My Garden

My first tomato was harvested!

2011-06-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

And soon many more will come up. So far the only insects are the yellow and black aphids and I continue to jetspray the plants as much as possible. Everything is coming up now and some plots are at the full impact zone, giving a crowded appearance.

I bought some butterfly bush two days ago. I'm not sure where to put them; was thinking along the western wall of the house. I need to remove the dead bottlebrush shrub as there's no life in it. The palo verde's end tips have died but it's in yellow bloom right now with new branches growing. The mesquite tree is looking healthy.

Even the potato brush is growing new life. I need to take time out and prune the front yard, remove the dead brush and twigs.

It's been nearing 100F these last few days, with raging wildfires 50 miles to our East and 200 miles to our Northeast that give off brown sun rises and sun sets and hazy, smoky days.

A busy Memorial Day weekend gardening

2011-05-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

This time Kevin takes the prize for taking the initiative to get the backyard cleaned up. He was up early yesterday sorting through all the stuff that could be hauled away, from sun-torn frost sheets, broken pots to rotting wood. It all filled his pick-up truck and this morning he took it all to the dump before work.

In another week or so we'll hvae a truck load of organic trash to take to the dump: years of dead branches, palm fronds, freeze-killed vegetation. I'm also going to trim a lot of plants of the dead branches. I could perhaps also rake up all the dead oleander leaves.

He also set up bird netting around one of our 10x4 lot, using the old PVC pipes and getting corners for them. They may not be too sturdy during our winds though, as I've already had to adjust a few beams.

The vegetables are slowly coming up. I'm still fighting a battle with the yellow and black aphids though, and one spinach had sponge fungus that showed up overnight. K also planted the small peet cups of turnips and beets into the eastern lot, and in another week or so he'll have more to plant there as the lettuce, cabbage and other goodies come up.

The older cabbage is looking harvestable.

I took my grapefruit tree outside, the last tree to see sunlight. The plant was shocked by the drastic weather change. The leaves burned and today the leaves have all dropped. It will now regrow hardier leaves and do better now.

Over 100 beans coming up!

2011-05-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

I think giving the soil a break last year has made it more fertile this year. Things are coming up: tomatoes, beans, peppers, cabbage, peas, eggplant, turnips, beets and my beloved spinach which I can't get enough of. Kevin waters the garden faithfully twice a day.

And we haven't had much insect infestation yet, although I saw my first grasshopper today.

We have agreed to extend the western plot by another 10x10 area using recycled soil that has been solarizing for two years. Our back yard is finally taking shape and looking less like a redneck yard with empty pots and garden equipemtn along the fenceline.

Aphids!

2011-05-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yellow aphids have attacked my oleanders on the eastern perimeter AND my little peach tree. Right now I'm getting rid of them organically, with a high-pressure garden hose at close range. Today will be the fourth day I will have done this method, each day decreasing the amount of aphids on the plants. There also seems to be white mealy mites on some of the same plants infected with the aphids.

Otherwise we seem to have little insects so far. But the growing season is young! We seem to finally have a decent garden coming up, with tomatoes growing fruit and our first beans coming up. Kevin planted so many more new seeds in peet containers: beans, turnips, beets and even lettuce will go into the eastern garden, that new plot he prepped last weekend. Planting will begin in early June, so that the plants will benefit from the monsoon as they are strong enough to handle heavy rains.

My spinach is really growing nicely this year. I think this is the best year yet for spinach.

May temps

2011-05-22T20:47:00.001-07:00

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Prepping the east garden

2011-05-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Kevin continued to prep more of the eastern garden, spreading out steer manure and mulch. His rows of turnips, beans and beets are slowly sprouting.

This afternoon I jet-sprayed yellow aphids off the young oleander shrubs on the east fence. The young peach tree also had black ones. I didn't see any aphids on the other fruit trees, and this is the first time in two years I've had aphids.

My grapefruit tree is showing four fruit growing, the same tree that shows trunk damage to its outer cambrium.

Otherwise, the spinach is slowly coming up. I trimmed down one plant for a salad and a few days later new leaves had come up. I may finally have a steady growth of baby spinach!

I also planted a few more potato skins; I have two plants coming up that way.

I also transplanted the rescued cucumber plant into the large bed behind the pine tree. This was the plant I dug up from the compost tumbler a few months ago.

Tomatoes are also filling in. Today they all received some 30-30-30 fertilizer to blossom more. The bush beans are also slowly dropping fruit. Can't wait to eat the first tomatoes, but I think that won't be till the monsoon hits.

The white cabbage is also coming in nicely. We should have our first heads at the end of June.

It was very windy and dry today, with smoke from the Chiricahua hazing out the eastern sky.

Our first beans

2011-05-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

My first green beans are coming up ready for harvest, and they are all beans I planted in separate containers. I seem to do better with containers here in the high desert. Even the peppers that overwintered are doing better than the ones planted this spring in the raised bed.

Kevin was busy all weekend getting the eastern lot ready for a late June planting. He's got all the seeds ready: turnips, radishes, more beans and peppers, and a few eggplant.

Yesterday he even bought eight bags of steer manure. I'm surprised the dogs haven't torn into those warm bags yet.

Our first peppers

2011-05-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

The pepper plants that overwintered are the first plants to grow fruit this time around. The lone tomato plant that overwintered is also growing nicely and is flowering, but no fruit yet. The tomatoes outside are all doing well, though, and it seems that more beans are sprouting despite the occassional bird killings.

Our oleander shrubs are all growing new branches from the root base. Next month I'll trim them all down to an even six feet so that all plants are at the same height. I don't want to cut them down to a foot tall as then we loose privacy.

The strawberries are doing well, two are dying off but I think that may be from the cat peeing there. The rest are doing fine. Maybe I should fertilize them some more and give them more shade.

I have the first snow peas frozen in the freezer as now I'm waiting for the beans to fruit.

I think my orange honeysuckle vine is dead. It should be growing new vines by now but sofar there is nothing. And the bottlebrush is as dead as can be. Both cactus are now dried skeletons in the front yard. I'll replace those later this year.

The palm tree is coming back now. Despite the heavy winds these last two days it didn't lose any fronds.

I trimmed the jasmine vine down to its living vines; most of the shrub was dead anyway and the new growth just grew over the dead stuff.

We desperately need rain. We should be at least 6" for this year and we haven't even made it to half that much.

April temperatures

2011-04-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

We desperately need rain!!!

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FORECAST: Updated Apr 30 08:13 p.m. MT

Cucumber seeds

2011-04-16T20:12:00.001-07:00

I planted about eight cucumber seeds near the beans this morning. I hope the big birds don't eat them, though. The birds here have attacked the bean sprouts with a vengeance this year. The dry weather isn't helping them grow strong, either.

I bought an Anna Smith apple tree on Friday, to be used as a polinator for the lone apple tree in our back yard. I'll get that tree dug in before the monsoon.

What we need is bird netting around the crops.

The Princess tree is now being invaded by large cutter bees that are attracted to the lilac blossoms. The bees scare away the butterflies.

The last of the cold spell

2011-04-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

I think I can say for sure now what plants survived the deep freeze and which ones did not. Both beavertail are dead and oozing black liquid. The bottlebrush is dead. The oleander on the west side of the house look crispy. The potato shrub looks dead, too.

Life is coming back to the tacoma stans. The Mexican sage is also showing growth. The Russian sage is reproducing new stems nearby. Once I remove all the dead leaves I've left on the shrubbery for frost protection the front yard will look nice.

One thing I have to do, though, is set up the ScareCrow so that the neighborhood cats stop coming to the front yard bird feeder. I'm really getting tired of seeing them waiting for the birds to fly down and feed.

Wet and cold for tonight

2011-04-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

We didn't get the big storm as forecasted as that stayed north of Tucson, but it's drizzling and colder. I just got done covering all the plants. The citrus trees are all inside.
_______________________________________________________________
Highlights of weather affecting Southern Arizona this weekend
Posted: Apr 07, 2011 3:52 PM MST
Updated: Apr 09, 2011 3:59 PM MST
Reporter/Meteorologist: April Madison

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Widespread showers moved through southern Arizona Saturday. Rain totals ranged from a few hundredths of an inch, to about 0.20 inches in most locations by 3 PM.

Some observers on MT. Lemmon reported 3.5 to 4 inches of snow had fallen by noon Saturday, with 2 inches reported at the MT. Lemmon Fire Department. Light snow was also been reported at Oracle and Saddlebrooke, but no accumulation.

The bulk of the rain showers is expected to end around 9 or 10 PM Saturday night, though some lingering showers may occur later across Greenlee, Graham, and far eastern Cochise counties. A Winter Weather Advisory remains through 11 PM Saturday night for the mountain areas. Snow levels will be around 4000 to 4500 feet, with any accumulation expected to be above 6000 feet.

Temps are expected to dip well into the 30's Saturday night, into early Sunday morning. But most locations from Tucson eastward and southward, are expected to stay above freezing.

A strong warm, drying trend will return Sunday through next week.

Another freeze due in this weekend?

2011-04-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

This almost seems odd to hear this, but it's black and white.

Highlights of weather affecting Southern Arizona this weekend

Updated: Apr 07, 2011 8:03 PM MST
Chief Meteorologist: Erin Christiansen

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Strong south to southwest winds are forecast to develop over southern Arizona Friday afternoon and continue into Friday evening. A wind advisory has been issued from Tucson eastward. Areas of blowing dust are once again possible, even in locales farther west not in the wind advisory.

Critical fire weather conditions could be met briefly over Cochise County. The limiting factor will be whether humidities will drop below the 15 percent threshold for any significant amount of time.

http://www.kgun9.com/global/story.asp?s=14406430

Cooler air and rain are expected to spread east across the region Saturday.

Precipitation amounts will range from less than a tenth of an inch in the southeast corner of the state to nearly one half inch farther northwest in parts of Pima, Pinal, Graham and Greenlee Counties. Snow levels could drop as low as 4000 feet north but should remain above 6000 feet in southeast Cochise County.

Strong and gusty winds are possible again Saturday, especially east of Tucson.

Saturday night, the first widespread freeze in the past 2 to 3 weeks could occur over the lower elevations of Graham, Greenlee, Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties with temperatures currently forecast to drop into the upper 20s to lower 30s.

More seedlings coming up

2011-04-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today I noticed the mesquite tree is in bloom! The palo verde is still barren, but there is new growth coming up from the Mexican sage, verbana and Russian sage. The crape myrtle is still looking dead, though.

I'm starting to see ants in the front yard, too.

Severe drought lingering

2011-04-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

We had a short scare earlier today when a brush fire a few miles north of us burst out. The firefighters came quickly to the scene and by 1:30pm the skies were clear again. The fire was just a few acres off Ramsey road in town.

My oleanders are parched, though. I spent 30 minutes soaking the east-side shrubs. The water quickly trickled into the dry soil without ever pooling as more saturated soil would show. There is life in these shrubs afterall and I see new growth coming, just as I see new growth out of the palm trees. People here are starting to trim their dead shrubs and remove the dead cacti. What remains will most likely fall victim to mold or cactus bugs.

The Princess tree's purple bell blossoms are out. Beans are coming up. Red and Russian Sage in the front yard are coming up.

It hit a record high today, almot approaching 90F with a humidity of 15% at 2pm.

March temperatures

2011-03-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

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Temperatures Precipitation
91°F Record High
Highest
so far 84°F Lowest 23°F so far 70°F Avg. High 41°F Avg. Low 23°F Record Low

Average 0.44 i

A little bit of rain fell overnight

2011-03-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

Last night, soaking the ground but not staying for long. This morning I woke up to see a light sheet of ice in the dog's bowl outside. The frost blanket over the tomatoes was icy, but none of the plants died.

The mesquite is slowly showing green buds, but the Chinese date tree's leaves died off a few days ago. The beans I planted all were bent by the winds, and the red cabbage looks pretty abused, too.

