I live in Northern Arizona where we have infrequent rain (monsoon season has yet to produce much moisture) and I find much of the advice given here doesn't cover some of the issues that we deal with up here. We are frost free from about March through late October, Zone 7 I believe, but at higher altitudes (we sit at 5200 feet) I find the watering guides are inadequate for our area. This is my first garden and I want to make sure that this years experiment turns into a more bountiful producer for next year. Do you have any tips for our unique growing circumstances? Evaporation seems to occur much faster here, I've set my watering patterns several different times to attempt to maintain the correct moisture at 3-5 inches below the surface but that seems to change by the day sometimes making it challenging. Our temperatures can range from 95 to 62 in any given day and the days that are windy and dry seem to suck moisture straight out of the ground. Any tips that might help? I've planted corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon, lettuce, beets and strawberries and have also planted blueberries, raspberries, grapes and gooseberries. Not all have done as well as hoped and I will be making some changes for next year. Any suggestions on crops that are hardier for this area?
I live in Northern Arizona where we have infrequent rain (monsoon season has yet to produce much moisture) and I find much of the advice given here doesn't cover some of the issues that we deal with up here. We are frost free from about March through late October, Zone 7 I believe, but at higher altitudes (we sit at 5200 feet) I find the watering guides are inadequate for our area. This is my first garden and I want to make sure that this years experiment turns into a more bountiful producer for next year. Do you have any tips for our unique growing circumstances? Evaporation seems to occur much faster here, I've set my watering patterns several different times to attempt to maintain the correct moisture at 3-5 inches below the surface but that seems to change by the day sometimes making it challenging. Our temperatures can range from 95 to 62 in any given day and the days that are windy and dry seem to suck moisture straight out of the ground. Any tips that might help? I've planted corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon, lettuce, beets and strawberries and have also planted blueberries, raspberries, grapes and gooseberries. Not all have done as well as hoped and I will be making some changes for next year. Any suggestions on crops that are hardier for this area?