Desert Gardening

[dolphintat]

I hope someone out there can help me.

I live in a very hot climate - winter and spring temps are between 19-30 deg C. Plants grow beautifully in that weather. My gardener did a wonderful job under my instruction. We had roses, petunias, sun flowers that grew up to the roof, marigolds, gypsim, elisim, double jasmin etc.

However summer is well established 7am in the morning today 32 deg C at noon 41 deg C - before summer is over we will have temps in excess of 50 deg C and nearly 100% humidity. When ever I suggest a 'plower' to my gardener for the summer he says will not grow mam. My garden is going to be barren - I'm getting frantic!!!!

Any suggestions - please help javascript:smilie(':confused:')

[killtheplants]

notice my name. i try out different things. flowers never work for me. i'll be moving to a desert area so i had searched up some books. maybe one of them good for you? when i searched i was more concerned over the water aspect but even here (louisiana) i have problems with the sun burning my ferns and such... i am just copy and pasting this list. so some books are about sustainable gardens and pests also.
Desert Gardening: Fruits and Vegetables by George Brookbank;

New Mexico Cooking: Southwestern Flavors of the Past and Present by
Clyde Casey;

Xeriscape Color Guide: 100 Water-Wise Plants for Gardens and
Landscapes by David Winger;

Month-by-month Gardening In The Desert Southwest (Month-By-Month
Gardening (Cool Springs Press) by Mary Irish;

Growing Desert Plants: From Windowsill to Garden by Theodore B. Hodoba;

How to Grow More Vegetables: And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and
Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can
Imagine by John Jeavons;

The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control
: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard
Healthy Without Chemicals by Barbara W. Ellis;

The Sustainable Vegetable Garden: A Backyard Guide to Healthy Soil and
Higher Yields by John Jeavons;

Greening the Garden: A Guide to Sustainable Growing by Dan Jason;

The Edible Container Garden : Growing Fresh Food in Small Spaces by
Michael Guerra;

Mediterranean Gardening: A Waterwise Approach by Heidi Gildemeister;

goodluck to you!!!

[starjasmine89]

Hi, I'm starjasmine89. Over here in Sydney it is getting quite hot too. I've been mulching the plants and adding pine bark.
I think you could add a green house too. I use sun loving plant to give shade to my fragile plants. I grow rose mary and cactus. But the cactus need some shade at times.
Sometimes we can use water saving liquids or crystals.

Guess we just have to do some research.

Best of luck and good health! ;)

[killtheplants]

thank you very much! that's about what i was hoping i could do. we are getting ready to move out to our desert in a month!!! i can't wait!!!

[starjasmine89]

Hi killtheplants,
since I have to down size my garden due to unlikeable circumstances like water storage, bills and need to have an effortable garden....

I have allowed some weaker plants to finish themselves (left neglected).

Some plants that I like I try to "watch out" for them.

I'll keep hoping for the day the green house is up and going. Currently, indoors is my nursery. Still got too hot indoors at times.

good luck with your gardens.

Still have to spray my kefir lime plants and some others.

When the weather is cooler, try a little at a time with seedweed mixture. It helps some plants' strength and their flowering days.

A water trough that is connected to a hose may be a good idea. That's for plants that like to drink from a pan of water through the roots.

Starjasmine89