Articles written by Robert Dailey
All 308 articles written by Robert Dailey
Goldenrod in the Wild: Forest Fireworks
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
There are about 100 species of goldenrod, all native to North America. All are flashy. All host a variety of insects. more...
Bells in the Desert: Showy Flowers for Dry Gardens
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Esperanza or yellow bells, with green foliage and brilliant yellow trumpet-like flowers, are desert plants, but can be just as at home in a backyard garden. more...
Stunning Redbud Trees: Bringing Color, Shape and Texture to Gardens
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
The redbud is either a small tree or a huge shrub, depending on the source or the point of view. Either way, a redbud in bloom is a breathtaking sight. more...
Vegetables for Fall Gardens: Many Veggies Just Taste Better in Autumn
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Snap beans become sweeter after the first cold snap. Squash becomes delectable. The list of vegetables for the fall garden is as diversified as the vegetables are tasty. more...
Starting Fall Vegetables from Seed: Autumn Gardens Offer Quality Produce
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Gardeners know the secrets of making seeds grow in the fall. They also know that many vegetables grow just as easily from seed as they do from seedlings. more...
Container Garden Soil: Preparing and Using Growing Mediums
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Use lightweight soil for container gardens. A great container soil can be made from scratch. more...
Containers for Growing Fall Gardens: Time, Space Important Reasons for Container Gardens
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Container vegetable gardening is growing in popularity for those who have relatively small outside spaces or large areas of shade, or little time. more...
Using Worms to Compost Waste: Vermicomposting - An Easy Process
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
The finished product of vermicomposting is a nutrient-rich soil mixture that acts like rocket fuel to plants. more...
Coreopsis – Yellow Flowering Annuals: Splashes of Maroon and Gold in a Summer Garden
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Coreopsis brings a sunny disposition to any summer garden. Delicate bright golden yellow flowers with maroon centers on thin stems appear to be floating in air. more...
Understanding Fertilizers: NPK Designations Can Be Confusing
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
All fertilizers, whether organic or not, must include percentages of three primary mineral nutrients on their labels. more...
Giant Black Eyed Susan: A Waterwise Native Plant
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Black-Eyed Susans, with their conical brown seed heads and bold yellow petals, provide some striking contrast in any natural garden. more...
Planting Peppers: Some Like Them Hot, Some Like Them Sweet
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Most plants that we think of as peppers are members of the nightshade family and cousins of the tomato and potato. more...
Herbs for Beginners: A Short Guide to Herb Gardening
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
At one time, almost every home had a kitchen herb garden. more...
Plants Need Nutrients: They Make Their Own Food
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Animals take in food and convert it to energy. Plants, on the other hand, take in energy and convert it to food. more...
Citrus Trees: Oranges, Tangerines, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit and More
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
The citrus family is immense. There are hundreds of varieties and new ones are constantly being created, offering new and different tastes and more options for the garden more...
Weeders for Spring Gardens: Many Weeding Tools on The Market
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Yankee weeders. Hot bed weeders. Circle hoes. Hand weeders. V-shaped scrapers. The list goes on. The fact is there are a number of weeders available to the home gardener. more...
Rattlesnakes in The Spring Garden?: The Venomous Reptiles Emerge as The Earth Warms
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Rattlesnakes have been hibernating all winter, dormant in their underground dens. But as spring approaches, they begin stirring, famished and driven by urges to reproduce more...
Forcing Amaryllis Blooms: Gorgeous Flowers in Winter
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
For color and beauty in winter, try forcing amaryllis bulbs inside. more...
Raising Onions: A Cool Season Crop
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Onions are high in quercetin, a valuable antioxidant, and also contain vitamins B and C. Onion stalks contain vitamin A, thiamin and ascorbic acid. more...
National Garden Mail Order Month: January Time to Order Catalogues
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
As the winter dreariness descends, it's time for gardeners to cheer things up by ordering some colorful and uplifting garden mail order catalogues. more...
Strawberry Types and Cultivars: June Bearers, Everbearers and Day Neutrals
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Types of strawberries differ in how they respond to the length of day. This affects both runner and berry production. more...
Strawberries are Easy to Grow: When and How to Plant
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
In warm climates, plant strawberries in late autumn. In climates where the ground freezes, plant in spring. more...
Turf Needs TLC Too: Fertilizing Lawns in Autumn
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
For much of the northern hemisphere, fall is an important time to care for lawns. more...
Garlic: Love It or Hate It!: Easy to Grow Winter Crop
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
If you like garlic, the period between September and November is the best time to plant. more...
What Is Aeration?: Air in The Soil
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Aeration is a process of introducing oxygen into a variety of substances, including soil. more...
The History of Composting: An Earthier Side of Humanity
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Composting itself is as old as organic matter itself. It is part of the natural cycle of life. more...
Texas Mountain Laurel: Beautiful Foliage and Grape-Smelling Flowers
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Texas Mountain Laurel is a small tree, great for an accent plant in the garden, a container-grown patio specimen, or even as a stand-alone feature. more...
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
The Mexican Hydrangea is an import from China. The flowers smell wonderful, and both the flowers and and the leaves are beautiful. more...
Category: Shares/Stocks
Many smart investors are buying stocks of solid companies which are paying higher than usual dividends to help make up for market losses. more...
Plan Now for Spring Gardens: It's Time to Choose Plants
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
It may be warm outside now, and the temptation to stay inside where it's cool almost overwhelming. Use some downtime to plan your spring bloom garden. more...
Veggie Gardening in Hot Areas: Long or Short Growing Periods?
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Contrary to popular opinion, long hot summers do not necessarily mean long growing periods for vegetable gardens. more...
Organic Pest Controls: Controlling unwanted garden guests organically
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
There are many organic methods gardeners can use to control unwanted insects, fungal infections and weeds. more...
Salt Cedars: Beautiful but destructive
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Salt cedars were introduced into North America in the early 1800s as an ornamental. But since that time, it has wreaked untold havoc on North American waterways. more...
Major Pinyon Diseases: Names, Symptoms and Treatment
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Several diseases and parasitic infestations cause untold damage to pinyon pines. Here are ways to help recognize and diagnose them. more...
Planting and Caring for Pinyon: Fragrant and Beautiful
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
However you spell it: pinyon, pinion or pinon (with a tilde), this native of southwestern and western North America has some unique growing habits. more...
Types of Drip Systems: Emitters make the difference
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
There are many types of commercially available emitters. more...
How to Set Up Drip Systems: It’s Easy and Inexpensive
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Drip irrigation systems help gardeners conserve water, are highly efficient, cost relatively little and are extremely easy to install. more...
