Are you tired of shrubs shaped into balls, squares, and cupcakes?

Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape No-No, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardening, Pruning, Shrubs, Southwest garden

The same type of Texas sage (Leucophyllum spp.) shrubs, but one is pruned incorrectly while the other is allowed to grow to its natural shape.

Which shrub would you rather have in your landscape?

I will step in and say that you will likely prefer the pretty flowering shrub on the right.

And yes, they are the same type of shrub.

The homeowners who own the shrub on the left spend a lot of time and money to keep their flowering Texas sage looking like a green blob.

On the other hand, the owner of the shrub to the right spends little time or money on maintaining their shrubs and how glorious it looks!

My largest pet peeve in the desert garden is the practice of frequent shearing of flowering shrubs into unnatural shapes.

And you know what?

Most of my clients and audience agree that this type of pruning does not enhance the curb appeal of their property.

And, you know what else?

This type of formal shaping isn’t healthy for shrubs for the following reasons:

It removes the foliage they need to make food and energy for themselves.
Pruning stimulates faster growth as they try to re-grow the foliage lost, increasing maintenance.
Shrubs that are sheared often use more water than those that are pruned less frequently.
Blooms are cut away before they have a chance to open.
Over time, sheared shrubs experience dieback and have a shortened lifespan.

And, let’s state the obvious:

These sad shrubs are repeatedly stripped of their beautiful, natural shape and vibrant flowers.

Now, not all pruning is bad. Shrubs appreciate proper pruning practices, and spring is the busiest time for most pruning tasks.

When I meet with clients, I give them customized pruning advice, and most are shocked to learn that their shrubs only need pruning once a year or less!

I want you to have the information to save time and money while enjoying a better-looking landscape filled with colorful, flowering shrubs.

So, I have created a resource guide to show desert dwellers like you how to prune shrubs correctly.

I always aim to break down desert gardening how-to’s into simple, easy-to-follow steps, which this guide does.

Do you have any balls, squares, or cupcakes in your landscape? I will show you how to rehab them into naturally shaped shrubs.

If you have a landscape that maintains your shrubs, the guide also has helpful solutions for communicating your preferences regarding pruning. You may find that you require their services less often, saving you money.

Specific guidelines for over 40 popular bloom shrubs are contained within the guide.

The guide is available as a spiral-bound booklet or as a digital download.

Click this LINK to learn more and get your copy!

Too Much Salt Isn’t Good For You OR Your Plants…

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady Classes, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Nevada garden, Shrubs, Southwest garden

I have a weakness (well, one of many) to confess to you today….

I absolutely love salt.

In fact, I have a theory that the reason that so many people love french fries is not the potatoes or the fat it is fried in. No, it is the salt that you put on them afterwards. I mean, can you imagine eating an unsalted french fry?

In preparation for this blog post, I went through my kitchen and pulled out all of my salt & pepper shakers.

It’s kind of embarrassing isn’t it? I have so many.

But in my defense, I must admit that I collect different types of pottery and need salt and pepper shakers for each set.

My husband made me my wooden salt cellar, which I keep near the stove when I cook.

Now, I do not use as much salt as I used to. In fact, I am trying to be better about it. When I visited the doctor earlier this week for my physical, I still had low blood pressure, much to my relief.

Well, we all know that too much salt is bad for you and can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure. But did you know that too much salt is not good for your plants as well?

Plants don’t get ‘high blood pressure’ with too much salt, but they do have another problem that shows up.

They get brown tips on their leaves, which we call ‘salt burn’.

Here is another way that you can tell plants are getting too much salt. Shallow watering causes the water in the soil to evaporate quickly, leaving behind the salts. The salts look like a white crust on the soil around your plants.

At this point you may be wondering how plants get too much salt?

Well, both our soil and water have naturally occurring salts in them. This is especially true in the Desert Southwest where our water is somewhat salty and our soils can suffer from salt build-up due to high evaporation.

