Rambling in the Garden

Protecting your Garden from the Birds

2010-07-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

I wrote an article last month about using netting as a way to protect your prized fruit trees and vegetable garden from the birds. And I got an education about WHY THAT MAY NOT BE THE BEST SOLUTION!

Deborah, one of my readers, volunteers at Liberty Wildlife in Scottsdale, AZ and took the time to share a few facts about the trouble netting causes the birds:

“In our public outings with the Education birds, we attempt to increase the public's awareness about the impact of various materials on wildlife. Topics range from fishing line left on the ground, balloons, plastic, and netting.

Right now, at Liberty Wildlife a Cooper's hawk will probably have to be euthanized because his legs were entangled in netting. Blood flow was cut off for too long of a time before he was found, and he can not properly use his talons. He is a beautiful, fully-flighted bird who cannot use his feet, and therefore, unable to survive in the wild. He was not going for the fruit; Cooper's hawks are meat eaters. “

Thanks Deborah – I never stopped to think about this – I always cut up the plastic rings from a six-pack of beverages as I remember learning they end up in the ocean and sea life gets trapped in them, but I had not considered the impact of bird netting and the birds!

I did a little more research and found this: "..but in many cases products like nylon bird netting degrade rapidly and quickly become ineffective due to poor installation. Degraded nylon bird netting also has the potential to entrap wild birds,..." (PiCAS)

Here are a few other things you could use:

Hang old CDs or DVDs in the tree with a sturdy twine. Do not use fishing wire for the same reason that it could get wrapped around a birds led or body.
Use very sheer curtains you get from a thrift shop, yard sale, or your own linen closet!
Same for using any sheer material with really small holes so the bird can’t get tangled in them
Pick the fruit and let it ripen off the tree somewhere safe from the birds.

Always plant more than you need, in case the birds get to it before you!! Share the surplus is a Permaculture ethic and one that goes to animals and as well as humans. You won’t be so discouraged if you have plenty of food in the garden for everyone.

By keeping a garden that supports and doesn’t harm the eco-systems you will find that in the long run, you will need less additives to your garden like fertilizers and other chemicals. Birds also eat bugs that may be damaging to your garden, so don’t scare all of them away!!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Are Summer Gardens a Sustainable Option in Phoenix?

2010-07-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

Are Summer Gardens a Sustainable Option in Phoenix?

I am beginning to re-think growing my own food – in the middle of the summer in Phoenix! Today was the 5th day in a row over 110 degrees, it has been 75 days since the last rain fall and the low temps are still in the 90’s. Every morning I get up to check on the plants, water them, and hope for the best.

I practice safe gardening – I mulch the soil, shade the plants and deep water. Yet when it is this hot and dry (did I mention no humidity?) the plants get stressed. Seems like the only thing I can do is add more water. I need to water more frequently as the soil seems to dry out more quickly, especially when the wind picks up even ever so slightly. My water usage is double what it was last month and no one is visiting me use the household water – it is all going into the vegetable garden.

I get so much more from my garden than just food, but it is usually when I am puttering in the garden beds. This time of year who even wants to be outside? My morning routine is consumed with jumping out of bed and dashing outside to check the garden before it gets too hot for me or them. Walking the dog takes a back seat to the garden. Seeing those sad puppy-dog eyes is hard, but the plants need me too!

Yet I can’t just stop watering either now that they are growing. It would be akin to killing them! I couldn’t even kill the one-legged grasshopper I found in my bedroom today (thanks to the cat). He seemed half dead, so I pout him in the kitchen compost pail. I will et him die naturally while nibbling on the vegetable scraps! But I digress.

It’s all in the planning – time make a note in the calendar of the garden journal for next year to remind myself to get the summer plants in early enough so they provide a harvest earlier in the summer and I can put the garden bed to sleep for the summer. Then I can take some time to get out of the heat!!

How is your garden handling this AZ summer heat?

Stay Cool,
The garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

It’s Mosquito Time!

2010-06-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

It’s Mosquito Time!

Even the low-desert in Arizona has mosquitoes. With the upcoming rains it is important to check your yard and gardens for standing water. Here are some typical places to check:

• Ridding your backyard of standing water. Common places include old tires, buckets, wheelbarrows, gutters, and pet dishes.

• Emptying plastic wading pools, birdbaths, plant pots, or drip trays every four to five days.

• Draining standing puddles, ditches, tree holes, or tree stumps.

• Ensuring your swimming pools and decorative ponds/fountains are clean and operational.

• Fixing or installing window and door screens around your home, and properly maintaining your evaporative cooler.

• Avoiding over-watering your lawn.

For more detailed information about mosquitoes and to get an email with WHERE and WHEN Maricopa County is spraying the pesticide check their website: or cut & paste this into your browser - http://www.maricopa.gov/Public_Health/HotTopics/wnv/

Mosquitoes are more than annoying. In some parts of the U.S. they carry the West Nile Virus. You can help repel them from you naturally by applying these to your skin and you will smell great too! Use Vanilla Oil (REAL vanilla oil from Mexico) or Lavender Oil dabbed on your wrists.

Safe Gardening,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

AZ Garden Resources - friends of mine

2010-06-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

AZ Garden Resources - new friends of mine

Today I came across some great resources for AZ Gardeners:

http://terroirseeds.net/ Heirloom Seeds, recipes and good advice

http://www.seedsave.org/ Bill McDormand is an expert is seed saving techniques and practices

http://humbleseed.com/blog/category/humbleseed/ Heirloom seeds, plant information, recipes and sustainable living advice

http://www.lgpg.com/ - this company helps lawn and garden businesses with new product launches as well as selling a business or acquiring one.

These fine folks are all members of the Garden Writers Association, http://www.gardenwriters.org/ which I am too!

Please check them out and tell them The Garden Goddess sent you!

Ahppy Digging
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Garden Dissapointment

2010-06-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Garden Dissapointment

Maybe I should be de-throwned - take away my goddess-hood - my garden looks awful! This is the time of year - as we lead into summer - when plants begin to slow down, tomatoes stop flowering and the garden looks sad - pitiful.

I also have a few dead Bachelor Button plants in the garden becuase they are shading the peppers and cucumbers. And I laid down alfalfa hay as a mulch - so it's just not as pretty as the winter/spring garden.

It is also the fact that I have a hard time pulling anything out of the garden. I let the hollyhocks, bachelors buttons, and mexican hats grow full term and go to seed - (ALMOST - I pulled them earlier this year so they wouldn't re-seed this time) that I do not have room for the next season's plants or seeds early enough in the year.

So I PROMISE that I will become better at planning on paper and with a calendar so I can grow more food and keep the flowers to their own space so I may keep the honorary title of Garden Goddess and I will be equally PROUD of my summer garden as I am of my wionter garden!

What are you growoing in your garden this summer and how are you protecting it from the sun?

Safe Sunning!
The Garden Goddess

http://www.down2earthgardens.com/ - a NEWLY redesigned websiute - please visit!

Mesquite Trees provide a Healthy Food

2010-06-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

This traditional Native American food is produced by gathering ripened seedpods from the mesquite tree and grinding them into high protein flour. Mesquite meal or flour is low carb, low fat, and low glycemic. The Arizona Natives; Velvet Mesquite, Honey Mesquite and Screw Bean Mesquite are best for a sweet tasting bean and hence good tasting flour.

The flour can be added to breads, cookies and similar things or it can be eaten by itself. Mesquite pods have lots of natural sugars, protein, calcium, and soluble fiber, which make it a nutritious and tasty food from the desert

The height of mesquite bean picking occurs typically in June (before the monsoons) and September (after the monsoons). The beans need to be picked from the trees when the beans are dry. It is a tight window to get them before they hit the ground.

If you want to begin collecting the mesquite beans here are the specifics:

• Collect only dry beans.

• Collect only beans that are on the trees (spread a sheet on the ground and shake the branches.) DO NOT collect beans from the ground as you don’t know what kind of pollutants or other contaminants have gotten on them.

- Make sure that no pesticides are sprayed in the area where the beans are collected as it will become part of the flour

There is a specific way to grind them (you could ruin your blender if you try it your self!) with a hammermill. There is usually one availaible on the fall through the Phoenix Permaculture Guild,

OR join ME this coming Saturday, June 5th for a walk-about in a city park to kearn how to identify the trees and learn more about this wonderful native food!
Happy Picking!
The Garden Goddess,
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

The Peaches are Almost Ready

2010-05-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is the first year I got peaches on my May Pride Peach Tree. The tree has been in the ground in my garden for a year. There are 15 peaches turning a pretty rosy-pinky color! I go out ever day to give them a little squeeze to see if they are ripening.

I noticed that two of the peaches have little holes in them - perhaps the birds? I have lots of birds (Verden Wrens and even a love bird!) becasue of my sunflower forest!

What's growing in your garden on May??

Happy Digging, Doreen
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Watching Ladybugs Being Born

2010-05-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

Watching Ladybugs Being Born

Today I was given a wonderful birthday gift – a chance to watch Ladybugs aka Ladybirds emerge from their immature state.

As I was walking through the garden this morning I noticed little black bugs all over the Cilantro plant that had bolted a few weeks ago. I was hoping to harvest the coriander seeds (the seed of cilantro) but instead saw these bugs. Upon closer scrutiny I noticed the ladybugs as well. Some of them looked like they were pupating right before my eyes.

(The yellow spot is the larvae shell and the red spot is the lady bug.

What a wonderful site it was. I even saw one ladybug take her first flight! They will have plenty to eat and drink in my garden with all of the aphids and nectar from the wild flowers.

What a wonderful thing I witnessed by just observing!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

I ate Dandelions for Dinner

2010-05-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't like them. Here's the recipe I tried:

Dandelion Greens Saute

1 lb. dandelion greens
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Wash and slice greens. Blanch in enough water to cover about 1 minute. Drain and saute in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then add the sesame and garlic and saute for couple minutes more. Add the sesame oil and serve.

I think it may have been to olive oil - it was one of those flavored ones (Basil flavored). But the dish just tasted yucky. Too many different flavors perhaps.

If I can get another bunch of dandelion greens from Maya again this week, I am going to try the one with bacon! Everything tastes great with bacon! :)

Happy Digging (Eating?)
The Garren Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Simple Gardening Tips for Earth Day

2010-04-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

Love your Mother – Earth, that is!

Happy Earth Day 2010.

Forty years ago, in 1970 amidst the Vietnam War and the last of the real hippies, the first Earth Day was celebrated. I don’t think I took much notice back then and for the next two decades. I was too caught up in my own world of abundance and working for a large corporation where the money seemed endless. As long as my own little world wasn’t affected it was hard for me to feel that anything was going wrong. Sure there were movies that brought things to light, like Erin Brocovich and Three Mile Island, but again those things happened to other people, not me, so I never felt the impact.

But now days I DO care what happens to the Earth. And one of the things that has been the most FUN for me is figuring out how to NOT buy new things, especially in the garden, except of course plants. But even with plants I am learning more about propogating and collecting the seeds from my own plants and flowers so I do not need to buy anymore.

As my plants begin to end their life they will flower and go to seed. I am learning patience as I watch nature's life cycle unfold before my eyes. Last week, a started to collect the broccoli seeds.

Notice how long the stalks are in photo #1, the pods in #2 and finally the seeds in #3. Amazing. I have hundreds of seeds for next fall now all off of 4 plants that I let go to seed! And this morning I started taking out my wildflowers and have hundres of blue bells, african daisy and soon California poppies.

But seed saving isn't the only thing you can do to help Mother Earth. At a recent Garden Coaching session with Stefania, she showed me the compost sifter she made using an old plastic plant tray she got from the nursery when she bought plants and a piece of left over wire fencing she had from her garden fence. (you can see the fence in the background). She used zip ties to hold it together. She loves the size and light weight nature of it. It is easy to use by herself over a small trash can. Very creative. No plastic going to the recycle plant here.

How will you celebrate Earth Day this year? Perhaps stay home and play in the garden, get creative and find a use for the things you might dispose of or even recycle. Start a tool share club with your neighbors, pledge to not buy anything new for 30 days, start a compost pile. YOU name it!

What will you plan to do for your Mother - Earth that is!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Check out this cool on-line planning tool!

How much to plant and how to increase your yield to feed your family

2010-04-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

Planning Your Vegetable Garden

How much to plant and how to increase your yield to feed your family

Every vegetable gardener I know is always looking for ways to get more food from their gardens. I certainly am and so are many of the people I work with on putting in a new garden. There are several theories and practices being used across the country today to get more yield from home gardens. They are all sound and very similar and have several common themes running through them.

Since I garden using permaculture practices I have summarized the practices that support creating a more self sustaining garden that will produce higher yields and need less work and outside resources like fertilizers, water and ME!

It is important to review some of the basics in setting up your garden before going into the specifics of how to actually garden. Garden placement is just as important as what plants or seeds you put into the garden. Making sure your garden gets the proper amount of sun or shade (as in the case of very sunny places like AZ, NV, CA and TX) as well as its proximity to the home and a water source.

Six to eight hours of sun are necessary for healthy, strong plants. However, if you live in a particularly hot sunny location like me, in Phoenix, AZ, you will want those sun hours to be in the morning and early afternoon. Creating a garden where you see it on a daily basis will help you keep an eye on what is happening in your garden so you can react quickly to water needs and attacks by pests. Whether or not you choose to have an automated watering system is up to you, but have the water nearby so you are not dragging hoses all over the garden/landscape and risk damaging plants.

