Article 3

Below is a list of vegetables that have done consistently well for me over the past 30 years in the desert southwest. Some vegetables will grow here, but their performance is unpredictable. Corn is very fussy, and takes a lot of water with ears that produce inconsistant rows of kernals. Carrots have a very small window in which they are sweet. The heat of the summer makes them tough and bitter.

If you want your garden totally organic, then you will want to purchase organically grown seeds. Varieties may be harder to find if you choose to go this route. The difference between organic and nonorganic seeds is that nonorganic seeds are treated with fungicide to help improve germination. The choice is up to you.

Beets do well in the desert southwest when planted in December. They will pretty much come to a halt once the heat sets in, and become woody if left in the ground over the summer.

Broccoli (and cauliflower) do well in the desert southwest over the winter. They need to be protected from the hardest of freezes (below 20 degrees). Broccoli will continue to produce sideshoots after the center stalk is harvested until it starts to get too hot (usually in May).

Cucumbers can be difficult. A great variety that loves the desert heat is the Armenian cucumber. These really crunchy and mild tasting cucs have pale green skin that does not need peeling. Watch them carefully, though, as they are like zucchini in that one day they are just the right size and the next day they are giants.

I’ve had good luck with both the standard version (although they are usually smaller than you see in the store) and the Japanese variety. Just make sure to pick them before they lose their shininess, as once they become a dull purple they are bitter and seedy.

I’ve had the best luck with Asparagus (or Yard Long) beans. They need to be trellised, and produce beans up to 2’ long. They tolerate the heat quite well.

Black seeded Simpson is extremely heat tolerant, slow to bolt, and can be planted from seeds throughout the year. During the hottest part of the summer the plants will finally bolt and go to seed, but I let them do so as they love to volunteer, coming up everywhere. Some years I never had to replant as I have so many that come up by themselves. Another variety that does well in the early spring is Oakleaf. New varieties come out often, so feel free to experiment, but I'd say always plant some Black Seeded Simpson for reliability.

Cantaloupes and watermelons do well in the desert southwest. Stick with smaller varieities for more abundant fruit. Honeydews can also grow in the desert southwest, but are not ripe until later in the summer, and they are sometimes difficult to determine when they are ripe as they do not fall off the vine as cantiloupes do. Watermelons are ripe when a yellow spot appears on the bottom. An excellent variety of cantaloupe is the Rocky Ford, which has light green flesh that tastes like a honeydew.

Melon Hale's Best Organic

Most peppers do well in the desert southwest and I have had good success with the basic varieties of bell peppers. I like to try several kinds that ripen to different colors, such as red, yellow and orange. They grow slowly, and don’t be alarmed if you don’t get much of a crop until late in the season. I often pick the most peppers in September and October, and even up until late November before the first frost.

Chili peppers are tricky. I have never had any luck growing even the most mild versions like the Anaheim, as they all seem to be too hot. I also had the supposed mildest banana pepper turn out too hot to eat. I’ve been told it is the soil type, but I have had gardens in both clay and sandy soils and it did not matter. Maybe it’s just me, but If you like chilis hot, then go for it.

radish

RADISHES

All varieties do well in the desert, but need to be planted in very early spring. Pick while young and tender.

These do wonderfully in the very early spring. The bush variety are nice as they don’t need trellising, but I use my tomato cages to keep them upright as they are pretty much done when tomato planting time comes. I find that commercial ‘pea fencing’ is handy for the vining varieties. Plant these in December and they will have a great head start before it starts to get hot. Keep them picked and they will keep on producing until May or so.

The standard summer squashes do quite well in the desert southwest. Zucchini, scalloped (patty pan) squash and Kuta squash do so well your friends and neighbors will end up refusing to answer the door when you come to give them away by the end of the summer. I like the yellow varieties of zucchini and scalloped squash better than their green counterparts because they are easier to see before the get the size of baseball bats and dinner plates.

All types seem to do well in the desert southwest, and I have had some winter over into the next growing season. They need filtered shade in the hottest desert locations, though, so keep that in mind.

As mentioned in the article Growing Tomatoes, the paste versions, Roma and Viva do well, as do Celebrity, Heatwave, Cherry and Grape, and yellow tomatoes. Make sure you look for disease resistance. If you opt for heirloom tomatoes make sure they are heat resistant or your crop will be limited to spring production.

Winter squashes are different from summer squash in that their shell is hard and inedible.

I have had great success most summers with pumpkins and butternut squash. Acorns do well some years, but not others. I also had good luck with some of the larger varieties such as hubbard, but it varies every year. Pumpkins and butternuts are often ready to pick in August or sooner, depending on how early they set fruit. To test for readiness, try to puncture the skin with your thumbnail. If it easily penetrates, they are not ready.

