This Is It

Lilac Vine

This has been a very disappointing year when it comes to spring flowers. I have thousands of California Poppy, Desert Bluebell and Desert Marigold plants, but as of today, I have one California Poppy and three Desert Bluebell flowers in bloom. There are also a few Desert Marigold flowers, as well as a couple of Parry's Penstemons blooming. It will soon be too late for these plants to put out blooms because our weather is quickly warming up. This is the worst year yet for wildflowers in my garden, but I'll still be left with the job of pulling up all the plants as they begin to dry up. Oh well, I've been spending a couple of hours each day pulling weeds, so what's a few thousand more?

My Lilac Vine is still blooming, but its little flowers are waning, so there won't be much color from now until the Palo Verde trees flower. The Bougainvillea, Orange Jubilee, Yellow Bells, Queen's Wreath and Cape Honeysuckle all suffered extensive damage during the hard freeze, so no color there until May or later.  My roses have really leafed out, but there is not one bud to be found so far. In six weeks the roses will be past their spring flowering prime, so I hope they hurry up!

Promises, Promises

Chuporosa

It's still officially winter, but there are many blooming plants in my landscape, and the promise of more to come. We had a couple of days of below freezing temperatures earlier in the month, so I have lots of dead plant material left unpruned. It is acting as an insulator in case we have more frost. It doesn't look so hot in my garden right now, but with the extra rain we received earlier in the month, spring should bring lots of wildflowers. And weeds!



Cape Honeysuckle


Today I spotted a male Costa's hummingbird (Calypte costae) with its beautiful iridescent purple head and breast and iridescent green back. As it was retrieving nectar from this heavily blooming Cape Honeysuckle, I rushed in to get my camera but when I got back, the bird was gone and didn't return. This is the first time I've seen this particular hummingbird in my garden. I hope more return. Check here for a great photo of the Costa's hummingbird.

Aloe sinkatana

Desert Marigold

Feathery Cassia

Volunteer Nasturtium

I'm really surprised that I have so many volunteer Nasturtium plants showing up in various containers around my garden. Sometimes my husband mixes old potting soil in with the new stuff, and I think this may be how this is happening. I asked him why he always retrieved the potting soil I throw out, and he said it seems like such a waste, so he mixes it with the new soil. After getting odd plants coming in here and there, I think he's now convinced this isn't such a good idea.

Mexican Bird of Paradise



Lilac Vine (Hardenbergia violacea)


This vine is really loaded with little buds, so in a couple of weeks, this plant will have a spectacular display. The vine has grown quite a lot in the past year, and now covers about eight feet of one of my block walls. Wish I would have planted several more. It was a good choice! It is an Australian native and is well suited to our area, but not yet in common use here. It seems impervious to frost and extreme heat. It is a twining vine so it needs a trellis for support. I use vine wires on the block wall and that works well. Since it can be easily propagated with softwood cuttings this time of year, I may try that to get more of these to cover another section of block wall. The vine looks great year round, even when not in bloom.


   Valentine Emu is loading up for its February show. Sometimes there are so many flowers that the plant can't stay upright. This is one plant that improves with pruning and shaping after the blooming period. This is another Australian native.



Yellow Emu

Endless Summer



Libellula saturata (Orange Skimmer Dragonfly)



Gymnocalycium schickendantzii



Ferocactus cylindraceus



Thelocactus 'bicolor'



Caesalpinia pulcherrima

We set some more temperature records this past week--a couple of days at 111 degrees--so it's not yet fall in the desert. Many plants had started putting out new growth, thinking that fall had arrived because of the shorter days. The late September weather surprise left tender new shoots roasted. The same thing happened this past spring. Even with these setbacks, most of the trees, shrubs, cacti and succulents really had a growth surge this year because of the very good rainfall (10.4 inches to date at my house, compared with 4.28 inches for 2009.) The downside of this growth spurt with the cacti is that they produced very few blooms, and among the ones that did flower, most were small.

Birds and butterflies have been scarce around here most of the year, but now that the summer cover crop of pearl millet growing in nearby fields is ripening, hundreds of crow-like birds are hanging around my back yard. They'll be here until the crop is harvested.

