Vegetable Growing in Moapa and Virgin Valley Southern Nevada

 Requests for Dr. Witwer’s information on raised bed gardening, his “Bible” I call it, overwhelmed and surprised me. I just finished sending out copies to everyone and my fingers are tired! (Ask me to send it to you ((morrisr@unr.edu)) because UNR doesn't carry it anymore.) 

Dr. Wittwer was the former vegetable extension specialist for Michigan State University before he retired to southern Nevada. In Logandale, Nevada, he maintained a large in-ground vegetable garden for many years before moving and eventually passing away. Logandale, in its agricultural area called the Moapa Valley and located about 60 miles north of Las Vegas, is slightly warmer but has a similar climate to Las Vegas.

Use His Recommended Varieties First

It is essential to use his recommended varieties but his recommendations on fertilizers and pesticides can be substituted for “organic” forms if you prefer. When using raised beds, or Bartholomew’s “square foot gardening”, look for more compact forms of the same variety to learn from. Vegetable breeders “earn their pay” by recognizing popular varieties in regions would be even more popular with homeowners provided they have enough space to grow them. They concentrate on making them small or changing their fruiting habits in some way. The ‘Early Girl’ variety of tomato is now available from Burpees as an example as a “bush” or determinate type instead of the continuously vining type called “indeterminate”.

Reasons for Raised Beds (or Modified Raised Beds Called "Containers")

There are many reasons for constructing raised beds; rocky soil beneath it, uninhabitable because of pests like nematodes, small space requirements, beautification, etc. A type of “raised bed” are nursery containers. 

Even smaller “raised beds” such as ornamental containers in the landscape can add beauty and height to traditional gardens. Unlike larger raised beds they can be easily emptied, scrubbed clean, sanitized, and refilled again with new soil. Remember to fill them to within one inch of the container “lip” to maximize their soil depth and ease their heat dissipation. Use the same or similar soil mix in the container to make watering them easier.

Remember pots get hot on the outside unless the pot has something shading it. Double potting them (so they have an air space) is one answer in keeping the heat under control.