February 05

2011

Gardening in the High Desert

• After a week of being gone on travel, it is good to come home. I am amazed at how well things are growing in my mini green house
  
• At 8 am, it is still slightly below freezing. If it gets into the mid 40's, I will set out toms for some natural light. If it gets to 50, will set out basils, too.
  
• The 5 of 6 Striped Cavern (hollow stuffing tom) and 5 of 6 Alaskan Fancy planted on 1/16 are well ready for transplanting to cups today
  
• The peppers have not germ's. Going to put my heat pad under them this week and see if I can coax them along.
  
• Toms in cups need transplanting to bigger cups (Tco Bell cups) soon. I can see their roots against the translucent walls. A few have opts that are expanding beyond the drainage holes
  
• I know that, for most places, I have started toms way too early. What I need, however, is toms that are mature enough to set fruit when I set them out, so that they will be able to fruit before the summer temps go crazy. I am hoping, hoping.
  
• Before we had a fence up, Alaskan Fancy had set a dozen fruit. I have 5 plants now, and we'll start another 6. They are determinate, so once they set and ripen fruit, they won't be useful - except maybe as hosts to horn worms. I love the hawk moths.
  
• Hawk moths like sunflowers, too so a sunflower "tomato cage" should be quite an invite for them. Mybe will be able to go out on a moonlit night and photograph them this summer [2012 Note: did not]
  
• Need to plant seeds closer for things like basil that can be done in pairs, or further apart for toms, because it's hard to cut them apart when they are so close [Referring to seeding in flats]
  
• Ivys are growing horizontal - move them to shelves with limited height - move taller toms to top shelf. I'm going to be out of room real soon.
  
• I have lots of south facing windows. Maybe that's where toms go during the day. They could get 8 hours of light that way.
  
• When IS our last frost? April? May? Will have to look at my next journal
  
• Chickens and little birds love my old Christmas tree. Need to move it into the chic hen run for them to enjoy
  
• Had a happy Imbolc earlier this week. Would have been better at home, but still good.
  
• Will Thym and Oregano grow like weeds?
  
• Wildflower area needs to be chicken proof as some items could be poison
  
• 9:29 am and into the fourtys, now. Time to get out and about. Bring chickies warm water. Check for eggs, water things, etc. Take pictures. But first, breakfast!
  

Backyard [not garden] Temperatures
00:17 24*F
3:21 18*F
4:06 18.3*F
6:42 16.9*F
11:39 86*F (full morning sun)
16:15 59.2*F
16:45 54.3*F
20:02 34.7