Saturday, July 20th at 9am

Save water and have the garden of your dreams! Learn which plants are best for water-wise gardening and simple techniques to ensure you have a healthy and beautiful garden.

Celebrate the Grilling Season with these Ultimate Tips and Tricks

There’s nothing better than enjoying a tasty, hot-off-the-grill meal. To kick off the season of sizzle, we’re here to help grill masters everywhere start the fire and satisfy those summer cravings. Whether it’s for a Memorial Day grilling extravaganza or a family picnic on the patio, here are the perfect tips, tricks and grill accessories to get you grilling and barbecuing like a pro!

1. Be prepared and organized. Before you start, make sure you have everything you need – food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings and equipment – at grill-side.

2. Gauge the fuel. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals three inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you're planning to cook. When cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least one-third full. For charcoal that burns cleaner, hotter and longer than other brands, use Kamado Joe 100% Natural Lump Charcoal. This is a must if you’re grilling in a ceramic grill like the Kamado Joe.

3. Preheat to the correct temperature. Grilling is a high-heat cooking method. To get the perfect seared crust, charcoal flavor and grill marks, you must cook over a high heat of at least 500 degrees. For grill masters looking to perfect this high-heat cooking method, the Kamado Joe Ceramic Grill offers high quality heat retention properties and even includes a smoker and an oven for maximum cooking versatility.

4. Always keep it clean. Clean the grate twice: once after you've preheated the grill and again when you've finished cooking. Use the edge of a metal spatula to scrape off food debris and a stiff, long-handled wire brush to finish scrubbing the grate.

5. Grease the grate. Lubricate the grate just before placing the food on top, but only if necessary (some foods don't require it). Using a pair of tongs, rub the grate evenly with a folded paper towel soaked in oil to help eliminate sticking.
6. Marinade at the right time. Bastes and marinades based from oil and vinegar, citrus or yogurt can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking period. When using a sugar-based barbecue sauce, apply it toward the end of the cooking time to protect the sauce from burning. Don’t hesitate to mix fresh herbs into your marinades.

7. Never stab. Stabbing the meat can drain its juices and dry it out. The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with the appropriate equipment, such as tongs or a spatula.

8. Keep it covered. When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb or prime rib, use the indirect method of grilling and keep the grill tightly covered. Every time the lid is lifted, you add five to 10 minutes to the overall cooking time. The Kamado Joe Heat Deflector is a helpful tool to use when cooking with indirect heat. It circulates the heat around your food slowly, which keeps meats moist and tender and reduces the potential of charring.

9. Let it sit. Remove the meal from the grill and let it sit for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat juices, which have been driven to the center of a roast or steak by the blazing heat, to settle and return to the surface.

10. Stay with the grill. It's easy to cook on a grill, but it demands your undivided attention. Once you start grilling something, stay with it until it's cooked.

Learn more about the Kamado Joe Grill >

Watch a video about the Bull BBQ Island Grill >

Get Grilling recipes and tips on our Pinterest board >

5 Garden Helpers hand selected by Armstrong to help you succeed with your
Great American Backyard

Shop the 5 elements you need to create your outdoor room this Summer.

Succulents continue to be one of the biggest trends in gardening. They are super easy to grow and come in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves or stems. Because of this, they don't need to be watered very often which makes them easy and low-maintenance. 

The key to growing succulents well is to plant them in soil that drains well. They don't need a lot of water and most succulents prefer full sun. Place them in a spot that receives 6 - 8 hours of sun a day. 

May succulents such as agave, aloe and kalanchoe have strong architectural shapes which make them great focal plants for the center of containers or in the landscape. Others such as Chinese sedum and ice plant are spreading plants which are perfect for use as groundcovers and in containers and hanging baskets.

One of the best things about planting a succulent container is that they all mix together so well - you can hardly go wrong just grab a handful of your favorite succulents in different colors and textures and combine them in a container. Get creative and have fun with them. Plant succulents in an unexpected container such as a birdbath or a fountain.

