Hello from Yucca AZ. I was new to desert gardening 3 years ago. Took a master gardening class which helped, but the best information for me comes from the book DESERT GARDENING by George Brookbank.

I am inundated with mold,?, right now. Rattle snake beans and yard longs are producing.

For this area we can grow cool weather crops in the fall. our elevation is 2,700'.

Good gardening to You !

Hi! We just moved into a new house on 1 1/4 acres way out in the desert, so we have a bare slate to start with! For summer and fall, we're preparing the yard with mulch, digging water lines, setting up arbors and trellises, and laying pavers. When it cools off, we'll start planting. We want trees and climbing vines, and lots of pretty flowers. Being originally from East Texas, I want lots of vegetation, but here in the desert, I also want to be friendly to the local environment. So I got the low-water plant guide from the water conservation folks, and I'm going mostly by that. Of course, it doesn't have my roses (my favorite plant), but we're dealing with that!lol!!

I didn't know there was such a thing as blue potatoes! Have fun!

Amy

cactuspad - another friend of mine recommended that book, so I went and picked it up. It's so helpful! It has pretty much everything you need to know. It's nice having it all in one place.

antfarmer1 - I'm jealous of all your space. ;) My backyard is relatively small, so I'm trying to figure out what I really really want to do, and what I just 'want' to do. Ugh.

I saw the blue potatoes in my Seeds of Change catalog. My son is having such a fun time picking what different colored veggies we are going to grow. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:404580}}

Hi!! I just signed up here. I've been dabbling in Daves Garden and just started gardening this year. So far, I've developed a love for anything that is a bulb and vines! I too have a small yard that is filling up quickly. With the heat starting I am eagerly awaiting the fall! I look forward to getting to know more gardeners and share our experiences in the dirt!
~C

I can't wait for the fall too! I have been doing so much planning lately. Our raised beds are pretty much ready at this point, so I think in about a month, I'll be able to start my pumpkin and winter squash from seed. I think in Aug I'll be able to start some of the bush beans.

I've been thinking about vines too, I want my backyard to look very lush, so I need something to cover my plain looking brick walls.

When I finally get the beds done, I'll have to post some pics. You all should do the same too!

We have been growing snow peas and all the kids love to eat them off the vine. We even have neighborhood kids who ask if they can pick some. Try it! They eat less if I pick them to cook, there's just something about eating in the garden that appeals to the little ones.

My oldest will not eat ANYTHING cooked and green. lol So I'm going to plant several varieties, and he's been pretty excited about picking which ones we are going to grow. A friend of mine grew the yellow wax type, and he was out there just picking them and eating right off the vine too! He loved eating the carrots right from the ground (rinsed off) so that's another one we're going to try.