High Desert Gardening Archives – Page 28 of 29

Health and Wellness Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening

Deadly Beauty: Toxic Plants

By JM PerezDecember 1, 20122 min read4.9K views

Contrary to yesterday, today is a beautiful day (still a little windy, but manageable). I’ve been out watering some plants in the backyard when I stopped and took a good look at my Oleanders. What a terrific, yet toxic plant! The plants bloom beautifully in the Summer and they are appealing to the eyes. These deadly beauties were here long before we bought our home and we’ve talked about getting rid of them and/or replacing them. We are all very conscious of their presence and our kids will tell you that ‘Oleanders are deadly and they must not go close to them.’ Still, we always keep an eye on them whenever we are outdoors. Then I thought about my Daffodils.

What about Pheasant’s Eye, Lily of the Valley, Jimson Weed, Poison Ivy, Rhododendron, Jerusalem Cherry, Hydrangea, Mistletoe, Lantana, Mountain Laurel, Dumbcane, Wisteria, Chrysanthemum, Delphiniums, Belladonna, Foxglove, Ranunculus, and Spathiphyllum? These plants are poisonous. Some cause delirium and hallucinations. Most of us gardeners love them for their beauty, bright colors and fragrance. We care for them without knowing exactly what we are dealing with. Still, we love them. Below is a list of toxic, deadly plants (just to name a few).

Laburnum
Hemlock
Nightshade
Ranunculus
Daffodils
Oleander (possible source of Cancer treatment)
Echinacea ‘Hot Papaya’
Monkshood
White Snakeroot
Heavenly Bamboo

Angel’s Trumpet
Apple Seeds
Castor Oil Seeds
Rosary Pea
Manchineel
White Baneberry (Doll’s Eye)
The Suicide Tree
Strychnine Tree Seeds
Pasque Flower
English Yew

Image Source: BHG, io9, Wikipedia, MNN, F1online, Whatafy, Britannica, BCLiving, HorticultureWeek.

Click here, here and here for a list of poisonous plants.

Aside from their poison and toxicity, some plants are dangerous. Take Poinsettia for instance. Though non-toxic, its latex can cause an allergic reaction to some individuals when coming in direct contact with the plant. What about Roses? Their thorns could cause serious injuries to anyone who come in contact with them. Some Cacti and Succulents are dangerous, even poisonous, click here for more information. What about those beautiful house plants/air purifying plants? Some are dangerous to kids and pets.

Some plants can cause discomfort, others can kill. The good news is that we can prevent it by being informed. Once you know what you are dealing with, you will be ready, aware and prepared.

I compiled a list of Safe/Non-Toxic Plants here .

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By JM Perez

Home Improvement Weather Family Nature Gardening High Desert

Nature at its Best in the High Desert

By JM PerezNovember 4, 20122 min read370 views

It’s always a blessing when the Universe conspire in one’s favor as it was the case for us this weekend.
The weather was at its best and we finally (5 years later) completed one of my most important projects in the backyard, which is privacy. The front yard and the sides of the house are covered, all we needed was something for the far end of our backyard, which was overlooking a huge empty lot. We chose Chain Link Privacy Slats.

I planted more gorgeous flowering bulbs yesterday, including Belladonna Amaryllis, Pink Impression Tulip and Ice King Double Daffodil. The pictures below are a few of my fragrant roses from the front yard. I picked a few yesterday to make a centerpiece and I pruned most of them.

*Beautiful Fragrant Roses. Find their name on Pinterest.*

Below are some Fall colors in my Garden. The leaves on my Raywood Ash tree are slowly changing too.

Fall Foliage — *Purpleleaf Cherry Plum . Heavenly Bamboo . Burning Bush.*

The plants and flowers are thriving in the garden and the bees are busy collecting Pollen. It was fascinating watching them go back and forth as I was carefully taking pictures. Click here to learn more about Bee Pollen.

Since the beginning of the month I’ve seen quite a few Grasshoppers in my garden. As fun as they are to my kids, who enjoy watching them hop around; I am beginning to worry about their number and looking into Organic Pesticide to get rid of them. Click here or here to learn more about Grasshoppers and how to control them and click here to learn about some of their usefulness (serving as food for birds, for instance).

