Of course, the day that I decide to plant the darn garlic, the other plants decide to freeze. Not hard, mind you, but definitely enough to kill off most of the leaves on the watermelon and some on the zucchini. Oh well, not like the watermelon had any melons on it after the darn squirrel took off with my last softball sized babymelon. The zucchini babies survived, so that made me happy, and it gave me the extra boost (a.k.a. kick in the pants) to put down a layer of compost to protect my freshly planted garlic.
Dang moody weather.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Garlicy Goodness
Now that the weather is consistently below 90 (and still slightly above freezing at night) I decided that it was time for the winter crop. After a quick batch of instant pickles that I whipped up with onions, bell pepper, and lots of garlic, I decided to use the remaining three heads of garlic to plant for summer harvest. For the record I planted them about 3 inches deep--about an inch deeper than some instructions say to better protect from freezing--and about 4-5 inches apart. The garlic cloves are sandwiched between the perennials (chard, rhubarb, and an artichoke) and some leftover baby beets. At least with it sandwiched, even if the beets do nothing I at least know where I planted the darn garlic. So there.
On that note, let me say that this is my first time attempting garlic in New Mexico. My sources for gardening are a mix of Arizona desert books (warmer and much lower altitude than here), and one minor source that is outdated but more suited to the altitude and NM weather. I hear that growing garlic works pretty well here assuming that the weather behaves, the water is right, and that the soil is right.
That is a lot of assuming. But it is worth a shot since I was able to find nice healthy heads of garlic for cheap. Whether or not they will grow? I have no idea. I don't care. It is an experiment that should work at least a little and it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Besides, I see no reason for my nice new garden bed to sit empty and alone over what winter we have.
As a note, the cloves should be a random Silverskin Garlic variety as that is what I could lay my hands on at the grocery store and looked healthy. Since they were still firm and looked nice I went with the basic bulk garlic in hopes that it was treated with less anti-sprouting chemicals. I like my food to have as few chemicals as possible thanks... though sometimes I do feel the urge to kill every last sticker bush in sight.
I am never really sure how well my garden is going to work, but I am always willing to shell out a few bucks to try a new plant. (Especially at less than a buck for the three heads)
On that note, let me say that this is my first time attempting garlic in New Mexico. My sources for gardening are a mix of Arizona desert books (warmer and much lower altitude than here), and one minor source that is outdated but more suited to the altitude and NM weather. I hear that growing garlic works pretty well here assuming that the weather behaves, the water is right, and that the soil is right.
That is a lot of assuming. But it is worth a shot since I was able to find nice healthy heads of garlic for cheap. Whether or not they will grow? I have no idea. I don't care. It is an experiment that should work at least a little and it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Besides, I see no reason for my nice new garden bed to sit empty and alone over what winter we have.
As a note, the cloves should be a random Silverskin Garlic variety as that is what I could lay my hands on at the grocery store and looked healthy. Since they were still firm and looked nice I went with the basic bulk garlic in hopes that it was treated with less anti-sprouting chemicals. I like my food to have as few chemicals as possible thanks... though sometimes I do feel the urge to kill every last sticker bush in sight.
I am never really sure how well my garden is going to work, but I am always willing to shell out a few bucks to try a new plant. (Especially at less than a buck for the three heads)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Mutant Weather Rambling
Last week was rather interesting. Bright sunny sky. Calm.
*BOOM**CRACKLE*
and an inch and a half of rain later in about an hour.
Bright sunny sky and calm. What the heck!!! Aah New Mexico. How I...ponder...thee.
I don't understand our mutant weather. But then again other people do not understand those of us who go to rainier parts of the country and dance around happy for the drizzle...and scowl at the sunshine that those residents thrive on. Strange weather creates strange residents. Or we were already strange to begin with!
I suppose that I should give some time to update the world with a public service announcement:
Fall is here.
End public service announcement.
This revelation began this morning. As I fed the dogs leftovers that I forgot to put away last night I began to covet the dog's nice warm fur coats. This is a large change from the summer where I feel sorry for them in their sweltering fuzz. I then went out the front door and found out that there was dew--DEW--on my car. Dew just does not happen often here in the desert...unless it gets cold. Now that there is water in the air, and some cool air to prevent it from evaporating as fast, I feel that fall is here.
Second public service announcement to explain relative temperatures:
Definition: cold--cool enough to need a jacket.
Definition: cod--cold enough that the l froze off and requires ice scraping, snow slugging, and overall surliness from most people.
So there you have it. Fall is here. And the weather has been ushering it in with mutant-like drippiness.
*BOOM**CRACKLE*
and an inch and a half of rain later in about an hour.
Bright sunny sky and calm. What the heck!!! Aah New Mexico. How I...ponder...thee.
I don't understand our mutant weather. But then again other people do not understand those of us who go to rainier parts of the country and dance around happy for the drizzle...and scowl at the sunshine that those residents thrive on. Strange weather creates strange residents. Or we were already strange to begin with!
I suppose that I should give some time to update the world with a public service announcement:
Fall is here.
End public service announcement.
This revelation began this morning. As I fed the dogs leftovers that I forgot to put away last night I began to covet the dog's nice warm fur coats. This is a large change from the summer where I feel sorry for them in their sweltering fuzz. I then went out the front door and found out that there was dew--DEW--on my car. Dew just does not happen often here in the desert...unless it gets cold. Now that there is water in the air, and some cool air to prevent it from evaporating as fast, I feel that fall is here.
Second public service announcement to explain relative temperatures:
Definition: cold--cool enough to need a jacket.
Definition: cod--cold enough that the l froze off and requires ice scraping, snow slugging, and overall surliness from most people.
So there you have it. Fall is here. And the weather has been ushering it in with mutant-like drippiness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)