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Garden Gate:  Sweating, Sunburns.... In the Garden  |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
 Posted - May 31 2011 : 4:25:32 PM
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You get rain in July? Really? We are usually cracked dry earth in July. We get rain but just enough to steam up the air real good. Then the wind completely stops and we get these inversions that hold all the humidity close to the earth. We have major fungus and mildew problems in our gardens about then. Sounds like a lovely place to live huh? LOL we all have our weather demons, especially this year it seems.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2011 : 7:03:17 PM
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We get the hurricane weather patterns here in south AZ. Last summer we only had 2 monsoons in the 3 month season. One early in.... a lot of dry thunderstorms, and one big flood the day before schools were opening....
I went to orientation to meet my daughter's teacher and the rain kicked up when we loaded the kids in the car. By the time we got to the school 2 miles away, water was pooling up and the orientation was cancelled because the school lost power. By the time i walked from the gym back to the parking lot, we were trapped by rising flood waters!! From bone dry to stranded in less than 30 minutes!
I had to sit there on the side of the road, 9 months pregnant with 2 kids in the mini van hoping the rain would stop and the washes would drain out enough so I could get home! And also hoping i didn't go into labor.... and that my husband could get to the house when his shift ended! In about 2 hours the rain stopped and the washes emptied out into the "river", then when I got home we had about 4 feet of water all over the low parts of the yard... toads and drowned voles everywhere.
It all sank into the sandy dirt in 3 more hours.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2011 : 7:46:17 PM
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Hurricanes of course! I should have thought of that. We only get that from the really big ones in the gulf or the ones that run up the east coast.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 06:30:12 AM
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I worked in the garden last night. I have to wait til about 7 to be able to though. I tilled 3 more rows. I need to get some okra and plant a row. I still have Silver Queen corn so I'll plant 2 more rows. Can't have too much of that. I also planted 3 packs of beets and 3 packs of zinnias next to the tomato rows. And finished mulching the squash. Which is finally taking off and looking good. That and the zuc I planted on the cardboard trying the no til method. It took forever for it to come up. Then for it to start growing. But now it looks good and is about 8" tall. And the little tomato seeds are sprouting.
So it sounds like y'all in Arizona have a very strange weather system. We have monsoons here too. We have been under water many times. But right now this week there is no chance of rain and it's in the upper 90's. So I have to water alot.
Jen, what a story! I am so glad y'all made it out of there ok. How long after did the baby come?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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paulas party flowers
True Blue Farmgirl
191 Posts
paula
golden valley
az
USA
191 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 11:10:39 AM
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so last sunday we were to have really bad winds..it wasn't as bas as they predicated..i think they are late in coming..started oout as a breeze, now the trees are leaning. I leaving in a couple hours for airport to fly north for vacation.. Hope everything will be ok. Thank god I got gardens on water system finally. Don't know if garden will get watered or the dresert will be in full boom when I get back. Lol..hoping everything will be ok.....paula..
the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.they must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 7:31:02 PM
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Paula, I hope everything's ok while you're gone. And have a great time!
I tilled a few more rows and planted okra. Also got 2 rows of corn planted. I forgot I had saved 5 ears of sweet heirloom corn. I'll til a few more rows and plant them in a few weeks. I just watered really good and will mulch the new seeds tomorrow. It's SO hot I have to wait til after 7 to do anything out there. I hope we get some rain Friday. I am tired of watering.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 5:30:52 PM
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Kristin, baby came on time 2 weeks later, my awesome obgyn actually set me up with an induction and it was the best labor ever all around.
I have a bunch of baby zuccs now! my crimson runners are almost as big as the pole beans already! And I figured out why my blackberries failed the thrive, not enough acid in my soil. The cilantro I planted late is lookin good, I noticed some surprise late melons too recently. My corn has many plants up to the knee now, and my peas are threatening to take over! Up goes the trellis!
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 6:42:39 PM
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Jen, how old is the baby now? Your gardne is just taking off so good. Mine is going to dry up in the awful heat. I was looking at my little tiny pole bean babies and they need water. I'll have to carry buckets because my hose won;t reach that far. I cannot stand to be near cilantro. it makes me sick to even smell it. I wonder why? But that is one thing I will never have anywhere near me. That and arugula. Ugh!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 8:29:14 PM
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Baby Evie is now 9 months (almost 10!)
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/269/11074.jpg/] [/URL]
Uploaded with [URL=http://imageshack.us]ImageShack.us[/URL]
And here is how my garden looked last week (I should call it the rocky trellis.)
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/815/garden2.jpg/] [/URL]
Uploaded with [URL=http://imageshack.us]ImageShack.us[/URL]
I'll get an updated pick up tomorrow. Stuff grows so fast here it looks fuller every day.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2011 : 05:15:24 AM
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Aw, she's so cute. And looks so happy too. And that's a nice garden spot.
 These are my beets in the no til spot. They are finally starting to take off. I was worried they wouldn't. I have to keep them soaking wet.
 This is the corn in the no til. It's not doing too well. But the corn in the ground is. I also have cucumbers in the middle of the no til rows. They are doinf ok but seems to take things awhile to get going. Like the squash and zuc. The 2 rows of beans are to the right.
 These are the 2 tomato rows right after I planted them. They are about 3' taller now with tomatoes! So I will take some more pictures later to show the difference. I am very pleased with all my tomatoes this year. And I think it's because I have put the chickens up.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
Edited by - kristin sherrill on Jun 03 2011 05:16:19 AM |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2011 : 06:38:02 AM
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Last night I mulched one of the rows of corn I just planted. I just put a light layer of straw hay. Then laid down cardboard and newspapers and mulched between the corn and tomatoes. In the last picture above I planted the corn to the right of the tomatoes. And that's the first row I mulched. It looks so good. But it is such work. I sure wish I had help. I could be done by now. But I kind of like just doing little bits here and there. I would normally have had the whole garden planted by now. But this time I am doing a little at a time. I think this is better so I don't get so overwhelmed with it all. And everything will come in at different times too.
