Dirt On The Mountain

"Upon my arrival in Los Alamos in the summer of 1947, I stuck a shovel in the ground, broke the handle, and decided the soil here was quite a problem." Quoted from High Altitude Gardening by the Los Alamos Garden Club. The book goes on to share soil sample analysis: Clay - 75% to 84%, Sand - 1%, Humus - to small to measure, Nitrogen - Trace, Phosphorus - Small 1/2 %, Potassium - Small 2%, Iron - Very Little, Acidity - pH 6.4 - 8.5.

Now put that terrible soil on top of this mountain - which is 90% ROCK. I'm actually surprised ANYTHING grew at all.

If a substantial garden is going to grow the dirt needs to be fixed! The things that need to be added are:
Sand - to break up that clay a little and allow water to flow through.
Humus - compost, oak leaves and llama poop. That should also take care of the vitamin deficiency, however some good natural fertilizers will help too.

I'm going to have to dig down - remove the soil that IS there - take out MORE ROCKS - add sand, add humus - give it a nice blanket for the winter (lots more leaves) and hope for a garden next Spring.

Is it worth it? YOU BET IT IS!!!

The Great Thistle Extermination - part 2

I made it to the tree before the bees came out to play. Now I can clearly see what parts of the tree need to be trimmed as well.

This is the grass that I would like to take over the area. I think, with the Thistles gone, it will have room to spread.

Here's the tools of trade for this project. I now have one garbage bag filled so I feel pretty good about what got done.

This will have to wait until tomorrow morning. The bees are pretty thick and I sure don't want them mad at me.

The Great Thistle Extermination - part 1

Not every wild plant can stay in a Mountain Garden. Such is the case with this Thistle Patch.

Pictures can be deceiving - this Thistle Patch is about 20 feet long by about 9 feet wide. The main reason for the extermination - my Mom's allergic to them. As this project begins I find I'm slightly allergic as well. So, I stay out until my nose stuffs up - then go in the house until it clears (this is one of those clearing moments).

These spiny little guys need to be cut at the base - one at a time. I'm using thick rubber gloves and picking them up with the same trimmer I'm cutting them with. Taking no chances.

This little friend came to watch.

I can almost hear them say, "Whatja doin Sandy?"

Well that's part 1 - now we'll see how far I get today.

The Garden Project Went On Hold

On 6/28/2011 this was our air quality. Dense smoke that traveled up here from the Los Alamos fire. We closed ourselves in the house and Mom spent much time on oxygen.

Now - 2 weeks later - we are venturing back outside more and more. With the monsoon rains (clearing the air) and the fire almost contained, life in paradise is returning to normal.

The mountain garden project suffered during this time. The veggie patch was consumed by panicking critters. I wasn't able to water (and we were in the middle of an extreme drought) many other plants didn't do well at all. But these are things we face - gardening at 7,800 feet above sea level.

There is one man that, in my opinion, is the master gardener up here; Jack. He's been working the earth on his property for a few decades. He gave me a tour and TAUGHT me a lot. Then he blessed me with a book - a HOW TO book for gardening at this altitude. The book is, 'High Altitude Gardening, by the Los Alamos Garden Club'.

Here's my favorite quote from the book so far:
"Upon my arrival in Los Alamos in the summer of 1947, I stuck a shovel in the ground, broke the handle, and decided the soil here was quite a problem."
Boy do I UNDERSTAND this!

The conclusion - I have a lot of work to do now and through the fall to get the garden area ready for next year's planting.

I Guess This Was A Learning Year

POOP! The veggie patch has all been eaten, I was able to save 4 radish roots - not even plump. Something also ate ALL the flowers in the wild flower garden. I feel like posting a help wanted ad - Wanted, strong person that's willing to help for NO money and unless the garden works, NO food. LOL.

New Mexico #1 Driest State w/ Fires Burning

I know its been a while since I posted here. The Mountain Garden Project is sort of at a stand still. I'm watering twice a day, just to try and keep a few things alive as New Mexico has been rated the #1 driest State. I have to say, plants are not doing well.

On top of that the no-see-ums are fierce this year. Last year they hardly touched me, this year I'm covered in bites just from watering. I did some study on the little buggers and am now armed with an herbal repellent, but the dry, dry air still makes it hard for humans to work.

We are all praying for the Monsoon season to start and bring rain. The rain will help the fire fighters battling several fires in the State. The rain will bring plants to life again. The rain will send the No-See-Ums back down into the dirt until next year.

Rewards in the Wild Flower Garden

Every morning I like to do a little walk about to see how the plants and trees are doing. Its just an enjoyable 15 minutes or so to say, "Good Morning," to the garden. This morning I was greeted by a beautiful red flower. Its little successes like this that make me feel rewarded for the hard work I've done.