The size of the garden bed will have an impact on how much food is produced since plants need a certain amount of room to grow to a healthy, mature size. A well-amended soil will nourish plants and provide the nutrients, beneficial bacteria, nematodes and other micro-organisms necessary for growth.

Determining What to Plant

This will sound very basic but what do you eat? List your favorite vegetables, ask the kids what they like to eat and plant those plants. If you are just starting out in gardening keep it to those foods that you can easily find in the grocery store. These are the plants that will be easiest to grow. The more exotic the food, the more challenging to grow!

How much do you eat? Does everyone in the family enjoy it and how often? Do you want to can or freeze some food and how much? First, consider how you measure-in pints or cups. Usually a pint will feed two people. Then multiply that by how often you actually eat that particular food. That will give you an idea of how many pints or pounds you need. Repeat this calculation for all the food your family eats.

Factor in a little additional food for the uncontrollable variables that will impact the health of the plant. Pests, disease and adverse weather will impact the amount of produce on the plants. I like to error on planting a little more than I think I need as I can always share the excess with friends and neighbors if I truly have too much! Also, in order to eat that food throughout a full year, you will need to preserve some.

I will be teaching this and MORE this Wednesday, Apreil 14th in Tempe, AZ. Find out more here

I hope to see you in a class or in your garden soon!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

How to handle young seedlings

2010-04-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

I get a monthly newsletter from GrowVeg.com who has a fabulous garden planning tool. You can try it for 30 days for free. Check it out here.

This article excerpt is from Barbara Pleasant their American horticultural expert and an award-winning garden writer. Since I start a lot of my seeds in the ground or in small pots outside I have seen some of the conditions she menitons. These seedlings are so delicate that it is important you handle them correctly if you want them to flourish.

Pricking Out Seedlings
About half of the seedlings I start indoors grow exactly as they should, with one sturdy plant near the middle of each seedling container, so that the root ball forms a plug plant type mass. The others come up crowded, and need to be 'pricked out' – gardening lingo for separating the little seedlings and transplanting them to individual containers. Gardeners who buy seedlings also do a fair amount of pricking out, because it’s not usual to find several lettuce, basil or even tomato seedlings growing in the same pot. Transplanting the young seedlings to individual containers can double or triple your supply of plants.

You can read the rest of her article here.

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Do Corn-based Utensils Really Co/mpost

2010-03-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

My local Coffee Shop, Urban Beans, gave me some coffee grounds for my compost and in it were several cups and utensils made out of corn - they are supposed the break down in the compost.

Well the cup is now like tissue papaer, but the utensils, which were much thicker did not break down.

I found a few other things as well. A felt tip pen-which still works! And the band from a milk bottle.

What interesting things have you found in your compost or what unusual item have you tried to compost?

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Organic Fertilizing for the Garden

2010-03-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Fertilizing is one of those things that used to confuse me. Now I take a much simpler approach. I the feed the Soil Food Web and let it take care of everything else. When the soil food web is in balance and thriving the plants figure out the rest. The elements they need to thrive and grow are readily available to them.

Why is all this important? Because I want to help my landscape plants endure the stresses of the environment such as heat, drought, dehydration and poor soils.

To do this, I use Soil Secrets.

My favorite products make up a great Soil Therapy Restoration Protocol.

Earth Magic is a unique concentrated humus that contains a broad spectrum of beneficial mycorrhizae fungi and soil enzymes. Research has proven that Mycorrhizal products can make any landscape dramatically more drought tolerant and the plants healthier, as it’s the mycorrhizae that do most of the hard work of finding water and minerals of the soil and provide those factors to the plants of your landscape. This helps your landscape plants endure the stresses of the environment such as heat, drought, dehydration and poor soils. Humus is equally important and essential in order to
have a healthy soil, as it is humus that defines what a top-soil is. Almost without exception both Humus and Mycorrhizae are either missing or are weak in most manmade landscapes in the country, therefore supplementing these two factors is beneficial and important.

Protein Crumblies® Nature’s best source of nutritional calories for feeding the soil. Derived from selected vegetable proteins grown for Soil Secrets and blended for the best ratios of amino acids, this product is the only product in the industry made with these amino acid ratios. Soil Microorganisms are part of the Soil Food Web and Protein Crumblies has the highest protein efficiency ratio possible for feeding these microorganisms which will in turn help in providing the best nutritional support for the Soil Food Web, which is how nature keeps a landscape healthy.When using Protein Crumblies do not use any other source of fertilizers! This product is a catalyst for Earth Magic and both products need to be used together for best results.

Earth Ambrosia® Humus is the ultimate starter for successful soil and this product is the best liquid humus made. Liquid’s always move into the soil faster than a dry material which is why we provide humus in this form. But for optimum results always use Earth Magic in order to get the maximum amount of humus into your soil possible.
Earth Nectar® A super drink for the soil! There’s no question about it, microbes rule, as they run all the major chemical cycles on the earth by making the enzymes that serve as the chemical catalysts. This product is a broad spectrum of soil based enzymes made by microbes as they were fed a formulation of our TTP Supreme Compost, whole kelp, humus, and plant extracts.

This “Soil Therapy Restoration Protocol” can be used to recover the Soil Food Web on new or existing landscape, garden or turf areas. This is a suggested one year plan for inoculating 1,000 square feet. There is flexibility in application rates; however, keep in mind that by decreasing the number of applications or amount, you may see good results but with less dramatic changes in the soil and growth in the first couple of years.

1. INITIAL INOCULATION:

The mixtures can be applied before or after planting. If the area has already been mulched, sprinkle on top and water in.

Dry mix: Earth Magic and Protein Crumblies

Liquid mix: Earth Nectar and Earth Ambrosia

Dry mix can be spread by hand or by other various spreaders for home or commercial use. Whichever
method is used, try to spread as evenly as possible. Liquid mix can be applied with a sprinkling can, hose end sprayer or other home/commercial spraying equipment.
After dry and liquid mixes have been applied water area well immediately. OPTION: Apply mixture during rainy season and the rain will soak it in.

2. FOLLOW-UP:

The products above can be also used to feed the initial application throughout the year.

Protein Crumblies are the key to success in jump starting the Soil Food Web by providing a high quality calorie source with Chelated trace minerals, Biostimulants, enzymes and, of course, Protein. The Protein will enter the bacterial food chain and start a slow release of Nitrogen at the proper pace for all plants.

A. Protein Crumblies: Three to four months after the initial application spread the other half package of
Protein Crumblies.
B. Nectar/Ambrosia: Once a month after the initial application you can sprinkle another Liquid Mix
I have all of these product availaible right now in Phoenix, AZ. Please let me know if you would like more information, or are interested in purchasing some for your gardens!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens,com/

Radicchio Rosettes

2010-03-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

I spent some time at my neighborhood garden on Monday where I am expanding my edible gardens. I found that some of my winter veggies get so BIG that I need more room. I took over an existing bed that had nothing but last years lemon balm and lots of tall hollyhocks along the fence where I planted more eggplant, tomatoes and basil (I will be eating Mediterranean style this summer!)

While there I added a few flowers, marigolds seem to be my signature flower – I like them for there sturdiness and bright color as well for their companion properties. They seem to help keep the pests away or become a trap plant.

The front garden needed a little clean up – the radishes where still in the ground and covered in aphids, so they got pulled out. And the radicchio had not been thinned. This bed is planted and managed by volunteers more as a demonstration garden and doesn’t get the TLC it needs. As I was thinning the radicchio, I threw the immature leaves in my bag and took them home for a salad.

While I was cleaning the radicchio, I noticed how the leaves all curled into each other like a rose, making these pretty rosettes.

I found myself arranging them in a pretty martini glass to photograph them to show them off to you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

This may be one of the prettiest lettuces I have ever seen and eaten!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Resting in the Garden

2010-03-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is Annie relaxing after the Master Gardeners Garden tour at my house last Saturday - I had over 900 people walk through my gardens. What a wonderful day it was sharing my plants and ideas with others. Of course everything was in tip-top shape due to all the great rain we got the weeks before and the wonderful help of many Master Gardener volunteers who came to help weed and clean up the yard. I am so thankful for them, I couldn't have done it without them.

One of my favorite comments overheard at my garden was from a landscape architect who said they really liked my gardens and one other the best because they were in smaller yards and they showed a great use of space and what can be done in a truly urban yard.

I am flattered and pleased since that has been my goal all along and to have someone from my industry say that means I have done what I set out to accomplish!

I am ready to take a break from my own gardens for a few weeks and just what what transpires. The peach tree has blossomed and baby peaches are growing, same for the apple.

The winter veggies are starting to mature, some bolting to go to seed, others flower and then going to seed. But there is still much to eat, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, yellow peppers, Sweet 100 tomatoes all which end up in my lunch or dinner daily.

Here's me resting and hugging the broccoli after the tour - ahh it is good to be the Garden Goddess!

Happy Digging, Doreen

Growing Plants is Like Raising Kids

2010-02-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

It occured to me the other day that growing plants is like raising kids - sort of. You plant the seeds, watch them emerge, water and feed them, protect them from the cold, talk sweetly to them, ohh and ahh when the grow or produce a flower, take care of them when they get sick (aphids!) and mourn when they die or are just done for the season.
That's what I have been doing this past month. It seemed like the garden went through so many changes with all the rain we got and then warm days. I have eaten all of the broccoli already and the cauliflower matured all at once so I gave some away. Now I am looking at the openings in the garden and planning what to plant for the warmer months. So far I have planted eggplant, tomatoes, more herbs, basil, dill, parsley, red onions, edamame and of course marigolds!

If you are just getting your veggie garden in - don't worry. There are still things to plant and eat before it gets really warm here in AZ. Some of you may have gardens still covered in snow, so you may be starting the seeds indooors in a sunny wondow. I love to recycle materials for that like toilet paper and paper towel rolls for the tiny 'pots' and the clear plastic carry out containers as mini green houses.

The wildflowers are are blooming at my house too! The wild areas of the desert should be beautiful this year. Where is your favorite place to see wildflowers in the wild? I will also be getting out to one of my favorite places here in the Valley of the Sun - The Desert Botanical Gardens. They have a fabulous wild flower trail! What are you doing to get ready for the next growing season in your neck of the woods?

I am dressed to get out and mow the grass again, top dress the garden beds with Soil Secrets to feed the soil micro organisms before we get another winter rain this weekend.

What are your gardening plans for the weekend?

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Fertilizing Citrus

2010-02-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Fertilizing Citrus

Here in the low desert, citrus is fertilized three times a year. I use an easy way to remember when to do it using holidays: Valentine's Day, (February), Memorial Day (June), and Labor Day (September).

Recent research from the University of Arizona demonstrates that fertilizing newly planted citrus is unnecessary. Wait until your tree has been in the ground for two years before applying fertilizer.

Nitrogen is the element that established citrus trees need the most and it is responsible for assuring a good fruit crop and a healthy tree. Feeder roots are located just below the surface of the soil, so it is important not to over fertilize, which could burn these tender roots. The amount of fertilizer you use will vary according to the age and size of the tree, and in some cases the variety of tree. Established grapefruit trees only need one-half the amount of fertilizer normally given to other varieties of citrus. Use this chart to determne how much to use.

Water the tree the day before, broadcast the fertilizer over the root zone and water in well. Remember to water deeply-water should seep down at least 3 feet! This may mean using a hose with a slow trickle for several hours. Test the depth with a metal rod. It will stop when it reaches the hard dry ground!

You can purchase cirus fertilizer at almost any garden center, however I prefer to get mine at a private nursery. I also use Soil Secrets to build the soil so the tree can take up the nutrients easier. I have soil secrets for local distribution if you are interested so drop me a line!

Don't expect much fruit production for the first two to four years after planting. Some trees on slower-growing rootstocks may take five or six years to produce a bountiful crop.

Happy Digging!
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Time for Tomatoes

2010-02-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

February seems to be about all things RED. Valentine's Day, Heart Month, and now tomato planting time!

If, like me, you live in the low desert of Arizona, there are a few tricks to growing tomatoes. Selecting the best type of tomato helps. Because tomatoes can split with too much water and water is one of the most challenging elements to regulate, I like to plant cherry or grape tomatoes. An especially prolific type is called Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. I planted one this fall as an experiment and it has grown slowly, but provided me a handfull of ripe tomaotes all winter. I expect it will take off once the weather warms up a bit more! However, my friend Liz has one that is on it's third season and provides bowls of tomatoes a week and grows as tall as her house!

Tomatoes are tricky. Blossom End Rot, is a common disorder of tomatoes in the low desert. It is believed to be caused by a calcium deficiency in the plant as a result of stress due to uneven irrigation. Our desert soils and irrigation water generally have plenty of calcium, so calcium deficiency problems in the soil are rare and adding calcium to the soil is not effective. Instead, apply several inches of an organic mulch to help retain constant moisture by regular irrigation to even out water movement in the plants. For more information, refer to U of A Fact Sheet "Tomato Blossom End Rot in the Low Desert".

Here's an excerpt from a Master Gardener publication on planting them to increase their sturdiness.

"When you are ready to put home-grown or purchased plants into the ground, select stocky transplants about six to ten inches tall. Set tomato transplants in the ground covering the stems so that only two or three sets of true leaves are exposed. Horizontal planting of tomato plants is an effective way to make plants stronger, especially leggy ones. Roots will form along the buried portion of the stem, giving better growth and less chance of plant injury from a too-weak stem. Do not remove the containers if they are peat or paper pots, but open or tear off one side to allow roots to get a good start. If non-biodegradable containers are used, knock the plants out of the pots before transplanting, and loosen the roots somewhat. Press the soil firmly."

