Gardening

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Spring Gazing

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read833 views

The days are beautiful, but I cannot say the same for the weather which has been quite cold lately. We have had cloudy days with light rain and lots of wind for days at a time; thankfully, the High Desert weather forecasts sunny days ahead. Until then, I am keeping busy indoors.

Strangely today I miss our majestic Sweet Almond tree which by this time, would have been covered with showy clusters of white flowers. It was the perfect size and provided much needed shade for that part of the front yard, and it was so sad to lose it. Three years ago we bought a pair of medium size Purple Leaf Cherry Plum trees and planted them in the front yard garden; the location is perfect as we can enjoy the view from the kitchen and living room windows. These trees are always the first to bloom in early Spring and we hope to enjoy many more years gazing at these beauties.

Purple Leaf Cherry Plum Blossoms.
Purple Leaf Cherry Plum Blossoms.

One of our many American Elm trees has its branches covered in clusters of light green fruits. This tree is five (5) years old and our oldest to date. These fruits, called samaras, appear in early Spring and before the tree begins producing leaves. From a distance the numerous fruits could be mistaken to leaves, but a close-up look reveals thick clusters of immature fruits, which are considered edible.

In just a couple of weeks, these light green fruits will turn pale yellow, detach themselves from the branches, fly off, get all over everything and carpet the ground like falling petals. Just don’t let the magical sight distract and flatter you, as these seeds have the tendency of germinating wherever they land. They grow on various types of soil, they are drought tolerant, cold hardy and for these reasons and many more, they are considered invasive.

Elm Branches and Clusters of Fruits.
Elm Branches and Clusters of Fruits.
Elm Branches and thick Clusters of Fruits (samaras).

There is a vast selection of trees to choose from, but finding the right one for your garden can be though. For me, there are many factors I consider such as location, exposure, types of soil, hardiness zone, rodents activities, insect and disease susceptibility, tree size, growth rate, etc. Personally, I think rodents are the most difficult to deal with as they are capable of destroying a healthy tree.

The light rains and low temperatures have softened the dirt and encouraged weed growth. It’s time to get out and pull out those weeds before they get out of control.

Happy Spring and happy gardening!

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Garden Decor Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening

And The Wind Blew

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read866 views

I woke up this morning to find my neighbors’ large trampoline hanging halfway into our property, breaking a couple of wood panels as it rested on the top rail. Had the fence not been there, the damage would have been significant. As fun as trampolines can be, they can also pose serious dangers. Please, secure your trampolines to prevent them from blowing away.

We have had very strong winds lately, unlike the previous years. I have always been wary about this trampoline from the moment they moved it to their backyard. It was never secured and it was a little too close to our side. In the front yard, thankfully, only a few branches from their unattended pine trees broke and fell on our side. I guess Nature is finding ways to keep us busy and engaged during quarantine.

Trampoline halfway through fence.

Some rain showers at last! Not as much as we would have loved, but enough to revive the plants and keep them hydrated. Early in the week we had our first wave of light snow followed by a mix of rain and snow the following days. I am so grateful it only lasted a day or two and melted in no time.

Light coating of snow.

There is nothing new around the garden as most plants are still dormant.
The Gopher plants are doing extremely well, with new growth emerging from the center of the plant. I am so excited and looking forward to see the clusters of chartreuse yellow flowers this Spring.

Gopher Plants.

Nandina Nana, also known as Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo is one of my favorite plants for Winter color. A small evergreen dwarf bush with vivid green foliage that turns brilliant red in Fall and persists into the Winter.

Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo.

One of the last Yuccas on my property. Yucca is a drought-tolerant plant; however, if constantly watered and properly fertilized, this plant could take over your garden and become a nuisance (if planted straight into the ground). It took us months to completely remove roots and rhizomes from my yard.

I saved a few young plants which I am growing in pots. I have been clipping the tips of the sword-like leaves to prevent injuries. I remove dead leaves from the Yucca and prune it to help the plant stay healthy and give it a beautiful and neat appearance. Next weekend, if the weather permits, I will be cutting back the ornamental grasses.

Yucca Pendula.

Ground Squirrels in the neighborhood are coming out of hibernation and becoming active. I have destroyed two large holes in the backyard and I am getting the traps ready (the sooner they get caught, the better).

I hope you are all safe and well.

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Plant Propagation Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Moving Succulents Indoors

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read632 views

We had our first rain shower of the season last Saturday and a little more on Sunday morning. It was much needed and felt good for a change. We are patiently and excitedly watching the leaves change colors, ultimately fall and dance in the wind.

Hameln Dwarf Fountain grasses are especially beautiful at this time thanks to their delicate purple looking plumes on erect stems. I have thousands of scattered seeds from these ornamental grasses, which easily and readily reseed. They have spread all over the river rock bed and I transplanted a few seedlings last month (which are thriving). I will be collecting more seeds this weekend and planting them right into the ground; and I will transplant the rest by next Spring in the back corner garden.

Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass.

Temperatures started dropping last Friday and today I moved a few succulent pots (I have had for less than a year) indoors: Microlepia Fern, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, Crassula Muscosa , Sedum Dasyphyllum, and Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’, etc… most of which are not cold hardy. The rest of the succulents will be just fine outdoors. My Sedeveria plants have survived a couple of snow storms, therefore they will remain outdoors.

Crassula Muscosa and Sedeveria.

All my succulents were propagated from stem cuttings.

Sedum Dasyphyllum, Kalanchoe Tomentosa.

Stay safe; happy fall gardening and have a splendid rest of your week!

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Praying Mantis Insects Nature Gardening

The Fascinating Life of Mantises

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read954 views

Growing up, I always thought of  Praying Mantis as fascinating creatures. From their praying appearance to their amazing body shapes, colors and the ability to camouflage with their surroundings.

Brown Praying Mantis.

A few days ago, I saw this Praying Mantis hanging onto a grate of chicken wire, while overlooking an ootheca (its egg case). In the past I spotted numerous oothecae around the garden, thinking they were some type of chrysalis. Now I now the case holds Mantis eggs.

Praying Mantis & Egg Case.

Last week, my daughter spotted a green Praying Mantis on a fence panel and noticed something attached to its derriere. Upon closer inspection, we realized it was a female mantis laying eggs and we were fascinated by the way it crafted its egg’s case (see the video below).

Praying Mantis Laying Eggs (Video)

The female mantis produces between 100 to 400 eggs in a frothy liquid case to protect them from microorganisms, parasitoids, predators and harsh weather. In the Spring, nymphs/young mantises emerge from the egg case and begin eating voraciously to grow fast into adulthood. Many of them do not survive as they tend to eat each other to survive or are eaten by predators.

Praying Mantis Laying Eggs.

The adult mantis continues to eat and grow; and during this time it will shed its outer skin, a process known as molting. Between late Summer and Fall, the adult female will attract a male mate and after mating, a new life cycle will begin. Similarly to grasshoppers, it is said that Praying Mantis die shortly after laying eggs.
For additional information, follow this link.

Why do female mantises eat the males after mating?
The males self-sacrifice themselves for their offsprings. Males have been found to have nutrients such as proteins and lipids and by cannibalizing the males, the females may produce eggs of greater energy density. The bodies of the ill-fated males are used to aid their production.
Sources: Wikipedia.org and TheGuardian.com

Praying Mantises are beneficial garden insects, they will keep your plants disease free.

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JM Perez By JM Perez