Hello Desert Gardenders! July has certainly taken its toll on our gardens this year, there has been many losses in the garden, bit do not give up! Fortunately, the monsoon is upon us and the added moisture in the air does help plants. Many trees, especially tropical trees, will start to push out new growth. Keep up watering and feeding and hopefully August will bring even more monsoon rains! Keep adding liquid seaweed and humic acids for helping stressed plants cope with the heat.
Trees
With the added moisture in the air, this is a good time to plant tropical trees (as long as you are willing to dig holes this time of the year).
For more information on how to plant a fruit tree, see our guide.
The Veggie Patch
This is still a good time to plant monsoon crops. At this time of year, most monsoon crops can be directly sowed.
- Corn: Pick a native quick-growing variety such as Yoeme Blue.
- Squash, melons, cucumbers: These can also be direct sown. Cucumbers will need a bit of shade and they do not like the intense heat.
- Eggplant: Seedlings can be planted out.
- Yard-long beans: Soak seeds overnight before planting. Yard-long beans do well in the heat.
- Cow Peas: Also known as black-eyed peas, these do well in the heat and can still be planted. Soak seeds overnight before planting.
- Lima Beans: This is also a good time to plant lima beans that can take advantage of the long fall season.
- Pole beans. All beans that are pole types are best planted mid to end of August. They will start to flower as it starts to cool down and have the advantage of the long fall to mature. Bush types fare better in spring since they mature faster.
- Peppers: Transplant seedlings now but keep shaded during the hottest part of the day. Seeds can also be started indoors for transplant next month.
- Tomatoes: Start tomato seedlings now and transplant them out next month.
Roots
Chit(eye development) potatoes indoors for planting outside in September.
Flowers and Herbs
- Rosemary does well in the heat and can still be added to the garden.
- Basils are still flourishing and more can be added.
- Start sage and thyme indoors on a sunny window ledge. They can be planted out mid to end of September.
- Sunflower seeds can still be planted out to keep the color going. This time of year, the autumn colors like Evening Sun, Autumn Beauty, Chocolate Cherry, and Strawberry Blonde can be planted to provide fall color in the coming months.
- Zinnia: Easy to do this time of year and will keep the color going. Despite the heat, my zinnias are thriving in full sun all day long.
- Flowering Tobacco: The Native keepers of this land planted tobacco during the monsoons.
