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Fragrant Roses

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FRAGRANT ROSES Who can resist the alluring fragrance of a rose? Young or old, few can walk by a rose in the flush of full bloom without bending over to savor its intoxicating aroma. Given…

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Indoor Plant Disorders

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INDOOR PLANT DISORDERS Some disorders of indoor plants are caused by disease organisms and insect pests, while others are environmental or cultural in nature. For every species or culture of indoor plant there is a…

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Winter Garden Herbs

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WINTER GARDEN HERBS Certainly the best and easiest time of year to plant a garden in our desert climate is in the Fall. As the night time temperatures begin to cool, the garden breathes a…

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Bulletproof Plants

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BULLETPROOF PLANTS…. …are rough and forgiving, durable, useful, beautiful, AND tolerate a wide range of growing conditions. Shrubby Bulbine – Bulbine frutescens (clumping succulent, perennial, 10 degrees) Sun: filtered shade in summer; full sun in…

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Cold Hardy Plants

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COLD TOLERANT PLANTS If you have decided to replace plants that were lost in the hard freeze with more cold-tolerant selections, here is a list of plants that we left unprotected during the recent cold…

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Container Gardening Tips

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CONTAINER GARDENING TIPS POTTING BASICS Clean reused containers – ½ cup bleach and 2 gallons warm water Protect containers with water block – Spray inside and out twice Cover drain hole – Use screening, old…

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Desert Composting

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DESERT COMPOSTING The Good, The Bad, and The Seriously Ugly Creating compost in our unique desert climate requires a different approach than elsewhere in the country. Our climate has suitable temperatures for the year-round composting…

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Planting Trees and Shrubs

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HOW TO PLANT LANDSCAPE TREES AND SHRUBS It is best to plant a tree or shrub when the rootball is moist (not soggy). When possible, water your plants, in their nursery containers, about 12 hours…

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Common Veggie Problems

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COMMON VEGGIE PROBLEMS Poor fruit-set on any vegetable can be caused by extreme temperatures, dry soils, too much shading, poor pollination or excessive nitrogen in the soil. As far as extreme temperatures are concerned, the…

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Tasty Tomatoes

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TASTY TOMATOES When do I plant? Due to our short spring and fall growing seasons, when you plant your tomato is very important. During our spring season, you will want to start seeds inside in…

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