Raised bed gardens

Today's Assignment

If you live in a desert climate like I do, raised bed gardens are a MUST!!! Check out these great ideas for constructing your own raised bed.

Gardens to Gro

Organic Gardening

Sunset

Companion planting

Today's Assignment

Discover plants that will help/hinder your tomatoes when planted as companions.

Click HERE for the full article

Irrigating and Fertilizing

The amount of fertilizer to apply to a garden depends on the natural fertility of the soil, the amount of organic matter present, the type of fertilizer used, and the crop being grown. The best way to determine fertilizer needs is to have the soil tested. Information on soil testing and a list of testing laboratories is available through your local Extension agent. Soil test kits are of little value to gardeners in Arizona. Vegetables fall into three main categories according to their fertilizer requirements: heavy feeders, medium feeders, and light feeders. It may be advantageous to group crops in the garden according to their fertilizer requirements to make application easier. Click HERE for a listing of crops and their nutrient needs.

Watering the Garden

Adequate soil moisture is essential for good crop growth. A healthy plant is composed of 75% to 90% water, which is used for the plant's vital functions, including photosynthesis, support (rigidity), and transportation of nutrients and sugars to various parts of the plant. During the first 2 weeks of growth, plants are becoming established and must have water to build their root systems.

While growing, vegetable crops need about an inch of water per week in the form of rainwater, irrigation water, or both, from April to September. Keep a rain gauge near the garden or check with the local weather bureau for rainfall amounts, then supplement rainfall with irrigation water if needed. There are ways, however, to reduce the amount of water you have to add.

During dry periods, one thorough watering each week of 1 to 2 inches of moisture (65 to 130 gallons per 100 square feet) is usually enough for most soils. Soil should be wetted to a depth of 12 inches each time you water and not watered again until the top few inches begin to dry out. Average garden soil will store about 2 to 4 inches of water per foot of depth.

Reducing water demands
All of this water, however, may not be available to plants, particularly if the soil is a heavy clay. Clay particles hold soil moisture tightly. If, for example, there are 4 inches of water per foot of this type of soil, there may be as little as 2 inches available for plants. A relatively high level of humus in the soil, brought about by the addition and breakdown of organic matter, can improve this proportion to some extent. By causing clay particles to form aggregates or large clumps of groups of particles, humus also adds air spaces to tight clays, allowing moisture to drain to lower levels as a reserve, instead of puddling and running off the top of the soil.

The moisture-holding capacity of sandy soils is also improved by addition of organic matter. Though most soil water in sandy soil is available, it drains so quickly that plants are unable to reach water after even a few days following a rain. Humus in sandy soil gives the water something to cling to until it is needed by plants. Addition of organic matter is the first step in improving moisture conditions in the garden.

Mulching is a cultural practice which can significantly decrease the amount of water that must be added to the soil. A 4 to 6 inch organic mulch can reduce water needs by as much as 1/2 by smothering weeds (which take up and transpire moisture) and by reducing evaporation of moisture directly from the soil. Organic mulches themselves hold some water and increase the humidity level around the plant. Black or clear plastic mulch also conserves moisture but increases soil temperatures dramatically during the summer (to the detriment of some plants and the benefit of others) if not covered by other mulch materials or foliage.

Shading and the use of windbreaks are other moisture-conserving techniques. Plants that wilt in very sunny areas can benefit from partial shade during the afternoon in summer. Small plants, in particular, should be protected. Air moving across a plant carries away the moisture on the leaf surfaces, causing the plant to need more water. In very windy areas, the roots often cannot keep up with leaf demands, and plants wilt. Temporary or permanent windbreaks can help tremendously.

During those times when cultural practices simply aren't enough, when rainfall is sparse and the sun is hot, watering can benefit the garden with higher yields, or may save the garden altogether in severe drought years.

