Garden Planning

Like so many, this time of year I get lost in my seed catalogues. I've a wonderful 'seed bank' of seeds to select what I want to plant, and will get more serious about seed saving this year, but I still enjoy haunting my catalogues. I use largely Heirloom, and always Non-GMO seeds and plants, so seed saving will be easily done for healthy plants next year. I've always saved my bean seeds...yellow/wax, Dragon Tongue, and green, as well as a few odd ones I experiment with from time to time, but want to get more organized and spot on saving all the others, too.

I'll be choosing which two fruit trees I want to plant this year, too. I'm thinking the apples first. Because the soil is so nutrient deficient, the holes have to be a LOT larger in order to mix in soil amendments. I also have a thick layer of sandstone under my top layer of soil. Depth varies, so I'll have to deal with that issue, too. I'm thinking about Gala, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious. Will choose two from the three, or...hell...may do all three! I'll do Dwarf trees, not because I don't have space available for a full size tree, but because the shorter/smaller trees will be easier for me to care for and pick fruits.

So, I've selected some seeds to start...most I've planted in previous years, and some are experimental. I like to try different things with different seeds to see how best to utilize them for the growing season. Up here? The growing season is really short, so I'm going to try starting and transplanting a couple of things that I wouldn't normally do that with this year. I keep detailed notes that include soil mix, dates seeds are planted/sprout, where the trays are inside, transplant dates, etc. So I know/learn what works, and what doesn't.
 

Some seeds I'll be starting inside in the next couple of days.

Seeds to start soon.

More seeds to start soon.

Although I know it's a tad early, I'll be starting my plants inside soon. I want good-sized plants to transplant when the weather permits. I'm uncertain when that'll be...lol...according to some of the planting sites I've looked at, it won't be till June, but I always get things out earlier than dates given...so, we'll see how that goes.

Garden plan

Garden plan

I've always done a lot of planning like the drawings above because it helps me to have something visual to use as a starting point. Notes...notes...notes! I can't rely on my memory...lol...that's for sure.

So, I'll be planting around the shed where I have a nice area to work a smallish garden that has decent sun exposure with some shade for the hotter months. I was going to work my soil mix into the existing soil, but have decided to do raised beds like I had in Illinois. The soil here is extremely poor, and this won't be my permanent garden area...just for the next couple years. So it makes sense to work with raised beds for now. I'll be building up with largish rocks, which are plentiful around here, and some larger dead fall logs...inexpensive (free, as a matter of fact), and using what I have at hand. Of course, I'll have to fence it in...rabbits...elk...etc...would have a field day destroying anything I plant otherwise. I've quite a few T-posts laying around, and the always available chicken wire, too. I'll probably have to get another roll of chicken wire, but there's always a use for that somewhere.

I'll do something like this for the rain catchment set up. Image from www.ecodiy.org

I'll be setting up a couple of IBC totes, along with guttering on the shed to do rain collection. That's how I'll do some watering in the garden. I'll have around 600 gallons for use, so hopefully that'll get me through 'some' of the dry months here. I'm hoping the short monsoons will keep it replenished. Though the monsoon season rains aren't usually enough to water a garden deeply, I'm hoping they'll keep this rain catchment topped off for the deep watering needed.

Funny...I'm finding that to be true for many things...finding a use for 'that' somewhere. Like...I buy kitty litter in those large plastic containers. I've given a lot of them to friends up here for their use, but I found that they're great to use for my chicken feed and scratch. I keep the bulk (several bags of each) in aluminum garbage cans to keep mice out, then refill the empty kitty litter containers with manageable amounts to carry to the chickens. I can think of more gardening uses for these kitty litter containers already! Recycling at its finest. I imagine I'll do that a lot with many items over time.

Thanks for reading...ciao!

Mish Mash

Went to visit my daughter in AZ. I only intended to stay a few days, but was there nearly 2 weeks. It was difficult trying to get home because of storms in Arizona and New Mexico. When there were no storms, the mountain roads coming home were still too bad to drive. I took these photos on my way home just outside Strawberry, AZ...

There were still lots of areas on the road with ice, snow, slush, and black ice.

Then I got home...yaaaaay! My shower, water heater, pump, and inside water tank were all installed.

100 gallon water tank to the left; center low down pump; 19 gallon water heater to the right.

 I had originally planned to set up my water this way, but with an on-demand water heater. Then, I decided to just hook up to the well, so I got a small water heater instead of an on-demand. And...no well pump. And...I neeeeeeed running water...thank you very much. Have had the water heater too long to return it, and nowhere else to use it...so, we stuck with that option. Takes up a bit of under-counter  space, but I'm ok with that.

The water tank has an RV inlet that allows me to fill it from outside. Perfection! The Shur-flo pump works great...really good water pressure to the shower. My friends put a switch on the wall for the pump, so it's only on when I need to use it. Actually saw this set up a couple years ago on someone's blog, or Youtube...can't remember which one for certain. Guy turned an older panel truck into an RV, and did this set up for running water. He used a smaller fresh water tank, but same idea. Works really well.

Ahhhhh...beautiful shower I love you!

 I installed the kitchen counter and sink, and hung that cool handmade, rustic cabinet that I found at a secondhand store for about $20. Walls aren't finished yet because I need to have the cabin re-leveled first, and can't do that until the ground firms up quite a bit more. I needed the storage, so began hanging shelves, and cabinets anyway. I can always take them down and rehang once walls are taped and painted. No biggie.

My little $4 Habitat for Humanity sink is perfect!

Sink isn't usable yet...need a few parts to finish, but...can't get in and out of my property to purchase them just yet.

 I've been collecting appropriate stones to use as a back splash behind the sink, and have enough tile collected from various Habit for Humanities for the counter top. Little bit at a time...one thing at a time.

Cool rustic cabinet...holds my dishes so they don't get so dusty hangin' on a shelf.

My little IKEA table folds against the wall. I found this at a secondhand store for $4.99!

 Haven't installed the table just yet. Need to pick up some of those drywall anchors...metal ones I'm thinkin'...when I can get off my property...lol

KiKi on her window shelf.

KiKi chillin'.

I put a wider shelf in the window for my KiKi. She's...well...she's fat, and the window ledge isn't wide enough for her. Sooooo...she has a spot in the sun to laze about now. She actually knocked one of the other cats off of it when he (Tippy) tried to get up there with her. That's officially her spot now!

Pluggin' along...doin' my deal.
Thanks for reading...ciao