I absolutely love spring. Some years, spring never arrives. Sometimes spring goes missing and winter turns right into summer. But not this year. We have had beautiful weather and I have enjoyed being outdoors.
But, all good things must come to an end. Now don’t get me wrong. I do like the summer, but you will find me inside much more often then outside. Sometimes I wonder if some of my plants would rather be inside enjoying the air-conditioning.
Did you know that May and June are the most stressful months for plants in the desert southwest? Well, it is. Although the hot summer temperatures cool down in the evening, the daytime heat coupled with the extreme dryness of our climate is quite stressful for plants. When the monsoon season arrives in July, the increased humidity and rain bring relief to the plants.
So, what is a plant to do when it cannot escape indoors from the heat? Well, I would love to show you one example of what some shrubs do to deal with the dry heat.
To really see what I am talking about, look closely at the photo below…
love spring
Can you see it? Can you tell what helps to protect the flowers from the sun?
Hint: Look at the little hairs on the petals.
Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) and all other Leucophyllum species have tiny hairs on their flowers, stems and their leaves, which help to deflect the sun’s rays and helps to reduce the amount of water lost to the air. It is these tiny hairs that give the leaves a gray-green color.
Drive down any street in the Desert Southwest and you will see these beautiful shrubs throughout the residential landscape.
Even though I have worked as a horticulturist for over 10 years, I am still amazed at how plants adapt to their environment.
By the way, you may be thinking that I took these close-up photos to show the tiny hairs covering the blossoms, but actually, my goal was to show how beautiful the flower was. It was only after I downloaded the pictures that I saw the tiny hairs.
It makes you wonder what else you may find just by taking close-up pictures of plants….
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Leucophyllum-bloom-2.jpg640640arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2021-05-14 11:22:002022-09-11 07:34:55Fuzzy Flowers and Sunscreen….
What if you could just step outside your door and snip some herbs without having to go to the store?
Have you seen how expensive fresh herbs are at the supermarket by the way?And, who wants floppy herbs when they can have fresh ones?
I am often asked whether it is easy to grow herbs in the desert garden and I always answer, “yes!”
Herbs come from mostly arid regions and so they flourish in our climate. They also like the sun, which we have plenty of.
One of my favorite ways to grow herbs in containers. In fact, they do extremely well in pots – especially when planted together. Imagine having a variety of herbs growing in a container near your kitchen door.
It’s easy to do and here is how:
1. Place your container in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sun.
Basil
2. Fill your container with planting mix, which is sterile, has a light texture and is specially formulated for container plants. It retains just the right amount of moisture for plants. Potting soil can become soggy.
3. Add a slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, and work it into the top 2-inches of soil.
Oregano
4. Plant your herbs. Oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme are easiest to grow when you start out with transplants. Basil grows easily from seed, but can you also use transplants?
Sage
5. Water deeply. Do not wet the foliage when you water them as they prefer to stay dry.
Thyme
6. Herbs like to dry out between watering. To check when they need water, simply stick your finger down to 1-inch deep – if the soil is moist, don’t water. However, if it’s almost dry, then water deeply until water runs out the bottom drainage hole.
Purple Basil (Not the healthiest specimen, but it was the only one they had – it was over-watered at the nursery).
7. Don’t add any additional fertilizer after planting. Herbs don’t like extra fertilizer since it causes them to grow larger leaves with fewer oils, which is what gives them their flavor.
I like to place my herbs near my vegetable garden.
Here in the desert, we can grow herbs all year long. However, I do like to dry herbs like basil, which don’t live through our winters.
I encourage you to dip your toes into growing your own herbs. You can find transplants at your favorite nursery, so find a sunny spot and get started!
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Herb-Container.jpg370640arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2021-05-03 11:35:002022-09-11 23:27:54Create a Herb Container
Last week, as my husband and I, were pulling out of our local Home Depot when I saw what looked like mini Christmas trees throughout the parking lot islands.
mini Christmas trees
I grabbed my cell phone and took a picture of these funny-shaped plants.
Those cone-shaped plants are in reality badly pruned Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) grasses.