Citrus Care

Today's Assignment

Learn to properly care for the amazing citrus trees we are fortunate to have in our area

Click HERE for citrus care guide

Get Smart

Today's Assignment

Make a reservation to attend a gardening class

For local classes, click HERE

Butterfly garden

Today's Assignment

Add these butterfly attracting flowers to your spring garden

oxeye daisies

verbena

hibiscus

purple coneflower

New Hobby

Today's Assignment

Join a gardening club. They are great places to meet successful local gardners who can be great resources to you.

Click here if you live in the Phoenix East Valley area.

Summer beauties

Today's Assignment

Add these beauties to your flower garden this month

Bee balm

Zinnia


Sunflower

cosmos

hollyhock

Regional Planting Dates

Today's Assignment

Be sure that what you are planting in your garden is appropriate for the spring growing season.

Refer to the University of Arizona Vegetable Planning Dates chart for detailed information.

** Mesa, Arizona is in region 2 [ 1000-2000 ft elevation]

Made in the Shade

Today's Assignment

Consider THESE plants for your yard's shady spots

Kid Appeal

Today's Assignment

Get your kids involved in gardening by planting these really cool kid appealing plants

Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica)—This tropical groundcover is a kid favorite. Also known as the “tickle-me” plant, it has sensitive green, fernlike leaves and produces small “balls” of pink flowers in mid-summer. The plant’s big kid draw is its leaves: when touched gently, they automatically fold closed, then eventually reopen. Often grown as an annual, the plant thrives in full sun on dry soil and is easy to start indoors from seed.


Lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantine)—This perennial flower is widely adapted and hardy in USDA zones 4 to 10. It grows best in full to part sun. In early summer, the low-growing plant produces one-foot-tall spikes covered with small pink flowers. But its foliage is the main draw for kids. The leaves are covered with a soft, white hairy growth that, when stroked, feels like a lamb’s ear. Don’t be surprised if your kids pick leaves and rub it against their cheek. It’s that soft!


Ground cherry (Physalis pruinosa)—This easy-to-grow vegetable is in the tomato family, but has fruits that look like small Chinese lanterns. Like tomatoes, the low–growing (1- to 2-foot-tall), sprawling plants love the heat. In summer the plant produces an abundance of papery thin lanterns. Once the lanterns turn yellow, kids can pick them, tear open the covering, and discover the 1- to 2-inch-diameter edible golden fruits inside. The fruits have a sweet, tomato flavor that my daughter has loved since preschool. Ground cherries are annuals and self-sow readily in the garden; grow them once and they’ll sprout up on their own in future years.


Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea)—Kids will be amazed to find this common vegetable growing in your garden. Peanuts need at least 120 days of frost-free growing and hot summer temperatures. They grow best in full sun on sandy-loam soil. The 1- to 2-foot-tall and -wide legume looks a lot like a clover plant. However, it has yellow flowers that produce pegs (stem-like growth) after the flowers pass. The pegs grow into the ground around the peanut plant and a peanut shell forms at the end of each peg. Keep the soil cultivated and watered so the pegs can easily penetrate it. Once the plants start to yellow and die, invite your kids to pull up the whole plant—they’ll find peanuts dangling from the ends of the pegs. Dry the nuts, roast them, and have a peanut party with your kids.


Chocolate Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)—Mint plants are fun and easy to grow in the garden. They come in a range of flavors, including ginger, lemon, orange, and apple. However, my favorite mint for kids is chocolate peppermint. The leaves are tinged with dark coloring and if you close your eyes, you can almost taste the chocolate flavor. It’s like eating a peppermint patty! It grows best in USDA zones 4 to 9, in part sun on well-drained soil. Be careful: this low-growing plant can spread up to 3 feet and become invasive. It’s best to grow all members of the mint family in containers or in an area where you don’t mind it spreading.

Herb garden

Today's Assignment

Plant an herbal garden to make an herbal remedy or herbal tea

Click HERE for more information on specific herb usage

Economic Gardening

Today's Assignment

Consider planting these top performers in your garden this year

Top 15 Vegetables in Economic Value:
Tomatoes
Beets
Green bunching onions
Carrots
Leaf lettuce
Cucumbers
Turnip (green + roots)
Peppers
Summer squash
Broccoli
Edible pod peas
Head lettuce
Onion storage bulbs
Swiss chard
Beans (pole, bush)

Values based on pounds produced per square foot, retail value per pound at harvest time, and length of time in the garden.

