Granted, I've never really tried either.
Desert Arizona is not the most amenable growing climate after all. My brother Tim was/is able to coax anything out of the soil, but I never really tried. Well, other than that one time after I moved back in with my parents when, fresh with knowledge from my job at the arboretum, I planted quite a few transplants in the back yard.
Tim took it over shortly after and my desert penstemons and Tombstone roses were replaced with melons and grape vines. I'd only been gone three days, on a custody change trip to Vancouver.
Yes I'm still pissed, why do you ask?
Anyway, just because opportunity never really knocked doesn't mean I don't drool over seed catalogs and seedlings. If anything really stopped me before, it was the fact that most of what I wanted to grow doesn't really do well in Zone 9.
When we originally started our search for a new place to live (long story, we'll eventually get around to it) one of my primary criteria involved being able to grow what I wanted to grow. Apples. Berries. Nuts. Grains. Peaches. Cherries.
Every time I pass the nursery on Hwy 95 that sells huckleberry plants I want to pull in and buy a dozen. Even though we're renting and I can't really plant ANYTHING that involves marring the gorgeous lawn.
However, the property has a greenhouse and the greenhouse is all mine.
After 2 1/2 weeks of farmer's markets, I've finally gotten all the seedlings I want for the greenhouse. All started locally, all cheap as hell, all free from sales tax. All easily transplantable when we move, and all more than happy to be in the greenhouse.
The girls and I spent part of this afternoon weeding and planting and we're all excited to see what comes of our plants.
We ended up with 2 each of:
Brandywine Tomato
Tommy Toe Tomato
Glacier Tomato
Giant Thai Pepper
Cyklon Pepper
Fish Pepper
Habanero Pepper
Hopefully this summer we'll end up with plenty of ripe tomatoes and hot peppers.
