June Update...

Well, I'm leaving tomorrow for a 2 1/2 week drive up through the Pacific Northwest and haven't really had time to blog due to my daughter graduating, company, the loss of several people and planning this mother-daughter escape. But, I did want to throw out a few photos...more than are here, but Blogger isn't cooperating this morning so this is all I got!

The fabulous Bob Pool came by and built some stuff for me, but I'll be doing a story on him when I return. He did bring me these, supposedly Native Texas Tomatoes...seen above. He couldn't remember the name, but someone had passed the seeds onto him....and so he was passing them onto me, they are sweet and delicious and I'll be giving it a go next season.



This here monster is Chocolate Stripe...they are all this big and ugly, and outrageously tasty.

This is the Japanese Black Trifle, also mouth wateringly delicious.

Left to right, circular Purple Cherokee, Eva Plum, garden peach (yellow one,) Japanese Black Trifle, Brandy wine and in the center, First ladies.

Leaf miner damage has been minimum, but in the last few days the stink bugs have arrived...and in the side garden, I've got some mottling thing that's causing the leaves to turn brown and shrivel up...I don't have time to research this...and I hope they make it while I'm gone. We cut off the dead and threw away the carnage, did a deep watering and I foliage fed what was left with Alaska Fish Emulsion...cross your fingers!

I've also in the last two weeks had some splitting. We deeply water the tomatoes every morning, EVERY morning, and they are now mulched and sit in a terra-cotta tray that gets filled up to help maintain the temps...but 100 degree days, for weeks on end are just too much!

I am so going to miss this while on the road!!!

Because it's my favorite fruit! These are also my onions and basil...YUM!

Other things of note that I want to remember about what happened in June are we got our second delivery of mulch! I'm working on really building it up deep for future projects. We had a mystery plant bloom...it is an orange Pride of Barbados...I have the yellow one, so this must have drifted from my neighbor Regine's yard and our square foot gardening beds are full of greens! Yea!

The beans are still in production, the peaches are ready but riddled with worms...since I'll be gone most of the summer, another trip in July as well...we're leaving them to the birds...and the fig and persimmon are looking mighty fine.

I hope you all are enjoying the cool mornings and I look forward to checking your blogs when I return!

Happy Gardening!

More Mulch Please...

So, as I've said, I'm making my way through Gaia's Garden, this time slowly, as I apply what's needed in order to transform my lot, make it more sustainable, tackle problems and consider healing and restoring the soil.

How about this cool old bench? I love Davey's Trees...that's where all this cedar mulch came from, for free! The bench was sentenced to death by mulcher, but I saved it and am having the talented Bob Pool of Draco Gardens make me a metal stand. I also had my neighbor Dana get the same ginormous load for her house so we could mulch the trees across the street at the church. It's become disgustingly obvious that even though the minister apologized and said they would do "whatever was necessary to remedy the situation"...they intend to do NOTHING, and have done NOTHING.

Back to my story...chapter 4 "Bringing the Soil to Life" is fascinating and I'm taking it to heart. This load is just one of several I plan on using. The idea, for those of you who don't get the beauty of mulching, is to pile 8-12 inches, YES that much, to both stop the light completely from reaching weed/seed and to cool thoroughly the ground-bringing the microbes, earth worms and bugs to the surface to begin munching, tunneling, pooping, dying and generally aerating and packing your soil with nutrients while you do...nothing. We are giving one last deep watering before piling the mulch up, then watering the mulch on top as well.
There are fabulous stories about the genius of sheet mulching but I quit getting the newspaper years ago (I'm not a fan of the Statesman, and can read the Times online) and just don't accumulate enough cardboard and other stuff quick enough...plus Davey's is FREE. Just had to say that again...and here's the way to get some for you:

email Daniel at treemd@msn.com; be nice, be patient...they get it to you when they can, so know where you want it dumped, and how much.

