Dirt Happy

The Edible Garden with Alys Fowler

2012-03-01T21:25:00.000-05:00

Episode 1 Peas and Beans

Episode 2 Salads

Episode 3 Roots and Leafy Greens

Episode 4 Juicy Fruits

Episode 5 Flowers and Herbs

Episode 6 The Winter Larder

Thanks to Zodiacza1 for putting these up.

Seattle Food Forest

2012-02-29T20:30:00.001-05:00

It’s not a fairytale: Seattle to Build Nation’s First Food Forest

Forget meadows. The city’s new park will be filled with edible plants, and everything from pears to herbs will be free for the taking. [ more ]

I like the last bit :

"So just who gets to harvest all that low-hanging fruit when the time comes?"

“Anyone and everyone,” says Harrison. “There was major discussion about it. People worried, ‘What if someone comes and takes all the blueberries?’ That could very well happen, but maybe someone needed those blueberries. We look at it this way—if we have none at the end of blueberry season, then it means we’re successful.”

The Forest Garden

2012-02-28T19:14:00.002-05:00

Dennis Wojtkiewicz

2012-02-08T13:56:00.000-05:00

Dennis Wojtkiewicz fruit paintings.

More on the artist.
Check out this album.

Ruth Stout

2012-02-04T17:48:00.001-05:00

Ruth Stout (June 14, 1884-August 22, 1980) was an American author best known for her "No-Work" gardening books and techniques.

What an amazing and wonderful spirit, and utterly simple (if not simplistic) approach to gardening !

News Bits

2012-01-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

Seed Plants genome tree
via NYBG

Scientists at The New York Botanical Garden, American Museum of Natural History, New York University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have created the largest genome-based tree of life for seed plants to date. Their findings, published in the journal PLoS Genetics, plot the evolutionary relationships of 150 different species of plants based on advanced genome wide analysis of gene structure and function. This new approach, called "functional phylogenomics", allows scientists to reco the pattern of events that led to the vast number of plant species and could help identify genes used to improve seed quality for agriculture.

Read full article.
See high resolution image.

and,

Flora, now in English

"Considering all the work involved, perhaps it’s no wonder that, despite centuries of research and exploration to create a complete inventory of the world’s plant life, there may be as many as 100,000 plant species that are not yet known to science, waiting to be cataloged — if we can find and describe them in time.

The requirement to use Latin — which has been in place, officially, since 1908, and in practice since the 18th century — doesn’t make this process any faster. At a time when deforestation, the spread of invasive species and climate change are putting as many as one-third of all plant species at risk of extinction in the next 50 years, we don’t have time for traditions like these. That’s why, as of Jan. 1, the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature no longer compels botanists to provide a Latin description of a new species. Perhaps even more significant, the code now recognizes publication in online academic journals as equally valid as print publication. Both changes will help to speed up the race to catalog the world’s plant life".

Full article @ nytimes.com

The Thick of It

2012-01-21T13:54:00.002-05:00

Friday Flick - Chicken Tunnel Man

2012-01-13T11:01:00.000-05:00

Clever ! ;)

via Bernie H on Google+

A New Year

2012-01-07T12:13:00.001-05:00

As much I love gardening, I always welcome the winter break. It is, for me, a time to stop, reflect and anticipate the new season even more. Winter has been kind so far. Mild overall. Not much precipitation. The honeysuckle bloomed into mid-December this year. That's truly a first !

Now, a week into January and that eagerness is starting to sprout. I'm ready for it. The new shelving is up. The seed stock is sorted. I'll be trialing only a couple new items year. One is this hybrid watermelon from William Dam catalog.

Sureness Hybrid - 65 days
Deep yellow fleshed Icebox melon with exceptional flavour.

I've had little success growing melons so far but am willing to give it a go. It certainly has an interesting color, both inside and out, and the short maturity time sounds promising.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday and New Year festivities. Looking forward to another fruitful growing season as well as tackling other various garden projects.

Bring it on and let's make it a good one !

2011 Season : Highlights

2011-08-28T09:49:00.014-04:00

All in all, great weather, great season.

Mid-August Potager

Tomatoes: Did very well although plagued with Septoria Leaf Spot. Not from rain but more likely from my bad habit of watering late in the day instead of early in the morning and spraying at large rather than focusing on the roots. I also neglected to rotate the crop this year. (I rotated all the crops except the tomatoes. That long bed at the back is just so perfect for them). Some plants were more affected than others and had to be defoliated (full Brazilian) (see below). Not many fruit, however, were affected.

A lot of leaf spot ...

... but healthy tomatoes

Herbs: Did well.
Onions: No onions/alliums this year. (Still traumatized by leek moth).
Lettuce and various greens: Spring crops did well. Fall crops --> see carrots.
Carrots: Carrots ? What carrots ? NO carrots at ALL ! Both my spring and fall crop seedlings were eaten by God knows what. Did not look like groundhog or worm damage. I suspect this guy.

Red-Legged Grasshopper

I caught him nibbling on a bean leaf (seen here on tomatillos). Looks like carrot crops in future will have to be netted along with onions and brassicas, and ... Oh, might as well just throw a giant net over the whole thing !

Edit: After closer consideration, I think too much chicken manure is what did it.

Beans: Such an easy and reliable crop. Did very well again this year. In addition to what was eaten and given away, I've frozen single and double portions which should last 'til Christmas.
Cucumbers and melons: Small yields. My fault for starting them late.
Squash (Summer (zucchini) and Early prolific (yellow)): Did fine (still producing).
Pumpkins: Did not grow them this year.
Peppers: Did well. Still flowering and looking great. (And sadly, don't max out production potential in my short season).
Tomatillos: Did very well. I planted my starts but was amazed how many volunteers came up this year. They were growing EVERYWHERE and in the oddest places !

This one growing out a thin slit in the bed. Huh !

Grapes !

I didn't expect my vines to crop this year. Vines usually start producing 2 to 4 years after being planted. I got them in 2009 which would make this their third season, but they were moved around a few times.

Valiant (blue) produced 4 small clusters (right); Minessota 78 (red) produced one or two half-garnished clusters; Kay Gray (green) didn't produce this year.

Valiant grapes are gooey and seedy. Not the best table grapes, imo, but ideal for juice and jellies. This first yield is pretty small. I'm hoping to get 3 or 4 times that next year. I've always pictured my vines climbing freely and happily up and along the potager cage - (that's one reason I built it) - but I understand pruning encourages production. The problem with traditional 3' or 4' cordons is that I'd have to move them again. They're at the very back of the potager and share the bed with other crops which, some years, would shade them out. The other option, very tall cordons ?

Some new faces:

Northblue blueberry, Hinnonmaki Yellow gooseberry and Lobo apple tree, purchased in June.

Call me old fashioned but my heart was set on a McIntosh. At the nursery, the Macs were all too big to fit in the car so I grabbed a younger Lobo (a good all-arounder, similar to Mac). With the money saved, I bought a blueberry and gooseberry bush. Both already decent size bushes, filled with fruit but one plant is hardly enough to make anything. All the berries were eaten fresh, mostly on the spot. I think you need at least 4. *Sigh* That will take up valuable veggie space. I could plant them with the ornamentals but the soil is horrid over there. And would they be food for groundhog ?

Food for thought, anyway, and something to munch on during the long winter season. For now, let's enjoy the moment. :)

PS. Although I haven't had a chance to visit and comment, I've kept up with everyone's progress through my reader. Hope to make some rounds soon.

Happy Gardening !

Out of the Loop

2011-02-18T20:39:00.004-05:00

Boy, long time no post ! I've been totally out of the loop. Can't believe winter's almost over. It's already time to start seeding again ! Wow ! Hope everybody had a Merry Xmas, Happy New Year and Happy Valentine ! :)

I've decided not to keep up the blog this year, not on a regular basis anyway. Writing has never really been my forte. This blog was created for the sole purpose of learning. A way of rubbing elbows with the experts and picking up useful tips along the way. Let me tell you, I've not been disappointed ! I've met so many wonderful and talented gardeners, from all over, and gained access to trade secrets galore. Better than any book ! Growing veggies is a science. Thanks for sharing your knowledge !

Now, with two seasons under my belt and no patch improvement on the horizon, I feel there's little that hasn't already been said. I may pop in every now and again to share a harvest, but that's about it. At least, that's the plan for now.

I still have plenty of seeds from last year's shopping spree. I hope to get busy soon updating the list and linking it in the sidebar. Feel free to contact me, I'm always happy to share. (email is in profile section).

I leave you with a few Fall harvests I never got around to posting (shame on me !) including a bumper crop of Sunchokes that sprung from the happy dozen Ottawa Gardener kindly sent me last year. :)

Again, many thanks for sharing your wonderful knowledge and expertise. It's been invaluable to me.

Wishing you all a great 2011 season !

Lowdown On The Cherry

2010-09-22T12:19:00.042-04:00

I grew 9 8 varieties of cherry tomatoes this year. Missing in the lineup is Sugar Sweetie. I inadvertently gave it away. I'll start by saying all produced well, Ildi exceptionally. SunGold outshined the rest in taste.

I'm no food critic but here goes.

From left to right:

Chocolate: Certainly not your average cherry tomato taste but subtly lovely nonetheless. Very pretty.

Black Zebra: Unfortunately, good looks don't make up for taste in this case. Not impressed. Was mainly used for cooking.

Gardener's Delight: All around good cherry tom.

Supermarket Grape (unknown): I definitely scored when I discovered this volunteer growing in the garden last year. It's a great tasting tomato. Grown again this year from last season's seeds, I was eager to see if it came true. It did.

Red Currant: This is my second year growing Red Currant. I'd say the taste is average but the size is perfect for using whole.

SunGold: A winner. I don't usually go for hybrids but Sungold is sweet and juicy, simply delicious. Just what you'd expect from a cherry tomato. Best on taste, bar none.

Ildi: The trusses on Ildi are absolutely amazing although mine did not fill out like that (lack of time ?). Not as sweet as the supermarket grape but nice overall. Better than Yellow Pear, for sure.

Yellow Pear: Big disappointment. I found it pasty and bland. It ultimately joined the cooking brigade.

But don't take my word for it, there are plenty of reviews on the internet. All worth a gander. :)

HAPPY FALL !

Harvest Monday (2010-09-20)

2010-09-20T21:52:00.024-04:00

Harvest Monday is hosted by Daphne's Dandelions. It's the best place in town to show off your harvests and see what others have been harvesting too !

* * * *

Friday's cornucopia included:

Giant Cape Gooseberries,

More lemon cukes than anticipated last week,

A good harvest of peppers featuring some decent size bell's,

Another good haul of tomatoes including some lovely big uns,

and the rest of the Soyu cucumbers.

Unsifted compost

As I emptied the compost bin(s) to make way for a new larger one, I reaped 4 wheelbarrowfuls from last year's cleanup. This wonderful goodness will full circle its way back into the beds as I start clearing them out this week. Night temps have dipped to 1C three times since Thursday. It truly is the end of summer.

Happy Harvesting !

Harvest Monday (2010-09-13)

2010-09-13T08:00:00.015-04:00

It's Harvest Monday again ! Wanna feature your latest garden produce ?
Do it at Daphne's Dandelions and see what others have been harvesting too.

* * * *

Wednesday I harvested my 'Turk's Turban' squash and discovered this 'Romanesco' zucchini growing in the other part of the garden with the ornamental corn.

I don't often post food pics because the lighting in the kitchen and dining room is dim (and I hate using the flash), but it was duly stuffed, cooked and eaten.

Friday was the main harvest. It was a beautiful day and I spent a good hour cleaning and clearing the potager. I was elated to find a few 'Lemon' cucumbers finally up for grabs.

'Lemon' cucumbers

Trompe l'oeil

Weather permitting, I may harvest another 4 or 5 of these beauties. Fun and delicious, I'm saving a spot for them again next year.

