Thursday, September 24, 2009

October planning


It's time to start thinking out our subtle but obvious season change. Soon we will be changing our watering times and welcoming our northern guests. It is starting to cool down and we will soon begin to experience cooler climates in our patio areas. There a several additions to your patio that can enhance your enjoyment and entertainment value within your outdoor living environment. Welcome these Wintery visitors with a captivating invitation to a warm hospitality of the Great Southwest with Bunko Seats, Fireplaces, Kivas, Fire Pits, Fire pots and firewalls. Nestle them into Seating walls, Benches, and our signature Banko seats accented with flagstone, ancient stone, slate, tile, brick or adobe. A Bunko Seat can be an effective compliment any patio areas. These custom designed seats are uniquely individual and created exclusively by Horticultural Frontiers; their sloped backs provide maximum comfort, sturdiness and last ability Invite your after dinner guests to join you in sharing further merriment around a campfire-like setting. Fire features can be set up for natural gas, propane, or natural wood. Flickering fire light and soft accent lighting will illuminate the December chilly nights when you blanket yourself within a Horticultural Frontiers Patio Creation.

Give us a call and we will make your Holiday Dreams come true.


Horticultural Frontiers
(602) THE-BEST

(843-2378)

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

September Gardening Preparations

To achieve a great garden in the Valley of the Sun you may want to prepare the soil by spading the garden bed to a depth of 8-12 inches, turn the soil, and break up the clods. Another good procedure to follow is for every 100 square foot of garden area add the following mixture and water it well:

  • 2 lbs of 16-20-0 ammonium phosphate
  • 5 lbs sulfur
  • 5 lbs ironite
  • 8-10 two-cubic-foot bags of compost, mulch, or manure

Let the soil dry to where it is just moist and then get ready to plant. Seeds and transplants are best done when the temperatures drop below 100 degrees.

If you accomplish the above earlier in the year you can cover your garden with sheets of clear plastic for six weeks and this will kill or drive out many of the soil pathogens.

Transplant tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, onions, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, and lettuce. If you have onions in your garden it may be best to use gypsum in place of sulfur in the mixture above because the sulfur makes the onions strong and hot.

The following can be directly seeded in your garden (when temperatures drop below 100 degrees) : beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collard greens, cucumbers, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, leeks, mustard, onion, peas, radishes, snap beans, spinach, turnips, anise, caraway, chamomile, chervil, chicory, chives, cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel, and parsley.

Thank you to The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Science and John Chapman’s Southwest Gardening for their great information.