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.

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"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 with her at her favorite nursery. (Spending time with loved ones at my favorite nursery sounds like my idea of a perfect Mother's Day.) 🥰

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In this week's newsletter, we cover:

• Featured plant: Moroccan mound
• Common DIY that burns plants
• Last minute garden e-gift cards
• What to do in the garden in May
• and more!

A Reader Asks

"My Moroccan mound was covered with some sort of web so I sprayed it with a combo of water, blue dish soap, and alcohol. Now it looks much worse. Help!"

Oh, dear. I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like you may have burned it.
All plants, particularly succulents, rely on a waxy coating called the cuticle to protect them from water loss, excessive UV, and pests. Both dish detergent and alcohol will strip plants of this protective coating. If your plant is in a pot, move it out of direct sun. If it's in the ground, cover it with shade cloth for the rest of the summer to give it a chance to heal. You might be able to save it.

This was a hard lesson to have learned. Going forward, anytime you see any insect (or evidence of one like webbing), you should first ID it to see if it's harmful. If you determine it is, then start with the least disruptive treatment which is almost always a jet spray of water. That probably would have dislodged the webs and whatever was creating them.

Get Moms What They Really Want

What gardening moms really want for Mother's Day (besides spending time with you) is MORE PLANTS! It's not too late to order instant e-gift cards from the following Tucson nurseries (plus one in Phoenix). Make the special women in your life happy and support our local nurseries as well.

• ​Harlow Gardens​
• ​Spadefoot Nursery​
• ​Four Arrows Garden​
• ​Civano Nursery​
• ​Summerwinds Nursery (Phoenix)

Upcoming Tucson Events

There are lots of interesting garden events and classes coming up soon! Upcoming highlights include:
* Container Gardening with Less Water & Worry @ Tucson Botanical Garden (5/19)
* Fountain Grass - Why is it such a menace? @ Pima County Master Gardeners (5/20)
* Go Public Gardens Day @ Tucson Botanical Garden (5/17)

Check on the details and find more events in the Tucson Gardening Event Guide →

Not in Tucson? Look for online classes. Anyone can participate in these.

Gardening Quote

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." — Martin Luther, theologian, author

In Case You Missed It

​Myoporum: Grass Green Ground Cover​

​How & When to Fertilize Desert Palms​

​Leafcutter Bees: Garden Friend or Foe?

Before You Go...

Do you have a gardening question you'd like to see answered here? Send it to ask@swgardener.com.

If you found this information helpful or interesting, please share it with friends! They can sign up for this newsletter here.

And stop by the Southwest Gardener Facebook page where you can comment on this week's articles. Then please "like", "follow", or "share"!

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Keep growing and learning,
​Desert Dee