Hello Everyone,

I am re-posting this to a more appropriate thread. I had it under Edible Landscaping! (LOL). Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thank you.


My husband and I recently retired and relocated to White Hills, AZ - elevation 3500. I believe it is considered a Zone 9a. As a newbie gardener, I was just thrilled to find this terrific website today.

Unfortunately, after looking at the Planting Guide, I see I am a bit behind in starting my indoor transplants for tomatoes, peppers, and such indoors - way behind. However, I see that I have a chance to get in on planting direct seeds into the garden for corn, beans, etc.

We have raised garden beds with the soil and mulch to be delivered next week. Is there any advise you can give me this first year? I am wondering if I'd be better off taking the spring to test and prepare my soil with a cover crop over the summer as opposed to being behind the preverbal eight-ball all season. Realistically, I wouldn't be able to plant much before the 18th.

Thank you, everyone. Happy gardening!

Gina

Nice to see a new face ! I am in Tucson and do not think it is too late for you to start some tomatoes in cups to be planted out. We are around 2500 elevation, I think, and I would not put the plants out till in March. The season is short, however, because of the high heat we get, so cherry tomatoes do better here then the bigger ones. You would be a bit cooler so maybe the others would do well also. We need to get them to blossom and set fruit before it gets into the 90's. You can always buy tomato plants in six packs to get a feel for what grows well for you.

I have not heard of White Hills, Arizona. Where is that ?

Gina, welcome from me too! I was going to ask the same thing as Linda . . . where is White Hills? I'm a native of AZ and have not heard of it.

I do not have answers about the veggies but will watch this thread!

Hi Quietyard and Boopaints,

Thank you for the warm welcome! White Hills is mid way between Kingman and Las Vegas. It's a community as opposed to a township. Outside of a Chevron Food Mart, our nearest commercial area is 45 minutes out! LOL, the children think we are crazy, but we couldn't be more happy with the move.

We are less than a year in our new place and feel right at home. Although, we are already bracing ourselves for the upcoming summer. Wow, that first summer was a shocker to say the least! The current weather, though, is just spectacular! The open skies and breathtaking buttes of AZ are incredible and only surpassed by the sunsets and serenity.

We are new to chickens as well and are the caregivers to a small flock of Rhode Island Reds and Buff Orpington's. I can't believe the difference fresh eggs make in baked goods!

But, back to gardening... Our soil is scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday. It looks good, but is alkaline. Vendor says it comes in at 8 pH. Do you have any recommendations to get that lowered? I understand elemental sulphur and peat moss is key. Sound about right? I also understand it will take a season before it kicks in. Do either of you gals have experience with alkaline soil? Any advise is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, again, for the warm welcome. I am so happy to have peeps in AZ to help me along. It certainly is a world in itself.

Gina

Gina, it wounds like you are in a beautiful place!

I am more of a flower pot gardener, purslane lover and artist (see the Forum here on ATP called Garden Art) so am no help at all with soil and so forth. Hopefully someone else will show up. This forum isn't very active.

Now if you have any questions about purslane, I can help you. But if you grow it, the chickens will love it too so keep it in hanging baskets.

Hi again Gina !

It sounds like you have a peaceful spot there.

Our soil is alkaline as well. Yes, I have heard it is good to use sulfur for that issue. I have also used bagged manure in the soil at times. You can get the deodorized stuff as well. Like Becky I now do most of my gardening in pots. I have between 200-300, just depends. Our soil is full of tree and oleander roots so it is too hard to plant in . I do my tomatoes in pots as well. I think you will do well with raised beds. When I used to have them they were wonderful.

Sorry I am not more help.

Hi QuietYard and BooPaints! How are you gals? I'm posting a photo of our raised beds in full force this past summer. Wow!! What an experience I had.... A wonderful experience! It was truly magical harvesting food.

We ran into a little trouble with corn worms and those awful tomato worms (which the chickens loved), but for the most part, I think we did very well! I did learn thinning carrots is critical unless twisted roots are what you're after!

We've since harvested the beds and planted our winter crop. I'm hoping to swing by this forum more often. It sure would be nice to chat up with you, again.

I hope 2014 has been kind. wishing you and yours good health and happy spirits!

Hi Gina !!

Wow, I am soooo impressed with your raised beds. Every thing looks wonderful and in this desert and with our soils that is a great way to garden. Most of my gardening is with flowers but I have had a horrible time with the tomato worms which attack my Cape Honeysuckles, Tacoma, and Duranta vines. Those worms are HUGE ! Wish I had chickens to feed them to. I just end up cutting them in half. YUCK!

I'm impressed to with your raised beds, Gina. Great job!!!

Thank you, ladies! It was a lot of work getting the beds ready, but now it's all joy! The winter crop of cabbage, onions, peas, beets, carrots and beans are coming along. We have a freezing night expected on Sunday, so Im getting out there today to hopefully protect them from the frost and freeze.

I'm using the zip code planting schedule from this site, and although we will be feeling some affects from the Polar Votex freeze that's hitting our country, I'm hoping we'll be able to harvest before the chilly winter really sets in. I'll be taking a close look at our radishes today as I think they might be ready to harvest.