*Seaside Grasshopper . Baby Bird . Heart Shaped Stone.*

The best part of the day was video conferencing on Skype with the Family in France. My Parents traveled late last month to attend the Graduation ceremony of my big brother. The kids (cousins) got to see each other and talked to their grandparents, uncle and aunt. They even got a sneak peek at some of their Christmas gifts.

I am happy that everyone is safe and having a good time. I am looking forward to a peaceful week ahead.

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By JM Perez

Plant Propagation Gardening High Desert

Propagation by Simple Layering

By JM PerezOctober 20, 20121 min read1.1K views

It’s always a delight, for a Gardener, to wake up in the morning and find little surprises in the garden.

A simple layering is the process in which a branch or a flexible stem is buried/bent to the ground and partially covered with soil. Some gardeners will wound the area beneath a bud to induce rooting. This propagation technique works best on plants with low-growing branches such as Roses, for instance.

In my case, Nature did all the work for me. All I had to do was to transplant the new growth and voilà!

Rose Simple Layering (Pristine®) — *Pristine® Hybrid Tea Rose.*

Early this year I transplanted my first growth. I waited for the new growth to reach a certain height before carefully separating it from the main branch. The Chicago Peace® Hybrid Tea Rose is a gorgeous fragrant Rose. Ever since I purchased mine, it has never produced the same colored flower twice. At first, I was afraid the little plant would die, but to my amazement, it is doing well and I am looking forward to watch it bloom.

Rose Simple Layering (Chicago Peace®) — *Chicago Peace® Hybrid Tea Rose.*

Click here, here and here to learn about Propagation by Simple and Tip Layering.

Happy gardening!

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By JM Perez

Plant Propagation Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Growing Trees from Branches

By JM PerezOctober 12, 20122 min read1.2K views

As we know, all trees grow from seeds. Some grow from stem cutting and others don’t. Success often depends on the timing, the type of tree and as well as the methods of propagation (Rooting, Seeding, Grafting, Cuttings, Layering, Separation, Division, etc).

Mulberry

I grew the Mulberry on the right using a branch from the main tree. It started by mistake, really. In December 2010, we cut off some branches from the main tree and decided to use them as decoration for the backyard. We placed them in pots and added dirt and water to hold them in place. After about two weeks, I spotted new buds at the base of one of the branches.

As surprised and amazed as I was; I cringed at the idea of having a second Mulberry tree as they shed all their leaves in the Fall and I do not look forward to raking and picking them up (though I always do). On the other hand, I told myself, why not? We could always use the shade it provides during Summer (and Summer here is really hot). So, we planted it somewhere in the backyard and it’s been almost two years now.

Navajo Globe Willow

Growing up in his parents home; Eduardo’s Dad got a hold of some willow Saplings which grew and grew and grew. On one of his visits he asked if it could grow from a branch and his Dad said” Yes they can and will”. Three branches about an arm’s length came from the San Joaquin Valley up to the High Desert and after sprouting roots and getting planted; only one branch survived. After a year or so, we cut a branch from that first one and after it grew roots; we set it down with plenty of water to drink. They are both doing well so far.

Happy Gardening!

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By JM Perez

Insects Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Helpful Garden Insects

By JM PerezOctober 7, 20122 min read1.7K views

Living in the High Desert and being passionate about gardening can be challenging at times. Regardless of the care I give my plants, Powdery Mildew, white dusty spots found on leaves and sometimes on stems of plants, have always been an issue in my Rose garden during Fall and Spring; possibly due to the cool weather. I have had a few dieback, and lots of Aphids (plant lice) early this year. I use fertilizers on my plants and I have used fungicide to eradicate them and it worked on and off.

My Roses bloom all year round. This Summer, however, I didn’t see a single bloom and I noticed that the plants were a lot healthier. A couple of days ago, I spotted a Praying Mantis on my Camelot Hybrid Tea Rose and I smiled at the fact that it was there primarily to feed, which in turn helped keep my plants disease free.

*Praying Mantis on ‘Camelot Hybrid Tea Rose.’*

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with Praying Mantises, especially with their strange shape. Though I have always known of their advantages in the garden; I had never witness the marvelous results they produce. The Praying Mantises are wonderful insect control in the garden, as they feed on Aphids, caterpillars as well as other harmful and beneficial insects. The Praying Mantis is an insect which does not discriminate.

Other Helpful Garden Insects: