Gems of wisdom gleaned from the Garden Guy

About watering: Water more frequently with weather heating up - same amount of time, but more frequently. So if we were watering 35 minutes every three days, then set timer for 35 minutes every 2 days, or if needed, 35 minutes every day. To know when to water, we should check if plants leaves are a bit wilted in the morning. If so, then water. If not, don't water! So change frequency, not duration!

He suggested we do foliar spraying of our plants. Use 1/4 cup fish emulsion/seaweed mixture in a hose sprayer, and spray all the plants at least two times a week, possibly three! Go to Poco Verde landscaping office down the street across from Home Depot to buy the mixture all ready to go, about $9.00) or buy his mixture at Whole Foods for double the price! No need to be a soil chef, for the mixture is already available with molasses to take away the smell!

Dave suggested creating grape arbors over the entire garden for shade and good eating. Then we won't need the netting!

  

He also suggested planting blackberries along the east wall, (Kids would love this!) and lots of flowers to draw the bees, and then we won't need to plant flowers in our beds, and can plant more veggies and fruits!

Dave also suggested foregoing the shed and all the city code issues by putting in individual lockers along the south wall! . . .Then we would have more meeting room area, and a place for a small greenhouse to start seedlings to plant in our beds!

Plant corn in groups, not in a line. Those plants are wind pollinated, and need to be together.

Dave liked the manure tea approach, and Mike's addition of steer manure to his bed; he thought that soil looked great. There is a weed problem with this approach, and it is best to use manure from horses that have eaten alfalfa.

What did he say about thrips??? mildew??? What did he use the milk for? He diluted it 1/10, put it in a mister, for what???? Did he ever talk about the buttermilk?

Dave said our garden was the best in the valley! We planted late, but avoided the frost and cold weather, so our plants in our garden are doing better than in other gardens!!!!

Pat Derx