Thursday, December 29, 2011

Garden planning time!!!

Well, the end of the year is near, the winter wonderland is in full force in parts of the country and the mail box is full of gardening catalogs.  I guess that would make it Garden Planning Time, time to start thinking about what you are planning to plant.

Some people will start thinking about planting their first garden, well, there is tons of cool sites out there that give great advice to what, when, where and how to plant.  Right now we are starting our Tomato seeds, (see post below), and prepping the ground for a plant date of Feb 15, that is if the weather holds, see, this year we had a hard freeze on  Feb 3rd and 4th, it got to 20 degrees.  So, we have to be careful in planting too early.

So, what are you planning for this year? If you live where the soil is rich and full of goodness, that is great, but if you live where the soil is bad, like at my house, then you have to find an alternative for growing a garden.  I have setup raised garden kits in my yard and filled them with great compost and this should give me the start that I need.

Wow, I just looked out my window and I see a covey of Valley Quail in my yard, at least they are eating the weed seeds that are ever present in my area.

Well, time to get ready for work and I will take the garden catalogs with me to look at and plan.

Happy Gardening!!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Seed planting time.

OK, I thought about this and will have to say that I am going to document our, that is mine and my dad's, gardening for the year 2012.  We are in the Phoenix Arizona area and with summers hitting 115 degrees, we have a mild winter with highs in the 60's and lows in the low 30's.

Growing tomatoes is one of the fun and hardest things to do.  This last year, on my dad's place we grew tomatoes, peppers, green beans, okra, eggplants, onions, carrots, beets, chard, herbs, squash and peas with mixed results.  We grew them in Earthtainers and raised beds, that we made ourselves and are for sale, and right now with the experiments and downfalls that we have had, we hope to do better this year.

My dad has started tomato seeds today and here is the list, I also ordered some current tomato seeds and will see how they do here in the heat.
Black Krim
Box Car Willie
Cherokee Purple
Red Boar
Roma
Solar Flare
Ildi
Carmello

The currant tomatoes will be
Sweet Pea Currant
Gold Rush Currant
Chiapas Wild-Heirloom

This year we will be doing things differently than the last two seasons, yes, here in Phoenix area we have two seasons, maybe three, thanks to the mild winters. We will be using more organic fertilizers in our garden, I think we burned our plants in the fall with too strong of water soluble fertilizer in our Earthtainers and it burned the roots as all of our plants had a very hard time right from the start until we removed the fertilizer strip, then they did better.  I will have pictures here soon after the first of the year.

Thanks for reading about our work and I hope to have more information on our Raised Garden items and our tests of growing heirloom plants here in the hot southwest desert.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Time

Well, Well, it is December 24th 2011 and what happened to this year, it just flew by.  So, I thought I would wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the people at Allred's Outback.

I have posted a few pictures of a Raised garden growing, our new 15" miter saw setup in the shop, colorful carrots that were harvested, and our newest member of the team, she is our Quality Assurance tester and is just out right adorable, our Grand Daughter sitting in the childrens furniture.

So, have a great time for the last week of the year and spend the time with family and friends.  Take Care!!!

Raised Garden
New Miter Saw Setup
Colorful Carrots

Our new Assistant, My Grand Daughter.

That is all for now, check out our Furniture and Garden pages, prices are on the Ordering page.

Thanks and have a wonderful Merry Christmas
David

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Raised Gardens

Now that the year is almost over, it is time to start thinking about 2012 gardening seasons.  Here in Mesa Arizona, the weather almost gives you year round gardening with proper planning.  Here is a link for planting your garden in the desert, Urban Farm, this is great information for sowing seeds or planting transplants and what will grow here in the desert year round.

The raised garden kits that we sell are great for the desert, we have a 6" deep kit that is great for all crops except root vegetables, the 11.5" deep kit will bring you garden up closer to you and will also allow you to plant deep rooting plants like Carrots and Celeriac.