More plants in

2011-03-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today I worked on the large cinderbox bed, the last of the beds on the western side. The soil was heavily clay, so I spent a good time tilling the soil and removing some rather large rocks from its depth, a few larger than a skull. I added some of the "mulch" and planted four cabages, a row of beets, some spinach, and today added four green beans, more beets, and tilled some more. The hot sun yesterday tired me out, and today I only worked for about an hour before I stopped and took the dogs on a walk instead. The wind started picking up, filling the air with sand, and that's when I called it a day.

Something already found my red cabbage plants, though, and many of the leaves have been chewed off. I dropped some cayenne sauce on the leaves to thwart off any rabbits from eating the red cabbage (the white cabbage was left intact).

We are now in the windy spring season. I will hold off from planting any more seedlings outside for a while.

Planting more beds

2011-03-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

Today was another busy day tilling, drenching, mixing and sowing seeds in three beds and one large one. More cabbage, beans,tomatoes, spinach and beets were planted. Everything that I bought yesterday got planted and then seeds were added. I spotted cabbage moths as soon as cabbage was planted in the soil. But otherwise the soil itself was free of any grubs or other larvae.

Kevin went to the local transfer station to pick up a truckload of mulch for $15 and came back shortly afternoon with a truckload of very good stuff. It's good enough to use as a soil. His co-workers swear by this stuff. We'll go back and get a second load in a few months.

I took many breaks as the sun was hot, and by mid afternoon I could feel my lips were chapped and the top of my head sunburned. I was tired and exhausted. Kevin will do the last big bed for me tomorrow while I'm taking a state exam.

I planted nasturtiums around the apricot and peach trees. The flowers allegedly repel aphids up trees. The eastern beds will get done before the monsoon. Right now the beds are solarizing. The western beds will be enough for us for the next few months. I still have the many containers to get done, the trash to clean up, the dead grass to remove. There's a lot that needs to be done in the back yard.

Getting the garden started

2011-03-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

This morning I got the plants that I bought yesterday into the soil. Ten strawberries are sharing a 4x4 raised bed with spinach, another 4x4 bed is sharing red cabbage with beets, and three heirloom tomatoes are now in the large 4x10 bed. I sprinkled marigold seeds around the tomatoes, planted two pea seedlings and a few beet seeds...there should be something coming up by the end of the month.

I used all the compost for that large bed, and it barely covered the surface.

I want to get more basil plants around the tomatoes. I want to use more herbs this year, as a means to help repel insects.

I have the Three Sisters plot solarizing for another two months.

I still have all these bean and tomato seedlings from the germination sets coming up. The tomatoes don't seem to be growing much now anyway. Getting those transplanted will be difficult.

Spring has sprung!

2011-03-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

I'm on spring break this week and what better time to get the garden ready. The compost isn't as much as predicted; I have beans and potatoes growing in it right now and I am transplanting all of those as I find them. I plan on renewing the strawberry patch and setting in tomatoes, peppers and red cabbage. If I do a little each day, I won't be so overwhelmed.

My peach tree is now budding. Honey bees are going crazy in the front yard around the two trees. The rosemary shrub is also in bloom and this year I'm going to make some cuttings and propagate the shrubs up front to plant younger ones in the back. The two trees I see no new growth for now are my mesquite and the palo verde tree. Even my mimosa tree is budding.

I transplanted ten bean plants from the germination set. I'm finding that although the germination set helps the seeds sprout fast, the plants shoot up long and lanky. I hope they make the transplant. All the old potato cuttings I transplanted from the compost pile died except for one, which looks like it set and will grow in place.

It reached close to 90F today in Tucson, mid 80s here.

My Yellow Bird of Paradise shrubs look like they took a heavy beating from the deep freeze. The tips on both shrubs look and feel dead. The fruitless mulberry tree is also lifeless, as are my bottlebrush tree, my tecoma stans and all the oleander trees. One Russian sage is coming back. My rosemary's in bloom. The verdana all seem ready to be cut close to the ground to stimulate new growth. The dead stuff is excuse enough to start replanting my front yard to a more native plant habitat.

I'm still holding out on our palm tree. The palm must be 30 years old and it's hard to know from my vantage point if the palm survived the freeze as it's too high up to be able to check its internal stalk for new growth. But all the exterior fronds are dead and hanging on, yet birds are still using the palm as their nest. I saw a redtailed hawk chase a ringneck dove today from the palm tree. This time the dove made it, but next time it may not be so lucky. I'd hate to release my dove into such a dangerous environment, but keeping it encaged is perhaps inhumane as well.

The first blossoms

2011-03-07T03:37:00.000-08:00

It looks like my Bartlett pear and apricot tree survived last months freeze. Both are now budding and blooming respectively. Both trees are in bud, too, with the taller one a bit ahead of the sicklier one. My Chinese date tree is budding as well as its other foreign tree.

My aloe vera and fir cracker succulent both died for sure, however, and it won't be another month before I see the real damage of the deadly freeze. The ice plant is dead. I'm worried about the bottlebrush shrub and my tecoma stans. I don't plan on replacing anything as of yet. All my roses are alive; I just can't seem to get rid of them!

I will have a truck load of organic waste to take to the transfer station.

I will be busy this spring pruning trees I haven't pruned yet, simply because I only prune to get rid of dead branches rather than prune for aesthetics. I will have my work cut out for me. I'll probably prune the salvia shrubs down a bit to get rid of the langy look. And for the first time I'm going to use a leaf sucker to pick up all the dead leaves that have provided the salvia some frost protection.

My germination sets are coming along. The beets are now coming up. Some of my beans are now transplanted but one already fell victim to a bird as its stem was cut off and uprooted yesterday. Now I'm hoping the overnight winds didn't blow any pots over...

I prepped one garden bed but still have five more to go.

I "rescued" several potato seedlings from the compost by transplanting them. A few of the seven that I planted should survive the ordeal.

Weather will be warm and spring-like for the next ten days. The birds outside are already using the bird feeders as their ralley point. The black sunflower seeds remain popular.

A beautiful spring day!

2011-03-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

It shot up near 80 today and that prompted me to place some of the germination sets out in real sunlight and turn the lamps off inside. The beans are already about six inches tall. I planted a good 20 new plants this afternoon.

I have to prep the raised beds this weekend.

My apricot, rose shrub and Chinese date trees are all budding.

I cut off all the mushy cactus pads from the frost-damaged cacti and removed the dead ice plant around the house. In some areas the entire plants were dead, and not just the top foilage. I'm not sure I'm going to replace the ice plant with anything.

I ordered a leaf blower-vacuum that I plan on using in the front yard to suck up all the dead leaves come time to prep the front yard for new growth! I don't have any major plans for this year of planting new stuff. What I do need to do is trim all the shrubs of their dead twigs and stuff. There's been more frost damage than at first expected: the oleander against the east wall of the house and the bottle brush shrub all look frost damaged.

Snow!

2011-02-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

As forecasted, we got snow overnight. Although the ground snow here melted by 10am, another lighter storm came through early in the afternoon. The peaks got about eight inches of snow. We needed this!

The birds outside were busy from sunrise to eat up as much of the seed outside that I had laid out for them. Today's storm was cold but the wind had died down overnight making today a pleasant winter day. Our storm now is over Kansas.

Meanwhile more seeds are coming up. I had planted the first seeds on the 17th. Turnip seeds that I had planted on the 22nd are now also sprouting, but they look long and lanky and I'm afraid they'll topple over from their own weight. A few beans are also coming up. I went crazy yesterday afternoon and planted spinach, lettuce, peas, more tomatoes and a few beets. Once all the seedlings have sprouted I'll be busy transplanting them all into larger pots. The beans may be harvested before May if they stay inside!

The dining room is now a quasi grow-light area. The citrus trees are all inside for a while until the warmth returns later this week.

February temperatures

2011-02-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

1
OBSERVED
Hi 56°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Wed
2
OBSERVED
Hi 39°F
Lo 12°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Thu
3
OBSERVED
Hi 25°F
Lo 5°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Fri
4
OBSERVED
Hi 49°F
Lo 1°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
5
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 12°F
Precip (in)
0in.

6
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 23°F
Precip (in)
0in.

7
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 20°F
Precip (in)
0in.

8
OBSERVED
Hi 71°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

9
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

10
OBSERVED
Hi 58°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

11
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 19°F
Precip (in)
0in.

12
OBSERVED
Hi 68°F
Lo 16°F
Precip (in)
0in.

13
OBSERVED
Hi 74°F
Lo 21°F
Precip (in)
0in.

14
OBSERVED
Hi 78°F
Lo 33°F
Precip (in)
0in.

15
OBSERVED
Hi 78°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

16
OBSERVED
Hi 79°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

17
OBSERVED
Hi 68°F
Lo 49°F
Precip (in)
0in.

18
OBSERVED
Hi 75°F
Lo 43°F
Precip (in)
0in.

19
OBSERVED
Hi 74°F
Lo 45°F
Precip (in)
0in.

20
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 40°F
Precip (in)
0in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi 69°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

22
OBSERVED
Hi 67°F
Lo 22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

23
OBSERVED
Hi 68°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

24
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

25
OBSERVED
Hi 71°F
Lo 23°F
Precip (in)
0in.

26
OBSERVED
Hi 70°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Today
Hi -
Lo 27°F
Precip
0 %

Tomato seeds germinating!

2011-02-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

My first seeds are coming up in the germination set! That didn't take too long. I figured with the seed packet from 2008 that I'd have a large failure rate. If there are pockets in the set with no seeds coming up, they will get new seeds.

I should be getting a mini-greenhouse today and another set in. I have part of the dining room wall set up for this. The light is more than bright enough to work as a night light.

We never got any rain this weekend, just wind, and now it's back to more seasonable weather in the 60s.

Wind advisory

2011-02-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Our cold snap, which killed off a lot of beavertail cacti and citrus trees, lasted just two days. Some of my shrubs look pretty badly frozen off, too, such as the oleanders and bottle brush shrub.

We had near record highs again last week. This weekend, just in time for a long weekend, it's back to cold winds and possible rain. I like this wind and I hope for rain.

Two days ago I received my first germination center in the mail. I quickly planted that thing full of tomato seeds (Big Boy and Romas). I also got a heating pad and a plant grow light with which I am pleased. I may get a few more trays and plant more seeds. I also got a mini greenhouse due in next week to grow even more stuff.

I don't plan on having anything grow outside until June, though. This year's garden will be better controlled than in the last few years.

Record lows

2011-02-03T05:38:00.000-08:00

A massive storm hit half the country two days ago, dumping 20 inches over Chicagoland, closing many businesses and schools, and creating havoc. We here in southern Arizona are also freezing, thanks to a cold front that dipped way down from Canada. For the second day now I'm removing an inch of ice from the dogs' water bucket. I'm running out of bird seed to feed the cold and hungry birds that have been keeping warm in the bushes around our house, planted by the previous bird-loving home owners. I'll buy more seed later on today.

This cold weather is making the news. Today marks the coldest 3 Feb in Tucson's history, with the previous record of 44F which will surely break today. It's only going to be in the 30s today there, colder here in our foothills.

I don't remember overnight lows this low in my years in Arizona. I barely see the thermometer above the "10" degree mark right now. But luckily this is a short cold snap and temps should return to more normal temps by Saturday when I lead a hike down to the border.

The good news is that as an organic gardener many subterranean pests will also die from this cold. My apricots will actually like this freeze.

_______

Feels Like:7 °F
Barometer:30.22 in and rising
Humidity:40 %
Visibility:10 mi
Dewpoint:-9 °F
Wind:NE 16 mph
UV Index:--
UV Description:Low
Sunrise:7:09 AM
Sunset:5:53 PM

Detailed Local ForecastHow to Read Today: Mostly sunny and windy. Cold. High 34F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph.
Tonight: Generally clear. Cold. Low 18F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: A mainly sunny sky. High 51F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Clear skies. Low 28F. Winds light and variable.
Saturday: Sunshine. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 30s.
Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the upper 30s.
Monday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the upper 30s

January temperatures

2011-01-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

Sat
1
OBSERVED

Hi 43°F
Lo 17°F
Precip (in)
0in.

