If you are new to gardening, like I was, don't get discouraged by what you don't know, and don't be overwhelmed by all there is to learn! Just get started!
There are really only FOUR basic things you need to get started: SOMETHING TO GROW IN, GOOD SOIL, WATER & PLANTS (OR SEEDS)! You can learn the rest as you experience gardening, read magazines, read books and online articles and talk to other gardeners. It's really not as complicated as you might think, nor is it hard. It just requires good old-fashioned work.
1. Containers, pots, planter boxes, raised beds.
I garden in all of them. You can buy them or make them. I've done both. I've purchased containers and pots, and my husband has made me planter boxes and raised beds!
I garden in all of them. You can buy them or make them. I've done both. I've purchased containers and pots, and my husband has made me planter boxes and raised beds!
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| I use raised beds made from brick, planter boxes my husband built from wood, and containers of all shapes and sizes. |
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| Sean built these planter boxes, and I painted them and filled them with dirt. There are so many options to grow in! |
2. Good Soil.
Invest in good soil, and then continue to nourish it with compost and other additives each year. Soil is where the plants get their nutrients to grow. Much of the native soil here in Las Vegas is caliche or clay, and while many plants have adapted, most vegetables, herbs and flowers will not grow well in them. I've found that good soil (which doesn't originate in my Las Vegas backyard) helps my garden vegetables grow well. I have researched how to make, and have made, my own, but I found that making my own proved more expensive than either I (or my husband) would like. I purchase soil to fill my containers, planter boxes and raised beds. I love to use the Tomato Lady Soil, named after Leslie Doyle. She has been growing gardens here in Las Vegas for over 20 years and is known as The Tomato Lady. I have met her and have been to her Sweet Tomato Test Garden, and she is such a lovely person! She sells her soil by the yard. I've also purchased Tomato Lady soil from Plant World Nursery and a soil similar to Tomato Lady Soil from Garden Farms of Nevada. One yard is about one pick-up truck full and will cost between $40 - $70. All three will deliver for an additional fee if you don't have a truck.
Invest in good soil, and then continue to nourish it with compost and other additives each year. Soil is where the plants get their nutrients to grow. Much of the native soil here in Las Vegas is caliche or clay, and while many plants have adapted, most vegetables, herbs and flowers will not grow well in them. I've found that good soil (which doesn't originate in my Las Vegas backyard) helps my garden vegetables grow well. I have researched how to make, and have made, my own, but I found that making my own proved more expensive than either I (or my husband) would like. I purchase soil to fill my containers, planter boxes and raised beds. I love to use the Tomato Lady Soil, named after Leslie Doyle. She has been growing gardens here in Las Vegas for over 20 years and is known as The Tomato Lady. I have met her and have been to her Sweet Tomato Test Garden, and she is such a lovely person! She sells her soil by the yard. I've also purchased Tomato Lady soil from Plant World Nursery and a soil similar to Tomato Lady Soil from Garden Farms of Nevada. One yard is about one pick-up truck full and will cost between $40 - $70. All three will deliver for an additional fee if you don't have a truck.
3. Water.
Drip irrigation is definitely preferred by most gardeners, especially here in Las Vegas. Soil should be moist, not dry or soggy. Looking at the surface of the soil will not tell you how moist it is because the top layer of dirt always dries out here. Your drip lines can come off an existing sprinkler line, or you can use a water timer hooked up to an outdoor hose faucet. I have both.
4. Plants and/or Seeds.
When & What to plant is important for the desert gardener. We actually have a very long growing season here in Las Vegas because of our climate. Knowing what grows well during each "season" is going to make your gardens more successful. Cool season vegetables and flowers grow well in the very early spring and fall. Warm season vegetables and flowers grow well in the late spring and summer or the late summer and early fall. You can buy plants from a local nursery, buy seeds and plant them directly in the ground or start them indoors under grow lights and transplant them into your garden.
The following are planting guidelines that I use after having gathered information from several different Las Vegas gardeners:
Spring gardens can be started as early as mid-January with the majority of vegetables being planted by end of February. This will let you harvest the vegetables before the summer heat sets in.
Summer gardens can be started anytime from March through May depending on the weather. Summer vegetables will not do well with cold weather and will not survive most freezes, so just make sure the weather is consistently above 50 degrees at night.
Fall gardens can be started as early as late August with the majority of vegetables needing to be planting by early October.
Drip irrigation is definitely preferred by most gardeners, especially here in Las Vegas. Soil should be moist, not dry or soggy. Looking at the surface of the soil will not tell you how moist it is because the top layer of dirt always dries out here. Your drip lines can come off an existing sprinkler line, or you can use a water timer hooked up to an outdoor hose faucet. I have both.
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| I use the 1/4" dripperline with the 6" spacing. |
4. Plants and/or Seeds.
When & What to plant is important for the desert gardener. We actually have a very long growing season here in Las Vegas because of our climate. Knowing what grows well during each "season" is going to make your gardens more successful. Cool season vegetables and flowers grow well in the very early spring and fall. Warm season vegetables and flowers grow well in the late spring and summer or the late summer and early fall. You can buy plants from a local nursery, buy seeds and plant them directly in the ground or start them indoors under grow lights and transplant them into your garden.
The following are planting guidelines that I use after having gathered information from several different Las Vegas gardeners:
Spring gardens can be started as early as mid-January with the majority of vegetables being planted by end of February. This will let you harvest the vegetables before the summer heat sets in.
Summer gardens can be started anytime from March through May depending on the weather. Summer vegetables will not do well with cold weather and will not survive most freezes, so just make sure the weather is consistently above 50 degrees at night.
Fall gardens can be started as early as late August with the majority of vegetables needing to be planting by early October.
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