Here is what I've been up to:
(1) A few weeks back I filled the 6 garden beds in my front yard with compost. I planted the seeds, the monsoons came to water them, and seedlings sprouted. Oh it was so exciting until all the seedlings turned yellow. Why? I accidentally bought mulch not compost. Nothing will grow in mulch. Mulch is to keep the moisture in and should be applied on top of compost. So I now have the big job of fixing my problem. This will involve sifting out the wood chips in the mulch, sifting AZ dirt and adding it to the sifted mulch. Adding manure and compost to that and mixing it all up. Then I will be ready to plant again. UGH. Sometimes I learn the hard way.
(2) My washing machine has been converted to a grey water system. The holes are dug for the lemon tree and grape vines. I've been monitoring how the holes fill with water when we do laundry. Seems like we still have too much grey water which means I will dig another trench and add a fig tree also. I am shopping around for the grape vines, lemon tree, and fig tree so I buy the best variety for this climate.
(3) I have picked (I'm guessing) close to 1000 prickly pear fruit (tunas). I am making juice from all of them to freeze. In the future I will make jam, syrup, etc. from the juice. I also picked prickly pear pads (nopales) to sell at the Farmer's Market. They usually sell very well. I don't understand why because anyone can go in their yard and pick them for free. I've been harvesting them from friends' yards or the alleys. I also have 2 bags of mesquite pods. I hope to gather many more before milling season begins. Since I am focusing on gathering wild mesquite and prickly pear this year, I think I will add one more wild food each year to my list of what I gather.
I bought a book at the Santa Cruz River Market called The Prickly Pear Cookbook by a local author. There are 40 some recipes from drinks to main dishes to desserts with using the cactus. I had no idea is was so nutritional and mostly full of water. Such a treasure to find. The nopales are used to manage blood sugar issues such as diabetes. The juice of the tunas can be used as dyes in clothing. Anyways, I'm fascinated by nature.
I'd love to hear from you about what gardening related activities you have been up to lately.
(1) A few weeks back I filled the 6 garden beds in my front yard with compost. I planted the seeds, the monsoons came to water them, and seedlings sprouted. Oh it was so exciting until all the seedlings turned yellow. Why? I accidentally bought mulch not compost. Nothing will grow in mulch. Mulch is to keep the moisture in and should be applied on top of compost. So I now have the big job of fixing my problem. This will involve sifting out the wood chips in the mulch, sifting AZ dirt and adding it to the sifted mulch. Adding manure and compost to that and mixing it all up. Then I will be ready to plant again. UGH. Sometimes I learn the hard way.
(2) My washing machine has been converted to a grey water system. The holes are dug for the lemon tree and grape vines. I've been monitoring how the holes fill with water when we do laundry. Seems like we still have too much grey water which means I will dig another trench and add a fig tree also. I am shopping around for the grape vines, lemon tree, and fig tree so I buy the best variety for this climate.
(3) I have picked (I'm guessing) close to 1000 prickly pear fruit (tunas). I am making juice from all of them to freeze. In the future I will make jam, syrup, etc. from the juice. I also picked prickly pear pads (nopales) to sell at the Farmer's Market. They usually sell very well. I don't understand why because anyone can go in their yard and pick them for free. I've been harvesting them from friends' yards or the alleys. I also have 2 bags of mesquite pods. I hope to gather many more before milling season begins. Since I am focusing on gathering wild mesquite and prickly pear this year, I think I will add one more wild food each year to my list of what I gather.
I bought a book at the Santa Cruz River Market called The Prickly Pear Cookbook by a local author. There are 40 some recipes from drinks to main dishes to desserts with using the cactus. I had no idea is was so nutritional and mostly full of water. Such a treasure to find. The nopales are used to manage blood sugar issues such as diabetes. The juice of the tunas can be used as dyes in clothing. Anyways, I'm fascinated by nature.
I'd love to hear from you about what gardening related activities you have been up to lately.
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