Every once in a while something comes along that just knocks our socks off with beauty and functionality. Right now it’s these gorgeous outdoor torches. Talk about the perfect mix of art and functionality.

These artisan-made pieces can be used a number of ways: As a staked pole light that can be displayed at 22″, 44″, or 66″ heights, or table-top mounts are also available. Each design is hand painted.

You can use any good lamp oil or citronella fuel in the torches with their long-lasting fiberglass wicks. The price points are fantastic and we’re happy to ship them.

Click on any image to see it in better detail or to order.

As you plan, remember  to amend your garden soil, especially if you are planting in the same area that held your winter crops. If you don’t use manure and you mix your soil amendments deeply into your existing space, you should be able to plant right after adding amendments. If you use manure, remember to give the area three to four weeks to sit.

When turning your soil, dig to a depth of 10 to 12 inches, to really loosen it. Then spread a four- to six-inch layer of good organic matter – mainly compost – over the area. We also like  FoxFarm’s Soil Conditioner because it contains earthworm castings, bat guano and microbes that aid in root development. At this point you can add dry fertilizer such as FoxFarm’s Tomato & Vegetable Organic Fertilizer. Mix the soil and amendments really well and then rake the area to be flat and level. Water thoroughly.

Here’s what you can plant in the later part of the month and through March.

Artichoke (transplants are best)

Corn

Cucumbers

Eggplant (transplants)

Jicama

Melon

Peas

Peppers (transplants)

Potatoes

Summer squash

Tomatoes (transplants)

1. Boyce Thompson Arboretum Plant Sale – March 10 – 25. The folks out at Boyce Thompson have been busy securing plants that will tolerate drought and frost for the spring plant sale this year. We hear there is a great selection of plants from South Africa this year. Take a picnic lunch with you – this is a beautiful place for a hike and birdwatching.

2. Desert Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale – March 16 – 18. We’ll see you there!  The DBG Plant Sale is an awesome place to pick up desert-adapted landscape plants. Plus you can shop our Southwest Gardener traveling boutique with beautiful garden art and landscape supplies. Horticulturists and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions. E-mail us if there’s something specific you’d like us to bring!

3. Real Gardens for Real People Tour – March 31. A well-planned, delightful tour of gardens hosted by the Maricopa County Master Gardeners.  This year the tour is in the northeast Valley. Purchase tickets at Southwest Gardener or online.

4. Warm Weather Veggie & Herb Plant Sale at Southwest Gardener – April 1, Noon to 3 p.m. Yeah! Gregory Ware from Dos Arbolitos nursery will be here to sell his hearty vegetable and herb starts. These heirloom plants are grown organically in the Phoenix area so they are adapted to our desert climate. Pick up some high-quality warm weather seedlings for your garden that will satisfy your cravings through the hotter months. Look especially for all types of yummy melons.

4. Rose Society Shows - Saturday, April 7, 14 and 22. There are several rose shows planned in Glendale, Tucson, Scottsdale and Phoenix. These are great places to see blooms and to ask questions. If you have roses, you should have them pruned for spring by now. If you’re not sure how, here’s a bit of information for you.

We encourage you to connect with a club that meets your interests. You’re a fan of bonsai? There’s a group for you. Roses? Lots of opportunities in our desert cities. Have an interest in ponds? There is a Pond Society. Want to know more about native plants? Head out to a Native Plant Society meeting.

Don’t be shy, these groups are full of enthusiastic people, just like you. And, if you know of a group we should list, please e-mail the information to us at info@southwestgardener.com. We’d like to keep this as up-to-date as possible and we’d like to make it statewide, so if you’re in southern or northern Arizona, Yuma or the White Mountains, let us know of the clubs you like.

African Violet Society -  email anncie@cox.net<anncie@cox.net

Arizona Herb Association - http://www.azherb.org/index.php

Arizona Native Plant Society/Phoenix chapter – http://aznps.com/chapters/phoenix.html

Deadheaders, a volunteer group at Mesa Community College Rose Garden – http://rosegarden.mesacc.edu/deadheaders.html

Desert Pointe Garden Club, Ahwatukee - http://www.desertpointegc.org/home

Desert Valley Orchid Society – http://www.dvos-az.net

Greater Phoenix Pond Society – http://www.phoenixponds.com/index.html

Mesa East Valley Rose Society – http://www.roses4az-mevrs.org

Orchid Society of Arizona – http://www.orchidsocietyaz.org

Phoenix Chrysanthemum Society – http://www.mums.org/chapters/az.htm

Phoenix Rose Society – http://www.phoenixrose.org

Rose Society of Glendale – http://www.roseglenaz.com

Scottsdale Bonsai Society – http://scottsdalebonsai.weebly.com

Scottsdale Garden Club -http://scottsdalegc.org/home

Scottsdale Rose Society – e-mail Mklevittmd66@gmail.com

Southwest Gourd Association – http://swgourdpatch.com

Sun Country Iris Society – http://www.suncountryiris.org

Tempe Garden Club – http://www.tempegardenclub.com/home

Valley Permaculture Alliance – http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org

Washington Garden Club – http://www.azwgc.org/home

Weeders Garden Club – http://weedersgc.org/home

West Valley Rose Society – http://www.westvalleyrose.org

Every gardener appreciates good gloves. They can never have enough. West County gloves have sturdy palms and velcro wrist closure. West County also makes a glove with long gauntlet sleeves that protect arms from thorny roses, trees and bushes. These mitt protectors wash well, too. If your gardener likes something more lightweight, the Atlas Gloves with nitrile fingertips are everyday favorites.

