[Arid_gardener] Re: How to ID/Care For Plants & Trees

[Olin Miller]

To identify your plants and trees, your neighbors probably have similar 
plants and could probably help.  Or visit a nursery (or nurseries) and 
compare the tagged stock with your plants.

Usually one can categorize plants as high water use, low water use, and 
something in between.   Plants and trees that bloom or bear fruit will also 
perform best if fertilized on a regular basis.  Native and adapted low water 
use landscape plants usually require very little, if any, supplemental 
fertilization.

Once you have IDed the plants, you can Google for care information.  There 
is information on the web for nearly all plants that do well here.  Some 
good coop ext sites for the low desert are
http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/
which is the portal for gardening and landscape information for Maricopa 
County, and
http://cals.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/
which is a similar website for Pima County (Tucson).

There are also classes offered by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension 
(602-470-8086) and the Desert Botanical Garden
http://www.dbg.org/

Or if you have specific questions about a plant you can post your question 
at the site where you asked this question.  Master Gardeners and other 
experienced gardeners are usually very helpful.

Good luck,
Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer
U of A Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County AZ
============================================

----- Original Message ----- From: <bizy at ussix.com>
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 3:28 PM
> Scott 85234
> We just purchased a home in Gilbert and (not being from the region) have 
> lots of questions about the type of plants/trees on our small property and 
> how to care for them.
> What would be the best way to learn what type of flora we have and how 
> best to care for each of them?
> Thank you,
> Scott