These are my favorite ornamental grasses for the desert climate and although they are badly pruned, they did get some things right.
– For one, Pink Muhly is a great plant for parking lot islands as they can handle full sun.
– In addition, they were pruned at the right time of year.
Just not the right way…
Pink Muhly grasses should be pruned back to 3 inches in height, straight across when the last frost date has passed. In the Phoenix area, where I live, that is early March.
Believe it or not, pruning them the correct way is easier than making them cone-shaped and once the warmer temperatures of spring arrive, these beautiful ornamental grasses will leaf out again.
Once fall arrives, they produce lovely, burgundy plumes…
In winter, the plumes will fade and become straw colored, which adds a nice touch of wintery color.
The Pink Muhly grasses, below, weren’t pruned the right way either.
They resemble rounded balls and weren’t cut back enough. But, they look much better than the mini Christmas tree-shaped ones. Don’t you think?
I love these grasses and have planted them in many areas, including along golf courses, churches, and other common areas. And, I just recently planted them in my backyard around my flagstone seating area.
https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_0718.jpg514640arizonaplantlady@gmail.comhttp://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/favicon.pngarizonaplantlady@gmail.com2021-02-18 20:30:002022-09-17 01:57:11Mini Christmas Trees? More Bad Pruning…
You would think that the beauty of these shrubs, in flower, would be enough for people to stop pruning them into absurd shapes, but sadly, this is not the case. In the Desert Southwest, there is an epidemic of truly horrible pruning that affects not only Texas Sage (Leucophyllum species), but also Cassia (Senna species), Fairy Duster (Calliandra species),and even Oleander.
The Consequences of Excessive Pruning
Unsurprisingly, excessive pruning like this is NOT healthy for shrubs and it strips them of their beauty.
The ‘Frisbee’ Phenomenon
You don’t have to go far to see these sad shrubs. All you need to do is drive down the street as I did…
Okay, it should be rather obvious, but I will say it just the same,
“Do not prune your shrubs into the shape of a ‘frisbee’.
The ‘Pillbox’ Pruning
I kept driving and found even more examples of truly awful pruning. Sadly, all are within a 5-minute drive of my house.
I call this ‘pillbox’ pruning.
These Texas Sage & Cassia shrubs were located across the street from the ‘frisbee’ shrubs.
An attempt at creating a ‘sculpture’?
Texas Sage ‘Green Cloud’ (Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Green Cloud’)
A second attempt at creating a sculpture?
Let’s get real. Shrubs pruned this way does nothing to add beauty to the landscape. And, when pruned this way, they cost more, take more time, and use more water – it’s true!
‘Cupcake’ Pruning: An Unappetizing Approach
Now on to some of my favorite ‘cupcake’ examples:
An entire line of ‘cupcakes’.
‘White Cloud’ Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens ‘White Cloud’)
Do you think they use a ‘level’ to make the tops perfectly flat?
I honestly wouldn’t put it past them.
You can see the dead area on the top, which is caused from this shrub being sheared repeatedly.
This dead growth is caused by lack of sunlight. Repeated shearing (hedge-trimming) keeps sunlight from reaching the interior of the shrub.
As a result, branches begin to die.
After driving around for a while, I drove toward home when I saw the saddest ones of all…
Flowering Shrubs Need Pruning, but these are Disappointing
Now if you look closely, you can see a light layer of gray-green leaves, which really don’t begin to cover the ugly, dense branching that has been caused by years of repeated shearing.
I actually like topiary, but not when done to a Texas Sage.
Some people prune up their shrubs so that they can clean up the leaves underneath more easily.
The Goal Should be to Prune with Purpose
Now, I am not against formal pruning, when performed on the right plants. But, it is not attractive when done on flowering, desert plants and it is also unhealthy for the shrubs themselves and contributes to their early death in many cases. Add to that the fact that it greatly increases your maintenance costs due to repeated pruning and having to replace them more frequently.
Now if you have shrubs that look like any of these pruning disasters, don’t panic! They can be fixed in most cases.
Now, why would anyone want to remove the flower buds from your shrubs by shearing,
when you can have flowers like this?
