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ECG Members:  It's time to update our membership information. Please contact Dave Tally at davet@tempeaction.org to include any new info, but most importantly  confirm your email address whether it is new or not. 
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FALL PLANTING IN THE DESERT

 

 The list of fall veggies is (and I am sure I have forgotten some) is broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chives, collards, cucumber, endive, herbs, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, head lettuce, mustard, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips.

This is a great time to plant a garden in the low desert. It is time to grow a surplus of cool weather veggies. Fall planting season begins September 1st and lasts till November. You can have a beautiful edible vegetable garden. Follow good gardening practices right from the beginning and give your plants a fighting chance against disease and weeds.

Take some time to evaluate where you will be putting your vegetables to make sure there is going to be enough sunlight. You will need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight in your garden spot.

Using a drip system is the best option and takes much of the work out of the day to day tasks.

What is better than having safe, fresh vegetables and herbs you picked from the garden you grew or worked in?

Let me give you the biography of some of the vegetables we will be planting:

RADISH:  The small round radishes are such quick and easy growers. Radishes are members of the same family as broccoli, cabbage, kale and collards (all fall planting veggies). There is a wide variety of radishes from the globe shaped to oblong, hot or mild, red, pink, purple, white or bi-colored. To have a continual harvest, sow a new crop every 10-14 days, until it gets too warm. The fast growing radishes grow quite well in pots and if your space is limited, this is a good option.


                                                        
The artichoke can be grown almost everywhere in the United States. If you have mild winters (and we do) and mulch well, the artichokes may survive as perennials. It's the artichoke roots that need protection. If we are lucky enough to have the best growing conditions we may be able to harvest artichokes throughout the year. It wouldn't be unusual to harvest 30 artichokes per plant per year. We begin our artichokes with seeds.  Artichokes feed heavily so they must be fertilized. The plants will proper in slightly acidic soil that is rich in organic matter. Full sun is best except in the hot summers, then afternoon shade may be more beneficial. Keep the planting bed moist and water the plants as they grow.
Parsley, parsnips and peas, English, snap and snow can also be planted in your fall desert garden. Look at the start of this article and use what you like to start your garden and enjoy the vegetables of your labors.

Dave Tally

July 16, 2012

VOLUNTEER WORKDAY, SATURDAY JULY 14, 2012

  

 THANKS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO CAME OUT ON A HUMID DAY TO HELP US 

                                                      

SOLARIZE AND READY OUR BEDS FOR FALL PLANTINGS.  YOUR HELP IS GREATLY

APPRECIATED AND YOU'RE ALL FUN TO HANG OUT WITH!

THANKS,  DAVE

SUMMER DESERT BEAUTY

                        
   THE MANY FACES OF THE SUMMER DESERT.
                         
                               Dave Tally, July 9, 2012 

               Beauty is everywhere!          

I love traveling in the desert; the speed at

which the desert landscape can change is

amazing.

AQUAPONICS--HYDROPONICS

Aquaponics is based on productive systems as they are found in nature. It can be loosely described as the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, hence the origination of the name, aqua-ponics.

Hydroponic systems rely on the careful application of man-made nutrients for the optimum growth of plants. Water needs to be discharged periodically as the salts and chemicals build up in the water becoming toxic to the plants. Aquaculture systems focus on maximizing growth of fish in tanks or pond culture.

The fish are usually heavily stocked in tanks. The high stocking rates mean the tank water becomes polluted with fish effluent, which gives off high concentrations of ammonia. Water has to be discharged in the tank once a day, everyday. This water, if often, pumped into open streams where it pollutes and destroys waterways.

Aquaponics combines both systems and doing so, cancels out the negative aspects of each. Instead of adding toxic chemical solutions to grow plants, aquaponics uses highly nutritious fish effluent that contains almost all the required nutrients for optimum growth. Instead of discharging water, aquaponics uses the plants and the media in which they grown to clean and purify the water, after which it is returned to the fish tank. The water can be used indefinitely and will only need to be replaced when it is lost through transportation and evaporation.

Dave Tally
July 2, 2012