PLANTING

Agave text Sunset climate zones 12–13: For a striking accent, Tucson agave expert Greg Starr suggests deep green Agave schidigera 'Durango Delight'. Its green leaves are streaked with white and fringed with filaments that capture sunlight. And the plant stays compact — 2 feet tall and wide — perfect for patios. Available from Starr Nursery (520/743-7052).

Devil's claw Zones 11–13: Early in the month is a good time to sow seeds of Proboscidea parviflora'Paiute Devil's Claw', an unsung shrubby desert annual that produces big, tropical-looking foliage and purple-pink flowers. Available from Native Seeds/SEARCH ($3 per packet of 20–25 seeds; 866/622-5561).

Lawn For a naturalistic, low-water-use lawn, try seeding with drought-tolerant 'Hachita' blue grama grass ( Bouteloua gracilis 'Hachita'). Rototill the area to be seeded to a depth of 3 to 4 inches, then comb the soil with a bow rake to leave shallow furrows. Broadcast the seeds at a ratio of 2 pounds for every 500 square feet. Available from High Country Gardens (800/925-9387).

Ocotillo Most people know that during the summer monsoon season, ocotillo canes cover themselves with verdant green leaves. But here's a secret about the bony deciduous shrubs: During these humid months, extra watering dramatically increases their growth rate. In August alone, gardeners who irrigate their ocotillos two or three times a week between storms can stimulate an amazing 6 to 8 inches of new growth. Because bare-root ocotillos are sometimes unscrupulously removed from the wild, be sure to purchase seed-grown plants rooted in containers. Available from Plants for the Southwest/Living Stones Nursery (520/628-8773).

MAINTENANCE

Bolster stressed plants Whenever the desert's brutal summer temperatures cause plants to slow their growth and look sickly, the pros at Berridge Nursery (602/952-8080) in Phoenix bring out the humic acid. An organic soil amendment that's like a tonic for plants, humic acid lowers soil pH and reduces symptoms of drought- and heat-related stress. It also frees up nitrogen in the soil for plant roots to use. Humic acid is usually sold in liquid form; dilute with water according to label instructions and pour it over your plant's root zone.

Control weeds organically Early in the morning, before breezes pick up, pull the weeds by hand or spray them with undiluted white household vinegar, avoiding the foliage of desirable plants. The vinegar will kill most weeds, including thistle. Fertilize citrus Toward the end of August, give citrus trees their final feeding of the year with a fertilizer formulated specifically for citrus. Follow package instructions; water thoroughly before and after feeding.

Propagate agaves To nudge a special agave to reproduce, consider this radical method suggested by expert Greg Starr (see "Agave," above). Prune off the cone in the middle of the rosette, then penetrate the center of the plant with a ¼-inch drill bit, taking care not to drill into the stem. Although you will be sacrificing the mother plant, the agave will respond by producing five or six new "pups" for transplanting.

photo by Thomas J. Story

Lime foliage and lemon yellow flowers look especially cool together on a hot August day. To refresh a sunny or partly shaded patio, pot up our favorite "lemonade" combo, with the tallest plant (accent) toward the back of an 18-inch container, the filler in the center, and the spillers around the front edges.

Accent Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious': chartreuse leaves, red blooms in late summer. 1 plant.

Filler Sweet flag ( Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'): golden yellow leaves. 1 plant.

Spillers Superbells 'Yellow Chiffon' calibrachoa: pale yellow blooms. 3 plants. Creeping jenny ( Lysimachia nummularia 'Goldilocks'): light green leaves. 1 plant.

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