If you have a bad back, you can get the 17" high kit, but to save money, you can fill the first 6-8" with sand, then soil to the top.

We have all of these sizes made to order to fit your needs.  Check back for more information in the future.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Great Weather in Arizona

Wow, we had 2.5" of rain over the last 2 weeks, that is very unusual but very needed in this dry desert.  The mountains have snow and not just a little bit but quite a bit, at White Mountains Sunrise Ski Park they have received over 53" of snow and more on the way. SO, what does this have to do with spending time outside? I'll tell ya, right now the Phoenix area is having a best weather, highs in the mid 60s with lows in the low 40s. great weather to be outside in the day time.

It is time to start looking at getting your garden ready for the spring planting, that is only 2 months away. Here in the Phoenix area the average last day of frost in between Feb 10th to the 20th. Typically you could plant your tomatoes on Feb 15th and they will be fine. Last year we had a killing freeze 3 days in a row starting on Feb 20th, that was a fluke, but you have to be ready for it.

So, start planning, and if you don't have a garden, check out our raised garden beds, they are great, can go anywhere even on top of concrete. There is not an excuse that you can make not to have at least a 4'x4' garden outside your kitchen window with fresh herbs to make your cooking experience grow.

We have all kinds of garden sizes and even the garden frost protection blankets that you can use to protect your vegetables from freezing, I know, my father used his to protect his tomatoes about 2 weeks ago and had ice on top of the cages, they were wrapped in the frost blankets and his plants did not know it froze. 

So, check them out, give us a call and we can set them up in your yard for a minor setup fee.  We do all the work, bring in the soil and will give you some pointers on getting the plants planted and watered.

Thanks for reading and get outside and get your hands in the dirt, you will like it and your plants will too.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Rain in Arizona

I has been raining for about 24 hours straight, we need this rain and will take every drop.  The garden is doing great and with the vinyl sides we don't have to worry about it splitting or rotting with all this moisture.  Also, the furniture is standing up to the wet weather just fine, in fact the chair in front of my home looks brand new with it being wet.

The Western Red Cedar that is used for the furniture is the perfect wood for outdoor use. It resists rot, insect damage and looks great either sealed or unsealed.  My chair is unsealed and has so far lasted 2 years in the Arizona cool and hot climate.

Look at our furniture and raised garden items, they will last for a very long time and are worth every penny.

Oh, I said it was raining here, so far in about 24 hours we have received between 0.25" to 1.5" of rain, depends where you are standing here in the Valley of the Sun.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Great day in Arizona

Yes, it is a great day to be in Arizona, 72 degree high, slight breeze and slightly cloudy, could not ask for a better day. Well, yea I could, I could be outside, but I am working and that is good also.

Yesterday and today, my oldest daughter and her sister-in-law put together a Christmas Bliss Boutique, it has a lot of cool things for sale from 15 crafty people. My furniture is there along with the garden items that we have, in fact, we even show the garden growing behind the house in our raised beds.  I am proud of my Daughters work in getting this together. Next year it will be even better.

Today, while I sit at my desk and study for an exam at work, I will also be updating the website with pictures and descriptions of the furniture and garden items that we offer.  But first, here is a picture of my Granddaughter sitting in one of my children sized furniture, she is such a sweetheart.

Notice how she is just enjoying the chair.

If the weather permits, spend it outside, you will enjoy it!!!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

First night of freezing weather

Wow, it actually snowed in the Las Sendas area just about 2 miles north of my home on Saturday 12/3/11. Of course it did not stay but for a moment on the ground, but it was coming down. We get snow here in the Valley of the Sun every few years, just a dusting and does not last for more than a few hours, but what the heck, it snowed.  No my Daughter who moved to Orem, Utah, last year says that we know nothing about the cold weather, I would agree, but we are 650 miles south of her and it should be warmer here.

So, yesterday I put the frost protection blanket on my vegetables that could be damaged by a freeze, as on Monday 12/5 it should be around 27-32 degrees at my home in the morning hours. Just to play it safe for the one Tomato plant that I have the hopes of growing through this winter, I placed a 60 watt light bulb under the blanket and hope that it will help.

