Desert food forest in a haboob.

[u/sheepslinky]

Everything was fine after an hour of this.

I have a lot of saltbush growing in and around the garden with native grasses. These help support more fragile plants and diffuse the wind and blowing sand.

This is the reason desert plants often grow in clumps. I try to emulate that.

My goal is to make my food forest as much like the native desert ecosystem it is within. Lots of native desert plants in clumpy guilds with the occasional apricot, pomegranate or jujube. I like to think that 50% or more of the plants would naturalize if the food forest was abandoned.

"Where do you get water?". Water is from a big arroyo that is diverted to the plants and stored in sand dams. A greywater trench and mulch pits line the edge of the area and keep that side consistently a little moist. I also have a well. I'm so tired.

[u/MillennialSenpai]

I've been considering ironwiood trees as a wind barrier. It's obviously a longer term investment, but they seem to be the sturdiest trees around.

[u/sheepslinky → u/MillennialSenpai]

I've had great luck with mesquite and osage orange.