7 Steps to Grow a Food Forest in Arizona's Desert 

I am in the Gila Valley, Graham County. Aquiring a peice of land and educating myself on how to turn my desert property into a food forest. Thankyou for this video.

I learn so much from you, The Garden Nerd, Edge of Nowhere Farm and Surfview Garden. We’ve been building soil for the past six years that we’ve owned our house here in Arizona with amazing results. Great info and thank you for sharing.

Really interesting. I’m just starting a mini food forest in our backyard in California and I find so many food forest videos are people with cooler climates and some info just doesn’t work as well in our climate. This is the first video I have seen talking about how you have to do things a bit differently in hot dry climates. Thanks so much!

Great video, this is what I was looking for. I just got an acre in high desert, same situation. Can’t wait!

Micelium is basically a web of fungus under the coil the exchanges minerals with trees for nutrient all forest have a massive network in the coil that allows trees that don't have what they need to communicate help from other trees this is why I'm the forest most trees are very healthy

We're having pretty good luck so far by using swales and mulch. Finding pit gardens work the best. We're in the Mohave desert with only 8 inches of rain. Completely off grid having to hand water. The combo of pits and mulch has made it easier. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

You had me at the tree hugger pic! Awesome education- thank you!

Excellent update, so much information, we will definitely pay attention to the steps for future growth, thanks for sharing the video 😎👍

Thanks for being so helpful!

If you develop your forest with the right trees you won't have to water once so ever but this requires lots of planning and good timing I will teach how to do this once I buy land

Amazing video 👍

Howdee from Florence Arizona!

Loved this video it is awesome. Please do one detailed about setting the water system and which trees need rain type and which ones need more of an irrigation time. How many days to water. Time so on. Also how to care specifically citrus trees. Thank you for sharing and making this videos!

Nice Yard!

I live in the north west corner of AZ, so I understand sun evaporation, but I recommend watering early, early in the morning instead of at night. Early morning allows the water to dry on the leaves throughout the day, but if you water at night, you are more susceptible to rot and other diseases because the water on the surface doesn't evaporate enough and makes the plant water logged. My dad planted and grew his own grass seed when we lives in CA and he's worked with sprinklers and installing them for years and he would always water in the morning, never afternoon or evening and his grass was always so green that people would ask if we had a golf course. lol But even when we lived in Florida, it rained every day between 2pm and 5pm in the Summer, but that's the hottest time of day in AZ and that would be a terrible idea here. I suppose my thoughts are operating on assumption because you didn't give an exact time of evening that you watered, and I was assuming that you water after 5, closer to 8pm because that's usually when the sun goes down. Anyway, I'm just saying that if you are struggling with any disease or a decrease in health or production, consider watering in the morning.

Thanks for the share. Interesting. I don't have flood either. I have a commercial timer with backup now that allow me just to press one button, select a zone & water automatically. I initially began installing Drip Line Over 20 yrs ago. You have to PERFECT it. The quality & effort you put IN will create the results that come OUT. SAFELY bury it underground. Only connect where you need to connect. Replace valves & clean them "occasionally" but other than accidently hitting the 1/2 in tubing with a shovel while planting, I have NOT had to replace any of it---Other than one section under a concrete drive-way 2 Plus Yrs ago---other than drippers here & there. Sure, I may have to replace the whole system eventually. It is VERY efficient and I have a forest everywhere. I still have a sprinkler system in one area. I actually have had to repair that more often. But I don't like to water overhead with our hard water--it is not healthy for certain plants. Groundcovers not only provide the benefits you mentioned, but also allow microbial life to expand in the upper surface, which contains some of the best soil & a high level of organics. They may bring in pollinators as well :) Cheers...

As always, great video Brian. My issue has always been placement and organizing my yard. Ohh and being afraid of making mistakes. It takes awhile to grow a tree and for it to bear fruit. What if my placement is wrong in the long run? Trying to account for possible pools, fire pits, grass for the pups or even kids stuff is kind of what my issues are. Luckily my yard is bear so that is at least an easier start than having to rip out something that was already completed

I live 5 minutes away by car from the sea in Portugal. My soil is very much dirt with no life at all, so I am considering 1 of 2 things: removing some of the soil and switching with a good one (need to call a gardening company for that), or sticking to this soil and trying to build upon it. From the steps I saw on this video it appears that option 2 is viable is that correct? We can completly turn a lifeless soil into a soil where fruit trees can grow as long as we continue to feed the soil with organic matter (and all the other steps) right?

Water with a hose by hand. Best way to know what your plants are doing

We just moved to our spot in AJ. We have two and a half acres and I have been getting wood chips delivered for a bit... over the past four months.. and been building up my soil...in a few spots. Now that they have been spread where I want them.. do I need to til them in to get the benefit or just keep topping the soil? Do I need to mix dirt into the chips or can I just plant in it with soil around the plants I am putting in?

How do you have your water set up. Would love to move away from drip to something else. This looks good.

Manure is good for lowering PH too.

Would love to learn more about your watering setup. I am installing irrigation this winter after hand watering with a hose all summer. Do you get mineral build up on trunks or fences? What would you change if you were to do it again?

Love AZ growing but Pete Kanaris says what's growing on. Wish you the best

Say what!? I had no idea. Congratulations! Where are you moving to?

Why don't you just have your family members put in gutters that can direct your roof water into cisterns (water barrels) and/or basins to water your trees?

Too long winded

Black Thumbs Matter ! I have an LGBTQAEIOU+×÷/=⅔ thumb.