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Dec 4, 2015 9:48 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Mary
Glendale, Arizona (Zone 9b)
Region: Arizona Enjoys or suffers hot summers Seed Starter Roses Plumerias Morning Glories
Hummingbirder Composter Cat Lover Vegetable Grower
Smiling Just out checking my kale and Brussels sprouts along with various herbs and flowers in the raised beds and was wondering what any fellow Phoenicians were working on in their gardens.
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Dec 4, 2015 12:06 PM CST
Name: Gina
(Zone 9a)
"Man does not live by bread alone..
Hi Mary,

I'm not as south as you and I think I lost my window of opportunity. I planted my garden in late October with cold season root veggies, mostly. Carrots, onion, garlic, radish, turnips, parsnips, beets, some mustard and spinach. Unfortunately, we got a super cold snap within two weeks, so not much has been happening. My radish, mustard, turnip, and spinach has surfaced, but they are progressing much. I'm not really sure what to do right now other than wait until spring to see if some of the seed will evenutally come up. I've got a sad feeling that my seed was wasted this time around, but I'm hopeful! Last winter I planted mid September, so the plants had a chance.

Do you have any experience in this type of situation? I'm not sure whether to water minimally or let it be. Any advise?
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Dec 4, 2015 12:08 PM CST
Name: Gina
(Zone 9a)
"Man does not live by bread alone..
I can hardly believe how quickly the cold came in this year! It's like we skipped Autumn altogether!
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Dec 4, 2015 8:09 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
Gina it was 80 here today. I am hoping for some cold. Hilarious!
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Dec 4, 2015 8:20 PM CST
Name: Gina
(Zone 9a)
"Man does not live by bread alone..
Hi Linda!!

Oh yeah?!! Boy, that sounds nice! We are gaining some increased temperature this week... Mid 70s.
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Dec 4, 2015 8:29 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
You will probably enjoy that. Big Grin
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Dec 5, 2015 8:46 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Mary
Glendale, Arizona (Zone 9b)
Region: Arizona Enjoys or suffers hot summers Seed Starter Roses Plumerias Morning Glories
Hummingbirder Composter Cat Lover Vegetable Grower
@GinaY86441 @quietyard
Hi Gina, sorry about that early freeze. Seems you might still have a chance with some of your veggies. Since many are cold weather crops, maybe they would overwinter. Maybe throw a little mulch their way to keep things a little warmer. You must have some garden to plant all of those crops. Seems we had our December weather starting in November this year. Cooler nights earlier, leaves dropping in our yard at Thanksgiving rather than Christmas. We are on the northern outskirts of Phoenix, so out temps tend to be a little cooler than the big city. We have already had a few freezes and I have covered some things at night. Looks like we are in for a string of warmer days and nights. Smiling I don't like to cover things unless necessary, so that makes me happy!

Hi Linda, are you growing anything outside in Tucson this winter?
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Dec 5, 2015 10:16 AM CST
Name: Gina
(Zone 9a)
"Man does not live by bread alone..
HI Mary!

Yes, that's exactly what happened here, too. Northeastern system came in overnight.

I'll be out there today doing some investigative work. If memory serves me correctly, our main bed is about 450 sq ft. Then we have the asparagus bed (8x16 - which is doing beautifully) and a newly planted potato bed (8x16). I even scoured up an extra area this past summer for corn and pumpkin (8x8), but that wasn't too successful. Chances are it'll end up being another lantana area in the future. I have found that the lantana is the best flowering plant for our area that the cottontails don't devour. The bed is poor soil, really... back filled with mostly a heavy mix of straw and rabbit manure with some top soil. I just thought I'd just give it a whirl. I did get one sugar pumpkin, tho! Hurray!

Our muscadine grapes did well for their first year. Fruit was small, but sweet. Not enough for harvest, just yet, but promising! My poor goji Berry has been fighting it's way to stay alive. It needs better protection from the ground chipmunk squirrels. The chicken wire I have around it is no barrier for them, so it looks like I'll be needing the welded wire for it. They've attacked it multiple times, stripping it of all its leaves, but it bounces back.... Hardly little thing!

