Fall Planting

While it is still hot and some weeks there is not enough rain, it is time to be thinking of planting your fall garden.  Some general guidance on planting dates can be had from the Arizona Master Gardeners Manual which you can read online by clicking the link. They have the state divided into zones based on elevation. I usually work with the recommendations for zones 3 & 4, depending on what I'm planting. Zone 3 is 2000-3000 feet and zone 4 is 3000-4500 feet. Here in Claypool, I'm about 3300 feet.

In general I start off planting root crops like carrots, turnips, beets and parsnips in August. If it is hot and dry I will sprinkle the seed beds twice a day and keep them covered with burlap, shade cloth, a row cover or old black window screens. This shades the soil, keeping it cooler and helps keep birds out of it.

In September, as the weather cools even more (at least I hope!), I'll start planting things that like it cooler, like spinach, lettuce and cilantro. Again I cover the seed beds and sprinkle twice a day until the seeds are up. If you can get your seeds in just before a rain storm, that is a great way to get them started!

When you look at the planting charts from the Manual you will see that for some vegetables there is a large difference in planting times between the two zones. I am still working out the best dates for planting things in my garden, so I often plant at both times suggested to see which one works out the best.

If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener the course will begin soon,

BECOME A MASTER GARDENER: Master Gardener Training course is beginning- sign up at at the college. Classes begin August 23, run thru Dec 6. The classes will be on Thursday nights, 6 to 9 pm at the Gila County Central Heights facility. suite 900 (the large meeting room). 

More information can be had at the Gila County Master Gardener's Facebook page or by calling the Extension Office at (928) 402-8589

Permaculture Resources

Recycling is a part of permaculture; designing so there is no waste is even more important

What is Permaculture? A combination originally of 'permanent agriculture', now thought of as "Permanent Culture". Permaculture is a method of designing systems. It's principles can be applied to a garden, a home, a community, a business, even a city or other large area.  Permaculture has some core values, Care of the Earth, Care of the People, Share the Surplus.

Permaculture design is most often applied to home  sites, gardens and small farms, but had also been applied to businesses.

Here are some resources for you to learn more about Permaculture:

http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/index/
http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/
http://permacultureprinciples.com/

Planting Bare Root Trees

Planting a potted tree or rose bush  is similar to planting a bare root one.

There was a question on Facebook about this, so to help out any of you planting bare root trees here is one good way. If you can't get them planted right away, unwrap the roots and let them soak in a bucket of mud in the coolest place you can. Fruit trees need full sun and well drained soil. Around here drainage isn't usually an issue unless you are on some of the heavy clay in a low spot; that could cause root rots if excess water can't drain away from the roots in a day or so.

Dig a nice big hole, much wider than you think you need it to be. And probably deeper. If the soil is heavy clay then score the sides and bottom of the hole so that it is not a slick bowl. The scores will help the roots get out into the soil a little easier.

I usually add some well aged compost or leaf mold and mix it into the soil in the bottom and mix more of it about half and half with the soil that I'm going to put back into the hole. Don't use any chemical fertilizers or fresh manure! They will burn the tree roots.

Take a look at the trees roots and spread them out gently. With your pruners cut back any roots that have gotten broken. Spread the roots out in the hole. There will be a knob or bump on the trunk where it was grafted. You want that knob to end up just above the soil line when you are finished, so adjust the position of the tree with that in mind. And of course make sure the trunk is standing up straight.

If the soil is very dry I usually fill the hole to the top with water and let it soak in before I go set the tree in. Gently begin the back fill, firming up the soil as you go. You don't want to have any air pockets down around those roots. You will probably have to hold the tree up a bit at first, until you get enough soil in there and get it packed down a bit.  When I've got the roots covered I usually water again, to help settle the soil even more.

