Next time, throw away the jars!

WOW! If you think I've been on a long vacation, you are only partly right...This sudden hiatus occurred last summer when I crashed onto the kitchen pavers in a very misguided effort to keep two salsa jars from breaking ( which they did, anyway ). For the first time, ever, it was time to call 911. The first fractured vertebrae was repaired via kyphoplasty. The second was repaired two weeks later broken humerus three weeks later resulted in a longer hospitalization plus a month of extensive therapy. One of my friends accused me of trying to break a record for the largest number of bones broken in the shortest time!

I am viewing this day of winter solstice as a time of new beginnings...I am starting to think again of the garden, starting to walk again and expecting a much better year ahead.

In retrospect, we have learned so much about our medical systems, the ins and outs of emergency services, medicare, doctors, rules and myriad surprising facts. more importantly, we have found Borrego to be a treasure chest of support systems and medical management services we had no idea was here.

In the next few posts, I hope to pass the information to you see it's not so scary to live "backcountry" when it comes to medical emergencies!

Cercidium

The name, palo verde, is Spanish in origin, translating to "green pole or green stick".

Historically, native people gathered the pods from this tree, a member of the legume family, and ground the seeds into meal which was formed into cakes and baked or used as a porridge. Catherine Saubel relates the trees were known as "u'uwet" by the early desert Cahuillas, who lived in our area. All three varieties in our garden are spine-bearing, but perhaps a recent new cultivar is available with fewer or no spines. You might want to investigate at your favorite nursery!

Sonoran Palo Verde

Of the three species in our garden, our favorite is Parkinsonia praecox ( formerly, Cersidium praecox and also called Palo Brea or Foothill Palo Verde). The LIME- green trunk and statuesque trunk and branch structure give it a lot of character. Its filtered shade provides an ideal spot for the aloe bed under the tree. It creates a stunning scene with it's long lasting spring floral display. This litter often is blown onto the pavers near the front entry but a leaf blower has provided an easy means of maintenance. This tree is laced and pruned yearly. A huge main branch splintered and fell off during the same windstorm that destroyed the palapa. We were heartsick and even considered removing the entire tree. We decided to give it a chance to survive, called upon professionals to saw off broken branches and took a "wait and see attitude". I'm so glad we did...the tree has recovered and is covered with healthy bright green foliage!

Blue Palo Verde

Cercidium floridium, the blue palo verde, a true native to our desert, Baja and Arizona, is an abundant giant in the Borrego region. This tree is a fast grower often seen along roadside berms where it has sprouted from seed. Blue palo verdes can reach heights up to thirty-five feet and widths around thirty feet. This tree has a blue green trunk, tiny leaves and flowers profusely in spring. It is heavily thorned. I can't tell you how many times I have stepped on a loose twig and been punctured on the ankles or legs by those nasty thorns! Heavy gloves are needed when pruning or working near these trees. But, the blue palo verde is well worth the pain. They provide the dense shade needed for the west side of any desert home. Just take care to visualize their size at maturity before planting them. These trees are found in various places though out the Anza Borrego desert and provides shade for hikers and campers, plus nesting sites, roosts, food and refuge for wildlife.

The Mexican Palo Verde

The Mexican Palo Verde, which is a medium size brownish trunked, thinner crowned tree, in comparison to the others. C. parkinsonia, is native to Mexico and Baja. This type of tree requires the most maintenance. Borne on the branches are long thin brown "streamers", which drop profusely and require a lot of raking, unless you just let them accumulate. When I first glimpsed the litter under a mature Cercidium located near the bird observation station south of the Salton Sea, I was surprised to see over two feet of litter which had accumulated from only one tree! We have four of these trees on our property: One was gravel blasted during a storm shortly after we planted it. Still alive today, though stunted, it remains healthy. Another was attacked by beetles, cut down to the ground, but has revived as a bright green mass of basal off-shoots. The other two trees, in the front garden, are periodically pruned and require a LOT of hand raking. We have kept all four trees only because they represent examples of a native Cercidium.

An Afternoon Downpour

What a month! Four free softwater car washes...this afternoon, in under one hour, 1.2 iches of rain fell. I'll bet many Borregans are driving through the area partaking in a popular pastime...checking out the town after a storm. It is safe to turn off the irrigation systems...at least for a couple of days! Thanks again to my rapid responder neighbor who owns an official weather station.

Part One, Cercidium or Palo Verde Trees

Cercidium...The Palo Verde Trees
Growing outside the walls in our desert garden are three different types of Palo Verde trees. Why "outside the walls ", one may ask. The reply...because these trees, though gorgeous, are thorn laden and shed heaps of leaves, flowers and litter. In other words, they are what I would call "messy". I certainly would make sure they were NEVER planted near a swimming pool! However, their structure, trunk color, attention grabbing floral display, shade producing quality and low water requirements make them welcome in any desert garden. Birds absolutely love these trees and, that fact alone, makes them important for any native garden. Alas, though, they all require maintenance.

A Filifera Idea 4

I feel I must express my feelings regarding this iconic tree. Some Borregans, in preparation to building on a new lot or as an addition to an existing garden, have planted these trees, and, for one reason or another, have ceased taking care of them. There is nothing that causes me pain as much as seeing a magnificent tree die of neglect.

Scattered here and there throughout Borrego are forlorn examples of this neglect...wispy tiny shoots of green atop a large brown trunk...lone sentinel stumps without the crown of green...How it hurts to see them.

A note posted on the community bulletin boards might reveal there is someone out there who will nurture and care for it plus feel lucky to obtain a mature specimen. There a many heavy equipment operators in Borrego Springs that have experience in moving and replanting trees. Their numbers are listed in the Blue Book!

Washingtonia filifera 3

Washingtonia filifera has a thick and sturdy trunk, heavy leaves, graceful long clusters of fruit on long stalks, is fibrous and, in nature, is surrounded by a thick "skirt". The slimmer and taller growing Washingtonia robusta's leaves and fronds are more open and fruiting branches are often blown off the tree , but both have shiny dark green leaves that seem to create an aura of their own when in bright sunlight.

Interestingly, filifera seem to pop up wherever there is water in the garden and no wonder! I have seen these trees filled with California Mountain bluebirds feasting on the fruit and have found coyote scat filled with the seeds.

The trees do best with moderate water. We feed ours once a year, in summer and trim them after the fruiting season ends. We do not let ours develop skirts, but trim the leaves off as they die. As they grow taller, a professional trimming service will probably need to be hired to do the work. After one twelve foot mishap, no more ladders for us! New seedlings are easy to dig up for transplant.

There are many native stands of filifera in Anza Borrego Desert State Park...one of the most popular trails is located above Palm Canyon Campground. That cluster of trees has experienced both fires and floods, yet renews itself as it has always done through though centuries. You have to admire Washingtonia filifera...one very tough species!

Monsoon Rain

Heavy rain fell for about an hour yesterday, resulting in .31 " precipitation...and about time! The extreme heat had played havoc with even desert natives. Now, the fine film of ash on the solar panels is gone and all the plants are clean and have received a healing gulp of water. We are thankful!

Washingtonia filifera 2...continued

These stately desert trees provide food for present desert animals and they provided that and much more for the early inhabitants of the region. The fruit is borne on clusters of stalks which appear around this time of year. The dark tiny round pea-like "dates" become heavy as they mature and weigh down the stalks as they ripen. During a good year, one mature tree may provide up to two hundred pounds of fruit. Each comparatively large seed is covered by a fleshy sweet tasting covering. I have eaten some of these fruits which taste like the larger date from the date palm. Of course, the Cahuilla delighted in this sweet fruit, which they ate whole or in a tea-like concoction. They also dried, stored and ground the fruit to make a flour, which they used in sweet cakes. Palm fronds were used as thatch, the fronds made into cooking utensils, the fiber used in baskets, sandals and many other items. During drought, even the pith was used as food.

In nature, these trees occur in clusters, new seedlings constantly arising from seed until a "palm forest" is produced. There is a dense growth of palms adjacent to the Dos Palmas Reserve, near the Salton Sea...what fun to hike through it!

In our garden, what we first thought were all filiferas were locally purchased in one gallon pots. Having no idea of nature's cluster principal, we closely grouped our little trees just because it was easier to irrigate in groups. We copied nature's plan by mistake! The trees were so small, rabbits nibbled at them and we had to put chicken wire screens around all of them. They have all matured and we love the natural appearance they create in the garden. But BEWARE! Some turned out to be Washingtonia robusta, some were filifera and others a hybrid between the two. A member of the Native Palm Society told me it was difficult to identify a filifera until they become more mature and you can see the more fibrous nature of the palm.

A Desert Native Tree...Washingtonia filifera

The next few series of posts will explore some varieties of native desert trees that you may like to include in your garden: ( Desert Fan Palm, one of four posts. )

The ancient ones said coyote planted the first trees. The oriole views this palm as his nesting place, desert animals view it as a food source, the Cahuilla viewed it reverently and called it maul...this desert tree we call Washingtonia filifera or native desert fan palm. This tree, whose fossilized remnants have been found as far north as Wyoming and dated back to 50 million years is the only native desert palm in California and is still growing robustly ( no pun intended ) in our own Borrego Springs desert ! There have been some differing opinions regarding the dating of these trees. If you think botanical research cannot be fun, I refer you to an article written by James Cornett: The Desert Fan Palm, Not a Relic and another article by Spencer, Winton: The Desert Fan Palm--Evidence Supports Relic Status. ( look them up online ) As any Palm Society member will agree, whether ancient or an "invading species ", they create an astonishingly great amount of interest!

As a recent curbside addition to Palm Canyon Drive, these trees were planted as an addition to other native plants along Borrego's main roadway. As expected, the trees drew criticism as well as admiration from residents. Some said they were going to use too much of our precious water supply. I'll have to admit, they do use water but these are trees you just HAVE to admire!

