You Can Only Grow Cactus, Sagebrush and Tumbleweed in Desert Gardening, Right?

No way, maybe that’s what stories of the Wild West would have you believe. We don’t normally think of desert areas as being very fruitful. But, in reality-- they are! Y’see, there’s planting charts for all areas of the country. These are actually maps divided up into zones. And it’s the hardiness and local elevation of the zones that are the keys to the climate and growing conditions for desert gardening.

Each zone has its own selections of plants, flowers and vegetables. For a typical desert area garden, you may be gardening from almost sea level to over 7,000 feet. Your summers will be excessively hot at lower elevations, with cold winters at high elevations. Some desert areas actually have as many as six different planting zones based on elevation, according to agricultural research.

As far as the best planting dates, there will be short seasons at each extreme elevation zone. It can quickly become too hot or too cold to plant the common garden vegetables in one seasonal period. It can be done, but it’s best accomplished with protective, season extending techniques, like greenhouses.

Go By Your Zone-- That’s The Way to Grow!

Let your zone planting charts be your guide as to what to plant. Generally, root growing vegetables are the staples of the desert garden. They can be grown in most zones. And, in most parts of the country they can be left in the ground over winter and harvested as needed.

In most desert areas, supplemental nitrogen may have to be added. These soils require far more than the usual applications of the traditional additives of fertilizer, manure and ground crops. But, consistently applying these organic sources of nitrogen would provide all that would be needed.

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