When planting vegetables in the desert, you’ve really got to think about a number of things.
What USDA cold hardiness zone are you located in?
When’s the last frost date for your area?
Are there micro-climactic situations that can affect the growth of your vegetables?
When can you plant which vegetables?
You can, if you’d like, think of your vegetable garden as actually three gardens: one for the spring, another that produces in the summer months and a third that comes on in the fall.
The time you plant really depends on how hardy the vegetable is and how long it will take to mature.
Cold-hardy plants
Cool-hardy vegetables can planted in early spring. But remember, early spring for Phoenix, Arizona is the beginning of February, while early spring in Los Alamos, New Mexico is mid- to late April. Phoenix is in the low Sonoran Desert and at about 1,100 feet. Los Alamos is at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and lies above 7,000 feet.
Here are some vegetables that can be planted in early spring for a desert garden:
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Celery
- Chinese Cabbage
- Collards
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Spinach
- Onions
- Peas
- Radishes
- Mustard
Warm-Season Vegetables
Warm-season vegetables must be planted outside after all danger of frost has passed. And that date varies wildly in the deserts and arid regions of North America. For instance, San Diego, in the Colorado Desert, has a last frost date of March 30, while Denver, though technically not in a desert, but definitely in an arid region, has a last frost date of May 3.
These are plants that can be planted after the last danger of frost is gone:
- Pumpkins
- Peanuts
- Summer squash
- Winter squash
- Snap beans
- Eggplant
- Sweet corn
- Okra
- Bell peppers
- Chile peppers
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Lima Beans
Transplants
All vegetables will mature quicker if you use transplants. Some gardeners prefer to purchase transplants from nurseries or garden centers, while other gardeners like to start their own seeds indoors in flats or outside in cold frames or hotbeds.
If you start your own seeds, count backward from when you want to put them out in the garden, and then plant the seeds six to eight weeks before.
It doesn’t matter if your buy your transplants for grow them yourself, you’re going to have to “harden off” these plants before putting them in the ground. “Hardening off” simply means that you are helping the seedlings adjust to their new outdoor environment by putting them outside in a protected area (shaded and out of the wind would be best) for a few hours a day, starting with one to two hours, and gradually increasing it an hour to two hours a day. They should be ready to put into the ground in a week.
Just before you remove the seedlings from their container, water them. Do the transplanting in the evening, allowing the plants enough time to adjust to their new surroundings before getting the full force of the sun the next day.
The soil into which you are placing the transplants should be moist but not overly wet when you transplant.
Make sure the soil is firm (but not too tightly packed) over the root ball. Water the transplants immediately. If the transplants are in biodegradable or natural containers (like peat pots), plant deep enough that the edge and top of the container is completely below the soil. If the container is above the soil, the dry desert air will wick all the moisture from the plant and the soil, and you will be left with a little stick despite all your past efforts.
Related articles
- Desert Vegetable Gardens
- Planning A Desert Vegetable Garden
- Desert Climates and Vegetable Gardens
- Desert Vegetable Gardens: Soil Preparation
- Proper Watering of Desert Vegetable Gardens
- Pests in a Desert Vegetable Garden
- Fertilizing A Desert Vegetable Garden
