How to Have a Successful Garden in the Desert or Anywhere Top 10 Tips
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- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- John from www.growingyourgreens.com/ shares with you the most important elements you need to consider when vegetable gardening in the desert so you can be successful.
In this episode, you will learn the 10 most important considerations you will need to take into consideration when vegetable gardening in Las Vegas, Nevada, or other Desert Climates to ensure your success.
You will discover the importance of Watering, Sun, Shade, Soil, Planting at the Right Time, Soil Biology, Weekly Feeding, Pollinators, Planting the Right Plants, and Planting Densely.
You will learn the very techniques that John implements in his vegetable garden to have a high level of success growing a summer vegetable garden in one of the most extreme climates in the USA.
You will discover many tips that if you consider and implement, will raise your level of success with gardening in the desert or where-ever you live.
You will learn from John's gardening experience in the desert for almost a decade.
After watching this episode, you will learn the most important factors you need to consider when growing a vegetable garden in hot desert climates or other extreme climates.
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You hit the nail on the head! Being a desert gardener myself the struggle is real! Often times more things die than grow so it is a delicate dance! But I am also proud of my accomplishments in such extreme conditions 🌻
Shade house using white shade cloth, cuts the intensity yet super bright inside, plants grow well.
That neighbor will be climbing that wall to eat your food within a year. 😄
SOMETIMES WE JUST GET LOST IN HIS RAMBLING AND LIKE AN HOUR LATER....HE'S STILL TALKING !!!!!! WE LEARN SO MUCH FROM THIS CHANNEL BECAUSE HE JUST NEVER STOPS TALKING!!!!!! WE LOVE IT !!!!!!!!
Hi, from the desert of western Colorado. Used to live in Vegas and I miss it a lot!! I especially miss the purple Costa's hummingbirds that lived in my yard, they got to know me and were there all year. I was learning how to grow native plants to feed them. Working on the same project now in Colorado. Thank you so much for your videos, you're an AMAZING gardener!!!
I live in Western Colorado too! 💚
Appreciate your tips! We moved to Las Vegas 3 years ago and are learning how to grow a vegetable garden in the desert. This year we put up shade cloth, where the plants get early morning and afternoon sun, so they're protected during the hottest time of the day. The plants are happy. Last year we put in ollas and that has helped to keep plants watered when they are thirsty. We also grow compost worms. Besides adding a few worms to the garden bed, we add worm castings to the plants weekly prior to watering which has resulted in the bad bugs being minimal to nonexistent and the plants growing quicker and stronger. We have so many worms now that we sell them and worm castings.
I'm going to be moving to vegas soon. It will probably be a little bit before I can get a garden up and going but what's the best way for me to contact you about the worms/castings? Do you have a facebook page? My sister grows a desert garden inland in CA and I really want to get something going in Vegas. I just love it.
@@jycfrnkl please email me dakinegardenstuff@gmail.com when you're ready.
Where did you get the ollas at? I live in Vegas as well and this week I’m putting in a raised garden bed and really want to maximize every drop of water.
That bullseye metaphor was ridiculous, but a great representation of why I like this channel.
pro tip: you can watch series at flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching all kinds of movies these days.
@Jerome Cade Yea, have been watching on Flixzone for years myself =)
Hand watering in the high dessert successfully. Celery, peppers, tomatoes, okra, 2 types of cukes, 3 types tomatoes, corn, 5 types of squash, potatoes, chard and more. Use shade cloth, trees and sunflowers
WOW!!!! way to go⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!!
I also find hand watering easier because I can control the amount of water.
@@annburge291 Big downfall is when there is a watering ban. Like John said all it takes is one day of desert heat and bam, its gone in a day
@@marypaino1327 We have a house in the city and a block just outside. Before we dug a well the block received water for one hour once a week. If the neighbours shut our tap so they could receive more, sometimes we had a three week gap. Yes a lot of newly planted seedlings died. Very frustrating. The fascinating thing is how much survived applying permaculture techniques ..no till, planting trees from seed, deep mulch, vertical water pipes, planting annuals in tree wells, having many nitrogen fixing trees.. ironically we had one neighbour sabotaging our trees because the grass was green were his grass was brown and dry. He had assumed we were stealing his ration of water. At the house the plants receive a daily watering because I use our grey water and 500 l max of municipal water for green leafy vegetables. Ironically the blocks plants growing amongst the grasses are stronger and healthier than the house plants that have a more tidy appearance. We do eat a lot of weeds such as nopal, amaranth, purslane, carrot tops, mulbury leaves... What do you grow?
