Hi from sunny Central Oregon. I have lived and gardened here for 38 years. For the first 31 years I lived at 3600' just east of the Cascade Mountain Range in Bend Oregon where actual frost free days were about 45. But if you noticed the temperature below 40 degrees at bedtime, then you set your alarm for just before dawn and turned on the sprinklers. Last frost was usually around the end of June, and first fall frost not uncommonly mid August.
Then I moved to 2200 feet, still high desert, Central Oregon but further from the mountains and now generally plan on 90-120 frost free days. So now when frost threatens in September, I am ready to let Jack Frost have the garden.
At this altitude, I am able most years to get watermelon, cantalope, corn, greenbeans, and other tender veggies out side of the green house. I had a small 12' X 12' green house added to the south end of the shop and start most of my own plants. This year we got our annual rainfall of 9" in the spring. Usually it comes in spurts and starts of thunderstorms and winter snow storms.
My current garden is a half acre, and i have some berries, and fruit trees in addition to the vegetables. I sell at the local Farmers Markets, donate to church food missions and the food bank.
Most years I try to grow something new, if it is successful and productive and we like it, then it becomes a regular. I use no gmo seeds, and all organic fertilizers.
My garden was where the little girl lizards came to check out the little boy lizards, (so I borrowed the name Lek from bird gatherings). I liked having the lizards in the garden as they did no damage to produce and kept the garden insect free. However, the feral cats seem to have gotten most of the lizards now, which is frustrating. I have a couple lizards and frogs in the greenhouse, where they do an outstanding job of controlling ahpids and white fly. I also use wasps to control cabbage loopers, by setting flat pans of fresh water near the broccoli and cabbage. The water brings the wasps in near the broccoli, and somehow they quickly find the loopers. I discovered this by accident and have done this now about 7 years with good success.
That's about it for now
