Fall Crops, easy crops for beginners part 3 Escarole, Romaine, Bibb, Red Leaf Lettuce & Bok Choy

FALL CROPS BLOG SERIES PART 3

      We are back with the third entry in our "Fall Crops" Blog Series for beginner gardeners! In this post we will be covering more Fall Crops that are super easy to maintain and have high return on harvest and nutritional value. Let's get started!

Escarole, Romaine Lettuce , Red Leaf Lettuce and Bibb Lettuce

harvest 25-50 days after seeds are sown

     Whenever anyone thinks of Fall Crops, they barely mention lettuce. Lettuce or Salad Greens are almost always associated with Spring, but they can grow year round if you know how to manipulate your garden into having a series of different micro-climates. Most Lettuce or Salad Greens contain solid amounts of Vitamin A & K, which aides various organs in our body. (The heart, lungs and kidneys). 

     As you can see in the photo I mixed my Salad Greens together, they are not grown in individual rows. I did this for aesthetic reasons not because of some grand scheme. You can plant one variety in rows if you'd prefer. When I sow my Salad Greens I plant extra, reason being is that when you thin Salad Greens, they can just go right into a salad bowl as a micro or baby version of your fully grown crop. When I thin I leave at least 2-4 inches ( 5-10 cm ) of space in between each head of lettuce. 

Bok Choy, 

harvest 30-55 days after seeds sprouted

     I've always grown Bok Choy in spring and fall. So for me it's a must have! Super hardy plant, little disease and infestation issues. An extremely easy crop to grow for first time gardeners! Whenever I went to the lower level public schools and the students who have never been in a garden before come to see what is growing, I have them plant their own Bok Choy seed. Just by doing that gesture the student was more involved and wanted to actually see their seed grow. I have always had success with this method and that's why I recommend it as a beginner crop. If a 5 year old can do it, you can too. 😁

     Bok Choy has high traces of Vitamin A, Fiber, B-complex Vitamins, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Manganese and Iron. Making it a well sought out vegetable for people whom are doing RAW diets and are Vegan or Vegetarian.

     In the photo above, you can see the Bok Choy is fully mature. I planted the seed about 35 days ago, and that is the result of growth. When I planted the seed I made sure to have enough space, about 10-12 inches ( 25-30 cm ) of space in between each seed. I gave it that much space just so that the airflow in between each crop won't be stagnant, if it is stagnant it can lead to a whole slew of bacteria issues that you can just avoid by planting at proper lengths. I planted 4 seeds in each hole, thinning out as they sprouted leaving the best looking plant left so it can grow into the beauty you see above. 

     Remember folks, all we have is time! Why not pass the time with a beautiful vegetable garden that you can reap the benefits from and share its bounty with your loved ones. Or if you are just a health nut then why don't you start a garden for your own well being. Freshest most nutritional food comes straight from the garden, not from the market were it takes time from shipping and handling to then being put on display in the market. Which usually takes about two weeks! So imagine all those nutrients that are dieing off because of the way our food is handled. 

Until next Episode....

Happy Gardening

Farmer Jeff😍

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Peppers, A guide to cultivation.

Peppers, Peppers, Peppers!!

     Hello again friends, another beautiful summer day and all I can think about are peppers. Here in the high desert, during June and July I always cover my crop to lower the ambient temperature as much as possible whilst also preventing sun burns on my potential crop. This time-frame is particularly important for any plant because if you don't watch the stress levels they are under outside in the hot sun it will totally result in a poor harvest the following seasons, which isn't worth the wasted effort in my opinion.

 (Chocolate Jalapeno Peppers, 8 weeks from plant to harvest)

     To get a bountiful harvest like you see here, takes a lot of patience and not so much pruning. So key thing for plants during the summer here is to NOT prune anything. Reason being that the extra foliage will protect your potential crop from the sun. Trust me you want the extra foliage, it'll save you the hassle and stress over freaking out about the state of the plant.

