My garden has been transformed with yellow showers of flowers, courtesy of my palo verde tree. It’s a delightful time of year with warm spring temperatures and colorful landscapes filled with flowering shrub, perennials, and trees.
However, nothing heralds the arrival of spring in the desert Southwest like the golden yellow flowers of palo verde trees. I have three ‘Desert Musuem’ palo verde trees spread throughout my garden – one in the front, in the side garden (our dog run), and in the backyard.
The flowers do spread everywhere, which bothers some people, but I like to focus on the lovely yellow flowers transform things in the garden, like my artichoke agave where the flowers nestle inside its rosette.
One of my favorite views of the garden is looking out the patio door to the side garden where the branches of my palo verde tree frame the view.
There are several different species of palo verde and each one has a slightly different color flower, form the pale yellow of the foothills palo verde(Parkinsonia microphylla) to the deep yellow of ‘Desert Museum’(Parkinsonia hybrid ‘Desert Museum’).
Here is more information about palo verde trees from an earlier post. Do you enjoy the blooms of palo verde trees?
Beware the Pretty Face: The Illusion of Clematis Flowers
Clematis flowers are so pretty. Do you ever find yourself transfixed by a pretty face flower? I have. In fact, I’ve rarely seen a flower that I didn’t like. However, sometimes a pretty face, or in this case, a flower, can easily fool us.
Deceptive Beauty: The Story of Clematis Flower Vines at the Grocery Store
Over the weekend, I made a quick trip to my local grocery store where I noticed a display of beautiful flowering plants that stopped me dead in my tracks.
Right by the entry was a collection of lovely clematis vines. Their lush green foliage and large purple flowers were gorgeous and enticed passersby into taking one home.
This made me mad, and I don’t get angry quickly. So, why am I upset? It’s not because I have anything against clematis – I think that they are lovely and have taken some photos of them throughout my garden travels including these below.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Olbrich Gardens, Wisconsin
Butchart Gardens, in British Columbia, Canada
Astoria, Oregon
Aberyswyth, Wales
The Misfit Clematis: Unsuitable for Phoenix and Low Desert Areas
If you have paid attention to where I took the pictures of clematis, you may begin to understand why seeing this outside my Phoenix area grocery store upset me. The reason is that clematis don’t thrive in a low desert climate. They need extensive irrigation and attention.
The Reality of a Clematis Flower: A Lesson in Garden Impulse Buying
The problem is, the average person doesn’t know this and envision how nice the clematis will look in their garden, so they hand over $25 and carry their new plant home with the assumption that the store wouldn’t sell plants that very difficult to grow in their area.
Sadly, they are wrong. Unless they possess extensive gardening experience and knowledge about clematis, they will end up with a vine that barely clings to life within a few weeks and will blame themselves for its condition.
Sequim, Washington
The moral of this story? Don’t be fooled by a pretty face clematis flower. Avoid impulse buys and research before buying plants for your garden. If you see a plant that you have never seen before, there is a greater chance that it may have difficulty growing in your climate. Choose a desert adapted vine instead.
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Cereus cactus, golden barrel cactus, and firecracker penstemon
From Drab to Colorful: A Landscape Transformation Story
Is your outdoor space looking rather drab? If so, you aren’t alone – many landscapes can appear somewhat dull, especially if there is a lack of color. But, it doesn’t have to stay that way.
One of my favorite aspects of my job as a landscape consultant is to help my clients to transform their garden from drab to colorful and it is quite easy to do.
Revisiting a Landscape Transformation: Two Years of Colorful Growth
I invite you to join me as I revisit with a client two-years after I created a planting plan for her existing, lackluster landscape.
BEFORE – Corner of Driveway
Transforming the Driveway Corner: Adding Color and Texture
Initially, this area did little to add to the curb appeal of the home. Overgrown red yucca plants and a cholla cactus created a ‘messy’ and boring look to this high-profile spot in the landscape.
AFTER
Removing the old plants and adding angelita daisy(Tetraneuris acaulis) and gopher plant(Euphorbia biglandulosa), creates colorful interest while adding texture. Before, the boulders were hidden behind the overgrown plants, so now they serve as an excellent backdrop for the new additions.
Symmetry and Year-Round Color: Anchoring the Driveway Corners
The corners of the driveway are one of the most viewed spots in the landscape and are often the first part people see when they drive by. It’s important to anchor them visually with plants that look great all year and preferably produce colorful flowers or have an attractive shape or color. I always like to add boulders to help anchor both corners as well.
