So, we had frost already. HEAVY frost, and snow.
So it's time to clean out the garden pots and the garden plot.
To prevent rot and infestations and diseases from wintering over...all the plant material should be removed and composted away from your main compost.
Hopefully I'll have the chance to do at least some of that this weekend.
Along with that will be harvesting what's left of the herbs.
There's lots of parsley so I'm going to try a batch of Jen's Mom's Chimichurri Sauce!
I'm also going to try to figure out if I can get any of the herbs to keep growing in my east-facing kitchen window....
I'll let you know!
Challenge - Buy Hand for the Holidays
If you noticed, I recently added a do-hickey to my side-bar.
Deanna over at Crunchy Chicken is running a challenge to gift in a more environmentally manner this holiday season.
I have more information over at my food blog - because I frequently gift food items. But you can simply click on the icon over there --> and get started.
If you do this please leave comments about what you made and how the receiver liked it!!!
Deanna over at Crunchy Chicken is running a challenge to gift in a more environmentally manner this holiday season.
I have more information over at my food blog - because I frequently gift food items. But you can simply click on the icon over there --> and get started.
If you do this please leave comments about what you made and how the receiver liked it!!!
Fall Harvest!
It seems as though the 1/4 inch mesh metal fencing placed at an outward "L" away from the upright fence has kept chucky at bay.
If you remember from an earlier post I had planted squash and beans and had hoped to plant some additional items...that never happened, BUT the squash and beans have done well.
I have harvested a meal's worth of beans from both the lower garden and the window boxes every week or so. I have also harvested about a half-dozen squash and there are more on the way, and about the same number of cucumbers.
The pepper harvest has been ok, but modest.
There was also a tomatillo plant that I had transplanted in the lower garden that took off like a weed. It has produced a bizillion flowers and many empty husks. I don't think there's enough warm weather left for actual fruits.
The window boxes have still been giving me lettuce, beans and herbs. I have plenty of sage dried for winter roasts and bread stuffing. I have also been harvesting an abundance of parsely.
My biggest problems in the lower garden have been weeds/grass and slugs.
Many beans have been eaten by the slugs - so I guess next year I'll be needing to look for organic control methods.
And let me say that again, NEXT YEAR!
I am so happy to be ending this season with hope for next year's garden. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to plant peas, broccoli, cabbage and other early cool-weather items since the fencing is now secure!
If you remember from an earlier post I had planted squash and beans and had hoped to plant some additional items...that never happened, BUT the squash and beans have done well.
I have harvested a meal's worth of beans from both the lower garden and the window boxes every week or so. I have also harvested about a half-dozen squash and there are more on the way, and about the same number of cucumbers.
The pepper harvest has been ok, but modest.
There was also a tomatillo plant that I had transplanted in the lower garden that took off like a weed. It has produced a bizillion flowers and many empty husks. I don't think there's enough warm weather left for actual fruits.
The window boxes have still been giving me lettuce, beans and herbs. I have plenty of sage dried for winter roasts and bread stuffing. I have also been harvesting an abundance of parsely.
My biggest problems in the lower garden have been weeds/grass and slugs.
Many beans have been eaten by the slugs - so I guess next year I'll be needing to look for organic control methods.
And let me say that again, NEXT YEAR!
I am so happy to be ending this season with hope for next year's garden. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to plant peas, broccoli, cabbage and other early cool-weather items since the fencing is now secure!
Preserving the Harvest - PICKLES!
Garlic Dills
1Qt Water
1/2 C Salt
1 C white vinegar
8-12 Pickling Cucumbers
Garlic & Dill to taste
1-2 Quart Size Mason Jars / Jars from Tomato Sauce or any Large container
(I used a plastic container initially and moved them to jars after I found some that would work)
Wash pickles, quarter and put in jars with garlic and dill.
Mix salt, water and vinegar and pour over pickles filling jars. (Any large jars will do.)
Leave pickles at room temperature for 3 days.
Refrigerate after that.
Sweet & Salty Slices (with mixed veggies)
sliced onions
green peppers, cut in strips
Green or Yellow Beans
Daikon Radish slices
AND
Enough sliced cucumber to fill a gallon jar (do not peel cucumbers)
4 c. sugar
3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. pickling salt (not iodized)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
If you don't have a gallon jar you can also use Quart or Pint sized Mason jars...of course any jars will do as these will not be sealed.
Wash and slice veggies and put them in your jars.