There have been several studies done about whether pruning a tree at planting time helps it (the theory is to make less top because it's lost so many roots in the process). Most of the studies show that pruning does not really give the tree an advantage and that the very, very best thing you can ever do for your trees is to mulch them. I generally don't prune newly planted trees, unless I am planning an espalier (where you prune it to grow flat along a fence or wall ) or some of the branches are broken. If they are broken I either cut them back to the first bud below the break or take them all the off at the trunk.

Now make a berm  at least 3-4 feet out away from the trunk to hold water. You will need to enlarge this area each year as the tree grows. Tree roots (in fact most plants) go deeper into the soil than the top and they grow wider than the branches. Now fill the berm area with about 4-6 inches of mulch, the best is course compost or tree leaves. Next would be straw or hay. Redwood chips are not really that great; they are more for weed control. What you want under your fruit tree is material that will not only help keep the water in the soil, but also break down slowly and feed the tree.

I especially recommend you check out the Dave Wilson Nursery site. They have some great articles about planting and caring for your back yard orchard, especially about different styles of pruning and when and why you should prune depending on the objectives you have in mind.

Soil Improvement

Nitrogen deficiency on turnip leaves

I have tested the soil in several areas of Globe-Miami, and the results all come back exactly the same. The tests show no available nitrogen, no available potash, the phosphorous content is so high it's off the scale and the pH is 9. Lets take these one at a time.

Nitrogen is the plant food that all green plants must have to be able to make chlorophyll, which is what makes them green. Nitrogen exists in the air as a gas. Certain types of plants called legumes (peas, beans, clover, alfalfa and some trees like mesquite and locust) can have a symbiotic relationship with a class of bacteria in the soil which captures nitrogen from the air and converts it to a form plants can use in the soil. Several organisms are capable of nitrogen fixation, the ones most commonly associated with plant roots are the Rhizobia. Scientists have been able to isolate and grow the Rhizobia bacteria that is best adapted for each plant species and these are available for purchase. They come as a dry powder which is sprinkled over the seeds before planting.

When the seeds germinate the Rhizobia enter the plants root systems in a beneficial relationship. The bacteria capture nitrogen from the air in the soil and store it in a plant usable form in nodules on the plant's roots. The host plant can use some of the nitrogen directly and then when the plant dies and the roots rot in the soil that nitrogen then becomes available to other plants.

Other sources of nitrogen are composted manures, chicken and rabbit manure being highest in nitrogen. The manure also adds organic matter to the soil to help loosen up the clay and hold moisture. Manure also helps add the trace minerals zinc and sometimes has some iron in it. These two minerals are needed in smaller amounts than nitrogen but are very necessary for the plant to be able to use the nitrogen it has to make chlorophyll. A good website with color photos to help you understand what nutrient deficiencies look like is Plant Physiology Online Symptoms. Recycling all of your yard and kitchen waste as compost will help prevent deficiencies, although you may have to bring in some mineral fertilizers the first few years to build up a supply in the soil of those that are missing.

A good source of nitrogen and iron for the garden is blood meal. This is dehydrated blood from slaughterhouses. I always buy the organic brand just to be safe, as it is possible that Mad Cow Disease could be passed along through this type of material. (I don't think it very likely at this time here in the US, but better safe than sorry). Sometimes dogs and other animals may be attracted to the smell, while it is said to repel rabbits when sprinkled around plants they are eating.

Good root crops need potash. Looks like my soil still needs some!

Potash is the nutrient needed to make good roots. If you have not been able to grow good carrots, parsnip, potatoes, radishes and other root crops then this could be part of the reason. While horse manure contains the highest amount of potash of all the animal manures root crops should not be planted where you have used manure this year, it makes the roots forked and hairy. Wood ashes are a good source of potash but should NEVER be used on our soils. They are very alkaline. Our soil is already very alkaline and many plants already have a hard time growing here because of this. (In states where the soil is very acid wood ashes are a good replacement for lime to raise the pH as well as supply potash and some trace minerals)

Because I have not yet found any local nursery or garden center which carries a potash fertilizer I order mine from California in 50 pound bags. The fertilizer costs less than the shipping, but one bag will last me a couple of years depending on how much gardening I'm doing and how much new ground I'm working.

