Tomatoes and Carrots

Today I started my tomatoes on the heat mat in the garage. I sowed a double row of carrots in the bed where the leeks were. The rest of the bed is overwintered spinach and chard, which will stay for now until the new planting is ready. I also sowed green onions and chervil in the herb bed against the house. And I planted several herbs that I bought at N and M Nursery. 

And the first two asparagus shoots are up!

More Fall Starts

It seemed like I could get one more row of carrots in, so I sowed more 'Yaya's. I also started a pot of 'Bright Lights' chard and a small pack of 'Yuushou' Pak Choi. I'm not sure where they'll go, but I'll find a spot.

I made a second batch of strawberry jam. The first one was very thick. This one is definitely thinner. Maybe it'll be syrup.

More Fall Planting

I sowed a patch of snap peas (bush type) in the squash bed. I also sowed a row of kohlrabi and a row of beets, one on each side of the asparagus bed. And I sowed the last two rows of carrots.

I've harvested the last of the cabbage. One head had split, but the rest are fine. I made three more jars of sauerkraut, plus I left some for cole slaw and stir fries.

The weather has become very summerlike, with highs mostly in the 80s. The cherry tomatoes are ripening, but so far no other tomatoes. There's one cucumber about three inches long and an aubergine about two inches long. And I found the first tiny green bean. I've had to extend the bean trellis with some string. I hope it's enough.

We're getting lots of zucchini now, and the Delicata squash is finally being pollinated.

Lots of Veggies In

We've had a few days in the mid-80s, so I was anxious to get things into the ground. I've planted eight tomato plants, eight pepper plants, and two aubergines, all in the rose bed. I've planted zucchini and delicata squash and cucumbers in a raised bed, all ones I had started. Two melon plants went into the bed along the back of the house, in front of the raspberries.

I sowed some pole beans along the trellis on the deck where I killed the clematis montana by pruning it too late. I hope the ground is warm enough for them to sprout. And I sowed another row of carrots. Something is eating the first row, but I put Sluggo Plus down, so I hope that stops whatever it is.

The blueberries have lots of fruit coming, as do the new strawberries and the raspberries. And both the asparagus and potato beds are looking good. The pear trees has lots of fruit, and even the peach tree, which looks totally butchered, has quite a bit of fruit. And the mandarin is loaded with flower buds.

Feels Like Spring

I know it isn't close to being Spring, but the last week or so has given us a taste of things to come. We had several days of highs close to 60 and sunny. We even had lunch on the deck a few days ago.

Update on overwintered vegetables:
My fall plantings of lettuce and spinach are still there, and we've eaten many meals of them. However, we've had a fairly mild winter, so I won't expect that to happen every year. I still have some carrots left, mostly big split ones, but they're still good. The bok choi was good for a while, but it has now bolted. I left the plant to flower, hoping to entice some early bees. And we have seen one.

After some major pruning, the pear and peach trees seem to be fine and are close to blooming. With them being short now, I'm hoping to be able to hand pollenate them.


I started green onions and leeks indoors, and now they are in my greenhouse. Three days ago I sowed snap peas, but they aren't up yet.

Status Report - July 23, 2018

Things have really been happening in the garden.  I've harvested the garlic and two of the potato plants.  We're now getting Stupice and Lizzano cherry tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, bell peppers, aubergines, carrots, chard, and kale.  The lettuce was very good (starts from Minto Island Growers) but have now bolted.  I've just planted the third sowing of green beans

and the last two rows of carrots.

 I also planted some cranberry beans.

 The leeks are ready but I haven't pulled any yet.

I started two Kale-ette plants from seed.  I moved them to the potato bed and put them under a shade cover because it's been in the 90s.

The herb bed has been a great success.  I'll do it again next year.

The rhubarb and squash bed is doing well.

The trough planter is really filling in.

 The new bed is filling in gradually.

 And the rose bed has been spectacular.

And last but not least we just picked all the pears on the Ubileen.  It was a bumper crop!

Status Report - June 1, 2018

I've been pretty busy and have really neglected my blog.  Here are some photos from the first of June.

There were hundreds of blossoms on the mandarin.

 The new trough planter.

The new bed along the back fence

Kale and chard.

 Carrots and garlic.

Leeks, peppers, and aubergines.

 And here's the front yard.

Planting in Earnest

Now that we are back from our two-week trip to Tucson, I can really start to plant things.  We had a blowout in the bed that I had planted some carrots in.  I'm giving up on the watering system in that bed, so I'll just plant a couple of squash that I can hand water.  I'll find another spot for the carrots.

My onion seeds did not do well, so I bought some starts, as well as leeks. 

The lettuce that I started a couple of weeks ago is coming along nicely. 

The strawberries are really starting to take off.

I bought four tomato plants and six pepper plants.  I've transferred them to gallon pots and will bring them in at night for now.

Planting and Replanting

Yesterday I sowed kale, chard, and carrot seeds.  Last night something dug up a large section of the carrots.  It was large, with big feet, probably a raccoon. 

So today I planted them again. 

Spring!

Well for one day at least.  Tomorrow we have 100% chance of rain  But today it was in the upper 50s and sunny.  I planted my new Seascape strawberries. 

I also sowed some 'Cascadia' snap peas and lettuce.  And I started 'Talon' onions in a 6" pot.

As I was pulling weeds in the pea bed, I discovered a row of carrots that I had forgotten about.  These were planted late last summer and overwintered.  The tops were completely gone, but the carrots are fine.

Oh, and we had lunch on the deck.  We had to get a sandwich at Roth's because the electrician was working in the kitchen. David was actually happier than he looks.

Aftermath

After a good rain yesterday, the snow is finally gone.  Things are alive, but not everything looks good.

The carrots look great.

But the kale, chard and lettuce look a little beat up.

Braided Carrot

Autumn in the Garden

Things are coming along nicely out in the garden.  After a month of rain nearly every day, totaling over eleven inches, we've had some really pleasant weather so far in November.  The greens in the garden are looking really good.  They're growing, but slowly.


The Romaine lettuce, what's left of it, is getting close to harvesting size.

I picked a few of these tiny pink spinach leaves (Red Kitten) to put in our salad last night.

 

 

 The chard is still too small to pick, but I've been picking the kale for a couple of weeks now.

Even though the carrots have gotten really big, they're still very tasty.  This one was planted in June.  I roasted it yesterday, and it was really good.