(I made 1 jar with just yellow beans and onion slices, and put a mix of veggies in the other jars)
Mix sugar, vinegar and spices together in a pitcher or bowl with a spout until sugar is dissolved.
Pour liquid over vegetables in jar.
Mixture may not completely cover pickles, that's ok.
Refridgerate.
Ready to eat the next day.
Will keep all winter in refrigerator.
I
n the picture these don't look as yellow as they became later from the tumeric.
They are both very yummy!
1Qt Water
1/2 C Salt
1 C white vinegar
8-12 Pickling Cucumbers
Garlic & Dill to taste
1-2 Quart Size Mason Jars / Jars from Tomato Sauce or any Large container
(I used a plastic container initially and moved them to jars after I found some that would work)
Wash pickles, quarter and put in jars with garlic and dill.
Mix salt, water and vinegar and pour over pickles filling jars. (Any large jars will do.)
Leave pickles at room temperature for 3 days.
Refrigerate after that.
Sweet & Salty Slices (with mixed veggies)
sliced onions
green peppers, cut in strips
Green or Yellow Beans
Daikon Radish slices
AND
Enough sliced cucumber to fill a gallon jar (do not peel cucumbers)
4 c. sugar
3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. pickling salt (not iodized)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
If you don't have a gallon jar you can also use Quart or Pint sized Mason jars...of course any jars will do as these will not be sealed.
Wash and slice veggies and put them in your jars.
(I made 1 jar with just yellow beans and onion slices, and put a mix of veggies in the other jars)
Mix sugar, vinegar and spices together in a pitcher or bowl with a spout until sugar is dissolved.
Pour liquid over vegetables in jar.
Mixture may not completely cover pickles, that's ok.
Refridgerate.
Ready to eat the next day.
Will keep all winter in refrigerator.
I
n the picture these don't look as yellow as they became later from the tumeric.
They are both very yummy!
August in the Garden: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
I can't believe that it's been so long since my last post.
The summer living is not slow and easy here in northern New Jersey, it is HOT and WET and it's been moving at a breakneck speed this year. With all of life, and the garden has been sort of neglected.
So I give you this past weekend's asessment:
The Good
The fenced garden with groundhog proofing has successfully keept out the groundhog for 6+ weeks now. YAY! So, hopefully next spring I'll be able to get an earlier start there and keep it going all summer.
The windowbox lettuce has been wonderful as have the windowbox bush beans...the beans that did well were a specific variety for container gardening.
And, The herbs always do well in containers.
The squash, cukes, and beans I planted in the fenced area are doing well and should produce a decent fall crop. (fingers crossed)
Onion sets I shared with my garden buddy, Kim, also did well in the fenced garden(not as good as hers, but she's a more attentive gardner) and the leeks were AWESOME.
The Bad
The topsy turvy hanging tomato things didn't do so well...I'm not completely ready to give up. It was a weird weather kind of year...so, maybe next year they'll do better.
I kept planting what I thought was cilantro in containers, and it turned out that most of it was parsely. Oh well...
I still need to plant some autumn greens. Hope I get the chance before it's too late.
AND, the weeds OMG!!! With all of the rain we got this year, the weeds in the garden beds have been horriffic. It has been impossible to keep up with them.
The Ugly
Tomato blight...there, I've said it...
The same disease that created the Irish Potato Famine is taking out tomato crops in the NE USA. Organic and Biodynamic farms are hit hard.
I couldn't grow tomatoes this year for love or money. My seedlings didn't do well...I begged some from my friend Kim, but the weather stunted them.
Then I purchased some plants from the local Lowes...which died within a week...a dry week.
So I took them back and re-purchased...and those plants have barely hung on. (still trying to figure out if I took blight home.)
But in the back of my head I knew my CSG (Community Supported Garden) would take care of me. That we'd get distributions of tomatoes and there would be some "pick your own" patches.
Alas, that is not to be. We received word this week that the blight hit them hard and they had to destroy the tomato fields. It is an especially hard hit as they usually save seed and will not be able to do that either.
So here it is...the last week in August and NO TOMATOES! I'll probably be able to hunt some down at a farm stand somewhere....eventually....but it is not the same as eating as you pick from your own garden or watching your kids pick and eat...or bringing them home from the farm we've supported for 10 years.
The summer living is not slow and easy here in northern New Jersey, it is HOT and WET and it's been moving at a breakneck speed this year. With all of life, and the garden has been sort of neglected.