2
OBSERVED

Hi 54°F
Lo 10°F
Precip (in)
0in.

3
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 17°F
Precip (in)
0in.

4
OBSERVED
Hi 57°F
Lo 17°F
Precip (in)
0in.

5
OBSERVED
Hi 54°F
Lo 18°F
Precip (in)
0in.

6
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 23°F
Precip (in)
0in.

7
OBSERVED
Hi 68°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

8
OBSERVED
Hi 56°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

9
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

10
OBSERVED
Hi 61°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

11
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 21°F
Precip (in)
0in.

12
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

13
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

14
OBSERVED
Hi 66°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

15
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

16
OBSERVED
Hi 70°F
Lo 22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

17
OBSERVED
Hi 75°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

18
OBSERVED
Hi 72°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

19
OBSERVED
Hi 74°F
Lo 33°F
Precip (in)
0in.

20
OBSERVED
Hi 66°F
Lo 36°F
Precip (in)
0in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi 67°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

22
OBSERVED
Hi 70°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

23
OBSERVED
Hi 61°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

24
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 20°F
Precip (in)
0in.

25
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

26
Hi 61°F
Lo 34°F
Precip
0 %

27
Hi 63°F
Lo 34°F
Precip
0 %

28
Hi 67°F
Lo 35°F
Precip
0 %

29
Hi 67°F
Lo 36°F
Precip
0 %

30
Hi 68°F
Lo 38°F
Precip
0 %

31
Hi 67°F
Lo 38°F
Precip
0 %

A mild winter

2011-01-20T06:20:00.000-08:00

We have had lovely weather lately, almost too lovely, with temps in the 70s during the day. My Fiji apple tree is already pre-budding and my roses in the front yard are growing buds. This is too soon, as we always get one or two more frosts in February or March that kill off any buds or blossoms on my fruit trees, resulting in a fruitless tree for the harvest season.

My citrus trees are budding, but they have beein inside for a month and will remain inside until April. The pepper trees are looking healthy being wintered over, but my tomato plants seem to have called it a season. The one exception there is the stem I cut and placed in water last month. That stalk is now with roots over four inches long.

I hope we get rain soon to stave off an early drought, too. Although this weather is great for hiking, I worry about the plants.

December temperatures

2010-12-17T17:58:00.000-08:00

We had our first rain since October overnight. I woke up to the wet smell of creosote this morning and heavy fog over the mountains. No snow on the peaks, though! Another storm is brewing over the Sierras right now off California.

Wed
1
OBSERVED
Hi
65°F
Lo
17°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Thu
2
OBSERVED
Hi
71°F
Lo
22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Fri
3
OBSERVED
Hi
73°F
Lo
27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
4
OBSERVED
Hi
71°F
Lo
27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

5
OBSERVED
Hi
77°F
Lo
30°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

6
OBSERVED
Hi
79°F
Lo
36°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

7
OBSERVED
Hi
70°F
Lo
35°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

8
OBSERVED
Hi
71°F
Lo
26°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

9
OBSERVED
Hi
73°F
Lo
24°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

10
OBSERVED
Hi
73°F
Lo
31°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

11
OBSERVED
Hi
73°F
Lo
31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

12
OBSERVED
Hi
72°F
Lo
32°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

13
OBSERVED
Hi
73°F
Lo
26°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

14
OBSERVED
Hi
75°F
Lo
28°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

15
OBSERVED
Hi
72°F
Lo
36°F
Precip (in)
0in.

16
OBSERVED
68°F
Lo
39°F
Precip (in)
0in.

17
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 36°F
Precip (in)
0in.

18
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

19
OBSERVED
Hi 70°F
Lo 30°F
Precip (in)
0in.

20
OBSERVED
Hi 72°F
Lo 43°F
Precip (in)
0in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi 72°F
Lo 44°F
Precip (in)
0in.

22
OBSERVED
Hi 71°F
Lo 40°F
Precip (in)
0in.

23
OBSERVED
Hi 58°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

24
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

25
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

26
OBSERVED
Hi 67°F
Lo 22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

27
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

28
OBSERVED
Hi 61°F
Lo 25°F
Precip (in)
0in.

29
OBSERVED
Hi 56°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

30
OBSERVED
Hi 51°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0.01in.

31
OBSERVED
Hi 45°F
Lo 22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

A heatwave

2010-12-05T18:22:00.000-08:00

After almost a week of cold weather, we are back to warm temps. It still gets cold at night (but not freezing) I took my plants back outside (all except my Iraqi acacia) and will keep them outside until the day before I drive to Chicago after this semester.

The trees are slowly losig their leaves. Half the leaves are now off the trees but there are still trees who haven't changed color yet. There are still bright green leaves on my fruit trees. The grass is back to being dry brown again, but nothing looks drought-stricken yet.

The garden in the back is closed for the season and I won't be sowing anything until March.

Our first hard frost

2010-11-30T04:05:00.001-08:00

Temps were in the low 30s last night coming home from class. Today is no worse. All the sensitive plants are inside. Winds in the last two days have blown a lot of leaves off the trees. It truly feels like Chicagoland weather lately. The last of the dying grasshoppers are left, at least those that Pache hasn't gotten to.

The strawberries all died and so did the rose bush on the east side of the house. I have a hard time growing anything along the eastern perimeter. The neighbor uses weedkiller along the fence that doesn't help much, either.

It wasn't much of a garden this year and it probably won't be again next year. The one plant I'd love to grow is spinach which doesn't seem to thrive here. As for the front yard, it will remain a native plant/butterfly-hummingbird garden.

November temps

2010-11-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

01 Nov: 79/36
02 Nov: 76/46
03 Nov: 79/41
04 Nov: 76/50
05 Nov: 78/35
06 Nov: 80/34
07 Nov: 79/40
08 Nov: 76/34
09 Nov: 68/37
10 Nov: 71/28
11 Nov : 67/34
12 Nov: 64/28
13 Nov: 67/25
14 Nov: 70/26

15
OBSERVED
Hi
67°F
Lo
30°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

16
OBSERVED
Hi
71°F
Lo
27°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

17
OBSERVED
Hi
70°F
Lo
30°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

18
OBSERVED
Hi
74°F
Lo
29°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

19
OBSERVED
Hi
74°F
Lo
29°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

20
OBSERVED
Hi
73°F
Lo
42°F
Precip (in)
0in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi
67°F
Lo
41°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

22
OBSERVED
Hi
65°F
Lo
32°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

23
OBSERVED
Hi
67°F
Lo
21°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

24
OBSERVED
Hi
67°F
Lo
35°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

25
OBSERVED
Hi
54°F
Lo
26°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

26
OBSERVED
Hi
62°F
Lo
19°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

27
OBSERVED
Hi
67°F
Lo
19°F
Precip (in)
0in.

28
OBSERVED
Hi
59°F
Lo
36°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

29
OBSERVED
Hi
47°F
Lo
20°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

30
OBSERVED
Hi
54°F
Lo
12°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Chicagoland has its first snow this season

2010-11-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

Sleet and snow welcomed my family back in NW Indiana. A warming trend is due back early next week. It seems rather early, even for Chicagoland, to be this cold so soon. We here in AZ are due for a warm, dry weekend. Saw my first couple from Wisconsin this afternoon as we were leaving Applebee's.

The tops of my two trees in the front yard are noticably yellower today than just a few weeks ago.

Ocotillo is gone

2010-11-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

I finally pulled out that dead ocotillo from the front yard a few days ago. I am not going to get it replaced. The tomato plants are all dying off from exhaustion without much of a crop this year. I doubt I'll grow more toms next year.

The trees in the front yard are just now (in the last week) showing color change.

October rains and temperatures

2010-10-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

We are having autumn rains finally! This is the first rain this month. Will this bring on cooler temps, though? We've had higher-than-normal temps all month so far. It's nice now, but this could also bring dryer days ahead, and potential wildfires later.

Fri
1
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
58°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
2
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0.02in.

3
OBSERVED
Hi
88°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in.

4
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0.06in.

5
OBSERVED
Hi
82°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in.

6
OBSERVED
Hi
86°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

7
OBSERVED
Hi
86°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

8
OBSERVED
Hi
86°F
Lo
47°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

9
OBSERVED
Hi
85°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in.

10
OBSERVED
Hi
83°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

11
OBSERVED
Hi
83°F
Lo
45°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

12
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
46°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
13
OBSERVED
Hi
87°F
Lo
50°F
Precip (in)
0in.

14
OBSERVED
Hi
86°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in.

OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
58°F
Precip (in)
0.02in. -- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
46°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
17
OBSERVED

Hi
80°F
Lo
44°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
18
OBSERVED

Hi
77°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
19
OBSERVED

Hi
77°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
20
OBSERVED

Hi
73°F
Lo
47°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
21
OBSERVED

Hi
69°F
Lo
44°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
22
OBSERVED

Hi
69°F
Lo
41°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
23

OBSERVED

Hi
72°F
Lo
39°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
24
OBSERVED

Hi
77°F
Lo
40°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
25
OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
46°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
26
OBSERVED

Hi
78°F
Lo
42°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
27
OBSERVED

Hi
77°F
Lo
46°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
28
OBSERVED

Hi
81°F
Lo
49°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
29
OBSERVED

Hi
85°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in.

30
OBSERVED
Hi
86°F
Lo
49°F
Precip (in)
0in.

31
OBSERVED
Hi 78
Low 40F

My Burpee blueberry plants have arrived

2010-10-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

They were in a small package when we got back from a short hike. The package was not damaged and leaning against our front door. Each foot-tall plant was individually wrapped in packing paper. The roots were moist. Everything looked good.

I transplanted them shortly after dinner.

I was disappointed in the plants once I unpacked them . All six show brown spots on their leaves. Some of the leaves are dead. All the roots are crowded. I paid $12 per plant and was expecting healthy-looking plants like I am used to getting via High Country Gardens. Not so.

I packed each plant into its own five-gallon pot to give them space to grow. I hope they all survive the winter.

Another container (not a Burpee) held eight grubs near the bottom. I fed them all to the birds. If these plants die on me, that's it for me and blueberries in the high desert.

Fall has arrived

2010-10-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

One thing about living here in the desert are the mild seasons. It's been two weeks of mild autumn weather. Walking the dogs at night or early in the morning has been refreshing. It's just cool enough (low 60s) to refrain from a jacket, yet warm enough to enjoy the temperatures without bundling up.

Yesterday I didn't walk the dogs until I came home from class at 9:30pm. It had turned windier and lighting was coming up from Mexico. A slight mist fell but it wasn't hard enough to get me wet. It was noticably cooler though. I may plant a few more spinach rows if I'm not working today.

This morning it's raining hard and we have our first below 60F morning. I guess I'm not jogging or walking the dogs today! Hopefully all the shurbs outside are enjoying this extra water.

01: 93/58
02: 94/52 .02"
03: 88/59
04: 84/59
05: 81/61

Time to plant the fall harvest

2010-10-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

I dug up the old cabbage patch earlier today. The patch had been abandoned over a year ago and last year's plants were still standing, albeit heavily holed by grasshoppers. I tore those out, cut them up and placed them in our compost pile. I found a few grubs while tilling the soil which I saved for the birds that were watching me from the nearby palm tree.

I tilled enough for two small rows of red cabbage. That's about ten plants. I placed a cage over the seeds so that the cat wouldn't be tempted to pee in my patch (since I caught him in the act anyway; luckily I had a hose ready).

It's still so beautifully mild here. A rain storm allegedly is due later around Tucson but that doesn't mean we'll get one here 75 miles further southeast. There are dark clouds over the mountains, though, and it's hot outside: 77F at 35% humidity so we may get some rain. That's fine with me.

I love this weather. Earlier I got carried away with photographing a few hummingbirds in the front yard.

New blueberries and strawberries

2010-09-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

I broke down this weekend and bit on a sale by Burpee for six new blueberry plants. What are the chances the new plants will fall to the same demise as my old plants?

