December Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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December Desert Gardening And Early Winter To Do List

December Desert Gardening - Watch out for frost from cold fronts

December usually gives us a good rain storm or two, be sure to shut off your watering system so you don’t waste/flood your plants.

December is always a busy month for us desert dwellers.  Our snow-covered families are on their way to soak up some sun during the holidays while we are busy decorating, getting everything ready and making sure the garden is in top shape.  While the holidays can be cheery, they can often mean frost danger for our sensitive shrubbery.  Frost warnings are common during this month and some of the most unusual storm systems have come through right around the holidays.  Here are a few ways to make your December Desert Gardening a little less susceptible to winter damage:

Care:

- Frost is upon us. Keep frost cloths handy and check for freeze warnings. Tender plants include bougainvillea, citrus, some cactus (tips), hibiscus, ficus and plumeria.
- Try not to prune desert trees this month.
- Continue to rake any fallen leaves and add to compost pile.  Pay special attention to leaves that build up under bushes, as they can lead to rot over time.
- Harvest additional citrus such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons.- Harvest additional citrus such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons.
- Continue to skip pruning frost-sensitive plants until danger of frost has passed (late winter/early spring).
- Now is a great time to start sewing desert seeds indoors.  Get your chemical-free seeds at Sherizona.com today.

Watering:

- Reduce watering frequency to a winter schedule.  Many desert adapted and native plants  should only need to rely on rainfall.

Fertilize:

- Any winter growing succulents, the remainder shouldn’t need fertilizer provided they are dormant in the winter.

November Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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November Desert Gardening To Do List

November Desert Gardening - Ripening Citrus

Most citrus is ready to go by November, with the exception of a few like limes, which are ready in the summer.

November in the desert usually brings very comfortable temperatures, ripe citrus, blooming gardens and, if we are lucky, a good old-fashioned rainy day or two.

Plant:
- Plant prepared bulbs in amended beds

- Winter blooming annuals

Care:

- If there’s been frost and canna are damaged, cut back any dead leaves to prevent pests from taking over.
- Watch for aphids to pop up on new growth. A strong spray of water should correct the problem. Don’t be afraid to repeat this step every couple of days until they are gone.
- Rake any fallen leaves and add to compost pile.  Pay special attention to leaves that build up under bushes, as they can lead to rot over time.
- Harvest citrus such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons.
- Be ready for possible frost around the end of the month, skip pruning frost-sensitive plants until early spring.

Watering:

- Examine and make repairs to your irrigation system. The hot summer sun can crack and dry out the emitters.
- Reduce watering frequency to a winter schedule.

Fertilize:

- Any winter growing succulents.

October Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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October Desert Gardening To Do List

September Sunset

Monsoon sunsets are usually some of the most dramatic all year in the desert.

Ah October in the desert! The weather isn’t 110 anymore and it’s finally enjoyable to sit outside. Here are a few things to do in your desert garden in October:

Plant:
- In Zone 9b-10 plant anemone, daffodils, lady tulips, ranunculus, iris and alliums.
- In Zone 8-9a snowdrops, tulips and crocus can be planted.
- Desert-adapted trees, shrubs, cacti, vines and ground covers.
- October is the best month in the desert to plant agaves and yuccas. The days are still warm the nights are fairly mellow, which allows these guys to get nice and comfy before their intense first summer. In addition to allowing the roots to establish over the winter the leaves of these plants are also given time to get used to the sun. When you plant agaves and yuccas in the fall they have a much smaller chance of getting sunburn during their first summer.
- Edible plants such as rosemary, Mexican tarragon and scented geraniums.
- Veggies, veggies, veggies! This is the time to plant for the winter. Beets, onions, collard, broccoli, cabbage, kale, arugula and more.
- You can still plant palms but try to do it as early in the month as possible. Be careful not to overwater this month or newly planted palms can rot.

Care:

- Prechill bulbs such as tulips this month. Place them in paper bags (plastic will rot the bulbs) and set them in an area of your refrigerator far away from apples, pears, etc. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 months before planting.

Watering:

- Newly planted bulbs need watered twice per month, more often if there’s a spike in heat.

Fertilize:

- …

September Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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September Desert Gardening To Do List

September Sunset In A Desert Garden

Monsoon sunsets are usually some of the most dramatic all year in the desert.

