Growing In The Garden

Some of the most frustrating garden pests are the ones you never actually see. You notice the damage first, and by then it feels too late. In this post Jean covers the three pests behind most of that damage, then introduces the predators quietly handling them. Two of these predators have a reputation for being pests themselves, which is exactly why they get ...

If you grow okra, fried okra is one of the easiest and best ways to use a fresh harvest. It’s quick, simple, and especially good when the pods are picked young and tender.

My grandma was from Mississippi but later lived in Indiana, where my mom grew up. Fried okra was one of those Southern foods that made its way into our family, and my mom made it for us when I wa...

I’m working on adding more native plants to my own yard, and it can be confusing how often the word “native” gets used at nurseries. A tag that says native doesn’t always mean native to Arizona. Sometimes it means native to Texas, or Baja California, or somewhere else in the desert Southwest that shares our climate but not our exact desert.

This po...

When you move into a new property, one of the first things to consider is where to plant trees. A tree adds shade, beauty, and structure to a yard. It cools the space, builds a canopy, creates a better microclimate, and gives birds and pollinators a place to live. There are plenty of reasons to plant a tree, but choosing the right one is a big decision.

As you deci...

I learned about the sun in my yard through trial and error. Dead plants were the best teacher. I planted according to the plant tag (in full sun), but they didn’t survive the full-sun areas of my yard. The tags weren’t lying, but they were written for a different climate.

This post is about understanding the sun in a low desert yard: what full sun tags act...