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Desert Gardening Book Recommendations

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Successful landscaping in the Southwest requires a different set of techniques than used by gardeners in most of the country.  Whether you’re new to the desert southwest, or you’re looking for some fresh gardening ideas, every gardener’s favorite non-gardening hobby is reading about gardening. Here is a collection of desert gardening books we recommend.

A Desert Gardener’s Companion by Kim Nelson

Master Gardener Kim Nelson provides a wealth of information in an easy-to-use seasonal format, covering what to do week-by-week in desert climates.

Nevada Gardener’s Guide by Linn Mills

This book contains easy-to-use advice on the top landscape plant choices.   It also recommends specific varieties, and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for the best plants.

Month by Month Gardening in the Deserts of Nevada by Mary Irish

The Month-By-Month series is the perfect companion to take the guesswork out of gardening. With this book, you’ll know what to do each month to have gardening success all year.

Desert Gardening for Beginners: How to Grow Vegetables, Flowers and Herbs in an Arid Climate by Cathy Cromell, Linda A. Guy, and Lucy K. Bradley

Plain and simply packaged, this book does not have gorgeous illustrations or lush photographs, but the information contained within is excellent. From choosing a site to ways to improve soil structure, all the basics that gardeners need for this region are covered. The authors do offer a few suggestions on selecting plant varieties for the desert as well as an appendix devoted to growing calendars for vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

Plants For Dry Climates: How To Select, Grow, And Enjoy by Mary Rose Duffield

Plants for Dry Climates comprises both good landscape design and essential cultural information for nearly 450 plants. It gives readers all the information they need to plan a complete landscape that includes both mini-oasis features as well as arid-landscape plantings.

Sunset Western Garden Book

What plants to grow, how to nurture them, and where they do the very best, it’s all here. The most recent edition of Sunset includes more than 8,000 plant selections for western states. While not all plants in this book are suitable for the desert, this book is a great place to get ideas and understand plant requirements.

Desert Landscaping for Beginners: Tips and Techniques for Success in an Arid Climate by Arizona Master Gardener Press

Desert Landscaping for Beginners contains the latest research-based information from the University of Arizona, written in user-friendly language. Topics covered include selecting and transplanting trees and shrubs, watering desert landscapes, pruning, plant problems and pests, cacti and succulents, wildflowers, roses, citrus, lawns, and the magic of desert plants.

Trichocereus hybrid Flying Saucer blossom

Trichocereus hybrid ‘Flying Saucer’ blossom

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Norm’s Caesalpinia Chit Chat: A Primer on the Birds of Paradise

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Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Red Bird of Paradise)

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Red Bird of Paradise)

It’s wintertime in the desert, and even with our relatively mild climate, not all plants respond well to a cold season planting. So, what not to plant this time of year? The first plant that comes to my mind is the summer-time favorite, Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima).

Native to the West Indies, Central and South America, the Red Bird of Paradise is a well-adapted for our hot climate and poor soils. This tropical-looking plant produces large, colorful clusters of orange-red flowers from summer until the first frost, and boasts lush, green, fern-like foliage. Red Bird of Paradise adds superb showy color and a tropical flare to the garden.

It has been my experience that Red Bird of Paradise only takes off well if planted in warm

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Red Bird of Paradise)

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Red Bird of Paradise)

weather, so we limit planting them from May through September. If requested by a customer, we inform them of what we know in regards to time of year of planting and let them decide, but really advocate only planting them when nighttime temperatures are above 60°F. Red Bird of Paradise does go dormant in the wintertime, but makes a colorful comeback in late spring. The amazing flower show makes it well worth tolerating its cold weather downtime.

Caesalpinia mexicana (Mexican Bird of Paradise)

Caesalpinia mexicana (Mexican Bird of Paradise)

Unlike the Red Bird of Paradise, its cousin the Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) has a longer planting season, ranging from early spring to mid-fall. Because it does have the potential for cold damage, and younger plants die in cold more readily than more established specimens, I do not recommend planting the Mexican Bird of Paradise from October to mid-February. C. Mexicana does well in the Vegas valley, and only freezes back in the coldest of years. It will remain evergreen in warmer part of the valley, but will shed foliage when frost occurs. If it does not receive cold damage, it can grow into a small tree of about 8-10′ in height and spread.

