Veggies in the desert

Due to a freak winter storm our last gold claim trip had to be rescheduled... We decided to landscape our yard and prepare for my bestfriend's slightly, life consuming wedding... The weather was bizzare; 70 mph winds one day, 70 degrees the next, then it starts snowing at our house at 2 in the afternoon.

We managed to get a decent raised planter bed put up. Matt and another guy moved 13 tons of material over 3 days. It looks pretty but my goal is to have a produce section in our backyard come this summer. I've heard nothing but how impossible that task is so I hope to prove over the next few months that you can infact grow veggies in the desert.

We put in 4 tons of an organic garden soil mix to get us off on the right foot. We used plants like lantana, jasmine, various cacti, orange jubilee for the hummingbirds, and an orange tree. Between the main plants are the seasonal veggies and herbs. I have a whole section for my herb collection, salad greens, various tomatoes and peppers, a corn patch, carrot seedlings, peas, and cucumbers. Oh and I almost forgot out strawberries... 

With gas prices skyrocketing well before summer has even arrived; we are anticipating a noticable increase at the grocery stores over the next few months...

We really hope to make our small backyard a place to enjoy the summer nights and sustainable for 2 people.