Sonoran Seasons

Pima Master Gardener Newsletter

Winter 2016/17
  

Helping you become a more successful gardener.



Sweet Chomp

Baby Nandi enjoys a sugarcane treat at the Reid Park Zoo.





Photo/DWindham
Feeding the Elephants
By Diana Iglesias, Master Gardener

Master Gardeners Suzanne Kaplan, Anne Hunt, Linda Lyle, and Terri Wyatt. Photo/TMoore
A mid-morning trek to Reid Park Zoo was a fun outing for members of the Master Gardener Raised Bed Edible Garden who donated a truckload of sugarcane to the elephants.

What is your Diagnosis?
By the Insect and Plant Disease Committee
This leaf shows typical symptoms caused by:
  1.   A fungus
  2.  Insect damage
  3.  Herbicide toxicity
  4.  A virus
Growing Potatoes in the Desert Southwest
By Alex Berger, Master Gardener

As a person with celiac disease and a passion for homesteading, I have often asked myself what staple crop I could grow successfully to reduce my need to buy prepackaged goods. 

 
 
2017 Master Gardener Calendars Now Available

Our new 2017 Incredible Edibles Calendar  makes a perfect holiday gift.  It includes a monthly planning guide on best time to plant v egetables and herbs as well as lots of helpful gardening information. 

Treasured Southwestern Recipes 
By Maria Carbajal, Master Gardener

As an avid gardener, I'm always interested in finding ways to incorporate my gardening successes into healthy, delicious meals.  Recently, I worked with two friends,   Zulema Echerivel-Felix and Patricia Taylor,  to write down our favorite recipes. W e drew upon our varied southwestern food heritages to share our loved and secret recipes developed through the generations.   Here are two recipes using vegetables you can grow in your garden. We hope you enjoy them!
                         
                    Calabacitas         Pico de Gallo
    
Save the Date!  April 1, 2017
For Our Master Gardener Home Garden Tour
The Pima Master Gardeners have selected four of their members' gorgeous home gardens to open to the public for our 18th Annual Home Garden Tour. These four westside Tucson Mountain gardens display a wonderful array of gardening choices. 
Sage Advice for the Aging Gardener
By Deborah North, Master Gardener

I am finding that as I age, I need to modify a good many of my gardening habits, tools and behaviors. The need for change begins subtly and seems to be accelerating. For some of us it begins with a tweak in the back, arthritis in the knees or hips, or perhaps loss of muscle strength in the hands. There are some obvious and potentially pricey changes we can make such as converting to raised beds and moving to more native, low-maintenance plants. But there are also smaller, more moderate changes that are easy and fun to put into practice.

How I Grow Tomatoes in Tucson
By Gary Vender, Master Gardener

My primary focus has been tomato varieties not found in the local grocery stores with a secondary focus on sauce tomatoes. This past year, I planted three of my favorites, Celebrity, San Marzano, and Italian Roma, plus some new varieties like Bloody Butcher, Punta Banda, and Arkansas Travelers.
Drip Irrigation: The Basics

Photo/HomeDepot
This excellent new publication from UA Professor Ursula Schuch covers the basics including: Why use drip irrigation? What types of landscapes are best suited? Components of a drip system. And design concepts and tips to use for your own system. 

By Jean Lewis, Plant Clinic Co-chair
 
The Pima County Master Gardener Plant Clinic will help you solve your garden and landscape problems.    
Home Garden Consultation Service
Our experts will come to you.
 
Master Gardener Consultants experienced and knowledgeable in urban horticulture will come to your residence and identify plants, diagnose insect problems and plant diseases, evaluate watering issues, and provide general care guidelines.
gardening-items.jpg

Monthly Gardening Reminders
 
Here are some tips to help you succeed this winter.
Click on the month.  
           
         
December      January
           
       
Please answer two quick questions by clicking the link above to let us know how we're doing at providing you with interesting, helpful gardening information.

Thanks very much.
If you like our Sonoran Seasons Newsletter...
Share it with  your friends by clicking here   Also, visit our Master Gardener Website   for access to many resources and publications, and like us on   Like us on Facebook Facebook to stay in touch. 

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Associate Dean & Director, Economic Development & Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona. The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

Any products, services, or organizations that are mentioned, shown, or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply endorsement by The University of Arizona.