Desert Gardeners?

[Saxon]

Hello, I will soon be moving from an apartment to a house in Tucson, AZ. I was delighted to learn that my landlord not only pays for the water portion of utilities, but also encourages doing something with the backyard (it currently has a small fire pit and nothing else). One of my hobbies growing up was helping out with my father's vegetable garden that had a little bit of everything, however this was in Pennsylvania. I would really like to start my own little garden, however I am unsure of what will or will not grow in the desert climate. Furthermore, I am unsure really who to ask, as gardening does not seem to be a common hobby. Being from a rural area, I am used to having a number of farmer supply stores that have people more than willing to fill in details of what will grow and when to plant it. Any southwest gardeners around here? If so, what works and when ?

P.S. : I am more than willing to buy topsoil from a store to facilitate any gardening, as I am sure desert sand is not the most nutritious thing for plants to snack on!

[quizno]

Check out your states Master Gardener program. They will have fantastic info for you.

http://extension.arizona.edu/programs/master-gardener

Or try out hydroponics!