Hi Mike. Glad you are here with us on the site and here in AZ.

I'm an hour from you in Casa Grande. Scottsdale is north and a bit cooler. I am very dry, hot and everything you think a desert should be when it comes to gardening.

Couple offerings in terms of gardening here.

In regards to the plants just look around. Grow what grows here and remember that most---not all flowers do not bloom in a desert. There's plenty of pretty ones that do. Bougainville, and Hibiscus are two shrubs/trees that do come to mind.

You may already know these things but if not, I'll toss them out for what they are worth.

Succulents WILL die. Don't waste your money on them.

I don't know how fond you are of S.W. desert plants but if you need a few suggestions I'll give you a list. They live here. They bloom. They don't die.

Our weather is weird and has only gotten weirder. It can be 10 degrees difference either way within 20 miles of you and it can literally rain in one half of your town and not the other. The only predictable thing about our weather is it is unpredictable.

Buy plants that are on the slightly more mature side so they survive their first summer and winter. It is nice to save money by purchasing smaller plants but unless it is a super rapid grower or a cacti you need something that can endure and get past it's first year. Saves money in the long run. You won't be throwing out dead plants.

Figure out if your soil is sand, clay, caliche or just plain ol' dirt. Then you can work with it accordingly and know some ways to make the things you want grow.

Can't offer watering advice on veggies and flowers. If you want advice watering cacti, agaves and aloes I can help there. When it comes to watering every---no matter what type of plant it is, has a quirk and is temperamental.

I know everyone will be of help so feel free to ask lots of questions. I look forward to hearing all about what you are planning to put in the yard and look forward to growing.

AG

Hi everyone! plantmanager gave me the heads up about this forum, so I wanted to drop in and say hi!

Hi Boopaints and Azgarden! I don't know if you are still checking this forum, but wanted to say hello to you both.

Hey Bonnie, it's good to see you made it here! We are all hoping to revive this forum. We do have a lot of members from all over AZ.

I'm just so thankful that the weather will be cooling off soon. My poor fried plants will have time to revive! I love our Fall and Winter. To me it's the best time of the year to be outside.

Hello all, I'm brand new here. I'm getting ready to retire and move to Tucson, and garden till I drop! lol 🌵🌺🌻🌶🍅🍋
You'll be hearing from me soon... look forward to talking & sharing with you all 🙂👍🏼

@joants! Tucson will be a great place to retire. It's cooler there than the Phoenix area. There are great places to buy plants! We do have a number of Tucson members. You could treemail some of them if you want any specific info on housing or different areas.

joants! If you're moving around this time of year, it's the perfect time. We are cooling down now. I agree, plantmanager, besides the plants, *I* need time to revive. I was just out looking around and my Allium are just starting to poke out of the ground. That's how I know it's getting cooler at night. I'll be planting now through December, take a January break, and then back to planting March-early April. My husband retired from the Air Force and we moved here. Before we moved I was lamenting that I wouldn't be able to grow much because of the heat. Boy, was I wrong! We have almost year round gardening, and native plants are so colorful and bee-utiful, all year long. Joants, you're in for a treat if you love to garden.

Summer can be pretty hot, but the other 9 months of the year are fantastic and things grow really well if they're kept watered and fed.

Have any of you grown this outside in your yards? Hardy Blue Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)
I've had it in my greenhouse, and it flowers non-stop and is so pretty, but it's clear up to the ceiling of greenhouse and taking over the entire bed. One plant is about 10ft high and 4 ft wide. It's going to have to move out. I'd love it in my AZ yard if the rabbits would leave it alone.

I grow Blue Plumbago in the yard in those half barrels. Love them! They seem to like a more filtered light out there then full intense sun. That is really a big one you have, Karen. That is impressive!

Thanks, Linda, I might have to get a half barrel and plant it there. Do they die down during the coldest weather?

Pretty much if it gets real cold.

Ok, but if you trim off the dead stuff in the Spring, it comes right back? I think I'll dig mine out of the greenhouse here, and take it to Phx with us.

The three I have, have come back so far. No promises. May want to cover them, which I do sometimes if they are small enough.

I could cover them while we're around. I just worry when it goes below freezing and we're away.

Good morning everyone,
The mornings have a fall feel if you get outside early enough and I love it! I just recently put in 21 new daylily set out some gaillardia seedlings and 5 echinacea...I am anticipating spring! I told my husband that as soon as the Christmas decor comes down the greenhouses go up and you should have seen the look on his face, My Iris looked terrible this summer and they usually look a little crunchy but this year it was the worst, I trimmed them down and they look healthy again. My crape myrtle is still blooming and my paper whites are coming up, this weather is confusing not only gardeners but the plants as well.
I have purchased all my seeds and am also ready for winter...

Are any of you planting new things or is it just crazy me...lol

Hi Carla, this is welcome weather now! You have been busy with all that planting! Every time I plant anything it's just a buffet for the rabbits. They are so at ease, they don't even move when our dog is around. We tried trapping them, but they ate the bait, and didn't trip the trap. :(

What type of greenhouses will you have? Will they be cooled?

Carla I am behind this year in getting the fall flowers in. I must get with it!!!

You are doing such a good job!

I don't have my fall flowers in yet either, Linda. Way behind! What do you like to plant for Fall?

I plant Stock, violas, pansies, snaps, sometimes Foxglove if I can get it. Maybe a Petunia. I have just planted some Lobelia. Probably other things but this has been an off the charts hectic day and my mind is slowly turning to mush.