@@marypaino1327 You have said.
I wish I was your neighbor John. I'd compete with you on growing food and herbs then I'd share it with you. Which is what I wish all humans would do.
that would be really cool, between the both of you, you could have all the food one would ever want or need.
@@kevintunaley5079 Absolutely. And if we were all of that mindset we'd be in great shape.
@@Peppersfirst my end goal in that type situation would be to bring fresh food to the local food banks and help feed those in bad situations
@@kevintunaley5079 I like that idea. Many may be in a bad situation in the near future. I'm positioning myself to be of service incase it happens. Getting my winter greens cranked out as much as I can.
Sounds like back door communism 🤣🤣🤣 joking
Super relevant in California too now actually! (at least in SoCal) we've recently reached highs of 104°F in my area. Thank you for the timely and conscise video! 🌱💚✌
Relevant in NorCal also last summer a week of 110-113 the corn just burned up.
Vegas dweller here. I can't believe I just found your channel. Somewhat new to gardening but have no yard. I have occupied every empty corner of my apartment with pots. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I love how he keeps saying he recommends it AT THIS TIME. It’s cool, people should understand that as time progresses or needs change and products change.
You are just incredible! You help people grow for life. Everybody else is hoarding advice for a buck. It’s incredible.
omg...been trying to start seedling brussel sprouts...have went thru 3 packet of heirloom seeds so far🤬🤬🤬...its 108 today in Sacramento! so much for "fun" first time gardening🤣🤣🤣🤣 Actually...I love fighting the bugs and moles and weird mold/leaf fungus that i have had to look up since starting my pandemic garden and THANK YOU for all your Advice from this Wonderful Channel!!
I do large container gardening and water x2 daily esp in heatwaves. My rose garden, I have medium sized unglazed clay pots,2 pots large mout glued together and the holes outside and then buried into the ground where one end is left outside and a row of them. My Rose's are planted beside them and the deep buried pots are filled with water and they slowly deep water. This is an ancient method of water gardening used in ancient cultures like ancient Sumeria and ancient Egypt. Also called ollas.this is a VERY effective method of desert gardening and deep watering for your desert gardening. There is a book called gardening with less water that teaches the use of clay pot watering method. Very very very effective and very water sparing
Thank you!!
I have watched your video’s for years and started watching when I lived in Michigan. 2022 we moved to Vegas & my love for gardening was only successful in Vegas temperatures due to you. So, again… Thanks for being the educator for everyone in all climate types.
If you're going to use a shade cloth, maybe position it to block the afternoon sun, so it's not directly over your plants. Around 3pm I definitely sympathize with my wilting plants, it is SO HOT 🔥
Watering: you are the first person to explain the process to me thank you. Most of the garden, big box stores have the wrong information for planting in the desert I am in Phoenix it’s a dry heat!
South Florida here. Super hot 90° and climbing every year with intense humidity. Humid desert 🏜 here. Lol. I’m planting as much sun and heat tolerant shade creating plants as possible. Propagating lots of perennial ground cover plants like sweet potatoes, lemon thyme, purslane.
Thanks so much for the tips. I am an avid garderner who has lived mostly in washington and idaho previous to moving to vegas a few months ago, its an extremely different climent here. I've been doing a lot of research on how to grow here, so that come spring I can get a garden going and this has been SUPER helpful. thank you!
Thanks for the tips. It's amazing how much you have grown over the years in such a difficult climate. Definitely inspiring!
High desert here. Our sun is intense. I get a tan even under the 80% shade cloth under my tent. I use 30-60% shade in my garden. I went through the whole water more thing, then the grow only plants that survive thing. Shade cloth has been the best so far. Less water use. It is passive. I can go outside during the day for longer periods of time if I can stay under the shade cloth. My plants mostly are still blooming under the shade cloth. I have a few areas that only have 10% shade cloth over specific plants. When it gets cooler, we will be shading our entire backyard. Even 10% shade cloth is enough, but I prefer 30-50%.
I find I have much more bug pressure in the shade. Shade and autotoxic plant roots (which many desert trees are have killed off quite a few of my plants)
Do you have succulents ? How often do you water succulents during a AZ or NV summer if they are outside ?
Where do you live? I'm in Las Vegas. What percentage of shade cloth would you recommend for growing tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and herbs?
I live in nevada and you are my inspiration. My garden is much smaller but l hope one day to have one like yours. It is such a rough climate here but the happiness l get from growing something successful in the desert is amazing!!
Do you have or grow succulents?
108 in California. This video is just what I needed. Thank you.
