My 2009 garden (update Pics July)

[Greensage45]

Hi,

I live in the desert southwest, and although I can typically grow much sooner than anyone else around, I always find myself running later and later each season. In the long run it works itself out because we have such a long growing season. I just have to suffer by not having fresh tomatoes as soon as everyone else.

This is a brand new veggie area. This used to be my previous mulch pile which I pulled off the old dry top and hand-tilled (my tiller broke). I then took the dry debri (mostly straw/poop/and cuttings) and I made rows to do my cucumbers/melons/watermelon. I also did a larger area in front of the cinderblocks where I planted Alfalfa for the bunnies and lavender.

So far I have 4 tomato plants, about 70 corn sprouting, and my yellow onions have broken ground. I will have to re-do my bell peppers as my first set failed ( bought new seed this year).

Here are some pictures. I cannot wait to compare them with the coming month's updates.

Cucumber/melon/watermelon strawbeds:

turning southeast:

looking back from previous picture to northwest:

looking southwest:

I will update pictures over the next few months and show the before and after.

Thanks for everyone's inspirations as I hear about all your wonderful gardens. It seemed this year was such a slow start.

Ron

 

[Greensage45]

I almost forgot. This is my dog, Rudi's, contribution to my garden. I took one of his stuffed animals (pig), and sewed him a raincoat. It is only the piggy's head that is stuffed, the eyes were already eaten by Rude.

So here is my garden Scare-piggy! I think he needs a hat.

Ron

 

[vfem]

LOL@piggy!

That is awesome, and surely a lot of work to all do by hand without a tiller.

Can't wait to see it progress

 

[tfpets]

I love your garden and style! Its so hard to decide, when you have the space and place, but the heat and open air is gonna be an issue. I love you piggy scare crow, nice touch! Look forward to seeing updates!

 

[digitS']

We have a friend who uses her BF's old clothes for her scarecrows. We often drive by their place and the scarecrows come and go, move here and there - BIG garden.

And the BF is a big guy - built a little like Rudi's friend there.

Every time, we have to look twice to know whether it's the BF or the scarecrow . I don't know if she realizes that people actually recognize her BF by the clothes he wears, along with other things.

I'm afraid to mention this fact in their presence . . . maybe I'll talk to her scarecrow about it .

Steve

 

[Liberty7]

Since I'm in Zone 4b, I'll be tilling/amending/planting my garden over the Memorial Day weekend.

I did start seeds, but the tomatoes and peppers didn't come up, so I had to buy plants from the nursery. However, I've got beautiful plants (from seed) of (12) cucumber plants (regular and pickling); (26) broccoli; (3) Amish cantaloupe; (3) yellow squash; (3)Waltham butternut squash; basil to plant by the tomatoes; and, ton of marigolds to plant IN the garden as well as nasturtiums.

From the nursery, I purchased (26) tomato plants including LOTS of heirlooms which is what I was trying to grow from seed! I was in heaven to find the very tomato plants that I was 'trying' to start from seed! And, I purchased (12) sweet pepper plants in green, yellow, oranged, red, and purple.

Since my garden is larger this year, I plan on growing 175 cornstalks.

I'm also going to have a big block of yellow onions and carrots. I'm going to make my own growing strips for easy planting of the carrots.

I'm also going to grow Swiss chard; bok choi; radishes, spring onions; 'Superior' potatoes; and 'Spirit' pumpkins which are said to have short 4-ft. vines.

I bought the wood at Home Depot and the nylon mesh (which I ordered from Jung Seeds with a lot of my seeds) to erect vertical growing for the cucumbers and pole beans: lima and string beans (green, yellow and purple, and Scarlet runner beans.

Besides the basil, I'm growing dill, chives, mint, lemon balm, and borage (for pollination purposes).

And, I always grow 3 or 4 types of leaf lettuces in those long, rectangular, plastic, planters which I keep on the ledge of the deck. I've been growing the leaf lettuce like this for years; and, not only does it grow excellent this way and is easy to get to from the kitchen, but the rabbits can NOT get to it!

 

[Greensage45]

Wow Liberty,

That sounds fantastic. Let's see some pictures.

The heirloom that is my favorite is Brandywine. As much as that tomato has a minimal fruit load and they are cracked and scarred, I love the spicey bite that it has.

Right now I am keeping my fingers crossed on several things I am trying. I found this pack of seeds from the lost ages of my youth. It is a green kidney bean called Flageolet Chevrier. Apparently, it is suppose to be the best tasting kidney imaginable.

The other thing I am hoping that sprouts are some Thai Baby Watermelons. I have never had them (fried), but I look forward to seeing what they are like. Has anyone else grown these ?

Thanks for responding,

Ron

 

[TanksHill]

GreenSage your garden looks great. I love the new bed, the soil looks great. I can't wait to see the pics.

 

[karanleaf]

GreenSage your garden areas look Great Your hard work is showing :tools looks as if you will have a wonderful garden I also Love the Scared de Pig

Liberty Wow sounds like you are headed for the bumper Crop of a garden. That is a great plant line up.

I can't wait to see photos of each as they grow along

We have raised beds and this year are doing a few new things,
a fence garden I took this photo last week the spinach has grow since.

DH has planted Yukon Gold potatos in the buckets, 2nd year we have done this. Last year it worked nicely, all we had to do was dump the bucket and there were our tators.

Our Cheap version of the topsy turvy tomato bag, got this idea from another thread (I will have to go back to see who came up with the idea) It is a dog food bag turned inside out. :bee

We plan to also try straw bale gardening. I started beans, and have Sugar baby and Moon & Stars watermelons

So we have some new stuff we are attempting :watering :rainbow-sun

Happy Gardening every one :coolsun

:happy_flower Karan

 

[Liberty7]

Greensage45:

Out of the tomato plants I bought at the nursery, I did get 4 Brandywines.

I WILL post pictures of my garden (at least try but, it will be a while before I've got anything to show since I'll just be planting next weekend.