How Plants Use Water: Wetting Fronts, Transpiration, Root Zones and Photosynthesis
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
What happens when water seeps into the soil and how do plants use it? more...
What is a Watershed?: Rainwater Harvesting Series
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Knowing how a watershed works will help the waterwise gardener understand rainwater harvesting. more...
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Waterwise gardeners need only follow a few principles to conserve and make the most of a dwindling resource. more...
Collecting Rainwater: Rainwater Harvesting Series
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Even if you live in areas with low rainfall, you can harvest large amounts of rainwater. more...
A World Without Poverty: A New Type of Capitalism for The Poor
Category: Anti-Poverty Activism
Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus founded the Grameen Bank, a not-for-profit bank lending to the very poor. more...
Trees in a Desert Landscape: Adding “bones” to a garden
Category: Desert Gardens
In a desert garden, do some homework before choosing a tree. more...
Indian Mallow: A desert beauty
Category: Desert Gardens
Gray-green textured foliage, golden flowers, attractive to several species of butterflies, Indian mallow provides great accent for any desert garden more...
Growing Desert Willows: This plant is actually a large shrub and not a willow
Category: Desert Gardens
The desert willow is a beautiful, fast growing and hardy plant that can reach 25 feet in a few short years. more...
Water and Desert Gardens: A precious commodity in arid regions
Category: Desert Gardens
It might seem obvious, but the good desert gardener will understand water and irrigation problems. more...
Definition of a Desert: What is a desert??
Category: Desert Gardens
Are there specific parameters, which classify a region as a desert? more...
Organic Matter for Composting: No different in the desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Materials used for composting are no different for desert compost than they are for areas that are more humid. more...
Composting Equipment: What’s needed to create desert compost.
Category: Desert Gardens
Making compost is a simple process that is not expensive and requires little effort and attention. Desert composting may require a little more care. more...
Soil – Earth’s Living Layer: How soil is created.
Category: Desert Gardens
In nature, soil is alive and is constantly being created. In gardens, we can and should make our own. more...
The Wahhabi Sect:: The Center of Islam Fundamentalism
Category: Middle Eastern History (general)
Members of the Saudi royal family, and many other Saudis as well, are adherents of the Wahhabi cult, a fundamentalist sect of Islam. more...
Four-Wing Saltbush: Providing food and shelter for man and animal for millenia
Category: Desert Gardens
The four-wing saltbush exists all over the western portion of western North America, including some parts of southwestern Canada. more...
Apache Plume Striking Native Plant: A beautiful, wild member of the rose family
Category: Desert Gardens
A native of southwestern North America, in, Apache Plume is a striking addition to any desert garden. more...
Visiting Desert Botanical Gardens: Tour Them or Take Classes About Desert Flora
Category: Desert Gardens
Just visiting botanical gardens and arboretums in the southwest can be rewarding. But many gardens also offer classes and workshops perfect for a learning vacation. more...
10 Ways to Easier Gardening: Desert Gardening Doesn’t Need to be Backbreaking
Category: Desert Gardens
A little foresight and planning can help protect you from aches, pains and fatigue. more...
Russian Sage in The Desert: It's not Russian nor Sage, but a beautiful plant nevertheless
Category: Desert Gardens
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a showy and beautiful addition to any desert garden. But it's not sage, nor is it native to Russia. more...
Desert Plants and Wildlife: Native Plants can be beautiful and sustain wildlife too.
Category: Desert Gardens
You may not want wildlife munching on your garden, but putting some native plants outside the garden helps feed them and keep them out. more...
Plan a Fall Desert Garden Now: To give yourself plenty of time to prepare
Category: Desert Gardens
July might seem a little early to plan a fall garden, but the timing is just about right. more...
Desert Homes, Lush Landscapes: Water-wise Gardener Numbers Growing
Category: Desert Gardens
Water-wise gardener numbers are growing. allowing areas to transform arid and desert areas into lush gardens. more...
Growing Herbs and Spices: For the Desert Garden
Category: Desert Gardens
Herbs are easy to plant, easy to grow, and respond well to benign neglect. more...
Desert Gardening Expert Speaks I: Judith Phillips Discusses Gardening in Desert Environs
Category: Desert Gardens
Living in New Mexico, Judith Phillips is a much-sought-after speaker and author of a number of books on gardening in the southwest. more...
Harvest Desert Vegetables Part I: There are optimum times to pick them
Category: Desert Gardens
Picked too early or too late, desert garden vegetables won't be as tasty, may be fibrous or woody or taste too strong, dry or become damaged by weather more...
Tomatoes in Desert Gardens Part I: Planting, growing and harvesting them
Category: Desert Gardens
Knowing how to care for tomatoes in desert gardens can bring you a bountiful harvest more...
Watering Desert Vegetables: Irrigation is the key to an abundant desert garden
Category: Desert Gardens
In the dry, arid climates of North America's southwest, irrigation is a must if gardeners want to have a productive vegetable garden. But take care; too much water can be more...
Fertilizing Vegetable Gardens: Making the Desert Grow Food
Category: Desert Gardens
Desert soils are quite different that most soils. So it's important to know and understand the techniques in using fertilizer when gardening vegetables in desert areas. more...
Desert Gardening Expert Speaks II: Judith Phillips names favorite desert plants
Category: Desert Gardens
This is the second part of a two-part interview with Judith Phillips, a well-known author of gardening and gardening design books on the southwestern U.S. more...
Desert Climates and Vegetables: Climates differ from area to area in the desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Climates determine growing seasons, so it's important to know and understand the climate of your specific area when planting vegetables. more...
World Ecosystems in Danger: Xeriscape Conference Speaker Gives Warnings
Category: Desert Gardens
Urbanization, new dam constructions, groundwater withdrawals and pollution are helping to paint a grim view of the future. more...
How to Start Seeds: Want to know how to raise plants from seeds in your desert garden?
Category: Desert Gardens
Follow these simple instructions and you'll go far in establishing a wonderful and healthy garden. more...
Seedling Containers: Buy them or use your imagination
Category: Desert Gardens
There are lots of containers to grow seedlings in. Here are a few: more...
Seeds for Desert Gardens II: Understanding Your Environment
Category: Desert Gardens
External situations are extremely important when growing plants from seed. more...
What are USDA Cold-Hardiness Zones: A Great Guide for Gardening
Category: Desert Gardens
Defining if a plant will survive in your area. more...
What is a Seed?: The beginnings of a plant
Category: Desert Gardens
Seeds are basically embryos. more...
What is sexual plant propagation?: It’s really about the birds and the bees.
