Growing Smarter in the Sonoran Desert Your guide to gardening, soil biology, desert weather and beyond.
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Is Summer Really a Bad Time to Plant in Southern Arizona?
An expert opinion on the most controversial topic in Arizona landscaping. In Southern Arizona, we’re often asked the same question every summer: “Is it impossible—or just bad timing—to plant during peak heat?” My answer isn’t as simple as you might…
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Your Arizona Garden Is Dying And Summer Isn’t The Problem
– By Austin Lynn, Garden Social You’re doing it all wrong—or at least, you’re probably doing the same thing many Arizona gardeners do every summer: reacting instead of planning. When the heat tightens its grip, people panic, overwater, fry tender…
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Cooking Up Nitrogen in the Garden: Desert Trees That Help Your Landscape Thrive
Why Nitrogen Matters in the Garden Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients in a plant’s life. It helps plants make chlorophyll for photosynthesis, build proteins for new growth, and produce the green, healthy leaves gardeners want to see.…
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Summer Prep: Desert-Proof Your Plants Before the Season Turns Up
A Garden Social guide to thriving through long days, intense sun, and Arizona’s famously stubborn soil. – By Austin Lynn, Owner Zone 9b gardeners don’t need a reminder that summer is hot—we live it. But the best summer gardens aren’t…
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The Unseen Enemy: Spider Mites and Desert Plant Health
How Arizona’s Unique Environment Heightens Pest Risks—and What You Can Do – Austin Lynn, Garden Social Owner and Landscape Horticulture Expert In desert regions like Maricopa and throughout Arizona, plants already live on the edge of environmental stress. Intense sun,…
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Growing Winter Greens in Chilly Southern Arizona
Make the Most of Mild Winters for Bountiful Greens—and a Splash of Color Winter Gardening in Arizona For most gardeners throughout North America, winter marks the season to put away trowels and seed packets as gardens succumb to snow and…
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The Prideful Gardener’s Downfall
Emphasizing Patience, Plant Selection, and Seasonal Strategy as we enter the Fall Growing Season. As summer wanes in Sonoran Arizona, anticipation flourishes among garden enthusiasts. The urge to fill our landscapes with new life, to introduce vibrant plants and experiment…
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The Miracle of the Prickly Pear
A Sonoran Desert Treasure In the heart of the Sonoran Desert, one plant stands out not just for its resilience, but for its beauty, utility, and cultural significance: the prickly pear cactus. With paddle-shaped pads and jewel-toned fruit known as…
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