I also bought eight strawberries this past Sunday at Walmart, where, ironically, some of my healthiest plants have come from. (Home Depot has the worst record with me as they tend to overfertilize all plants before sale). They should overwinter well now that they are potted early. Perhaps the cat using the strawberry bed as a toilet is one reason the straws all died save one baby plant.

The cold front never materialized. Instead we've had a hot and dry weekend with more temps in the upper 80s and low 90s. Only the early mornings reveal the onset of autumn but otherwise my garden is doing well. Even Pache helps out by eating a grasshopper every now and then. Many of my tomatoes are just now finally getting red enough to pick.

I am enjoying this warm weather. However, people have told me that we are in for a dry winter again.

Fall is on its way: September temperatures

2010-09-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

My fruitless mulberry tree is already losing its leaves. This morning we had a cool, low-lying fog shroud the mountains. A cold front coming in from left-over hurricane Igor is due tomorrow. I am liking the cooler temperatures but I know that the really cold mornings are stil ahead of us.

I was able to jog with Sadie but it really began to rain an hour later. It's been overcast and rainy all day.

01: 94/64
02: 95/64
03: 91/60
04: 93/66
05: 93/58
06: 91/66
07: 88/67
08: 92/66
09: 87/64
10: 87/61
11: 90/49
12: 87/57
13: 94/63
14: 93/64
15: 95/59
16: 96/59
17: 95/56
18: 96/59
19: 92/72
20: 93/66
21: 92/68 .25" rain
22: 76/66 .30"
23: 85/65
24: 92/58
25: 91/62
26: 86/65
27: 86/60
28: 90/63
29: 94/65
30: 94/66

August Temperatures

2010-08-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

01: 84/67
02: 90/66
03: 94/66 0.25"
04: 97/66
05: 97/64 0.02"
06: 95/66 .10"
07: 88/66 .22"
08: 87/64 .27"
09: 91/63
10: 94/65
11: 97/65
12: 99/70 .01"
13: 97/70
14: 100/70
15: 96/66 .37"
16: 90/69 .17"
17: 94/69
18: 97/68
19: 96/64
20: 98/69
21: 93/71 .02"
22: 95/67
23: 97/66
24: 94/66 .20"
25: 86/65
26: 89/72
27: 90/66 .01"
28: 87/63
29: 89/62 1.24"
30: 86/62.01"

Rain Month-to-Date 2.89"
(Average 3.85")

Highest: 100F
Lowest: 62F

31: 89/63

July temperatures

2010-08-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

01: 95/73 .29"
02: 99/75 .18"
03: 98/69
04: 94/67
05: 95/63
06: 98/62
07: 98/64
08: 96/75
09: 97/77
10: 96/70
11: 88/70 .06"
12: 96/68 .07"
13: 99/69 .27"
14: 98/69
15: 102/72 .09"
16: 97/71
17: 97/72 .01"
18: 99/68 windy
19: 101/64
20: 96/66 .38"
21: 93/69 .04"
22:86/66
23: 91/67
24: 91/67
25: 90/68 .05"
26: 87/71 .13"
27: 80/68 1.06"
28: 86/68
29: 91/69 .47"
30: 88/66 .35"
31: 80/67

Highest temp so far: 102F (Record high 108F)
Average high: 93F
Lowest temp so far: 62
Average low: 66F

Rain this month: 3.45"
Average 3.01"

Blueberries and strawberries dead

2010-08-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

The remaining three blueberry bushes that earlier this year still provided me with some fruit have died. Only one strawberry plant remains alive. What went wrong? The bushes were only three years old.

I know that blueberries require acidic soil. That kind of soil is hard to find here in the desert. I added pine needles and coffee grinds to the soil, but that wasn't enough. Will I replace the bushes with new ones? I don't know. Losing plants is almost as hard as losing a pet.

I have been neglectful of the garden this year. The only thing I want to plant now are spinach and lettuce plants in September. It's the only thing I eat now that Kevin refrains from tomatoes, beets and turnips.

The good thing is that with less plants we have less bugs. Despite the hevy rains recently we aren't inundated with June beetles, Spinx moths and toads as in years past. I don't even see a grasshopper infestation. Perhaps Pache is to thank for that.

Gone for a month, now come back to a green front

2010-08-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

I spent a month in California hiking the High Sierras. I came back Saturday to fields of green, so green I can't remember it being this green in years. But the green beans I planted before leaving in early July didn't pop open as expected, and many weeds are inhabiting the backyard.

I transplanted my Iraqi acacia into a larger pot yesterday. My Chinese date tree is regrowing new shoots (which I will leave as be) and new perennials have grown. I pulled a bunch of dead Heliopsis, though, as after three years they have done their time. Whatever new will grow, will grow. In a few years the front yard will be a shaded oasis for the desert birds. I see a few new saplings coming up. Any new trees, however, may have to be sacrificed.

Waiting on the monsoon

2010-07-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Clouds have slowly developed volume but no real rain yet. All I see are short, isolated showers in the valley. I haven't planted a garden yet this year to avoid a huge water bill like last year. I intend to plant beans this weekend and leave it at that. With Kevin's diabetes he has been avoiding all the high-carb foods which are not healthy for diabetics: turnips, beets, carrots. He prefers beans and that's it. Even the tomatoes have been neglected.

The simmering heat seems to have done a fry job on my strawberries, blueberries and grapes. Leaves are drying up. The strawberries aren't even growing runners this year to propogate for another season.

The same goes for the front yard, too. I only planted two new plants this year, two pineapple sages that somehow shrivveled up and died. I won't plant anything new up front. I'm even leaving some weeds to grow for birdseed. Butterflies also seem to like the thistle.

The Chinese date tree, however, seems to have come back to life. New leaves are growing from the main branch. It's developed a new secondary branch that is taking a life of its own.

June temperatures

2010-06-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

01 - 91/62
02 - 90/55
03 - 93/53
04 - 99/60
05 - 102/61 (hottest day in a year!)
06 - 100/71
07- 104/71 windy
08- 100/62 windy
09- 101/66 windy
10- 95/65 windy
11- 90/64 windy
12- 87/61 windy
13- 86/53
14- 89/53 windy
15- 97/58 windy
16- 97/61
17- 99/59
18- 100/57 windy
19- 99/60
20- 99/65
21- 98/64
22- 100/65
23- 100/60
24- 99/72
25- 97/67
26- 98/69
27- 99/63
28- 100/65
29- 95/68
30- 95/73 0.03" This was all the rain we had all month. The average for June here is 0.38"

May temperatures

2010-06-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

01 - 66/32
02 - 71/42
03 - 76/34
04 - 90/40
05 - 93/44
06 - 91/53
07 - 90/49
08 - 92/52
09- 91/52
10 - 85/59
11 - 85/52
12 - 74/43
13 - 82/37
14 - 84/47
15 - 86/53
16 - 86/52
17 - 89/52
18 - 87/51
19 - 87/50
20 - 90/49
21 - 92/52
22 - 90/59
23 - 86/61
24 - 83/44
25 - 87/42
26 - 92/46
27 - 96/52
28 - 97/58
29 - 92/63
30 -92/53
31 - 92/54

My blooms in May

2010-05-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Chinese date is showing signs of life by sprouting a small branch near the root ball. I'm going to let that dead tree stump remain in the pot for now.

The potato shrubs are in purple bloom. Even the frost-bitten branches seem healthier than expected.

I'm picking strawberries from my Quinalts; so far a hand full! Potato plants are also doing well.

The pine tree in the back years has candles a foot long. The extra rain this season has really caused it to grow tall!

I planted several rows of beans and spinach on Sunday...I just need to remember to water the soil more as I've let nature take its course this year.

I already had a colony of Harvest ants to kill as well as they were stealing all my Bermuda grass seeds! I'll replant more grass this Friday when I'm off work.

We've had some howling winds these past two weeks. With every wind we lose more apricots and nectarines.

April temperatures

2010-04-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

The month's ending with a freeze warning! ARGH

01 - 66/40
02- 66/35
03- 70/33
04- 82/42
05- 81/48
06- 75/44
07- 71/36
08-82/39
09-81/37
10-81/41
11-82/43
12-82/47
13-79/41
14-79/42
15-84/44
16-83/40
17-81/51
18-80/50
19-69/53 0.01"
20-81/53
21-77/52 0.09"
22-61/42 0.05"
23-57/39 0.10"
24-71/35
25-79/38
26-82/43
27-84/44
28-85/47
29-77/50
30-57/41

High winds, now a cold front

2010-04-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

We had high winds all day yesterday. It got worse last night. This morning I discovered most of the young apricots and nectarines got blown off the trees. The trees would have aborted half the fruit anyway in another month, and there are still plenty of fruit available to grow into mature, juicy fruit for August. I collected all the fallen fruit and composted it all.

I picked a handfull of strawberries and planted two more potato plants that were growing in the compost.

One large turnip plant is going to seed. Hopefully new plants will grow from the seeds.

I also picked a handfull of snowpeas. Yeah!
I also planted new Bermuda grass seed in the backyard, protected by a circular shield so that the birds don't get to it.

The strong winds only blew off two more dead palm fronds. The palm tree desperately needs to be trimmed of its dead fronds.

Today's high is only expected to reach 67F, that's almost 20 degrees colder than on Wednesday.

Strawberries!

2010-04-03T20:49:00.001-07:00

It looks like the last of the chilly days are over. My six tomato plants survived the last frosty night a few days ago. Several plants have small yellow flowers. All my citrus trees are outside but one, the lemon tree, looks pretty dead. Only one, Mom's lime tree, is doing well.

My Iraqi acacia lost all its leaves when it went outside.

The Chinese date tree is officially dead. So is my Santa Rosa plum and Granny apple tree, both which pulled out of the soil easily. What killed both trees?

My apricots have little fruit buds now, which will mostly fall off during the next major wind storm. My strawberries, those that did survive (the daughters of the original moms) are in bloom. I found a few grubs in empty soil pots; perhaps it was the grubs that killed off the older strawberries. One of my blueberry shrubs also had a few grubs inside the pot. The tap root had been torn. My potatoes are also popping up nicely.

I planted a bed of Contender beans yesterday, and a small batch of Bermuda grass to fill in a dead spot.

African daisies are popping up, my salvias are in bloom and it's going to be a warm Easter weekend. Even my crepe myrtle is finally deciding to bloom.

March temperatures

2010-03-12T06:26:00.000-08:00

1 Mar- 61/38
2 Mar-67/37
3 Mar-72/36
4 Mar-72/40
5 Mar-72/35
6 Mar-70/37 .01"
7 Mar-65/42 .05"
8 Mar-57/38
9 Mar-65/30
10 Mar-58/27
11 Mar-55/32
12 Mar-68/29
13 Mar-70/32
14 Mar-69/41
15 Mar-63/42
16 Mar-68/41
17 Mar-77/35
18 Mar-77/36
19 Mar 71/42
20 Mar 64/36
21 Mar 72/29
22 Mar 79/34
23 Mar 67/42 .04"
24 Mar 65/37
25 Mar 76/28
26 Mar 76/37
27 Mar 67/36
28 Mar 71/34
29 Mar 79/31
30 Mar 85/37
31 Mar 79/44

Potato plants froze

2010-03-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

Our freezes the last two nights have killed off at least six of the compost-growing seedlings I planted a few days ago. I guess my efforts to save the seedlings growing in the compost was premature. I have two more Idaho potatoes ready for transplant.

We should be getting a warm-up starting this weekend. Low temperatures should be in the 40s rather than 30s now.

Our winter rain is now TWICE what we got during the monsoon season last year, according to KVOA. I'm already fighting weeds in the backyard, and expect a vicious fight with them all this year. Last year even most of the weeds died in the backyard.

February temperatures

2010-03-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

1 Feb- 60/42
2 Feb- 64/36 Precip .07"
3 Feb - 49/43 Precip .35"
4 Feb- 58/39
5 Feb - 63/35
6 Feb- 68/33
7 Feb- 61/41
8 Feb- 55/31
9 Feb- 58/30
10 Feb- 56/37 Precip .16"
11 Feb- 54/34
12 Feb-61/30
13 Feb-66/33
14 Feb-67/34
15 Feb-64/36
16 Feb- 65/33
17 Feb-69/32
18 Feb-70/35
19 Feb- 68/37
20 Feb-62/39 Precip .04"
21 Feb- 60/39
22 Feb- 55/35 Precip 0.01"
23 Feb-52/29
24 FEb-63/23
25 Feb-66/34
26 Feb-64/29
27 Feb-68/36 Precip 0.01"
28 Feb-50/39 Precip 0.07"

Spring is coming!!!