All remaining cucumbers (except 'Soyu' and 'Lemon'), were stripped from the vines, regardless of size.

One giant bowl and two large tupperwares were hardly enough to haul in this harvest. Needless to say, a good portion of the weekend was spent pickling and saucing !

Happy Harvesting !

Chocolate Cherries

2010-09-09T07:26:00.003-04:00

... tomatoes, that is.

Anticipation

2010-09-08T00:05:00.025-04:00

After going gaga for gourds last season, I promised myself I'd grow a couple quirky squashes this year. The one I was most looking forward to was 'Turk's Turban'.

Since early August, I've been keeping an eye on this hopeful, anxious for it to ripen.

08/11

08/18

08/27

Today

Innit lovely !

Stunning colour of fruit with a distinctive shape, each fruit of Squash Turk's Turban has its own cap on top making it a popular choice for ornamental autumn displays. Fruits have an excellent flavour for roasting, baking, as a steamed vegetable or used in soups. Squash Turk's Turban is good for storage.

As much as I hate plunking a knife into it, I think I'll have a taste. There's another larger one coming up. That one can adorn the front steps this Fall.

SLuGzz (and tomatoes)

2010-09-07T19:52:00.001-04:00

Had no slug damage on the tomatoes last year, partly due to the fact that the beds were taller (almost 24'' high), but mainly because the bulk of the crop was grown upside down, in 5-gal containers, safe from any earthbound pests.

This year, the bed's edge is just a few inches off the ground and the plants, which started off short and stocky, have set fruit very low.

I'm not a big fan of pest control. 'Let the slugs eat the hostas !' is my motto, in the flower garden anyway. The damage is not extensive. It's not like the whole crop is under attack. I figure I can spare a fruit or two.

'Pick and flick' is my method of choice for getting rid of the assailants. I'm not a big fan of squishing, especially not slugs ! Ewww. But there are plenty of other methods.

I gave this little guy permission to finish his meal. I figured while he was busy nibbling away, the rest of the toms were safe ... from him, anyway.

What's in a name

2010-09-06T13:43:00.011-04:00

I can only assume they're called ground cherries because that is where you harvest them ?

As they ripen and fall off the plants, I find a host of them, everyday, lying on the ground. :)

Harvest Monday (2010-09-06)

2010-09-06T09:04:00.022-04:00

[08/31]

Various Tomatoes and Tomatillos

[09/01]

A glut of beans; 'Trionfo Violetto', 'Kentucky Wonder', 'Sequoia' and a handful of 'Ramdor'.

[09/03]

Bye-bye bush; 'Royal Burgundy', 'Contender' and 'Pencil Pod' bush varieties were pulled after this harvest to make way for other crops. As this year was all about comparing varieties, I'd say 'Ramdor' (pole) came out it front of 'Pencil Pod'. It's a finer, better producing bean. A nicer shade of yellow too. Beautiful purple 'Trionfo Violetto' (pole) and 'Royal Burgundy' were pretty even. So were the green 'Contender' and 'Kentucky Wonder' (pole) beans.

Have I been picking the Japanese cukes too early ? As you can see from previous harvests, I thought long and thin was the habit but I may let the remaining ones bulk up as these three half did (top right) and get more cuke for the buck !

Mouthwatering cherry toms

[09/05]

The last of the 'Sequoia' beans (bush); Described as a flat Romano bean, I've really enjoyed this variety. Meaty and prolific !

The first 'Yard Long's (right); Despite the name, 'Yard Long' beans will grow to about 24 inches. Measuring in at a little under 20", I'm saving these for tonight. Cool beans !

Cherry tomato harvest #3; The cherries have really taken off and mouthwatering 'Sungold's are knocking my socks off. Pictured here with some 'Red Currants' and others varieties, including a delicious volunteer supermarket grape tomato grown from last year's seeds and a disappointing 'Yellow Pear'. I find it pasty and bland. The variety it's up against, 'Ildi', is not ready to harvest yet. Will have to wait and see how it compares.

There's a plethora of harvests featured at Daphne's Dandelions,

Have a look see !

* * * *

Happy Labour Day ! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T16:01:00.001-04:00

Potager Overview

2010-08-31T17:31:00.020-04:00

It's a jungle out there !

Tomatillos growing out of control. Cukes taking over the aisles. I can barely manage to open the door anymore. With so little room to maneuver inside, taking pics is challenging.

Still plenty of mileage left in the summer crops but I have half a mind to start the cleanup ! :P

August Overview

2010-08-30T22:17:00.031-04:00

Having missed so many Harvest Monday's lately, I thought I'd post a monthly recap instead of joining in the regular HM post. Not all has been photographed but in a nutshell, it's been beans for the most part, along with some cukes, zukes and squashes and a few other things. I finally harvested some full size tomatoes last week (Yay !) and enjoyed the best tomato sandwich I'd had in a long long time ! :)

Considering how late these summer crops were started, I'm quite pleased with the timeline.

	[07/29] - Herb bed gets raided leaving room for the summer herbs, producing a bounty of tarragon, oregano and various types of cutting celery and parsley.
	[08/03] - 'Spring Treat' corn grown in trugs is a total flop. Eight stalks produce only five ears, most of which get infested by earwigs before getting a chance to size up. (Was delish just the same !)
	[08/05] - First bean harvest 'Ramdor' (pole). Seen here with some pretty edible red leaf amaranth ('Amaranthus tricolor'), ONE 'Red Burgundy' okra (pfff!) and half a dozen eggplants (*glossy* this time !).
	[08/08] - The first squashes come off the vine - 'Early Prolific' and a summer zucchini. More 'Ramdor' beans and various peppers tag along.
	[08/08] - Good ol' reliable chard just keeps on producing.
	[08/08] - The spud experiment : Six 'Chieftain' potatoes (remnants from last year's crop) are planted in a trug back in February and stored in the shed. They're taken out in March. All 6 germinate but 4 shoots get leveled by a hard May frost leaving only 2 to produce this pretty fair crop.
	[08/08] - Pretty purple veggies. 'Sequoia' (bush), 'Contender' (bush) and 'Trionfo Violetto' (pole) beans pair up with a couple eggplants.
	[08/10] - Enter sweet peppers in the harvest.
	[08/13] - 'Royal Burgundy' (bush) start joining the bean harvest.
	[08/17] - The first of the tomatillos; pineapple from (Daphne).
	[08/17] - 'Straight Eight' and 'Marketmore' cukes start producing. (The one on the right gone unnoticed for some time).
	[08/17] - 'Pencil Pod' (bush) start joining the bean harvest.
	[08/23] - The last of the summer squashes. Vines are pulled to make way for Fall and Winter crops. New to the harvest are some cherry toms but only 2 make the pic ! ('Sungold's sure are YUMMY !!!). More beans.
	[08/25] - Full size toms finally start to ripen ! Featured here are a couple 'Siletz' (Dan), one 'Black Krim' and a small 'Beefsteak'. Various cherry toms, cukes and (you guessed it) beans.
	[08/25] - Japanese burpless cukes (right) join in with the "regulars".
	[08/27] - 'Dragon Tongue' beans share a spot in the bean lineup this time (far right) . 'Sweet Genovese' and 'Cinammon' basil get harvested for some fresh summer treats.
	[08/28] - Mom drops by, tours the potager and leaves with a full harvest !

Oddity

2010-08-26T16:04:00.018-04:00

Three weeks ago when I harvested the first of the 'Early Prolific Squash', I noticed one had a siamese twin attached. A fluke, I told myself, but no, that entire vine keeps pumping out parasitics.

The flowers are conjoined !

Mutant seed, no doubt ? :)

In other news...

I know my posts are far and few between lately. Hope to join you all next Monday with a harvest post. 'Til then, I've got a lot of catching up to do !

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T07:49:00.012-04:00

* uh-oh *

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-04T10:44:00.002-04:00

Harvest Monday (2010-08-02)

2010-08-02T22:37:00.002-04:00

* YAWN *

Same old, same old, waiting for the summer veggies to produce.

It's chard for the most part. A good portion of
which gets blanched and frozen.

Kohlrabi did poorly this year. Got only 4 half-decent 'bulbs'
(2 purple, 2 green). The rest were just sticks.

Finally got to taste my Yellow Wonder strawberries !
The plants are just starting to produce. This little guy
and a few others were 'sampled' on the spot ! YUM !

'Long Purple' eggplant (80 days)

I'm growing eggplant for the first time this year and didn't know what to expect from this variety nor when to harvest. A picture of health 10 days ago (see previous post), this fella was given some extra growing time thinking it needed to size up. Not a wise decision. All it did was change colour.

Here's what this is what the University of Illinois Extension says about harvesting eggplant.

Harvest the fruits when they are 6 to 8 inches long and still glossy. Use a knife or pruning shears rather than breaking or twisting the stems. Many eggplant varieties have small prickly thorns on the stem and calyx, so exercise caution or wear gloves when harvesting. Leave the large (usually green) calyx attached to the fruit.

When the fruits become dull or brown, they are too mature for culinary use and should be cut off and discarded. Overmature fruits are spongy and seedy and may be bitter. Even properly harvested fruits do not store well and should be eaten soon after they are harvested. Large, vigorous plants can yield as many as four to six fruits at the peak of the season.

Spongy, seedy and bitter indeed ! The next ones are coming off glossy.

Daphne's Dandelions is teeming with wonderful harvests.

Have a look see !

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T10:12:00.004-04:00

A Potager Update

2010-07-19T19:01:00.015-04:00

I've been slacking off blogging terribly this summer but I've been either too busy building and gardening or just getting out enjoying the fantastic weather we've been having !

Please pardon the mess. There's stuff lying all over the place and many finishing touches to be made. I still haven't decided what to lay down the aisles. I've thrown some old roof shingles down in some areas in the meantine. I might just cover them with gravel (I have loads of that !). I slapped on a coat of stain to match the wood I recycled from the old build. Ultimately, I'll probably paint everything white to match the shed.

The summer crops were started late this season but are catching up like mad thanks to this incredible hot and beautiful weather. I don't think I've ever witnessed such phenomenal growth. Although none of the cucurbitaceae have started to flower yet, many of the solanaceae have started to produce.

Tomatillo bed

Tomatillos !

Pepper bed

Zucchinis

Cucumbers

(Will have to trellis those asap !)

Squash

Bean Teepees

just starting to flower

The tomatoes were started a good 4 to 5 weeks later than last year's but early hardening off combined with ideal weather has been beneficial. The plants are stocky, healthy, full of blooms and probably as far along now (if not further) than they were last year. Looks promising !

Tomato bed - 20 varieties

Signs of things to come;

here we have 'Beefsteak'

And here's a shot of my 'Litchi Tomato' (Morelle de Balbis). A fascinating thorny specimen with eggplant size blooms.

A toast to this season's weather !

Harvest Monday (2010-07-19)

2010-07-19T11:02:00.008-04:00

Chard took center stage this week. I also pulled some wonky parsnips and a few 'Gourmet Blend' beets which were growing with the onions and leeks. Speaking of which, despite my best efforts to protect them, they too have fallen prey to leek moth. The holes in the netting I was using are relatively large and although I doubled it up, the dirty little scoundrels found their way in. Anyhoo, rather than dealing with the problem, I decided to throw in the towel and pull the lot. The recent transplant set them back a bit and they weren't really thriving anyway. I figured I better free up the space for something else.

Bye-bye leeks :( *snif*

Care to share your lovely harvests ?

Head on over to Daphne's Dandelions !

Harvest Monday (2010-07-12)

2010-07-12T07:15:00.068-04:00

Last week was just too hot to blog. With no air conditioning in the house, the comp was suffocating in the upstairs heat. So today's Harvest Monday post will cover both weeks.

