[capt_noonie]

Since I live in a climate similar to you, I'll share what we do. We have been having great success with our non edibles. My garden is surprisingly doing well this year. Last year was terrible. Once it gets really hot, we water every morning. We have a drip system. Now we are still doing every other day.

Annuals I don't really do anything, since they are going to die at the end of the season anyway. Once they get really big I will cut some to bring indoors and put in a vase.

Any fertilizer that is specifically for that kind of plant will work. I had just used up my generic Miracle Grow and it was fine. I'm sure you could look up what type of soil ph those plants like. I don't have hibiscus or bouganvilla here.

The plants that are doing really well for us here are cat claw vine, boston ivy, silk tree, chilean mesquite, desert museum, fire bells, pink chitalpa. These have exploded the last few weeks. The ones that are kind of hanging in there and fighting a good fight are purple wisteria and queen's wreath. The mesquite and desert museum grow like weeds and are great big shade trees.