Things To Do: Late September and early October

• It’s fall, so you can plant, plant, plant!
  • You can plant all kinds of perennials: small ones like penstemon, globe mallow, salvias, daleas and Mexican evening primrose, as well as bigger shrubs like hopseed, Texas ranger and Arizona rosewood.
  • This time of year is the best time to plant trees, native and non-native (like fruit trees).
  • Get ready for fall planting in your veggie garden! 
  • If you want to grow bulbs such as narcissus, tulips, lilies, iris and amaryllis, you can plant them now. If you’re already growing iris, now’s the time to divide them.
• New plantings can follow this watering schedule from the Pima County Master Gardeners for newly planted native and desert adapted plants: Weeks one and two, every three to four days; weeks three and four, every six to seven days; weeks five and six, every seven to 10 days; weeks seven and eight, every 10-14 days. After week eight, gradually extend time between irrigations until plants are established.
• You can replenish compost on your plants. If you don’t know how to make your own compost, it can be purchased at Tank’s Green Stuff. You can also use vermicompost, or worm castings, for extra nutrition.
• You can prune your Texas Rangers after our rains have stopped — they won’t bloom again until next year. Alternatively, you can wait until February or so.

Events

• University of Arizona Herbarium Lecture: The Legumes of Arizona Project. Shelley McMahon, director of the UA Herbarium, will present highlights and history of the recently published book "Legumes of Arizona – an Illustrated Flora and Reference." Sept. 26, noon to 1 p.m., at the UA Herbarium in Herring Hall, 1130 E. South Campus Drive. It will also be live-streamed by Zoom. For more events and lectures at the UA Herbarium, check out their events page. 

• Plant sales:

• Desert Survivors Fall Plant Sale. Non-members: Sept. 23-28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 1020 W. Starr Pass Blvd. Non-members get 10% off.
• Borderlands Nursery & Seed​ Fall Plant Sale. Sept. 28, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 42 San Antonio Road in Patagonia.
• Pima County Master Gardeners Fall Plant Sale. Oct. 19, 8 to 11 a.m., at 4210 N. Campbell Ave.
• Tohono Chul Fall Plant Sale. Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 7366 N. Paseo del Norte.

• Watershed Management Group:

• Living Lab & Learning Center Tour. Sept. 28, 9 to 11 a.m. at 1137 N. Dodge Blvd.
• In-Person Rainwater Harvesting Class (Tucson Water). Oct. 3, 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 1137 N. Dodge Blvd.
• Rio Vista Restoration Planting Workshop. Oct. 5, 8 to 11 a.m. at 3974 N. Tucson Blvd.

• Tucson Botanical Gardens: Note that hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Sept. 30; hours change to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Oct. 1.

• Mushroom Cultivation Workshop. Sept 22, 10 a.m. to noon, in the Education Building Classroom at 2150 N. Alvernon Way. $40.
• Water-saving Strategies for the Desert Garden. Sept. 27, 10 a.m. to noon. Zoom. $30.
• Desert Container Gardening – 365 Days of Living Color. Oct. 3, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Zoom. $36.
• Plant for Success: Best Tips for Choosing, Planting, and Maintaining. Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to noon on Zoom. $30

• Tohono Chul

• Butterflies and Their Plants. Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m., 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. Free with admission.
• Desert Landscaping. Saturdays, 9 a.m., 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. Free with admission.
• Walk in the Gardens. May to September: daily, 10 a.m.; October-April: Monday through Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. at 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. Free with admission.

• Mission Garden

• Dragonfly Day at Mission Garden. Sept. 28, 9 a.m. to noon, at 946 W. Mission Lane. Free.
• Healing Herb Walk. Oct. 5, 8 to 9 a.m. at 946 W. Mission Lane. $10.

• Pima County Master Gardeners:

• The Pima County Master Gardeners in-person plant clinic is located at the Pima County Cooperative Extension office, 4210 N. Campbell Ave., and is open Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The online Plant Clinic question form can be used, as well.
• Pima County Master Gardener talks — now virtual or in-person at community libraries. There are lots of great topics for everyone, whether you’re brand new to Tucson or a seasoned gardener.
• You can walk around the Master Gardener demonstration gardens at 4210 N. Campbell Ave. There are Master Gardener-led 90-minute tours on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. (February through May and September through December)

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