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I made a discovery just today
That makes me itch even more than hay.
It’s little and black and it
flies around
Without even making that whiney sound.
So small they are but man can
they bite
Swat or not they always take flight.
In my eyes and ears and around
my neck
Yet no bigger are they than a tiny speck.
I yelled and swore and spun around
And still not a dead one was to be found.
So I went inside and got out some oil
Their little bodies my plan to foil.
They swarmed around and soon
did land
To find themselves stuck just like I’d planned.
Soon you could hear the slap and the splat
Such intellect - I can outwit a gnat.
But there you are in early morn
To torment me again
t apart. Both will sucker - send out
new shoots from the ground - and form thickets. In the home garden
this is remedied by pruning. I like to prune mine in late winter,
taking out the largest, oldest canes at ground level and leaving some
of the newer canes to mature. You can also prune some of the more
vigorous canes by a third which helps them branch and produce more
fruit. Mulching them with composted manure will help keep them
growing and aid in weed suppression. Most berries are not bothered by
diseases so require no spraying as some fruits do.First Day In The Garden
The weather was beautiful and
since there is so much to do in preparation for the vegetable garden as
well as the flower garden I spent most of the day in the yard. Weeds to
pull, lawn to mend and mow, sidewalks to edge, patio to fill with potted
flowers and planning. It felt good to be outside in the fresh
air. There is something to be said for getting dirty, smelling the earth
with the breeze in my hair and the sun on my face. The last of which
gave me a slight sunburn – go figure – in April!
I am well known for unique combinations of colors and plants in the pots I place around the patio. Although most of the more interesting plants I use aren’t yet available this early in the season I couldn’t help buy but a few of the typical varieties for a colorful pot or two. I can bring them in at night if it gets too chilly. And of course I had help from the pups and interference from the cat. Well, in reality I had interference from them all but Sharkey, in her usual way, looks as if she’s lending a hand.
In one of the pots I used some flat leafed parsley. In my experience parsley likes to take over the herb garden and I have better luck putting it in pots with my flowers. Here it stays a bit more manageable. I don’t cook with as much parsley as I do the basil, cilantro, and other herbs so it’s a good option. It also fills in quite nicely and doesn’t seem to mind when I pinch it off here and there.
I weeded about forty feet of what will be the flower garden, checked the roses – I think I lost one, but will give it a bit longer to bud. The clematis vines are on their way back and this morning there were crocus blooming and what looks like grape hyacinth and tulips coming up! This part of the garden encompasses about 140 feet in total. There’s lots of work to do.
Cooking Vegetables the Size of a Small Dog
OK, so sue me – no pun intended – I’ve never cooked an eggplant. And if the truth were known I’ve avoided the vegetable like most people avoid the plague. There is just something about it. It’s the size of a small dog, it isn’t white, egg-shaped nor does it have a yolk. Not only that, according to my resources it’s technically not a vegetable – it’s a fruit. It all seems a bit fishy to me like a giant hoax to convince one to eat something they probably will not enjoy.
In my research I d
iscovered that eggplants originally
came from Asia and the first species brought to Europe WERE actually
white and egg-shaped. The name stuck even when the familiar purple
eggplant reached Europe years later.
Here are a few eggplant facts that you probably don’t need
to know any more than I do and constitutes way too much information:
1. Eggplants were also called mad apples in some places, because people
thought that eating an eggplant would make you go insane. (That would
certainly explain some vegetarians I know – just kidding!)
2. Centuries ago, Chinese women used a dye taken from the eggplant to stain their teeth black. Sounds ghoulishly like a Halloween prank to me, but Oh Well!
3. Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, all of which contain toxic alkaloids (potatoes, tomatoes and peppers also belong to this clan.) While all the fruits of the family are perfectly safe, don't eat any other part of the plant.
So why all this fuss over something I’ve spent fifty-two years trying to avoid? Because eggplant is one of the easiest things to grow in a garden. And they’re pretty. So I figure since I’m fairly new at this vegetable growing project I may as well pick a few varieties that are shoe-ins for success. Hence the taste-test effort of the day.
Where does one get a recipe for
eggplant you may ask? I know I did. I went straight to the top. Martha Stewart. It actually turned out alright, although it's certainly not my favorite - there's just something about it.......
Chickens are HOT!
Chickens are all the rage. Urban, suburban and rural homeowners from every part of the country are ordering chickens in all sorts of fancy breeds. Competition over the cutest coops is escalating rapidly and people are signing up for classes on how to raise healthy and happy flocks in smaller spaces!
