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Bad year for flowers πΊ, what to plant in fall, rose care guideπΉ & more π΅π
Published about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hi, Desert Gardener!
Sadly, it's been a bad year for flowers. Many gardeners are finding their plants are flowering less than usual this year. One native plant expert that I follow says the number of plants blooming, even native plants, is way down. This is concerning. Flowers are important for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. They are important for people, too. (see today's quote)
But what can you do to bring more flowers into your garden? Instead of planting "foo foo" flowers that need a lot of care, consider adding more flowering shrubs. You won't go wrong planting those in today's featured article. These shrubs flower even when planted against the heat of reflected walls -- the harshest spot in any garden. (The surface of garden can be as hot as 180β!) If they can survive that, imagine how happy they'll be when you don't plant next to a wall.
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I'm looking forward to a talk next week held by the Arizona Wildlife Federation -- "Gardening for Wildlife on a Budget". Learn how to turn your garden into a wildlife haven without breaking the bank. It's free and offered via Zoom. You can sign up here.
What you'll find in this week's newsletter:
Featured: Flowering shrubs that thrive in reflected heat
Monthly rose care guides
What to plant in fall, month by month
What to do in the garden in September
Upcoming gardening classes & events
and more!
16 Flowering Shrubs That Thrive in Reflected Heat
The toughest spot to grow plants is near a heat-reflecting wall, especially if it's west-facing. Here are 16 shrubs that thrive in reflected heat and reward you with beautiful flowers! βRead more here ββ
Monthly Rose Care Guides
If you grow roses, you may have noticed that I don't mention rose care. That's because they are outside my purview.
I only grew roses once -- they came with a house. The first year they had aphids, white flies, spider mites, thrips, and powdery mildew.π₯Ί Since I'm all about "no fuss" gardening, growing roses is a challenge I'm not up for.
But if you have roses and need some guidance, I highly recommend the Tucson Rose Society's monthly rose care guides. They tell you how to fertilize, prune, water, control pests, and more. I love that they break instructions down into two kinds of rose growers -- casual and hard core. π
What to Plant in the Fall (Month by Month)
Recently, the experts are βwarming upβ to the idea that fall, rather than spring, is the best time to plant most plants in the desert. Hereβs a look at what to plant in the fall, month by month. βRead more here ββ
A Reader Asks:
My lantana is growing low to the ground. How do I get it to grow tall and bushy like my neighbors?
You need to start with the right lantana. Thereβs a multitude of cultivars to choose from that have different flower colors, forms, and sizes. Are your neighbor's purple or white? If so, they are trailing lantanas that belong to a different species β Lantana montevidensis. Or are they gold? They might be 'New Gold' lantana, a spreading cultivar that stays around 2 feet tall.
September: What to Do in the Garden This Month
September means the monsoon is winding down and even though it might be fall elsewhere, itβs still summer here. Hereβs a look at what you should and shouldnβt plant, what you can fertilize, pests to expect, fruit you can harvest, and more.
There are loads of garden events and classes coming up soon. Highlights include: β* Gardening for Wildlife on a Budget @ AZ Wildlife Federation β* Preparing Your Roses for the Fall Bloom @ Tucson Botanical Garden β* Propagating Cactus @ Pima Co. Master Gardeners
Not in Tucson? Look for classes for everyone offered via Zoom.
Garden Quote
"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful: they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul." -- Luther Burbank, botanist, horticulturalist
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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