So what do you do if you have indoor or outdoor plants that have brown tips?

The solution is very easy.

Water deeply.

That’s it!

Here is a shrub with signs of salt build-up that I encountered with one of my clients during a landscape consultation. He had other shrubs that looked similar.

I will tell you what I told him:

If your outdoor plants look like this, water the affected plant with your hose on a slow trickle for at least 2 – 3 hours. This helps to ‘leach’ or flush the salts away from the roots.

Thereafter, adjust your irrigation schedule so that your shrubs are watered to an approximate depth of 18 inches each time. Sadly, most people water too often, too shallowly, and not long enough.

For example, I water my shrubs and perennials every 3-4 days in the summer. It takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours for my plants to be watered to a depth of 2 feet. Of course, the time it takes to water that deeply is different for each landscape and depends on various factors, including soil type and water pressure.

If your houseplant has brown tips (salt burn), you can flush the salts out by deeply watering it. Put your plant in the sink or bathtub and let water slowly trickle on it for 1 – 2 hours.

I cover landscape irrigation in depth with my students in my online course, Desert Gardening 101. However, for those looking for advice right now, here’s what I recommend: Search your city’s website (or water provider) for watering guidelines —most have schedules, including recommended depths.

So, in closing, I’ll leave you with these two tips:

Be sure to limit your salt intake AND water your plants deeply to prevent salt burn.

Plant Disease: Oleander Leaf Scorch

Arizona garden, California, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Shrubs

Love them or hate them, oleanders have a firm foothold in the desert landscape where they are usually seen creating living green ‘walls’ in order to provide privacy.

Their popularity is due in large part to several characteristics:

– Their evergreen foliage provides the rich, dark green color many miss living in the desert.

– Oleanders are easy to grow, with little to no fertilizer, and are drought tolerant once established.

– They add beauty to the landscape spring through fall with their flowers.

While oleanders’ popularity is still holding on, a fatal disease that affects them has spread from California and is now being seen increasingly in Arizona.

Oleander leaf scorch (Xylella fastidiosa) is a bacterial disease that plugs up the vascular system of affected oleanders, eventually making the movement of water throughout the plant impossible.

Flying insects, called sharpshooters, spread this disease. These small insects (1/4 inch long) become carriers of the disease when they feed upon an infected oleander. Thereafter, they spread it to every other oleander they feed upon.

Oleanders in Southern California were first diagnosed with the disease in the early ’90s, and it was just a matter of time before it spread to Arizona.

Advanced stages of oleander leaf scorch

Oleander leaf scorch was first diagnosed in Arizona in 2004. Its spread has been slow but inexorable.

I have seen several cases of this disease during landscape consultations, including one I did yesterday.

The homeowner had a very large, over 20-year-old oleander hedge that provided privacy from his neighbors.

What may look like some browning leaves on this small branch is one of the classic symptoms of oleander leaf scorch.

Oleander leaf scorch

In a close-up, you can see the brown outer leaf margins, which are characteristic of oleander leaf scorch. (This is not to be confused with drought symptoms, which cause discoloration of the middle of the leaf.)

As we continued to walk along the row of oleanders, the infected oleanders were interspersed between healthy ones. The reason for this is that the nature of flying insects is that they hop from one plant to another, but not necessarily the next plant – they may fly three shrubs away before feeding again or to the next yard or block.

Symptoms of oleander leaf scorch

This oleander showed another type of browning symptom of oleander leaf scorch with the tips looking ‘scorched’.

It’s important to note that salt burn resulting from drought or shallow irrigation can cause similar symptoms, as shown in the photo below:

Drought-stressed oleander leaves

Note that the middle of the oleander leaf is affected by drought stress. While unsightly, the oleander pictured above does NOT show signs of oleander leaf scorch.

Initial signs of oleander leaf scorch.

