Welcome to the paradise garden! Located in the desert of Arizona, this garden has unique challenges. Transplants (both plants and people) are not used to the opposite growing seasons and it takes trial and error to adapt. As an urban gardener, I have observed how cutthroat vegetables can be in seeking out nutrients. Plants have natural enemies, and arranging the vegetables in a garden so that they are next to companion plants and away from their enemies is a lot like planning a seating chart at a United Nations meeting. More on that topic in a future blog post…
It is winter right now in the garden, which means the celery and spinach are happy. The vegetables reside in a 3’ x 4’ raised planter that is perfect for a salad garden. There is enough room for their shallow roots without needing to compete for space. They are shaded by a tangelo tree most of the day and get just enough sun in the afternoon.
The garden residents are:
Spinach
Romaine
Red Leaf
Chard
Marigold
Thyme
Johnny Jump Ups
Celery
Rosemary
Garlic Chives
Check back each week to learn characteristics and planting secrets for all residents in the garden!