I saw a pile of cardboard boxes outside a dumpster yesterday in town. But I was in my friend's car so didn't feel like I should get them. I need some more.
And I watered the squash, zuc and some flowers with some manure tea. I hope it helps. I need to plant some more cucumbers now.
I hope y'all are having a great Sat. morning so far. And have a great weekend!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2011 : 11:29:36 AM
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How do you gals normally apply fertilizer? I've been sprinkling it around the base of all my plants and baby trees liberally every week and then watering. It seems to be working since all my plants are pretty healthy, but I wonder if there's a better way?
Yesterday I cleared all the weeds on the other side of the fence that were blocking my garden's sun, and harvested a LOT of rosemary to dry.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2011 : 4:56:06 PM
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Jen, I only use manure like goat or chicken and sometimes cow. I also make a tea from goat poop. I just poor the tea around the plants because I don't want to burn the plant. But I will put old straw and poop that's been scratched around by the chickens in the holes that I put plants and seeds. Then I will sometimes use it to put around the plants as they are growing too. I have not bought bags of fertilizer in years.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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SKVining
Farmgirl in Training
45 Posts
Sandra
Beaverton
Mi
USA
45 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2011 : 8:04:48 PM
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| I put 5 gal pails under my rabbits cages what drops out of the rabbit cage falls in the pail I leave one set off to the side always and as it rains it slowly fills with water when that one is full I move one of the other pails out to be filled with rain water I try to keep a general idea were I dumped each pail and I have beautiful roses and no smell!!!!!! Like brown water... But it works great Sandra 2650 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2011 : 8:05:06 PM
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My hubby got our little tiller running this evening! It's been sitting under the cedar tree for a year. We had borrowed our Dd's tiller so we had them both going. I tilled up 3 more little rows to plant some heirloom sweet corn and he tilled beside the beans. Our garden is not square. It is actually more triangular. So if I start straight rows on either end, the middle makes a triangle. So the middle rows are small and go into the outer rows. It's crazy but our whole property is that way. More of a slant. Anyway, the garden is whacky. So I have a few more rows to finish out some half rows. I think I will plant more beans there. And I also think I will plant pole beans in the corn that I planted earlier that is ablout a foot tall now. I'll wait a few more weeks though. Then I may even plant some more squash and zuc too. I am liking how the garden is turning out so far. I also had to tie the tomato plants again. The 3rd time so far. They are growing like weeds. Already have lots of tomaotes. I saw some almost ripe cherry tomatoes too!
How are all your gardens so far?
Sandra, that's a good idea. We have not had rain in about 3 weeks now here. It looked like we were going to get a pretty good storm earlier with lots of strong winds. But no rain yet. I sure hope we get some soon. That's why I wanted to hurry and til some rows and get that corn planted.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 7:23:08 PM
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This morning I raked up a wagon load of cow manure mixed with old hay that's been laying around where Mazie lounges. It was all nice and dry and all composted up from the chickens scratching around. So I just put it all down the new rows I just planted. I need more but will get it later. I need to mulch some more now. I watered tonight with the well water and it almost ran out. So I had to stop and go back to the city water. My poor tomatoes really needed water so I soaked them real good. There are some almost ripe cherry tomatoes. I am so glad the garden is doing so well so far. But of how I wish we could get some of the rain that is every where else.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 9:55:45 PM
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My best tomato
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/apronsgarden046.jpg/] [/URL]
My plot
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/12/apronsgarden054.jpg/] [/URL]
My watermelon and corn (some of them)
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/155/apronsgarden060.jpg/] [/URL]
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2011 : 05:54:02 AM
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Yum, ripe tomatoes! Good thing you live so far away or we might be going over and taking one or two. Ya better watch out! What kind of corn do you grow there? I think I have room down the rest of the tomato rows for some watermelon or canteloupe. I may just do that. Man, it's just so hot. I have to work early or late in the day now. I watered really good last night and again this morning. I hope that will do it for a few days.
What are the black things for?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2011 : 10:35:22 AM
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Trellises for my peas to give me more space.
That is sweet corn, but any corn grows here far as I know, some of the commercial farms out my way grow maize and even blue corn.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 11:59:40 AM
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woot! My peas, honeydew and watermelons are starting to blossom! Plus I harvested 4 Zucchinis already.
This year's garden was a test in so many ways, I'm already planning out next year. I've got a strawberry patch marked, and I'm redoing how (and where) I'm doing my corn next year. The roses and crimson runner beans I put in are doing the very best off my shady porch, so I'm going to fill the whole bed with rose bushes and beans next year.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. ~Will Rogers |
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 6:01:37 PM
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I worked off and on all day in my garden. I will have to take some pictures soon. It is really coming along! What is the weirdest thing you ever grew in your garden?
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
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tammyknit
True Blue Farmgirl
135 Posts
Tammy
Reedsburg
WI
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2011 : 6:11:15 PM
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DD and I just picked the first 2 strawberries from the garden today, yum, still warm from the sun! No, it really didn't take 2 of us, but I wanted her to do the picking and i showed her where they were, for a bright kid, sometimes a little dense, must be the age (almost 12)!
Tammy |
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Garden Gate: Sweating, Sunburns.... In the Garden |
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Sweating, Sunburns.... In the Garden
