Tucson Garden

[SundayCrepes]

I'm getting ready to put in a garden. I feel like I'm late, but at least it's going in. I haven't had a garden in decades (literally) so want to make sure I'm planting all the right stuff:

tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
acorn squash
eggplant
pepper
basil
coriander/cilantro

possibly
corn
bush beans
cantaloupe
watermelon

Any other suggestions?

[mwherbs]

I am not a gardener but my neighbors use to run a CSA, seems it is just a bit too early for the hot weather plants- he may have started them but they would be in peat pots in the house until no chance of freezing- maybe find out what the planting schedule is at Native Seeds Search, your basil and cilantro are probably ok for now and what about greens? are you going to plant any chard? and mints? garlic and onions.

[SundayCrepes]

I've never used chard, so hadn't considered planting it. I should try some recipes and see if I like it. Don't like mint so that's a no. Onion and garlic--I can't stand to hear them scream when they get pulled out of the ground. I planted some green onions a few years back and they're still living in the pot on my porch. Root crops I have to buy.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Shellie]

Come over to the Diggin' in the Earth forum...lots of talk there. I'm in a similar zone. We've had such a cold streak lately that I feel like I planted too early. My peppers are doing wonderfully. My squash and zuchs look marginally good, strawberries are growing great and my broccoli is growing decently. Seeds are taking a long time to come up and some I'm not sure they will at all. I have some issues with the mix I put in my raised bed though.

Acorn squash I believe you want to put in late-August/September as a fall thing here. I could be mistaken. Have you read Dave Owens' books? They are a great guide to gardening in the desert southwest.

[SundayCrepes]

Thanks. I posted in the diggin' in the earth section per your suggestion.

I hadn't planned on starting a garden until next year. I have a 19 month old and 4 year old. The baby pulls fruit off the plants and I just wasn't sure I'd have the time for the garden. Then all of a sudden I decided to do it. I'm putting it in next door behind our rental houses. I've got someone doing the digging for me so it's not going to be too much work.

I checked out a couple websites for the list of plants. Other than that I'm going on memory from the 80s when a boyfriend and I had a great garden.

[sarahtdubb]

It's my understanding that it's too late right now to start seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants (something about the needed nighttime temperature when they are flowering), but I think everything else you can start from seed right now, you just need to get plants of those three (the food co-op is selling organic heirloom tomato starts).

the food bank has a good calendar. they also have a cool home gardening program where volunteers will help you put in a garden, and they have compost/seedlings/shade cloth at their demonstration garden-- I think the shade cloth costs money but the other stuff is free.

All of our gardening space is taken up with our winter garden right now, so we need to clear some space for summer plants!!

And in terms of gardening with a toddler, my rec from the last 2 years is to accept that some plants will be damaged, eaten early, etc., but that it's a fine price to pay for getting your little one accustomed to taking care of the garden. After 2 years of gardening, Carter is now very gentle and an expert seed-planter and waterer!

[SundayCrepes]

Thanks for the ideas and the link, Sarah. I've downloaded the calendar.

Destructobaby would have been a terror to a garden in our yard. I could not have been outside with her and had any peace. This won't be a problem now that I've planted next door. However, it's an unfenced area so Runawaybaby will be a problem.

[llansky]

i have a square foot garden (with a "roof" to protect the plants from harsh, direct sunlight) that i have stuff growing in year round. currently i have: carrots, leeks, kale, broccoli, spinach, different salad mixings, radishes, cucumbers, okra, parsley, cilantro, artichoke, tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, lavender, and russian sage. i also had canteloupe (which bloomed but never produced melons) and cauliflower, which did really well. my personal favourites are the cauliflower, kale, and eggplants, plus the herbs.

[SundayCrepes]

There's an Arizona Garden thread in Diggin' in the Earth. You should come join us. I'd love to hear more about how you made your shade.