 (Poblano Peppers, 9 weeks from plant to harvest)

     As you can see in this photo, some of the plants were not covered during those hot months. Leaves quite the ugly burn on your crop which isn't a great thing especially if you are planning on sharing/selling your crop to friends and local foodies. Not only did the burn cause cosmetic damage to the crop but it also added more stress to the plant and the result was a less bountiful crop than what was projected. I could of gotten more peppers from the plant if I just provided it with some shade. Most vegetable plants will stop fruiting at about 95 F/ 35 C just because it is too hot for the plant to produce viable flowers that will hold above that temperature.

(Pepper Mix; Cayenne, Pepperoncini, Thai Dragon, Green Habanero)

     These pepper plants were covered, and I had an extremely bountiful harvest. 5 full bags of peppers that had to be given away in the long run. But that's the point of gardening, to bring joy to you and those around you with an organic crop that you couldn't get at your everyday market. So, please to save yourself the trouble and to reward yourself with a more bountiful crop to keep the gardening alive in your soul, treat your plants with the utmost respect and positivity. Your plants will recognize it and provide you with more than you need. 

     Again friends, feel free to contact me with any questions and concerns regarding anything for plants, and I will of course reply. Till next time...

Happy Gardening!

Farmer Jeff

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Early Spring Garden Update! 2014

   Hey Fellow Green-thumbs!! It is Early Spring so I decided to do a little video sharing what I am growing in my Organic Sustainable Desert Garden! I'm extremely excited about sharing this video with you fine folk, because it truly shows what you can achieve through gardening in a desert environment. Everything in this video is in early developmental stages of growth, except my Organic Onion Patch. Those are my Winter Onions and take quite a bit longer than my Spring/Summer Onions because of the weather and the amount of sunshine they have been receiving throughout those dreary Fall/Winter months.

   I will do another Garden Update by the end of Spring so you all can see the progress my Organic Desert Garden has gone through. I love doing these type of videos and most of all I love sharing with you fine folk what I can grow in the Desert. Subscribe to my various Social Media Outlets to stay in touch with my Organic Sustainable Desert Garden. Thanks again for watching and staying with me through this journey. It's been fun! Until next time...


¤ KEEP IT GREEN AND KEEP IT GROWING!


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HyperSmash

WAYS TO WATER YOUR GARDEN

    So many Las Vegas residents end up asking me how do I water my garden without wasting so much time actually filling a bucket then watering each plant individually. I actually DO NOT do this. In my opinion, that is a waste of time. Especially during the summer months when an individual can get heat-stroke from just tending their garden.

   So I came up with a plan! I dug up all of my water pipes throughout my backyard, so I can see where each sprinkler head is located at. After doing that, I took off the sprinkler head and attached a top where I can attach about 8 individual hose lines with a drop stake that can be put right next to my plants.

    Doing this method, I have saved myself from heat exhaustion and also granted myself more time to focus on the well being of my plants. Take a look at the picture above, do you see the little knob right next to the stalk of my Pepperoncini Plant? That is the drip stake. I promise you, this is probably one of the best methods to use for watering your garden in this desert climate.

    I hope this helps out you guys and puts into perspective how harsh gardening in the desert can be on the gardener. Make sure to wear sunscreen and don't exert yourself just to water your plants. They won't benefit from anything if you cannot take care of them! Until next time

¤ Keep it GREEN and Keep it GROWING!

HyperSmash

A Rain Storm in the Garden!

This morning after I woke up to the wonderful pitter-patter sound of Mother Nature providing the desert I live in with much appreciated rain, (Which it has been raining for the past 3 days straight now!) I decided to check on the garden to see what kind of progress it has been making since the fall/winter weather is finally settling in the Greater Las Vegas Region. I walked outside, opened the gate and found a lovely surprise! My Red Russian Kale, (I grow Nero di Toscana Kale as well, or Black Kale from Tuscany) is still growing and still plans to grow! Next, I took a walk around the garden to see what else looked good and was photo worthy for my precious viewers, you guys!

 I went near my tomatoes and about half of them are starting to produce crop, but this little guy is taking his sweet time! It's still a good looking plant, and by far needs another run of healthy manure or a mix of plant tea (Which could be the only reason why it hasn't much fruit on it as of yet!). This breed of tomato is actually from Rome, Italy. I have family out there whom has been kind and generous enough to send me these lovely and delicious tomato seeds. Thanks Ziju!!