Category: Desert Gardens
Bees, birds, bats, butterflies and other animals assist in plant sexually reproduction. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Traveling thousands of miles on their migration, hummingbirds bring genetic mixing to a variety of plants, which in turn helps grow stronger, more robust plants. more...
Bees as Desert Plant Pollinators: They’re not all honey bees
Category: Desert Gardens
There are 20,000 species of bees in the world and 3,500 in North America. Many species, besides honeybees, are efficient pollinators of desert plants. more...
What is the Sonoran Desert?: Also named the Gila Desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Hot and dry, the Sonoran Desert can also be a great place to install a desert garden. more...
What is Nectar?: What the Greek gods drank
Category: Desert Gardens
And what attracts many animals to plants more...
What is Pollination?: Sexual reproduction in plants.
Category: Desert Gardens
Plants have several methods of reproduction, although the major reproductive process in most plants is through pollination. more...
The Middle East Before Islam: Pagans and Monotheists
Category: Middle Eastern History (general)
The Middle East has been the source of numerous pagan religions, and the birthplace of four monothesistic religions. more...
Pruning Desert Shrubs: Evergreens and deciduous shrubs
Category: Desert Gardens
Late winter is the time to prune both deciduous and evergreen shrubs. more...
Planning Next Year’s Desert Garden: Cabin Fever Sprouts Creativity
Category: Desert Gardens
Whether you're looking at bleak, snowy days in the high desert, or chilly winds in the low desert, now's the time to think about what your garden will look like next year more...
What is sublimation?: From solid to gas in one step
Category: Desert Gardens
Ice and snow can sublimate, more...
What is DTPA?: Extracting micronutrients
Category: Desert Gardens
DTPA may be necessary for soils with high pH levels more...
Organic Matter in Your Desert Soil: The Key to Successful Gardening in the Desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Most desert soils contain less than one percent organic matter. Good gardening soils need three to four percent. more...
What is Tap Water?: Water from the tap.
Category: Desert Gardens
Tap water is merely water that is taken from a tap or faucet. more...
What is Yeast?: One-Celled fungus
Category: Desert Gardens
There may be anywhere from 1,000 to one million yeast in a gram of soil. more...
What are Protozoa?: There may be 1,000 to 500,000 in gram of soil
Category: Desert Gardens
From the Greek proto, meaning first, and zoa, meaning animal. more...
What are Bacteria?: Can be beneficial, particularly in soil.
Category: Desert Gardens
Three million to 50 million in one gram of soil more...
What is Sand?: Not just found on the beach
Category: Desert Gardens
Different from silt, which is finer, and gravel which is larger. more...
Does Your Soil Have Structure?: Granular, Massive, Blocky
Category: Desert Gardens
Soil structure depends on a variety of situations. more...
Top 5 Low Desert Evergreen Trees: Lovely green foliage, incredibly different shapes
Category: Desert Gardens
Low-desert gardens, those areas that are below 4,000 feet in elevation and between zones 7 and 9, are suitable for these trees. more...
November Desert Gardening Chores: There’s always something to do in a desert garden
Category: Desert Gardens
No matter if a garden is high plains (above 4,000 ft.) or low desert, November is the time to take care of a few chores. more...
Visualizing A Desert Garden: The First Step to Designing A Desert Garden
Category: Desert Gardens
Just what is a desert? It's a place where there is scarcity of water, right? In fact, water (or lack of it) is the driving force in a desert. more...
Pinyon for The Holidays: Pinyon nuts, firewood, and plants for the Holidays
Category: Desert Gardens
People of the southwest, where the pinyon pine (pinus edulis) is native, have found many uses for this hardy tree. Now, no matter where you live, you can get pinyon. more...
Humus: An Organic Solar Battery: Converting Sun’s Energy into Food
Category: Desert Gardens
Although the word humus is Latin for soil, humus is not soil in the strict sense. It is partially decomposed organic matter. more...
What is Photosynthesis?: Necessary and Important to Life
Category: Desert Gardens
Photosynthesis is a biochemical process necessary for plant life and all other life. more...
Planting Wildflowers in Fall: For spring color, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Category: Desert Gardens
There are some desert wildflowers that you can not only collect seeds from now, but you can also plant now. more...
What is Scarification?: Natural Seed Dormancy
Category: Desert Gardens
Many plant seeds need to be scarified before the can germinate. more...
Top 12 Evergreen Trees: For High-Desert Gardens
Category: Desert Gardens
There are 5 species of evergreen trees that do well in high deserts up to 7,500 feet and 7 species that do well up to 10,500 feet. more...
What is Micorrhiza Fungus?: True Symbiosis
Category: Desert Gardens
Micorrhiza fungus helps plants, and plants help the fungus. more...
What is Organic?: Natural Products
Category: Desert Gardens
Organic can be applied to food or food products, fertilizers, chemistry and biology. more...
What is a Wildflower?: Wildflower may be a misnomer.
Category: Desert Gardens
It typically grows wild, or was not seeded intentionally. more...
What is Clay?: Prevalent in many soils.
Category: Desert Gardens
Clay soil needs to be amended more...
What is a Pesticide?: Chemical or Biological Substances
Category: Desert Gardens
To prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest more...
What is Urea?: A synthetic organic
Category: Desert Gardens
There's a reason the word it sounds a little like urine. more...
Top 10 Low-Water-Use Groundcovers: Native Groundcovers for Zones 7-9
Category: Desert Gardens
Here are the top 10 Low-Water-Use Native Groundcovers. more...
Aloes: Non-Desert Tropical: Aloes are tropical succulents, but not suited for the desert garden.
Category: Desert Gardens
A beautiful succulent, aloe is very distantly related to agave and yucca. A much closer relative is asphodel. more...
Top Low-Water Use Shrubs: For Desert Gardens Zones 7-9
Category: Desert Gardens
Here are some great shrubs and small trees for use in desert gardens, basically for USDA cold-hardiness zones 7-10, and below 6,000 feet. more...
What are Perennials?: Long-lived Plants
Category: Desert Gardens
From the Latin per, which means “through” or “throughout” and annus, which means “year.” more...
What is Percolation?: Think sieves
Category: Desert Gardens
m the Latin percolare, which means “to strain” as through a sieve. more...
What is Deciduous?: Most are broadleaf trees.
Category: Desert Gardens
From the Latin decidere, which means “to fall down, to fall dead, or to sink.” more...
What is Chlorosis?: Many causes for it.
Category: Desert Gardens
If a plant’s leaves are green, it’s probably healthy. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, there’s a problem. more...
Agaves - True Desert Plants: This is the first of three articles on Agaves, Yuccas and Aloes.
