Pleasant surprise!

When I moved in here, there was a wooden fence along the south side of the yard. It was tragic and I took it down a few months ago.

Since spring arrived, a large vine I knew about on that fence has become much more obvious, growing tons of leaves. This weekend, I looked more closely at it and found lots of bunches of small globes growing on it. I looked closer and found they were grapes! Some were turning purple, so I tasted one. It was good! My daughter ate one. Then a couple. Then a handful.. She wanted to pick all of them. Told her to wait until they ripen.

Like most things around here, the vine is old and has been neglected for many years. Amazing it's still alive. Must have really deep roots. It's on the fence line between the neighbor's yard and my own but they don't water it and no evidence they even know the grapes are edible. It hasn't been fertilized in years. So, last night I watered it and today I fertilized it with liquid fertilizer.

The grapes are tiny and seeded but I'm hoping I can develop them further with some care. There are lots and lots of them and they taste good. If nothing else, they would make good juice and maybe even wine. I'm happy I saw the grapes while they're still mostly green.

If they develop and form larger grapes than at present, I'll have to take some cuttings at some point to grow grapes up the columns of the solarium once it's built (with hops on other columns).

No matter what, it's really cool to find out you have a grape vine along your fence that you didn't even know about!

Companion planting at work

So, some pictures showing that companion planting is working here. Some of my plants would seem crowded by some standards. However, I've come to the conclusion that such crowding may be harmful in cooler climates. Here, it is beneficial. That is, as long as there is enough moisture and fertilizer for all the plants present. In this environment, plants overlapping helps keep the soil temperature down, retains moisture for actual use by the plants themselves, aside from the benefits some plants may offer others. (Beans for Nitrogen, Marigolds to repel insects, etc.)

In the pictures, it's obvious that the bleached spots on the lettuce leaves are where they are not shaded by the lettuce. Shade from the pumpkin leaves is keeping soil temps down for surrounding plants.

I am watching to be sure the plants don't strangle each other out.

I potted more giant pumpkin seeds tonight. Going to plant them around the edges of the garden. Pumpkin, corn and green beans are supposed to get along really well and are the most often used example of companion planting. I may be a few days late by some calendars for planting large pumpkins but they should still reach a decent size in time for the holidays.

Big pumpkin plant!

May be no big deal to people who grow pumpkins all the time but this is rather amazing to me. This pumpkin plant is growing huge! You can see from the picture that it dwarfs the hen and chick together. Leaves are a full foot across. Now, my preference in pumpkins is for the small pie-type pumpkins, so I have a lot more of those planted. However, I think I'll plant a couple more of these at the edges of the garden just for novelty and self-esteem! Bragging rights are everything. Especially here in NM, where most of the produce seems to be miniature because of a combination of heat and poor gardening techniques.

Corn is showing silk and developing ears one at a time. Not a surprise, with the way I planted it and with multiple varieties planted. I've already narrowed down the field for planting next year, though still may rotate out to trying other varieties, depending on flavor and the rest of the season.

Neighbor was telling me the other day how I need to remove all the grass and plant one crop in each mound. That's the way they did it when he was growing up here in NM. He'd never heard of companion planting and thought it a bad idea.

I'm checking into growing tobacco for personal use. Even if I stop smoking, it makes a good insecticide. Just want to get the right strain of tobacco.

Lettuce finally flowered, so I cut the flower stalks off and laid them out to dry. Feeding the tall leafy section to the rabbits. Next time I plant lettuce, I don't think it will be so much. Unless I plant extra for the rabbits and to sell.

The aphid mixture I sprayed on the garden the other day didn't work so well. Then I found out I used the wrong jar from the fridge. The one I used had no garlic in it. I've noted the bees and butterflies don't mind the garlic much but the ants and aphids really don't care for it. So, finding the right mixture makes coming up with salable produce much more likely.

Cabbage is finally forming definable heads. Green bean and cucumber plants are flowering and beginning to develop fruit. (Still really tiny.) Not quite sure I'll have any broccoli at all, with the aphid damage and clay soil where I planted but I planted more where the soil is better.

Looks like a cat got to the rooster, so now I'm down to one big hen and one little hen. The big hen should start laying in another month or so. Little one not for at least three months. Have to get another rooster chick in a couple of weeks. Going to look into raising some chickens for meat, as well. Have to do some reading on what that takes. Know I can't do any of the slaughtering while daughter is around. She couldn't take that. I'd be kind of worried if she could.

I smell salsa!

Moved a bunch of tomato seedlings into larger pots tonight. Total tomato plants of all sizes now 39 plants. If all goes well, I should have a decent crop in 2-3 months. Between them, onions and peppers I should be able to make a whole bunch of salsa at that time! Among other things, of course.

I also have pickling cucumbers growing and planted dill today. Can make a lot of pickles when the time is right.

I'm saving all my jars. May have to go the old-fashioned route and use wax to seal some of them. Unless I get a lot of work, not going to be able to afford as many canning jars as I hope to need. Though the possibility does increase if I have enough produce to sell.