First Freeze

12/12/1

grapefruit tree

     We had three days in a row of below freezing temperatures this week for the first time this fall.  Last year the first freeze was in November.  I wrapped the orange, grapefruit and lime trees in sheets, and laid old sheets over the flower garden.

     Some plants did fine, others not so good.  I don't have enough old sheets and towels to cover everything that would benefit from covering.  I should invest in frost cloths, but I have such a large area to cover.  The citrus trees did fine.

frost damaged lantana

Some of the bougainvilleas do not look so good.  Last year most of the bougainvilleas were damaged, but I cut them back and all but three flowered again this year.  The leaves on some of the lantana turned brown and they will fall off.  When this happened last year, I lightly pruned them and almost all bloomed again this year.







     In the flower garden, some of the vinca and all of the cosmos are dead, but other plants did alright.  The blue maguerite is blooming away, as well as the gazania.

blue marguerite

gazania

The petunias are fine, and the pansies, of course, did not mind the cold weather.  The vegetable garden is done for the winter, except for the chard.  We had some with dinner yesterday.

rhubarb chard

Fall Vegetable Garden

10/9/11



      Now that October is here, most of our temperatures will be below 100 F (38 C) during the day, and the nights will finally cool off into the 60's and 70's.  So over the past week I have put in my fall vegetable garden.  I purchased one Early Girl tomato plant and two zucchini plants.

                                                                                       

zucchini

                                                                               

     I have two rhubarb chard plants from my spring garden plantings that managed to stay alive through the heat of the summer, and they are growing again.  I also have planted more chard seeds.

rhubarb chard

     From seed packets left over from my spring garden, I planted organic buttercrunch lettuce, a couple of rows of loose leaf lettuces like black seeded simpson, royal oakleaf, and green and maroon lettuce called prizeleaf.  Additionaly, I purchased and set out four red leaf lettuces plants and four bibb lettuce plants that will have a head start on the seed planted ones. 



red leaf lettuce



bibb lettuce







     I sowed a couple of rows of spinach called baby's leaf, and a couple of rows of little finger carrots that grow only three to four inches long.  I had about eight radish seeds left over from spring that I also planted  in my square foot garden.  This spring was the first time I tried square foot gardening, and I don't really like this method of gardening.  To me it's restrictive.  I can get much more out of a garden that's planted in rows, instead of these squares.  I will probably go back to row planting next year.







Winter Again?

4/9/11

One week ago it was 102 degrees here.  Today's high was 55 degrees with clouds and rain.  Tonight it is supposed to be 36 degrees.  Come on.  This is the desert southwest.  It is supposed to be mid 80's and sunny.  Anyway, the rhubarb chard in my vegetable garden isn't complaining.  It presents a bright and delightful picture to the eye, and it makes you gorgeous inside too, bringing vitamins and minerals for good health.