You can read their publication on tomatoes here.

Slow Food Phoenix is hosting a Tomato Fest February 13th from 10am-4pm at Maya's Farm at The Farm at South Mountain located at 6106 S. 32nd Street in Phoenix. Tomatoes can be hard to grow in the desert. Come join us and learn all the ins and outs of being successful with tomatoes.

They will have classes taught by local tomato experts on choosing the variety that's right for you, prep and planting in your garden, pruning and caring for your tomatoes, and how to keep them around all year long. To attend the event and purchase tomato starts is free. To attend any one or all three of the classes the cost is $10 each or all three for $25. To RSVP for the event and purchase tickets please visit http://slowfoodtomato.eventbrite.com/ Class size is limited to 35 people for each class.

I hope this encourage you to plant a few tomayoes this year. I know I will plant a few heirloom type just for a bit of variety.

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledge Jaunary Quz Results

2010-02-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Here's the answer to question 3 - True or False, Herbs are great in an organic garden, but some sre best grown in contaniers - TRUE!

What's a garden without herbs? Not only are they beautiful to look at and often delightfully aromatic, they're useful in the kitchen. It's one of the green gardener's great joys to be able to go right out to the kitchen door to pick a handful of fresh and tasty organic oregano for a spaghetti sauce, basil for a salad, or mint for a soothing tea.

Herbs are easy to grow. Most like plenty of sunshine and well-drained soil, but some-including wild ginger, mints and wintergreen-do well in shade; ask you nursery for a full list.

About the only caveat with herbs is that some will take over you garden if you're not careful. Mint is notorious for this, so it's best to plant it in a container. Never use any botanical poison on herbs, as you'll probably be eating them at some point.

Question and answer courtesy of the Sierra Club, Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards

A congratulations to Meredith from South Carolina for answering the most January questions correctly!

Stay tuned for the February questions coming soon!

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz-January Question #3 - Herbs

2010-01-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here's the answer to Question #2 - What are some ways to reduce mosquitoes in the garden?

The green gardeners's first mosquito-reduction mission is to eliminate all unintentional reservoirs of standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stll water. Neglected birdbaths, crumpled plastic tarps, and rain-filled flowerpots ate common sources.

If you have a garden pond, try stocking it with mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) which eat mosquito larvae; or float a thin film of mineral oil on the pond to suffocate the larvae (just be sure it won't do the same to your fish).

Once the adult mosquitoes are airborne, bats are a great natural control. One bat can catch hundreds of mosquitoes per hour. Adding a bat box to your yard can attract these flying aces.

Finally fill your yard with mosquito-repelling plants which include basil, eucalyptus, citrosa geraniums, lavender, mint rosemary, sage and thyme.

Answer taken from the Sierra Club, Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.

Question #3

True or False and WHY
Herbs are great in an organic garden, but some are best grown in containers.

Remember to make your comment below. Best of luck !

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens,com/

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz-January Question #2 -Mosquitoes

2010-01-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz-January Question #2

Last weeks question: The common housefly is probably the world's most common pest. But not all flies are detrimental. Which of the following are good for the garden? a. crane fly, b. robber fly, c. syrphid fly, d. tachnid fly, e. all of the above?

The answer: All are good! Crane flies-sometimes called mosquito hawks-look like giant mosquitoes, but they don't bite people. The adults usually feed on nectar, although some species eat other insedts. The larvae eat decaying plant matter.

Robber flies swoop down and grab flying insects out of the air. Their long legs have spurs that immobilize the prey, which can include just about anything-even bees. As larvae, they live in rotting wood or in the ground, eating insect eggs and larvae.

Syrphid flies, also called hover flies, look like bees and hover over flowers. As adults they eat plant nectar, making them perfect pollinators. As larvae, they eat aphids, mealybugs, and other garden pests. To attract the adult, plant daisies, marigolds, and sunflowers.

Tachnid flies are large gray flies that lay eggs on cutworms, caterpillars, or the eggs (or larvae) of harlequin bugs, Japenese beetles, and other common garden pets, which their larvae then eat!

Answer courtesy of the Sierra Club Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledege Cards

Only one person answered last weeks question correctly. You still have a chance to win a book on sustainablity. The person who is first to answer the most question WINS!

Question 2.

What are some ways to reduce mosquitoes in the garden?

Hint: NO pesticides!

Just make you comment below for a chance to be a winner!

Happy Digging!
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Today's Harvest-broccoli, grapefruit and paper whites

2010-01-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today's Harvest-broccoli, grapefruit and paper whites

I took this picture just minutes ago with my Blackberry phone, sent it to my self in an email from the phone, clicked on Blog in Picasa and now I am writing about it to you - too cool!

My Broccoli is growing quickly with all this warm weather we have had. Looks like my neighbor's (one is a gret chef) will get one of these tonight - maybe I could give him both of them and he could whip up something really yummy!!

The paperwhites are blooming all over the garden and this one now sits on my desk wherw I can smell its' heavenly scent while I wrok.

And the grapefruits are ready to eat. The crop is a little smaller this year - both less fruit and smaller fruit. Could be due to the 3.5 inches of rain we got ALL year in 2009? City water just isn't the same as rain water!

What are you eating form your edible yard?

Happy Nibbling!
The Garden Goddess
www.down2earhgardens.com

Pruning Deciduous Fruit Trees

2010-01-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

In Phoenix, AZ it is time to prune deciduous fruit trees. Yes, these are apple trees - one year old apple trees which I planted as bare root trees last January. They actually bore fruit last year, a fluke I am sure, so I am not expecting any this year. These small trees are still developing their roots, so I am trimming them back to allow more energy to go the developing strong, healthy roots.

They are now about 4 feet high. I cut the lead branch about one foot on each tree. I also want to keep them to about 8 - 10 feet high at maturity so I can easily harvest the apples without needing a really tall ladder.

Here's an easy tip to use when pruning. Keep about three branch nodes on each branch. Run your hand along the branch and you will feel bumps, which are the nodes. Feel for the nodes on the underside of the branch and cut about 1/4 inch about the third one from the trunk for NEW trees.

If your deciduous fruit tree is more mature, prune out crossing branches, any branch in the way of the house, a pathway, power line or deadwood. But be carfeul not to create any large openings in the canopy that will let in too much sunlight. The summer sun will scorch the bark!
Here's a few more trees you can prune this time of year (courteousy of Integrity Tree Service).

Prune deciduous trees and shrubs such as mulberry, pecan, elm, ash, desert willow, chaste, pomegranate, peach, plum and other stone fruits.
Lightly prune vigorous evergreens such as sumacs, eucalyptus and mesquites if they are heavy and need maintenance to keep them safe until their normal spring or summer pruning.

Prune olive trees before they are sprayed to give your applicator better coverage.

Phoenicians, enjoy the beautiful weather!

Happy Pruning,

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Garden Party - Make an Edible Container Garden

2010-01-08T11:02:00.001-07:00

Garden Party - Make an Edible Container Garden

Learn how to create a container garden with all edibles plants – herbs, lettuce, swiss chard and flowers!. Plus learn how to create the best potting soil using all organic materials. Soil and plants provided. You supply the pot/container. Added bonus – a tour of my gardens and an overview of how they were created.

(Container at left has swiss chard, stock, pansy - all edible!

When: Saturday, January 16th. 2010

Time: 1 – 3 PM

Where: Home of the Garden Goddess – 12th Street and McDowell, Phoenix, AZ

Cost $30

Please RSVP HERE– You will get exact address when you do!

Can't attend - host one at YOUR home and you getthe class and supplies for free - just ask me how!

Doreen Pollack

http://www.down2earthgardens.com/ - Garden Consultations and water-wise gardening

Twitter http://FollowDoreenPollack.com

Earth Friendly Garden Quiz - December Winner

2010-01-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

The answer to last week’s question: What are nematodes, and do you want them in your garden? is: Nematodes are tiny roundworms sometimes called eelworms. Traditionally considered the bane of a gardener’s existence, many nematode species are indeed detrimental, sucking sap from your plants or attacking them at the roots. But other species are beneficial. Some encourage your compost to ripen, while other control Japanese beetles, cutworms, fleas and other pests.

The pest-controlling nematodes are parasites. They enter the host insect and release bacteria that eventually kill it. If they do their job well, eventually no more hosts will remain, and the nematodes themselves will then dies off.

Control detrimental nematodes by planting resistant cultivars of your crops, rotating crops, and planting African marigolds between successive crops-the marigold roots are toxic to nematodes.

(Thanks again to The Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards for the Sierra Club for this information.)

And the winner is…….

Congratulations to Judy who was the first one each week to answer the question accurately! Donna was a close second. Judy will receive a pocket garden journal and a Chelsea Green Publishing book on water with lots of tips on how to conserve water including in the garden.

Now on to the January contest. Remember the rules to win are you must be the first person each week to answer the question accurately and be correct each week. All contest answers are courtesy of the Sierra Club’s – The Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.

Question One-The common housefly is probably the world’s most common pest. But not all flies are detrimental. Which of the following are good for the garden?

a. crane Flies
b. robber flies
c. syrphid flies
d. tachnid flies
e. all of the above

Good luck!

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

New Years’ Day Harvest and Planting

2010-01-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

New Years’ Day Harvest and Planting

Among the many things I have to be thankful for and appreciate is the beautiful winter weather in Phoenix. After a very leisurely morning, watching the Rose Parade and admiring all of the beautiful floats made out of ALL plant material, chatting with family in Chicago and catching up with my roomie, I finally wandered outside about 11:30am.

I was greeted by the robins egg blue, cloudless sky and warm sun shine and the 65 degree temps. A perfect day for planting! My flower and veggie greens purchase earlier in the week were safely tucked under some bushes to protect them from cooler evening temps, but now it was the day to plant!

I set a goal of using mostly edibles plants and flower for my winter containers. I can’t resist the elegance of a tall red geranium – doubtful the flower petals are edible. But the rest of the flowers are edible: violas, stock, pansies, Johnny Jump-ups and of course nasturtiums. I also added some greens (different lettuces and swiss chards) to the containers near the guesthouse so my winter visitors could enjoy fresh salads.

I also added some more vegetables to the garden beds. My spinach never germinated so I transplanted several plants and I sowed the beet seeds Diane gave me last month. As I was planting I noticed I needed to do a little more thinning of the radishes and lettuces already in the ground. My New Year’s dinner tonight will have a wonderful fresh from the garden salad with lettuce, radishes, green peppers (YES, 8 green peppers still in the plant that was planted in March) and nectarines from Rhonda’s garden. I think I will top it with a few flowers just to add a bit of panache’.

My winter gardens were planted October 11 and it is great to be eating from them less than 60 days later. Now I just need some different ways to use the harvest! Cooking more - or not cooking but creating wonderful food in creative ways is one of my New Year's Resolutions!

Happy New Year to you all!

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Earth Friendly Garden Quiz - Final Question for December

2009-12-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Earth Friendly Garden Quiz - Final Question for December

Here's the answer to last week's question - True or False - 'Soil ' is just a fancy word for dirt.
False. To the organic gardener, soil is a complex stew of rock, sand, silt, clay, air, water, dead organic matter, and many living things including roots, insects, bacteria, and fungi - not to mention the earthworms, reptiles, and mammals it may harbor.

The organic gardener's foremost task is to make good soil. As the saying goes, "Feed the soil; the soil will feed the plants."

A given volume of soil should be equal parts solids and space. The solid half's content should be 90% mineral - sand, silt, and clay - and 10 percent organic matter (that's 5 % of total soil volume). The space half should hold equal parts air and water.

(Answer from Sierra Club's The Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.)

One of the easiest ways to get more organic matter in your soil is to use compost - and we can all make compost at home. Learn more about compost in the Arizona desert.

Now for the third and final question of the month and this one will make you think a little more.

What are nematodes, and do you want them in your garden?

Remember to reply through the comments section below. Next week, I will reveal the winner who answered all three questions correctly and who was the first one with the answers.

Wishing you a happy and safe New Year celebration!

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz - Second Question - Soil

2009-12-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz - Second Question - Soil

First - here's the answer to last weeks question (the first question for December).

Question: True or False? Bats should be discouraged from the garden because of their high potential for carrying rabies.

Answer: False. Although many people consider them creepy, bats are the gardener’s friend. On its nightly excursion, a single bat can eat 1,000 insects, many of which might otherwise have chowed down on the garden (e.g., beetle and moths) or the gardener (mosquitoes). Bats also pollinate some fruit and nut trees.

Contrary to persistent misconception, bats are not prime carriers of rabies. Few cases of human rabies have been attributed to bat bites, and most of those occurred when the victim attempted to pick up a bat found lying on the ground.

The only flying mammals, bats reproduce slowly and are vulnerable to extinction. Although they’re found throughout the U.S., nearly half the country’s bat species are threatened or endangered.

You can attract bats to your garden by erecting a bat house. This simple structure resembles a birdhouse, except the opening is at the bottom and the inside is designed so bats can hang when they roost.

The above is from The Sierra Club Knowledge Cards – The Earth Friendly Garden

NOW – Question Two – True or False – “Soil” is just a fancy word for dirt. Why?

Remember you must answer here on the blog in the comments found at the bottom of the post and include WHY to be eligible for the prize. The person who responds to all questions in the month of December correctly will win a book on living more simply.

