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!