My best tomato year yet — what finally clicked
After years of getting the timing wrong, this past spring everything came together. I planted Juliet and Celebrity varieties in early February, built a simple wire cage system along the side of the house, and by late April I had more tomatoes than I knew what to do with. Here's exactly what changed — and what I'll do the same way again.
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What to Plant in Phoenix Right Now (April 2026)
April is peak harvest month for spring crops — and the last chance to sneak in a few fast-growing summer crops before the heat fully arrives. Here's exactly what to do this week.
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My 5 Biggest Mistakes as a First-Year Phoenix Gardener
Every new Phoenix gardener makes these same mistakes. Here's what I wish someone had told me before my first desert garden — and what I do differently now.
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Building my fall garden from scratch in a single weekend
I had an empty bed in early September and documented the whole process — from soil prep to transplanting cool-season starts. A full photo walkthrough.
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The year I grew 9 varieties of peppers side by side
Jalapeños, bells, Anaheims, serranos, shishitos, and more — all in one raised bed. A full comparison of heat tolerance, yield, and flavor in our Phoenix spring.
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Growing cantaloupe: my first melon harvest and what surprised me
I was nervous about melons taking too much space and time. They did take space — but the payoff was a May harvest of the sweetest fruit I've grown in the desert.
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My first successful broccoli — and why it took three tries
Broccoli has a narrow window in Phoenix. Too early and the heat bolts it. Too late and it never heads. I finally got the timing right in my third fall season.
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Cucumbers took over everything — and I wasn't mad about it
My spring cucumber planting got away from me in the best possible way. Here's how to manage a sprawling vine garden and still get a clean harvest.
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How I turned a strip of caliche into a productive garden
When I started, the side of my house was hardpan desert soil. This is the full story of building the beds, amending the soil, and getting the first season going.
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