There will be ONE MORE question next week.

Wishing you all a very happy holiday!!

The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Crazy Phoeinx, AZ Winter Storms

2009-12-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Crazy Phoenix, AZ Winter Storms

I know Arizona does not get the kinds of storms the east coast just experienced. Today is the first day of winter and it is forecasted to be 70 degress. We get rain in the Phoenix area - not snow.

And we do not get 'weather' that often. In fact. this past summer during our 'monsoon' season, we got very little rain or wind. So when it rains, is cloudy or there is a 'storm' we get excited - and actually happy!

Our first true winter storm is forcasted for this week - just in time to lower the temps to chill it down for Christmas Day. A 40% chance of rain isn't much, but in our town we get hopeful. Of course it WILL rain as I just hand washed my car at home on Saturday and cleaned the office windows from the last rain.

Speaking of the last rain, we also had a lot of wind. It knocked many of the leaves off the Chaste/Vitex tree on my back yard so that I could fill up my compost barrel.

It also whipped around in my front yard garden. A week prior, I had removed the lodge pole I used to stake the palo verde tree I planted last March. Desert native tress do not need to be staked very long at all. Just long enough to establish the roots - about 6 months. The movement actually helps to strengthen the tree trunk.

The tree did OK in the wind, but I noticed a gap in the soil all around the base of the tree - looks like that tree got whipped around quite a bit. The photo shows just how much it moved (using the house key to give perspective). I was amazed at how much strength both the wind had in moving the tree and the strength of the tree itself to withstand that kind of movement!

I also noticed my brocolli plants where leaning quite a bit. They are not broken, just leaning. They have moved more upright in the two weeks since the rain. However, I will leave them as is for now. None of the other plants looked any worse for the wind.

So while the rest of the U.S. is dealing with snow and freezing temps, here in Phoenix we are keeping our hopes up for rain again this week.

What's the weather doing where you live and how does it affect your garden?

Happpy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
http://www.donw2earthgardens.com/

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz - First Question

2009-12-15T20:02:00.006-07:00

Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz - First Question

I got a neat holiday gift last night that I will use for a new feature here on the blog. My friend did her shopping at the Sierra Club on-line store. The Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards (TM) is a deck of cards with a question about 'green' gardening and the answer on the other side of each card. I have had so much fun reading them and testing myself that I thought you might also enjoy playing and learning with me!

So each Wednesday I will post a question from the deck. You reply to the blog with your answer (post a comment). I will use the Sierra Club's answers as THE correct answer.

Only rule is that you must reply by Tuesday of the following week. I will post the answer in the post with the next weeks question.

The person who gets them all right for the month will win a copy of a current gardening or sustainable living book of my choosing. This means you will need to read the blog each week for the questions and answer right away! The first correct answer and the person who gets them all right for the month will be the winner.

OK ready for the first question?

True or False?

Bats should be discouraged from the garden because of their high potential for carrying rabies.

Respond with the answer and WHY!

Best of luck to you all!

The Garden Goddess

Brown Areas on Rosemary

2009-12-09T08:32:00.004-07:00

Brown Areas on Rosemary

This question came from the Maricopa County, AZ, Master Gardener Q&A email. I thought it might be a benefit to you!

Hello Annette -- If the rest of your rosemary plant is doing well, just cut out the brown/dying leaves and stems. Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant and is highly susceptible to root rot, since Mediterranean soils tend to be loose and well-drained and our desert soils typically are not. Root rot can cause all or part of the plant to die very quickly. To ward against root rot when planting rosemary, sage, thyme and lavenders, add lots of pumice or perlite and compost or mulch to your soil and create a small mound or place the plant in an area of your landscape where water will not sit on the roots. Also, rosemary in particular tends to be a great Xeriscape plant.

Once it's established (after about a year), you can almost turn off the dripper if it's on a drip irrigation system.

Hope this helps!
Carolyn Hills
Maricopa County Master Gardener Volunteer Member, Arizona Herb Association (http://www.azherb.org/)

Thanks to the Master Gardeners for their endless supply of knowledge!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Herb Potting Class at Maya's Farm

2009-12-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

Herb Potting Class at Maya's Farm
Saturday started out pretty chilly but as the morning wore on and we got busy learning about herbs, it didn't seems so bad. Thankfully Maya put on a hot pot of coffee and I bought (and made) lemon-basil butter cookies and rosemary shortbread (herbs can be used for many kinds of food!)

The pictures above are of the containers the students created. It was really fun to see the various pots and designs.

Besides learning how to pot the herbs, we also blended our own soil mixture using Maya's biodynamic compost and organic soil. Notice the flowers in some of the pots? Johny Jump Ups (viola's) flower petals are edible, too!

Now with the winter rain a few days later, these herb pots will be off to a great start!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Holiday Plants - Green Gift Giving

2009-11-29T18:45:00.005-07:00

Holiday Plants - Green Gift Giving

I was putting together a gift basket this weekend for a friend's fundraiser for AIDS and I decided to include one of my favorite holiday plants along with a gift certificate for an hour on my time.

The Christmas Cactus is a beautiful plant that doesn't have a sting of a cactus and all the color of a beautiful flowering house plant. Three similar “holiday cacti” are called by this name, but only one is the real thing. The branches of the much rarer Christmas cactus have scalloped edges—no “teeth”—and like to bloom from December thru March.

Most of them are blooming in the nurseries and stores now. Place it in a cool spot away for heat and it will provide you with lovely blooms for months.

However as with poinsettias, to promote blooming next year, keep the plant in total darkness from around 6pm to 8am each day; during the day, it should receive bright, normal light. After about six weeks, you’ll be rewarded with nice big fat flower buds. After that, keep it in bright light during the day with nighttime temps in the mid-sixties, and those buds should open in another six weeks or so.

So think green this holiday season and give the gift of living plants. Shop your local nursery for one that is sure to please even the pickiest of friends.

Happy Digging,

the Garden Goddess

The Hurry Up & Wait Game

2009-11-13T21:20:00.004-07:00

The Hurry Up & Wait Game

Now that the new season's gardens are all planted there really isn't much to do - but wait! Boy I was Hell-bent to get the beds planted - and in the midst of an injured foot. I had all the seeds, knew how I wanted to plant them out and what to put where and now that is is all done, I have lost my motivation!

Oh I get out to the gardens daily to check on them, see what's sprouting and what's not, pull a few weeds and maybe harvest a few swiss chard leaves or a summer sweet pepper or two.

But other than that, the hard work is done for a few months. You think I would be ecstatic, but I enjoy working with my hands in the soil and creating the new beds. There is something almost artistic in the creating of the garden bed from just a patch of dirt.

Watching seedlings emerge from the ground and the leaves unfold is also magical, but I am less involved in that activity. That is all mother nature at work.

Now all that is left is pruning and replacing a few landscape plants that didn't make it this summer. But maintenance isn't all that exciting to me.

I am thankful for the abundance that is growing in my gardens and I am thankful for all those who helped me get the gardens in when I was injured. Now I need to exercise patience while I nurture the plants into maturity.

How is your garden coming along?

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Fall Garden Chores Save Money in Long Run

2009-10-25T21:45:00.002-07:00

Fall Garden Chores Save Money in Long Run

This is a good time to get your garden in order. Here’s a tip that can save you money in the long run:

Keep your garden tools clean and sharp. Some plant diseases can be spread on tools.

Hose soil off of garden tools before moving to another area of the landscape. Dry them well before storing.

Sterilize pruning tools after each and every cut if there is any chance the plant is infected with a disease. Use an antibacterial spry and wipe it dry.

A dull saw is much more dangerous than sharp one. When the saw is sharp, gentle pressure is all it takes to make a clean cut. If it is dull, force is required and serious injury can occur if it slips. Sharp tools make for clean wounds which heal quickly.

Take care of your tools, they will last longer and so will you and your plants!

Happy Digging,

Doreen Pollack

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC.

Fall Garden Planting Started

2009-10-17T15:08:00.009-07:00

Fall Garden Planting Started

After my foot injury 2 weeks ago, I started getting worried that my garden planting wasn't happening on schedule. I still had 2 small beds to amend and many things I wanted to start by seed right in those beds. But I couldn't get around the garden very well and I certainly couldn't use a shovel and get up and down off my knees very well.

I called upon the help of my gardening friends and clients. Lo and behold last Sunday morning three wonderful, generous women came to my rescue. The really cool thing about it, is they all wanted to learn how to start a garden bed by seeds.

I coached and guided them and they did the work. Lucky for them we never needed to use more than a small garden shovel and trowel. But they planted many rows of seeds. The weather was perfect for gardening. We had a great time chatting and taking about gardening life and all the wonderful things growing your own food meant to each of us.

Now a week later I have tiny seedlings popping through the ground. In fact they could be seen as early as 4 days after planting!

Let me take you through a tour of my three newly planted garden beds:

The front yard is the newest of beds. This is where the grass was just a year ago! This lovely key-hole garden is now planted with:

Spinach

Chinese kale

Red leaf lettuce

Cilantro

Swiss chard (there are 2 chard plants left over from the summer that have doubled in size in a week since amending the soil!!)

The 2 back gardens are smaller. They were the first beds I used for food 2 years ago. Boy have I learned a lot since them.

The garden bed tucked in the farthest corner of the yard (about 2 ft x 3 ft) is now where I grow the plants that have a longer maturity or harvest date - onions, garlic, carrotts and beets. This year I threw my radishes in with all of this.

You can see the seedling coming up here as well. Notice the fancy plant marker - a plastic knife! Use a sharpie pen and they will hold up to all of the harsh AZ weather!

The third garden bed I call the salad bowl since I put my lettuces there. It is closest to the house and the back door. It has a vent from the crawl space which helps keep it warmer on cool winter evenings. Last year I had lettuce for almost 4 months for the same spot.

What is missing from all of this is the diversity of companion planting. That will come next week when I add the nasturtium and sweet alysum seeds and a few marigolds.

What did you plant this fall?

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Down 2 Earth Gardens,LLC

2009-10-17T15:08:00.001-07:00

Fall Garden Planting StartedAfter my foot injury 2 weeks ago, I started getting worried that my garden planting wasn't happening on schedule. I still had 2 small beds to amend and many things I wanted to start by seed right in those beds. But I couldn't get around the garden very well and I certainly couldn't use a shovel and get up and down off my knees very well.So I called upon the help of my gardening friends and clients. Lo and behold last Sunday morning three wonderful, generous women came to my rescue. The really cool thing about it, is they all wanted to learn how to start a garden bed by seeds.So I coached and guided them and they did the work. Lucky for them we never needed to use more than a small garden shovel and trowl. But they planted many rows of seeds. The weather was perfect for gardening. We had a great time chatting and taking about gardening life and all the wonderful things growing your own food meant to each of us.So now a week later I have tiny seedlings popping through the ground! In fact they could be seen as early as 4 days after planting! Let me take you through a tour of my three newly planted garden beds:[Photo]The front yard is the newest of beds. This is where the grass was just a year ago! This lovely key-hole garden is now planted with:SpinachChinese kaleRed leaf lettuceCilantroSwiss chard (there are 2 chards plants left over from the summer that have doubled in size in a week since amending the soil!!)The 2 back gardens are small, they were the first beds.

Healing Gardens

2009-10-14T08:24:00.005-07:00

Healing Gardens

A very appropriate topic considering my foray with the thorn in the foot. I am writing an article on modern day healing gardens and am looking for great resources.

If you have done any work in this area, I would love to interview you for my article. I am also interested in great websites, books or article on the subject. All sources will be created and I will gladly send you a copy of the article when done!

Thanks for your help!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Trouble Lurks in the Garden

2009-10-12T20:26:00.003-07:00

Trouble Lurks in the Garden

No picture today with this post because I don't want to gross you out - my swollen, red left foot is the reason for this note.

First - I have already been chastised by my fellow gardener friends. Seems like the guys had less sympathy and did more scolding than the woman.

Second - I feel a little foolish even sharing this with you. I mean, come-on, I am a PROFESSIONAL (aren't I?). But if I don't share this with you, there is a good chance this could happen to you!

So here goes - I stepped on a thorn! Well not your average thorn, but a one inch long Palo Verde Tree thorn that went through my Crocs and into my foot a quarter inch! OUCH! Yes, I screamed a really bad word very loud in the back yard! Then I stopped, took off the crock and saw how long the thorn was inside the shoe coming through the sole. The ball of my foot had a drop of blood on it and I thought "that's a good sign, bleeding helps to flush the germs out."

Well, I may have been OK if I would have stopped what I was doing, cleaned and disinfected the puncture site and put on a band aid and a sock. But NOOOOOOO I had to keep on gardening. I thought it was just a small pin prick and it didn't hurt tooo much.

Well, DON'T DO WHAT I DO, DO WHAT I SAY!

The next time you get cut, scratched or get stuck with a thorn, go into the house to clean and disinfect it. Put on a bandage and take a break.

Here's why.

Monday morning I couldn't put any pressure on that foot when I rolled out of bed! It was red and swollen. One of my toes was twice the size it was the night before. I thought that perhaps I was allergic to the Palo Verde Tree! But as the day wore on and the foot felt worse I knew something was up.

A trip to the doctor's office confirmed my fears - it was infected - with a staph infection! A pretty serious condition. I spent the last week going to the doctor every other day and getting shots (tetanus and antibiotics) and am also taking them orally. I am now taking two different antibiotics, soaking the foot several times a day and elevating it when I can.

