Watermelon Soon...

Stars Showing Up

I spotted stars coming out on one of the melons in the garden, but the other larger one doesn't have a star to be found.  Not sure what this means...does this mean the other little one is not going to get too much larger...will the larger one get stars when it gets to its almost maximum size?  Hmmm.  The vines do look healthy on both melons, so I'm hopeful--can't wait to have ripe melons on the vine for sure.

If I Were a Watermelon

Went watermelon hunting this morning.  Like I mentioned before, I planted my moon and stars on a whim.  Watermelon shouldn't be planted until December 1st according to my U of A planting guide, and should stop being planted around April 1st.  I had a few Blacktail Mountains growing like this and got 3 out of them...they were slow to set fruit and by the time they did the vines got fried.  So, I thought, "if I were a watermelon I'd like to be grown starting in August so I could experience the best of the desert world {as deemed by a watermelon}."

Thinking like a watermelon has gotten me tons of vines, and now four little guys {I'm sure I'm missing a few though...the vines provide quite the cover}.  I am thrilled even though the going is still early.


Busy providing everything I'd want if I were a watermelon...so far the vines look happy and hopefully the fruit continues to set and grow.

Love my moon and stars and how they have spots on their leaves too!

Perfect Poetry

Harlow's Homestead {okra} with Moon and Stars {watermelon}...two of my favorite things seem
to be growing just fine together

Happy Days...

So its been wonderful lately all things garden.  Look at this little fellow...a Blacktail Mountain watermellon (heirloom hailing from the Sandhills if I remember right--picked by this gardener because it produces fast and is very drought resistant}.  There are several more coming around almost this size.

Then it rained Tuesday evening.  Gully washing rain that caused quite the lightning and thunder show that I watched on the back porch and then listened to through the open window as a lullaby.  The storm dropped the temperatures down to the 80's in nothing flat, and over yonder in the Hassayampa that I pass over everyday on the way to work there are full sized trees--from who knows where--running down the river {usually nary a drop can be seen flowing}.  This means the garden hasn't had to be watered since and things are growing in leaps and bounds.  Happy days for sure.

The New Season

The garden was somewhat fallow in July, but not so anymore.  The evenings are again full of planting and watering via sunset and stars.  With all the religious watering and heat {+110*} things have sprouted record time and are looking hearty and healthy.  Quite happy with the corn and okra patches, and oh the melons starting to spread out.  And then its greens time again...in about two weeks I'll be able to take the salad bowl out back and fill it to my liking.


corn...{country gentleman}



mild greens sprouting



spicy greens sprouting



moon and star watermelon vines...baby melons starting to set



North Georgia Candy Roaster squash sprout looking happy



love those okra flowers...been picking that okra too



part of the okra patch



the 2nd round of okra starting to sprout



currently only have one sunflower in the garden, but tons more planted



yard long Thai purple beens starting to come up



wax beans {something's been eating the leaves off of the non-pole beans...hopefully I can
get some this time around

Coming On Strong...

Squash heaven...lizards like it pretty good in here too

I can feel the humidity rising up over the ground when I step into the garden.  It feels pretty good actually compared to the negative humidity elsewhere and has created quite the haven for hummingbirds, bees, and those lizards {haven't seen Little Mouse for a spell}.  Won't deny that sometimes the leafs can get crispy around the edges here and there, but overall things are well.  I'm curious about production...its great enough for me right now, but nothing like up north.  Sure this fall things will increase if not double with these same squash varieties when I put them in again.

Then we have the Parisian Pickling Cucumbers sprouting {alongside some stray Alisa Craigs}.  They sprung right up in record time and I sure hope they keep going strong after the initial tender stage.

Blacktail Mountain Watermelon have sprouted as well.  These are fast producers of gorgeous solid green personal sized melons that do well in dry conditions.  Hopefully I'll be eating them by the end of July early August.