High Desert Gardening

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High Desert Gardening
The Misconceptions The Reasonable Landscape
The Zones

Bill McDorman Seeds Trust High Altitude
Gardens bm_at_seedsave.org seedstrust.com
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PATTERN RECOGNITION

• Current model is not sustainable.
• The West is running out water.
• Complex biological problem.
• Young human culture.

3
MISCONCEPTIONS

• We can put it back.
• The Church of the Native will save us.
• Pandoras Box.

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You Cant Put it Back

• Cost is not the issue.
• Manage succession.
• False horizons.

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Church of the Native

• Native is where we start the discussion, not end
  it.
  
• Imprecise definition.
• The lilac factor.
• Dont use non-native pioneer species.

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Dont Open Pandoras Box
Fence undisturbed areas in any construction
zone.
Mow sagebrush areas that need clearing. A brush
cutter at 6-8 works fine. You will unleash an
incredible diversity of wildflowers and native
grasses with much less danger of invasive pioneer
weeds.
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THE REASONABLE LANDSCAPE

• Sustainable and Beautiful
• Minimizes water, maintenance and biocides.

Successful Strategies

• Water is the key.
• Sheet mulch when possible.
• Zone properly.

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Florence Muldar Mackey
Turn Down Your Water and Turn Down Your
Problems.
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I think I made a mistake in this garden. I think
it was a mistake to use any water at all.
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Penstemon quickly became Florences favorite.
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Sheet Mulch When Possible

• Unmowed grass
• 2 - 10 layers of paper or cardboard
• Layers of carbon, nitrogen and soil.

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Zones 1, 2, 3
1) Ornamentals/ Vegetables

• Wildflower mixes

Scale the time, energy and cost of your project
according to you zones.

• 3) Native Grasses

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Location Location Location

• Choose or create well-protected,
  south-facing sites. Even a small angle of slope
  to the south can dramatically increase soil
  warmth. Surround warm season crops with large
  rocks or concrete walls that collect the sun's
  heat during the day and protect from frost at
  night. Tall-growing crops or permanent hedges
  will protect larger gardens and fields. It is
  worthy to note an old Chinese saying Select
  proper site for garden and half the work is done.

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I added a month to my growing season by adding
south facing rocks.
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How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons
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My Solar Pod won me the gardener of the month
award in April.
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Solar Gardening by Poisson
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Wildflower Mixes
Take full advantage of knowing why we still call
some flowers wild.
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Heart of Idaho
Change is always greatest at the beginning of
any new plant succesion.
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Mix flowers must work quickly, but not work too
well.
Ultimately, everyone must design their own mix
for each of their own locations.
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Native Grass Alternative
Sheep Fescue Festuca ovina
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Festuca ovina, 1 lb. per 1,000 sq./ft.
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Canadian BluegrassPoa compressa var. Rubens1
1/2 lbs. per M
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Permaculture Design CourseApril 16 -29,
2006Bliss, IdahoA fully accredited course will
be taught in three 4-day segments by certified
permaculture facilitator/activist Larry
Santoyo.www.Idaho Permaculture.com
Bill McDorman Seeds Trust High Altitude
Gardens bm_at_seedsave.org seedstrust.com
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Help us. Grow something. Save the seeds. Have
fun. Thank you.
Bill McDorman Seeds Trust High Altitude
Gardens bm_at_seedsave.org seedstrust.com