September desert gardening can be a bit tricky.  While this month marks the end of monsoon season, it’s fairly common to still have some pretty scorching days, so don’t cut back too much on your watering schedule just yet. While cooler a.m. temps and typically a nice cold front hits at least once giving us a pleasant sample of the fall chances are we won’t see consistent heat relief until next month.  Here are a few ways to keep your desert garden looking its best in September:

Plant:
- Begin to plant winter-growing bulbs when the outside air temperature becomes below 95 degrees F.
- Emu bush, black dalea, blue mist, Russian sage, ruellia, red justicia and Mexican oregano toward the end of the month.

Care:

- Prechill bulbs such as tulips this month. Place them in paper bags (plastic will rot the bulbs) and set them in an area of your refrigerator far away from apples, pears, etc. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 months before planting.

Watering:

- Newly planted bulbs need watered twice per month, more often if there’s a spike in heat.

Fertilize:

- …

August Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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August Desert Gardening To Do List

Mid-Monsoon Month of August

August typically has the wildest monsoon storms during the summer.

August is typically the hottest month of the year.  The monsoon season brings humidity and it’s not uncommon to see many days well into the 110+ degree mark.  Overnight lows of 90 degrees make it pretty hard on even the toughest desert plants.  Proper placement in your garden, developing microclimates and a good watering schedule can keep your plants looking great during these dog days of summer.

Plant:
- Heat-loving annuals such as portulaca and sunflowers.
- Palm trees thrive in hot, sandy soil.

Care:

- Pay particular attention to your trees this month, keep airways available as it’s now middle of monsoon season.
- Many palm trees have huge amounts of fruits ripening on them this time of year. You can remove the flower stalks at any time, especially if the litter is staring to obstruct a walkway or street. Dropped fruit can be hazardous in walking areas as they get rather slick!

Watering:

- Bulbs need to maintain a regular watering schedule while they are actively blooming. Water to a depth of 6 inches each time.
- Water annuals daily. Annuals in planters may require watering twice daily, depending on pot size, composition and sun exposure.

Fertilize:

- Citrus can do with some fertilizer this month. This will get them ready to ripen over the fall. Water down the trees thoroughly, then apply fertilizer the following day and water it again.  Avoid fertilizing during the middle of the day.
- Palm trees thrive in the summer and this means they are using up the nutrients in the soil like crazy. Fertilize by watering the first day, applying fertilizer and more water the following day.

July Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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July Desert Gardening To Do List

Scorching July Temps

July is a tough month for many desert plants.

July can be really hard on many plants in your garden, particularly on leafy tropicals and winter blooming perennials.  There are several things you can do to keep your plants as healthy as possible during our harsh summer months:

Plant:
- Warm-season plants are ok to plant now, just be certain to protect from late afternoon sun for the first season.

Care:

- Keep an eye on newly planted succulents. Paling or brown spots indicate sunburn. Use shade cloth during the hottest sun times to avoid further damage to plants.
- A white film called cochineal scale can appear on prickly pear this time of year. Spray them with a strong blast of water to remove.
- Lantana can start to get leggy. I like to cut them back in July to about 1/2 the size to promote new flowering and a bushy appearance.
- New citrus can get sun and wind burn. It’s typically cosmetic but if it takes over a large part of a new (less than 3 years old) tree you might want to get some shade cloth up.

Watering:

- Water container plants twice daily.
- Cactus, yucca and agave should be watered to a depth of about 2 feet, depending on their sizes.

Fertilize:

- Potted summer growing succulents as needed.
- Do not fertilize citrus this month.

June Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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June Desert Gardening To Do List

Desert Rabbit

Rabbits can eat plant and root material in your garden.

June is a pivotal month, the season goes from very warm to scorching in just a couple of weeks, which puts stress on your plants and even the animals that live near them. Here is your June checklist:

Plant:
- Sweet potato. They thrive in the heat and do best in raised beds which allow room to hang the vines.
- Peppers and basil can fill in your garden where the springs crops left off. They’ll do well in the heat.
- Rain lily can still be planted in Zones 9-10. Barely cover the bulbs when planting.
- Cannas should be quite large by now, make sure they do not get too much sun. They will burn and fall over from the sun/winds. If they are starting to look a little beat up, give them some make shift humidity by spraying them down early in the a.m.
- Plant your saguaros now. Remember even the largest of saguaros rarely have a root base deeper than 3 or 4 feet, so if the saguaro is tall make sure there is a staked support system in place for at least the first 6 months. Do not use carpet around the saguaro, it will collect moisture and rot the cactus.

