toffee-el;

You have sandy, alkaline soil with not much organic content and a layer of hardened salt somewhere below ground, maybe 3-5 feet. You can grow a lot more than you think, but will need some guidance outside of usual gardening books. One book I recommend is Desert Gardening Fruits & Vegetables by George Brookbank. Proper preparation is key to your success.

I would recommend you go to Moller's Garden Center. They have a huge selection with helpful people (although they are not exactly "cheap"!) You can see what you like and what is growing well, and you are not going to be sold something that would never grow in the desert, like they do at Lowe's or Home Depot.
Here is their website:

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.mollersgarden.com/

Applenut:

Thanks for the tips. Being sandy, at least it's easier to dig. I saw some roses, guess those guys really prep their soil to get them going.

sautesmom:

Thanks for the link, they seems to be really nice. Definitely will visit.

About soil prepping, how deep and how big a hole to plant a 5g shrub? Being sandy and alkaline, should one use lots of compost plus manure as amend? How about adding some clay to them?

My family lived in the desert for 50 years, and my Dad used to have a citrus ranch on the Salton Sea, so I have lots of gardening experience in that soil. You don't say what kind of "shrub" you want to amend the soil for, but honestly, it would have to be a shrub that's happy in desert soil/climate in the first place, or it's not going to make it any way. Of course you want to mulch to conserve water, but adding clay (even if you COULD buy some, and I have never seen "clay soil" being sold anywhere) would only help in the immediate spot where you added it. Unless you mean digging out your entire yard 6 feet down and amending all the soil? Manure will give nitrogen, but it runs out into the sand quickly so it is only a temprary boost. And you should know the intense climate has an effect of rapidly going through mulch--I put 4 inches of shredded redwood over the rose bed one spring, and it had all disappeared into the sand by the end of summer. And don't even think of trying that rubber mulch!!! Rubber heats up in the sun, and you will literally cook your roots when it's 115 out!

Basically you can't turn your garden into another climate, not for long anyway. You have to work with what you have. The main growing season in Indian Wells is October through March, and then everything else just survives during the summer.

Carla in Sac

Hi Carla,

I live in the Bay area but just got a house in Indian Wells, so I am totally ignorant about the desert. Furthermore, the property is in a golf community with lots manicured lawn and thousand of annuals. In short, one doesn't feel like being in the desert.

For my house, I would love to grow some climbing roses if possible. French Lavender is another one of my favorite. I am wondering if I can grow those two.

Thanks

sautesmom what was your Dad's name? I wonder if I knew him?
Dittos on NEVER using black mulch, plastic or rubber, of any kind around here.
I use mulch, and lots of it but organic mulch; old leaves, palm fronds, clippings and such. I also will get a truck load of tree chipper machine chipped material from time to time. I use this, un-composted, in thick layers around most everything. now, it takes a little while for mulch to start working into the ground in it's own natural way, so the first year, you may see some signs that plants are missing some nutrients. Don't fret, don't worry, just be patients. It will take one full season but after a year, you will have the most wonderful soil with well developed horizons, great structure, great tilth, great nutrients, great root action, and just all around great growing.
Roses: just mulch, mulch, mulch. Start with 12 inch pile the first year, then keep topping it each year to bring it back up to 6 inches deep. I remember years ago meeting my next door neighbor neighbor at a nursery and we were buying the same rose variety the same day from the same place. We bother even planted on the same side of our houses and up beside the house. He planted his and used all the store bought rose "stuff". I planted mine and ONLY used yard trimmings as mulch. A year and a half later, his had a couple of dozen blooms, mine had over 100 with more petals on each bloom. Mulch is THE way to grown in here. Mind you, he is one of the best non-orgainc citrus growers in the area, so he knows how to grow things.
For the country club settings, you will have to use a very attractive looking mulch to avoid repercussions with the HOA'ers. Store bought may be your only choice. Use one that is NOT fortified with chemical nitrogen or other chemicals. You will need LOTS of bags the first year, then just a little more each year to replace what has worked into the ground. Well composted, store bought mulch you can use 1/2 as much, 6 inches the first year, then top up to 3 inches every year after that. Make sure the gardeners know, so they don't rake all your good mulch away.
The sunset gardening book is VERY good at suggesting what will do well by zone. If it says zone 13 (ours) it will do well. Others not listed as zone 13 may do ok with special help and special location.
Also, note, that all this is added ON TOP the soil. Do not add it into the planting hole as that will encourage root rot. Back fill your planting hole with only native soil.
Climbing roses may need a little protection from wind. The summer will be hard on them but just keep good care of them and they will come back in fall with a second flush of good growth. It's almost like a 2nd "winter" and 2 springs. They need a little more water in summer, but be careful not to drown them either. It's easy to see them starting to stress on the krazy hot days and think they need more water and drown the roots. Just up your water some as temps start to break 100 and trust that will be enough. It's best to water early in the morning before the ground is hot. You will loose less to evaporation and the root zone will stay cooler with cooler water. Remember you are watering the roots, not the stems. Keep the soil (and thus the roots) moist, not wet, all summer and the roses will bounce back in fall and reward your efforts.