These areas are also critical in that they create symmetry, connecting both sides of the landscape, which is done by using the same types of plants on each side.
A Burst of Color by the Entry: Enhancing Year-Round Appeal
Although there is no ‘before’ photo for the entry, here is an example of plants that will add year-round color because of their overlapping bloom seasons. ‘Blue Elf’ aloe blooms in winter and on into early spring while ‘New Gold Mound’ lantana will flower spring through fall, as the aloe fades into the background. A ponytail palm(Beaucarnea recurvata) brings a nice vertical element to this spot and will grow taller with age.
Adding Color to the Entry Path: Transforming a Desolate Space
BEFORE (Landscape Transformation)
Along the front entry path, a tall cereus(Cereus peruvianus) cactus adds a welcome vertical element while the golden barrel cactus(Echinocactus grusonii) creates excellent texture contrast. However, something is missing in this area, in my opinion.
AFTER (Landscape Transformation)
A colorful element was what was missing in this area. A single firecracker penstemon(Penstemon eatonii) adds beauty while also attracting hummingbirds.
Corner Landscape Transformation: Bringing Beauty to an Overlooked Space
BEFORE (Landscape Transformation)
On the corner of this lot was a palo brea tree with a large desert spoon and turpentine bushes. Overall, there was nothing exciting in this spot before the landscape transformation.
AFTER (Landscape Transformation)
The turpentine bushes were removed to make way for a set of gopher plants, which served to tie in this corner of the garden with the areas next to the driveway. These succulents flower in spring and add nice spiky texture throughout the rest of the year.
Creating a Colorful Carpet: Enhancing Warm Months with Lantana
Purple and white trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis) serve to create a colorful carpet throughout the warm months of the year. This type of lantana can struggle in full sun in the middle of summer in the low-desert garden but, thrive underneath the filtered shade of a palo verde tree.
When working with an existing landscape, I relish the challenge of determining what existing plants still add beauty to the outdoor space, or have the potential to if pruned correctly. Sometimes an ugly, overgrown shrub can be transformed into something beautiful if pruned back severely. Often, it’s up to me to decide what goes and what stays. Then, the real fun part begins, which is selecting what areas need new plants and what ones will work best.
Landscape Transformation: Less Is More
I find that many people think that to renovate a landscape, you need to get rid of most of the plants and put in a lot of new ones. But, this is rarely the case. All you need to do is keep the plants that will continue to add to the curb appeal or create a beautiful, mature backdrop for new plants and new plants should be concentrated in high-profile areas where their impact will be maximized. Be sure to incorporate proper irrigation for the new plantings.
What would you like to get rid of in your landscape and what would you keep?
Noelle Johnson, AKA, ‘AZ Plant Lady’ is a horticulturist, landscape consultant, and certified arborist who lives and gardens in the desert Southwest. While writing and speaking on a variety of gardening topics keeps her busy, you’ll often find her outside planting vegetables, picking fruit from her trees, or testing the newest drought-tolerant plants.
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Unwanted Guests: Dealing with Javelina in Your Desert Garden
Yesterday, I had a rather unexpected encounter with a javelina while taking pictures of a landscape. I think he was as surprised as I was to see him and he retreated back to his arroyo after a couple of minutes. That meeting inspired me to write this post and how they affect the desert garden – primarily what types of plants they like to eat.
Javelina travel through arroyos (washes)
Javelina: The Surprising and Destructive Garden Visitors
To state that I was surprised to come so close to a javelina is an understatement. In the over twenty years that I’ve worked in desert gardens, I seldom see these pig-like mammals as they usually sleep through the day underneath mesquite or other desert trees.
Understanding Javelina and Their Habits
Often referred to as ‘wild pigs’ due to their resemblance to a boar, they aren’t pigs, but are a peccary, which is a medium-sized mammal with hooves. Javelina are found throughout the Southwest, but their range also extends to Central and South America. In urban settings, you’ll find them in more naturalized areas.
Plants Javelina Love and Those They Leave Alone
They frequently travel in herds, although I only saw these two adults on this day. While it can be enjoyable to view them from afar (don’t get too close as they can be dangerous), dealing with the damage that they cause to gardens isn’t fun.
Javelina’s Dietary Preferences
Javelina love to eat the pretty things we plant in our desert landscapes such as flowering annuals, and they don’t stop there. The spines on your prized cactus won’t deter a hungry little animal – they go right in and munch on the base of a prized columnar cactus as well as the pads of prickly pear cactus.
