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Readers Want to Know Unfortunately I don't have a seasoned copy editor helping out with the production of The Tucson Gardener. And spell checker programs are far from perfect. Mistakes are made and information on The Tucson Gardener goes out of date like dairy products in the refrigerator. Sorry about that, it happens. What also happens are an incredible number of questionable "searches" from visitors to The Tucson Gardener. Questionable in the sense, I don't have a clue as to what the reader is looking to discover as it relates to gardening in Tucson, Arizona. For example: someone searched for the term wolverine. Was the individual looking for information on the animal? Or information on the X-Men character? Of course, it's possible there's a new hybridized bedding plant called wolverine that I've never read or heard about. Maybe it's a new rose with thorns the size of six inch nails. Some readers also seem desperate in their quest for information. The Search This Site page has an Insider's Tip: The Tucson Gardener keeps track of most searches for this site. If a fair number of gardeners are looking for a particular subject, such as "roses", there's a good chance a story on roses will eventually show up on the pages of The Tucson Gardener Web site. Apparently that means if you type in your search a fair number of times you'll get an answer to your question or search. One reader, at one sitting, typed in the same search 16 times. I must admit the search, plants javalinas hate, is a fair request. I'm sure plenty of Tucson gardeners would like to know the answer. So would I. From my experience with the regular visitors to my garden the javelinas (note correct spelling, not the one used in the search) or collared peccary are samplers who rely on their smell with their pig like nose. Often they'll pull plants from the ground, possibly looking for a tuberous root, and then leave it behind. I never know what they're going to try next, although once they discover something they like in a container, they'll hit it again on their next visit to the garden or yard.
They also seem to attack the smaller plants, rather than the larger. The real cure for javelina prevention is a wall or sturdy fence they can't knock over or go under. And whatever you do, don't intentionally feed them. That's inviting them back to the garden. They seem to be quite fond of bird seed, whether it's from a quail block or spread on the ground. They also like cool, moist, shady spots in the yard to spend those hot summer days. And it seems they can turn the smallest of watering dishes into swimming holes. They are native wild animals with large sharp teeth. I generally watch from afar, sometimes making noise to discourage their visit realizing they're going to break the occasional clay pot and either pull up or devour some of my seasonal bedding plants. Most often they show up late at night and I don't even know they've been in the garden until the next morning when I get to survey the damage. Another persistent searcher typed in mountain lions of tucson AZ 11 times. I've got to admit I've lived in Tucson over 55 years and have never seen one of Tucson's mountain lions in its native habitat other than at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. I have read the stories about sightings in some of the foothill neighborhoods and about how some hikers have been stalked or possibly attacked by the big cats. If you're fortunate to see a big cat run across the road, basking on a large boulder in Sabino Canyon or even walk through your yard, consider yourself incredibly fortunate. Below are another three questionable searches found on The Tucson Gardener. I haven't figured out how they relate to gardening. LOADING CD IN XP COMPUTER - open the CD player, (if your computer has one) usually with the push of a button and place CD in tray right side up. Close Tray with push of button. Here's hoping you can figure out how to run the software or play the CD. mincemeat - I tried a mincemeat tart once but didn't care for it and was never sure what was in it except for the smell of spirits. I like my rum or brandy in a glass. Florida - different state, different part of the country and the state has more water, humidity and hurricanes than Arizona. It also seems there are some Tucson Gardener readers that believe I know their gardening habits and therefore will find an answer if they perform a search on The Tucson Gardener. do I need a greenhouse - I don't know, do you? First, do you have room for a greenhouse and will it get plenty of sunshine? Are you sure your homeowner's association will even let you have a greenhouse in the neighborhood? What size do you want? How much money are you willing to spend and will you make your own or buy one of the many kits available? Those are just a few of the questions you'll need to ask yourself. What are you planning to grow that needs the protection or controlled environment of a greenhouse? Orchids, houseplants, cactus or succulents, or maybe you want to grow year round tomatoes or try your hand at hydroponics.
Keep in mind a greenhouse can be expensive to operate if you cool it in the summer and heat it in the winter. Then there's the insect control that can quickly get out of hand if you're not on the lookout for the first signs of insects or diseases. You'll have to answer those questions before you decide whether you need a greenhouse or really want the responsibility that goes with owning one. You also might want to go see what other greenhouse owners are doing by reading some of the available books on greenhouses or go peruse the greenhouse forums on Dave's Garden or The Garden Web. Another search was plant vegetables in containers or ground. That's similar to whether someone needs a greenhouse or not. The gardener needs to ask him or herself a few questions and then decide. The first being how much room do you have to grow your vegetables and does the location get plenty of sunshine? If you want to grow lots of vegetables then a traditional garden may be better than containers. The gardener will probably have to improve the soil by adding plenty of organic material including steer manure and compost. Garden soils can vary greatly around the Tucson area. Some may be so rocky or full of caliche that you can't grow in the ground. If need be the garden beds can actually be raised a few inches above the ground by adding a good topsoil or by adding plenty of organic matter. Or if your garden soil has too much caliche or rocks you can also build raised beds and fill them with good topsoil and added organic matter. Containers can be used if you want to grow a few peppers or maybe a few tomatoes. The problem with containers is they can dry out quickly, especially in the summer and you can end up with blossom end rot destroying the appearance and quality of peppers or tomatoes. The black nursery pots can also absorb too much heat in the summer injuring the root system of the plants. Certainly winter crops like lettuce, especially the mesculin mix can be grown in containers with good results. Decorative pots filled with Swiss chard in the fall and winter or colorful peppers in the summer can add to the landscape while supplying a few vegetables. All kinds of herbs can be grown in containers. You'll need a good potting soil that offers good drainage and you'll probably have to add some nutrients to get the vegetables to grow. One nice thing about container growing is you can move them whether it's to protect them from freezing temperatures or to move them to the shade to reduce harsh summer sun exposure. (2009) |
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