Carrots

Five rows were planted back in April which included 'Baby Little Fingers', 'Danvers', 'White Belgian', 'Scarlet Nantes' and 'Purple Haze'.

June 28: From L to R, the last of the 'Early Wonder' beets,

'Purple Haze' thinnings and some 'Scarlet Nantes'.

July 3: A few 'White Belgians', 'Baby Little Fingers' and some chard

July 8: The remaining 'Purple Haze'

... and yes, just for the record, folks, I do get a few wonky ones too !

Garden fresh carrots are hard to beat and all were delicious but if I had to pick a winner, 'Scarlet Nantes' would probably be it followed by 'Danvers' and 'Baby Little Fingers'. Taste-wise, 'Purple Haze' fell a little short (not to mention half of them weren't even purple !) Also lacking in taste were 'White Belgians'. Used as forage for animals in Belgium and France, this pretty white and green-collared carrot is probably best suited for cooking. In this heat though, all were enjoyed fresh. More to come this Fall.

Neighbour sampling White Belgian

In other news,

Kohlrabi still not sizing up ! Another purple one was pulled. The other two that remain are tiny and ultimately destined for the compost bin. Same goes for the green varieties - probably only half will amount to anything. As for the broccoli, 'Ramoso' produced ONE tiny head and 'Waltham' didn't produce diddley so out they came. The brassicas were all growing in the same bed. Might have something to do with the soil and/or sun exposure. (?)

Oregon Sugar Peas and Green Arrow shelling peas.

The peas soldiered on in the heat. However, with only a few plants growing, harvests are small - a couple handfuls a week.

The chard, on the other hand, abounds.

To find out what others have been picking, visit Daphne's Dandelions !

Harvest Monday (2010-06-28)

2010-06-28T08:28:00.017-04:00

This week's harvest: some firsts, some lasts.

The last of the orach

The first of the chard

Kohlrabi not sizing up so I'm thinning it out

(I suspect the plants are growing too close together)

Enjoying the spicy taste of arugula very much

Peas just starting to produce (left)

Neighbour's kid couldn't resist leaving with this unripe cayenne pepper

(Had a nibble myself - Whoo !!)

Group pic including first carrot harvest,

some beet greens & the last of Red Velvet lettuce

Got some lovely fresh garden produce to flaunt ?

Do it at Daphne's Dandelions !

Happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Catching up)

2010-06-24T11:18:00.011-04:00

I've been so busy with the build, my blogging has suffered ! Today is a holiday so I'm catching up (see 3 previous posts) - on both mine and yours ! I probably should be out there getting ahead in the yard but I'm just too pooped. Plus it's raining off and on today, so I'm taking it easy. :)

Happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day !

Harvest Monday (2010-06-21)

2010-06-24T10:31:00.010-04:00

Mizuna and mustard greens were starting to

get old and bitter so I yanked what was left.

Will have to seed some more.

Beets are finally starting to size up and two more were pulled.

I also yanked a few carrots to check for size.

(The roots and foliage are still disproportionate, imo !)

Sorrel was going to flower so I harvested the lot. A fresh batch was seeded.

Laweva spinach held better in the heat but ultimately bolted like
its counterparts and I got three tiny bunches for my troubles.

I'm still waiting for the peas to produce. I think that hard frost may have set them back. In other news, the new beds were completed and the summer crops were finally planted out this week. The build has definitely pushed things back this season and I'm not expecting a summer veggie harvest any time soon. The cukes and beans are just starting to emerge ! :)

Daphne's Dandelions host Harvest Mondays. Check out the lovely harvests that abound !

[posted: 2010-06-24]

Going Potager (a work in progress)

2010-06-15T18:08:00.506-04:00

Blame the blazing May sun for doing my head in but three quarters of the way into completing the extension, I revisited my options and decided to shift everything around in the backyard. Gone is the large flower border at the back, in its place now resides a brand new potager.

This is the layout:

It offers approximately 250 sq ft of growing space (which is just a little under what I was achieving with the extension), all of which is contained in a 21' X 21' square instead of the irregular getup I had going in the previous spot. I'm happy with the footage. As I've probably mentioned before, I'm not aiming for self-sufficiency. The main idea is more about growing and enjoying some fresh in-season veggies. Outside the fence, on the left side, is an extra bed, offering an additional 30 sq ft or so of growing space which presently holds the perennial root crops; sunchokes & salsify.

Following your advice on sun exposure, I sided with the minority and decided that morning sun is invaluable to summer veggies and this area gets plenty of it. To further maximize sun exposure, a large spruce tree which was blocking part of the afternoon rays was cut down exposing this new plot to 12 hours of sun per day.

Luckily for me, this area of the yard had a few extra inches of topsoil between the sod and horrendous clay base, so I opted not to dig and build directly on the grass using the simple and easy cardboard smothering method. Nevertheless, to maximize soil depth, I used 2 X 10 lumber for the perimeter beds and doubled up 2 X 8's for the boxes in the middle. The only bed that was "dug out" and lined with two rows of 4" X 8" X 16" cinder blocks is the long one at the back which spans the entire 21 feet and houses some permanent residents, namely the grapevines (3) and a raspberry bush.

Progress is coming along slowly but surely. I can tell the summer crops are anxious to be planted out ! I have yet to decide what to lay down the aisles. Brick is my option of choice but that will have to wait until next year. Although I've tried to keep cost at a minimum by reusing every bit of lumber from the old build, a fair amount of new lumber had to be purchased as well as another load of soil which has consequently busted the budget !

Speaking of budget, I'm also fiddling with a "stone" path leading into the potager. These boulders were fabricated by yours truly a few years back as a cheap alternative to stone. I had a 50 ft pathway to cover and no dosh for the real deal. Armed with lots of patience and determination (and stretching the workload over many days !), I managed to hand mix over 60 bags of concrete for a total of 180+ stones. Can't say I was enthralled with the look as the main walkway but they look kinda quaint and fitting here, I think.

Gotta love yard work, eh ? :D

----

PS. A great big thanks to the fabulous em for inspiring me to go potager ! :)

[posted: 2010-06-24]

Harvest Monday (2010-06-14)

2010-06-14T07:10:00.145-04:00

Lettuce (Rouge D'Hiver), various leafy greens including orach
and that top heavy beet

Purple orach

Arugula (Mediterranean)

Radishes (various)

Leafy greens were on the menu again this week. The orach is probably this year's revelation. I'm loving it ! The beet is the one I was checking for size. The radishes had to come out a little early because I needed to shift the earth from that bed to fill the beds in the new potager (yes, after 6 weeks hard graft extending the existing patch, I've now decided to build a brand new potager in a totally different spot ! More on that tomorrow). Here we have French Breakfast, summer mix and missing in the group pic is Daikon. Unfortunately, pulling those early yielded nothing but long thin roots.

Check out a host of fabulous harvests at Daphne's Dandelions !

[posted: 2010-06-24]

Top Heavy Root Veggies ?

2010-06-10T06:55:00.013-04:00

Well I couldn't resist pulling my first beet even though it was still tiny. The tops are HUGE compared to the roots. Same goes for the carrots and parsnips growing in that bed - all tops and no roots.

Could it be the fertilizer I'm using ? It's a 4-4-2 chicken manure which I have sprinkled once (or twice but sparingly).

Based on my knowledge of fertilizers, Nitrogen promotes leaf growth, Phosphorus is responsible for root development and Potassium manages the overall health and development of the plant. Despite having equal parts N and P at their disposal, they seem to be indulging in the Nitrogen content.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-09T22:37:00.007-04:00

Harvest Monday - The First of the Season !

2010-06-07T23:13:00.007-04:00

Well, technically, this isn't my first harvest, but it is my first official 2010 participation in Daphne's Dandelions' Harvest Monday, so here goes !

___________________________________________________

June 01

The bulk of it

This week's main harvest was gathered on Tuesday and yielded a trayful of greens.

1 Red Velvet & 3 Little Gem Romaine lettuces plus some

Sorrel, Mizuna, Orach, Mustard Greens and Beet greens.

- - - -

June 03

Will I ever manage to grow a decent crop of spinach ?

Last year's crop was unimpressive at best. This year, germination was poor and then came the heat. On the left is some tiny bolting Samish, on the right is Bordeaux. Lavewa seems to handle heat a little better and was granted some more growing time. We'll see how it does. When it comes to spinach, I think Fall or overwintered crops is the way to go.

A small harvest of Samish & Bordeaux Spinach

- - - -

June 05
Know your Asian greens

Bok Choy Tatsoi

I thought I was buying some typical Bok Choy when I purchased my Bok Choy Tatsoi seeds, but this Tatsoi, or rosette pak (bok) choy as it is also called, has smaller leaves and different growth habit as the name implies.

Sadly, regardless of my 'greens on wheels' efforts of moving it out of the heat, it started to bolt and most of it was harvested before reaching its full potential. (If it looks a little thin, it's because I've been picking at it too).

Bolting Tatsoi

Mizuna

I also harvested some more Mizuna. I'm using the cut and come again method of harvesting to see how far it'll stretch.

Check out many more harvests over at Daphne's Dandelions !

Leek Moth Has Landed

2010-06-03T21:36:00.022-04:00

I thought I spied the telltale signs the other day. This evening, I decided to peer inside and find out. My assumptions were right. Leek moth has visited the patch and layed her eggs.

The victim : Egyptian Onion

Although still tiny, the larvae are feasting voraciously

Leek Moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella) life cycle

Adult moths overwinter in plant debris. As temperatures rise in the spring, the moths start to become active and egg laying begins in April and May. Each female may lay up to 100 eggs on host plants. The caterpillars hatch about a week later and tunnel into the leaves to feed. They mine the leaves, leaving the outer skin intact, eating down through the outer leaves to feed on the inner leaves and growing points of stems. On onions, they mine the hollow leaves, sometimes boring down into the bulb. The caterpillars feed for about a month before crawling back up the leaves to pupate in cocoons.

The first generation of caterpillars causes damage in May and June. As these become adults and lay more eggs, a second generation of caterpillars emerge to cause damage from August to October. As populations rise through the summer, so plant damage increases through the growing season, being most noticeable in early autumn. Adult moths and pupae of the later generation hibernate in plant debris to overwinter, emerging in spring to start the cycle over again.

[more]

I lost my leeks to leek moth last year. To make sure it didn't happen again this season, I covered my leeks and onions with netting as soon as the reemay came off and will keep them covered indefinitely. I'm not taking any chances. The reason I didn't bother protecting the Egyptian Onions is because I assumed this wild hardy onion was less susceptible. I was wrong.

Dang leek moth !

Has leek moth visited your garden ?

* * * *

Update [2010-06-05]

These pics were taken in the morning and offer a better view:

* * * *

More on leek moth:

OMAFRA
Agriculture Canada

Rain, at last ! (Welcome June)

2010-06-01T12:15:00.067-04:00

The parched garden is now happily drenched

I can't recall it raining once in May. (Seriously, it probably did at some point but I truly don't recall). The very hot and dry weather we've experienced has fueled the forest fire season here in Québec and approximately 50 fires were active on the weekend including a dozen that were critical or raging out of control. One municipality in the Haute-Mauricie region, Wemotaci, had to be evacuated. Clouds of smoke spread as far as Maine, as GrafixMuse can attest. Our turn to be blanketed in smoke came yesterday.

Fortunately, no fires were declared in my area. The only consequence here are some very thirsty plants and trees. Luckily, Mother Nature decided to step in last night and opened the faucet for a good portion of the night and morning. More rain is expected this week. Let's hope she concentrates her efforts on the fire-stricken areas, as well.

A Brief Update

2010-05-29T22:03:00.155-04:00

The lettuce, Orach and Kohlrabi bed is busting.

Kohlrabi starting to take shape.

Lettuce has been on the menu for the last week and a half and the first to

be harvested was this Butterhead Marvel of Four Seasons on May 19th.

