Welcome to steve_nv's Member Page

See my Clippings See my Journal See my trade list Send me an email

Having spent most of our life along the Wasatch Front in Utah, this living on the edge of the "40 Mile Desert" in Northern NV has definitely presented a new set of challenges.
2002 will be our 3rd growing season in this area. Last year we had the biggest bulbed garlic crop we've grown anywhere. The Swiss Chard transplants didn't make it long enough to tell if they liked the soil or the water. 3 days in the ground before they were munched all the way, including the roots.
Planted tomatoes 3 times last season, the last time was near the end of July. We did get to eat 8 of our own homegrown.
We ended up resorting to chemical fertilizer tabs last year to save the remaining 2 of our original 6 fruit trees planted our first year.
We spent last year building additional movable chicken shelters and moving them around the back yard where we hope to grow grass this year if we can get the sprinkler system in. The cleanings from the nesting areas have been incorporated into our garden area for this year, assuming we will come up with effective/affordable methods of keeping the critters away from the good stuff. Still not enough ammended areas to overwhelm the local wildlife to the point they leave some for us.
The "Old Timers" in the area say they started with much the same as we now have. Some of the best canteloupe in the nation is grown 2.5 miles from where we are ("Hearts of Gold"), also an apple orchard and plenty of alfalfa fields.
We have high hopes of making our little portion of the desert blossom like a rose. Still a way to go though, we've already managed to introduced three roses to an untimely demise.
We'll keep trying and with the help of those we meet at Garden Web and local ag agents, and local nuseries, and, and, and... we will make it blossom!
Even with the new challenges and landscaping in several shades of brown we sure have a good time out here!
Have an enjoyable and productive year!