So I give you this past weekend's asessment:
The Good
The fenced garden with groundhog proofing has successfully keept out the groundhog for 6+ weeks now. YAY! So, hopefully next spring I'll be able to get an earlier start there and keep it going all summer.
The windowbox lettuce has been wonderful as have the windowbox bush beans...the beans that did well were a specific variety for container gardening.
And, The herbs always do well in containers.
The squash, cukes, and beans I planted in the fenced area are doing well and should produce a decent fall crop. (fingers crossed)
Onion sets I shared with my garden buddy, Kim, also did well in the fenced garden(not as good as hers, but she's a more attentive gardner) and the leeks were AWESOME.
The Bad
The topsy turvy hanging tomato things didn't do so well...I'm not completely ready to give up. It was a weird weather kind of year...so, maybe next year they'll do better.
I kept planting what I thought was cilantro in containers, and it turned out that most of it was parsely. Oh well...
I still need to plant some autumn greens. Hope I get the chance before it's too late.
AND, the weeds OMG!!! With all of the rain we got this year, the weeds in the garden beds have been horriffic. It has been impossible to keep up with them.
The Ugly
Tomato blight...there, I've said it...
The same disease that created the Irish Potato Famine is taking out tomato crops in the NE USA. Organic and Biodynamic farms are hit hard.
I couldn't grow tomatoes this year for love or money. My seedlings didn't do well...I begged some from my friend Kim, but the weather stunted them.
Then I purchased some plants from the local Lowes...which died within a week...a dry week.
So I took them back and re-purchased...and those plants have barely hung on. (still trying to figure out if I took blight home.)
But in the back of my head I knew my CSG (Community Supported Garden) would take care of me. That we'd get distributions of tomatoes and there would be some "pick your own" patches.
Alas, that is not to be. We received word this week that the blight hit them hard and they had to destroy the tomato fields. It is an especially hard hit as they usually save seed and will not be able to do that either.
So here it is...the last week in August and NO TOMATOES! I'll probably be able to hunt some down at a farm stand somewhere....eventually....but it is not the same as eating as you pick from your own garden or watching your kids pick and eat...or bringing them home from the farm we've supported for 10 years.
What to do with the Green Beans You're Harvesting
It seems that even though some garden plants (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers etc) aren't real happy with the weird weather we're having in NJ this year, the beans like it just fine.
I've picked up 3 lbs at the CSG we belong to, harvested some of my own widow box bounty, and have accepted overflow from a friend's garden.
So, now, what to do with all that bounty....
I've posted a couple of asian-inspired recipes over on my food blog.
Click here, and here.
Of course, you can substitute beans in my friend Leana's squash recipe or just make that with the squash that is also becoming abundant about now!
There's also pickled green beans or 3 bean salad...or blanch them and freeze them for use when you need to taste the summer again.
Happy harvesting, happy eating!
I've picked up 3 lbs at the CSG we belong to, harvested some of my own widow box bounty, and have accepted overflow from a friend's garden.
So, now, what to do with all that bounty....
I've posted a couple of asian-inspired recipes over on my food blog.
Click here, and here.
Of course, you can substitute beans in my friend Leana's squash recipe or just make that with the squash that is also becoming abundant about now!
There's also pickled green beans or 3 bean salad...or blanch them and freeze them for use when you need to taste the summer again.
Happy harvesting, happy eating!
Mid-July Check-In
It's hard to believe it's been more than two weeks since I posted last.
Summer really is flying by.
I finally finished my "groundhog proofing" efforts on the main (aka fenced) garden beds over the past 2 weekends.
During the spring/early summer my attentions to that plot were woefully scant and the weeds and grasses had taken over 3/4 of the space...so I also had to de-weed.
The weeding process, although rough, gave me the opportunity to see how wonderful the ewe poo I added in May had made the earth. The number of earth worms was overwelming!
When I finished those tasks last weekend, I transplanted all my peppers, which were doing ok in pots, but not fabulous; the few tomato seedlings I had left and some summer squash and cucumber seedlings I had started about a month ago.
I also planted some additional squash seeds, and bush bean seeds. Over the next couple weeks I hope to get in some beets, chard and other fall crops.
In the window boxes, the first lettuce planting is ready for harvest; the second and third are coming in and the bush beans should be ready for harvest soon. Some tomato plants are still hanging in there and the herbs are doing well.
