Now is the time to plant warm season flowers. Annuals to plant now include celosia, gomphrena, lisianthus, marigolds, portulaca, salvia, zinnias, sunflowers, and any other warm weather flowers. Deadhead (trim off dead flowers) all blooming plants to encourage further bloom unless you want to save some seed from them.
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.
Divide clumping perennials such as chrysanthemums.
Drought tolerant plants include yarrow, Spanish lavender, Society garlic, rue, marguerite, cardoon, salvias, Mexican sage, giant feather grass, and Mexican feather grass. Most of these are also deer resistant. Gaura lindheimeri (Desert Orchid) is native to southwest deserts and higher elevations and is well-suited for desert gardens, requiring little water or maintenance.
Spring veggies Plant warm weather vegetables as soon as there is no chance of frost. Asparagus, beans, black-eyed peas, cucumbers (one of my favorites is Armenian), soybeans, and summer squash can all be planted.
Recommended varieties of tomatoes include Heat Wave, Miracle Sweet, Brandywine, and Sun Master. For cherry types, try Husky Cherry Gold and Husky Cherry Red; also Lemon Boy and Sun Gold for the yellow types. For pasta and drying : Italian Gold, and Viva Italia. Don't forget tomatillos for your salsa and southwest cooking.
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.
Varieties of corn are Peaches & Cream, Sweetie and How Sweet. Early Sunglow bears two ears per stalk, is short, and is recommended for very close growing as in square foot gardening.
For zucchinis, Spacemiser and Aristocrat are good ones to try.
Good melon choices include St. Nick Christmas Melon, also Cal Sweet and Sugarbaby watermelons. Cantaloupe varieties include Touchdown, Orange and Fast.
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