Small but beautiful and delicious !

Seems these tiny slugs are not enjoying it (or Red Velvet) as much as I am.
They tend to gravitate towards the 3 different varieties of Romaine instead.
(... which is fine by me !)

Look forward to savouring the first beet of the season. In the meantime,
I'm enjoying some of the greens. (Hope it doesn't hinder growth).

Still a way to go but the carrot crop is showing promise.

Greens on wheels

While working on the extension, I sowed a side crop of greens in a couple of planters. Turns out this last part of May has been one of (if not) the hottest on record. I've mounted the planters on this old wheelbarrow frame so I can wheel them out of the scorching heat.

Mustard greens Gai Choy & Southern Giant (left) and
Bok Choy Tatsoi and Mizuna (Dan) cooling off in the shade

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feasting on Mountain Ash

Needless to say posts are scarce since I'm spending every spare moment amending the yard (yes, I'm still at it !), tending to the veggies as well as enjoying the blooms and spectacular weather. There's been a new development in the layout. Hope to have an update next week.

A look at the Spring Patch

2010-05-16T22:12:00.020-04:00

Against all odds, the tiny unhardened seedlings I planted out Easter Sunday not only survived but have done well. With limited indoor space, I seized a weather opportunity of mild temps and overcast skies to introduce them to the elements. Although the forecast did not exactly turn out as promised that week, the little seedlings pulled through.

April 04 -
tiny week-old seedlings were planted out

April 30 ---------------------------- May 15

The crops inched along in April but there's been a significant growth spurt these last two weeks. The bed is housing 5 varieties of lettuce, green and purple orach, green and purple kohlrabi and two types of broccoli.

I had my first nibble of orach last week and must say it's delightful. I enjoy the mild spinach-like taste very much and must restrain myself from picking leaves every time I check on the crops.

Orach

In the sister bed right next to it, the beets and carrots are coming along. The onions are still tiny and so are the parsnips but they have produced a few extra leaves. However, my direct sown spinach and chard have done diddley and none of the celery/parsley family seedlings I planted out are thriving either. Last year's parsley is doing well, though.

This is my second season growing vegetables and my first attempt at Spring gardening. I find it a bit challenging. Frost warnings are nerve-racking. Maintaining even temperatures in the season extenders is tricky and almost a full time job. While polythene offers better protection against cold, temps just sky rocket under the hoops in the mid day sun. If you're not around to vent them (and not everyone is), your crops will bake. Breathable row covers on the other hand might not be a match against hard frost but are versatile and fuss free. A definite winner for the absentee gardener.

My area's last frost date is around June 1st (although a lot of folks around here don't plant their annuals until June 15th to be on the safe side). Technically, I guess there is still a chance that Jack pops in for another visit but the weather outlook is saying he won't.

He was quite naughty last time :

Maple trees hit quite hard. About half the

Spring growth was fatally frostbitten.

This great big Dicentra at the back definitely felt the chill.
The more sheltered ones at the front were spared.

Fortunately, the lovely crabapple blossoms were not intimidated. :)

Good riddance, Jack. See ya next Fall !

Question

2010-05-10T17:50:00.005-04:00

Here's a question for my seasoned vegetable growing blogger friends:

If you had to choose between a 6am-2pm or a 11am-7pm sunny spot for your summer veggies, which would you choose ?

I think it's safe to say the afternoon sun is more intense, but I don't know if being in the shade all morning long, especially after a cool (or even cold) night is favorable to heat loving crops. Would you say heat lovers are better off with morning sun ?

Previous post update: The frostbitten veggies have bounced back and are doing OK. :)

Another Cold Snap

2010-05-10T07:57:00.017-04:00

Although the weather's been glorious between the two, this last snap was a doozie. With temperatures well below average, it was probably the coldest Mother's Day I can remember. Btw, hope you all had a nice one. :)

Last night's high winds exacerbated the predicted freezing temperatures which resulted in a hard frost. I doubled up the reemay with polythene but those nasty winds blew part of it off and the kohlrabi and lettuce have suffered as a result.

Kohlrabi

Peas

I took a chance and left a few crops unprotected (i.e. peas) and they are looking worse for wear. As you can see, the soil is frozen. Even the garden's perennials are looking sad.

Another dip in temperatures is predicted for tonight but it's smooth sailing after that. (no kiddin' !)

This girl is finding season extension challenging ... :(

Not Out of the Woods

2010-04-27T08:10:00.010-04:00

Ack !

Just a dusting, but who needs it !?!
Can't wait for May to roll in ...

I Love Reemay !

2010-04-23T20:41:00.024-04:00

No progress was made on the layout this week as my cold lingered on. The only thing I managed to do was replace the polythene I'd been using to cover the seedlings with some reemay.

My understanding is that reemay comes in different weights (thicknesses) although our small local garden centre only carried the one. (There are a few bigger retailers in the vicinity but I like to encourage local when I can). In fact, the very generic packaging, which neither mentions 'reemay' nor 'agribon' anywhere, was simply labelled 'row cover'. As far as texture goes, it's essentially the same as black landscape fabric except it's white and feels a tad thinner.

Well, I'm very impressed. For such a lightweight fabric, it does a very good job. Being porous, it doesn't catch in the wind like plastic does but provides an excellent shield just the same. (I'm just using clothes pins to fasten it down and it hasn't blown off yet). With no significant showers this week, I haven't seen how it copes with rain but would imagine light rain glides off while heavier rain percolates through.

The very scientific gardener that I am (not!) is using her hand at the moment to gauge the temperature under the covers (I really should get a pair of thermometers for a proper side-by-side comparison), but my skin tells me it feels perfectly cozy under there, without getting overly hot in the blazing sun.

Perfect !

ps. I am keeping the polythene handy for added protection just in case. Weather wise, we're not out of the woods yet !

Cold & Wet

2010-04-18T11:15:00.023-04:00

...is how I would describe the week.

These last few days have been particularly bleak. Not conducive to working out in the garden at all (so I caught up on blogging instead !). Oh and the nasty cold plaguing me at the moment hasn't help matters either.

Despite the freezing temperatures, the seedlings have held their own. I've been meaning to get some reemay since I planted them out but never got around to it. Instead, I've used some polythene I had already to cover them up. In this weather, it probably turned out being the best option anyway.

This morning's tour was brief. Tip-toeing through the mud, in 5C temps, in my PJ's isn't helping my cold any.

Rouge D'hiver & Red Velvet lettuce coming along

(could be the other way around but I'm not

going back out there to check the labels ! :P)

Kohlrabi; indoor starts vs. wintersown

Parsnips haven't budged but the beets are germinating ! (in this weather ??)

Russian Tarragon (William Dam Seeds)

I grew this Russian Tarragon last year. The packet said hardy but I wasn't holding my breath. I'm surprised and pleased to see it come back and can attest to its hardiness !

Although I tried not to linger out in the cold too long, I found a layer of ice floating atop a bucket filled with water and couldn't resist trying to get an artsy shot of something. I held the ice sheet in front of the lens and took a few snaps.

Well, none of them turned out as I'd hoped, but it's a cheap alternative to photoshop !

Friday Flick - Foraging

2010-04-16T22:55:00.040-04:00

Do you forage ? I don't, and I think it's a shame. Well, if you count picking wild raspberries and blueberries, I guess I do, but I know there's much more out there for me to savour. I fondly recall as child when Granny came to visit us in the country, she'd take me out foraging to see what goodies we could find. Among other things, we thoroughly enjoyed our teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens) tea and dandelion salads.

There's a 6-part series I'm enjoying at the moment called The Edible Garden, in which host Alys Fowler explores self-sustainability in her urban garden. In this clip, it's early in the season and with little available for picking at home, she sets out to visit the 'wild larder'.

ps. If you're wondering how that nettle beer turned out, here's what Alys thought of it.

The Edible Garden book is also available

Read about it at the Telegraph

Alys' urban garden

[ image courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk ]

* * * *

More on foraging at PSFK and sustainablog. (Thanks to The Scientist Gardener for these links)

Still Diggin' and Haulin', Workin' on the New Layout

2010-04-11T21:02:00.665-04:00

I've had all winter to sleep on it and consequently the new layout has changed again. Needless to say, the additional work means progress is just inching along and with little to show for at the moment, I thought I'd bore you with a long recapitulative post instead. :P

Consider it a very detailed 'before' if you will. ;)

(Alternatively, those of you who already are familiar with my space can skip directly to the 'Progress so far' part of the post)

So let's recap !

For most people living in a short season area, or first time growers, growing veggies is a simple affair. Early crops, late crops and season extenders are foreign concepts and folks are just looking to grow some good ol' summer veggies - think tomatoes, cukes and beans. Such was my idea when I devised my patch last year, for little did I know I would be bitten by the veggie bug.

So ...

Here's the humble plot I constructed last year,

comprised of two 4' x 8' and one 2.5' X 8' beds...

... plus an arbor for growing grape vines

which conveniently doubles up as support for

growing upside-down things like ... tomatoes !

(and this year, peppers!)

What I'm dealing with

As you can see by the picture, what lurks beneath the lawn isn't just 'clayey' soil, it's 100% pure unadulterated clay. (Hmm, never considered the pot making business op before). The entire yard was levelled with fill, as much as 4 feet in some areas, and although I can't blame the previous owners for using the cheapest option out there (can I ?), this wretched substance has consequently become the bane of my gardening existence ! *ARGH*

Anyway ...

Although my pretties seem to cope relatively well with amended clay, I wouldn't dream of growing my yummy edibles it THAT ! (Not to mention suspicious whiffs of the malodorous kind lead me to believe it's probably contaminated). So as much as I'd love to lay down some really simple beds à la GrafixMuse, I don't see that happening here.

To achieve any depth at all, tall beds* are required and for a low-profile look, I bury half of them into the ground, as I did here:

I then add some gravel at the bottom for drainage (since these are just basically sitting on 'concrete') and top off with spanking new soil. However, burying wood is less than ideal since wood rots and a more impervious solution will have to be considered (brick, cement, stone, plastic). (Ka-ching !!) (Ok, yes, I suppose option B would be to dig the hole and fill it in, then build a regular frame on top and fill it, but I insist on having a barrier between the 'possibly contaminated' clay and new soil, so I'm willing to go the extra mile. (And yes, I have an OCD issue)).

* BTW, the tall raised beds Deborah @ Green Theatre featured recently were a hit with her readers, BUT I would advise lower-back pain sufferers, such as myself, to consider making them VERY high, almost waist high, to limit having to bend over too much. It is my opinion and experience that bending over for prolonged periods of time to tend to the crops, weed or work the soil is harder on the back than squatting down to do it, unless you have a decent ledge to sit on. As a consequence, I've decided to opt for low beds in the future. (And perhaps one day, I'll be fortunate enough to own a great piece of land with some fabulous soil and grow my crops directly in it ... sans beds at all !)

Indulging my ornamental side

As if contending with this God-awful clay and hauling gravel isn't painstaking enough, why on earth would I burden myself with digging up, dividing and replanting this Rugosa rose around the patch's perimeter ? Ok, I'll admit it had to come out anyway and considering my recycling nature and distinct inability to discard a perfectly healthy plant, I figured it would:

a) define and border the space, and

b) hide the very ugly chicken wire fencing

while attracting plenty of pollinators in the process.

(This thing is a bee magnet !)

Yes, unfortunately, fencing is a necessary evil to keep the cats and groundhog(s) at bay. However, this past winter has clearly demonstrated that flimsy chicken wire is no match for heavy snow and will most likely have to be replaced with a sturdier option. (Ka-ching !!)

Outside the patch

A few corners of the yard were dedicated to growing the 'big crops' last year and that involved digging and amending more GAC in the process.