In the desert, raised beds offer a great alternative to trying to get enough depth and amendment material into our native soil for successful vegetable gardening. The challenge is the time and tools required to build a sturdy structure. Stacking Joints or the M Brace are thoughtful gifts for anyone ready to build a raised garden. Stacking Joints are friendly corners that can be adjusted for any shape garden bed and allow you to build a garden to your desired height. Just buy the timber, screw it into each joint and fill the resulting space with soil.

The Gardener’s Hollow Leg is a nifty water-resistant fabric sack that you wear on your waist while you prune, dead-head and weed. Just toss your mess into the bag. No hauling a trash can or bending over to pick up waste. There’s even a pocket for a cell phone or iPod.

The must-have toll for everyone, Circle Hoe is perfect for weeding in rough, hard-t0-reach spots. It’s lightweight and sharp and has a sturdy but comfortable solid wood handle.

Indoor plant enthusiasts will appreciate a Moisture Meter. This easy to use device helps determine the watering needs of potted plants.

Our Master Gardener friend Pam Perry says labeling your plants and seeds is one the most important thing a gardener can do. And she’s right. How many times do you go out to enjoy some plant in your landscape and you can’t remember its name? We’ve got basic plant labels in copper or XXX. You write on these with a pen, pencil or sharpie. Of if you have a pretty herb or veggie garden consider Ronnie Costas hand-made glass plant labels – they provide every garden bed with information and bling.

An herb drying rack – This is the perfect item for your favorite cook/herb gardener to dry and preserve tasty herbs. The rack includes six hooks for hanging bundles or herbs or flowers.

You all know how important it is to protect frost-sensitive plants from freezing temperatures. One thing you can do is water the soil around them well during the day. Then please remember to adequately cover your plants. That means the entire plant should be covered whenever possible. So if you’re trying to protect shrubs and garden beds, place your frost covering over the whole plant and anchor the covering to the ground around the plants with heavy rocks or spare bricks. The idea is to trap as much heat around the plant as possible. Remember to never let your frost covering get hit with water from a sprinkler or rain. If it gets wet and then freezes on top of your plants you’ll have severe damage. Frost cloth, sheets, old tablecloths all make good covering.

For cactus, take a big styrofoam cup and top off  each arm. Cactus tips can be very vulnerable.

For the most complete information on frost in the low desert, check out this publication on frost from the University of Arizona Maricopa County Cooperative Extension.

Glass Flower Stakes – Blown-glass garden stakes that shimmer in any garden setting. They’re like adding an art gallery to your landscape. Link to them by color: Blue, Red, Multi, Orange

Gardener’s Hollow Leg – The perfect gift for people who prune or deadhead – think rose gardener, flower and herb growers and generally anyone who keeps a tidy space. The sturdy bag  belts around your waist and you’re set to dead head and prune. With the Gardener’s Hollow Leg there’s no bending over to pick up the mess.

Chakra and Kanji Bells - These five-foot bell strands are available to hold either the seven Chakras or the Kanji blessings. The bells sound softly to remind you of the peaceful nature of gardening.

Garden Heart – A free-standing steel Garden Heart that has been aged to perfection. We love the way the artists at Prairie Dance added a red magnetic heart to refine this lovely piece.

Tippy Stakes – Oh how our customers love these stakes. You can get a Dragonfly Tippy or an Owl Tippy. Each balances on top of the stake – they sway and they rock but never fall over. These are repeat sellers here at Southwest Gardener.

Kinetic Wind Spinner – Things that turn with the wind are very popular with people who enjoy the outdoors and this tall Kinetic Wind Spinner is no exception. Its blades whirl like a pinwheel and then spin on the post. A dizzying sight!

Circle Hoe – This handy tool makes light work of weeding. Circle Hoe is lightweight and easy to use with a sharp cutting blade on the inside tip of the circle.

Kennedy Hummingbird Feeders – Glass artist Steve Kennedy’s mom lives in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and asked him to create the perfect hummingbird feeder for a southwest desert climate. It needed to be dripless, hold enough nectar for the birds but not so much that it sits full for days and spoils, and there needed to be a no-fuss way to clean it.  His creation is this one-piece hummingbird feeder formed from four layers of sturdy borosilicate glass (Pyrex) adorned with either silver or 24 karat gold as color. The dripless design means you can hang it without attracting insects and there’s no sugary mess. Clean up is as easy as a warm tap-water rinse. The feeders are all the same design but vary in color hue. They are gorgeous.