Historically, they have no peer as far as desert trees go. With heights up to sixty feet, they are, to the desert, what the giant sequoias are to northern California. Their fronds are up to six feet in width, with a fan of leaflets up to six feet. They grow in groups where ample water is available. They grow in bajadas, along streams, at river mouths...even in the badlands if a seep or groundwater is available. They quickly and thickly cluster together to form the idyllic desert oases we have all read about. They recover quickly from wildfires and floods and live to a great old age of two hundred fifty or more!

Morning Paper

For the past two days we had no home delivered newspaper...and Lola missed doing her regular morning job. Today, three papers arrived tandem...a sure sign that the road is open and the fires somewhat under control. Today's Cal Fire Update will be the last posted unless conditions change. If you want further fire information, please go to the Cal Fire site online.

Meanwhile...I have THREE new crossword puzzles to do. Yipee!

Cal Fire Update

Vallecito Lightning Complex

Vallecito Lightning Complex Incident Information:
Last Updated: August 17, 2012 7:00 am
Date/Time Started: August 12, 2012 8:00 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Diego Unit
County: San Diego County
Location: eastern San Diego County
Acres Burned: 6 fires totaling 22,846 acres
Containment 6 fires totaling 22,846 acres - 85% contained
Evacuations: The community of Ranchita is currently under evacuation orders. Although the threat has lessened, structure defense crews remain in the area. An evacuation center is open at Warner Springs High School.
Injuries: 4
Cause: Lightning
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Cal EMA, USFS, BLM, CDCR, CCC, San Diego County Sheriff's Office, CA State Parks, CAL TRANS, San Diego Animal Control, San Diego Humane Society, American Red Cross, San Diego County Public Works, CHP, San Diego County Fire/Rescue Operational Area Fire Depts.
Total Fire Personnel: 1,552 (1,108 CAL FIRE)
Engines: 85 (50 CAL FIRE)
Fire crews: 48 (34 CAL FIRE)
Helicopters: 14 helicopters
Dozers: 13 bulldozers (8 CAL FIRE)
Water tenders: 29 water tenders
Conditions: The Wilson and Stewart fires are close to merging.
Highway 78 is now opened. S22 is still under a hard closure between Scissors Crossing and Highway 79.

Vallecito Fire: 519 acres 100% contained, located South-East of Julian

Wilson Fire: 11,691 acres 75% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Stewart Fire: 10,630 acres 90% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Cooper Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Wynola Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, Hwy 79 at Wynola

Shoots Fire: less than 1 acre 100% contained, eastern San Diego Co.

Cal Fire Update

Last Updated: August 16, 2012 6:30 am
Date/Time Started: August 12, 2012 8:00 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Diego Unit
County: San Diego County
Location: eastern San Diego County
Acres Burned: 6 fires totaling 15,525 acres
Containment 6 fires totaling 15,525 acres - 60% contained
Threatened: 400 structures
Evacuations: The community of Ranchita is currently under evacuation orders. An evacuation center is open at Warner Springs High School.
Injuries: 2
Cause: Lightning
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Cal EMA, USFS, BLM, CDCR, CCC, San Diego County Sheriff's Office, CA State Parks, CAL TRANS, San Diego Animal Control, San Diego Humane Society, American Red Cross, San Diego County Public Works, CHP, San Diego County Fire/Rescue Operational Area Fire Depts.
Total Fire Personnel: 1,454 (984 CAL FIRE)
Engines: 77 (56 CAL FIRE)
Fire crews: 48 (36 CAL FIRE)
Helicopters: 5 helicopters
Dozers: 8 bulldozers (6 CAL FIRE)
Water tenders: 28 water tenders
Conditions: The Wilson and Stewart fires are close to merging.
Road closures are in place for San Felipe and Montezuma Road, County Highway S22 and Palm Canyon Drive.

Vallecito Fire: 519 acres 100% contained, located South-East of Julian

Wilson Fire: 8,000 acres 65% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Stewart Fire: 7,000 acres 50% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Cooper Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Wynola Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, Hwy 79 at Wynola

Shoots Fire: less than 1 acre 100% contained, eastern San Diego Co.







|

Cal Fire Update

August 15, 2012 7:30 pm
Date/Time Started: August 12, 2012 8:00 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Diego Unit
County: San Diego County
Location: eastern San Diego County
Acres Burned: 5 fires totaling 15,525 acres
Containment 5 fires totaling 15,525 acres - 35% contained
Threatened: 400 structures
Evacuations: A mandatory evacuation is in effect for the communities of San Felipe and Ranchita. An evacuation center is open at Warner Springs High School.
Injuries: 2
Cause: Lightning
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Cal EMA, USFS, BLM, CDCR, CCC, San Diego County Sheriff's Office, CA State Parks, CAL TRANS, San Diego Animal Control, San Diego Humane Society, American Red Cross, San Diego County Public Works, CHP, San Diego County Fire/Rescue Operational Area Fire Depts.
Total Fire Personnel: 1,454 (984 CAL FIRE)
Engines: 77 (56 CAL FIRE)
Fire crews: 48 (36 CAL FIRE)
Helicopters: 5 helicopters
Dozers: 8 bulldozers (6 CAL FIRE)
Water tenders: 28 water tenders
Conditions: The Wilson and Stewart fires are close to merging.
Road closures are in place for San Felipe and Montezuma Road, County Highway S22 and Palm Canyon Drive.

Vallecito Fire: 519 acres 100% contained, located South-East of Julian

Wilson Fire: 8,000 acres 50% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Stewart Fire: 7,000 acres 40% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Cooper Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Wynola Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, Hwy 79 at Wynola






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| Conditions

Monsoon Caused Lightning Strikes

Four separate lightning instigated fires are burning in the vicinity of Borrego Springs. Collectively called the Vallecito Lightning Complex and as of last night, 0 % contained, the one closest to us lit up the night sky. Separately called the Wilson, Stewart, Cooper and Vallecito fires the total acreage involved as of 7:30 P. M. last night was 1,002 acres. I'll keep you posted.

8/14:4:30 PM
4 fires totaling 2,352 acres - 5% contained
Evacuations: A mandatory evacuation is in effect for the San Felipe area off Highway 78 and the community of Ranchita. An evacuation center is being established at Warner Springs High School. Expect multiple road/highway closures between Borrego Springs, Julian and Ranchita.

8 AM, 8/15
Road closures: Hwy 78 between Scissors Crossing and Borrego Springs; S3 between Scissors Crossing and Borrego Springs; S22 between S2 and Borrego Springs
Vallecito Fire: 519 acres 100% contained, located South-East of Julian

Wilson Fire: 5,000 acres 5% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Stewart Fire: 3,800 acres 0% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Cooper Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, located near Scissors crossing North-East of Julian

Wynola Fire: 3 acres 100% contained, Hwy 79 at Wynola

Cool Pool

When we looked out the window this morning and saw the hazy view of the mountains our first thought was to check the humidity, since intense heat warnings had been issued for all the near-by desert regions. Yes, the humidity had certainly arrived. We knew that our swamp coolers would not give any relief... it was time to turn on the air conditioner. A "what if we had an outage " discussion began.

If you are a resident of Borrego, you are fairly familiar with such events, but, hopefully not in extremely hot weather. Though we have a roof full of solar panels, all the power goes directly into the grid and would not help us run the air conditioning unit should an outage occur. The question... how to stay cool... IF? ( and, remember, we have Lola to think of, too! )

AHA!!! We had done some plan B work in advance. We had installed two sprinklers on either side of the swimming pool! They work off the pool pump. When the water gets too hot ( as it certainly will during summer if you have a pool cover to minimize evaporation. We do and, in summer, sometimes the top few inches of water feels like you have jumped into a hot spring. ) We found the pool temperature at 91 degrees, this morning so turned on the sprinklers. They sprinkle into the air and are cooled before they re-enter the pool. This serves to reduce the temperature of the pool water and gives us a place to cool off...just in case!

Just Another Desert "Weed"

...And on the other hand...cheese weed, cheese bush or Hymenoclea salosa was abundant on our lot when we bought it. So far, I can see nothing to recommend it as an addition to your desert garden other than it can certainly be considered a native to the area. No other plant caused us so much effort everywhere in the garden and, in fact, still requires a modicum of our energies.

Hymenoclea is a large plant which grows to be about the size of a large tumbleweed. Atop the berm and on either side of the roadside were many of these dead-looking plants which needed to be removed. We had rented a bin for construction refuse which was filled several times with dead Hymenoclea...not as easy as it sounds! Sometimes, the Jeep had to be employed for removal of the old dead roots and scratchy twigs. Our garden plan was to keep the roadside parts of our lot fairly clear to allow an open view into our newly planted "desert garden". After our "no yard work" life at the beach, clearing all those plants seemed like real work! Let me pass on a few tips for that type garden activity: Heavy rubber rain boots offer the best leg protection for any heavy activity of this type. ( they also offer cactus burr and Palo verde twig protection. ) A large bin is also a boon when first preparing a lot. It will save you many trips to the dump!

We have kept a few cheese bush plants in the garden just because we want to maintain the natural native plant community members on site. Live Hymenoclea is a fairly large woody plant with thin bright green leaves and parchment papery-like pale yellow flower clusters. Many people can detect a cheese-like odor emitting from the plant...hence, the name. I imagine the seeds are consumed by various desert wildlife. We have found cheese bush in our garden benefit by a radical annual pruning.

A Desert Weed...Ambrosia dumosa

Ambrosia dumosa is also called bur sage, burro weed, burro bush and probably by a few other names. A smaller, shrubby plant, which looks like a dead plant during dry periods, it takes on a very nice pale bluish-green appearance during periods of adequate rainfall. Not knowing a thing about desert plants when we first moved to Borrego, we thought them to be dead brush that should be cleared away...or, at least culled. The plants were numerous on the lot, and, fortunately, we decided to keep many of them for a very peculiar reason: Lizards seemed to favor them when seeking cover and our black lab, Reba, was a seasoned lizard hunter! Early on, she devised a method of flushing game by tapping her paw on the top of the low plants. Lizards would seek safety by scurrying to another plant with Reba close behind. Reba never caught the fleet reptiles, but burro bush provided her with hours of fun!

