Have you ever wanted to mix the desert and gardening? Seems pretty crazy I know, but ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to grow things! So, at the start of 2020, I set out to start my own garden in the middle of the desert. If you’d like to read the very beginning of my adventure click here. In this post, I wanted to share a few of the tips, tricks, and new things I’m doing with my garden today!
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The Desert And Gardening: What Are Your Biggest Threats?
I think the obvious first threat is the sun. Simply because it can easily fry your plants in the noon day heat. That being said, there are many ways to prevent the sun from killing your plants such as giving them more shade, and watering your plants either early in the morning, or later in the evening so the water doesn’t focus the sun rays on the little leaves. To me though, there is a much bigger, more unexpected threat.
This threat, is the animals. Being in the desert, I know we have coyotes, rabbits, and maybe the occasional mouse. What I didn’t realize, was every single one of them would be so ridiculously excited to eat the entirety of my garden! Not to mention they invited their friends cockroaches, spiders, and scorpions to the party as well. When you garden in the desert, you also need to prepare for battle. Simple as that. Soon enough though, you’ll learn where the little pests like to hide, and you might even come up with a piece offering like keeping a dish of water outside your garden for them.
What Are Your Greatest Allies When Mixing The Desert And Gardening?
We all need allies in life. This also means allies in our little hobbies. That being said , I’d like to dedicate this part of the post to the unsung hero’s of my garden. Number one being the 100 foot hose that has been unraveled and twisted back together so many times without cracking in the blazing hot sun. I would certainly call this an essential because when you water here, the best thing to do is leave the hose running on the plant for at least 10 minutes 1-4 times per week. That’s a little much for a watering can. Number two, I’d like to thank my trusty fertilizer for making the soil just a bit more habitable for my plants. I am not affiliated with this brand of fertilizer, but I’ll link it here for those of you who want to try it. I absolutely love the quality and the fast results I get with it! Click here to see my favorite fertilizer!
Now, last but not least, I’d like to thank the internet. Now wait, I know that sounds cliché, I know you can’t trust everything on the internet, and that the best way to grow is by trying things yourself. However, when used properly, the internet can be one of your greatest allies. Specifically, the people the internet is connecting you to. When I started gardening I immediately started joining local gardening groups and following different blogs from people, not only experienced in desert and gardening, but people that are passionate about it!
What Things Can You Gain When Mixing Desert And Gardening?
I’m always surprised at what you can learn simply by taking up a new hobby. In this case, especially because its the desert and gardening, it is a workout. The land where I decided to put my garden, has hard pockets in the ground, and rock solid patches. So whenever I planned to plant something in the ground, I planned for a full body workout.
Two other things to be gained besides a toned body, are patience, and the ability to adapt. No garden is ever stagnant. If it is, it’s either fake or dead. That being said, it’s not always the plants fault that the garden has changed. More often than not, its the rats and the bugs fault. Because the desert is such a barren place, the surrounding critters will do almost anything for a bit of moisture and food. So, the ability to be adaptable comes in handy not only when adding or taking away shade and water, but also in adding protective nets or traps to defend your plants like my dad recently helped me do.
Are You Ready To Start Your Garden?
I hope I was able to inspire you in this post about mixing the desert and gardening. It’s a skill that’s not to be taken lightly and who knows, it may really come in handy in the future. I’ll be sure to keep you all updated on how my little garden is doing and who’s winning the little battles for my potatoes!
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Thank you again for reading this post! What was your favorite part? Do you have a favorite skill you’ve learned, place you’ve visited, or thing you’ve tried? Let me know in the comments, and it just might be my next post! I can’t wait to see you on the next Welcome To My Shoes adventure!