This summer and Monsoon season 2024 has been challenging due to extended high daytime temperatures of 109 degrees to 112 degrees. Something has to grow in this heat. Previous years have grown squash, melons, corn, okra, lima beans, sorghum and cowpeas.
Just sowed seeds yesterday and previously on 8/14 with okra swarm, sweet corn heirloom mix, muskmelon heirloom mix and GTS, watermelon swarm and GTS, sweet peppers, eggplant, popcorn mix, bush beans, tepary beans, gaucho beans and cowpeas. The sweet corn was planted deep at 4-6 inches.
I have to provide water, there is no rain this year and never enough to sustain plants for the growing season.
All of the monsoon season rain has fallen east of us and around Tucson and to the north. No appreciable accumulation so far this year.
From the 8/14 sowing, some of the legumes are up well, the sweet corn and maxima squash. Cucumbers and melons up to, just several days after the beans and corn.
There is also one beet that survived the summer, hoping for seeds and garlic chives. To the right of the chives are potatoes starting to sprout that weren’t dug up in May 2024. However, they didn’t produce seeds.
I know it hasn’t rained lately, but it will rain eventually. When that happens, you’d be well served to capture as much of that water as possible. Brad Lancaster of Tucson, AZ has written “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond.” I recommend this book for everyone who receives inconsistent rainfall.
Mathematically, such improvements are time series (geometric) functions. Most of what the dominant civilization now does to the landscape represents time series with negative values (deforestation, drainage, storm sewers, hardscapes, etc.) This dries out the land over time, as you and many others are experiencing. But it’s also possible to reverse the sign of the equation back to positive, with intentional thinking. Even on a small scale!
This fatality of rain less and less regular and abundant on many regions of the globe is now a reality after the alertes of scientists.
It might be scary, but to see that a bee colony can live on less than a liter and some trees can grow with almost no rain and an inspiring model of nature. It’s now time for human to learn the life of adaptation !
As part of my job I managed to exchange with scientists who are currently doing experiments. There would be huge differences in ground temperature depending on the type of tree that projects its shadow, other tracks are being studied on mulches which also have large temperature difference below for the soil. These are tracks to experiment, a simple optical thermometer allows us to make the measurements so we can all do our tests with the material and trees available on our territory…and especially share experience after for other communities!
Hi Stephane,
Yes, I do grow in the shade of trees. We have planted over 20 native trees around the garden. Eucalyptus, mesquite, acacia, Australian willow, blue palo verde and they grow well and provide shade for the ground and require very little water. I have also started fruit trees of mulberry, pomegranate and fig however, require weekly watering, even with mulch.
We have previously utilized composted mulch to amend the vegetable garden, chop and drop all weeds and leftover stems, used old straw and composted manures. It is heavy labor to add each year.
Im thinking to move forward as the garden soil matures, keeping the sool covered with vegetable crops or cover crops instead, then it wont need much amending. The trees regulary drop leaves, that helps shade the soil too. I dont need to till the soil and its good to see volunteer celery, tomato, radish, and sometimes kale pop up each winter season. Since the monsoon season has been dry this year, hopefully a good drenching winter rain will come.
Rainwater is captured with buckets and baby pools from the edge of the roof, but its ever only enough for a few days.
I like Joseph’s adaptive focus, a way forward to keep planting different varieties of vegetables until its found wich ones thrive in the conditions I have.
The cooler winter months grow excellent greens and roots and the harvest is awesome.
Im just not always successful for the extremely hot monsoon season, July-September…I only direct sow seeds into the ground so those seeds and the roots only communicate with the space they will be fruiting on. I used to rely on transplants, but for me its too many containers and handling and another way for insects to be brought into the garden…roaches, ants and snails. Every season going forward will be seeds direct sown into the garden.
There are indigenous seeds available for various vegetables… for purchse as supply is increased. Those seeds are so very valuable and are the bridge back to sustainable growing.
There is okra, maxima, watermelons and cucumber planted too…if it all dies, I sow again…the planting starts with the first rain of July, but this year the rainwater didnt even drip from the roof and no more rain fell after that…disappointing to say the least. I just keep sowing seed on the downside of each heatwave hoping something will live through it.
