Wow

How time is just flying buy and it seems like I am just sitting here.

It has been almost 6 months sense I have been here in Arizona and the last time I posted.

I have got a little box garden going and have had a lot of lettuces, arugula, and spinach the last few months. I have some tomatoes, sunflowers, dill, and onions growing along with some other herbs.

I have also planted some grapes and a fig and lemon tree and so far they are doing good.

 Box Garden

 Fig Tree

Grape 

It is April and we have already had 2 days of 100 degrees, I am thinking this is going to be a long summer. We will be going to up to Denver for mothers day so I am looking forward to getting back in the high country and seeing everyone back home.

Tell Next Time

Stay cool and garden where you are......

On to Arizona Gardening

It's been some time since the last time I added any thing to the blog. Here is an update on what has been happening in my little world. My wife got a transfer and a promotion, however, we had to move to the Phoenix area. It is a big change from our little home on one acre and the gardening I have grown up with.

We have an offer in on a home that sits on just under 2/10's of an acre (a far cry from our one acre) with a pool in the back that takes up most of the back yard. I now also have to take in to account the heat, soil, water (or the lack of), and a lot smaller space for gardening. I will be doing some container gardening and I will be making little micro climates in the back to cool off the area some in the summer and warm them up in the winter. I am also considering doing some vertical and square foot gardening as well. I am hoping that I will be able to grow enough to do some canning and have enough for a family of four. (though we only need enough for two) I am planning on enough for four to show how even in small spaces that the average family can grow enough food in there back yard to supplement the food bill. I believe that it is past time for us to take back our economy and it starts at home. Not with any government or any big business it starts with you and me. I have chosen to feed my self no matter where I happen to live.

You can do the same it will take a little work but the rewards of eating food that you grew your self will out weight any “hard” work that might take place. I hope that you will learn as I will learn on this new adventure, growing in the dessert here in the south-west U.S. will be a challenge but it should prove to be interesting. Some of the things I will be doing will only work down here in the warmer climate, but there will be a lot that can be used all over the U.S. And maybe other parts of the world.

If we close on October 7^th 2011 like we plan on doing there will be more posts of the Arizonan gardening experience.

To start it off here they are now doing there fall planting, tomatoes, cabbage, beans and other goodies. There is a sample of what is yet to come.

Till next time

Learn to adapt and over come Happy Gardening

The 2011 Garden

Here we are first part of April and the last freeze date for my area is any time from May 2nd to June 2nd I have potatoes in and hope to have my onions cabbage and some lettuce in tomorrow. It has been a dry winter and this spring isn't much better even for the high planes of Colorado it is dry, and now the wind has been blowing for the last few days. We have been on a red flag warning off and on for a week or so and looks like today and tomorrow will bring on more. It looks like I will have a big water bill this summer. That's the up-date for now I will post more as more comes up. Till next time Happy Gardening

A Home Garden

I started some herbs inside this year and I transplanted them the other day into bigger pots. I am hopping that they will be big enough to handle the hard conditions the summers can bring to plants in my region. Along with the herbs I have planted some cabbage and broccoli. I should be able to have the cabbage and broccoli planted in the garden by the end of March or the first of April. They should be able to handle any little cold spell that might still be hanging around. I will also be planting lettuces but that will be directly planted into the garden. If the price of produce goes up like the news is saying this year will be a great time for anyone to give there hand at gardening. Just one cabbage could be worth as much as $1.00 or better per pound and broccoli will be right there. Now if you add in tomato's and other vegetables your savings of a home garden could be great. Most of the vegetables that you grow can be frozen for later use and that will save you a lot of time not having to can everything. Check with your local extension office for more information on food preservation.


Till Next Time

Happy Gardening

Getting Closer to Planting Time

It's getting closer to planting out doors, and things are moving right along here on the high plains. I have started some of my herbs and have already transplanted them in to bigger pots and have grow lights on them. I hope to be getting my seeds here in the next 5 to 7 days then I can do some more planting indoors. I also need to get working on my big trough. That will be one video you don't want to miss out on. The trough will be 4 ft x 2 ft x 4ft there will be a lot of work on that one. I'm thinking about having the video for sale for like $2.00 or $3.00 just to cover the cost of making it. I think it will be between 30 and 60 min. I'll have to look in to that a bit more.
I will get the garden tilled up this week / weekend I am going to try and get some grass seed in before the last frost and see if I cant get it to germinate better. Lots to do......




Till Next Time

Happy Gardening

The Benefits of a Garden

There are many benefits of gardening, the health professionals will tell you that it lowers blood pressure, the gardener gets some exercise and fresh air. This may all be true, however, I believe that it goes deeper than that. I believe that it fights off the long winter that has just left or is on its way. I believe that it is Gods way for us to connect to the land that he gave to us to care for, to feel, smell, and touch that which he has given to us. It is a place of miracles where each plant that grows, it is as if God is saying here I am see what I can do. It is a place to think, rest, and talk to God of all the things of the day that is on your mind. Oh it will give you food, it will green up your yard, it will attract the birds of the area, could it be that they are there to see God as well. I can hear some of you saying that they don't believe in God all I can say is that in the little area that I have growing all my vegetables, God has shown himself to me over and over. I see plants so fragile and small grow to be a strong and hardy plant and I think of my life and how I was blessed to raise my children and the blessing that he has given to me.
The garden is more than just a place to grow a plant. Its a place to grow. Share a garden with your children, your neighbor, your parents or some old friends maybe even some new friends. Like the plants that die off in the fall so will everyone you know and so will you. Your harvest can be more than just vegetables it can be a life full of happy memory’s picked from your back yard garden. Grow what you can and your harvest may be more than you ever expected. Gardening is a great hobby and habit to pass on to the next generation. Every time I work in my garden I am reminded of the times I spent in the garden with my mom, and all my grandparents. I think of what I learned out in that backyard garden.


Till Next Time

Happy Gardening

Worms or No Worms that is the question.

Now most of you who have read and or seen my You Tube videos know I have raised worms for composting. Unfortunately over the last year they have been dying off little by little. I have found myself in a spot where I need to ask do I replace the worms I have lost of just do with out? So I had to do some investigating as to why the worms dyed. The only thing that I can come up with for any kind of good or descant answer is that the tap water that I have here is bad for the worms. So If I am to get more worms I will need to filter the water. I also think that there might be some rodents eating some of the worms but I believe that the rodents are doing minimal damage. Now for the big point is the cost of replacement, worms are going for about $90.00 for 5 pounds that comes out to just about $18.00 per pound. If they live than all will be good, if they dye off than not so much.
I am thinking that I will be buying more worms in March or April as it worms up out side and the worms have a better chance of making it. I will keep you posted on how that is going and were I am in the process.
The benefits of using worms for composting far out weights not having and using the casting in the garden. I have used the castings to make a tea out of and used it as a spray on plants as an insecticide (I have seen it kill gnats and hard shelled insects) I use it as a liquid fertilizer and the castings as a soil amendment. I also use the worms to compost my trash. Such as coffee, coffee filters, tea and tea bags, vegetable waste, all kinds of paper products, I even will at times get manure and throw it in as a little treat for the worms. So there is some of the things I have been thinking of, I will be blogging more on worms and how to raise them, and some of the down falls.
If you are in the same situation as I am or if you have been thinking about getting in to worms stay posted for a lot of great information on worms.



Till Next Time

Happy Worming