Thanks for having me out, Jana. Below is everything we went over, in the order we walked the property, with the details on each so you have it all in one place.
As a consult client, you're already in the Garden Nerd Club, so you have direct access to me there. If questions come up while you work through any of this, ask me there anytime.
Tall trees for a tunnel effect
This part of the driveway doesn't get used and cars don't come in here, so on either side you want very tall trees that grow fast and create a tunnel effect as you come in. Carob, tipu, and mesquite are all good options. Oleander could also grow up and over for the same tunnel effect.
The other entrance to the home is the same idea and the same options, so this covers both.
Carob
Evergreen shade tree, 30 to 40 feet, with dark glossy leaves and a dense, rounded canopy. Handles full sun and heat. Female trees drop pods, so it's best out away from walkways.
Tipu
Fast growing shade tree with a wide umbrella canopy and yellow flowers in late spring, 30 to 50 feet. Gives serious shade fast. It drops some leaves and pods, which is fine out in the lawn.
Native Velvet Mesquite
The native mesquite, 25 to 30 feet, with a wide, airy canopy and filtered shade that still lets plants grow underneath. It supports local wildlife in ways the non native hybrids don't: its spring flowers feed native bees, birds nest and shelter in it, and the pods feed wildlife. Tough in full sun and takes less water than plants that aren't desert adapted.
Oleander
Fast and evergreen with flowers most of the year. Trained up into tree form, with the lower branches removed, it grows up and over for a tunnel effect. Every part of the plant is toxic if eaten, so keep that in mind with pets and kids.
- Spacing: plant the trees about 6 to 10 feet back from the edge of the driveway on each side. As they grow, the canopies reach out over the drive and meet in the middle.
- Training: as they grow, gradually remove the lower branches on the driveway side so the canopy lifts up and arches over. A few each year is plenty.
- Clearance: anywhere the RV or trucks will pass, keep raising the canopy over time until there's at least 14 feet of clearance.
- Size: start with 15 gallon trees. Smaller trees establish faster and always end up being better trees long term than big boxed ones.
- Planting: find the root flare, where the trunk widens into the roots, before you dig, and set the tree so the flare sits slightly above the surrounding ground. Backfill with native soil plus a tiny bit of compost, lay compost on top, then mulch over it, held a foot back from the trunk.
- Water: a deep, slow soak once or twice a week the first year, then stretch it out as it settles in.
Replacing the purple plum
This purple plum just wasn't in the right spot with all the hot afternoon sun. A desert willow would be my first choice here because of the color. Texas ebony is another good option.
Desert Willow
Native, 15 to 25 feet, with orchid like trumpet flowers in pink, purple, or white all summer. A light, airy canopy that stays a safe size near the house, takes full afternoon sun, and loses its leaves in winter.
Texas Ebony
Compact, evergreen tree, 15 to 25 feet, with dark green leaves, a dense canopy, and cream colored flowers in late spring. Slow to moderate growth, very tough in full west sun, and a well behaved size near the house. Has small thorns on young growth.
- Take the plum out and plant the new tree a couple of feet off from the old spot so the roots go into fresh soil.
- Size: start with 15 gallon trees. Smaller trees establish faster and always end up being better trees long term than big boxed ones.
- Planting: find the root flare, where the trunk widens into the roots, before you dig, and set the tree so the flare sits slightly above the surrounding ground. Backfill with native soil plus a tiny bit of compost, lay compost on top, then mulch over it, held a foot back from the trunk.
- Water: a deep, slow soak once or twice a week the first year, then stretch it out as it settles in.
A tree where the eucalyptus used to be
This side of the house faces west and gets blasted by the afternoon sun. The eucalyptus that used to be here is gone, and you don't want anything huge that could be a threat to the house. Desert willow is my first option again, and Texas ebony is the second. Mulga acacia is another good one. All three stay a safe, manageable size.
Desert Willow
Native, 15 to 25 feet, with orchid like trumpet flowers in pink, purple, or white all summer. A light, airy canopy that stays a safe size near the house, takes full afternoon sun, and loses its leaves in winter.
Texas Ebony
Compact, evergreen tree, 15 to 25 feet, with dark green leaves, a dense canopy, and cream colored flowers in late spring. Slow to moderate growth, very tough in full west sun, and a well behaved size near the house. Has small thorns on young growth.
