Heat and dry air in the desert are excessive. One way to fight it is with trees to provide shade. Desert trees should be planted in late summer or early fall. Purchasing trees is expensive as desert trees can run twenty dollars or more each, and landscaping with several may mean a prohibitive cost.
Many desert trees can be grown from seeds which can be purchased on line or at your favorite nursery. You can also obtain seeds from existing plants in your own yard or from your friends or neighbors. Although it is illegal to disturb or destroy desert plants, in most locations you can harvest the seeds legally. I have grown Desert Willow, Palo Verde, and Mesquite trees using the following method. After seven years, my Palo Verde trees are thirty feet tall and the Mesquite is about eighteen. A desert tree’s rate of growth is directly related to the amount of water it gets.
Desert tree seeds usually have very hard shells. There are several ways to soften them, including the use of acid, but my favorite way is to bring a cup of water to boiling in the microwave. Remove the water and immediately drop in the seeds. Leave them there for several hours or overnight.
Then plant, either in the ground or in small pots. I prefer small foam cups. Place the cups in a warm place and keep the soil moist. It may take up to three weeks before you see the new plant. When the tree is four or five inches tall, it can be transplanted into the ground.
Location: Most desert trees require sunlight at least part of the day.
Soil: Since most desert trees send down long tap roots, they must be planted in an area free of caliche, or the caliche must be broken up so that the roots can penetrate. The desert soil is otherwise perfect for your desert trees.
Plant: Dig a hole approximately two times the diameter of the plant. Apply a handful of gypsum, set the tree level with the surrounding ground, and refill the hole with the loose soil. Water thoroughly. Since your next challenge will be keeping rabbits and ground squirrels from eating your desert tree, surround the seedling with chicken wire for protection.
Watering: Because water will run off the desert before it soaks in, dig a trench around the tree and fill with water daily during hot weather. As the tree grows, you can water in a bigger trench and less often.
Mulch: Mulch can’t hurt but isn’t necessary. I don’t use it.
Fertilizer: I use a light application of steer manure or commercial plant food twice a year, in October and February.
There will be no evidence of growth the first year, but your baby tree will be establishing a root system during this time. Next spring, your desert tree will take off. Within three years you can have a tree between three and six feet high. Not quite as fast as purchasing a tree already established but much cheaper.
