2009 Garden Re-cap

I started this blog as a garden journal. So, here's the re-cap of the Garden 2009:


The soil in my garden is bad. Bad, bad, bad. I definitely need to do some soil modification.
I planted tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, cantaloupe, and some herbs.

• the cucumbers didn't grow, had a few fruit (none edible), but ultimately developed white patches on the leaves, withered up, and died

Verdict: try again next year, but maybe plant lemon cucumbers for pickling

• the cantaloupe grew and grew, even had flowers, but never developed fruit.

Verdict: try again next year

• the broccoli was somewhat fruitful, but I didn't know how big to let the heads get before harvesting them so many of them ended up flowering and inedible

Verdict: not worth growing, just buy at store when on sale

• the tomatoes did ok. The plants didn't produce big fruit, but there was quite a bit of it. One of my plants got yanked out of the ground early on.

Verdict: Definitely planing again!! This time I will go to Peaceful Belly Farms here in town. I definitely want to get some green zebra and other fun colorful heirloom plants (Kyle liked the purple brandywine over the orange one)

• the lettuce did great and produced a lot for a long time. I will definitely plant that plus spinach next year.

My blueberry bushes got fried in the garden again this year. My theory was that the first year they were planted, they just had transplant shock. Husband was right: it was just too sunny of a spot for them. Last weekend I transplanted them into whiskey barrels under a big redwood we have in the yard. Hopefully they do better in year three!
I also just planted garlic and strawberry plants that a friend was thinning out. We'll see how they do through the winter and hopefully pop up in the spring. The spinach I attempted to grow in the fall cool season did not grow well because it was hot hot and then froze. I am contemplating trying to winter it over with straw.

And last but not least, I now have a little garden helper:

I'm pleased to introduce Charlie!! She loves to fetch, roll in the yard, and hang out in the garden when I'm working in it. :)

NOTE: I also want to grow Tromboncini squash!!!

It's Fall!

It is officially fall; time for crisp mornings, hot tea and the corn maze! Fall's always been too over shadowed by the dread of the following season to be enjoyable, but this year I'm excited for it.

I am exercising my creative muscles and have been playing around with some photography. In the spring I explored the wide world of my back yard (see past posts for the photos.) I am now excited to find inspiration for a fall line!

Last night Husband took me on adventure to see if there were any blackberries waiting to be picked. Unfortunately, they were all nipped by the frost. We did get to climb trees for sweet plums and picked a few reachable apples. I was also struck with awe of God's color pallette. The desert colors aren't the vibrant, flashy colors of the tropics, but they are saturated nonetheless. I couldn't help but admire the brushed silver, the mustard yellow, the wheat gold, and the sage green. It was getting dark by the time I could take pictures, so I only got these. But here they are: round one of Fall!