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A Vegetable Garden Interrupted….Again

Vegetable Gardening

In yesterday’s post, I am sure that I left you all on the edge of your seats, waiting to see how we fared after our van, which was fully loaded with supplies for our new vegetable garden, wouldn’t start in the parking lot of our local big box store.

It turned out that it was a dead battery, which was easy for my husband to replace, but it took up the rest of our afternoon – so we did not get any work done on our garden.  

Vegetable Garden

The next morning found us up, bright and early, eager to begin work on our garden.  We had already dug the existing soil to a depth of 1 ft., breaking up large clumps and raking it smooth.  Then we, (meaning my husband), began to add the bagged garden soil, compost and manure to the existing soil.

Vegetable Garden

You know what says love to me?  A wonderful husband who spreads manure for your new garden without complaining 😉

Then it was time to go back to the big box store to buy the wood we needed in order to make the raised planter and the fence.

Why did we have to build a fence, you may ask?

Tobey and Missy

Well, there are two reasons, and their names are Tobey and Missy.

On our way to the big box store, we dropped two of children off at their weekly Chinese school.  Our three youngest children were adopted from China and they are taking Chinese lessons.

Now, we had some ideas of what we wanted to use to make a fence.  But, you know the feeling you get when you are standing in the aisle of your local big box store, faced with multiple choices and all of them have their merits?  Well, that was our problem.  There were so many choices and we had to spend some extra time figuring out which choice would be best for keeping the dogs out, would be attractive and kind to our budget.

Well, we did make our choice and had a lot of wood cut and ready to take home.  As we headed to the checkout, we looked at our watches and realized that our kids had gotten out of school 10 minutes ago.  So, I left my husband at the checkout, sped as quickly as I could, without getting pulled over, to their school – I was 20 minutes late and felt like an awful parent.

I went back to the big box store and picked up my husband, and we got all of the wood home and stacked on the patio.  The next morning, we woke up to pouring rain…another interruption.

The next day, I had a landscape consultation in the morning, but I was excited to get back to working on our vegetable garden in the afternoon.  As I was on my way home from the consult, I got a call from my husband saying that my son may have broken his arm.  So, instead of working in the garden, we spent the afternoon in the orthopedist’s office.  The doctor is not positive if his arm was broken or not, so my son has to wear a brace for a couple of weeks and then will get another x-ray.  *Thank you for your kind comments for my son.

That was the third interruption for those of you who are keeping count, as I am sure most of you are 😉  I was beginning to think that maybe we were not meant to have a vegetable garden. **I apologize for the lack of pictures, but we had not accomplished enough at this point to take pictures of 🙂

Tomorrow, is the last installment of “A Vegetable Garden Interrupted” and yes, there is one more interruption to come….    

https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DSC03155.jpg 640 452 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2010-03-30 16:52:002021-02-27 02:46:01A Vegetable Garden Interrupted….Again

A Vegetable Garden Interrupted….

Vegetable Gardening

Our first foray into vegetable gardening, as a family, was well on it’s way to becoming reality…. the site had been selected, the seeds purchased, the time set aside in our schedule and then….life happened.

I had a vegetable garden as a child.  My father made raised planters for me and my siblings.  We would select what we wanted to grow inside.  For me, it was usually a combination of vegetables and flowers.  As a horticulture student in college, we had to grow our plot of vegetables at the school farm and I have also helped plant vegetable gardens for charity.  But, that is really as far as my vegetable gardening experience goes.  

The entire family has been looking forward to having a vegetable garden, especially the kids.  I am a planner and so I love to plan things out ahead of time.   At first everything was going very smoothly.  We had a good site, that faces east, ensuring the garden would receive some relief from the hot summer sun in the afternoon.

Vegetable gardening

As you can see, there is not much going on in this area. 

Vegetable gardening

First, we tackled removing the existing shrubs.  We decided to try to transplant them into another part of the garden.  First, I pruned them back severely in order to remove most of the leaves.  

*Since the shrubs would lose many of their roots and therefore their ability to take up water when transplanted – I made sure that most of their leaves were removed since they would lose a lot of water through their leaves, which would lessen the chance that they would transplant successfully.