When surveying the damage that they cause to the garden, what makes it worse, is that the pig-like critters frequently don’t eat what they dig up.
1. Petunias and flowering annuals are delicious
My relationship with these wild animals is a long one. It began by working to keep them away from the thirty-six tee boxes that I had to plant with flowering annuals seasonally on a golf course. Not surprisingly, they were drawn to these colorful petunia and annual islands and would dislodge the plants by rooting them up with their snouts before eating them.
My crew and I had some mixed success with spraying squirrel repellent every few days on the petunias, but it was a lot of work and not foolproof.
2. Soft leaved plants are Javelina candy
Javelina will zero in on popular potted annuals such as pansies, petunias, snapdragons, which are like candy to them. While geraniums aren’t their favorite potted flower, they will eat them too if hungry enough. They prefer soft leaved plants.
If you want pretty containers filled with flowers and live in a neighborhood where javelina are present, you’ll need to place the pots in an enclosed area or courtyard where they can’t reach.
3. Citrus and seed pods attract the desert peccary
Depending on the time of year, a javelina’s diet changes, based on what is available. In winter, citrus they will grab citrus fruit off of the tree.
In summer, mesquite seedpods are one of their favorite foods.
4. Cactus of all kinds feed the peccary
A Cereus peruvianus cactus that has some bites taken out of its base by javelina.
A fairly common sight is a columnar cactus with some bites taken out of its base. This can happen where packs of the animals are present. In most cases, the damage is largely cosmetic and the cactus will be fine. However, to prevent further damage, you can surround the base of the cactus with a wire mesh cage.
Prickly pear cactus is another plant which is devastated by the cactus loving desert dweller.
There are Few Javelina-Resistant Plants
Bacopa
Lavender
There are some flowering plants that they usually stay away from. These include Bacopa and Lavender, which can be used in containers.
Protecting Your Garden: Tips for Javelina-Resistant Plants and Fencing
While there is no guarantee that these animals won’t eat the plants in your desert garden from time to time. There are some plants that are less palatable to them than others. Here a helpful link for javelina resistant plants. I must tell you that if a a wild animal is hungry enough, it will eat the plants on this list – I know this from personal experience.
The only foolproof way to keep them away from eating your plants is to keep them out with a fence or wall.
Share Your Experiences: Plants They Eat and Plants They Ignore
Do you have javelina where you live? What type of plants do you notice them eating? Any plants that they seem to leave alone?
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The Beauty and Challenges of Growing Tropical Bird of Paradise in the Desert Southwest
Tropical bird of paradise
Nature’s Unfairness to Tropical Bird of Paradise Flowers
Sometimes, life isn’t fair. Especially when nature hasn’t endowed you with any noticeable outward beauty. What worsens the situation is that you’re a flower, expected to be beautiful.
When you are a flower and are supposed to be pretty
Comparing the ‘Ugly Stepsister’ to Her Gorgeous ‘Sister’
What exacerbates the situation is when you find yourself being compared to your ‘sister,’ who possesses a breathtakingly stunning appearance.
Imagine having to stare at her vibrant colors and exquisite shape all day long?
It doesn’t matter which angle you use, there is no improving your outward appearance. So you decide to concentrate on inner growth and decide to be the best flower you can be on the inside.
Beautiful tropical bird of paradise bloom
6 Tips for Growing Tropical Bird of Paradise in the Desert Southwest
Life can be challenging for tropical bird of paradise flowers in the desert Southwest. These exotic blooms, known for their striking beauty, often struggle to thrive in the harsh desert climate. But with the right care and attention, you can cultivate inner beauty and help these stunning flowers reach their full potential.
In the world of flowers, outward beauty is highly prized. Unfortunately, not all blooms are created equal. Some may find themselves overshadowed by their more vibrant and exquisite counterparts. Imagine being a lovely tropical flower, having to compete with your drop-dead gorgeous ‘sister’ day in and day out.
Vibrant colors and exquisite shape
But there’s hope for these less glamorous blooms. Just like the ‘ugly stepsisters’ from Cinderella, they can focus on their inner growth. If you’re interested in nurturing tropical bird of paradise in the desert Southwest, here are some essential tips to help them thrive:
1. Choose the Right Variety:
Not all tropical bird of paradise plants are created equal. Opt for varieties like Strelitzia reginae or Strelitzia juncea, which are better suited for desert conditions.
2. Sunlight:
Provide them with ample sunlight. These plants love full sun but can tolerate some shade during the hottest part of the day. A side yard is a great location for these tropical plants.
