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Happy Spring!
Spring is widely regarded as the best time of year to add new plants... but is it really?
This week's temperature swings were a good reminder that spring planting can be surprisingly stressful on plants. Spring can be hot, dry, and windy, and the ideal planting season in the desert is short. (We're still having nights in the 30s, but it's not unusual for the first 100-degree day to occur in April!)
No worries, we've got tips to reduce stress and get your new plants off to the best possible start.
In this week's newsletter, we cover:
- Featured Plant: Outback Sunrise Emu
- Tips for successful spring planting β±οΈ
- Weed or wildflower?
- Some good news about stinknet
- What to do in the garden in March π©π»βπΎ
- Upcoming gardening event highlights
- and more!
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Featured Plant:
Outback Sunrise Emu
This evergreen ground cover is blanketed with tubular yellow flowers this time of year. When not in bloom, it forms an eye-catching expanse of emerald green. Besides watering occasionally, this Aussie native is virtually maintenance-free.
βRead more here ββ
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Some Good News About Stinknet!
During this week's Pima County Invasive Species talk, there was a bit of good news about stinknet. Because we've had such a dry winter, the spread of this highly invasive, noxious annual has been slower than in previous years. But Arizona gardeners must stay vigilant to encourage this positive trend. Learn more ββ
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6 Steps for Successful Spring Planting
In the desert southwest, spring planting can be surprisingly stressful on plants. Here are 6 steps you can take to minimize their stress and get your plants off to a good start.
βRead more ββ
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Tucson Garden Events & Classes
This week's highlights include:
* Thriving Tomatoes, Summer Challenges @ Pima Co. Master Gardeners
* Spring Annuals @ Green Things
* Wonderful Native Plants @ Harlow Gardens
Get the details on these events and more in our Tucson Gardening Events Calendar β
Not in Tucson? Look for classes offered via Zoom.
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Weed or Wildflower?
If you see a seedling that looks like this (fuzzy, pale, gray-green leaves), it's a wildflower. In the garden, desert marigold is a short-lived perennial with cheerful yellow flowers that bloom all year. Somehow, it always manages to reseed in just the right places. π»
βLearn more about desert marigold here ββ
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Garden Quote
"A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows."
- Doug Larson, writer, editor
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March: What to Do in the Garden This Month
Here's a detailed look at what you can plant (and what you should wait on), what you should prune, how to adjust your watering schedule for spring, and more in our March Guide.
βGet the full details here ββ
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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 please stop by the new Southwest Gardener Facebook page and "Follow", "Like", or "Share".
Keep growing and learning,
βDesert Dee
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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
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