I will let you know how it worked out when I check the temp and the plants in the morning.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Arizona Weather

It has been a few weeks since my last post, been busy with work and work and work.

The weather here in the Phoenix area is just fantastic, highs are in the upper 50's to mid 60's and lows are getting close to freezing.  Now with that, those with gardens need to protect the frost sensitive plants, I just covered my tomato and tomatillo plants with a 6-10 degree frost blanket. You can leave these frost blankets on for some time if your weather is cold for a number of days, but if it gets hot, like it will here in Arizona, you will need to take off the blanket or you could cook your plants.

I know that the rest of the country is almost covered in snow but for those that have a milder climate these frost blankets can keep your plants living for a possible early harvest of vegetables in the spring. If you have room and are looking to planting a garden, check out our raised gardens, they make it easy to plant a garden in a small space, does not require digging, heavy machinery, or dynamite to get the ground ready. Our system just clips together, no tools required, and can be setup in minutes.  Add the correct amount of soil and plant your plants, that is all, well, maybe you should water them at least once a week.  Well, check out the Gardening section and we will have the prices placed on the Ordering section soon.

Thanks for reading, and remember, Gardening is relaxing with nature!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

New and Improved

As time goes by, I have been working on this web site and have found that I am enjoying this.  But my real enjoyment is working in the shop or helping my father perfect is gardens. for some silly reason it is very relaxing and a break from my hectic work schedule is needed.

Many times I want to make a cabinet, jewelry box, something cool for my Grand Daughter, or just mess around in the shop. When I can't go to the shop I enjoy sitting in my Adirondack chair in front of my house, enjoying the great AZ weather and just relax.

Gardening is great, I grew up on a farm and love growing things, from grass, (which does not like my yard) to cattle. Making things from scratch is also one of my favorite things, I find I would rather design, build, modify and make one item, then off to another project.  But in order to get this business off and going I need to step up and get the brain working and market the great products that we make.  Everything is made by hand and to order, nothing is made out of this country, so I am PROUD to say that the furniture and garden kits are "MADE IN THE USA".

Take a look at the items, I know, I need to post pictures and descriptions for the items, but at least I am working on it. 

Friday, November 18, 2011

Furniture and Gardens

Many people are sitting in their nice warm homes at this time of year thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas, drinking their favorite warm beverage and maybe a cookie or two.

But for us here at Allred's Outback & More, we are thinking of ways to make your spring time a more enjoyable time, with comfortable outdoor furniture, raised gardens with flowers, tomatoes, peas, carrots, radishes, beets, strawberries and other items that you love, growing in a weed-free environment, raised higher to relieve your aching back when you garden.  Just think about it, needing to only bend over slightly to pluck a carrot from the ground, to be able to see the tomatoes at eye level and pick the reddest, ripest, fresh tomato that you have ever eaten.

Garden furniture that is so comfortable that you won't want to leave it to pick your ripe tomato. Tables and gliders so inviting that your friends and family will stay longer when they visit you.  That old Adirondack style of furniture that is very American and loved by millions could be yours, on your porch, lawn or garden, giving it style and pizazz.

We have it all, Raised Gardens and Great Furniture, see our lists and order right away.

Furniture

We have been building outdoor furniture for over 2 years and the quality is first-class.  All of our furniture is designed to be outdoors, used and loved as they should be.  The wood we create with is Western Red Cedar and all pieces are made out of 5/4 stock, that gives us finished 1" thick planks that are used to build our unique furniture.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

New Business Blog

This is the first blog of the new site for Allred's Outback and More.  We sell Adirondack-style outdoor furniture and other items related to enjoying life "outback": in your yard, your garden, and just anywhere outside.  Here in Arizona, we love being outside all year except for those hot summer months of June thru September.  The wood we use in our many great outdoor furniture products won't get hot like the metal chairs you find in the Big Box stores.