Summer really is flying by.
I finally finished my "groundhog proofing" efforts on the main (aka fenced) garden beds over the past 2 weekends.
During the spring/early summer my attentions to that plot were woefully scant and the weeds and grasses had taken over 3/4 of the space...so I also had to de-weed.
The weeding process, although rough, gave me the opportunity to see how wonderful the ewe poo I added in May had made the earth. The number of earth worms was overwelming!
When I finished those tasks last weekend, I transplanted all my peppers, which were doing ok in pots, but not fabulous; the few tomato seedlings I had left and some summer squash and cucumber seedlings I had started about a month ago.
I also planted some additional squash seeds, and bush bean seeds. Over the next couple weeks I hope to get in some beets, chard and other fall crops.
In the window boxes, the first lettuce planting is ready for harvest; the second and third are coming in and the bush beans should be ready for harvest soon. Some tomato plants are still hanging in there and the herbs are doing well.
Protecting the Veggies
Even with the bulk of the garden close to the house this year, the deer and/or groundhogs have brazenly partaken of our efforts.
I started with pots close to our main door, and as the seeds sprouted I moved most of the window boxes to arms hanging from the porch railing, and covered some of the pots/boxes I couldn't move with bird netting.
At first I only covered the side of the steps with the bean plants, because the tomato and pepper plants are apperently not as tasty to the beasties.
But then my parsley started to got munched - AT THE very back of the pot ON TOP OF THE STEPS RIGHT ON THE PORCH!
So, I bought a second roll and now have it covering both sides.
My husband does not love it, it's not pretty, but it gets the job done....as long as I remember to tuck it in...because the beastie got some of the parsley AGAIN even with the netting over it ARRGH!
The State of Green
As I've mentioned before, most of my garden this year (so far) is in pots on the porch. This has mostly kept wildlife at bay...I'll explain more in another post.
With the rain-laden month of June, a lot of things are still not where they should be...but here is what we've got so far.
This box has parsley and broccoli raab.
Here is the lettuce and our eco-friendly clothes drier.
And, on the steps, we have a tomato, peppers, a cucumber, and a cauliflower, additional squash and cucumber starts...
Bush beans and pole beans are at the bottom on the stoop along with some flowers and herbs.
On the other side there is a big pot of herbs at the top,
more tomato and pepper plants and flowers.
In my last tomato post I mentioned problems...well there are still problems. Some of the tomatoes don't look as healthy as they should, and the ones in the topsy turvy planters didn't even warrent taking pictures of they are so small and stunted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but my usual bad-luck with peppers seems to be changing to tomatoes this year and the peppers look pretty good.
I'm really excited about how good the beans look too! Can't wait to pick and eat my own crop of beans! YAY!
With the rain-laden month of June, a lot of things are still not where they should be...but here is what we've got so far.
This box has parsley and broccoli raab.
Here is the lettuce and our eco-friendly clothes drier.
And, on the steps, we have a tomato, peppers, a cucumber, and a cauliflower, additional squash and cucumber starts...
Bush beans and pole beans are at the bottom on the stoop along with some flowers and herbs.
On the other side there is a big pot of herbs at the top,
more tomato and pepper plants and flowers.
In my last tomato post I mentioned problems...well there are still problems. Some of the tomatoes don't look as healthy as they should, and the ones in the topsy turvy planters didn't even warrent taking pictures of they are so small and stunted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but my usual bad-luck with peppers seems to be changing to tomatoes this year and the peppers look pretty good.
I'm really excited about how good the beans look too! Can't wait to pick and eat my own crop of beans! YAY!
Water Conservation - Washing the Veggies
I'm going to start a weird topic for my area this week....Water Conservation.
This June has been one of the wettest I can remember. I don't think we've had more than 1 or 2 days where we didn't get at least 1 shower, and most days were completely grey and rainy.
I've had more issues with seedlings and potted (outdoor) plants getting too much water than not enough.
Gardens are waterlogged, Lake Hopatcong is actually full...when on Memorial Day there were many lamenting how empty it still was from the winter lowering.
So, before June, we were in a drought.
And, summer drought has become common in our area in the last 10 years, I've heard announcements about lakes and reservoirs being at record lows frequently. And the building boom of the late 1990s and 2000's has not helped.
I have posted about wanting a rain-water capturing system that we just haven't been able to afford yet, so that I don't have to feel nervous about watering our garden from our well. Nor have we been able to find a source for clean used barrels...
