Tag Archive for: tips

How to Fertilize Cactus and Succulents in Containers

Fertilize Cactus and Succulents in Containers like this beautiful arrangement

Fertilize Cactus and Succulents in Containers

Tips for Fertilizing Cactus and Succulents in Containers

Many of you appreciate the beauty and the low-maintenance of using succulents (including cactus) in containers

Cactus and Succulents in Containers
Container filled with ‘Sticks on Fire’ Euphorbia and Elephant’s Food (Portulacaria afra)

With succulents coming in a myriad of colors and unique shapes, they add welcome beauty to our outdoor spaces.

Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe x 'Blue Elf') Cactus and Succulents in Containers

Photo: Blue Elf Aloe (Aloe x ‘Blue Elf’)

While using succulents, (as opposed to flowering annuals) in containers are a more low-maintenance option, they do need regular applications of fertilizer.

Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) Cactus and Succulents in Containers

Photo: Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Importance of Fertilizing Container Succulents

Succulents grown in the ground get their nutrients from the surrounding soil. Micro-organisms in the soil are constantly breaking down organic matter, which adds nutrients.  

However, the soil in pots doesn’t undergo this process and whatever plant you grow, need supplemental nutrients in the form of fertilizer.

This is even true of cactus and other succulents.

Lady's Slipper Cactus and Succulents in Containers
Lady’s Slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus)

Photo: Lady’s Slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus)

How to Fertilize Succulents in Containers

So how do you go about fertilizing succulents in containers?

1. Type of fertilizer for succulents

You can use a liquid, low-nitrogen fertilizer or go for the organic option of fish emulsion.

2. How often to fertilize cactus and succulents in containers

I like to use a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote, applying every 3 months, at 1/2 the recommended strength on the package. If you prefer using a liquid fertilizer, you can use a product such as Fame Organic Garden Fertilizer, which should be applied monthly beginning in mid-spring to late summer.

3. When to fertilize your container succulents

Apply every three months when using a slow-release fertilizer or monthly with a liquid fertilizer. Do this beginning in spring, once the threat of frost has finished in your area. Cacti and succulents don’t need fertilizer in winter.

Cactus and Succulents in Containers with bright colors
Potted succulents

I have a container filled with three different succulents by my front door and I love how it looks and how easy they are to care for. I encourage you to use succulents in containers, which is a great way to add unique beauty to your garden with little fuss!

Tips to Save Money When Shopping for Succulents

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Shopping for Succulents, Desert Botanical Garden Plant Sale

Shopping for Succulents, Desert Botanical Garden Plant Sale

I enjoy attending plant sales hosted by botanical gardens. Why? Because you can often find the newest plants (even hard to find ones) at them. Of course, you can also find old favorites as well.

Smart Succulent Shopping: Tips to Save on Succulents

Succulents, including cacti are a great way to add texture and interest to the garden at a fraction of the maintenance and water that other plants require. However, they tend to be more expensive than shrubs, vines, and perennials. But, don’t worry – I’m here to help you save money on succulents with these tips…

Shopping for Succulents agave

Shopping for Succulents

Shopping for Succulents

1. Choose Wisely: Avoid purchasing agave in 15-gallon containers or larger.

Why?  Well, almost all species of agave will flower toward the end of their life and then die.  That is what agave do.

Flowering is triggered by the age of the agave. In addition, different agave species live for differing lengths of time – some live less than 10 years. If you buy a 15-gallon or larger boxed agave – it is safe to assume that they are much older then those in smaller pots and will flower and die much sooner.

So my advice is to purchase agave in 1 or 5-gallon sizes – they will last much longer and you’ll save a lot of money.

*BONUS: Look for succulents that have more than one plant growing in the nursery pot. Sometimes, you can find more than one – that’s like getting 2 for the price of 1!

Octopus agave

Better yet, ask a friend or neighbor for a volunteer (pup) from their agave.  Many agave species produce volunteers that can be transplanted.  To learn how, click here.

Shopping for Succulents, My husband and daughter checking out the young saguaro cacti.