Mulga Acacia
Australian native, 15 to 20 feet, with fine silvery green evergreen leaves and yellow flower spikes in spring. Stays a manageable size near the house and takes full west sun.
- Keep it at least 8 to 10 feet from the house so the canopy and roots have room.
- Size: start with 15 gallon trees. Smaller trees establish faster and always end up being better trees long term than big boxed ones.
- Planting: find the root flare, where the trunk widens into the roots, before you dig, and set the tree so the flare sits slightly above the surrounding ground. Backfill with native soil plus a tiny bit of compost, lay compost on top, then mulch over it, held a foot back from the trunk.
- Water: a deep, slow soak once or twice a week the first year, then stretch it out as it settles in.
Fill in between the honeysuckle
Along the driveway where you park the RV, there are gaps between all the honeysuckle. Adding plants in between them is mainly about cooling down the block wall. A wall that's covered stops soaking up heat all day and radiating it back out all night.
You can add more honeysuckle for one continuous hedge, or mix in orange jubilee, yellow bells, or hopseed to fill in.
Orange Jubilee
Fast and lush, with big clusters of orange trumpet flowers spring through fall that hummingbirds love. Grows 10 to 12 feet tall. A hard freeze can nip it back, but it grows right back in spring. Plant 4 to 5 feet apart.
Yellow Bells
Bright yellow trumpet flowers spring through fall on lush green foliage, 8 to 12 feet tall. Takes full sun and heat and handles some shade. A hard freeze can nip it back. Plant 5 to 6 feet apart.
Hopseed
Fast growing native evergreen that fills in to a dense 8 to 12 foot screen. Stays fairly narrow and upright, so it fits tighter spots. Takes less water than plants that aren't desert adapted and handles reflected heat off a block wall. Plant 4 to 5 feet apart.
Here's a short video on orange jubilee.
Planting the hedge
- Plant 3 to 4 feet off the wall so the back of the hedge gets light and air and doesn't rub on the block.
- Backfill with the native soil plus a tiny bit of compost in the hole, lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost, a foot back from the trunks.
- Water new plants deeply two to three times a week for the first few weeks, then stretch it out. Give each one its own emitters.
Mulch to start building the soil
Back here, you want to start improving the soil and cooling things down. Mulch is the way to do it. It covers the ground, keeps the soil cooler and moister, and slowly breaks down into the kind of soil plants actually want to grow in.
- Right over the rock: no need to pull the rock. Lay 3 to 4 inches of mulch right on top. Over time it breaks down into the rock and starts building soil underneath.
- What kind: natural wood mulch. Arborist chips, a mix of wood and leaves, are the best for building soil. Skip dyed mulch.
- Compost first: for faster results, spread an inch of compost on the rock first and lay the mulch over it.
- Keep it back: a foot back from tree trunks and a few inches off shrub stems.
- Top it up: add a fresh inch or two each year as it breaks down. That breakdown is what feeds the soil.
- Where to get it: Arizona Worm Farm has good mulch and compost. We can also deliver and spread it for you at $150 per cubic yard.
The three trees: check the root flares
Check the root flares on these three trees. The root flare is where the trunk widens out into the roots, and it needs to be exposed to air. When it's buried, the bark stays wet, starts to rot, and roots can begin circling and choking the trunk. This video shows why it matters, with real examples.
Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.
Checking and exposing the root flares
- Pull the soil, rock, and mulch back from the base of each trunk.
- Use a strong stream of water from a hose to clear the soil away, then a hand trowel or your fingers. A shovel can damage the roots.
- Keep going until you see the trunk widen out and the first big roots heading sideways. If the trunk goes straight into the ground like a pole, it's buried.
- Cut away any small roots wrapping around the trunk, then leave the flare at or just above grade, sloping the soil gently away from it.
Feeding these with compost and organic fertilizer is covered in the Fertilizing section below.
The citrus especially needs this to produce good fruit. Making fruit takes a lot of energy, and an underfed citrus drops its flowers and young fruit. On top of the routine in the Fertilizing section, give the citrus an extra feeding around Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.
Ground cover under the pine
Under the pine tree there's a lot of open dirt and open space. Yellow dot and trailing rosemary are both good ground covers here, and here are a few more.