An small area was fenced off for corn (new soil was incorporated there), then surrounded by sunflowers and ornamental millet (Setaria italica). I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone when I dug this round bed. This site is eventually intended for a spiral patio, but I used it to grow the pumpkins in the meantime.

The freshly planted crops ...

... in full Summer swing.

Annuals sure dress up a space, don't they ?

View from the back

Is that Pearl trying to figure a way into the corn bed ?

It is !

(Aww, ain't she a cutie ! :)
She's the cat in my avatar)

The new layout

By September, my decision to extend and reorganize the veggie patch was already made and work on the area got underway.

This is where I left off last Fall

The only setback with Area A (existing plot) is that although it was carefully positioned to get plenty of sun in the summertime, it sits in the house's shadow for the best part of the day in winter. (In my defence, 'winter gardening' hadn't even crossed my mind back then and who pays attention to winter shade, anyway ?! :P)

Fortunately, almost all of area B (new extension) gets sun year-round and that 6' x 8' bed (hole) especially. Once it's done growing the corn crop this summer, it will become the site for the poly-tunnel and this Zone 4 gardener's very foolish attempt at year-round gardening. (Lol, can't wait to see this !). Other structures sharing this area will include 2 L-shaped beds and a second arbor (or vertical support of some sort) at the back.

Area A is also getting a makeover. I'm swapping the existing side by side layout for 2 U-shaped beds facing each other. According to my calculations, this will offer a few more square feet of growing space. In addition, 2 new 2.5' X 6' beds will reside under the arbor and another bed at the far end will host the berries.

Progress so far...

Approximately 50 ft of Rugosa was repositioned to accomodate the wider layout and extended to encircle half of the 'spiral patio' (which obviously meant de-turfing and amending 50 ft of GAC).
The 'corn' bed underwent some repositioning too.
The existing 2.5' x 8' bed was dug out and recycled into one of the 6' units and placed under the arbor.
The other 6' unit was also built (new) and both beds were planted out with lettuce, onion, parsnip and brassica seedlings. Some carrots and beet seeds have also been sown.

Rugosa was nudged

Old bed dug out, resized and moved under the arbor ...

... and planted out with tiny lettuce and brassica seedlings

With indoor space at a premium, I decided to chance it and plant these tiny little seedlings out last Sunday (04/04). Unfortunately, temps have gone back to 'normal' this week and nights are once again hovering around or below freezing. Growth is consequently almost nonexistent. Luckily, there have been no casualties. I keep them well protected at night.

What's Next

This week, I'm hoping to get one of the L-shaped beds ready so I can plant out more early/hardy crops. I'd like to complete work on the corn bed too. Ideally, getting the polytunnel up would be of great use for holding and hardening off seedlings. Installing the new fencing will also have to be prioritized. As for the other beds, work can wait a little since most of them are assigned to summer crops.

A Few Updates

2010-03-31T21:14:00.479-04:00

A few seedling updates:

The parsnips are doing well and seedlings in all 6 pots and 10/12 rolls are up and appear happy.

Other things that were started recently:

Peppers; all 11 varieties,

as well as eggplant and sesame. (started 03/15)

Kohlrabi and Broccoli (started 03/20)

Many varieties of Parsley and Celery (started 03/20)

A few herbs (started 03/19)

And some lettuce (started 03/20)

One thing this veggie experience has done for me as a ornamental gardener is spark my interest in seeding. That's not to say I've never sown flowers before, but dividing, taking cuttings or buying ready-made plants from the nursery seemed so much easier and instantly gratifying that I never seriously bothered with it, nor did I consider the savings !

Now that I'm a convert, it's no surprise I've deciding to seed my own perennials and annuals this year. I'm testing seeds I've collected from the garden as well as growing new varieties I've purchased or received. Admittedly though, it's a very tight squeeze. With only 2 fluorescent fixtures in my germination setup, the pretties have no choice but to make the most of the natural light they get from the bay window in the "office". (How considerate of them :) )

Here's a fraction of what's growing the window sill:

Asclepias

Indigo Bush

California Poppies

Update on winter sowing:

In all honesty, this first attempt has not been a success. Partly because some of the containers I used were a bit sketchy - either too small, didn't have enough soil in them or the soil dried out. Partly because I left some seedlings out to endure two consecutive nights of -15C temperatures after they had germinated to see if they'd survive. (Bad decision). Undoubtedly though, the few that did - kohlrabi and orach, (good little seedlings!) - are stalkier and seem more robust than their indoor counterparts.

Orach (03/19)

And finally, a peek outside at the winter survivors:

The outside crop of Egyptian Onions

has survived and is shooting away

Winter Savory

Last year's strawberries

gearing up for a new season

The rye crop is starting up again

Thyme, looking a bit worn but will survive

Parsley, making a comeback ?

We'll see. :)

Going Square (part II)

2010-03-20T14:46:00.019-04:00

I've been using toilet paper rolls for a few of my seedlings but hadn't thought of going square with those either. This shape allows you to create a nifty little pot bottom at the same time.

How simple is that.

Use them full size or cut them in half, either way, they make perfect little cell packs.

My thanks to The Green Grower for inspiration on that one ! :)
(She saw them @ folia)

Going Square

2010-03-19T13:39:00.037-04:00

[ Update 2011-04-22 ]

I noticed my images come up on Google when searching 'paper pots' so I thought I'd better update this post and fix a few links.

Also, shortly after posting 'Going Square' last year, I discovered another method
of making square paper pots which I never followed up on. It is now my method of choice. It's very simple, uses little paper and makes perfect double-layer pots. I was going to post some pictures but found this great pictorial @ From Aura.
Check it out !

Updated links to pots featured in image below (original post):

Left - No Ordinary Homestead
Right - Biodegradable Plant Pot (video)

I'm a great fan of paper pots and use them regularly for growing seedings. I make plain round ones but after seeing how to make square paper pots over at Kara's yesterday, I just had to try them out !

The one on the left is featured at Kara's. The one on

the right is another model I stumbled upon on youtube.

Square pots fit nicely in a tray and ...

... as with round pots, you can make them any size.

Neat !

Thx Kara. :)

One Word ... Delish ! (& a late Sunday report)

2010-03-15T23:10:00.020-04:00

My last seed exchange landed me an unexpected and delightful surprise ! Emily @ greens & Jeans sent me a beautiful jar of her homemade quince jelly as a token of appreciation for a few seeds I sent her. She couldn't have picked a more thoughtful gift. I've been bragging about her quince and drooling over her jelly for so long ! :P

Absolutely delicious my dear ! Thank you very very much ! Lovely !

* * * *

Update

I'll take this post op to include a few seedling updates since I skipped the Sunday report yesterday. I know you're all miles ahead of me and this is old news to you, but please take pity on this zone 4 grower. :P (he-he !)

Celeriac has been sporting true leaves for a while (left)

and yellow strawberries are coming along (right)

but I find progress is somewhat slow on both.

Time for a little fish emulsion, perhaps ?

Onions & leeks could use a second haircut

Parsnip in 'inexpensive root trainer'

This is my first time growing parsnips. In addition to having a short shelf life, parsnip seeds are reputedly hard and/or slow to germinate. This 'All-American' variety says 95-105 days to maturity. The packet recommends planting in late spring for a fall/winter harvest. I was actually thinking of starting them later in the season for a very late fall crop or perhaps even letting them overwinter.

In any case, I baggie-chitted some seed to test viability. Results were better than expected. Two dozens seeds were folded up in a wet paper towel (I say wet because it was more than just damp) and inserted into a baggie. The seeds plumped up readily and approx. 5 days later, I could see that many germs were on the verge of coming out. So I transferred 12 seeds to TP tubes and left the others in the baggie to root out fully, which happened roughly 3 days later, and six of those were potted up as well.

Now seeds in 5/12 rolls and 3/6 pots have already fully emerged and I can't possibly throw perfectly good seedlings away, now can I ? I guess I'll have 2 crops this year.

Hoop-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

2010-03-07T20:44:00.028-05:00

It's been warm and sunny and glorious lately. Spring is definitely in the air ! Slowly but surely, the more clement weather is ridding us of the evil offering we received not too long ago. And with Green gradually making its way into the garden, I seriously need to get thinking about my season extenders. I've been collecting information, examining and analyzing many different designs over the year.

Here are a few:

A simple and inexpensive cloche design

Greenhouses, polytunnels, row covers and hoop houses
put together by some brilliant bloggers.

(Ain't it fabulous to be so well connected ! :D)

(mouse over for the who's who and click image

to be directed to the original post)

All very inspiring, and with bits and pieces here and there, I'm sure to come up with some useful ideas. Most of the different extenders I'm planning to use will not be permanent, so easy disassembly and storage is a must. As far as materials go, there's wood, plastic and metal to consider as well as cost and durability. Overall, I'm leaning towards simple, low-cost and efficient designs, although the polytunnel will probably be a little more elaborate. ;)

Definitely plenty to keep me busy for the next couple of weeks.

Sunday Report & Winter Sowing

2010-02-21T17:39:00.075-05:00

Taking winter sowing to the max

I'm doing a lot of winter sowing this year. I'm very interested in trying this hassle-free method of planting. And, being a bit cramped for space, it works out perfectly. All the native flowers and alliums I purchased from Prairie Moon Nursery required stratifying and were sown back in January. I've also put out some kale, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, sorrel, orach, chard (and a few others) a couple of weeks ago.

I know I said I wasn't doing potatoes this year but I've been holding on to a few remnants from last season's crop to see how well this Chieftain Red variety keeps. They were stored in the cupboard and are understandably getting soft and wrinkly now, but have kept well overall. Since they are ultimately destined for the bin, I figured I'd take the opportunity to experiment a little.

My take on potato tubers is that they are hardy. I say this because I've inadvertently grown potatoes in my flower beds 2 years in a row. So Friday, I brought some soil and compost in from the shed to thaw in the basement. Today, both media were finally workable and I mixed about 6 inches equal parts into a trug and laid the little spuds to rest. Although Chieftain Red is a mid-to-late season crop, last season's experience clearly revealed it was a poor candidate for bin growing. But I'm not giving up on growing spuds in containers just yet and have opted to use my 35L trug this time.

Now I guess I probably could have kept them in the basement, but for the experiment's sake, off to the shed they went to hibernate until the growing season begins. (above right)

In growing news

The onions and leeks are happily cruising and will need a haircut soon. And today, I noticed six of the seven cells of celeriac had sprouted. Surprising to say the least, since celeriac, like celery, is notoriously slow to germinate. It was sown 9 days ago, on February 12th. (My thanks to Dan for the heads up on that one !)

Well done boys. :)

Look what I got yesterday...

2010-02-16T12:21:00.051-05:00

A letter from Norway !

In it, some wonderful seed ! Hablitzia Tamnoides to be exact, also known as Caucasian Spinach, a perennial climber from the Caucasus. This vine, related to spinach (family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae), can climb to 3 m tall in a short period. (See here)

I can't wait to see how it does and tastes ! :)

[ Get the full story about Hablitzia here. Also check out Ottawa Gardener's great interview with the man himself, Stephen Barstow (he who sendeth the seed !), and catch a glimpse of his wonderful edimental oasis. -- TY Stephen ! ]

While I'm on the subject of seeds, and before Dan thinks I've completely forgotten about him ;), just look at the wonderful goodies I scored in our trade:

* Vates Kale,
* Siletz Tomato,
* Hamburg Parsley,
* Napa Cabbage, and
* Mizuna

Thanks Dan !

Gotta love seed trades. :)

* * * *

In other news,

Onions, Day 7

The onions will need thinning soon. The celeriac was sown last Friday (2/12). And today, I started a batch of strawberries.

Germination

2010-02-11T19:52:00.054-05:00

Thanks to GrafixMuse's heads up about onions last weekend, I proceeded to sow a batch on Sunday. (The deed was actually done Sunday evening when, after realizing at a quarter to five I was totally out of starting mix, I made a mad dash to the store just in the nick of time !)