Back to the oleanders showing signs of oleander leaf scorch – I could see the beginning of symptoms with lighter green alongside darker leaves by looking closely at seemingly healthy oleanders. The signs of the disease don’t show up all at once initially. Often, it starts with a branch here and there showing signs initially that will gradually progress throughout the entire plant.

It’s important to note that once an oleander has been infected with this disease, the entire plant has it—not just the branches that initially show the first signs. When oleander leaf scorch first showed up, it mainly affected large oleander shrubs, but in recent years, it has also been seen in dwarf species.

Lower leaves showing the beginning symptoms of oleander leaf scorch.

So, what is the treatment for oleander leaf scorch? Sadly, there is no cure, and once infected, it will eventually kill oleanders over a 3 – 5 years.

Some experts recommend pruning out affected branches to improve the appearance of infected oleander shrubs for the short term, but the shrubs will die.

I recommend removing infected oleanders right away to help keep the disease from spreading.

Initial signs of oleander leaf scorch

Consult with an expert if you suspect that your oleanders are infected. Problems with irrigation, nutrient deficiency, and salt burn can mimic some of the symptoms of oleander leaf scorch, and a horticulturist or other landscape expert can help you rule out other causes. Ultimately, positive identification of oleander leaf scorch can only be made by lab tests through your local cooperative extension office.

Can you get rid of the infected oleanders and start over with new ones? The answer is “no.” The disease is already present in the local sharpshooter insect population, and it is only a matter of time before it infects your new oleander shrubs.

I recommend using Arizona rosewood (Vauquelinia californica) or hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa) as an alternative to oleanders. Both are evergreen, recommended for use near pools, make a great hedge, are drought tolerant, and attractive.

For more information on oleander leaf scorch, you may want to check out the following links:

Leaf Scorch Management Guidelines

Oleander Leaf Scorch

Oleander Leaf Scorch Strikes Again…

It’s My Book Birthday!

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, desert gardening, Dry Climate Gardening Book, Landscape Design, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardening, Nevada garden, Southwest garden

Noelle Johnson author Dry Climate Gardening Book

A Long-Awaited Gardening Book Birthday: Turning 18 Months of Dreams into Reality

Today – the big gardening book birthday – was a day long in coming…

In many ways, it was like a very long pregnancy. 18 months to be exact since my initial discussion with my editor about writing a book on desert gardening.

The journey from idea to book is filled with varying emotions. From excitement, stress, and impatience, to today when I feel pure happiness.

Writing a book is not easy. My reason for doing so is to inspire and guide people who live in dry climates. I want you to create and maintain an outdoor space that brings both joy and beauty.

Empowering Dry Climate Dwellers: Tips, Strategies, and More in ‘Dry Climate Gardening’

Within the pages of Dry Climate Gardening, I help you with specific garden and landscape strategies. I help with plant choice, planting tips, watering strategies, pest control, design inspiration, and lists of my favorite plants.

Wherever you are in your garden journey, I hope you will find help and ideas for your landscape. The truth is that you can have an attractive garden despite living in an arid region.

Dry Climate Gardening: Creating Beautiful, Sustainable Gardens in Low-Water Conditions is available now. Find the book everywhere books are sold. Click here to order yours and celebrate my gardening book birthday with me!

Got Dead Plants?

Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardening, Shrubs, Southwest garden

Understanding the Mystery of Dead Plants

I’m pretty sure I know the answer to the dead plant mystery.

We have all likely experienced the death of a plant in our garden, and even though I am a horticulturist, I’m not immune.

Sometimes, plants die in my garden too.

The Perplexing Case of ‘Blue Bells’ Emu Bush

Here is a photo of my recently deceased ‘Blue Bells’ emu bush.

I was surprised to see that it had ‘kicked the bucket’ as its nearby neighbors were flourishing. Dead plants can tell a story.

So, the question I have to ask myself is, why did it die?

