newsletter january 2009

Your guide to the art of gardening in a hot dry climate

Leafy trees	Fruit trees	Palm oasis	Vines, Climbers	Shrubs, hedges
Fast growing trees	Nut trees	Ornamental grasses	Garden walls	Birds and bees
Beautiful borders	Replace lawn	Succulents, cactus	Public gardens	Pots on patios
Roses	Free newsletter	Month-by-month	Desert dirt	Home

Hot Gardens Newsletter: January 2009

List of previous newsletters by month

La Nina Rules. A quick look at a map of world ocean temperatures reveals chilly waters off the coast of Peru -- a sure sign that this is a La Nina weather year. That means low winter rainfall in Southern California, southern Nevada and other areas of the U.S. Southwest. In other parts of the world, for example, western Africa, the La Nina conditions mean increased rainfall.

Mother Nature Needs Assistance. You will get little irrigation help from Mother Nature this winter so be sure to water your garden. Trees, in particular, needs long slow drip irrigation during winter months because that is when their roots are growing. And stronger roots mean more vigorous trees when summer heat arrives. It takes more than a few minutes to get water deep enough into the soil to encourage this root growth.

While some horticulturalists advocate overnight deep watering once a month, we think that is excessive. But an hour or two of slow deep irrigation will make your trees stronger.

New Arlington Garden. It is rare to see a public garden under development from the ground up, so the new Arlington Garden in Pasadena, CA may be worth a visit if you are in the area.

This 3 acre, water-wise garden is a private/public collaboration -- with the emphasis on private efforts. That means the garden is not being installed all at once. Rather, trees and shrubs are being planted over a period of years following a master plan created by noted garden designer Mayita Dinos.

She designed the Arlington Garden to incorporate several garden rooms on the site of an old estate: a Mediterranean garden, a citrus garden, a meadowlands, an oak grove and desert garden. Because it is still new, there are plenty of bare areas, but the Mediterranean section is maturing nicely.

More gardening news for you


Learn which big beautiful trees, like this Fan Tex Ash, grow best in hot, dry climates.	See an online preview of the many gardens at the Los Angeles Arboretum.	Pistachios can give you nuts and shade if grown in the correct conditions.

Our 9 Most Popular Hot Gardens Newsletters:

1. Flowering plants that reliably bloom in scorching mid-summer heat.

2. Australian plants and trees that grow well in hot, dry climates.

3. Weather-proofing palms for winter; cold weather palm trees.

4. A white garden for night time viewing.

5. Topiary can be easy to create and add charm to your garden.

6. Techniques to combat death by heat exhaustion of plants in pots.

7. Cactus as security barriers for your property.

8. South African aloes for brilliant late winter color in your garden.

9. Frugal gardening tips to save you money.

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