Garden Update

time lapse from William Caldera on Vimeo.

It's been quite sometime since I've updated my garden blog. That is because it's been nearly 2 years since I've done anything in the garden, and boy was it a mess when I finally got around to cleaning it out early this spring. The weather has been very nice lately and  I am getting lots of stuff done around the house, including cleaning out the garden, adding a raised bed (hopefully the 1st of many) and BBQ-ing. The  above time lapse was taken over several hours and stops about half way through one day of cleaning the garden and building the raised bed. I added several bags of compost, and garden soil to the 2'x8'x18" cedar box  that is held together with galvanized nuts and bolts. I would have made the box 6" taller but that cedar wood costs as much as gold! Well not quite as much but man its expensive compared to the regular wood at Lowes.   I cheated and bought plants at Lowes instead of growing from seed. Hopefully all the expensive soil and 3 different types of compost will give me lots of fruit this summer.

I also added a drip irrigation system. The soaker hose system I had set up seemed to waste a lot of water and the hoses were always busting. Its late and I will have to continue this post later.

Sometimes You Get Lucky

"Rosemary" - copyright 2010 William Caldera

In preparation for dinner I cut a few sprig of fresh rosemary and placed them in a vase of water next to the couch. While gathering my geadr to go shoot last years Christmas card, I sat on my couch to run through the settings on my camera and format my cf cards. The winter sun on a late December afternoon was pouring through an open window just behind me. The quality of light illuminating some fresh sprigs of rosemary I cut earlier in the day was eye catching. With camera in hand, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to snap off a few shots. Next to the rosemary sat a glittery Christmas cone "thingy" that was refracting the sun light and projecting it into a cool pattern on the wall behind the rosemary. The was quickly changing and only lasted a few fleeting minutes. This is one of those serendipitous instances where everything comes together to make an interesting image. I just happened to have my camera in hand at the right moment. That should serve as a lesson for me to carry my camera with me more often.

"Rosemary" - copyright 2010 William Caldera

"Rosemary" - copyright 2010 William Caldera

"Rosemary" - copyright 2010 William Caldera

Cactus Bugs

While shooting some pictures of the flower on this cactus, I noticed all these bugs hanging out on the back side of it. I have no idea what they are and not sure if I should kill them or let them hang out.  A quick Google search left me thinking they might be Cactus Coreid Nymphs.

Of all the links I found, none have indicated weather or not I should try to get rid of them.

• http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in365
• http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/c_v_aequoris.htm
• http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2006/05/29/cactus-joint-bugs/

Bluebonnets

A couple weeks ago, I took some pictures of Texas Bluebonnets.  According to Texas A&M, bluebonnets:

•  Bloom between March and April
• Can also be white, pink, purple and Aggie Maroon
• Will not produce mature seed until June
• Are extremely cold hardy
• Help produce nitrogen in the soil

The time to spread wildflower seed is actually in the fall, not early spring. "September and October are the months for planting cold hardy fall annuals which bloom profusely the following spring" (Parsons, par 10)

According to the USDA, Lupinus subcarnosus Hook (a.k.a.
Texas bluebonnet ) is drought tolerant, and a member of the pea family.

Lupinus subcarnosus became the State flower March 7th, 1901. 70 years later, the state legislature added another species of bluebonnets, Lupinus texensis, to Lupinus subcarnosus as the state flower in addition to "any other variety of bluebonnet not heretofore recorded", and lumped them all into one state flower.  Among the many things the Legislature did not know then was that the big state of Texas is home to three other species of Lupines and the umbrella clause makes all five of them the state flower. And, if any new species are discovered, they automatically will assume the mantle of state flower as well" (Parsons, par 6).

Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to pick bluebonnets in the state of Texas. Just because you can do something, however, doesn't always mean you should.

Burnet and Chappell Hill have annual "Bluebonnet Festivals."


"Ennis was designated by the 1997 State Legislature as the home of the Official Texas Bluebonnet Trail and was designated the Official Bluebonnet City of Texas" (Ennis Convention and Visitors Bureau).

Curbside Garden Update

It's been a while since I have updated my curb side garden progress. Last year I planted cantaloupe, pineapple and basil with the lantana and bulbine.  The cantaloupe became overgrown last year and took over most of the bed. That combined with the feral cats making it their litter box, I decided not to plant anything edible out there.  The hard freeze we had this winter wiped out the pineapple and I thought the lantana was a goner also. Much to my delight, the lantana came back. Instead of running the water hose across the side walk and risking a lawsuit, I installed a pipe under the sidewalk. I can hook the water hose up on  one side and the soaker hose on the other. I also added a few stepping stones on so that hopefully people will stop trampling the plants.

Growing Giant Watermelon

Last year I grew watermelons in my garden with mediocre success. Some of the melons split open or died on the vine for what ever reason. The melons that I did harvest were some of the sweetest melons I have ever had.

This year I'm going to attempt to grow some on a trellis and let the others grow normally. While I'm at it, I'm going to attempt to grow a giant watermelon on one of the plants.

