Getting your desired outcome in your desert garden requires considerable time and effort. Every gardener has an idea of what they want their garden to look like, but you have to consider some factors and follow specific steps to achieve your dream garden.
If you are in a desert area, follow these steps to set up your garden.
- Visualize your Garden
Before tilling the soil or getting the seeds for the garden, imagine how you want the garden to look, what you intend to plant, and the right location for each plant. It may help to walk around the space with a family member or friend and explain the result you want to achieve.
Sharing your ideas with someone can help you confront issues you didn’t consider. You can also sketch an image of the garden you want and include all the major elements the garden will have. Ensure you consider the sizes of mature plants because you don’t want to have a garden with limited space for plants to grow.
- Have a Budget
After visualizing your desert garden, the next step is finding out the cost of the elements you want in the garden. Depending on your finances, you may need to reconsider your initial plants.
There is no one-size-fits-all for a desert garden, so you can customize the garden to suit your budget and level of commitment to the garden.
- Weed and Remove Unwanted Plants
Before you start planting, remove all weeds and unwanted plants. After uprooting the larger shrubs and plants, and mowing the grass areas, place cardboard and newspaper on the grass, wet layers of the soil, and cover with compost. When the grass dies, rototill the area.
- Plow the Soil
To prepare the soil for planting, you need a hand plow or tractor. Most mechanical tractors have a rear blade or front scoop you can use to till the soil, but the rear blade is usually easier for plowing the soil.
If the land area is small, you can use a handheld plowing device or rototiller. Instead of buying a tractor, you can rent one from a home or garden store.
- Dig a Dry Stream Bed
Also known as an arroyo or wash, a dry stream bed allows water to run through a desert garden. You can dig the outline of the wash when plowing the yard with a tractor or tiller by creating a straight line through your garden, but deeper than other parts of the land.
After tilling the soil, use a shovel to reduce the banks and deepen the trough of the wash to about nine inches deep.
- Line the Dry Stream Bed
When you’ve dug the stream bed, line rocks along with the wash, placing them close together at the bottom. You may not need to add water to the dry stream bed because its main purpose is to direct rainwater during the rainy season and secure the soil.
Your desert garden will be ready for planting at this point, but ensure you start planting at the right time and choose the right seeds.