So you want a summer garden in the Sonoran Desert? Read this guide to help you know what to plant and how much to water! We’ll go over the duration of the season, when and what to plant, and how much to water. Let’s dig in.

When is the summer gardening season? When to plant?

• In Phoenix, there are generally regarded to be two gardening seasons, the cool season and the hot season. The hot season starts in late April and ends in late September. The best time to plant for the hot season is right now if you’re starting from seed or in about two weeks for starter plants.

• The monsoon season occurs from late June until late August in Phoenix and will stunt or destroy many crops due to the excessive heat and humidity. Crops such as tomatoes and squash may stop fruiting once the monsoons arrive.

What to plant?

• Summer is the time for fruiting crops such as squash, peppers, melon, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, okra, and herbs.

How much to water?

• Your soil should be moist but not too wet as that can lead to fungal rots. A three-inch layer of mulch can insulate against up to 80% of water loss. However, due to the summer heat, using inorganic mulches is not recommended as it increases the temperature of the surrounding microclimate and can burn the underside of leaves. Organic mulches made of leaf detritus, wood chips, straw, and hay are better choices.

• Watering in the morning and daytime is recommended to avoid disease and fungal rot.

Management Tips

• Obtain good quality seeds from reputable retailers online or local nurseries.

• Not all plants can be transplanted or grown from seed successfully. Check with your local nursery or this guide from the University of Arizona to see which plants should be grown from seed vs. transplanted.

• Grow recommended varieties for our desert climate. Local nurseries and reputable seed retailers often show which varieties are adapted to the Sonoran Desert heat.

• Use mulch to control water loss and weeds. Plastic sheeting and organic mulches can be excellent, low-cost options for herbicide control.

• Transplants need to be appropriately hardened off before planting. Allow at least a one-week period of acclimatization week before planting.

• Prepare and care for the soil properly. Add organic matter and increase the drainage at least once a year.