The next chapter in the book discusses 5 steps to "Catching, Conserving and Using Water." How about this little lake that was the result of the giant mulch pile stopping the mad rush of rain from leaving my property? It would otherwise be wasted down the drain storm system of our fair city...taken out to sea, when we so desperately need to keep this free, clean water. At this point we have 6, 55 gallon drums that go bone dry very quickly...the best place to store water is in rich soil...which we don't have so we mulch...mulch...mulch...

Then....SWALE!!!

We are planing on digging 3 additional "fish scale" style swales in an attempt to stop the rush at varying intervals...the photo above shows the location of one such swale, yet to be built.

This is the same rain, there will be a fish scale swale in front of this gate, which right now creates a waterfall into the greens garden below.

Here's my loving spouse watching the Crocks set sail in our upper lake. This rain was only 3 inches. The phrase I've taken out of this chapter, that makes the most practical sense is "the cheapest place to store water is in the soil." Storing above ground is expensive, storing in the ground is labor intensive.

This photo may be confusing but, it's showing the far side of the front lawn...missing, yea! We have been letting the St. Augustine die for nearly 2 years...silly, silly grass in the wrong place...now that the Sycamore isn't providing full shade. This is a long term plan to turn the front yard into an edible forest!

And this is what lawn I have left. I recently moved the steppingstones, which led to the church but that friendship is long gone...whereas the path leading to the next door, that the postman, neighbors and I use, is beaten down so, use dictates change here.

We're having a huge graduation party next Saturday for my oldest daughter so the sprucing up of the garden continues, amid transformation. I will try to snap a few photos of the merriment...until next time...happy mulching

and...

Happy Gardening!

Three For Thursday...SayyyyygoooO!

I just love to watch a Sago cycas revoluta...re-grow.

They're such an old specie...hardly changing for 200 million years now and are related to conifers and the Ginko tree. The new set of swirled leaves are called a "break."
They're like living fossils...

and can live for up to 100 years!

They will occasionally put out new growth at the base...when they decide to reproduce...I hope I'm around to see it happen.

Happy Gardening!

The Pink Island

The pink island...with this years tomato crop

So, I'm reading Gaia's Garden...this time, from front to back and taking notes. I have Autumn's graduation party June 4th, then a few trips this summer and when I return, the work will begin...probably in late fall. We need two additional swales dug to stop pooling and waste. One will be under the rose arbor in the back for the new keyhole gardens that will replace the giant Mexican Ruellia massing in the middle of the yard. The other in the front yard extending from the side~greens garden to the walkway in front of the pergola.

When I moved in, the pink island was about 3'x3' and it just kept growing. I pull up and recycle at least the size of the island yearly...it's that aggressive. Plus it's traveled under the east fence and made a home in my neighbors yard and has to be pulled out of every bed in the yard. I'll take it down to a "C" shape around the Buckeye and the rest will be for food. I'll be employing a slow "sheet mulch method" after cutting down what's there (if anyone wants some of it, let me know and I'll give you a call in the fall before I begin.) This space is perfect for a food garden because it is protected from the West Sun by the American Elm in Summer and has beautiful Winter sun. I'll be facing the entrance directly aimed at the blue gate...from where the hose will come for watering and a second keyhole will be just across the walk.

Anyway, that's what's going on now...observing and planning. The front lawn is dying off without the shade of the Sycamore tree and wildflowers have taken over. I didn't get the trees planted that I'd planned on, now it's a blessing since the plans have been updated. I do need to find a source for native edible trees...I'm looking for che, pawpaw, Mexican plum and juju and will be researching more native edibles to be mixed in with the standard veggies.

I am very excited about the idea and in spite of projected plans to relocate in a few years...I'm soldiering on. I'm loving all the birds and butterflies that are finding a temporary home in my garden and am thoroughly enjoying spending more time, not less setting things up...hoping that one day the plants and arrangement will feed itself (and us) and require less of me and resources...but for now, I must stockpile mulchable stuffs!

I'm only halfway through the book...and still in the "observation" stage of planning. I'm thinking that the transformation will take several years because I work and am using the slowest method of building my soil. That being said, I'd like to put a shout out for organic material...I'm willing to drive out and pick up stacks of newspaper (we don't take it) and bags of "Texas Gold" ya know, oak leaves...but only send me a message if you have enough bagged up to fill my pickup. I'm aiming to turn my plot into an edible forrest for critters and people...cool my property and enrich the soil.