It has definitely slowed me down. The weather is PERFECT for gardening after the hottest summer on record and I can't do it!! I hobble around on the outside of my foot just to get through the day.

So take it from me - follow the doctors advice - clean and disinfect any cuts or scratches and cover it. The garden is a dirty place!

Safe Gardening,
The Garden Goddess
Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC.

Update on Who Stole the Compost

2009-10-08T15:02:00.005-07:00

Update on Who Stole the Compost

Thanks to my friend Vinnie the Gardener for solving the mystery of the missing compost. Here's what he has to say:
"Means you have 'high' bugs as I call them; all the visible critters (pill bugs, roaches, beetles). Had the same issue myself when we began renovating our garden. Started my pitchfork plugging (stab, wiggle), and kept piling on the nature. It took about three years when I noticed the 'dirt' became 'soil' in the top 4-6"inches or so. That's when I noticed more of the 'low' bugs; worms, grubs, micro-critters, mostly below the ground. Since then, all my debris clean-up goes directly onto the garden - not into the compost pile. The major green stuff (kitchen & mowing & pruning) goes into compost. All of the general plant litter gets layered in the garden (along with coffee grounds). "

WOW - I love his idea of making it easy to build the soil. Now that some of my trees are loosing their leaves (the mulberry especially) - and right by this garden, I will just layer them on the soil, almost like a mulch and let the critters in the soil munch on them. I just hope it doesn't take 3 years for me!!

Look there's one now just waiting to be eaten!! Sort of blends in with the dirt. I hope the bugs see it.

So folks - this fall do not back up your leaves and throw them away - put them on your garden! Or at the very least put them in your compost bin or even better yet - leave them where they fall and let them provide nourishment to soil below the tree!

Now that's MY kind of gardening!!

Who stole the compost?

2009-10-04T20:22:00.003-07:00

Who stole the compost?

As I was preparing the front yard garden bed, I realized the soil was lacking organic matter. It's been almost a year since I removed the bermuda and created the new garden. I added a truck load of compost to the existing soil back then and I have been adding more compost throughout the summer.

Yet when I started to dig in the garden the soil looked pretty bad, still lots of clay soil, almost as bad as when I started. So I broke one of my own rules - I dug up the garden beds.

Thank goodness for my own compost pile and Soil Secrets. I was able to amend about half of the garden with my own compost. It was kind of creepy carrying the bucket of compost and BUGS! But I know that bugs are part of the process so I just walked really fast!

Since I didn't have enough of my own compost, I added some great amendments called Soil Secrets. I recently ordered a pallet of this great stuff for my friends and clients. I am excited to see how this great product works on my gardens.

I didn't plant anything yet, just watered in the amendments and moved on to the next garden bed.

Where do you think all the compost went?

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

September Tree Care

2009-09-26T21:03:00.004-07:00

September Tree Care

Now that it is cooling off there is more work to be done in our landscapes. If you didn't fertilize your citrus yet in the low desert - you still have a few more days!

My trusted colleague John Eisenhower owns Integrity Tree Service. If you ever need your trees maintained (pruned) and perhaps you have a concern about their health, please give John a call. I just got his newsletter this week and he has a list of tree care items for September. Pruning can now be done and even some planting as well. Check out his Tree Care Calendar.

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Final Summer Harvest?

2009-09-22T15:35:00.006-07:00

Final Summer Harvest?

I got out in the garden this past Sunday to do a little clean up and start to prepare the front bed for the winter garden. Seems funny to use the word 'winter' when it was still over 100 degrees on Sunday.

I was pretty ruthless with the cleanup up. I pulled out or cut off at the soil line whatever looked like it was done for the season. I noticed I still have 2 armenian cucumbers on the vine and about 3 green peppers so those plants got to stay in the ground. The plastic knives used as plant markers were dated March 21, 2009. Some of those plants were in the garden 6 months and made it through the worst summer in decades.

But I also took out anything that looked stressed from a pest or fungus. I thought the hollyhock has rust, but it turned out to be some kind of very small bug. And when I turned the leaves over I saw MORE SQUASH BUG EGGS!

As you are cleaning up your garden for the next season or to put it to rest for the season, be sure you examine the plant material well so you can see what lurks out of view. I thank the sacrificial hollyhock for taking one for the team. They were attacked by something, but the veggies were OK!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Look Who's in the Garden!

2009-09-20T21:41:00.011-07:00

Look Who's in the Garden!

As I was cleaning out the summer garden today I found this little creature sunning himself on the porch. He must be camera shy as he ran into the bush when I reappeared with my camera!

Can you identify the kind of insect he is and is he a good insect or a bad insect?

But these other two furry helpers are never shy. Now if I can only teach them to actually plant!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Creating an On-Line Gardening Community

2009-09-16T11:55:00.004-07:00

Creating an On-Line Gardening Community

I have been thinking about starting an on-line garden community so I can teach more people around the world to garden more sustainably. I really love the local commuity I have built here in Phoenix, AZ, USA. My clients and their gardens are very special to me, I enjoy teaching gardening classes face to face with people from the surrounding communities and writing gardening articles for local papers and magazines is always interesting.

I also specialize in low-desert gardening and permaculture. But that doesn't necessarily mean I am limited to the Phoenix area. What about other areas of the world that have equally arid climates? Much of what I teach on sustainable gardening transcends climate.

So my question to you, my faithful readers, is what would you like to see me offer? Don't worry if you are not sure if I offer it or not now, but if you were to be a member of an on-line gardening club what would YOU like to receive in exchange for your membership fee?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Digging

The Garden Goddess

Gardeners' Addictions

2009-09-14T17:00:00.004-07:00

Gardeners' Addictions

Seems like there are several items I just can't keep myself from buying - gardening magazines and books. I was in the local used book re-seller in Phoenix (Bookman's) recently and found my self in the gardening section looking for books on gardening in the desert. Besides the usual suspects that I already own like, Gardening by the Month by Mary Irish and Western Garden by Sunset, nothing really piqued my interest. In fact, there really is very little about gardening in the low desert! There is much written about gardening in general, but little in comparison about the low desert. I think I own most of them!

I did find two garden journals - really simple books with lots of blanks to fill in to keep track of what is happening in the garden. I am still looking for the perfect journal it seems after my post Keeping Track of it All a few weeks ago about just such an exercise.

Maybe I will just take all the parts I like from the various journals and make my own!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Growing New Friendships in the Garden

2009-09-10T23:29:00.003-07:00

Growing New Friendships in the Garden

Gardening can be a very solo activity - if you let it. When I spend a day in the garden pushing myself past the point of exhaustion, I do so to finish a project or task. I can loose myself in garden work. I often solve all of lifers problems in my own little head while planting and digging and just putting my hands into the soil.

Today I met with Debra who will be my Garden Caption for the next 6 months and we work together to get me and my garden ready for the 2010 Real Gardens for Real People tour sponsored and put on by the Master Gardeners.

When she asked me what she could help me with I was at a loss. I have been doing all of my own gardening for 10+ years. But after I thought about it I realized I would welcome the help with plant selection for a new garden and putting together the story board so people can see the evolution of the garden.

I am now getting used the the idea of someone helping me. I am sure it will be a very rewarding experience. It will be fun to share the ideas and the planting of these new specimans for me.

Happy Digging (and invite a friend)

The Garden Goddess

down2 Earth Gardens

Why I Love to Hand-Water My Garden

2009-09-09T19:52:00.002-07:00

Why I Love to Hand-Water My Garden

Hand-watering is so hypnotic - the cool water splashing on my sandled feet, using my index finger to spray the water - sometimes shooting it far, other times making it a soft mist. Feeling the mist blow back on me on a hot summer day cooling me off just a little before it dries oh-so-quickly.

But the best part of hand watering is I get up close and personal with the plants! Today I saw the green grasshopper on the red pepper plant that had white blossoms. The tomato vine has two yellow blossoms, and the eggplant has a single pale pink blossom. I also discovered another armenian cucumber hiding in the leaf of the vine sprawling throughout the whole garden.

I bet it was the rain that brought this on. Or the plants heard me say I was taking out my summer garden next weekend and they don't want to go!

Either way, after the brutal summer we had this year breaking all heat records and the least amount of rain, it is really heartwarming to see that a few of the plants survived.

I think they will get to stay next weekend when I begin to make room for the fall gardens!

What's happening in your garden?

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Rain in the Desert - Finally!

2009-09-08T20:14:00.005-07:00

Rain in the Desert - Finally!

The last time it rained at my home was August 13, 2009 and I got 1/2 an inch of rain. I remember well because I lost almost all the rain from my barrels - you can read all about it at Mourning the Loss of the Baby Rain Drops.

This time I was partially prepared for rain, at least I had the faucets closed! It rained for most of the day on Saturday, September 3, 2009, three weeks and 3 days after the last rain. I checked my rain gauge when I got home on Monday and there was .4 of an inch and two full rain barrels. They looked like they over flowed, but unfortunately I did not have the overflow diversion tubing hooked up!

I wasn't even home to witness this glorious event. I was out of town for the Labor Day weekend in Sedona hiking and visiting a friend. It rained about 30 minutes after I finished my morning hike and put a damper on my hot tub time to ward off sore muscles. Then it continued to rain all day long in Sedona so I at least got to spend a rainy day reveling in the coolness and wonderful smells of pine and creosote.

Even though I didn't have a chance to plant the rain where I wanted to with the overflow diversion, I am still happy it rained. The grass seemed to have grown an inch over the weekend so I know the plants were very happy for the rain.

And I am too - now if it would just rain again SOON! But not before I install the Barrel conversion kit for the third barrel!

Happy Rain Harvesting,

The Garden Goddess

Never-ending Gardening

2009-09-04T08:30:00.006-07:00

Never-ending Gardening

It seems like we never really take a break from gardening in the Arizona low-desert. We are blessed (or cursed) with year-round gardening.

Of course this means we need to make sure we are practicing garden maintenance. This includes soil amending, and good garden hygiene.

You may remember in my post about a great garden planning tool that developer Jeremy Dore also sends out a monthly newsletter with great gardening tips. I love to learn how others garden and can always learn something new.

I really enjoed his recent post Good Garden Hygiene – Beating Pests and Disease as it tied in nicely to the question I got earlier this week on composting sick or diseased plants.

So remember what your mother taught you when you were a little person - wash your hands often and now your garden tools, too!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Down 2 Earth Gardens

I Garden Therefore, I am.

2009-09-02T13:43:00.003-07:00

I Garden Therefore, I am.

I friend of mine on Facebook said she loved reading how passionate I was about gardening and was glad to see someone pursuing what makes them happy. This had me pause for a moment and think about how much I do think about gardening - pretty much all the time.

Let me count the ways:

1. I have my own gardening company

2. I participate in a community garden

3. I teach gardening classes

4. I write about gardening, articles, on other peoples blogs, my own blog and newsletter

5. I read gardening magazines

6. Follow Gardeners on Twitter

7. Read other gardening blogs

8. Volunteer as a gardener for schools

9. I am a board member for a sustainability nonprofit

10. I talk gardening on the radio and TV

Well I guess there are other things to be obsessed with!!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess,

What's New in My Garden Today

2009-09-01T12:10:00.004-07:00

What's New in My Garden Today

The green beans are still progressing nicely and the sunflowers have also poked their heads out of the ground (8 days after planting) but other than that it is a pretty slow day in my gardening world. I thought about pulling up the shade cover over some of the plants, but I noticed new flowers on the green pepper plant. Since it is still HOT here, I better wait and give the plants as much protection as possible. I am hoping to get a second harvest from a few of the plants.

The seeds I ordered from Botanical Interest arrived yesterday. It was like getting a Christmas gift. They have beautiful artistic water color drawings of the plants which are very pretty. Now if it would just cool down a bit more so I can plant.

I finished booking my teaching and speaking engagements for September and was very excited to see I have 10 engagements. Most of them are now on my website so check there if you would like to take a gardening class with me this month!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Should You Compost Diseased or Bug-infested Plants?

2009-08-31T20:02:00.003-07:00

Should You Compost Diseased or Bug-infested Plants?

I just got this question today from a former student of mine. She was removing the summer plants and noticed an Aphid infestation.

She had asked two other people, one being a plant nursery, and got 2 different answers. That's how it is with gardening. Everyone has an answer usually based on their experience.

Here's how I answered - I have a personal rule of never composting any diseased or bug infested plant - why take the risk? I compost a little more casually than the scientific or bio-dynamic version and I can never be sure if it gets hot enough to kill off the bug EGGS, the disease or bacteria.

What do you all do with bug-infested plants? I would love to hear from you!

Happy Digging,

Doreen, the Garden Goddess

www.down2earthgardens.com

Green Beans Emerge from Vegetable Garden Early

2009-08-30T12:14:00.003-07:00

Green Beans Emerge from Vegetable Garden Early

Took only 4 days from when planted to emerge - this pic is day 7. Made note in my planting journal. And this is during an extreme heat alert with temps over 100 for 3 days straight!

Look who I found chilling next the the water bucket where I collect the AZ evap water? Cats are so smart!

Happy Digging and happy Sunday!

The Garden Goddess, Doreen

http://www.growveg.com/Default.aspx

4 Weeks to a New Garden - Week 4

2009-08-28T14:58:00.005-07:00

4 Weeks to a New Garden - Week 4

Plant! Purchase your seeds or transplants at the nursery. When buying seeds, make sure they suit your garden location. When buying transplants, make sure the leaves look healthy and the root ball is not compacted with roots wrapping around the inside of the pot.

