Beans are starting to become my favorite vegetable to grow out here on the High Plains. Due to my soil type and the high salt in the soil they seem to do good but the plant doesn't seem to get as tall as it would in other soil types. But the flowers on them I think are worth it. I have white, blue and red flowers growing on the beans now just beautiful. My one pumpkin plant has been invaded by the
potato beetle I have used horticultural oil so I am going to need to spray with seven or something to knock them back. They have ravaged some of the plants leaves.
Beets seem to be doing good this year, however, potato's got hit by a vole and now the potato beetle so if we get any thing out of them I will be surprised. Corn is doing OK some stalks are over 6' tall. Some of the corn is starting to tassel so I don't think that it will get to be the 13' I would have liked to see it get to. We have been getting a little rain each night but not enough to go down to the roots, so I'm off to water.
Till next time
Happy Gardening
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Watering
I just uploaded a video on you tube on how I water. You can find it at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4nDv33wdXM
The reason I water this way is to get the water to the plants roots and keep it there for the most amount of time possible. Also over head watering evaporates during the spray time of the sprinkler. I can water this way in the evening and the next afternoon the soil is still damp the next evening. The plants don't suffer from wind burn near as badly as they did when I used the over head watering method. Also if I had put the garden on an automatic drip system the plants would do even better.
I just got word that the Denver West Metro Area got hit by high winds and flooding rains last night.
I hope that everyone is OK. I go to that area once a week or so to take care of some propriety in West Arvada. I will be going up to Denver Wednesday and check out the propriety and see if there is any damage and if there is any thing I need to clean up. I will post what I find Wednesday night or Thursday.
Till Next time
Happy Gardening / Watering
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4nDv33wdXM
The reason I water this way is to get the water to the plants roots and keep it there for the most amount of time possible. Also over head watering evaporates during the spray time of the sprinkler. I can water this way in the evening and the next afternoon the soil is still damp the next evening. The plants don't suffer from wind burn near as badly as they did when I used the over head watering method. Also if I had put the garden on an automatic drip system the plants would do even better.
I just got word that the Denver West Metro Area got hit by high winds and flooding rains last night.
I hope that everyone is OK. I go to that area once a week or so to take care of some propriety in West Arvada. I will be going up to Denver Wednesday and check out the propriety and see if there is any damage and if there is any thing I need to clean up. I will post what I find Wednesday night or Thursday.
Till Next time
Happy Gardening / Watering
Monday, July 20, 2009
Late season Planting.
I decided to do some late season planting. We planted carrots 68 days to harvest (around Sept 16th)
Swiss chard 60 days to harvest ( around Sept 8th). Turnip 55 days to harvest (around the end of Aug.)
Saturday we planted snow peas we should be harvesting them about Mid to the end of August maybe in to September. I think even if we get a frost it will be a light frost and every thing we planted should be OK. Kellie and I also planted soy beans between the corn on Saturday on the packet it said that it will get to 15 feet high, (we'll see) the corn is suppose to get to 12 feet but I don't think it will get that tall this year. I hope it does but this is harsh growing conditions.
Till next time
Happy Planting
Swiss chard 60 days to harvest ( around Sept 8th). Turnip 55 days to harvest (around the end of Aug.)
Saturday we planted snow peas we should be harvesting them about Mid to the end of August maybe in to September. I think even if we get a frost it will be a light frost and every thing we planted should be OK. Kellie and I also planted soy beans between the corn on Saturday on the packet it said that it will get to 15 feet high, (we'll see) the corn is suppose to get to 12 feet but I don't think it will get that tall this year. I hope it does but this is harsh growing conditions.
Till next time
Happy Planting
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Mid July
The corn is starting to come back after the 15 min storm we had. (See video).
It looks like I wont have much of a potato crop, it looks like a pocket gofer got to them I'll have to hold off and see. Gardening in the high plains has all sorts of challenge's to face. When and if we move from here to a place where gardening isn't so up in the air I will remember the hard ship of gardening here.
I also have to think of the pioneers who came here a hundred or more years ago to help settle this country, how hard it had to be. Today the temperature hit 101 degrees, I could go into an air conditioned house drink some cold water and not worry that the plants need water, however, 100 years ago they didn't have all that to help them get through. Wow what a group of hard core people and we think we have it tough.
I have some more ideas for videos, as soon as I get things worked out with the computer I will get some more videos up.
Till next time.
Count your blessings
Happy Gardening / staying cool
It looks like I wont have much of a potato crop, it looks like a pocket gofer got to them I'll have to hold off and see. Gardening in the high plains has all sorts of challenge's to face. When and if we move from here to a place where gardening isn't so up in the air I will remember the hard ship of gardening here.