You have probably heard about the annual giant pumpkin contests up north. They grow pumpkins so large they need a fork lift to move them. Down south it gets to hot to grow pumpkins that large (or so I've read on the www) Instead southerners grow giant watermelons.

Some people take it so seriously they attend their prized melons 24 hours a day! The world record is 268.8 according to this site. First I'm not that crazy. Second I have things to do like to work to pay bills and take care of our animals.


I might go check out the Luling Watermelon Thump this year

Online Resources:

• U of M high tunnel Melon Production
• Arkansas Giant Watermelons
• UMD Growing Watermelons
• Georgia 4-H Giant Watermelon Growing Suggestions
• OSU Watermelon Production

Fun Facts:

• Melons and watermelon are second only to bananas in total U.S. per capita consumption of fresh fruit. Melons are low in fat and sodium, have no cholesterol, and provide many essential nutrients such as potassium. Watermelons are an excellent source of lycopene, which is credited with reducing many forms of cancer. (source: Univ of Missouri Extension)
  
• Both melons and watermelon are native to Africa and thrive in a warm, dry climate with a long growing season. The optimal growing temperature (source: Univ of Missouri Extension)
• for melons and watermelons is 70–85 degrees F. (source: Univ of Missouri Extension)
• Cold Watermelon is sweet and refreshing on a hot summer day, plus it has added benefits.
• Plastic Mulch may be used to increase crop yield and ensure earlieness. (Source: Maryland Coop Extension)
• Harvesting or loading wet melons is inadvisable because of the increased risk of decay. (Source: Univ of Georgia - College of Agg and Enviro Science)
• Square watermelons in Japan sell for the equivalent of about $83.00 (Source: BBC)
• Research has revealed that each female melon flower must receive at least eight bee visits to set a marketable fruit. (Source:Univ fo Missouri Extension)
  
• Read more interesting facts here!
  
  

5-10-2009 Growing progress

Top Row:

• Onions are growing really big. I need to look up when to harvest them.
• Sweet corn is about knee high. Three rows of it. Hopefully I won't harvest it to late like I did last year.
• I was a bit careless with the basil seeds. Now I have basil popping up all over the garden. Cant wait to make Basil pesto, pizza and spaghetti.
• Pole beans are growing but not quite tall enough to start climbing up the trellis.
• My jalapeno plants from 2 years ago survived the winter and are popping peppers out every where. You can tell they are ready to pick when they turn dark green. Those veins mean they are HOT!!!

Center:

• The tomato plants have tiny tomatoes about the size of my thumbnail. Its getting pretty hot here already. Hopefully I will get a few tomatoes out of it.
• The watermelons are coming up. I'm going to allow some to grow underneath the apple tree and try to train some to grow up a trellis.
• Swiss Chards are about waist high. We need to eat more. We have only cooked with them twice.
• Bush beans are growing pretty well. Only one row came up though. I wonder if the Swiss Chards shaded the other row to much.

Bottom Row:

• The strawberries are in a shadier part of the garden. I think they might want more sun light. The berries that are growing are small and the bugs keep eating them.
• Carrot tops surround a poblano pepper plant. (pix under strawberries)
• I got impatient waiting for the basil seeds to germinate. I thought they were not going to so I bought one at Lowe's. I'm going to have so much this year. It sells for about $4.00 for a small package at the store.
• More Jalapenos! I haven't bought Jalapenos in over a year despite giving away as many as I can. I still have a gallon zip lock bag full of peppers in my freezer.
• Romain lettuce is wilting. They like nice cool weather so I have to hurry up and eat some and let the rest bolt (go to seed)
  

I put okra seeds I save from last year in 2 rows this morning and I still have 2 empty rows. I got to figure out what to put there. I'm thinking some of the cantaloupe leftover from the curbside garden.

If you are wondering, the stringy stuff all over the ground is pollen from the pecan trees. It makes a huge mess.

Curb Side Garden

I have this long narrow patch of land (5ft wide by 45 ft long) in front of my house. Its nestled between the side walk and the street. It should be covered in grass but the only thing growing is weeds. It is in full sun all day and our of reach for my water sprinkler. So I decided to convert it into a mini garden strip. There is a crape myrtle at one end that provides some shade for the only patch of grass. When I set out to improve this patch I wanted it to be

Low maintenance
"Water Wise"
Nothing that would grow over 2 feet (I don't want to block the view of the house from the street)
Inexpensive

I began the conversion by tilling up the swatch of land and then raking out all the weeds. After tilling the dirt was about 1 and a half foot above the curb. Since I'm trying to keep the cost down I decided not to use a border. That would have drastically raised the cost by at least $100.00 My neighbor recently added sprinklers in their yard and the dirt settled creating a valley around their front yard. I ended up shoveling about 25 loads of dirt into a wheelbarrow and spreading it in their yard. That got rid of half the dirt and took all night. The next day I asked another neighbor if he needed dirt and he came and took the other half. He in exchange gave me a soaker hose and a handshake. (I have really good neighbors) Finally I got it low enough that I hoped the mulch would not run off.

