Time to Be Outside

You can watch our video of how to safely use a chimenea in your garden or back yard:

How to Set Up, Season and Use a Clay Chimenea 

It's nearly Halloween, and in other parts of the country, that means cooler days and even cooler nights. The temperatures drop down and before long, there'll be snow on the ground. The residents in these northern and eastern regions are thinking about preparing their gardens and yards for the cold weather, and putting up the garden harvests- canning, freezing, drying and otherwise preserving for the gardenless days ahead.

Here in the Valley of the Sun, we're emerging from the long hot summer. We've planted our veggies and are planting still more. We're seeding our dying Bermuda grass lawns with rye seed, and we'll have green grass in the winter months. We're spending more time outdoors in the warm afternoons, the cool evenings, and the chilly mornings.

One of the things people like to do here in the fall and winter months is spend time around a firepit or outdoor fireplace. While not all of us have well-appointed outdoor living spaces, we may have little bits of space in our backyards where we can sit beneath the moon and gaze into the flames dancing inside our little chimeneas.

We put a lot of work into our gardens, into our veggie gardens, flower gardens and into our landscaping. On these cool nights, when the work is done and the constellations loom high, we should remember why we do this, and step outside, snuggle up together and let the flames lull us into a dream.

Bob and I spend a lot of time working; we both have day jobs and when we're not working, we're working on producing more videos, focused on the DIY lifestyle. I spend my free time writing, and gardening, and writing about gardening.

We're like a million other people, working, working, working. This post is about taking a break. So take a break tonight. Take a break and spend some time watching the flames. Dream a while. It's good for you, and your garden will be all the more beautiful for it.

Making a Tire Garden

You can watch the video of how we set up the tire garden on YouTube:

How to Make a Tire Garden for Growing Lettuce and Herbs

One thing about gardens is they are great for experimenting. You can try different plant companion combinations, different soil mixes, different containers and methods.

In the last few months, I've departed from the 'rules' of gardening and engaged in free style planting- planting seeds with no thought to placement, season or symbiotic relationships. I'm also disregarding my drip system and spraying the garden beds with a watering wand, soaking the soil and sometimes the young seedlings.

Okra plants in October

So, in the spirit of rebellion, I shrugged off the cautionary tales of tire gardening and embraced the concept of re-using a usually cast-off product. The studies I've read concern themselves with shredded tires for ground cover, that the heavy metals leech into the soil. Well, once the integrity of the tire is destroyed, as in shredded, then yes, leeching is likely imminent.

But even the Environmental Protection Agency says intact tires are fine for garden containers, so Bob and I set one up. Now, we'll see what happens next.

Free Style Gardening Successes

Zucchini with Flower

As of this writing, I've harvested okra and zucchini, Anaheim peppers and jalapeno peppers, cucumbers, herbs and even a few beans. My free style garden is moving along rather well, and if the fall season brings forth its customary good weather here in the valley of the sun, I should have a good harvest.

The success of a garden is measured by its harvest, and in the last couple of seasons, my success has been limited. But I have more hope for this season, and I think our tire garden will add to that success.

Updating Our Aquaponics and Hydroponics

We're in the process of preparing for the upgrade to our aquaponics system. We'll add a larger fish tank and an extra grow bed, as well as reposition the grow beds. It's a long process, but now that the temperatures no longer rise above the 100 degree mark, we can move along at a quicker pace.

We're also looking at updating our approach to hydroponics. We have, traditionally, used buckets and plastic containers for our hydroponics systems, but the systems aren't particularly attractive. If you want hydroponics at your front entrance, for example, a big orange bucket won't cut it. So keep a look out for some of our upcoming experiments in updating the look of hydroponics and of course, for our new aquaponics system.

The All New Square Food Gardening Book and the Free Style Method

Update: I still use this book from time to time, though I don't exactly follow the method. It's still a good book. (2025)

Flowering Cucumber

Recently I purchased Mel Bartholomew's book, "All New Square Food Gardening. A retired

efficiency expert and engineer, Bartholomew saw row gardening as a waste of space and resources. Practices such as thinning seedlings and irrigating whole tracts of soil that weren't planted bothered him, and he set about finding a new way to grow food, herbs, and flowers.

What is Square Foot Gardening

Square foot gardening is built around the idea of planting a 4 foot by 4 foot box that has been divided into 16 squares, each section being 1 square foot in area. The gardener plants a different 'crop' in each square. How many plants are in any given square depends on how far apart the seeds should be planted.

