Growing Food in the Desert 🏜️ Summer 2023 Native Soil Garden Update 🌱 

Plant willow trees there if your not worried about water too much something that grows fast and makes good shade for your garden in the desert micro climates are key. The reason for willow trees in your area is because they are prolific and the entire plant has a rooting hormone in it. It’s overall a great soil builder and micro climate creator

I love that you have flowers mixed into your garden eventually when the trees get bigger you should trellis some grapes under them. Swales are a huge help with fruit trees!

Such great folks.

You did a great job gardening in the desert! 😊

Maybe some biomass mixed in with the soil would help ?

Those are the same timperatures and you get more rain than I do. I use cattle panels around my garden beds for tomatoes and cover with shade cloth. It is the only way I can get tomatoes. We have huge winds here. The shade cloth holds up well. Carrots and potatoes may work well for you. I grow potatoes in straw (Ruth Stout Method) my winters can go below 1 degree. I have all 4 seasons here, very arid, extreme winds, very hot summers and very cold in January and February, cold in march and ocassional freezing stil in march and April. Cannot plant until end of april or May. Still may be growing in October or early Novemember some years. Green beans do great as well as okra and squash like you. Kale does wonderful (I just don't like it. I grow lettuce in the shade and I grow Malabar spinach. I grow lots of Sage, Rosemary, thyme, margarime, oregano. Cantaloupe, watermellon, pumpkins. Have enjoyed your videos very much.

I can't believe you don't have more subscribers, your videos are excellent.

I'm so glad you are back! I missed your updates. Consider putting a bird feeder and a bird bath near your front door that the birds love so much. Add a little web cam.

This reminds us of our Texas garden (we admire your persistence, which is greater than ours was!) Have you tried the little yellow pear tomatoes? We had good luck with those being heat tolerant, but also not as attractive to the birds.

Are you going to try tomatoes? If yes, could you share the name . I am in central Texas and haven't found a variety that will produce in 100+ temps

You all are amazing! So MUCH, so well done, and in such little time! Have you researched using biochar for soil improvement? I'm in SV, west of you, and have noticed more vigorous plant growth and veg production in the test beds i applied it to last year. Plan to apply to my fruit trees and grapes this year. Looking into producing my own. Great channel!

Thank you April, this was a terrific recap of your garden journey. Your gladiolus and other flowers are a terrific addition. Add some Epsom salts around tomatoes and other acid loving plants. Adding pulverized lime to sweeten the cucumber soil. Wishing you and Red a blessed week filled with gentle seasonally appropriate weather and restful evenings together with your family. Peace friend.

Nice! great job! We added epsom salt to our soil and seemed to really help this year. This was in our southern az property....we have yet to try to grow a garden up in northern arizona.

What are the yellow tall flowers.

I'm in NE Arizona and it's hard to grow much Okra.

Given the pest load and heat you did really well. If any of the cucumber plants were trying to go to seed that would make the cucumbers very bitter. It must be difficult stopping plants going to seed in your heat.

May I ask what hardiness zone you are in? I live in the upper desert of California (8b) where the biggest challenge is the wind.

That was a very, very hot summer. Even my cacti we’re struggling.

Did you add any compost. Have you had any issues with the desert rats in the garden. Did you plant At onions or garlic.

Hey it's Gary found the land i want way out of town near yucca off the 40 ..what corner of Arizona are you in ? Hello to Kyle still hope to meet ya !! I love all the wild cactus variations out here !!!! Be safe hope to hear from ya!

around the periphery why dont you plant butterfly pea vine and some passion fruit ? they grow on the metal structure and will produce tons of flowers for tea and as well as producing lots of pods for seeds that you can grow, sell and or feed sprouts to your chickens, they will take over plus they are legumes so you will have your own nitrogen rich mulch.

We are in Sunizona. Didn't have much success with garden this year

What variety of string beans did you plant. Never seen them so long.

Gloating row cover will keep the birds off your tomatoes.

Love seeing the garden. Hard to believe that u can grow food there.

Love the garden! Love the birds! Great work!

We made two trips to Iowa farm country & I found wild asparagus in the road ditches. Dug some up and planted it here in Gilbert. Been 3 years no trouble surviving the summer heat & I now have 7x3 ft forest of asparagus. I did keep a very slow drip this year from the garden hose as we had no rain. I didn’t over harvest and it continues to spread.

Have you heard of sunken beds? If you have the space you should try it.

Wonderful garden under very stressful heat conditions this year in your area! YUMMY!!!!!!

Beautiful! And it looks delicious