Burro bush has pesky bur-like fruit, which has a tendency to stick onto your socks or lodge themselves into grooves of shoe soles...plus getting stuck onto pet fur, but is, otherwise, a benign desert "weed" that does no harm yet adds to the authenticity of a native desert landscape. I am glad to have them in our garden.

Monsoon

The phone rang early, this morning. A terse, " thirty-seven hundredths" were the first words relayed to me. My reply..." Wow! " No mistaking the message. The neighborhood watcher was reporting the first rainfall of the current weather year. I looked at the humidity level...ninety percent this morning. The monsoon season had, indeed, arrived. Gardeners and farmers, both now and dating back thousands of years, share a universal feeling of relief with the arrival of the first rain following months of dryness. There is little doubt that the ancients viewed the arrival of rain with mystical wonder and thanks. The absolute sense of relief, reverence and gratitude experienced by the drought ridden or arid land resident with the arrival of the first rain is absolutely stunning...a sense of relief, a certainty that all is well...at least for now. The surety that life will persist in this dry place! I am sure that every Borregan can sympathize with this universal thought.

The desert embraces the misty descending rainfall...passively and thirstily absorbing each precious drop. Leaves are fastidiously cleansed of months of dust. Tiny root fibers are revitalized. Moisture is taken in and stored. A promise of food for wildlife is assured. A guarantee of the continuance of life, itself is reassured.

On a more personal level, as a gardener and person who views plants as one of the most vital part of the desert scene and indispensable part of desert living, the first rain means continuance of my desert garden...both in regard to the flora and fauna. No longer will I have to worry about individual favorite native plants showing signs of stress and fatigue ( and, fret, I do during dry periods ). For now, at least, solar panels are cleansed, rainfall has revitalized all non-irrigated plants in the garden. Nutrients have been added to the soil, salts washed away and desert wildlife has been assured of sustenance.

Another plus of rainfall, as every Borregan knows, is the boon of getting a free soft water car wash. At the first sign of rain, out of the garage come our cars for a hands-free rinse. Soon, sparkling clean autos will dot our roadways!

Justica californica

AKA Chuparosa or Belaperone, Justica californica is a native of the Southern California desert to Arizona and Northern Mexico. It is a large clumpy shrub which, in our garden, has been a source of many surprises. Some desert natives are so difficult to transplant that I am always amazed at this plants ability to spring up in unlikely places in our garden.
Chuparosa is evergreen if it receives enough rain or water, but it takes on a leafless appearance otherwise. In this state, it may be mistaken for Desert Senna. With adequate moisture, however, from fall to spring, tubular red ( sometimes yellow ) flowers create a showy spot of color in the garden and are a great attraction to humming birds. The wild looking shrub clusters provide shelter for numerous small desert critters. Snakes seem to appreciate the heavy masses of stems. I have seen these reptiles and lizards often take cover under these plants.
Though new plants provide tender tidbits for rabbits, we have noticed that they spring up amidst a " nurse plant " ,often Dalea...sometimes, cacti...never to be noticed until they flower and have attained height...SURPRISE! It's almost like being presented with a gift! I would estimate that chuparosas have almost doubled in numbers since our garden was first started. They are easy to transplant if you dig down into an old cluster and obtain roots. New plants should be caged and kept moist until established. We have never cut back our plants, but, if desired, you can trim them to encourage bushiness.

This wild looking native plant greatly enhances a desert garden by providing spots of color and fill for bare spaces. Ours seem to have reproduced naturally along natural slopes or run- off areas in the garden.

The publication, Temalpakh, by Bean and Saubel, relates the Chauilla loved the sweet taste of chuparosa flowers ...called them pisily. I washed the delicate flowers once and added them to a salad to create interest and give people a sense of gastronomic desert history. It did lead to an entertaining culinary discussion! ( Yes, they ARE sweet! )

Drought

With all the new record high temperatures, I thought another look at native desert plants would be appreciated. These plants, which have evolved over centuries have withstood numerous droughts...yet still prosper, reproduce and survive in this hot, dry clime. The smart desert gardener makes use of these plants, many of which are indispensable to desert wildlife and which really need no additional irrigation. Native plants can be culled and placed carefully, following nature's pattern to create beautiful natural looking gardens, enhanced by other low water use plants, trees and shrubs. If you like to grow your own food, a compact series of raised beds, irrigated by a drip system will supply all your needs and still conserve water.

There is little doubt that we are in a drought cycle...especially if you have become alarmed by media fascination with the subject. On TV, you will see clever new graphics, in living color, which accompany daily forecasts. One day, I noticed the new maroon category for extreme heat...filled in with shimmering heat waves and a picture of a thermometer...the mercury breaking through the top! Everything east of the Imperial County line was maroon, west of it, just red. My, my...it makes one wonder, doesn't it? I have seen graphics of brown, dead corn, cracked mud and suffering livestock. That, along with black tornado clouds, golf sized hail, high wind, flooding rains or hurricane eyes certainly captures your attention...whether these warnings prove to be true or not!

Our desert has experienced drought before. It will experience drought again. In the meantime, as gardeners, smart use of native plants are essential to creating and maintaining a garden in this dry land.

Dalea pulchra

Indigo, unlike the bright green leaved creosote bush, is a soft hued, pastel gray-green wispy leaved bush which can be used to create a backdrop for almost any other plant you would like to use as an accent. My favorite spot in our garden is a secluded area, set off by a snaky line of mature indigos, about five feet tall, twisted light colored wooden branches intertwined with each other and interspersed with natural boulders. These wonderful shrubs form a windbreak and stage for a collection of mature specimen cacti. Following adequate rain, these plants are a mass of lavender/purple tiny flowers...often so profuse as to hide the structure of the plant, itself! They have a resemblance to a smoke tree and some mistake them for one...tell the difference by taking a snip of wood and leaf and crushing it... there is no mistaking the acrid sharp smell of Dalea. ( WHEN IN DOUBT, USE YOUR NOSE! ) I have noticed that quail seem to prefer this plant over others for cover and they do eat the tiny pea-like flowers.

Unfortunately, not all areas of Borrego contain this native plant, which seems to occur with most frequency near alluvial fans and mountain slopes. They may, however be purchased at a nursery. If you do buy the plants, transplant in fall or spring, water heavily at first and mulch to retain moisture. Rabbits will nibble at this plant when young, so protect them with wire cages until they are well established. Maintenance includes light pruning and cutting off dead wood. The wood is beautiful and may be used for a variety of art projects or arrangements.

These shrubs could be used as a wild looking perimeter hedge or spaced widely as "fill-ins". They will reproduce following a wet year, but I have never been able to transplant the seedlings. Butterflies , birds and other wildlife are attracted to Dalea pulchra, or native indigo...another drought resistant, low water use plant.

Larrea tridentata

There is a plant, taken for granted by many, as abundant in the desert as pine trees are across the northern regions of the United States, which personifies the desert. It grows in wide bands from California to Texas and into Mexico. The plant? Larrea tridentata, or Creosote bush. You can drive through creosote forests for days and hardly give a thought to this plant, since it is so common. If you give it a closer look, you will see it deserves a place in any desert garden! It is fundamental to the desert , is slow growing and is the ultimate water conserving plant, surviving for up to two years without a drop of water!

If you take a walk along the Bill Kenyon overlook trail which offers an outstanding view of the bajada below, you will notice numerous creosotes, each one almost equidistant from another. Creosote is peculiar in that way...due to chemicals produced in the roots which prevent other plants from infringing on its territory.

In the garden, they quickly absorb any moisture, whether natural or artificial, through a long tap root along with a network of shallow roots. I have offered additional water to our creosotes only a few times since we have lived here. They do turn brown during extended drought periods but quickly revive when watered and display bright green waxy leaves, tiny yellow flowers and cute soft white fuzzy seed coverings. In other words, you and nature are the deciders when it comes to creosote appearance!

Our plants are spaced throughout the outer garden with a few in the inner garden, which I clip and prune yearly to maintain a small lush look. ( non-irrigated ) After rain, I have found bits and pieces of tender new growth have been nibbled off by rabbits, but never eaten. PATOOIE!!! I guess it doesn't taste good!

This is one plant that should be in every desert garden...It was historically used by native people as their medicine cabinet, treating a variety of maladies, it provides shelter for many desert creatures and is the reason the desert "smells like rain". Most interesting is that it is among the oldest of all known plants, cloned from the crown of a parent plant dated to 11,700 years!

This steady slow growing plant is now available at nurseries, which I do advise, since I have never had luck with a transplant. Larrea tridentata has so many fascinating features...why not give it a Google?

Too Soon Gone

Gone from Borrego forever is Lisa, owner of a thriving business, Open Sky Landscape. Many of us depended on her and her faithful crew to fix the problems that arose in our gardens.

Early on, when I first met Lisa, I recognized her unique abilities. She not only was wise in design, maintenance and horticulture, but was a wizard in creating smart irrigation schedules for the home garden. No one was more versed in citrus care than Lisa. At a glance, she could diagnose just what was needed for healthy yield and growth. She was interested in our Gardening club and gave a program on irrigation timers and stations for us. She graciously presented each of us with our choice of cactus or other desert plants.

Her workers were a faithful crew whom she treated with compassion and respect. She was always ethical and competent in her business dealings...a person you could depend on. Lisa treated her clients as friends rather than customers. She would often just drop in to talk, present us with gifts of smoked or fresh fish along with a detailed story about her most recent fishing adventure. We often traded stories about Baja, vegetable gardens, our chocolate labs and she often regaled us with stories of her childhood, her father and her brother. She also talked about her continuing horticultural education at Davis and Napa.

We never saw her without a cheerful smile and attitude. We will sorely miss her. Lisa, not yet fifty years old, a victim of a blowout on S-22.

Gone, but never, never forgotten.

Summer Gardening

If you look around Borrego Springs, you will notice gardeners hard at work raking, weeding and performing other tasks, regardless of the weather or season. If you look carefully, you will also notice an oddity...most are dressed in long pants, long sleeved shirts and are wearing a wide brimmed hat with a bandana hanging over the nape of the neck. Many also wear bandanas around the throat and wear gloves. Often, a huge orange canister of water is close at hand.