I can plant one cucumber in one square and 16 radishes in another square. According to Mr. Bartholomew, the system allows for a bounty of veggies in a 4 foot by 4 foot bed because nothing takes up more than one square foot.

The idea is brilliant and no doubt very effective, and I'm anxious to give it a try.  Our author tells me to lay down landscape fabric, position the bed on the fabric, and fill it to a 6 inch depth with his special formula soil mix.

There Might Be Some Problems, Though

Okra from Seed

The special formula? One third vermiculite, one third peat moss, and one third blended organic

compost. Basically, this is a potting mix, not soil, and that might be a problem. Here in Phoenix, even in winter, potting mixes dry out incredibly fast. Vermiculite is no match for our dry air and bright sun.

Mr. Bartholomew also says gardeners can water the garden bed with cups of sun-warmed water. Simply leave a bucket of water near the bed and with a small plastic cup, use the water for the garden, watering each square as needed.

Sun-warmed water here may be too hot for potting mix, and I would likely have to water several times a day. A cup of water does not a deep watering make. I think maybe a more climate appropriate watering system may be necessary.

The Free Style Method

But for right now, I'm far less efficient and organized and otherwise square foot. In my last post, I regaled you with tales of tossing seeds about the garden without any sort of pattern or layout in mind. Many of my seeds are past their prime, and many, of course, failed to germinate. That's okay. Some, though, are doing surprisingly well, in spite of the 110+ temperatures.

Bean Plant on the Rise

I've got okra and burgundy beans sprouting up, and tiny hints of jalapeno plants. I've even got some zucchini that just might make it after all. I imagine this is the type of gardening that would cause Mr. Mel Bartholomew to shake his head and mutter something about a lack of efficiency and wasted space and the soil being less than loamy. I imagine he would predict catastrophic failure for this garden.

His (imagined) prediction may be right. Or not. As we move into September and October, though, gardeners in cooler climes are starting to wind down their summer crops, while here in the Valley of the Sun we'll be planting tomatoes and cucumbers alongside spinach and squash- as soon as the day time temps get below 100 degrees. Ah, the sweet cool of Autumn!

Free Style Gardening in the Summer Months

Update: This is a story of gardening in the desert. The heat is a challenge, and for the last few years I've kept a small garden on the front porch, including the aquaponics bed. Summers can be brutal, but we find ways to deal with it. (2025)

By the time the temperatures reach 100+ degrees I usually allow the soil beds to rest, covering them with cardboard or some sort of mulch. I water to keep the perennials healthy; the herbs and grape vine do fine over the summer. The soil itself is watered less frequently. The goal is to keep it moist, but not wet, and continue to provide an inviting environment for microbial communities.

Nearly Empty Garden Beds in July

This summer, though, is a little different. I, and numerous other gardeners, didn't have the wildly successful bounty of fruits and veggies to which we have become accustomed. While many in other parts of the country are still waiting to harvest their tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash and assorted lettuces, we in the desert are done. We harvest in late spring, before the temperatures are too high, and the plants cease to produce. 

But somehow, the cycle got tilted off its axis this year, and other gardeners tell me their tales of woe:

• My squash never even flowered
• My tomatoes took too long to ripen
• My cucumber plants didn't even try this year
• Powdery Mildew is the bane of my existence

You get the idea.  But like most gardeners, I lament the poor season and prepare for the next, confident that the next harvest will be better.  

Pumpkin Seedling in a Pot

But as I was starting to start seeds in pots, I was struck by how many seeds I had, and that many may be 'past their prime'. So I thought, "Why not throw caution to the winds, and throw a bunch of these seeds into the garden and see what happens?"

I walked among the beds, poking holes in the soil and dropping in seeds. I made shallow trenches with a stick and sprinkled in seeds. Some seeds were simply sprinkled on top of the soil and left to the elements.  I didn't even put in garden markers. Just planted seeds.

Storing Seeds

Seeds are particular about their environment. To maintain its ability to germinate over a period of time, a seed must be in a cool, dry environment, one practically void of oxygen. Once moisture and oxygen enter the environment, the seed wants to sprout. But if the seed hasn't been properly stored, it may fail to germinate, even when planted in an environment of near perfect conditions.

For example, if seed has been stored in a shed in which temperatures may drop to freezing and rise to the blistering hell that is Phoenix in the summer, it may no longer be viable. I've kept many of my seeds in air tight containers, the kind used by crafters to separate their beads. But I also have some in packets in a plastic container. Some packets are opened, some are not.