My garden environment should attract more birds and butterflies--I have the magnet plants, water, trees, and all the other environmental attractors necessary, but still no butterflies, and other than the occasional Anna's hummingbird, not many birds--except for those transient crows and the ever-present mourning doves.  I've also tried attracting Mason Bees, and even contemplated buying a bundle of bees when none came around to my nesting tube, but with the luck I've had with birds and butterflies, I figured it would be a waste of money, just like the nesting tube.

More Losses

If it wasn't for my volunteer Vinca plants, I'd have no flowers right now, other than the barrels shown below. The tiny amount of rain we received in the last ten days seemed to jolt the barrels into flower production. This year produced just a slim crop of various cactus flowers compared to last year. Even the cacti are exhausted from the excessive heat!








We lost our largest tree to a strong monsoon wind this past week. Over the past four years, I've lost a total of ten Mesquite trees, four Ficus trees and two Acacia trees to either strong winds or in the case of the Ficus, a hard freeze. I still have fourteen trees, so my property isn't bare yet, but at the rate I seem to lose trees, I'm concerned I'll end up with a bare property!


At last count, I've also lost about twelve potted cacti so far this summer, and another seven that were in the ground. After much thought--and for the first time--I've decided not to obsess over the bare spots and I won't replant or replace any of the trees or cacti. Enough is enough.

Pitiful Plant Post

Echinopsis 'Shere Kahn'

Although this is Echinopsis blooming time, the few small flowers that manage to bloom are on their way to wilt before they are completely open. I'll be so glad to see an end to this long, miserable summer! No sign of it yet--temperatures promise to be in the 107 degree range for the rest of this week, with night time temperatures around 84 degrees. Of course, the light is looking a little different as the angle of the sun slightly changes, but that's the extent of any sign of fall. Actually, it won't get nice here until mid-October, so I have a ways to go before there's any relief.


I spend most of my time in the house organizing drawers, closets, paperwork and craft supplies, and other tasks that most people do in winter in other climates. I'll be glad to get outside again in another six weeks. However--night time temperatures come down ten degrees in mid September, so I'll enjoy some evening patio sitting a bit sooner!

 

Extreme Weather Gardening

Newly Pruned Mesquite--thinned and the canopy raised

Luckily, there are not many gardening chores necessary during the intense heat of Arizona desert summers, at least not in my landscape, which consists mostly of desert adapted trees and shrubs. I said mostly because I do have some roses and a few other plants that do take some extra care, and a lot of potted cacti and succulents that require extra watering.


This year has been especially rough for even the desert adapted plants. Little rain, the hottest July on record, and sun intensity has been stronger than ever due to little cloud cover. So far, the monsoon season is a bust. That's good in one sense--no violent wind or dust storms or downed trees to contend with, but supplemental watering and shade cloth on some things is a must.


I don't get up early, so any gardening I do is accomplished just around sunset, and I'll work outside for awhile each day until it's late dusk. Unlike my husband, I can't take the heat for any period of time, even in the evening. Pretty wimpy for an Arizona native--but I'm just not acclimated to summer sun exposure anymore because of home and car air conditioning.


Recently, a reader named Bonnie left a comment asking what kind of garden chores I do this time of year. She felt she should be doing something despite the heat. My answer is--do as little as possible, but I have listed a few things that I do accomplish.


I usually mix up cactus potting soil so that it will be ready for any October potting that I do. The mix I use is 1/3 river wash sand, 1/3 pumice, and 1/3 native soil. I also use an alternative--mixing native soil and potting soil in equal proportions to make one part, then one part pumice and one part river wash sand. Proportions should be adjusted depending on whether the native soil is clay heavy.


Contrary to information provided by many sources that say not to prune desert trees in their growth period because it causes undue stress and weak wood from the rapid growth, the hottest months are actually an ideal time prune. According to a recent study by the University of Arizona, desert trees recover from pruning better in the summer because of the fact they grow quickly and they heal better in the heat. I usually water the trees right after a heavy pruning to lessen stress. It's always worked for me, so I was happy to read that studies support my practices.


It seems there's always a few dead perennials, cacti and succulents to dispose of this time of year. Once I clean up the debris, I plug the irrigation emitters and put a small landscape flag in the gravel to mark the spot for replacement planting in the fall.

