Fountain Hills ... Your area is several degrees colder than the main part of Phoenix, which means you have to plant a bit more carefully.

You have the usual fast-draining rock-filled mountain side dirt. Yes, it's probably alkaline.

Don't bother trying to "improve it" ... it's perfectly good dirt for growing a lot of Arizona lovely native plants and plants from other arid regions.

Go to a nursery or Home Depot and get a copy of Sunset's Western Garden's book. It's our best sourcebook for what grows here.

Go to the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior and the Desert Botanical Gardens near the Phoenix Zoo. Look at all thge lovely plants you can grow here that can't be grown elsewhere.

Thanks a lot!!! I should have explained myself better. Yes I want to grow mainly desert plants and I really like them, but since I love fruit I was thinking of planting some fruit trees...hence why I was wondering if I needed to improve the soil around those trees.

Thank you again!

Are you new to the Valley or just new to Fountain Hills? I'm a tried and true xeric gardener right here in Fountain Hills.

Google "caliche".

I am another Fountain Hills gardener wannabe. Don't listen to GermanStar. He will get you hooked on agaves and you will spend your spare time searching all the garden centers around the area for new species. Very addictive! Good luck with your garden.

I've given up on that. I've now taken to searching all the surrounding areas for Agaves in habitat. I was up in Payson and Pine yesterday looking for Agave parryi. Very addictive! ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Parryi in the Pines

This post was edited by GermanStar on Sun, Jan 5, 14 at 15:15

in order to plant fruit trees you'd have to do alot of amending maybe try peaches apples plums you know stone fruits they will do better and actually need the occasional frost pomegranites will also thrive but citrus will need frost protection

If you want fruit trees, you have to be VERY careful about what variety ... make sure they don't need a lot of winter chill. Sunset's book is your friend here.

I wouldn't do much "improving" beyond a reliable water system and a thick wood chip mulch to keep even soil moisture.

If you plant in a heavily improved hole, you create what is called a "flower-pot" ... the roots will be unwilling or unable to leave the improved area to spread in the native dirt. The trees may grow really well for a year or two, but they end up stunted and tend to fall over in windstorms.

Thank you for all the replies!!! I am new to Fountain Hills from Mesa and I am already hooked on AGAVES! Parryi is great...I also have just bought a couple of umbrella ones...interesting flowers!

Thanks lazygardens! Very insightful!

Thank you for all the replies!!! I am new to Fountain Hills from Mesa and I am already hooked on AGAVES! Parryi is great...I also have just bought a couple of umbrella ones...interesting flowers!

Thanks lazygardens! Very insightful!