25 Aug Glendale Homes for Sale- Gardening Tips or Living in the Desert
Many of us living in the Valley of the Sun are transplants from other parts of the country. I don’t know about you but trying to grow a lush green garden out here has been let’s just say difficult. Being from back East I am not used to the different plants and trees that will flourish out here. Let’s face it we all weren’t born with a green thumb and we want our Glendale Homes for Sale home to look beautiful, so here are some tips for living in the Sonoran Desert.
With fall just around the corner, thank goodness, we need to remember a few things. It is still hot till late October so we need to make sure plants are getting adequate water but be sure not to over water which can result in root rot, allow soil to dry out between watering. Another important thing to remember this time of year is to stake newly planted trees to keep them from blowing over during these dust and heavy winds that come without monsoon season. If you are a planning for some vegetables, you may want to prepare your garden bed for planting seeds such as carrots, radishes, cucumbers, and various lettuces.
It’s hard to think of protecting our plants and trees against frost but every so often we get some pretty cool nights in the desert. So here are some tips to help ward off frost.
Wrapping the trunks of young trees with cloth or cardboard or even several layers of newspaper can protect against a winter frost, do NOT use plastic. You may also want to use a pre-emergent herbicide from October-through December to keep the weeds controlled but remember do not use this where you may plant seeds. You will also need to adjust your water scheduling for the winter months. It should be about 1/3 of the summer frequency but when you do water make sure it is a deep soak.
You may want to remember that we are in a drought here in the Glendale Homes for Sale Area and the rest of Arizona. When picking your landscaping you will want to find plants native to the area, they will thrive the best and require little water. Plants like sage, lantana and bougainvillea are great out here and they all flower giving you some color in your yard. Cacti are always a good choice and trees like Palo Verde, Mesquite and Acacia do well here in the desert. Fruit trees are great if you like to get fruit from your yard, but remember they require a bit more work and clean up when the fruit falls. You don’t want to leave that lying around, bugs and little critter are sure to start showing up. Also a great way to save on your water bill is to go with a xeriscape rather than trying to get a lush green lawn. Xeriscape is basically using rocks, boulders and decorative designs to create your yard.
Living in the desert is quite different from other places around the country but can be just as beautiful. Try these tips and ask your local nursery for ideas and you can make your Glendale Homes for Sale yard the talk of the neighborhood!