Springtime in the desert means that the flowers are blooming – for a very short time. Then the flowers fall off their trees and shrubs. This can create a lot of work for humans who’d rather not have all of that litter all over the driveway–and other places. However, that litter can also serve as…
Tucson just played host to a heat wave. As in, triple-digit temperatures. In March. This episode provides practical tips for coping with such an event, whether it’s in March or at other times of the year. You’ll learn how to handle your gardening and your household. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water…
As water harvesters, we use organic and inorganic mulches in our landscapes. Organic mulches are derived from carbon-based life forms like trees, and you’ll recognize them as bark chips and wood chips. Inorganic mulches? They’re more commonly known as aggregate or crushed rock. Which mulch should you use? And where? In this episode, we’re joined…
At my place, nearly all of my attempts to plant wildflower seeds have failed. The simple truth is, Arizona wildflowers are persnickety about where they wish to set up shop. Being planted here is obviously not to their liking. Then came the brittlebush. Shortly after I moved in, I was told that brittlebush just wouldn’t…
We’ve rolled into the month of March, which marks the start of meteorological spring. So, it’s time to start planning that spring/summer garden. At my place, I’m planning for three raised beds and a vertical planter. I’ll be relying on seeds from Arizona-based Terroir Seeds. They offer the introductory sound effect for this episode, so…
This episode features the iron man of Arizona weather forecasting, Michael Groff. He produces a highly detailed daily weather forecast on YouTube, the Phoenix, Arizona Weather Discussion. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Michael puts these forecasts together and learn about his other online media ventures. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water…
For this episode, we’re going to be taking a trip. We’re heading north to the Toronto area, where we’re going to visit with Michael Albanese. He is the author of a water harvesting book called The Modern Rain Garden, Scrape, Shape and Plant, now in its second edition. Michael has designed and built dozens of…
I’m back for the second time on The Beet: A Podcast for Plant Lovers! In this episode, I join Jacques to discuss all things water harvesting. From catching rain to shaping your landscape so every drop goes to your crops (not the storm drain), we dig into practical, creative ways to make the most of…
I’m pleased to report that my place is one of the busiest natural habitats in the neighborhood. In this episode, I’ll share how the local bird species utilize my rain-fed landscape for nourishment, socializing, and nesting. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101 podcast. My name is Martha Retallick. I’ve been…
As water harvesters, we’re all about creating beauty in our landscapes and gardens. But we’re also dealing with scarcity. It isn’t just the water that’s scarce, we need to handle monetary and time constraints. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101 podcast. My name is Martha Retallick. I’ve been a water…
Unlike most of the rest of the United States, Tucson isn’t covered with snow and suffering through sub-freezing temperatures. But yes, it does snow here. (See above photo.) In this episode, I’ll view snowfall from the perspective of a Southwestern water harvester. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101 podcast. My…
Although we have been experiencing a La Niña weather pattern, with above average temperatures and below average rainfall, this pattern is breaking down. I’m even hearing talk of an impending El Niño weather pattern, which can be quite rainy. In this episode, I’m thinking long-term about our Southwestern weather. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome…
In Tucson, we just experienced our first Freeze Warning of the winter. So, it was time to harvest the Meyer lemons. Here’s a look at how I did that –and what I’m planning to do with my harvest. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101 podcast. My name is Martha Retallick….
My laundry-to-landscape greywater harvesting system irrigates three fruit trees. This episode focuses on needed maintenance of this system and its six emitters, three of which are for my big pomegranate tree, two are for my small pomegranate, and one is for my Meyer lemon. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101…
Quite often, water harvesting is associated with cisterns. And cisterns are expensive. So, if you can’t afford a cistern, what can you do? Quite a bit! This episode advises you to focus your efforts on passive water harvesting, with a bit of “used” water recycling thrown in for good measure. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona,…
Many people think of the desert as a harsh environment where lushness is impossible without heavy irrigation. Here’s the thing about heavy irrigation: It leads to sky-high water bills. And those can really lighten your wallet. Fortunately, there are plenty of water-saving alternatives to heavy irrigation, and I discuss them in this episode. Transcript INTRO:…
I like to look at water harvesting as a decades-long experiment. In this episode, I’ll take you back to my 2004 home purchase, when this place consisted of a bare lot in front and out-of-control Bermuda grass in the backyard, and I’ll describe my landscaping successes and failures in the urban Tucson environment. Transcript INTRO:…
Now that you’ve done the work, it’s time to enjoy the rewards of water harvesting. In this episode, I’m looking at them via the three activities of water harvesting. I’m also offering a bonus reward: Photo op! That’s because water harvesting-fed plants, like the hesperaloe flowers and mesquite leaves shown above, make great photographic subjects….
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center just released the winter forecast for the American Southwest. And it’s looking like a warm and dry winter. Not the sort of prediction we water harvesters want, especially during drought conditions, but here’s how I’m handling it at my place. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the…
Wrapping this three-part series with the third activity of water harvesting, recycling “used” water. You can certainly use this one for gardening, and I do so with container gardens and in-ground plants like fruit trees. This episode includes recommendations of raised beds from Greenie’s Garden and vertical planters from Greenstalk. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona,…
Let’s look at the second activity of water harvesting, storing rainwater for later use. This one’s tailor-made for backyard food production, especially if you have a cistern. However, cisterns have limited capacity, so you’ll need to carefully allocate that water within your growing space. Transcript INTRO: From Tucson, Arizona, welcome to the Water Harvesting 101…