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March Gardening In The Low Desert

© Pat Kolb

Hey desert gardeners, now is the time! This month we can plant almost anything we like and the recent rains from El Nino have prepared us for one of the best growing seasons - for the weeds too, unfortunately.

Now is the time to plant all those warm season vegetables and flowers. Annuals to plant now include celosia, gomphrena, lisianthus, marigolds, portulaca, salvia, zinnias, and any other warm weather flowers.

Now is also the time to set out perennials such as asters, autumn sage (Salvia greggii) chrysanthemums, coreopsis, feverfew, gerbera, helianthus, hollyhock, penstemon, Shasta daisies and statice. Also summer bulbs - caladium, canna and crinum can be planted after the soil warms to 65 degrees. Plant dahlias and gladiolas after danger of frost is past. Iris are available in cans. I recently found in a nursery a beautiful purple and white sage labeled Mexican sage, it has bloomed continuously since I planted it and I have high hopes for the cuttings I took from it as soon as I brought it home. Gaura lindheimeri (Desert Orchid) is native to southwest deserts and higher elevations and is well-suited for desert gardens, requiring little water or maintenance.

If you don't have fruitless olives, spray the flowers with a growth hormone such as Florel to prevent pollination. Spray every two weeks until the tree stops flowering and be sure to cover plants beneath the trees with plastic before you spray.

Ground covers such as aptemia, calylophus, dwarf rosemary, Mexican evening primrose, verbena, vinca, and lantana are good choices and can be planted this month.

Spring veggies Plant warm weather vegetables as soon as there is no chance of frost. Recommended varieties of tomatoes include Heat Wave, Miracle Sweet and Sun Master.

For cherry types, try Husky Cherry Gold and Husky Cherry Red; also Lemon Boy for a yellow type. For pasta and drying : Italian Gold, and Viva Italia. Italia Gold makes a great golden salsa.

Peppers of all kinds may be planted now - bells peppers, chile peppers of all kinds. For a chile-like bell pepper, try Fajita Bell - not too hot and great for stir-fry, fajitas, mild salsas and stuffing.

For okra, try Cajun Delight and corn, Peaches & Cream, Sweetie and How Sweet. For zucchinis, Spacemiser and Aristocrat are good ones to try and for melons, St. Nick Christmas Melon; also Cal Sweet and Sugarbaby watermelons. Cantaloupe varieties include Touchdown, Orange and Fast. Asparagus, beans, black-eyed peas, cucumbers (one of my favorites is Armenian), soybeans, and summer squash can all be planted.

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