Tag: Kitchen Garden

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Kitchen Garden

Cukes, Zukes and Yellow Squash

This Year’s Last Seedling Trays, Zucchini, Cucumbers and yellow squash.

When I returned from the farm Sunday afternoon I transplanted a dozen broccoli plants in the garden. Reserving a couple to replace failures, I gave the rest to my neighbor.

Continuing the minimal tilling experiment, I placed broccoli seedlings in a plot where cucumbers produced in abundance last year. I didn’t remove the plastic and used the same holes. The plot is shaded by the locust tree, so I’m not sure how this will turn out. Fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

At the greenhouse I seeded cucumbers, zucchini, and yellow squash, which is likely the last starts. Most everything else will be seeded directly in the ground in May.

I brought home a tray of lettuce and spinach for transplanting.

I seeded,

Cucumbers

Northern Pickling, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 48 days.
Little Leaf, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 57 days.
Marketmore 76, Ferry – Morse, 68 days.
Tasty Jade, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 54 days.

Zucchini

Raven, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 48 days.
Elite, Ferry – Morse, 55 days.
Dark Green, Ferry – Morse, 55 days.

Yellow Squash

Dixie Hybrid, Ferry – Morse, 41 days.
Early Summer Crookneck, Ferry – Morse, 53 days.
Early Prolific Straightneck, Ferry – Morse, 50 days.

While inspecting the apple blossoms yesterday I spotted leaves growing from the stump where another apple tree was blown over in a straight line wind. I staked and put a cage around it to protect from being eaten by deer and from the mower. Not sure what’s next, but it was a very early apple and I may grow it to maturity if that is what it turns out to be.

The spring share for which I bartered at Local Harvest CSA begins today and runs for five weeks. I’m looking forward to a salad made with fresh, local lettuce and cooking greens for a pasta dish.

The next step in the gardening season is upon us.

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Kitchen Garden

Apple Blossom Worries

Apple Blossoms Before the Frost Click the photo to better see the blooms.

Apple blossoms began to open as news of an overnight freeze arrived.

I woke at 2 a.m. and checked the ambient temperature. 33 degrees — barely in the safe zone.

The impact of losing blooms before pollination would be another two years waiting for a crop.

The overnight forecast was a low of 29 degrees, which means there is a chance most of the buds will survive. These things are iffy, so I’ll go outside as soon as it is light and check the progress. Fingers crossed.

News from my fall job at the apple orchard arrived yesterday. They took out 500 trees from the oldest part of the orchard to be replaced with an as yet unannounced “season extender.” The orchard manager mentioned the challenges of starting a new fruit like raspberries, strawberries or blueberries in March at a Johnson County Food Policy Council panel on specialty crops. From the presentation I understand the new crop won’t be raspberries or strawberries, although I could just pick up the phone and call the owners and ask.

I ran into one of them at the warehouse club last week. Instead of the orchard, we talked about how the retail establishment used to sell dried mangoes of the kind they enjoyed while managing an orchard in China. Sadly, the supplier no longer carries that type, saying it is “unavailable from the distributor.” I confirmed my interest in working another season at the retail barn. She said they had already been discussing my return at a board meeting, so I had to come back. It is nice to feel needed, I think.

I could go another year without home grown apples if I have to. We have plenty of apple sauce, apple butter and apple cider vinegar to last. Working at the orchard is another source should frost take my blooms.

According to my weather app, the forecast changed to a low of 32 degrees since I began writing this post. Sunrise is at 6:06 a.m., in an hour and 20 minutes. As soon as dawn starts to break, I’ll be outside inspecting the blooms, hoping they made it through the night.

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Kitchen Garden

Easter in the Germination Shed

First Spring Flower in Our Yard

Seven of us worked in the germination shed at Sundog Farm on Easter morning.

The farmers were preparing dinner for their extended family. I brought them two quarts of home made vegetable soup for lunch in case they hadn’t thought about it with all the meal preparations. It was well received.

My broccoli is ready to plant, however, I seeded it in a tray with parsley, which is not. I brought the tray home to figure out how to make both plants grow optimally. Marginal planning on my part.

The peppers planted two weeks ago have not germinated which is slightly concerning. Peppers take longer but I’d hoped the plants would be emerging today. Tomatoes planted last week haven’t germinated either. That is to be expected.

Everything else is coming along, and the peppers may be coming along, only I don’t know it.

I planted,

Red Ace Beets, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 50 days.
De Milpa Tomatillos, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 70 days.
Bellezia Arugula, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 51 days.
Fairy Tale Eggplant, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 65 days.
Galine Eggplant, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 65 days.

This is the first time planting beets in trays. It is a common practice so I’m giving it a go. There are now eight trays in the germination shed with the next up for planting being spinach and lettuce, maybe next week.

Arugula has tiny seeds. A gust of wind blew through the germination shed taking a batch of arugula seeds with it. Luckily there were more in the packet.

The other experiment this year is tomatillos. I had some from CSA shares last year and they keep in the ice box for a very long time. They are a great alternative to tomatoes for making salsa.

It was a clear, beautiful day, the kind farmers and gardeners want.