We've never had a problem with our well, and as far as I know, no one around us has either. It's just that when you think about the dryness around, lakes lower, less rainfall in the highlands, etc it makes you take note, so I'm going to blog about conserving water, even after a month with 10+ inches of rain.
We get most of our produce from the biodynamic Community Supported Garden (CSG) at Genesis Farm.
Some of it comes home pretty dirty, and for years I was washing it all under running water. For the past year or two, though, I've been trying to do as much as I can with less water.
I start by putting the veggies in a big bowl or use the salad spinner and letting it fill half way, scrubbing the veggies using the water from the bowl; setting aside each scrubbed veggie until the dirt is off and I have a bowl of brown muddy water.
Then I use that water to water plants, and get the benefit of all that biodynamic soil, rather than letting it run down the drain along with gallons and gallons of water....
After getting rid of the "mud", I give the veggies a final rinse, now free of most of their dirt, it only takes a slow stream of running water, again captured in the bowl...and use that for the plants too.
There have been times when I've been "too busy" to do it this way, but when I don't capture the wash water and let it run even a little, I feel guilty.
Water is a precious resource, even when you've had a rainy June.
This June has been one of the wettest I can remember. I don't think we've had more than 1 or 2 days where we didn't get at least 1 shower, and most days were completely grey and rainy.
I've had more issues with seedlings and potted (outdoor) plants getting too much water than not enough.
Gardens are waterlogged, Lake Hopatcong is actually full...when on Memorial Day there were many lamenting how empty it still was from the winter lowering.
So, before June, we were in a drought.
And, summer drought has become common in our area in the last 10 years, I've heard announcements about lakes and reservoirs being at record lows frequently. And the building boom of the late 1990s and 2000's has not helped.
I have posted about wanting a rain-water capturing system that we just haven't been able to afford yet, so that I don't have to feel nervous about watering our garden from our well. Nor have we been able to find a source for clean used barrels...
We've never had a problem with our well, and as far as I know, no one around us has either. It's just that when you think about the dryness around, lakes lower, less rainfall in the highlands, etc it makes you take note, so I'm going to blog about conserving water, even after a month with 10+ inches of rain.
We get most of our produce from the biodynamic Community Supported Garden (CSG) at Genesis Farm.
Some of it comes home pretty dirty, and for years I was washing it all under running water. For the past year or two, though, I've been trying to do as much as I can with less water.
I start by putting the veggies in a big bowl or use the salad spinner and letting it fill half way, scrubbing the veggies using the water from the bowl; setting aside each scrubbed veggie until the dirt is off and I have a bowl of brown muddy water.
Then I use that water to water plants, and get the benefit of all that biodynamic soil, rather than letting it run down the drain along with gallons and gallons of water....
After getting rid of the "mud", I give the veggies a final rinse, now free of most of their dirt, it only takes a slow stream of running water, again captured in the bowl...and use that for the plants too.
There have been times when I've been "too busy" to do it this way, but when I don't capture the wash water and let it run even a little, I feel guilty.
Water is a precious resource, even when you've had a rainy June.
Tomato Angst
This year's seed starting did not go well. I started too late (early April) and tried to start the seeds in my kitchen bay window. I should have known...even though these windows are not as new as the ones in the rest of the house, they are modern windows. Remember my plight 2 years ago? So the seedlings didn't do well inside, and even when I put them outside I hesitated to put them in direct sunlight where the critters could make an easy meal of them. So, they hung out on my porch not doing too much.
My gardening buddy, Kim, took pity on me and gave me some of her leftover plants. She always does well with seed starting. I think her south-facing side porch helps! So I did have a couple of plants, but with all of the June rain and lack of sun, nothing was really doing well.
So, last weekend I bought some tomato plants from a local store to supplement my scrawny seedlings. All 'patio' varieties which were supposed to be more bushy with thick firm stems.
I took them home put them in soil mixed with composted sheep manure (ewe poo) in well drained pots.
I put them among all my other pots filled with veggies, flowers and herbs on the porch steps. Covered everything with bird netting to protect everything from the deer and 'Chucky' and went about my weekly business.
When my mom came to visit on Wednesday they were all DEAD! Probably a fungal infection of some sort, but I had to bring them back to the nursery and try again this weekend with new plants.
These are not "patio" plants, but hopefully will survive ok in the pots anyway.
