San Tan Valley Master Gardeners

03/11/2026

🌸 March in the Low Desert means flowers, flowers, and more flowers!

This is the time of year when the planting list really starts to grow. We can start adding beautiful blooms that will carry color through spring and into summer.

Here are just a few flowers you can plant now:

🌼 From seed:
Cosmos, Four O’Clocks, Safflower, Sunflower, Tithonia

🌱 Start or transplant:
Alyssum, Bee Balm, Coreopsis, Creeping Zinnia, Gaillardia, Marigold, Portulaca, Rudbeckia, Wild Hyssop, Zinnia

🌿 Transplants:
Angelonia, Chamomile, Coleus, Dusty Miller, Geranium, Petunia, Salvia, Vinca

🌷 Bulbs & tubers:
Amaryllis, Canna, Dahlia, Rain Lily, Ranunculus

March is a wonderful time to add color, pollinator plants, and joy to the garden.

Step outside, feel that warm soil, and plant something beautiful. 🌸

Let’s grow together.

02/27/2026

It’s almost that amazing time of year when the number of things we can plant increases dramatically. 🌱

Welcome, March.
Welcome warm soil.
Welcome the smell of fresh earth and the promise of tiny green sprouts.

In the low desert, this is our window. The days are longer, the soil is warming, and the garden starts to hum again.

Let’s grow something delicious. 🌞🍅🌽

What’s going in your garden first?

02/24/2026

March is go-time in the low desert. 🌱

This is your prime planting window before summer shifts your garden into survival mode.

Plant early.
Mulch deeply.
Check irrigation.
Prepare for heat.

San Tan Valley Master Gardeners are here to help you grow smart in our Arizona climate.

02/22/2026

🌿 Thank You, San Tan Valley! 🌿

What a wonderful afternoon at the February 21 Spring/Summer Gardening Class at the San Tan Valley Public Library!

Thank you to everyone who came out, asked thoughtful questions, shared your experiences, and showed up ready to grow. Your excitement for gardening in our Arizona climate makes these classes so much fun.

A big thank you to Starletta and Franco for sharing their knowledge and garden pictures. I think it will really help our community get ahead of the summer heat. 🌞🌱

We love partnering with the library to bring practical, local gardening education to San Tan Valley for free. When we learn together, we grow together.

If you attended, drop a 🌿 below or share what you’re planting this season!

See you at the next class!

— San Tan Valley Master Gardeners 💚

02/20/2026

🌱 Tomorrow! Spring/Summer Vegetable Gardening Class 🌞

Arizona gardeners — this is your sign.

If you want healthy tomatoes before the heat hits, strong squash before June, and a plan that actually works in our climate… you need to start now.

📅 Saturday, February 21
🕜 1:30–3:00 PM
📍 San Tan Valley Public Library – Bronze Room

We’ll cover:
✔ What to plant now
✔ Soil prep that sets you up for success
✔ Watering smart before temps climb
✔ How to stay ahead of the Arizona sun

Don’t wait until it’s 105° and you’re trying to fix problems.

Come with questions. Leave with a plan. 🌿

02/18/2026

🌱 Want to learn more about Spring & Summer Gardening?

Join the San Tan Valley Master Gardeners for:

📅 Spring/Summer Vegetable Gardening — Start Now to Get Ahead of the Arizona Sun
🗓 February 21 | 1:30–3:00 PM
📍 San Tan Valley Public Library | Bronze Room

We’ll cover what to plant, soil prep, irrigation strategies, and how to grow strong veggies before summer heat arrives! 🍅🌶️🥬

02/15/2026

💧 It’s a Great Time to Check for Leaks!

Before you get fully into your garden prep, take a few minutes to check your irrigation system and household plumbing for leaks. Even small drips can waste a surprising amount of water — and in Arizona, every drop counts! 💦🌵

Here’s a quick tip:
🔍 Walk your irrigation zones while they’re running — look for puddles, soggy spots, or uneven coverage.
🚿 Check faucets, hose bibs, and connections for slow drips.
📏 A water meter test (before and after two hours of no use) can help identify hidden leaks.

Learn more about finding and fixing leaks — it’s a simple but important water-saving task for every gardener:

👉

The most important action you can take as a residential water consumer is maintaining a water-efficient home – inside and outdoors. By doing so, you m...

02/14/2026

🌱 Spring/Summer Vegetable Gardening

🌞 Start Now to Get Ahead of the Arizona Sun!

Arizona gardeners know — if you wait for spring to feel warm, you’re already behind! ☀️

Join the San Tan Valley Master Gardeners for our upcoming class focused on getting your spring and summer vegetable garden started the smart way.

We’ll cover:
🥕 What to plant now
🌱 Starting seeds vs. transplants
💧 Smart watering before the heat hits
🌞 How to prepare for intense summer sun
🪴 Soil prep that sets you up for success

If you want tomatoes before triple digits and peppers that actually thrive, this class is for you. 🌶️🍅

📍 San Tan Valley Public Library
📅 February 21
🕜 1:30–3:00 PM

Let’s get ahead of the Arizona sun — together. 🌵✨

02/05/2026

🌱💚 Seed Library Love! 💚🌱

We’re excited to share Coolidge Public Library’s Seed Library — if you’ve been thinking about planting something, now’s the perfect time to stop by and check out a few seed packets! 🌼🥕🌻

A huge thank you to Coolidge Public Library for everything you do to make this seed library possible. Your support helps put seeds (and confidence!) into gardeners’ hands across the community. 🌿✨

🌞🌱 Sprout Something New! 🌱🌞 Your next great read and your next great garden both start at the library! 📖➡️🌿 Check out up to four free seed packets each month with your library card—no return required! 🌸 🍅 🌿

02/04/2026

🌱🌞 Free Gardening Class Alert! 🌞🌱

Mark your calendars! Our next FREE class at the San Tan Valley Public Library is coming up February 21st from 1:30–3:00 PM 🌿

Join the always-fantastic Starletta & Franco as they dig into:
🌱 What to plant and when to plant it
☀️ Smart strategies to help your garden survive (and thrive!) through the summer heat
🌼 Practical tips you can use right away in your own yard

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to level up your garden game, this class is packed with helpful, desert-tested advice — and it’s always a good time learning together.

Bring a friend, bring your questions, and come grow with us! 💚🌵
We can’t wait to see you there!

01/31/2026

🌞🍊 Hey Citrus Growers — It’s Time to Feed Your Trees! 🍋🌞

February is a great month to give your citrus trees their first fertilizer application of the year! 🌱💚
Proper feeding helps support healthy new growth, abundant fruit production, and overall tree vigor in our low desert climate. 

📌 How to fertilize citrus in Arizona:
• For oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit, split your annual citrus fertilizer into three applications:
🌿 January-February
🌿 March-April
🌿 May-June
• For lemons and limes, use a similar schedule but make the third application in August-September. 

🍃 Use a fertilizer formulated for citrus (high in nitrogen) and spread it evenly from just outside the trunk to the edge of the canopy. Always water it in well so nutrients get into the root zone. 

Help your citrus thrive this season — happy fertilizing! 🍊✨
— San Tan Valley Master Gardeners

Want to read all about it?
https://extension.arizona.edu/publication/citrus-fertilization-chart-arizona

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