Shopping for Succulents, My husband and daughter checking out the young saguaro cacti.

2. Size Matters – Buy smaller cacti rather then larger.

Columnar cacti are beautiful, but expensive. The price is usually based on the height of the cactus. Saguaro cacti are priced based on each foot high they are plus the height of each arm.

The price for a 1 ft. high Totem Pole cactus was $48.

The price for a 1 ft. high Totem Pole cactus was $48.

The reason that I recommend starting out with a smaller columnar cactus such as Mexican Fence Post (Pachycereus marinatus) or ‘Monstrose’ Totem Pole (Lophocereus schottii ‘Monstrose’) is that they will begin to grow at a faster rate once planted in the ground.

Smaller Plants are Smarter Plants

In fact, smaller plants have an easier time becoming established then larger ones.

Many columnar types of cacti grow faster in the landscape then in the wild due to the presence of water – that includes saguaro cacti as well.

totem pole cactus in the garden

Cacti from Cuttings

Like agave, you can start some species of columnar cacti from cuttings.

I planted this Mexican Fence Post cactus in my garden 11 years ago.  It started out as a 2 foot cutting given to me by a client from their large cactus.

Look how much it has grown! You can ask a neighbor or friend if they would mind you taking a stem (or pad) off of their cactus so you can start your own.

Many cacti can be started as cuttings. Simply take a piece of cacti, and place it in a dry, shady spot for two weeks and then plant it in the ground or in a pot. Wait a month before watering. For a new cactus cutting, it’s a good idea to water it once a month through its first year.

cactus/succulent

3. Plant with Care: Handling Prickly Succulents

If you hadn’t noticed, many succulents are prickly. So, it is a good idea to plan on how you are going to plant it. Decide whether you can do it yourself or if you will need to hire someone to plant it for you.

For small cacti, you can use a towel to help you plant them without getting pricked. See how here.

For larger cacti, you can use pieces of carpet or rubber straps. But when in doubt about whether you can plant it yourself, hire an expert.  

Teddy Bear Cholla (Opuntia bigelovii)

*Years ago, as a golf course horticulturist, I used to transplant Teddy Bear Cholla (Opuntia bigelovii) from areas that were to be built upon.  I would use rubber straps to carry the cholla and regular kitchen tongs to pick up the pieces that dropped off.  I would then plant them elsewhere.

discounted plants.

4. Look for Discounts: Keep an eye out for discounted plants.

Often, not all plants will meet the high standards of the nursery.  Sometimes, this can be mostly cosmetic damage, but occasionally you will see a succulent that has not been watered correctly or placed in too much or too little sun.

This can be a great way to save money and provide a little TLC to new succulents.  Research online how to care for that particular plant and soon you will have a healthy succulent growing in your garden that cost you a lot less.

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I hope that these tips will be helpful to you the next time you are shopping for succulents.

Fall Planting: How to Select Plants

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Choosing the Right New Plants for Your Garden

Research New Plants Before You Shop

New plants can be planted in the fall with ease. You may notice the lengthening shadows on your way home from work, signaling shorter days. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you aren’t rushing indoors as quickly as you did earlier this summer.

It is time for cleaning up the summer garden and replanting new plants in the fall.

beautiful colors of fall planting new plants

Fall is a time to celebrate the end of hot summer temperatures and what better way to do that than to venture out into the garden again?

Before you rush off to the nursery to shop for new plants, it’s essential to choose the right ones to ensure their successful growth in your garden. Researching your plant choices is the key to avoiding disappointment and wasted resources.

Here are three vital questions to answer before you start planting:

1. What Will Be the Mature Size of Your Plant?

It’s crucial to know how large your plant will grow once it reaches maturity. Neglecting this aspect can lead to overcrowded and overgrown landscapes. Small nursery plants can quickly transform into giants in your garden, potentially overwhelming your outdoor space.

ficus trees - new plants

This homeowner had ficus trees planted in the raised bed around their swimming pool.

Now, when you look at this picture, you may be wondering why would anyone plant ficus trees in this area.