3. Well-Draining Soil:
Plant them in well-draining soil to prevent root rot. Adding organic matter to the soil can help improve drainage.
4. Watering:
While tropical bird of paradise plants need regular watering, be mindful not to overwater. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Attach an irrigation line near the base of the plant.
5. Protection from Frost:
Protect the tropical bird of paradise from frost during the winter months, as they are sensitive to cold temperatures.
6. Pruning:
Prune dead or damaged leaves to encourage new growth and maintain a tidy appearance, particularly after an exceptionally cold or hot snap.
Nurturing Tropical Bird of Paradise in the Desert Southwest
In the arid desert climate of the Southwest, tropical bird of paradise plants require extra care and attention to thrive. By following these guidelines and focusing on their inner growth, you can help these beautiful flowers reach their full potential, even in the face of nature’s challenges.
So, the next time you encounter a less-than-perfect bloom, remember that with a little love and care, even the ‘ugly stepsisters’ of the flower world can shine in their own unique way.
I hope you enjoyed the floral edition of the ‘Ugly Stepsister’.
Plants can do some spectacular things, and the dramatic process when agave send up their flowering agave stalk, definitely qualifies. Yesterday, I noticed that my octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) had begun to send up its fleshy shoot.
I must confess that I had mixed feelings about it. My first reaction was excitement in getting to view the impressive growth of the fleshy stem and the flowers that will follow. But then, I felt sad that this signaled the beginning of the end for my octopus agave.
A Generational Agave Journey in My Garden
You see, this agave is the ‘grandbaby’ of the first agave that I ever planted, back in the late 1990’s, making three generations of flowering agave in my Arizona garden.
Agave Sibling Growth and Transplanting
Eventually, that agave flowered, and I harvested one of the babies and planted it in a pot. Several years later, that octopus agave went through the same process, and I collected two babies.
The two siblings started out growing in a pot, and when they got large enough, I transplanted them out into the garden.
One was planted in a corner but had a short-lived stint in the garden as construction near the wall meant that it had to go.
Preparing for the Next Generation of Flowering Agave
Its sibling did great in its new spot in the front garden when it was planted in 2010, and now it is getting ready for babies.
The tiny baby agave are barely visible, and the stalk will grow several inches a day.
Life Expectancy of an Agave
Octopus agave don’t have a long lifespan and mine average eight years in the ground before they flower. They will grow much more quickly if you irrigate them excessively, so keep watering in check.
In a few months, miniature octopus agave will cover the flowering stalk, which can be easily detached and replanted in the garden. It’s hard to believe that I will be planting the fourth generation of agave in my garden.
*I will keep you updated as it continues to grow and the arrival of baby agave.
How would you like gorgeous red, tubular flowers blooming at Christmas time and lasting past Valentine’s Day, all packaged up in an attractive, low-maintenance shrub? Believe it or not, such a shrub exists. Let me introduce you to Valentine Bush(Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’).
A Promising Valentine Bush Introduction
My first experience with this colorful shrub occurred in 2000 when I was offered two free Valentine shrubs to test out on the golf course where I was working. Never one to pass up free plants, I was more than happy to try these new shrubs out.
Young Valentine, six months after planting, next to Trailing Rosemary.
Flourishing Garden Shrub Beauty
Those new shrubs did so well that a couple of years later, I had planted over fifty of them planted all around the golf course. I love their cool-season blooms, which add a welcome splash of color when many plants aren’t blooming, and the dark green foliage continues to add beauty to the landscape even when their flowers fade.
Nowadays, you will find Valentine in both commercial and residential landscapes. An interesting fact that many may not know is that many of the arid-adapted plants that thrive here are native to Australia, including the species Eremophila.
Landscaping with Valentine Bush
Valentine provides much need color in the landscape during the winter months and will bloom through early spring. Red is often a color missing in the desert plant color palette that this shrub provides. Valentine grows at a moderate rate and will reach a mature size of 3-4 feet high and 4 feet wide.
I pair it with groundcovers such as blackfoot daisy(Melampodium leucanthum) or trailing rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis), and perennials such as Parry’s penstemon(Penstemon parryi) and desert marigold(Baileya multiradiata).
Valentine when not in flower.
A Shrub that Has Year-Round Attractiveness
When not in flower, Valentine is still very attractive and is hardy to 15 degrees F. It does best when planted in full and reflected in the sun. Their leaves turn maroon at the tips during the winter adding some fall color to the landscape.
