Hi, Desert Gardener,

It's been a crazy fall and some Southwest gardeners experienced damaging storms this week. I hope everyone is safe and did not sustain too much damage to their gardens, homes, vehicles, or other personal property.

If you lost a tree or even a large branch, keep an eye on any plants that were shaded by it. Fortunately, this time of year it's not too critical, but by next spring and summer, plants may balk at their new sun exposure.

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Now is the perfect time to sow seeds for spring-blooming wildflowers. You can make this task as hard or as easy as you want. Learn my tips for making it easy. And see today's featured wildflower which is the bluest flower you'll ever see!

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If this is your first Halloween in the desert, you might not realize how much javelinas love pumpkins! They seem to think we put them out just for their enjoyment. Don't let those naughty javies destroy your holiday decorations, or your landscape plants. See today's pumpkin-saving tips.

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In this week's newsletter, we cover:

• Featured plant: Desert bluebell
• Growing wildflowers... the easy way
• Deterring javies
• What to do this month
• Upcoming classes, & events
• and more!

🎃 Pumpkin Saving Tips! 🎃

Javelinas love pumpkins! If you have pumpkins on display, put them in an enclosed area or out of reach, if you can. Or you can try spraying them with chili oil. One Arizona golf course found that spraying chili oil stopped javelinas from tearing up the turf and it might keep them away from your pumpkins, too.

Find more tips for deterring javelinas here.

Upcoming Tucson Events

Fall is prime time for garden-related activities happening around Tucson. Upcoming highlights include:
* How to Plant a Hummingbird Garden @ Green Things (10/26)
* Cool Weather Crops: Gardening 101 @ Tucson Botanical Garden (10/28)
* Our 10 Favorite Native Plants @ Harlow Gardens (10/31)

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

"A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul." — Sadi Ranson, author, poet

In Case You Missed It

​Pink Flamingo’ Muhly: Cloud-Like Plumes​

​5 Reasons to Plant in the Fall (not Spring)

​Desert Plant Library: Featured Shrubs​

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.

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