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Why winter in Phoenix is one of the best times to garden

Winter in most of the country means cold — much too cold for much of anything to grow. But in Phoenix, winter looks a little different.

Melissa Kruse-Peeples, gardener extraordinaire, manages the garden at Arizona State University's Polytechnic campus, helps the university with urban garden education and outreach and she runs her own gardening business, teaching consulting classes and workshops. 

The Show first visited her home gardens last summer—  she has one in her front yard and another in her backyard. Then, temperatures were in the 100s.

When The Show stopped by in January, it was rainy and cold (for Phoenix). But one thing was the same as it was in the summer: Her garden was overflowing with veggies. 

Kruse-Peeples says winter in the desert is, in fact, the best time to garden. She explained why.

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Lauren Gilger, host of KJZZ's The Show, is an award-winning journalist whose work has impacted communities large and small, exposing injustices and giving a voice to the voiceless and marginalized.