2010-03-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

While watering the backyard I noticed that the apricot and nectarine trees are in bloom. The pear tree is also budding. So is the lilac. New growth is also evident in many of the other shrubs in the front yard, especially the Mexican sage. Real green won't be too far behind now!

This has been a great winter for moisture. It's also been a great winter for the weeds. Some are already in bloom!

Dead are my plum and Chinese fig tree, though. I don't plan on replacing either tree. In fact, I'm not getting ANY new plants this year except for peppers and tomatoes. I have enough stray trees growing in my front yard to please me. The strays are all doing quite well.

The year's first seeds

2010-02-13T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I planted several rows of peas and beans in one of our raised beds. With warmer weather back in the 70s and 40s next week, sowing the first crops made sense. We have had a cool and wet winter sofar, the first one in five years.

A closer look at my plants also revealed new growth again. Buds are forming on my roses. New sage is coming up. The older strawberries have died but the newer plants seem to have made it.

It's going to take another month before I can plant the first crop of tomatoes and peppers, but I am going to enjoy putting all my citrus plants outside again.

More rain!

2010-02-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

We are definitely in a wet winter, so unlike last year. The soil is saturated and ready for tilling. Weeds are also popping up, and have to remain vigilant to that as well. This Sunday I'm going to plant the first snow peas.

January temperatures

2010-01-28T20:12:00.000-08:00

January

Fri
1
OBSERVED
Hi 59°F
Lo 23°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
2
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

3
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

4
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 23°F
Precip (in)
0in.

5
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

6
OBSERVED
Hi 68°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

7
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

8
OBSERVED
Hi 55°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

9
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

10
OBSERVED
Hi 59°F
Lo 21°F
Precip (in)
0in.

11
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

12
OBSERVED
Hi 67°F
Lo 30°F
Precip (in)
0in.

13
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

14
OBSERVED
Hi 58°F
Lo 35°F
Precip (in)
0in.

15
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

16
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 25°F
Precip (in)
0in.

17
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

18
OBSERVED
Hi 66°F
Lo 40°F
Precip (in)
0in.

19
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 52°F
Precip (in)
0in.

20
OBSERVED
Hi 57°F
Lo 37°F
Precip (in)
0.01in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi 58°F
Lo 47°F
Precip (in)
0.34in.

22
OBSERVED
Hi 52°F
Lo 39°F
Precip (in)
0.31in.

23
OBSERVED
Hi 48°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0.02in.

24
OBSERVED
Hi 50°F
Lo 29°F
cip (in)
0in.

25
OBSERVED
Hi 59°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

26
OBSERVED
Hi 66°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

27
OBSERVED
Hi 57°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0.51in.

Today

Hi -
Lo 36°F

Precip
20 %

29

Hi 56°F
Lo 35°F

Precip
20 %

30

Hi 62°F
Lo 39°F

Precip
10 %

31

Hi 62°F
Lo 40°F

Precip
10 %

FORECAST: Updated Jan 28 08:10 p.m. MT

We're in for a rainy week

2010-01-18T07:41:00.001-08:00

Southern Arizona expected to see very wet, rainy week
Posted - 1/18/2010 at 7:56AM

TUCSON- KVOA News 4 meteorologists are predicting a very wet week in Southern Arizona as three storms move through the state.

They say residents should expect a large amount of moisture that could result in record rainfall.

A winter storm watch will be in effect tomorrow night above 7000 feet. Those above that elevation could see three feet of snow.

By the end of the week, Tucson could have three inches of rain.

December temperatures

2010-01-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

December

Tue
1
OBSERVED
Hi 57°F
Lo 36°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Wed
2
OBSERVED
Hi 58°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Thu
3
OBSERVED
Hi 61°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Fri
4
OBSERVED
Hi 51°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
5
OBSERVED
Hi 57°F
Lo 21°F
Precip (in)
0in.

6
OBSERVED
Hi 60°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

7
OBSERVED
Hi 59°F
Lo 41°F
Precip (in)
0in.

8
OBSERVED
Hi 59°F
Lo 47°F
Precip (in)
0in.

9
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 35°F
Precip (in)
0in.

10
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

11
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 29°F
Precip (in)
0in.

12
OBSERVED
Hi 64°F
Lo 30°F
Precip (in)
0in.

13
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

14
OBSERVED
Hi 61°F
Lo 36°F
Precip (in)
0in.

15
OBSERVED
Hi 61°F
Lo 28°F
Precip (in)
0in.

16
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

17
OBSERVED
Hi 66°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

18
OBSERVED
Hi 67°F
Lo 27°F
Precip (in)
0in.

19
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

20
OBSERVED
Hi 63°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi 65°F
Lo 34°F
Precip (in)
0in.

22
OBSERVED
Hi 62°F
Lo 48°F
Precip (in)
0.07in.

23
OBSERVED
Hi 51°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0.16in.

24
OBSERVED
Hi 51°F
Lo 26°F
Precip (in)
0in.

25
OBSERVED
Hi 54°F
Lo 24°F
Precip (in)
0in.

26
OBSERVED
Hi 54°F
Lo 23°F
Precip (in)
0in.

27
OBSERVED
Hi 55°F
Lo 22°F
Precip (in)
0in.

28
OBSERVED
Hi 54°F
Lo 32°F
Precip (in)
0.12in.

29
OBSERVED
Hi 52°F
Lo 37°F
Precip (in)
0.03in.

30
OBSERVED
Hi 59°F
Lo 30°F
Precip (in)
0in.

31
OBSERVED
Hi 56°F
Lo 33°F
Precip (in)
0in.

El Nino is coming

2009-12-07T04:58:00.001-08:00

Another storm is due tonight or tomorrow!
We need the rain. I'm finally getting over this sore throat; had it for eight days. We had high winds yesterday.
The trees in the front yard are now naked.

November Temperatures

2009-12-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

November
Sun
1
OBSERVED
Hi
80°F
Lo
32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Mon
2
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
36°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Tue
3
OBSERVED
Hi
85°F
Lo
37°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Wed
4
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
37°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Thu
5
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Fri
6
OBSERVED
Hi
83°F
Lo
40°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
7
OBSERVED
Hi
80°F
Lo
49°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --

8
OBSERVED
Hi
76°F
Lo
45°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

9
OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
10
OBSERVED

Hi
82°F
Lo
44°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
11
OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
12
OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
50°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
13
OBSERVED

Hi
69°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
14
OBSERVED

Hi
66°F
Lo
44°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
15
OBSERVED

Hi
65°F
Lo
34°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
68°F
Lo
24°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
17

OBSERVED

Hi
70°F
Lo
25°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
18
OBSERVED

Hi
73°F
Lo
30°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
19
OBSERVED

Hi
69°F
Lo
39°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
20
OBSERVED

Hi
71°F
Lo
31°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
21
OBSERVED

Hi
74°F
Lo
33°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
22
OBSERVED

Hi
71°F
Lo
32°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

23
OBSERVED
Hi
72°F
Lo
33°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

24
OBSERVED
Hi
69°F
Lo
30°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

25
OBSERVED
Hi
69°F
Lo
29°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

26
OBSERVED
Hi
68°F
Lo
47°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

27
OBSERVED
Hi
72°F
Lo
32°F
0" precip

28
OBSERVED
Hi
64°F
Lo
47°F
Precip (in)
0in.

29
OBSERVED
Hi
59°F
Lo
41°F
Precip (in)
0.45in. -- row 2 --

30
OBSERVED
Hi
48°F
Lo
40°F
Precip (in)
0.01in.

Our first winter storm?

2009-11-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

There's a winter storm watch now in effect from Sunday evening through Monday afternoon above 5000'. We live at 4860' and we've had cold and dark grey clouds all day.

The fever and sore throat I had yesterday afternoon subsided in the evening and I slept OK last night, but today I felt tired and didn't get much other than a paper written. I was in no mood to garden, although I pulled the remaining dead corn from the plot and tossed it all in our last home trash pick-up. Since we recycle so much of our trash it takes us a month to fill one 95-gallon bin, yet it costs us the same $67.75 every three months whether we use the service once a month or twice a week. From now on we will drop off our trash at the town's transfer station.

Birds are getting ready for winter. For the past three days they have been fattening up on the seeds I have been laying out for them again, which they all seem to appreciate. One big platter of piled seed is gone by the afternoon, indicative of the cold yet to come.

I hope these storms bring some rain with us. I don't mind the cold, as we are in late fall now, but I want to see more rain fall on our lands to drench the soil. It's depressing to look at naked trees, even more depressing to look at sick and thirsty naked trees. The peaks may get two to four inches of snow. I hope they do!

Colors

2009-11-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Our trees are finally showing some yellow, especially along the northern edges of the trees. Trees in town are even fuller in fall colors. Our crepe myrtle is reddened. Our two mulberry trees, are regrowing leaves!

October Temps

2009-11-03T20:37:00.000-08:00

We're back to warm temps!

October
Next Month

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu
1
OBSERVED

Hi
89°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Fri
2
OBSERVED

Hi
87°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Sat
3
OBSERVED

Hi
70°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0.33in.
-- row 2 --
4

OBSERVED

Hi
83°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
5
OBSERVED

Hi
81°F
Lo
62°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
6
OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
7
OBSERVED

Hi
82°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
8
OBSERVED

Hi
72°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
9
OBSERVED

Hi
77°F
Lo
42°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
10
OBSERVED

Hi
80°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
11

OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
12
OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
13
OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
14
OBSERVED

Hi
86°F
Lo
50°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
15
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
17
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
18

OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0.05in. -- row 2 --
19
OBSERVED

Hi
85°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0.07in. -- row 2 --
20
OBSERVED

Hi
78°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
21
OBSERVED

Hi
72°F
Lo
38°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
22
OBSERVED

Hi
78°F
Lo
42°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
23
OBSERVED

Hi
78°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
24
OBSERVED

Hi
82°F
Lo
37°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
25

OBSERVED

Hi
81°F
Lo
46°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
26
OBSERVED

Hi
74°F
Lo
42°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
27
OBSERVED

Hi
81°F
Lo
41°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
28
OBSERVED

Hi
61°F
Lo
32°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
29
OBSERVED

Hi
54°F
Lo
25°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

30
OBSERVED
Hi
61°F
Lo
24°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2
--
31
OBSERVED
Hi
75°F
Lo
31°F
Precip (in)
0in.

NOVEMBER
Sun
1
OBSERVED
Hi
80°F
Lo
32°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Mon
2
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
36°F
Precip (in

Strange weather

2009-11-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

Our two-day freeze has moved on to points further Northeast. We are back to day-time temps of 70s.

So, that made me assess the garden. The tomato plants that were sickly to begin with died, and I pulled them out. But a few are still hanging on. I brought three plants outside for the freeze; they are back outside on the southside of the home. One of them needs a bigger pot to expand its roots and I'll do that after I wash all the pillbugs from the soil. I enjoy having a tomato plant in my office. Am I the only one who likes the smell of tomato plants?

The high winds blew off most of the large leaves from the Paulownia tree, even though most were still green. Strawberries survived, as well as some peppers. Anything that still is alive will overwinter in the home for four months.

Our frontyard trees are still basically green. They won't show autumn foliage for three more weeks.

One of my mulberry trees shed its leaves but it's now growing new leaves at the tips. The younger tree still has its leaves.

As for the citrus, they too are growing new leaves. They, too will go inside soon.

The front yard still has quite a bit of color in it. I haven't been watering it much, but nothing's died from the frost.

Our first freeze warning

2009-10-29T06:31:00.001-07:00

This seems too early in the seaon, but yes, it's cold out! It's hovering right at 32F.