Join the ‘Cupcake-Free’ Movement
If you are tired of unnaturally shaped shrubs in your landscape, I understand. Believe it or not, most flowering shrubs need pruning once or twice a year at most – and NOT the type of pruning into weird shapes. I find it ironic that your yard will look better when you do less.
So, if you are wanting to declare your landscape a ‘cupcake-free’ zone, I have something I think you’re gonna love. I invite you to check out my popular online shrub pruning workshop where I teach you how to maintain flowering shrubs by pruning twice a year or less. Hundreds of students have taken the course and are reaping the rewards of a beautiful outdoor space filled with colorful shrubs at a fraction of the work.
Are you ready to break out of the cycle of green blobs?
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Do you have parts of your backyard landscape that you would like to change? Perhaps you have areas you like in your garden. There are also plants you are tired of or are struggling to manage.
I want to show you what I did in my backyard, where I blended both old and new elements. First, a little history:
Balancing Old and New in a Backyard Landscape
Preserving What Works
I was fairly happy with the areas bordering the walls of the backyard. These areas have colorful shrubs such as Bougainvillea, Coral Fountain, and Yellow Bells.
Bid Farewell to the Dominant Lawn
We removed the large lawn that had dominated the center of my backyard space last year. We made the decision to replace the grass with a focus on plants that I love and that would blend well with the existing plants.
Creating a Harmonious Landscape
A New Focal Point
The focal point is a new flagstone seating area with Adirondack chairs arranged around a portable firepit. Around this area, boulders add height and texture. Angelita Daisy, Artichoke Agave, Blackfoot Daisy, and Pink Muhly grasses surround the seating area, which adds year-round color and texture.
In another area, a gentle mound stands planted with a ‘Bubba’ Desert Willow tree. Purple Trailing Lantana grows around the tree and will soon cover the entire mound in a mass of purple blooms.
Embracing Change and Growth
At this point, the new plants are still rather small. However, plants grow quickly in the desert climate and, in another year, will soon reach their mature size.
The Beauty of Seamless Integration
The result? A backyard landscape where the new and old will blend seamlessly together. I am delighted with how the finished product looks. It took me a long time to decide what to do with this area – it is so much easier to design someone else’s yard than your own.
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Have you ever paused in the shade of a mesquite tree(Prosopis spp.) and noticed that its branches grow every which way?
I was reminded of this when I was visiting a client earlier this week and was advising him on how to care for his mesquite tree. I looked up and saw a cluster of branches growing up, down, sideways, and in curvy pathways.
Texas Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)
In an ideal situation, mesquite trees resemble the shape of more traditional tree species, as shown above. However, they don’t always turn out this way.
Have you ever wondered why mesquite trees grow in such crazy ways?
The answer is quite simple – in nature, mesquites grow as large shrubs. The branches of shrubs grow in all directions, up, down, sideways, etc., and so do mesquites.
The problem arises when we train them up as trees, and their branches don’t always behave as trees do. Because of this, mesquites that have been pruned into trees, do best being pruned by a professional, particularly when they are young and certain branches are being chosen to remain while others are pruned off.
Of course, this doesn’t always happen, and you can see the results of bad pruning practices in many places.
I do love the shade that mesquite trees provide and I must admit that I enjoy a good chuckle when I see the unusual shapes that some mesquite trees have taken.
How about you? Have you ever seen a mesquite tree with crazy branches?
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Container Gardening: Bringing Life to Your Desert Garden
Spring Transitions in Container Gardening
Spring in the desert brings a flurry of activity out in the garden – much of it involving container gardening. As the season changes, it’s time to rejuvenate your containers and infuse new life into your outdoor space.
As they say, in late spring, it’s “out with the old and in with the new.” In the desert garden, it’s when cool-season flowering annuals are traded out for those that can handle the hot temperatures of summer.
Embracing the Heat-Resistant Annuals
Examples of cool-season annuals are pansies, petunias, and snapdragons, which are grown fall through spring. BUT, they won’t survive hot, desert summers. So, in late April, it’s time to plant flowering annuals that can take the heat. My favorites include angelonia, ‘Blue Victoria’ salvia, and vinca.
