Garden: Day 1

I have been surprisingly unsuccessful at growing a garden. Perhaps it's the soil or my plant selections. Maybe it's the 100+ degree days that start around May and don't end until September. Perhaps it is my frustration over the fact that the ants and birds eat more tomatoes than we do most years. Or, more likely, maybe it's just that I get bored.

Never-the-less, around this time of year I have a desire to plant something. In an effort to increase my success I chose two magazine articles describing everything from soil amendment to plant selection. (As you might know, I get blinded and incapacitated when I have too many options, so a single plan with detailed instructions works for me.)

I used Better Homes and Gardens April 2009 article "Grow what you really eat." This article highlighted a garden in a 4'x8' raised bed and included three options, an Italian Garden, a Salsa Garden or a Salad Garden.

I also used Sunset, March 2008 article "Your best-ever veggie garden." This article also highlighted planing in raised beds and included many herbs and veggies grown in two half-moon shaped beds, each about 3' wide and 11' long.

I decided to go with a modified Salsa garden and added a few veggies that we like and that I know grow well in Arizona.


My husband brought me some rock and I made a 4'x8' bed.

We added 2 bags of manuer and 2 bags of Miracle Grow Garden Soil.


We planted:
- 3 tomates (Valencia, Husky Cherry Red and Lemon Boy)
- 2 squash (zucchini and crook neck)
- 3 peppers (Red Beauty, Golden Bell and jalapeno)
- 2 oregano
- 3 cilantro
- 1 basil
- 6 alyssum


Everything is neat ant tidy right now and I love it. I'll let you know how it develops.

Are you growing a garden this year? What will you plant?