Newly planted ficus tree

Newly planted ficus tree

 Well, it goes without saying that new plants are much smaller than they will be once they are planted and have a chance to grow.

Mature ficus tree

Mature ficus tree.

But, once plants are in the ground and begin growing, that small little plant can increase in size exponentially.  In this case, the ficus looks like it is ready to swallow up this house.

Over-planted shrubs calls for a new plant plan

Over-planted shrubs

Another example of not researching the mature size of plants can be seen in many landscapes throughout the Southwest.

In a nutshell, the small 1 foot tall and wide shrub in the nursery can grow more than 10X its original size.  

2. What Is the Preferred Sun Exposure for Your Plant?

Understanding the ideal sun exposure for your chosen plants is essential for their health and development. Placing sun-loving plants in the shade or shade-loving ones in full sun can result in leggy growth, fewer leaves, and diminished flowering.

What a plant that does best in filtered shade looks like when planted in full sun

What a plant that does best in filtered shade looks like when planted in full sun.

Conversely, if you place a plant that does best in the filtered shade in an area that gets full, afternoon sun – it will suffer.  

You will save yourself a lot of time, money and frustration by simply placing plants in the exposure they like.  

3. What Maintenance Does Your Plant Require?

Fuss-free Eremophila 'Summertime Blue' make for excellent new plants

Fuss-free Eremophila ‘Summertime Blue’

Different plants have varying maintenance needs. Some demand frequent pruning, fertilizing, and protection from pests, while others thrive with minimal attention. Choose plants that align with your preferred level of maintenance, and consider native or adapted species for fuss-free gardening.

Some plants need frequent pruning, fertilizing and protection from pests.

Others are what I like to call ‘fuss-free’ and need little else besides water.

The amount of maintenance a plant needs is largely dependent on whether or not it is native or adapted to your client.

queen palms that are dying

For example in the Phoenix area where I live, queen palms are very popular.  The problem is, is that they are not particularly well-adapted to our desert climate.

In fact, it is rare to see a healthy queen palm growing in the greater Phoenix area.  Frequent applications of palm fertilizer are required to get them to look okay and even then, they will never look as good as those growing in Florida or California.

I don’t like to fuss over plants except for a couple of rose bushes in my garden, so I am a strong proponent of using native or adapted plants that need little pruning, no fertilizer and aren’t bothered by insect pests.

Now we know three important questions to get answered before selecting new plants for your garden.

Where Can You Go for Local Answers to These Questions?

To find answers to these questions and more, consult resources such as master gardeners, local botanical gardens, and online gardening communities. Armed with knowledge, you can make informed choices when selecting new plants for your garden, ensuring a beautiful and thriving landscape.

Master gardeners are an invaluable resource and their job is to help people learn how to grow new plants successfully. You can call them, email your questions or stop by and talk to them in person.

Take some time to visit your local botanical garden. Write down which plants you like, or snap a photo of them with your phone. Note how large they are and what type of exposure they are growing in.  

3 Tips for Fall Planting Success

Gardening In a New Climate: Steps to Take Before You Make Changes

Have you ever moved to a new area with no clue what type of plants you have or how to care for them?  Well, your plight isn’t unusual – people find themselves in this situation often.

Thankfully, there are steps that you can take to learn about your landscape, the plants in it, how to care for them and what types of new plants will do well.  

Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter what region you live in – the steps are the same.

Michigan

In my last post, I shared about my daughter’s move from Arizona to Michigan.  She and her husband became new homeowners the beginning of this summer and were faced with many questions about their landscape.

I invite you to join them in their garden journey, learning helpful tips finding out about their new landscape, what plants to choose, and how to care for them.  

Even if you live in a completely different climate than Michigan, my hope is that you’ll learn what steps to take when you find yourself in a new place with no clue how to take care of your garden.

gardening in a new climate

gardening in a new climate

1. Take stock of the existing landscape.

We walked around the entire landscape, including the areas up against the house and further out.  The front of their home had a combination of shrubs, perennials, and flowering bulbs while the outer areas had a number of different trees.

