Newbie!! Looking for tips.
- Thread starter Timna
- Start date
digitS'
Garden Master
Hi Timna and welcome 
!
I'm a little outside of your area. Actually, there aren't a whole lot of people in your part of the world . . . but, I guess you know that and probably like it that way
.
The University of Nevada in Reno is your land grant university so, they have their Cooperative Extension Service. Here is a link to their advice on vegetable gardens (CLICK).
We were just talking about this the other day: a horticulturalist at UNR was one of the people most responsible for bringing the Early Girl tomato to the US, way back when. I don't know your elevation or length of a growing season but that variety of tomato does real well, just about anywhere! In fact, I think it is still the most popular variety in the US.
Squash, green beans and peppers are likely choices for a high desert. If your season is short, I find that the smaller peppers ripen earlier. And, Italian sweet peppers just seem easier to grow than bells.
Gaillardia was first domesticated in California's high desert, I believe. It even grows wild around here! Gaillardia just seems like a real good choice for your part of the world but there are others!
Please tell us about your growing season and the availability of water for your garden. And, if you have any special problems - like wind.
Steve
!I'm a little outside of your area. Actually, there aren't a whole lot of people in your part of the world . . . but, I guess you know that and probably like it that way
.The University of Nevada in Reno is your land grant university so, they have their Cooperative Extension Service. Here is a link to their advice on vegetable gardens (CLICK).
We were just talking about this the other day: a horticulturalist at UNR was one of the people most responsible for bringing the Early Girl tomato to the US, way back when. I don't know your elevation or length of a growing season but that variety of tomato does real well, just about anywhere! In fact, I think it is still the most popular variety in the US.
Squash, green beans and peppers are likely choices for a high desert. If your season is short, I find that the smaller peppers ripen earlier. And, Italian sweet peppers just seem easier to grow than bells.
Gaillardia was first domesticated in California's high desert, I believe. It even grows wild around here! Gaillardia just seems like a real good choice for your part of the world but there are others!
Please tell us about your growing season and the availability of water for your garden. And, if you have any special problems - like wind.
Steve
journey11
Garden Master
Hi Timna and 
I'm not familiar with your locale, but just wanted to welcome you to the board.
I'm not familiar with your locale, but just wanted to welcome you to the board.
- Thread starter
- #4
Hello Digits and Journey, thanks for commenting on my post.
Digits, Thanks for the information. I am not sure what the growing season is that is one of the things I was wondering about... I just moved into a new home and the owners before had a sprinkler system set up on the garden. This will be our first year in our new home so I do not know how the sprinkler system works.
If anyone can give me some advice/tips I will really appreciate it.
Thanks
Digits, Thanks for the information. I am not sure what the growing season is that is one of the things I was wondering about... I just moved into a new home and the owners before had a sprinkler system set up on the garden. This will be our first year in our new home so I do not know how the sprinkler system works.
If anyone can give me some advice/tips I will really appreciate it.
Thanks
i_am2bz
Chillin' In The Garden
Welcome!
digitS'
Garden Master
I think that among the best things you could do is build up the organic matter in your soil. Adequate soil moisture will go a long way towards protecting your plants from the damaging effects of heat, cold, dryness, and wind. If you can use compost, you will also increase the nutrients available to your plants.
If your elevation is like 4,500 feet or above, you would probably be wise to be careful to select only early-maturing vegetables from the warm-season group. Those are corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, etc. The days-to-maturity won't mean very much other than for comparison. Your nighttime temperatures at that high of an elevation will be very cool no matter how warm the day. Plant growth really slows as a result.
Pay close attention to the water needs of your plants. There should always be moisture in the ground . . . I guess I've already said that but it probably couldn't be emphasized enuf!
I hope you like garden peas! There are 3 types: snow, snap and shell. They should be able to take the cool nights of Spring and produce well for you before the heat of Summer.
Steve
If your elevation is like 4,500 feet or above, you would probably be wise to be careful to select only early-maturing vegetables from the warm-season group. Those are corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, etc. The days-to-maturity won't mean very much other than for comparison. Your nighttime temperatures at that high of an elevation will be very cool no matter how warm the day. Plant growth really slows as a result.
Pay close attention to the water needs of your plants. There should always be moisture in the ground . . . I guess I've already said that but it probably couldn't be emphasized enuf!
I hope you like garden peas! There are 3 types: snow, snap and shell. They should be able to take the cool nights of Spring and produce well for you before the heat of Summer.
Steve
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- #7
