r/ArizonaGardening

I have been thinking about starting a garden recently, and I need to get some materials. I've always loathed online shopping, so I am hoping to get as many materials as possible from a physical store. Anyone got any good spots they go to for their needs?

I'm in the northern part of Phoenix for reference, I'm willing to drive but places like Chandler or Buckeye are just too far for me to justify.

we moved to a nice townhouse with a beautiful backyard this past march. i have 3 raised flower beds and a few pots and such. i had various herbs and vegetables as well as a dwarf lemon tree and some flowers growing but by july, they all died because of the extensive heat. i want to try again this year and im hoping they’ll be strong enough by next summer to make it through the summer.

ETA: oh also idk which direction my garden faces but it gets quite a bit of sun for most of the day.

UPDATE: my backyard is north facing from my back door, and the garden bed is directly across from the back door

I have a question about how often people water in the Phoenix area?

My trees and garden have burnt to a crisp this summer, even as I had shades up. I’m not sure if it’s the amount of water or the time of day I’m watering or if the air just too dang dry.

I see so many big planters in front of stores and somehow their plants are alive so I must be doing something wrong. Any advice?

I live in tucson, and I have some extra time weekly. I was curious of maybe a few plants that would be good to start as seedlings now? They would stay in pots, i live in an apartment. I have a sputh facing patio that gets some good sunlight when theyre ready to move outdoors.

I have an awful green thumb, but I really want to try and work on it! Any suggestions would be helpful! I have tons of old yogurt cups to get some seeds started in.

(Could you also provide a little guidance on HOW to do this? Or where to get some good information? Just found this sub!!!)

I have a crazy idea and I want to see if my idea would work.

Here is the problem: The perimeter of my back yard is lined with sissoo trees (too many and too expensive to cut them all down. Not to mention the hassle of killing the sprouts that would emerge.) The roots have invaded my raised bed garden boxes over the past few years.

I have to use raised bed garden boxes because of those sissoo roots and there are a LOT of cottontail rabbits in the neighborhood.

Here is my crazy idea.
What if I create an air gap for my raised bed garden boxes to keep the sissoo roots out.

I’m thinking of placing pallets down on the ground. Then put 1/2 inch hardware cloth down to cover the pallets to keep the critters out. Next, put a layer of heavy duty root block over the hardware cloth. Then a layer of Tyvek to control the moisture evaporation that would come from underneath. Then another layer of heavy duty root block on top of the Tyvek. Then cover with soil. I’m thinking that the root block should protect the Tyvek from puncture and environmental degradation. I’m hoping that the Tyvek will slow the water loss from the bottom. I know that Tyvek is a moisture barrier and will allow water vapor out and keep liquid water in. My garden boxes are only 1-2 feet high. I’m not too worried about water pooling in the bottom of the garden boxes because I’m only placing the garden boxes on top of the layers - not sealing it to the garden boxes. I just don’t want it to dry out too fast.

Will it work? Am I crazy?