High Desert Perennial Herbs and Vegetables
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Seth
Posted on: August 29, 2012

I would like to establish more perennial herbs, root crops and vegetables that will grow in the high desert @ 5,000’ (about 1700m) with winter lows of 10 degrees F(minus 12 degrees C). I have Jerusalem Artichokes and asparagus. I would appreciate your help in making the best selections.

To be safe I would choose perennials hardy to zone 4. Most vegetables are annuals, so their culture should be no problem as long as you can keep them wet enough. Since water is a rare commodity in a desert try to use buried soaker hoses for any irrigation you need to do. A good mulch is also a must to conserve moisture. Moisture holding soil amendmends such as compost and peat moss are also very important. Don’t throw any kitchen waste into the garbage, but heap it all on a compost heap - enclosed if you have trouble with scavenging animals such as racoons, dogs or cayotes. If bears are a problem, discard meat into the municipal garbage.

Our catalogue gives all the ranges of zones that our plants are hardy in. You can also find it on-line under "News&Info" in the "Richters InfoCentre" under "Richters Herb Growing Infobase"

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