Desert Garden Resources

Because desert gardens are not the norm, it's not always easy to find good resource material.  I'm always looking for what is basic information elsewhere, seeing how it translates to the environment I now find myself working in. 

Pruning, for instance.  We have two bloom seasons here.  Spring is the obvious one, but we are in the middle of the second bloom season.  Fall, or post-monsoon, is when the plants that have caught some water, or just benefited from the additional humidity of those months, let out with blooms, often the second flush of the year. 

And we don't, as a norm, get any freezing temperatures.  So while there are plants, like many of the trees, that are currently dropping their leaves for winter (quietly, a few at a time, going soft yellow and falling to the ground - almost unnoticeable until one sees the yellow drifts of tiny palo verde leaves on the stones and sidewalks) there is no definite marker for 'now' being the time to prune. 

When is that 'now'?  Luckily I found an article online for this very information. 

It's from az.central.com, and I've reposted the critical parts here for my records:

Pruning satisfying, often necessary
Don't take it for granted

Mary Irish
Special for The Arizona Republic
Sept.  9, 2006 12:00 AM

[first three paragraphs omitted, cutting straight to the core of the matter:]

3 basic steps

Pruning has three basic steps - decision, cuts and timing.

Decision - Look at the plant critically and make sure that it actually needs pruning. Deadwood can be taken out pretty much at will, although for most species it is best to avoid the hottest part of the summer. Abruptly exposed stems can burn when thrust into the summer sun, leaving plants deeply stressed.

Sometimes a shrub is too tall or is blocking a favored view, or a branch or two are flopping over the path and slapping you in the face when you walk by. These are good reasons to prune, but plants that have outgrown their space are often plants that were the wrong choice in the first place, or have been watered excessively.

Although it is wise to provide generous and frequent watering to any woody plant for the first few years, once established, how big your shrub gets is mainly a function of how much water you provide. Backing off on the watering as the plant matures not only saves precious water but ensures that your shrub will stay a modest enhancement to your garden instead of a demanding thug.

Cuts - Military-style cuts, where all branches are cut to a uniform height or width, should be reserved for boot camp. To prune a shrub, plunge into the heart of the plant and cut only the offending branch. Make the cuts at the lowest junction you can find with the sharpest tool you have. Often only one or two cuts are needed to reduce the height or width dramatically.

Now, step back and look at the plant. Have you made things better or worse? If you have fixed the problem, walk away, leave it alone, and go have some tea. If not, a bit more is required, so go slowly, take one or two cuts, look it over again until you fix the problem.

Timing - When a shrub is pruned is crucial for lots of reasons. If the plant, such as Texas ranger, blooms on new tips, continuous pruning will destroy all hope of flowering. If plants are susceptible to frost damage, pruning too late in the year will increase the risk of frost damage. If plants, such as rosemary and many other Mediterranean shrubs, have a strong dormancy, pruning too late in the spring can reduce their reserves and they may die over the summer. Timing needs to take into account not just when you have the interest or the time, but the growth and flowering cycle of your shrub.

As a general rule, most shrubs can be pruned directly after they bloom and/or just as they begin their main growing season. Therefore, a spring flowering shrub, such as fairy duster or wolfberry (Lycium spp.), or all Mediterranean species, is best pruned in the fall as it breaks its summer doldrums and begins to grow vigorously. It also can be lightly pruned after flowering but before summer heat sets in.

Summer growing and flowering shrubs, such as yellow bells (Tecoma stans), hibiscus, lantana, Turk's cap (Malvaviscus drummondii) and bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), can be pruned vigorously early in the spring to encourage a flush of growth, and lightly pruned throughout the summer.

Late summer and fall flowering shrubs, such as Texas ranger or Mount Lemmon marigold (Tagetes palmeri), can be lightly pruned in the spring, but heavy pruning should wait until the end of the flowering cycle.

We grow shrubs for their durability and sturdiness. In our gardens they often form the background and structure that anchors the entire scene. Their generous dimensions and overall usefulness never should be taken for granted. When we take care of them, and prune them wisely, they shower us with graceful beauty and last beyond our lifetime.

Mary Irish is the former director of public horticulture at Desert Botanical Garden and is the author of several books on Southwest gardening. She can be reached at [email protected].

Source:   http://www.azcentral.com/home/garden/articles/0909irish0909.html

Comments

[Kathryn/plantwhateverbringsyoujoy.com]

Hi. I tried to do what you are doing. I moved from CA
to NC to Cave Creek. If I said it once I said it a hundred times: if you want to garden in the desert you have to bring your own dirt! Have you discovered Phoenix Home and Garden mag. yet? It's exquisite and a truly good resource of inspiration. My favorite probably down there was Baja Fairyduster. Mine loved me. The first time I went to a cactus nursery I was terrified I might FALL! (i.e., into a cactus). Mostly got over that. Tried all kinds of things I should not have. My rosemary always thrived. I'm back in CA again. Could not take the H-E-A-T! Good luck!

[Jenn]

Hi Kathryn!

I've been collecting an odd lot of plants, trying to see what I am capable of keeping alive. My rosemary came down from Michigan with me, and seems to be doing fine.

And I've a baby Fairyduster, love the ferny little leaves!

Hope you are doing well where you are now. I'm on a journey of more than a few years, although, ironically, I hope to retire someplace that has seasons... (contrast that to all the folks that come here to retire!)