San Bruno B.A.R.T.

  Spring has emerged from behind the cover of gray clouds and rainy skies to produce a magnificent display of colorful plants around San Mateo County. It's time to put on the old gardening gloves and join the chirping birds out in the yard with some of spring's most popular flowers.

  At Sloat Garden Center in San Bruno, it's always spring and the flowers continuously bloom in an oasis of plant life. Everything from a full line of vegetable plants to trees and thousands of plants in between make Sloat Garden Center a favorite place for local gardeners to pick up some backyard life.

  An earth-friendly attitude about gardening and a large selection of organic fruit and vegetable plants make Sloat Garden unique in San Mateo and people have responded very favorably.

  "Gardening is becoming more earth friendly because we are staying away from harmful insecticides," Richard Avery, manager of Sloat Garden in San Bruno. "Our earth-friendly products have been very popular among customers."

  This year, more people have chosen to fill their backyard with edible plants and turn their garden into fresh produce. Avery said that customers want to be able to eat what they buy, which is why fruit trees have become one of the most popular choices at Sloat Garden.

  The peak season for gardening has just begun and an abundance of plants are making their way into pots to be sold before the summer heat comes in July.

  "This time of year we have a lot of things in bloom and the selection is getting near its peak," Avery said.

  The California sun helps nurture a lot of different types of plants in San Mateo. Roses, azalea plants and camellias are some good plants for new green thumbs because they adapt well to this area.

  "San Mateo has a good climate, we can grow almost anything here," Avery said.

  Avery advises inexperienced gardeners to make a sketch of the desired planting area or take a picture and bring it to a professional who can help design a layout. The best way to get ideas for a new garden is by walking through a park or taking some tips from neighbors with a green thumb.

  Gardening is not foolproof and perfect plants are not guaranteed if proper gardening techniques are not utilized. The most common mistakes people tend to make are over watering plants and not preparing the soil before placing the new plants in the ground.

  Plants should be placed together according to how frequently they need to be watered. If a plant requires a lot of watering it is best to place it away from plants requiring less frequent watering. This tip is a simple way to avoid wasting water and can prevent plants from meeting an early demise.

  Avery stressed that it is crucial to mix planter mix into the soil before placing the new plant in the ground. There are different types of soil amendment for different plants so it's important to match them accordingly.

  Sloat Garden Center is at 675 El Camino Real in San Bruno. Open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Phone: 869-6000