Here is a view of some of my deck garden. This was taken on June 3 and it's already way bigger since it's gotten so hot! There are tomatoes on the vines now (though their health is questionable - I need to fertilize again), and the first eggplants and zucchinis have formed. I've been eating greens for a few weeks now.
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The garden is quite a bit smaller than last year. I planted less due a good deal to my limited time this go-round, and also because of our severe drought. I haven't planted any ornamentals this year - only food. I wish I could have grown more again this year but I fear this dreadful heat and lack of rain is going to be worse even than last year. At the current size, watering of the deck garden in the early morning about 5x a week consumes about 2-3 gallons of water each time, or about 12.5 gallons per week. I'm getting most of that water collected in a bucket from the bathtub leak that still needs fixing - hopefully I get that fixed soon but in the mean time the water is not wasted. I would absolutely LOVE to grow more if I had the time to devote to it.
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I can justify the water use for food, but the astonomical amounts still being used by others for swimming pools, lawns, and golf courses is really driving me bats. I do one load of laundry per week, run the dishwasher once per week, take as short showers as I can, and try to save water wherever else possible, but then I see sprinklers turned on lawns and for what?
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I do confess I am dying to do something to make my front yard look nicer, but I don't know if I'll do it with plants now. Our watering restrictions are severe and my postage-stamp yard is not only full shade but DRY. Maybe I'll treat myself to a couple more potted shrubs, put some outdoor art out there, and call it a day. My boxwood seems to be thriving no matter how much it's neglected. I'm honestly considering planting cacti in - does aloe do well in the shade?
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