September Tree Care

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Final Summer Harvest?

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Look Who's in the Garden!

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Creating an On-Line Gardening Community

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Gardeners' Addictions

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Growing New Friendships in the Garden

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

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Rain in the Desert - Finally!

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

Down 2 Earth Gardens, LLC

Never-ending Gardening

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.

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,

http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

What's New in My Garden Today

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