September 15

2007

2012

2007-09-15

Gardening in the High Desert

Planted out 48 cloves of garlic today. Having a fence sure revolutionizes my gardening. Don't have to wait for raised beds or worry about dogs!

• 6 Georgia Crystal
• 14 Bogartyr
• 17 Kettle River Soft Neck [2012-09-12 Note: presumably one of the bonus varieties]
• 6 Korean Red
• 5 Siberian
• 6 Polish

2 cloves of Kettle River and 1 clove of Siberian - too small to plant - will eat!

Planted 8 bulbs all together. Still have lots more to plant.

Well, at least I didn't totally procrastinate and I have at least 4 dozen bulbs in the ground. I will be more than thrilled to get even half that next summer. Still need to put in at least one more bed of garlic - maybe plant some and let them flower - maybe the Kettle River since you get a lot of small cloves from one bulb [have since learned that soft neck garlic generally does not set flowers - and they aren't really flowers, but tiny bulbils]. I could plant some and let them flower, but I'd need to remember where I put them so I could make sure that they got watered!

Tied some apple tree branches and weighted them - I think it will only take a few weeks to train them. I only have one concrete stake to use as a weight right now, and since it hasn't been very windy, I figure I'd see how it went.

MDH is amazing. He built me this awesome fence and today I woke to the sounds of hammering - he was building the gate. I'm so thrilled. I don't think he knows how much I've wanted a garden like this - for nearly all of my adult life.

I think I still have about 10 more garlic bulbs to plant - a next week job. Or, a next week pleasure.

The sun is setting. It is peaceful and still and a pleasant bit of chill in the air. I love this time of day, and this time of year.

The boys are out hunting Evil Rabbits.

Observed my Tomato Horn Worm eating this afternoon - totally pigging out is a better description.

NEXT YEAR: Cage or fence in toms

I started my seed inventory and maybe I won't need to order too, too much - I have MG's and all sorts of veggies. Including pole beans. But, of course, "having enough" is no the real reason one goes into a see buying frenzy - it is the hope and the promise of a bountiful garden that lures one.

OK, I promised myself that to show my appreciation for all the time and energy that MDH gave me on building the fence, that I would spend a significant amount of time cleaning house. I so much would rather play in the garden, but I will do it - this is an awesome thing he's done for me!

2012-09-15

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Made a good haul from the Farmer's Market this morning. One farmer noted that this was an awesome year for tomatoes.

• Carrots - 1 doz at $5 - the most expensive thing, but they are divine. Full sized but as sweet and crisp as baby fingerlings.
• Tomatoes - $1/pound - juicy, luscious, perfectly ripe, you can smell them
• 5 hot peppers - Tabasco style - boxes for canning were $14 - I just wanted 5. the farmer tried to just give them to me - I forced them to take 75cents
• 2 fat sweet potatoes for baking
• One green and one red bell pepper - hardly any ripe ones today - nearly all green. Maybe I didn't get to market early enough
• Bag of peaches - looked way better than the last batch. I may eat some fresh.
• Bag of spinach and one of red lettuce; one cuke. Salad for lunch on Sunday!

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
  

January 27

2007

Gardening in the High Desert

19:36

Lovely warm day

• Granddaughter and I filled the bird feeders
  
• Watered hybrid poplars on north side of metal building
  
• Watered fruit trees using 15 gal ATV tank as [the] water to [the] far back [area] is still frozen - about 5 gal per tree and 15 gal to the large apple tree
  
• Returned some library books last week and got more. P Alan Smith is becoming my next favorite author after Derek Fell, as far as gardening stuff goes
  
• Fruit trees appear to be doing well - no dead looking branches or buds so far
  
• Two [bearded] irises exhibit some frost heaving, but the rest look good
  
• More seed catalogs have arrived to seduce me. I am trying very hard to resist; I have way enough seeds!!!
  
• Trying to learn more about my houseplants
  
• Snow still hanging on on the north side of the house, metal building and back yard fence
  
• Basils and garlic are well represented in this year's catalogs - awesome!
  
• Daughter brought our brought our 1994 garden journal home - awesome and way cool.
  
• Taped some bulb package labels into my journal [2012 Note: I don't know where I taped them as they are NOT in the journal that I am currently transcribing]
  
• Scanned the journal [from 1994] that my daughter found
  
• Rotated ficus this afternoon and opened the drapes for it
  
• The herb growing containers I bough don't have drain holes and are not very big. I hope the plants will be ok. Have to be very careful with the watering.
  

December 10

2005

2007

2005

- Saturday

Gardening in the High Desert.
Spent the good part of the morning at our favorite Home Depot.  Spent $700 on wood for backyard fencing.  MDH and son spent the afternoon putting up fence boards.

Stokes seed catalog came Friday.  They had mostly hybrids and I really want open pollinated varieties.  I would like to save seed from year to year.  I may order morning glory and moonflower seeds from them, but probably not anything else.

Bough seed warmer mat kit.  No idea where I will put it yet.  I was thinking of starting some pansies.