 After seeing how my tomatoes were fairing with this streak of weird weather, I checked on my abundant Santa Fe Peppers. These specific breed people say isn't that spicy, but that's because most people pick them when they are still green. This breed will change colour to yellow and that's when it will pack one hell of a punch! I use this pepper for my ramen constantly, it has such an addictive heat level and taste!

And finally, I came round to one of my favourite herbs, Sweet Basil. I love the fragrance and flavour when this herb is used in any dish that calls for it. I noticed it was still flowering and producing new leafs and nodes as well. Which is always an exciting thing to see. One cool thing I learned about Basil when I was a young boy, the Romans used Basil to cleanse their palettes and for deodorant. Who can't say no to someone smelling like fresh herbs, am I right?! And that's how I ended my morning walk through the garden. Nothing is more beautiful nor beneficial for a family to garden together. By teaching the newer generations to garden, it ensures that they will understand their food and know when it's fresh to eat or not. Until next time fellow green thumbs and gardening enthusiasts! Keep it Green and Keep it Growing! Ciao!!!





HyperSmash

Your Garden and Bees!

     Every garden needs some bees. Why you ask? Well, without bees the majority of organic plants and veggies would not be able to flower at all! Bees help pollinate and cross-pollinate every single flower on your plants, making new genetics such as hybrid plants.

      Just like Albert Einstein stated ," If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe than man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."

     So it is very imperative that if you are trying to start your own organic garden or trying to live a healthy choice life (like me) and want to grow whatever crops of your choosing, you need to have these amazing bugs around your garden constantly!

    There are some key things you should know about attracting these life giving bugs to your garden!

 ¤ Nectar and Pollen!
 Every single flower gives off a sweet aroma to these bees and that aroma comes from the nectar and pollen. It's completely irresistible to these bugs. Some gardeners I know put geraniums and peonies on the border of their gardens, just for extra re-assurance that bees will definitely visit their abundant gardens.

 ¤ Having crop plants that attract frequent bees!
 These plants include melons, squash, fruit and certain varieties of leafy greens. Most of these plants have bright yellow flowers. Some varieties include flowers with white and yellow stripes, some leafy greens also produce purple flowers.

 ¤ Not using any form of Pesticide or Germicide!
I do NOT recommend any form of pesticide nor germicide for this main reason. It can harm the bees and stop their production completely. Plus it can harm your crop from getting the full natural nutritional value. If you have a bug problem check out my post on Neem Oil.

 ¤ Have a form of windbreak with sunshine!
Bees love pollinating in the sun, so plan your garden to be in a good spot for the sun. I recommend a spot that gets at least nine to eleven hours of sun during spring/summer, and seven to ten hours of sun during fall/winter seasons. Alas, if you live in the desert like I, you'll suffer with high-winds quite frequent. I pass this completely by planting my crops a little closer than the recommended space in-between. Which causes a natural wind break and gives the bees an easier time to pollinate rather than fighting their way to the much desired nectar hidden in their delicious flowers.

Dearest Readers and Gardening Enthusiasts, we all have a job to do. That job is to keep the world alive and healthy! Do so by planting flowers or your own food garden to keep the bees busy and happy! We are nothing without these wonderful bugs. They keep us fed and we keep them happy!

Thanks for keeping interest and until next time, Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!
Ciao!


HyperSmash

Organic Bug Spray (Neem Oil)

