October In The Desert Brings Happy Native Plants

10.18.2011 - After one of the driest, hottest Southwest monsoon seasons on record it is so nice to enjoy the treat that is October in the desert. We have all endured brutal 110+ degree cloudless days, humidity-swept afternoons eagerly hoping for rain but nothing arrives and last but certainly not the least obnoxious...those pesky desert dust storms. October brings us cool, crisp mornings that are still nice enough to enjoy a 7 a.m. coffee outside in our flip flops, but not hot enough that we all take cover by 10 a.m.! The end of the day brings us amazing sunsets and near-perfect early evening temperatures that are so pleasant we all think about turning patios into our own private al fresco dining areas. And yes, those mosquitoes everyone back east complains about...they aren't even here yet either!

We aren't the only things out in the desert celebrating the beauty of October. Take a look around your garden. Suddenly, things that look like they were hiding over the summer have become the show-offs of your yard. Peruvian apple cactus are all in bloom now, with 7 inch wide glorious blooms that peek out in the early morning. Hibiscus blooms pop out much more than last month. Sage bushes are loaded with brilliant purple, pink or blue blooms. How about those citrus trees? The ones we all worry about in August. They tend to burn up, curl up and lose leaves in the hottest parts of the year, but these nice night time temperatures causes most of them to make up for all that leaf damage. I have six citrus trees in my backyard and they have all grown by a good 15-20% in the past few weeks.

Many agave and yucca that don't grow too much in the summer show impressive growth this month as well. Desert trees throw out a few blooms now too, thinking it is spring time. Ocotillo are green with fresh leaves. Almost everywhere we look things are celebrating one of the most beautiful times of year out here in the oftentimes unforgiving desert. No matter how busy you are, set aside some time to simply sit outdoors and enjoy the show.