Hope you had a terrific Labor Day weekend!  Maybe you even have a chance to think about which varieties you want to grow in your Phoenix desert garden.  But where do you get good seed, plants, and supplies?  Well, check out the video for more!

So how do you find out which varieties of vegetables will be the most successful here in the Phoenix desert?  Take it from a reformed Minnesotan…don’t plant what you grew back home.  That fresh, juicy Midwest corn that bursts open when you eat it?  Not the same stuff here.  Here are some suggestions:

• Friends:  Start by asking some gardening friends what they’ve grown and what they like.  They can be some of your best sources for not only good-growing varieties, but all kinds of vegetable gardening tips!
• Classes:  There are some great gardening classes throughout Phoenix, but you can find some really good ones at the Desert Botanical Garden, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, the University of Arizona Desert Garden Institute, local nurseries, and municipalities.
• Books:  The trouble with gardening books is that they often apply to just about everywhere else, but here in the Sonoran Desert and, more specifically, Phoenix.  But I have a secret stash!  First is the Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits.  They break down some good varieties by Sunset zone, as well as some general growing information.  The other is my all-time favorite because it’s specifically for growing edibles in the Phoenix desert:  Extreme Gardening: How to Grow Organic in the Hostile Deserts.

With a little bit of research, you’ll be good to grow!

Now you’ve figured out the layout for your vegetable garden, but what will you plant?  Some vegetables do really well here, but you have to know when to plant them.  Today, some good gardening tips for growing varieties especially suited to our Phoenix desert. Watch the video for more…and be sure to check out the planting calendar!