Hey guys!
Had another crazy weather week! First it was way too hot, then it became rainy and windy! It was literally insanity! Bugs came and left due to the weather being so daft. I decided why not make a video on my version of Neem Oil spray. This spray helps my plants fight off bugs and infection. Some states do not consider Neem Oil a true organic spray, but it actually is. It's not your average insecticide to where you spray it over and over and it alters the crops and plants genetic make up essentially. All this does it put a little clear coat over said plants and crop to make all the nasties just not interested in the plant or crop at all. I use this spray once a week unless I have a rainstorm or more bugs than normal. If you got a BIG problem with bugs its best to use it consecutively for 7 days in a row. My method is fairly simple. I use a 28 oz spray bottle not a gallon so its more potent than what the instructions say. Then I add 5 ml of neem oil and between 2-3 times more of organic dish soap (10-15 ml). Now the dish soap WILL wash off your crop and wont give it any nasty taste or residue from the soap. This will usually do the job in my particular desert garden. Let me know if it works for your gardens or if you need help finding alternatives to this recipe. Everything dealing with the garden takes time. So be forewarned, bugs will NOT leave overnight. You have to be dilligent with continually spraying or it's all for naught. As I stated earlier feel free to ask questions about anything! I'm here to help you. Here's my newest video on my Neem Oil Recipe. Leave me some comments and love people! Thanks and Keep it Green and Keep it Growing! Happy gardening!


HyperSmash

Morning after the storm in the Garden

      Man oh man! That storm was nuts last night! We had high winds with loads of thunder and lightning. It rained quite a bit and I'm quite certain that my garden was happy to receive Mother Nature's bountiful blessing. Plus, it was a pretty cool light show!

So I decided to check the garden pretty early to see how everything was looking, and of course there were some bugs. (But that is fairly typical with any morning after a big storm.) Everything in the garden looks amazing. I decided to take some pictures to share with you guys!

¤ Eight Ball Zucchini Squash : I love eating and growing this squash because its just so easy and flavorful. The crop grows as a little ball at the end of the flower. In the desert it usually takes 25-30 days to produce these flowers. I didn't have any problems pollinating them because of my garden ants and the garden bees that fly by to snack in my garden.

¤ Hungarian Wax Peppers: This is by far my most pepper producing plant in this year's run. I've harvested about 5 times and as you can see here, it's still producing. Lovely colors aren't they? ☻

¤ Italian Batavian Full Heart Escarole: What can I say? I'm Maltese! I grew up eating specific Italian greens because that's what my Mothers' side of the family ate on a daily basis. Plus, it's total eye candy! ♥

¤ Italian Rosalita Greens: Yet again, another Italian green. I love my greens. I love Italian things. ☻ Look at how pretty those leaves are. They get a bitter note once they mature about 2 or 3 more inches from this size.

¤ Waltham Butternut Squash: Another Winter Squash I'm starting in Summer! I'm crazy right?! I love the way this squash looks and the taste of the crop. It's just a Fall/Winter classic for any cold night. I'll eat these roasted over a fire or baked in the oven. Completely sublime!

Thank you guys for following and taking the time to appreciate my garden as much as I do. Nothing can be better for you than home-grown food. Especially food that you grew or food you and your family grew together! Until next time friends, Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!!

¤ BYE!! ¤

HyperSmash

Garden Summer Update!!!

              Hey guys! I'm giving you a glimpse into my place of peace, my Desert Garden! I haven't done an update for a while and I felt like I needed to show you what has been thriving!! First off I'd like to say it's awesome to grow my own food. I get the tastiest, freshest food....about 15 feet from my kitchen backdoor! Who could resist that?! Anyways here's some shots of what is doing amazing in this crazy 104 F + heat!

¤ These are my Chocolate Cherry Peppers. They are sweet and I cook them up completely whole. They are completely addictive and delicious.

¤ These are Fajita Bell Peppers, and yes they have a slight kick to them!

¤ Here are my Heirloom Italian Roma Tomatoes. These tomatoes taste like no Roma tomato I've bought at any market. Completely sweet and not that acidic.

¤ Yea that's right! I'm starting my Winter squash run...in July! Why you ask? Well Winter Squash do extremely well with the heat but not with the sun. SO... I decided to try out a theory of giving my winter squash complete shade and seeing if it still produces as much as it would grown the normal way.

¤ Of course I had to show you guys some beautiful flowers! Specifically my watermelon flowers. So you guys know watermelons LOVE the heat. You have more of a chance of getting fruit in a place that has heat for about 2 months or so.