Why the sudden craz
e? Home-raised chickens, like homegrown vegetables seem to put
us in touch with a past of a more rural nature. Besides providing food
they give us a sense of self-sufficiency. Whatever the urge to gather the feathered flock it
recalls a simpler time when
we are more connected with nature and our food as part of it. Let me
comment on the ‘simpler’ statement. After all is said and done it’s much
simpler to go to the grocery store and buy a dozen eggs notwithstanding
there’s a much better use for a Jacuzzi tub than as an abode for a
small flock of chicks. But so much less satisfying! Our gardening
advisor Jeff Oberhaus suggested that by the time he deducts the cost of his
chickens, feed and hen-house
his eggs cost him about $9.00 a dozen! And he has to collect them
himself!
One chicken will lay an average of 300 eggs in a twelve month period.
With four chickens it looks as though I can anticipate twenty three eggs
a week. Since I would never consume that many it's a great way to
share with family and friends or sell at the local farmers market.
My main goal, as with the garden itself, is the higher quality of food value, the organic nature of raising my own produce, and the future independence it can bring. The nutrition benefits are outstanding. In contrast to grocery store eggs, home-raised eggs have twenty-five percent more vitamin E, seventy-five percent more beta-carotene, significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and a third more vitamin A.
So, The Author’s Garden gains
four chicks and I delve into research to learn what I need to know. I'll
give you all a heads up on the books I find most informative. Stay
tuned for more adve
ntures with Henrietta, Blackie,
Priscilla and Dot and their benefits to the garden. In the meantime the Jack Russell’s are scheming and dreaming
about take-out chicken!
More about the coop design and
how it fits into the garden in future blogs!
Photos by Susan R. Stoltz copyright 2010
There is a great trend with Heirloom vegetables that we totally embrace here at Vintage Hill. Kind of like chickens, the old home grown kind are the best in flavor. Not unlike chickens that have been bred to become a boneless breast in a frozen package, many modern vegetables have been bred for a trait or group of traits- usually disease resistance or keeping qualities. Depending on who had the idea, and what they were trying to accomplish, taste may or may not have been the priority in breeding. The surge in popularity of heirloom tomatoes for instance is mostly about taste and of course variety.
It’s important to remember the
reason the hybrids became popular was disease resistance. In my own
trial garden of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes last year it was pretty
obvious that those with the
best flavor were not necessarily the best producers and since it was a
wet summer here in MO, those tomatoes with disease resistance bred in
were the best producers,
not necessarily the heirlooms. My favorite tomato of last season though
was without a doubt, Pineapple. It's an heirloom, yellow with a tinge
of red in the center and sweet w
ith a firm
flesh. It produced well all summer and the taste was the best! Black
Krim was a close second. Funny story about that. One of my customers
shared with me how they took a plate of Black Krim to a carry-in supper.
No one would touch it. Black Krim is a dark red; almost purple in
color, but on a plate by itself looks like they may have been left over
for a week or so! Lesson
of the story, mix them with a yellow tomato on a plate!
To Seed or Not To Seed – Plants are the Answer
I’ve spent the better part of a week pouring over seed catalogs and websites! What fun. I now understand the obsession many gardeners have with these annual publications. I want to grow everything in them, with the exception of Brussels Sprouts, Rhubarb and Kale. I have no need for those anywhere near me at any time.
I live in the west where the mountain/desert area has a relatively short growing season. I’ve grown myself a seed now and again, but never on a grand scale and frankly I’m not certain, with a cat and two Jack Russell’s, that an abundance of dirt inside the house is a good idea. Besides the fact I don’t have lots of room for grow lights. I may try one or two seeding kits in a windowsill and see what happens, but my
research and good sense tells me that with a growing season that is relatively short I’d better buy some already established plants.
I did discover that it’s best to select as many plants from a local nursery rather than order varieties that may not be suitable to your particular growing zone. Local nurseries stock those plants that are tried and true for your area. If you do decide to order from a nursery be certain you speak to an expert before you order plants that won’t thrive and will disappoint.
There was very little information via the web that pertained to articles about plants vs. seeds. I was surprised, although I Googled in the best way I knew how, that most of the information was about growing marijuana seeds. I found that rather amusing. We will need to have our garden Jeff Oberhaus weigh in with his opinion plants vs. seed in a region with limited time to grow.
Speaking of Jeff, who is buried under snow with truckloads of plants being delivered to his nursery, Vintage Hill Farm, here is what he had to say this week:
“So here are three books that I think all plant people would appreciate. None of these is really about growing veggies but could be easily adapted to include edibles. They are about stuff that feeds the soul through the eyes.”