Everything else has managed to survive in pots on the steps, even the broccolin and cauliflower were doing well until someone found them - that's why there's bird netting now.
The peppers even look like they are thriving.
Keep your fingers crossed for me. I can't imagine another summer with no tomato harvest - and neither can my son, Ronnie...
I'll keep you posted.
My gardening buddy, Kim, took pity on me and gave me some of her leftover plants. She always does well with seed starting. I think her south-facing side porch helps! So I did have a couple of plants, but with all of the June rain and lack of sun, nothing was really doing well.
So, last weekend I bought some tomato plants from a local store to supplement my scrawny seedlings. All 'patio' varieties which were supposed to be more bushy with thick firm stems.
I took them home put them in soil mixed with composted sheep manure (ewe poo) in well drained pots.
I put them among all my other pots filled with veggies, flowers and herbs on the porch steps. Covered everything with bird netting to protect everything from the deer and 'Chucky' and went about my weekly business.
When my mom came to visit on Wednesday they were all DEAD! Probably a fungal infection of some sort, but I had to bring them back to the nursery and try again this weekend with new plants.
These are not "patio" plants, but hopefully will survive ok in the pots anyway.
Everything else has managed to survive in pots on the steps, even the broccolin and cauliflower were doing well until someone found them - that's why there's bird netting now.
The peppers even look like they are thriving.
Keep your fingers crossed for me. I can't imagine another summer with no tomato harvest - and neither can my son, Ronnie...
I'll keep you posted.
Weekend Garden Review
Almost everything I planted last weekend is, at least, poking its way up.
I have tiny lettuce, spinach, & broccoli rabe seedlings in the window boxes...no sign of the swiss chard yet.
The beans are just-cresting the dirt in the side boxes, and one of the peat pots of cucumbers is up as well.
No sign of the zucchini or yellow squash yet...
This weekend, I transplanted a bell pepper and 2 tomatoes (Striped Roman and Kellogs Breakfast varieties) to bigger pots flowers to hanging pots...made 2 big flower pots for Mom and still have some left over to plant around the yard.
I had posted a "wanted" on the local Freecycle list and received 3 new pots...one was huge - from a large rhododendron the giver had purchased.
My original planting of cilantro is just about big enough to start harvesting...so next weekend we will have fresh salsa! Yay! For my fresh salsa recipe click here.
I have been procrastinating on going to the fenced plot and doing groundhog control...but it must eventually be done....there are more tomatoes to plant, and not much more room on the porch steps..and the squash will need space too.
And, OI, Chucky was sighted last night close to the porch....
I have tiny lettuce, spinach, & broccoli rabe seedlings in the window boxes...no sign of the swiss chard yet.
The beans are just-cresting the dirt in the side boxes, and one of the peat pots of cucumbers is up as well.
No sign of the zucchini or yellow squash yet...
This weekend, I transplanted a bell pepper and 2 tomatoes (Striped Roman and Kellogs Breakfast varieties) to bigger pots flowers to hanging pots...made 2 big flower pots for Mom and still have some left over to plant around the yard.
I had posted a "wanted" on the local Freecycle list and received 3 new pots...one was huge - from a large rhododendron the giver had purchased.
My original planting of cilantro is just about big enough to start harvesting...so next weekend we will have fresh salsa! Yay! For my fresh salsa recipe click here.
I have been procrastinating on going to the fenced plot and doing groundhog control...but it must eventually be done....there are more tomatoes to plant, and not much more room on the porch steps..and the squash will need space too.
And, OI, Chucky was sighted last night close to the porch....
Grow Your own Pancakes?!?!?!?!
I subscribe to Organic Consumers Association newsletters.
Today they had an interesting article which has inspired a whole new train of thought for me.
Growing my own grains, albeit on a small scale.
The grab-line for the e-newsletter was as follows:
How to Grow Your Own Wheat and Make Your Own Flour
The process of of making your own flour is a lot easier than most people imagine. Before the advent of the modern flour mill, grinding wheat or corn into flour was a laborious task. For that reason, most Americans still assume flour is made with some sort of magical machinery in a factory somewhere. In actuality, wheat is one of the easiest crops to grow, even if you have limited space. Once you've grown it, you just need to cut an arm-full, flail it a bit to remove the grain, blow the chaff off the grain, and use a device like your blender to make the flour. From there, the cookie, bread, pasta or pancake recipe you use is up to you!