I used 9 bags of pine bark mulch and 1 bag of Black Kow compost. I didn't use weed fabric because I didn't want to have to mess with it if I decide to plant something else in the future. I got 3 lantana plants from the clearance section at Lowe's for $2.00 each and a Coreopsis I paid about $6.00 for a few months back. Last year I got a free plant called bulbine from the annual SAWS Spring Bloom event. I divided it into two and planted them by my front door. This year I dug up one of the plants and divided it into 20 plants . I started basil seeds and cantaloupe seeds about a month ago and didn't have room in my garden for them so I decided to put it out in my curbside garden along with 2 pineapple tops and 2 crape myrtle trees given to me by another neighbor. Before I put each plant in the ground I added a scoop of the compost.

Shannon is afraid that someone might steal a cantaloupe. I'm not really concerned. I have some more to put in the garden. I told my neighbors to come get some basil next time they make speg. or pizza.


Materials

• 9 bags Pine bark mulch
• 1 bag Black Kow Compost
• *Soaker hose
• 3 lantana
• Coreopsis
  
• * 2 Pineapple Tops
• *2 Crape myrtle trees
• *20 Bulbine
• **Cantaloupe
• **Basil

*free
**Practically free



Tools Used

• Tiller
• Wheelbarrow
• Rakes
• Shovel
• Broom
• Leaf Blower

Guerrilla Gardening in San Antonio

This afternoon I was listening to ABC World News Tonight in my IFB while waiting to do a live shot when I heard a story about Guerrilla Gardening. I immediately tweeted looking for potential gorillas in SA. Nicole quickly pointed out my spelling error. There are many areas in my neighborhood that could use some assistance to say the least. I know my yard has never won yard of the month but I atleast keep it clean and trimmed. Ive been tempted many times to grap the weedeater and help some of my lawn challenged neighbors or clean up some of the city right of ways. I know a perfect spot to do a garden but don't have the time or money to fix up the city's property. I have enough stuff I need to do to my own yard first.

The closest I have gotten to Guerrilla Gardening was last summer. My neighborhood association (which has no power or deed restrictions for better and worse) has a sign near one of the entrances of my neighborhood. They did a great job landscaping it in early spring. By summer the weeds were taller than any plants in the flower bed. After a month or so I couldn't stand it anymore. Armed with a garden hoe and trash bags I proceded to rip out the weeds and clean out the flower beds.

If anyone is Guerrilla Gardening in San Antonio, let me know. I just might help out sometime.

Garden Update 04-24-2009

I took these pictures last weekend.
I have three rows of corn that are starting to pop up along with 2 rows of bush beans and 1 row of pole beans underneath a trellis.
The onions are making some sort of pods at the top. I have no idea what they are.
The apples that the squirll hasn't got ahold of are getting bigger.
I have one row of tomatoes (3 plants) with lots of blooms.
The Tomatillo plant gave up and died.
There are 4 jalapeno plants that survived the winter and are full of peppers.

Garden Irrigation

Irrigation System

This is the irrigation system I made last year. I used pvc pipe and soaker hoses.
This year I added flow controls to each soaker hose but I still have not been able to get the water to flow evenly through all the hoses.

Espalier Trellis - Tying Off the Limbs

Today I finally got around to tying the limbs to the guide wire.

I used a twist tie to secure the top of the tree to the conduit pole making sure to keep it loose.

The largest limb on the tree is on the bottom left. It has one apple at the end.

I tied it close to the trunk and towards the end of the limb.

This limb is near the largest limb. It is perpendicular to the guide wire.

I carefully bent the branch and tied it to the wire making sure not to make the rope tight.

I also noticed some new growth on the tips of several branches about an inch long. (tip of my thumb to the knuckle)

There are several new branches sprouting. I'm reluctant to prune them off. I don't want to cut the wrong thing off. Time to do more research.

I found these sites

• http://healingmagichands.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/espalier-maintenance/
• http://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/how-to/espalier.php

 <-- Previous Espalier Trellis - Finished For Now 

Next - Quick Update to progress -->

Espalier Trellis - Finished For Now

I hope the tree will grow and block this nice view of my neighbors wonderful yard (sarcasm) The only down side is the semi dwarf apple tree is deciduous.




Materials List

• Semi Dwarf Dorsett Apple Tree
• Compost
• Mulch
• One metal electrical conduit
  

1. Two 4x4x10 Cedar Post
2. Eight eye hooks
3. Eight U-Bolt Wire rope clamps
4. Wire rope

1. One Cedar 2x4x10
2. Three 1x6x6
3. Four deck screws

Tools

1. Shovel
2. Drill
3. Jig saw
4. Tape measure
5. Pliers with metal cutters
6. Wrench and socket
7. Hammer
8. Screw driver
9. Level
10. Ladder
    

<-- Previous Espalier Trellis - Installing the Top 

 Espalier Trellis - Tying Off the Limbs -->