Seeds in Bead Containers

A good way to store seeds is to add a thin layer of rice or powdered milk to a glass jar, place the seed packet in the jar, seal it and put the jar in the fridge. If the seeds aren't in packets, cover the rice or powdered milk with a bit of cheesecloth or tissue, and pile in the seeds. Be sure to mark the jar to note what kind of seeds are inside.

I haven't  done any of this, so I don't know how viable my older seeds are in terms of germination, and if they have the potential to produce. But I can't conceive of throwing away seeds without giving them a chance to grow, to thrive, to bear fruit. So throughout the summer, I'm going to keep adding seeds to pots, and to the soil beds, and to the aquaponics grow bed. 

The few packets that I've purchased within the last few months I'll store in glass jars, and find a place for them in the fridge. It's the practical thing to do.

Free Style Gardening

 

Okra Seedling from Older Seed Packet

Other than that, though, I'm thumbing my nose at the searing summer heat and arid winds, and last season's poor harvests,  and planting seeds without rhyme or reason.  I'm working without a plan, without a net, without a chart downloaded from a Master Gardener website that tells me when to plant, where to plant it and what other plants to plant it with.

It's free style gardening in the summer time. And I have no idea what my gardens will grow.

Basil in a Kratky Can

Update: You can watch the video on the Kratky method, and how I used it to grow basil in a coffee can on YouTube: 

The Kratky Method of Hydroponics: Growing Basil in a Coffee Can

And the updated video as well:

Kratky Method of Hydroponics Update: The Basil in a Can

(2025)

Basil in March in Kratky Can

Some time back we tried a strawberry plant in a kind of miniature Kratky hydroponic system, using a coffee can. Though the strawberry plant didn't thrive, I wasn't ready to abandon the experiment. 

So now we're re-doing the experiment, this time with sweet basil.

The basil is doing well, and I'm already harvesting stems from the plants. The plants do draw up quite a bit of nutrient solution from the limited reservoir, and of course here in Phoenix, the solution is also subject to evaporation.

Basil in April in Kratky Can

To keep the water level high enough to maintain the plants, I simply dip into the fish tank in the aquaponics system and add that nutrient rich water to the can. The basil plants love this stuff.

So, I'm counting this Kratky in a Can experiment a success. The leaves are large and flavorful; the roots are dense and of good color; and the plants continue to thrive using the fish water as a nutrient solution.

Back in the Soil Garden
Meanwhile, back in the beds in the soil garden, the veggies are coming in agonizingly slow. I've put up the sunshades so the beds don't get overly warm in the mid-day sun. Just a few weeks ago, I was covering them in blankets to protect them against the frosts.


Sun Shades for the Garden

I've talked with other gardeners here in the valley of the sun, and I'm hearing the same thing. We're looking to start harvesting some of the early veggies - the first batch of tomatoes, an eggplant or two, a few peppers. Instead, our tomatoes are just starting to think about turning red; our peppers aren't fattening up yet; and the squash is still half asleep.

We're all blaming it on the late winter cold snaps.

But the temperatures are climbing quickly now, with daytime temps in the 80s and 90s. The nights, though, are still cool; I'm hoping everything kicks into high gear before the dreaded summer heat settles in.

Thinking about the Fall Garden

Emerging Eggplant

So while I wait for the spring garden to come to harvest, I'm thinking about what I want to plant in September and October, when the weather cools and it's time once again to plant the seedlings started weeks ago, when the weather was so hot we used oven mitts to drive until the air conditioning kicked in.

It's May, so I want to start seeds in about a month. I want to start some pumpkin and spaghetti squash, leeks and broccoli, and of course, tomatoes. I'll use a fast growing tomato, such as Early Girl, to get a harvest before it's a little too chilly.

And I'm thinking about some pinto beans and snap beans, and maybe some peas and carrots, along with cucumbers. I'm thinking the cucumbers just might thrive during the still warm, but not blazingly hot days in September and October. If we have a good November -sunny and warm- I'll have cucumber salad for Thanksgiving.

And by then, I'll be ready to put in the winter garden.  

A Landscape Plan for the Backyard

Update: This plan evolved quite a bit, and through various events we are now re-landscaping. We are, yet again, making a plan.

October, 2025

Plan with the wish list added

Original Post: We had to have a new sewer line installed in our backyard and though it was financially devastating, it does allow us an opportunity to landscape the yard. 

Now, landscaping is just about always an expensive venture, and we are, of course, broke. So how do we take our backyard from a chaotic and cluttered space to an appealing outdoor oasis on a near zero budget? Well, I'm not sure yet.

I do know that having a plan is essential, for both the project and the budget. So since I don't have any money, I'll start with a wish list plan for the project.

