Hi, Desert Gardener,

October is prime planting time, but you may find your "plant budget" getting stretched thin. There is help! I've found a surprising number of ways to acquire new plants at very reasonable prices or even for free. While I love all the plants in my desert garden, the ones I appreciate the most are the ones that I rescued, propagated, or otherwise acquired for free. Learn how to grow your garden on a budget in today's featured post. (If you've seen this article before, I've added new content so please check it out again.)

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Next week is a bonanza week for gardening events at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. There are 3 classes with 2 of my favorite local gardening mentors! And 2 of them are online so anyone can join.

• Noelle Johnson, aka AZ Plant Lady, will be hosting a class on butterfly gardening. (Zoom)
• Marylee Pangman, Tucson's potted plant authority, is having a class on desert container gardening with winter plants. (Zoom)
• Marylee is also having an in-person event, Late Bloom: What Gardening Taught Me About Writing, Patience, and Beginning Again. She shares her unexpected path from gardening to writing fiction. This will be a heartwarming event for those who love "second acts" and "second chances". (Free with TBG admission)

Another reason to visit Tucson Botanical Garden is their new exhibit Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures. These fantastical hybrid animals are inspired by Zapotec astrology. You'll find works of art like the one pictured below placed throughout the gardens.

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In this week's newsletter, we cover:

• Featured plant: Pineleaf milkweed
• Gardening on a budget (free plants & seeds!)
• What to do this month
• Upcoming plant sale, classes, & events
• and more!

Upcoming Tucson Events

Fall is prime time for garden-related activities happening around Tucson. Upcoming highlights include:
* Pruning Shrubs @ Pima Co. Master Gardeners (10/14, online)
* Fall Plant Sale & Pop-up Shop @ Native Seeds/SEARCH (10/17)
* Cool Weather Vegetable Gardening @ Harlow Gardens (10/17)

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.

🎃 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.

Garden Quote

"To dig one's own spade into one's own earth! Has life anything better to offer?" — Beverley Nichols, author, gardener

Watering Reminder!

Sometime during October, it's time to switch from a summer watering schedule to a fall watering schedule. I normally switch once the daily highs are 90 or below. From the looks of the 10 day forecast that would be now. And anytime you get 1/2" of rain or more, you can skip your next irrigation cycle. Learn more about watering in our Desert Watering Resources.

In Case You Missed It

​Woolly Butterfly Bush: Simply Irresistible​

​How to Dig a Hole in the Desert

​How Desert Wind is Tough on Plants (& what you can do)

Before You Go...

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Keep growing and learning,
​Desert Dee