It’s been hot, dry & windy, and we’ve learned some stuff about planting things.

Transplants on a slope don’t work so well. The water drains really quickly, hillsides erode and roots become exposed. Best to plant seeds or put a trailing plant at the top of the hill and let the runners grow down.

Plants from seeds seem to be better adapted than transplants. Their roots probably grow deeper in.

Some seeds grow well in the shelter of a nurse plant; a lot of the mixed salad greens we scattered have appeared growing next to some of the transplants.

Cinder block walls reflect heat onto the nearby plants, making it hostile territory.

Our clay soil gets baked by the sun during the day, perfect for our intended inhabitants but not so pretty as a traditional backyard garden.

Bermuda grass will never die.

Here are some before an after pics. We hauled in a felled tree from our front yard to add visual interest and a climbing spot for the Egyptian Uromastyx.

Before:

Contoured bare ground

Early Plantings

Adding plants

Established Growth

Plants grown in from seeds & transplants

Some plants like it hot, others not

Lots of new growth in some areas

Desert plants growing well

Block wall reflects heat that "cooks" some plants

The last step before obtaining our new friends is wire fencing to enclose the space. This will keep the reptiles in and other animals out.