Anybody Around Lind/Ritzville WA?

[HorseGal]

I just moved to the area and was curious as to what you all grow out here...I realize it might be late to plant some things but I just wanted may be a little herb garden and some basic veggies. My soil is pretty dry, dusty and compacted and I know I will have to till and add manure to it. What sort of things do you do to your soil?

I was also curious to see if anybody else lived out near me that might be willing to share their knowledge. Thanks In Advance!

[BoldtsWagon]

I assume you have irrigation water. It only rains about 7 inches/yr, mostly in the winter.

[HorseGal]

I don't have irrigation water....I live in a small house with a reasonable back yard. The landlord said the lot was about 100x50 and the house is only 1,000 sqft...

[doulanobles]

I am in the Spokane area, newly here from the Tacoma area. Big difference, water wise, huh? I'm waiting to buy land this summer so I'm of no immediate help but my eventual plan was a no-til garden using chicken tractors and rainwater harvesting. I'd love to hear how it goes for you!

[happycat]

I'm in Cle Elum (west of Ellensburg) but just wanted to say "hi"! I worked with a lady who lives in Ritzville - she loves it there. I remember her talking about gardening quite a lot so I believe there is a good growing season.

Are you sure you're late in the planting? Here near the Cascades we still have frost danger - it was 31 a couple days ago.

Sorry I can't be of any help, but good luck

[Christiaan]

Amend the soil as much as you can and water diligently. Its not too late to start. Almost any vegetable will do well. In contrast to us on the wet side, you can grow melons, tomatoes that actually ripen, eggplant, peppers etc. Stuff that won't do well are things that need a really long growing season, so don't bother with lima beans, okra, sweet potatoes, basically your strictly southern things.
Good luck, and don't miss out on the combine derby at Lind.

[GrannyCarol]

I live nearby (south of you, it's even dryer!) and I haven't planted most of my garden. I did get the salad greens in ages ago though. We built raised beds with landscape timbers and filled them with soil/compost which we top dress every year. We set up a drip hose watering system for each bed, it works great.

We grow great peppers, I plan to get some plants this weekend in the TriCities. We grow lots of tomatoes (but get fairly early ripening ones - some microclimes get a pretty early winter frost - I like Early Girls if you are getting a commercial variety and not starting seeds of heirloom varieties). It's just time to put your beans, corn and melon seeds in (well maybe a touch late, but not too late!). There again, look for varieties that ripen pretty fast (90-100 days) and you should get a harvest. The bedding plants are just hitting the stores for our area, you aren't too late at all.

Look around and see if you can get your hands on some organic material for your garden. Till it, add organics and water and you'll find it's quite fertile generally. You can expect it to get HOT in the summer, over 100 during the day for weeks on end. It usually cools down nicely at night though.

Where did you move from?

[HorseGal]

I moved from the seattle area, microsoft techie land actually. Thank goodness too, I can't believe the difference in home prices out here! My parent's neighbors just sold there 3 bedroom home for $587,000 and I can buy a four bedroom home with one acre out here for $115,000.

I am so glad to know that its not too late to plant stuff. I have an area that used to be a veggie garden that I have been trying to weed but its got some weird wood chip mulch mixed in and its drying out my hands so much that they actually started bleeding yesterday...so I quit a little early.

I am so excited to be able to plant stuff. I am most likely going into town sometime tomorrow and will be picking up some manure and other gardening items. Now I just have to remember where I put my seeds, I don't think they are in a box anymore..hmm

[HorseGal]

I got a pretty small garden planted yesterday...the weeding is just killing my back and knees, my knees are actually raw from yesterday's hours of weeding.

I planted some lettuce, two different varieties of carrots, radishes, onion starts, a bell pepper start, a cucumber start and I think that's it. Next up is a small herb garden but I need to cut back more ivy before I do that.

How are ya guys enjoying the drizzle we have been getting?

[GrannyCarol]

Oh, enjoy it! You won't see a lot of it!!

[HorseGal]

I would enjoy it more if it wasn't kinda scaring me....new noises and being alone and such...I had a Wizard of Oz moment though...a grocery bag and newspaper flew down the street while I was looking out my front window.

[Jo]

Welcome to Central Wa. .....we are much dryer than the west side. If you like heat this is the side to be on.
Just a word about watering, you may have to do it every day till the plants get big. Also I take the hoe and keep the dirt dug up to get teh soil from packing down. Wishing you the best with your garden. When you get your own place, I recommend raised beds. I love mine and they are less work and you soil is nice every year, we just keep adding leaves and grass clippings. Maybe you can get some people to save grass clippings this year, put it between your rows to keep them from drying out and it also keeps the weeds down.
You can pm if you want, I know how lovely you can be....my husband was in the service, we are retired now.

[cayenne47]

I didnt know people actually moved to Ritzville on purpose
I thought they were born there and couldnt escape LOL.
Well, at least its not Waterville :baby04:

I was raised in a little tiny town north of Wenatchee, so i know the dry and the WIND.

Miss my rolling hills and the rivers.

[Frontierpoultry]

Ritzville.... I always liked that little farming town, got family there. I'm glad you got out of the Seattle area. I was raised in Cle Elum and always HATED a trip to the big city, (Seattle). I haven't been back to Ritzville in about 17 years but if I recall the conditions for the backyard gardener are great. When Mt. St Helens blew Ritzville got more than it's fair share of ash...ah the soil needed a little more anyway. I wish you good gardening in your new location.