I have little white flowers, little orange flowers, little yellow flowers
and one beautiful red flower :-)

Here's my beautiful red flower :-)

Snow on May 11th

This is what it looked like outside, yesterday morning.

Needless to say, not a lot of gardening got done. Over the day the snow did melt, but it never really got warm.

This morning I was able to get a video of a squirrel trying to get into the bird feeder. This little guy is hilarious - and his comedic timing is just perfect.

What this did make me rethink was the fencing around the veggie patch. With the plan I was working on, the tenacious squirrels and rabbits will STILL be able to get at the garden. I really do need to come up with another idea.

2 Little Spring Flowers

These 2 little Spring Flowers were found in the Garden area. Yesterday I moved them to Wildflower Garden #1 and put them in an area that had not sprouted. A wonderful bonus was that I also moved a worm, lol. I hope he / she likes its new home. I'll be moving more things in as I see them sprout. It's best to have Wildflowers that grow naturally in your area, rather than trying to grow something you don't know.

By the way, the fence around the Veggie Patch is STILL not done, lol.

Over these next 2 days we have high wind warnings so not much is going to get done. They are calling for sustained winds of 25 - 35 mph with gusts over 50 mph. We are praying for rain. It seems strange to me that just 2 States away they are dealing with flooding while we are dealing with drought and high wind (fire danger). I wish there was a way they could send some of their water this way.

Photo Update of the Garden Project

Yesterday I was able to get some pictures of the Garden Project, enjoy.

In The Veggie Patch
Baby Radish

Baby Lettuce

Wildflower Garden Area #1
Wildflower Garden Area #1 is starting to really green out.

This little flower came to visit - I need to learn its name.

Bonsai Oak Overlook
In this picture you can really see how Bonsai Oak is bent.
I can't wait till the buds turn into leaves.

Prepackaged Mullein?
PVC pipe for inserting fence posts. This Mullein decided it was a good place to grow.

Garden Update

The funny thing about living up on the Mountain is that everything you decide to do requires, at least, three things be done before you can get to your project. It all started on May 5 with wanting to build a small protective fence around the veggie patch (to keep the deer from eating everything).

Mom said she had a roll of Chicken wire, my preference, and to use this I would need to build a small wooden frame. No problem, there's a lot of wood up here. Over the years the wood had been piled by the corner garden - it was a mess. Not only did it look terrible, but it wasn't organized and finding anything was difficult. So, instead of building the fence, the first order of business became moving the three piles of wood and organizing them. This was a big project that took the whole morning (work stops in the afternoon because of the Spring winds that blow hard at this altitude).

The following day (May 6) the snow had pretty much melted so I figured I better get the well set up for watering (I already have seeds planted and they need water). Keep in mind I still needed to build that fence. Water up here needs to come from the well - the outdoor house faucet runs from the water softener and that's like watering plants with salt water (learned that mistake last year). So the ordeal begins by going out to the well and lifting the handle. I was smart I brought the hose with me, hooked it up and attached the spray nozzle. The first thing I found out was that the hose JUST makes it to the garden, it's not long enough to get into the garden. "Oh well - I'll still water what I can and fill up the watering can for the rest." All the way back up to the house to turn on the pump, then all the way back down to the hose to find that the spray nozzle is cracked and spraying all over heck. Now - not wanting to do all that walking again I just decide to get wet and get the spray nozzle off. 15 minutes later I'm soaking wet but the garden got watered too. All the way back up to the well (taking the hose with me) to turn it off. The rest of the morning was spent digging out the other hose to attach it for the length I need.

May 7: Composting is down the cliff - we had buckets of stuff that needed to go in. I can't climb down the cliff with buckets of compost material and shovel so that's driving around to get down there. Needless to say that was a whole mornings worth of work as that area needed tending as well. And - the hoses down there are all split so there I have another water problem. To top it off I find the Chicken wire has been used by my brother to build the compost bins. There is some VERY heavy wire 'fencing' (normally used for laying under concrete) that I can use for my veggie fence (now I don't need the wood (organized on May 5), ha ha ha).

Mother's Day - May 8: "TODAY I'll get the fence built!" I thought. In order to move that heavy fencing material I needed the wheelbarrow. The first job became changing the wheelbarrow tire. After I get that job done Mom suggests maybe between the two of us we can get the fencing down to the garden without the wheelbarrow (the tire needed to be changed anyway). So, between a 78 year old woman and a 54 year old woman - we decide to carry it. Picking the fencing up, there is a part I didn't see sticking out, it cuts my leg. Now, with Multiple Sclerosis, any bad cuts turn into cramping and ouchy so - although we get the fencing down to the veggie patch - the rest of day is lost.

