Farmer’s Nursery • Leander

Farmer’s Nursery • Leander

By JJ Velasquez Friday, 20 March 2009

Although Farmer’s Nursery sits just across US 183 from the new Lowe’s, owner Kevin Farmer does not see the competition as posing a threat to his business because of the knowledge and attention the nursery can provide its customers. His staff’s credentials include certification by the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association and involvement with the Leander Garden Club and Master Gardener classes.

“That’s kind of our niche in the market,” Farmer said. “We know a little bit more of what we’re talking about than any other place you go in.”

The nursery has been a fixture in Central Texas since the late 1950s, when Kevin’s grandfather Rip made a name for himself by helping introduce St. Augustine sod to the Austin area. At that time, the nursery was located at 35th Street and Lamar Boulevard and was more of a fruit stand, Farmer said.

In 1973, the business relocated to 11621 Research Blvd. at a time when that area was undeveloped.

“People thought we were crazy for moving way out in the country back then,” Farmer said.

By 1996, a few years after Farmer took the reins of the business, a lack of acreage in Austin was constraining the nursery, which was looking for more room to stock its growing inventory. Its Leander location boasts 4.5 acres of plants, trees, shrubs, three kinds of compost — including cotton burr, Dillo Dirt and grass clippings — soil and sod.

Having inherited the business almost two decades ago, Farmer grew up working in the plant nursery. In addition to being a veteran in the industry, he also stays current on the latest gardening techniques and products to better serve his clientele.

Farmer said gardeners should be readying their land to plant during March, when winter fades into spring. As the last frost date of the season passes, late winter marks the planning period, during which gardeners should determine what they would like to plant. Farmer suggested looking at pictures or neighbors’ gardens to see what is desirable.

The ideal time for gardeners to add compost to their garden beds is in the middle of the month, he said.

“Get your soil ready, and after the first part of April, come in and go ahead and plant your stuff then,” he said.

Farmer said about 95 percent of his non-plant inventory is organic. He emphasizes using organic materials, but still has customers request pesticides and fertilizers that are not organic.

“You try to explain to them that it’s not just killing that bug,” he said. “It’s killing everything in the soil, and then you’ve got unhealthy soil.”

Dillo Dirt

• Originally produced in 1989 by the City of Austin as a compost comprised of yard trimmings collected around the city and treated sewage sludge.
• The composting process, requiring temperatures of up to 170 degrees, removes human and plant pathogens.
• Safe for “unrestricted” use, which includes vegetable gardening

Farmer’s Nursery, 1305 Leander Drive, 259-4111, www.farmersnursery.com