Yellow Dot
Fast, bright green mat with little yellow daisy flowers most of the year. Covers bare ground quickly and handles the filtered shade under a pine.
Trailing Rosemary
Spills and spreads 4 to 6 feet with blue flowers bees love in winter and spring. Takes full sun and reflected heat, and you can cook with it.
Trailing Emu Bush (Outback Sunrise)
Low and spreading, under a foot tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Gray green leaves with orange red flowers winter through spring that hummingbirds love. Takes full sun and reflected heat and drops very little.
Myoporum
Dense, lush green mat that spreads 6 to 9 feet wide with small white flowers. Fastest way to cover a lot of ground with fewer plants. Space them 5 to 6 feet apart.
Trailing Indigo Bush
Native groundcover with silvery foliage that hugs the ground and small purple flowers in spring. Very low water and handles reflected heat off concrete really well.
Frogfruit
Native, low, spreading mat with tiny white flowers that pollinators love. Handles sun or shade and fills in open dirt fast.
You can't fit all of these. Pick a few favorites and repeat them so it looks intentional.
- Use 1 gallon plants so you don't have to dig big holes through the pine's roots. If you hit a big root, move over.
- Keep plantings 3 feet or more from the trunk and don't add soil on top of the root zone.
- Pines pull a lot of water, so give the ground covers their own emitters and water a bit more the first few weeks.
Bougainvillea: wait to prune
You don't need to prune the bougainvillea now. Leave them as they are through the winter. The outer growth protects the inner stems on cold nights, so if a frost hits, it's the outside that takes the damage.
Then at the end of winter, going into spring, prune them down.
- When: late February into March, once the frost danger has passed.
- How: cut out any frost damaged or dead wood first, then shape them and cut back as much as you want. They take a hard prune well and flush out fast.
- After: compost and mulch around the base and a deep watering will push out a big wave of new growth and color.
A vine for the empty side of the arbor
One side of this arbor doesn't have a vine yet. Tangerine crossvine is a great fit. Or, for something different, a passion fruit would work well too, with fruit as a bonus.
Tangerine Crossvine
Evergreen vine with orange trumpet flowers in spring and on and off through the year. Self clinging and fast, and it handles part shade, which makes it a great fit under the citrus.
Passion Fruit
Fast growing vine with showy purple and white flowers and fruit through summer and fall. Climbs an arbor quickly. Cover it on frosty nights, and give it deep, infrequent water.
- Plant about a foot out from the post and lean the vine in toward it.
- Tie the first canes loosely to the post as they grow. Once they reach the top, they'll spread across on their own.
- Passion fruit is frost tender, so cover it on cold nights its first couple of winters.
Lining the hot east side
This is the east facing side of the house, and it gets very hot because of the block on the house and the block wall. Lining it with hopseed, Arizona rosewood, or Barbados cherry would be a good option. Any of them will shade the walls and cool this whole corridor down.
Hopseed
Fast growing native evergreen that fills in to a dense 8 to 12 foot screen. Stays fairly narrow and upright, so it fits tighter spots. Takes less water than plants that aren't desert adapted and handles reflected heat off a block wall. Plant 4 to 5 feet apart.
Arizona Rosewood
Native evergreen with dark, glossy leaves that grows 10 to 15 feet tall. Dense, tidy, very low litter, and one of the best screens for full sun and reflected heat. Plant 5 to 6 feet apart.
Barbados Cherry
Shrub, 6 to 10 feet, with glossy green leaves, small pink flowers, and bright red, tangy cherries several times a year. Loves full sun and heat. Protect it on frosty nights while it's young.
Planting the hedge
- Plant 3 to 4 feet off the wall so the back of the hedge gets light and air and doesn't rub on the block.
- Backfill with the native soil plus a tiny bit of compost in the hole, lay compost on top of the soil, then mulch over the compost, a foot back from the trunks.
- Water new plants deeply two to three times a week for the first few weeks, then stretch it out. Give each one its own emitters.
Tropical plants that grow well here
Here's a list of tropical plants that do well in the desert and that you can grow without too much trouble. Most of them want a spot with afternoon shade, regular water, lots of compost, and some frost cloth on the coldest nights.
Greenlife Nursery is the place to go for tropicals. They grow and sell plants that are proven in our climate and can point you to the right varieties.