Home gardeners - take advice from experts...people who live in extremely hot, dry climates have long understood that covering the body conserves moisture and maintains a natural cooling system.

I happened to stop by Jeff Divine's (Surf Photographer ) place one day and saw him working in the garden. The day was HOT! He, too was wearing a long sleeved shirt...oddly thin and fitted. I asked him where he had found the funny looking shirt and he replied, this is my rashie...you never feel the heat while wearing it and it has a UPF of fifty! I always wear it in the water but you can stay cool if you wear it in the desert. " What a revelation ! The PERFECT garb for a desert gardener! They are available at Surf shops or in swimwear stores. For around $50.00, you can stay cool while golfing, swimming OR gardening while protecting yourself from harmful rays during the hot desert summer! (You can find them on the net. Look under Rash guard )

A BORREGO NON- HAPPENING

Perhaps you have been wondering how Borrego fared during the well publicized power outage of June 23, 2012.

I assure you, all Borregans were prepared for the event. Our flashlights had new batteries and were close at hand. We had turned on a night light, thinking it would turn off at the beginning of the outage and turn on again when the "all clear" had sounded.

There was proof that the power did go off for a short period of time...all kitchen appliances and phones were flickering when we arose the next morning. We slept through the few minutes the night light was off then turned on again.

SDGE...Your early warning system needs a bit of tweaking!!!

A Water Free Garden

There is something very self satisfying about raking...I don't mean the "rake up the leaves" kind of raking...rather, the artistic Zen type of raking - and we Borregans are lucky. We have the perfect Zen type soil - heavy granitic gravel.A Zen garden would seem to fulfill all aspects of the ideal Bporrego Spings garden: It is the perfect dry land garden...no water needed, it opens the gardener to a new degree of creativity and improvisation unlike a traditional garden and it also provides the gardener with a chance to contemplate and take part in the essence of nature, both physically and metaphysically.

I'll have to admit, I don't yet have my "Zen Spot" " in the garden...rather, it is still an idea slowly simmering in my mind. Like many ideas, this one will take some time...first, to find the garden spot where gravel will retain the rake marks and the outline will set the area aside as a place of seclusion and meditation. Then, there is plenty of practice raking to undertake, until the desired result is obtained. Ah, yes...and the rocks to integrate into the scene...and more! I can't even hazard a guess if we'll ( notice the plural ) get around to it this summer. A lot depends upon the weather...even more depends upon the growth and finalization of the idea!

I do want the rake marks to resemble ripples and waves...the rocks to represent islands with, perhaps, an art object to add to the Asian influence. The contemplative chair and viewpoint must also be created...along with the ideal size of the plot , which must also be cleared of any weeds and be relatively free of wind blown debris. Ah, well...I think the idea needs more time...but you will be the first to know when it turns into reality!

Bird Nests

Those busy House finches are at it again! Just when we thought the breeding season was over, evidence has proven otherwise.

This year, the overabundance of nests on the back patio has almost overwhelmed us. Three types of birds nest there: Say's phoebe, Mocking bird and the common House finch. All fiercely protect their nests and let us know if they like it when we try to enjoy our own patio. The male and female Say's flutter and whistle at us, the Mocking birds show their flashes of white warnings but the finches just go about their business.

After the fledglings had left the nests, we removed the messy things...but the finches were at it again, within ten minutes. The male brought twigs, weeds, bits of this and that, to the female. Within a few days, a new nest was constructed. Now there are eggs in it. What next?

Bizarre Specimen

This recent hot spell resulted in Madagascar palm bloom...flowering for the second year in a row.

If I had to choose a favorite specimen plant in the garden, the Madagascar would win! I LOVE the thick spiny trunk and the exotic appearance of the foliage plus the tropical white flower cluster. As you can see, the trunk "out deserts" any other prickly plants. I am sure water is conserved within the sere spiny trunk. The bizarre sculptural shape outdoes even the Boojum , in my opinion...but either of those plants add a special focal point to any desert garden. You can buy small plants at a reasonable price and they are fast growers!

Letter # 3

Letter #3 arrived, just as I expected. Now, it's back to plan A.

I am sure SDGE received a deluge of protests...and, no surprise, for Borrego is filled with activists not afraid to make their views known.

I remember many protests...some major- some minor: The most prolonged , well attended and organized was against the proposed Sunrise Power Line route through the State Park. The fight to dissolve the Community Association, the Tiered Water rate battle and the group protesting the Gulf War were but a few of the past protests. Borregans are adept at speaking out for a cause in which they believe!

In the Business Section of the Union Tribune, 6/15/12, is an article stating the San Onofre Power Plant may be shut down for the summer, which made me remember the classic movie, Soylent Green, which dealt with some of the problems we are encountering today. Of special interest, was the fact that the old power plant at Huntington Beach is being geared up to provide more electricity...and that plant has been there for as long as I can remember!

This summer promises to be interesting!

OH, NO!

A second letter from SDGE came. It informs us that a change of plans has been made...you know..."the best laid plans of mice and men"...

The power will go off at 9 PM rather than 10 PM and it will stay off for up to 10 hours...and, "unexpected events " may prolong the period of time. Now, THAT sounds scary!

MARK THIS AS LETTER # 2.

Power Interruption

If you live in Borrego Springs, you are accustomed to frequent power outages...many of them lasting but a minute, always well advertised in advance by SDGE but usually forgotten by the typical Borrego resident. We have become adept at resetting timers, clocks and whatever appliance is blinking. Worst of all, are the telephones, which demand multiple new settings.

A few days ago, we received a new letter, advising us that our power would again be interrupted...this time for a prolonged period of time...however, for a good cause...the hook-up by SDGE to the new NRG Solar Project:
" Beginning on SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 23, 2012, at approximately 10 PM "...our power will be interrupted for up to four hours...but, unforeseen events may prolong the period. NOW, that statement is not exactly what we want to hear!

Oh, well...It's still June and the nights have been comfortable...let's hope they stay that way!

Anna Apple Butter

The Anna apple butter turned out perfectly. It is DELICIOUS! However, it caused me to order a new kitchen devise...an immersion blender.

If you could have seen the methods I had to use to preserve the batch you would have been appalled! After two days of slow cooking, a gooey thick dark brown mass is what you find in the cooker. It smells delicious, tastes good and is ready for the puree step of the recipe. I thought it would be easy to transfer the product to the upright blender and just turn it on PUREE...NO. The mixture would not blend without sending large globs onto me...everyplace but the apron, that is. I had to fill the blender half full, add juice, then blend and transfer to another pot...a process that took a lot of time. The immersion blender will solve THAT problem.

I added apple juice to enable the mix to attain the right consistency...cooked it awhile more and used a water bath method for canning...and, of course, I had given away my canner. A large roasting pan and the deep pasta cooker worked just as well... Result? Ten 1/2 pint jars and four quart sized jars, now stacked in the cupboard...we will eat some and have enough for gifts, too!

Picking apples again, today...this time to use in an applesauce recipe using unpeeled apples. I sure hope my immersion blender arrives in time !

APPLE BUTTER

Fill slow cooker with unpeeled apple chunks. Add 2 or more teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves and 2 cups sugar. Add about one cup of apple juice and cook on low setting overnight. Stir and add more apple chunks to fill cooker. Add more sugar. ( I added only one cup ) Also add more spice, to taste. Cook another night. Mix well and add apple juice to make mix suitable for puree.
Use water bath method to can. I processed for ten minutes.

The Anna Apple Mystery

Outside the walls, is an apple tree called Anna. It is a dwarf tree...nice size and very pretty. It leafs out each year, flowers with vibrant pink blooms and has produced apples in the past...but NEVER before in such quantities. We have watched the fruit mature and been on the verge of harvesting during past seasons, only to have the fruit mysteriously disappear just prior to picking.

The apples mature in June and for several years we were on vacation during that time. Birds decimated the tree during some years and ground squirrels developed an apple appetite during past few years.

This year is different. For some reason a bumper harvest is still there for our consumption. We have been picking and, right now, a large slow cooker is filled to the brim with spiced apples for a new apple butter recipe. ( with unpeeled apples ) Two days of slow cooking will fill the house with fantastic spicy odors!

THE MYSTERY: Why are the apples still on the tree, why have no birds or squirrels been attacking the tree and why are the apples seedless and almost core -less?

I did find a rather large twig nest in the midst of the tree. I do believe it is possible a mystery guard bird is on duty guarding the tree, keeping all intruders at bay...though entirely implausible, you'll have to admit...POSSIBLE!

Bye-Bye Winter Garden

Let me tell you a secret. When the temperature rises to one hundred fourteen degrees, the vegetable garden begins to wither. The first hot days, at odd intervals, come as quite a shock to any garden and also as a shock to the many desert animals residing in the vicinity.

I pulled the remainder of the carrots and most of the beets... these are the last of the winter garden left. Root vegetables, which develop both over and underground, seem to survive better than those growing mostly above ground. Last night Golden beet tops were the green vegetable - and sliced cold Golden beets were incorporated into the salad...how's that for a multipurpose vegetable?

Lima beans and squash, part of the summer garden, are supplying us with vegetables, at present, but as soon as they start showing stress, they, too, will be pulled. The Chandler strawberries took the biggest heat hit. I don't know if they can be saved.

Meanwhile, every hot day, you can look outside the sliding glass door, which is left ajar to release swamp cooler air, and spot humming birds, Say's phoebes and finches standing on the pavers enjoying the cool air. Rabbits are again concentrating in shallow dug depressions in moist mulch under the fruit trees. All desert dwellers have a knack finding cool spots...either underground, during night time hours or near a desert oasis.

In our garden, the desert animals have found shade, food, water and safe areas for raising young... and we give thanks to our decision to install new swamp coolers. We are keeping cool and are still exiting the swimming pool shivering!

