Get Ready to Grow!

It's time to get your garden beds ready for Spring planting NOW. Add a four to six inch layer of organic matter or a combination of mulch and well-aged manure to the soil. You can also add organic fertilizers, which might include, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, bone meal and rock phosphate. Till or turn into soil to a depth of 12-14 inches deep. I usually wait a couple of weeks before planting to allow the organisms in the soil to break down and then release the nutrients back into the soil. You can transplant tomatoes and peppers between mid-February and mid-March. Be prepared to cover new transplants until night time temperatures warm up!

Annual Rose Auction

DON'T MISS,

The Mesa East Valley Rose Society's
Annual Rose Auction

Saturday February 21st

Mesa Community College

(Navajo Room in the Kirk Student Center)

Preview at 12:00

Auction 1:30

Watch for the 'Mystery Rose'!

Check out our website for more information on which roses grow best in Arizona, a list of consulting Rosearians and links to other great rose websites. Please come and browse the Rose Garden at Mesa Community College anytime, it's there for public pleasure!

Submitted by, Jo Ann

http://www.roses4az-mevrs.org

To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize...That is the Question!

As an Arizona gardener, and having a year round growing season it's hard to know when your plants are supposed to be fed. However, I learned an easy way to remember when to fertilize ANY fruit tree here!

At a Citrus Clinic offered at one of our local Nurseries, we attended a class on fruit trees, both citrus and deciduous. The Extension Agent that taught the class said to just remember three holidays and fertilize on them. The three holiday's are, Valentines, Memorial, and Labor Day's. Now, how easy is that to remember?!?

So we will never have an excuse to not know when to feed those YUMMY fruit trees that give us so many treats!!!

Now, I just need an easy way to remember when to fertilize, the grass, garden, shrubs, palms, flowers... and so on and so on!

Happy gardening-Valentines Day is this Saturday!

Leslie

http://www.bardfan.blogspot.com/

Don't trash it, stash it, in a compost bin! My name is Jack Notebaert and few neighbors and I from the 50th place and Osborn neighborhood, have all chipped in for a leaf and branch shredder/chipper. The idea is for everyone to share the machine, since it something you'd only use 4 or 5 times a year. Why throw all the good, natural, organic fertilizer on your property away when you can put it right back in your garden. It's $75.00 to buy in! For more information contact jack at 602-751-6319 or email jackn@brickhousecapital.com

BUTTERMILK SALAD DRESSING

For a great finish to all those yummy salads you are putting together from your garden try this salad dressing. This recipe is from Gourmet magazine and is my new favorite. I don't know about the calories but since it has so much flavor and is very thin you really don't need much to dress your salad.

BUTTERMILK SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons chopped chives

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, shallots, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until sugar has dissolved. Add in chives. Done!

Kim
http://arizonatraveler.blogspot.com