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.
April in the garden ð, unmistakable sign of spring ðŧ, avoid costly mistakes, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, It will soon be April, a uniquely beautiful month in the desert. It's also one of the busiest months for gardeners. Find out what you should do in your garden this month in April's Gardening Guide. ðĩ âïļ ðĩ I realized after I sent last week's newsletter that I didn't mention it was officially spring. Normally, that's an important gardening milestone but it slipped my mind. I thought we skipped spring and went straight to summer. ð My garden is currently a mixed bag. I've...
Love or hate this tree? ðģ, plant sticker shock ðĪ, spring planting tips, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, I'm as bummed as you are about this heat wave, but I'm trying not to freak out over it. After noting a few things yesterday, I realized the heat may not be as hard on plants as I feared. Here are a few "positive" things I noticed yesterday. First, only a few hours were over 100. By the time I finished dinner, the temperature had dropped to 85. This morning was a pleasantly cool 60. Second, compared to a 100 degree day in the summer, the sun is less intense (lower UV...
Harbinger of spring ðļ, urgent bird-saving tip ðŠš, heat wave survival tips ðĨĩ, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, I had to do a quick pivot on this week's newsletter once I realized that it's very likely we'll be having our first 100+ degree days next week. ðĨĩ As of today's forecast, it looks like there will be several days in a row of record breaking heat. I wasn't expecting to include my "heat wave" post in this newsletter so soon, but here we are, having our first heat wave in March. I hope you will spend your gardening time this weekend getting your plants ready for the upcoming...
The cutest, toughest flower ðž, do this right or doom your plants ðĩ, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, A few readers reminded me that 3 years ago (on March 2, to be precise), Tucson had measurable snow. How could I forget? I had 5 inches! A dozen newly planted trees and shrubs were splayed out flat on the ground. I lost one tree, which I still pine for. ðĒ ðą ðĩïļ ðą While the last frost date in Tucson is March 15th, I'm going "out on a limb" to predict that we will not have another freeze this spring. The 10 day forecast looks clear. You know what this means, right? We can...
March in the garden ðĩïļ, hi viz showstopper ðđ, what to plant now ðą, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, For many gardeners, March is the busiest month of the year. If you're going to add any new landscape plants this spring, try to do it this month. This gives them the most time to get established before it gets really hot. (There are a few exceptions which are covered in the spring month-by-month planting guide.) ðąðĩïļ ðą This week my husband texted our nephew on his birthday and teased him about our 80+ weather (Our nephew lives on the cold East Coast). Apparently, my...
Wild for wildflowers! ð, citrus tasting ð ð, weed or wildflower? ðą & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, It looks like it's going to be a banner spring for wildflowers, and this week I'm obsessed with my penstemons! They are some of the easiest, and most striking, wildflowers to grow. A few years ago I sowed both Parry's and firecracker penstemon seeds in the fall. And ever since I've been having very different experiences with these two plants. The Parry's penstemon flowered prolifically last year and this spring my yard has been blessed (or overrun, depending on how you...
What gardeners REALLY want ðŠīð, plants with a Valentine connection âĪïļ, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, This unusually warm weather has a lot of people asking whether it's safe to start spring pruning. I understand the urge, but the prudent answer is "not yet". The last frost date here in Tucson is March 15. It might be sooner or later for you. But a late cold snap is not out of the question. I guess it depends on how lucky you feel! âĪïļ ðĩ âĪïļ Did you know... February 14 isn't just Valentine's Day, it's also the anniversary of Arizona's statehood. That's a fun bit of trivia...
Clay or quicksand? ðē, flower that improves soil ðĩïļ, plants that hate cold wet "feet" ðĢ, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, Recently, one of my readers suggested that I write about the challenges of gardening in clay soil. And so I did. ð I used to think all desert soil was sandy until I moved into my current home and discovered I had clay. The first time I stepped on it after a rain, I sank up to my ankles and thought I was stuck in quicksand! ðē If you have clay, you'll want to check out this week's featured article. And if you don't, you may want to read it anyway -- it may make you grateful...
February in the garden ð, time to feed citrus ð, stunning winter-blooming vine ðŋ, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, I received a lot of feedback regarding last week's featured article on why you shouldn't put rocks in your pots, including some great ideas. My favorite? Marylee Pangman of The Potted Desert suggested using grow bags as cache pots and placing them inside large or tall pots. Brilliant! ðŠī ðŠī ðŠī If you have citrus trees, February is prime time to fertilize. For best results, there are a few factors to consider: when to fertilize, how much fertilizer to apply, and what to look...
Rocks in your pots? âïļ, "had to have it" âĪïļ, fixing a "lollipop" shrub ð, & more ððĩ
Hi, Desert Gardener, Have you ever bought a plant because you "had to have it" but it was the wrong time of year to plant it? Well, I just did that. Oops. I've been pining for a tall slipper plant and found one at a great price. But I know that succulents should be planted in the spring when the warm soil encourages their root development. So... I left it in the nursery pot and plunked the whole thing into a large decorative container. And that's where it will stay until it warms up. In the...
Be a successful desert gardener. Find everything you need to know to create and maintain a beautiful, carefree desert landscape in our weekly newsletter.