High Elevation Gardening Web Log "Blog"

I learned that growing fruit trees in most parts of Flagstaff is no guarantee of fruit. Apples bear every 3 to 4 years, pears every 4 to 5 years, and pie cherries occasionally and then patchy. Peach trees produce every 8 years, and apricot trees almost never. The reason is our late spring frosts. A nighttime temperature that goes below 22º F for even a couple of hours kills off developing flower blossoms. Apples are the most reliable because they flower later than most fruit trees. If fruit is what's wanted, try apples.
Different neighborhoods have different microclimates, some warmer than others. If a fruit crop is what's really important, warmer Swiss Manor is better than in frosty Baderville. The warmer the site, the greater is the chance for success.
Growing blueberries is folly for most of Northern Arizona. It isn't the late spring frosts but the pH of our soils. Blueberries do best when soil pH is about 5 while many of us have soils with a much higher pH than that. Lowering soil pH is almost impossible in our buffered soils.
For our compacted, clayey soils, gypsum isn't a magic soil amendment although it's often advertised as a way to loosen up clay soils. However, loosening soils is a physical process, not a chemical one and is best accomplished by mixing in lots of organic material that can hold the clay particles apart. Gypsum is only a benefit in soils that have excessive sodium which isn't one of our gardening problems. The magic remedy to improve most soils, either clayey or sandy, is organic matter. Home made compost is the best.
Planting a tree correctly is crucial to a tree's survival and success. Dig a hole 3 to 5 times the diameter of the root ball and just deep enough so the tree crown is at or just above the soil line. Place the tree in the hole and fill it with the same soil which was dug out, contrary to many recommendations. Adding soil amendments to the planting hole often creates a basin that's different in texture from native soil. This creates problems with water movement. When it's wet out, too much water may be retained in the basin, drowning the tree, and when it's dry, the root ball may dry out too quickly.
Thanks to that class I learned to cope with the variable Flagstaff growing season along with a lot more things to learn for successful gardening in Flagstaff. The Master Gardener Class, taught by experts and veteran gardeners, gives gardeners a heads-up on the pleasures of gardening in the high country.
For the 19th spring in a row, applications are now being accepted for the Coconino County Master Gardener Program. The Training Course will be offered in Flagstaff starting February 4 thru May 13 with a week off for spring break. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the East Flagstaff Community Library. Registration for the program is $250 with a $50 rebate for completion of the volunteer portion of the program. A copy of the Arizona Master Gardener manual is included in the fee.
Contact Hattie Braun at the Coconino County Cooperative Extension at (928) 774-1868 ext. 17 to request an application or for more information. Class size is limited. Hattie Braun is the Master Gardener Coordinator for Coconino County Cooperative Extension. Dana Prom Smith, a Master Gardener volunteer, is coordinating editor for the Master Gardener Column. He can be contacted at stpauls@npgcable.com. For gardening questions, call the Master Gardener Hotline, 774-1868, x19, or visit MG Web site: highelevationgardening.arizona.edu.