How to Figure Out Why a Plant Died in Your Garden

To determine why a plant died, here are some things to ascertain…

1. Recent Planting and Transplant Shock:

Was it planted recently? If so, it may not have had enough time to grow enough roots to survive summer. Transplant shock is a real thing.

2. Watering Issues Are a Concern:

Did it get enough water? Was the drip emitter plugged or broken? Sometimes we need to better educate ourselves on water irrigation.

3. Sun Exposure Extremes:

Was it planted in the wrong exposure? In other words, did it get too much sun or not enough? Both of these things can cause dead plants.

4. Climate Compatibility Can Cause Dead Plants:

Does the plant do well in our hot, desert climate? Or will it end up a dead plant because it is not built for the desert climate.

5. Pest Problems:

Were there any pest problems, such as ants around the roots or other unwelcome bugs? This can weaken the plant.

6. Overall Landscape Health:

Are identical plants in your landscape struggling too? If so, they might all be struggling due to a similar issue.

7. Soil Conditions are Important:

Is there a problem with the soil? Groupings of dead plants can sometimes indicate poor soil conditions.

Using these questions as guidelines, you’ll likely have the answer to why a plant has died.

However, in my case, the plant was a few years old, always did well, and the ‘Blue Bells’ nearby were thriving.

So, why did it die?

I don’t know…

Sometimes plants die, and we don’t know why. I realize this can be hard to accept without having the answer.

That is what happens in nature – things die, and we don’t always have the answers as to why.

In my particular case, I am replanting a new “Blue Bells” because I know it grows well for me in this spot. I ensured there were no unwelcome bugs in the soil and amended the soil with 1 part compost mixed with 1 part existing soil to give it a little ‘boost.’ You might find a different plant that works well for your garden.

I hope my new plant is happy…

Mishaps in the Garden

desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Trees

desert tree with shrubs planted underneath in a garden

Mishaps in the Garden: Dealing with Unexpected Plant Problems

The Unpredictable Nature of Gardening

In a perfect world, everything runs smoothly with no unexpected problems, and while you may not know what the future holds, it’s always positive.

But, you know that isn’t how life works and this is certainly true in the desert garden.

Seeking Answers for Garden Mishaps

The other day, I was walking through my back garden after returning from summer vacation, and what I noticed didn’t make me happy.

Several plants around my flagstone seating area were dead or barely alive. In fact, I need to replace at least ten plants in this area.

This lead me to wonder why I suffered these mishaps in my garden. The plants are about three-years-old and were doing fine earlier this year.

In the picture above, you can see a part of this area as it looked last fall. As you can see, all the plants are happy and thriving. Sadly, now some of them aren’t – especially the blackfoot daisy and shrubby germander.

So why did some die this summer?

The Culprit: Tree Branch Mishap

Sometimes, the reason a plant dies isn’t readily apparent, but in my case, I knew what the answer was.

Back in June, a large branch from my palo verde tree broke off from being too heavy. Normally, my trees are well-maintained by a certified arborist company. However, due to the labor shortages prevalent post-Covid, most arborists are struggling with insufficient employee numbers.

The Impact of a Lost Shade Provider due to Mishaps in the Garden

So, my tree pruning, which normally takes place in March was postponed until July. As a result, the branch became too laden with new foliage and branches and broke off.

This particular branch shaded the seating area and a large number of plants around it. All of the plants in this area can handle full sun with no problem as long as the plants receive consistent water. However, they were accustomed to the filtered shade offered by the tree. So, when the branch fell, they were exposed to the harsh desert sun without having a chance to adjust to it over several weeks.

Embracing Change in Your Garden

Mishaps like this are part of living with nature and it’s why there are no ‘perfect’ gardens. If you strive for a perfect garden, you are likely to experience disappointment now and then. Mishaps in the garden are common.

In my instance, I am making a list of replacement plants and may try something different in place of the blackfoot daisy – I am not sure what yet.

Unexpected problems like this are often an opportunity to try new plants. Fall is right around the corner, which is the best time of year to add new plants, so I will wait until then to get my new ones in.