Caesalpinia mexicana (Mexican Bird of Paradise)

Caesalpinia mexicana (Mexican Bird of Paradise)

Mexican Bird of Paradise is especially striking in the warmer months when its dark green, fern-like foliage provides a backdrop for the bright yellow flower spikes erupting from the tips of its woody branches. Speaking of erupting, the Mexican Bird of Paradise has a very interesting way of spreading seed! After flowering, the plant forms pea-like seed pods. As the pods mature and dry, the two sides begin to twist, but in directions opposite one another; each side holds the other in check. The tension increases over time until it reaches a point where it can’t hold it anymore, and then, pop! –the pod pops open with a loud snapping sound and scatters the seeds a great distance, often 20 feet or more. Though C. mexicana does look similar to C. pulcherrima, it can be differentiated by flower color and by the size of the individual leaflets of C. mexicana being much larger than those of C. pulcherrima.

Though in the same genus (Caesalpinia) as the Mexican and Red Birds of Paradise, the Yellow Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii) seems to be much more challenged here, especially long-term. The flowers are particularly showy, with a combination of yellow petals and red stamens. If requested by a client, I inform them that it tends to get borers, and suffers from discoloration and die-back of stem tissue, as well as sporadic die-back of random portions of the plant. Over the years, this plant has seemed quite unreliable to me, and thus – no thank you!

Not the Bird of Paradise plants you were thinking of? The other Bird of Paradise plants that are totally different and unrelated to the Caesalpinia are the Birds of Paradise in the Strelitzia genus. Planted on occasion in the Vegas valley, Tropical Birds of Paradise (S. reginae, and S. nicolai) have large, thick, deep green leaves and a springtime blossom that resembles the head of a bird. Tropical Birds of Paradise need lots of water, prefer rich organic soils, and require protection from cold. As you can probably guess, they usually don’t do well in Southern Nevada, except for the rare moist, protected microclimate. Of the two, I’ve only seen the smaller one, S. reginae, survive in an outdoor planting.

Remember, plant the right plant in the right place – and it sure helps if you’re planting it at the right time of year. Happy digging to you!

 

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Norm’s Plant Protection Advice for Freezing Temperatures in Southern Nevada

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With the threat of cold this coming weekend, some plants could be damaged…you may want to protect them.  This can be achieved in several different ways.  

  • Pile wood chip mulch over a plant.  This can be held in place by a nursery planting container that has had the bottom cut off, thus creating a tube.  Other materials can be used in place of wood chips.
  • Use a thermal blanket or sheet to cover plants.  These can be purchased relatively cheaply at nurseries and hardware stores.  Pin to the ground using large rocks, or better yet, use landscape fabric pins.
  • Use old-style incandescent-bulb Christmas lights.  This is especially useful on trees.  They radiate some heat, usually enough to make a significant difference in reducing damage and increasing survivability.

Both the wood chips and thermal blankets work by keeping “heat” from the ground on the plants…our soils never freeze, so keeping that warmer air around the plant can make a huge difference.  This is one of the benefits of leaving leaf “litter” (think of it as “leaf mulch”) at the base of plants like Lantana or Aloe.

Cold spells where temps drop below freezing are part of our normal weather patterns.  It is when temps drop down to the mid-20’s or below that I start to worry.  The longer it stays cold, and the less the day warms up following each cold night can make a big difference.  Temps are projected to drop into the mid-20’s and rise only into the low-40’s for 3 or 4 days, so damage could occur.

Among the plants you might want to protect are:

  • Aloes
  • San Pedro cactus
  • Saguaro
  • Smaller (<10″ diam) Golden Barrel cactus
  • Rusellia equisitiformis (Coral Fountain)
  • Ruellia sp.
  • Some citrus (Myer’s Lemon should be fine)
  • Cold sensitive species of Agave
  • Many small species of succulents
  • Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevaria sp.)
  • Young (less than 1-2″ trunk diameter) cold sensitive trees such as:
  • Skyflower (Duranta erecta)
  • Acacia sp.
  • Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri)

Generally speaking, the central and east parts of the valley stay a little warmer, while the north, west and south perimeters get colder.  Also, plants protected by enclosure in a courtyard or up next to a building receive some protection from cold winds.

Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia)

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Norm’s Garden: Bearded Iris!

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This is one of the reasons I love gardening so…along with the challenges come such unexpected and beautiful rewards. I planted these Bearded Iris about a year ago, forgot about them and either forgot or never knew what color flower to expect. Then along comes spring…kinda like Mother Nature on strong coffee, gettin’ stuff DONE!…and I glance over to see this amazing blue flower gracing my garden.

Iris are fun plants. There are over 200 named varieties, and the word “Iris” comes from Greek, meaning “rainbow”. They don’t seem to take much care, and bigger or more beautiful flowers are hard to find. Rhizomes (the “bulb” part of the plant) should be planted with the roots down and the tip up, just below soil surface or barely poking above. Avoid air pockets when planting, by placing a small mound of soil in the little planting hole you’ve created and spreading the roots over the pile. If you plant more than one (Iris looks great in groups of 3 or more), orient the fans (leaf-groupings) away from each other. In clayey soil plant them a bit high, create a little hill of sandy soil mixed with a little of your clay, or both…they like good drainage. Well-decomposed organic matter mixed into the soil will be helpful as well. Plant new rhizomes or divide existing ones in fall (September-November). They like full sun in most climates, but seem to do better here with intermittent, filtered or afternoon shade. Keep them fairly moist, but if soils stay wet they’ll rot.

Like all of gardening, expect some success and some failure. Of the 5 groupings of Iris I’ve planted, two have taken off and flowered, one produces leaves but hasn’t yet given me flowers, and two have died off. One of the ones that died was a variety named “Immortal”. Such irony! 🙂

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Spectacular Surprise from Norm’s Adventures! Arctomecon californica (Bear-Paw Poppy)

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On a bike ride out Lake Mead Blvd, past the highest point in the road and starting down the slope to Lake Mead, I stopped to turn around and head back home. I took a few minutes to catch my breath, and climbed a little hill right beside the road. To my astonishment I found a population of 20 of the endangered Bear-Paw Poppies in bloom. They have such beautiful rosettes of leaves, covered in fine hairs to help reduce water-loss in this dry environment. What a special surprise and delight!

Arctomecon californica (Bear-Paw Poppy)

Arctomecon californica (Bear-Paw Poppy)

These little guys are frequently referred to as “bear poppies” and “bear-paw poppies”, because of the characteristic form of the leaves. Arctomecon is a genus of the poppy family Papaveraceae. The three species are said to come about only in the western part of the Mojave Desert of North America. All species are known to be uncommon.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctomecon

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Steve’s Underutilized Trees for Small Yards: Foresteria pubescens (Desert olive)

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Forestiera pubescens

Forestiera pubescens by Stan Shebs

Foresteria pubescens; Photo TexasAMU

Foresteria pubescens; Photo TexasA MU

Foresteria pubescens (Desert olive, New Mexico privet, Stretchberry)

This tree has an interesting multi-stem form with green leaves and white bark that is clean and smooth like ivory!

  • Deciduous Perennial with brilliant yellow fall color
  • Yellow blooms provide wonderful spring color around St. Patrick’s Day
  • Attracts birds for shelter and provides food source from the blue toned fruit
  • Enjoys full sun to part shade

It is a suitable substitute for Ligustrum species (Privets) because it’s native to the area and thrives, while Privets are likely to suffer at best.

 

Reference links to check out:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/forestierapubescen.htm

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Forestiera_pubescens

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Eye-popping cacti from Norm’s Adventures! Mammillaria tetrancistra

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I’m blessed to live near Frenchman’s Mountain (aka Sunrise Mtn) and often hike the canyons and slopes with my 3 dogs. It’s a rough, rocky, nearly soil-less mountain, but I’m continuously amazed by the desert life that thrives in such a seemingly inhospitable place. These two little cacti, Mammalaria tetrancistra, are about the size of golf balls. I bent to pet my dog and when I did they sure caught my eye. Talk about eye-popping! 🙂

They are commonly referred to as fishhook cactus, or corkseed cactus.

