Gardening on the Moon ( GOTM )

Written by Jeff

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Those who have followed GOTM for a while have read about our efforts to keep the critters away from our plants, especially the rabbits. We have gone through the trouble of installing a courtyard gate to keep vermin out and raised most of our pots high and used individual planters that were fairly tall. You can imagine my surprise when I walked into the courtyard one morning and saw the following:

In the first couple of shots, I use yellow arrows to highlight the damage, but once you get the hang of how the damage is administered, it is easy to spot in the other shots.

Since we know that rabbits can’t navigate our gate, we assumed it was most likely a squirrel, chipmunk or pack rat. Of those choices, the most likely critter, based on obvious evidence, was the pack rat.

Now I was faced with the decision whether to “hurt” that no-gooder or try to catch it and release it elsewhere. Of course I chose to catch and release.

My first trip to the hardware store was to purchase a Havahart trap model 1025 which was recommended at the local store (not a big box store). When I brought it home and read the reviews (something I should have done first) there were a couple of issues noted, but there were also many positive reviews. I called the Havahart company and spoke to one of the “consultants” and that is when I knew we had a problem. They couldn’t find that model in their database.

That evening I set out the trap baited with bread and peanut butter. I had difficulty adjusting the tension on the spring lever that released the door. It would sometimes trigger and sometimes not. This was one of the issues noted although many had no problem whatsoever.

I was sad the next morning when I awoke with great expectation to discover that I had provided a gratis fast-food breakfast for our culprit. Not a lick of the peanut buttered bread was to be seen. I suppose if I left a napkin, it would have wiped its mouth and hands prior to leaving.

Off I was to the store to get a different Havhart trap more suited to my trapping skills. I finally found a single-door model which had a newer, easy set/easy release mechanism (Easy Set Model 1082).

We also purchased a plastic box to use as a transport container so no bodily fluids, parasites, etc. from the critter would actually get into the car. We then placed some paper on the bottom of that container to collect/contain stated unpleasantness.

We decided that the peanut butter was a bit too messy so we defaulted to using salted peanuts in the shell. The excitement built as the next evening I prepared the trap with the shelled delicacies and placed it in the probable dining area. I cracked one peanut to release any enticing odor it would emit. (I couldn’t detect any, but then again, I am a well-fed human.) Well, well look at what I found the next morning.

Kind of cute, huh?

Here I am showing the pack rat to his assigned seat. I used a long-sleeved shirt and gloves to protect myself as much as possible.

Here it is nicely contained.

The box was placed in the back of the CRV for safe transport.

A few miles down the road we arrived at the new desert neighborhood where the rat’s new residence was awaiting.

I must say that the pack rat wasn’t too nervous or jittery as I lifted the container to place it on the ground. I think he was subdued after a night of confinement.

One nicety of the new trap was the quick and easy release which allows for a more remote and quick opening of the trap door. I am getting ready to let it go as

my wife Mary brings home the money shot!

The animal’s first reaction was to run and hide. Here it is heading for a nearby bush.

One last look as we got ready to leave. Can you see the eye?

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post

Written by Mary

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A few weeks ago I participated in our quilt group’s annual rummage sale, where members donate fabric, sewing supplies, patterns and assorted miscellaneous items for sale to other members. (One person’s trash is another person’s treasure). Proceeds benefit many of the quilt group’s charitable endeavors!!

One of the elderly members of the group recently died, and her family kindly donated many of her possessions to this sale. I was lucky enough to spy a small wheeled metal cart among these items at the sale, and quickly took it in hand while I completed my shopping. I had an immediate vision of it as an outside whimsical piece; filled with plants!

After getting my prized possession home, I realized that the cart was not quite as large as I had initially thought. At 14 inches long, 7 inches wide & 6 inches deep, the carriage was not geared to carry the bountiful cargo I had imagined. In addition; the rattan rectangular insert took up additional space and was not especially conducive to the requisite watering……so the basket was removed and will be re-purposed!!

Now…what to put in my cart??? As it would sit on the edge of the patio at ground level…..any plant must be able to withstand only filtered sunlight…….and be unattractive to rabbits and javelinas!! We finally decided on two pots of mammillarias that we had harvested from our backyard a few years ago.

We couldn’t decide whether to place it on the patio….

Or on the landscape stones near the patio?

We finally decided that angled on the patio gave it just the whimsical touch to accent a small corner of the patio.

I especially like the use of different sized pots, and anticipate the bloom of the tiny pink halo of flowers within the next few months! (see link here for article with picture of flowers) A stretch of the imagination can “see” a mother and child relationship between the larger and smaller cactus!

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post

Written by Jeff

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© Jeff Ross and www.gardeningonthemoon.com, 2000-2075. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts of 50 words or less and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeff Ross and www.gardeningonthemoon.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

To keep our garden inspiration flowing, I will post pictures of flowers, trees and other plants that I have found pretty and/or interesting for one reason or another. Many of the pictures will be of drought-tolerant or xeriscape plants because I live and grow in the Sonoran Desert.