Add required shade cloth protection. I have only four plants in my garden that require this protection, which I put down in early June. I use 35 percent and 50 percent shade cloth, depending on the plant. Once the shade cloth is in place, I don't need to do much more except make sure it's adjusted as the sun changes angles the rest of the summer. I remove it, gradually, in mid September. Many other cacti and succulents receive some sun scorch each year, but it's not permanent and they'll recover in fall. The plants I cover are ones that will be permanently injured if they didn't have shade cloth protection.

 Summer is the time to decide on wildflower mix purchases because September and October are the ideal months for wildflower seed distribution in desert landscapes. Wild Seed, a company in Tempe, Arizona, has great wildflower mixes. They do not have a web site or take credit cards, so you have to order the old fashioned way--with a form and pay with a check or money order.

Roses need extra watering this time of year, and regular foliage spraying helps them with heat stress in early morning (not me) or late afternoon. Other than that, the only other chore is dead heading and making sure the mulch in their planting beds remains evenly distributed and thick enough.

One other thing I do in summer is paint one rock to add to my collection. This is a long standing, enjoyable ritual that I save for summer and wrote about last year.

Showers Bring Cactus Flowers

Gymnocalycium schickendantzii

We finally received a bit of rain (a total of .30 here) this past week, and that small amount was enough to prompt several cacti to show off. Now, instead of just hot, it's hot and humid. Humidity in the Phoenix area this time of year runs about 40 percent in the morning hours, and 20 percent or less in the afternoon. Folks in other parts of the country may laugh that we think 20-30 percent humidity is muggy, but when you are used to "dry heat" just a small change upwards make it feel sticky.

Mammillaria grahamii

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Half-Way to Fall

Even in the depths of summer, I do have some greenery, but nothing much flowering. It's just too hot! This weekend I got rid of the last of my container vegetable garden, as well as all the struggling potted geraniums, creeping charlie, dwarf marigolds and half dead cacti. This year I've upped my irrigation schedule to every three days for the shrubs and groundcover. Last year, I followed the guidelines for this area, which called for every 7-21 days. I tried the shortest--7 days--and my plants just about fried. I have a desert adapted landscape for the most part, so I'm a bit surprised that I have to water so often to keep the plants from suffering from water stress. However, I don't feel too bad about the more frequent watering as we are behind on annual rainfall. I've had only 1.96 inches since January 1st--quite short of the expected amount by this time.

The suggested tree watering schedule works fine at once a month or every 5 weeks. The only exception is my Tipu Tree, which is still getting established. I water it every two weeks.

With temperatures in the 115 degree range, the leaves of the Mexican Bird of Paradise shrub fold inward to conserve moisture and reduce sun exposure. From a distance, the shrub appears to be wilted, but this is normal for these extreme summer days.

Tiger Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris)

This lizard has the longest tail I've ever seen! There is not enough contrast to really get the full effect, but its tail is about twice the length of its body. This one must have been an artful dodger all season to have avoided the roaming neighbor cat.

When walking around my garden, I noticed a couple of empty bird egg shells on the ground under a mesquite tree. When I looked up, I spotted this dove for the first time. I'm not sure if the eggs are from hatched babies, or just casualties of the wind. After seeing so many poorly constructed dove nests, this one appears to be a better built model.

Mostly Shrubs

Aloe sinkatana

I think I prefer Aloe flowers before they open because they look more precise and perfect. As they open, the flowers look wilted and discolored to me as they do here. Aloe sinkatana produces numerous offsets, so I have pots of this succulent all around my front and back patios. A. sinkatana is probably the best species of Aloe for this climate as it will take a full southern exposure.

Young Anna's Hummingbird

A young Anna's Hummingbird rested on a bare branch of a Chinese Elm tree in my front yard, after frantically gathering nectar from the Chuparosa shrub shown below. I liked this photo because of the sculptured branches against a bright blue sky.

Senna artemisioides

Feathery Cassia is the common name for this large shrub, which is now over five feet tall and wide. The fragrance is overwhelming. If you like it, it's marvelous, if you don't, it will drive you into the house!

