Can You Grow Tropical Fruits In Las Vegas? Yes You Can

Growing tropical fruits in Las Vegas may seem impossible. But, it's not.

It takes time, research and the right conditions. A man in Las Vegas named Derrick Martinez has started a tropical oasis in his backyard. He has started a garden called "Abah Garden," that features lush and tropical fruits that you can only dream about growing.

According to a YouTube video from an organic gardening creator, Derrick's garden consists of sugarcane, guava, almond trees, loquat trees, figs, pomegranates, papayas and so much more. Despite the dry and harsh conditions of the Las Vegas desert, Marinez has created a system that allows these tropical fruits and vegetables to flourish, grow and bloom.

If you're looking to start a lush garden in your backyard then you need to be aware about the rules and regulations when it comes to gardening. According to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, prohibited plants include Green/Crimson Fountain Grass, fruitless mulberry trees, fruiting olive trees and chaste trees.

In an interview with Las Vegas Weekly, Bob Morris, a horticulture specialist, said, "There’s a number of challenges in the desert, in this (Las Vegas') specific desert, and it’s not just the climate. The soils here are absolutely horrendous."

The "easiest" types of fruit to grow in the dessert will be dessert fruits instead of tropical. According to The Las Vegas Sun, this includes apricots, figs, jujubes, peaches, nectarines, and figs.

The first step is to adjust your "crop schedule" so it avoids blistering heat.

"Folks living in Arizona, the deep South, Las Vegas, or Hawaii may adjust their garden seasons and avoid growing tomatoes or squash during the hottest summer months altogether, and grow them during the spring and fall seasons instead," Homestead Chill, an online homemaking blog, reports.

If you're looking to start a garden then you will need good quality soil. Along with that, the hard Vegas sun with little to no rainfall can create sun damage on to crops.

"Don’t spray on sunscreen, but do paint the trunks—and any stem larger than a pinky finger—with a 50/50 water/light-colored outdoor latex paint mixture," The Las Vegas Sun reports.

You will need to water plants in the early morning. Fruits are very thirsty plants, so you'll have to keep this in mind. These plants will need to be watered immensely throughout the day. But be careful and avoid overwatering your crop.

"Before offering more water, check the moisture content of your soil by probing an inch or two below the soil surface," Homestead Chill advises.

So, growing tropical fruits in Las Vegas is doable. Look at the plethora of produce that Derrick Martinez is able to grow at his Abbah Farm in Las Vegas. But, it does take determination, grit

Scams are a scary thing, so you should know these new scams that are trending. It's easy to think that you could never fall for a scam, but the truth is that scammers are getting better and better and what they're doing, so it's getting more difficult to stay safe.

Before we get into the new scams that are trending, it's worth reminding ourselves of some age-old scams. Some scam artists just keep doing the same thing, and they keep getting successful results. The IRS has some good information out about tax-related scams and how to avoid them. On the agency's official website, they warn that seniors are often targeted in scams. This was true years ago and is still true. On their site, they warn taxpayers not to fall for scams targeting older adults. "Scammers pretending to be government officials, aim to steal sensitive personal information and money," they state. "By posing as representatives from agencies such as the IRS, or other government agencies, these fraudsters use fear and deceit to exploit their victims."

Another big scam that's been around forever is scammers claiming their services are needed to settle with the IRS and "that their debts can be settled for 'pennies-on-the-dollar' or that there is a limited window of time to resolve tax debts through the Offer in Compromise (OIC) program." The IRS says "these promoters are often referred to as 'OIC Mills.'" In a release, the IRS adds that an Offer in Compromise "mill" will "usually make outlandish claims, frequently in radio and TV ads, about how they can settle a person's tax debt for cheap. In reality, the promoter fees are often excessive, and taxpayers pay the OIC mill to get the same deal they could have received on their own by working directly with the IRS. This takes unnecessary money out of the taxpayer's wallet."

"Too often, we see some unscrupulous promoters mislead taxpayers into thinking they can magically get rid of a tax debt," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. "This is a legitimate IRS program, but there are specific requirements for people to qualify. People desperate for help can make a costly mistake if they clearly don't qualify for the program. Before using an aggressive promoter, we encourage people to review readily available IRS resources to help resolve a tax debt on their own without facing hefty fees."

Now, let's move onto the new scams to avoid.

The AARP warns of a new scam called the "check cooking scam." The AARP states, "In check cooking, thieves take a digital picture of a stolen check and then use commercially available software to alter it." It can look super real, but it's fake. So, how do you stay safe? "Consider using a safer payment method, such as a credit card," they suggest.

The AARP states also warns of a new sweepstakes scam where "instead of trying to get you to pay taxes or other fees in advance to collect the nonexistent prize, the scammers will ask for personal information so that they can validate you and set up the payout." Just say no.

These days, AI scams are big. Experian.com says today, scammers use technology to "write more convincing and natural-sounding phishing emails and text messages." They can also "Impersonate the victim's friend or relative and ask for money as part of a grandparent scam." It's scary stuff. Beware of anything that sounds too crazy, as these can often seem far-fetched, but AI makes them look real.

Experian.com says that student loan forgiveness scams are on the rise. They note that, "scammers may contact you via phone or create phony application sites aimed at stealing your Social Security number or your bank account information." Don't give out your information. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

This one is really wild. With the games on the way, scammers can use the games to scam you. The AARP states, "A scammer hacks someone's email account, and shortly after, all of that person's contacts will receive the same message — something to the effect of, 'Hey guys, I'm over in Paris and my wallet got stolen! Can anyone please help me out by sending gift cards or a Venmo deposit?"

Whether the scam is new or old, the best way to avoid it is to stop and think about what's happening. These scam artists are super good at what they do, but if you just stop for a moment and really think out any actions, you can avoid making a rash decision that could cost you.