April 2023 Garden Tasks

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.  […]

February 2023

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! […]

Plant Bulbs in Fall – for Spring Delight

Bulbs produce some of the most beautiful flowers in the garden palate. They can provide brilliant splashes of cheerful color in the winter and spring months. In the Southwest bulbs can be grown in the landscape, in containers on the patio, or indoors. Bulbs Time their Growth Many desert plants appear in a very specific season – like just after a rain in the coldest soils, or in late spring […]

Garden Calendar for October 2022

It seems that every October is different than the previous one here in the Land of El Sol. Luckily there are some things in common – and thus I can help you plan your October 2022 gardening tasks ahead, so your garden will look great through the holidays ahead.* Watch for The 3 W’s – Winter ,Weeds, Wildflowers We had spotty rain across the Southwest in late September. Rain means […]

3 Tips for Healthy Citrus in the Desert

Unlike some fruit trees who are drama queens, citrus is more of a “leave-me-alone-to-get-the-job-done” kind of fruit tree.If you just let it hang out and grow – and just give it a tad bit of help – everybody will win. Citrus Care IS As Simple as 1-2-3 There are only three things you need to do as a citrus owner, and one of them is a don’t! Number One Don’t […]