Sun: we find that morning to midday sun is the best. Yes, sun at the hottest time of day which seems counterintuitive) Any plant in the shade gets totally attacked by insects such as white fly. It's really important to make the bugs feel too hot to hang around. Dappled shade with a nitrogen fixing tree such as Mezquite helps after 2:00 pm. We get hot winds in the afternoon and they can dry out leaves. Wind protection is more critical than sun exposure.
Hi! Your videos are awesome and I learn a lot! You mentioned your irrigation, in the 1st tip. Wondering if you have tried or heard about olla pots and blumats? Olla pots date back to Egyptian times for irrigation. I use them here in the desert and I believe helps me avoid the multiple watering, through the day, as you mentioned. I lightly surface water, in the morning, to help work minerals and nutrients down into the soil and fill my olla pots daily. The pots water deeply and slowly all day long. roots have to seek it out, as you mentioned, too. My plants don't wilt, even baking in a greenhouse. @100F day time, high desert, 13 Index sun. Blumats do not require timers or pumps to operate. And keep the soil a consistent moisture that you set yourself. I don't have the blumat system, yet. But I believe between the two. Anyone, would have a perfect water system for desert life. Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful day!
This is such an amazing idea
Desert gardening is quiet the challenge especially since I come from Alabama at sea level and now I am in southeast Arizona at almost 5000 ft above. Shade is necessary and 2x a day watering. But also, learning about the climate zones you have in your yard is very useful as is perennial veggies. John thanks so much for your info on gardening.
I live in morenci and i am not having much luck with anything but I'm still trying new things. Do you have anything that worked for you?
We moved here in NM from CA. Second year gardening and realized I think we really need a drip irrigation next Spring as our garden is expanding. Thanks for these great tips!
What a great and detailed video! You’re passion and knowledge speak volumes!
Just found your channel today! Love it! I'm in Vegas and we are starting our garden now. Hauling out rocks this weekend!
Thumbs up John. We have had some heat here this summer but not as hot as last year and not as hot as you have it there!
Thank you for making the videos. I'm learning a lot!
Another enjoyable video, thanks John.
Thanks for everything you do!!!
I live in Joshua Tree. I watched your video about setting up an automatic irrigation system and it was amazing but yes my tomato plants grew vegetative outta control and never produced fruit until very late fall but nothing ever ripened. I'm excited for this video
Our pumpkin plants are all putting out plenty of male flowers but no female flowers or fruit. I think it goes back to our clay rich soil that doesn't retain moisture very well, making it hard for the plant to get nutrients. I suppose I could fertilize with a potassium rich mix, but this is our first time and I already have okra thats doing fine with keeping me busy
I live in Cathedral City and I had the same problem this year 😪
One thing I could mention is I have been growing amazing amounts of sprouts on my window sill from following the suggestions in the book year round indoor salad gardening by Peter Burke. Well worth the investment if you want fresh salad greens every day all year. ua-cam.com/video/NZWaTWDY0xk/v-deo.html
Wow I'm glad I finally found you! I've been searching for hot weather Gardener to help me along the way especially since my vegas patio garden is between 2 two story buildings and it gets even hotter down here in the middle.
I have eight of the large Stone outside pots from McCormick & Schmick's when they remodeled. The contractor gave them all to me and brought them to my house because I was the one that had to do all the gardening there previously and he knew that the kind of meant a lot to me. (I was the hostess actually)
So in my tiny little patio- 16 x 20 maybe, I have eight of them Across The Back Fence and that's how I'm attempting to grow my garden as well as stack containers in between them on top. However this year has been hotter and the summer did not prove to be successful although the plants are alive and survived I did not get much fruit if any after the Heat hit so now they're actually starting to come back and flower even with the high heat stress that they went through.
I am hand watering that's the only way I can do it and actually I need to take some of the peppers out cuz I found that they don't have the proper drainage and the peppers are sitting in a swamp!!! Growing tho not big
Thank you for sharing your experience because I appreciate all the help you can give us. Still looking for aluminet reflective covering that will fit my whole patio and not just pieced in.
- (plant base)Pamela in hot patio garden
Thank you for this video!! SO glad you live in Vegas so you can help us struggling desert gardeners! =D
Any Canadians here? 🙂🇨🇦
Thanks again John for a great video!
we’re growing in a desert like climate also.. we have to get Very creative😁btw we started growing tree collards from seeds we bought from u, we LOVE them! we’re growing them everywhere, as many as possible💚
Thanks John. Appreciate your work.