The Changing Borrego Scene

Change is inevitable...we all realize the fact. In geologic time, what is going on in Borrego doesn't even amount to the bat of a gnat's eyelid ( if gnats even have eyelids ). At one time, the valley was an oasis of green grape vines...acres and acres of them as evidenced by the sere fields of dark old wooden crosses in the nearby acres.
Those fields seemed , to us, like solemn reminders of how fleeting life is...in fact , the many " crosses " reminded us of a cemetery...which it really was, at least for grapes.

Now, another change is taking place...and it is HUGE! How long it will remain in place is anybody's guess. That, one day, it will also be replaced, is certain. In the meantime, a cleaner source of energy will be produced here. What surprises us is the vast size of the project. It seems HUGE!

On the other hand, I guess the earlier Borregans viewed the grape fields in the same way.

And Speaking of Rocks...

I mentioned in the last post that we had collected rocks from here, there and everywhere, many of them finding an unusual home in the low desert. What a surprise if, four hundred years from now, a passing geologist should happen to notice one of our rocks and quickly ascertain that it originated far from Borrego Springs. He would never be able to uncover the whole truth about how it came to be in this vicinity!

Rocks do tell stories. Archaeologists can trace movements of early people by many methods...one of them being rock arrowheads and tools. Rock amulets have been found far from the source of origin, again, telling a story of trade between early people. Rock paintings tell the story in a different way. Our rocks, too, have many tales to spin...

Rose quartz chunks from South Dakota were taken from a defunct mine. Bright white quartzite was given to us from the manager of a quartzite mine near here. Lava rocks from Long Valley outline a garden bed. A small circle of white rocks of descending sizes represents a full day of collecting in the warm waters of Lake Mohave and stands out starkley against our granitic soil. Dark green rocks came from beaches near San Simeon, as did a group of banded gray rocks containing letters which spelled out our name. ( THOSE took a long time to collect! ) We have obsidian from Nevada and the Salton Sea. We have "lucky rocks". We have rocks from outer space. We have rocks from almost every state plus Canada and Mexico. Not what you would call a collection. What you would call a recollection. How we love them all!

Garden Pathways

Who doesn't like to lead someone down the garden path?

Many happy hours have been spent guiding friends, visitors, children, all kinds of people along our garden pathways. They were started some time ago. Rocks always held a fascination for us. We had collected them from far and near and had weighed down our boat and RV with them. Who knew they would finally settle down in Borrego Springs and become part of a desert path through a desert garden!

It started small and just grew, grew, GREW! Now, there is a well defined walkway leading around the back acre. It began with a short rock lined path leading to the palapa. It ended up as a meandering tenth of a mile walk around the garden. Recently, we filled it in with gravel, which has proven fairly easy to maintain and does inhibit weed growth, or, at least gives an outline for grooming.

Now, we hula hoe along the outer sides of the path, which keeps the yard looking fairly tidy and offers a cholla-free means of walking through the garden, while still enabling observation of all the natural plants and animals that call this place their own.

If your back is still healthy, you want some exercise and live in the desert...this might be the very project you were seeking!

The Heat's On!

WOW! These first few days of triple digit temperatures , as always, come as a surprise. How easy it is to forget all the beautiful mild weather during most of the year and start to complain about the heat! AND... we all know better...it happens every year, sometimes earlier, sometimes later.

If you watch the morning news on the San Diego channels, you will see that fog hovers over the coast, day after day...May gray, June gloom. We didn't appreciate that either, when we lived on the coast! We had weeks and weeks go by without a glimpse of sunlight. Life was viewed through a misty veil of moisture.

Here, in sunny Borrego, we view life through dark glasses, from under a wide brimmed hat with a bottle of water close at hand. Our daily life begins early and seeks refuge in shade or inside the house, usually before ten o'clock in the morning!

Such a contrast...and within such a short distance... but, we have certainly adapted to desert living. Unlike the early settlers, we find summer in Borrego not a challenge, but a blessing, thanks to the numerous items created to make life easier in "hot spots"... swamp coolers, central air conditioning, swimming pool sprinklers, UPS, Kindle, on-line shopping, air conditioned vehicles, drip irrigation and more.

The nights are still cool and will probably remain comfortable through June. The snow birds have left, stores are adopting new summer hours, blankets have been removed from the beds, water timers have been adjusted, the remaining vegetables are being harvested and we are settling in for a very restful summer!

Beets

Beets are one very maligned vegetable. I've never especially liked parsnips, turnips or okra but, to me, beets are a delicacy...the sweet new varieties definitely deserve a place in any vegetable garden. There is a person in our house who absolutely despises beets, but there IS a way of getting around that fact! Beet tops are a tasty substitute for spinach and don't seem to mind being called by another name. They look like spinach and taste even better, with a dash of butter and lemon. No one is the wiser. I plant Detroit reds and Golden globes every year.

It is a bit more difficult to disguise the rich maroon root color of Detroit reds. I prepare them by wrapping in foil with rosemary and shallots and roasting them at 350 degrees until tender. They may also be prepared by steaming or boiling - then peeled and sliced. OR, you can pickle them for use in salads. For the finicky eater who absolutely refuses to eat them, here's an old recipe for pickled eggs which will captivate any reluctant beet eater!

Red Pickled Eggs: ( A colorful gift for any occasion )

1 bottle hot peppers and juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar. Cook, peel and slice aout six medium cooked beets. Hard boil and peel a dozen eggs.( leave whole ) Chop an onion. 2 whole cloves garlic. Put all ingredients into a large jar to pickle and color. Refrigerate.

Watch That Bump!

Members of the WETS ( the Walking, Eating and Talking Society ) met for lunch yesterday at the Airport. As you might guess, myriad subjects arose and were thoroughly discussed, one of which arose from my question, " Have any of you noticed the last few miles of S-22, the Salton Seaway, are becoming worse...and how much do you slow down when approaching it? "

I'm sure every Borregan knows what I mean... the east most terminus of S-22 has a history of being bumpy. It is a good indicator of seismic ground movement and uplifting in this area of the desert. We have always slowed down for this section of the road, but have NEVER seen it as pitted, lumpy, bumpy, dippy as it is now...especially the dip just before the corner gas station!

Those of us " in the know " slow down and have to smile when others pass us at 45 or 50 MPH, only to quickly hit the brakes when encountering the first bump. It will eventually be repaired. In the meanwhile, BE ADVISED!

One Very Important Item

If there is one item every Borregan has and uses often, it is an ice chest. When Trader Joe's, Costo, Albertson's, Staters and other large stores are, at least, an hour's drive away, an ice chest is not only a convenience but a necessity!

What a different life we lead, here, in Borrego Springs! I used to jump into the car, drive a few miles to get vacuum bags, tennis balls, get a car wash, go to a movie, buy a Frostee Freeze or have a Big Mac. NOT HERE...and we like it that way!

There have probably been no scientific studies on the Borrego population at large, but I'll bet that any study would show, in general, that Borrego folk are much more organized and creative than those who live in cities. We schedule up to six or more critical stops each time we venture out of the valley...and keep a running list anticipating our next "out of Borrego" experience.

A typical list of ours would include stops at physicians or ophthalmologists, Trader Joe's, Bank ( ATM ), Home Depot or Lowe's, Petco, Costco, Albertson's, Wallgreens, Staples, William's Nursery, In and Out and, sometimes Westwood Mall. We leave home around 8 am and return around 5 PM. Quite a day...I'm sure glad we only schedule it about once a month!

Breaking Garden News

Guess what's happening in Borrego? You guessed it ...the heat has arrived! I've already started the "summer blahs" as far as the vegetable garden goes...time to put the tools away and let the garden rest and renew itself while I resort to a few cool laps in an 80 degree pool! ( Expected temperature, today...104 degrees! )

The second crop of peas was far from perfect...perhaps I asked too much of the soil, even though peas create their own nitrogen. The net kept the birds away as they matured...Burbee's super snap resulted in larger pods and peas, which seemed tougher than the earlier variety. Not worth planting. We pulled all tomatoes and have many frozen bags ready for use during the summer. Radishes, lettuce, chard and spinach bolted and have been removed. Currently pulling beets, drizzling them with oil and roasting prior to chilling and preparing for salads. Still pulling carrots and keeping them covered trying to thwart the carrot loving dog. Soon , I will remove all and freeze the surplus. Chandler strawberries still producing. Lots of them in freezer. We intend to cover the berries with shade cloth and keep them alive during the summer. Summer squash is in full bloom and production. Acorn squash is maturing. Anna apples have been thinned and are almost ready to harvest.

In all, our fruit trees and vegetable garden have blessed us, this season. We have a good supply stashed away for the summer. We will soon lay bags of fertilizer over all, water, cover with plastic and let the earth renew itself.

Volunteer Village

Guess what? If you are thinking of a desert home...a get-away or perhaps, a good place to retire, don't be fooled into thinking you are leaving your work-days behind you! I have never seen so many busy active people...we are truly a community of volunteers...and volunteers of a different ilk. If you are civic minded, there is a place for you. Want to keep your town tidy? Volunteers do that. I asked a person with a trash bag and a grabber why he volunteered to pick up trash. He replied, " It's my exercise program and I don't even have to pay for it! " Others volunteer for the Park, the Art Institute, ABDNHA, the Anza Borrego Foundation, the Chamber, Legion, Performing Arts, schools, and more.

We have a Ninety-Nines Club ( women pilots ) who have their very own airport, just minutes away from anywhere in Borrego, lots of churches actively thinking up ways to help ( They recently raised funds to pave the old road leading to the churches). It seems there is always an upcoming golf tournament to benefit this or that. It's not unusual to see our ex- mayor working on a back hoe planting trees to beautify the town.

There are Jeep clubs, hiking groups, bird watchers, mountain sheep counters, book groups, A.A. and many other organizations. Take your pick. Just understand that you never have to be bored if you live in Borrego Springs!

Plants with Legs ?