The link to the whole article online is:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18082.cfm
The winter wheat sounds like a good option for me...once harvested, other veggies can be grown in the vacant spaces.....let me know what you think...if you've done this before or plan to try it this year along with me!!
Today they had an interesting article which has inspired a whole new train of thought for me.
Growing my own grains, albeit on a small scale.
The grab-line for the e-newsletter was as follows:
How to Grow Your Own Wheat and Make Your Own Flour
The process of of making your own flour is a lot easier than most people imagine. Before the advent of the modern flour mill, grinding wheat or corn into flour was a laborious task. For that reason, most Americans still assume flour is made with some sort of magical machinery in a factory somewhere. In actuality, wheat is one of the easiest crops to grow, even if you have limited space. Once you've grown it, you just need to cut an arm-full, flail it a bit to remove the grain, blow the chaff off the grain, and use a device like your blender to make the flour. From there, the cookie, bread, pasta or pancake recipe you use is up to you!
The link to the whole article online is:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18082.cfm
The winter wheat sounds like a good option for me...once harvested, other veggies can be grown in the vacant spaces.....let me know what you think...if you've done this before or plan to try it this year along with me!!
I'm at it again - The Garden Experiment 2009
Last year was pretty pathetic, after initial success with the indoor seedlings and lettuce and garlic harvest, the groundhog (aka "Chucky") pretty much ruined things for me.
Every time I thought I'd managed to bar his way he found a new one. I had very little in the way harvest after the begining of July...mostly just basil.
This year, I had a sluggish start at planting indoor seeds and most things are still really small.
Around Mothers day I started a second batch of seeds in seedling containers, mostly herbs and flowers.
I also started some window boxes and flower pots using the SFG (square foot gardening) theory that you don't need more than 6" deapth of dirt to grow most things.
So, I've got radishes coming along in a window box on the porch rail, and transplanted, store-bought cauliflower and broccoli plants donated by my friend Kim, in large flower pots perched on the patio steps.
I did plant onion sets in the main garden, noting the big tunnel Chucky already dug...
And my husband purchased some mesh fencing that I need to lay around the outside of the garden to prevent Chucky's digging habits.
Yesterday I planted two topsy-turvy tomato hangers with seedlings (Amish Salad, and Prudence Purple varieties) provided by my best garden pal, Kim (of the broccoli and cabbage). And planted some bean seeds, both pole and bush in some more window boxes which I have on the cement patio next to the house. I also planted lettuce, broccoli rabe, and spinach seeds in window boxes on the porch railing. I also planted zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumber seeds in peat pots, in hopes that I'll be able to fill in the main garden at some point........
As you can probably tell, most of my plants are close to the house so far this year.
I am too tired of doing the work of gardening without reaping the rewards!!!
I'll try to keep a record of how it is going with the window box garden and take some pictures to post.
So far, the radish greens are lush and enticing, but no bulb of significance has formed.....
Every time I thought I'd managed to bar his way he found a new one. I had very little in the way harvest after the begining of July...mostly just basil.
This year, I had a sluggish start at planting indoor seeds and most things are still really small.
Around Mothers day I started a second batch of seeds in seedling containers, mostly herbs and flowers.
I also started some window boxes and flower pots using the SFG (square foot gardening) theory that you don't need more than 6" deapth of dirt to grow most things.
So, I've got radishes coming along in a window box on the porch rail, and transplanted, store-bought cauliflower and broccoli plants donated by my friend Kim, in large flower pots perched on the patio steps.
I did plant onion sets in the main garden, noting the big tunnel Chucky already dug...
And my husband purchased some mesh fencing that I need to lay around the outside of the garden to prevent Chucky's digging habits.
Yesterday I planted two topsy-turvy tomato hangers with seedlings (Amish Salad, and Prudence Purple varieties) provided by my best garden pal, Kim (of the broccoli and cabbage). And planted some bean seeds, both pole and bush in some more window boxes which I have on the cement patio next to the house. I also planted lettuce, broccoli rabe, and spinach seeds in window boxes on the porch railing. I also planted zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumber seeds in peat pots, in hopes that I'll be able to fill in the main garden at some point........
As you can probably tell, most of my plants are close to the house so far this year.
I am too tired of doing the work of gardening without reaping the rewards!!!
I'll try to keep a record of how it is going with the window box garden and take some pictures to post.
So far, the radish greens are lush and enticing, but no bulb of significance has formed.....
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