While flowers remain a popular choice for container gardening, there’s a world of possibilities to explore with growing plants in containers. Here are some creative ideas to elevate your container gardening game:
1. Colorful Containers
Give your containers a vibrant makeover by painting them in eye-catching colors. Elevate the aesthetics of your garden by transforming inexpensive plastic containers into stylish focal points with a simple coat of paint.
Leaf lettuce and garlic grow along with flowering petunias.
2. Edible Delights
Did you know that you can grow vegetables in pots? I love doing this in my garden. In the fall, I plant leaf lettuce, spinach, and garlic in my large pots alongside flowering petunias. When March arrives, I like to add basil, peppers along with annuals.
Winter container garden with spinach, parsley and garlic growing with pink petunias.
For pots, I recommend you use a potting mix, which is specially formulated for containers and holds just the right amount of moisture. Container plants need to be fertilized. You can use a slow-release fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer of your choice.
Cucumbers growing with vinca and dianthus.
3. Seasonal Vegetable Pairings
In spring, vegetables such as cucumbers, bush beans, and even zucchini can grow in containers paired with flowers.
*If you would like to try growing edible containers, click here for more info.
4. Low-Maintenance Succulents
For a fuss-free container gardening experience, consider planting cacti and succulents. These hardy desert dwellers not only flourish in pots but also require less water compared to their flowering counterparts.
Desert Spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri).
Succulents are an excellent choice for planting in areas where water is not easily accessible. While they will need supplemental water, they don’t need water every day, making them a better choice for these areas.
In general, succulents are lower-maintenance as well, so they are an excellent choice for the ‘fuss-free’ gardener.
Use a potting mix specially formulated for cactus & succulents, which will drain well.
Fertilize succulents spring through fall using a liquid or slow-release fertilizer at 1/2 the recommended strength.
*For more information on how to plant succulents in containers, including how to do it without getting pricked, click here.
5. Space-Saving Strategies
Let’s face it – the potting mix is expensive and makes your pots very heavy. If you have a large pot, your plant’s roots most likely will never reach the bottom – so why waste soil where you don’t need it?
Fill up the unused space with recycled plastic containers and then add your potting mix. You will save money, AND your container will be much lighter as well.
Best Tips for Successful Container Gardening
To ensure your container garden thrives, follow these essential tips:
Use a potting mix specially formulated for containers to maintain optimal moisture levels.
Regularly fertilize your container plants with a suitable fertilizer.
Choose a potting mix tailored for cacti and succulents when growing these drought-resistant plants.
Consider supplementing water with succulents in arid areas.
For more information on succulent container gardening, click here.
Reimagine Your Desert Garden with Containers
Whether you’re a gardening novice or a seasoned pro, container gardening offers boundless opportunities to transform your outdoor space. Explore the beauty of diverse plantings, experiment with colors, and embrace the practicality of edible container gardens. By reimagining what you can do in a container, you’ll breathe new life into your desert garden this spring.
A chilly winter’s morning dawns over this Phoenix garden
Embracing the Beauty of Winter in the Desert Landscape
A Tranquil Video Shoot at an Oasis in the Desert
Video shoot in the desert? YES! Winter is a beautiful time of year in the desert landscape with bright blue skies, fresh cool air, and the plants in the garden add subtle beauty. It’s a great time to film
A seating area beckons you to sit and enjoy the peace and beauty of the garden
Lights, Camera, Action: A Video Shoot Day with Plant Pop
This particular garden was the backdrop for a video shoot by the horticultural filmmaker, Plant Pop this past December. They asked me to be the subject of their first video shoot in Arizona, and I was thrilled to do so.
A variety of succulents add beauty to this large galvanized steel horse trough container
Shooting the film in my desert garden wasn’t possible as my backyard is undergoing renovation. So, I asked one of my clients if we could shoot film in her landscape instead. Thankfully, she said yes!
Hop Bush (Dodonaea viscosa) shrubs
Behind the Scenes of a Desert Paradise
We met at her house early in the morning with the filmmaker who set up the cameras and microphones. Our host is one of the most gracious people I know and kept us warm with the outdoor fireplace and feeding us donuts 🙂
Being interviewed – I love talking about desert gardening!
