Southwest Gardener
Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.
"Weather Bingo" anyone? โ๏ธ, the sad truth about Texas rangers ๐ , & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, A few weeks ago I mentioned "plant bingo" games. This week has been like playing "weather bingo" -- we've had some of everything. Depending on where you live, you may have had: record heat, prolonged drought, damaging winds, hail, dust storms, extreme lightning, and/or flooding. ๐ฑ You may be nodding your head in agreement. It does get somewhat discouraging, but hang in there. It will get better. โ๏ธ โ๏ธ โ๏ธ Have the Texas rangers (i.e., Texas sage) been blooming near you?...
What to do in the garden in August ๐งโ๐พ, win-win ways to recycle storm damaged plants โ๏ธ, & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, August is here, which means we're nearly halfway through the monsoon. And a new month brings new gardening tasks. Compared to July, there's more to do in the garden this month -- more plants to be pruned and fertilized, and more pests and problems to watch out for, too. If you had any storm damage, be sure to check out the unique "win-win" ways to recycle storm damaged branches, trees, shrubs, cactus, and other succulents below. ๐ต โ๏ธ ๐ต I recently had an unfortunate garden...
Got 'shrooms? What to know ๐, heat wave tips ๐ฅ, plant bingo ๐ชด , & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, This week many of us have gone from flooding to frying. It's crazy out there. ๐ต๐ซ The definition of a heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather when temperatures are significantly higher than the historical average. What we're experiencing now qualifies. Protect your plants with these Heat Wave Survival Tips. ๐ต ๐ฅ ๐ต There were a lot of questions about the mushrooms popping up in gardens this week, since their appearance is common after monsoon rains. "Are they edible?"...
Easy source of gray water ๐ง, how to talk "native" to your HOA , hummer tips, & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, What a crazy weather week! I hope you had rain but avoided damaging winds. I some of each -- some rain and some significant wind damage.๐ข ๐ต ๐ฆ๏ธ ๐ต Do you ever get tired of search results that are IRRELEVANT for desert gardening? Now you can customize your Google search results! Southwest Gardener recently became a Google Preferred Source. To make SWG one of your Preferred Sources, click here and you'll be taken to a page that looks like this. Checking the box will add SWG...
Summer wildflowers you can plant now! ๐ต๏ธ , surprising reason plants are struggling ๐ฆ๏ธ, & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, A lot of gardeners have been commenting that their plants are looking bedraggled even when they're watering as usual. Some have even questioned if the sun's path has changed! (I hope not!) ๐ฎ I think the problem is three-fold. First, our first 100+ day occurred in March and the monsoon rains haven't kicked in yet, so our 5th season -- "arid foresummer" -- has been months longer than usual. (March through July, rather than May and June.) Second, because we didn't have a...
Fourth of July Edition! โญ๐Thomas Jefferson: Author, President, Avid Gardener, & more! ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, With this Fourth of July also being the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I couldn't resist the opportunity to talk about Thomas Jefferson. History remembers him as the author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States. But in his heart he was first and foremost a gardener, as is evident by his famous quote: "No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to...
What to do in the garden in July ๐ฆ๏ธ, pod picker mistake ๐ซ, commonly consumed bug ๐, & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, July in the southwest is a month of changes. Monsoon storms bring welcome rainfall, humidity, and cloud cover โ all a great relief for your plants. But monsoon storms can also bring flooding, hail, dust storms, and damaging wind. And an increase in moisture leads to more insect pests, plant diseases, and weeds. All these changes mean there are changes in gardening activities this month, as well. So be sure to check out the July gardening guide. ๐ต ๐ฆ๏ธ ๐ต I've recently...
Historic monsoon rain โ๏ธ, other-worldly "tree" ๐ฅ, best hummingbird plants ๐บ, & more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, The monsoon has officially begun and it's off to a historic start! Tucson had record-breaking rain on the 15th, the first official day of the monsoon. The rains often begin around July 4th, but this week Tucson, along with Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Mesa, Flagstaff, and Prescott had substantial rains. You can see how much rain fell around Arizona and other parts of the southwest at Rainlog.org. ๐ต โ๏ธ ๐ต Last week I mentioned that I've been writing about some of the...
Nursery map (New!) ๐, the "queen" of cactus ๐, saguaro fruit harvest ๐ต, and more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, Lately, I've taken to writing about some of the desert's more unsual plants that can be grown as landscape plants. I planned to share my "queen of the night" artricle to coincide with Tohono Chul's annual bloom, but alas, Bloom Night came and went so early this year, I missed it. Oops. But, you can still learn more about this mysterious cactus as today's featured plant. ๐ต โ๏ธ ๐ต When it heats up outside, I use the opportunity to work on indoor gardening projects such as...
The "Cousin Itt" plant ๐ป, know your ladybugs! ๐, "cool summer nights" ๐, and more ๐๐ต
Hi, Desert Gardener, I don't talk about ornamental grasses as much as I should, so let me start now with today's featured plant -- bamboo muhly. I first saw one at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and fell in love with its dramatic, billowing, lime-green foliage. It's not a true bamboo -- it's an Arizona native grass. This wild-looking plant apparently is not to everyoneโs taste, since Iโve heard it called the "Cousin Itt" plant. ๐ ๐ต โ๏ธ ๐ต If you live in Tucson or are visiting this summer, check...
Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.