FALL GARDEN 2013 - FIRST ATTEMPT GARDENING IN LAS VEGAS

Fall Garden 2013: WEEK 1

My first attempt at planting a fall garden. Okay, let's call it what it really is... my first attempt at planting a garden, ever! I was busy this week preparing my raised beds, reading articles and books about gardening, visiting Star Nursery several times, planting snapdragons, calendulas, herbs and vegetables and trying to capture the snails and roly polys (which are supposed to destroy your plants by eating the stems, leaves and flowers) that have taken up residence in my garden space. I did learn that the snails come out a couple hours after dark to feed, and then they retreat back into the soil at light, so I went out with a flashlight one night and picked off over a hundred snails. I went out the next night with my little boy, and told him I'd pay him 5 cents for each snail or roly poly he picked up and disposed of. He was all for making easy money, but he was very concerned about the fact that we were going to "kill" or "destroy" "God's creations". I appeased him by assuring him that we were just "transplanting the insects to a new home". I didn't really lie, for the trash can was, in fact, a new home for them. He picked up another hundred and made $5.

I planted Purple Vienna Kohlrabi, Scarlet Nantes Carrots, Detroit Dark Red Beets and Burpee's Golden Beets in the right raised bed. I also planted two basil plants and a thyme plant. I want to see how they do in my garden opposed to the herbs I planted in pots. At the rear center of my garden, I planted a Tuscan Blue Rosemary and several snapdragons. I'm still working out the kinks in my watering system and preparing my left raised bed for vegetables that I have started from seed.

I bought a seed starter kit from Star Nursery and filled each cell with Filthy Rich Organic Potting Soil (also from Star Nursery). I planted Red Russian Kale, Starbor Kale, Collards, Early Snowball Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes and several different herbs. The kale, collards and cauliflower all germinated in just four days. Only two cherry tomato cells germinated after six days, and, so far, no herbs have germinated yet. 

I have much research to do regarding soil, PH, composting, mulch, watering, organic insect control methods and harvesting herbs. I also want to learn more about bees and how to make my garden and yard more bee friendly.