The Herb Lady

Catherine, "The Herb Lady", is coming to our Farmers' Market tomorrow! 

Find her blog here.

Read about National More Herbs, Less Salt Day here.

Following is a copy of the handout she'll have for us at the market.  This is great information, because it is so difficult to find planting guides for our unique climate here in Globe.  I'm excited to find out what else she has to share with us!

Globe Farmers Market – August 27, 2011

Catherine, The Herb Lady answers questions on growing edibles in the desert.

If you garden why not make it a “two-fer” you can enjoy the process, the variety, fragrance, texture and beauty and then you bring the bounty into the kitchen and create delicious
and healthy meals.

1) most edibles need as much direct sun as you can give them, at the very least a
minimum of 4-6 hours a day;
2) soil must be well-draining;
3) deep water and allow the soil to dry out some — use a moisture meter to avoid overwatering;

Globe area vs. Lower Valley (Phoenix Metro)

The Globe area is USDA Zone 7, Sunset Zone 10, Arizona Zone 4. The Phoenix Metro area is
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13 and Arizona Zone 1 and is considered Sub-Tropical with about
20 potential freeze nights a year - usually not a hard or killing frost as compared to Globe’s
colder winter nights with hard freeze. Globe’s primary growing season is April - November.
Tender perennials like tomatoes, basil, eggplant and peppers have to be treated as annuals in the
Globe area. All areas are capable of having warmer or colder ‘zone pockets.’ One neighborhood
a block away can be either cooler or warmer because of those pockets.
The primary difference between Globe USDA 7 and the others areas designated as 7 is
the intense sun of the high desert in Arizona. That sun intensity is the key to great taste and
nutrition in garden vegetables.

Suggested Globe Fall Planting September-November

July 1 - September 15 Chinese Cabbage
July 15 - September 15 Chard
July 15 - September 15 Carrot
July 15 - September 1 Lettuce, head
July 15 - September 15 Radish
July 15 - September 1 Lettuce, leaf (includes arugula and other leaf greens)
August 1 - September 15 Kale
August 15 - September 15 Turnip
November 1 - December 15 Onion, dry (seeds)
November 15 - January 15 Onion, dry (sets)

Incredible Edible Focus – Sweet Potato - the sweet potato, which is from a different plant
family than the Irish potato, has edible leaves and stems as well as the nutrient dense tuber with
skin. Plant slips in May, harvest greens through the summer as needed - “kitchen garbage” tip -
replant any unused harvested green with ‘leaf node’ for more green harvesting - will not grow
another tuber.

Email questions to: catherine@herbs2u.net
Have A Great Day In The Garden!