Figuring Out My Fall Garden

      As much as I want to dig into the soil, I have learned that there are two main seasons for gardening in the southwest; I missed the spring planting season and must wait for the fall planting season to come back around. In the meantime, I have been doing a lot of research and thinking about how to go about it when the fall planting season comes around.
     First, fall plants do fine in full sun, but you want to keep them away from a walls that face the west. If they are planted against a wall that faces west, they will get the extra heat that radiates off the wall.  Because we have such extreme seasons here in the beautiful state of Arizona, you need to plant seeds that will mature quickly.
    Because I don't know much about the dirt in Arizona, I have decided that I am going to make a raised garden bed with an organic soil. I am still deciding between a square foot garden and a larger raised bed, but I have some time to make that decision. Whew! I plan on starting a compost, paired with fish emulsion, a natural fertilizer, to help my plants grow.
    Planting time won't come around until September and October, which leaves me and my D to get married, move into our home, and start a few home projects before I get to dig into some of my own soil. To quench my thirst, I am going to check out a community garden in Tempe with my roommate. Until next time!
                         Katie

A Retreat into the Backyard

In search of a number of things, I venture out into my backyard. Here I hope to find peace, creativity, the fruits (no pun intended) of trial and error, and understanding of the Earth as a gift. The problem: I have never, not once, rubbed soil in between my fingers or purchased a packet of seeds. The solution: dig in. My hope: to teach myself and others the art of gardening, particularly in the suburban setting of Tempe, Arizona. Let's reap what we sow! Into the backyard garden we go!