Small Family Garden 2

Common name:Mexican Fan Palm
Botanical name:Washingtonia robusta

The Mexican Fan Palm is a very tall, rapidly growing palm with large, fan-shaped leaves. It has a tropical look, and can grow several feet a year. This species is excellent for larger yards and lining streets.

Common name:Sugar Bush
Botanical name:Rhus ovata

This dense, rounded evergreen shrub grows 8'-15' tall and wide, with creamy flowers between March and May. The shrub bears small red fruit. It grows well in inland areas and is drought tolerant. The foliage is leathery and rich looking and dark green in color. It needs additional water in low desert areas every 2 weeks or plant in area with afternoon shade. It needs a well drained site. It is susceptible to verticillium wilt in wet areas.

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

Water Saving Tip:

As the weather gets hotter avoid the temptation to increase run times.

Instead, schedule more start times with one to two hours in between to allow the water from the previous session to soak in before watering again.

Integrated Pest Management:

Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.