Posted by MAKMU ta
On Monday, August 23, 2010
Yummm! This was a huge surprise! My wife found this neat spiraliny thingy on the internet, and we ventured to give it a try. It Is Awesome!
After a few goofs getting the hang of it, we got the zuccini loaded into the machine and cranked away, producing some nice pasta noodle - but it's all vegetable.
( add grilled chicken with a light zesty baste)
We topped off the veggie-pasta with some homemade pesto and fresh picked tomatoes from the garden. ( final harvest of the season)
From the garden to the table, the whole meal took about 30minutes (including the chicken on the grill). Bone-apa-tee!
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Yeah, it's hot. REALLY hot. Last week we had three days over 110*degrees. But that's what we expect in the summertime living in Phoenix. The problem is, we plant things that don't expect to live in these kinds of heat conditions - especially vegetables. 
(sunburn on tomato fruit)
Temperatures in the triple digits will surely cause irreparable damage like scalding on fruit, stems, and branches. And don't be fooled thinking more water is needed. Additional watering can exacerbate the problem, eventually, causing the plant to stress out and die. (dead branches and shriveled fruit of yellow pear tomato plant)
Plants can't wear sunscreen and plants can move into the shade. So it's up to you to cover 'em up! Since the extreme heat only lasts about 12 weeks, I don't see the need for any bulky permanent sun protection structure in my garden. So as a temporary solution, I set-up a simple shade cover tent. I strategically placed some rebar and bamboo stakes into the ground (to drive them deep, you may want to pre-soak really good the day before). Then I use binder clips to fasten my covers to the stakes. 
I prefer to use frost cover sheets instead of shade screen. They are light and and easy to manage, and create an open greenhouse effect underneath. Plus, given my sun exposure and location, the full blockage is necessary to minimize the stress to my delicate veggies. 
It takes my about 5-10 minutes in the morning to put them up, and maybe 5minutes in the evening to take them down. This routine also allows me time to inspect my plants and gives them some breathing time over night. So plan you weekend project to protect your plants!
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Monday, June 07, 2010
Looks like warm weather is finally here to stay (although, it still isn't officially summer - even though it's 110* degrees!).
Time to start clearing out the spring crops and cranking up the compost. But don't pull that chard just yet. It may still have a couple more lives left in it. Like in a salad...
(click on image to enlarge and drool)
My wife created this amazing salad which I just love.
- chopped chard
- cucumber
- tomatoes
- beets (roasted)
- avocado
- feta cheese
- sunflower seeds (or pine nuts)
- light drizzle of vinaigrette
It is de-li-ci-ous! I've now deemed it one of my favorite meals. You could add some baked salmon or grilled over it. But I just like it in a bowl with a big spoon. mmm mmm yummm!
(even LuLu can't resist it. SHOOO!!)
Posted by MAKMU ta
On Tuesday, June 01, 2010
I had no idea what I'd gotten myself into when we decided to grow our own tomatoes this year.
(sun gold, besser cherry, sweet 100, early girl)
I'm so fond of nature, wildlife, blooms, and lush layers of green, I've always focused on filling the garden with unique combinations of landscape plants growing out of control. The space looks incredible, and over time keeps looking incredibler. But my wife and I figured we'd try our hand at growing our own organic edibles, something I hadn't had much success with in the past (but I had never tried all that hard either). So I acquired some great tomato transplants from my local Permaculture pal Rachel, who had grown them all from seed. They were planted in early February 2010 and we were in for a surprise.
And there are still many more to come...
Salsa, anyone?
