Planting Your Spring Garden In Arizona

There’s a secret to growing vegetables in Arizona – know your seasons. One of the biggest mistakes people new to gardening in the Valley of the Sun make is timing. Spring in Wisconsin, for example, is much like autumn in Arizona. Take a look at what and how to plant in the next few months…

April

• Weeding: April and May are the worst months. If you have done your homework in winter, you should be all right, or else do your best and plan for more prevention next year.
  
• Planting: Except for bedding plants, your summer planting should be finished now; summer really starts in May in Phoenix, so it is your very last chance. It is the best month for tropical plants like Bougainvillea, Lantana, Citrus, etc.
• Lawn: Weed and feed your Bermuda grass lawn. It starts growing when the night temperature stays above sixty. Re-seed bare patches.
• Roses: Remove dead flowers and fertilize roses after each bloom period for a final crop before hot weather.
• Citrus: Check that all the trunk parts of citrus and young trees that are exposed to the sun are painted white. This keeps them cooler and protects them from sunburn. Use white latex paint diluted with water (1 volume white flat latex paint for 1 volume water)
• What to sow: Balsam, Basil, Scarlet Runner Bean, Celosia Cockscomb, Cosmos, Dahlia, Four O’clock, Gaillardia, Gloriosa Daisy, Gourds, Hollyhocks, Kochia, Marigold, Nasturtium,Portulaca, Salvia, Shasta Daisy, Sunflower, Thunbergia, Vinca, Zinnia
• In the vegetable garden: Plant cantaloupe, eggplant, peppers, pumpkin, summer squash, watermelon, winter squash.

May

• Weeding: summer is coming, Bermuda grass is actively invading flower beds.
• Stick to your fertilizing program. It is a good time to use acid fertilizer with plants needing it. Check plants for chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves).
• Thin fruits to increase their quality and prevent them from dropping as the heat sets in.
• Mulch wherever the sun is shining directly on the dirt to keep the roots cool.
  Protect your Sago palms from direct sun to prevent them from yellowing.
• Check your potted plants, except for the toughest most resistant, they might need to be watered twice a day. Keep the pot out of direct sunlight to avoid cooking the roots.
• Maintenance and cleanup: Check your drip watering system for the coming summer heat. Verify the ground humidity around all plants. Check your drippers every other day to see if any popped out now that heat is making the hoses softer.
• Replace bedding plants like petunias that won’t take the heat.
• Finish the cleanup of last winter frost damage.
• Citrus: Check that all the trunk parts of citrus and young trees that are exposed to the sun are painted white. This keeps them cooler and protects them from sunburn. Use white latex paint diluted with water (one volume white flat latex paint for one volume water).
• What to sow: Balsam, Celosia Cockscomb, Cosmos, Dahlia, Four O’clock, Gaillardia, Gloriosa Daisy, Gourds, Hollyhocks, Kochia, Marigold, Portulaca, Salvia, Shasta Daisy, Sunflower, Thunbergia, Vinca, Zinnia.
• In the vegetable garden: Plant cantaloupe, pumpkin, winter squash.

June

A hard month for young plants, it is very hot and very dry. Concentrate on helping your plants survive.

• Stick to your fertilizing program.
• Check that all the trunk parts of citrus and young trees that are exposed to the sun are painted white. This keeps them cooler and protects them from sunburn. Use white latex paint diluted with water (one volume white flat latex paint for one volume water).
• Cut your grass higher (2 to 3 inches) to decrease the water use.
• Check your drip watering system. Verify the ground humidity around all plants. Check your drippers every other day to see if any popped out now that heat is making the hoses softer.
• Start collecting spring bulbs after their leaves die naturally. The exceptions are daffodil bulbs that can stay there, flourish over summer. Daffodil bulbs are toxic, so they are generally safe in the ground.
• It is a good time to plant palm trees.
• What to sow: Balsam, Celosia Cockscomb, Cosmos, Four O’clock, Gaillardia, Gloriosa Daisy, Gourds, Kochia, Marigold, Portulaca, Shasta Daisy, Sunflower, Thunbergia, Vinca, Zinnia.
• In the vegetable garden: Plant pumpkin, winter squash.

As a third generation real estate agent and native of Arizona, I am passionate about helping you and your loved ones achieve your real estate goals. If you are buying or selling in Gilbert or any of the East Valley cities, trust that I will go the extra mile to ensure a smooth and successful transaction.