Straw Bale Gardening

Today's Assignment

Learn all about Straw Bale Gardening .. try it out and let us know if you are successful.

For step by step instructions, click HERE

Don't have any garden space in your yard?

Today's Assignment

Plant and grow what you can in containers when you do not have gardening space on your property.

For plants that do well in containers and other general information, visit THIS website

Annuals

Today's Assignment

Choose your annuals to place in your garden

Remember the following tips when transplanting:


Transplants of annual vegetables and flowers should be stocky, healthy, free from disease, and have good roots. They should not be too small or too mature (tomatoes will transplant all right with fruits already on them, but many other plants will drop flowers or fruit after transplanting). Be sure plants have been hardened-off so that they will easily adapt to environmental change, but they should not be so hardened that they are woody and yellow. Successful transplanting is achieved by interrupting plant growth as little as possible. This is one of the advantages of using peat pots or peat pellets, which do not have to be removed when transplanting.

Have garden soil prepared before transplanting. All additives which require time to break down, such as manures, sulfur, rock fertilizers, and green manures, should be incorporated several weeks before planting. Quick-acting fertilizers and well-decayed compost may be added just before planting

Transplant on a shady day, in late afternoon, or in early evening to prevent wilting. It helps to water the plants several hours before transplanting; when using bare-root plants, such as sweet potato slips or plants from an old-time farm supply store, soak the roots thoroughly an hour or two before setting them out in the garden. They should not be allowed to dry out completely at any time. Handle plants carefully. Avoid disturbing the roots or bruising the stems.

Dig a hole large enough to hold the roots of the plants. Set the plants level with the ground and at recommended intervals. Tomatoes are an exception to the rule of how deep to plant; they will develop roots all along the stems, and you can plant deep enough to leave only two or three sets of leaves exposed. Press soil firmly around the roots of transplants. Pour about a cup of starter solution in the hole around the plant. Use a solution of about half the strength recommended for that type of plant during the normal growing season. Fish emulsion or dilute manure tea may also be used.

For a few days after transplanting, protect plants from wind and sun by placing newspaper or cardboard on their south sides, or by covering with jugs, baskets, or flower pots. Water the plants once a day during the next week if there is insufficient rain. In the following weeks reduce the frequency of water, to every other day the second week and every third day the third week until established

Same old story

Hmmm.. I wish I could say that I have missed a few days because I have been lounging by the pool sipping non-alcoholic pina coladas. Not true, however. I have been trying to practice what I preach.

My garden is planted now so.... Im all yours once again. Look for new posts starting tomorrow.

Don't get bugged

Today's Assignment

Check your plants carefully for insects, worms and other pests that can injure or kill your crops. Treat appropriately.

Watering

Today's Assignment

Water your garden in the early morning and water deeply.

Over watering will drown the roots and cause disease. Use a moisture guage to determine need for water.

Devil Grass

Today's Assignment

Mulch around your plants with a Newspaper barrier followed by composted mulch to control weeds and grass in your garden.

From an Internet gardening page:

Q: I heard you can put newspaper down over the ground to control weeds and then top it with wood mulch. Is that a good idea?

A: Sure is. Newspaper is wood, too - just in skinny form! In new beds, I use whole sections of it myself right after I improve the soil with compost and rake the bed smooth.

I throw a pile of papers in a wheelbarrow with water so they're soggy when I place them. I slightly overlap the edges and use an average section that's about 8 pages thick. After I lay a section of newspaper, I top with 1 or 2 inches of bark mulch and keep working in sections as I go along. I do that so the wet paper doesn't have a chance to dry out and blow around before I can top it with bark.

