Billy wrote:
In article ,
Nad R wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden.
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment.

That's not the question that he asked. Oren asked,
"Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?"

The first questioned was answered. As to the second question, it is a
lot like cooking: use the best ingredients and the best practices.

When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

Since cool air stays closer to the ground, walls act as a container to
keep the coolness from flowing away, and offer some shade. Overhangs,
like covered porches, protect the house's walls from being heated by the
sun, permitting them be a source of coolness.

The Moorish/Spanish walled courtyard would help moderate temperatures,
see pictures below. Most probably have too many paving stones, but they
will give you an idea as to what is possible.


http://books.google.com/books?id=Pi_...ntcover&dq=Hac
ienda+walled+courtyards&source=bl&ots=opXBFB_zf0&s ig=FBynp-jHIG4XLL5UjoIX
OHTgsU0&hl=en&ei=EgEqTf7FNI74sAPo0aHFCA&sa=X&oi=bo ok_result&ct=result&res
num=2&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2795709700034323750liNrcY

When he mentioned southern Nevada, it just brought back the memories of
that tv program. After all I am no expert in that area since I still have
snow on the ground and 25 degrees outside. Soon to start indoor seed
starting and longing for spring.

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)