our garden

[hopeforamerica]

We've been busy this last year, learning how to grow food in AZ! It's a tough climate, but plenty can grow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0OiEYem7s8

EDIT: We got our first eggs today! The chickens have been a bit noisy, and come to find out 2 eggs were in the nesting box! We are a bit worried about the noise. We have to talk with our adjoining neighbors to make sure it's not bothering them.

[pcosmar]

Nice little garden,
I can't even think about it yet, I'm still growing snow drifts.

I'll be planting around the first of June.

[hopeforamerica]

Nice little garden,
I can't even think about it yet, I'm still growing snow drifts.

I'll be planting around the first of June.

LOL! Well, when you start planting we'll be harvesting and trying not to burn up.

[Sandra]

We've started a salad bed instead of a flower bed this year. The only flowers will be some nasturtiums that have a black pepper flavor to them, but we're planting flame grapes, spinach, and cherry tomatos also. In the big bed we'll have bell pepper, onion, watermelons, and pole beans

[Pepsi]

I tryed growing some Red Peppers last summer, but they died out. They were growing, but died out. the only thing that manage to grow of what I planted was were the Radishes and the Mustard Plant.

[paulim]

Are you sure your plants have enough water. Especially in the beginning when their roots are not deep enough, you should look after them. It would increase the fertility of your soil to cover it with peat or something equal...Your rutabaga and the other root-vegetables need more space to grow further. Good luck. I have to wait till April :(

[Pepsi]

I am going to get seeds for sakurajima-mammoth radishes and try to grow them, They can get up to 100 pounds each.

http://www.reimerseeds.com/sakurajima-mammoth-radishes.aspx

[hopeforamerica]

Are you sure your plants have enough water. Especially in the beginning when their roots are not deep enough, you should look after them. It would increase the fertility of your soil to cover it with peat or something equal...Your rutabaga and the other root-vegetables need more space to grow further. Good luck. I have to wait till April :(

If you are talking to me, yes we have a dripper system and the plants get plenty of water. The carrots are doing awesome, I'll tell my hubby about the spacing issue. Our soil is pretty fertile, as we did "lasagna layering." We also started using a product called "soil secretes." It's great stuff and highly recommended from an awesome organic gardening friend I know.

[hadenough]

Just planted some potatoes, onions, beans and carrots. More to come.

[forfreedomforever]

If you are talking to me, yes we have a dripper system and the plants get plenty of water. The carrots are doing awesome, I'll tell my hubby about the spacing issue. Our soil is pretty fertile, as we did "lasagna layering." We also started using a product called "soil secretes." It's great stuff and highly recommended from an awesome organic gardening friend I know.

Do you get fruit flies in the "lasagna layering"? I buried a coffee can of kitchen waste (no meat, just veggie peelings) into the box and it is loaded with fruit flies :(

[dannno]

I'm about to get my garden ready for some onions, garlic, potatoes, chocolate bell peppers, heirloom tomatoes, tobacco, squash, jalapenos, tomatillos and some borage to help attract bees and beneficial insects, and help keep the bad ones away.

[hopeforamerica]

Do you get fruit flies in the "lasagna layering"? I buried a coffee can of kitchen waste (no meat, just veggie peelings) into the box and it is loaded with fruit flies :(

At first we had some little flies. They didn't last long.

[hopeforamerica]

I'm about to get my garden ready for some onions, garlic, potatoes, chocolate bell peppers, heirloom tomatoes, tobacco, squash, jalapenos, tomatillos and some borage to help attract bees and beneficial insects, and help keep the bad ones away.

Tobacco, that's a great idea! We don't use it, but it will be a commodity....

[Valli6]

Nice! I've planted fruit trees in my back yard too. It looks like you need to do some training on your younger fruit trees. Typically you're supposed to cut them back at planting and train the new growth into a framework. Branches need to have wide angles so they will be strong enough to support the load of fruit they will bear when they get older. If you don't take care of this while the tree is young you are likely to have problems later on. You can get a lot of free info off of college websites. Here are a few:

Cornell - Training and Pruning Apple Trees - http://eap.mcgill.ca/CPTFP_7.htm
North Carolina Extension Service - Training & Pruning Fruit Trees http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag29.html
Colorado State University - Pruning Peach and Other Stone Fruit Trees http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/index.html#http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/pruningstonefruittrees.html

You know, it's very recently occurred to me also, that growing tobacco might be a good idea! http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=768

[hopeforamerica]

Nice! I've planted fruit trees in my back yard too. It looks like you need to do some training on your younger fruit trees. Typically you're supposed to cut them back at planting and train the new growth into a framework. Branches need to have wide angles so they will be strong enough to support the load of fruit they will bear when they get older. If you don't take care of this while the tree is young you are likely to have problems later on. You can get a lot of free info off of college websites. Here are a few:

Cornell - Training and Pruning Apple Trees - http://eap.mcgill.ca/CPTFP_7.htm
North Carolina Extension Service - Training & Pruning Fruit Trees http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag29.html
Colorado State University - Pruning Peach and Other Stone Fruit Trees http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/index.html#http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/pruningstonefruittrees.html

You know, it's very recently occurred to me also, that growing tobacco might be a good idea! http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=768



Awesome info! Thank you very much!

[JeNNiF00F00]

Love the chickens!! :) Thanks for sharing!

[Pepsi]

The Tomatos I tryed to grow last summer did not grow at all. Thow I am going to try agian ,and these look good.

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=5437&PrevMainPage=homeseeds&scChannel=Seeds%20AS&OfferCode=W1H