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An "unfair" gardening advantage, hole digging drill, weird plant names π€, and more ππ΅
Published 21 days agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
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 here.)
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Today's featured plant, hesperaloe, is blooming now. I love the tall stalks of coral flowers waving in the wind and the hummers they attract.
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Thereβs been a growing interest in native plants recently, and there are many good reasons for that. Native plants are often healthier, happier, and more resilient with less maintenance. In the desert, they are almost always low water use, which is important, especially as water becomes more scarce and the cost rises.
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In this week's newsletter, we cover:
Featured plant: Hesperaloe
Why plant "natives"
Colors of the southwest
What to do in the garden in April
and more!
Hesperaloe: High Impact Accent Plant
This attractive, grass-like succulent is as low-maintenance as a plant can be. Itβs native to the Chihuahuan Desert where it faces extreme temperature swings, full sun, and little rainfall. It blooms reliably every spring, sending up impressive 4 to 6 foot flower stalks. βRead more ββ
Fun Facts: Crazy Plant Names
Hesperaloe is a sciency-sounding name that makes little sense. It means βwestern aloeβ since it is found in the Western hemisphere and was thought to be aloe-like. But confusingly it's not an aloe and is not related to aloes, which are native to the Eastern hemisphere. It's also called numerous "yucca" names -- most commonly red yucca, but also Texas red yucca, red flower yucca, false red yucca, coral yucca, yellow yucca, and hummingbird yucca. But it's not a yucca!
Who comes up with these common names, anyway? π€
Desert Gardening Made Easy with Native Plants
Desert gardening can be challenging. Looking for an advantage? Grow native plants! Here are the top reasons growing natives can make gardening more enjoyable and less of a struggle. Read more ββ
Colors: The Music of the Eyes (Arizona Highways)
One of my family members from the east coast once asked me if I ever get tired of "all that brown" here. (I'm tempted to ask if she ever gets tired of "all that green" there. π) It's been a standing joke in our household since.
A reader sent me this article from Arizona Highways and it was so moving I had to share it. And the photos are a feast for the eyes. I recommend sending it to F&F who think the southwest lacks color or that doesn't "get" our beauty here. Read it here ββ
April Gardening Guide
While thereβs beauty to be found in the desert all year, April might just be the most beautiful month. And for gardeners, itβs one of the busiest, too. Hereβs a look at what you can plant, what you should prune, how to adjust your watering schedule, and more.
There are lots of interesting garden events and classes are coming up soon! Starting this week, I'll be adding event dates to make this information more helpful. Upcoming highlights include: * Growing Your Own Food @ Civano Nursery (4/29) * The Heat-Proof Desert Garden @ Tucson Botanical Garden (5/1) * Wild Food Foraging Series @ GreenBee (5/2)
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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