Flat of Italy onion, sown 4 days ago

Ain't germination lovely ! :)

The Flat of Italy and Jaune Paille onions are both germinating well, so are the Bulgarian Giant leeks. The Musselburghs, on the other hand, don't seem as eager to come up.

I didn't do onions last year but used flats for my leeks (4L water bottle bottoms). This time, I sowed both leeks and onions in smaller take-out-soup type containers using a random sprinkling of seed. Germination around here takes place in the small downstairs powder room. I don't have a heat mat. I turn the thermostat up a notch (although onions don't really need much heat to germinate) and let nature do the rest. I will move them under the lights this weekend.

Speaking of onions, here are the Egyptian Onions I had growing indoors over the winter. After a challenging three months spent on a (not so sunny) windowsill, they're starting to perk up a bit ! :P

A dozen bulblets were sown indoors as something to fall back on

in case the outdoor crop didn't survive the late Fall planting.

Although the spears are delicious (taste like chives), I refrained from harvesting too many since I was more interested in knowing how long these topsetting onions take to produce topsets !

Actually, I might just waive the experiment and trim them back now. It would do the poor things a world of good.

Seed Viability Table

2010-02-02T12:38:00.059-05:00

I know some of you have already posted a seed viability table and/or seed storage information. I thought I'd put this table up as a reference for myself. I found it at Growing Taste.

Again, the internet has plenty of information on the subject. Iowa State University has an interesting page with a smaller table (and a few discrepancies between the two). Daphne also has a wonderful post about her precious seeds. And check out Thomas' survival kit if you missed it.

Relative Longevity of Well-Stored Vegetable Seed (by years)
5	4	3	2	1
Collards	Beets	Asparagus	Corn, sweet	Onion
Corn salad (mache)	Brussels Sprouts	Beans	Leek	Parsley
Cress	Cabbage	Broccoli	Okra	Parsnip
Cucumber	Cauliflower	Cabbage, Chinese	Pepper	Salsify
Endive	Chard, Swiss	Carrot		Scorzonera
Lettuce	Chicory	Celeriac
Muskmelon (Cantaloupe)	Eggplant	Celery
Spinach *	Kale	Kohlrabi
	Pumpkin	New Zealand Spinach
	Radish	Pea
	Rutabaga
	Sorrel
	Squash
	Tomato
	Turnip
	Watermelon

* Note : The original information had spinach listed at 1 year. I changed it to 5 based on the info at ISU, as well as the info on this page. However, Daphne's comment compelled me to search further and the information is contradictory to say the least. While sources generally agree on most vegetables, spinach is definitely the odd one out getting either a 1 or a 5 on different sites. Shall we compromise on an average of 3 ? Considering what Mike says about it on this TFB post, it should be good for at least that. (See Mike's reply to Anne).

Ideal storage conditions

ISU says

"The ideal storage condition for seeds is somewhere cool and dry. For many homeowners a capped jar in the refrigerator serves the purpose. Just looking at the seed will often give an indication of seed quality. For seeds that are usually smooth and round or plump, they will not germinate well if they are pocked or wrinkled. Peas, corn, and many other seeds are normally wrinkled but may not look as good as they should".

Geri Guidetti (The Ark Institute) also adds

"To sum up storage of seed, cool, dark and dry are the conditions you want. Temperature fluctuations, especially heat, and humidity are seeds' worst enemies. Generally the drier and cooler the better. You are shooting for a moisture content of about 8%. Seed that dry can be safely frozen for very long periods of time with little or no loss of seed viability. I have spoken with seed storage experts at the National Seed Storage Laboratory and was told that seed stored forty years ago under these conditions was highly viable". >> more

Proper storage measures will be taken for my seeds this year, especially those with a shorter shelf life. :)

Seeds On Offer

2010-01-29T22:29:00.038-05:00

My Baker Creek order finally arrived this week and that now means all the seeds are in. Overall, I'm satisfied with the suppliers this year*. All seem to carry good quality seeds. (Although, seeding time will be the judge of that). The amount of seed per packet was generous in most cases. They do tend to scrimp a little on the rarer or more 'exotic' varieties, though. I was surprised at the tomatillos. Except for 'Toma Verde', most packets had only 15 to 20 seeds in them. (Should I presume germination for tomatillo is high and the reason why they don't include many ?)

One thing I hadn't considered is seed viability. Last week, Dan brought to our attention that onion seeds lose much of their viability after one year. I'd say his latest post bears witness to the fact.

-> Uh-oh, Daphne, that probably means little or no germination for the leeks I sent you. I'd be more than happy to send you this year's varieties instead. I hope you fancy giants ?

So with that in mind, I see no point in waiting for next Fall's seed swap to share any surplus. I know you're all up to your eyeballs in seeds at the moment and probably don't need anymore, but if you spot anything from 'the list' that tickles your fancy, please feel free to drop me an e-mail. My address is on the sidebar in the profile section. (Look for the little orange envelope).

* The only supplier I probably wouldn't bother with again is Thompson & Morgan. They were the most expensive and a little too "big-box" for my taste. If it hadn't been for carrying one or two items I couldn't seem to find elsewhere, I probably would not have shopped there.

Baker Creek were the only ones to include free seed packets with the order. I got 'Shishito' peppers and 'Mizuna' greens. I'm liking Baker Creek ! :)

Have We Been Spared ?

2010-01-20T15:19:00.071-05:00

I'm thrilled to bits with the kind of Winter we've been having so far. I do say 'so far' as I am fully aware it's NOT over yet. Still, here we are, nearing the end of January, with only about a foot and a half of snow on the ground (tops!). Wee-Heee ! The weather's been mild since Christmas, delivering only minor accumulations. We've even been spared from the latest offering which covered parts of New England, was it ... Sunday ?

The garden shed [ March 20, 2008 ]

Ditto last year [ 2009 ]

Statistics say February can sometimes be more punishing than January. On average, it happens about once every three years. (Fingers crossed, it's not this year). I remember last March, being up to my waist in snow - all 44 inches of it... in March ! It wasn't until April that the stuff finally started to melt. (But both 2008 and 2009 were exceptional).

It certainly would be a blessing if Old Man Winter left early this year. I need to get cracking a.s.a.p. on the heap of work that needs to be done !

Let's hope this mild trend persists. :)

Companion Planting

2010-01-19T22:39:00.063-05:00

BORAGE: Companion plant for tomatoes, squash, strawberries and most plants. Deters tomato hornworms and cabbage worms. One of the best bee and wasp attracting plants. Adds trace minerals to the soil and a good addition the compost pile. The leaves contain vitamin C and are rich in calcium, potassium and mineral salts. Borage may benefit any plant it is growing next to via increasing resistance to pests and disease. It also makes a nice mulch for most plants. Borage and strawberries help each other and strawberry farmers always set a few plants in their beds to enhance the fruits flavor and yield. Plant near tomatoes to improve growth and disease resistance. After you have planned this annual once it will self seed. Borage flowers are edible.

Wiki's definition of companion planting is the planting of different crops in close physical proximity (in gardening and agriculture), on the theory that they assist each other in nutrient uptake, pest control, pollination, and other factors necessary to increasing crop productivity.

It makes perfect sense to me. It's a simple, effective and beautiful way of helping our precious veggies sail safely through the growing season. I used it last year and most definitely plan on using it again this year, even more so.

Here are just some of the many beneficial plants at our disposal:

BEE BALM (Oswego, Monarda): Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Great for attracting beneficials and bees of course.

CHIVES (and other alliums): Improves growth and flavor of carrots and tomatoes. A friend to apples, carrots, tomatoes, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, mustard, etc) and many others. Keeps aphids help to keep aphids away from tomatoes, mums and sunflowers. [...]

HYSSOP: Companion plant to cabbage and grapes, deters cabbage moths and flea beetles. Do not plant near radishes. Hyssop may be the number one preference among bees and some beekeepers rub the hive with it to encourage the bees to keep to their home.

LAMIUM: This will repel potato bugs- a big problem for many gardeners!

LARKSPUR: An annual member of the Delphinium family, larkspur will attract Japanese beetles. They dine and die! Larkspur is poisonous to humans too.

LAVENDER: Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Lavenders can protect nearby plants from insects such as whitefly, and lavender planted under and near fruit trees can deter codling moth. Use dried sprigs of lavender to repel moths.

LEMON BALM: Sprinkle throughout the garden in an herbal powder mixture to deter many bugs. Lemon balm has citronella compounds that make this work: crush and rub the leaves on your skin to keep mosquitoes away! Use to ward off squash bugs!

MARIGOLDS: (Calendula): Given a lot of credit as a pest deterrent. Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. One down side is that marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.

NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Do not plant near cauliflower. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bug, cucumber beetles and other pests of the cucurbit family. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids) which it does attract, especially the yellow flowering varieties. [...]

PETUNIAS: They repel the asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, certain aphids, tomato worms, Mexican bean beetles and general garden pests. A good companion to tomatoes, but plant everywhere. The leaves can be used in a tea to make a potent bug spray.

SAGE: Use as a companion plant with broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths, beetles, black flea beetles and carrot flies. Do not plant near cucumbers, onions or rue. Sage repels cabbage moths and black flea beetles. [...]

ZINNIA: Pretty zinnias attract hummingbirds which eat whiteflies. Alternately the pastel varieties of zinnias can be used as a trap crop for Japanese beetles. All zinnias attract bees and other insect pollinators.

The above information was sourced here. The full list is quite extensive and definitely worth a gander. Wiki fans may want to check out the site's list of companion plants and list of repellent plants instead, or any of the many sources out there - the internet is teeming with info.

So, as I valiantly plan out the patch for the coming season, I'm making use of 'CP' as much as I can. I'm looking forward to trialling the three sisters this year. I've got plenty of corn, squash and beans for that !

The Long and Winding List

2010-01-16T16:19:00.091-05:00

Now that the seed list is finalized, it's time for the variety lowdown. Oh, and

Welcome to the new blog ! :)

Playing in the dirt is where I am most happy, hence the new title. (I hope my dirty little toesies don't offend anybody, but I am a barefoot gardener. I did consider that as the new title 'cept the name was already taken ;) ). (The only reason I didn't just change the header on the other blog is that I might have other plans for that space). All posts and comments have been imported here, so it's business as usual. Just update the link if you still care to follow.

Intro

Last year was all about seeing if I could grow vegetables at all. Well, apparently I can. So now that that's out of the way, the focus this year will be all about discovering, testing and comparing varieties.

Comparative testing

I figure side by side comparison is better than relying on last year's notes, so you'll notice I'm growing more than one variety of the same thing. In the bean department, for instance, I have 4 lima, 2 purple, 2 yellow plus 'a few' green and dried varieties. Both bush and pole types, so I can test for size and space as well. Multiple sampling of other varieties include lettuce, carrots and peas, and of course, tomatoes & tomatillos.
More perennials

Another goal this year was to incorporate more perennial and root vegetables in the garden, so enter jerusalem artichokes, salsify and many varieties of perennial alliums/onions.

Fruit

By the same token, I felt the space needed more fruit. So in addition to the 3 hardy grape vines I purchased last year and the raspberry bush I scored a few years back (neighbourly trade), I'm aiming to incorporate blueberries, blackberries, currants and gooseberries too. Heck, I'm even considering replacing one of the crabapples with a real apple tree ! Not to mention I've fallen in love with Emily's quince (and her lovely quince jelly!) and have been on the hunt for a bush ever since. No luck so far, however, as most varieties are out of my hardiness range (zone 5 and up). Then again, I've gotten away with borderline plants before. Alternatively, I could go for a yummy plum tree instead.

Btw, I will be shopping for the above-mentioned candidates in Spring. Tips and recommendations about your favourite varieties are most welcome !

