Gardening in the Desert

Saturday, October 28, 2000
Planted Sweet Pea seeds.

Sunday, October 29, 2000
Prepared my garden bed for two tomato plants. I also moved a mound of dirt that has been displaced for the past couple of years.

Thursday, November 2, 2000
Bought tomato plants and common mint at Home Depot. Also, purchased organic compost at Target. $3.19 for each 42 liter bag.

Friday, November 3, 2000
Transplanted two Early Girl tomato plants.

Saturday, November 11, 2000
The Sweet Pea flowers are coming up well and most are 2" in height. I still don't have my chicken wire trellis up. Soon I will need to weed the seedlings to 5" apart. Planting should be done two days before the new moon, I hope to have my vegetable garden ready for seeds by then.

From the Farmer's Almanac site: "THE BEST TIME to plant flowers and vegetables that bear crops above ground is during the light of the Moon; that is, from the day the Moon is new to the day it is full. Flowering bulbs and vegetables that bear crops below ground should be planted during the dark of the Moon; that is, from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again. The Moon Favorable columns at right give these Moon days, which are based on the Moon's phases for 2000 and the safe periods for planting in areas that receive frost. See the chart of frosts and length of growing season. See Heavenly Details for the exact days of the new and full Moons."

Heavenly details, dates of new and full moons for November, 2000:
First Quarter: 4th day, 2nd hour, 27th minute
Full Moon: 11th day, 16th hour, 15th minute
Last Quarter: 18th day, 10th hour, 24th minute
New Moon: 25th day, 18th hour, 11th minute

Target planting dates: (Two days before the new moon for above ground)
November 23, 2000
December 23, 2000
January 22, 2001
February 21, 2001
March 22, 2001
April 28, 2001
May 27, 2001