Flower Planting Guide for the Low Desert

Preparing a Desert Flower Garden

• Low desert areas often have clay soil that has dried to a very hard texture if it hasn't been cultivated. Prepare your desert flower bed by tilling the soil to 8 inches. Dig in 4 inches of organic material such as compost or manure. This will improve the drainage and water permeability of the soil. Clay soil compacts easily, so make your garden small enough to reach from all sides without walking on it.

What to Plant

• Native flowering plants are best in a low-desert setting. It may be difficult to get plants that need cooler temperatures or more water to thrive here. Ask your garden store for specific flowering plants native to your area. Some plants that are known to grow well in the low desert are those in the mock orange family, desert lilies, plants in the brush family and shrubs such as holly.

Water Needs

• Once established, flowering plants native to the low desert need little irrigation. Many desert plants have long tap roots that seek underground water sources. To conserve water, plant those that will need irrigation grouped with others that have similar needs. When watering plants in the desert, it is better to water deep and infrequently, rather than shallow and frequently. Shallow watering may not permeate to the roots of the plants. Water the soil around the roots, rather than the leaves of the plants themselves. Water your low desert flower garden in the early morning or after the sun has set to avoid the water being evaporated too quickly.

Caring for Desert Flowers

• The organic material dug into the soil prior to planting provides nutrients that allow your low desert flowering plants to thrive and bloom. Flowering plants are heavy feeders; however, and deplete the soil by the end of the season. Provide fresh compost or manure to replenish the soil in the early spring or in the fall after the end of the growing season. Remove dead flower heads throughout the season to encourage further flowering.