RSS 1.0Gardening/Home Horticulture
ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Arizona Cooperative Extension is an outreach arm of The University of Arizona and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). The repository collection includes current and historical Extension publications on these topics: Animal Systems; Consumer Education; Farm Management and Safety; Food Safety, Nutrition and Health; Gardening/Home Horticulture; Insects and Pest Management; Marketing and Retailing; Natural Resources and Environment; Plant Diseases; Plant Production/Crops; Water; and Youth and Family. Current publications are also available from the Cooperative Extension Publications website.
QUESTIONS?
Contact College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Publications at pubs@cals.arizona.edu.
Recent Submissions
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Planting Pole Cuttings in Riparian EcosystemsRiparian ecosystems are found in the transition between aquatic and adjacent terrestrial ecosystems where unique vegetative communities can occur due to free water at or near the soil surface. A healthy, functional riparian plant community provides a rich environment for insects, mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, fishes, birds, and animals. In Arizona, many naturally occurring riparian ecosystems have been impacted, altered or removed by natural processes and land management activities. This publication provides information to assist residents, landowners, and agency personnel in successfully establishing pole plantings in riparian ecosystems of Arizona. Reviewed 10/2016, Originally published 2000.
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Javelina Resistant PlantsThe plants on this list represent plants less likely to be eaten by javelina. Reviewed 10/2016. Originally published 2001.
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Laboratories Conducting Soil, Plant, Feed, or Water TestingThis publication lists laboratories that provide soil, plant, feed, and water testing within the state of Arizona. Revised September 2016.
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Hand Tools Used for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) SystemsA description of the multiple hand tools commonly used to measure energy output of solar photovoltaic (PV) silicon-type modules. These tools include a digital multi-meter to measure voltage, a clamp-on ammeter to measure current, a pyranometer to measure solar irradience, an angle finder to measure module tilt angle, a non-contact thermometer to measure solar cell temperature, and a Solar Pathfinder to evaluate a potential site for shading issues.
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Compost Tea 101: What Every Organic Gardener Should KnowGrowers of organic produce in the Southwestern United States face many challenges, including variation in water and temperature, and exposure to insects and disease. As a result, smallholder organic farmers are increasingly relying on soil additives such as compost tea that improve product quality, use less water, deter pests, and reduce reliance on chemical additives (Diver, 2002). But what exactly is compost tea? Do the benefits of using compost tea outweigh any concerns? For example, can it contain pathogens, and if so, do applicators have to worry about coming into contact with pathogens? This publication provides facts about making compost tea, and reviews both the benefits and potential disadvantages to help smallholder farmers to make educated decisions regarding the use of compost tea.
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Trouble Shooting Problems of Bedding Plants in the SouthwestBedding plants create instant impact with color and foliage. They are installed twice a year in the desert Southwest and require significant investment. The ten most common bedding plant problems encountered in the arid climate of the Southwestern United States are described. They include abiotic problems caused by drought, wind, freezing, overwatering, lack of light, and nutrition disorders. Biotic problems include fungal diseases, insects, and wildlife. Prevention or early intervention will prevent problems in bedding plants.
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Container Gardening In The Southwest DesertThis publication covers the basics of container gardening in the hot, dry desert. Selecting an appropriate container, planting medium, and plant types for production are discussed.
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Better Coverage of Arizona's Weather and Climate: Gridded Datasets of Daily Surface Meteorological VariablesMany areas that use agricultural and environmental science for management and planning – ecosystem conservation, crop and livestock systems, water resources, forestry and wildland fire management, urban horticulture – often need historical records of daily weather for activities that range from modeling forage production to determining the frequency of freezing temperatures or heavy rainfall. In the past, such applications primarily have used station-based observations of meteorological variables like temperature and precipitation. However, weather stations are sparsely and irregularly located throughout Arizona, and due to the highly variable terrain across the state (Figure 1), information recorded at these sites may not represent meteorological conditions at distant, non-instrumented locations or over broad areas. This issue, along with others related to quality, length, and completeness of station records, can hinder the use of weather and climate data for agricultural and natural resources applications. In response to an increasing demand for spatially and temporally complete meteorological data as well as the potential constraints of station-based records, the number of gridded daily surface weather datasets is expanding. This bulletin reviews a current suite of these datasets, particularly those that integrate both atmospheric and topographic information in order to better model temperature and precipitation on relatively fine spatial scales, and is intended for readers with knowledge of weather, climate, and geospatial data. In addition to addressing how these datasets are developed and what their spatial domain and resolution, record length, and variables are, this bulletin also summarizes where and how to access these datasets, as well as the general suitability of these datasets for different uses.
