Fruit trees? I say “Yes please!” But some folks plant them and then find themselves regretting the decision. To help you avoid buyers remorse about your fruit trees, I have compiled five things to consider before you go to the effort of planting and maintaining a fruit tree. 1. Time […]
Winter solstice! This is a very busy time of year for many of you reading this. Me too! I am taking a bit of a break this week. Full article next week. Get Outside If you are itching to get outside and do something, I encourage you to do so. […]
The bunnies hop right on past the desert hopbush, also called desert hops, and occasionally called sand cherry. Other common names include arilla (Spanish); and in Seri, casol caacol. I would love to know the O’odham name if someone reading this knows it. The botanical name is Dodonaea viscosa and […]
“What are those weird lumps on my creosote bush? Should I cut them off?” A Question Asked Via Substack This wonderful question came in from a subscriber to my Substack newsletter. I love Substack because people can ask such anonymous questions and not feel embarrassed, quite unlike other social media. […]
Save your holiday amaryllis and plant it outdoors in your landscape! Note- this will work if it doesn’t often get below 15 degrees F where you live. If your climate is good, your amaryllis will grow and bloom for years to come. Amaryllis is Awesome I posted some of […]
Celebrate “National Almond Day” – February 16! Plant Almond Trees Yes, almonds grow well in the Southwest. They tolerate alkaline souls, even caliche, low humidity, and even (most) of the heat of summer. Almonds join a number of other plants from the warmer areas of the eastern Mediterranean that grow […]
Rain lilies are charming summer blooming bulbs that will flourish in much of the Southwest – into the USDA Zone 8 and some into zone 7. Rain Lilies are Zephyranthes I said “rain lilies” in the title because I didn’t want to daunt you with the scientific name, Zephyranthes. But […]
May 16 is National Hug a Tree Day! So in honor of this very special day, I am starting this series of articles on how to pick the perfect tree. Perfect Tree for … ? … Factor This: If you want to watch a nursery person cringe, ask them: “What […]
March can be a busy month in the garden. Here are some of the things to get done this month. This was written for 2023, and some of the tasks will work for any March. BUT! As I write this update note, they are predicting a colder than usual March, […]
January here in the Southwest is blessed in many ways. We have spectacular sunsets in winter, not to mention a most salubrious winter climate. Despite the occasional cold front that touches down, withering tender plants, winters are, on the whole, great for growing everything in our region. Here’s some ideas […]
