Now, I know I am usually going on about food trucks, or beer events, but where our food comes from is also very important to me. Nothing says "I care what I eat" more so that growing your own food. With a little bit of knowledge desert growing here in the Southwest is so easy and fun. To help you learn how, on Saturday, March 2, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Native Seeds/SEARCH board member and gardener Martha "Muffin" Burgess, of Flor de Mayo Arts, will be instructing a class at the NS/S Conservation Center,
3584 E. River Road. From the Native Seed/SEARCH website:

“Long season melons and gourds, runners and lima beans, heirloom tomatoes and pot herbs are among the vegetables that succeed well in the low desert if planted in early spring. Using our Binghampton floodplain plots at the NS/S Conservation Center, we will learn tricks discovered over many years of gardening in Tucson's unique climate. Prepare to get your hands and shovels dirty—and get primed for prepping your own home garden. Participants will take home new ideas. This workshop is designed especially for newcomers to desert gardening, to help “tune in” to growing in our local conditions. Class size is limited, so sign up today!"

Cost for this class is $25 for NS/S members and $45 for non-members. Non member price includes membership to Native Seed/Search.

• A Welcoming Entry

If you prune now, you tell your plants it is time to start growing. Then, if we are hit with an unseasonably low, that new growth will get it. This weakens the plant and puts it into jeopardy.

So choose wisely. If you are willing to take a risk with some plants, go ahead and prune. But if you can wait another two to three weeks, please do so and then watch the long range forecast before you commit your weekend to the job.

With so many new homes in Tucson and similar desert cities creating small loft apartments, patio homes and remodeled barrio homes, I thought it time to concentrate on how potted gardens fill the desire to have a garden - regardless of limited small outside spaces.

We are experiencing our cold December and therefore it is important to be mindful of the micro-climate of our home. Elevations, nearby washes, hardscape, and orientation of your home all contribute to this phenomenon. An inner city balcony might be warmer than the sidewalk entrance, depending on which side of the building it is on. Paying close attention to the differences around your home and in your neighborhood will help you develop a sense of what plants do well for you and what you need to protect in the event of a freeze or frost alert. You might want to pick up an outdoor thermometer that has one or two extra sensors where you can record daily high and low temperatures to see what the different temperatures are.

Tips for preventing frost damage:

* Water the plants well the morning before possible frost/freeze.
* Cover with frost cloth. Do not use plastic covers.
* Tie or fasten the bottom so that the air does not get under it. Use clothespins!
* Bring potted plants that are very tender close to protected walls, under balcony rooves,
in garages or inside if possible.
* Use Styrofoam cups on columnar cactus tips.

Have a question? Email Marylee

Sign up for our Potted E-Newstoday. Receive monthly potted garden information as well as SW Arizona freeze alerts, heat and wind advisories.

Written by Drew McCullough/Scicats

When you eat salmon or carp or tilapia, you might imagine that the fish had once been swimming free in the wild. In recent years, however, more and more of the world’s seafood have grown up on a farm.

In fact, seafood is the most common source of protein worldwide, and more than half of it is farm raised, according to Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons. Tilapia is the fourth most widely consumed seafood in the United States, and virtually all these fish came from a farm.

Farm-raised fish will soon surpass wild fish as a food source. “In a few years,” Fitzsimmons said, “people will look back at television shows like ‘Deadliest Catch’ and say, ‘How quaint. They used to go fishing out there in the ocean for food.’ All seafood will come from farmed operations, and it’s going to happen in the near future.”

Fitzsimmons is one of the world’s leading experts in tilapia production techniques. A research scientist in Soil, Water and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona, he was elected president of the World Aquaculture Society in 2004.

He recently developed an integrated aquaculture irrigation system that is the most efficient way today to raise tilapia while protecting the environment and using as few natural resources as possible. He presented his findings at the World Ocean Forum in Busan, Korea. The proceedings were published this year.

Halloween and Thanksgiving have now become sweet memories. If you have not already started, it is time to think of your pots as your holiday decor. Pots at your front door and you key view points around your home, can be dressed up to enhance your holiday spirit!

