I am definitely NOT the best source for information but based on what I have learned so far in the desert mountain area of southwest Utah I have learned that our soil is pathetic and planting in containers or raised beds is the direction we want to go. Get a soil test kit to test for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash. Odds are in a desert type region your soil is slightly alkaline but that should be workable for most things, unless they like acidic soil like blueberries. I will guess your soil is deficient in Nitrogen and Phosphorus but you need to test to make sure. Odds are you will need fertilizer, so either organic/natural or Miracle Grow, whichever way you prefer.
My awakening was last August when none of the veggies or fruit
trees or grape vines were productive, but a tomato seed left by the
chickens at the downhill side of their area started growing mid-July and was huge and full of tomatoes by late August..... until the frost hit them in September and let them all go to waste. That was when I realized I needed to seriously up the game on fertilizer.
Good luck. Just study first and do it right from the beginning.
