This weekend April will begin, so here are some garden tasks you can think about getting out and doing. Check your last frost date before some of these April tasks. Prune Check your last frost date – and if it is past then go ahead and prune frost damage off bougainvillea, lantana, autumn sage, and other summer flowering frost tender perennials. Avoid pruning spring-flowering shrubs until bloom period is through. […]
Scent is one of our most basic senses, yet fragrant plants are often neglected when planning a landscape. The Nose Knows! I cherish my desert garden for all the wonderfully scented plants in it. Often I run my fingers along branches or leaves to release heady fragrance. Also, I grew up here and love the smell of the desert after the rain. Most scents defy words. I certainly do try […]
Spring flowers are beginning to bloom and hummingbirds are zipping around, collecting nectar and a few insects while they are at it. Entice the Hummingbirds Hummingbirds need more than just sugar-water feeders. Like most animal life, they need a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This means that they do need some flower nectar. More than Just Food Every living thing on earth needs food, water, and a place […]
March can be a busy month in the garden. Here are some of the things to get done this month. Weather Repeats Itself Just like hsitory. You my hear people complain about this “odd” winter we are having in the Southwest – but they haven’t been here long enough. Cold, windy, dry at first, and then late rains. This all happens every 50 years or so. Last time was 1968, […]
Starting seeds indoors is relatively easy, and it’s (past) time to start thinking about your spring planting in the Southwest. Starting Out Starting Seeds You will need a well lit space and some way of keeping your seeds and tender young plants protected from household pets and other slings and arrows of misfortune. Necessary Supplies Sterile seed-starting soil mix Seedling trays with clear plastic covers – either purchased or repurposed […]
Cover image – Male phainopepla, a silky flycatcher native to the Southwest deserts and mountains. February is National Bird Feeding Month. The birds are really hoping you will celebrate. But Don’t Just Feed the Birds – While it is nice to add feeders to your garden, it seems like cheating somehow. Plus you may attract the non-native birds that crowd out our desert adapted species. So, instead of actively feeding […]
At first, “edible landscaping” may sound odd, but think of citrus trees. Lovely, evergreen trees, with striking glossy green foliage. The bonus is the delicious and nutritious fruit for your consumption. This is one form of edible landscaping. Then there is full tilt edible landscaping. Botanist mentor and friend Richard Felger (of blessed memory) planted a vegetable garden in his front yard back in the 1980’s. He lived in a […]
Cover image – Viola, also called heartease – for February, National Heart Month. There is not very much maintenance or tasks the must be done in the Southwest garden in February, just enjoy the season and any flowers you have. Tidy up some things – especially in Low or Middle Desert. Upper Elevations – you get to chill (pardon the pun). Speaking of Flowers I will be speaking of flowers! […]
When planning your vegetable garden and other gardening tasks – you need to look at “Last Frost” date for your area. And as Autumn comes along you will need to start looking at “First Frost” data – but that is another article. Cover image is frost on a sage plant. Which Garden Tasks go by Last Frost Date? Last frost date tells you when you can safely put your tender […]
Celebrate National Hot Tea Month (January) – by harvesting some caffeine-free tea from your yard – or more simply – out of pots of plants growing on your patio. Don’t Like Herb Tea? I hear this every so often. “Tried it once and didn’t like it.” Yep. Well there are many kinds of herbal tea. For instance, if you don’t like “mint” tea – do you know if it is […]