Care:

- Rain lily blooms this month in Zones 9-10. If your bulbs look a bit flimsy make sure it’s getting enough water and the soil is well-draining.
- Spent flower stalks can be removed from bulbs, hesperaloe, yuccas and agaves.
- Take a look at your cactus, aloes, agaves and yuccas. Many of these need a little protection from the end of the day intense summer sun. Consider moving heat-stressed plants to a shadier spot or provide a shade cloth for the late afternoon sun.
- Rabbits can be your biggest problem when monsoon arrives later in the summer. The critters get desperate for water and they will eat even the most protected cactus and agaves. Chicken wire can be helpful around your plants but it’s not the best looking. Pepper around plants helps detract rabbits, so does kitty litter and even dog/cat urine.

Watering:

- Watering is crucial this time of year, do not let bulbs dry out during the hot summer days. For lilies, do not water from overhead or they will rot.
- Water cactus, desert spoon, ocotillos and yuccas once or twice this month. Remember, deep watering is very important!

Fertilize:

- Do not fertilize bulbs anymore this summer.
- Potted agaves and cactus could use a bit of low-nitrogen fertilizer this month.

May Desert Gardening

  By Admin | April 20, 2013 - 11:43 am |
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May Desert Gardening To Do List

May is a transitional month for those of us in the desert southwest.  The mornings are still pleasant, late afternoons are warm but tolerable in the shade.  We prune, adjust watering and get our yards ready for the blazing hot summers.

Things to do in your desert garden in May:

Plant:

-For bulbs, cut spent flowers anytime. Remove seeds that you don’t plan to save, as they rob the plant of valuable nutrients.
-Geraniums will still be very much alive even after having a great run in the late winter/spring. If you want to extend their season a bit longer move them into a spot that has filtered sunlight or afternoon shade and keep the soil fairly moist.

Care:

-Once iris has finished blooming, cut the watering back significantly. Once every 10-14 days is fine. They will need the dry to rest and get ready for fall.

-Start adjusting your watering timers for the warmer season. Once the overnight temperatures start creeping into the 70s you will want to bump up the watering. Wilting plants are the first sign that you need to adjust your emitters.

- Cut flowers off once they are spent.

Watering:

- Once iris has finished blooming, cut the watering back significantly. Once every 10-14 days is fine. They will need the dry to rest and get ready for fall.
- Start adjusting your watering timers for the warmer season. Once the overnight temperatures start creeping into the 70s you will want to bump up the watering. Wilting plants are the first sign that you need to adjust your emitters.

Fertilize:

-Fertilize iris one last time early in the month then leave alone the rest of the summer.

-If you notice some of your palms really starting to wake up this month it’s a good idea to toss some fertilizer their way. Remember to water thoroughly before application and immediately afterward.

Hybrid Palm Trees For The Desert

  By Admin | December 15, 2012 - 8:49 am |
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Learning About Hybrid Palm Trees

Mule Palms Grow In Desert Conditions

The Mule Palm Tree

Hybridized palm trees are not necessarily a new phenomenon. In nature, palms hybridize all the time! Some aren’t thrilled about this because they claim it’s depleting the world of the ‘pure’ palm species but others welcome these new and interesting plants.

In addition, over the years the accidental cross mixing of palms have produced more heat (or cold) tolerant, soil tolerant, wind-resistant plants. If only someone could figure out how to do this with those fickle Queen palms!

While I joke about creating a better queen palm someone has actually worked on it. It’s called a mule palm and it’s one of the most beautiful hybrids so far. Picture a cold hardy coconut palm. The mule palm (xButyagrus nabbonnandi) is a cross between a queen palm and and pindo palm. It grows fast and produces gorgeous, lush fronds. It is less prone to the ‘frazzle top’ like typical queens and can withstand temperatures to at least 14F once it’s at least a few years old. The mule palm is typically sterile and each offspring can be wildly different in appearance, however some have produced seed so it is slowly becoming a vibrant addition!

The biggest example of this is the Phoenix palm. In Nevada, California, Arizona and Northern Mexico these are so heavily planted they often mix with other palms. The Phoenix roebellinii and canariensis are both often grown with a strain of some other palm in them. This would explain why the Canary Island date palm can look completely different in Palm Springs than it does in Las Vegas.

Pictured – the mule palm, a pindo palm/queen palm hybrid.