I brought in all my succulents two days ago. Last night after class I brought in a few more citrus but left the bigger pots outside. I hope they are OK. It didn't dip into the 20s so I took a risk.

I have two tomato plants I brought inside, the only two plants that were productive at all. The ones with infected fruit I left to freeze. Too many tomatoes from most plants would go from green to rotten.
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM MST THIS MORNING......FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM MST FRIDAY...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A FREEZEWARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM MST FRIDAY. AFREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM MST THIS MORNING.CLEAR SKIES...LIGHT WINDS AND A VERY DRY AIR MASS WILL LEAD TOWIDESPREAD FREEZING CONDITIONS THIS MORNING. MOST LOCALES ACROSSSANTA CRUZ...COCHISE AND GRAHAM COUNTIES WILL CONTINUE TO FALLINTO THE 20S. EASTERN PORTIONS OF PINAL COUNTY WILL FALL BELOWFREEZING AS WELL. PORTIONS OF THE TUCSON METRO AREA ARE EXPECTEDTO EXPERIENCE NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES...PARTICULARLY NEARWASHES AND FOOTHILL LOCATIONS.THIS COLD AIRMASS WILL PERSIST FOR YET ANOTHER MORNING...WITH WIDESPREADFREEZING OR NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FRIDAY.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED.THESE TEMPERATURES WILL KILL SENSITIVE CROPS AND VEGETATION.COVER THEM...IF POSSIBLE...WITH CLOTH SHEETS OR BLANKETS TOPROTECT THEM FROM FREEZING.

Winter storm coming soon!

2009-10-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Big drop in temperatures expected for Tucson area
By Brian J. Pedersen
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona Published: 10.26.2009

The National Weather Service is projecting a high of 59 degrees at Tucson International Airport for Wednesday, which would be a record low maximum temperature for the day.

The current record “high” low, of 61, was set in 1996.

If Wednesday goes as planned it would be 40 degrees cooler than it was on Oct. 17, when it hit 99 to tie that day’s all-time high.

Thursday’s high at the airport is expected to be 61, a degree warmer than the record “high” low of 60 set in 1961.

Overnight lows of 38 for Thursday morning and 35 on Friday are also a byproduct of the pending storm, which is rolling down from the Pacific Northwest and could bring some showers late Tuesday and early Wednesday, meteorologist Jeff Davis said.

“This storm is going further south than we normally see at this time of year,” Davis said.

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/314850.php

Better cover my strawberries!

Fall colors

2009-10-18T23:13:00.000-07:00

Our two trees are still very green but that may change this week as rains from Hurricane Rick reach us from Baja California. We have had neither cool overnights nor the rain to get the autumn colors going in the valley, while in the mountains the peaks are yellow, orange and red.

Right now the orange honeysuckle are blooming. The turpentine shrub is in yellow bloom. Even the purple Mexican sage is finally showing its colors.

Thu
1
OBSERVED

Hi
89°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Fri
2
OBSERVED

Hi
87°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Sat
3
OBSERVED

Hi
70°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0.33in.
-- row 2 --
4

OBSERVED

Hi
83°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
5
OBSERVED

Hi
81°F
Lo
62°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
6
OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
7
OBSERVED

Hi
82°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
8
OBSERVED

Hi
72°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
9
OBSERVED

Hi
77°F
Lo
42°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
10
OBSERVED

Hi
80°F
Lo
43°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
11

OBSERVED

Hi
79°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
12
OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
13
OBSERVED

Hi
84°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
14
OBSERVED

Hi
86°F
Lo
50°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
15
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
17
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
18

Hi
-
Lo
63°F
Precip
30 %

-- row 2 --
19
Hi
84°F
Lo
62°F
Precip
20 %

-- row 2 --
20
Hi
81°F
Lo
52°F
Precip
10 %

-- row 2 --
21
Hi
79°F
Lo
51°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
22
Hi
81°F
Lo
53°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
23
Hi
79°F
Lo
53°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
24
Hi
82°F
Lo
54°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
25

Hi
80°F
Lo
53°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
26
Hi
79°F
Lo
53°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
27
Hi
77°F
Lo
51°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
28
AVERAGES
Hi
75°F
Lo
46°F
RECORDS
Hi
86°F
Lo
36°F
-- row 2 --
29
AVERAGES
Hi
75°F
Lo
45°F
RECORDS
Hi
86°F
Lo
30°F
-- row 2 --
30
AVERAGES
Hi
75°F
Lo
45°F
RECORDS
Hi
86°F
Lo
31°F
-- row 2 --
31
AVERAGES
Hi
74°F
Lo
45°F
RECORDS
Hi
82°F
Lo
33°F

monsoon leaves with a whimper

2009-10-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

Monsoon leaves with a whimper
Thu, 10/01/2009 - 00:55

Changing leaves signal the beginning of autumn and the end of the monsoon. (Ed Honda•Herald/Review)
By Bill Hess
Herald/Review

SIERRA VISTA — This year’s monsoon was the 11th driest in the 114 years records have been kept, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.

With 4.63 inches of rain in Sierra Vista saw from June 15, the start of the monsoon, through Tuesday, it is an indicator that almost all of Cochise County is below average in precipitation, Ken Drozd said Wednesday.
Generally, the summer rains bring about 8.5 inches of precipitation to the Sierra Vista area, which accounts for more than half of the average yearly rainfall, the meteorologist said.

http://beta.svherald.com/content/news/2009/10/01/monsoon-leaves-whimper

August - September temperatures

2009-09-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

A cold front is due mid-week to bring more seasonable weather.

August

Sat
1
OBSERVED
Hi
101°F
Lo
70°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
2
OBSERVED

Hi
97°F
Lo
72°F
Precip (in)
0.01in. -- row 2 --
3
OBSERVED

Hi
100°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
4
OBSERVED

Hi
101°F
Lo
69°F
Precip (in)
0.01in. -- row 2 --
5
OBSERVED

Hi
99°F
Lo
71°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
6

OBSERVED

Hi
97°F
Lo
74°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
7
OBSERVED

Hi
98°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
8
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
9
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
10
OBSERVED

Hi
94°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
11
OBSERVED

Hi
96°F
Lo
71°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
12
OBSERVED

Hi
94°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0.28in. -- row 2 --
13

OBSERVED

Hi
83°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
1.16in. -- row 2 --
14
OBSERVED

Hi
89°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
15
OBSERVED

Hi
94°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
17
OBSERVED

Hi
97°F
Lo
65°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
18
OBSERVED

Hi
98°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
19
OBSERVED

Hi
97°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
20

OBSERVED

Hi
99°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
21
OBSERVED

Hi
96°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0.10in. -- row 2 --
22
OBSERVED

Hi
86°F
Lo
69°F
Precip (in)
0.08in.
-- row 2 --
23
OBSERVED

Hi
89°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0.26in. -- row 2 --
24
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
65°F
Precip (in)
0.01in. -- row 2 --
25
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
26
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
65°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
27

OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
28
OBSERVED

Hi
96°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
29
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
30
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

31
OBSERVED
Hi
95°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in.

September
Next Month

Sun

Mon

Tue
1
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
69°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Wed
2
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Thu
3
OBSERVED

Hi
95°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Fri
4

OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
62°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Sat
5
OBSERVED

Hi
86°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
6
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
7
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
62°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
8
OBSERVED

Hi
87°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
9
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
10
OBSERVED

Hi
92°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
11
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
12

OBSERVED

Hi
83°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
13
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
14
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
15
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
17
OBSERVED

Hi
89°F
Lo
58°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
18

OBSERVED

Hi
87°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
19
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0.08in.
-- row 2 --
20
OBSERVED

Hi
89°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
21
OBSERVED

Hi
92°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
22
OBSERVED

Hi
85°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
23
OBSERVED

Hi
83°F
Lo
62°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
24
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
25
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
26

OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in.

27
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

Today
Hi
95°F
Lo
64°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
29
Hi
93°F
Lo
63°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
30
Hi
86°F
Lo
59°F
Precip
10 %

Our rain average this month has been 0.08 inches. The average is 1.28"
FORECAST: Updated Sep 28 07:11 a.m. MT

Hydroponics Workshop

2009-09-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

Today I attended a free hydroponics workshop in town.

The main instructor was Jeffrey Ofstedahl from the Center for Academic Success, a public charter school in town. He teaches middle-school students science. He kept us all in awe with his enthusiasm.

Jim and Gary from the master Gardeners were also there. I also met a retired colonel who owns 1000 acres of ranchland right on the border. I chatted with him a bit. "Before the border was built we had about 1000 illegals a week. Now it's down to around 300" he said. He feeds his cows only grasses, nothing artificial is added to their diet. During the break he called his ranch to check on a cow that was due to drop her calf today. (She was still pregnant)

I picked up a lot of knowledge today from this workshop. Lunch was provided as well, although it was just a sandwich buffet with fake cheese and bologna; "school lunch food"

We even were given free seeds, and then were encouraged to take more as there were still many packets for the taking. I grabbed some turnips for Kevin and planted spinach when I got home.

The workshop was made possible through a $2,000 environmental education grant to the Nimon S. Hopkins Conservation Education Center from Southwest Wings that provided funding for the materials. Kelly Savage, a spirited woman I recognized from last year's Southwest Wings festival, was the co-instructor today.

My poor garden just looks so dead and dry this season. Kevin doesn't seem to water it daily like he used to. My strawberries are dying and I don't know why; they were still multiplying like crazy two weeks ago! I am still ahead of the game but all these dying plants in the garden look so sickly. We are still getting hot temperatures so we have at least another month of growing weather. http://www.svherald.com/articles/2009/09/27/news/doc4abf24c4c11bd434122976.txt

Northern Arizona's first night of frost this season

2009-09-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

Freeze warning for higher elevations in Ariz.

Sept. 22, 2009 07:01 AMAssociated Press

The first day of fall feels more like the first day of winter for some in the mountain West, with light snow in Colorado and freeze warnings for higher elevations in Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nevada and Utah.
A winter storm watch has been issued Tuesday for Boulder, Colo., and surrounding areas in the Rocky Mountain foothills.

Light snow was reported Monday in Vail and other mountain towns, and more was expected Tuesday. At least 3 inches of snow fell in parts of the foothills west of Denver.

Temperatures in Denver dipped into to the upper 30s overnight, and low 30s in Flagstaff, Ariz.

The cold weather and snow have prompted Colorado's Loveland ski area to turn on its snowmaking machines earlier than planned.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/09/22/20090922AzFreeze22-ON.html

The end of the gardening season

2009-09-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

Even though we haven't had any frost yet, the vegetables look pretty dead. The tomatoes and peppers are wilting. The strawberries from last year are already drying up. Only this year's growth is healthy.

Beans are drying up before they can grow pods, same with the peas. I'm not sure what is going on. The only thing we were able to successfully grow this year were the peppers.

The jujube tree in the front yard already lost all its leaves. The quince is still holding strong. The apricots look tired and so does the plum and peach tree. Even the grass is turning yellow. The grass only looked lush green for a week in late July when I returned from my roadtrip.

The small acacias are all growing new leaves and should be fine for another month.

The only thing that is doing well are the root vegetables. Even the potatoes seem to be in hibernation.

It's a Texas Mountain Laurel!

2009-09-11T06:03:00.001-07:00

The little sapling is a Texas Mountain Laurel. Two, in fact. And now there's a third sapling growing in the same area that may have to be transplanted. That seed must have been in the soil since last year as I don't remember planting any of those this year. They are not easy to grow, and the spot they are in is a stubborn spot for plants; a small rosebush five years ago died and the spot's been empty since.

The little horned toad that I keep seeing in the front yard had babies. I saw one little baby hop along the perimeter fence yesterday afternoon. I hope the little guy makes it into adulthood.

My tomatoes continue to rot on the vine. Green peppers are ripening, strawberries keep growing new runners and the garden's keeping me busy, but I must say that this year's harvest seems puny compared to last year.