The paper eventually will decay and add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Earthworms like it, too. The sections also help hold in moisture and do a great job at choking out weeds. It lets me cut down on the amount of bark mulch I need to buy. Instead of using 2 or 3 inches of mulch, I use paper and only 1 or 2 inches of bought mulch.

Use regular newsprint, not the glossy flyers and such.

Composting

Composting is great for the environment!"

Once you have your composting container, you will need to select a location in your yard that is close to a water source, guarded from strong winds and preferably in the shade. Next, you should stack up the dry material and follow these 10 simple steps:


Break or cut all the material into pieces that are no more than 4 inches long. This exposes more surface so that microorganisms can break it down.

Dig out about two inches of dirt from the site in which you will be placing your container and then add a small layer of branches to the dirt to allow air to enter from the bottom.

Place a mixture of approximately four parts dry material (rich in carbon) for every one part of moist material (rich in nitrogen).

Place alternating layers of moist and dry material. Also, add a layer of dirt or manure every so often. If you are using food waste, make sure it is buried under the other layers to avoid problems with flies.

As you add your layers, water them to assure that the pile is completely moist. Note that the interior should be moist, but not wet. During heavy rains, cover the container with a plastic cover or lid.

Once the container is filled, cover the pile with two inches of dirt.

When decomposition starts, the pile will begin to heat up, with the interior temperature reaching as much as 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This high temperature is good because it kills the weeds and their seeds that may be in the compost mixture.

As the pile begins to cool back down so that it is the same temperature as the outside air, reactivate it by permitting air to enter the container. To do this, put the material into another container - or use a pitchfork to mix up the contents. It may also be necessary to add more water or plant material.

Repeat these steps as necessary until the material is dark and smooth.

To use the final compost material, sift the material with 1/2-inch sieve to remove the semi-decomposed larger pieces. You can return these pieces to the container to further decompose.

Technique is everything

Today's Assignment

Plant seeds and transplants at the proper depth and distance and then thin out later.

Today's Assignment

Purchase seeds and plants for your garden

Click HERE for Burpee seed company

Click HERE for Ferry- Morse

Check with your local nursery or home improvement store for plant starts.

Map out your garden

Today's Assignment

Make a scale drawing of your garden, planning the location and amount of rows of each vegetable.

Keep in mind that taller plants in your garden can shade shorter ones, dependant on how your garden is positioned ( north/south vs. east/west) and how the sun moves over it.

Certain vegetables, such as corn, do better when planted in multiple rows for cross pollination.

What to Plant

Today's Assignment

Make a list of the vegetables you wish to grow in your garden

For the Phoenix, Arizona area:
Bush beans , lima beans, beets, corn, Irish potato, tomato plants, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, cucumber, eggplant, muskmelon, okra, pepper plants, radishes, summer squash, onions, watermelon, soy beans, carrots and snap peas are all recommended for spring planting.

Soil Additives

Today's Assignment

Prepare the soil in your garden for optimal plant growth and successful harvest.

If you live in the Phoenix, Arizona area, here is Harpers Garden Preparation guide:

#1 Ready in two weeks
To each one hundred square feet of garden area add:
3- bags of composted manure
3-bags of professional blend compost
10# Gypsum
2# blood meal
4# bone meal
2# soil sulphur
Rototill to eight inches deep, water slow and deep. Ready to plant in two weeks.

#2 Ready to Plant same day
To each one hundred square feet of garden area add:
6 bags Professional blend compost, Omni or Kellogg's Gromulch
10# Gypsum
4# Bone Meal
2# Gardener's Special 5-5-5 Fertilizer
Rototill to eight inches deep, Rake level. Ready to plant now.

March Madness

Hopefully you are all basking in the joy of having a complete disaster kit at your disposal !! Congratulations. Now... on to our next task: Plant a garden. Growing and storing the food you grow is just one more way to become self-sustaining and prepared for the future.

Today's Assignment

Determine the size and location for your garden.

Select a site that is free of grass and weeds and receives at least 5-6 hours of sunlight. If your soil is hard, soak the area to be dug for up to two hours with a sprinkler. Let soil dry out partially for about two days. Loosen soil 8-12 inches deep with a showvel, or tiller, removing all weeds.