Man oh Man!! I'm so excited to cut into this watermelon. Unfortunately, one of my fruits cracked due to the constant sun so I gave them more shade than before. But, I got to smell the inside of the cracked fruit and WOW! It's so sweet and actually made my mouth water. lol

Well, that's it for this mini update guys! I hope you like whats growing cause I know it's all looking pretty! Thanks for watching and reading my channels, blogs and vlogs. As always, grow some food for yourself! It's super rewarding and satisfying! Until next time guys!

Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!

¤ BYE!! ¤

HyperSmash

How to thin out your Onions!

             
                     Hey guys! I've noticed a lot of people don't really know how to thin out their onions or the reasons as to why this process is needed. Most people just sow their seeds randomly and just leave them tightly spread together, which will cause them to be super small and not grow properly! Even be more prone to illnesses! I learned how to thin out my onions through research and experience. I used normal tap water that wasn't too cold. The water helps the bulbs not dry out too fast in the direct desert sun when thinning out, or transplanting as some call it. The onions you will see in the video are both Italian varieties. One is a red torpedo style, and the other is a stew onion. I love these two distinct onion flavors and color. I wanted to get decent sized bulbs so that is why I am thinning them out. Anyways, here's the video! ☻


¤ Well, that's my process for thinning out onions! Hope you guys learned something new and something useful! Thanks for watching and reading! As always, Until next time folks!

Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!!

¤ BYE!! ¤
-The Desert Gardener ♥


HyperSmash

First Garden Update!

Hey guys!
I'm gonna show you some of the stuff I was growing in direct sun! I got several fruit and veggies, some greens and even herbs that just love the sun up until the end of June beginning of July. First I'll show you a mini video tour of my garden. Then, I'll list what I'm growing in no particular order.


¤ Here's a list of what I'm growing organically ¤
-Lemon Thyme (Herb)
-Sage (Herb)
-Tuscon Rosemary (Herb)
-Thai Basil (Herb)
-Sweet Marjoram (Herb)
-Sweet Basil (Herb)
-Lemon Basil (Herb)
-Greek Oregano (Herb)
-Sugar Baby (Watermelon)
-Honeydew
-Cantaloupe
-Italian Torpedo (Onion)
-Cippolina (Onion)
-Rocket (Arugula)
-Roman Wild (Arugula)
-Black Seeded Simpson (Greens)
-Caesar Romaine (Greens)
-Carrots
-Spinach
-Red Russian (Kale)
-Vivian (Greens)
-Yellow Bell (Pepper)
-Green Bell (Pepper)
-Red Bell (Pepper)
-Sweet Banana (Pepper)
-Pimento (Pepper)
-Cubanelle (Pepper)
-Hungarian Wax (Pepper)
-Santa Fe (Pepper)
-Roma (Tomato)
-Brandywine (Tomato)
-Hawaiian (Tomato)
-German (Tomato)
-Yellow Pear (Tomato)
-Purple Cherokee (Tomato)
-Green Zebra (Tomato)
-Beefmaster (Tomato)
-Super Sweet 100 (Tomato)
-Italian Heirloom (Tomato)
-Heirloom (Tomato)

Thanks for watching and reading again guys! Remember we can change everything if we just each grow one plant or start a small garden anywhere! We can change people! Until next time.... Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!


¤ BYE!! ¤


HyperSmash

Harvesting Walla Walla Onions!

Hey guys!
Got some amazing things to show you in this post.....My onions matured!! I'm so excited. I don't know about you but my household is an Onion one. We use onions almost every single dish! I especially love these onions because of how sweet they can be. Once I pulled these suckers out of the ground, let me tell you.... it smelt so amazing!! It was the most fresh, organic onion smell I've had in the longest time. I pulled these onions a little early because I didn't want to have too large of a crop. I wanted just the right size I could store! If they had gotten bigger I wouldn't of been able to enjoy every single one like I did!

¤ Anyways, here's my video on harvesting onions from the desert garden. ☻




¤  Well hope you guys had as much fun watching this, as I had filming and growing those onions! I always encourage my readers to grow something they can eat. It's the most rewarding and healthy thing you can do for yourself. Just start out with one plant, and if you are successful... Maybe you got an inner "Green Thumb" in you! Until next time readers and fellow green thumbs! Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!

♥ Bye!


