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Last week I urge you guys and gals to start your seeding for the summer, June through October vegetables. Now that you’ve done so it’s time to keep up with the housekeeping. My gardening tips for Yuma, AZ zone 10 and 10A. I’m sure there are professionals out there that knows best however, I’m just a backyard gardener.

We’ll cover container gardening, garden on wheels…

Backyard gardening, what to do…

Planting plants together for shade support…

What to use to protect your plants…

Last but not least, do not forget to water your plants…

Okay, so here we go.

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GARDENING TIPS ZONE 10 AND 10A, YUMA, AZ

CONTAINER GARDENING

Tip # 1

You’ve decided that your place is too small and you used containers as your garden. You have done your work and hopefully, you put them (containers) on planter trolleys.

This is the best part about having a garden on wheels. You can move them around without much work. You can move it to a shaded area, a cooler side, or roll them out for a couple of hours of sunshine. That’s not too much work when you’re passionate about your garden.

However, I love my garden but I not willing to go get burn or get heat-related injuries. Oh, don’t forget sunscreens!

Tip # 2

BACKYARD GARDENING

Oh, people with a background let’s see what we can do, shall we? Having a background vegetable garden is a lot more work than container gardening. Even with a nice garden with flowers and exotic flowers or plants, either way, we have to protect them.

EXOTIC GARDEN COMMUNITY

Tip # 3

Plant sun hardy plants, shrubs and brushes together, as the heat from the sun ray strikes with its hot beam some hardier plants well help defend the weaker shrubs.

For example:

Lemongrass is heat tolerant and it can withstand any sunrays because it (lemongrass) loves the sun. It will totally not be damaged, as long as the lemongrass gets regular watering, every other day. Mind you that the lemongrass is already established.

Aloe is another great choice to plant as a heat defender. What’s great about aloe is that its medicinal properties are great for sunburns. (Some people are allergic to aloe.) Plant one of these and soon it will have plenty of shoot or offsets and aloe babies call pups, you can transplant in another area.

Sunflowers are awesome, not only it loves the heat but it is also a gorgeous addition to your garden whether it’s a vegetable garden or a beautiful garden. You’ll have plenty of seeds to plant and roast for your entire family to enjoy.

Since these are big, tall, and beautiful keep them in the back. When they grow they will act as a border and shorter plants will be in front of the sunflowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sansevieria cylindrica or African spears. These tall round slender stalks are very pointy so be careful when planting them around young children.

They are exotic plants and also a semi-heat tolerant which can be planted after some strong heat-loving plants. I thought it could tolerate the Yuma’s sunray, unfortunately, its pigmentation started to fade and the top started to dry up. So, do not use it as border plants unless it’s shaded. Big mistake on my part.

As you can see that I have planted mind under my moringa trees and it’s shaded by them. I also have a pomegranate bush, probably a tree volunteer as well. Pomegranate is also great in Yuma as well. Of course, pomegranate is fruit trees so make sure not to crowd them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of exotic plants, moringa oleifera is an excellent heat and water-tolerant tree/bush. Read about my moringa trees here. They are an excellent food source and beautiful green foliage for the summer. One of mother nature’s mega/super food.

My husband and I chopped our moringa trees down to convert them into bushes. You can’t kill moringa trees once, it is established and producing pods.

Mother-in-law’s tongue or snake plant is great to have. Semi heat and water-tolerant great to plant outside or inside. They make a great indoor plant as well.

This Sansevieria trifasciata grow with rhizome so if you have them in your garden make sure to thin them out if you don’t want them invading other spaces. In pots thin them out and transplant them into another pot and give them out as gifts, excellent! 😀

Don’t forget the purple addition to any green foliage. They are heat and water tolerant and it goes well with any arrangements. You have your borders of greens, yellows, and then add a splash of purple/violet what have ya into the mix.

Don’t forget about the roses of many colors they are so beautiful when bloom. Roses regrow every six weeks so you’ll have plenty of colors to look forward to. Some red-orange, deep reds, yellows, and white ones. What a beautiful garden just thinking about it.

Tip # 4

COVER THEM

Protect your vegetables garden with sail shade. Sail shade is a must have when you’re gardening in Yuma. My first year in this city, I killed all my vegetables and Hmong herbs because I was ignorant about the summer here in Yuma. At the end of summer, I had a funeral, had to bury them and start over. ;(

Took me four years to get it right, not perfect but right. Be sure to cover them to protect it from mother nature’s wrath, must be that time of the year… no, I think so! \●/ >.> … <.< just a little humor.

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Here is a video to help anyone who needs help or supplies by putting up a sun sail shade.

 

 

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Tip # 5

Water

Water is very important when the dry heat is upon us. Our monsoon is upon us as well however, we’ll be lucky if we get rain. All we get is a little moisture, hurricane, and dust blowing at 25 mph up to 40 mph gusts.

Don’t forget to use an irrigation system for your garden, whether it’s container garden or backyard gardening. It will make your life easier and more enjoyable. I use one all the time.

Who doesn’t want a peace of mind when your vegetables watered itself. You have too many bills and family to look after.

However, if joy and happiness are being outside in your garden then you want to keep it going like a forever garden, yep just read up on it.

CONCLUSION

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls we have discovered that Yuma is an awful hot place therefore, we must gather together against mother nature’s wrath during this time of arid weather.

For we have learned that if we do not keep our vegetables and herbs happy they will wilt and die. To do that we must follow all the necessary steps and tips to prevent a catastrophe from happening. For the sake of your plant lives please follow my gardening tips for Yuma, AZ, zone 10 and 10A.

Alright, I’ll leave it here and please garden responsibly. No plants leave behind. XD Thank you for coming. Any comments, ideas, questions, and tips please educate me. Until next time.