Here are some tips on proper plant placement. Be sure you know and consider:
•Spacing base on mature size
•Height and width
•Root vegetables vs. leafy vegetables
•Water requirements

Use this cool tool to plan your garden:

It will help you with identifying mature size so plants aren't too crowded.

What should you do seeds vs. transplants
Seeds – longer germination time
• Acclimate to garden environment from beginning
• 2-3 months longer to harvest
Transplants – instant plant
• Earlier harvest
• Uniform production

Allow space for the mature plant size. Many plants, especially vegetables, need room for their ‘fruit.’ When planting from seed, read the seed packet for recommended spacing. Allow space for the mature plant size.

Water well after planting, then relax.

Now it’s just a matter of time. Protect your garden as it becomes established. Keep birds, cats and other critters away from your garden by tying ribbons to sticks and placing them around the garden. For cats, consider laying down chicken wire over the top of the soil after planting. The seeds will grow up in between the holes in the wire.

Water your new garden daily at first, keeping the soil moist until seedlings are a few inches tall. Once they are, test the soil to see how much moisture it retains and water based on need. A soil probe, pushed into the soil will help with you see how deep the water seeps..

Enjoy your harvest! The flowers will look brighter and the food taste fresher as a result of your tender loving care.

If you missed the first three weeks, you can get the entire article here.

If you are in the Phoenix, AZ area, I wil be teaching this class in-person on September 12th at the Home & Garden Expo Center at 1700. E Washcington St., PHX from 9:30-11AM. Watch my website for more details. http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

www.down2earthgardens.com

Keeping track of it all

2009-08-25T11:13:00.003-07:00

Well I FINALLY recorded what I planted and where so I can track what happens in the garden. I have been relying on my memory and now that I am expanding the gardens and have several all over my property, I think it is time to write it down.

For now I am using a blank journal someone gave to me. It has a beautiful water-color Impressionist style drawing on the cover.

On Sunday I planted Mammoth Sunflower seeds in four planting holes, 2 seeds per hole at the back of the existing sunflower sentries protecting the garden at the public sidewalk. According to the back of the seed packet, I can expect the seedlings to break ground in 7 - 21 days, a bloom in 75-90 days and a plant 7 - 12 feet tall and the bloom 1 foot across!! WOW! I will plant more of these each week until the pack is all planted and that way there will be Sunflowers all fall!!

I also planted Green Beans! Since they need something to grow on, I planted them all around the two peach trees that never leafed out - I am pretty sure they are dead. But they make an excellent nurse plant (trellis) for the green beans. I also planted some right at the walkway near the front porch where I have a bare trellis. These will take 7 - 14 days to germinate and 50 days to harvest.

With my journal I can actuall track how long it took in MY YARD for them to germinate and mature. This is useful information for when I plant the same things again next season. I will know if that location worked out, or the seeds for a specific company had a good germination rate, how they did in my soil, etc.

I am always looking for great ideas, so if you use a garden journal or format to track your garden progress, I would love to hear from you!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

4 Weeks to a New Garden - Week 3

2009-08-21T15:47:00.004-07:00

Time to apply mulch and compost to the prepared bed. If you are planting directly into the ground, spread a six inch layer of compost, mulch, sand and topsoil on the ground. Dig down at least six inches (the depth of most shovels and shades) and mix in well. Beds should have a soil mixture at least six to twelve inches deep so the roots have plenty of room to grow. This is especially true for root vegetables likes beets and carrots. If you are creating a raised bed dig down to the bottom of the raised bed.

Next wet the area completely making sure the water soaks down at least 12 inches. This guarantees good drainage and deep root watering.

If you think the water drainage is poor, you can test it by digging a hole about the size of a gallon container (think of a gallon jug of milk or water). Fill it with water. Check it an hour later. If the water is gone you probably have SANDY soil. If there is still water, come back in a another hour to two and check again. If the water is gone or almost gone, you have LOAMY soil - the desired soil! If the water is not absorbing well, you probably have to much CLAY in your soil. If you have too much sand or too much clay in your soil, amend again with more organic material like compost.

Let this sit undisturbed for the week. If it is still hot and dry in your area, water every few days to encourage the microbes, fungi and worms to get to work!

Time to make the plant shopping list, locate where you will get your seeds or transplants and how much to plant because next week we plant! One of my favorite seed companies is Botanical Interests. They are available on line and in garden centers and store. If you are shopping on line, consider supporting one of my favorite non-profits by shopping here.

Happy Digging, The Garden Goddess

Sunflowers - the garden workhorse

2009-08-19T15:39:00.009-07:00

There was a bouquet of sunflowers on the counter at my local coffee shop, Drip, today and they reminded me how much I love sunflowers. Long before I started gardening and growing my own I have loved the sunflower. There is just something about the large yellow/orange blooms and the dark brown center that brings a smile to my face.

There are many different kinds of sunflowers as well with names like Ring of Fire, Teddy Bear and Claret, each one with its own uniquie coloring and size. From the small one inch bloom on a multi stalk plant that almost resembles a bush, to the elegant Mammoth almost one foot across.

These gentle giants help break up hard soil with their deep root system, provide visual pleasure for cut flower arrangements and in the garden and provide food for us and the birds. Sunflower seeds are a great addition to our diet and sunflower oil is a healthy alternative to other kinds of oil as it contains high levels of vitamin E. In fact this great plant even has it's own national association!

There is still time to plant the last of the seed pack in the ground for a fall color show. You know where you can find me early Sunday morning!

Happy Digging, The Garden Goddess

Fall Garden Plant List

2009-08-18T18:35:00.005-07:00

I made my veggie garden list last night watching TV. I pulled out the Planting Guide for the Phoenix area and went to town. I selected about 10 veggies (I already have seeds for 9 other vegetables) and 5 herbs. But before I run out and get the seeds like I usually do, I want to take stock of my various gardens and determine how much and what I can plant in each one.

I have 4 small beds (3 ft x 4 ft) in the back yard and two beds in front (3 ft x 20 ft) and (3 ft x 10 ft). As I said before it is a bit over whelming. I would like a salad bed, a root vegetable bed and another for those late harvest plants. There are several things to consider before I buy the seeds.

First, there is the companion plant theory about interplanting the plants for their mutual benefit. So I want to study that and use it for my garden planning. There's a great book on the subject called Carrots Love Tomatoes.

Second, how much do I want to plant. How much will I actually eat and do I want extra to freeze or can?

Third - do I want to start them all by seed or get some transplants too? Then where do I want to get the seeds? Definately non GMO, but heriloom, southwest native variety, organic?

So I am back to the planning phase - feel like that little hamster on the wheel going round and round. Kind of squeaky, too!

Happy Digging, The Garden Goddess

www.Down2earthgardens.com

Seeing my Garden Through Another Person's Eyes

2009-08-17T19:58:00.005-07:00

My business, Down 2 Earth Gardens, is being profiled in the August 27 edition of the Arizona Business Gazette, part of the Arizona Republic. I am very honored and flattered. I spoke to the reporter/writer by phone last week and today she stopped by to see what I was referring to when I mentioned I took out a bermuda lawn and put in an edible garden.

As I was waiting for her arrival I walked through my garden thinking about what I wanted to show her. Mid August in Phoenix is not when your garden looks it's best! Yet as I walked around the garden beds, I thought about what it looked like this time last year - dead grass.

I am pround of what I have created and I am critical about what I should have done differently. But the nice thing about a garden is that it is easy to redecorate the next season.

Now back to dreaming of a new garden this fall........

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Garden Planning & Remodeling

2009-08-16T18:04:00.005-07:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what to plant this next season. So many choices - broccoli, cauliflower, beets, onions, garlic, and so much more. I woke up at 5 AM one morning last week thinking about it! I actually got out of bed, put on a pot of tea and sat down with the planting calendar and my collection of seeds. Check out the Phoenix Area Planting Calendar here.

I cleaned out the packets of seeds I don't want. Some will go to the community gardens, the squash seeds I threw away - I am so disgusted with my experience in growing squash both in my home garden and the community garden that I don't want to try growing them for a while. There are other veggies I really enjoy that I will focus my energies on. Why put all that time and energy to something that doesn't grow well for me, especially when I can get it at the Farmer's Markets.

I also came across some flower seeds. I love flowers and want to create a cutting garden, where the flowers grow tall enough to be cut and brought into the house for flower arrangements. If I grow the flowers among the veggies, they will add color to the otherwise green plants as well as attract pollinators (bees & butterflies) and help to manage the bugs as well.

I am excited about cleaning out some of the ornamental garden beds as well. I want to focus more on native plants that can survive on less water and will still give me color and beauty.

Boy I really wish it would cool off! I want to get into the garden beds and start moving plants around, getting the bulbs in for the Irises and amending the soil. But it is still a little too warm for me & the plants!

For now I will just focus on creating lists of what I want to grow and getting the seeds. I will probably start some soon in small pots. Toilet papaer and papaer towel cardboard rolls also work well. Just cut them down to about 2 inches tall and fill with potting soil. Place them in something with a solid bottom and sides for support, put a few seeds in each one and with them grow. You will have your own transplants ready in a few weeks!

Watch for my 'shopping' list soon. I will share my fall/winter garden list with you. I have 4 times the garden space I did last year! This is going to be fun!

Happy Digging

The Garden Goddess

wwwdown2earthgardens.com

4 Weeks to a New Garden - Week 2

2009-08-14T15:41:00.003-07:00

Last Friday during week one your job was to walk around your yard and just observe sun, shade and water. If you live in the Phoenix Metro area, I hope you walked through your property after the big thunderstorm Wednesday night to see where the water created puddles or washed way the soil. Water flow on the property is an important element in garden placement.

Now on to Week Two - this is the week you get dirty and do some physical work. If it has rained recently - lucky you. The soil will be that much easier to dig.

Prepare the soil. Remove all weeds and grass by old-fashioned weeding or an herbicide. If you use an herbicide, you will need to bio-remediate the area before you grow edibles in the garden (at least one full season.)

Dig the garden bed area. You can use a shovel or a rototiller. Break up the clumps of dirt into small pieces. The dirt should flow freely through your hands. There is an intense process used to do this called double–digging. It aerates the deep layers of soil and allows the roots of the plants to go deeper. For heavy clay soil it also improves the drainage as clay soil is very dense. Double-digging is the first step in creating the most productive garden bed possible.

1. Start your digging at one end of the bed and dig a trench the depth and width of the head of the shovel. (approx. 12" deep) Put that dirt in a wheelbarrow.
2. Use a pitch fork to loosen dirt in the bottom of the trench.
3. Dig a second, similar-size trench directly next to the first. Place that soil into the first trench you dug. Loosen the soil at the bottom of this second trench with the pitch fork as well.
4. Repeat this process until your entire garden bed is dug.
5. Put the dirt in the wheel barrel into the last hole.

Do not till the dirt at all when it is either bone-dry or very soggy/muddy. This will ruin the garden plot by destroying the soil structure. The soil should be as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Clods of the dirt should crumble in your fist, but it should not ooze-out or crumble into dust.

Use a garden rake to even out the garden bed. Place a border around the bed now if you choose. It will help to define the garden space and keep people and pets from roaming through the bed.

Now soak in a warm Epsom salt bath to relieve those achy muscles!

Only two more weeks to go - You could have a garden bed by Labor Day!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Mourning the Loss of Baby Rain Drops

2009-08-13T14:19:00.004-07:00

Well it FINALLY rained at my house in Phoenix, AZ last night - and into the morning. We had a real honest-to-goodness thunderstorm. By the looks of the yard it was pretty windy, too.

I was very excited to see how much rain I got and how much I collected in my 55 gallon rain barrels. I have three barrels and although it is only 165 gallons of water - I reuse that water over the span of a few weeks to water some of my gardens. Rain water is SO much better for the plants than city water. It has less chemicals, especially salt and chlorine, in it.

I stumbled out of bed and directly into my sandals and headed outside about 6 AM. It felt cool and certainly smelled like the desert. Although I live in an urban neighborhood, I have a creosote bush in my back yard that smells heavenly when it rains.

I immediately looked into my barrels. I could hear the water trickling down the gutter and into the barrel. I went to the closest one and was surprised to see so little water in it. Scratching my head I looked down and saw water trickling out the tap (spigot) near the bottom. I had forgotten to close it the last time I drained it! So I turn the handle closed and went to the next barrel. Same thing! Darn! I wondered how much I actually lost.

Then I remembered, I still have one barrel I have not tapped yet! I went around the side of the house and checked it knowing it would have water in it and I found it half full! Woo Hoo! Now it is heavy with water. I will be leaning into it to dunk the watering can to get the water out. After it is empty I better get busy and install my new Barrel Conversion Kit.

Next I checked the rain gauge in my garden and it measured 1/2 an inch of rain - that is a lot of rain for a storm in Phoenix!

As I sat on the back porch sipping my morning tea and watching the cats play in the wet grass, I reflected in my loss of all those baby rain drops. Frustrating? Yes! but I was very happy overall that we got such a nice rain for the first time this summer!

Happy Sloshing!

The Garden Goddess

Green Features Now Listed in MLS

2009-08-12T06:35:00.005-07:00

It does pay to incorporate green or sustainiable features into your home! If you are selling your home in Arizona your realtor can now list these green features in the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS). Just make sure that the features are installed by an expert and you also get any required permits. Using a registered contractor or company is important.