I hope you've got something exciting going on too! Thanks for dropping by and as always...

Happy Gardening!

Two for Tuesday

According to my fabulous Audubon Bird Guide Mikael Behrens who blogs at
Birding on Broadmeade, this first week of May is the best time to catch rare birds in your yard, Central Texans! I caught these two last night at supper time....

Male Ruby Throat flashing his gorget!


Male Painted Bunting

Whose visiting your garden this week?



Happy Gardening!

Tomato Island...an update

This is my first time to grow tomatoes in pots. I've been planting them in various places around the garden for years and have decided that I would like to use the space for other things and give the soil a rest from the nightshades. For the last couple of years we've been buying tomato starts at Sunshine Gardens spring sale, this year I sent my daughter Autumn Sage to do the buying as I was at the "It's My Park Day" and devoted spouse at CAMN. She bought 12 plants, 8 are in pots, 4 on the side of the house in the greens-garden along with 3 eggplant and half a dozen basil.

Brandywine

Brandywine was the first to fruit this spring. I filled the base of each pot with my own compost, then added a mixture of organic potting soil and Texas Organic Compost, and topped 'em with Dark wood Organic Mulch.

Cherokee Purple

I stripped the bottom leaves and scrapped up the stem with my fingernail then spiraled them into the pots leaving only the top leaves above the soil. I've used the "trough" method that I learned in the Master Gardener Class for the past two years and wholeheartedly believe that this method is the best for shallow Central Texas soil. I also sprinkled organic plant fertilizer at the time of planting then spritzed the leaves with Alaska Fish Emulsion.

Cherokee Purple is my favorite tomato for taste and overall beauty! We've got 2 plants going this year.

First Ladies

Growing tomatoes is a joy and something I didn't think I'd ever get into...I mean I liked tomatoes and all but didn't get hooked until I had my first bumper crop and ate fresh heirlooms with basil, mozzarella/Tillamook cheddar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh cracked pepper daily for lunch...now I can't wait 'til July!

Garden Peach

The biggest frustration I've had over the years is with bottom rot...last year I was vigilant and kept the watering regulated, that was the key! The other problem is of course the nasty stink bug, which after seeing the damage, I got tough and started popping them in the early morning.

Japanese Black Trifle

I've put fresh compost on the top once since planting and have tried to hit them with the Fish Emulsion every 10 days to 2 weeks. With them bunched together I'm reminded of my cannery days in Alaska...P.U. I don't have any of the companion plants nearby but so far, no real pests to be concerned with, save a few leaf miners. Of course, the sparrows and wasps seem to be hanging around for a free meal, so thank you to them!

Eva Purple Bell

Except for the Purple Cherokee and, Green Stripe all the varieties are new to me this year...good going Autumn Sage, I'd have been more conservative in the selection process...gotten some Roma's and more cherry tomatoes.

Golden Cherokee

I should also mention that I pinched off the first set of flowers on each plant to encourage root growth, I forgot to pinch off the first new leaves after planting to encourage branching...but I never seem to remember all of the tricks...oh well.

Tomato Island

Green Gage (cherry tomato), Chocolate Stripe, Dona and Carmello are the plants on the side of the house, they don't seem to do so well because they have less light, but this morning I noticed that they all had fruit, and no pests. They haven't gotten the daily care that the Island gets and they are smashed between the fig and pomegranate trees that have now leafed out. The poor little 'maters don't have much sun...so we'll see how that turns out.

It's overcast today and we've got a 40% chance of rain, which we desperately need...this has been one super dry April and the pots require more water than plants in the ground, but I'll have trays under all the plants soon. I plan on filling the trays with water to help keep the roots cool through the hottest of days...yet to come!

Happy Gardening!

Three For Thursday

Just 3 of the goddesses in the garden...this one in the butterfly mix!

and in the birdbath,


and on the window box!

Happy Gardening!