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Author: Valley

  • May Basket Delivery

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    Valley
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    This morning greeted me with newness. Springness. May. The month when flowers take the leading role in our garden. And the sky’s expansive canvas fills with color. And the air’s soft presence thrills with scent. As the calendar turns to May 1st, people all over the northern hemisphere celebrate the awakening of Spring’s fresh start.…

  • Our Compost Sandwich / Vegetable Garden Experiment

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    Valley
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    Our daughter has a 12 x 12 area where we have been growing veggies.   The first year, it did great.  We grew about 50 spaghetti squash, some zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, flowers and herbs. The second year was disappointing. We were plagued by poor, clay-filled soil and invasive grass. I knew we needed to fix the…

  • What To Do About Freeze Damage?

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    Valley
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    Many plants in Tucson and surrounding areas suffered damage from below freezing temps, recently.  We recommend patience when dealing with the aftermath, but in some cases there is no doubt about what to do.  Below is a severely damaged impatiens plant that was happily growing and blooming in a pot on our patio. In it’s…

  • Orange Peel Vinegar

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    Valley
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    Our 28-year-old Arizona Sweet tree  is  still  struggling, following the BIG FREEZE of 2010.  I can hardly bear to look at this once-spectacular plant without pondering what I can do to bring it back. I decided to remove about half this year’s crop and cut out all the deadwood. And then do what gardeners often have…

  • New Beginnings Were Invented for Gardeners!

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    Valley
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    Here are some of my garden inspirations for 2013: First, I must finish reading the book, Vertical Vegetable Gardening, by Chris McLaughlin. Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: ALPHA (December 31, 2012) ISBN: 978-1615641833 Better yet: I must read the book all year, and keep it handy, because it is full of easy to follow, easy to understand instructions and ideas…

  • Retro Merry Christmas Wreath

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    Valley
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    I’m finding the task of making a new wreath every month for 12 months to be a fun challenge! So far they have been easy, inexpensive and attractive. This month was a different story, and I believe if you read this post to the end, my Christmas Wreath will make you snicker. You wouldn’t think that…

  • Finding Your Way at Night

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    Valley
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    Nothing says, “Welcome home,” like lighting. In the “olden days” a loved one might place a candle  in the window to guide you home in the dark. Not anymore… Now we have low voltage lighting to help us find the door. Here is some lighting we did for a client recently. They live on a…

  • Wreath of Berries

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    Valley
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    Nandina domestica, AKA, Heavenly Bamboo, is one of our favorite plants. A hardy, waterwise evergreen, Nandina grows in part to full sun, zones 5-10, offering year-round beauty, moderate growth, low maintenance, and deer resistance. I use Nandina leaves in flower arrangements, but I never clip its springtime blooms, because by autumn they develop into sturdy…

  • Leaf Art

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    Valley
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    Leaf art is easy to make. Here is an Autumn leaf, scanned into  Picasa (a free photo editing program).   I was able to change the image to black and white. …add and change background colors…   …add text… …and make it into something useful. I could go on and on with ideas for this…

  • Homespun Pumpkin Wreath

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    Valley
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    I had so much fun last month crafting an apple wreath, that I decided to challenge myself to make a new door decoration each month for a year. October, being the month of pumpkins and trick-or-treaters,  my theme was obvious. The first step was to shop our home and garden for materials. I chose a…