Category: Desert Gardens
Agaves and Yuccas: Same order, same family;
Aloes: Same order, different family.
more...
What is Mescal?: Also know as Mezcal.
Category: Desert Gardens
A spirited drink. more...
What is Monocarpic?: Or Monocarp.
Category: Desert Gardens
From the Greek: mono, meaning one, and carpus, meaning fruit. more...
What are Biological Controls?: Alternative to chemicals
Category: Desert Gardens
Biological control seeks to emulate a natural system of checks and balances. more...
What are Herbicides?: Weed Killers
Category: Desert Gardens
Usually used for killing weeds and unwanted plants, herbicides are widely used around the world in gardening and agriculture. more...
What is Cooperative Extension?: A Nationwide Program through USDA
Category: Desert Gardens
Not just for farmers, but for gardeners too
The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network.
more...
What are Nematodes?: Also known as roundworms
Category: Desert Gardens
Some are beneficial, some are deadly to plants. more...
What are Saprotrobes?: Most are harmless to plants.
Category: Desert Gardens
There are millions, perhaps billions of micro-organisms which come in contact with desert plants every day. more...
Tansy, A Great Desert Garden Herb: A Low-Water-Use Plant
Category: Desert Gardens
Tansy (tanacetum vulgare) is a perennial herb that has a number of uses in desert gardens. more...
Composting for A Desert Garden: Composting is Easy and Efficient
Category: Desert Gardens
Yard waste makes up as high as 30 percent of the solid waste of most municipalities in North America. Food waste makes up another nine percent. Composting uses this mater more...
What is Ground Water?: Water under the ground?
Category: Desert Gardens
A rapidly diminishing resource as population grows, ground water is precious. more...
Water Conservation Myths: Are We Still Gardening Victorian Style?
Category: Desert Gardens
It’s easy to talk about water conservation, but it’s more difficult to do something about it. more...
Garden Gifts: Holiday Gifts for The Desert Gardener
Category: Desert Gardens
A little imagination and some practical ideas can really bring a gardener’s holiday season alive. more...
What is Slow-Release Fertilizer?: Fertilize for longer periods
Category: Desert Gardens
Slow-release fertilizer may be the best way to provide plants with a balance of nutrients. more...
Low-Water-Use Desert Trees: For USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10
Category: Desert Gardens
Here are some evergreen and deciduous trees suitable for some desert gardens. more...
What are Macronutrients?: They're necessary for plant survival
Category: Desert Gardens
Macronutrients more...
Who is Simcha Blass?: Blass has been called the father of modern drip irrigation
Category: Desert Gardens
Simcha Blass more...
What are Micro-Organisms?: Tiny but vitally important
Category: Desert Gardens
There are billions, perhaps hundreds of billions of micro-organisms in a single handful of soil. more...
What is Xeriscape?: Hint: It doesn't mean rocks and cacti.
Category: Desert Gardens
Xeriscape is gaining popularity all over the world. more...
What is Olla Gardening?: An ancient method of irrigation
Category: Desert Gardens
Ancient agrarian cultures living in or near deserts have used olla gardening methods for milennia. more...
What is Desertification?: A growing world-wide problem
Category: Desert Gardens
2006 has been named "Year of Desertification" by the U.N. more...
What is Drought-Tolerant?: Drought-Tolerant or Drought-Resistent?
Category: Desert Gardens
There is a difference between drought=tolerant and drought-resistent plants. more...
What is Drip Irrigation?: Drip Irrigation saves water.
Category: Desert Gardens
Drip irrigation is a method to conserve water and irrigate crops efficiently. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Known as Black Gold to farmers. more...
What is Soil Testing?: And how to have your soil tested
Category: Desert Gardens
Soil testing is an important aspect for desert gardens. more...
What is Acidic: Desert Garden Definitions
Category: Desert Gardens
Acidic Soil more...
What is Alkaline?: (Also alkalinity, alkaloid)
Category: Desert Gardens
Alkaline soil problems more...
What is Fertilizer?: Nutrients for the soil.
Category: Desert Gardens
Contrary to popular opinion (and Madison Avenue), fertilizer is not plant food. more...
What are Micronutrients: Seven essential elements
Category: Desert Gardens
Micronutrients more...
Desert Garden Pots: Preparing your pots for a desert garden
Category: Desert Gardens
Whether you're buying new pots or recycling old ones, there are some things you need to be paying attention to when creating your container desert garden. more...
More Fruit Trees in Desert Gardens: Cherries, Apples, Pears, Grapes and even Figs!
Category: Desert Gardens
It's possible to grow a plethora of fruit trees in your desert garden, providing you take the proper precautions and use the right varieties, more...
Rose Pests and Diseases: A number of pests and diseases affect roses
Category: Desert Gardens
Attention to your roses and observing any irregular symptoms can save your plants and allow you to enjoy healthy plants for years to come. more...
Desert Garden Soil Problems: Alkaloids, Salt and Mineral Deficiencies
Category: Desert Gardens
A number of soil problems can occur when planting roses in a desert garden. Conditions from iron deficiencies in the soil to excesses of alkali salts can affect roses. more...
Plant Roses in a Desert Garden: Roses can do well in a Desert Garden
Category: Desert Gardens
You can plant beautiful roses in your desert garden by following these easy steps. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
By observing nature, you can develop some striking contrasts in your desert garden. A red Don Juan rose and a purple penstemmon are examples of such juxtapositions. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Maintenance of a desert garden is an important component in developing and keeping a beautiful and viable garden. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Contrary to much popular thought, lawns do have an appropriate place in a desert garden. They prevent erosion, help cool the environment, and offer a recreation area. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Mulch is one of the main components of desert gardening. Read about the many types of mulch you can buy (or scrounge)and how they benefit your desert garden. more...
Arid Zones in The Garden: The arid zone is the dryest part of the garden
Category: Desert Gardens
The third zone in a desert garden is the "arid" zone, one that requires little or no supplemental water after they are established. Read about the "arid" zone, and the pl more...
Designing Desert Gardens: Think about how nature works in the desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Design and planning is essential in order to have a beautiful and bountiful desert garden. Read about principles of design and maintenance of your desert garden. more...
Directing Rainfall: Harvesting water in the desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Average rainfall in most North American deserts is between 10 and 18 inches per year. Rainfall runoff from an average home there can mean tens of thousands of gallons of more...
How Pine Bark Beetles Destroy Pine Trees: Insects Cost Millions in Damage
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Pine trees, whether they are tall and stately Ponderosa, or gnarled and tough pinyon, are targets of the pine bark beetle. more...
American Beauty Berry: A Colorful Native Plant
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Drought-tolerant American beauty berry, sports striking clusters purple fruit, yellow-green leaves and elegantly drooping branches in late summer fall. more...
Monarchs, Queens, Soldiers and Milkweed: Milkweed Provides Food for Butterfly Larva
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Larvae of regal monarch butterflies, soldier and queen butterflies as well as grey hairstreaks find their primary food source in the lowly milkweed. more...
Vegetables to Plant in Fall: Many Veggies Just Taste Better in Autumn
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Snap beans become sweeter after the first cold snap. Squash becomes delectable. The list of vegetables for the fall garden is as diversified as the vegetables are tasty more...
How Large Should a Fall Garden Be?: Sizing Up an Autumn Garden
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Time, family needs and amount of work required are all considerations when deciding the size of a garden. more...
Choosing a Site for an Autumn Garden: Location an Important Gardening Decision
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Smart gardeners prepare early for fall gardens. Site selection is one of the most important decisions a gardener can make. more...
Fall Vegetable Garden: Planning Now for Autumn Gardens
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
When August rolls around, waterwise gardeners begin to take some action for a bountiful fall harvest. more...
Micro-Organisms: Giving Life to Soil
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
A handful of good soil should contain billions of bacteria, millions of protozoa and other microscopic animals, thousands tiny arthropods invisible to the eye, miniscule more...
Pickeral Weed: Ideal for Ponds or Wetland Areas
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Pickeral weed is an easy-to-grow pond plant and a true native of North America. more...
Caring for Pepper Plants: Insects, Diseases and Proper Tilling
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Simply putting peppers in the ground doesn't end the job of raising peppers. A few other chores are required. more...
Summer Squash in Waterwise Gardens: Delicious Fruit and Colorful Blooms
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
These yellow fruits, hiding under wide green leaves, are a perfect addition to any summer vegetable garden - and to the dinner table. more...
Mexican Palo Verde Tree: Also called Retama, Jerusalem Thorn and Lluvia de Oro
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
The Mexican Palo Verde is a native tree along the U.S. - Mexican border, combining beauty, elegance, unique shape and color to drab landscapes. more...
Planning a Spring Garden: For Nutritious and Fresh Vegetables
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
A spring garden might take a little work, but planned properly, even a small area can provide enough vegetables for an average-sized family. more...
A Handful of Soil: A Universe of Microorganisms
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
A handful of good soil should hold billions of bacteria, millions of protozoa and other microbes, thousands of tiny arthropods and hundreds of larger organisms. more...
Spring Mint: How to Plant, Raise and Harvest Mint
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Refreshing in foods, beverages and potpourris, mint is one of the most invasive garden plants, taking over whole beds unless contained. more...
Purple Sage in Spring: A Hardy and Attractive Salvia
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
An easy-to-care-for, tough perennial, purple sage is drought-tolerant and provides attractive color and accent to water wise gardens. more...
Spring Blooming Desert Verbena: Bright Pink Welcomes Warmer Weather
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Desert sand verbena begins spreading across the ground in mats after late-winter rains wet the soil. more...
Neem Oil: An Organic Pesticide
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Neem oil controls many insect pests, fungi and harmful mites on plants yet does not harm beneficial insects, mammals or humans. more...
Verticillium Wilt: Soil-Borne Fungal Disease
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Verticillium wilt lives in the soil and attacks plants, which have stressed roots. more...
Strawberry Pests: Bugs, Slugs, Grubs and Slime
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Strawberry pests run from gray fungus to white grubs. However, there are some ways to avoid or eliminate threats from these unwanted visitors. more...
Training Strawberries: Rows or Hills
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Strawberries planted in ground can be trained in several ways, depending on varieties and the preferences of the gardener. more...
November Waterwise Garden Chores: Cool Weather Doesn’t Mean No More Work
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
It's time to use lawn rakes, but other tools will come in handy too. more...
Protecting Plants from Deer: Marauding Wild Ungulates Can Devastate Gardens
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
A grazing Bambi is lovely. But when that beautiful deer is banqueting on your perennials, it's a different story. more...
What Is Xylem?: A Plant Pipeline
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Xylem is part of a plant's vascular system. more...
Planting Spring-Flowering Bulbs: For A 'Bustin' Out All Over' Garden.
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
In some areas, it might be a little early to plant spring-blooming bulbs, but it's not too late to prepare for them. more...
Waterwise Healthy Lawns: How Long Is Your Grass
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Water-conscious gardeners can conserve that precious resource and still have a green, healthy lawn even though neighbors sometimes look askance at water-wise lawns. more...
Start Fall Tomatoes in August: It’s Not Too Early to Get Them Into the Ground
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Don't pull out those spent tomato plants and relegate them to the compost heap just yet. They've got one more use before recycling. more...
Category: Environmentalism (general)
T. Boone Pickens, once the darling of the oil and gas industry, is now buying water rights and proposing a massive alternative energy plan for the southwestern U.S. more...
Vitex – A Lilac Alternative: Also Called Texas Lilac or Chaste Tree
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
In warmer climates, where high temperatures and mild winters make growing lilacs difficult, if not impossible, vitex makes a great substitute. more...
The VERT Garden: An Innovative Garden Concept
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
New vertical garden design harvests rainwater, waters plants, and conserves space. more...
Plant-Derived Insecticides: Many Organic Insecticides Come From Plants and Fossils
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Insect poisons made from flowers, crushed fossils, and extracts from certain fruits are being used to kill or repel insect pests. more...
Allelopathic Plants: Lone Killers: These Plants Compete Chemically with Other Plants
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Some plants just can't get along with other plants. In fact, they might just be out to kill their neighbors. more...
Waterwise Sages: Varieties Make Sages Great Garden Plants
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Some are true sages, some are misnomers, but all have a place in a waterwise garden more...
Pinyon Insect Enemies: Insect Larvae Are Destructive
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Pinyon pines, as are most pines, are susceptible to a number of insects and other infestations. more...
Helpful Hints for Drip Systems: Tips for Design and Installation
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Following these steps will go a long way to installing a system that will last for many years. more...
Where Do The Drips Go?: How to Place Drip Irrigation Emitters
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Where to locate drip emitters is paramount to a drip irrigation system. more...
Waterwise Drip Irrigation: Using Water More Efficiently
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Waterwise gardeners should consider drip irrigation systems. They stretch water supplies and get more water to plant root zones. more...
Is Your Garden Soil Too Salty?: Salinity Levels Can Affect Plants
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Salinity is the level of soluble salts found in soil (or water). more...
Artemesia: Artemisia ludoviciana
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
It's called Prairie Sage, wormwood, mugwort, gray sagewort, and white sagebrush and it can make a nice addition to any waterwise garden. more...
