It ’s just plainly blistering ! There ’s no sugarcoating the heat in the desert right now . If you ’re like us , you manoeuver outside only in the early morning and late evening if you’re able to help it . Just the idea of gardening in midday right now take us squirm .
set a tree : palo verde . One tree diagram that really have it away the estrus is palo verde ( Parkinsoniaspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) . The two most unwashed species in the Southwest are blue palo verde ( Parkinsonia florida , Zones 8–10 ) and yellow or foothills palo verde ( Parkinsonia microphylla , Zones 9–10 ) , the former being the country tree of Arizona . With their vibrant yellow blooms and their ability to prosper without auxiliary water system once established , these trees are beautiful add-on to any Southwestern landscape painting . They are very low maintenance and can turn between 20 and 30 feet tall . Palo verdes can be found in the warmer month because they screw the desert heat , but be sure to give unestablished Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree a deep tearing this month — and watch out for vast palo verde beetles ( Derobrachus geminatus ) while you are water ! Leave those palo verde arm alone until the winter calendar month . No pruning until then .
follow out for grasshoppers . grasshopper can be extremely invasive , so keep an middle on your plant leaves . If you incur that you have a hopper problem , expend an organic impediment to keep them at bay . We recommend blending 2 cups of garlic with 10 cup of water . Boil the mixture down a bit , and allow it sit overnight . you may then take this result and mix it with more water . Mix about three times as much cold water as solution , and then pour this unexampled solution into a spray bottle . Spritz this all over the move plant and leaves to avail keep those pesky hopper away .
Prune and deadhead . If you ’re feel brave on one of our cooler days , you may absolutely do some summertime prune in the month of August . Examine your perennials . If they appear leggy and overgrown , hack them back by one - third . Be indisputable to deadhead those summer - flowering bush to keep the color animated in your yard . you’re able to also prune your pride of Barbados ( Caesalpinia pulcherrima , Zones 9–11 ) and rose bay ( Nerium oleander , Zones 8–10 ) to pick them up a bit and help them maintain their shape . This will also advertise more heyday .
Hose off your plants every week . Sometimes we ’re so mindful of the land that we leave that those leave-taking love a unspoiled shower too . Not only does this promote a healthy industrial plant , but it also avail wash out any possible spider mites and dust . This videogives more info on control spider mites if you have them . We were always taught not to water the leaf during the day , as it can cause them to burn in the high noon sun . That has been bear witness false , and watering the leaves can actually facilitate chill plants down . We still learn new thing all the time !
set a perennial : silver spurge . Our perennial nidus this month is ash gray spurge ( Euphorbia rigida , Zones 7–10 ) , which is hardy to 0 ° F . Considered a Mary Jane in some share of the world , this singular works set about a serious ovolo - up from us . It ’s drought broad , swash beautiful white-livered and fleeceable blooms in the saltation , and sprawls into unequaled shaping , give it a very cool look . The silver - grey-headed leave against the vibrant bloom bring so much astuteness and sake to this seemingly wide-eyed plant . Whether you plant it in a garden seam , rock garden , or container , this spurge is trusted to be a winner . Infrequent watering will keep it happy , and if you postulate to prune , be sure to give on a pair of glove . As with other spurges , silver spurge contains sap that can be a skin irritant . For more information on this plant and other stellar spurge , understand here . Enjoy your garden this August , and stay cool out there !
— Sheila Schultz and Laurel Startzel are a mother - girl duo who establish Denver Dirty Girls Container Gardening while dwell in Denver and have continued their line of work since moving to Tucson , Arizona .
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Enjoy the sight of palo verde trees in full bloom this month.Photo: U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Palo verdes are a great drought-tolerant choice to add some shade to your garden.Photo: Laurel Startzel
Grasshoppers are an invasive pest that can be managed with an organic garlic mixture.Photo: Laurel Startzel
Prune your pride of Barbados to clean up legginess and promote more blooms.Photo: Laurel Startzel
Prevent a large infestation of spider mites, like those on this giant elephant’s ear (Colocasia gigantea, Zones 8–10), by spraying leaves down with water periodically.Photo: Scot Nelson/Flickr
The foliage of silver spurge shines in hues of gray, green, and blue.Photo: Laurel Startzel
