Gardening

[Phostenix]

OK, here's your big chance to show us your gardens. I don't think hydoponic contraptions in your basement count.

My wife & I have always been what I would characterize as casual gardeners. Mostly, we grow tomatoes because my wife is a tomato snob. But, now that I've come out from under the rock I've apparently been living under for 20 years and learned that the people of the US have unwittingly been part of a human science experiment called genetically modified foods (GMOs), I've decided to get a little more serious about growing some of our own food.

In Phoenix, fall is the beginning of the growing season since it's too hot to grow much through the summer. I'm hoping to grow broccoli, spinach, lettuces, and of course, tomatoes this fall. I'm going to try some type of beans in the spring. I'm reading that beans need more warm weather.

Here's a picture of part of this year's garden so far. The whole garden is about 6 feet by 13 feet. The annual tomato plants are still there along with some volunteer basil plants (they grow like weeds here once you plant them) and I've got my red leaf & bib lettuce in. I'll be looking for broccoli & spinach starts tomorrow.

 

[Roland]

Here in the UK we moan about the weather. After hearing about the heat in Phoenix I'm begining to change my mind. Here's what it looks like at this time of year. The growing season is over for most crops. You can see an apple on the tree, just one, it's been a bad year. The soft fruit (left) has been picked and frozen. The vegetable bed holds winter crops: leeks, parsnips, kale and winter cabbage. While at the back there are the remains of the beans, which I'll pull out tomorrow, and maize, which we pulled up today after the picture was taken.

 

[Phostenix]

Well now, that looks like a *real* garden. Mine's more of a hobby garden.

So, the winter is mild enough there that you can still grow some things?

The middle of the summer in Phoenix is too hot to grow anything more than herbs. The tomato plants survive, but stop producing. The growing season is September through May. There are actually 2 growing seasons in there, with things like beans & corn in the spring (February through May).