That might work with older crops but could be challenging with younger crops. You could read this post https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-water-your-garden-with-flood-irrigation/ for more information about using flood irrigation in your garden.

Hi Catherine,

Thank you for the question. I lived in Boulder for a little over 5 years, and gardening there is certainly tricky and unpredictable! I remember the early and late snowstorms and the hail! Although we have more caliche here than clay, I have had to consider drainage in my garden as well. I would recommend you do a simple drainage test after you’ve got the basin bed dug, but before filling in any soil. You can do this by filling up the bed with water to the top with a garden hose and then letting the water sit for 24 hours. If it drains completely after 24 hours, then it should be fine for growing what you choose to in without worrying about it. I do this each time I want to plant a new bed, tree, or shrub to check the drainage. It’s a simple place to start and will quickly show you if any additional things need to be done. If you find it doesn’t drain, let me know in the comments here and I can give you some additional advice to improve the drainage.

Happy Gardening!

Kara

Yes, you’re right. Periodically watering extra deep will help flush salts. Same principle applies to sunken beds.

Generally, you can pull them off pretty easily when it’s time to remove the plants. You may have to cut the vines in a few places, but it doesn’t take very long to remove a large amount of plant material.

@brenda chilson,

Hi Brenda, thanks so much for your question.

Soils aren’t consistent in the low desert. There could be a couple of reasons you’re struggling to dig.

The first is caliche. Some gardeners have a thick layer of caliche that is very difficult to dig through. I’ve known some who’ve used a jackhammer to penetrate through it. Caliche is a layer of compressed calcium carbonate that is like concrete and which prevents proper water drainage. If you see a layer of white material as you dig a hole, it’s likely caliche. It’s recommended to remove it as you dig it up. It’s possible you have caliche in your gardening area. I don’t have much of it on my property, but in the few spots I do, I used an auger to punch through it.

The second is that the high temperatures and low moisture in the low desert bake and compact the soil over time, making it very difficult to dig into. There is a little trick I’ve learned to make that much easier. If you’re planning to dig, soak the area with a sprinkler or garden hose turned on low. The water will soak into the soil and soften it. It may look muddy afterwards, but by the next morning or afternoon, it will be soft and moist, but not muddy, and much easier to work with. This is what I did.

I practice the no dig method after building my garden beds. However, the first time I turn over the soil, I use a tiller to make quick work of it. The one I use is a very small one. If you don’t own one, maybe you could rent one or borrow one from a friend. After that first time, I don’t till again because it disturbs the mycorrhizal network in the soil.

Here are links to the two tools mentioned above:

Makita XUX01M5PT 18V X2 (36V) LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Couple Shaft Power Head Kit with String Trimmer Attachment (5.0Ah) with KR401MP Cultivator Couple Shaft Attachment https://a.co/d/62FG1hN

Makita XGD01Z 36V (18V X2) LXT® Brushless Earth Auger, Tool Only https://a.co/d/iaSPYxO

Makita E-07369 8″ Earth Auger Drill Bit https://a.co/d/661rbg2

I hope this helps! Happy gardening!

Kara