Fruit Trees and Peas

Oh how exciting!  Most of you probably do not know my stance on box store plants.  I worked in a garden center for 3 years, studied horticulture in college (will probably go back and get my associates in horticulture, as I'm over halfway there), and have a degree in Botany.  I like plants.  I have been gardening since I was 14.  I wanted a compost bin for my 16th birthday.  I've been doing this stuff for a while, just not on a large scale.  So, on box stores (home improvement stores, discount stores, you know which ones I'm talking about), they do not train their employees how to take care of the plants they have in stock.  Yesterday, I was at the blue home improvement store, and this lady was drowning succulents.  Succulents live in the desert and prefer to dry out between waterings.  As a rule, I don't ever buy plants from box stores.  They're more trouble than their worth, because no matter how good they look, they always have to be nursed back to health.  And if you aren't an expert (not that I am, I just have a lot of experience), they most likely won't make it and you have wasted your money.

BUT, my exception to the rule is right now.  In Oklahoma, they have JUST received their plant shipments this week straight from the grower (the grower's leftovers, but still, the grower).  Most people cannot kill a plant in a week, or do irreversible damage.  I found some really nice fruit trees that I'm going to get for our property.  I know Daddy and R will appreciate fresh fruit from the tree.  I'm not much of a raw fruit person (besides bananas and grapes), but I will enjoy them cooked, baked, canned, etc.  I'm so excited!  Daddy's bringing home two apple trees tonight.  I'll have to get my holes ready before he gets home.  Yay!  (BTW, if you decide that you also want fruit trees, apples have to have 2 different varieties to put on fruit, but peaches and plums do not.  Not sure on pears).  It's so fun to grow stuff.  

My pea beds are started.  I got posts in the ground, and my boxes down.  I subscribe to the Lasagna method of gardening.  I highly recommend it because it makes gardening easy and un-complicated.  It's for beginners and more experienced gardeners.  But for lasagna gardening, you smother the grass with boxes or newspaper.  It looks odd, but it works and makes the soil black and rich.  We have red dirt/sand here, so I need serious help in the soil department.  It's easy, but you may be considered "that" neighbor.  I know I was when I had shredded paper all over my garden.  But it works and it's easy and it's organic.  

That's probably enough gardening soap boxes and product plugs today.  I'll post pictures of my pea beds and fruit trees later!