Hot Plants for Cool Climates
by Dennis Shrader
Time Tested Plants by Pamela Harper
The Complete Container Garden by David Joyce Readers Digest publisher
ok a fourth
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael Dirr
Next week we discuss heirloom vs. hybrid plants!
Research has me convinced that raised beds are the smart way for me to plan The Author’s Garden. Of the many articles I’ve read the pros outweigh the cons significantly.
Raised beds have many
advantages. First they greatly reduce soil compaction. Plant roots need
air and with a raised bed you do all your gardening from the path
between beds eliminating trom
ping down the soil as you weed, etc.
Plants can be spaced more closely together in a raised be because you don’t need places to step. This increases the productivity per square foot. It also reduces weeding. The risk you run is to crowd your plants. Raised beds tend to grow much larger plants so overcome the urge to really pack them in.
Drainage is easier in a bed built above the ground. The contrary to this is if you live in a very dry climate you may have to water more frequently.
Soil conditions can be controlled with great efficiency in a raised bed and can vary from bed to bed. If the soil in your area of the country is less than desirable it’s an easy problem to overcome when you control the sort of dirt that goes into the bed. This holds true with mulch, compost or fertilizer. You can use these products without much waste as they are only being applied where directly needed.
Raised beds are closer to you so there is less bending and gardening can be done on a garden seat or wagon seat. This has great advantage to the elderly or those with limited mobility.
The growing season can be significantly lengthened with beds
that are above ground level because they warm up sooner than the ground
beneath them. You can also cover them effectively to prevent frost or
damage from hail and high winds.
It’s also easier to keep pests and weeds out of a raised bed, so if you live in an area with lots of rabbits or voles or gophers you may want to consider this option very carefully.
I’ve seen lots of raised beds. Some are constructed of pressure treated lumber, rocks, landscape blocks, logs, watering troughs, even kiddie plastic swimming pools. So I guess I’d better decide which medium will achieve the look I’d like for my garden.
Finally, studies have shown
that raised beds produce up to 1.5 to 2 times more vegetables and
flowers per square foot over ordinary beds. You can have a smaller and
more manageable garden that produces more for your table. Since
my space is relatively small I find this appealing.
The disadvantages are few. As mentioned above you may have to water with more frequency in a dry climate. And raised beds take more money initially to establish as they must be built as opposed to plowing up a piece of your yard and sticking seeds in the ground.
So, after all is said and done, not much has yet been done. But the decision has been made that raised beds are the way to proceed. Now to plan the layout and design of the landscape. Looks like I’d better start observing how many hours of sun different areas of the property receive.
Today I g
ot
to do something special. I made a salad out of two of the products I
grew myself in pots on the veranda. Sugar Snap Peas and Parsley. I
added more than that, but WOW. I grew part of this salad! Now I realize
that this article is coming at the beginning of this garden adventure
as opposed to the end, but as you are aware,
I began this exploration with container gardening, and this is the last
of the harvest. So I just had to share a few photos and the recipe with
you today. As I put another bite
into my mouth I’m proud of the fact I used no chemical fertilizer or
pest control. I did bring the pots in at night when the weather didn’t
cooperate, but hey. They’re containers. I can do that.
This recipe is not one of my own. It’s from a book called The Brilliant Bean – Sophisticated Recipes for the World’s Healthiest Food by Sally and Martin Stone. It’s no longer in print; however you can buy some used copies from Amazon.
Delish
and so nutrish!!
I'm knee deep in compost today - figuratively speaking of course. I had no idea there were so many types of compost containers, accessories or processes. I come from a long history of manure. When you own several horses and help out at the barn there is always old manure at the bottom of the pile that is terrific for fertilizer. In my effort to learn all I can before designing and planting my very first garden on a larger scale I find myself confused with this basic subject.
I think,as I continue my research that I just may resort to that which I know best......Horse ++++!
See my blog about compost called Knee Deep in Manure at www.susanrstoltz.com
Although I'm not a raw beginner (flowers have been my passion), when it comes to growing a garden of vegetables, herbs and fruits I am lacking experience on a grander scale. I grew some in pots this past summer and did quite well. My dream, however, is to live on a small acreage that is self-sustaining. I've begun to take the steps to learn what I need to know about growing, canning and freezing vegetables, etc. My dream is well on it's way, and it's my hope that the experience within the members of this site will be good advice as I continue my path to self sufficiency!
The Author's Garden is a new section of my website where readers will follow my progress from these early planning stages to the actual planting and harvest. I hope to make some friends here who can offer great advice.
Susan
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