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October Gardening In The Low Desert

© Pat Kolb

This is the time we have all been waiting for throughout the long hot summer!

Now through mid-November is the ideal time to sow seed for wildflowers or set out plants. Choose a sunny spot and loosen the soil about 3 or 4 inches, water to germinate the weeds for removal and then scatter about ¼ ounce of seed for 25 sq. ft. Lightly rake to soil to cover. Or, set out plants. Water as often as needed to keep soil moist until seedlings appear and then two or three times a week.

October and November are the best months to plant trees in the low desert so they can get established before summer heat next year. Your first consideration, whether you want a deciduous tree or an evergreen. Then, where will you put it and how big it will get. Many gardeners plant a tree on the basis of its appearance while small without realizing how huge it will eventually get. If you have power lines, you want to avoid planting anything that will grow into them and you probably will not want to plant a tall tree much closer than ten feet from your house to avoid damage to your foundation. Smaller trees can be planted a little closer. Also, will a tree shade your garden too much where you plan to put it. Trees chosen for specific attributes - shade, fruit, bloom, size, etc., will be a happy purchase with less chance of them becoming a nuisance later. Consult a good garden book such as Sunsets Western Garden Book (no, I don't have stock in the company, it's just the one I use most). Making a scale drawing ( or close to it) of your yard and planning your planting of trees as well as other things is a great help in creating the look and environment you want for your yard. Recommended trees for fall color in the low desert are: Modesto Ash, about 50 feet tall by 30 feet wide, leaves are bright yellow in the fall. Honey locust, 25 to 70 feet tall, very spreading, leaves turn yellow. Crape myrtle, shrub and tree forms from 6 to 30 feet tall. Leaves bright yellow or occasionally orange to red. This tree also has a beautiful display of blooms in summer, comes in several colors. Texas umbrella (Chinaberry tree), lovely yellow in fall but drops berries and some consider it too messy. It has a lovely spreading trait, I love mine.

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