Ficus continues to do well.  About once a week they get a deep water of leftover dog bowl water.  Probably several cups.

Sweet potato "eyes" finally sprouting roots rapidly filling up the blue vase.

Continuing to file garden mags and catalogs.  Feels like I haven't really made a dent.

Cinderblock Pond Idea

About 10' x 5' outside dimensions.  4 foot deep - 2 foot in the ground, two foot above.  Fill 3' deep seating ledge.  Not a koi pond.  Maybe some hardy mosquito fish, a few snails.  What about a way for creapy crawlies to exit?  And a shall spot - an island, perhaps, for birds?  Potted plant on island with wick into pond for auto watering.  Step down to be under water about 1 inch.  Platform support to be open on the sides so fish can hid under there.  Pot must be able to handle very freezing temps.  Also need some way of keeping water from freezing in the winter.

So much to do, so little time.

2007

Gardening in the High Desert.
Three years in a row ays that the first snow is around the 2nd week of December.

• Watered housplants
• Watered ficus - not sure how it survives

Guess I don't need to water [outdoor] trees this week.

November 16

2011

Gardening in the High Desert.
First seed catalog of the season: Pinetree Garden Seeds. Yipes! Need to finish my seed inventory soon so I don't buy stuff I already have! I love getting seed catalogs. Like good friends, they always show up for the holidays.

January 02

2011

Gardening in the High Desert.
Always with the grand schemes and plans for the new garden - but really how many of those dreams actually come true? So many things on the "To Do List" left undone. "This you will be different," I always say, but will it? I am determined to at least do better each year. Last year was better than the year before, and by many measures, my best year yet - ever. Keep striving, keep heading towards an ideal, clear vision, a plan, and ruthless execution - the keys to good project management and attainment of goals.

Snow in subfreezing temps followed by mild day daytime temps should encourage weed seeds to germinate in the new beds. Then I can hoe them under, letting their tiny leaves and roots enrich the sandy sand and help turn it to dirt.

December 07

2005

2007

2010

2005

Gardening in the High Desert.
Sweet potato has many branching roots. Moved it to a lg blue vase with a narrow neck a few days ago. Some of the "eyes" appear to be swelling.

Our little ficus tree is doing very well. It like the filtered light and gets plenty of water. Not going to feed as its potting soil is still fresh.

Son put the bags of mulch out by the sweet gums, but I haven't spread it about yet.

About a dozen fence posts are in for the back yard fence. D cut our propane line while digging. She stayed home from work so he could deal with getting it fixed. It's going to be an awesome back yard. [2011-11-17 No, it turned out to just be more desert...]

The hole for the future pond is just sitting happy as can be, big hills of dirt [sand] on the east and west banks. Bought a few bond building magazines for D to peruse.

Love my filing cabinet. Started filing my magazines last night. Waiting with much anticipation for my seed catalogs to arrive. Also will file my seed packets, too, along with other things to file.

2007

Gardening in the High Desert.
Of course I have "enough" seeds for a delightful and enjoyable garden. But of course, I need more, more, more. A new type of zucchini, more sunflowers, a fancier morning glory. The seed catalogs don't sell seeds - they sell "The Garden That Could Be."

2010

Gardening in the High Desert.
Stayed home from work ill. Spent 30 min in the warm (30*F) sunshine with the chickens and garden - I swear that that did me more good than Motrin and sleep.

Found a good user for pulled cheat grass. Don't want to put in compost because it will survive and proliferate. So I put it in the chicken run and the chickies trample, toss, and pick at them until theyare dead, dead, dead. They eat a little of it, but not much. They don't like it all that much - but it does provide them with exercise and entertainment.

Turned compost and put ice from chicken bowls on it. Ice melts and seems to add the right amount of moisture. Have at least 50 gallons or more of compost to used before starting new pile. New pile will be slower to cook since it's so cold, but should still be ready for Spring planting. New piles stink to high heavens - all that ammonia being burned off - but the end results are worth it.

Small birds visiting feeder. Need to fill a few times a week now. They aren't comfortable eating when I'm out there, but they were circling and hanging out on the fence waiting for me to leave.

My light/seed starting setup is just about done. So excited. Can't wait until seed starting season. Tomato seeds are on the way. Got my collection of other seeds organized. I probably don't need to buy seeds for years, but the primal urge to acquire seeds is overwhelming.

[Entry later that evening 21:10]

Got my seed starting setup completed - finally. Amazingly, found my timer, so I didn't have to buy one. My heat mat needs an outlet without a timer, though. To early to start Spring seeds, but I'm thinking of a few indoor plants - and maybe an indoor tomato to coddle.

Reading The New Seed Starter's Handbook by Nancy Bubel.

Going to try two cherry toms for winter indoor toms. Main crop to be started in Feb for planting in April/May and to give away.

FOR INDOOR PLANTS
• 2 - Cherry Toms
• 6 - Basils: lemon, purple, sweet - 2 each
• 2 - clumps chives - 1 garlic, 1 regular
• 2 - Salvias
• Separate my little pot of ivys [into however many plants they will make]