Hello, Vanessa, I live about twenty miles south of Albuquerque, so we aren't in the same zone. However, I've been told peaches do very well here. I have an old apricot tree on my property. It produces a lot of fruit, but the fruit usually falls to the ground a few days before it is ripe enough to eat. A farmer told me to pick the unripe fruit, put it in a bucket, and cover it with plastic. He said it will soon ripen and be just fine. I haven't yet tried it.

I put in two almond trees, when I moved here five years ago. This year they are covered with buds. I've heard there is an apple orchard in this area, but I haven't seen it.

You do have to make sure your trees get sufficient water. If your area is windy, you will need to water more frequently. Water deeply. If winters are dry, I do a good soaking once a month. During summer I give young trees a good soaking once a week. If you mulch, it will help the soil to retain moisture.

Good luck!
Lorna

Hello Vanessa, welcome to desert gardening. Fig and pomegranite trees are fast growing and drought tolerant. Apricots grow well here, as do almonds, pistachios, and pecans. Try "Enchanted Gardens" on Avenida de Mesilla. Jackeye, the owner and plantswoman, is a wonderful resource. There are challenges to gardening here to be sure, but a long growing season makes up for them.

Welcome Vanessa, the NMSU Coop. Extension Service is right here. Google - it. Tucson has a very similar climate. The web is full of info. A friend of ours in the valley has a peach and apple tree that gets watered with the grass and the trees produce like zucchinis.

Hello Vanessa
New member here, also from ak. now in Bullhead City AZ..inherited a place here with 3 citrus trees in back yard...mature trees, lemon, pink grapefruit, and orange about 15 yrs old. protected from the wind but get plenty of sun...Really grow great and produce a lot of fruit...
Bullhead summer temps hit 120 regularly...
geoh

Vanessa, just curious, have you planted any fruit trees, and if so, how are the fairing in this heat?

Hi All, In Las Cruces four months now. Experimented with several types of trees. Found that of the ones we tried the Apple trees, Plums, Peach, Pomegranate and fig are looking the best. Also planted some grape vines. THose are doing quite well. Although my husband wants to go back to Alaska in the spring now. Guess it's hard to stay gone from anywhere after living in a place so long. THis place will be our retirement castle. GOnna experiment in many new things in an equally difficult climate on the opposite end of the spectrum. :) Plant some tried and true varieties for Alaska and in some unknowns. GOnna buy a VERY large greenhouse and try some fruits in that. Thanks all for your advice. Maybe by retirement we will come to our "retirement castle" with these trees matured!

Hi. I just saw this posting. New to this form. My dad has an apple orchard here in Las Cruces that he planted in 1977. The soil in his orchard is mixed, clay and sand. In some places the apples did not grow as well, but overall, he has had a beautiful orchard. He planted drawf apple trees with stock from a nursery in Washington/ red delicious and Johanthons and Golden Delicious. They did very well. The weather down here is better in some respects than northern NM because we don't have as many freezes. Just make sure you have good polination. I realize that it's been several years since this posting. Hope you did plant some fruit trees and are experiencing some good fruit.

I don't know if the OP will see it, but I'm in El Paso, and I'm also interested in growing fruit trees. Trying to learn as much as I can. There was an article in the EP Times about growing pomegranate. I think figs should grow as well.

Total newbie to gardening, and this is my first post here too.

My neighbors have apples, peach, Asian and other pears, pomegranate, plums, pistachios all doing very well. I moved here 2 years ago and is just planting my orchard. I planted purple and pink sweet potatoes last year and got about 15 from one hill. My okras, zucchini, pumpkins, watermelon and red peas also did very well. I started planting in late March. My corn did not do well, lack pollination. We needed more 🐝 in the area.