The pomegranate: an edible tree that does well here.
mulch in my yard beneath my almond trees some 12 years ago, the top eight inches are rich and dark brown. It even smells like good soil!
Give Them Room to Grow It seems obvious, but this is one of the most violated principles of sustainable gardening. Before choosing a plant for a location, or a location for a plant, find out what that plant likes and how big it will get. Some species need some shade to survive here, while others perform much better with lots of sun. Once you know this, make sure the plant won’t outgrow its space. My favorite example is the Texas ranger (Leucophyllum), which ranges from three to eight feet tall, depending on the variety. I have often seen the large type planted near windows or doorways, where it’s fine for a year or two but soon outgrows its space—and out come the hedge shears, turning a beautiful form into boxes or balls. It takes gas to run those shears, which spew fumes. And harsh trimming hurts the plant. It’s particularly important to give trees room to grow. Don’t plant large trees next to walls, foundations or other hardscape that could be damaged by root systems. And keep in mind that if your tree is next to a wall, it’ll eventually grow into your neighbor’s yard, which can create problems, such as an unneighborly pruning job. If you want to cover your wall, use vines or plant small trees or large shrubs. So, how does that all tie into sustainability? It’s that simple idea again: Plant something where it’ll be happy and have room to grow, and you won’t need power
tools to whack it back or have to replace it in a few years, thus eliminating the resources needed to grow, ship, purchase and plant. Oh, and you spend less money and time, and end up with a plant that requires less care and is healthy and beautiful.
Eat Your Yard Many fruit and nut trees can thrive in Southern Nevada (especially when you use organic mulch!), including apricot, almond, peach, pomegranate, fig, lemon, orange, lime, apple, pear and plum. Some exotic species, such as loquat and pineapple guava, even do well here. These trees provide an ornamental effect and you can eat fresh, delicious produce while reducing the environmental impact of shipping. On my half-acre property, I have 14 species of fruit and nut trees as well as an arbor full of grapevines (which also do well here). As a result, I have homegrown produce about nine months of the year. Another way to eat from your yard is to build a raised vegetable bed. This should be built of sturdy material such as brick or cement block and filled with an organic soil. The bed requires its own irrigation system, because vegetables have different needs from the rest of your landscape. The best type of irrigation system for such beds is called “in-line” drip irrigation (tubing with built-in emitters). Such a system provides a uniform, efficient application of water to the bed without the eventual problem of plants blocking the sprinkler head. More information on irrigation, soils and which crops to plant is available through the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program (257-5555). D ESERT COM P ANION 7 1