If a potted plant could walk, do you think it would move to another location? That question came to mind a few months ago when we refinished the pavers on the front patio and had to move all the potted plants. The same old plants and same old pots had " their spot " on the patio and seemed to be doing well...but on a whim, I decided to try them in a different area, just to see what happened. To my surprise, within a month, some plants showed major differences, as evidenced by an amazing bloom on a favorite cactus, which seemed to register a heartfelt thank-you for the relocation to a sunnier spot on the south facing patio.

This month is a good time to take another look at your potted plants, wherever they reside, indoors or outdoors. Have they outgrown their pots...any scale or pests...dusty leaves...do they need fertilizer or new soil...appreciate a new location with more ( or less ) sun...???

Repotting cactus in a commercial cactus mix ( Home Depot ) will do wonders for cacti or euphorbias. For other plants, use potting soil mix. Your plants will love you for it!

Borrego Tweet and Twitter

We have been getting lots of twitters and tweets. I suppose they mean the same thing as the newer tweets over cyberspace...but, who knows?

I think the Borrego twitters must have been going on long before the people came - maybe before the mammals came. I just know that most mornings they start early, the first tweet usually coming from a nearby Say's phoebe, before daylight. A single tweeeeeeeeeet that is sure to alert the avian group that the day has certainly begun...similar to the playing of the national anthem to start TV's daily programming.

From then on, the twittering and tweeting reaches gigantic proportions...all birds join in as they greet the day and move on to their busy tasks. We do seem to have an overabundance of the champion tweeters, the common house finches, who view our shady porches as their very own territories, making this time of year very messy...at least on our patio! NOW, I think I know why they twitter so much. They are using the network to advertise the perfect finch development...eaves for nests, wind protection, water lines already established, food close at hand...what more could they ask?

A Garden Wall

I always thought a garden wall's purpose was to offer seclusion, safety and a delineation of property...at least, that's what I thought when we lived in the suburbs.

Here, in the desert, the wall does offer some seclusion and safety, but few Borregan's would attempt to wall their entire property, where lots are measured in whole and half acres! Here is where the concept of the inner garden makes sense. A small area, created to give privacy, offer intimate living space, a place to grow flowers and vegetables, a place to swim and relax...exactly what we planned when deciding upon how much space we actually needed for those activities...but the most important feature the wall should provide, for us, was access to all the views offered by this unique desert place...huge never ending vistas of mountains and desert.

The County building code helped us achieve this goal by requiring an elevated "pad" for each new dwelling. That simple requirement enabled us to construct the wall at a lower level than the house, which takes full advantage of the views!

Voila! Problem solved.

Spring Wars

Unrelenting battles rage in the spring garden...tiny birds bravely try to defend their nesting territories from attacks of ominous black ravens with a taste for eggs or offspring. Roadrunner crazily twists his neck as he reconnoiters the many nests seeking hatchlings. Moths, gnats, butterflies, crickets, lizards, small rodents...all are at risk of being scooped up as a source of nourishment for the new generation.

The ageless desert sings a song of contentment, joy and relief as life performs it's arduous struggle of spring survival ...

Overpopulation Problem?

" Spring is Busting' Out all Over "... Borrego's current theme, as a walk around the garden reveals. The tiny birds are unable to fly, yet , and sit quietly while posing for photos!

Doppler Radar ?

I don't know about you...but, from now on, I intend to ignore the TV weatherman.

The long range and short range, Doppler radar weather outlook called for rain. Somehow, when you see the weather map, colored in with a moving pattern of green, moving directly over the Borrego Springs area, filled in with bright yellow highlights, signifying lightning and thunder, further enhanced by another characterization of a dark cloud with raindrops bursting through, you actually begin to believe it!

Well, we did get a few drops of rain...the norm for the "accurate" TV forecast...but, any rain is good rain when you live in the desert... you just have to start ignoring the TV weather forecasts or, at least, remember that they are
just that...a forecast!

One for the Sparrows...One for Us !

I did it...put wildlife netting over the pea pole. I found netting at Lowes for $13.48 ...worth a try, I thought.

If you have never unrolled netting you are in for a surprise. It's as light as air and is like handling a cobweb...especially if you are trying to lift it up over the top of a pea tower. Of course, I needed a helper. Even so, it is not the easiest thing to accomplish.

However problematic and against my deep bias against wildlife netting, it is in place and I have loads of it leftover for another time. One roll will cover 700 square feet. The reason I dislike netting so much is the danger to wildlife from the almost invisible stuff. In the past, we have had to cut it away from a young cottontail and another time, from a snake. It will be necessary to watch it carefully until we remove and destroy it.

On the other hand, if another crop of peas becomes a reality, it will all be worth it!
UPDATE: 4/20/12, It did and it was!

Salvia clevlandii

This aromatic plant is not only breathtaking...it also has probably saved lives more than once!

Growing next to a large granite boulder the salvia blooms and exudes a fresh rich fragrance...you can only imagine what goes on beneath the spread of its branches.
We have noticed squirrels, rabbits and other creatures scurrying to and fro...then disappearing completely from view. Upon investigation, we discovered a rather large hole, under the plant, the entrance leading directly to a haven underneath the boulder.

What a shangri la for desert creature during the heat of summer... a five star hotel for wildlife, cooled and shaded by the salvia, earth damp from drip irrigation, hidden entrance...what more could you ask? We are so glad we planted the salvia in that particular spot!

TGIF

TGIF means something else in Borrego. It means fresh fish bought at the Farmer's Market kiosk, fresh vegetables picked this morning from the raised beds along with strawberries to top a home baked shortcake...Friday night's dinner to be enjoyed with long time friends...what a great way to share nature's bounty!

Don't Let the Dogs Out!

Gardeners face many challenges...moles, gophers, aphis, birds, poor soil, cut worms, caterpillars and many more evils...but who would ever suspect an amber eyed, affectionate, helpful member of your own family to wreak havoc in your vegetable garden? Last night, under cover of darkness, the beloved family dog, Lola, again gave in to her weakness for the taste of carrots.

A framework of PVC had been constructed for shade, frost and sparrow protection. When in place and covered, we thought it would protect our vegetables from any misfortune but we had not reckoned with the cunning of our sweet carrot loving chocolate lab!

The rapidly maturing carrots were well hidden, under floating row cover, secured at all sides. It would seem that made the game all the more fun... seek and ye shall find...and she DID!

Poor Old Swamps

It finally happened...the swamp coolers gave up completely and needed to be replaced...and, they were ONLY 21 years old! If you live in Borrego, you probably have swamp coolers. They are , by far, the most economically sensible way of cooling your home, at least during the normal low humidity months which are the norm for this area.

These rather simple devices are not difficult to maintain. Pumps, motors and pads are relatively easy for the homeowner, himself, to fix or replace. However, both types of air conditioning are to be found on most Borrego homes. The other type, known as refrigeration coolers, cost a LOT more to operate, but must be used during periods of high humidity, which often occur during the summer months, particularly August. ( That is the reason so many of us choose August for our vacation )

Our old swamps served us well but today, they go to the place all old swamps go...the recycle bin. So long, good old friends!

Fouquieria columnaris-AKA: Boojum, Cirio, Candlewood

The Boojums we saw at the Gilloon garden looked so healthy and happy that I began thinking about them as drought resistant plants that could eventually grow in many Borrego gardens. They are relatively rare and difficult to find in nurseries, expensive, too...but if we request them, I think the nurseries may begin selling them. Mr. Larrik gave me one of his and I found my other cirio at a nursery stand at Quartzite, Arizona and paid less than $20 for it. Bargains are still afoot, especially when the seller thinks the plant is an ocotillo, which it certainly does resemble,especially when young! With care, a boojum will grow into a magnificent unusual specimen for your garden. If you want to see some mature plants, you can find them in Moorten Gardens, Palm Springs. Their tapering, scraggly oddness is absolutely stunning and captures your immediate attention...some even having top knots of snarly looking twigs...if human you would liken their appearance to a person having a bad hair day! The cream colored flowers usually bloom following summer rain. They can grow to 60 feet in height!

We have long been familiar with the plant, anticipating seeing the Cirio forest near Catavina, Baja California, every time we drove down the peninsula. Usually considered a plant native to Mexico, Boojums grow surprisingly well here, in Borrego Springs. In Mexico, they co-habit areas of Cardon, Yucca and Ocotillo. First named by Godfrey Sykes in 1922... his comments quoted in the N. Y. Times as, " Ho, Ho, a Boojum...definitely a Boojum". Evidently Godfrey, like I, loved Lewis Carrol's nonsensical verses..this particular plant title arising from Carroll's " The Great Snark Hunt".

I believe Borrego would be an ideal location for these plants. Our soils offer good drainage and winter temperatures are mild enough. If young plants look stressed during an unusually hot summer, shade can be provided. As they mature, they can thrive in full sun. We have two Boojums, both growing in full sun and doing quite well, requiring no more care than an Ocotillo. These slow growing plants may also be grown in containers filled with a cactus soil mix. Don't be surprised when someone asks, " Is THAT an Ocotillo? " In our garden, that question has led to many fascinating conversations!

Lilies in the Desert

I bought an Asiatic lily in the florist section a super mart - many years ago. I had seen the blooms before at the Borrego Farmer's Market floral kiosk and had admired the lush tropical lily flowers... one or two of the showy blooms had been included in each for-sale arrangement.

Have you entered a market, to shop for groceries but been drawn to a colorful display of plants and flowers, exceptionally placed to catch the eye, in shiny plastic pots enclosed within generous amounts of crisp cellophane and, perhaps, topped by a ribbon? Well, I have... and many plants, now in our garden, have come from those unlikely places! My Asiatic lily is of the Albertson variety.

I used it as a living centerpiece until the bloom faded...THEN, as a gardener who refuses to throw away any living plant, I let the top die down and planted the bulb in my flower bed on the east side of the house. Asiatic lilies make any flower arrangement look like it was purchased from a florist! It was just another of my grocery store whims, as were the potted chrysanthemums, which also have flowered and spread...there is nothing fresher looking than a mass of small white mums!

The lilies are blooming now and the chrysanthemums are budding. The narrow small bed, which also grows zinnias, parsley, peppers, African daisies , cilantro, basil and eggplants ( though at different times throughout the year ), receives water year around and is heavily mulched and shaded during summer.