Phosphorous is the plant nutrient that makes for sturdy stems. A lack of phosphorous shows as stunted slow growing plants with weak stems. Some plants like corn and the cabbage family will turn purple on the bottom of their leaves when phosphorous is in short supply. In the Globe-Miami area you will probably not see a deficiency of phosphorous unless too much nitrogen and potash have been added to the soil, getting it out of balance or in plants growing in pots, especially in sterile potting soils that do not have a lot of plant food.

The only thing I add phosphorous to is long term container plants. Bone meal contains a high amount of phosphorous, again I only buy the organic brand to prevent any possibility of mad cow disease. You will read in many places that you should add some bone meal to your flower bulb plantings. Since bulbs are made up of layers of plant stems they do need phosphorous but our soils are already high in this mineral so it is superfluous to add it to our soils here. Bonemeal is also very attractive to dogs which will dig up the planting bed looking for the phantom bone!

What about Miracle Gro and other chemical fertilizers? I personally do not use them. The nitrogen they contain is obtained by a chemical process that burns up natural gas, causing a great deal of pollution. They do not contain any organic matter to improve the texture and water hold capacity of the soil. In fact, chemical fertilizers kill off much of the soil life, including earthworms, that make our soil alive and help our plants to grow.

The pH or acid/alkaline balance of the soil is very important. The pH scale goes from 0, very acid to 14, very alkaline, with 7 as the neutral point. Due to chemical reactions in the soil some minerals are 'locked up' in forms that plants cannot use when the soil is too far either way from neutral. The ideal pH for garden soil is about 6.5, at this level most plant nutrients are available in plant usable forms. The problem we have here is that our soils are very alkaline, this is why we so often see deficiencies of iron, zinc and some other trace minerals in our plants. These minerals may be present in the soil but they are not in forms that the plants can use.  The best remedy is to add lots of organic matter to the soil in the form of compost, leaf mold and manures. Organic matter forms mild acids in the soil which helps lower the pH and helps dissolve minerals into plant usable forms. When forming new garden beds the first year I also add a lot of peat moss to them. While the moss does not have much plant food in it, it is very acid and helps lower the pH of the soil. Peat moss can also hold a great deal of water. It will break down over time, but it is very helpful the first couple of years in the garden, especially if you do not have a lot of compost yet. I usually add about 4 cubic feet of peat moss to 100 square feet of garden bed.

Next time I will tell you about foliar fertilizers and how to use them. Please, if you have any questions, just ask! I am putting this information here to help you grow the best gardens possible and am trying to be of help. I have a lot of experience and am very happy to answer your questions.

New USDA map

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

There is a new plant hardiness zone map out from the USDA. These maps are based on average minimum winter temperatures and are meant as a guide for gardeners in choosing plants, especially long lived trees and shrubs.

When using the maps you must of course also keep in mind the micro climate of your community and even of your yard. Lots of stone and concrete and shelter from the wind will make a warmer spot while a wide open space will be cooler.

The new map places me in zone 9a which I feel is a little too warm, as our minimum winter temperatures can get as low as 15 and usually do at least once a year. So I'll play it safe and buy most things that are rated for zone 8b, 15-20 degrees.  That way most of the time my plants will be hardy enough to survive winters that are a little colder than average.

However, the map is a great starting point for making decisions about which plants to buy for your landscape.

Preparing Your Soil

Preparing to plant peas

Now is a good time to work on getting your soil in shape for planting. First let me comment on the photo. After several years of experimenting I do not recommend raised beds because they take a great deal of extra water. In the future these beds will have their sides removed and be sunken down level with the path ways.

The one nice thing about having wooden boxes around the garden beds is that it makes it easier to put up a trellis for vine crops and it makes it harder for clutsy non gardeners to step on the growing space.

