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A16 November 2018 • Community • www.lwca.com Residential general contractor Licensed, bonded and insured ROC #297033 We do anything from bathroom and kitchen updates to full home remodels and additions, as well as in-house blueprint development. We take the time to understand your needs and concerns and work closely with you to prepare personalized designs based on “your” vision. We’ll help you make decisions based on how you plan to live for the years to come. We are committed to superb craftsmanship and attention to detail. Contact Miguel Condit at 602-501-5543 or email at miguel.condit@yahoo.com (602) 833-0414 support@azcleanupcrew.com www.azcleanupcrew.com We remove almost anything you can think of. Furniture, Landscape Debris, Renovation Debris, Cardboard Boxes, and Much More! Our main focus is on giving the customer a joyful service experience while helping them with their junk removal needs. Call us at (602) 833-0414 for your free estimate! H o n e s t • P r o f e s s i o n a l Family Owned SECURE PEACE OF MIND P A P E R L E S S S O L U T I O N S Estate Planning • Trusts • Wills Elder Law • Trust Administration Asset Protection Planning Probate • Online Digital Vault Online & Email Planning F R E E CONSU L TAT I ON Offices in North Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler and Mesa 480.924.4424 • www.DANA.legal R ICHARD H EFFELMAN DVM 1155 S. Power Road Ste. 113 Mesa, AZ 85206 S u p e r s t i t i o n A n i m a l H o s p i t a l (480) 396-4900 superstitionanimalhospital@yahoo.com check us out on facebook Mesa- NWC McKellips & Gilbert Rd. Gilbert - Coming 2018! Chandler - Coming 2018! 480-207-1852 480-319-1960 www.HappyPetsPalace.com Overnight Boarding • Daycare • Puppy Training By Paula Schwartzmann I’m fromChicago and if anyone told me they were going to plant vegetables in November, I’d tell them they are off their rocker. But once again, another advantage of living in the low desert is that you can plant and harvest vegetables in the fall throughout the spring—including the winter! A neighbor asked for advice about raised bed gardening. Although my vegetable garden is in-ground, here are some tips for a successful raised bed garden. First, select a site that will get six to eight hours of full sun in all four seasons—preferably morning sun and afternoon shade. Make sure the site is near a water source and has easy access for bringing soil amendments, working the soil and harvesting the fruit. Avoid planting under shrubs or trees since they will leach the nutrients from your garden. Then, prepare your soil. Traditional in-ground gardens use native soil and are amended with compost, while raised bed gardens usually consist of 100 percent purchased garden soil. Consider adding some native soil to a raised bed’s soil because although our native soil has lots of clay, it is full of nutrients that plants need to thrive. Before planting, work fertilizer into the soil to a depth of 10- to 12 inches. A fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorus is best, for example ammonium phosphate (16-20-0). Do not work the soil when it is too wet. The Joys of Seed Selection Selecting seeds can be an enjoyable yet overwhelming experience. The number one criteria for seed selection in our area is “days to maturity.” Our temperatures keep rising, creating shorter growing seasons. Look for seed varieties that have 60-90 days to maturity, preferably closer to 60. It’s printed on the seed packet. Choose crops that you like to eat, or ones that are expensive in the grocery store and are easy to grow. Be curious and experiment with unusual varieties. I’m growing Romanescu broccoli. It’s a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. I can’t wait to try it! Plant according to the Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County. I cannot stress this enough. Growing seasons are topsy-turvy from where you used to live. It’s November and you can still plant leafy and root vegetables and peas. But it’s too late for tomatoes and peppers. Follow the directions on the seed packet, making sure you leave room for the mature size of the plant. Keep Animals Away The rabbits and birds have discovered a new restaurant in my backyard! Nothing is more frustrating than spending all that time digging, fertilizing and planting. And then have rabbits eat your tender new shoots or birds eat the seeds or go rooting around and pulling up those precious baby sprouts! Some solutions I’ve found: First, I put a wire fence around the garden to keep out the rabbits. Then, after I’ve planted my seeds, I place a piece of tulle (fabric netting you can buy at any fabric store) over the soil and hold down the edges with rocks. This prevents the birds from getting to the seed and pecking around in the soil. I hope that you will be harvesting from your garden to your table soon. Joyful gardening! -Paula Schwartzmann is a Maricopa County Master Gardener. THE TRANSPLANTED GARDENER Harvesting from Garden to Table: Raised Bed Garden Tips

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