IT IS TIME...

It started 3 years ago with planting into the pots 3 small tomato plants, and several layers of wholesome herbs to go with those tomatoes.  


Last year, we grew tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, strawberries and peppers in a little section next to a concrete block wall.  


In January 2011 I cut out a section of grass that measured 4' x 40', much to the dismay of my wife who envisioned the kids running and playing with their kids until we are old and grey, But I did it to provide more fruits and vegetables seasonally for the family.  I realized last year with our small vegetable garden that our kids had started to eat the items we grew, their little fingers reaching in while we picked and harvested for the nights dinners. But the removing of the grass was not where we really started, where we started was in the planning, researching what can we really grow in LAS VEGAS.  We spent a good 3 months looking at all of our options and then settled down with a thought that we would try all the different veggies and seeing what we really like this  coming spring and summer in our planned 4' x 40' area.  


So as I said earlier we removed a section of grass transplanted in an area up to a dirt area that the boys always play in.  Tilled up the dirt that once fed the grass and would now feed our VEG.  The dirt up until now had only been watered and fed what is customarily used on a keep grass blend, so we added 5 pounds of Ammonium Phosphate and 15 cubic yards of Steer Manure spread around evenly and tilled into..  This was January and then we let it sit for a whole month, in preparation for what was about to happen.  Much to the concern of Emily we start our early crop only from seed in February, SEED HAD NOT WORKED IN THE PAST, the ground was cold so we covered with clear plastic.  


Watching seeds grow and sprout is the most stressful time in a growers life, I believe, because as things start to sprout the anticipation builds with the thoughts we will soon get to eat what we are growing...  


So February seeds in the ground....  


Carrots ---  Chantenay and Nantes variety
Beets --- Deep Red Variety
Radishes --- Cherry Belle Variety - with a hope that they will not have to much kick...
Lettuce ---  Butterhead, Romaine, and Bibb Varieties... 
Turnips ---  Red Top Globe variety
Broccoli --- Large head variety
Tomatoes --- Early Girl, Better Boy, Cherry and Sweet 100, and San Marzino (which we call San Cherry) because we did not really get them to the right size)
Peas --- Sweet variety
Pole and Bush Green beans
Strawberry -  Alpine and Quinalt
Blackberries - Apache and Navajo
Cauliflower --- 


All the seeds were added to the soil as listed on the seed packs perpendicular to the planter bed.  So if all went well 25 - 50 days we would start to have crops.  Seeds were slow to germinate because of an unseasonably cold winter so the planter bead was covered with plastic and on the really cold nights our good quilts, and then in the morning removed so the sun will warm the ground.  So what was thought to be 25 - 50 days became 40 - 70 days.  But when it came in, it came in... End of March, beginning of April we began to harvest the lettuce and the radishes, we ate salads.  When I say "WE ATE SALADS" that includes the kids who would not touch the lettuce or greens that we once purchased from the store.  


In March we sprayed the crop with insecticidal soap because Aphids tried to take over and then a week later spread 100 lady bugs through-out lettuce and carrots to take on the remaining attackers of the garden...  


At the End of March we fertilized with fish emulsion and blood meal...  We also harvested 8 heads of romaine and ate Caesar salads every night for dinner.  


April came the fear that while we are gone for a week and a half everything will wilt and perish, a good friend came over though and check up to make sure things stayed in great condition.  She also harvested the first of what continues to produce strawberry bed...


By June everything that was planted has been harvested and we have moved onto the summer/ Fall Veg.... Everything that was green and not eaten went back into the Compost pile to be used in September.  After everything was harvested the ground was turned and aerated with the fork and rich compost spread across the entire bed....  


We have added more fish emulsion, more blood meal and bone meal...   And have since planted the next crop that we are currently harvesting from...


Cucumbers --- 
Peppers --- Anaheim, Sweet banana, Bell, Jalapeno, a Peblano varieties 
More Tomatoes --- A sweet Pink Heirloom varieties + a variety from last year that sprouted  from last years that were turned under in a experiment to see if it would grow.
Squash - Zuchinni and Summer Varieties
Eggplant --- A Japanese variety that absolutely loves the sun shine.
Pumpkin --- a sugar variety(Emily Loves Pumpkin Pie)  But I think it needs to go in a whole lot earlier next time.
Watermelon and Cantering
Potatoes ---  




Canning count for the Summer


22 - quarts tomato sauce 
20 - pints of pickles




This really brings us to now... For the most part.  I will add more and update this when I get home...