Tuh-Duh! Garden Path Progress

Tuh-duh! I completed a gravel path in an area I like to call our wilderness garden in Desert Aire. The plan is to add more walking paths around our two maple trees. A neighbor has called it an arboretum. Many thanks, but it's truly a work in progress. With a park bench placed just so, who knows, it could be a small park. I regret leaving behind two concrete garden benches at our previous home in eastern Washington. In an effort to downsize, and not wanting to deal with two heavy benches at the time, we now must spend double to replace. Everything has gone up in price! This area also needs a small fence, to keep the tumbleweed from blowing in from the west. You'll notice quite a pile of this in the photo on right. Sigh...more work to do. But stay tuned. When everything leafs out, especially the mimosa (out of view on left), it's a lovely view.

When we first moved to Desert Aire (taking on .6 acres of mostly undeveloped land), the "wilderness" area was my biggest challenge as a gardener. The previous owner had chosen to use the area as a dumping ground for rocks, many of which were quite large. Putting on our thinking caps, Vince decided to use the rocks to widen the road, and so, he built the perfect Scottish wall.

Meanwhile, I explored gardening books and online designs for plant layout. I eventually decided to add a berm in front for privacy, which became home for 2 mugo pines, 2 junipers, 1 pine tree, and smaller evergreen plants in between. “Several 'tiger eyes” staghorn sumacs, 1 blue spruce, 1 mimosa tree (gifted by a neighbor), kinnikinnik groundcover, barberry shrubs, spirea shrubs, 2 more pine trees, 1 fig tree, and two maple trees were planted in the rear and on the sides. Phew! That's a lot of planting.

It's been slow going, as most of the plants were small at first, but slowly everything has taken off after five to seven years of growth. We still have an excess of native rabbit brush and bunch grass (it grows everywhere), which I plan to dig out soon. One nice thing about gravel here is if you place down weed control fabric underneath and have the gravel sprayed, the weeds give up. (Thanks, Russell Landscaping for helping us control the weeds). You can also omit the fabric cover, but only if the gravel is quite deep, three to four inches.

So take a look. I'm patting myself on the back today. 😁

March Gardening: Let the Adventure Begin

March. So here we are. Another adventurous gardening season in Desert Aire. Those new to the area, don’t despair. There is more here to grow besides sagebrush, bunch grass, and Russian thistle (those pesky tumbleweeds). And to be fair to mother nature, we need those nuisance plants, don’t we? Where else would the quail nest and frolic? I know these plants harbor other critters like snakes, but I won’t go into that much. A bull snake tried to enter our hangar once, so I’ve been on the lookout ever since, but they are harmless (in eight years, Vince and I have never seen a rattler—fingers crossed). 

But back to gardening. Roses, Roses, Roses. These beauties do so well here, in-ground and in pots. If you haven’t already, go out and clip your roses low to the ground to about one foot. Open up the interior spaces so the rose can breathe. Cut way any dead branches and those that cross over where they shouldn’t. There is really no way to do this wrong. Assuming you water, your roses will come back regardless. You just decide whether you want them to look spindly or more compact in appearance. 

Looking for a reliable rose that blooms all year? A friend recently emailed that the Rugosa Rose (on left) never fails. They saw this rose thrive year after year in Washtucna, WA where they lived, which has climate similar to us. This rose is native to northeastern China, Japan, Korea and Siberia. In Siberia it actually grows on sand dunes and beaches. Its hallmarks are beautiful fragrance, soil tolerance, and temperature hardiness. Rugosa roses prefer acidic pH, but it can thrive in the poorest of soils too. One drawback is that once established, the rose will sucker, but if propagation and spread is your goal, this is your rose. Flowering typically comes in late spring and early summer, but deadheading will promote repeat blooming. Flowers grow in small five-petal clusters in different colors--pink, red, lavender and white. 

The rose hip (on left) of the Rugosa rose is also edible, similar to a cherry tomato in size. Not sure about taste, as I have never eaten. Have you?

Fertilize your roses. Rule of thumb is to fertilize when you see green growth. There are rose fertilizers out there, but I usually grab fish fertilizer because it’s handy and seems to work for everything here. I lean toward natural products, but sometimes you need more. Our maple trees for instance have an in-ground treatment this time of year for potential aphids. We’ve never had an infestation, so apparently it works. Aphids will indeed attack your roses and other flowers, but that is easily resolved with insecticide. Again, I prefer natural or organic products. 

 

Here’s a handy insecticide recipe you can make from scratch:

Mix together: 2 gallons warm water, 1 oz. Dawn soap, 1 oz. Peppermint oil, and 1 oz. Neem oil. For a stronger solution, add 1 oz. Rosemary oil. Spray liberally as needed. This works on houseplants too. Controls aphids, spider mites, white flies, and other pests. The Neem Oil also works as a fungicide for Black Spot, Rust and Powdery Mildew. Spray is safe for ornamental trees, shrubs, fruits, and vegetables too.

So… thinking about one’s reliance on more natural products, treat yourself to some available natural health benefits you can enjoy every day. To detox your body, consider the easiest method—drinking plenty of water. Add some herbal tea, and you have it in spades. For fresh air and exercise, consider an old-fashion walk around the block. You don’t have to jog a mile to benefit or qualify. Eat fresh food whenever possible. Variety is key. 

Try eating kale and other less popular vegetables. Just Google for recipes on how to cook. Be adventurous. That said, canned products need not be your enemy. With a well-stocked pantry, you can save a lot on groceries by stocking up. One can of tomato soup for instance can become the basis for a new recipe by adding leftover or fresh vegetables or even leftover casseroles. “Toss not, want not,” as the saying goes. Growing up with a Depression age mother taught me the value of not wasting food. If you are worried about the sodium, simply use less salt on the added ingredients. Spice things up and you have it. Easy.

Oh…and don’t forget to start your tomato seeds. You can buy later in nurseries too if you prefer. Tomatoes do well in Desert Aire. For best results (my preference), plant in grow boxes with water basins in morning sun (shade in afternoon). Later, add ground eggshell to the water to treat for potential blossom rot. Easy. 

Happy Gardening and Eating everyone! Remember, “Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes.” (anonymous)