According to cactigiud.com, the genus Mammillaria is one of the largest of the cactus family, with nearly 200 recognized species. 

http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Mammillaria

http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Mammillaria&species=tetrancistra

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MATE4

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Steve’s Underutilized Trees for Small Yards: Pinus monophylla (The Single-leaf Pinion)

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Pinus monophylla

Steve's Pinus monophylla

Pinus monophylla (Single-leaf Pinion)

The appearance of this tree has been described as “rustic”. It’s hue compliments many types of landscapes.

 

 

Pinus monophylla (The Single-leaf Pinion) Photo Credit: Dcrjsr wikimedia.org

Pinus monophylla (The Single-leaf Pinion) Photo Credit: Dcrjsr wikimedia.org

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Steve’s Underutilized Trees for Small Yards: Quercus turbinella

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Steve Glimp is our leading Certified Arborist here at Schilling Horticulture. He has studied Conservation Biology, Ornamental Horticulture, and has experience as a Field Botanist. He has created this compilation of trees ideal for small gardens that he believes have been underutilized in Southern Nevada. This series of posts will explore those trees and hopefully help spread some well-deserved appreciation for them!

Quercus turbinella; Photo credit: eol.org

Quercus turbinella; Photo credit: eol.org

Quercus turbinella
This shrubby tree has been described as “picturesque and very ornamental”.

  • Begins small and shrubby growing to 8-10 feet tall and wide within a few years
  • Can become larger with time and some supplemental water
  • Evergreen
  • Drought tolerant
  • Beautiful intricate branching pattern
  • Food source and habitat for many species of birds

    • Quercus turbinella; photo credit AH Harnes

    Quercus turbinella; Photo credit: AH Harris

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    A Primer on Essential Garden Tools: Digging Tools

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    Hand pruners, saws and loppers are all tools related to the pruning of plants, and I carry 2 of the 3 on me as I work a garden…the pruners in their sheath on my belt or clipped to my pants pocket, the folding saw in a back pocket.  The other tool I always carry is my digging tool.

    In these posts on garden tools, I suppose the most common theme is my strong belief in paying a little extra to get good quality tools.  The digging tool is no exception.  Over the years I’ve gone through many lesser quality hand trowels, breaking or bending the cutting blade on all of them but one.  That one unbroken hand-digging tool is my Lesche digging knife.

    Lesche

    Lesche

    I believe the Lesche was developed for geologists and other rock-hounds.  It is made of strong steel blade with one side serrated.  The steel blade bends at 90 degrees at the top to create a shield that protects the hand.  The handle is solidly welded to the shield, so it’s unlikely to ever break.  It feels solid and comfortable, and the angle and position of the tool allows great force to be naturally applied to the tip of the shovel/knife.  This is such a solid piece of equipment, you can feel its power in your hand.  The sheath it sits in has a loop that fits on your belt, so it rides comfortably when not in use, and is completely accessible when needed.  While it’s a great digging tool, I also use it to scrape mulch out of the way when planting or doing irrigation repair and it works well to cut sod.  And mine is extra special…the cap at the end of the handle screws off revealing a secret compartment! J I think I paid $5 extra for that; silly, but fun.  A quick look online and I found the Lesche for $35.10 with the sheath.

    The one part of the Lesche digging tool that DID break down, after about 5 years of nearly daily wear and use, is the sheath.  Eventually, after pulling the knife in and out countless times, I cut through the side of it, and it needs to be replaced.  After putting it off for months, I finally hopped on-line and easily found a site where I could order just the sheath…delivered for $12.25.

    Lesche & sheath

    Lesche & sheath

    There are other digging tools that I’ve used.  A large group of such tools are called “hori-hori”, which is Japanese for “dig-dig”.  I used a couple of them for a few years, and liked them.   But they had wood handles which eventually dried and cracked.  I looked on-line and found some for as little as $10 or $15, but am skeptical if they’ll last for more than 3-5 years of use.  Maybe if the wood handle were to be regularly oiled they would, but that’s the sort of thing I tend to not do.

    Just avoid the common pot-metal or thin-steel varieties of digging trowels that are so frequently found in nurseries and home-improvement stores.  The pot-metal breaks easily and the thin steel bends in our rocky and hard soils, rendering them both almost useless.

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