You might think that spring is the only time to add new plants to your garden. However, with Tucson’s unique desert climate, fall can also make for a great planting season. With a few adjustments, you can have a beautiful, thriving garden in the middle of October. Whether you’re more of a DIY-er or want to enlist professional landscapers, there’s plenty of options for fall planting.
Eat Your Veggies
September is the perfect time to plant certain leafy vegetables. Instead of summer growers like squash and tomatoes, try adding kale, broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, or lettuce to your desert garden. Other great options for autumn planting include herbs like rosemary, thyme, cilantro, parsley, dill, and sage.
Gone Native
Many gardeners living in temperate climates benefit from planting most of their new crops in the spring. Tucson, however, has much hotter summers, meaning that new additions to your garden can wilt under the sweltering Arizona sun. The solution? Local mainstays. Plants native to the Tucson area are already used to the weather patterns, making them much more likely to survive the intense desert heat. Planting in the fall will also give your plants the opportunity to put down roots before next summer.
Petal to the Metal
Already have your fair share of desert cacti? It’s not too late to try out some flowering plants. With Tucson’s relatively cool winters, your plants are unlikely to be buried under heavy snow. There are several flowering annuals that will continue to bloom after the autumnal equinox. Examples include pansies, snapdragons, and petunias.
Water Under the Bridge
Need another reason to plant in the fall? Lower temperatures mean a lower water bill. The cooler weather won’t scorch your plants, so you won’t have to waste water trying to save them from the Arizona sun.
Looking to beautify your storefront for the fall season? Contact Complete Landscaping at (520) 323-8918 for a free landscaping estimate.