I finally got around to checking Asiatic lilies in my Sunset garden book and did not find ONE zone 13 recommendation! I am so glad my lilies cannot read. Let the photo be your guide and please don't shy away from trying different plants in your garden...you might be happily surprised!

Borrego Surf ?

Paul Jorgenson's exhibit of handmade surfboards is now on display at the Gallery in Borrego Springs. Where else do you suppose you would see a surfboard made entirely of agave?

There is no doubt that he has a connection to surfing and no doubt that he is a perfectionist at his craft. Hope you can see the exhibit before the Gallery closes for the summer, at the end of April.

Now and then, I just have to harken back to our " before Borrego lives " where ocean waves rolled and tides rose and fell. Borrego is in San Diego County, so, is it any wonder that so many surf aficionados retire here?

Fouquieria splendens: A Perfect Plant for a Desert Garden

Sunset Western Garden book only gives this wonderful desert plant one short paragraph. I think it deserves much more than a casual mention!

This plant is native to the Colorado/Sonoran deserts and may be found in Arizona, Texas and Mexico. Ocotillos will grow in well drained (that's Borrego) soil at elevations from sea level to 6,000 feet. They, along with creosote, are the tough desert plants able to withstand scorching days, freezing nights, strong winds and all extremes the arid region throws at them, They have never been known to be damaged by frost in this region -in fact, are hardy to 10 degrees. If you have traveled through deserts of Arizona, Texas and Mexico, you are surprised when you notice a solitary ocotillo...only to drive on to a higher (or lower) elevation and find a cluster of them. They certainly do exhibit elevation and soil preferences...and, Borrego Springs seems to fulfill all their requirements!

I would encourage every Borrego gardener to include this specimen in a home garden for many reasons: It is extremely drought tolerant, grows slowly, requires no pruning, lives for a long time (probably over one hundred years), makes a statement in your garden with it's long canes, throws a fantastic shadow when planted near a wall, adds color to the garden with brilliant orange/red blossoms and bright green shiny leaves, attracts many types of wildlife, is easy to maintain, requires no fertilizer and looks good in any season. March to May is the ideal time slot for planting!

In full bloom now, in our garden, ocotillos are frequented by hundreds of birds. The colorful blooms may be eaten and make an interesting salad garnish. Fences , boxes, walking sticks and other crafts may be made from the canes. I have found many Roadrunner nests within the sturdy cane network. A few days ago I noticed the blooms were shaking and saw orioles, mocking birds, humming birds and finches...all sharing the nectar and seeds of this stately desert plant.

If you buy a transplant expect to pay from $25 for a smaller plant to $300 for a mature specimen. If you buy an older bare root plant, you will increase your chance of a successful transplant by insuring that three to five roots measure eighteen or more inches and always try to determine how long it has been out of the ground! Plant in a hole twice as wide as the roots but at the same level it had been used to...just above the roots. DO NOT PLANT too deep! Place heavy stones around the plant to prevent toppling. A transplant needs to be watched and watered almost a year as it recovers and adjusts to the new environment. I think they appreciate a cooling misty cane sprinkle now and then, too! After about a year, they will take care of themselves!

Signature Borrego Springs Plant: Fouquieria splendens

You will see these plants in other deserts, but I have never seen them in such great clusters or splendor than in Borrego Springs and Anza Borrego Desert State Park. In various places here are absolute forests of these gorgeous desert plants.
Desert Gardens in the State Park is just one example ...and, if you see it after a rain, you will be enchanted by the fiery bloom and rich green leaves! Hell Hole Canyon is another site to see a great aggregation of these plants.

During the dry season these statuesque plants exhibit no leaves...instead reaching for the sky with twisted brown spiny arms, leaving shadow patterns on the sand. You might even surmise they have died...but upon receiving just a small amount of moisture change into a rather tropical lush looking plant...and, now is the time to tell you a secret: We have many ocotillos in our garden. When we expect guests, we sprinkle the plants about two weeks before their arrival date. The shallow extended roots of the plant quickly take in the moisture, the canes even seem to absorb it...and our visitors always comment on their beauty!

It is said that living fences were once made here...by early native inhabitants, by Spanish explorers and by the early cowboys. Perhaps that is why today there is such an abundance of these interesting plants in this region.

Ocotillo are now in bloom. I hope you have a chance to see them. The next post will talk about ocotillos in your own garden. We were curious as to the condition of ocotillos in the Desert Garden region of Coyote Canyon...WOW! Though still a forest of flaming bloom, we quickly noted many uprooted specimens. We happened to meet the Park Ranger, who was checking the area. We mentioned the large numbers of downed plants and he told us that many were toppled in the recent windstorm, adding that 90 M.P.H. wind gusts had been recorded in the canyon. The plants had not leafed out as had ours, giving us a clue that we must have must have received more rain here, in our garden. As always, nature randomly leaves her mark, favoring some while denying others!

Food Garden Update

Strawberries now ripe. Second planting of peas now flowering. Fordhook limas planted in raised beds March 26th sprouting and covered with floating cover ( just in case )Squash planted from six pac flowering and producing. Harvesting spinach and last of lettuce. Beets recovering from aphis, carrots not yet big enough to pull ( except by the carrot loving dog ), reduced aphis infected chard to one healthy large plant, which is more than enough for two people,French radishes ( white ) are mature...and we are innundated with tomatoes!

Ocotillo Disaster

Something awful happened during the night. I can't tell you the why...only the where. In our own back yard!
One half of a large old ocotillo lay prostate on the ground. We speculated that the recent rains had provided the moisture for the new leaves and heavy bloom and gravity did the rest. The plant was over twenty feet tall and each cane was very heavy.
What to do:
Taking a clue from the past, we decided to plant all the canes in various places throughout the garden. The secret to planting is to expect failure and to greet success with elation! For many years, I have been starting new ocotillo plants from cuttings. Some have thrived and are now good sized plants . Others have not even displayed one new leaf...but it takes little effort to plant them and if they don't grow, little effort to remove them. I have had equal luck with cuttings of small OR large canes.
Everyone has seen "living fences" of cacti or ocotillo. I am sure that you have noted that not each plant is alive. Just view it as a lottery...some of those canes will be winners.
The hole in native soil must be deep enough to prevent the plant from being blown over and to keep a modicum of moisture around the buried cutting. A well around the base is helpful. Rocks laid around the base can also help keep the cane upright and help conserve moisture. Water about once a week until established. No fertilizer needed.

A Challenging Year

After the pleasant warm days the latest cold storm did not help the vegetable garden in the least. I cannot remember another year of such gardening grief... freezes, winds, birds and insects. Can this be a harbinger of things to come? Only time will tell. But, as a group, gardeners an optimistic crowd...always envisioning luscious fruit and vegetable yields, lush leaves and flowers as a result of the care given to their gardens.

If this type weather is to become the norm here, in the desert, it's up to us to devise ways of coping with our new more intense weather patterns. I refer you back to the book, Extreme Gardening, which gives lots of tips. As for our garden, these are the things we are currently trying: Framework to fit each raised bed. We decided the only way to keep the sparrows out of the vegetable garden is to cover each bed with netting. Also, during periods of frost, it will be easier to protect the plants. Project underway . The warm season garden will be planted upon completion of this project. We have added a heavy layer of mulch plus manure under citrus, olive, apple and pomegranates. ( conservation of water and some nutrition ) We have planted cacti starts throughout yard ( from pieces broken off in windstorms ) General yard clean-up...removal of loose objects throughout yard. Resetting of irrigation timers... we use the date of the equinox as our guide. As the period of daylight increases, so does the requirement for more moisture.

Meanwhile, I continue hoping that this year was but a deviant year..that next year will certainly be better. AND, THAT'S what I mean by being an optimist!

SPRING FEVER ?

You've all received them. I usually delete them but today a friend, knowing my gardening interests, sent me the following E-mail, titled "Planting Tomatoes". It sure brought a smile to my face. Hope it does to yours! ( Well, it IS gardening related and NO, I don't have spring fever. )

An old Italian gentleman lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

DEAR VINCENT, I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig a plot for me, like in the old days. Love, Papa

A few days later, he received a reply from his son.

DEAR PAPA, Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried. Love, Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, the F.B .I. agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. The same day, another letter arrived from his son.

DEAR PAPA, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances. Love you, Vinnie

Please Excuse...

Please excuse the photographer's conceit...she just couldn't help herself and took so many pictures...all of which she LOVES! A desert gardener is always grateful to see other gardens ...how we appreciate the creativity and thoughtful planning involved in making a desert garden into a place of your very own. (and don't think we won't steal a few ideas! )

ABDNHA Garden Tour 2012

Mother Nature smiled on Borrego this weekend. The ABDNHA Garden Tour went off as planned and surpassed the previous record attendance. I'll bet we walked over four miles while investigating nooks and crannies of all six gardens. We love to look at all the gardens and are always amazed at the creativity of the owners. Each garden has its' own aura and mystique, giving an insight of what the owner feels is of importance to him, personally. You might say..." Gardens never lie. "

If you attended the event, I'm sure you noticed all the happy ABDNHA volunteers. The Volunteers love to help out during the day of the tour. Not only do they get free tickets, they get to see their friends and talk to all the visitors! Thanks to all who participated in Garden Tour 2012.

Circle of Art and Garden Tour

What a weekend for Borrego Springs...a two day Circle of Art Show and a Sunday ABDNHA Garden Tour !

The vendors arrived Friday night, found their assigned sites, set up their tents and moved their paintings, pottery and handmade items near their tents ...like a gypsy band moving into Christmas Circle creating a magical place of music, cuisine and artful wares. Vendors seem like a happy lot, to me, and they seem to love the "people contact" they find at these exhibits!

Both happenings draw tons of people. What you see is the result of many, many volunteers who have been working most the year to stage the fund-raising events and, as usual, visitors are enjoying themselves immensely!