• Red Cyclamen

• Kara Smith, The Contained Gardener
• Tucson Winter Potted Garden

Right now the 7 day forecast has a potential for 37 degrees Saturday night. That could mean an early frost for low areas and colder parts of Pima County.

If you still have your summer flowers like I do, they may be damaged by the colder temperatures. Winter flowers will be OK but tender annuals like lobelia and geraniums should be protected.

A frost cover will serve you well as will lightweight blankets. Do not use plastic or towels. Plastic conducts the cold if it touches the plants and towels will absorb moisture from rain or frost and weigh down the plants as they become sodden.

• Frost Cloth

For more information on caring for your winter potted gardens, register for my class which is taking place this Saturday.
Caring for your winter garden

DATE: November 10; 10-11 am

LOCATION : Pottery Blowout, 3840 E Grant (just west of Alvernon)
Call 579.9411 to register Pre-registration is required due to seating limitations.
Cost: FREE!

Have a question? Email Marylee

Sign up for our Potted E-News today. Receive monthly potted garden information as well as SW Arizona freeze alerts, heat and wind advisories.

Needing a diet with moderate protein, low fat, high fiber and water, captive desert tortoises will eat flowers such as pansies, violets, nasturtiums, hibiscus, geranium, evening primrose and globemallow.

The diet can be supplemented with vegetables like spinach, green beans, and lettuce.
Herb flowers including thyme, sage, and rosemary, all of which grow well in Tucson, can be grown around their habitat.

Greens are an important part of the tortoise's diet and provides much-needed fiber. Grass is an option for those who want a small patch of green and the leafy greens from many fresh vegetables including carrot, collard, mustard and turnip greens, provide high amounts of protein and extra water.

Have a question? Email Marylee
Sign up for our Potted E-News today. Receive monthly potted garden information as well as SW Arizona freeze alerts, heat and wind advisories.

For more information on Desert Tortoises, check out this article by Cheryl Losch, eHow Contributor

With so much (understandably) emphasis on sustainability, I thought it time to talk about flowers in our gardens that can also come to the dinner table. Those of us who want our colorful gardens and also want to grow some vegetables and herbs, can mix the two knowing that it all can come together in our food.

Picture a beautiful pot of pansies mixing with varieties of lettuce, spinach, Swiss Chard with calendula peeking above the mix. I am sorry I don't have a picture of this combination but if you use your imagination in the pictures below, you can conjure up not only a vision but a recipe for success!

• Combining Pansies, Calendula and Swiss Chard in your potted garden this winter.

Pansy petals add a mild sweetness to salads as well as brilliant color.

Pick your flowers in the morning and keep them in water until you are ready to add them to your dish. For both of these flowers, I recommend using just the petals, removing all other parts of the flower.

Swiss chard leaves can be sliced in 1 inch strips and boiled for 3 minutes. One of our most healthy leafy vegetables, Swiss Chard can replace spinach in many pasta and egg dishes.

Check with your favorite local chefs to see what they are doing with flowers in their food. I know about growing the plants but they know about cooking them!!

• Photo by The Contained Gardener
• Mature Winter Planting - Midtown

Be sure, once you purchase them, to get your plants in your pots that day. If you are not able to plant until the next day, water them well when you get home and put them in a shady spot or one that gets morning sun only.

If you are not sure how to create a well designed pot (the selection of flowers can be a bit overwhelming!), come to my free class next week Saturday.

Putting it all together — Designing a Colorful Potted Garden
Plan your floral combinations for great winter potted gardens. Marylee will demonstrate some of her winter favorites in color combinations that will last all season.

DATE: Saturday, October 20; 10-11 am
LOCATION: Pottery Blowout, 3840 E Grant (just west of Alvernon)
Call 579.9411 to register
Pre-registration is required due to seating limitations.
Cost: FREE!

For more pictures on potted gardens in the desert, visit Sonoran Gardens website today.

Have a question? Email Marylee

Sign up for our Potted E-News today. Receive monthly potted garden information as well as SW Arizona freeze alerts, heat and wind advisories.

• The Contained Gardener
• Winter Color Abounds