GARDENING IN THE DESERT

[lauriel]

Andy I am wanting to pick your brain on gardening in your area. My youngest daughter lives in Tuscon and wants us to move there. I was just wondering what will grow there, what won't, do you shade your garden? I have about a million questions. We had ruled out that area, thought you couldn't grow much. Any information will be appreciated.

[azlonerider]

Lauriel,
Below is a link of plants recommended by the extension office. Planting times and elevation. I had written a 4 paragraph reply and lost it. I'll rewrite it tonight, the link has good stuff it in though.

cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/guide.html

[lauriel]

Thanks, this gives me some idea, I just assumed there were quite a few vegetables that wouldn't produce well in AZ.

[azlonerider]

So far we haven't run into a lot we can't grow. The only thing we shade is the strawberries. We have found that the larger tomato's don't do as well, although they will grow, however the Roma's and smaller grow and produce like crazy. We have grown peppers, chilis, bell peppers, tomato's - different varieties, broccoli, spinach, beans, sunflowers, lettuce, radishes, watermelon, pumpkin, corn, onions, garlic, potato's didn't do well, however I think the chickens had something to do with that.... or we grew carrots too.

[azlonerider]

You do have to bear in mind that we are about 1000 feet higher than Tucson and about 10 degrees cooler in the summer and winter.

[lauriel]

My daughter says they are higher than Tucson and not quite as hot, but her address is still Tucson. We wouldn't but close to town anyway. I think a higher elevation would be beneficial in the garden department. Thanks

[azlonerider]

Lauriel,
Which direction from Tucson? That will make a difference. For instance Marana, north west of town is higher than Tucson, yet it tends to be hotter.

A couple things you need to know about desert gardening:

1. Soil - The soil in the desert usually has very little organic material because things dry up and sit there or they blow away. So immediately you have to amend the soil with compost. We are composting all our stuff and currently have 3 piles going, in the summer I have to water the piles every other day, or they will be there for years, as dried up stuff. The soil is also full of salts that if not taken care of by careful watering will kill plants.

2. Watering - For watering a garden and trees there are a few things you need to do different out here. Watering should be done slow and deep. In other words your tree well should be the same size as the tree canopy and you should take an hour or more to fill that well. This will allow the water to soak in to the ground and get deep, washing away salts. A lot of people from other areas of the country don't do this out here and during monsoon season when we get the 50+ mph winds or micro bursts peoples trees get knocked over because the roots aren't out searching for water.

The same applies to the garden. Back east or even up north in Colorado we put the plants on top of the rows, here I don't do that I put the plants in the trough then I flood the trough and all the salts rise to the top of the rows and stay there instead of down to my plants roots. The extension office web site gave me that trick. It works. I also mulch heavy on top of soaker hoses. This keeps the evaporation down as all the watering is occurring under the much... I mulch with straw btw.

[☼ ЯÏĊk ☺]

Andy, you have wormies in your soil out there? Inquiring minds want to know.
We had a drought last summer and i watered the compost piles or they just sat there, being lazy.

[azlonerider]

Rick, in order to have worms we have to introduce them to the soil. So everytime I go fishing if I don't use all the worms I throw them in one of the compost piles or in one corner of the garden. So far the plants haven't minded so I'm just gonna keep doing it.