Today a a little 4 foot tall Black Mission Fig (ficus carica)was invited to root down and rise up in the back garden at the 6th Avenue Shala.
The lessons from the past two years of intensively gardening with mainly seasonal food crops have been occupying my thoughts recently.
Longterm, I am feeling that I would like to move towards a lower maintenance and less thirsty model of horticulture for this piece of earth: more perennial trees, shrubs and vines. Cactus, mesquite and chamisa at the edges.
With these thoughts swirling in the eddyline in my head, I happened to find myself at an excellent plant nursery down the road in Las Cruces. Next thing I know a hole is being prepared for a fig tree, while another grape vine waits for the squash and melons to be done on the trellis along the front stone wall.
I do hope this fig thrives. Online resources differ as to the USDA planting zone. Is it 8 or 9? The tag says 7-9.
Oh well. Figs and pomegranates are quintessential desert fruits. I am putting my money on them rooting down on this little piece of Chihuahuan desert, feeding generations to come, and providing shade and shelter for all species.