Do any of you zonies have a garden?

[Catshrink]

I'm working on it. My squash seeds have sprouted :woohoo: and I need to get the beans and melon started.

I harvested some basil, made pesto, and froze it this afternoon. The tomatoes are still hanging in there - this is the latest I can remember having them.

I'll be expanding the garden a bit. May of my neighbors have little gardens - it's kind of cool really. The hard thing is getting used to the growing seasons here.

[jillan]

1. I do! Mine is pretty much dormant right now because of the heat.

Altho I am trying to grow some spinach & romaine indoors... it's an experiment. I'll let you know. There is nothing like picking your dinner salad right from the garden every nite.

I love it, it's so rewarding - here - I'll join you :woohoo:

[Catshrink]

2. Cool!

I started the seeds in pots and will transplant into the ground - but I'm not sure when to do it. This is an experiment still. Here's something sort of useful - it's sketchy in places but helpful. It's a Phoenix gardening calendar.

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/calendar.html

[jillan]

4. That's great - thanks! Another person to look up for advice is Dave Owens

http://www.gardenguy.com/

You can plant outside when the temps stop being in the 100's...but you have to water almost daily until it cools off.
I usually start preparing my garden around Oct 1st and have vegies until mid June.

Do you compost? It's amazing.

[SargeUNN]

3. I know a couple who are really good at gardens

one is a caller of mine we called Motorcyle Bill, Hormonica Bill, and Bill from the Land of No Mysteries. He is an expert and can tell you how to grow things year round. Sorry I don't have contact info on him, but I could get it.
Another is a woman that lives in Mesa that called in under the name of Mercedes. I do have contact info on her.

[jillan]

5. Tell her to join DU so we can share info - that would be great!

[Ptah]

6. I grow a few sunflowers

:hi:

[Catshrink]

7. Those are beautiful!

I'll plant some of those also to serve as shade. And they're such happy flowers.

[jillan]

8. Those are beautiful! How are they doing in the heat?

You're going to have to give me tips. Mine do really well and then the bottom leaves start getting all dried up & the plant starts looking raggedy. What's your secret?

[Ptah]

9. The only secret is irrigate often.

I water them daily, about 30 minutes with a soaker hose.

The lower leaves I remove when they yellow.

Thanks for asking.

Here's a picture form about a month ago:

[jillan]

10. Oh my - your garden is beautiful!

I am so impressed! Is everything still living?

I cannot get over your tomato plant. Mine was beautiful but started having a hard time last month...I just pulled it.

You need to come over and give me advice!

[Ptah]

12. Here's how it looks this morning.

My tomato plant is huge.
There have been many blossoms, but no fruit yet.

My advice: stay in the shade, it's hot out there.

[jillan]

13. Do you use fertilizer - what are you using?

I thought I had a green thumb but it's feeling a little chartreuse right now.

What part of town are you in? I wanna come over and admire your garden and pick your brain :P

[Catshrink]

11. Wow!

That is beautiful.

I've got a start on my fall garden. I planted some green bean and honeydew melon seeds Monday. The green beans sprouted yesterday and the melon sprouts are peaking throught the soil. The squash I planted two weeks ago are 2-3 inches high.

I planted some in pots in the house where it's a bit cooler than outside. But, I planted a few more outside in pots on the east side with afternoon shade. All are up but those in the house are further along. I'll transplant all of them into the ground after it cools down a bit -- and I get the ground ready! I'm still figuring out the logistics. I have the space, just need to figure out where and then prepare the soil. Caliche sucks.

[blueamy66]

14. We have 3 raised bed gardens.

We've grown jalapenos, habaneros, cherry tomatoes, big boy tomatoes, eggplant, basil, green and red peppers, zucchini, onions, corn and 2 types of squash....oh, and get this, awesome artichokes this year!

My fiance has flowers and grapes and you name it everywhere!

I love the gardens.

FYI....you can buy these Lincoln Log looking things at Home Depot....we have them cut them, I believ, 6 x 4, and build them 5 high. Then fill them with the best mixture of compost, manure and soil....and you'll get great crops.

[Catshrink]

15. That sounds awesome!

I started my squash in pots and they're growing well, 3-4" high now. Is it too some to plant them in the ground? The beans are about the same. I'm thinking it's still too hot.

They're on the east side so they don't get the afternoon sun right now. I'd like to plant the squash in my raised garden (we used cinder blocks) on the west side - I know it's still way too hot for that right now.

Pictures?

[blueamy66]

16. Um, I'm the wrong one to ask about when to plant...

I kinda wing it. :-) My squash is flourishing....

I will take pics and post.

We just pulled the tomato plants, as it is too hot and they burned.

[azmouse]

17. I have 11 citrus trees and 4 pecan trees.

The fruits and nuts are delicious.

[Catshrink]

18. Pecans!

In the valley? Oh that sounds great!

[azmouse]

19. They grow very well here.

Pecans love the heat. Our trees are only about 10 years old and are just starting to set nuts. It's been fun watching them grow and searching for the pods in the spring to see what kind of crop we'll have in the winter. Unfortunately the birds really, really like the nuts too so it can be a fight to get some before the birds eat them all.

[Catshrink]

20. Do you remember where you got the trees?

I've had good luck with Moon Valley but haven't bought fruit trees there.

[azmouse]

21. The pecans were from Elgin Nursery and Tree Farm.

8606 W MacDowell Rd, Phoenix
It's not a very big nursery but they are very helpful, and we've had good luck with everything they've planted for us.

The citrus trees were from both Moon Valley and Elgin.