U of A Master Gardeners Green Valley

06/23/2026

Stay safe everyone! 💚

06/19/2026

06/17/2026

Did you know???

Trichocereus (now frequently reclassified under Echinopsis) produce edible, sweet fruit that many describe as a smaller version of dragon fruit. The fruits have a cottony, gelatinous white flesh dotted with numerous tiny, edible black seeds, and boast a mild, subtly sweet flavor profile akin to kiwi, melon, or cucumber.

*Identifying and HarvestingAppearance: Fruits are generally cylindrical to ovoid, growing about 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm) in length. Depending on the species, the outer husk can be green, yellow, or a vibrant red.

*Ripeness: A ripe fruit will naturally split or crack open down the side, exposing the white interior flesh.

*Harvesting: If the fruit is ready, it will usually twist off the stem effortlessly. For the sweetest flavor, you can let the interior flesh brown slightly over a few days before eating.

*Edibility and UseSafety: The flesh of Trichocereus cacti (such as the San Pedro) contains alkaloids like mescaline. However, the psychoactive compounds do not transfer to the fruit in any significant amount, making the fruit completely safe and non-psychoactive to eat.

*Preparation: Only eat the inner flesh and seeds; the thick, fuzzy, or sometimes spiny outer husk should be discarded.

*Health warning: As with anything you may consume....check with your doctor first and make sure you're not allergic. Do not eat fruit from a cactus that has been treated with systemic insecticides, as these chemicals can be absorbed into the fruit.

*Cultivation and SeedsFor gardening enthusiasts, Trichocereus fruit is a goldmine for seeds. To extract them, squeeze the fleshy pulp into a bowl of water and mash it to separate the seeds. Rinse them thoroughly in a strainer to remove the sticky, sweet residue, which will help prevent mold from growing later on. Dry the seeds and store or plant them.

06/17/2026

Entomological fun facts:
(From Dr. Dawn Gouge)
June brings blistering heat to our low desert areas, but the triple digit temperatures do not deter the heat adapted bugs no doubt in a tree near you.
You may have spotted the red and white giant mesquite bug nymphs in numbers moving up and down tree trunks during the day. They do this primarily to regulate their temperature spending most of their time in the upper canopy. But they migrate down to cooler lower trunk areas when desert temperatures become brutally hot.
During June they mature into magnificent adults which cause no harm and can cause no injury to people.
Try to spot them while you listen to the other desert adapted musicians, the cicadas.

Here's some more in-depth reading on these little beauties! https://acis.cals.arizona.edu/community-ipm/home-and-school-ipm-newsletters/ipm-newsletter-view/ipm-newsletters/2019/06/25/giant-mesquite-bugs



📷: Giant Mesquite bug (top) and nymph (bottom).

06/17/2026

Oooh lala! 👀

NEW! Growing Gourds

When: Thursday, June 18, 2026
4:30 pm (Arizona Time)

NEW! Learn about this inedible relative of the squash/melon family. Decorative gourds have been cultivated all over the world for thousands of years. These heat-loving plants do well here in our desert and are easy to grow. We’ll discuss the different types, how to successfully grow them, and how they can be treated and preserved after harvest.

Register for this zoom class with this link - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/z91WJ148RpKLCG8MWkeLKw #/registration

Are you seeing this on Instagram? Click on the class calendar in our bio to see offerings and register.

☀️

06/15/2026

Living in Arizona, we need a watering system for our plants that is effective and easy to use. Ever consider using ollas?? Ollas are porous, unglazed terracotta vessels that you bury in your soil. The olla systems we have at the Demonstration Garden has a reservoir that keeps the ollas filled. The water flows by gravity from the reservoir. As the soil surrounding the olla dries out, the porous clay releases water to water your plants. Effective and simple!!

Pima County Master Gardeners-Green Valley, 530 E. White House Canyon Rd., Green Valley, Az.

06/12/2026

Just another

06/10/2026

It's all a matter of perspective...

Where some folks see weeds and ask why we allow weeds to grow in our garden, we see natural pest control. It's a great opportunity to educate and that's what we do here! 🌿

We had Marsh Parsley grow around the tire our Bonanza Peach tree is planted into. When water pools around the outer ring, it gives an opportunity for this plant, Marsh Parsley, to grow.
(Note: we do have to train it back after 2 to 3 years as the seeds can carry and pop up in various garden areas.)

Why do we keep it? The Eastern Black swallowtail larva love it! It's a good distraction plant to keep larvae away from our own dill and parsley.

Here's some more info:

Marsh parsley (Cyclospermum leptophyllum) is a highly attractive host plant for the caterpillars of the Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes). Female swallowtails regularly seek out this plant—along with other members of the carrot/parsley family like dill, fennel, and rue—to lay their eggs.
***The Relationship:
*The Caterpillars: Also known as "parsley worms," will voraciously feed on marsh parsley leaves as they grow through their larval stages.
*The Plant: Native to tropical America but widespread in regions including parts of North America, this plant is a favorite of the swallowtail. Because it self-seeds and grows quickly, it can easily sustain hungry caterpillars, though they will strip smaller plants rapidly.
*The Lifecycle: Once the caterpillars finish feeding, they form a chrysalis on a sturdy plant stem or nearby object, emerging as striking black, yellow, and blue butterflies in about 1–2 weeks.

***Gardening Tips for Swallowtails: If you are looking to attract or support Eastern Swallowtails.
*Plant Extra: Since the caterpillars are heavy eaters, plant more than you plan to harvest.
*Alternatives: If marsh parsley is hard to find in the desert climate, standard culinary parsley, dill, carrots, fennel or Rue serve as equally excellent host plants.
*Pesticide Warning: Avoid using any insecticides or systemic oils on or near these plants, as they will harm the caterpillars.

06/05/2026

Another