Lilac shrubs

Lilac shrubs were in full bloom and peonies were just beginning to open…

Gardening In a New Climate

I must admit to being slightly envious since my Arizona garden doesn’t get cold enough in winter to be able to grow these lovely plants.  However, I was fortunate to be there when hers were in bloom.

2. Take pictures of large areas as well as individual plants – particularly those that you don’t recognize.

Gardening In a New Climate

gardening in a new climate

While I knew what most of the plants were in my daughter’s landscape, she didn’t and there were a few that even I couldn’t identify (plants from more temperate climates aren’t my specialty).

Gardening In a New Climate

If you see something that you think is wrong with your plants, take a picture of that too.  I wasn’t sure what was growing on the surface of the maple trees.  (It turns out they are leaf galls, which are fairly common and don’t seriously impact the tree.)

3. Visit a local nursery.

Gardening In a New Climate

You will find most of your answers at a local plant nursery.  Show the nursery staff pictures of your plants.  They can help you identify what you have and can often tell you how to care for them. 

Gardening In a New Climate

gardening in a new climate

Often, you will find the same plants at the nursery, where you can check the labels for the names along with instruction on how to care for them.

dappled willow

We found that the shrubs alongside the house are ‘dappled willow’.

Red Prince weigela

During your visit, take pictures of plants that you like along with a clear photo of the plant label.  But, avoid buying anything at this point.

Be sure to show pictures to the nursery professionals of any suspected problems of your plants.  They can often tell you what it is and how to treat it, if needed.

Local nurseries often have free (or inexpensive) guides on a range of gardening subjects.  Be sure to ask if they have any.

**I advise against going to a big box store for advice on plants.  Not all the staff is particularly knowledgeable and you’ll often find plants for sale that aren’t always suited for that climate.  Local nurseries are best.

gardening in a new climate

gardening in a new climate

For example, I found this Texas sage for sale at the local big box store.  The problem is that this shrub can only handle temperatures as cold as 10 degrees F.  In northern Michgan, winter temperatures can get down to -20 degrees.  Unfortunately, this isn’t isolated to just this instance – it happens everywhere.  So, visit local nurseries for the best advice and plant selection.

4. Contact the local cooperative extension office.

If you’ve never heard of cooperative extension services, you are missing out on a valuable resource.  They are an “educational partnership that offers numerous programs implemented by county field faculty and supported by university-based specialists”.  

Master Gardeners work for the cooperative extension office in your area, which is usually divided up by counties.  

They have many resources for homeowners, especially in regards to their landscape, that is specifically tailored for that specific region.  Often, much of the information can be found online and/or you can talk to a master gardener on the phone.  

Here are some helpful questions to ask:

– What USDA planting zone do you live in?

– What type of soil is present in the area?  Acidic or alkaline?  That’s important to know since certain plants do better in one or the other.

– What is the average first and last frost date?  In other words, how long is the growing season?  For my garden in Arizona, the growing season is 10 months long while my daughter’s is only 6 months.

– When is the best time to prune roses, trees and shrubs?

– What are the planting dates for specific vegetables?

– Are there any insect pests that are particularly troublesome?  How do you get rid of them?

For a listing of cooperative extension services, click here. 

5. Take pictures of local landscapes and plants that you like. 

When you are walking your dog or taking a stroll through the downtown area, grab your phone and take photos of plants that you like.  

10 Tips for Drought Tolerant Gardening

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Do you live in an area that has been affected by drought?  

You may be surprised at the answer.  Periods of drought aren’t uncommon for those of us who live in the Western United States, but more recently drought has expanded to some other areas that may surprise you.

10 Tips for Drought Tolerant Gardening

Drought tolerant gardening is rapidly becoming a very popular way to garden.  Contrary to what some people may think, drought tolerant gardens are low-maintenance, easy to care for, use far less resources and can be beautiful.

Agave, mesquite and salvias

Photo: Agave, mesquite and salvias.

Drought tolerant gardens are a great choice for any landscape because they are much more self-sufficient and sustainable than other landscapes. Even if drought has not affected your area, that doesn’t mean that it won’t in the future.   

drought tolerant gardening

*This week, I will be doing a series of radio interviews about drought tolerant gardening for radio stations in Oregon, Texas and Alabama. 

