Family/Gardening Blog Revived!! 2014 Las Vegas Desert Gardening

My mind is always zigzagging in a million different directions! I have passion for so many things, but gardening + healthy living is a big one. From the moment I first stepped foot into our weed and rock covered Las Vegas backyard in the summer of 2011, I said that one day, the whole yard would be as edible as possible! I tried really hard the first year (2012), but I really had no idea what I was doing. Things grew - things failed. 2013 - I got busy - I just let the yard do whatever it wanted. The beginning of this year (2014) I really decided I wanted to try hard to make the yard grow. I have focused so far on things that I would eat the most rather than just growing for fun. Everything took a while to germinate, but they all seem to be moving along just fine.

I'm so excited to see how things mature in the years to come, especially the fruit trees. I pretty much screwed those up this year. I WAY over pruned them, probably cutting off most of the fruit bearing branches, boooo! But its ok. just gives everything more time to mature (including my gardening brain). I'm hoping to fill up both garden beds with veggies and herbs. This year I picked up 2 cubic yards of The Tomato Lady Soil! I've heard so many good things about her so I eventually want a bunch of that nice black dirt in my yard! 

Below are some BEFORE PICTURES......and then under that, are pictures of this years progression. Nothin perfect, but I'm tryin!

2011! Just moved in!

CURRENT 2014!

Apricot Tree! Trying to shape it. I kinda messed it up while pruning. I hope fruiting next year goes better! 

Garlic along with butterfly and humming bird flowers planted under each tree. I heard garlic is a good companion plant for fruit trees!

Peach tree! Growing good with a beautiful shape, BUT once again, pruned incorrectly taking off the fruiting branches! OOPS!!! Next year should be better :-) 

Pink Lady Apple tree. Nothing yet!

SUPPOSE TO BE green seedless grapes......Last year, they showed up tiny purple seeded grapes! BOO!!! I'm at least trying to care for them in a way that they will grow bigger. 

Second set of grapes! Lets see how these turn out!

Raspberry bush! Just got this one! Interested to see how well it does! Need to keep it away from my turtle!

Blueberry bush! I know that these generally do not grow well in the desert, but I have a game plan! I will keep you posted!

MINT! if you want something that smells yummy and wont die even if you wanted it to, try mint! This thing has been transplanted soooo  many times and it just keeps on growing!

2 different Texas Sage bushes! Love these when they flower!! So pretty!!

Garden bed #1. Its pretty bare compared to the number of seeds I put in, but its coming along! My second garden bed has been left empty for the time being. 

Romaine! so many aphids on these! Just sprayed down with some diluted castile soap today so I'm hoping that takes care of the problem...

Cilantro!! So happy to have this growing again! With a large Mexican family and taco dinners happening regularly, it will be nice to have this fresh!

Spinach! Love spinach in my salads and green smoothies!! Happy to have these growing!

3 different kids of onions! Purple, green and yellow! 

Carrots!! Love me some carrots!

Aloe! From a friends house! Always good to have some aloe around!

Cats Claw! I literally cut this entire thing back a month ago!! I thought it needed a fresh start! I was nervous to do it, but once this thing started growing again, it took off!!!! I cant wait to have it covering my patio. Just need to be careful because its not nice to stucco! 

Forgot what this is called. Just a random plant that I brought out from inside. Hoping it'll start doing better!

That's all folks!! I will try to update this more than ever 2 years :-)