Winter.. time for the underground...

Do you water your plants in the winter? If not, you should. This is when the root system does its best work. It helps get a better grip for next year and makes your plants stronger. All you need to water is once a month unless you have rain or snow. Give them a drink as they need it.

Cover crops

Well, it has been 3 more months that I haven't written here. Today I will post for you.
Cover crops such as buckwheat, oats, triticale, sorghum, and winter rye work to protect the soil from erosion, control weeds, and build organic matter to make your soil deep, dark and rich. Plant them now and have a richer soil next spring. You can also plant them in between your rows in the spring but remember to keep them from seeding.

Back from ???

It has been awhile since I was here but I will try to get back into the swing of this. I do love to do this and hope someone reads these and learns from them. Have a great day!

Bird of Paradise

This is a a shrub the can be mistaken for mesquite in its early stages. It produces flowers that resemble a bird (hence the name). It is multi trunked, growing to 5' tall and 2-3' wide. The flowers can be red or yellow. It is drought tolerant after the first year of care. Twice a month waterings will be good.

Four-wing Saltbush (goosefoot family)

This evergrenn shrub has light gray to silver leaves. It can be from 3-6 feet tall and 4-8 feet wide. It makes an excellent container plant and does well woth little water after the first year. It is a good plant for wildlife. The female plant has yellowish tan fruit. Birds love the fruit.

Fall thoughts

Here it is, one of my favorite times of the year. I enjoy the cool weather and the planting that can be done. Clean up time is at hand. Leaves are turning and it is just wonderful to be here to enjoy it. And just maybe, this year I will make it to the mountains to see the beautiful colors in abundance. Happy gardening to all!

Bahia ( sunflower family)

Bahia has yellow, daisy like flowers with silver foliage. It is a perennial plant that reaches 1' high and tall. The plant prefers full sun and has a fast growth rate. Extra watering 2-3 times amonth will increase the flowering. It may serve as a groundcover when planted in mass.

Desert Broom (sunflower family)

Desert broom is a very green plant as compared to alot of the grayish green ones you find. I gets about 5' tall and wide. It has small white flowers that are not that noticeable. In the fall, the plant seeds itself and looks like a fluffy blanket of white. To avoid unwanted plants, ask for the male plants so you won't have to worry with the seeds spreading. Any soil is ok to plant this one in. After it is established, it will survive on rainfall but you can water it once a month to help it.If it loses it shape or looks scraggly, prune it to the 2-3 inches and it will grow back and be denser and healthier.