Vegetable gardening

I immediately put each shrub into a pail of water for a good soak.  To be honest, I do not really care either way if these shrubs survive.  I guess that sounds heartless, but it is the truth.  They have never done that well for me, but if they survive being transplanted, perhaps they will like their new location better.  Although we have attached them to our irrigation system, they will require extra water, which we will supply for the next few weeks.

**In the desert, it is best to dig up plants and transplant them during cooler weather and should not be done in the summer.  It will also help them if they are shaded temporarily.  This can be done easily by just placing a patio chair over them for a few weeks.

Vegetable gardening

Vegetable gardening

We, (meaning my husband), raked back the gravel (rock).  The kids can be seen in the background looking at what remains of their “Children’s Flower Garden”.  We will transplant some of those flowers to the new vegetable garden.

Vegetable gardening

I am so blessed by the men in my life 🙂  They never complain about helping me in the garden.

Vegetable gardening

Vegetable gardening

Then it was time to loosen up the existing soil to a depth of about 1 ft.  Although I do not appear in any of these photos, I was working.  I dug up my share of soil. – my sore back proved that the next day.  Projects seem to take longer when you have to keep pausing to take a picture of each step 😉

We were now ready to go to the store to buy soil, compost, manure and wood for our vegetable garden.

buy soil, compost, manure

We had fun at the garden department and came away with soil, manure and step stones, which were on sale.  The step stones will be used inside the garden so that we can easily access the vegetables without stepping on them.

It turned out that we did not have room for the wood, so would have to return the next day for that.

After we had loaded up the car with all we had bought….the car would not start.  We had a dead battery.

This was only the first interruption of our vegetable garden project.  Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow….

**Thank you for the well-wishes for my oldest daughter, who broke both of her feet last Thursday after falling down the stairs at her apartment complex.  She is doing fairly well, although it is hard for her to get around.  We are taking her to the orthopedist today to see what he has to say.

A Vegetable Garden Interrupted….Again

https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DSC_0009.jpg 472 640 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2010-03-29 14:00:002021-02-27 02:51:49A Vegetable Garden Interrupted….

Three Kids, One Cabbage and a Caterpillar…

Vegetable Gardening

Last fall, I planted a flower garden with my children using their old, plastic swimming pool.  You can read more about “A Children’s Garden in an Unusual Place” if you like.  The flowers grew and the kids loved taking care of watering their new plants.  

My mother, (Pastor Farmer), had a few cabbage transplants that she had purchased for her vegetable garden left over and gave them to the kids.  So, we planted two cabbages in the flower garden.

Like most children, my 3 youngest children love to play outside.  One morning, my daughter ran in and told me to hurry outside “to see something really neat.”

Cabbage Transplants

Cabbage Transplants

What they had discovered was a little caterpillar on one of our transplanted cabbages.  It was so small that I had to put on my “old lady” reading glasses just to see him clearly.

The kids were so excited about their find that they were jumping up and down.  Isn’t it amazing at how the simple things bring such joy into a child’s life?

Cabbage Transplants

Here is the caterpillar, who the kids named “Wormy”.  I apologize for the out of focus picture, but it is the best one that I have of him.

My children moved a patio chair right next to the the garden so that they could observe their new pet closely.  For three weeks, they would hurry home from school and run outside to sit and watch him – (at least I think it is a him).   

Then in January, the rains came and one day, we could no longer see “Wormy”.  My fear was that maybe he had been washed away by the storm.  To be honest, the kids were not too upset because by that time, they had tired of watching him all of the time and had moved on to watching their new rose shrubs grow.  I am thankful that at least “Wormy” lives on in our pictures and I have another childhood story to share with my children when they grow up.

By the way, the Three Little Roses are doing well and I will post pictures soon.  There have actually been a few surprises.

I hope you are all having a great week!

https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DSC02947.jpg 640 480 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2010-03-11 16:28:002021-02-27 08:45:55Three Kids, One Cabbage and a Caterpillar…

A Vegetable Garden in the Middle of an Unexpected Place…

Vegetable Gardening
Green Jeans

For those of you who have not met him yet, I would like to introduce you to my nephew, Green Jeans.  He is the resident vegetable gardener at “The Refuge”, which is where my sister and her family live.

Planting vegetable garden

There is always something growing in his garden. 

Planting vegetable garden

Sweet Peas rush to climb up the trellis….

Planting vegetable garden

 Cauliflower heads begin to form….

Planting vegetable garden

 Anaheim Peppers are getting ready to heat up….

