Horticulture Tips
“Falling” Into Spring Flowers Text by Preston Cox - Horticultural Specialist - Az. Certified Nursery Professional I know most of us don’t think of desert wildflowers in the fall. I’m not saying there aren’t beautiful flowers in the fall, like Sunflowers, Salvias, or Coreopsis to name just a few. When most people think of desert Wildflowers we picture in our minds fields or mountainsides covered in Poppies, Lupine, Penstemon, Brittlebush, Chia, or Globe Mallow. We expect to see these jewels of the desert in spring. However, if we want to see them in our own gardens we need to prepare for them in the fall. Many of our native species such as Penstemon grow best when planted in October or November. They need the cooler, shorter days of fall to get over the shock of planting and establish a strong root system. Fall is also time to sow wildflower seeds such as Poppies or Lupine. Here’s a few tips on how to sow seeds:
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Be sure the soil is loosened. A rake works well for this.
Sow seeds evenly in the area you prepared. A handful of sand mixed with the seeds sometimes helps.
Gently rake thin layer of soil over the seed bed and lightly dampen the soil. If you receive fall rain and then rain again in early spring you should have a fabulous display. If need be, due to drought, you can water occasionally.
So, if you desire a spectacular spring show in your garden, come check out the many varieties we have at our fall plant sale. You can pick up wildflower seed in the Gift Shop as well.
Photo by Preston Cox
I’ll see you at BTA!
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