Mesquite Trees: Prosopis pubescens, Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis velutina
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Mesquite is probably one of the most versatile trees in southwestern portion of the North American continent. more...
Texas Pistachio: Pistacia texana
Category: Desert/Water-wise Gardens (general)
Texas pistachio is a large evergreen shrub native to southwestern North America. more...
Big Tooth Maple: A lovely, drought-tolerant tree
Category: Desert Gardens
Big-tooth maple has beautiful green foliage that provides brilliant fall colors, more...
Building a Desert Rainwater Garden: Harvesting Rainwater Series
Category: Desert Gardens
Even with a few inches of rainfall a year, desert gardeners can build a rain garden more...
Using Rainwater Makes Sense: Rainwater Harvesting Series
Category: Desert Gardens
Use of harvested rainwater to irrigate your desert landscape is cost-effective and wise. more...
Wind and Heat in Desert Gardens: Never Underestimate the Amount of Damage that Can Occur
Category: Desert Gardens
Heat and wind can cause significant damage to desert garden plants. more...
Is Your Garden in an Arid Region?: Or is it truly in a desert?
Category: Desert Gardens
Tiny variations in precipitation, sometimes less than an inch, can change the definition of an area from desert to arid. more...
1934 Dustbowl Created Desert: Millions of people displaced
Category: Desert Gardens
The 1934 Dustbowl displaced millions of people, caused countless farms to go bankrupt, created a wave of unemployment in a country already gripped by economic depression. more...
Compost for a Desert Garden: Requiring a litte more water, and a little more care
Category: Desert Gardens
Using a little more attention and a little more water, the desert gardener can make viable compost. more...
Composting – Emulating Nature: Providing nutrition for a desert garden.
Category: Desert Gardens
Composting is the making of soil through a process that emulates nature. more...
Chupacabras in the Southwest?: Or something worse?
Category: Desert Gardens
Something is wandering throughout the southwest, killing farm animals and frightening people. Some think it might be a chupacabras. more...
Gayfeather for Garden Color: Gayfeather adds a new dimension to desert gardens
Category: Desert Gardens
Gayfeather or liatris is a plant that is native to both western and eastern North America, but different species occupy different areas of the continent. more...
Raising Apache Plume: A Hardy Plant Native to southwestern North America
Category: Desert Gardens
Apache Plume is a striking and wildly beautiful plant that is native to southwestern North America. Easy to grow, this plant likes just about any soil. more...
Growing Purple Coneflowers: A Native Plant for Summer and Fall Blooms
Category: Desert Gardens
Coneflowers are native to North America. Although purple coneflowers are the best known, there are at least four wild varities and several cultivars. more...
Building A Dry Streambed: Erosion Control in The Desert Garden
Category: Desert Gardens
Creating a dry streambed is an attractive, easy and efficient way to control erosion on slopes or hillsides. more...
The Fall of Constantinople, 1453: The End of An Era –The Beginning of Another
Category: Middle Eastern History (general)
In 1453 CE, the city of Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire. The conquest was one of history's turning points. more...
Top Ornamental Grasses: For containers or naturalized in desert gardens
Category: Desert Gardens
Growing ornamental grasses in your desert garden can add some real texture and beauty. more...
Top Ten Bamboos for the Garden: Desert-Hardy Bamboos
Category: Desert Gardens
Bamboo might strike you as a plant that grows well in rainforests, but there are species that prosper in desert gardens. more...
Germinating Pinyon Pine Seeds: Not as easy as you think
Category: Desert Gardens
There are about eight species of pinyon pine, and all are slow-growing and difficult to cultivate. However, once established, they are drought-resistant. more...
Native Grasses as Groundcovers: In Desert Gardens
Category: Desert Gardens
Native grasses can replace turf, be grown on hillsides to help prevent erosion, and for a number of other purposes. more...
How Do Groundcovers Work: For Desert Gardens?
Category: Desert Gardens
There are a number of plants which can be used for groundcovers in desert gardens. more...
Harvest Desert Vegetables Part II: A continuation of best times to pick them
Category: Desert Gardens
Choosing the right time to harvest the vegetables in your desert garden isn't rocket science, but it does require a certain amount of watchfulness. more...
Tomatoes in Desert Gardens Part II: Desert Tomatoes Plants Need Physical Support and TLC
Category: Desert Gardens
Tomatoes, even in desert gardens, tend to be leafy, and the fruit pendulous. Here are some tips to help have a bountiful tomato crop. more...
Pests in a Desert Vegetable Garden: Controlling them is important
Category: Desert Gardens
Desert vegetable garden pests come in all sizes and shapes, from microscopic, to many legged and small, to two- and four-legged and large. more...
Planting A Desert Vegetable Garden: Timing of plantings is important
Category: Desert Gardens
Planting vegetables in desert areas needs to be timed with climate, date of last frosts, and other factors. more...
Soil in Desert Vegetable Gardens: Desert Soils Not Very Fertile
Category: Desert Gardens
Desert soils tend to be low in organic matter, and high in alkaline and salts. Here are ways to improve desert soils for vegetable gardens. more...
Planning A Desert Vegetable Garden: Plan first, then plant!
Category: Desert Gardens
There are a lot of things to consider if you're going to have a desert vegetable garden. Plan before you plant! more...
Desert Vegetable Gardens: Grow herbs, cucumbers and even tomatoes in the desert
Category: Desert Gardens
There are drawbacks to raising vegetables in desert gardens...especially in poor, alkaline soil, and little rain, but a little work and care canchange that. more...
Transplant Shock in The Garden: Some plants may show stress when transplanted
Category: Desert Gardens
Transplant shock can result in leaf scorch, stunted growth and dropping of leaves, among other things. more...
When to Plant Desert Garden Seeds: They shouldn’t all be planted at the same time
Category: Desert Gardens
When you plant seeds which you will transplant outside in your garden depends upon many factors. more...
Growing Media for Desert Seeds: They’re not all the same
Category: Desert Gardens
You will learn through experience which medium is best for your climate and growing conditions. more...
Seeds for Desert Gardens I: Choosing and handling seeds
Category: Desert Gardens
If you like gardening, germinating seeds is a great way to watch your plants grow from seed to adult. more...
What is a hybrid?: Taking the best, leaving the worst
Category: Desert Gardens
Hybridizing plants has created revolutionary increases in production during the last century. more...
What is asexual plant propagation?: Also called Vegetative Propagation
Category: Desert Gardens
Asexual propagation of plants is a great example of how cloning works. more...
