Sweltering pretty much describes Coachella Valley weather in August. With a smack of muggy days and high temperatures averaging 105 degrees, garden work loses its appeal.
Other than basic-must-do garden maintenance, take advantage of your air conditioning, stay inside and start to plan how to make your garden more water efficient when you plant in the fall.
Think about ground covers
As problem solvers, they spread over the soil surface and cover the ground with a carpet of foliage and flowers. They shade and insulate the soil, reducing the loss of moisture. They clump, mound, creep, or trail.
Here are some that do well in the Coachella Valley. All thrive in full sun and, once established, water need is low:
• Prostrate Desert Broom
• Sandpaper Verbena
• Prostrate Acacia
• Saltbush
• Silver Bush Morning Glory
• Yellow Dot
• Trailing Indigo Bush
Where to learn about more low-water users
“Lush and Efficient: Desert-Friendly Landscaping in the Coachella Valley” lists more than 300 plants with over 800 photos. You can search by several dozen categories. You can pick up a free copy of the 160-page book at CVWD’s Coachella office at 50-501 Tyler St., or CVWD’s Palm Desert office at 75-525 Hovley Lane East (same building where you pay your bill). You can also find the book at CVWD.org/Conservation for PDF download.
For more help
To find low-water use plants that are suitable for low desert areas, check the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resource’s online Water Use Classification of Landscape Species at https://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/wucols.
Click the Plant Search Database tab, enter the name of the city, then choose the desired type of plants (shrubs, perennials, trees, etc.), and the preferred water category (low, moderate). The application will give a list of plants suitable to grow in a location that fits the specified criteria.
For more information, visit Coachella Valley Water District’s Conservation section at CVWD.org/Conservation.