Caring for Valentine Bush with Proper Maintenance
Valentine does best with regular irrigation and soils with good drainage. If planted in areas with wetter soils, let the soil dry out between watering to prevent root rot.
You will probably not believe this, especially coming from me – the person who rants and raves about beautiful shrubs that have been incorrectly pruned by being sheared, but here it is: Valentine shrubs should be sheared. That’s right, I said they should be shared.
Believe it or not, there are some types of shrubs where shearing is the best way to prune them, and this is true for Valentine. They should be pruned ONCE a year, once they have finished blooming in the spring. DO NOT prune later in the year as this will remove the branches that will produce the flowers later in the year.
The Perfect Shrub for the Desert Southwest
Here is the first bloom of this season on my Valentine shrub.
Well, would any of you be surprised to know that Valentine is my favorite shrub? I mean, what is there not to love? It has everything – low-maintenance, attractive foliage, thrives in the heat and sun, and most importantly, gorgeous winter color.
In this landscape area, I designed, you can see Valentine in the background paired with Parry’s Penstemon and Desert Marigold.
So run, don’t walk, and go and add Valentine to your landscape.
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Living in the desert southwest has many advantages, including being able to have a landscape filled with blooming plants all winter long when gardens throughout much of the country are brown or covered in a layer of snow.
Over the weekend, I stepped out into my garden to see how my plants were doing and took photos of those that were flowering.
**I’ve provided links to earlier blog posts where you can learn more about these plants and see if they deserve a home in your landscape.
First, were the globe mallow, which are just beginning to produce their colorful blooms. While the most common type produces orange flowers, they do come in other colors as well. I have red, pink, and white ones in my garden. You can learn more about this plant in an earlier blog post.
Despite its small size, angelita daisy is a small powerhouse in the landscape that blooms off and on all year long. They thrive in full sun (but avoid areas with reflected heat) and look great when grouped next to boulders. During my walk through the garden, I discovered that this one has a volunteer Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi) growing next to it. I’ll leave it alone as they will look great together.
Firecracker Penstemon: A Hummingbird’s Delight
Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii)
This perennial delights hummingbirds with its red-orange blooms that appear in January and last well into spring. There are many different kinds of penstemon, which thrive in drought-tolerant gardens and firecracker penstemon is by far, my favorite.
Blackfoot Daisy: Delicate Beauty in the Desert
Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
The delicate flowers of this ground cover don’t look like they can survive the intense heat of the desert garden, but blackfoot daisy thrives all year long with little fuss. I have mine growing alongside boulders and at the base of cactuses. I haven’t been able to determine exactly when they are supposed to bloom because mine always seem to be flowering.
Purple/White Trailing Lantana: An Unusual Winter Blooming Desert Flower
Purple/White Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis ‘Purple’ and ‘Alba’)
This groundcover form of lantana is a popular staple in the drought-tolerant landscape, but you seldom see it with two different colors. In winter, it is usually touched by some frost damage, but our weather has been unusually warm, so it is still flowering. Normally, you see all white or all purple, but not both together.
While there is a variety called ‘Lavender Swirl’; it can be hard to find and somewhat expensive. I’ve replicated the same look in my garden, which I share in this earlier blog post.
‘Sparky’ Tecoma: A Head Start on Spring Blooms
‘Sparky’ Tecoma
Here is the newest addition to the front garden. It shouldn’t be blooming this time of year, but again, with the mild winter, it is getting a head start on spring. ‘Sparky’ tecoma is a new plant that is a cross between yellow bells and orange bells. It is a winter blooming desert flower. The flowers are apricot in color with deep maroon centers. This shrub was created by an ASU professor, who named it after the school’s mascot. I am very excited to see it reveal its lovely flowers on either side of our large front window.
Do you have any plants that bloom in winter? Inside or outside, please share what is happening in your garden this month.
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Winter Rose Pruning: A Guide to Keeping Your Roses Healthy
Understanding the Importance of Pruning in January
The Benefits of Winter Rose Pruning
January can be a difficult time for those of us who love to grow roses. Why may you ask? Because we have to prune them back, often when they are still blooming. Living in a mild winter climate means that roses continue to bloom and it is hard to go out and cut the bushes back to bare branches (canes). But, it must be done.
My ‘Olivia Rose’ David Austin shrub rose before pruning in January.
Winter Rose Pruning Benefits
I am often asked why should we prune rose bushes back in winter in the desert while they may still be blooming. There are several reasons why.