Today's photos: Circle of Art. Tomorrow's photos: The Garden Tour. Enjoy yourselves!

KER- CHOO!

The drone was constant...the aroma bewitching...a loud steady hum and upon closer observation, trees filled with bees. I don't think Borrego bees have heard yet of their scarcity! Now in bloom in this Borrego garden... olive, citrus, chuparosa, native fairy duster, brittlebush, ocotillo, some indigo, lavender, penstemon, native barrel and beavertail cacti, plus assorted other plants...KER-CHOO!

Ah, Sweet Rain

Early this morning, my weather informant called to report .84" of rain from our much needed storm. A gentle but cold rain fell throughout the weekend...cold or not, any precipitation of any kind is always welcome, especially this year. We now stand at 2.46" for the weather year. Not much...but, I'll bet enough to make all desert plants respire joyfully!

Borrego residents, too, are giving another sigh of relief....especially if you have a garden. A natural rainfall always gives gardens a boost, washes dust from leaves and makes everything look more beautiful. The desert, too, will respond in kind. Ocotillos now blossoming on bare stems will soon be covered with bright green leaves. All the perennial native plants respond quickly to rainfall.

I feel the elation of the native people who lived here in the past when they experienced rain after a period of drought. How they must have rejoiced and appreciated nature's gift to them...as do I.

And, who knows what will happen before the end of our weather year... no more, some more or much more...as usual, we'll just have to wait and see!

Ocotillo Wells

Has anyone noticed a recent increase in e-mail notifying you of upcoming activities for various organizations? My in-box is filled with notices of events I already know about and, unfortunately, they have recently become considered as spam, at least by me. How I wish organizations would become more selective as to the e-mail they send.

Now, if I seem to contradict myself, I am passing on to you a notice I received that seems to affect all Borregans. We have only until March 21st to make our comments known regarding the update to the General Plan for Ocotillo Wells State Recreational Area. Enough said. Go to planocotillowells.com to post your comments.

2012 Garden Tour

Featured below the fold in the March 15 issue of the North County section of the Union Tribune is an article about the upcoming ABDNHA Garden Tour, which I can hardly wait to see!

We have never missed a tour and have always appreciated the effort that goes into the fund raising project. Volunteers are involved from the beginning to the ending of the project...those volunteering to be "garden hosts", receiving free tickets...and, what fun they have greeting visitors as they arrive and giving them a big ABDNHA welcome! The event offers great opportunities for any gardener...especially those who call themselves " Borrego Desert Gardeners"!

In the past, Mother Nature has smiled on the tour...no rain and only one heavy wind over a period of fourteen years. As always, we just hope for the best. Tickets may be purchased online at abdnha.org or at the Nature Center, 652 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs.

Be sure to bring your camera to the event. I'm hoping to take some stunning photos!

Desert Gardeners, Last Meeting of the Season

What a great way to end the season...in a aged desert garden filled with California and Baja California desert native plants. Not only is the garden a tribute to Herchel Larrick, the creator of the collection, but a statement of the beauty that can be found in using plants adapted to local conditions, grown with very little water and , when grouped properly, form a real desert garden oasis.

The pathways beg to be traveled slowly with surprises around each bend. Hundreds of birds inhabit the area, feeding on seeds supplied both by the plants and the many feeders scattered about. The owner remarked that the quail have become almost tame and scurry to meet him when he scatters seed.

I was stunned at how fast the garden had grown since I last viewed it four years ago. The Boojum ( Cirio or Fouquiera columnaris ) trees had grown dramatically and have green trunks. The thing that really caught my attention...I saw those sweet sparrows in that garden, too...BUT, not the little vegetable plant destroyers that are in our garden...they were flocking to the bird feeders. Can it be possible THAT is all we need to prevent plant damage? Well, we have another plan in mind, as you will soon see!

Encelia farinosa

One plant that should be included in any dry land garden is Encelia farinosa, or brittle bush. This plant was well known by the early inhabitants of the region. The sticky sap was used as glue or melted and used as varnish. It can be chewed as gum. The plant was made into a tea and served a variety of medicinal uses. It was also burned as "incienso" by the early Friars.

Our lot included many varieties of local native plants. ( one reason we chose it...) One plant was conspicuously missing, however. Not one brittle bush was present on our lot and we searched many nurseries before we located one that even grew the common plant. Now, many nurseries stock these showy well adapted arid plants. We bought five of the one gallon size and, before long, they naturalized and spread throughout the entire lot. We have given many starts to friends and actually have to weed them out of the gravel driveway, where they spring up after each rain.

They require little water, grow quickly, look good during any season and blossom into a mass of yellow each spring. They fill the garden with color, attract birds, are eaten by rabbits as a last resort and are a perfect fill-in plant. The pastel gray-green foliage blends with other desert plants perfectly and they require a minimum of effort to grow. They will survive on as little as five annual inches of rain. None of our brittle bush are irrigated. During drought, they will just shed a few leaves, maintain their branches , wait for rain...then leaf out!

After they have bloomed, we let the flower heads dry on the bush. Birds love the seeds, In the late summer or early fall, we prune off the stiff brittle flower stalks to create a more attractive compact plant.

More Wind!

March winds swept across Borrego yesterday...this time gusts around 65 MPH. Other parts of the desert nearby also experienced winds. Some Palm Spring routes were closed and the radio advised against traveling in the area. Unfortunately for us, we happened to be driving home along highway 78, returning from Brawley, just when the winds were strongest. The sun was completely obliterated by clouds of dust and sand. The highway lane markers were non-existent and our trip home was accompanied by flashing emergency lights, headlights and twenty mph speeds! WHEW! We didn't like it and the pitted car didn't like it either.

What was so amazing about the trip were the feelings we experienced while traveling through the storm. There was an eerie sense of isolation...similar to how you feel when caught in a boat in heavy fog or in the white-out of a heavy snow storm. No familiar sights can be seen...you are caught up in nature's plan and it certainly captures all your attention!

A reminder...

Now is the time to plant native desert plants. ABDNHA's native plant sale is on Saturday, March 3rd. 9 am to 4 PM at the Nature Center. This is a good opportunity to familiarize yourself with local native plants and visualize how they would look in your own garden. Programs of interest to desert gardeners are also being offered during the day. To inquire, call the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.

The Dentist

I'll bet some of you have had the same experience...your dentist has moved, retired or quit practicing. It happened here, in Borrego.

Dr. Wimer was Borrego's dentist. He had been practicing here for years. His office, located in the Center, was only a few minutes drive from anywhere in Borrego. He was an affable, competent and sympathetic person, a pleasure to talk to ( when nothing else was in your mouth ) and always ended the visit by telling you to, " Keep up the good job..." what ever that meant - I assume flossing or brushing. Well, a few months ago, Dr. Wimer died and his office closed, even though the phone line was still open. The place was up for sale and patients were either advised to wait or told to choose another dentist.

Those of us who had faith in Borrego ( and had no toothaches ) decided on a wait and see attitude. We were almost sure things would work out. Well they did and my first appointment is next Monday. Borrego came through again and without divine intervention, I suspect! The practice was bought by the Borrego Health Foundation.

Long live home town dentistry!

More Desert Discoveries

Our crackers and cookies stay crisp for a long time while bread and dried fruits become hard and inedible within a few days. Lotions, shampoos and creamers lose moisture and become more concentrated so we avoid the super size bottles. You also need to check your potted plants or flower arrangements often. Water in rarely used shower or sink traps evaporates quickly... if you don't keep the traps filled, sewer gas will escape from them. Evaporative coolers prevent excessive evaporation. If you program them on timers while you are away you can maintain adequate moisture in the house. I have never returned from a vacation to find dried out drains or plants.

Yes, we have no mosquitos but we sure have a nasty substitute...no see-ums. They are worst after rain and THEY ARE AWFUL! You can hear them...ZZZSST... and can't even tell if you have been bitten until the next day but, then, expect three days swelling and itching. Most desert gardeners have learned to wear long sleeved shirts, long pants and a hat when working outside, especially during no-see-um season!

For those little "jobs around the house" ...Don't plan on glues or caulking to remain usable for very long. They will dry out, even if unopened. The same with paint. It is best to purchase these items just before you intend to use them. One of my pet peeves is to try open a tiny tube of Super Glue only to find it has hardened. I'll bet Super Glue is one one of the hottest items at Ace Hardware!

Birds Like Tomatoes, Too!

Tomatoes picked with just a tint of red will ripen inside the house. I can't STAND seeing holes pecked in ripe red tomatoes on the vine . I hate to toss them over the wall where they always seem to disappear. Coyotes probably are appreciative...our loss, their gain. SO, I've been picking them before they ripen. As soon as they turn red, I immerse them in simmering water for a minute or so . The skins slip off easily. Seeds are squeezed out , the fruit diced and put into pint freezer bags then put into the freezer.

It is especially nice to have home grown tomatoes available for soups, pastas, stews or other dishes throughout the year. Too bad, coyotes and birds!,

Desert Discoveries

Borrego Springs is no exception...it is like the surrounding desert in many unusual ways.

When we first moved to Borrego Springs we discovered things about living in the desert that we could not before have imagined! True, we had visited dry land environments in the past, but had never stayed for extended periods of time. I thought someone might be interested in our desert discoveries of a different kind...

The first thing we noticed was the absolute quiet and stillness of the night, broken only by an occasional coyote howl or soft whoo-whoo of an owl. On Holidays or during the season, you may hear the far off sound of a Yamaha now and then, but not usually after Borrego Midnight ( 9 PM ). Summer nights, especially, are awesome in their silence. We never looked at stars very often because they were dim where city lights shine all night. Borrego skies are dazzling. Here, you can hear the flap of raven wings, the buzz of bees, footsteps on gravel, bird calls, crickets, and even the noise of a near-by small earthquake! The air is sometimes so dry that static electricity actually makes hair stand on end and I've had surprisingly strong shocks when simply making the bed! Give the dog a pat on the head and surprise both of you with an electric zing! One more oddity... elastic items often lose stretching power...ask any lady who has found her panty hose slipping !

More to come...