I planted two golden plums, but lost one of them. Not sure why... It was odd, really. Upon planting the one that initially flourished ended up dying while the one I figured wouldn't make it sprang to life! What I have learned is that as far as any trees go, I'll only buy the older ones in the future. No more tree twigs. Problem is that the ground is so difficult to dig and neither my husband nor I have the "youth" to get a large enough hole. Have you seen the price of a two man auger!?

In my mind, I can see what I want where, but in reality, it's too much work for these ole bones. The raised beds keep me busy enough. I have family nearby and we have plans to share the expense of some rented machinery in the future... Maybe then I'll get a small orchard started.

Thanks for checking in, Mary. Hope all is well!

Group hug
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Dec 5, 2015 2:06 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
Hi Mary.

Yes, I have lots of potted plants. Mostly flowers but a couple pots of peas and green beans. Do lots of daylilies, Coleus, Red leaf Hibiscus, roses, Cyclamen. Various annuals. Smiling
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Dec 29, 2015 7:01 PM CST
Name: Gina
(Zone 9a)
"Man does not live by bread alone..
Happy New Year Everyone! I trust your holidays were wonderful!

Well, just to update on my garden... It's a total bust! After that first cold snap in December, we did receive some great warm weather and I was just beginning to see some sprouts of parsnips, carrot, turnips, and radish.

However, since then we've been under a long and hard freeze. Looks like it won't let up for another week. With holiday travel and the overall business of the season, I've simply abandoned the garden for the winter.

But, I did order my seeds today for Spring! Hurray!
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Dec 29, 2015 8:21 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
There is always a new season coming along! Fresh possibilities, Gina! Thumbs up We gardeners are ever hopeful. Whistling Hilarious!
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Dec 29, 2015 9:29 PM CST
Name: Gina
(Zone 9a)
"Man does not live by bread alone..
Agreed, Linda! Ever hopeful! Group hug

How's the weather down south? Are you getting any of this cold? My heart breaks for all those in South after than steam system and tornados! Did you see Missouri today? River banks flooded something awful.... Lots of water!!
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Dec 30, 2015 2:20 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
I think we have had around 11 days at freezing or below. Lowest was either 25 or 27.

I did see Missouri and one of our gardening buddies here in the Daylily forum lives in Garland, Texas!!! Fortunately the tornadoes went just east of her. Crying
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Dec 30, 2015 3:24 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Mary
Glendale, Arizona (Zone 9b)
Region: Arizona Enjoys or suffers hot summers Seed Starter Roses Plumerias Morning Glories
Hummingbirder Composter Cat Lover Vegetable Grower
Happy New Year! Sorry to read about your garden, Gina. Linda, you are so right about new beginnings. Always felt that was one of the appealing things about gardening. Seems we have had it cold for a prolonged period here in the Phoenix area....at least in the outskirts where we are. Freezing so many mornings I have not kept track. Covering things in the evening and then uncovering so they can soak up sun in the daytime. Linda, do you cover your patio plants? What do you use? I have been using old sheets and the like. Was at a Home Depot yesterday and they had everything covered with burlap.

Weather elsewhere has been heartbreaking. Some of our family is in Oklahoma and they have really had cold and ice. My 90 year old Mom broke her hip last week and was just released to rehab partly because of bad weather.
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Dec 30, 2015 4:13 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
Hi Mary.

I have some of that green material that is sold to cover plants. Or I use sheets or burlap what ever I can find. For things like Coleus I take cuttings late in the fall and no longer cover them. Just to much to cover and even then they do not do well in the freezing cold. I do cover some of the stuff I bring up on the patio, just depends on how cold. Used to be more fanatical about saving things , just would rather take cuttings and keep them in the house till spring.

Sorry about your Mom. That seems to happen to so many as they age. Crying
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
Last edited by quietyard Dec 30, 2015 4:14 PM Icon for preview
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