My preference for growing beds is actually something I've never seen other people do. I mostly garden in beds 3-4 feet wide and whatever length fits the space. I dig a trench across the width of the bed and save that soil in buckets or the wheelbarrow. The trench is as deep as the blade of my shovel. Next I dig down as deep as the shovel will go in the bottom of the trench. Then I throw that dirt out into the pathways. Sometimes I need the pickaxe to pry up the boulders and a hatchet to chop through tree roots.

Next I dig a trench next to the first one, this time the top soil is tossed into the first trench. Again the subsoil is tossed into the pathways. When I get to the end of the bed, the soil that I saved from the first trench is added to the last trench. I only do all this digging once and it makes a big difference in plant growth because it loosens up the soil but doesn't raise it too far up into the air where it is going to dry out easily. I use the soil I threw out in the paths to help make a berm around the bed to keep the water in it when it rains or I have to irrigate.

If there are a lot of rocks in the bed I will screen the top soil through 1/2" hardware cloth before putting it back in if I intend to plant any root crops like beets, carrots or potatoes. Rocky soil means twisted and gnarly roots. Yes it's a huge amount of work, but when you are starting with the poorest soil in the world it can make a huge difference in the plants growth. Once dug I never walk on the bed, so it never packs down as tight as it was before.

When digging your garden you want to work when the soil is just nicely moist. Do not ever dig your soil when it is very wet and sticky. If it is sticking to  your tools then get out of there and go do something else. Working the soil when it is wet and sticky will make big clods and lumps that will take forever to get rid of once they dry out.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the sorts of things you should add to the soil to grow the best garden ever. In the meantime you might want to read my article on Building Fertile Soil.

When to Plant?

Typical daily salad for January

Here in our area we are lucky enough to be able to grow many things even in the winter. By choosing our vegetable varieties carefully and giving them some protection if needed we can harvest fresh produce all year round.

This is a picture of what my January salads have looked like. Five to ten varieties of baby lettuce, Giant Red Mustard, spinach, sorrel, chickweed, viola and violet blossoms, violet leaves, spinach, Easter Egg Radishes. The only thing not typical are those little Yellow Marble Tomatoes.

The Yellow Marble Tomatoes were volunteers in a pot last summer, about three of them along with one plant of an Italian drying tomato, Princepe Borghese. When the first frost threatened I moved the pot into my greenhouse. This is just a frame of PVC pipe covered with plastic on the south side of my house. Generally it is only one or two degrees warmer in there at night than it is outside. Some how, some way this one Yellow Marble plant has managed to survive all winter and ripen all it's little green tomatoes. It's looking pretty sad right now though and if we have some more deep freezes I doubt it will make it.

Most of the lettuce and salad greens are growing outdoors. Some of them are under a frost blanket or row cover. These are thin white spun bonded polyester covers that can protect plants from 6-12 degrees of frost. But one lettuce bed is in the open and not covered. It has done much better than I thought it would through the frost and snow, though it does grow slower than the lettuce that is covered.

Violet and viola blossoms, along with pansies are edible. The big purple pansies that I have are pretty blah tasting, but the viola blossoms are very tasty, with a sweet flower taste. The violets taste much like they smell, only fainter. All of these plants have edible leaves, the violet leaves are a little tougher than the violas. They taste sort of 'green'.

The violas and most of the lettuces were planted in August, September and November. The violets are of course the old fashioned kinds and are perennials.

It is important to plant your seeds early enough in the fall so that your plants are big enough to survive and harvest throughout the winter. The Arizona Master Gardeners program has put their handbook online . In it is a planting chart for Arizona, organized by elevation. As far as I can tell it is only for when you should plant things out in the open without protection. There are a few things I disagree with and I often plant as much as a month (or more) earlier if I am starting seeds indoors or planting out under row covers, but it is a good place to start if you are new to gardening in this area.

Another good resource for year round gardening is Elliot Coleman's Four Season Harvest. I learned a lot of great new ideas from reading this and Elliot's other gardening books.