Southwest Gardener
Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.
What to do in the garden in July π¦οΈ, pod picker mistake π«, commonly consumed bug π, & more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, July in the southwest is a month of changes. Monsoon storms bring welcome rainfall, humidity, and cloud cover β all a great relief for your plants. But monsoon storms can also bring flooding, hail, dust storms, and damaging wind. And an increase in moisture leads to more insect pests, plant diseases, and weeds. All these changes mean there are changes in gardening activities this month, as well. So be sure to check out the July gardening guide. π΅ π¦οΈ π΅ I've recently...
Historic monsoon rain βοΈ, other-worldly "tree" π₯, best hummingbird plants πΊ, & more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, The monsoon has officially begun and it's off to a historic start! Tucson had record-breaking rain on the 15th, the first official day of the monsoon. The rains often begin around July 4th, but this week Tucson, along with Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Mesa, Flagstaff, and Prescott had substantial rains. You can see how much rain fell around Arizona and other parts of the southwest at Rainlog.org. π΅ βοΈ π΅ Last week I mentioned that I've been writing about some of the...
Nursery map (New!) π, the "queen" of cactus π, saguaro fruit harvest π΅, and more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, Lately, I've taken to writing about some of the desert's more unsual plants that can be grown as landscape plants. I planned to share my "queen of the night" artricle to coincide with Tohono Chul's annual bloom, but alas, Bloom Night came and went so early this year, I missed it. Oops. But, you can still learn more about this mysterious cactus as today's featured plant. π΅ βοΈ π΅ When it heats up outside, I use the opportunity to work on indoor gardening projects such as...
The "Cousin Itt" plant π», know your ladybugs! π, "cool summer nights" π, and more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, I don't talk about ornamental grasses as much as I should, so let me start now with today's featured plant -- bamboo muhly. I first saw one at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and fell in love with its dramatic, billowing, lime-green foliage. It's not a true bamboo -- it's an Arizona native grass. This wild-looking plant apparently is not to everyoneβs taste, since Iβve heard it called the "Cousin Itt" plant. π π΅ βοΈ π΅ If you live in Tucson or are visiting this summer, check...
What to do in the garden in June π§βπΎ , a native passionflower π¦, the truth about neem β οΈ , and more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, I recently had a whitefly infestation in my Parry's penstemon volunteers. I know what caused the problem -- some of them popped up among my thirstier plants and got overwatered. (Whenever I have an outbreak of an insect pest, I try to use it as a learning experience. What did I do to encourage this? Human error is usually involved.) I considered using neem oil, but decided to research it further before I sprayed. I'm glad I did since I uncovered some disturbing findings....
Natives that are great landscape plants π΅ , butterfly magnet π¦, summer fun begins! π, and more
Hi, Desert Gardener, I learned (or should I say "relearned"?) an unpleasant gardening lesson this week. I trimmed a few rangy stems off my blackfoot daisy and developed an intensely itchy rash on my hands and wrists. Looking back I recall having had a similar reaction to blanket flower and Gregg's mist. (Notice a pattern?) Well, it finally dawned on me that these are all members of the same plant family -- the Asteraceae. Duh! I've since learned that contact allergy to members of this family...
Time for a change π§, Indestructible garden helper πΆ, sentinel of the desert π΅, and more π
Hi, Desert Gardener, It looks like the 90s are here to stay, so it's time to consider adjusting your irrigation to the summer schedule. While the calendar may say "spring", we actually have 5 seasons here -- the usual 4 plus a 5th called arid foresummer which includes May and June. Mid-May, or anytime the daily highs are consistently in the mid 90s, is a good time to adjust your watering schedule. Not sure how to adjust your schedule for summer? Check out our new Desert Watering Resources....
DIY that burns plants π§, heat wave help π₯΅, what moms really want π©βπΎ, and more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, I'm grateful for the rain we had this week. It will help prepare our plants for the upcoming heat wave. (104 on Monday? Ugh.) If you've been here for a while you know the drill. If you're new here, here's how to prepare your plants for a heat wave. π΅ βοΈ π΅ "Happy Mother's Day" to all the moms out there. And to all those who still need to get a special someone a gift, check out the nurseries offering e-gift cards below. Better yet, get her a gift card and spend some time...
What to do in the garden in May π©π»βπΎ, plant that looks like snow βοΈ, feeding palms π΄, and more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, Happy May! It's a new month and things are changing fast in desert gardens, so be sure to check out the May gardening guide. While there is still plenty to do in May, there are some activities that you should skip that are best done in cooler weather. It's time to wrap up planting most plants. (The list of plants that prefer to be planted in May is a small one.) π΅ βοΈ π΅ Today's featured plant, myoporoum, is blooming now. I have a neighbor whose entire front yard is covered...
An "unfair" gardening advantage, hole digging drill, weird plant names π€, and more ππ΅
Hi, Desert Gardener, This morning I spent a ridiculously long time doing a simple garden task. It took me 2 hours to plant a one gallon plant. (You laugh!) You know the drill: water, soak, dig a little, repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Not only did I hit the usual cache of rocks, but I also hit a large tree root. And if you have clay soil like I do, you know that cleaning the muck off tools, gloves, and shoes is another project. (If you're new here, you can learn more about digging holes...
Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.