Today I go to the Clinic to get a tetanus shot.

Baby Yarrow

One of the little garden areas is a Corner Garden that my Mother created many years ago. Those are Scruff Oak in the center, she transplanted some Yucca, encircled the space and that was as far as she got. The green behind the Scruff Oak is a Cederwood (just a Bush now) and the tall green way in the back is a Ponderosa Pine. Over the years some Yarrow came to play in the little area.

Here's a closer look at the Baby Yarrow that came to visit.

At this stage of life they look so much like a little fern.

Snow In May

What happened to all the work going on in the Mountain Garden Project? Snow happened.

And that's what living on the mountain is all about, ha ha.

So right after all the great little seeds were put into the ground - we had a few days of snow. On one hand it's good, all the garden areas got a good soaking as the snow melted. However on the other hand, I'm afraid a few things may be lost.

Today - May 5th - the weather is wonderful and I'm heading out to take a good look around.

My Bed Is Made

To most gardeners having a small area like this is easy. But up here, at 7,800 feet on rock mountain, there was a lot of work just to get it to this point. This spot is about 6 feet wide by about 4 feet deep. It will be a small vegetable patch for us to enjoy.

Just to give you an idea of what went into getting this area ready, here's the pile of rocks that came out. I put my gardening gloves down so you could get an idea of how much (and how big) these rocks are. My goal was to get a full shovel down in and be able to turn the dirt over. It took getting all these rocks out - just to allow that to happen.

Later this afternoon - if the wind holds back - I'm going to get the seeds in the ground. I'm planting: 2 - 3 Tomato plants, a small patch of Chives, Spinach, Lettuce, a few Radishes, 2 - 3 Basil plants, 2 - 3 Bell Pepper plants, and some Eatable Pod Peas. It will be a blessing just to see some green garden plants coming up.

2 Days of Snow

Mom reminded me that Dad used say it was 'safe' to go up to the mountain after April 15 - No More Snow. NOT THE CASE, this year.

We had near blizzard conditions on Easter Sunday, and it snowed for the next two days as well. True - the ground isn't frozen so its not accumulating large amounts. However, it has been bitter cold and working in a garden area just isn't fun with the white stuff flying around.

Finally, today, the strange weather seems to be over. No more snow predicted, just sunshine - but it will still be cold. Needless to say the garden bed I've been working on WILL get finished today and I want the seeds in the ground.

A Veggie Spot

After a lot of hard work last year, and no green rewards, I decided that I would create a small veggie spot this year. Hopefully I'll get some Wild Flowers in Wild Flower Garden Area #1 - and if I'm lucky I'll get some Veggies in this new spot too.

There's a small area of good dirt behind the workshop. It had been covered with a lot of trash - water barrels, old sinks, plastic and just stuff that blew in. The trash needed to be picked up and the dirt turned for the first time (ever).

My brother helped me move the barrels and the sink out of the way. And my brother suggested hooking this sink up to a water catchment system. Now that would be nice.

So, after picking up the garbage I started turning the dirt over. GUESS WHAT? The area already has WORMS!!! Now I'm REALLY excited. This guy was tucked back into his home after his picture was taken. What this tells me is that the dirt here IS good enough for gardening.

The only bad thing is that I have a nasty cold so my energy level is non-existent. I guess I'll try again tomorrow.

Special Areas Waiting For Spring

All we need is a good rain and a few warm days for Spring to really start popping up here. Maybe the rain will come on Wednesday - I sure hope so. In the mean time there are a lot of areas just waiting for it.

Memorial Flat Spot
The first flat area that my Dad built in around 1980. If it wasn't for the little tufts of green coming up in Wild Flower Garden #1, in front of it, the area looks more like Fall or Winter. I do have to get in there and rake up those leaves. The compost bins need that carbon.

Mushroom Rest
Mushroom Rest is still nothing more than a tree stump. This year it needs to be transformed into the whimsical area.

Scruff Oak Grove
Honestly, this looks like a bunch of dead little trees. I know it will come back, but it sure doesn't look very inviting right now. The good part is that I need to rake up those leaves, for compost, too.

Bonsai Oak
This sit spot also needs a lot of work. I love the fact that this Scruff Oak grew to look kind of like a Bonsai Tree - you can actually see the curve in the truck in this picture. The area overlooks the cliff and beautiful nature below. It will be a wonderful place to just sit and talk with friends.

Spring Is Just Arriving

At 7,800 feet above sea level Spring comes a little later - and that's a good thing because I have my work cut out for me. I arrived on the Mountain late night April 12, spent a few days unpacking, and this morning I had to head out to see how the Mountain Garden Project faired over the winter. The first thing that stuck me were all the deer tracks on the paths. It looks to me like the deer kept to the paths as they walked through. Below is a picture of a small area, but these tracks were totally up and down all the paths.

