You may ask a neighbor, like I did, or go out for a drive they're everywhere. My neighbor has lots left if you're near 19th ave & Union Hills he'd be more than happy to let you have them. I still have lots in a bucket but have no use for them I picked too much. You can have them :)
HI Rebecca! The one item I found that grows VERY well in our very hot summers is okra. It absolutely loves the heat and abundant sunshine. Of course, if you don't like okra, that's not much help to you. I hadn't really eaten them before growing them, and now find I love them. Breaded and fried is a great way to enjoy them, but that can get old fast. I found a great okra pickle recipe that I use and then can them. I usually have enough to last all year, and give some away as gifts. This year, I did not grow them other than a few plants, and now I'm regretting that decision.
Luckily it's the end of the season for them, and now I'm getting ready to plant my fall garden. Can't wait for a few more weeks to go by!
That's so cool that you and your husband are following your dreams!! I do hope you get to take the Spring 2010 PDC also. If you'd like to be put on the waiting list for it, please contact the Lead Instructor, Don Titmus, at don@4dirs.com. Don is on this site and you can see his posts and check out his page too, if you'd like. Also, in reference to foraging, please go to the Native and Perennial Foods Group on this site, specifically to this conversation. I wish I had prickly pears but at present I do not. Have fun!
Welcome to Phoenix, Rebecca! I dont' know if you lived in the NW long enough to get sick of the dark rainy winters, but if you did, you'll absolutely love it here. Sun, sun, sun. What's amazing about Phoenix is that you can grow things all year long, even now. You're definitely in the right place (Phoenix Permaculture Guild) to learn how to do that, when you're ready. You're very wise to start off with cacti, and prickly pear cactus (nopale) grow like weeds! Plus the fruit is very nice - people will be harvesting it soon if they're not already. The pads are eaten also-after sticker removal!
Welcome! Growing plants in the desert can be challenging at times, but well worth it. The growing/planting schedule here is very different than pretty much everywhere else though. It took me a while to get used to that after I came here from Maryland.
Good luck in your studies, and if it seems incredibly hot when you get here in August, just try to remember that you'll be hitting the second half of summer, so you'll have cooler weather to look forward to!
will be attending PIHMA for acupuncture and oriental medicine, love to grow plants, want to learn more about native AZ plants, how to grow and maintain plants in Phoenix :)
"Ive only had okra once, and it was horrible. though it may have been the way it was prepared, i dont know. :) it sounds like tomatoes are pretty picky here with the super hot summer? well there is a guy that is growing 10 feet tall cherry tomatoes…"
"Hi Jane! I actually grew up in the NW, my hubby and i move to SC to see if we wanted to do Chiropractics, but decided to follow our dreams ..im doing Oriental medicine and he is doing sound engineering :) i loved the NW while i was there but after…"
"hello, thanks for being my friend! right now we are renting a little place in north phoenix, im going to try to add to the soil and get a little garden going. i dont know much about desert plants, but hoping my NW gardening skills will strickle over…"
"HI Lauri! what ive learned so far about planting here is that the "spring" plants like lettus & cabbage are grown in the winter most everything will grow in the sping and fall, but i dont know what do grow in this supper hot weather of the summer,…"
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I just learned how to make some prickly pear cactus jelly, so yummy!
welcome :)
Luckily it's the end of the season for them, and now I'm getting ready to plant my fall garden. Can't wait for a few more weeks to go by!
Good luck in your studies, and if it seems incredibly hot when you get here in August, just try to remember that you'll be hitting the second half of summer, so you'll have cooler weather to look forward to!