HyperSmash

Harvesting Micro-Nutrient Rich Leafy Greens!

     Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, I'm back! This video's all about leafy greens, mainly Vivian Romaine Lettuce and Escarole. Anyone and everyone should be eating some type of green everyday! It's one of the healthiest things for you! I love these two greens because of the distinct flavor they have for my salads. They pair well together with most vinaigrette. They also do well in smoothie combinations. Well.......Here's the video! ☻


¤ About the Tip ¤
      The reason you cut 1 in - 2 in above the stalk of the greens is to promote the plant to regrow. Usually when you use this method, the greens will have several heads form. Around 2-4 from my experience.

This just goes to show, you can grow some amazing things in the desert. Remember guys, it's our choice and chance to change how we look at food. "Great things come to those who wait." I don't know about you, but I'm willing to wait for some delicious, nutritious, healthy food. Thanks for stopping by and remember....Keep it Green and Keep it Growing!
--The Desert Gardener


HyperSmash

Harvesting Organic Spinach Grown From Seed!

Hey Fellow Green Thumbs!

   It's another post from the Desert Garden! I made yet another harvesting video! I'm harvesting "Blooms-dale Longstanding Spinach" from my raised bed I use specifically for greens. These greens were grown in the direct sun for about 45 days. Yes, 45 days! Amazing right?! The reason my spinach was growing and germinating faster is because of the heat and constant sun exposure! I watered my spinach about 5 times a day, (because it's in direct sun) and gave it a good helping of steer manure. I used steer manure because that was the highest nitrogen rich manure in my particular area, you can use any high leveled nitrogen manure if needed. Remember! You NEED manure when you grow organic spinach! It thrives off of nitrogen and that provides it with a healthy dose for a couple of months!

     ¤ Here's my video on Harvesting my organically grown spinach!



    ¤ Thank you guys for taking the time to read my blog and learn about desert gardening! Gardening is a gift anyone can give the earth and themselves. Not only are you learning about plants and certain foods that are healthy for you, you are also learning patience and are learning the true meaning of gardening. The reward of gratitude! Isn't it great that you can grow a living, breathing organism that provides food for you and the satisfaction of growing something yourself!

  ¤ Until next time my fellow Green Thumbs and Garden Heads!

♥ Keep it Green and Keep it Growing! ♥


HyperSmash

Implementing Shade in your Desert Garden!

♥ Hey guys! My last post I mentioned something about needing shade in the desert garden. Well... I did it! I went the money saving route and chose 1/2" PVC pipe (the thick walled pipe), got some brackets to screw it into my raised garden bed, and finally had some burlap bags laying around in my garage. I unfolded the burlap so that its just one layer covering my plants. I then zip-tied the burlap to my PVC pipe structure that's screwed into my raised beds. Now, where I live the winds get up to 50 miles an hour and the structure is still sound.

 ¤ This is my biggest box. In here I have; Sugar Baby Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Caesar Romaine Lettuce, Escarole, French Classic Endive, Roma Arugula, Heirloom Kaleidoscope Carrots, Danver Carrots. 

  As always it's better to grow your food than buy it. It's fun, and rewarding. You can make it a family event and teach the next generation what it means to eat healthy. Until next time friends.....Keep it Green, and Keep it Growing! Bye! ☻

HyperSmash

Update on the Garden, Mini Harvest July 9th 2013

      Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of update on here. I'm going to be working harder on updating more. I had to deal with a little heat wave in my area that pretty much killed the majority of plants I had in pots growing in the garden. The main thing I forgot, SHADE! I'll talk about that in another blog or video. Anyways, I wanted to show you some of the crop I was able to save before the plants completely died :(.

Here's some photos:

My Super Sweet 100 Tomatoes.

Black Cherry Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomatoes

Purple Cherokee Tomatoes

Hungarian Yellow Wax Peppers

Follow me on Instagram (http://instagram.com/ourdesertgarden) for more daily pictures from the garden! Remember, always try to grow new things! Even different types of foods you already know! Be adventurous! Take a bite out of something grown yourself. Until next time, Keep it Green and Keep it Growing! 

HyperSmash