What is Germination?: The way plants reproduce sexually
Category: Desert Gardens
Most plants can reproduce asexually (by cloning themselves) or sexually, through seed and fruit production. more...
Bats Pollinate Desert Plants: After-dark Pollinator
Category: Desert Gardens
In the desert, and in tropical regions, bats are important both for pollination and seed dispersal. more...
How Desert Plants Get Pollinated: There are some very diverse methods
Category: Desert Gardens
Pollination is important to plants, and desert plants are no exception . However, some unique methods of pollination have developed in the desert. more...
What is the Chihuahuan Desert?: One of largest deserts in North America
Category: Desert Gardens
It could be the most biodiverse desert on the continent, and perhaps one of the most biodiverse on the planet. more...
What is pollen?: Necessary for flowering plants
Category: Desert Gardens
Course or fine, spheroid or winged, pollen is one of the main ingredients for sexual reproduction in plants. more...
What is Apidae?: Bees, bees, bees!
Category: Desert Gardens
There are bees on every continent in the world except Antarctica. more...
How to Prune Desert Plants: Twigs, Small Branches, and Thick Branches
Category: Desert Gardens
Pruning too much or too little, or pruning in the wrong place can have a lasting effect on plants. Follow these directions for healthier plants. more...
Pruning Desert Plants: To prune or not to prune?
Category: Desert Gardens
Many gardeners, both seasoned and beginners, feel they should prune, but many simply don't know why or how to prune. more...
From Desert To Oasis: Getting Back to Basics
Category: Desert Gardens
The 12th Annual Xeriscape Conference promises to be an experience more...
What is EDDHA?: Extracting micronutrients
Category: Desert Gardens
Used as an alternative or adjunct to DTPA more...
Micronutrients in Desert Soils: Necessary for all plants
Category: Desert Gardens
Desert soils may be deficient in some micronutrients more...
What is Salinity?: Refers to salt content in water or in soil
Category: Desert Gardens
Some soils are high in salt content more...
What is Distilled Water?: Water with impurities and salts removed
Category: Desert Gardens
There is a number of ways to distill water. more...
What is Algae?: There may be 1,000 to 500,000 algae in gram of soil
Category: Desert Gardens
There are many types of algae more...
What are Actinomycetes?: They look like fungi, but are bacteria
Category: Desert Gardens
One million to 20 million in one gram of soil more...
What is "Green Manure?”: An inexpensive, organic soil improvement
Category: Desert Gardens
Green manure provides organic matter to the soil and also helps reduce erosion. more...
Drainage in Your Desert Garden: How good is yours?
Category: Desert Gardens
Too much drainage, or too little can be destructive to plants. It can also lead to water wastage. more...
Colors and Texture in Desert Soils: Your Soil’s Physical Properties
Category: Desert Gardens
You can have your soil tested, but there are a lot of properties that you can observe and correct yourself. Read about it here. more...
Colorful Cactus for the Holidays: Colorful, Festive, and Live
Category: Desert Gardens
Place one of these cactus on your mantel or table for festive holiday eye candy. Then plant it in your garden in the spring. more...
What is Dormant Oil?: Control Wintering Insects
Category: Desert Gardens
A way to kill insects, their eggs and larvae. more...
Top 5 Sites to Order Desert Plants: Best Online Sites for Desert Plants
Category: Desert Gardens
Of the hundreds of nurseries on the Internet, these online nurseries made it to the top five. more...
Cornering The Market on Water: Big Corporations, Speculators Making Play
Category: Desert Gardens
It's the next big thing. There will be a world water shortage in the next half century and big companies see profits to be made. more...
Planting Desert Trees: Pt II: Part II. Putting The Plant in the Hole
Category: Desert Gardens
The hole has been dug, the caliche punched through, and you've tested the drainage. Now you can actually plant. more...
How to Plant Desert Trees: Pt I: Planting Drought-Tolerant Trees and Shrubs
Category: Desert Gardens
There are no tricks or secrets to planting desert-adaptec trees and shrubs, but there are special situations you'll want to deal with. more...
The Desert Gardener: Taking Care of Yourself while Gardening
Category: Desert Gardens
Don't be fooled by the low humidity and cool fall temperatures more...
What is Stratification?: Overcoming Natural Seed Dormancy
Category: Desert Gardens
Many plant seeds require stratification, either through natural means, or forced by humans, in order to germinate. more...
Organic Fertilizers: for Desert Plants
Category: Desert Gardens
An excellent way to naturally amend desert soil, organic fertilizer simply means that the nutrients in it are made up exclusively from dead organisms. more...
What is Cottonseed Meal?: A cotton byproduct
Category: Desert Gardens
Cottonseed meal is a byproduct of cotton manufacturing more...
Collect Desert Wildflower Seeds: For Hardy Plants in Your Desert Garden
Category: Desert Gardens
There are many varieties of desert plants growing wild, and many of them are wildflowers. Find out how to collect the seeds of these plants for your own garden. more...
Miniature Desert Gardens: Bring The Desert Indoors
Category: Desert Gardens
You can build your own miniature desert garden, bring it indoors in the winter, and enjoy it all year long. more...
One-Seed Juniper: Another Great Desert Tree
Category: Desert Gardens
Along with the pinyon pine, the one-seed juniper can add beauty and structure to a desert garden. more...
What is Dioecious?: Plant reproduction
Category: Desert Gardens
Plants can be either dioecious or monecious. more...
Top 30 Low-Water Use Perennials: Flowering Native Plants For Zones 7-9
Category: Desert Gardens
If you're interested in water conservation, but also want a beautiful garden, take a look at these low-water-use flowering perennials. more...
What is Monecious?: Plant reproduction
Category: Desert Gardens
Plants can be either monecious or dioecious. more...
Yuccas - A Different Agave: Yuccas in the desert garden.
Category: Desert Gardens
In the same family as agave (Agavaceae), yucca forms its own genus (yucca). more...
What are Annuals?: Living for the moment
Category: Desert Gardens
From Latin annus, “year.” more...
What are Chelates?: Molecular bonding
Category: Desert Gardens
From the Greek chele which means “claw.” more...
What is Evergreen?: Ever plus green
Category: Desert Gardens
Evergreens, for the most part, are mostly conifers in colder temperate regions. more...
What is Chlorophyll?: It's necessary for plant survival.
Category: Desert Gardens
It's what makes leaves green! more...
What is Pruning?: Helping plants become vigorous.
Category: Desert Gardens
When you prune correctly, it can really assist and increase the vigor and growth of a tree or shrub. more...
Century Plant: Also known as American Aloe
Category: Desert Gardens
Not related to aloe, but actually a member of the agave family. more...