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Kitchen Garden

Kale Planting

2019 Kale Bed with 21 plants ready for mulch and fencing.

Temperatures were ideal for yard work so I prepared the bed for kale.

It is important to get kale right because once established, it will produce leaves until November. Sometimes it even over-winters. It is worth the time to measure and plant according to the package instructions.

I put 21 seedlings in the ground and reserved a dozen in case some don’t survive. A neighbor wants some, and after that, I’ll snip the leaves and make a kale salad or two with the leftovers.

My process has a lot of steps after picking up the seedlings at the greenhouse.

  • I run the lawn mower over the plot to remove any tall grass.
  • This year I did a burn pile on this plot so using a garden rake I spread the ashes evenly over the surface.
  • Turn over the soil in bites the size of the spade. Do this by hand. A long-handled spade works best.
  • Spread fertilizer (composted, granulated chicken manure) evenly over the top. For a 10 x 12-foot plot I used a gallon and a half.
  • Using the garden rake, break up the clods of dirt until they are fine enough to rake somewhat smoothly.
  • Make a slight trench with rows three feet apart. Use a yard stick or measuring tape.
  • Using a hand cultivator, break up the dirt in the trench six inches either side of center.
  • Using a plastering brick laying trowel, knife the blade into the ground and pull the soil back until the seedling will fit in. Put in the seedling, then fill the hole by hand with loose soil. Measure distance to the next hole in the role as length of the trowel plus the length of blade. Finish planting.
  • Next I use six inch sections of field tile to protect the seedlings. These will be removed once the stem grows larger. Press each tile section into the ground. The idea is to prevent ground crawling and walking pests from biting the tender young plants.
  • Use the garden rake to even our the surface and remove compressed areas where the gardener knelt during planting.
  • Using metal fence posts, pound them into the ground with a post-driver.
  • Put up chicken wire ensuring to get the bottom to firmly touch the ground. Be sure to leave a place for a gate so you can access the ripe kale.
  • If mulch is available, mulch deep and completely. Return later if mulch is not available.
  • Finally water the entire plot thoroughly.

Sounds a bit complicated, but the process has served well during the last few years.

It was a great day to be out in the garden.

Categories
Kitchen Garden

Planting Radishes

Brush Pile Burning Down, April 19, 2019.

Good Friday has been the traditional time to plant potatoes. With weird weather, tradition has been discarded.

Instead, under a clear sky and cool spring temperatures, I re-stacked the burn pile, lit it, cleaned up around the second garden plot and planted radishes in a container.

I’ll get spuds from local farmers instead of growing my own this year.

I planted,

Radishes

D’Avignon Specialty, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 21 days.
Rudolf Round, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 24 days.

In a week, I’ll plant another crop in the next container until the four containers next to the compost heap are filled with rotating crops for as long as intense heat stays within normal seasonal variation.

Lettuce seeds planted in the ground April 10 germinated and display a carpet of tiny green leaves in the first plot. Nothing else has surfaced.

I inspected the apple trees. Flower buds appear to have survived the Polar Vortex. Tips of the emerging leaves seem discolored, but I don’t know if that’s their normal color. They seem far enough along for a normal May bloom.

The plot with the burn pile will be for kale and something else. As I walk the back yard, carrying tools, seeds and fertilizer during multiple trips from the house, a plan for this year’s garden is being revealed.

Categories
Kitchen Garden

First Seedlings from the Greenhouse

Germination Shed April 14, 2019

Sunday I brought home the kale seedlings I planted March 10 from the farm. They are ready to go into the ground as soon as the soil is prepped, maybe this week. Five weeks from seed to seedling.

In the garden, seeds planted April 9 have not germinated, although temperatures have been cold. Halfway through April, I’m anxious to spend more time in the garden. Looking at the last couple of years I kept records, the garden is where it has been in these days of weird weather.

I planted tomatoes in the greenhouse yesterday, more than I thought, and more than I will use, 360 seedlings.

Here’s what I planted by tray:

Tray One

(Slicers)
Brandywine, Seed Savers Exchange, 80 days from transplant.
Martha Washington, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 78 days.
German Pink, Seed Savers Exchange, 85 days from transplant.
Beefsteak, Ferry — Morse, 80 days.
Abe Lincoln, Ferry — Morse, 70-77 days.
Early Girl Hybrid, Ferry — Morse, 52 days.
Better Boy Hybrid, Ferry — Morse, 70-75 days.
Big Boy Hybrid, Ferry — Morse, 78 days.

Tray Two

(Plum)
Amish Paste, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 85 days.
Moskvich, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 60 days.
Granadero, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 75 days.
Speckled Roman, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 85 days.
(Slicers)
Nepal, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 78 days.
Black Krim, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 80 days.

Tray Three

(Cherry)
Red Cherry, Ferry — Morse, 70-75 days.
Jasper, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 60 days.
White Cherry, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 59 days.
Clementine, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 68 days.
Matt’s Wild Cherry, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 60 days.
Taxi, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 64 days.
(Grape)
Red Pearl, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 58 days.
(Plum)
Roma, Ferry — Morse, 85-90 days.

