard, patio, flower bed or landscape area.

She points to flowering currants, which hummingbirds love, and plants with edible berries such as blueberries, currants, strawberries, marionberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blackberries.

There are several very fragrant plants flowering now, she said, such as low-growing rock daphne.

For those who are trying to make their porch or arbor more appealing, Watkins suggests climbing plants such as clematis, wisteria, passion flower or hydrangea.

Watkins has a number of plants with color that serve as focal points in any landscape such as flowering crabapple that also provides sustenance for birds and bees.

“Everybody is putting everything in now,” she said. “The soil is moist and works well, and it’s warming up. Planting time for vegetable gardens is from mid-April into June.”

The Boring Square Garden Center is well stocked with lots of 4-inch pots with vegetable starts such as tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, bell peppers, beans and corn.

And would you believe rhubarb and horseradish?

Co-owner Gordon Watkins says the waning economy has brought more people to the nursery.

“With the economy down,” he said, “everybody wants a vegetable garden. For their table, they’ll have cheaper and better quality food.”

For gardeners who like to start from the beginning, there are lots of seeds at the Boring center – many in small packets and some available in bulk.

Also in stock is an array of fertilizers, soil amendments, grass seed and different types of potting soil as well as what Watkins says is now very popular: moss kill.

Advice is available at the Boring center, according to longtime employee Loretta Nehls. If local residents will just describe the location where plants are desired, she will give them some options from the stock on hand.

Probably the most popular at this time of year are annuals to add color. Watkins has her fair share of annual color that will last through the summer.

For those gardeners who don’t want to replant every year, Watkins offers a variety of perennials and trees.

Most of the clay soils in this area need amendments, Watkins says, and she tries to keep a supply of just about any additive that could be requested.

Meanwhile, Brian Wilson of B.D. Wilson Nursery Sales – on 312th near Highway 26 – says this is the time to plant trees.

“Now is the best time,” he said, “because it’s still cool enough to give the trees enough time to root in before it gets hot and dry.”

Wilson’s nursery offers mainly the more mature stock of perennials – trees and ornamental shrubs – although he does have some plants in 1- and 2-gallon pots.

Right now, he is featuring hanging baskets for Mother’s Day.

Wilson will advise his customers as they describe their planting situations. He has been in the nursery business most of his life.

He says one reason he has such reasonable prices is because he can get good deals from some of his family members who also are in the nursery business. Another reason is that he has no employees. He and his wife, Judy, operate the nursery.

Also available is bark to cover planting beds, both in the mulch state (aged bark) and newly ground bark.