I hope these photographs stimulate your creativity and keep you enthusiastic about the wonderful world of horticulture. Please feel free to share your thoughts with me by leaving a comment below.

A slight digression to start!

Wow! Where did February go? This was a cold, wet month. As I mentioned in a previous post, it is the coldest winter we’ve had during our brief, six-year residence in the Phoenix area.

I recently had the opportunity to take a four-day, beginning birdwatching class. I have always been interested in birds. I am not a fanatic, but I do like to identify them when I am able to do so.

We took two field trips as part of the class. One was a two plus hour walk around the Desert Botanical Garden. We saw some interesting birds and although I have been to the garden many, many times, I never really paid too much attention to the birds.

The next day we went to the Gilbert Water Park which is a great stopover place for a good many birds. The combined number of different birds seen on those two days was 59+. It was very interesting and most interesting was identifying a bird that is RARE for our area, the Common Moorhen (above). It isn’t the most attractive bird, but the candy corn-like beak makes it distinctive.

The class instructor was trying to make a joke when he said: “The only people who walk more slowly than birdwatchers are plant people.” Hey! Wait a minute! I’m a plant person. I suppose I am a plant and a bird person. I must be very s-l-o-w.

Anyway, I did notice that at the water park they had globe mallows that wintered very well and some were in bloom. I like the silvery, fuzzy leaves of the globe mallow which make a good foil for the colorful blooms.

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post

Visit Amazon’s Garden & Patio Markdowns

Written by Mary

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“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

When we purchased our home in north Phoenix over five years ago, there were several horse trailers parked across from our front yard as our home is adjacent to a large horse ranch. Over the years, these trailers have become a source of increasing displeasure to me….

while the northern view from our home frames lovely saguaros and Black Mountain in the distance;

the boxy white trailers in the southern vista are decidedly unattractive (IMHO).

I recently sought permission from the ranch to plant trees on the edge of the property line as an attempt to camouflage (somewhat) the trailers; with the understandable caveat that no plant be toxic to horses.

The project initially was to be a few Palo Verde trees that we’d plant ourselves (Sonoran Emerald was the plant we’d selected ) …. And that we’d water occasionally during the hot summer months. Then we decided to visit a local nursery to price out the project, and soon opted to have the nursery plant them.

Mary and the landscaper surveying the area where the trees and shrubs will be planted.

The landscaper used surveying “flags” to mark ares where either trees or shrubs would be planted.

The nursery rep visited the property and recommended eight trees and the use of approximately 18 Hop Seed bushes (Dodonaea viscosa) to provide more immediate screening over the next few years before the Palo Verde trees matured. He also recommended that irrigation be installed to eliminate the time-consuming watering of both the bushes and trees.

The day of planting arrived and the nursery workers quickly went to work; the project (including irrigation) took an entire day. As we watched the planting, we realized that the package will require irrigation every three days now (in the winter); more frequently in the hotter months. As we must manually hook up a hose and cross the street to attach it to the new line; the reality of this obligation hit home. Over the next few months we must now explore an alternate option to connect this area into our main irrigation line.

After a long day, the workers put the finishing touches on the project and shifted the care to us!

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post

Written by Jeff

Non-GOTM images are credited by hovering over picture for source

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When we first moved to the desert and I saw a scene like this

I was interested to find out what type of flowers were planted as a ground cover and whether it served a particular purpose. I never saw plants like those before. As it turns out, they are weeds. Yes, weeds in abundance.

As pictured below, weeds grow in the desert with the slightest bit of rain. We have had only 1.31 inches of rain since January 1, 2012 and yet we can have an array of weeds (Boxed off in the orange rectangle).

As a “gardener” and interested homeowner, I didn’t want to have desert weeds throughout my landscape. Because of the arid conditions, these weeds will dry out by the end of May or June and can present a fire hazard. As a matter of fact, it is a wise idea in the desert to remove all non-cultivated bushy plants from within a 35 foot radius around the house. This will help to provide a defensible barrier against desert fires. In the Sonoran Desert there is an invasive native species, which is unusual, called Desert Broom (SEE PHOTO BELOW). We have removed them from within that perimeter as a part of our fire prevention strategy.

To help prevent weeds from taking over, as they surely will if left on their own, we have a pre-emergent weed barrier put down during the winter months. This chemical needs to be watered in so we try very hard to time it around rains (LOL).

You can see the difference having this weed treatment makes in the two pictures below:

Weeds (BELOW) are boxed in orange.

(Pictured BELOW) Everything above the arrow going to the end of the pavement is a weed of some sort

Notice the distinct lines between the treated and non-treated areas. As you can witness, weeds can be quite a problem in the desert even without much rain!

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post