Vegetables That Grow Well in Arizona Gardens

A vegetable garden is an ideal addition to any landscape, but the success of it all depends on your region and climate. In Arizona, there are a handful of months out of the year where it seems impossible anything can grow outside because of the extreme heat. Surprisingly, many vegetables can grow in the Arizona desert—you just need to plant them at the right times. Also, some vegetables grow better from seed while others should be transplanted.

Cool Season Vegetables

Cool-season vegetables should be planted in late fall to early winter. These vegetables are hardy and can germinate in cooler soil. They include broccoli, beets, onions, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, turnips, peas, potatoes, radishes and spinach. In order to get the maximum quality from your vegetables, it is necessary they mature in cooler air rather than hot summers.

Warm Season Vegetables

Warm-season vegetables are those that need to be planted in late winter to early spring. These can't tolerate frost and need warm air to help mature. These vegetables include beans, eggplant, cucumbers, melons, corn, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, squash and sweet potatoes. On the other hand, they usually can't survive temperatures that can sunburn the vegetables, which will reduce their quality.

Transplants

The vegetables that you should transplant into your garden include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, onion, tomatoes and pepper. You can transplant, carrots, celery, squash and okra, but they may have some difficulties.

Planting Seeds

Vegetables that ideally can be grown from seeds include asparagus, lettuce, beans, beets, leeks, brussel sprouts, parsley, parsnip, peas, radishes, spinach, cucumber, rutabaga, endives, kale and watermelon, to name a few.

Easiest Vegetables To Grow In Arizona

Arizona’s hot, dry climate is ideal for growing many types of vegetables. Although the state of Arizona is a major growing region for commercial hydroponic tomatoes, this crop sometimes suffers during very hot temperatures. If you want to grow tomatoes successfully in the warmer areas of Arizona, look for early varieties that are bred for high heat. If you live in a cooler area, peppers are a good choice for the summer months. If your region receives spring frost, wait until after the final frost before planting eggplant. The Arizona Master Gardeners website recommends growing spinach as a winter crop in the warmer regions of the state. You can plant this frost-hardy leafy green vegetable in late summer, late winter or early spring and harvest the nutritious greens before temperatures get too hot, which will cause spinach to bolt to seed.