Revised Irrigation Parameters

Put new soil sample tool to work today. Found penetrable depth to be 6" to 15" before hitting rock or very dense clay. Most soil is loam to sandy loam in top 6" turning clay at deeper depth except at fruit trees on canyon slope where sandy loam was deep.

New irrigation parameters reflect soil type, drip rate, root depth, sun exposure and plant type updates to drive increased irrigation.

Fertilized veggies and strawberries

Meet The Girls!

Samantha, Henrietta, Roberta and Ronnie. That is Rhode Island Red, Black Beauty, White Leghorn and Barred Plymouth Rock respectively. We expect our first eggs for Christmas.

Caged Coop

The chicken coop is now enclosed inside a 12'x4' run. Still need to add hardware cloth at ground level.

Planted seeds

Tonight, we planted zinnia, cucumber, carrot, beet and radish seeds to come up between some of our other veggies. Picked the first cucumber - it's perfect!

I sauteed a squash with mushrooms, garlic and scallions and it was delish!

First batch of pickles

I have ventured into pickles now. Nothing from our garden :(. However, I'm a bit worried I used much red pepper flakes. Time will tell.
S

PS - we tasted them today, and while they are kicky, they are yummy! Success!

Critter Control

Some critter keeps digging up my watermelon seedlings right when they pop out of the ground. These hardware cloth towers ought to keep the critters out! We will see.

First Batch of Compost

Zucchini Sprouts

Sharon's First Cucumber

Harvesting Tuscan Cantelope Seeds

Locally Sourced Coop

Over the course of the last three days, all materials were sourced from our leftovers from prior projects with a little poultry wire contributed by neighbor David. Design was the key to using what we had, vice buying what we 'need'. We now have a home for up to four little hens. Sammy and Henry painted it today with some leftover paint.

Next step: site installation.

2 toms and 1 squash

Wow! Look at our harvest, will ya! This is our first harvest from our veggie garden. Bon appetit!
Sharon

Sunflowers and Watermelons

Yesterday I discovered some vermin had eaten the tender watermelon sprouts and the sunflowers either didn't come up or were eaten as well.

Today I planted more seeds.

Summer Squash

Squash seedlings we planted about a month ago are now entering the production mode.  Two zucchini and one yellow crookneck, so the label said.  So far, the two "zucchini" have nice fruit developing that look exactly like crookneck.  The one crookneck is flowering, but has not yet set fruit.  I expect zucchini.

Remedial action:  Planted one mound of zucchini seeds today at the end of the bed.

Eco Shredder

The eco shredder made 5 buckets of lavender, pine and hawthorne mulch today without a single jam.

Mango lime jam

My niece, Michelle, and I made mango lime jam yesterday. Yummy. While we don't grow mangos, we did use a lemon from our garden.

Fertilized

Spread organic balanced fertilizer at drip line on citrus, avocado, peach, berries, vegetables. This was the June fertilizing that is a month late for the fruit trees.

Broadcast sluggo on future tree slope where iceplant was removed.

Seeds a Poppin!

Sunflower and Jack-O pumpkin have started to pop in less than 6 days!