Progress Report: Still Alive!





Strawberry: Sequoia



Herb Pot

 

Sunflowers: Solar Eclipse and Incredible 

Sugar Daddy Snap Pea

 

Sugar Daddy Snap Pea

Sugar Daddy Snap Pea

Sugar Daddy Snap Pea

Nasturtium: Milkmaid

Corn: Martian Jewels (1 of 5 pots)

Bean: Blue Lake Bush

Bean: Blue Lake Bush

Bean: Scarlet Runner Pole

Bean: Scarlet Runner Pole

Bean: Scarlet Runner Pole

 

Zucchini: Dark Star

 

African Marigolds

Without Even a Salad, the Spinach is Bolting, Oh My!

Variety: Tyee F1 Spinach (O)
Sown (Direct): 8 MAY 2013
Germinated 17 MAY 2013

This is mid-June in the Pacific Northwest.  No salad! No freezer stock.  Had I gotten this garden started just a bit earlier, this could have been avoided, no doubt. All but 2 plants have bolted and most literally overnight. The seedlings that were sown indoors a month prior never produced more than a single set of true leaves and bolted, as well. This is supposed to be a bolt-resistant variety and the temperatures have certainly not warranted this premature bolting, but I hear our long days can definitely contribute.  Since it obviously isn't the weather, I'm hard pressed to buy that it's anything other than the long days.

I'm in no hurry for fall, but can't wait to seed some more spinach for fall harvest.  Any recommendations?

Green Onion Renewal: Who Knew!

I don't want to call this "recycling" as green onions are a living thing!  But that act is exactly what it is--recycling.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that one could not only recycle the green onions, but propagate an equal amount weekly! For free!  Amazing! As we would say in Hawaii, onolicious, too! I've been buying those weekly forever! As of my discovery, I do not plan to purchase green onions in the future. Like, ever. Not again.

It only takes a bit of the white end of the green onion to renew itself.  As long as there are roots and enough of the base onion to hold those roots whole, it is as easy as snipping and placing in a cool glass of water in a window sill.  I change the water every couple of days because, ewww, don't want to eat something that has been sitting in rank water for long.  I've even left them for 3 days and water appeared fresh and not slimy.  One only needs enough water to cover the roots. The nub needs enough white with roots to proceed.

After two harvests, I planted the original cut onions (which I also cut long to test this recycling deal) into soil, so I have a glass tumbler (a mismatched leftover of a bygone era) holding up my onion stems in the kitchen window and a pot of onions outside.  I plan to rotate them every so often because I cannot find any information as to whether growing in water will maintain full nutritional value. An educated assumption of reason tells me that after some time, the nutritional value may weaken due to lack of renewed nutrients. 

Then again the new onion is well,  renewing, so alas, this question begs an answer.

The onions we harvested this way were perfectly pungent (perfect aroma/oils for a green onion) and were crisp and juicy.  Very impressive.  I cannot even recall the last time I had green onions that fresh or tasty.

My poultry shears are getting a little dull, so I highly recommend a nice sharp pair of shears for harvesting. I will be getting a new pair or using a dedicated pair for this purpose.  After these first few weeks, I am absolutely thrilled that I have garden fresh green onions at my whim!

Luckily, the last grocery store green onions we purchased were organic.  I do have green onions growing from seed after two failed attempts that are now thriving.

Variety: Evergreen Bunching Onions
Sown: 1 APR 2013 (first attempt totally indoors-frail and weak)
Germinated: The current thriving batch: end of April - 4" long as of this writing.

Guardian Gatos of the Seedlings

Our feline family members are strictly indoor cats (all are rescues or adopted from no kill shelters).  The two youngest door dart occasionally and become so frightened of actually being outside that we've never had a problem getting them the two steps back into the door. The oldest rescue we found starved, a mere skeleton, several years ago--she will absolutely not go out the door, ever.  She knows what can befall her. 

We do know they long to explore the mysticism of the great outdoors, but for safety, alas, they must stay inside.   Any time there is something green within their reach, they must touch or taste.  They all simply adore the holiday season having a tree to lounge underneath.

So far, they have let the seedlings be and not made their own kitty salads.  BUT, when the trays are getting their sun bath, we must watch.  Weather is iffy at best, save for the spurts of constant warmth.  We are still enduring spring storms and showers, so the door is the strongest location for the trays. So while we are mistakenly serving up the greens while they are sunbathing also, the cats assume said greens are fresh for their nibbling. 

They have so far:

- Huffed half a tomatillo seedling, fresh from the soil. Literally snuffed it up!

- Eaten jalapeno seedlings, as well as the difficult sweet California Wonders. 

- Plucked thriving tomato seedlings straight from their cups.

If we happen to catch the moment, the oldest of the triad of doom, will just brush her tail across anything it can reach, touching ever so slightly with a curl of her tail.

All in all, it has not been too bad--keeping up with the cats, that is, as I really expected to hear crashing pots in the middle of the night. So far, they have really behaved above all expectations.  They won't have their cat grass back until it is warm enough for the nightshades to go outside and stay.

After all, how's a silly feline supposed to tell the difference between which set of greens they can and cannot have! It shall be their reward.

