Newbie in the High Desert of California

Hi all!

As a military wife, I have planted gardens in quite a few places! My husband (retired from active duty, but still working for the military as a civilian) just got transferred to Ft. Irwin, in the high desert of California.

Putting in a garden here is going to be like nothing I have ever experienced. I decided it is time to try my hand at square foot gardening. I built two beds (3x8) and am trying to figure out what I can plant that will survive the summer heat. I think that tomatoes are out until next year, but with the beds built, I will be ready to go in the early spring.

Welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of people eagar to help you out here. Hope you have already read the ALL NEW SQUARE FOOT GARDENING that is the how to manual for the people on this forum. If not, get thee down to Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon, your local library and get a copy.
I hope somebody from your region comes along and has some region specific knowledge to share and can advice if it is too late to try a tomato. Hope not as that is the one thing all of us share, a love for home grown tomatos.
Kay

and to the forum, You might be able to get a few tomatoes if you buy some nice transplants, I am not certain of it but it might be worth a try. I think that Chopper is your regional host and would be worth asking. Chopper has a lot of experience growing in the heat! Good luck to you and have fun, once you start SFG you will never go back!

I found it is not the heat, it is the pounding sun
I grow down in Riverside now, but lived a few years in Phealen and I found the stress in the afternoon from the sun was my biggest concern so I built what I call a poor mans patio over the garden. I did not put a top on the cover but instead put boards up there so some shade was always provided and the sun got through. I guess if you covered about 4 inches every foot you would get the idea.
Did it work
well the stress was way down. and I had a nice garden, but here in Riverside I can grow much more in full sun.
We do what we have to do.

oh, water first thing in the morning before the sun is high, you do not want water on teh leaves during the high sun
use a good top dressing to keep the sun from pounding the soil and drying it out, I actually use bark and have fantastic results even though a lot of guys tl me I will kill my plants using bark. My proof is in the garden that is out producing theirs.