"jOhN" wrote in message
et...
Jonny wrote:
"Kathleen" wrote in message
...

C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to

plant

it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land on

foot

last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the
deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana and
a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers,
in a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil
isn't too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping
Springs sells good topsoil by the truckload.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00028.asp

The arsenic type pressure treated wood went away over 3 years ago. The new
type eats plain iron nails. Ask any framing carpenter. This is ACQ lumber,
and is common now. As opposed when the author wrote the webpage you quoted.

I use one high landscape timber. Reason is for the new growth easy to
start, and spread its roots. Original soil is simply unable to hold
moisture, but is fertile enough due to my treating it with decaying food
leftovers etc. for two years. Putting sandy soil w/peat over this soil did
the trick for holding moisture.

Another tip, if your soil is high alkaline, put a chicken coop and fenced
running area over it for a year or two. The manure is high in acid, and
very fertile. The chickens scratch it into the ground. Labor free. Rotate
the chicken coop every 3 years, with a garden location.
--
Jonny