My quine tree's leaves are starting to turn yellow, but so far that's the first sign of autumn approaching. The lantanas are still in bright bloom and spreading nicely. I should have at least one more month of color in the front yard.

I hope we get that rain tomorrow as forecasted. The oleander along the eastern fence are starting to show drought stress.

There's a sapling growing in my front yard!

2009-09-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

And, unfortunately, I don't remember what I planted there.

I actually have two saplings coming up in the front yard, in different locations. It's either a mimosa or a palo verde.

I really like my front yard this year. Although I am saddened by the loss of my feathery Lindheineri, I will plant them anew next spring in a different location, some place more isolated so that their graceful stems can flow more freely in the wind.

Agaves, Yuccas and Red Birds of Paradise

2009-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

My front yard is slowly turning into a drought-tolerant garden. I now have over 13 agaves growing there, most of them year-old offshots of parent plants. Five years ago I had five agaves.

The African daisies are slowly dying off. As perenials they have lived their normal lifespan of four to five years. A few newer plants are still thriving and most likely will go to seed, but I am no longer wishing for more new growth. I feel about African daisies as I do about the coreopsis: they are prettier in someone else's yard.

The garden is clearly in transition, just as I wanted. I don't want petunias or zinnias growing, plants that need more water than the lavender, salvias, lantana, verbena, orange honeysuckle, penstemons and Red and Yellow Birds of Paradise. What is growing there now are all offspring, or young seedlings from fresh seed, most of them strays. I have done little to the front yard this year as far as planting new bushes. (The exception was yesterday's transplanting of agave offshoots) and the natural look seems more attractive, more normal in this high desert. I have the showiest front yard in the street. The red, yellow and orange lantana are getting large enough to demand attention. The black swallowtail butterflies love those flowers.

The desert willow seedling that found a home near the four-year-old mesquite tree is now six inches tall. By the end of the year it will be a foot tall; next year it will be three feet tall. There are also various seedlings from the blue and yellow palo verde showing themselves throughout the gravel. In another five years the front yard will be canopied in various feathery shade shrubs and trees, just as I like it to be.

My one concern is my older yucca. It has brown spots on its older leaves. I've cut off the fungal spots and am keeping an eye out on it for the next year. The yuccca is now about three feet tall and four years old, planted in the spring of 2005 when I was conducting all kinds of experiments in the front yard.

It looks like Hurricane Jimena is going to bring rain this way by the weekend. I hope so, as the Bermuda grass is drying up again.

As for the vegetables, it's been a dismal harvest. Only the green peppers seem to have done well. Tomatoes, squash, carrots are rotting or growing mold before they are ready to be picked. This fall I'm going to do a thorough fertilization and organic treatment of the beds.

Potato aphids

2009-08-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

I discovered several stalks of these pesky red bugs on one of my potato plants. I cut the entire stalk down from where the aphids were. The cut stalk went to the garbage dump, and the aphids came to life in the blazing sun. Hahaha those guys had been in the comfortable shade and now they are going to die in the heat like the rest of this garden.

There's a Cat4 hurricane off the Baja California coast. Hopefully in another week we can get some rain off of that one.

Monsoonal rebloom

2009-08-25T13:11:00.001-07:00

My yellow palo verde has regrown its leaves. The orange honeysuckle is now in bright orange bloom as well as the Texas sage. Two days of intermittent rain was all it took. Even my potato bush is finally blooming its purple blossoms.

Our Bermuda grass is lush green across the yard.

I volunteered at the county extension office again yesterday for 3.5 hours. It was steady work, from knowing why an apple tree's leaves are curling upward to black spots on cherry leaves or how to determine a ripe watermelon. I probably won't be volunteering as much now that school's back in session.

While I was at the office an elderly woman came by to donate her young fruitless mulberry tree. "I'm sure someone will want to take it home" said Joyce, the UA office manager, and that "someone" was me. Now I have TWO potted mulberries in my front yard. The new one has two cutoff branches. The elderly woman told me she uprooted it because it was growing under a rose bush and her husband had twice cut its branches back. These trees are fast growers and make excellent shade trees, but does our yard have room for one more tree?

The stray willow tree popping up on the west side of the house will be competing with the larger mesquite tree nearby in another five years. If anything, we won't be lacking shade on the southwestern side of the house!

I stopped at KMart after my volunteer shift and bought a bunch of plastic containers for 75% off. Garden stores in town are discounting all their garden ware; something that didn't happen until Labor Day weekend.

The puncture vine is still growing rather profusely in the back yard. Just when I think I've pulled an entire patch of that stuff, new yellow flowers pop up elsewhere. It's a never ending chore!

Today I planted two more small strawberry transplants. That's fine with me because I also picked up four more long planters ideal for the strawberries, from KMart. We are going to be feasting on those luscious fruits next summer. (Well, at least I will be).

Our first decent monsoonal rain

2009-08-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

Rain fell hard, as forecasted, late yesterday afternoon. Once the rain started just before sun set, it lingered for hours afterwards. That is why by 7am I was out pulling weeds, then bought three large Thompson seedless vines. Kevin dug the holes, I watered the hole. Tomorrow the grapes will get planted. They are going between two photonias against our northern wall.

More rain is forecasted today and Sunday, but sofar the skies have been clear.

The yellow palo verde is growing new leaves now that it's gotten more rain. I scattered a bunch of palo verde seeds along the eastern perimeter. Just like with my Red Birds of Paradise, if one seed out of 50 germinates, I will be happy.

I'm not planting anything new in the front yard unless it's a stray or from seed.

One of my Engleman prickly pears has Phyllosticta pad spot, which I treated with Neem. I scraped as much of the black "stuff" off. I hope I can save the plant.

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Finally, some rain!

2009-08-10T21:49:00.001-07:00

Forecasters were saying rain would return Wednesday. It came early this afternoon instead, just after leaving my shift at the county extension office where I volunteered for four hours (a total of ten hours this year so far).

It rained hard and intensely, but by the time I got home the rain had stopped, leaving small flooded pools around in the back yard. The water barrels were full, too. Although this wasn't enough rain, it's enough to keep the shrubs from going into drought stress. We won't need to spend our own water for a few days.

Hopefully we'll get rain for another month.

Neem II

2009-08-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

I finally decided to spray down all the pepper and tomato plants with Neem II, an organic insecticide/fungicide that contains true Neem oil from the Neem tree seeds for prevention as well as pyrethrin to help kill live bugs. I'm tired of seeing my pepper and tomato plants with growing holes in the leaves.

I'm also going to apply insecticide in the soil next spring to control grasshoppers and grubs.

Potatoes and Tomatoes

2009-08-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

I just dug up a large handfull of Yukon Golds. It's not as much as I thought I'd get, but perhaps we didn't allow the plants to "pile up" with soil during their growth spurts. There's still time this year to grow more, and that's just what I did with some cut potato skins Kevin had kept aside for planting. In two more months we'll get another harvest. WE still have eight other plants piling up and they should be ready in another month.

The four tomato plants that I planted last week, the two German Queens, one Mr, Stripey and one Beefsteak are all doing much better, thanks to the coffee grounds I placed around the plants. (Their dull light green color when I bought them were an indicator the plants needed nitrogen.)

My Quinalts are multiplying!

2009-08-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

My strawberries this year have been very prolific. I ate a cup of berries with my Special K and then helped plant at least six more runners that will be bearing fruit next summer. At the rate the plants have been reproducing, we are going to have four times the plants we started with. I am going to need more planters at this rate!

Strawberries are my favorite fruit. And I am going to focus on the fruits from now on, as the area we picked in the garden for the strawberries apparently is ideal: morning sun and afternoon shade.

Kevin has more turnips and beets coming up. I also planted four spinach plants around the cabbage.

Unfortunately, we still haven't had any decent rains in two weeks. We got a nice overnight drizzle which was nice and kept the grass a little greener this morning. Storm clouds that teased us late this afternoon proved to be just that: a tease.

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Seedlings coming up

2009-08-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

The echinacea that I planted over a week ago are now sprouting in the front yard. Kevin's turnips and beets in the back yard are also coming up. But otherwise it was a dry and hot weekend, so hot and dry that even the weeds are drying up. This has been such a dry July and August has been dry so far as well.

At 6:30am it's 74F with 56% humidity.

Prickly pear juice

2009-08-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have a huge prickly pear cactus in my front yard that is encroaching on the public street. I know I need to trim it back three feet this year before someone gets hurts. Since this giant cactus is on my property, I can legally harvest the fruit of this prickly pear without a permit. Otherwise all cactus and succulents are protected under Arizona's Native Plant law, which forbids the harvesting of any cactus or succulent on public lands without a permit. Cactus and succulents on private property can be harvested for its fruit without a permit.

I was waiting for this year's fruit to ripen first, before removing any of the pads. Fruits tend to mature in late July, early August and there were enough dark purple fruit this morning to harvest my first two-gallon bucket of the fruit.

There are plenty of good recipes on-line to follow for prickly pear jellies. I wanted the juice instead, as it's known to be full of anti-oxidants and vitamin C.

I scrubbed the fruit in cold water, using a new scouring pad to remove the small glochids off the skin, those nearly invisible little spines on the fruit that easily get dislodged in skin and clothing.

Then I soaked the fruit for 30 minutes, and then peeled the skins off each fruit one-by one. The skins were about 1/3-inch thick, often half the fruit's size, and once the skin was removed, revealed small pulps of thick seed masses encased in magenta pulp. By the time all the fruit were skinned, there was very little of the fruit there. The fruit reminded me of a pomegranate: more seeds than flesh!

I dumped all the skinned fruit into my blender and pressed the "liquify" button. Within a few minutes I had a tasty mass of pulpy juice, leaving the heavy seeds, another 1/3 of the fruit, to through out in the front yard. By the time I was done I had two 12-ounce glasses of fruit juice, which I sweetened with a tablespoon of sugar and a dash of lemon juice.

The juice tasted like cranberry laced with water mellon.

In two weeks the rest of the fruit will be harvestable and once again I'll make some juice. Or maybe I'll try my luck at making some jellies? I now have found a tasty and easy recipe for the prickly pear in my front yard. It's no longer a nuisance weed, but a plant that brings me tasty tart juice.

July temps

2009-08-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

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Blooms

2009-07-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

Despite the hot and dry weather lately, with the monsoon taking an extended week or two off, blooms are popping up in the garden.

My tecoma stans are showing its first yellow bells. My crape myrtle is growing red buds. And the bottlebrush shrub once again is in red bloom. Only my Mexican sage is bloomless and below its normal growth rate. Perhaps it is not getting enough sun?

The treatment on the cactus bugs yesterday morning seems to have worked. I checked on the beavertail cactus several times yesterday and after applying the fly-mosquito repellent saw only two more bugs on any pads for the rest of the day.

I also noted a few more red and yellow Mexican birds of Paradise popping up around the property. I am going to let them all grow in place. In ten years the front yard will be a shady area where both of us are going to sit and watch time go by. Several of the agave are also growing pups. With each passing year I'm spending less and less on plants for the landscape because enough plants are reproducing on their own. That's how I like it to be.

Bugs

2009-07-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

The monsoon's taken a bit of a break this week. It was over 100F again yesterday and even I was suffering with the dogs.

But this lack of rain also is keeping the bugs away, sort of. This morning, however, I noticed that my beaver cactus was infected with the cactus bug Chelinidea vittiger aequoris. Most of the pads are already showing lighter circular spots on the cactus joints (pads), something I noted before I went on my road trip but never saw any bugs or insects on them. I sprayed the cactus down with my garden hose set on jetspray, the bugs returned, and then applied a fly/mosquito repellent containing Permethrin on the infected pads. That seems to have slowed down the wet bugs but I know that's not the best defense. I may have to remove the severely-infected pads to prevent the disease that's causing the discoloration from spreading. What a shame, as the cactus showed phenomenal growth this year whereas the other cactus still has its two pads from last year without new growth this year.

http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/c_v_aequoris01.htm

I also transplanted my Iraqi acacia into a larger pot, removed the stray Texas mountain laurel (reluctantly, but otherwise the additional root growth would have sacrificed one of the plants).