Lights, Camera, Desert!
We spent about 3 hours there with me talking about the unique challenges and possibilities of gardening in a hot, dry climate. During the filming, I walked around the garden, highlighting different areas throughout the garden. This garden has many ‘rooms’ and corners that display the beauty of winter in the desert.
The video has come out, and I’m so happy at how well the folks at Plant Pop condensed our visit into a 4-minute video so nicely. I hope you enjoy it and come away inspired by what you can do in your own desert garden!
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting my blog. Whether you are a brand new visitor or a long-time reader, I appreciate you!
Navigating the Desert Garden Journey
As many of you know, gardening in the desert can be challenging, and I have been helping people just like you in a variety of ways. My goal has been to guide, inspire, and support you in your desert garden journey; whatever stage you are at.
Ramblings From a Desert Blog
My outreach to desert gardeners is through a variety of channels, and you may not be familiar with all of them, so I decided to share them with you.
R
This blog recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and within it are over 1,000 posts filled with a lot of helpful information to help you in the desert garden.
Have a Question? Search Here
Have a question about a specific plant or topic? Simply enter it into the search bar on the right and see if I’ve written about it. Chances are I have.
Join My Facebook Group
This is where you will find me every day. Within this group, I share tips, stories, and other fun garden content with a friendly and supportive community of desert gardeners who on the same journey as you.
If you love gardening photos, Instagram is a great place to be. You’ll find pictures of my adventures in the garden to help inspire you and teach you practical tips.
I created an online membership club over a year ago in response to people who wanted more help in their garden journey. Since then, I’ve come alongside desert-dwellers like you who want a personal garden coach to guide them.
I want you to know that you aren’t alone in trying to figure out how to create, grow, and maintain a beautiful outdoor space that thrives in a hot, dry climate. I’m here to help!
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I love peaches. Every year, I look forward to May when the peaches on my tree are ripe and ready. While May might seem a little early for peaches, in the low desert garden, this is when they are ready for being harvested.
There are several things that I like to make with my peaches. Of course, peach jam, peach cobbler, and pie make the list, but also something a bit unusual.
A few years ago, I was inspired to make peach vinegar after I read the book, “The Backyard Homestead”. So, you may be wondering why I would want to make homemade fruit vinegar? Fruit vinegars are one of my favorite ingredients in homemade salad dressing.
It is very easy to make fruit vinegar – especially when compared to making jam out of peaches.
You will need the following:
Peaches
White wine vinegar
Glass jar with lid
Strainer
Paper towels
First, remove the skins from the peaches. If the peaches are very ripe, you can often peel them off in large sheets. Or, use a paring knife to peel them as you would an apple.
Roughly chop the peaches into 1-inch sections. Plan on using 2 – 3 peaches per pint-sized jar.
Add the chopped peaches and pour white wine vinegar over them until it reaches the top of your jar.
Place the peach/vinegar mixture in a dark place for 4 weeks – I use my pantry. At least once a week, shake the jar to help mix the contents.
After a month has passed, pour out the mixture over a strainer to remove the peaches. You can see that the white wine vinegar has taken on the beautiful color and flavor of the peaches.
Strain the peach vinegar needs through a coffee filter (or paper towel) to remove the remaining peach solids.
*I’ve found that paper towels work better than coffee filters.
After straining the peach vinegar – pour into clean jars with lids. They can be stored in your pantry for 3 months.
Peach vinegar tastes wonderful when used on fruit salad and it makes a great pork glaze. It also makes a delicious vinaigrette and marinades. Some people even drizzle it over peach ice cream.
Don’t have a peach tree? No problem. You can use peaches from the grocery store or your farmers market. Just make sure they are ripe.
My favorite use for peach vinegar is for my grandmother’s famous salad dressing. This recipe has been in our family for years and I am going to break all the rules and risk being expelled from my family by sharing it with you. It’s easy to make and creates a sweet dressing that is popular with kids and adults alike.
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