Justicia californica

Chuparosa is a scraggly looking shrub that sometimes has leaves, and sometimes flowers, depending on the season. It has bloomed off an on all year, and right now it's really loaded. Some people don't like the scraggly look so they prune it into a neater shape. I like it scraggly.

Warm and Safe

All my frost tender potted cacti are resting on my patio, just waiting for the danger of frost to pass. In my little micro climate, temperatures have to fallen to below 39° F. to date, and if we are lucky, we'll get to March without any lower temperatures. Many of these cacti do not like temperatures below 40° F. The most vulnerable are placed closest to the house.

I do not water many of these from late November until mid-February, depending on the genus and species. Watering in the winter months can cause root rot. During our mild winters, cacti will shrink by one-third or more while dormant, others turn a purplish hue, and still others look their best during the winter months.

After all danger of frost has passed, usually in late February, I will move all these pots from under their patio protection out into the open where they will have a northeastern exposure. They will begin soaking up the sunlight and start flower production. I will give all the potted cacti a liquid cactus fertilizer mixed with water when I resume their watering schedule. The fertilizer will be given monthly during their growing and flowering phase.

End Of Summer

It's the end of summer--well, almost the end. The daytime temperatures have been hovering around 100º F. but the overnight temperatures are around 72º F., cool enough to give all the plants some relief. Much is in need of trimming and shaping and the whole place needs a good blow-out and raking. Most of this will be done by a landscape maintenance crew because of the size of this place. I have to keep an eye on them as they love to go around shearing all my bushes. It's almost a compulsion for them. No matter how many times I tell crew leader, the crew, which is different each time, always has a sneaky, shear-happy individual.
The Queen's Wreath (Antigonon leptopus) has started to produce fall flowers. This variety is called Baja Red. I planted this fast-growing vine last year at this time, and it has struggled along, so it didn't grow as much as I expected. In late winter I will cut it to the ground and in spring, it will come back. Maybe next year it will really take off. This sad looking rose (Rosa 'Tiffany') is the first one in months. It's not yet cool enough for the roses to produce nice flowers. At least I hope that's the problem. It looks deformed, but I won't get worried until late October, when the temperatures are cool enough for the plant to put some energy into the flowers.
I moved my Madagascar Palm closer into the patio a month ago to protect it during a 70 MPH wind storm, and it really loves it there. This is as lush as it's been in two years. I'll need to move it back out into more light in October, but back in again when it gets too cold. At least now, I know exactly where to keep it next summer!


Every year at this time, the skies are extra blue and clear. This will last all of October and maybe into the first few weeks of November. As it cools down later in the year, we get an air inversion, causing a smoggy look to hover over the Phoenix Metro area. I live in a semi-rural area, so it's not as bad as closer into town.

One Lone Cactus Flower

Gymnocalycium mesopotamicum

Our recent storms have wreaked a lot of havoc in my garden, but one bright spot in the week was one lone flower that opened after it rained. We've been cleaning up the damage, which included four downed Mesquite trees in my front yard, which are now chips in the local landfill. Those trees had been staked and restaked after storms over the past three years, but this time the 75 mph winds toppled them and broke most of the major roots, so they had to be removed.

I keep telling myself I had too many trees anyway, but it's not working. Every time I look outside, it makes me sad. However, the trees will not be replaced. I just can't go through this whole process again.

Hot August Garden

The day began with blue skies. The lowest temperature the night before was 95º F. As the day progressed the temperatures rose to 108º F.

By afternoon, the clouds had rolled in, bringing with them a doubling of the relative humidity, but not a drop of rain.

Late afternoon, not breeze in sight--the kinetic wind sculpture was completely immobile, a very rare occurrence. This usually signals that a storm will be coming. The proverbial calm before then storm!

By sunset, the clouds parted a bit to let the last rays of the sun splash across my garden. Still no rain. Then around midnight, we received .07 inches of rain in five minutes. That was it! Just another typical August day in my garden.

The Monsoon Season Brings...

This

x Echinopsis 'Fire Chief'

This

Ortegocactus mcdougallii

This Echinopsis 'Haku Jo'

And This...A downed Chilean Mesquite