Lost Valley Gardens | Vegetable Gardening

Looking Forward

By Carol ⋅ July 7, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

We have been keeping busy with harvesting, progression planting, fall crop planting and fall and winter crop planning. July is the critical time to get certain fall crops such as tomato, pepper, okra, and eggplant transplants in the ground to assure production before cold weather sets in. We also need to get pumpkins and winter […]

Officially Summer

By Carol ⋅ June 22, 2011 ⋅ 2 comments

We are still having temperatures over 100 F most days, although we finally got a half an inch of rain last night so we may only get to the upper 90s today. With a little luck we many even get another shower this afternoon! Amazingly the vegetable gardens are still looking healthy, growing and producing. […]

Big Challenges and Small Successes

By Carol ⋅ June 7, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

I knew farming in Central Texas was going to be challenging. Heat and drought tolerant plant varieties are a must for spring and summer crops. Raised beds and well conditioned garden soil help in dealing with the highly alkaline, caliche filled soil that is predominant in the hill country.

Exciting Discoveries

By Carol ⋅ May 19, 2011 ⋅ 5 comments

My next door neighbor, who is very knowledgeable about native Texas plants, spotted a very rare plant on his property recently and invited me over to see it. The plant is a Spiked Crested Coralroot Orchid (Hexalectris spicata). I have never heard of this plant, nor seen it anywhere else. It is very unusual and […]

Digging Deep

By Carol ⋅ May 3, 2011 ⋅ 5 comments

Farming and gardening in this part of Central Texas, especially since the effects of climate change have become more pronounced and frequent, require special methods and techniques to assure vegetable production and plant health. I have found that growing in raised beds filled with high quality soil and compost, with the sides and part of […]

Reflection and Renewal

By Carol ⋅ March 6, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

I have been occupying myself with caring for the transplants in the greenhouse and propagating more warm weather vegetables and herbs. I have also started putting some of the chard, broccoli, and cauliflower transplants out into the gardens, but had a bit of a setback last night due to the temperature dipping down to 26.

Preparation and Propagation

By Carol ⋅ February 22, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

The transplants in the greenhouse are thriving for the most part, although it has been a bit of a challenge keeping the greenhouse cool enough for the broccoli, chard and lettuce during the unusual warm period we have been experiencing for the past couple of weeks. The temp rose to 84 F outside yesterday, which […]

Full Time Organic Farming – My New Life

By Carol ⋅ February 6, 2011 ⋅ 5 comments

Some twelve or thirteen years ago Ron and I, disappointed in our corporate high tech jobs, set a goal of starting our own small business. We weren’t completely sure exactly what kind of business it would be at that point, just that it would involve growing plants and vegetables. And so we set out on our journey of learning and discovery. There was so much to know, so many decisions to make, so far to go to get where we wanted to be. It seemed overwhelming and confusing many times, but we kept moving along at a slow and steady pace.

Feels Like Fall At Last

By Carol ⋅ September 27, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments

Fall has always been my favorite season, but for different reasons as the years pass by. Many folks celebrate fall because it is harvest time, but I celebrate it here in central Texas because it is the beginning of our second growing season, and it spells relief from the sweltering summer heat for another year.

Trellis Project is Complete

By Carol ⋅ March 10, 2009 ⋅ 6 comments

Trellis construction is now complete and it looks really good. We found some copper covered post caps which tie in with the copper roofs of the bird houses that are mounted on the taller posts on either side of the stairs that lead to the lower garden. In keeping with the copper accents, I found some string lights with copper shades which I may purchase to string under the trellis, but I haven’t made up my mind on that purchase yet.

Greenhouse Produce Growing

By Carol ⋅ December 12, 2008 ⋅ 4 comments

We have a nice winter vegetable crop started in the greenhouse this year. We have half a dozen cucumbers, over twenty tomatoes, raspberries, lettuce, and some peppers. All of the plants are hooked up to a drip irrigation system. We are using liquid organic fertilizer applied in-line through the irrigation system which seems to be working really well. The plants are all very healthy and vigorous, with thick stalks and broad leaves. I will be planting spinach, chard, more lettuce, and some herbs over the holidays, which I can move out to the gardens later if we want to.

Finally, Fall

By Carol ⋅ October 10, 2008 ⋅ 2 comments

Fall gardening is in full swing here, despite the warm afternoon temperatures. We have had a couple of mornings in the 40s this past week, which feels pretty brisk first thing in the morning, but by 9 am it is already getting warm. I was out harvesting jalapenos and tomatoes for salsa-making this afternoon when […]

New Blooms and Veggies

By Carol ⋅ August 8, 2008 ⋅ 3 comments

I bought this The President Clematis from the Natural Gardener in the spring of this year, and it was green and covered with large purple blooms. I planted it in an eastern exposure where it gets full morning sun, and the top part of the plant gets midday and afternoon sun as well. There are garden sage plants at the foot of the plant to help shade the roots also. Several weeks after I planted it, the weather turned very hot and dry and all of the blooms fell off and the foliage started to turn a bit brown. No new growth was evident at all, until last week. There are now several new branches putting out leaves and setting flower buds. I am so pleased. I put this plant at the front entrance to the house hoping that it would be worthy of being showcased.

The Damage Done

By Carol ⋅ August 6, 2008 ⋅ 6 comments

Little did I know when I was admiring this sphinx moth earlier in the spring of the year, that it would turn into a monster worm that would try to decimate my tomato crop. I found three tomato hornworms in my tomato patch this morning, and much damage was already done.

Harvesting Peppers and Tomatos

By Carol ⋅ August 1, 2008 ⋅ 4 comments

Although it has been extremely hot so far this summer, I am starting to bring in a pretty good harvest of jalapeno and bell peppers, and tomatoes. I admit that I am using a lot of water to keep these plants happy enough to be bearing good quality produce, but the results are definitely worth it. I harvested over two pounds of bell peppers – small, but meaty and juicy, and almost two pounds of jalapeno peppers – all very nice looking. The large tomatoes are just starting to ripen, and they are fairly good quality, and the cherry tomatoes are producing lots of really tasty fruits.

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Vegetable Gardening