A Shady Topic

A Shady Topic

Although rain is forecast for later this week, we also have to get through some record-high temperatures. Perfect time to talk about shade, and how it can help cool our properties. There’s natural shade, which means trees and shrubs, and its cooling effects drive local planting initiatives in Tucson and other cities. Then there’s shade that we humans bring in. I keep my garden shaded with shade cloths from US Netting [https://www.usnetting.com/shade-cloth/]. They reduce the harmful effects of thestrongest midday sun rays.

Crunch Time

It’s early summer, which means that it’s crunch time in Tucson. The crunch comes from the sound of fallen mesquite and ironwood tree pods underfoot. They’re all over town–and maybe in your yard as well. What can we do with these pods? I’ll give you the details in this episode.

Landscape Adjustments

A day of record rainfall was indeed welcome in Tucson. However, the storm revealed a problem in my landscape. One of my downspouts directed water into my yard, but it didn’t stay there. A few feet away from the downspout, that water flowed into my driveway, then off my property. Once it’s off property, rainwater becomes stormwater, which can cause urban flooding. So, I’m making adjustments. I’m building a path that will gently suggest a different path for rainwater coming out of this downspout. The goal is to keep that rainwater here, where it can nourish plants as it get absorbed into the ground.

Cistern Math

With the summer monsoon season starting on June 15 and running through September 30, it’s time to do the cistern math. If your cistern is below capacity and you’re hoping for rainstorms to come and fill it, how much water will you need? In this episode, I’ll walk you through the calculations.

Garden Gambler Update

Back in Episode 59, I announced that I was a gambler, a garden gambler. I planted a pre-monsoon summer garden. Now it’s time for an update. It’s a combination of gardening successes and failures, along with some much-needed problem solving and no monsoon rainfall–yet.