MEET THE TEAM
- KYLE FLOYD
- ALAMO HARDWARE AND GARDEN – ALAMO, CA
- MANAGER GARDEN CENTER
- How long have you been working at Alamo Hardware?
Not very long. I only started at Alamo Hardware this past June. - What led you to Alamo Hardware?
The Fates, of course!!! I was lucky to spend the past several years working for a small nonprofit museum in Sacramento. COVID hit and my normal 9 to 5 hours were reduced to zero. The silver lining of this was that I got to spend more time in my garden at home! Gardening has always run in my blood. My dad worked the independent nursery trade all his life; it was only natural for my siblings and I to get involved as well. The Garden Center at Alamo Hardware gives me the perfect opportunity to expand on my 15 plus years of experience working in horticulture.
- What is something unique about the Alamo Garden department?
The Garden Center has roots stretching back many decades; this even includes some of the staff! Jerry, Betty, Smokey… all of them have been working at this location (in one form or another) since the early 90s. That’s some impressive commitment! This legacy has helped establish The Garden Center as THE place to go for hard to find items and plants. - What is your favorite item to recommend for customers?
A healthy plant is rooted in healthy soil. Be sure to start all of your plants off right by using organic potting/planting soil and organic additives (I personally LOVE using bone meal). The trick is to feed your soil and not your plants. All root systems are supported by an expansive network of fungal mycorrhizae. The fungi colonize the root system and increase water/nutrient absorption of the host plant; the plant feeds this fungal colony carbohydrates in return. Synthetic fertilizers DO have their place in the garden; just be sure not to overuse so that they don’t throw off the natural soil ecology.
- My favorite [garden items] are?
Plants! I LOVE Japanese Maples and am a HUGE fan of California natives. Some of my favorites include California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica), Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), California Bush Anemone (Carpenteria californica), and California Buckeye (Aesculus californica). Not only are native species better suited to tricky California soils and climes, they also help support a healthy habitat for beneficial insects, pollinators, and birds! - What do you like most about working at Alamo Hardware?
I am lucky to work outside with people and plants each and every day. I love to teach and the Garden Center at Alamo Hardware is the perfect classroom (for customers AND staff). I also enjoy working closely with my team of Garden associates to make the nursery shine. We’ve put a lot of elbow grease into this place over the past several months. It’s been a true privilege watching each and every one of them grow. Their individual creativity is truly impressive; I can’t wait to see more of it shine during spring! - What is your favorite season for plants?
Fall has always been my favorite time of year. I love the weather and the richness of the leaves as they change color. It is also the perfect time of year to add new trees and shrubs to the garden. Unlike Spring which is followed up by our long California summers, Fall minimizes transplant shock since it allows plants more time to establish healthy root system. It’s also pumpkin season. Did you see our pumpkin selection last year? We will have even MORE varieties this Fall!
Your help is more than wanted
When a Help Wanted sign hangs in the window of your local Ace, it means so much more than “we’re hiring.”
Help is who we are. Helping in the aisles. Helping in the community. Our people are what set us apart. They make us the helpful place. And if that’s the kind of place you’d like to be a part of, your help is more than wanted.