"THE" list

So with no further ado, here is *the long and winding* list. I can't help but laugh when I see it. I'm sure you'll chuckle, chortle, guffaw, hee-haw, crow and snort at it too. (And thank goodness for the on-line thesaurus !).

Oh baby, it's gonna be a tight squeeeeeeze !

Suppliers

(BC) Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
(BI) Botanical Interests
(McK) McKenzie Seeds
(Mr.F) Mr. Fothergill's
(PM) Prairie Moon
(S) Solana Seeds
(TM) Thompson & Morgan (Canada)
(V) Veseys
(WD) William Dam
* - Leftover seed from last year
Org. - Organic when specified on packet.

Bean (bush)

• Contender Org. (BI)
• Pencil Pod Yellow Org. (BI)
• Provider (V) *
• Royal Burgundy (BI)
• Bean Sequoia (S)
• Tavera (French Filet) Org. (BI)

Bean (pole)

• Asparagus Yard Long (BI)
• Kentucky Wonder (BI)
• Ramdor (S)
• Trionfo Violetto (BI)

Bean (shell)

• Alabama Blackeyed Butter Bean (BC)
• Baby Lima Org. (BI)
• Jackson Wonder Lima (BC)
• King of the Garden Lima (BC)
• Dragon Tongue (S)
• Ottawa Cranberry (Daphne)
• Red Peanut (S)
• Southern Cowpea Blackeye (BI)
• Scarlet Runner (V) *

Beet

• Cylindra (S)
• Detroit Dark Red (BI)
• Early Wonder Org. (BI)
• Gourmet blend Org. (including Chiogga and Golden) (BI)

Broccoli

• Purple Sprouting (TM)
• Ramoso Calabrese (Vilmorin)
• Waltham 29 (BI)

Cabbage

• Red Acre (BI)

Carrot

• Baby Little Finger (BI)
• Danvers (BI)
• Purple Haze (BI)
• Scarlet Nantes Org. (BI)
• White Belgian (or Blanche A Collet Vert or white w/ green collar) (BC)

Cauliflower

• Chef’s Choice Blend (BI)

Celeriac

• Giant Prague (BC)

Chard

• Bright Lights (McK) *
• Fordhook Giant Org. (BI)
• Ruby Red-Rhubarb (BI)

Corn

• Luscious (V) *
• Strawberry Popcorn (BI)
• Sweet Spring Treat Org. (BI)

* plus 4 other ornamental varieties

Cucumber

• Armenian (BI)
• Japanese Burpless Org. (BI)
• Lemon Org. (BI)
• Marketmore Org. (BI)
• Straight Eight (V) *

Eggplant

• Long Purple (BI)

Garlic

• Wild Garlic (Allium canadense) (PM)

* have not decided on bulb variety yet

Herbs (including grains)

• Amaranth Edible Red Leaf (BI)
• Basil Cinnamon (S)
• Basil Purple (S)
• Basil Sweet Genovese (Mr.F) *
• Basil Thai (S)
• Catnip (Mr.F) *
• Chinese Celery (S)
• Cutting Celery (TM)
• Dill (Bouquet) (WD) *
• Fennel Florence (WD) *
• Fennel Orion Hybrid (WD) *
• Fennel Smokey (WD) *
• Lemon Balm (WD) *
• Lovage (WD) *
• Oregano (common) (WD) *
• Mitsuba (japanese parsley) (S)
• Parsley Hilmar (flat) (WD) *
• Parsley Green pearl (curly) (WD) *
• Quinoa Brightest Brilliant Rainbow Org. (BI)
• Rosemary (WD) *
• Savory Summer Midget (WD) *
• Savory Winter (WD) *
• Sesame (S)
• Tarragon Russian (WD) *
• Thyme German Winter (WD) *

Jerusalem Artichokes

• Unknown, fairly smooth (OttawaGardener)

Kale

• Red Winter Org. (BI)
• Italian Nero Toscana Org. (BI)

Kohlrabi

• Purple & White blend (BI)

Leek

• Bulgarian Giant Leek (BC)
• Giant Musselburgh Leek (BC)
• Wild Leek (Allium tircoccum) (PM)

Lettuce

• Butterhead Marvel Org. (BI)
• Butterhead Speckles Org. (BI)
• Deer Tongue (S)
• Oak Leaf blend Org. (BI)
• Red Velvet Org. (BI)
• Romaine Little Gem Org. (BI)
• Romaine Parris Island Org. (BI)
• Romaine Rouge D’Hiver Org. (BI)

* plus last year's remnants, if I can manage it !

Melon

• Iroquois (BC)
• Minnesota Midget (BC)

Mustard Green

• Southern Giant (BI)
• Red Giant (BI)

Other greens

• Arugula Mediterranean Org. (BI)
• Arugula Wild Org. (BI)
• Bok Choy Tatsoi (BI)
• Endive Olesh Tres Fine Org. (BI)
• Komatsuna (japanese spinach) (S)
• Orach (S)
• Orach, red (BC)
• Mache Corn Salad Org. (BI)
• Sorrel (Common) (BI)

Okra

• Clemson Spineless (BI)
• Red Burgundy (TM)

Onion

• Egyptian Onions (Oklahomegrown)
• Flat of Italy Onion (BC)
• Jaune Paille Des Vertus Onion (BC)
• Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) (BI)
• Prairie Onion (Allium stellatum) (PM)
• Spring Onion (Bunching) (D.T. Brown) *

Parsnip

• All American (BI)

Pea

• Shelling - Progress Org. (BI)
• Snow - Corne De Belier (BC)
• Snow - Oregon Sugar Org. (BI)
• Snow - Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Peas (BC)

Pepper (sweet)

• Yolo Wonder (BI)
• Italian Marconi Gold (BI)
• Cal Wonder Org. (BI)
• Purple Beauty (BC)
• Chocolate (BC)

Pepper (hot/chile)

• Cayenne Blend (BI)
• Pasilla Bajio (BI)
• Hungarian Org. (BI)
• Jalapeno Org. (BI)

Pumpkin

• French Cinderella (Rouge Vif D’Etampes) (BI)
• Jarrahdale (BI)
• Little October (BI)
• Lumina White (BI)
• Marina Di Chioggia (Squash) (BC)

Radish

• Daikon Miyashige White Org. (BI)
• French Breakfast (Mr.F) *
• Jaune D' Or Ovale Radish (BC)
• Spanish Black (S)
• Summer mix (Mr.F) *

Salsify

• (common) (TM)
• Scorzonera (Giant Russian) (BC)

Spinach

• Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach (BC)
• Bordeaux (BI)
• Huauzontle (Red Aztec Spinach) (S)
• Lavewa (BI)
• Strawberry Spinach (S)

Squash

• Early Prolific Straightneck (BC)
• Summer (zucchini) Dark Green (Mr.F)
• Summer Straightneck Org. (BI)
• Turks Cap (BC)
• White Scallop (BC)
• Winter Pink Banana (BI)
• Winter Waltham Butternut (Mr.F)

Swiss Chard

• Bright Lights (McK) *
• Ruby Red/Rhubarb Org. (BI)
• Fordhook Giant Org. (BI)

Tomatillo (and other similar solanum)

• Cisineros (S)
• Coztomatl (S)
• Giant Cape Gooseberry (BC)
• Ground Cherry (Strawberry Husk Tomato) (BC)
• Litchi Tomato (or Morelle De Balbis) (BC)
• Pepino (Melon Pear) (TM)
• Pineapple Tomatillo (Daphne)
• Purple Tomatillo (BC)
• Toma Verde Tomatillo (BI)
• Yellow Giant Tomatillo (S) (probably same as Giant Cape Gooseberries ?)

Tomato (cherry)

• Black Zebra (S)
• Gardeners Delight (BI)
• Ildi (TM)
• Yellow Pear (BI)
• Sugar Sweetie Org. (BI)
• Sun Gold (BI)

Tomato (pole)

• Big Red (Oklahomegrown)
• Brandywine Red & Yellow Org. (BI)
• Burracker's Favorite (S)
• Old Virginia (Oklahomegrown)
• Purple Calabash (S)
• Red Siberian (BI)
• Speckled Roman Org. (BI)

* plus as many of last year's varieties as I can squeeze in. I have a few seeds left.

Turnip

• Purple Top White Globe Org. (BI)

*GASP*, I know ! It's ludicrous.

Of course, additional container planting will be required and I will need LOTS of it ! But my biggest worry right now, (besides space), is having so many Solanaceae. If blight hits again this year, I'm in one heck of a pickle.

AND as generous as this list may be, I can't help but feel a few things are missing... more Asian greens for one, and celery ! I was really looking forward to growing Dan's gorgeous red celery but alas, decided on a few cutting varieties instead. Watermelon is also something I've been wanting to grow, but it's not happening this year. One thing is certain though, NO potatoes. :( Sadly, after lots of wavering, I finally decided against them this season. But that doesn't rule out yams ! ;)

Welcoming The New Year !

2010-01-01T12:45:00.002-05:00

Is there any other way of welcoming the New Year than with a dash of madness ?

Well, first and foremost,

Happy NEW YEAR everyone !

May 2010 be filled with love, joy and happiness !

Wishing you peace and health

and a very beautiful and bountiful gardening season ! :)

Secondly, my BI order arrived yesterday ! Let it be known (if you hadn't already figured it out) that I am mad ! ... Yes, mad for pretty seed packets. I ordered most of my seeds from Botanical Interests this year because I was totally seduced by the packaging. Well, that's not entirely true. (I'm not that shallow). In addition to the attractive packets, BI offers quite a wide variety of heirloom and organic seeds. I know beauty isn't everything and there are plenty of (other/more) fabulous seed sites out there. I try to select 2 or 3 different suppliers each year and BI got the luck of the draw this year.

I'll spare you the seed details for now

but there are 98 packets to be exact

Let's just say I got a little carried away and, in case you hadn't already noticed, that is an ~~obscene~~ ~~indecent~~ ~~absurd~~ somewhat substantial amount of seeds. (But I am fully aware of this fact and own up to my perversion. I should also say that half of this monu'mental' order was graciously offered by my loving son as a Christmas present).

I hesitate to add (but only briefly) that this isn't the extent of my seed debauchery. No sir ! I have also ordered (and received) a dozen native plant seeds from Prairie Moon Nursery and am awaiting more veggie seeds from Thompson & Morgan any day now. A small(er) order from William Dam is presently in the works and (if I can still live with myself) another order (perhaps final ?) will also be placed at Solana Seeds. I shall TRY to keep it small, but this low-profile site/supplier located in QC carries quite an impressive and tempting array !

Readers, please do not judge this pathetic seed addict too harshly for this is her only weakness. (She really is a 'good girl' the rest of the time). Look on the bright side and consider nothing else but the bounty of seeds she'll have to share with you next year !

Speaking of which, Daphne's wonderful 'Ottawa Cranberry Bean' and 'Pineapple Tomatillo' seeds got here just in time for Christmas. What a wonderful gift ! Thanks again Daphne. :)

Happy New Year to all ! There's no need for resolutions with such healthy addictions. I say just go ahead and INDULGE !

M. XxX

Season's Greetings

2009-12-24T12:06:00.001-05:00

A very Merry Christmas to all !

Third Time's The Charm

2009-11-30T18:21:00.003-05:00

Ahem, well... define charm. As far as getting the job done, I believe Mother Nature has succeeded this time around. From the looks of it, offering number three is here to stay. I'm not complaining, mind you. I clearly recall being under a foot of snow a week earlier last year. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

So what kind of winter is in store for us in 2010 ? Well sources disagree, of course, but according to the Farmers' Almanac, this (apparently) is it:

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Now, sincerest apologies to my blogger friends in the Prairies and Ontario, but as far as my neck of the woods is concerned, I'm thrilled. After two consecutive years of record snowfall, normal temperatures and precipitation are most welcome. (The Quebec City region got a whopping 18 feet of snow in 2008 and our area trailed not very far behind).

