Martha Retallick's Monthly Newsletter | August 18, 2026

Works in Progress

Problem: During sudden downpours, Tucson streets can turn into flood zones. The above photo shows an excellent example, and it's just a few steps away from my house.

Solution: To mitigate the harmful effects of flooding, my neighborhood association has received a RainWorks Green Stormwater Infrastructure mini-grant from Tucson Clean & Beautiful.

We’re using the grant for construction of on-street chicanes with native plants.

These passive stormwater harvesting features will provide us with many benefits, including:

1. Neighborhood beautification
2. Neighborhood cooling
3. Reduced flooding
4. Stormwater filtration
5. Traffic calming
6. Wildlife habitat

At this writing the chicanes are still works in progress. Let's see how they're coming along...

Now that Tucson Asphalt and EcoSense have completed their work, here's what we have...

The chicanes will soon become homes for the aforementioned native plants.

The actual planting? We neighbors will be doing that. And knowing this neighborhood, it's going to be a party!

Speaking of stormwater filtration, our other chicane has already shown us how it's done. During an August 5-6 overnight storm, we got .27" of rain.

Here's some of that stormwater, and it's gradually soaking into the ground. Just what we want...

As mentioned above, our neighborhood chicane project is ongoing. I'll keep you posted on its progress. In the meantime, you can...

View the Chicane Project Photo Gallery

And now, let's check in with the podcast...

Support the Water Harvesting 101 Podcast!

Our summer monsoons certainly got off to a roaring good start!

This inspired me to do a two-part series on rainwater harvesting the monsoon season. Here's Part 1:

Rainwater Harvesting During... Jul 20 · Water Harvesting 101 5:58   ​

And here's Part 2:

Rainwater Harvesting During... Jul 27 · Water Harvesting 101 5:34   ​

After getting off to such a great start, the monsoons came to a screeching halt.

Back to the inferno we went. Which means that it's time for another heartbreaking episode of That Time I Flunked Water Harvesting.

That Time I Flunked Water Ha... Aug 3 · Water Harvesting 101 5:49   ​

So, what does flunking water harvesting look like? Here goes...

The unfortunate victim in this story: The larger of my two pomegranate trees.

It came out of spring with quite the crop of pomegranates. And then, as the summer wore on, the weather got HOT.

The monsoons were intermittent storms – as they always are. And the pomegranates started cracking.

What’s the problem?

The more accurate question would be, WHO is the problem?

The problem is named Martha. I did not give this pomegranate enough water.

How to solve the problem?

I did some research and learned that, during the summertime, as in, when the temperatures get above 100 – and I’m going to even say when the temperatures get above 90 degrees – pomegranate trees need daily watering.

You might not have heard that pomegranates were this thirsty in the summertime, and that they can survive off of rainwater.

Well, I’m here to break the news to you: They can’t. Pomegranate trees need supplemental watering.

As water harvesters, we’re very concerned with where the water is coming from. The four sources:

Source #1: Your municipal water supply. There’s nothing like connecting a hose to a faucet, turning it on. That municipal water pressure is going to get a lot of water onto your plants – quickly.

Source #2: Rainwater. Good news! It has been raining here! And my trees love it!

Source #3: Stored rainwater. I have been pouring my cistern water into buckets and hauling them over to the two pomegranate trees.

Source #4: Recycling used water. I’m also washing the dishes for my two pomegranate trees. After I’m done with the washing, I bucket the wash water out to the trees.

The good news during this dry spell? My pomegranates are starting to turn around. Both are showing new leaf growth, and the smaller pome is flowering again.

Over in my vegetable garden, the news is much better. It's getting two daily waterings until the weather cools off, and the okra plants are quite happy with this schedule...

Bonus Bird

Quick! Grab the camera! There's a roadrunner next to the driveway!

It's been years since I've had a roadrunner visit, and I am delighted. And, roadrunner, I have this to say:

If you're looking for grubs and other avian delicacies, you've come to the right yard. Looking forward to seeing you again.

​Kirkus Reviews calls City Nature “A beguiling ramble full of captivatingDIY information and arresting visuals of flora and fauna.” ​ Order the Book

Prefer to listen and learn? Water Harvesting 101 is also available as an audiobook.

Questions? Comments? Let's talk! I'm looking forward to hearing from you! ​ Contact me!

​Coffee Table Book​

​Audiobook​

​Audiobook​

​Weekly Podcast​

​Photographic Prints​

​Martha's Blog​