I must admit to being a little nervous since I have not done a radio interview before and I have four to do this week.  I think that it should be easier than being on TV since I don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing or if my hair is messed up 😉

Agave, saguaro, wildflowers and yucca

Photo: Agave, saguaro, wildflowers and yucca.

No matter if you live in California where many areas are experiencing exceptional drought, the Southwest or wherever you live, the principles of drought tolerant gardening are the same.

Landscape filled with drought tolerant plants and limited amount of grass.

Photo: Landscape filled with drought tolerant plants and limited amount of grass.

I recently shared 10 tips for drought tolerant gardens in an article for Birds & Blooms where I serve as the garden blogger, which you can read here.

Whether you implement 1 or all of the 10 tips, you will be increasing the sustainability of your landscape.

drought tolerant gardening

I encourage you to take a little time to read the 10 tips and then come back later this week, when I will share with some of my favorite drought tolerant plants.

Wish me luck on my first radio interview tomorrow.  I’ll let you know how it goes…    

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For more information on drought tolerant gardening, click here.

A Few New Ideas for Sustainable Landscapes

sustainable landscape

When most people think of a ‘sustainable landscape’, they view one that is boring, filled with few plants which is why they are often surprised to see how beautiful they are.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have talked about small steps that you can take toward a more sustainable landscape and today, we will finish up our series with a few more steps you can take in your own garden.

Re-think what you plant in pots.

Leaf lettuce, garlic, parsley growing along side petunias

Leaf lettuce, garlic, parsley growing along side petunias.

If you are like most people, you have a few pots that you fill with flowering annuals, which you fertilize on a semi-regular basis.

But, how about thinking outside of the box about what we add to pots.

For example, did you know that many vegetables do great in pots and are also attractive?  I like to grow vegetables in my pots and add a couple of annual flowers in for a little color.

A Few New Ideas for Sustainable Landscapes

While some flowering annuals can be a bit fussy (pansies, for example) – herbs are not.  They look great in pots, are on hand whenever you need a bunch of fresh herbs for cooking and they don’t need as much water and fertilizer as flowers.

Crown-of-Thorns, Lady's Slipper, Elephant's Food and a cactus

Crown-of-Thorns, Lady’s Slipper, Elephant’s Food and a cactus.

Succulents make beautiful pots with their varied textures.  Because the store water inside, they do not need as much water as other container plants.

A Few New Ideas for Sustainable Landscapes

A helpful tip for planting a large container – fill the bottom third with recyclable plastic bottles.  Most plant’s won’t reach to the bottom of large containers and it is a waste of money to fill up the entire pot with expensive potting soil.  Another bonus is that it also makes your pot a bit lighter.

Use natural or recycled materials when possible.

Gate made from old Ocotillo canes and tree branches

Gate made from old Ocotillo canes and tree branches.

Often, when we are adding elements to our landscape, we overlook the many things that are recycled or natural that can fill that need.

For example – did you know that you can create a ‘living’ fence made from Ocotillo canes?  It’s true! I have seen them my local nursery.

Pathway made from recycled, broken concrete

Pathway made from recycled, broken concrete.

If your landscape needs a path – instead of buying new pavers or step stones, use recycled, broken concrete.  Or use natural stone products like flagstone.

Sustainable Landscapes

It is hard to overstate how boulders can help a landscape go from ‘okay’ to ‘fabulous’.

Boulders add both height and texture without needing any water or pruning.  In addition, boulders make plants look better when they are planted alongside.

Sustainable Landscapes

Eliminate or decrease the use of pesticides.

Leaf-roller caterpillar damage on Yellow Bells shrub

Leaf-roller caterpillar damage on Yellow Bells shrub.

Our first reaction when seeing insects damage on our plants is to run for the nearest pesticide in our misguided attempt to rescue our plants.

But, did you know that most plants can handle some damage from insects without any problem?

In fact, once damaging insects take up residence in our favorite plants – soon after new bugs come along that devour the bad bugs.

Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar damage

Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar damage.

If you see something is eating the leaves of your plants, you have several options that are not harmful to the environment:

– Ignore it

– Prune off the affected foliage

– Pick off the insects (or spray off with water).

– Apply an organic pesticide such as insecticidal soap or BT (Bacillus thuringiensis).

You can also help to prevent damaging insects by planting ‘companion’ plants, which bad bugs do not like.  For example, planting garlic around roses helps to keep aphids away.

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I hope you have enjoyed this series of posts on sustainable landscaping.  My hope is that I have helped to inspire you to make some changes to your landscape to make it more sustainable.

I’d love to hear your thoughts or any ideas that you have done in your own garden to make it more sustainable.

For a complete listing of these posts with links, click here.

Small Steps Toward a Sustainable Landscape – Part 1

Sustainable Landscape

*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for your support in this way.

Do you have a sustainable landscape?

One that does not require excessive amounts of fertilizer, water, pruning, gasoline or time?

Over the past week, we have been talking about what a sustainable landscape is.  We learned about the definition of sustainable landscaping and saw examples of both good and bad landscapes in the post, “What Is a Sustainable Landscape.”

In the latest post, we talked about four mistakes that people make that keep their landscape from being sustainable such as over-pruning.  If you missed it, you could see what the other three common mistakes are  – “What Keeps a Landscape From Being Sustainable?”

If your landscape falls short of being sustainable, or you want to decrease some resources that you use, there are small steps that you can start to take today toward a beautiful, sustainable landscape.

Step 1: Reduce the number of high-maintenance plants in your landscape.

hibiscus beautiful

Isn’t this hibiscus beautiful?

However, if you are growing it in the desert southwest with our nutrient-poor soils and dry, hot climate – it takes a lot of fertilizer and water to keep it looking like this.  

In addition to needing fertilizer and more water, pests can often bother hibiscus, which is then treated with insecticides as well.

Sustainable Landscape

As popular as queen palms are, they are not well-adapted to our climate and soils.  So, frequent applications of palm fertilizer are required throughout the warm months of the year.

Sustainable Landscape

Can you tell what this plant is?

It is a severely chlorotic and unhappy gardenia.  These plants like acidic soil.  The problem is, we have alkaline soil in the southwest. 

Sustainable Landscape

Okay, before I get any rose-lovers angry at me – let me first say that I love roses and have three of them in my backyard garden.

Yes, roses do need extra attention in the form of fertilizer, water, and pest control.  But if you look back at step #1, you will notice that it says to decrease the number of high-maintenance plants.

Yes, our gardens would be more sustainable if we had none of these plants that require extra resources in our landscapes, but gardening is also about pleasure and enjoyment.  So, including a few of your favorite higher-maintenance plants doesn’t make you a bad person 😉

**I use an organic fertilizer for my roses and plant garlic around my rose bushes that help keep aphids away.  

Step 2: Reduce the amount of frost-tender plants.

Frost-damaged bush lantana

Frost-damaged bush lantana

Frost-damaged natal plum.

Frost-damaged natal plum.

While many frost-tender plants such as bougainvillea, lantana, natal plum (Carissa microcarpa), yellow bells (Tecoma stans) and others thrive in our climate spring through fall – once temperatures dip below freezing, they suffer frost damage.

Once spring rolls around, homeowners and landscapers are hard at work pruning back all of the brown, crispy foliage which contributes to green waste (branches, etc.) that often ends up in landfills.  Also, gasoline is a resource used to deliver our garden debris to the landfill and powers some of our pruning equipment.

frost-damaged plants

Before we leave the subject of reducing the amount of frost-damaged plants – let me say a word about ficus trees.

They are lush, green and beautiful.  However, they are also sensitive to temps below freezing.  

During a mild winter, your ficus may not suffer any frost damage.  But, every few years, we do go through a cold spell when temperatures dip into the 20’s, and severe damage is done to the outer leaves and branches.

Homeowners are then faced with severely pruning back their ficus trees, which causes them to look somewhat ugly while they slowly recover.