The list of features includes solar, greywater harvesting, LEED Certified and more. See the complete list here. Thanks Terry B - an excellent realtor who stays up to date in current trends.

Also consider the exterior look of your home before you sell. Is the landscape in top shape? Here are some tips to make your outside as inviting as the inside:

Tips on Exterior Home Staging
1. Make sure the outdoor area is clean. Sweep away all ground debris, dust
and trash. Clean off all furniture and cushions. A layer of dust and or bird
droppings is not very inviting!
2. Eliminate all dead or dying plants. Outdoor temperatures take its toll on
anything living. Cut back or remove dead plants. Not only is this good
from a Feng Shui perspective, it removes the notion that the property is
neglected.
3. Keep lawn and bushes maintained. Curb appeal is so underrated. First
impressions do matter.
4. Don’t forget about the back yard. If it has been neglected and never
landscaped, consider staging it with patio furniture and potted plants.
Stacking paving bricks, pavers and masonry blocks to give to illusion of an
outdoor room will improve even the most dreadful back yards.
5. Use color to add visual appeal and excitement. Bright colors used as
accents will draw the eye to them. Use this tactic to divert the attention
away from less desirable areas.

Do you need help in getting the outside ready for a sale? Or perhaps you have a home for sale and no one looks at it? Consider the curb appeal may be lacking that 'Welcome Home" look. I can help you get the yard/landscape in tip top shape that will attract buyers into the home. Contact me for a free phone consultation. gardengoddess@down2earthgardens.com

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

http://www.down2earthgarden.com/

Catching the Rain

2009-08-11T15:05:00.006-07:00

OK - For the readers in the Phoenix area I know this sounds crazy - WHAT RAIN? Now that we are officially in the downstretch of the 'nonsoon' and we have had no measurable rain since May it seems pretty ridiculous to talk about rain water harvesting.

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER RAIN WATER HARVESTING. YES I AM YELLING! When we got so little rain (about 7 inches a year), every little drop we get is very presious.

I have had lots of fun catching rain and reusing it in my garden, even if I just dump out a bucket into the garden. That extra water will provide deep water to plants – more so than the rain that fell in my yard. I built my own rain barrels last year and it was so much fun!

Last winter I added a few feet of gutters strategically to further help with rain water management. What I realized after that first rain is that I can now capture more rain than before! When my 55 gallon rain barrel runs over – but not to worry as I have an overflow valve that I attach a hose to and I just redirect that water out to a tree which loves the deep watering!

Saving, reusing and redirecting rain water has been one of the smartest thing I did. Now I plant the rain where I want it to go rather than letting it drop wherever it wants. Making your own barrel is not that complex and the parts are now easy to find right here.

If you already rain water harvest please drop me a line and tell me about your experience – I would love to see pictures too! And if you don’t, then drop me a line and maybe I can help get you started!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess

Bug of the Month - Squash Bug

2009-08-10T12:29:00.005-07:00

Being Bug of the Month is not necessarily an honor. It is not like being Employee of the Month or Teacher of the Month. I was once Volunteer of the Month – that was nice.

But being the August 2009 Bug of the Month is no prize! The notorious SQUASH BUG is hated by all gardeners. There is nothing beneficial about it. They make my skin crawl when I see them swarming all over the vines in my squash or pumpkins plants. In fact – I will NOT be growing my own Halloween pumpkin this year – nope – just pulled those vines out this morning. They were infested with the squash bug, eggs and nymphs (again not cute sea nymphs frolicking in the water) but spidery-looking immature bugs crawling on the underside of the leaves.

And not just the leaf of the squash plant – they were on the leaf of the nearby weed and the sage plant. Other parts of the country may only have ONE cycle of these pests each year, but we have more. The mature bugs can hide in waiting for the squash plants (only sucking and eating the leaves – not the ‘fruit’).

When I pulled up the vine, I saw the nymphs crawling all over the mulch in the garden bed under where the vines were. OHHH so creepy! I grabbed the Diatomaceous Earth and sprinkled it carefully in that area. Yes, DE can also take out the good bugs too, but there were so many in a concentrated area, I just had to do something.

A Google Search revealed many different ways to deal with this pest:

Physical Removal of Squash Bugs (Extension office in MN)

1. Remove or knock off and kill nymphs and adults by dropping them into a pail of soapy water. This is particularly effective if only a few plants are affected. This can be challenging because squash bugs hide under leaves and move quickly when disturbed.
2. Crush eggs that are attached to the undersides and stems of leaves.
3. Trap squash bugs by laying out boards or pieces of newspaper. Squash bugs will congregate under the boards at night, and then can be collected and destroyed in the morning.
4. Remove plant debris around the garden during the growing season to reduce the potential harborages where squash bugs may hide. Clean up cucurbits and other plant matter around the garden in the fall to reduce the number of overwintering sites.

Organic Solutions – Guinea Hens – Mother Earth News

This one may not work too well for me as my garden is in my front yard and it is not fenced in. I do not want to be chasing Guinea Hens down 12th Street!

Companion Planting - article with several solutions including companion planting (catnip, tansy, radishes, nasturtiums, marigolds, bee balm and mint), and selecting bug resistant varieties.

So much time, energy and resources goes into growing a plant and I have had the squash bug attack several years in a row now that I am ready to leave the squash growing to others and just get mine at the Farmer’s Market!

What about you?

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

Life Changing Events in the Garden

2009-08-09T22:37:00.004-07:00

I moved to the Valley 12 years ago from Chicago. Gardening was much different there. You put seeds or a plant in the yard or garden and they grew. It rained regular and the soil was rich with organic materials. Never really too hot or sunny. Actually that last part is why I left. I couldn't stand the cold winters and the grey skies.

When I bought my own home in 1998 in Glendale, Arrowhead Ranch Phase 5 (I was proud of that long sub-devision name) I really had no idea how to landscape it. The front landscaping was included. I drove around similar neighborhoods and looked at plants I liked and that's what I picked for my yard. Although my house was the third on the block to be built, by the time the street was built out, we all looked the same.

Back yard was pretty much the same - lots of bouganivillea and lantana. But soon I began to experiment with different plants. Got my first Hibiscus and agave then. Added several other vines and bushes and expanded garden beds and irrigation systems, all kind of helter skelter. Some lived, many died. It was very frustrating and costly.

Several years ago I worked with someone who had a certificate in her office for a Master Gardener program. I was in awe of how easily Rhonda spoke of plants and where they should be planted and when. I wanted some of that for my self!

Four years ago I had the chance to take the Master Gardener program and it changed my life. Not only did it give me more confidence in my own gardens, but I started sharing it with my friends. Soon people were offering to PAY me for my knowledge. They didn't have it and didn't want to go off the learn it themsleves. They wanted ME to come to their house and answer their
questions about specific plant problems or help them re-do or add a garden.

With the encouragement of my friends, I started my one-of-a kind Garden Consulting and Coaching business, Down 2 Earth Gardens (thanks Robert for helping me create the name).
D2EG provides advice to homeowners on how to reduce the use and dependency of outside resources in their landscape. I create low water and low human energy use designs which are creative and natural. I specialize in working closely with do-it-yourself gardeners and people just starting to use their yard for food production and respite from their busy lives.

I am now doing what I truly love - working with people and the earth. After 25 years in Banking and 10 years in Non-profits, I am doing work I LOVE!

Well now you can apply for and hopefully attend a wonderful program that could change your life as well. The 2010 Master Gardener Program Dates are out!

Jan. 12 - May 4, 2010 (Tuesdays)
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Desert Breeze Police Substation
251 N Desert Breeze Blvd
Chandler, AZ

July 13 - Nov. 2, 2010 (Tuesdays)
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
U of A Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County
4341 E Broadway Rd
Phoenix, AZ

Information regarding the class, including the application and maps, can be found at http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/mgs/mg-broch.htm

The fee is minimal compared to the knowledge and friendships you will make! I highly recommend you take the program wherever youlive! There are Cooperative Extension Offices throughout the US. Look them up in your part of the country and run, don't walk to the next class near you!

Happy Digging,
Doreen Pollack aka The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Do you have ‘Ratoons” in your garden?

2009-08-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

No, it’s not a furry animal that eats your vegetables and wears a mask – that’s a Racoon!

Ratoons are second crops that grow from the stumps or stubble of the first. This according to Barbara Pleasant who writes for GrowVeg.com, the company that created the wonderful gardening planning tool I use. You can also subscribe to this newsletter and get great money saving tips like this.

You can read more about Ratoons and learn how to rejuvenate your plants and get a second harvest from the same plants! So do not pull out those plants yet. Try the process Barbara suggests in her article here and let me know the results!

I love hearing from you – please write!

Happy Digging,
Doreen Pollack, The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Summer Garden Maintenance

2009-08-07T15:22:00.005-07:00

The weather has been bizarre all over the US this summer. Boston just had its wettest July on record and Phoenix it's hottest. So how does that affect your garden? I really can't answer that in a universal way. Each and every garden bed - no matter if they are in different states or in your front or back yard has its own microclimate. The soil is different, drainage is different, sun patterns differ.

What I do know is that there as several things you should always do in your garden on a regular basis to monitor and maintain them:

1. Check the moisture level of the soil. Stick your finger in it, or use a soil probe to see if the soil is moist before you water. If it has been cooler than normal and maybe even cloudier, you may not need to water – even if it is watering day!

2. Look for sick or diseased plants. Do the leaves look different – perhaps eaten up, curling up, spotted or yellowing? Look under the leaf to see what’s ‘bugging’ your plant. Remove them or treat them (responsibly – no chemicals please!)

3. Deadhead flowers (no not Jerry Garcia Deadhead) – pinch or cut off the dead blooms on annuals and perennials to encourage new blooms.

4. Lightly prune any broken branches on trees and shrubs.

5. Apply several inches of mulch to the top of your garden bed to help keep moisture in and reduce weeds (that compete for water).

6. Apply a layer of compost to the top of your garden bed, no need for fertilizer!

7. Harvest any vegetables or fruit that are ready to eat and enjoy them for the next meal!

8. Admire your garden or landscape and be proud of your creativity and hard work!

9. Share it with friends by have a summer cookout.

Just few minutes in your garden every day will help you catch a problem before it gets out of control and help you also notice all the wonderful things that are happening in nature.

Don’t forget to slow down and stop to smell the roses!

Happy Digging,
Doreen Pollack aka the Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Four Weeks to a New Garden - Week One

2009-08-06T17:14:00.007-07:00

Vegetable gardening is all the rage – but not in a trendy sense. It has become a must-have for many people who are concerned with food security and safety. Today’s vegetables are often harvested before they are ripened and shipped across the country, even the world, ripening along the way. In fact many fruits and vegetables come from seed that have been genetically modified. The seeds have been altered to produce fruit or vegetables that will withstand the early harvesting and transportation.

Today people are growing their own so they know how the food has been nurtured. Starting a garden might seem like a daunting task, but tackling the work over several weekends makes the work load lighter.

September marks the beginning of the fall/winter planting season here in Phoenix. Not sure what to plant? Download a free Phoenix Planting Calendar at the Phoenix Permaculture Guilds website.

I’ll be sharing a week-by-week plan each Friday that even novice gardeners can follow to get their gardens ready to plant between now and the end of August, just in time for getting those seeds into the ground.

Week one:

Determine what you want to grow. Vegetables, flowers, or both? There are many vegetables that do well in our fall/winter/spring planting season. Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, all lettuces, peas, radishes and spinach can all be started by seed. Flowers can be started by seed or from transplants available at nurseries. Some of my favorites are carnation, hollyhock, nasturtium, pansy, petunia, snapdragon, sweet pea, verbena and viola.

What kind of garden do you want. Raised beds, pots, or in-ground? Square, rectangular, spiral, key hole (u-shaped)? Each one has it's pros and cons. The available space will usually determine the shape. A spiral is good for small spaces since there is more vertical planting surface. Whatever you choose for an in-ground or above groung bed, make sure you can reach all area of the bedding area without walking on any of the soil. There are many possibilities.

For hard ground, raised beds may be an easier option. Check out an easy way to get more garden in small spaces above ground with a concept called Square Foot Gardening.

If you rent or live in an apartment with a sunny balcony, pots can be moved with you so consider a container garden.

Make sure that the chosen spot has a convenient source of water and that your plants will get the light they need. Vegetables need lots of sunlight, at least six hours a day. A flower garden may need full or partial sun, or shade.

If part of your yard is crushed granite or dirt, you may want to plant a wildflower garden to add color to an otherwise drab area. Wildflowers do well in full sun.

Consider the full size of the plants you will grow and the amount of space they need. make the bed large enough so don’t overcrowd them when planting. Check out my blog post on August 6, 2009 for a cool garden design planning tool.

Mark the borders of your garden using natural items like river rock, bricks, or trendy Urbanite (broken up concrete sidewalks) .

Break ground if you like, turn the earth over, pulling out the weeds and grass and then take a break until next weekend rolls around.

If you are overwhelmed and need someone to guide you don’t forget to consult a Garden Coach like me!

Remember next Friday will be Week Two where I cover amending or building up the soil!

Happy Digging,

Doreen Pollack aka the Garden Goddess

Garden Planning - Design Tools

2009-08-05T13:58:00.003-07:00

August – the dog days of summer. Yes, especially here in Phoenix, AZ. We just had the hottest and driest July on record (since late 1880’s!) and does my garden ever look like it! My water bill is up and at least my plants are alive but not much production from them.