To aid in breaking up dirt clods, water bed lightly every day. If your soil has particularly large clods, you can wait several days. Let nature help do the work! The action of the warm sun, cool nights, wind and water will help break the clods down.

If the soil is like clay, you may want to add sand at this time to improve the texture.

Organic Gardening Tips

Organic Gardening in Phoenix
by The Garden Guy

Organic Fertilizers

Fertilization is the least understood but one of the most important elements of our landscape. Many times, we pour massive doses of fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and then wonder why we have insect and disease problems. These problems are stimulated by high synthetic nitrogen intake that makes our plants more susceptible to insects and disease problems. Plants are not meant to grow in spurts, but through a slow progression of soil building with such products as manure, compost and other natural organic products.
Natural organic fertilizers add humus to our soil, which it lacks in the Southwest. Humus turns into humic acid and also contains many trace elements. Along with the benefits of organic fertilization, one of the best is that it is almost impossible to burn the plant if you add a little too much of humus.

The following are some of my favorite organic fertilizers.

Alfalfa meal: It's just plain guinea pig food. I spread it under my roses, vegetables or anything else that needs an extra boost. Citrus trees seem to love it. I also make a tea from it by soaking 1 cup in a 5-gallon bucket and then applying it on my shrub's root system.

Blood meal: Blood meal mixed with cottonseed makes an excellent lawn food. Spread it with a whirly bird spreader and watch your yard grow without the danger of synthetic chemical fertilizers.

Bone meal: This is used to stimulate flower production. High in phosphate, it makes sense to work it well into the soil before planting flowers. Try the same technique when planting tomatoes.

Composted cattle manure: This is easy and cheap to use to start all vegetable beds. It's great.

Compost: This is only ingredient you need. You can make foliar tea, fertilize with it and use it for weed and disease control. It can be used on all plants.

Cottonseed meal: It's high in nitrogen and works great in our high-alkaline soils. Because it has a low pH, make sure it comes from organically grown cotton.

Fish emulsion: Emulsion is used as general insect spray when applied. I use it outside for most of my potted plant fertilization.

Liquid seaweed: Seaweed can be used as a foliar spray. It will also control spider mites and white flies. Liquid seaweed contains a lot of trace elements and should be the first ingredient used in a foliar spray program because it makes fertilizer and trace elements more available to the plant. Purchase this at Sea of Green in Tempe.

Super Thrive: I have used this product since college. I do not understand all of the ingredients, but some are vitamins and hormones. I have personally seen amazing results with this product.



The Home Made Weed Control Recipe:
1 Gallon White Vinegar (Pickling if possible)
1 oz Orange Oil (Zeps - Home Depot or Lowes)
1-2 Drops Joy Liquid Dishsoap
Mix Slowly and use in a sprayer for weeds. Spray of weeds in the hottest time of the day

Organic Pest Controls

There are a number of organic techniques I use to reduce the amount of pests in and around my home. Best of all, none of them will harm pets, children or the environment.

Surrounding your garden with upright rosemary not only repels insects, but it makes a nice hedge. Rosemary naturally repels insects and smells and looks great, too.

If you have ant problems, try sprinkling bay leaves in and around problem areas. Bay leaves can also be placed throughout your pantry and cabinets for added protection.

In addition, peppermint, tansy and geraniums have been known to ward off ants.

If you have cats or dogs, try growing catnip in their runs. Even though it tends to be a little invasive, catnip repels ants and fleas. You can also try growing it in pots around your pets' feeding bowls.

If your four-legged friends have tick problems, try planting rue and lavender -- they have both been known to repel ticks.

Remember: Lavender needs well-drained soil, so mix a lot of sand into the hole you plant it in.

Another herb that grows almost all year in the ground and in pots is basil. Not only is it great for cooking, but basil will ward off flies and mosquitoes.
Tip: Grow basil in an area that receives afternoon shade.