Bonnie Nowicki
Most of us have been busy planting and tidying our Quail Creek home landscapes. Perhaps during the warm summer weeks, we should sit among our garden plants and admire their beautiful growth and our well-done hard work. It’s important for all our senses to be stimulated. What a joy to breathe in the fragrance of a rose or lavender bush, and it is equally rewarding to visually behold the riotous seasonal color of a fire red geranium or vivid yellow marigold.
As we relax in our tranquil gardens, our thoughts meander. Exuberant gardeners are usually planning and visualizing their next garden project or plant addition. How wonderful to know our landscape continues to evolve and mature over the seasons. Our love of gardening brings a calm peacefulness to us and our surroundings; so, relax.
Here’s a garden reminder. Be vigilant during your yard walks. If your tender plants are showing signs of sunburn (light or brown patches in the leaves), they may need extra sun protection. Shade cloth is available at our local U of A Extension center located at 530 East Whitehouse Canyon Road. The center is open 8:00 a.m. till noon, Monday-Friday. The phone number is 520-648-0808. Also, if you notice some plant leaves with half circles chewed, you have leafcutting bees actively building their nests using your excellent plant material. These bees are important native pollinators. Other leaves may have sucking insect holes from caterpillars. Remember, those caterpillars turn into lovely butterflies. If you must treat the leaves, use one or two tablespoons of Dawn dish soap to a gallon of water. Spray both sides of the leaves during the evening hours.
At the Extension center, master gardeners are very willing to answer your phone-in questions, as well as those during in-person visits. We have a wealth of gardening information, plus bagged compost and mulch and starter plants for sale. After you relax in your garden awhile and are renewed to begin your next landscaping endeavor, make the ten-minute drive to the center to share your ideas. Perhaps your first idea is to purchase a garden bench for relaxing. Enjoy your Quail Creek summer.