I hope that your garden is weathering the summer heat nicely, but if it isn’t, don’t be afraid to try something new this fall!

Summer Hibernation Mode; What it is All About

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, California desert garden, desert gardening, Ground Covers, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardening, Nevada garden, New Mexico garden, Road Trip, Shrubs, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

The dog days of summer…

By the time midpoint of summer heat arrives, I am firmly in ‘summer hibernation’ mode. I have past all the garden needs in hot early summer and moved on to trying to find a cool spot with a nice glass of lemonade.

Why Summer Hibernation Mode in the Desert

While much of the country stays indoors during the cold of winter, we desert dwellers flip that and spend the hottest days of summer safely ensconced indoors in the comfort of A/C.

Of course, cabin fever can hit, making us venture outside of our homes. That’s where summer getaways come into play.

I’m fortunate that there are many spots in Arizona (where I live) that are just a few hours from my house where the summer temperatures are blessedly cooler.

When my husband and I were young, we couldn’t afford to stay overnight in out-of-town destinations. But, we could go for the day. We would pack up our two young daughters and go on day-long adventures to the cool mountains and pack a picnic lunch. Oh, what fun we had!

Nowadays my husband and I travel to cooler spots and spend a few days. One of our favorite places is the town of Bisbee in southeastern Arizona.

There is a lot of history in there and we love to explore while enjoying the cooler temps. The photo above is a part of Bisbee called Lowell, which is preserved in time from the 1950s.

Garden Concerns for Extreme Southwest Heat

Speaking about the heat, I’ve heard from a number of people in my membership club who are worried about the lack of flowers they see on their shrubs and groundcovers.

Perhaps you have similar worries…

I want to assure you that this is normal in summer – particularly when monsoon rains have been sporadic and not regular.

Intense heat and dryness tend to make flowering plants slow down and a heatwave can burn flowers of certain plants. There are also a lot of fuss-free plants you can choose for the summer garden that bloom and look beautiful all season long.

Rest assured that they will come back by summer’s end to provide beauty to your outdoor space.

Desert Adapted Plants Thriving in the Heat

Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, California desert garden, desert gardening, Fuss Free Plant, Ground Covers, Landscape Design, Landscape Problems, Las Vegas gardening, Nevada garden, New Mexico garden, Perennial, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden, Succulent Gardening, Sustainable Landscape

flowering groundcovers and a cactus desert adapted plants landscape

Embracing the Desert Heat: Landscaping with Desert-Adapted Plants

Surviving the Summer Scorch with Desert Adapted Plants

Let’s face it…summer can be brutal.

I tend to spend as little time outdoors as possible when temperatures soar above normal ranges. It’s times like this that I praise the inventor of air-conditioning.

While we can escape record-breaking temperatures, our heat-stressed plants can’t.

Beauty in the Heat: Desert-Adapted Plant Landscaping

However, you can create a landscape filled that thrives in the heat by using native or desert-adapted plants. And you know what? Most are very pretty!

Last weekend, I saw a great illustration of this…

Hospital vs. Church Landscaping: Lessons in Adaptation

Our church recently opened up a new campus, filled with new plants, but many of them were struggling to survive the intense heat, even if irrigated properly. Many were planted native to more tropical climates.

After church, my husband and I headed out to the hospital to visit a loved one. The hospital had just undergone a renovation and brand-new landscape areas surrounded the entrance.

I stopped to take a photo of one of the areas that were doing very well so I could share it with you. Full disclosure: if you hang out with me, be prepared for sudden stops to take pictures of plants.

The Secret to Thriving Landscapes

There were two main reasons that the landscape by the hospital was doing better than the one by the church:

The plants by the hospital were better adapted to hot summers – desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), gold lantana (Lantana ‘New Gold’), and Mexican fence post cactus (Pachycereus marginatus).
Additionally, these plants had been installed three months earlier than the ones at the church. Yes, plants can technically be added any time of year BUT there are times that should be avoided if at all possible – specifically May and June.

