Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.
A lawn substitute you can love ๐, what to plant month by month ๐, fall vs spring planting ๐, & more ๐๐ต
Published 9 days agoย โขย 2 min read
Hi, Desert Gardener,
A common question I get is whether there are any low water use ground covers that can take the place of a lawn. (Many of us miss large expanses of green!) None of the usual options are ideal. Artificial turf is hot and not environmentally friendly. Grass lawns are high maintenance and thirsty. Some ground covers provide a pleasant expanse of green, but you can't walk on them.
But now thereโs a relatively new option to consider โ this week's featured plant, Kurapia.
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Itโs generally thought that spring and fall are the best times to plant. But here in the desert Southwest, fall is now considered the best time to plant most plants. This week we cover what to plant in the fall, month by month from now through December.
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In this week's newsletter, we cover:
Featured plant: Kurapia
What to plant month by month
Fall vs spring planting
Fav gardening book
What to do in the garden in September
Upcoming classes & events
and more!
Kurapia: Promising Desert Lawn Substitute
If youโre looking for an environmentally friendly lawn substitute, check out Kurapia. This patented evergreen ground cover thrives in desert heat and sun, and uses less water than grass. Mowing is optional! Learn more to discover if itโs right for you. โLearn more โโ
๐ Desert Garden Tip! ๐
While there are a few plants that prefer to be planted in the spring (i.e., succulents, citrus, palms), most desert plants do better when planted in the fall.
What to Plant in the Fall (Month by Month)
Itโs generally believed that spring and fall are the best times to plant. But recently, the experts are โwarming upโ to the idea that fall is now the best time to plant in the hot, dry desert. Hereโs a look at what to plant in the fall, month by month. โLearn more โโ
๐ต๏ธ Fav Gardening Resource! ๐ต๏ธ
Want to know more about gardening in the desert month by month? Check out Month-By-Month Gardening in the Desert Southwest by renowned author Mary Irish. Of all the gardening books I own, this is the one I refer to most frequently. It covers trees, shrubs, perennials, succulents, annuals, bulbs, lawns, fruit trees, and more. Here's a picture of my well-worn copy that's a permanent feature on my desk.
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September Gardening Guide
While September may mean fall is coming elsewhere, it's still summer in the desert Southwest. Hereโs a look at what you should and shouldnโt do in the garden now, and learn why this is the month to plan, not plant. โGet the details here โโ
Upcoming Tucson Events
There are plenty of garden-related activities happening around Tucson. Upcoming highlights include: * Fall Vegetable Gardening Tips @ Green Things (9/21) * Ask the Master Gardener @ Pima County (9/23, online) * Color in Every Season @ Tucson Botanical Garden (9/25, online)
If you find yourself in the Patagonia area next weekend, Borderlands Nursery & Seed is having a plant sale on 9/26. Get the particulars here.
Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.
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