Spirit Tiles – Luminous blocks of art from Houston Llew that capture enlightened moments of everyday life.  Houston creates images using glass enamel on copper and then adds small stories or warm quotes on love, family and nature to complete a block that can adorn a shelf, desk or table or find a special niche in a garden. Sunshine won’t fade them and rain won’t hurt, either.

Laser-Cut Garden Signs – The grandparents will be thrilled with these hand-crafted signs announcing “Grandma” or “Grandpa’s Garden”. Our favorite: “Garden Tours, 25 cents”

Glass Flower Stakes – These beauties have been in our “Phoenix Home & Garden” ad this fall and people can’t get enough of them. The color is blown into the glass so it never fades and the stakes have a study forked bottom so they stand firm in the garden. There are several colors from which to choose.

Hand-Crafted Tin Angels –  Tall, sleek beautiful angels shine in any setting. They provide a non-traditional look for a traditional garden icon. Angel collectors will love them.

Terrific Terrariums – The perfect small, chic gift for the person with everything. Elegant glass dew drops hang with delicate tillandsia (air plants) tucked inside. Or choose the ones hand-planted with pretty succulents. These take minimal care but offer maximum “wow” factor.

Animal Lover Sleep Shirts – The titles say it all. Choose from “She who sleeps with dogs” or “She who sleeps with cats.” Add a pair of cat or dog socks and you’ve got a theme gift.

Mason Jars With A Twist – For those of you who like to preserve your holiday treats and give them away,  mason jars with a stem offer the perfect packaging. Picture a real mason jar that sits on a pedestal, like a wine glass. Then fill it with your home-made jam, pickles, soup mix or coco concoction and tie it with a ribbon. Or pair it with a nice bottle of wine for your favorite sipping buddy.

Love Your Garden – The iron hearts from the artists at Prairie Dance are always a favorite holiday gift. Each stands on a pedestal. A red heart magnet adds the perfect pop.

Fun, Funky Helmut Critters – They’re back because they are loved so much. The ladybugs and turtle made from surplus military helmets are a hoot. The ladybug stands tall and bright red and the turtle’s head bobs from his long, springy neck.

Glass and Wire Mobiles – Helen Jean Hammernick designs  lightweight and colorful glass hanging spirals that sway in the wind. Some are adorned with leaves, others have an added dragonfly. Lots of our customers are using them as a pretty deterrent for birds by hanging them just outside their windows.

Playful Pig Faces – For the snarky gardener, these hand-made faces are the perfect pal to adorn a pot. Each clay stake offers a different facial expression. Choose from pig or people – they all have personality.

California poppies and lupine

Mid-October through November is prime planting season for a great show of spring wildflowers. We think wildflowers are some of the happiest plants you can cultivate. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and they often spring from some of the most unlikely places (rocky landscapes, along busy highways). Plus, they are easy to start. Sun, seed, water – that’s all you need to get a wildflower patch going on your property.

We love all wildflowers but are partial to the orange and purple combination of California poppies and Lupine with a bit of scarlet flax thrown in. But you could go crazy with several types of penstemon, a bright orange/red/yellow gaillardia and a fuzzy looking owl’s clover. Or if you like more of a sunflower look, the shy Mexican hat is perfect.

The point is to have fun. So here’s how:

1. Grab a pack of wildflower seeds – we like the Wild Seed brand from the well-respected Tempe company of the same name. Each small packet from Wild Seed will cover a 100 square foot space, so make sure to get enough for your space. You can get individual varieties as well as nice mixes. If you have a lot of space we can order larger quantities that arrive quickly.

2. Work your planting area with a hard rake. The point is to scratch up the surface a bit – no hard digging is necessary.

3. Mix your seeds into a bucket with a couple of scoop fulls of soil or compost – you can use soil from the planting area or any potting soil you have around. The mix helps in two ways: First, it enables you to see where the seed is broadcast; second, it helps to weigh down the seed.

4. Gently distribute the seed mix in your planting area. Then rake it around to even it out.

5. Water well on a regular basis, but not so well that you’re making streams that move the seed. We suggest you keep the seed bed relatively moist for three to four weeks after planting and until seedlings appear. Then time your watering around winter rains – assuming we get some. If there is no rain you’ll need to continue watering on a less frequent basis, weekly will work well.

After you get your great show of flowers, you can let them dry and go to seed right where they were planted. With amply rain or moisture, many will reappear in subsequent years.

Check this website in early spring for information on the best places to view wildflowers: http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html

If you have a cool yard-scape photo, e-mail it to us at info@southwestgardener.com and we’ll share.