I'm in barstow cali, we see 122 on average each summer. I appreciate your knowledge & advice sir!!! I hope for a bountiful year for us all.
John, for the adjoining rock garden, bring in some shade cloth covers and it should extend your microclimate making it cooler for your area too~ Totally worth it!
Always exciting watching your garden thanks
I like your use parables in your instruction. It’s the proper antidote for me to learn. I just came across your channel. You use other situations in life that many have experienced and that had made me really look at my challenges at keeping my plants alive. It will take dedication and more brilliant ideas to keep our plants from dying.
3:10, about failure: "The one who falls and gets up is stronger than the one who never tried." "One who fears failure limits his activities." "If you're not failing, then you're not trying hard enough." :) Thanks for the encouragement!
I’m in Vegas too! Your garden is gorgeous! Thank you for the tips!
Great tips for Las Vegas ! Thank you soooo much John😀!
Brilliant! I am a great follower of your videos. Totally inspiring.
Very honest with your garden and thank you this tips could help me in Arizona
I started growing vegetables and other plants not far from Vegas near Kingman AZ and boy as a first time gardener, have I learned some lessons. I no longer have anything growing on the ground, I made some 6x3 wooden grow tables and use containers like storage totes, buckets and pots. I also utilized some large Mustang and Corvette car tires by stacking 2 high to grow flowers in and am using a large bathtub for Brassicas in the cold months and melons in the summer. My issues are the desert varmints like pack rats, Antelope squirrels and rabbits and birds which is why I elevated everything from the ground. The heat is obviously killer on plants so I also invested in shade cloth and since my cherry tomatoes are in buckets I can move them to shade under an awning. Bird netting is useful for keeping cactus wrens and other birds from raiding my plants too. I'm still experimenting with different types of plants and trying to germinate and plant them at the right times in this climate. It's been hit or miss but a fun learning experience. Great video and info thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge John.
Looks great. Take care.
I don't have as extreme temps but this helps a ton! we get up into 100-105 pretty regularly here in west texas for extended periods, similar climate to Las Vegas, just not as hot and maybe a little more rain.
Thank you i live around mojave in lancaster these tips im praying will help me grow into a better gardener
Thank so much
Thank you
I live in Las Vegas! Thanks for the info!
You are the best ..I love this guys vids
Omg I been lookinh for gardening buddies from vegas or just desert places to share tips with!
I’m learning from you. Thank you . Moved 6 mos ago to
1.5 acre of Pahrump “poof dirt” I’m starting slow with container & buckets.
Wow, sorry I almost had to go on to another video, at first, because I was just trying to get some "quick" tips to grow in the desert, but dude, you needed to lay off on the multiple comparisons when explaining things, like, we're all not Elementary school kids. On a positive note, you did give mega tons of good advice, once you got going, and your garden obviously thrives, so thank you!
Soil - fox farm ocean Forrest floor mixed with happy frog works works wonders with everything I’ve grown out in az. Of course compost and mulch as well.
hi just wanted to say you're awesome ! thank you !
Thanks
I’m definitely watching and learning from this channel since we both live in Vegas lol
I like his hat! The hat makes him look so professional 🤣🤣
Useful tips.
I agree, don't spoil your plants and overwater, the roots won't go as deep and you actually get less fruit as a result
Also ... For me... mineralizing with Green Sand and Crushed volcanic rock works wonders... I buy the decorative volcanic rocks for walk ways and such at home depot for 8 bucks and the sledge hammer out as needed .... I can use the big pieces in my tea airator bucket too for mineralizing with every hand water and tea application... its a little more work and time consuming, but thats the fun of of the garden...
I bought a composter. Nearly every night I compost my organic matter then add it to other soil.
Find growing in the tree wells on the south side more effective for small plants than raised beds. I water them far less because the tree michrorisal fungi helps bring them water and nutrients. The raised beds seem to get too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Most of our natural water comes from morning dew rather than rain. I try and keep the grass as long as possible during peak summer.
I have drippers and also i gave my all plants a rain morning and evening,yes I have a lot of plants died from heat.i live in vegas also
Hi John. I just started watching your videos but didn't know you live in Vegas.
Would you sell any of your vegetables etc. ? I'd love to buy from you. I'm big on organic eating.
I live in Southern California, Ramona California.
No, here in CT....wishing I was back in Tucson.....
I Remember one of the first videos i ever saw of you. You were also on a rooftop talking about that city farmer in Pasadena California-dervaez?
❓ can you suggest one of your videos, i need info on how your soil texture impacts drainage and root penetration. We have very clay rich soil that dries out or turns to mud when it floods. Needless to say, plants don't do very well at all in our yard
I live in lasvegas I'm a first time home owner attempting to terraform our yard and I need so much help...