Mango
Tropical fruit tree that does well here with afternoon shade and cold protection. Seedling grown trees tend to be tougher than grafted ones in our heat.
Banana
Big tropical leaves that add a lush look fast. Does best with afternoon shade, regular water, and lots of compost. Frost burns the leaves back, but it regrows from the base.
Guava
Tropical shrub or small tree, 10 to 15 feet, with fragrant fruit in late summer and fall. Best with afternoon shade and frost protection while young.
Barbados Cherry
Shrub, 6 to 10 feet, with glossy green leaves, small pink flowers, and bright red, tangy cherries several times a year. Loves full sun and heat. Protect it on frosty nights while it's young.
Plumeria
Thick branches with big, fragrant flowers all summer. Does great in pots or in the ground with good drainage. Keep it dry in winter and protect it from frost.
Star Fruit
Small tropical tree with glossy leaves and star shaped fruit. Needs a warm, protected spot with afternoon shade and cover on cold nights.
Sugar Cane
Tall, grassy canes that give a lush, tropical look and are fun to harvest and chew. Loves heat, regular water, and compost.
Royal Poinciana
Wide, umbrella shaped tropical tree covered in red orange flowers in summer. Needs a warm, protected spot and frost protection while young.
- Plant tropicals in spring once frost danger is past, so they have the whole warm season to settle in before their first winter.
- Tuck them into protected spots: the east side of a building or under the edge of a bigger tree's canopy.
- Keep frost cloth on hand and cover them any night that's forecast to drop near freezing.
Taking care of the Bermuda
Watering
- Water deeply and less often so the roots grow deep. In summer, two to three long waterings a week rather than a little every day.
- Stretch it out as it cools down in fall. Once it goes dormant in winter, every two to three weeks is plenty.
- Water early in the morning so less is lost to evaporation.
Feeding
- Spread a quarter inch of compost over the lawn in spring and fall.
- Worm castings every quarter.
- The Catalyst fertilizers in the Fertilizing section below, at the label rate during the growing season, April through October. They work great on grass and really green it up.
- Core aerate once a year in late spring or early summer, and spread the compost right after so it falls into the holes.
Mowing
Mow at about 1.5 to 2 inches and never take off more than a third of the blade at once. Taller grass shades its own soil and holds moisture longer.
Feeding the olive tree
This olive tree will really benefit from regular feeding and compost. Olives are tough, but a big, mature tree like this one is pulling a lot from the soil, and feeding it keeps the canopy full and healthy.
The full feeding routine, compost, worm castings, and organic fertilizer, is in the Fertilizing section below.
A native velvet mesquite on either side of the driveway
Here on the front driveway, I'd plant a native velvet mesquite on either side. It's the native mesquite, and it has a lot of benefits for local wildlife that the other mesquites don't. That way they can grow up and shade over the driveway while still leaving it open for cars to come in and out. Put one on one side closer to the house, and the other on the opposite side closer to the street.
Do the same thing on the other side of the driveway: one mesquite closer to the house, and another across from it, so together they fully shade the driveway.
Native Velvet Mesquite
The native mesquite, 25 to 30 feet, with a wide, airy canopy and filtered shade that still lets plants grow underneath. It supports local wildlife in ways the non native hybrids don't: its spring flowers feed native bees, birds nest and shelter in it, and the pods feed wildlife. Tough in full sun and takes less water than plants that aren't desert adapted.
- Spacing: plant the trees about 6 to 10 feet back from the edge of the driveway on each side. As they grow, the canopies reach out over the drive and meet in the middle.
- Training: as they grow, gradually remove the lower branches on the driveway side so the canopy lifts up and arches over. A few each year is plenty.
- Clearance: anywhere the RV or trucks will pass, keep raising the canopy over time until there's at least 14 feet of clearance.
- Size: start with 15 gallon trees. Smaller trees establish faster and always end up being better trees long term than big boxed ones.
- Planting: find the root flare, where the trunk widens into the roots, before you dig, and set the tree so the flare sits slightly above the surrounding ground. Backfill with native soil plus a tiny bit of compost, lay compost on top, then mulch over it, held a foot back from the trunk.
- Water: a deep, slow soak once or twice a week the first year, then stretch it out as it settles in.
Native pollinator plants for the front yard
For the front yard in general, here's a good list of desert adapted native plants that attract pollinators. Together they'll keep something blooming almost all year and bring in butterflies, hummingbirds, and native bees.
