Garden morning amending the earth

Many people ask me how to start their gardens.

Who needs a gym?!

Last year this was the process that began my garden extension

I recessed the main beds and transferring it to the raised bed stamping out the clumps...a water bath was used to try to soften the soil.

The North bed was salted with the amendments once the level was reached.
The compost added it will just take a bit of effort to keep breaking it up so it can get seeded.

It is looking much better.
The cucumber will get trained up the trellis and so they can be watched out the kitchen window.

Now with great interpretation I began the rigorous task of shifting the South extension bed into the center extension and to a pile out of the way.
The gecko population was awesome and the bellies were fat on all the lizards by the end of the time. The crickets and such were good feed for them all. I just love lots of lizards in my garden.

Use whatever motivation you can get!

water softened the earth as I gave it a gentle spray.

Now I considered a few more scoops of stone out of here but found myself compelled to set that South bed.

As I looked out on the yard with eyes of vision and hope it helped me not to feel too over loaded with duty.

So began I the task.
It was a challenge but I think I must be pretty stubborn
:)

The earth is being salted with these things so far.
click to image enlarge

By then I thought my elbows are going to fall off.

My husband had a brain storm and told me the way to reset the block to make it a finished edge. So I turned all of the ones that I could and got a bit to sore of the joint to do much more of it.

After water and chopping at the beds it is improving
I have only two more weeks here to get these seeds in the earth

October moon phases

Today	Oct 7 New	Oct 14 First Quarter	Oct 22 Full	Oct 30 Last Quarter Moon Planting Rule New Moon To Full Moon:  Sow, Transplant, bud and graft. Full Moon To New Moon:  Plow, Cultivate, weed and reap. New Moon To First Quarter:  Good for Planting above-ground crops with outside seeds, flowering annuals. First Quarter To Full Moon:  Good for planting above ground crops with inside seeds. Full Moon To Last Quarter:  Good for planting root crops, bulbs, biennials, and perennials. Last Quarter To New Moon:  Do Not Plant

International National Observe the Moon Night September 23

Most folks do not know that I am a bit of a science geek. Not educated at university just lovin' to know how this old world and those around us work. I figure that this master design is not one to be neglected. The understanding of it can be a real joy.
Reading tonight I had the pleasure of reading this article on Discovery News. Fun site. Make a place on your tool bar you will not be disappointed. This may help you understand my appreciation for planting by the moon phases. Of old this wisdom practiced by those who tend the earth made gardening bode well for them. Enjoy...

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International Observe the Moon Night.
InOMN has grown out of NASA's most recent missions to explore the Moon up close. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been sending back loads of pretty pictures and gobs of new science about our nearest astronomical neighbor, and the folks at NASA hosted several outreach events. This year, they are taking the idea global, with hundreds of events where participants can observe and learn about the Moon.
Find an event nearest you using their map and listing. InOMN is having a photo contest with separate categories for beginners and those with more experience. Submissions for this end September 23rd!

Click here for the full artical

Read more as they explain why the Moon has phases, or why there just is no "dark side,"

Today Aug 24 Full Sep 1 Last Quarter Sep 8 New Sep 14 First Quarter

	Sept.23      Full	Sept. 30               Last Quarter	Oct. 7                  New	Sept. 14 First Quarter

Planting by the phase of the moon July/ Aug 2010 zone 8

Moon Planting Rule
New Moon To Full Moon:	Sow, Transplant, bud and graft.
Full Moon To New Moon:	Plow, Cultivate, weed and reap.
New Moon To First Quarter:	Good for Planting above-ground crops with outside seeds, flowering annuals.
First Quarter To Full Moon:	Good for planting above ground crops with inside seeds.
Full Moon To Last Quarter:	Good for planting root crops, bulbs, biennials, and perennials.
Last Quarter To New Moon:	Do Not Plant

Moon Planting Examples...

A list of when and what to plant.

First quarter planting, or the time from the new moon to about half-full. Plant annuals with above-ground yields, particularly leafy plants which produce their seed outside the fruit.

1st Qtr. Examples: asparagus cabbage, celery, endive, and spinach.

Second quarter planting, or the time from the half-full to the full moon. Plant annuals that have above-ground yields which are vining and produce seed inside the fruit.

2nd Qtr. Examples: beans, peas, peppers, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers.

Third quarter planting, or from the full moon to half-full. Plant biennials, perennials, bulb and root crops. Crops which are planted one season the produce yields the following year, trees, and shrubs.

3rd Qtr. Examples: onions, potatoes, rhubarb, grapes, winter wheat, and berries.

Fourth quarter planting, or from half-full to new moon.

4th Qtr. Examples: pull weeds, cultivate, destroy pests, and turn sod.

Moon Planting Wise Tales...

Plant potatoes during the "dark of the moon" is an old adage. Plant your seeds within 48 hours before a full moon. Do not plant on the day of the New Moon or Full Moon.

Planting by the phase of the moon April 2010

Last Quarter To New Moon: Do Not Plant

Full Moon To New Moon: Plow, Cultivate, weed and reap. 

New Moon April 14th

Harvesting poppy's

This is the second year that the investment of $4 into poppy seed has multiplies into glory!

This is what I get to see when walking out my front door. This morning my kids wanted to go to the bus stop on their own (just 5 houses down) so I had to go harvest the poppy of course to keep my eye on them so I know they are safe on the school bus.

The poppy having exploded with bloom now have many many seed pods that have matured. It is essential to continuous blooming to harvest off the pods. Now they are called poppy for a few good reasons. When you remove the pods they literally POP off. When the pods dry they actually do pop to disperse the seed. The seed does really pop out of the pod. As the pod dries it curls and then bursts.

It was so peaceful sitting there an hour listening to the music of the bees as they enjoyed to blooms. They are so calm and I feel calm around them. I was thinking about how folks are so scared of them. They are so beautiful and duty compels them to task. They tend the pollination we so need to sustain life here. Folks just go indiscriminately killing off the living things. One day like the si-fi movies , I wonder if they will just kill it all off.  No fresh harvests of fruits or vegetables no tree nuts or vines fruited. No olive trees for oil. May it never be in my grand children's life time. Fear God lest it might be in our own.
They sang to me working right along side of me. We worked peacefully together. No FEAR. Life is like that the fear all around us, waiting to see how we might respond to it...respect or destruction. Living with fear as a mentor. You see when the sun gets brighter on the flower the bees get very busy in that place, out of respect I move onto the flowers in the shade. They come to me and then move onto the places I am not. We have NO NEED to harm each other for we have mutual respect toward each other.

These are the pods, as they are harvested the plants are recharged to flower all the more for they no longer extend the energy making seed.

First of many harvests.

There is 3-4 pounds of pods = perhaps 1/4 cup of tiny poppy seed.

Think the little black seed you so often see on bread.

Now I can plant these this fall or bake with them.

However be warned that if your employer drug tests it could show a positive for opiate if you bake with poppy or even purchase breads with poppies on them. We have never had to have such labs but I have heard tales of such woes.