Leisure World News

Leisure World News • Community • April 2022 A33 By Sherry Rindels-Larsen Living in Arizona we have the good fortune to have freshly grown vegetables and herbs throughout the entire year. The same applies to our flower selections. The trick is knowing the proper season to plant the different crops for a successful harvest and continuous color. We have three distinct growing seasons in the Phoenix area. April is the start of our second planting season. Plants planted in the garden or containers at this time of year are heat tolerant and will provide a reliable yield and/or ongoing color in the landscape. Vegetables and recommended varieties to plant now include: • Beans – ‘Contender’, ‘Derby’, ‘Blue Lake 274’, ‘Rattlesnake Pole’ • Carrots – ‘Little Finger’, ‘Short ‘N Sweet’, ‘Scarlet Nantes Carrot’ • Cucumbers – ‘Salad Bush’, ‘Bush Slicer’, ‘Early Pik’ • Armenian Cucumbers – ‘Light Green’, ‘Striped Armenian’, • Cantaloupe – ‘Golden Jenny’, ‘Minnesota Midget’, ‘Green Machine’ • Honeydew – ‘Snow Leopard’, ‘Honey Orange’, ‘Honey White’ • Okra – ‘Baby Bubba Hybrid’, ‘Cajun Delight’ • Sweet Potatoes – ‘Beaureguard’, ‘Georgia Jet’, ‘Heart of Gold’ • Radishes – ‘Cherry Belle’, ‘Early Scarlet Globe’, ‘Easter Egg’ • Summer Squash – ‘Bush Baby’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Starship’ • Watermelon – ‘Moon and Stars’, ‘Sugar Baby’, ‘Crimson Sweet’ • Winter Squash – ‘Bush Delicata’, ‘Honey Bear’ April is one of the best times to plant herbs for both culinary and medicinal uses. Planting in April allows time for plants to establish themselves before the summer heat sets in. Herbs recommended for planting now: • Anise • Basil – All varieties are heat tolerant • Bay • Catnip • Chamomile • Chives • Fennell • Flat Parsley • Garlic Chives • Hyssop • Lavender Spanish lavender varieties do well • Lemon Balm • Lemon Grass • Lemon Verbena • Marjoram • Mexican Mint Marigold – Substitute for French Tarragon • Mexican Oregano • Mint Peppermint, Spearmint, Pineapple Mint, Apple Mint, Catmint, Chocolate Mint, • Oregano – Greek Oregano, Golden Oregano, Marjoram • Parsley • Rosemary Tuscan Blue, Benenden Blue, Hill Hardy • Sage • Savory both Summer and Winter • Thyme • Yarrow Even though we might spend more time indoors when it gets hot, be sure to add some color to the summer landscape or a container to view from the window or patio door. Flowers to plant now: • Angelonia • Balsam • Celosia • Coleus • Coreopsis • Cosmos • Dahlias • Desert Marigold • Dusty Miller • Four O’Clock • Gaillardia • Gazania • Globe Amaranth – ‘Fireworks’ • Lisianthus • Mediterranean Vinca • Mexican Sunflower • Nierembergia • Ornamental Pepper • Pentas • Portulaca – ‘Afternoon Delight’, ‘All Double Mix’, Sundial Series • Purslane – ‘Cupcake Peachy’, ‘Pazzazz Deep Pink’, ‘Pazzazz Salmon Glow’ • Salvia – both red and blue • Sunflower • Vinca • Zinnia While the plants I’ve recommended above are recommended for planting now, some may benefit from shade during the hottest part of the day when summer temperatures start climbing and days get longer. Use a shade cloth that offers 30 to 50% shade, or plant in containers and move the containers to a shadier spot when necessary. Be sure and fertilize those containers on a regular basis to keep them growing their best. - Sherry Rindels-Larsen is a Maricopa County Master Gardener and President of the Sonoran Desert Club. Resources Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County https://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/vegetable-planting-calendar- maricopa-county Flower Planting Guide for the Low Desert https://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/flower-planting-guide-low- desert Growing Herbs for the Health of It! https://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/growing-herbs-health-it TRANSPLANTED GARDENER April Planting Recommendations exists to transform lives and change communities in the poorest places on earth. Our strength is on-the-ground project implementing and focusing on health, hunger, clean water, poverty, and education. Our vision is to see God transform lives and empower the people as we serve to build thriving communities. Our mission is simple: train, equip, and support local leaders to make a difference in their nation. 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