I also have to think of the pioneers who came here a hundred or more years ago to help settle this country, how hard it had to be. Today the temperature hit 101 degrees, I could go into an air conditioned house drink some cold water and not worry that the plants need water, however, 100 years ago they didn't have all that to help them get through. Wow what a group of hard core people and we think we have it tough.
I have some more ideas for videos, as soon as I get things worked out with the computer I will get some more videos up.
Till next time.
Count your blessings
Happy Gardening / staying cool
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The 15 minute Storm the Movie
Here is the video I took during the rain storm on Sunday.
The ground dried out yesterday and now I am back watering today.
I don't know if the corn will make it but I am going to let it go and hope for the best.
This movie will also be on You Tube.
Hope you like the clip.
Till next time.
Enjoy the storm.
The ground dried out yesterday and now I am back watering today.
I don't know if the corn will make it but I am going to let it go and hope for the best.
This movie will also be on You Tube.
Hope you like the clip.
Till next time.
Enjoy the storm.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The 15 Minute Storm.
We got rain 1” in fifteen minutes with high winds (I would guess 25 to 30 mph) and pea size hail. Most of the rain washed the soil down the road. The corn got shredded I am going to let it go, however, I'm not expecting a lot form it. I hope that it still reaches 12 to 13 feet like it should with this variety
should. Here are some photos of the garden after the storm. Like I said the corn was trashed and one Brussels sprout plant got hit but every thing looks good. If any thing I shouldn't have to water for a day or two and if we get some rain tonight I won't need to water tell Wednesday or Thursday for sure. I still need to finish the weed burning project, when it drys out it looks like I have some work cut out for me.
So Till next time
enjoy the water
Happy gardening
should. Here are some photos of the garden after the storm. Like I said the corn was trashed and one Brussels sprout plant got hit but every thing looks good. If any thing I shouldn't have to water for a day or two and if we get some rain tonight I won't need to water tell Wednesday or Thursday for sure. I still need to finish the weed burning project, when it drys out it looks like I have some work cut out for me.
So Till next time
enjoy the water
Happy gardening
Click on Photos to enlarge
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Thank You
I wanted to take the time to thank everyone who reads this blog I hope that it inspires you to try some thing new and at times helps you out with your gardening needs. I would appreciate it if you will pass this o to your friends you think might be interested in some of the gardening I do here in Southern Colorado.
I will do my best to add information that is entertaining and informative as well.
Thank you
Rick
Till next time
Happy Gardening
I will do my best to add information that is entertaining and informative as well.
Thank you
Rick
Till next time
Happy Gardening
Looking Good
The garden is looking good so far. I found a grasshopper in the garden to day not a good sign. Last night I killed a tomato worm, so it looks like it is time to get some horticultural oil and make bug spray. The tallest corn is just below my waist, a few of the tomatoes have buds on them, and the beans are in bloom also. I think that a few of the potatoes have been visited by a pocket gofer or a vole. Ether way I need to take care of that also. I planted two current bushes yesterday they looked a little peaked from the high temperature and high winds but I soaked them last night and look a lot better today.
I planted a high breed poplar tree two years ago as a stick. (The high breed poplar are a fast growing tree) This year so far it has grown about 18” it now is about 7' tall. I planted it for quick shade and plan on removing it in about another 8 to 10 years or so. Because the tree is so fast growing it is also not very strong and cant hold up to high winds like other trees can, but like I said I wanted something for shade quickly and should have a tree 15 to 20 feet by next year. I hope.
We planted some roses two or three weeks ago that are doing good, looks like we just might get some roses to live. All we can do out here is try.
Gardening here in Southern Colorado in the high plains you will use a lot of water the one thing that we don't get a lot of in the form of snow or rain, but by staying on top of watering and not cutting your watering short it can be done. Now as long as we don't have any watering restrictions it starting to look like we just might have a good harvest this year.
Till next time
Happy Gardening / Watering
I planted a high breed poplar tree two years ago as a stick. (The high breed poplar are a fast growing tree) This year so far it has grown about 18” it now is about 7' tall. I planted it for quick shade and plan on removing it in about another 8 to 10 years or so. Because the tree is so fast growing it is also not very strong and cant hold up to high winds like other trees can, but like I said I wanted something for shade quickly and should have a tree 15 to 20 feet by next year. I hope.
We planted some roses two or three weeks ago that are doing good, looks like we just might get some roses to live. All we can do out here is try.
Gardening here in Southern Colorado in the high plains you will use a lot of water the one thing that we don't get a lot of in the form of snow or rain, but by staying on top of watering and not cutting your watering short it can be done. Now as long as we don't have any watering restrictions it starting to look like we just might have a good harvest this year.
Till next time
Happy Gardening / Watering
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