Planting vegetable garden

There is also simple beauty in the leaves of vegetables, don’t you think?

vegetables

My sister, Daisy Mom and her daughter, Fruity Girl, enjoy the harvest from their vegetable garden.  Especially the tomatoes….

tomatoes

Now many of you may be wondering where this “Unexpected Place” is…

Well, this vegetable garden sits in the middle of the sandy California desert.  

People who do not live in the desert are frequently amazed that anything can grow there.  But, the California desert is actually a huge source of commercially grown vegetables, such as lettuce, onions, carrots, broccoli, corn and spinach totaling over 1 billion dollars a year.

vegetable garden

I am getting very excited about visiting my sister and the other residents of “The Refuge” soon.  Mr. Green Jeans is planning for his spring planting of the vegetable garden.  I can hardly wait to see what they have planted.

We are considering planting a vegetable garden this year in our garden and need to get started in the next week or two.  I am thinking of making it a fun project to do with my kids over their spring break in the next week or two.  Of course, I will be posting all about it…

So, for those of you who have been thinking of planting a vegetable garden, why don’t you?  We can do this together….in the virtual sense ;^)

https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Mr.-Green-Jeans.jpg 604 453 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2010-03-09 17:29:002021-02-27 08:57:14A Vegetable Garden in the Middle of an Unexpected Place…

An Old Farm in the Middle of the City

Vegetable Gardening

Last Friday, I went on a visit to a very special place, called “The Farm at South Mountain”.  The farm is a rural oasis just 8 minutes from downtown Phoenix.  

My younger sister and her family (residents of “The Refuge”), were in town on a visit and we all journeyed together to explore this peaceful farm. 

The Farm at South Mountain

 The 12-acre farm sits on an old riverbed and is blessed with rich soil.  A large pecan grove, organic vegetable and flower gardens, 3 award-winning restaurants, gift shop, artist studio and spa are all located on the farm.  Entry to the farm is free and guests are encouraged to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the farm.

rural oasis

As you first enter, you are greeted by the large pecan grove with numerous picnic tables, inviting you to enjoy breakfast or lunch from one of the restaurants on-site.  The pecan trees hide the sights of the skyscrapers of downtown Phoenix and make you feel like you are miles away from the city.

*Even in winter, I think pecan trees are beautiful.

rural oasis

The organic gardens greet you as you walk along the walkways.  Rows of vegetables and flowers were neatly laid out.  Roosters could be heard before you could see them nearby the vegetable gardens.

rural oasis

Organically grown vegetables, flowers and herbs surrounded us everywhere we looked.  I felt like a kid in a candy store – there was just so much to see and take pictures of.  

rural oasis

A farmer’s market is held on Saturday mornings at the farm.

rural oasis

Young tomato plants.

Anaheim Chilis

 Anaheim Chilis

rural oasis

The vegetables grown on the farm make their way to local restaurants, schools and markets.

Brocciflower, freshly harvested

Brocciflower, freshly harvested.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes 

Carrots and turnips freshly washed

Carrots and turnips freshly washed.

Green and purple lettuce washed

Green and purple lettuce washed and packaged and ready to leave for a local restaurant.

chicken coop

No need to purchase natural fertilizer, with a ready supply available from the chicken coop.

rural oasis

Huge broccoli plants.

rural oasis

Purple and Green Lettuce.

I love the contrast in the colors of the green and purple lettuce.

compost pile

How is this for a compost pile?

The Farm at South Mountain

Daisy Mom, Fruity Girl, Little Farmer and Pastor Farmer. (Residents of “The Refuge” & “Double S Farms”).

We enjoyed a wonderful morning together and ended it with a picnic lunch underneath the pecan trees.

There was so much to see and I took over 118 photos.  But, don’t worry, I won’t make you look at all of them ;^)

But, I would love to share pictures of the flowers and the herbs and succulents in my next post with all of you.  They were just beautiful.  

https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DSC_0001.jpg 428 640 arizonaplantlady@gmail.com https://www.azplantlady.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AZ-Plant-Lady-Logo-small.jpg arizonaplantlady@gmail.com2010-02-22 19:40:002021-03-02 08:21:35An Old Farm in the Middle of the City
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noelle-johnson-az-plant-ladyNoelle Johnson: AZ PLANT LADY®

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