Know more than I thought I did?

[RosieTR]

So I've been listening to Farm City while driving to work, and sort of freaking myself out about how much I know of her stuff. Such as, I know what a chicken tractor is, more or less how to catch a swarm of bees, etc. I thought I was a pretty poor "urban farmer" since the only things I could manage to get a decent harvest of in Phoenix were peaches, basil and rosemary. My vermiculture experiment died. I couldn't get a solar oven to cook anything. Tepary beans (native to the SW and Mexico) didn't grow. Multiple attempts at different mints wound up with weak results. I never tried chickens or quail and the bee boxes stayed wrapped in the house. Even the standard fruit trees that should do well there, like lemons and grapefruit were mixed at best. It was very discouraging; all the more so because I actually took some fairly intensive classes on gardening/permaculture. I kind of chalked it up to a complete waste but now I'm realizing that at least I *know* about all this stuff even if I couldn't apply it well there. And maybe I sort of know a little bit more about what I can handle and what might be too overwhelming right now so hopefully come spring I can apply the knowledge that's been percolating in my brain for a few years. Also perhaps my failures there will help teach me something about having more success in the future. At least it was a little bit of a nice surprise to realize I might know more than I thought I did!
I am not too sure where I'm going with this post, but would love to hear others' stories of realizing maybe they knew more than they thought they did.

[Rosemary]

I don't know what Farm City is - but I do know that Phoenix's climate and soil are incredibly difficult for growing anything. Between the raging heat and unrelenting sun of summer, and the caliche that exists in pockets to suffocate roots, you're dealing with a lot. I had the best luck with food crops when I planted early in the season - early February - and added shade - rigging up a piece of shade cloth over the garden from about mid-June through late August.

[leslieann]

I don't have an example to share at this moment, but I did want to note that it might be that when we have a lot of "failure" self-talk going on, we tend to lose our objective awareness of what we DO know, and what we ARE able to do successfully. I think that has been the case for me in my work; the more I focus on what I am not doing well, or what I don't know, the less able I am to see clearly that I DO know something.

Sometimes it requires a break in the action to see the whole picture. I hope that makes sense.

In the meantime, RosieTR, you know a whole lot more than I do....I don't even know some of the words in your post, having never been much exposed to farming, urban or otherwise.

[jania]

Yep, I learn from my mistakes all the time. While there is a science to gardening it is also an art.

[RosieTR]

Sorry, Rosemary: Farm City is a book, sort of a memoir of a woman who tried her best to farm in inner-city Oakland. At one point she explores eating solely from food she either produced or bartered for, and readily admits that the Bay area in mid-summer is probably one of the easiest places to do this (though she still has some challenges). I would have nearly starved to death in Phoenix in March, arguably the most productive month there. Maybe I would have been better off ignoring the gardening advice, often from people with irrigated yards, and just making raised beds like I would have anywhere else. If it's hotter in the beds, well, the plants were probably going to die anyway and better soil may have made the difference. Oh, well, that's bygone. However, based on the shining success of small fruit trees I'm planning on going to a seminar here in CO about which fruit trees and small shrubs will do well. I know I've seen wild plums around, but want to pick the correct varieties and see what knowledge the local nurseries have to offer. This climate has its own challenges, such as sudden unpredictable frosts and snowstorms, but at least I won't have to be working the soil 1) in 115F or 2) with a pickax. Also, we now live in the county with no HOA so there's some more freedom to do things like plant tomatoes in the south-facing front yard where it's most ideal. I'm gonna have to find my seed starting stuff in one of these boxes somewhere pretty soon!

[razz]

Rosie, sometimes the best advice will come from your local Master Gardeners who are growing in the area. They may be able to advise the best approach for your garden layout, water supply, wind/sun exposure etc.

[Rosemary]

Sunken beds were a better design for the low desert. That allows rain water to pool, and also reduces evaporation from the garden. They may work better than raised beds in CO, too, since it also tends to be dry for a good part of the year.

[lhamo]

I think Arizona was trying to tell you you weren't well adapted to living there -- but you knew that anyway! So did Barbara Kingsolver, for goodness sake. Those opening paragraphs of Animal Vegetable Miracle were enough to convince me I would NEVER move to the SW.

Hope the move back to CO is wonderful and you have a great growing season (in all areas, not just the garden).

lhamo