Hi, Desert Gardener,

The monsoon is officially over, and for many of us it went out with a BANG. And now we have well-watered plants, full rain barrels, and soil good for digging. I hope this was the case for you.

Since October is prime time for planting, you may be digging some holes this weekend. Like many things in desert gardens, digging holes is different here. If you don't get this right, nothing else you do for that plant will matter. Learn the finer points of hole digging in our article below.

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If you plan to plant any new trees, the Tucson Clean & Beautiful program has a helpful guide on planting new trees. It covers how to choose the right location for your new tree, and how to plant, stake, water, and prune. And don't forget to research the trees you're considering in the Tree section of our Desert Plant Library.

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In this week's newsletter, we cover:

• Featured plant: Woolly butterfly bush
• How to dig a proper hole
• What to do this month
• Upcoming plant sale, classes & events
• and more!

Looking for Woolly Butterfly Bush?

Woolly butterfly bush isn't always easy to find. Desert Survivors is having their fall sale 10/3 through 10/11. Their list of available plants includes woolly butterfly bush, so you may be able to pick one up there.👍

🎃 October Activity Snapshot 🎃

Here’s a snapshot of the activities you can and/or should do this month and those you should skip.

See the October Gardening Guide for the details and exceptions.

Upcoming Tucson Events

Fall is prime time for garden-related activities happening around Tucson. Upcoming highlights include:
* Planning & Planting a Desert Tortoise Habitat @ Pima Co. Master Gardeners (10/10, online)
* Desert Landscape Basics @ Four Arrows Garden (10/10)
* Trees Around the World Guided Tour @ University of Arizona (10/11)

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

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

Garden Quote

"It's better to plant a 50-cent plant in a $5 hole, than a $5 plant in a 50-cent hole." — Ralph Snodsmith, gardening author & educator

In Case You Missed It

​Chitalpa: Fabulous but Flawed​

​9 Things to Know Before Buying a Desert Landscape Plant

​Past SWG Newsletters (access all 100+ newsletters here)

Before You Go...

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

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Thank you for being a subscriber. Remember, you can access your free bonus guide, The 7 Most Common Gardening Mistakes, anytime.

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Keep growing and learning,
​Desert Dee