Free Style Gardening in the Summer Months

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.

Planting Strawberries and Thinking About the Future

Bob and I have been busy with garden and landscape stuff. We trimmed the palm tree in our front yard, made a batch of garden pavers, and planted strawberries in a half barrel. We have videos for all three projects, and I've included the video on planting strawberries in this post. Though here in Phoenix, it's not a good time to plant – temperatures are over 100 degrees- this particular strawberry plant and her daughters were in dire need of a home of their own.

I haven't had much luck with strawberries, but I don't like to give up, and, in particular, I want to start growing more fruit. We already have a fabulous orange tree that provides us with an abundance of oranges every year. I have a lemon tree that should start producing in the next year, as well. But I also want green grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. I have a grape vine growing now that was planted in February, and it's doing well. I planted a blueberry bush, but the poor thing just didn't make it. I planted too late. But I'll try again next season.

Orange Ripening on the Tree

If the strawberries make it, and the grape vine continues to thrive, I'll have fruit next year. And

because grapes are a long term perennial plant, I'll have grapes for years to come. Yes, oranges, lemons, grapes, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. This, this would make me a happy woman.

Long Term Gardening Goals

Bowl of Green Grapes

What I want, what my goal is, is to have gardens that provide fruit, veggies, greens and herbs. I want to have enough fruits and veggies to harvest and use fresh, as well as have enough to preserve. Really, is there anything better than strawberry jam on toast on a cold morning? Or a bowl full of berries on a hot summer night? And doesn't any dinner table look better with a bowl of green grapes sitting in the center?

I want the gardens to be established gardens by the time I retire from my day job. I want Bob and I to spend our old age munching fresh foods and preservative-free preserves. I want my kids and their kids to come by for dinner and help me pick the veggies and fruits fresh from the garden.

Really now, could life get any better than that?

More about Kratky Hydroponics

In my last post, I wrote about Basil in a Kratky Can, and I want to include the video update we did on this experiment with this post.

The Kratky method of hydroponics addresses a few issues some people might have with hydroponics, one being the need for electricity to run the pumps for the systems. Eliminating that factor makes this method attractive for those wishing to reduce their dependence on these types of energy sources. 

But this method does have some limitations, limitations that may or may not be overcome with certain modifications to the system. For example, the basic concept speaks to growing greens and lettuces – quick growing crops that are harvested within a specific timeline. They're ready to harvest by the time the supply of nutrients is spent.

But for plants such as tomato, cucumber, and squash that have a continuing cycle of production, the Kratky method doesn't seem practical. You would need a container with a 12 inch depth for the roots; you would need to consistently refill that container; and you would need a way to stake the plants.

Well, that just sounds like a challenge to me.

You'll note in the video that I consistently refill my Kratky cans with fish water, and the basil, then, just keeps growing, and I continue to harvest basil leaves. That's a start to addressing one issue, anyway.

So, I'm working on a way to apply the Kratky method to fruit bearing plants. I can work on this over the summer, while my soil garden takes its respite.

In the meantime…

From the top of the ladder

Temperatures are climbing here in Phoenix, and we're reaching the 100 degree mark in the afternoons. Tomato production in the soil garden is slowing down, but the eggplant is going strong, as are the sweet peppers and hot peppers. Not sure what's going to happen with the squash and cucumber though.

The sun shades are up, and though we didn't get to video the installation, I did manage to snap a few photos. From the roof, no less.

Bob adjusts a turn-bolt on the shade

And I purchased a blueberry bush. It's self pollinating, so I don't think I need to get another one for cross pollination, but I just may pick one up anyway. Because I want to. I'll be getting those into the garden next week, and very likely will have a few words to say about it. I'll take some pictures.

Basil in a Kratky Can

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 sun shades 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

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.

Plan with the wish list added

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

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.

The Ferry Morse Soil Test Kit

Before spring planting, which here in Phoenix is as early as January but no later than the end of February, I add a fresh layer of garden soil to the beds. I like to use the permaculture method, meaning I don't till the soil or turn it over. Rather, after the plants are removed, I just add another layer of soil, so as not to disturb the existing microbial community within the beds.

I also like to test the soil for nutrient value at that time to ensure each bed can support its intended plants.

The Ferry Morse Soil Test Kit is available at home improvement stores and garden centers at a reasonable cost - around $4 a kit. Now, I have seven beds in my garden. So if I test each bed, I can expect to pay around $30 to test the entire garden if I buy the kits separately. Buy in bulk, though, and that cost is reduced.

Why bother testing? Well, if you know what the nutrient content is in your soil, you can better choose which fertilizer to use, or better understand why certain plants aren't thriving.

For example, broccoli needs a lot of nitrogen. If the broccoli leaves look yellowish and the plants aren't producing heads, you can use a test kit to determine if the soil nitrogen level is too low. Add blood meal to the bed and your broccoli hopefully will recover and thrive.

Macro Nutrients

The Ferry Morse Soil Test Kit lets you test for nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, all macro nutrients essential for healthy vegetables.

Nitrogen (N) is directed to leafy growth and stem growth. Without sufficient nitrogen, the plant is unable to properly develop its 'vascular system', the means by which nutrients are transported throughout the plant.

Phosphorous (P) is essential to the process of setting fruit. Without phosphorous, the plant struggles to develop a strong root system, and is unlikely to flower. If a plant doesn't flower, it doesn't produce fruit or develop seeds for propagation.

Potassium (K) helps plants resist disease and is akin to a multi-vitamin; it promotes general overall health in the plant.

My Assessment

I like using the Ferry Morse Soil Test Kit for my garden beds. It's an easy test to use, and each unit costs only about $4 at local outlets, but you can find it online in bulk; you'll get a decent discount buying them that way.

It's an uncomplicated test that doesn't require anything more than a soil sample, water and a bit of your time. Essentially, I use the tests once a year, and am satisfied with the product.

Kratky in a Can Update

Unfortunately, the strawberry plant installed in my coffee can Kratky system didn't survive. I don't fault the methodology of the experiment. Rather, the onset of cold weather and the plant's exposure to it likely damaged the roots - the water was a bit frozen the morning after I had forgotten to take the plant inside.

I want to repeat the experiment. A strawberry plant may not have been the ideal subject, either. I'm going to use sweet basil for my next test subject because we've had good luck with basil in other hydroponic methods; the herb is well suited to the watery environs of hydroponics.

Landscaping Projects

Spanish Dagger trees are common here in Phoenix, and you can get some tips on how to trim these long-lived agaves in our video, "How toTrim a Spanish Dagger Tree."

If you have an unwanted cactus in your yard, watch our video, "Removing a Small Cactus from Your Yard". 

And finally, in my next post, I show you a plan for the backyard landscaping project. The installation of a new sewer line created an opportunity for new landscaping, and we'll show you what we have in mind.

Disclaimer: Ferry Morse did not supply me with this product. I paid for it myself.