Learn more about the succulents we carry >

A water-wise garden can be easy, fun and ultimately require very little maintenance. And, it can also be beautiful! You don't have to sacrifice having a beautiful garden to be greener and save water. Here are some tips.

Use less lawn. Try alternatives to traditional thirsty grass lawns. Groundcovers, dwarf ornamental grasses, succulents and pebbles are low-water options.

Choose the right plants. When selecting plants for a new garden choose plants that don't require as much water. Plants with naturally deep root systems or with the ability to store water longer or go for longer periods without water. Consider using succulents, cacti, ornamental grasses and native perennials.

Water directly - don't waste water with overhead sprinklers. Water your plants directly with soaker hoses and drip irrigation. Both of these systems apply water directly to the root system reducing water evaporation significantly. When you water with your hose, use a hose-end watering wand with an on-off switch so you can turn the water off as you move from one plant to another.

Water correctly - Water your plants deeply. When you water more deeply each time you water you can water less often. Watering less often but deeply, your plants will develop a deeper and stronger root system which will be better suited for periods with less water. Water early in the morning between the hours of 4am and 8am this will also reduce evaporation.

Mulch - Add a layer of mulch around your plantings. A 1.5 - 2 inch layer of mulch will help hold moisture in the soil around your plants root system. And keep the root system cooler. As a bonus fresh mulch gives your garden a neat and clean appearance. 

A water wise garden installed by Armstrong Garden Centers Installation and Design Group:

For more before and afters >

Learn more about our Installation & Design services >

Celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day with a gift that is sure to make her feel special. Armstrong Garden Centers has a unique assortment of Mother’s Day gifts for every type of mom.

Learn about our upcoming Classes & Events >

Find your local Armstrong Garden Center >

Celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day with a gift that is sure to make her feel special. Armstrong Garden Centers has a unique assortment of Mother’s Day gifts for every type of mom.

Learn about our upcoming Classes & Events >

Find your local Armstrong Garden Center >

What's included: The landscape design appointment (for areas up to 5,000 square feet) includes walking your garden, discussing the project, a plant list and a hand-drawn planting diagram. Learn more about what is included on our overview of the Landscape Design Home Visit page.

Cost: $325. Covers three-hours (3) of a designer’s time, and a $100 Armstrong Gift Card usable for landscape or in-store purchases. Total designer time will be three hours, including home visit and off-site drawing time.  If more than three hours is needed our designer will let you know and extra hours can be purchased at the rate of $75 per hour.

What's next: Once you fill in your information below and pay for the home visit on the next page, our Installation and Design Manager will be in touch within 48 -72 business hours to schedule our designer coming out your house.  The next business day after booking your appointment we will mail out the $100 Armstrong Garden Centers Gift Card to the address you provide below.

If you have any questions please send us a message on our Contact Us page or contact your Local store

You will receive an email confirmation with your information and next steps.

Once completed scroll to the top of the page to confirm submission was successful.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! Grow your own salsa garden at home to enjoy this summer! Even in the smallest spaces you can grow your own salsa garden in a container.  We'll show you how in 5 easy steps.

1. Choose your container. Its important to pick a container with good drainage. Look for drainage holes in the bottom of the container.

2. Add good quality potting soil. Edna's Best Potting Soil by E.B. Stone Organics will give your garden nutrients they need and provide good drainage. Fill the bottom of the pot with potting soil.

3. Pick your plants. Choose a tomato, pepper, cilantro, and chives. If you are planting in a container it will be best to choose a smaller variety of tomato like a patio tomato.

4. Plant and fertilize. Sprinkle some Sure Start Fertilizer on the soil in your pot then place the tomato in the center of the pot with the pepper, Cilantro and chives on the edge. Fill in around each with potting soil and tamp down the soil.

5. Water your new garden in right away. Continue to water the garden regularly throughout the summer. A consistent amount of water is important for tomotoes. It keeps the fruit from splitting.

Now, place your new Salsa Container garden in a spot that receives 6 - 8 hours of sun a day and in no time you'll be able to make your own salsa - straight from your garden.

Watch our video How to Plant a Tomato >

Watch our video How to Plant a Container Garden >