Desert Gardening: Fruits & Vegetables

All of the gardening websites failed me, so I requested every desert gardening book I could find from the library. It took awhile but Ifinally found this ultimate one that has all the super specific info I need to garden in the very dry, very hot, very dead soil here. It’s comprehensive and so helpful.

The content is golden and this is an amazing book for folks moving to the desert from the other more traditional gardening regions in the world. BUT, it was written a very long time ago and is in need of some enhancements. I first checked it out at the library and read it 19 years ago and it was so helpful that I just bought a copy for my 76 year old dad (he just moved to Phoenix after being a master gardener in Iowa his whole life). I didn't realize how small the type is in this book! Dad can't see it. To be honest, I would not have found it useful with my eyes if I tried to read it at my age, either. So, if you are young (Ie. don't ever need readers or bright light to read), you will be able to learn a lot from this book. Buy it! But, if you are thinking of trying your hand at gardening now that you have retired to the warm deserts, this will not be a great option for you, likely. Also, today's readers expect to find pictures and graphics and things that simply were not common back in the day this book was written. If they ever update this, I hope they will introduce some formatting and photos and perhaps offer it in large print.

This book is like finding a gemstone in the desert! Mr. Brookbank's style of writing is just what I have been looking for in a gardening book. The book is loaded full of observations, techniques, tips, DIY experiments and problem solving solutions, addressing every aspect of gardening in the desert - and more. It is written with a very personal touch, amusing at times, as if he is sitting right next to you imparting all his knowledge, intertwined with humorous anecdotes and quips.The book has a fabulous Index for quick reference and every page has black and white photographs and/or graphs and charts.Overall, a great gardening and reference book for desert gardening.

This book is full of good information for desert gardening from sources that have been actively gardening in the desert. The book is great to have for that reason alone. Printing has a lot to be desired. The book is soft cover, the interior is black and white on cheap paper, and the print fills the paper to the very edge of the page - so damage or stained edges might make the page illegible. The print is small yet legible. There is a lot of info, so maybe the small print is needed to keep the book from spilling into a multi-volume set. Overall, very handy to have, but not something to leave on a coffee table.

The book gives a really good picture of what it will take to make a garden in the desert. It describes all the hard work required just to prepare the soil and why it is so necessary to dig through the caliche. The author explains the secrets of watering and warns about numerous wildlife creatures which will want to share your harvest.But it also reveals how to successfully garden in desert at least 10 month a year. Many paragraphs are repeated, but it is easy to navigate through the book again to find the necessary information.I think this book is a great starter for anybody who is new to desert gardening. Even with good background knowledge of gardening in different climate zones (and I have such), I recommend to read the life-long experience of Mr.Brookbank, which definately will give valuable advices how to avoid at least the biggest mistakes and great frustrations as well.There are a lot of pictures in this book, but since they are black-white, many of them (especially with all the bugs and insects) is hard to read.I wish the book would give some insight about the decorative gardens as well, but for this need I will have to look for another book.

Every page is filled with pearls. You may know most of what is on each page, but Mr. Brookbank will certainly give you a new perspective on your knowledge, or fill in a missing piece you didn't know you were missing. I am a passionate gardener. I am not using this book for desert gardening, though I have gardened in the high desert for more than 25 years and I can tell you, this book will be useful to any SoCal gardener. Definitely the best book I have read in a long time. Right up there with the Sunset Western Garden Book and Pat Welsh's Southern California Organic Gardening.

I was really excited, the photos are black & white with lines thru them, some info seems outdated, it might be great for some but it’s not what I’m looking for.

We are mod westerners transplanted to the desert. My wife said this is the most useful book she has found on the subject and that includes numerous books from the library.She's happy I'm happy

I had expected the book to consider deserts world wide not only America, so climatically it was not so useful. But it had interesting sections on soils and problems, plus solutions and on crop types. The presentation on cheap paper and with no colour photos was poor and let down the content. Worth having for but only deeply interested people. For general gardening in the middle east Gardening in Oman and the UAE is a far better book also available on Amazon