When I first moved to the desert, I read every book I could find about farming, from tiny pamphlets to dense college textbooks. Surely there existed some Perfect Way to garden, and I would find it. But eventually, I had to stop reading and just go outside and try something. Turns out there is no one way to grow vegetables, and that the most important thing is to start—to experiment, to try things, and to learn as you go what works for you and your little microcosm. Here are some of the methods that I’ve cobbled together over the years. Try them on; adjust as needed.