How to care for Mimosa trees

How to Grow Mimosa Trees in the Southwest

The Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin), also known as the Persian silk tree, is a fast-growing deciduous tree with a broad, spreading canopy. Its delicate, fern-like foliage and fluffy summer flowers give it a soft, tropical appearance. Despite that tropical look, an established Mimosa tree can tolerate the intense heat, alkaline soil, and dry conditions found […]

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Desert-style front yard with a green lawn, pebble border, and yellow flowers in the foreground, beige stucco house in the background.

How to Remove Weeds After Monsoon Rains

How to Remove Weeds After Monsoon Rains. Monsoon rains can bring much-needed moisture to your Southwest landscape. They cool the air, help replenish dry soil, and give trees, shrubs, lawns, and flowering plants a welcome break from the intense summer heat. Unfortunately, the rain also creates ideal conditions for weeds. They seem to pop up […]

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Fast growing shade trees Southwest

Best Fast-Growing Shade Trees for the Southwest

Best Fast-Growing Shade Trees for the Southwest. If you’ve lived in the Southwest for any length of time, you know one thing for certain—shade is valuable. During the summer, a well-placed shade tree can lower temperatures around your home, make your backyard more enjoyable, and even help reduce cooling costs. The problem is that many […]

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Close-up of a shrub with brown dried leaves and some green leaves; pink blossoms on the right, a street visible in the background.

Why Are My Plant Leaves Turning Brown? 9 Common Causes in the Southwest

Why Are My Plant Leaves Turning Brown? Have you noticed brown tips, crispy edges, or entire leaves turning brown on your favorite plants? Don’t panic just yet. Brown leaves are one of the most common gardening problems in the Desert Southwest, especially during the long, hot summer months. The good news is that brown leaves […]

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Care of Portulaca

How to Grow and Care for Portulaca (Moss Rose) in the Southwest Desert

How to Grow and Care for Portulaca. If you’re searching for one of the easiest flowering plants to grow during the hottest months of the year, Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora) deserves a place in your landscape. Commonly called Moss Rose, this colorful annual thrives where many other flowers struggle. Even during weeks of 100°F-plus temperatures, Portulaca […]

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Keep Potted Plants Alive

How to Keep Potted Plants Alive During 100°+ Weather (Southwest Heat Survival Guide)

How to Keep Potted Plants Alive During 100°+. If you’ve ever walked outside on a hot July afternoon and found your beautiful container plants wilted, you’re not alone. Potted plants are much more vulnerable to extreme heat than plants growing in the ground. During the summer months in Las Cruces, El Paso, and throughout the […]

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Monsoon Season Southwest New Mexico

How to Prepare Your Southwest Garden for Monsoon Season (10 Essential Tips)

Prepare Your Southwest Garden for Monsoon Season. The arrival of the Southwest monsoon is welcome news after weeks of scorching temperatures. Afternoon thunderstorms can bring much-needed rain, cooler evenings, and relief for stressed plants. However, monsoon storms also bring strong winds, heavy downpours, flash flooding, hail, and sudden changes in soil moisture that can damage […]

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Keep

How to Keep Gophers and Squirrels Out of Your Garden

How to Keep Gophers and Squirrels Out of Your Garden Keep Gophers and Squirrels out of your garden. Few things are more frustrating than walking into your garden only to find freshly dug holes, missing vegetables, chewed roots, or young plants lying on the ground. In the Southwest, gophers and squirrels can quickly turn a […]

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Man wearing a hat waters a large Texas sage shrub with a hose; a sign nearby reads, 'Water deeply for strong, healthy roots.'

How to Protect Plants from Extreme Heat: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

How to Protect Plants from Extreme Heat. If you’ve stepped outside lately, you already know it’s hot. Triple-digit temperatures are a normal part of summer in the Southwest, but they can take a toll on your landscape if you’re not careful. The good news is that most plants don’t die because it’s hot—they die because […]

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why are my plants wilting?

Why Are My Plants Wilting Even Though I’m Watering Them? (Heat Stress or Lack of Water?)

Why are my plants wilting? If you’ve been watering regularly but your plants still look wilted, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions gardeners ask during late spring and summer in New Mexico, West Texas, Arizona, and other parts of the Desert Southwest. The surprising truth is that a wilted plant […]

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