Heat-Resilient Gardening

Sometimes you need to add new plants at the wrong time of year due to construction schedules, etc. In that case, I advise the use of shade cloth on a temporary basis for young plants through September IF you see that certain plants are struggling. This is in addition to watering them more often than existing plants in the landscape to help them establish their roots.

Use native or desert-adapted plants (those from other regions with similar weather conditions) to help your garden to be more resilient to hot, dry temperatures and they will need less help from you to beat the heat.

Stay cool friends!

What’s Chewing On My Leaves?

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Problems, Nevada garden, New Mexico garden, Perennial, Roses in the Desert, Shrubs, Southwest garden

Have you ever noticed circular areas missing from your leaves? If so, you aren’t alone. The other day I noticed several of my plants with neat semi-circular sections missing. But, was I worried? Nope, and I’ll tell you why in my latest garden video.

The Enigmatic Damage to Leaves

A Puzzling Leaf Discovery

Noelle: Hey there, fellow garden enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving into a bit of a mystery. As I was strolling through my garden, I couldn’t help but notice something quite peculiar – several of my plant leaves had neat, semi-circular sections missing. Now, I know this might raise some alarms for many gardeners, but fear not, for I’m here to share some insights and reassure you that it’s not as ominous as it might seem.

Noelle: First things first, let’s take a closer look at these mysterious leaf patterns. You can see here on this rosebush, there’s a semi-circular chunk missing from one of the leaves. And over here on this hibiscus, another one. So, what’s going on? Is it some nefarious garden pest?

The Twist in the Tale of Leaves

Noelle: Well, here’s the twist – it’s not a pest at all! In fact, this leaf damage is quite natural and not something to fret over.

You see, the culprits behind these neat, semi-circular holes are none other than the remarkable leafcutter bees. Leafcutter bees are a type of solitary bee, and they are truly fantastic pollinators. What might appear as leaf vandalism is, in fact, a vital part of their unique nesting process.

Leafcutter bees utilize these semi-circular leaf sections to construct their nests. If you take a closer look, you might even spot some of these leaf sections tucked away in the nooks and crannies of your garden.

The Precision of Leafcutter Bees

Meticulous Craftsmen

Noelle: Leafcutter bees are known for their precision. They cut these perfect curves from the edges of leaves, and they’re surprisingly meticulous about it. The remarkable thing is that these bees aren’t interested in damaging your plants; they’re simply striving to build a safe and cozy space for their offspring.

Beneficial Garden Partners

Noelle: Now, here’s the best part – these bees are great for your garden! As they visit your plants to collect nectar and pollen, they’re inadvertently pollinating your flowers. This pollination process is an essential aspect of maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem.

Embrace the Leaf Patterns

A New Perspective

Noelle: So, the next time you come across these mysterious leaf patterns, don’t panic. Instead, take a moment to appreciate the hard work of these industrious leafcutter bees and the positive impact they have on your garden.

Thanks for joining me on this little garden mystery journey. If you enjoyed learning about leafcutter bees and want to see more fascinating garden insights, don’t forget to hit that subscribe button and give this video a thumbs up. Happy gardening!

In summary, the seemingly mysterious leaf damage caused by leafcutter bees is nothing to worry about. These industrious pollinators are beneficial to your garden, and their leaf-cutting activities are just part of their nesting process. So, next time you spot these neat, semi-circular holes in your leaves, remember to appreciate the role of leafcutter bees in your garden’s ecosystem. Happy gardening!

Has this happened in your garden? What plants were affected?

Behind Every Green Thumb Are a Trail of Dead Plants

Arizona garden, desert gardening, Horticulturist, Landscape Problems, Perennial, Shrubs, Southwest garden

A ‘Painted Lady’ butterfly drinking nectar from a lantana.