What is Pulque?: A six-pack of pulque, anyone?
Category: Desert Gardens
Yes, it’s available in six packs. more...
Bindweed in Desert Gardens: Difficult to Eradicate
Category: Desert Gardens
Seasoned desert gardeners know what problems field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) can cause. more...
What are Rhizomes?: (Pronounced <i>rye-zohms</i>)
Category: Desert Gardens
Many plants reproduce by rhizomes. more...
Plant Diseases in Desert Gardens: Bacterial, Viral and Fungal Pathogens
Category: Desert Gardens
There are millions, perhaps billions of bacteria and fungi that come into contact with plants every day. more...
What are Master Gardeners?: Education and volunteerism
Category: Desert Gardens
Thousands of avid gardeners in the U.S. and Canada have become master gardeners. more...
What are Plant Pathogens?: Causing Plant Diseases
Category: Desert Gardens
There are millions, perhaps billions of micro-organisms which come in contact with plants every day. more...
Building A Compost Pile: for your Desert Garden
Category: Desert Gardens
Take into account time requirements, space available and your budget. more...
Caliche - Hard Desert Gardening: Don't Give Up Hope. There Are Solutions.
Category: Desert Gardens
There is a form of soil that desert gardeners know well. It’s called caliche (pronounced kah-leech-ay, and it has driven many desert gardeners to desperation. more...
What is Caliche?: Also know as Hardpan
Category: Desert Gardens
Caliche may be found a few centimeters under the surface or it may be buried in sand, and dust up to two meters below. more...
What are Macro-Organisms?: Large enough for the eye to see
Category: Desert Gardens
Macro-organisms are only a small part of a soil’s make up, but they are important for healthy plants and nutrient-rich soil. more...
What is Soil?: It's not just dirt!
Category: Desert Gardens
Plants obtain water and nutrients from the soil surrounding their root systems. Plants also use the soil to anchor them physically, allowing them to stand upright. more...
What is Fungus?: Plural: fungi
Category: Desert Gardens
Many fungi are beneficial to desert plants and soil. Some are not. more...
What is Special-Purpose Fertilizer: Fertilizers for Non-General Use
Category: Desert Gardens
Not all fertilizers are equal. Special purpose fertilizers are made for certain types of plants. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Desert plants, like humans and all living things, need nutrients. The following article briefly discusses those nutrients. more...
Year of Desertification: U.N. Declares 2006 Year of Desertification
Category: Desert Gardens
Desertification may be one of the most serious problems facing humanity today. more...
Drip Irrigation In Desert Gardens: Conserving water while increasing yield
Category: Desert Gardens
Modern drip irrigation is not only for backyard desert gardeners. It is currently being used worldwide to halt starvation. more...
Waterwise Garden Glossary: Definitions, links and information
Category: Desert Gardens
Here is a resource for Desert Garden readers, along with links to definitions and articles on Desert Gardens topics. Please feel free to use this list. more...
What is pH?: The symbol doesn't have to be confusing.
Category: Desert Gardens
pH measures alkalinity or acidity of soil. more...
What is Mulch?: Mulch can save water.
Category: Desert Gardens
Mulch may look like dirt, but it has many unknown and unrecognized properties. more...
What is Drought-Resistent?: Are your plants drought-resistent or drought-tolerant?
Category: Desert Gardens
Drought-resistent plants are basically desert plans. more...
What is a Desert?: Deserts cover 1/5 of earth's land mass.
Category: Desert Gardens
Definition of deserts more...
What are Berms?: Water conservation
Category: Desert Gardens
Berms more...
What is Topsoil?: Topsoil may not exist in desert regions
Category: Desert Gardens
Topsoil differs in texture, content, and color depending on regions, whether the climate is temperate, arid, or desert. more...
What Are Swales?: Swales can stop erosion and save water.
Category: Desert Gardens
Slowing down fast-running water in desert conditions can be important to prevent erosion and help vegetation take hold. more...
What is an Oasis?: An oasis doesn't have to be in the desert.
Category: Desert Gardens
An oasis can create a cool, comfortable setting for your property. more...
What is Nitrogen?: Nitrogen is necessary for plants to grow.
Category: Desert Gardens
Nitrogen is one of the 16 elements necessary for plant growth and production. more...
What is Compost?: Composting: An alternative
Category: Desert Gardens
Composting is an environmentally-friendly and natural way of returning nutrients to the soil. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Desert soil, when mixed with water, will have the consistency of concrete. So, when potting desert plants,you'll need to create your own soil mixtures. more...
Container Desert Gardens: Using Desert Plants for Small Spaces
Category: Desert Gardens
Planting desert plants in containers can provide an ideal, low-maintenance garden for limited-space areas. more...
Fruit Trees in A Desert Garden: Apricots, Plums and Peaches can be grown in the desert
Category: Desert Gardens
Fruit trees may be a little more difficult to grow in the desert than in more temperate regions, but they can add a wonderful dimension and beauty. more...
Fertilizing Desert Garden Roses: Don't guess at what the plant needs. Get expert advice.
Category: Desert Gardens
With roses, it's better not to guess whether yellowing leaves are caused by a mineral deficiency or by a virus. more...
Watering Desert Garden Roses: Roses take less water than you think.
Category: Desert Gardens
Irrigating roses in your desert garden doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. It does, however, require a little attention to detail and a little extra care. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Beautiful roses can be grown in desert gardens, providing the gardener takes a few steps to ensure their vitality and longevity. more...
Pinyon: The Desert Pine: The Edible Pine
Category: Desert Gardens
Pinyon Pine (pinus edulis) is a beautiful though slow-growing tree, offering incredible structure to a desert garden. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Plants that need less water are rapidly becoming available at nurseries across the world. Colorful, fragrant and beautiful, these plants have transformed desert gardening more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Preparing soil in a desert garden is an important part of the process. There are some definite do's and don'ts in this part of your garden planning. more...
Category: Desert Gardens
Efficient irrigation systems apply water where it is needed, not where it will be wasted. more...
Transition Desert Garden: It's the part between the desert and the oasis
Category: Desert Gardens
The "transition" zone portion of your desert garden will require less water and less maintenance after establishment. Here are some suggested plants, as well as watering more...
Edible Desert Gardens: Evferything from fruit to nuts
Category: Desert Gardens
There are many plants that are beautiful, produce edible fruit (or are edible themselves) and grow well in desert gardens. more...
Conserving Water in The Desert: Use Berms and Swales
Category: Desert Gardens
Water is crucial to desert gardens, but the nature of the desert is to be miserly with water. Now's the time to start thinking and planning water-wise solutions. more...
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