Growing Vegetables in AZ

The Arizona desert climate makes vegetable gardening difficult.

Arizona's sweltering summers in the desert regions and cold winters in the mountainous regions make vegetable gardening tricky. Arizona gardeners need to adapt their growing seasons for the climate in their particular region.

Low Elevation

Desert gardeners in Arizona must time their plantings to avoid having plants growing during the sweltering heat of July and August. Warm-weather vegetables should be planted as seedlings in early March so they will produce their crops before temperatures go much over 100 degrees. Cool-weather vegetables can be planted in the late fall, grow through the winter and produce crops in late winter and early spring.

High Elevation

Gardeners in the mountains and highlands of Arizona can follow a more normal planting schedule. Plant cool-weather crops a month before the last frost, warm-weather crops just after the last frost and follow with another planting of cool-weather crops in late summer if desired.

Considerations

In all parts of Arizona, gardeners can have more successful vegetable gardens by adding compost and manure to the sandy soil. In addition, because gardening in Arizona can be unusual, new residents should consider asking their neighbors about what crops do best in the area to help decide what to plant and when to plant it.

References

• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension: Vegetable Garden: Vegetable Planting Guide and Recommended Planting Dates
• Phoenix Tropicals: Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Phoenix, Arizona
• Phoenix Gardening: Grow Vegetables in Phoenix Arizona