January 31

2006

Gardening in the High Desert
Business trip every week for 3 weeks has not been good for growing seeds. They are surviving, but are lanky and leggy and no true leaves, yet. Toms need potting on. On MG [Morning Glory] died. Other one is not happy. I am thinking of planting it with our ficus inside. Sweet potato is very happy. Using up a cup of water every 2-3 days. Someone watered the ficus very well while I was in Baltimore. Excellent.

Seeds and catalogs from southwestern gardens came today. Will need to order more from them. Prices good, very fast shipping, and a good selection of short season veggies. Also, lots of high desert plants - sages, grasses and such. Wish I'd thought to bring it on the plane with me today.

Saw a nice light, water, PH, ferti. gauge at Charlie's Geenhouse. $35. I will probably get it. I wonder how deep the probe goes.

Good thing we are both employed with lots of over time - putting in/buying all of our infrastructure items.

Garden Bench Considerations

• Fit my height
  
• Peg board back
  
• Potting soil storage
  
• Hose and gravity fed sink
  
• make small hose long enough
  
• side windbreaks that fold against the back?
  
• shade - how?
  
• skids for ATV mobility - secure hooks for pulling
  
• fits through gates
  

Accomplishments

• Back [of back yard fence] done and part of east side. Jake [our Weimaraner] will step over MDH's string lines, but Mauly [our Dobie] will go all the way around. MDH says it's because she's done a number of "nose plants" into the ground [presumably by tripping]
  
• Bird seed on tray has either blown away or been eaten. I would guess, with our winds, they've blown far and wide. We'll see what sprouts.
  
• I left the laundry room lights on, but they are too far away to feed my little solar seedlings. Going to try put them under fluorescent lamp until I get a grow light. Need a cheap grow light frame.
  
• Toilet paper roll temp housing for toms that desperately need potting on
  

10 - October 02

2005

2006

2007

2010

2005

The sweet gums [trees] are looking decidedly perky this morning. I was concerned that yesterday's dry winds would have been hard on them, but I guess the cooler temps and deep watering helped them. Of course, I took pictures yesterday. Need to add them to my database.

2006

• DONE - See how deep rain penetrated into the ground – not much; 6” only
• DONE – Buy dirt – 2006-10-21
• DONE – Take a nap
• DONE – Remove clothes pins from fruit trees – 2006-10-04 [used with string to keep young branches spread apart]
• How do I put diesel and oil in the tractor?
• [Plant] more peas, please
• Fall cleanup
• More soap making
• Remove Christmas décor from last year
• Wire fence fruit trees [I have no idea what that means now]
• Cut back viburnums
• DONE- Trees? 2006-10-07 none at HD [Home Depot, probably Carson City] [Black Austrian] pines

So much to do before D leave for trainin in South Carolina – and then a blink of an eye and he's of to Iraq.

Strange, but I think I won't have to water this week.

2007

[Accomplished]

• Watered all houseplantsHaven't been in the garden in 24 hours – miss that contact with the Earth
• Filled bird feeders
• Played with dogs
• Dreaming of Garlic
• Put dead lettuce in compost pile

One place I saw said 12 -15 bulbs of garlic per person per year – seems like our family could eat more than than
Garlic Use – Crush, add to butter, put in molds, freeze, pop out of molds, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Instant garlic butter for cooking. I love it!

I am taking a class on jumpstarting your creativity by studying Leonardo da Vinci – It's been a year or more since I've kept a non-garden journal. I wonder if now is the time to start one again?
A year ago D was contemplating spending a year in Iraq – and now, now what are his plans? I am so blessed to have him home. He planted a tree this weekend.

2010

Big fat drops of rain accompanied by the usual winds. Cooled things down nicely. Still, one should not mistake this little rain as actually watering anything. It has barely wet the surface [of the ground]. Had to run to put dog food and chicken food out of the rain, but other than that, not a big deal. Even when there is lots of it, I've always loved the rain.