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...

Lantana

Our lantana had stopped blooming and had become a mass of woody twigs. An article in Phoenix Home and Garden advised cutting back to a few inches. The article explained that lavender lantana blooms in spring and fall while yellow colored varieties are summer bloomers. As each variety dies back it is beneficial to cut them back to assure they issue profuse blooms during their flowering periods.

Lantana needs no fertilizer and does well in the low desert without high water requirements. We have yellow , lavender and a mixed fuchsia variety. The lavender lantana is in bloom now. The yellow and fuchsia varieties have been cut back.

These plants make excellent ground cover, retard weed growth and have little litter. Our fuchsia variety forms large seeds upon which the resident mocking birds feed.

The Saga Continues

I've developed a love-hate relationship with those darn sparrows! So much so that I can't stand to get rid of their photos so I'm dropping them to the bottom of the page.

They are such persistent, quick and active creatures that you really have to admire them...and they are so cute with those crisp white stripes on their heads. Though they have done a lot of damage to the garden, I am taking their actions as a reminder that I, in fact, have to become more clever. The new peas I planted have sprouted. They are still covered with shade cloth so the sparrows don't know about them...YET.

I'm still considering my options.

Roadrunner Meeting

The traditional Roadrunner Nursery meeting was well attended, as expected. We all owe a big THANK YOU to Mike Spiekerman who always surprises us with treats, water, a no-cost raffle and special plant prices, just for the Desert Gardeners! He always chooses a timely topic and passes on his gardening lore. Bees, Mesquites and Agaves were the main subjects this year and each us discovered something new...as always!

I especially love the way Mike introduces his crew. The rapport he shares with his helpers is immediately noticeable and is wonderful to see. Each year, artistic changes are made at this nursery. It just keeps getting better and better! It is fast becoming a place not just to purchase plants or fruit, but a place to stroll, look around and enjoy desert scenery. I always try to visit during the cactus bloom...just gorgeous!

Solar Farm

The project is underway...Borrego 1 Solar Project. If you have wondered about the giant piles of ground and chopped wood, they are a part of the ground clearing that will result in Borrego's first solar farm. This electric generating facility is located on approximately 308 acres of flat fallowed land south of Henderson Canyon Rd. and east of Borrego Valley Rd. The fields involved contain little native vegetation, rather dry Saharan mustard.( good riddance )

The project, under taken by NRG Solar, when completed, will generate enough energy to power 20,800 homes. The non-reflective modules convert sunlight into DC electricity, which will flow into an inverter which will output AC electricity. The current will then flow to a transformer which will increase voltage then move to a substation where it will be increased to 69 kV...and, finally, move into the present substation switchyard on Borrego Valley Road.

On-site personnel will be present during the complete construction project. Tilting non-reflective panels will average six feet in height. Shaded units up to ten feet in height will protect and contain the inverters and transformers. An average of 140 workers will be on-site during construction. Security systems will protect the project when completed. The field will not be lit at night and all other lighting systems have adhered to our dark sky concepts. The existing substation will be expanded to approximately 1 acre in size.

Sources: Borrego 1 Solar Project and NRG Borrego Solar Project Fact Sheet

The Return of the Sparrows

I guess it was too much to hope for...They are back and have decided they like orange juice before the green entree ( lettuce, chard and radish salad ).
NOW, we will see if the secret weapon works!

Water, Water, Water !

Well, it rained on the other side of the mountains but missed us again. As always, it's a wait-and-see situation but all plants, including natives, look thirsty, to me. Water, water, water... a precious commodity and just when the water department seems to be having fiscal problems. Rate increases seem to be imminent.

We plan to conserve as much as is possible and still maintain our garden area. Another look at our garden revealed some plants that were not doing so well but were still being irrigated. Those plants will be removed and the irrigation turned off. Other plants seem to be getting more water than they need. We will adjust watering times and periods- then, keep a close watch. After checking the watering system, we are adding an extra layer of mulch around trees and shrubs.

If we all tried to conserve and Water Department revenues dipped, there would still be a dilemma, don't you think? I think our best bet is to hope for rain!

Water Spout in Desert

No desert animals will ever knock down this garden hose connection! An inventive Borrego Springs gardener came up with a good idea for protecting and insulating his garden hose connections. You may ask why it is smart to protect the water service pipe. If you've ever seen one that has broken, you will know the answer.

I have called the water department several times to report water gushing into the air from broken PVC lines on neighbor's properties and found them on our own property at least four times. Coyotes on the chase have broken our PVC risers three times and too strong a tug on the garden hose the other time.


I can imagine a horrendous water bill if the owner is away and the broken line has gone un-noticed...to say nothing of all that water going to waste! Note that the container surrounding the riser is filled with gravel. A coyote would have a bad headache if he ran into this highly visible water source!

February Garden

I looked up seed planting dates in my desert gardening book and found out peas could be planted till the middle of Feb. Yesterday, I pulled out the remainder of the derelict bird-eaten and wind whipped vines. Today, in enriched soil, I am replanting peas in hopes that a second crop will be more fruitful than the first. All cactus broken by the wind has hardened and been replanted. Since adequate rain is absent, I flash- flooded specimen yard cacti. ( with a hose ) They are not irrigated and during dry spells appreciate a once per month watering. Native cacti need no additional water, however.

There is still time to plant seeds... carrots,lettuce, onions, potatoes, radishes, bok choy, beets and spinach...herbs, parsley, cilantro, fennel and dill. By mid month you can start to plant melons, summer squash and cucumbers. I have already planted some transplants of zucchini and they seem to be doing well, as is the artichoke. The transplants of eggplant are alive but not thriving. My pepper transplants are alive but not flourishing. The strawberries are not flowering but look healthy and have put out new shoots.

I found aphis on the chard for the first time, ever. Controlling them with a strong stream of water.