Adventures in Spring Planting

Neighbors exchanging plants and knowledge at Garden District Plant Swap

I love Spring in Tucson. It's that time of year for plant sales and neighborhood plant exchanges. Fun!

Iskashitaa Plant Sale

Every year, I look forward to learning from fellow gardeners and discovering new drought tolerant plants - especially pretty pollinator plants for my rain garden. (Which, admittedly, has been looking pretty stark from the long stretch with so little rain.) Hand watering the new plants gives me an excuse to get out in my yard every morning to mingle with the birds and bunnies. 

While watering my new plants, I spotted this hummingbird!

It can be a challenge to find plants that will survive the harsh drought conditions (especially bad this year) and that won't be devoured by the critters. While I try to get growing conditions from the sellers, it is somewhat trial and error. Not so sustainable, I know. At least I am still able to use rainwater from one of our cisterns. 

This year I got some spiderwort and Arizona Foldwing at the Tucson Organic Gardeners Spring Plant Fair. From what I gleaned from growers, they should be drought tolerant. A quick google search confirmed that. But I also discovered that spiderwort would have preferred sandy soil. At least our basin drains well. 

While I was excited about my new plants; it wasn't particularly good timing. We were heading off on a short family vacation the day after I planted them. I took photos of the new arrivals so my friend Catherine could locate them to water them while we were away. She even brought rainwater from her own cistern! Thanks, Catherine! 

After a couple weeks, the Arizona Foldwing is doing great. Despite the unseasonably hot weather, it has grown several purple flowers! The google search confirmed, The Arizona Foldwing (Dicliptera Resupinata) thrives in full to partial sun conditions, with better performance and blooming in full sun, but it can also tolerate part shade.

I also purchased some dwarf tomato plants (to fit under the bird cage) in my backyard garden. Since we were locking the gate while we were away, we planted them around a tubular olla to keep them watered. 

Here they are with the bird cage to protect them from our resident squirrels. 

Note: they are currently thriving in that spot with daily watering. 

We heard from the growers that Spring is a good time to plant herbs. So we got some mint, basil, and thyme. While everyone says that mint will take over, that hasn't been our experience. For some reason, we can't keep it alive in our backyard. So here it goes in our toilet planter. 

In the past we have had good success planting basil under the birdcage in the shade of the palo verde tree. And the marjoram starter we got at a previous plant sale is thriving in this blue pot - even in this record heat. The high was 91 degrees yesterday! It burned my feet! 

 

Meanwhile, at the high end of our shallow basin...The agaves and aloe that I got from a plant swap, aren't loving our extreme weather - low of 40 degrees and recent highs of 95. The aloe should have never been planted in direct sun. Lesson learned: google before planting. 

 And, yes, it is past time to get some new mulch in the basin. "Chop & Drop" and "Leave the Leaves" (that the ants gathered up) isn't cutting it in this hot weather. 

And before y'all tell me to water those poor agaves, keep in mind that they have been suffering since the cold snap and Master Gardeners recommend that you don't water them during that time because cells will freeze.  (I am watering it now.)  

I don't want to give the impression that nothing survives in our basin. Here are some plants that I got at previous plant sales that have thrived despite record heat with very little water.

The Texas Ranger has hardly been watered at all and it is currently in bloom. 

But pull back to check out the prickly pear cactus. It was looking so wrinkled and droopy a week ago, that I finally gave it 3 watering cans of water. That gave it the strength to hold up those pads that are currently budding! 

The rosemary was looking a little crispy from the extended summer. So far I have given it a total of 3 watering cans of water.  

Even the native chiltepin needed some help to leaf out during this extreme weather. It got about five watering cans full.  Hoping to get some yummy chiltepin chilies this year. 

I was worried about the young ocotillo I got from Borderlands Nursery last year. But it has finally started to grow some leaves! 

Here's the real hero! The jujube that hasn't gotten any extra water besides what it gets from the basin, is budding nicely. 

 

So... I'm glad to say that the new plants in my yard are hanging in there during this extreme heat - with a little help from the rainwater that is still left in our biggest cistern. I won't lie; it's been a tough year. And the most important lesson I learned was to make sure I look up the best location for each plant to give them the best chance at survival. 

More information about our rain basins during happier times:

"Love my rain basin!" 

#lovemyrainbasin