Desert Milkweed
Native, upright gray green stems with cream flowers, 3 to 4 feet. A host plant for monarch and queen butterflies.
Gregg's Mistflower
Soft, mounding native covered in fuzzy purple flowers spring through fall. Butterflies swarm it.
Chuparosa
Native with green stems and red tubular flowers through winter and spring. A hummingbird favorite when little else is blooming.
Globe Mallow
Native with silvery leaves and cup shaped orange flowers in spring. Native bees love it.
Penstemon
Tall flower spikes in red, pink, or purple in spring. Hummingbirds and native bees love it. Plant in fall for spring blooms.
Desert Marigold
Low mound of gray leaves with bright yellow daisies most of the year. Reseeds itself and keeps color going.
Pink Fairy Duster
Native, low and airy, with soft pink puffball flowers in late winter and spring. Bees and hummingbirds love it.
Red Yucca
Grassy clumps with tall coral red flower spikes spring through fall. A hummingbird magnet and extremely tough.
Brittlebush
Native, silvery mound covered in bright yellow daisies in late winter and spring. Native bees love it, and it fills space fast.
- Plant in groups of three or more of each kind. Pollinators find big patches much more easily than single plants.
- Fall is the best time to plant these. They root in over winter and bloom hard in spring.
- Skip pesticides here. Caterpillars on the milkweed are a good sign.
Fertilizing
Everything in this write-up comes back to the soil. Feeding is really about feeding the soil life. Fungi, bacteria, and worms break down organic matter and hand nutrients to the roots, which is what helps new trees establish, keeps the hedges thick, gets the citrus producing good fruit, keeps the olive full and healthy, and greens up the lawn, all without synthetic fertilizers. Here's the exact approach I use, so you can do it yourself.
- Compost, and be generous. On trees, spread it in a wide ring around the drip line, the outer edge of the canopy where most of the feeder roots are, from about halfway in to a couple feet past the edge. On shrubs, hedges, and vines, put it closer in, from a few inches off the stems out about a foot past the edge of the plant. Go 1 to 2 inches deep, and if you're unsure, go thicker rather than thinner. You really can't overdo quality compost. Do this three times a year: late winter (February), early summer (May), and fall (October).
- Worm castings every quarter. Every three months, scatter worm castings over the same areas: a few cups around each shrub and a couple pounds around the drip line of each tree. Castings are loaded with beneficial microbes that bring the soil to life. When it lines up with a compost round, put the castings down first and the compost right over them.
- A good organic fertilizer. These are the three products we use and recommend, all from Catalyst. Apply them at the label rate on the schedule each one gives.
Jenner 8
Liquid organic feed for the whole landscape.
Organic Nitro Jen
Organic nitrogen to push healthy green growth.
Kelp Fertilizer
Kelp based feed that supports roots and overall plant health.
You can find all three on the Catalyst website. Click Products, then Home and Garden.
- Water it all in. Give everything a deep watering right after you put it down so it soaks into the root zone.
- Mulch over the top. Mulch goes over the compost to keep it moist and cool so the soil life can do its work. Hold it a foot back from trunks and stems. No need to work any of it into the soil.
Compost, worm castings, and mulch are all at Arizona Worm Farm.
If you'd rather we handle it
Our monthly landscape fertilizing program feeds the whole yard for you.
- Covers all the trees, the citrus and olive, the hedges and shrubs, and the lawn
- Monthly compost based liquid feeding across the full landscape
- Compost applications three times a year
- A recap video sent to you after each visit
Quick reference
Organic fertilizers
Catalyst (Products, then Home and Garden)Compost, mulch, worm castings
Arizona Worm FarmTropical plants
Greenlife NurseryRoot flare video
Why the root flare mattersOrange jubilee video
Watch on YouTubeArborist
King's Tree ServiceIrrigation
Garrett: 480-678-9121Questions
Ask me anytime in the Garden Nerd ClubNext steps
You can take this list and do it yourself, and I'm right there in the Garden Nerd Club if you want a second set of eyes along the way. If you'd rather have us handle the planting, like the driveway trees, the hedges, and the mulch, I can put together a planting proposal for you.
For anything irrigation related, call Garrett at 480-678-9121.
You can see more of what we do on our planting services page.