What Was I Thinking?



It has been a while as I mentioned in the previous post--gardening, that is. Spring has sprung, right in my kitchen. Less than six days after sowing my seed, we've had amazing early germination, but also leggy seedlings that has resulted in reseeding and trying to light up the hyper running stems. 

Lesson number two (number one was obvious, no?) was one of laziness. Scattering seeds in peat pots. Problem number one is with lesson number two--peat pots are great wicks. I'm watering far too often, wondering when damping off is going to kick in. Problem number two with lesson number two is that some things just don't need an indoor start--even in the rainy northwest! Nor do they need to be so plentiful. Seems a waste of seed.  having backup seedlings is one thing--mine were on maximum overdrive.

Overcompensate much for potential crop failure?

Aside from that it is quite the bear to separate not only leggy seedlings, but tangled and leggy seedlings. Did I mention that lesson two included a mass of greenery taking over the kitchen?

Regardless of the previous two lessons, most seedlings are strong and healthy. Beans are, and will always be amazing to watch grow such as the Beanzillas, as we call the overperformers. The black turtle beans were a bit creepy to watch sprout, like they were going to swallow the rest of the seed tray without thought. Plant development is always amazing to watch.

My other half told me that watching my seedlings grow was like watching water boil. I don't know if it was the soil, warmth of my kitchen, light, or a combination of all (I'd like to think it was a combination of perfect everything), but the seeds did germinate and sprout before the eye.

Nature is most wondrous. We never really stop and take the time to appreciate how delicate and strong nature is together and alike.

If you've ever taken a long hiatus from gardening, did you watch in awe when you started the next time?

About the (Organic) Contrary Pot Garden



It's been years, oh yes, years (12 to be exact) since I have grown a vegetable garden. Being in Hawaii did not lend space nor time to tending veggies, especially with the vast number of legged and winged creatures that abound on island. Our house plants grew really awesome both inside and out and I will eternally miss my huge fanned white bird of paradise. Alas, I love gardening. I love plants. With a two year old running loose and inspectors constantly crawling around our house, I have not "restocked" the jungle. It is oddly barren for me. I am having green withdrawals. Flower withdrawals. Living things that don't poop, kine withdrawals.

With a two year old with those old medical things in the background, we try to keep her food as clean and healthy as possible and supplement with occasionally through the drive through, lol. She doesn't get sweets too often (rare) or other crap though that girl loves her some good breads in huge ways (I think she's a carbohydrate freak).

However if any of you buy organic, we all know it's financially impossible to eat that clean without breaking the bank (and personally, I will never ever pay $17 for freaking juice, I don't care how pure!). So, we are giving our hand at this organic garden, and if it gets tainted, well--it is still better and fresher than the grocery store produce.

I recently checked the local food coop for what used to be known as a crop share program. Where you pay a set amount and get a large take every week of the seasonal produce from local farmers. Unfortunately, times change and the farmers are charging the same as the store, if not more. Many (5-6) hundreds of dollars for 18 weeks of stuff we may or may not use and without any bulk to freeze or can. (I freeze--I'd be scared to kill someone with a bad canning job, lol). Not such a good deal anymore and that's too bad--one it's not worth it and two, I can grow it myself at half the price for countless times as much. What we can't use, freeze, store, share, or give away will go to the local food pantries as they accept produce from home gardeners.

Being that we lease, we can't really till up the back yard (though it could use it--the one thing they cheaped out on building this house was the back lawn!) So we are going to step into the adventure of container gardening, which most amuses me to call it the "Contrary Pot Garden" while others prefer "_______ (insert last name) Farm."

Our plot is unique--we've got a great patio and at least 80ish feet of river-rocked, (50' full sun, 30ish, partial sun and shaded) sidebeds on which to set some 50+ good sized pots (update: will be over 70+ pots). We just plan to intersperse the pots with veggies and flowers. Wish us luck that the soggy Pacific Northwest weather works with us (zone 8a, region 2, which apparently was once upon a time, zone 7). Right now, my kitchen island looks like a bench in a potting shed! I planted totally against the moon and season on April Fool's just after midnight.

I was thinking then, I may regret this--within the day, we were busting soil top and now, a week later, have 2 and 3 inch seedlings and almost everything has broken ground. I did not imagine having to tend to these things for a couple of weeks, but we have seedlings doing incredibly well already. Everything from asparagus to zucchini and a good handful of herbs we use on a regular basis (ok, the watermelon is a stretch due to shorter season, but worth a shot! (I've never been able to grow one larger than a softball in any previous decade (ok, only a couple)! It is definitely worth the seed to try though). We've got jellybean tomatoes with all the normal fare. I've already learned that such a late decision meant I am paying the same price for seed for a fraction of the seed had I had the forethought to get it direct from the seed companies. *facepalm*

How many of you have ever organic container gardened aside from tomatoes on the balcony, patio, walkway, driveway, corner of the lanai? If you've done any large scale container gardening and have any additional ideas, please share! While gardening is not new, whole pot gardens, are.  I am trying to keep it all companion planted and insect beneficial--so far, so good!