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Comment by aliswe | Hacker News Reader

Does anyone have ideas on what to do in a desert climate? I would love to try a variation on this in Saudi Arabia. I've read much about this but since it's on HN I might as well throw it out there, you often get unexpected expert input here.

Edit: I'm thinking of doing the hugelbed but kinda upside down, under ground.

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I think you need a more encompassing approach. Permaculture might be something for you. They have developed specialized techniques for all climate zones.

For example check out the "Greening the desert" project.

https://youtu.be/2xcZS7arcgk

I really dislike the idea of continuously having to water in order to keep plants alive. If that will be the case, I feel it's not worth doing.

I mean that's the case none of these projects have REALLY taken off at scale.

Nice video. This made me think about the potential of overlooked and possibly "cheap" land that could end up highly productive after just a few years.

There are people who have spent thousands of years farming in environments as arid and hot as Saudi Arabia. What's out there isn't as well-marketed as permaculture, but it's also a lot less woo-woo and proven to be sustainable. In my area (California), I've found dryland techniques from Arizona natives to work extremely well. Considering Arizona is around the same climate as Saudi Arabia, but with more rivers, I suspect they'd probably work there too. Nabhan's Enduring Seeds captures the general principles decently, but the technical information is scattered about in various places. You may have even more luck with things like Sorghum (a highly drought-tolerant African crop) in a more local system.

Shoot me an email (check profile), I used to live in Saudi and know plenty of agro as well.

Thanks!

Swales, maybe?

I think swales should be part of the solution, sort of!

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