Pumpkin Jarrahdale
"Tastier and More Widely Adapted than Pumpkin Sweet Meat!Jarrahdale is our choice for best baker!97 days. Very difficult to find, this Australian stringless variety is superb for baking. Its gray-green shell, about 10 to 20 inches in diameter, conceals sweet, deep golden flesh just perfect for pies, cookies, and tarts.More flavorful and widely adapted than the popular Pumpkin

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	GO ORGANIC!	ARTICLE 3- BEST DESERT VARIETIES
		Below is a list of vegetables that have done consistently well for me over the past 30 years in the desert southwest. Some vegetables will grow here, but their performance is unpredictable. Corn is very fussy, and takes a lot of water with ears that produce inconsistant rows of kernals. Carrots have a very small window in which they are sweet. The heat of the summer makes them tough and bitter. If you want your garden totally organic, then you will want to purchase organically grown seeds. Varieties may be harder to find if you choose to go this route. The difference between organic and nonorganic seeds is that nonorganic seeds are treated with fungicide to help improve germination. The choice is up to you. BEETS Beets do well in the desert southwest when planted in December. They will pretty much come to a halt once the heat sets in, and become woody if left in the ground over the summer. BROCCOLI Broccoli (and cauliflower) do well in the desert southwest over the winter. They need to be protected from the hardest of freezes (below 20 degrees). Broccoli will continue to produce sideshoots after the center stalk is harvested until it starts to get too hot (usually in May). Organic Broccoli Decicco CUCUMBERS Cucumbers can be difficult. A great variety that loves the desert heat is the Armenian cucumber. These really crunchy and mild tasting cucs have pale green skin that does not need peeling. Watch them carefully, though, as they are like zucchini in that one day they are just the right size and the next day they are giants. EGGPLANT I’ve had good luck with both the standard version (although they are usually smaller than you see in the store) and the Japanese variety. Just make sure to pick them before they lose their shininess, as once they become a dull purple they are bitter and seedy. GREEN BEANS I’ve had the best luck with Asparagus (or Yard Long) beans. They need to be trellised, and produce beans up to 2’ long. They tolerate the heat quite well. Bean Asparagus LETTUCE Black seeded Simpson is extremely heat tolerant, slow to bolt, and can be planted from seeds throughout the year. During the hottest part of the summer the plants will finally bolt and go to seed, but I let them do so as they love to volunteer, coming up everywhere. Some years I never had to replant as I have so many that come up by themselves. Another variety that does well in the early spring is Oakleaf. New varieties come out often, so feel free to experiment, but I'd say always plant some Black Seeded Simpson for reliability. Organic Lettuce Winter Density MELONS (CANTALOUPES, WATERMELONS, HONEYDEWS) Cantaloupes and watermelons do well in the desert southwest. Stick with smaller varieities for more abundant fruit. Honeydews can also grow in the desert southwest, but are not ripe until later in the summer, and they are sometimes difficult to determine when they are ripe as they do not fall off the vine as cantiloupes do. Watermelons are ripe when a yellow spot appears on the bottom. An excellent variety of cantaloupe is the Rocky Ford, which has light green flesh that tastes like a honeydew. Melon Hale's Best Organic ONIONS Plant seeds in December, or onion sets (which are much faster) in the fall. PEPPERS Most peppers do well in the desert southwest and I have had good success with the basic varieties of bell peppers. I like to try several kinds that ripen to different colors, such as red, yellow and orange. They grow slowly, and don’t be alarmed if you don’t get much of a crop until late in the season. I often pick the most peppers in September and October, and even up until late November before the first frost. Chili peppers are tricky. I have never had any luck growing even the most mild versions like the Anaheim, as they all seem to be too hot. I also had the supposed mildest banana pepper turn out too hot to eat. I’ve been told it is the soil type, but I have had gardens in both clay and sandy soils and it did not matter. Maybe it’s just me, but If you like chilis hot, then go for it. RADISHES All varieties do well in the desert, but need to be planted in very early spring. Pick while young and tender. SUGAR SNAP PEAS These do wonderfully in the very early spring. The bush variety are nice as they don’t need trellising, but I use my tomato cages to keep them upright as they are pretty much done when tomato planting time comes. I find that commercial ‘pea fencing’ is handy for the vining varieties. Plant these in December and they will have a great head start before it starts to get hot. Keep them picked and they will keep on producing until May or so. SUMMER SQUASH The standard summer squashes do quite well in the desert southwest. Zucchini, scalloped (patty pan) squash and Kuta squash do so well your friends and neighbors will end up refusing to answer the door when you come to give them away by the end of the summer. I like the yellow varieties of zucchini and scalloped squash better than their green counterparts because they are easier to see before the get the size of baseball bats and dinner plates. Squash Garden Sun Hybrid Organic SWISS CHARD All types seem to do well in the desert southwest, and I have had some winter over into the next growing season. They need filtered shade in the hottest desert locations, though, so keep that in mind. TOMATOES As mentioned in the article Growing Tomatoes, the paste versions, Roma and Viva do well, as do Celebrity, Heatwave, Cherry and Grape, and yellow tomatoes. Make sure you look for disease resistance. If you opt for heirloom tomatoes make sure they are heat resistant or your crop will be limited to spring production. WINTER SQUASH Winter squashes are different from summer squash in that their shell is hard and inedible. I have had great success most summers with pumpkins and butternut squash. Acorns do well some years, but not others. I also had good luck with some of the larger varieties such as hubbard, but it varies every year. Pumpkins and butternuts are often ready to pick in August or sooner, depending on how early they set fruit. To test for readiness, try to puncture the skin with your thumbnail. If it easily penetrates, they are not ready. Pumpkin Jarrahdale "Tastier and More Widely Adapted than Pumpkin Sweet Meat!Jarrahdale is our choice for best baker!97 days. Very difficult to find, this Australian stringless variety is superb for baking. Its gray-green shell, about 10 to 20 inches in diameter, conceals sweet, deep golden flesh just perfect for pies, cookies, and tarts.More flavorful and widely adapted than the popular Pumpkin Park's Sprouting Seeds Collection Exclusive Web-Only Specials at Park Seed Visit my webpage on Examiner.com for more articles on gardening, landscape plants, and much more. GO ORGANIC!