Also up and down the paths are a lot of plants - mostly Mullein. It looks like I didn't get them out as well as I thought I did.

And this is my first Spring Flower! Actually, I LOVE Dandelions.

This was the BEST find. That's little green plants coming up in Wild Flower Garden #1. If you'd like to see the work that was put into this area click here. Even if it's all weeds, I'm happy because something is actually growing.

Problem #2: Deer

Face it, if I put in yummy vegetation and water I'm going to get a serious number of these guys.

Not to mention the Wild Turkeys, Bear, Rabbits, Squirrels - and all the meat eaters going after them like Coyotes, Cougars, and Bob Cats.

The only solution is fencing - but what kind? At the beginning I will most likely just encircle the few plants out there with supported chicken wire - and take my losses. But I am really going to need a more permanent and secure fencing for the long term. Insert what the land gives me. I have rocks to build secure supports and one of the most amazing kinds of wood - Cedarwood - for in between.

For many Centuries Cedarwood was used as the primary wood in this location for fencing, telegraph poles, home building and much more. It's very resistant to bugs and can stand decades without rot (and that's with nothing put on it). This entire country side is littered with Cedarwood to the point of being able to pick and choose without hurting the forest in any way.

That leaves me with the final question. What to fence in? Honestly, on my own I don't think I could fence the property - and I don't want to. One of the joys of this area is seeing all these animals, followed closely by the feeling of freedom and wide open country. There is no way I want to put a fence around it and block myself in. And one more thing, I WANT the wildlife to visit and enjoy. I am building this for them too.

At this point my thought is simply to fence in the actual 'vegetable' garden area leaving plenty of room for paths and gardening FOR wildlife around it. The actual vegetable garden area is a circle and that part will be fenced in.

Problem #1: Water

Yes, I know, I live a mile away from this big, beautiful lake.
How could I have a water problem?

First: Heron Lake is a man made lake. It's proper name is Heron Reservoir - so named after an engineer from the early 1900s, Kenneth A. Heron, who was said to have realized that water could be 'tanked' and held from the wetter areas of the north, to help the arid regions of the south. Heron Dam, finished about 1971, is what creates this beautiful, 5,900 acre lake. The key word in the sentence above is "arid". Heron Reservoir / Lake is located in the High Mountain (arid) Desert of New Mexico. This lake is primarily filled by snow melt from the north. Our lake / reservoir feeds into several others many miles to the south.  Ranchers and Farmers buy allotments of water, from these reservoirs, so they don't deplete the ground water tables.

Second: On our property we have a well. The water is nasty, smelling strongly of sulfur, and is filled with iron. The water is filtered to the house and one stop is a water softener that uses water softener salts. From the water softener is connected the outdoor hose. Beyond that is a reverse osmosis system to provide drinking water. So - what happens to plants when you water them with salt water?

The water, directly from the well, needs to out gas before it's used. At first I had wild ideas that involved buying storage tanks to out gas - and rain water catchment systems. Both ideas were very costly and not practical, just to build a Mountain Garden.

Then a little while ago I had an idea. Instead of trying to build something 'new' why not use something 'old' that already works (duh)? Around this area Rangers and Farmers build great systems of water holding that they call 'tanks'. Many of these connected by little streams to move the water where they want it. They look like beautiful little ponds to me. These are filled with their allotment of water, rain and snow water, and in some cases well water.

I need to build something like this - on a MUCH smaller scale. A series of little (but deep), connected ponds would not only out gas the well water, but catch rain and snow. Planting around the ponds and little connecting streams would allow me to water the garden by putting a hose in an upper pond - using the natural grade of the land (which until this idea I cursed - now I realize my blessing) to move the water through the entire garden area - without a pump!

Another advantage is that the dirt that comes out of a pond area - to make it - can be moved to an area I want to level out. So now all I have to figure out is how one 54 year old woman, a wheelbarrow, and a shovel are going to get this done, ha ha.

Garden Thinking & Florida

I have had the AWESOME pleasure of being in Florida for the winter.

Instead of this: Snow On The Mountain


I got to enjoy this in January: On The Way To Lochloosa


And this in January: Warm Water

As a true addict - while enjoying a FALL garden in Florida ...
November 05, 2010

I was also trying to solve New Mexico garden problems.
(I know - he's ADORABLE - but he also eats gardens.)

Picture Taken by Linda C. while visiting in New Mexico.

The next few posts - before I get back to New Mexico - will be Mountain Garden Project problems, and possible solutions. Boring to some, I know, but important if I want this garden to succeed.