Winter pruning helps to keep roses healthy by removing old, unproductive canes (rose stems/branches), gets rid of disease and over-wintering insects that can cause damage. It also helps them to produce MORE flowers than if not pruned.
It’s this last fact that I repeat to myself over and over as I prune back my large, beautiful rose bushes in winter. Of course, I put any remaining blooms in a vase so I can enjoy them indoors.
My ‘Olivia Rose’ David Austin Shrub Rose After Pruning
‘Olivia Rose’ after pruning.
Ugly isn’t it? But, the pruning has done a lot of good things – I’ve gotten rid of small, twiggy growth as well as a few dead canes. I still need to clean up the fallen leaves, which is where fungal diseases like to lurk only to spread again when the weather warms again. Pruning also stimulates new growth that will produce lots of lovely roses in the coming months. I used my Corona hand pruners to prune back my roses.
Before you know it, my ‘Olivia Rose’ bush, as well as my other roses, will be in full bloom again.
Don’t Fear Rose Pruning
Pruning roses isn’t as hard as it looks and I encourage you not to be afraid of it and if you make a mistake, don’t worry, roses are awfully forgiving of bad pruning. I’ve written how to prune roses in an earlier post that you can readhere.
If you are interested in adding some new roses to your garden, winter is the best time to do that in the desert garden.
Have you pruned your roses back yet?
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Cultivating a Year-Round Vegetable Garden in the Desert Southwest
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Transforming Chaos into Order: Reviving My Vegetable Garden
A Peek into My Winter Vegetable Garden
One of the many blessings of living in the desert Southwest is the ability to grow vegetables out in the garden all year long. Today, I thought that I would give you a peek into my winter vegetable garden.
Maintaining the Garden with a Renovation
Over the past couple years, my vegetable garden had become slightly messy with a mixture of herbs, vegetables, and flowers growing in disorganized masses. Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not a perfectionist – far from it. But, I realized that I am more likely to maintain and harvest my vegetables when they are neatly laid out in rows.
So in August, I ripped out everything from the garden except for a new Spanish lavender plant.
Vegetable Garden Soil Enrichment and Preparation
Once September arrived, my husband helped me to replace a few of the wood sides that had gradually rotted. I was happy to note that they had lasted over five years.
We amended the soil with 2 parts of mushroom compost and 1 part aged steer manure. This was my first time using mushroom compost. I wish I could say that it was because I had read about how good it was, but the truth is that the store was out of my favorite brand of compost, and mushroom was what was available. So, we used it.
Blood and bone meal were then sprinkled to provide organic sources of nitrogen and phosphorus.
Efficient Irrigation for the Raised Beds
A new irrigation system was installed in the form of micro-soaker hoses. We bought a kit from our local big box store, which was easy to install.
Sowing Seeds and Bountiful Harvests
Now for the fun part, sowing seeds!
The folks at Botanical Interests provided me with seeds, free of charge, to try out in my garden. I’ve used their seed for years, and they have a large selection of flowers, herbs, and vegetable seed that is of the highest quality.
My favorite cool-season crops are leaf lettuce and kale. I’ve had great luck growing kale, with the same plants lasting for over two winter seasons.
The earliest crop that I’ve harvested were bush beans that I planted in September from seed. Botanical Interests suggested I grow ‘Jade’ and ‘Royal Burgundy’ varieties. Both were delicious, and I discovered that the purple color fades when roasted.
The Vegetable Garden is Thriving!
The mild winter has my basil thriving. A client gave me this unique variety of basil called, Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil. It is an heirloom variety, and it is growing beautifully.
Three-inch little heads of cauliflower are just beginning to form. For some reason, I don’t have much luck growing broccoli, but I do grow a mean cauliflower.
While I did reduce the number of flowers in the vegetable garden, I grew a brand-new variety of marigold from a seed called ‘Moonsong Marigold Deep Orange.’
My strawberry plants are beginning to flower and produce tiny fruits.
The Joy of Growing Your Own Vegetables
My avoidance of bagged salad greens is still in place as the garden is still producing plenty of leafy greens.
Finally, a peek into the future, with carrots growing vigorously.
Do you grow vegetables? I highly recommend it. Even with the busyness of life and the stresses that it brings, it just melts away as I take a few minutes to walk through the garden observing new growth, some welcome surprises, and most importantly, the delicious flavors that it adds to our favorite dishes.
Disclosure: I was provided seed from the folks at Botanical Interests free of charge for my use and honest opinion.
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