June: Survival Mode

Spring came and went quickly and as we are in our first days of June it is back to the one month survival mode of the year. I have found if plants can hold on through this horrid month I will be greatly rewarded with their bounty. So far, so good...Although the temperatures are high the plant are adjusting to the heat much better than past years. A couple of flowers have bit it, but the edible plants are champs. I know each year at the end of the month I curse the heat and state, "nevermore!", but here I am again this year, planting outside before the month of June. And if I lose many of the plants this year I will curse once more. Such a vicious cycle.

Mystery- moo plant that I believe is a squash variety of sorts is looking strong, but little by little weakening. Oh so sad. Each and every year I plant squash varietals and they rock out like no other and then suddenly die. Usually I am able to harvest a few fruits before this, but this year seems quite rapid without a fruit in sight. I would take it much easier if I knew the issues, and if I would just gts it (google that sh*t), I might know before someone tells me. I believe last year was a fungus of sorts but this and previous years little squiggles appear and then the leaf withers to nothingness. The upside to this is the patty pan squash seems to be doing well with no visual harm, so maybe it is this type. Only time will tell.

a beast of a plant

first it looks like this...

...then does this...

 The other plants hanging around the squashes are amazing. I have not really grown onion before and bought a bunch this winter from the feed store and planted them the bookcase. A few are really big right now and I pulled one for my morning bagel. WOWZERS!!! These blessed onions are the bestest I have ever seen (or tasted, for that matter!) The flavors that come from something freshly picked from the garden is just magnificent. My taste buds could not be happier. And I thank my lucky stars it is summer again so this can happen daily.

garden row: squashes, rosemary, garlic, and onion

This sweet tiny town of mine is just the bees knees but at times lack all the true goodness that is out there. Our local hardware store does try but their scarcity of flowers allowed me to only semi spruce the compound up until I can find a much thicker assortment of colors and kinds. But I was able to score a few flowers to add to the ol' tire garden and once they are all kicking they will really be gorgeous this summer.

garden love <3

 An addition of three tomatoes, 2 cherokee purple and 1 black cherry, have made it to buckets. My seedlings just didn't do so swell this year while growing up in the nursery of the bathroom. Those last couple of freezes were too much for them, so only a few remain. I doubt I have as many tomato plants as last year, but the season is young, and those fresh toms are where its at. They are also going to make a go of the back in lieu of the front porch. No solid reasons as to the switch but possibly laziness to be closer to a water hose instead of 10 trips with a canister. I just don't have time for that craziness.

three tom spot

 Let us all cross our fingers and wait out the heat that is in front of the plants. Then there will be monsoons, there always seems to be a silver lining.

Spring, a welcomed breath of fresh air

The insanely long winter has finally ceased and with the new found warmer temperatures the garden grows. We won't address my sanity, but it was really close there for a brief moment if the winter didn't end. How would I ever survive outside the desert?

Frida's "I'm tired of the winter look."

This year I am concentrating on a larger section of herbs in the garden, knowing they grow well here and are an ease to have around. Marjorams, thymes, basils, oreganos, amaranth, mints, and taragons are on the bill so far, and on some of the herbs there are 3-4 kinds. Here's to testing new herb combinations in recipes all summer! I vow to cut and store more herbs for next winter. The ones I saved went quickly this past winter, and store bought just isn't the same. Hopefully the larger herb section and the vow will work together for optimal performance, it will be a win-win.

Pretty in pink amaranth

oregano and thyme just a hangin' out on the porch

The plants that have been outside are really doing well. The onion and garlic are just killing it out there growing big and strong to be consumed. And a bonus mystery plant has once again popped up in the garden from using compost. This particular one is a type of squash or melon looking plant. It is also rocking out, so I am sure very soon the mystery will be solved. I am beginning to totally dig the mystery garden game that has become of the last few years.

garlic, onion, and rosemary

"it's a mystery to me..."