I do live in Las Vegas! Unexpected.
Hi John,
How often do you water outdoor succulents on the summer? And how much... yucca, agaves, aloe, sotols and succulent bowls ect? And how much do you water them in April and May
What about partial shade maybe the shade cloth during the hottest time of the day and full sun in the afternoon when the sun hits from the West side before sunset in the summer time.
I believe the sun exposure issue should be addressed by individual plants, some plants don't tolerate the afternoon heat *sun overhead* as well as others....some *full sun* plants would benefit to having a morning only or am and pm exposure with afternoon shade or refracted light in the mid day.... I has to do with stem temperature and the speed the plant can transpire enough to hydrate its cells ...
What nursery do you recommend buying vegetable plants from in the Vegas area?
You have raised beds, which as you know will make them dry out quicker. If you wanted to water by hand, having slightly sunk beds would be a better idea but much worse for the back.
Purslane and basil looooove it hot! As long as they get H2O
I'm in Utah, tucked away in the St. George area. The southwest corner of Utah is part of Nevada's climate though Las Vegas is a degree or two hotter. Even in the early spring, the UV radiation can be felt on the bare skin; in the summer, it's very pronounced--it burns! From what I've read, UVC radiation is now hitting the Earth's surface. This is what we have to guard against when trying to grow plants in the desert. It's really tough. Just six years ago, my rosemary grew beautifully. Presently, it's burning up in the radiation. I'm looking into shade cloths now.
Low desert 9b in az here. I got grow bags despite my cringing time do so BUT I also got an auto irrigation drip system to install :) I hope the grow bags will be okay then. Or should I take them back before I use them and get something else? I can only bc if sun do one 4x8 raised and rest have to be containers . Most of my yard at least now in feb is shade
oh man, i can’t find dr earth potting soil anymore, was my Favorite!
It's on Amazon
Hi, I just want to ask where did you get your horseradish tree or moringa tree?
Not too sure about your watering recommendations. I'm in the Chihuahua semidesert area. Watering in the day can kill many plants such as peach trees and pumpkin. I think it is because the top layer of the soil is hot and watering then gives the soil microbes heat shock as the heat travels downwards with the water. We start watering at dusk and water throughout the night to avoid evaporation. If the leaves are wilting in the middle of the day (eg peach tree) it indicates that the tree has been over watered superficially, over fertilised with artificial fertilisers. To stop the wilting we add compost and then cover the soil with small plants or cardboard and sawdust (ideally wood chip). A more thorough watering with wells and less often (every two weeks for trees), soil being covered, using compost, having a nitrogen fixing tree as a neighbour makes the plants more resilient to the heat. Seedlings are an exception. We water them early morning and evening. Wicking beds are fantastic.
I live in 29 palms and like to learn how to raise food in the desert specially that the soil is very sandy
Can you show us your water bill? :)
Moths are also pollinators, they do it at night.
I just use my finger as a pollinator lol
The more alive your soil is, the less water you need. Houses in Chihuahua can use 1000 litres per day during the hot season for air-conditioning. We have a passive thermal designed house so we don't require A/C for comfort. We use far less than 1000 litres to water the garden. We also use our grey water to water the trees.
Hey John I live in California's high Desert Apple Valley to be exact . Sun has not been my problem but the freezes have affected my gardening more than the extreme heat and sun exposure . Any tips on how to combat the low temps ? It's gotten down to 15 degrees in the winter .
Growing cold hardy varieties, starting in the early fall! Plus hoops over your beds, and adding water drums, gallons, or filled watering cans around your beds. They insulate and absorb sun/heat during the day and slowly emit it at night.
I too, live in the desert... my question, can I use the original soil ( or dirt) from my backyard and mix it with a store vought soil for planting in containers ( thats the only way, I can do my gardening). Thank u
Watering twice a day, by hand w/ 95-100 degree days in North Sierra Nevada mountains. No problem w/ production.
Have you tried self watering containers?
Anyone have feedback on Bumper Crop soil?
Your neighbor might as well just sell his backyard lot.
He should put up motion sensor lights because if I lived next door I will be hopping the fence and stealing peppers lol
They look as bad as each other polar opposites 🤣
They might be old people or disabled. Quit judging before u know
Sorry Karen
or ... rent his yard to JK in trade for the food he grows
Hi!
I heard plants only need 1.5 -2% of transmitted light for photo synthesis. So 50% shade over tomato plants should be ok right?