The monsoon has taken a break this year. Things are starting to wilt in the garden without additional water. It's already 82F at 8am with 45%. We may get a sprinkle...

County Extension office

2009-07-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I stopped by the county extension office to volunteer for two hours as a Master Gardener. It felt so good to be back, and Joyce, the manager there, was also happy.

"It's so good for you to stop by!" said Joyce. I really like the people who work in that office, and I also really like learning more about gardening. I would love to take horticultural classes at the county college but they are only offered to the prison inmates out in Douglas.

There are only two full-time volunteers there Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I will try to put in one day a week there, preferably Mondays, to help with the backlog. People were leaving messages a week ago that no one got to! Other callers were hard to get back to, wouldn't answer, or the phone numbers didn't work.

I answered a question about tree suckers and health of Navajo Globe willows before my old mentor, Jim, came in for his 1pm shift.

Cleaning up the back yard

2009-07-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Kevin started cleaning the patio at 7am, two hours ago. "Gotta do it while it's still cool" he said. He's still working back there. I seldom see him so diligently.

I will start on planting more Bermuda grass seeds where the boards have for months killed off the weedy growth underneath. There are still too many bald spots in the yard that should have filled in with new grass growth.

The orange honeysuckle that I transplanted two days ago seems to have taken; it's not showing any wilt. The seedless mulberry tree, however, may have suffered from taproot damage when I moved the pot and noticed that six inches of tap root had snaked through the drainage hole on the bottom and grown into the soil. I had to move that pot because it's too close to the house and that tree could potentially grow into a large tree.

I also transplanted four strawberry offshots from two mother plants. At this rate next year's yield will double. I still have berries growing on the Quinalts.

The lime tree in the front, in its small black five-gallon pot, got added soil to its pot. That should help the little guy grow a little better.

Harvest

2009-07-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Kevin uprooted all his mature turnips and beets: an entire five-gallon bucket full of the treats! He planted new seeds in its place. Turnips and beets are best left in the soil until ready to eat, at least for a month or so after pulling.

I planted new Alysseum seeds where the Lindheimeri grew for four years.

More and more weeds are getting pulled, now that more of them are flowering and easier to pull in the moist soil. More rain is due today, which means more weeding tomorrow. Fun.

It's time I transplant my Iraqi Acacia into a larger pot; it's starting to grow out of its five-gallon confinement.

I threw a bunch of yellow palo verde along our eastern fence. If one out of 20 sprouts, I'll be happy. Our eastern boundary tends to get neglected.

Echinacea

2009-07-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

I pulled out the dead pineapple sage plants from last year and planted echinacea seeds there. They should hopefully sprout in about three weeks. Those plants are such robust and pretty flowers.

It looks like half of my beloved sinewy plants died this year, so I pulled out the dead plants. They had lived four years, standard for perennials.

I used up all the harvested water to water the garden beds, as they were infested with mosquito larvae. Dug up five Russet potatoes (enough for one meal!).

Pulled a 30-gallon bin full of weeds this morning. There were so many weeds growing south of the shed!

Also planted a regrowth from the orange honeysuckle that had rerooted a second plant I didn't see when I inadvertently pulled out what I thought was one long, dead stalk.

Planted five more bean stalks from seed from dead plants.

Set two Quinalt strawberry plants so that they can grow into their own plants. I may have to get more planters for the strawberries. They are doing so greatly where they are growing now under the Palownia trees.

More rains are forecasted for later today. It's currently 86F at 34% humidity.

El Nino?

2009-07-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.svherald.com/articles/2009/07/23/news/doc4a680d04da311711223310.txt
We finally had some decent rains yesterday afternoon!

Weather patterns raise possibility of El Niño
By Derek JordanHerald/Review

Published: Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:19 AM MST

SIERRA VISTA — Showers such as Wednesday’s estimated maximum of 2 inches of rainfall will be less likely as the week progresses, a meteorologist said. But unusual weather could be in store for some time.The chances of significant precipitation will fall to 20 percent by the weekend, compared with the estimated 50 percent chance Wednesday, said Steven Reedy of the National Weather Service.

“This monsoon has been a little weird. We’re starting to see now what we were expecting in late June, early July,” he said. “In June, we were far more active than what we’d anticipated.”

Chatter around the National Weather Service office has raised a possibility: “The onset of El Niño is being looked at as a possibility of explaining the weather,” he said.

Warming surface waters of the Pacific have been singled out as the cause of past major weather events.The National Weather Service has measured surface water temperatures to be “about, on average, 1 to 2 degrees above normal,” Reedy said. That rise would be enough to cause the changes we’re seeing, he said.If El Niño does turn out to be in effect, we may have a wet winter.

“If this is a result of the El Niño, it may stifle some of the remaining precipitation for the rest of the monsoon, but it may help out in the winter,” he said.

Two months later...

2009-07-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

I got back from my two-month road trip yesterday morning, fearing for a disastrous garden. But this time I was pleasantly surprised: Kevin had taking over the responsibility of watering the garden quite well!

There were a few casualties, though. The more northern Fuji Apple tree died, as well as my Turkey fig tree. There weren't as many tomatoes as I had hoped, although we do have a few large Beef Eaters ready for picking. All the apricots had been eaten by the birds but there were blueberries and strawberries ready!

And I'm amazed at how many BIG peppers we got this year, bigger than last year. Perhaps they need deep pots after all, as all the large fruit are in five-gallon pots. We will definitely overwinter those potted plants for next year!

Weeds weren't so bad, either. I only had to pull out one Russian thistle (tumbleweed) and a few young desert brooms. The rest are small weeds that I can pull a little every day unless they go to flower. My attention will be to pull out the Johnson Love grass growing everywhere. That stuff is as persistent as a Muslim insurgent.

We hadn't had the rain like we did last year. The Burmuda grass grew in nicely but there are still patchy areas that need special attention. I will focus on that this week, so that grass can grow there before the season ends.

Kevin harvested some of the Russet potatoes. Some were grape size, which I told him where best left in the soil for regrowth. It looks like some of the plants are ready for harvesting.

"Those potato plants were so beautiful when they were in bloom" said Kevin. I'm sorry I missed that.

My Quinalt strawberries are doing very, very well. Some have already multiplied, which means next year the older plants will bear fruit. Those plants do like shade and deep soil.

"I really like those turnips and beets!" said Kevin. Those are his favorite. But next to the turnips is a naked area, eaten away by large grubs that the thrashers (birds) had been digging after. They left their burying holes quite visibly in the open. What I don't want is another infestation of beetles in August like last year.

Corn is ready for harvest. So are some beans.

As for the front yard, things are looking good. The Jujube tree has fruit and it indeed does taste like dates. Perhaps I'll plant the Jujube where the fig tree once grew.

Some of the heliopsis have died (yeah!) and I already pulled out the dead ones. I'm not sure what I want to plant in their place instead; I haven't spent a lot of money on new plants for the front yard this year, knowing I was going to be gone this summer. I do like sage and lavender, though.

The mulberry tree is growing nicely in the pot on the southside. I may transplant that tree next spring somewhere in the garden. The mesquite tree is looking great and so is the smaller yellow palo verde, an offshoot of its mother plant that now is bearing seed pods.

The blue palo verde, ever the rebel tree in the front yard, FINALLY realized it needs to grow UP rather than out like a shrub. That tree may just be the front yard's center piece in a few years.

The Argentinian saguaro under the larger tree is about three feet tall now. Its sibling under the other tree hasn't grown as fast.

Where's the rain?

2009-07-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

Soon the monsoon? Summer rains fall behind the average
By Dana ColeHerald/Review
Published: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 11:34 AM MST
SIERRA VISTA — The area monsoon period has been a little stingy this year.The summer rains, which run from June 15 through Sept. 30, average 8.53 inches for that four-month period, said Jeff Davis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tucson.“Sierra Vista has had 1 inch of rain from June 15 through July 19,” the meteorologist said, “but the normal for that time frame is 1.93. So we’re off by 0.93 inches as of July 19.”

http://www.svherald.com/articles/2009/07/21/news/doc4a656ee22ce82432727275.txt

June temps

2009-06-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

June
Next Month

Sun

Mon
1
OBSERVED

Hi
90°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Tue
2
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Wed
3
OBSERVED

Hi
94°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in.
Thu
4
OBSERVED

Hi
99°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Fri
5
OBSERVED
Hi
91°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
6
OBSERVED
Hi
93°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sun, 7 June
OBSERVED
Hi
90°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in) 0

8
OBSERVED
Hi
91°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

9
OBSERVED
Hi
84°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

10
OBSERVED
Hi
89°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

11
OBSERVED
Hi
90°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

12
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
59°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

13
OBSERVED
Hi
93°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0.01in.

14
OBSERVED
Hi
92°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0in.

15
OBSERVED
Hi
93°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

16
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
62°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

17
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

18
OBSERVED
Hi
92°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

19
OBSERVED
Hi
81°F
Lo
63°F
Precip (in)
0.02in. -- row 2 --

20
OBSERVED
Hi
88°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0in.

21
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

22
OBSERVED
Hi
97°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

23
OBSERVED
Hi
97°F
Lo
72°F
Precip (in)
0.14in. -- row 2 --

24
OBSERVED
Hi
98°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

25
OBSERVED
Hi
97°F
Lo
70°F
Precip (in)
0.02in.

26
OBSERVED
Hi
93°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0.03in. -- row 2 --

27
OBSERVED
Hi
92°F
Lo
68°F
Precip (in)
0in.

28
OBSERVED
Hi
94°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0.16in. -- row 2 --

29
OBSERVED
Hi
90°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0.01in. -- row 2 --

30
OBSERVED
Hi
92°F
Lo
66°F
Precip (in)
0.02in. -- row 2 --

Hi
88°F
Lo
62°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
15
Hi
90°F
Lo
62°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
16

Hi
93°F
Lo
66°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
17
Hi
93°F
Lo
68°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
18
Hi
95°F
Lo
69°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
19
Hi
94°F
Lo
69°F
Precip
10 %

-- row 2 --
20
Hi
95°F
Lo
69°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
21
Hi
97°F
Lo
69°F
Precip
0 %

-- row 2 --
22
Hi
99°F
Lo
72°F
Precip
0 %

23
Hi
98°F
Lo
74°

May temps

2009-06-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

May

Fri
1
OBSERVED
Hi
87°F
Lo
49°F
Precip (in)
0in.

Sat
2
OBSERVED
Hi
86°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in.

3
OBSERVED
Hi
89°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

4
OBSERVED
Hi
92°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

5
OBSERVED
Hi
91°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

6
OBSERVED
Hi
93°F
Lo
50°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

7
OBSERVED
Hi
97°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

8
OBSERVED
Hi
97°F
Lo
58°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

9
OBSERVED
Hi
95°F
Lo
58°F
Precip (in)
0in.

10
OBSERVED
Hi
96°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --

11
OBSERVED
Hi
96°F
Lo
52°F
Precip (in)

12
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
13
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
14
OBSERVED

Hi
94°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
15
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
16
OBSERVED

Hi
93°F
Lo
53°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
17

OBSERVED

Hi
92°F
Lo
64°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
18
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
67°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
19
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
60°F
Precip (in)
0.04in. -- row 2 --
20
OBSERVED

Hi
72°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0.08in. -- row 2 --
21
OBSERVED

Hi
70°F
Lo
57°F
Precip (in)
0.01in. -- row 2 --
22
OBSERVED

Hi
81°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
23
OBSERVED

Hi
85°F
Lo
51°F
Precip (in)
0in.
-- row 2 --
24

OBSERVED

Hi
87°F
Lo
54°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
25
OBSERVED

Hi
86°F
Lo
55°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
26
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
27
OBSERVED

Hi
88°F
Lo
54°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
28
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
56°F
Precip (in)
0.11in. -- row 2 --
29
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
54°F
Precip (in)
0in. -- row 2 --
30
OBSERVED

Hi
91°F
Lo
61°F
Precip (in)
0in.

31
OBSERVED
Hi
90°F
Lo
49°F
Precip (in)
0in.