That led me to start researching ways to increase the amount of food I get from my garden (also known as yield). Every gardener has a different way to do it and it differs from coast to coast. One thing I know for sure is I still have more research to do before I decide what I will do in my garden this fall.

I came across a cool software program that helps me determine how many of each plant I can fit in the garden bed. It has just about every vegetable, herb, tree (flowers, too) and the mature plant size. It also has botanical information on the plants.

All I do to start is put in the garden bed measurements and then drag and drop the plants, easily rearranging them until I get them just the way I want them. I can save the plan, start another one and play with it on the computer until I get one I like. Just think about how much time and effort this will save me when I go to plant them!

Here, you can check it out and play with it yourself for 30 days for free and then it is only $25 a year! Click on this link. GrowVeg.com

In Arizona we can plant 2- 3 time a year so this will pay for itself in no time. No more moving plants around and damaging the roots or break the delicate stems of the transplants. And if you are planting seeds and you crowd the plants or find out you put plants next to each other that shouldn’t be, you have to wait a few months until they get big enough to move. Why waste all that time when you can thoughtfully plan it on paper?

Try it and tell me how you like it

OK back to the drawing board – or computer screen that is!

Happy Digging,

Doreen aka The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Eating from the Garden - Red Amaranth

2009-08-05T13:39:00.002-07:00

Amaranth – a new edible for me!

Last summer I got some Red Amaranth seeds from a friend. I just thought it would be fun to grow something I never had before. I grew them – they are such a deep red color and really tall– almost to my hip. The flower looks like a bunch of seeds, not petals like most flowers and that is what actually dries into the seeds. I collected the seeds and stored them.

This spring I came across those seeds and threw them (literally) into the garden bed. I just watered as usual and watched them mature.

Well I found out on Sunday from a few of my Master Gardener friends that the leaves are edible! They can be used like lettuce in a salad, in a frittata or stir fried with other veggies. They have a strong taste like a micro-green.

The seeds are also very nutritious. There’s a great article on how to grow, harvester and cook with Amaranth from Seeds of Change http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/forum/topics/harvesting-amaranth-seeds

But here’s what the article says about the nutritional value: “Nutritionally, amaranth is a very valuable food–higher in protein than the major cereal crops (13 to 18 percent as compared to 10 percent in corn and wheat) with a high level of the amino acid lysine, an essential amino acid that is usually deficient in plant protein. Amaranth is also a good source of calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamin E, and B vitamins.”

I am excited to have another plant in my garden I can eat. I am going to start experimenting with everything in my garden. So many things that we consider ornamental or a flower are edible. I love foraging in my garden for food for my dinner. It is always an interesting mix of what is available.

What do you eat from your garden that is unusual?

Happy Digging,

Doreen aka The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Do NOT Pull Out Those Tomato Plants

2009-07-27T09:28:00.004-07:00

If you are like me you do not like to see half dead plants in the garden - nor water something that is not producing. I always give a plant several chances before I take it out of the garden.

Here in Phoenix, AZ we have had 18 days of temps OVER 110 degrees so far this summer and we have another heat advisory this week. The tomato plants have stopped setting flowers at around 95 degrees which was back on June. Any tomaotes on the vine are ripening almost over night. I like to leave them on the vine as long as possible, but lately they have over ripened and become bird and ant food!

Luckily, I came across a reply to a question about tomato plants on the Maricopa County Master Gardeners listserve this weekend. I wanted to share it with you so you could experiment and perhaps get a second crop this fall. I have not used or researched any of the products he recommends, so please do your own due diligence to be sure you are using a product in your garden you are comfortable using!

Here's the post:

YES... you CAN grow a respectable crop before winter!!!
If the tomato plants are "shaggy", give them a bit of a haircut.
Pick up some fertilizer; 10-24-8. Those "Jobe tomato fertilizer" stakes work okay.
Also, pick up some "Blossom Set" and begin spraying the plants (especially new growth) by mid August. When practical, examine your plants daily -- early in the morning -- watching for new flowers. Spray them so your plant will feel "sexy" and set fruit. :-)
Depending upon where you reside, you have until mid November in Tucson or Phoenix.
After mid November it's a crapshoot. Should we experience an early winter cold snap, harvest your prettiest specimens (with as much tomato stem and branch as
possible)and allow them to finish ripening indoors on the sill or near the window.
If you are growing "heirlooms", they will ripen more nicely and more flavorful indoors than "hybrid" tomatoes. For the remaining not-too-pretty tomatoes, cover with a frost cloth or an old, dark colored sheet... and remember to thoroughly water the plants the night BEFORE an expected frost. (Bill, keep in mind that tomatoes often suffer severe damage at temperatures of 36 degrees. At 32 they look pathetic.)

For anyone else interested in growing a late crop, check Lowe's, Home Depot, etc., for "Stupice" or "Yellow Pear" plants. Both are heirlooms, grow rapidly, and if an unexpected cold snap is forecast -- they will still taste better ripened indoors than anything you can purchase at the grocer's!

Genie -- Tomato lover in Tucson

I hope you find this useful - I am going to give this a try - I would love some more fresh homegrown tomatoes this fall!

Happy Digging, Doreen aka the Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com

Three Sisters Garden – Monsoon Planting

2009-06-30T11:23:00.009-07:00

Sustainers of Life

In a Three Sisters planting, the three partners benefit one another. Corn provides support for beans. Beans, like other legumes, have bacteria living on their roots that help them absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form that plants can use. (Corn, which requires a lot of nitrogen to grow, benefits most.) The large, prickly squash leaves shade the soil, preventing weed growth, and deter animal pests. The Three Sisters also complement each other nutritionally.

To the Iroquois people, corn, beans, and squash are the Three Sisters, the physical and spiritual sustainers of life. The three vegetables composed the main food supply of the Iroquois. These life-supporting plants were given to the people when all three miraculously sprouted from the body of Sky Woman's daughter, granting the gift of agriculture to the Iroquois.

The Iroquois agricultural system was based on the hill-planting method. The women, who were responsible for farming, placed several kernels of corn in a hole. As the small seedlings began to grow, the farmers returned periodically to mound the soil around the young plants, ultimately creating a hill one foot high and two feet wide. The hills were arranged in rows about one step apart.

Iroquois women mixed their crops, using a system called "interplanting." Two or three weeks after the corn was planted, the women returned to plant bean seeds in the same hills. The beans contributed nitrogen to the soil, and the cornstalks served as bean poles. Between the rows, the farmers cultivated a low-growing crop such as squash or pumpkins, the leaves of which shaded the ground, preserving moisture and inhibiting weed growth.

The Arizona version!

Three Sisters Gardens Should be Ready by Monsoon Rains

By early July, your Three Sisters Garden pits should be dug and filled with good compost, seeds should be in the ground waiting for the rains, and you should have straw ready to cover the soil once the seeds have sprouted. Consider planting other traditional crops, such as sunflowers or jerusalem artichokes (a tuberous perennial sunflower), around at the edge of the three sisters garden. Put them on the west side so they will shade your other plants during the heat of the late afternoon.

1. Plan and select a site. You'll want to plant your Three Sisters garden in a site that has direct sunshine for most of the day and access to water. Some afternoon shade is OK as the sun is so strong late in the day. Also having a water source nearby will make it easier to supplement the monsoon rains.

2. Prepare the soil. First, break up and rake the soil. Next, build a mound about 12 inches high and between 18 inches and 3 feet in diameter. Flatten the top of the mound and make a shallow depression to keep water from running off. The number of mounds you create depends on the size of your growing area. Mounds should be 3 to 4 feet apart in all directions.

3. Plant seeds. Soak four to seven corn seeds overnight and then plant them about 6 inches apart in the center of each mound. (You'll eventually thin to three or four seedlings.) Many Native people honor the tradition of giving thanks to the "Four Directions" by orienting the corn seeds to the north, south, east, and west. Also soak and then plant six pole bean seeds in a circle about 6 inches away from the corn. (You'll eventually thin to three or four bean seedlings.) At about the same time, plant four squash or pumpkin seeds next to the mound, about a foot away from the beans, eventually thinning to one. If you are planting a large area, you can also sow the squash in separate mounds (1 foot in diameter) between every few corn and bean mounds.

4. Maintaining your traditional garden. As corn plants grow, thin them out, weed gently around them and mound soil around the base of each stem for support. When the corn is knee-high and again when silks appear on the husks, "side-dress" by putting a high nitrogen fertilizer (such as aged manure or fish emulsion) on the soil surface near each plant. If beans aren't winding their way around the corn, help by moving tendrils to the stalks. (Keen observers may notice a pattern in the direction in which the bean vines wind.)

This concept of interplanting these seeds is known as companion planting. This is the concept behind the Three Sisters: put corns and beans and squash together and they help each other. Getting the right nutrients in the soil is essential to the success of any garden. These days we mostly rely on fertilizers to provide the right ‘food’ for plants.

But through companion planting, you can provide proper nutrients from one plant to another through the soil they share. In the three sisters, the beans, part of the legume family, take in unusable nitrogen from the air and produce excess, usable nitrogen to the soil for the corn and squash. But while beans are useful in many companion planting combinations, they are not good to plant around onions or garlic, which do not like the extra nitrogen. By using compost you are also adding nutrients and microorganisms to the soil which will act as a natural fertilizer as well.

So as you plant your own Monsoon Garden, think about our ancesters who planted in this method naturally. Consider that they were already 'green' and 'eco-friendly'. Today, we can learn a lot by following the simpler ways of our ancestors and the earth will benefit from it.

Happy Digging,
Doreen, The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

Monsoons on the Way

2009-06-25T17:29:00.008-07:00

I am sure my plants are enjoying the humidity along with the clouds more than I am. Well, the clouds are OK, but it is no longer a 'dry heat' in Phoenix. I know, I shouldn't be complaining with the high heat and humidity in Chicago (sorry Sis!) but I moved here for the dry heat. We went from Spring to Monsoon summer in less than a week.

Ok enough of the weather report. Let's talk garden. My vegetable plants are doing just OK this year. I bought and planted several heirloom s for the firdst time and I am just not that impressed with them. My chocolate pepper plant died after one puny pepper. One of the tomato plants is still pretty small - got a few cherry tomatoes off of it. But they were 'earth brown' and it was hard to tell when they were ripe. And when they said mini peppers boy they weren't kidding. They were smaller than a cherry tomato! Kind of hard to do much with them but nibble them off the stem!

But those Armenian cucumbers - another story. The latest is 18 inches long. They are hiding under all the vines and I didn't catch them until they are gigantic! Good thing they still keep their flavor. Now the vines are taking over the rest of the garden. YUMMM I can eat them fresh from the garden every day!!

Since this is the first summer in my new garden, I didn't plant a lot of veggies. I just didn't know how it would do - but I did plant lots of flowers and they are doing great. The sunflowers are popping up everywhere and attracting the finches and bees. In fact I have 4 plants standing sentry at the entrance to the garden from the street side.

The zinnia's make great cutting flowers for little bud vases. I keep one on my desk every day. See the garden gnome? He's almost invisible. I also planted a few seedballs made with corn, bush beans and I thought squash. The corn is about 10 inches tall, the beans not far behind, but no sign of the squash. That's called a Three Sisters Garden. The Native American's planted them together at the start of the monsoons and let the summer rains grow the crops. I'll post more about that next week.

It's fun to experiment in the garden and see what works and what doesn't. Now keeping track of all the results - a whole other blog post for sure!

Until then,

Happy Digging, The Garden Goddess

Eating from the Garden

2009-06-09T15:56:00.007-07:00

Eating from the Garden

Finally I am eating the fruits of my labor - literally - I have been eating the apples from my trees I planted only five months ago! This is actually the FIRST apple I ate on May 1st. The branch was bending dut to the wieght of three little apples so I picked one and at it. Notice it is smaller then the tennis ball! The apples are much bigger now and much better tasting.

There is no button that pops out of your apples or other fruits or veggies when they are ready to eat like on the butterball turkey. You just have to be adventuresome and pick one and taste it! If it's really bad toss it in the compost bin!

Here's my latest pride and joy - a 15 inch long Armenian cucumber! and boy is it tasty! The vines are covered with blossoms and little cukes the size of my pinky finger. I was warned not to plant too many of these! It is interesting how the different garden beds are actually performing. The cukes I planted in the back bed are not doing much at all. But the ones in front have really taken off!

Tomatoes are doing just OK - mine are mostly either cherry or grape tomatoes and there are lots of green ones. I picked a few of what I thought were red ones and they were not quite ready yet. I am trying to beat the birds to the ripe tomoatoes as I keep finding some on the ground all broken open.

I am kind of worried about the eggplants - lots of blooms - no eggplants yet. I have lots of bees and butterflies for pollinating so I am not sure what's up!

Pepper plants all look great and are filled with small peppers. I have red, green, yellow and a chocolate pepper (kind of brownish - an heirloom) - all sweet peppers. I loved roasted peppers and stuffed peppers so I will be sure to enjoy these.

My watermelon seeds sprouted right away and are grown like crazy - I should have watermelon by August!

Now all I have to do is keep all the plants happy over the summer. We have been blessed with temps under 100 and partyly cloudy skies lately so that is good for the plants I stroll through the garden daily checking for new veggies and seeing if they need water. The joy I get from discovering a new veggie ready to pick and eat totally outweighs the sweet and time it took to get the bed planted.

How is your garden doing? I would love to hear from you!

Happy Digging

The Garden Goddess, Doreen