2009

1/2009

• Built compost bin
• Dug trenches and laid down irrigation for raised beds
• Built raised beds

Somewhere between 1/2009 and 4/2009

• Used Dad-made cold frame to propagate vegetable seeds
• Planted said seedlings outside, watched them die
• Tried a second run of seeds, watched them die also

5/2009

• Fertilized raised beds with chicken manure
• Replanted mature plants

6/2009

• New plants flourished and then withered in the summer heat
• Replanted wimpy meyer lemon tree into pot
• Planted asparagus ferns in hanging baskets in carport (very pretty to look at!)

8/2009

• Got sick of looking at wimpy plants and yanked them out
• Harvested 1 eggplant about the size of my hand and 2 cherry tomatoes

10/2009

• Set up the chicken coop and welcomed the 4 lovely ladies
• Started a polyculture lettuce garden in the raised beds, seedlings grew magnificently

11/2009

• Planted garlic and onion
• Lettuce seedlings still seedlings
• Planted grapes, collard greens, strawberries, and kale in the front yard
• Replanted ornamental grasses near sidewalk
• Moved meyer lemon and other mysterious citrus inside
• Added compost to all potted plants
• Declared war on the nasty little foam bugs laying eggs on my rosemary.

12/2009

• Chickens started laying
• Chickens decimated lettuce seedling garden in three days (I was okay with this since there was nothing happening)
• Picked up pavers in backyard to build a fire pit. (Still working on this one...)

So, to recap, I planted vegetables 3 times this year and to no avail. The third crop was the most bountiful, but sadly succumbed to Southern Nevada summer time heat and squash bugs (where did they come from?). The greatest success in my garden has been the addition of the lovely egg laying ladies.

I have so many plans and ideas for the yard this year. I'd like to finish building the fire pit/clay oven so I can cook outside during the summer (Using the oven in 115 degree weather is hell on wheels), build an outdoor turtle pond for Tortuga, replace the ornamental trees in the chicken run with fruit trees, turn my barren rock yard in the front into something edible, successfully grow some damn vegetables, plant a three sisters garden, keep a worm composter, grow a pole bean teepee....and so on.

Next year, I want to be better about keeping a plant journal so that I can keep better track of dates and such. I also plan on doing a lot of research before the planting season begins so I know what to plant. Yes, it is possible to grow food in the desert, you just have to plant the right things. So far, I've tossed all logic to the side and planted whatever I wanted. You can see how far that got me.

Here's to Oh-10!