Carson Borovetz Nursery for Annuals and Vegetables

Carson-Borovetz Nursery Muskogee Oklahoma

Aquilegia or Columbine is a good choice for half-sunny spots.

Annual flowers to fill a bed, a planter or hanging baskets are displayed by the thousands at Carson Borovetz Nursery, 3020 North Street, between York Street and Country Club Road.

Pete Carson has the exclusive distribution for Earth Smart chicken compost in Muskogee and he ordered seven tons of the bagged compost this year. The six tons he brought in last year all sold out.

The nursery also offers professional growing and bedding soil mix in three-cubic-foot bags for customers' beds and pots.

"Loyal customers come back to us because we have good products," Carson said. "In a small town, word of mouth makes or breaks your business."

Brenda Logan was shopping at the nursery last weekend for the Eufaula Inspiration Garden. Dr. Troy Garrett of Checotah recommended Carson Borovetz Nursery to her.

"Dr. Garrett helped us with the rose bed for the gardens," Logan said. "The main big bed was sponsored by the Bank of Eufaula. Then, Arvest Bank, various individuals and the Texana Fire Department sponsored beds. Today, I'm buying several flats of red petunias for the fire department's bed."

"We planted beds yesterday and we want everyone to come see the gardens when they are at their best in June and July," Logan said. "There are beds shaped like an angel, heart, red hat, high heel and the state of Oklahoma."

Carson Borovetz was buzzing with customers, most of whom were well aware that there could be another freezing night ahead that would kill their boxes of annual flowers. But, the urge to garden is too strong to resist buying.

Here are some of the plants to look for when planning your spring and summer gardens whether you are planting in a public space or at home. Black-eyed Susan Vine Sunny Lemon Star (Thunbergia alata) for hanging baskets, grows to 8 feet if fertilized every few weeks. Likes lots of water and full sun.

In addition to hanging ferns, a plant for hanging baskets in half shade is Torenia Summer Wave Wishbone Flower. This annual likes moist soil and grows to 6-inches tall and 12 inches wide.

A good choice for a spot where the deer like to roam is deer-resistant Yellow Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens). It likes full sun and moist soil, grows to 36 inches tall and flowers all summer.

For dry spots, Carson recommends rose moss (also called rock rose and portulaca), purslane, periwinkle and perennial sedums such as dragon's blood (red-ish) and gold carpet stonecrop (yellow-ish).

Chocolate Chip Ajuga would be a good choice for a part-shade, sunny spot that has good drainage such as a rock garden area. It grows to 6 inches tall with lavender flowers and can become a groundcover in the right situation.For that same partly sunny bed, Dragonfly Mix Columbine (Aquilegia) would be a taller choice that grows to 18 inches.

Lantana is available in five color choices — Dove Wings, white; Samantha, yellow flowers and variegated leaves; Pink Caprice, pink and yellow flowers; Lady Olivia, orange and pink; and, Gold Mound, bronze gold flowers.

For "no-fuss" color that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, go for Salvia with red, purple or lilac flowers. Sun or part-sun, 15 inches tall, moist but well-drained soil.Around the Salvia, plant lavender flowered Vinca vine or Plumbago.

If you like to offset bright colors and whites with silver or gray, choose narrow leafed Icicles Helichrysum thianschanicum that grows to 15 inches tall in full-sun with fertilizer every two weeks.

Or, Silver Mound Wormwood (Artemesia) for well drained spots in full sun. Grows up to 10 inches tall.

For the tomato and pepper growers, Carson Borovetz always has many varieties to choose from. Local gardeners rely on Pete's good plantsPeppers: Cayenne Slim hot, Hot Banana, Anaheim Chili Mild, Jalapeno Hot, Banana Sweet and Bell.Tomatoes: Red Grape, Roma, Whopper, Celebrity, Beef master and Jet Star.

"The energy prices, natural gas, has gone up," Carson said. "It has cut into our profit for the past six years. It takes a lot of money to stay on schedule with heating the greenhouses."

Nonetheless, there are lots of flowers to buy -Purple Homestead Perennial Verbena, Wave Petunias in six colors, Sweet Potato Vine, Strepto-Carpella, Bacopa, Strawflowers, and more.And there are many accent plants such as Coleus, Asparagus Fern, Crimson Fountain Grass, and other grasses.

Carson has a wide selection of flowers in flats, pots and hanging baskets for every garden location.

Carson Borovetz Nursery hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Information: 918-682-4404.