Since tricking the thrasher (click here for the story and instructions), which has worked well, the chard and kale are thriving, and with the various growth cycles it is fun to watch.

very young

transplanted teens

teen sized kale and older chard

And a set of flowers came back in the tires and they are really brightening up the joint. I hope they are  joined by a display of daisies in the near future.

this area is ready to bring it this summer

With the temps being much cooler for longer this season, there are still quite a few plants still trying to grow big enough to make it outside. The tomatoes and such are going to be on a much smaller scale this year. On one had I am going to miss all the tons of recipes and ways to use tomatoes, and on the other I am excited not to spend so much time on tomatoes this year and enjoy the ones the garden blesses me with. So less than 10 tomatoes and probably around 5 pepper plants, once it is all said and done. That is, until I see a plant sale with veggies, then I might be screwed.

Spring Forward?

The majority of the country cursed while changing for daylight savings time, but not this gal. No springing forward for me. Living in Arizona allows for no interruption of sleep patterns. No feeling whack until your body catches up with change. Til it happens again, a vicious cycle.

I am however, a fiend for this so-called spring. This winter has been the longest since I have lived in this state, and I am not sure how I will stay sane much longer. I am itching to plant onion, kale, and chard. Their containers are ready to plant, the only problem, winter. This long, wet (yea for moisture!), super cold winter. Ugh.

They long to spread their roots...

After a long spell of cold and snow mixed with a couple of days of nice, warm weather days happened upon us. Each time I start to gear up and try to spring-tastic the place for planting. The itch is there, then boom! It's forcasted for snow in the foreseeable future. Spring, I need you.

The handful of warmer weather days were great to start planting. I started many herbs, peppers, and tomatoes and they are starting to pop up in the bathroom/Arizona room. This area is so great to start little plants to be moved outside (and house those that usually live outside, when it isn't freezing). I didn't go as crazy as I did last year and plant anything and everything, but I think I will be just as successful with this plan of attack. Growing what I know will grow, the key to this year?

Bathroom oasis for growing

Looking to 'B' mountain

Plants, YEAH!

 I also whipped up a bird feeder from refurbished items. I switched a few things around in the directions, and learned of a better way to do it for the next one, but this prototype isn't too bad for a first time. Always learning lessons, the next one will be kick ass. It has brought a few birds around. I hope to have a few others made up soon to feed along the porch.

Feeder being used

Spring will be here soon, but in my opinion, not soon enough...

Tricking the Thrasher

This three day weekend welcomed warmer weather than most days have offered this winter. Not only am I getting my brain sane with these rising temps, but I am also doing a few things in the garden in preparation for when the frost scare is over. I hope it ends soon, for sanity's sake.

Chard did so well in the planter last year and I plan on using the same space again. When I planted the first time the plants were quite big when transplanted, so I didn't have much to worry about. The chard and kale I have ready to transplant are still pretty small. I don't think they will survive planting with the curve billed thrasher hanging around. This particular bird really mows down plants, clips them right off with its long curved bill. And one really enjoys hanging in the same area as the chard/kale area.

I found a simple method of building a structure to use bird netting to keep the little bugger out. A bit of flexible piping, I used 4 feet for both sides, and a non-flexible pvc pipe to run across. I slipped the flexible pvc over rebar to make an upside down U shape.

 

I drilled holes in the appropriate places to fit the firm piece of pvc to provide stability and used zip ties to keep them together. I draped and pinned the bird netting over the structure.

 

With the pins holding down along the sides, the hanging out thrasher will have a tough time getting in to mow down my greens. Now all I need is for this super long winter to cease and spring to bloom so I can transfer the kale and chard to their permanent home. And then I will eat it. Lots of it.

 Another happening in the garden is the garlic. I bought up quite a bit of garlic from Joe at the market and tossed some in the bookcase planter around November to forgot about them. They did what they are made to do and popped up green sprouts, close to 10 in all. I hope they work out this year, so far they are off to a good start!

Spring is close, I can feel it. And it feels good.

Honey Cough Drop Recipes

I recently traveled, which means I also recently got sick. It never fails; when I travel I get sick. I try every remedy before and during to try and curb sickness, but the germs attack and I get sick.

This go round a cold hit me mid-air on the plane ride home. A cold. I had been on vacation and really need to get back to work to catch up, so I tried to go in on Monday. I didn’t last long and left mid-morning. My plan was to pick up a bit of honey at the local store and make cough drops of goodness. Being a Monday, and living in Bisbee, the local honey store was not open, so I picked up a bottle at the market to at least make a small batch.  One needs a good cough drop when a cold is a coming.

