Broccoli Dilemma

March is an ideal time for a lot of low desert gardening activities. It is usually the time I make changes in my vegetable plot and start planting warm season vegetables. However, the CRAZY weather pattern we have been experiencing makes this rather difficult. My broccoli has flowered and that is usually the end of it...but the cold temperatures alternating with warm days have befuddled it. The big heads have been picked and eaten, but the plants have sprouted so many tiny off-shoots that we are able to continue harvesting and the tiny florettes are so delectable that I hate to discard the plants. In the meantime, the bush beans I planted in a flat are ready to transplant...and, beans are not companion plants to broccoli!

I wish I had never heard of companion planting. It makes gardening more difficult - a lot more difficult, but I have been adhering to the concept for many years. If things were only black and white ( in this case, green and brown ) there would be no problem. But, some stubborn plants just refuse to die! Chard is one example...still thriving and not a friend of beans. Most gardeners know that beans LOVE corn and squash ( AKA the Three Sisters ). CARROTS LOVE TOMATOES and ROSES LOVE GARLIC by Louise Riotte were the first books I read on the subject...but, if you want a really bewildering list, including common and scientific names, which plants a particular plant will help, which plants will help it, what bugs are attracted or repelled by it, which plants it should avoid plus additional comments, check out Wikipedia under LIST OF COMPANION PLANTS. You will find out that Fennel and Dill are absolute loners- unliked by most other plants!

Leeks and onions are planted next to my broccoli. Beans dislike them, too. I have one elevated bed containing chard, beets and carrots. The beets are almost gone and I could pull the rest of the carrots-but, I am wondering whether chard will allow a bean to grow nearby. I guess we'll see, because my planting calendar informs me that it is time to plant melon seeds in my flats. Time for the beans to move out. I hope the melon seeds grow fast...I understand they are very good friends of beans!

Hooray for Rain!

My private weather source down the road reported 1.73 inches of rain had fallen during our most recent storm. As usual, our gauge made it seem like like more, but she assured me her weather station is right on the mark! It was a perfect steady drenching rain and the garden loved it! All irrigation has been turned off...rain barrels are full...plants are clean and shiny. I couldn't resist taking a few photos of happy plants!

Our weekend visitor from the beach was treated to a rare sight...a family of coyotes, about six of them, chasing game in our yard and in the vacant acreage next door. I am always amazed when I get to see such a sight. I thought there was a lot of extra coyote early morning noise ( I slept in ) but was so glad he got to see the chase. Coyotes have been clocked at almost forty miles per hour and when you see hungry animals streaking around your garden that fast, you are sure to pay attention! I know coyotes are always hungry...but it made me wonder what they do during a three day rain storm. Are they hunkered down on someone's porch, in a cave, under a car, where are they? Do they hunt in the rain? I think the coyotes in our yard were famished after the rain. Those canines lead a hard life when compared to Lola's two-meal a day dining order!

Wild Nightlife

On Fuel Conservation

There are some days at our house that the car never leaves the garage...partly because we believe in multi-tasking and partly because we try to conserve fuel.

Borrego is an ideal place for that kind of activity. We always laugh when we say, " You can be anywhere in town in under ten minutes!" But, that is the truth in this small community. We have to pick up mail at the Post Office...no home delivery, here, but have decided we actually don't have to read mail daily. The same for the market. Our garden supplies us with most fresh vegetables and a freezer stores bread, poultry, meats and fish. Our cupboards are well stocked...we can easily manage for several weeks without replenishing. In fact, we are prepared for that much publicized coming disaster!

Not to say there isn't a lot of activity here, though. The neighbor across the street walks to the State Park, where she works in the paleo lab. A bicycle , golf cart or two feet often provide all the equipment you need to get around Borrego! It is said that Borrego is a bicycler's paradise. Sometimes a friend will ask, "Have you seen the new things at the Tumbleweed Traders? ( or the Frugal Coyote, Ocotillo's, Outfitter's, Veteran's Thrift shop ?" ) I must admit, that type question is one I can't resist...BUT, when I back out of the garage, I know I am conserving fuel with the Hybrid Civic!

Backyard Action

Lola has been telling us that something is going on in the back yard. She staions herself at the French doors, looks out and barks, frantically. At first we didn't realize why she sped straight to the olive tree. Now we know why!

Every day, since the olives have ripened, two ravens come to pay a visit. One lights atop the wall and sends a racous CAWWWW to the other, who quickly appears.

In the meantime, the first raven has picked up a black olive from the ground and has repositioned atop the wall. At first, we thought they were eating the olives, but, after watching them for several days, realized they were passing the olive back and forth , from one beak to the other. I'm not sure they actually consume very many olives (but a few purple splotches on the wall indicate they do) however, I have watched them fly to palm trees and tuck olives into the cavity formed by pruned fronds. Even Borrego ravens have larders full of things to eat should a food shortage occur - and I know of many Borregans who follow the same practice!

Ravens love to play games. I recall watching a group of ravens on a very windy day at Lake Mohave, flying above a bluff. We watched with our field glasses as one after another would drop a stick from talons or beaks and another bird would swoop in to retrieve it-often turning upside down to catch it! They played this game for almost an hour.

Ever find a golf ball somewhere unexpected...perhaps a few miles from the nearest links? We find them here and there, often near telephone poles where ravens feed while perched on the high cross bars. Eggs are a favorite food of ravens. I've seen them pick up an egg in their beak and carry it away. We figure the birds mistake the golf balls for eggs and are probably dissapointed when they can't crack them!

We feel so lucky to live in a place where we can observe the animal life of the desert - and we feel even more fortunate to have the time and surroundings to do so!

BRRRRR!

WOW! We experienced a freeze last night! It doesn't happen that often...in fact, we often ignore the weatherman's forcast. This morning, the first telephone call I answered told me that my friend's vegetable garden had taken a hit. She said most of her vegetables had suffered frost damage. What to do? My advice to her was to pick any vegetables that were ready for harvest and just watch the plant for any new growth before trimming any destroyed stems and leaves. After the call, I went outside and found my eggplant, tomatoes and basil had suffered. Picked the green tomatoes and took them inside to ripen. I had picked eggplant the day before. Some basil is still green so I know it will survive. Keeping an eye on the tomatoes and hoping for the best.