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High Desert Gardening

One Interesting Afternoon

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read524 views

I have kept busy finishing a few backyard projects and tending to my Gardens.

We finally caught one of the many Pocket Gophers which have been digging holes and leaving mounds of dirt all over my front yard. What a relief! I found a couple of holes at the far end of my backyard and we will be setting another trap.

Trapped Pocket Gopher.
Trapped Pocket Gopher.

I found an adult female Black Widow Spider by my front porch and squashed it with my shoe.

According to Wikipedia, female spiders are often 20 times the mass of the males of the same species and produce much more venom than the other sex. Only females are of medical concern, as the shorter, weaker jaws of the males cannot penetrate mammalian skin. The neurotoxin of these spiders is, by volume, considered among the most toxic produced in nature, and by volume is more toxic than most snake venom. It is 15 times more virulent than that of the prairie rattlesnake.

Adult Female Black Widow Spider.
Adult Female Black Widow Spider.

We spent an interesting afternoon at the Mojave Narrows Regional Park. It was our first time there and the kids enjoyed the peaceful sight as we walked around.

While walking around the fishing lake, we saw a fisherman directing a snake away from him. As I freaked out, he told us it was a Gopher Snake and explained that the reptile only goes after rodents, but will bite humans if threatened. I didn’t care about the non venomous bite lecture, I was out of there. He cautioned us to be watchful around the park as the reptiles are out and about around burrows and on trees in search of prey.

Pacific Gopher Snake.
Pacific Gopher Snake.

Wishing you a beautiful start to your weekend.

Windy Afternoon

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read631 views

I have kept busy in the garden lately, building plant support, planting and transplanting.
The plants are healthy, thriving and more Hummingbirds are visiting my gardens. My lone surviving evergreen vine and climber Pink Jasmine is covered in pink buds and delicate fragrant white flowers.

Have you tried Jasmine Tea? It is said to be efficient against coughs, sore throats and weight loss. Jasmine Tea can help relieve headaches, balance fluids in the body, regulate blood circulation and arterial tension. Jasmine Essential Oil is used for massaging and in treating dry, brittle, or dehydrated skin. Click here to read about Jasmine’s many benefits.

For best results, grow your Jasmine in full sun.

Pink Jasmine Flowers.
Pink Jasmine Flowers.

My Gaura Lindheimeri plants are hosts of the Caterpillars of the White-lined Sphinx (Hummingbird Moth).

Caterpillar on Gaura Lindheimeri.
Caterpillar on Gaura Lindheimeri.

Just beginning to bloom in my backyard is the Dwarf Myrtle (Myrtus Compacta); a deer resistant and evergreen shrub with delicate creamy-white flowers. The foliage and stems exude a pleasant scent when crushed.

Dwarf Myrtle.
Dwarf Myrtle.

While cleaning my Tipsy Pots Plant Tower, I found a dead Spider trapped in its own web.

Dead Spider.
Dead Spider in its web.

It’s a lovely day today and I am grateful for the Wind which is keeping us cool during hot days like today.

Yellow Garden Flowers

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read653 views

With temperatures soaring, our High Desert Plants seem to be at their best.
As I wan­dered around my backyard garden this morning, I noticed various shades of Yellow Flowers.

Bee Pollinating French Broom.
Bee Pollinating French Broom.

How could I miss the fragrant flower of Miniature Rose “Thanks To Sue” and its eye-catching delicate apricot petals?

Miniature Rose "Thanks To Sue."
Miniature Rose “Thanks To Sue.”
Miniature Rose "Del Sol."
Miniature Rose “Del Sol.”
Golden Orange Miniature Rose.
Golden Orange Miniature Rose.

The Stella D’Oro Daylilies have burst with vibrant yellow blooms.

Stella D’Oro Daylily.
Stella D’Oro Daylily.

With weeds out of sight and temperatures rising, I don’t spend as much time gar­den­ing as I used to. I spend time plan­ning, designing, mov­ing furniture and plants to new loca­tions as well as watching the plants grow. I still have a long way to go with my gardens, but for now, I am content with .

Squirrels Damage on Yucca

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read1.1K views

It’s been a while since I last shared my thoughts on this blog. So much has happened around here. Mother’s day has come and gone and the weather is getting hotter here in the High Desert of California.

Things have been looking up around my gardens until last week when I started finding damaged plants around my property. I read a while back that one of the main reasons why Squirrels and other rodents are damaging the Shrubs and Trees is because they are looking for water. In this case they are targeting the moisture found in the sap of Trees. Most damages occur during drought conditions.

Squirrel damage on Yucca.
Squirrel damage on Pendula Yucca.

I am very thankful that the plant wasn’t completely destroyed and I can still save it. I may not find the idea of wrapping every single plant with chicken wire, but for my sanity and my plants health, it just might be the right thing to do until I have a permanent solution. Click here to learn about other Problems associated with Yucca Plants.

Full Moon over Mountains.
Full Moon over Mountains.

We enjoyed spending time outdoors today building garden Planters, conversing, transplanting seedlings, watching the Sunset and the full Moon rise over our beautiful High Desert Mountains.

Repelling Hungry Rabbits

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read460 views

All of last week I noticed a daily reduction in my Spring flowers. At first I thought the ground Squirrels were back and feeding on whatever they could find. On Monday morning to my surprise however, I came face to face with the destroyer:  a Young Cottontail Rabbit. Half of my plants are gone. The little Rabbit ate most of the Gladiolus, Allium Drumstick, Heartleaf Ice Plant, some Freesia, Longiflorum-Asiatic Lily Birgi and Sparaxis.

Seeing how much damage the critter has caused in just a few minutes, I immediately wrapped the whole area with chicken wire. About thirty minutes later, I saw the young Rabbit around the plants; except this time, it couldn’t access them. Prior to exiting my property, it nibbled on a Gaura Lindheimeri seedling and attempted to eat the tender leaves of the Pendula Yucca young plants. A hungry Rabbit will eat just about anything, except highly aromatic plants such as Common Lilac, Rose Geranium, Lemon Verbena, Honeysuckle Azalea, Lavender, Marigold, Rosemary, Salvia, Sweet Mock-orange, Thyme, Myrtus, Choisya, Tulbaghia Violacea, Lantana, etc.

Young Cottontail Rabbit.
Young Cottontail Rabbit.

Yesterday while looking out my bedroom window, I saw a similar Rabbit by my kids Fairy Garden. This time however, it came into my yard with a much smaller Rabbit. As cute as they both looked, I knew it meant trouble for my plants as well as my sanity. My husband went into the backyard, chased them off our property and closed a gap between our fence and the neighbor, where the Rabbits were entering and exiting the property.

There haven’t been a Rabbit in sight today, just a couple of Squirrels attempting to make their way to the Sweet Almond Tree in the front yard. In summary it has been a beautiful day.