desert cacti and plants

Managing Caliche: Southwest Struggles

Sometimes called “nature’s cement,” caliche is a hardened layer of calcium carbonate that binds rock, sand, and soil together into a cement-like barrier that roots—and water—struggle to pass through. In the Desert Southwest, caliche can create real challenges for gardeners, affecting drainage, root growth, and overall soil health. In this article, we’ll look at some practical ways to manage caliche in your yard. A Bit More About Caliche Caliche is common in desert environments from the USA to Australia....

Small harvested herb garden

A Southwest Herb Garden

The Desert Southwest is fortunate to have not one, but two growing seasons: a cool season from October through May, and a warm season from May through September. With careful planning, many plants can thrive through both seasons, providing fresh produce year-round. Herbs are especially well-suited to this climate, offering flavor, fragrance, and resilience. The Planter Team’s herbs series is an excellent resource for learning about herbs and how to use them....

A garden designed in the Planter app

Plan a Winter Wellness Garden

For many gardeners, winter is a time to rest and reflect on the year and dream up plans for next year’s garden. It’s time for festivities and merriment. But it’s also the time of year when sniffles and sneezes make the rounds. Now’s a great time to plan a winter wellness garden. Imagine being able to step outside and harvest remedies from your yard. With a little planning, you can have your own winter wonderland of wellness....

Christmas gifts with red and brown wrapping paper and green bows with faded twinkle lights in the background

2025 Gardeners' Gift Guide

We’re dreaming of a green Christmas…or at least we’re dreaming of our gardens filled with lush green plants! And while we’re at it we’re rounding up our top gardening gift picks for 2025. This year we’ve got a gamut of gardening gift ideas from must-read books, to handy gadgets, to eco-friendly gardening goodies! Great Gardening Reads Gardener Scott’s Guide to Raised Bed Gardening Image source: Amazon Gardener Scott is one of the foremost gardening experts on YouTube, and in his new book Gardener Scott’s Guide To Raised Bed Gardening he introduces gardeners to every aspect of raised bed gardening....

A wilted pepper plant with a hand holding a small red pepper and the text "Newbie Gardening Mistakes to Avoid"

Newbie Gardening Mistakes to Avoid

Gardening is a journey. It takes years to build up enough knowledge and experience to get consistently good harvests. In the beginning of our journey we might make mistakes with our garden and not even realize it. Even with some gardening experience under our belts, it’s easy to still make ’newbie’ mistakes when we forget (or ignore) gardening fundamentals. So what are some common gardening pitfalls, and how can we avoid them?...

Zea mays corn

Samm's Garden Journal: Entry 3

Fall has firmly arrived in the desert Southwest, and it’s wonderful. Although our daytime highs still linger in the high 80s, mornings are cool again, and the dew has returned. With shorter days and lower UV, it’s the perfect time to start cold-season crops and work in the garden all day without drying out. Here’s what’s happening in my garden right now. Crops I only have two things in the ground at the moment: corn (Zea mays) and my loofah....

Several different garden veggies on a wooden background with the words 'a garden inspired feast'

A Garden Inspired Feast!

As the gardening season hits peak production, and soon thereafter starts to wind down, the main dilemma facing gardeners can turn from “how do I keep my plants healthy?” and “how can I keep all these weeds at bay?” to “how am I going to use up all this produce?!” If you’re like us this means you’re often searching for inspirational recipes and cooking methods to use up what you’ve grown....

Close-up of Ashwaghanda roots

How to Harvest the Roots of Herbs

The autumn season signals a time of preparing. Many of us make sure to get the most out of our gardens by making jams, pickled veggies, sauces, and more. If you’ve been growing plants for herbal use, fall means it’s time to harvest and dry the roots. When to Harvest Roots The best time to harvest roots is in the fall when your plant has stopped producing flowers and leaves and has started dying back....

A table at a farmers' market with various produce. Fall leaves are on the ground in the foreground.

Erin's Fall Garden Journal

The end of October is fast approaching and with it the end of the 2025 gardening season here in Huron County, Ontario. After a couple frost warnings and light frosts, last night we had the first hard frost of the fall. Part of me wishes we still had several more warm, sunny months to keep on growing and part of me is ready to cozy up indoors by the fire and start planning for next season!...

Close up of rhubarb leaves

Growing Rhubarb Part 3: Rhubarb Care, Forcing, Dividing, and Harvesting

Once rhubarb is established, it requires surprisingly little maintenance, though a few simple techniques can greatly improve both yield and flavor. In part 3 of this series, we’ll cover how to care for rhubarb, including how to divide it, how to harvest it, and a couple of other tips. Overwintering Rhubarb In temperate climates, rhubarb generally survives the winter on its own. In fact, the plant needs around 500 hours (around 7 weeks) at 40°F (4 °C) or below to trigger healthy new growth in spring....