So remember to bundle up and keep warm and to all, a very happy winter !

C ya next Spring ! :) xx

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T13:26:00.000-05:00

David Letterman's Thanksgiving top ten list made me giggle last night. I thought I'd share it with my US blogger friends who are celebrating today.

Top Ten Signs You've Eaten Too

Much On Thanksgiving

10. Decide to take a little nap after Thanksgiving, you wake up in March

9. You're mistaken for the Garfield balloon

8. Dad has to use electric knife to carve you out of your pants

7. You're sweating ham glaze

6. Senators knock on your door, tear up health care bill and say, "You're on your own, fatso"

5. You're in Boston, but your ass is in New Hampshire

4. You receive personalized "Thank you" note from the president of Butterball

3. Revenge-seeking turkeys show up on your lawn and try to kill you

2. GPS units tell local drivers "Turn left at bloated guy"

1. Even Kirstie Alley's saying, "Whoa, pace yourself"

To all, a very scrumptious and joyful Thanksgiving. Enjoy ! :)

Another Gift !

2009-11-26T13:23:00.006-05:00

I'm so excited ! I received the wonderful Jerusalem Artichokes the Veggie Patch Re-Imagined sent me. (She's sharing some lovely stuff ! check it out)

Thank you so very much, OG ! (They arrived safe and sound. Keep an eye out for something coming your way soon. :) )

Since the weather is still so very cooperative (no snow yet !),

I proceeded to plant them out in the beds.

Happy wintry dreams my lovelies !

Have a Nice Weekend

2009-11-14T10:58:00.001-05:00

The Fall cleanup is complete !

The leaves have been mulched ...

the pretties put to rest ...

... and the compost bins are brimming.

The vegetable beds were amended and protected ...

while the cover crop soldiers on ...

... and my relic of summer remains.

The weather has been so cooperative for the Fall clean-up this year, I couldn't have asked for better, or more... but more is still to come ! The temperatures are expected to hover in the teens again for the next couple of days and now that the work is done, the weekend is all mine.

To all, a very nice one !

The Leaf Experiment

2009-11-14T10:07:00.002-05:00

After some deliberation in the comment section of my last post, I decided to take the plunge and experiment for myself exactly how long a stack of leaves takes to break down.

No investment here. I simply slapped the whole thing together using materials that were on hand. I had 20" of chicken wire fencing left over from the plot build and about a dozen 1" bamboo poles lying around. I staked 7 (4 + 3 equally spaced and staggered over 2 rows) and, determined not to cut the chicken wire, simply 'wove' it around the poles creating 3 triangular bins.

Why 3 bins ? Well, every good experiment requires some sort of comparative testing, so here are the candidates:

Bin 'A' is your basic stack of whole leaves, filled to the rim using medium compaction. In other words, the archetypal two-year contender.

Bin 'B' is a carbon copy (pun intended) of bin 'A', or rather was before being mulched. It now occupies only one third of the bin.

Much like Bin 'A', Bin 'C' is filled to capacity but with shredded leaves. It holds over 3 times more matter than its counterpart.

So over the next year or so, I'll be comparing breakdown. More specifically A vs. B and A vs. C.

The experiment will take place solely under Mother Nature's supervision. No fiddling around from my part. No heat induction or worm enhancement. Only what occurs naturally. I've chosen a semi-sunny location with morning sun and afternoon shade so that neither factor predominantly influences the experiment.

My predictions ? I figure, once the snow recedes in Spring, the stacks will have compressed down to the following: Bin 'A' to half, Bin 'B' slightly and Bin 'C' to 3/4. In my opinion, Bin 'B' will be (quite obviously) the first to break down. This modest heap of small morsels will attract lots of worms (and other insects) and I predict a 99% conversion by the end of Summer. And although Bin 'C' is tackling 3 times the workload, I sense the pile's compact nature will work to its advantage, promoting heat which will in turn accelerate the process. As far as Bin 'A' is concerned, I see a flaky pastry of wet slimy leaves, just like any old pile that slept through winter. Any serious decomposition will probably only take place in the second season.

We'll see.

Gathering Leaves

2009-11-09T20:52:00.006-05:00

The former owners who built this house bordered one side of the property with a row of maples. Now, twenty years on, the benefits are all mine. In addition to providing a privacy screen in Summer, I get a fabulous display in Fall and plenty of compostable material for the garden.

My precious leaves. Some have been composted,

some will be mulched and others will sit the winter through.

As the beautiful weather continues, I finished gathering the leaves today. I never do them all at once. I divide the workload over the 2 or 3 week shedding period. And contrary to many of my fellow bloggers, I LOVE raking leaves, lol ! (I'm amazed how many of you out there seem horrified with yard work ... is it a veggie gardeners thing ?)

I personally love yard work. It's a meditative experience for me. I love turning my compost and mowing the lawn, pruning and clipping and all that jazz. I love being outside in the garden. It's my sanctuary.

Think of it as a harvest, folks. It's just another crop.

Happy leaf gathering !

It's woolly aphid season !

How cool are they, decked out in fur ...

Are any hovering around in your garden ?

White (Take 2)

2009-11-06T12:07:00.002-05:00

It happened again.

This second coming should not linger very long either as the temps are expected to climb back up in the next 3 or 4 days providing a 'Last Call !' opportunity to finalize the fall clean-up.

Seeing Green Again

2009-10-28T07:26:00.001-04:00

While many of you out there (in warmer climes) are enjoying your lovely fall greens, there's not much happening in my garden at the moment. Witnessing new life emerging (and that wonderful glimpse of green) is always a joyous sight.

Last week, I sowed the lovely Egyptian Onions I received as a gift. A dozen were planted outside in the beds. Uncertain how they would fare in the cold soil, I sowed another dozen inside for safekeeping (and winter enjoyment).

A week old yesterday

The little fella on the left (indoor onion) was planted upside down. (No wonder he wasn't poking !) As I turned him rightside up, I noticed he took no time at all in putting out roots. The one on the right (less further along outside in the cold) is also setting roots underneath its mulch blanket. So all seem happily rooted and ready for the winter season.

Speaking of which, my Christmas Cactus seems merrily on its way too. Jumping the gun a little, wouldn't you say ?

Last of the Fall Colours

2009-10-27T22:35:00.002-04:00

The trees are bare. The show is over. Only a few specks in the landscape remain. Larches for the most part.

Peeping through the fence at the neighbours' larch.

Stranger Things Have Happened ?

2009-10-26T18:03:00.001-04:00

As I was finishing off the last of the ripening tomatoes, I noticed something strange with this one ...

... the seeds have germinated inside ! I've never seen anything like it, have you ?

I immediately set off on a quest to find out what gives. As I surfed the internet for photos, I stumbled upon this page (take a look at his tomato, the sprouts are poking through the skin !). The post's author seems keen to point the finger at GMO's, but is that the culprit here ? Surely someone (or something) has fiddled with these tomatoes. As I scrolled through the comments, I found this bit of information :

Tomato Seeds Jumping the Gun

Although not very common, we occasionally get calls regarding tomato fruits that have sprouted seeds inside. The "normal" balance of plant growth regulators (PGR) inside the fruit should inhibit germination until the seeds have been harvested from the pulp. Certain genetic mutations might be lacking in this PGR, or, environmental conditions might interfere with the plant's ability to produce the PGR.

In tomatoes, cool temperatures coupled with low light conditions is thought to inhibit that particular PGR, thus allowing the seeds to germinate inside the moist, warm environment of the tomato fruit. [...]

--Rosie Lerner, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University

[ source ]

Well cold might have played a role in my case, but I should also point out this was a compost volunteer, i.e. store-bought tomato, i.e. ~~probably~~ most certainly GMO (is anything not GMO nowadays ?). I think I'll stick to just heirlooms in the garden from now on. No more store-bought compost volunteers. Blech !

(FYI, I DID eat it anyway and although sprouts are good for you, I left those aside, thank you :P).

White

2009-10-22T18:45:00.003-04:00

The inevitable has occurred.

First snow - 2009-10-22

Here today, gone tomorrow. Fortunately.

Plant & Seed Giving: The Best Gift of All

2009-10-19T22:28:00.004-04:00

I received a lovely gift today ! 'Tree Onions' (aka Top Onions, Topset Onions, Walking Onions or Egyptian Onions) from Mick at Oklahomegrownveg. Mick and I became acquainted not through blogging but through a torrent site, of all places. (Well, it was on the site's gardening forum, après tout...) Anyhoo, Mick has been documenting his vegetable garden for a few years now and seeing his blog is what inspired me to start my own account.

Tree onion bulblets

These cuties took a little over two weeks to get here and germinated along the way. They arrived complete with tiny stowaway and the sweet smell of good ol' Oklahoma dirt ! (Not to create any confusion here, these have not technically been in the ground. They are the bulblets that form at the top of the stalks but breaking open the package released a fantastic earthy onion bouquet). Oh, and he slipped me some tomato seeds at the same time - 'Old Virginia' and 'Big Red'. Ain't he a sweetie !

Thanks Mick ! xx

Top-setting multiplying onions are perennials that set small bulblets on top of tall stems, instead of producing underground bulbs or making seed heads. The bulblets measure only 1/2 to 1 inch in length and look like miniature purple-red onions. They often are used for pickling and in vinaigrettes or soups, and they will last several months in storage.

The weight of the bulblet cluster, if left alone, causes the stem to bend, dropping the cluster to the ground, where it roots and sends up new shoots — thus the "walking" sobriquet. To propagate them, simply remove some of the bulblets and plant them where you want new onions to grow.

The 'Catawissa' onion is a variant of the Egyptian onion. Its bulblets actually can send out shoots before touching the ground, so that a second and sometimes even a third tier of bulblets are produced.

[ Source ]

(photo courtesy of egyptianwalkingonion.com)
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A Brutal Awakening

2009-10-16T08:43:00.001-04:00

We've been waking up to frost all week here, but this morning was particularly brutal ... -9C ! I forgot to shut the lid on the cold frame. The crops are F-R-O-Z-E-N. lol !

There were 3 broccoli plants in there, another was growing out in the open. The latest crop of carrots was covered as well, while the older crop was growing in another bed, unprotected, valiantly coping with the cold until this morning ! lol. However, I did manage to pull half a dozen (small) carrots earlier this week, which were stupendously delicious, btw. Like many other root veggies, I think they get sweeter after frost ...

Fortunately, the rest of the herbs were harvested earlier this week too. I don't bother potting them up and taking them in at the end of the season. At this point, I've enjoyed them fresh all summer long and am perfectly happy using them dried or frozen throughout the winter. (The parsley was chopped and frozen, the rest of the herbs were dried). A brand new batch of herbs will be started in February.

Note on Fall crops: Although most were started 'on time', growth was excruciatingly slow. The broccoli showed lots of promise but didn't bud. The lettuce hardly budged. The carrots were off to a good start but were stopped in their tracks. Very strange. I'll have to time things better next year. I still have lots to learn about Fall crops.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-10-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

It's sunny and chilly here this morning. Night temperatures fell to -4 last night and some parts of the country got quite a bit of snow on the week-end. Thankfully, we were spared.

The order of the day (after checking up on the crops) will be raking ! Yesterday's high winds scattered much of the Fall glory around.

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general.

So, what am I thankful for ?

In one word: gardening ... and obviously all that comes with it - discovery, awe, fascination, wonderment, hard work, enjoyment, fulfillment, reward and most of all sharing, for a passion is pointless if it is not shared.

So thanks to all fellow bloggers who share their passion and inspire me every day ! Thank you. :)

Now off to the hardware store to get a new rake !

Happy Thanksgiving Canada ! :)