“I planted too many tomatoes,” I told the farmer.

“You can never have too many tomatoes,” she said.

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Kitchen Garden

Burn Pile

Burn Pile
First Spring Burn Pile

I lit the burn pile with two matches and a pile of scrap paper but the long branches didn’t all burn. In fact, most of them didn’t, except in the middle where fire took hold for a while then died out for want of something.

The the partly charred branches need reworking and another ignition after this morning’s rain. Since today is first of two days at the home, farm and auto supply store, it won’t be until Friday.

Yesterday I planted in the ground for the first time this season, using an experimental limited till method. I have so many seeds, if some fail, they can be replaced.The season is late, but still new, and I’m interested to see if the seeds germinate and dig roots.

I planted in the ground,

Lettuce:

Black Seeded Simpson, Ferry — Morse, 45 days.
Buttercrunch, Ferry — Morse, 70 days.
Mesclun Mix, Ferry — Morse, 40-80 days.

Sugar Snap Peas, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 60 days.

Carrots: Bolero, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 75 days.

Beets:

Detroit Dark Red, Seed Savers Exchange, 65 days.
Moneta, Johnny’s Selected Seeds. 46 days.
Merlin, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 48 days.

Turnips:

Purple Top White Globe, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 50 days.
Hakurei, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 38 days.

The smallest of the plots is now planted and overnight rain will dampen everything down. Spring hope is in the ground.

Categories
Kitchen Garden

Sound of Children Playing at the Farm

Two Pallets for the Garden

This week at the farm it was another light day of 21 trays of 120 seedling blocks. One of the seeders brought some children whose voices could be heard while they played with the farm dogs most of the time I was there.

My tray of kale in the greenhouse is ready to plant. The ground isn’t ready so I left it behind for a week. Space in the greenhouse is at a premium so planning where to plant needs to happen. I planted from seed:

Bell Peppers:

Snapper, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 62 days green/82 days red.

Hot Peppers:

El Eden (Guajillo), Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 65 days green/85 days red.
Baron (Ancho), Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 65 days green/85 days red.
Serrano, Ferry — Morse, 73 days.
Jalapeno — Mild, Ferry — Morse, 72 days.
Jalapeno — Early, Burpee, 72 days.
Red Flame, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 60 days green/80 days red.
Red Rocket, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 55 days green/75 Days red.
Long Thin Cayenne, Ferry — Morse, 72 days.
Bangkok, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 75 days green/95 days red.

Except for the rosemary, everything planted previously germinated. I now have 720 seedlings in the greenhouse.

The intent of many varieties of hot peppers is to have a single patch of two or three rows with a couple plants of each kind. Serrano and Jalapeno are for eating fresh. I’ll pickle some jalapenos. I’m experimenting with El Eden  (Guajillo) and Baron (Ancho) for drying and using in chili sauce, so I may plant a separate row of those two. Everything else is to dry and use as red pepper flakes or chili powder.

The cold, wet spring is making the coming week a crunch time to get started planting.

Categories
Kitchen Garden Writing

On a Warm Spring Day

Spring on Lake Macbride

Saturday was the first spring day with temperatures in the low 70s.

I spent a few hours raking and using the chainsaw, beginning yard clean up. More clean up remains but I’ve learned to take it easy until returning to better physical shape through the work.

I relished being outside at work so much. Excited to deploy the chainsaw, I forgot hearing protection until I was almost finished.

Neighbors hailed me from their yards and in passing by. The whole neighborhood seemed outside and alive. There was ice below matted leaves yet everything else indicated spring had definitely arrived.

Saturday had begun Friday by covering mixed beans with tap water to soak overnight.

Before sunrise I cooked the beans in homemade vegetable broth, then added carrots, celery, onion and bay leaves. The broth reduced so I added more — four quarts in all. It simmered all day yielding a deep brown color by supper time. A cup of soup with toasted bread, a small plate of cheese and pickles, and a glass of milk made the meal.

A week into April and nothing is planted in the ground. I surveyed the garden plots for a spot to plant peas and carrots and have ideas but no plan. I’m getting better with garden layout each year because of a shift from whimsically filling space to consideration of which plants go where and why. After yesterday there’s a lot of wood to cut for a burn pile, such cutting making space to think about sunlight, shade, soil health, animal traffic and mulch.

Such is the world of a gardener.

Categories
Kitchen Garden

First Dig

Abandoned Silo

On Monday I inspected the garden plots and the ground remained too cold and wet.

Later in the week I made the first dig and the soil was clean of frost the 10-inch length of the divot. There were earthworms too. We’re getting close.

I finished pruning the apple trees and began to make a burn pile.

At the farm I planted:

Spinach;

Bloomsdale Long Standing, Ferry – Morse, 45 days.
Teton Hybrid, Ferry – Morse, 50 days.

Lettuce:

Buttercrunch, Ferry – Morse, 70 days.
Black Seeded Simpson, Ferry – Morse, 45 days.

Everything planted in the greenhouse has germinated, except the parsley.

Summary: Total of five trays in the greenhouse and all appear to be doing well. The ground should be ready for digging a row of earlies (lettuce, carrots, turnips and beets) this week.