The first step, then, was to create a drawing of the space, complete with measurements. 

My husband and son tackled that task, and the drawing gives us a foundation for what we can -and can't do- in the space.

I scanned the drawing into my imaging program, and added what I want in the new landscape. That's depicted in red.

We would like a covered patio and a work space for Bob for cutting wood and doing building type things. We would like a grassy area and a small rock garden on the west side of the house.

Future Site of Bob's Workspace

We can't extend the roof over the patio, because that costs about a bajillion dollars. So we're opting for shade sails, and we'll make a video showing you how to install those.

For the work space, we'll pour a smaller concrete slab next to the shed, using the tree to the south side for shade. We'll add a frame work of sorts to create a drop shade facing west. This gives Bob a space to work in without having to stand in the heat of the sun. We'll share video on that part of the project as well.

We'll cultivate a lawn in the area directly behind the house, and create a grassy area, using rye grass in the winter and Bermuda grass in the summer. The lawn is smaller, and won't require much water, an important consideration here in the desert.



The Mess on the West Side

A rock garden in the small area on the west side seems a viable solution, and for now, that's the plan. But the large evergreen there drops needles by the pound, and keeping the garden tidy may be a problem.

Shifting to the east side, we have a strip of land that lies between the sidewalk leading to the shed and the block wall fence. A section of the sidewalk had to be removed when the new sewer line was installed, and we'll have to pour a new section.

Right now, the east strip is a lumpy, rocky pile of nutrient deficient soil. The sunlight is brutal in that space; during the summer it gets about 12 hours of direct sunlight. I don't want flowers, or cacti or succulents or really, any living thing there. So right now, it's just a big question mark.

So that's my basic plan for the backyard. The shade sails provide relief from the sun; the work space keeps the construction zone away from the house; the lawn softens the landscape; and the rock garden to the west means Bob doesn't have to try and mow the lawn back there.

Now I just have to figure out how to pay for all this.

Aphids and the Precipitator 360

Zucchini Blossom Under Attack

Update: Aphids haven't changed, and I've used all kinds of home remedies as well as chemicals. Still, they invade. 

October, 2025

Aphids are evil little creatures that invade gardens, stabbing innocent plants with their needle-sharp stylets and sucking out the life force. The brave plants struggle against the invaders, but alas, they have no real defense. Yellowish spots riddle the now curling leaves, and the plants no longer have enough energy to grow, to thrive, to produce flowers and fruits and vegetables.

It is left to us humans to battle the hordes of greenish yellow, or black, or brown, soft-bodied insects that, rumor has it, are born pregnant.

Walk into a room full of gardeners and ask them how to get rid of aphids and you'll get as many answers as there are people in the room.

But one answer prevails: spray the devils with a concoction of ingredients found in almost any pantry. Every gardener has his or her own recipe for "Death to Aphids" spray, and they all work on the same principle; the spray clogs their teeny tiny breathing holes and they die of suffocation.

Precipitator 360

 
Garlic spray is a popular weapon. My recipe is one spray bottle filled about two-thirds full with water, with two smashed garlic cloves added and left to stand overnight. Add about a teaspoon of liquid dish soap in the morning along with enough water to almost fill the spray bottle. Shake vigorously, and then spray the plants.

But any recipe you use, be it with garlic, lemon juice, ground chili peppers, vinegar or rubbing alcohol, must be applied not only to the top of the leaves, but to the undersides of the leaves as well. The enemy congregates there, on the darker undersides, and there you'll see the eggs, ready to hatch and continue the war.

I use the Precipitator 360, a spray bottle with a rotating nozzle that allows you to spray upward, so as to get under the leaves, as well as spray directly downward.

The nozzle on typical spray bottles only allows you to spray in one direction - forward. Try to twist the bottle around to spray the underside of leaves and the nozzle doesn't work. You have to pull each leaf up and point the nozzle directly at it.

With the Precipitator 360, you only need to twist the nozzle, hold the bottle just to the side of the plant, and spray. The evil creatures are drenched in your death spray, and, hopefully, die quickly.

A man for whom I have great respect suggested that I employ chemical warfare, and kill the hordes with Bayer Advanced Insect Control. He tells me the product is safe to use as long as I don't spray the veggies when they're ready to harvest. In other words, I can use this stuff to control the aphids and other damaging insects up to about four days before harvesting, and of course, wash the veggies thoroughly after picking them.

If my garlic spray doesn't do the trick, I just may have to resort to chemical weapons. If any readers have any suggestions as to how to fight these evil creatures, please leave a comment, and share your experience with other gardeners.