Dirty Dozen Fruits and Vegitables

Menu Plan Monday

If you are eating these food as non-organics you could be ingesting countless pesticides.

*celery

*peaches

*strawberries

*apples

*domestic blueberries

nectarines

*sweet bell peppers

*spinach,kale, collard greens

cherries

*potatoes

imported *grapes

*lettuce

The good news is that all of the ones with an * can be grown at our elevation with a bit of know how.

Education is a must however and great effort as well. I have grown celery (an English variety),spinach,kale and Swiss chard very successfully. Lettuce is so easy. On my wish list are others that I do hope to get into the earth as the budget permits.

See the full news article here

Planting the Annuls and the crops with seeds outside

It is the season after new moon. Between now and the quarter moon (Oct 14th) we are to enjoy planting our annuals.
I am so excited to begin. Planting by the moon is a wonderful way to keep the wisdom of the elders alive.

Remember the old farmers Almanacs

Click on the image to locate our 2011 Farmers Almanac

Pour a cup of tea and educated your self in the simple ways of old.

Preparing flower seed inventory

Welcome to my morning office

Planting by the moon cycles dictates this week be spent preparing the Annual beds.

Keeping good order of our seed is important.

Next year at the time of using my saved seeds life will be easy for me. 

Saved seed does not have the luxury of seed packages with all the data on them needful to replant in a beneficial way. On the inventory sheet is the information needed for success. NO need to do all the research again. It is all there.

When What Where Why

color

location

soil needs

 days to germination

spacing

thinning

height at thinning

full grown height

Companion planting if applicable.

Seed packets. Notes on heirloom or hybrid type

Each page is set in alphabetical order. Click to enlarge.

sweet peas up the trellis

These are just beginning only 2 weeks in. Bachelor buttons, Shasta daisy, forget-me-nots, sweet peas and lupines. There are also columbines. This is my blue/white bed. Now some nasturtiums vines that had reseeded are also joining them. They are a fire palate so they may get pulled.

Lupines. Remember to chill seeds of lupines for 7 days before planting

The ferns are loving the cooler days. Well under 100 here has been a treat.

My seeds now sorted into annuals, perennials and biennials.

I study some types on line and then add the printed information to the data page.

This is the week to plow and cultivate.

The iris have been removed and will go in after the the full moon. All bulbs, perennials, biannual and root crops will go in then. All flowering annuals, and ground crops with outside seed will go in between the 7th-14th. Ground crops with inside seed between the 14th and the 22 of October. The soils will be attained from the side yard once screened of rock. This bed will need to be dug with pick ax then screened as well. All semi shade will go toward the house the South of the bed. Taller iris to the left full sun. The flax to the background with annuals the shortest coming toward the foreground. The trailing flax will flow over edge. Now mind you that the hole is hoped to be filled up once this is broken up for drainage and root development.
Some parts will be left poorer soil for those flowers that prefer it. One side will be rich soil and so on.

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...

• 
• 
• 
• 

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