To learn more about ficus trees and other trees better suited for the landscape, click here.

Step 3: Use plants adapted for your climate.

sustainable landscape

This is perhaps the most obvious step toward a more sustainable landscape.

In the desert southwest, plants that are adapted to our hot, arid climate are crucial to a sustainable landscape.

Arid-adapted plants have a special characteristic that helps them to thrive in the blistering heat of summer while not requiring large amounts of water.

Notice the flowering of ‘Rio Bravo’ sage (Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Rio Bravo’), pictured above.  Do you see the tiny hairs that cover the flowers?  There are even smaller hairs that cover the leaves, which give them a grayish color.

These tiny hairs help to reduce the amount of water lost to the atmosphere (evaporation) and also reflect the sun’s rays away from the plant.

Palo Blanco (Acacia willardiana) tree

This Palo Blanco (Acacia willardiana) tree has different characteristics that helps it to survive our desert climate.  

It has tiny leaflets, which limit the amount of water lost to evaporation.  But, it also goes even further – in times of drought, the tiny leaflets will fall off, which further decreases the amount of water lost to the atmosphere.  This type of trait is known as ‘drought deciduous.’

Succulent plants

Succulent plants such as cacti and agave handle arid regions by storing water inside.

Step 4: Research plants before purchasing.

Sustainable Landscape

Have you ever been tempted by a beautiful, flowering plant and not knowing anything else about it? If you have, you aren’t alone.

But, you will be saving yourself a lot of time, money and more if you do a little research before you buy a new plant.

When deciding what type of plant to add to your landscape, ask yourself the following questions:

– How large will the plant grow?

– What exposure does it need – full sun, filtered shade or full shade?

– Is the plant drought-tolerant, or does it require large amounts of water?

– Will it require regular applications of fertilizer?

– Is it prone to pests or other problems?

Those are basic questions that you should know before you even dig a hole for a new plant.

So, if you don’t have a bookcase or two filled with plant books (like I do) – where can you go to research plants?

Here are a few online resources to get you started researching plants for the southwestern climate:

Arizona Municipal Water User’s Association Landscape Plants

Mountain States Wholesale Nursery

The Desert Botanical Garden ‘Desert Garden Guides‘

I do have a few favorite books that are invaluable as well…

Landscape Plants For Dry Regions: More Than 600 Species From Around The World

Arizona Gardener’s Guide (Gardener’s Guides

Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes

Month-By-Month Gardening in the Deserts of Arizona: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year

Silver Spurge (Euphorbia rigida)

Silver Spurge (Euphorbia rigida)

I like to use plants that I call ‘fuss free’.  They are all drought-tolerant, most are cold-hardy in zone 9a, don’t require supplemental fertilizer, need pruning once a year or less and most of all – they are beautiful.

A FEW FAVORITE ‘FUSS-FREE’ PLANTS

Texas Ebony

Texas Ebony

Trees:

Cascalote (Caesalpinia cacalaco)

Palo Blanco (Acacia willardiana)

Shoestring Acacia (Acacia stenophylla)

Texas Ebony (Ebanopsis ebano)

Baja Fairy Duster

Baja Fairy Duster

Shrubs:

Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica)

Desert Ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis)

Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera)

Valentine  (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)

Damianita
class=”has-text-align-center” style=”font-size:14px;”> Damianita

Groundcovers:

Bush Morning Glory (Convolvulus cneorum)

Daminaita (Chrysactinia mexicana)

Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatoni)

Soap Aloe

Soap Aloe

Succulents:

Beavertail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris)

Silver Spurge (Euphorbia rigida)

Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata)

Victoria Agave (Agave victoria-reginae)

Pink Muhly

Pink Muhly

Ornamental Grasses:

Bear Grass (Nolina microcarpa)

Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

Of course, these are but a very sampling of arid-adapted plants that add beauty and sustainability to your landscape.

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I hope you have found these first steps toward a more sustainable landscape helpful.

Next time, we will discuss how to care for your plants and avoid unnecessary maintenance. In most cases, if you choose the arid-adapted plants, they will need very little maintenance.