Q. I happened upon your blog the other day. I am curious if you’d have any info on
education programs on site for learning to build gardens and grow food on
desert land. I study permaculture and
green design in the Northwest and would like to eventually acquire some desert
land to transform.
A. Horticulture in the desert is very different from
other types of horticulture. I started in Wisconsin, through Colorado,
Minnesota, Utah, Nevada and now in the tropics. It is taking me time to figure
out the tropical side. Those that practice horticulture in wetter, temperate,
more hospitable climates and never experienced it in the desert may think that
it is all the same but it is not. I don’t know of any education programs online
for studying it but knowing the basic principles helps. Those never change but
how to apply them does.
start with some books you can get from practitioners in Arizona and Nevada on
gardening. You can subscribe to the Yahoo discussion group, desert horticulture
and pose some questions or just eavesdrop. There is a lot to learn and I wish
there was an easy way to do it but it will take just getting started and do it.
Two of the books that I use the most in teaching gardening classes are Gardening in the deserts of Nevada by Mary Irish and Desert Gardening Fruits and vegetables by George Brrkbank. H Brown, Master Gardener