I tried my hand at honey cough drop making a few months back and learned a few lessons from that venture. The two batches made this week turned out really well. Now this little treat is a go to for sore throats. I bought candy molds, and although they are really designed to mold chocolate, they work awesome for the cough drops too. And in cute little shapes, might I add. Since I didn’t have a mold the first time making drops, I had a mess on my hands. I don’t have wise words for you if you don’t have molds. It was really that big of a mess and ultimately had to throw most away. Find molds on Amazon or your local store.  I promise, you’ll thank me.

The other lesson learned was failing to apply a light coat of powdered sugar. They stick together if they touch, but add a light coat of powdered sugar, viola! No sticking. Good thing for lessons learned. 

 

Recipes:

Mildly medic honey drops

~ ¾ cup honey (I prefer local, but use what you wish)

1 tsp of cinnamon

¾ tsp of slippery elm bark

 Kick ass honey drops aka second batch

1 cup honey

1 tsp rounded cinnamon

1 tsp slippery elm bark

1tsp horehound (I like it freshly ground)

1 tsp echinacea

¼ tsp lemon extract (I just made a batch, if you don’t have on hand skip it)

I would have added 1 tsp of golden seal, but I couldn’t find it at the co-op. Better luck to you.  I think it would be a great addition. Pattie at the co-op mentioned there has been a cough syrup maker in buying herbs and they use cherry bark, mmm. Next time. Really, you can use anything that suits your fancy.

Directions:

Start by heating the honey on the stovetop and measure in the rest of the ingredients. Using a candy thermometer stir the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees. Keep an eye on it and stir often so it doesn’t spill over.  When it reaches 300 degrees drop a sample in coldish water. I use a spoon. If it hardens it is ready to pour into lightly greased molds. Once the drops are hard toss them in a bag with a small amount of powdered sugar. You don’t need much, just a light coating. Store at room temperature and use when the cold-ickness bug’s got ya down. Or when you have a sore throat.

The small batch lasted most of the week and was not all that bad; even though I couldn’t find the horehound I had from the previous time. It is my favorite ingredient for cough drops. But I used what I had on hand, and it worked pretty well.

I was close to running out of the first batch, and Killer Bee Guy honey store was open, so I decided to stock up on a few more medicinal items and really make a cough drop to aid in my healing.

WOWZA! The kick ass honey drops turned out super strong and really knows how to take care of a sore throat and coughing.  Score. I really like it, but I can see how some might not like it as much. My suggestion would be to either limit the herb list or possibly start at ½ tsp for each listed above.  Really you can do what your taste buds like or what is available to you.

I can’t stress how easy it is to make the honey cough drops. I really do my best to know what is in the food I eat, so making the drops at home is a no brainer to me. It doesn’t even really take that long to heat up, so minimal time is spent on something that is rewarding.

AND, I'm back?

Whew, it has been a while. And a busy while to say the least. Now that I am on my last travels for a while and the holidays are over my mind is a tad more sane. Hey, I said it was only a tad more sane. And with a saner brain can come plans of attack.

Last year took a burden on my creativity and tenacity for trying new things in the garden. I almost broke.

almost.

I wanted so much to grow what the rest of the country is able to grow. No more wasting time and energy hoping and nurturing things that just don't grow in the desert. I have learned. Although many things lived long enough to be planted and have flowers, the drought and heat killed any hopes of actually eating their fruits. This is what almost broke me...so much care and little in return.

So if a plant was successful enough to supply me with nourishment I will grow it again. So the kitchen herbs will be increased and so will the peppers. The only new thing will be a try at a black eye pea plant to see if I can grow enough for New Year's Day. Ok, so I haven't totally learned my lesson?

My 3 year old nephew wanted to share in the blog, so what follows is his debut as a lil blogger. 5t njj j  jjjjj jjj jjjzzzzzwww333333uuuxrrr

Pretty good, no? He's a natural, you should see him on the guitar.

So here's to a new year of gardening and blogging.  May they both prosper.