Garden Safety

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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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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Pet safe indoor plants

Pet Safe Indoor Plants for Southwest Homes

Pet Safe Indoor Plants for Southwest Homes Pet safe indoor plants. If you share your home with cats or dogs, you know how curious they can be—especially around plants! Many popular houseplants look beautiful but contain toxins that can make pets sick. The good news: there are plenty of pet-safe plants that are attractive, easy […]

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Indoor plants that are toxic to pets

Indoor plants that are toxic to pets

Common Indoor Plants That Are Poisonous to Cats and Dogs Indoor plants that are toxic to pets. Houseplants bring life, beauty, and cleaner air into our homes — but some popular indoor varieties can be toxic to cats and dogs. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, knowing which plants are harmful can help […]

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Top Three Southwest Garden Pests

Top Three Southwest Garden Pests

Battling the Top Three Southwest Garden Pests Organically: Aphids, Spider Mites, and Whiteflies Top Three Southwest Garden Pests. For the past twenty years, I have been helping gardeners with their garden problems. Customers often stop me and ask, What are these tiny bugs on my plants? Most times, the culprits are pests like aphids, spider […]

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What Really Causes Tomato Leaf Curl

What Really Causes Tomato Leaf Curl

What Really Causes Tomato Leaf Curl? Simple Answers and Solutions [2025] What Really Causes Tomato Leaf Curl. You check on them every morning, hoping for perfect green leaves, and then out of nowhere, they start curling or twisting. Leaf curl is a common problem, and it can be pretty frustrating, especially when you’re hoping for […]

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Signs your garden Plants need water

Signs Your Garden Needs More Water

Signs your garden needs more water. Watering is the heartbeat of a healthy garden, especially in and around the Southwest. When I slip outside in the early morning, I can almost tell at a glance if my plants are thirsty. Too little water, and my garden starts to look limp and tired. Too much, and […]

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