Monthly Meetings
October 2023 – Drought Tolerant Fruit Trees and Plants
10/17/2023 @ 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM MST
Drought Tolerant Fruit Trees and Plants
Speaker: Emily Rockey
Tuesday, October 17th at 6:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Presbyterian AND via Zoom
Emily studied Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona, focusing on Controlled Environment Agriculture to optimize food production in indoor greenhouse systems. Then the incredible power of rich, “real” soil drew her back outdoors again and she served as an intern on organic farms in Italy and the US. During the 17 years Emily has lived in Tucson, she has worked for a variety of non-profits and businesses focused on sustainability, gardening, and promotion of compost and soil health. Prior to her role at Mission Garden, she worked at Tucson Botanical Gardens and also represented Tank’s Green Stuff (’13-’20), a local organic compost manufacturer and recycling company. At home, she enjoys wild harvesting, trail running, and exploring all kinds of food preservation techniques including fermentation.
Drought tolerance is a highly desirable characteristic of desert dwelling fruit trees, especially in current climate conditions. Tucson’s agricultural heritage museum called ‘Mission Garden’ grows desert adapted and native crops, and water requirements/drought tolerance are certainly qualities that are evaluated and considered. This ten year old public ethnobotanical garden project has been experimenting with heritage fruit tree cultivation including introduced plants such as pomegranate, fig and quince, as well as selected natives like prickly pear and mesquite. The presentation will offer details and observations about these specific varieties’ drought tolerance and general hardiness, as well as insight about their roles in the cultural traditions of the region. Finally, key cultivation and maintenance techniques will be discussed with regards to increasing water efficiency and mitigating the impact of extreme environmental conditions.