Learning from Mistakes in the Garden: A Green Thumb’s Journey

Embracing the Reality of Gardening

Do you know someone who has a green thumb? Usually, it’s someone with a beautiful garden that stands out among their neighbors with thriving plants that flourish.

While you may think people with green thumbs are born and not made, I’ll let you in on a BIG secret – behind every green thumb is a trail of many dead plants.

Behind the Scenes of a Green Thumb

It’s true. There isn’t a single experienced gardener who has never had a plant die in their garden. Of course, someone with a green thumb may be hesitant to reveal this fact, and you may not notice because dead or failing plants are usually pulled out before people notice.

I’m not exempt from this either – I’ve had many plants die on my watch.

Newly planted ‘Blue Bell’ (Eremophila hygrophana) shrubs

Factors That Affect Plant Health and Your Green Thumb

Believe it or not, the fact that plants die in your garden helps you to become better at growing them. While your first inclination may be to get frustrated about the loss of a plant, look at it as a gardening lesson instead.

“Every dead plant is an opportunity to learn about what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future and become a better gardener in the process.”

There are several factors that can affect whether or not a plant does well. These include the following:

1. Climate Adaptation

Is it well-adapted to your climate?

2. Proper Exposure

Was it planted in the right exposure (sun, filtered sun, or shade)?

3. Irrigation Needs

Did it receive the proper amount of irrigation?

4. Maintenance Practices

Was it maintained correctly (pruning, fertilizing)?

New ‘Blonde Ambition’ (Bouteloua gracilis)

Green Thumb Research and Experimentation

Researching plants before purchasing them will help you to avoid potential problems. But often the best way to learn how a plant will do is to grow them yourself.

Of course, it’s never a good idea to put a shade-loving plant in full sun, or vice versa as you’ll probably be replacing it soon.

As a horticulturist, I experiment in my garden with newer plants that have come onto the market. Several years ago, I planted several ‘Blonde Ambition’ (Bouteloua gracilis) grasses. I had heard a few different tips about how to grow them and the best exposure – one says that filtered sun is a must while another person says it can handle full sun. So, I am trying them out in my front yard to see for myself where they will receive filtered shade until the afternoon when they will be blasted by the sun. UPDATE – they do best in full sun 🙂

*One fun bonus of being a horticulturist is that growers often send plants for free so I can try them and give them feedback about how they grow in a low-desert garden.

The Role of Nearby Trees

A new Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi) finds a home next to my gopher plant (Euphorbia biglandulosa).

Other things that can affect how new plants will do are nearby plants – specifically trees.

One month later.

A tree that creates dense shade will make it difficult for many flowering plants to do anything but grow foliage at the expense of flowers. However, filtered shade from desert natives such as mesquite and palo verde create an ideal environment for many blooming plants that enjoy a little respite from the full sun.

New varieties of autumn sage with the brand new lavender ‘Meerlo’.

Unpredictable Nature of Gardening

Sometimes, there isn’t much information available on new plant introductions and how they will do in an area with extreme weather such as our hot, dry one. In this area, a grower sent me plants to see how they would fare in a low desert garden. From past experience, I knew that salvia would need some shade, but the lavender was a mystery. I’ve seen some other species of lavender doing well in full sun while others doing well in filtered shade.

As you can see, the ‘Meerlo’ lavender did very well in my zone 9 garden even though the actual information on the plant tag states that it does best in zone 8 and below.

Green Thumb Lessons

This is a lesson that I could have only learned by trying out this plant in my garden. While it could have died, it didn’t and I’ve learned from the experience, which adds to my overall garden knowledge.

So, the next time you find a dead plant in your garden, see if you can figure out why it died and learn from it. Sometimes plants die when they should be thriving for no apparent reason. Nature isn’t always predictable and sometimes you may have no answers, but you’ll be surprised at what you can learn, and before you know it, your thumb may slowly turn ‘green’.

Fuss-Free Plants for Fall Planting

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.