I'm not sure what to expect as its my first winter crop, but like they say: experience is the best teacher.

I have some purple trailing lantana that I'm a bit concerned about. I'm thinking a light bed sheet may be all that's needed to get them through the one night. Here's a photo of my lantana. We had to cage them in at first to keep the cottontails from them at first, but boy, they sure seems to be flourishing!

Have a wonderful day, ladies!

Quietyard, I just wanted to pop in and say what a beautiful collection of plants and flowers you have as your avatar! Truly spectacular. I'm hoping to establish a similar look along my back porch on day. I've started my cactus garden in the back. Perhaps I'll snap a photo. I'd love any feedback you could offer.

And, Boopaints, you're an artist by profession! that's wonderful! I've just recently started painting again after a 30 year hiatus! Actually, I never really painted much - more sketching. Anyway, I'm working with acrylics. My husband insists any new paintings hung on our walls must only be the ones I've created! LOL what a sweet guy! Anyway, here's a photo of my first piece. It seems to be missing something (highlights, lowlights, cloud definition?) but can't put my finger on it. Any suggestions you may have would be appreciated!

Thanks again! Blessings to both of you.

I like your painting Gina !! My husband is a professional artist so I will be sure to show this to him as well.

for the nice comments on my avatar. I am an undisciplined gardener that likes lots of color. I would love to see your garden as well ! Now off to painting for me, but it is just redoing a wall in the family room.

Quietyard, yes, I'd be grateful for any advise your husband can offer on the painting. Thank you. We just finished with our interior walls... Used Behrs Manhattan Mist; its a blue-grey. Looks nice with the white floorboards and trim. What color are you changing to?

I've been nosing around the site today and actually uploaded a few photos to the plant library. I guess it's a way to earn acorns? LOL. Well, I took some photos of my garden and such for you today. I hope you like them!


Peas (foreground) & green beans (background)



Cabbage & spinach



Harvesting radishes



Bush Beans just now getting their blooms



Cactus Garden - complete with claim stack (rock pile) and bleached bones

Love your vegetable gardens, look neat and healthy !

I am embarrassed to admit this but this is the third color I have had on this accent wall in the last couple weeks. It is called Autumn Gourd and is kind of a terra cotta/ red/ rust color. I had tried a grey blue then a gold and am now back to pretty much what I started with. I am no decorator ! Cannot visualize what something is going to look like from a tiny paint chip.

My husband does not give advice on paintings very much as he feels like he still has a lot to learn !! It looked good to me, however !

Thank you for your kind words, Linda. No worries on the painting... I recently read a statement on another forum: a painting is never finished, only abandoned. HaHa, kinda rang true for me! but thanks for asking!

I totally get the repeat wall colors! We painted our entire interior with the blue-grey. I almost cried as it was much more blue than grey. However, once furniture and window treatments were put back up, it soothed the starkness of bare walls.

My sweetheart of a hubby went out and found some super weathered wood out in the desert for frames! I'm very excited to cut it to size an actually hang some of my own artwork.

Tomorrow is a big day covering the garden for our expected frost - let's hope our garden continues to provide a harvest! I'm thinking it will ( fingers crossed). All that can be done... That and a prayer. I'll be sure to let you know how it weathered!

Oh, boy the way, I recieved 3 acorns formy plant library submittals! I'm chuckling with glee!!

on the acorns !!!

I think peas can stand a fair amount of cold if I remember right but still probably not a bad idea to cover them. We have not had the real cold yet.

I love weathered wood that will make wonderful frames.

One of the colors I had tried on this accent wall was the blue/grey and as with you it turned out more blue then grey !! Perhaps we should be praying before we pick out colors !!

Linda, yes, we must pray about everything!

How did the Terra Cotta work out? Happy with it? I bet you can use a soak in the tub right about now! I know I need one after a laborous day. And, I'm betting after tomorrow's labor, I'll be soaking while Sugar catches the afternoon NFL games.

Oh, here's a little tidbit you might enjoy: I had soooo many cucumbers this past summer is actually bathed with them! LOLOLOLOL. I kid you not, Linda! Sliced them up and added them to my bath! It was wonderful!

The things we do to utilize every gift given!

Gina

My husband just peeked in and saw your painting. He likes the colors you have chosen and says you have good composition !

Well, that is the first time I have heard of bathing with cucumbers !! Sounds very cool on a hot summer day.

The color worked out well, looking more red now then Terra Cotta as it dries but no way am I changing that wall again. It gives the fireplace wall a nice warm feeling, especially nice color for fall and Christmas.

I love rich, deep colors on walls. I bet it looks fantastic!

Last year, we helped paint my son's apartment in a rich orange. It was unlike a color most would choose. Once the dark brown, artistic wall hangings and furniture were placed - it was breathtaking! They added dark browns and rich blues, wow!

My hubby is more of the cool and sleek living space as opposed to warm and cozy. So, I compromised. Out here in AZ the coolness works well in the summer. I'm hoping to give the home some warmth in my paintings. But, hey, we're retired, so, like you, if it doesn't work out the first time, we'll just improvise!

I'm sure your new wall color will compliment your home, and you're right, it'll really provide the colors of the holiday season! Good job, Linda!