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Watering Trees and Shrubs: Simple Techniques for Efficient Landscape WateringTechniques and tips on watering trees and shrubs efficiently. Topics include weather, plant type, soil type and signs of under and over watering. Originally published 2006
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Questions to ask when planning to start a wholesale plant nurseryThe plant nursery business is complex and requires knowledge about the technical aspects of growing plants and managing a business. This publication is an introduction for those interested in starting their own wholesale nursery business. Different types of production systems - container and field production- are discussed as well as the types of plants typically grown in Southwest nurseries. Starting a business involves many decisions that will culminate in the development of a business plan. Resources for new producers include national, regional, and local trade organizations. A worksheet with questions is included to help future operators consider whether they want to start a new wholesale production nursery. Publication AZ1393 Revised 07/2017. Originally published 2006
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A Study of Irrigation Requirements of Southwestern Landscape TreesTrees are an important component of our landscapes, providing many benefits from shade to cleaning the air. Large, mature trees provide the greatest benefits in urban landscapes compared to smaller, younger trees and it is therefore important to ensure that trees in our urban forests receive the amount of water they need to develop into healthy, mature specimens.
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Pine Engraver Beetles in the Low Elevation Sonoran Desert in TucsonPine engraver beetle refers to 11 species of insects (in the Ips genus) living in the inner bark of Arizona’s conifers that can cause rapid decline and tree death. Typically, the beetles are found at higher elevations (4200 feet to 9000 feet), but have recently been detected at about 2400 feet, in Tucson. The six-spined engraver (Ips calligraphus ponderosae) has been the only species detected, so far, in Tucson. This is the first time these native bark beetles have been found in non-native pines in the Sonoran Desert.
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Pruning Shrubs in the Low and Mid-Elevation Deserts in ArizonaThis publication presents reasons for pruning, and how and when to prune. Pruning recommendations of individual regional plants are provided and shrubs for formal and informal hedges are listed.
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Sonic Pest RepellentsSonic pest devices are tools that emit sound in the attempt to repel, deter, or kill unwanted animals such as insects, rodents, birds and large mammals. There are many commercially available sonic pest devices that claim to be effective.Commercially available sonic pest devices for use in residential applications have not been shown to be effective in scientific studies. For this reason, use of these devices is not advised to treat common pest problems. Although some researchers are developing sonic techniques that illustrate promise for very specific pests, these technologies are yet to be commercially available.
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Mowing Turfgrasses in the DesertDescribes how to select the appropriate lawn mower to properly mow the species of grass at the correct height for high, medium, or low maintenance levels.
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Overseeding Winter Grasses into Bermudagrass TurfDescribes the proper timing of overseeding, selecting winter grasses, and procedures to prepare for overseeding with the amount of seed to use followed by irrigating, fertilizing, and mowing.
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Plant Your Tree in the Right LocationAs long term investments, trees are expected to provide benefits for extended periods of time, usually decades. Trees planted in locations where they cannot survive or where they create problems rarely stay in place for any length of time. Trees experiencing shortened lives waste money, create hazards, and fail to perform their intended horticultural function. The bulletin highlights the importance of selecting a tree right for the location in which it will be planted. Key suggestions for making sound horticultural decisions along with ten examples of trees planted in locations where problems can far outweigh the benefits are presented.
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Backyard Fruit Production at Elevations 3500 to 6000 FeetThe mid elevations (3,500 to 6,000 feet) in Arizona can be ideal for growing tree fruit. Site selection can make a pronounced effect on how well fruit will grow and produce. The warmer the site the greater the chance of success. Areas where cold air settles are a poor choice for tree fruit production. Variety selection is very important for good fruit production.February and March are the best months to plant bare root trees, although they can be planted anytime during the dormant season. Try to plant 30 days before bud break. Containerized plants are best planted in late September through early October. The open center pruning system allows for more sunlight to reach all the branches of the tree. Whereas the central leader is used with those trees that are less vigorous. Training trees when young is an important step in ensuring a strong scaffold system when bearing. Fruit thinning helps to control fruit size and consistent bearing. Proper fertilization, irrigation, and pest control will promote healthy productive trees.
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Pruning Evergreen ShrubsEvergreen shrubs used to landscape the home grounds should be permitted to grow and develop into their natural shapes. Natural growing shrubs lend a pleasing look to the home grounds. This does not mean that we cannot prune to keep them within limited bounds, but we should definitely not prune to formal shapes such as globes, squares or pyramids. If they are pruned in this manner, they must be constantly sheared to maintain these shapes.
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Pruning Hedges to Provide ScreeningAn ideal hedge for screening patio areas should have dense foliage from the base to the very top of the plants. In order to develop a hedge with these qualities, the gardener should prune the plants in such a manner as to encourage the plants to develop branches and leaves at the lower portion at the time of planting and until the desired height is reached. The procedures for pruning shrubs are simple, but in many instances the basic principles are overlooked or not put into practice simply because the gardener does not want to sacrifice the growth of the plants before they reach the desired height.
