The Plan Tomorrow is to start seeds:
Lettuces
Tomatoes (5 varieties!)
Peppers
Peas
I have good news in the overwintered portion of my garden....I can count 8 sets of garlic greens poking out of the two boxes. I am pretty sure I only planted 8, so if I get all of them that will be awesome.
I have been fighting aphids with my mints all winter. I think we're stalemated at the moment--I've been spritzing these little buggers with soap spray, but I can't say the results are great. What I did 2 weeks ago was really cut back my chocolate and pepper mints since these were the worse affected--they both had new growth in the pots, so I figured they would come back OK. As I did this, I found there was a second plant growing in the peppermint pot...and it looked an AWFUL lot like my late lamented Kentucky Colonel Mint (which makes a screaming awesome mojito) I picked a leaf and crumpled it...and its Kentucky Colonel Mint. Hooray. I was wondering if I'd need to order another one, but apparently not--this looks very healthy and will just want its own pot in the spring.
My strawberry plant has been chugging along aphid free all winter. This morning it has a FLOWER onit and it is trying to grow a berry. It seems to be spring in my sunroom at least.
Showing posts with label garlic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garlic. Show all posts
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Winter's here!
Well, there has just not been much to comment on lately--its all just waiting for things to start. I see I have picked up a few more subscribers and I seem to be getting a lot of hits lately, so I thought I needed to find something to write about.
I plan on starting seeds in about 3 weeks, so there will be something to fuss about soon. And I need to build some more planters. The indoor plants are all OK and waiting for warm days. The days are getting longer too....
Today, I got out of the shower late in the afternoon and noticed the light outside was odd--I thought fog had come in (HOW?) but really it was snow and blowing winds turning everything misty and weird. Its the first blip of snow here this year. I have not peeped in on my garlic lately since its been kinda warm and I felt it was probably fine. I did not go out and flip up the leaves today either because when I looked out the window I could see long green spears poking up from the garlic boxes.
SQUEE!
Here is hoping that the real snow comes and covers and insulates and I don't lose that garlic to a hard freeze without any cover!
I plan on starting seeds in about 3 weeks, so there will be something to fuss about soon. And I need to build some more planters. The indoor plants are all OK and waiting for warm days. The days are getting longer too....
Today, I got out of the shower late in the afternoon and noticed the light outside was odd--I thought fog had come in (HOW?) but really it was snow and blowing winds turning everything misty and weird. Its the first blip of snow here this year. I have not peeped in on my garlic lately since its been kinda warm and I felt it was probably fine. I did not go out and flip up the leaves today either because when I looked out the window I could see long green spears poking up from the garlic boxes.
SQUEE!
Here is hoping that the real snow comes and covers and insulates and I don't lose that garlic to a hard freeze without any cover!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
WHEE!
I got my Baker Creek order yesterday! I'm excited to get started for the season, but I have a month or so to go before I can realistically start planting. But now I have nearly all the crops I want to grow! Everything else I want will be plants and they won't be showing up until May (hot peppers and eggplants)
My overwintered plants are generally doing OK. Aphids are doing a number on my mints though. My mojito mint is dead, and I fear the anise, chocolate and spearmint are suffering. I am unsure on the status of the pineapple mint. The cat nip is the only thing thriving right now. It is FULL of new leaves. If these all die, I will probably order more, but I might order more than one of each type this time. My mint last year got bugs and died too...I wonder what the heck is going on with aphids in my house. They don't become an issue (or even apparent) until the plants come inside.)
Finally, Project Garlic is doing ok! I still have shoots that look alive, and it seems nothing has frozen solid out on the roof. I've been fortunate with the weather--no snow to speak of and its only flirted with below freezing temps, really. We could still get a few weeks of nasty weather, but so far I am optimistic. Only 8 more weeks of winter, and so far so good!
My overwintered plants are generally doing OK. Aphids are doing a number on my mints though. My mojito mint is dead, and I fear the anise, chocolate and spearmint are suffering. I am unsure on the status of the pineapple mint. The cat nip is the only thing thriving right now. It is FULL of new leaves. If these all die, I will probably order more, but I might order more than one of each type this time. My mint last year got bugs and died too...I wonder what the heck is going on with aphids in my house. They don't become an issue (or even apparent) until the plants come inside.)
Finally, Project Garlic is doing ok! I still have shoots that look alive, and it seems nothing has frozen solid out on the roof. I've been fortunate with the weather--no snow to speak of and its only flirted with below freezing temps, really. We could still get a few weeks of nasty weather, but so far I am optimistic. Only 8 more weeks of winter, and so far so good!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Welcome, New Year!
I did some garden chores today...mixed my latest batch of bokashi into 3 of the self watering containers. I was set to do this Christmas Eve, but it rained, so I had to wait for a reasonably nice day and today was it. I'm down to having one large SWC to put compost in, and I think that will be ready to go in a month or so. Before I need them, definitely.
Project Garlic apears to be doing FINE. I peeked under the mulch and there are still happy looking garlic leaves poking up! I was pretty hopeful when I went and found the SWCs nota giant frozen solid mass. The boxes of mesculun I have outside the bedroom window also look reasonably well, and they are at a bigger risk for freezing, I think. yet they are still growing (very slowly) and look pretty good. If we get and nasty storms, I'll pull them inside, but they may be ready for greens in March.
Today's plan is to plot out when I need to start seeds. And finish out my seed orders. I've gotten catalogs from Burpee, Cook's Garden (a gorgeous one this year!) and Seeds of Change. I am likely NOT going to order from Burpee, but I will order from Cook's and I need to flip through Seeds of Change (the garlic came from there) The plan is to get my orders out by mid January so I am ready to roll in March. I'm not ordering much this time, since I have a lot left over from last year that I can use again.
I've been steadily using up what I out up last summer too. Today it was Jersey blueberries in the pancakes. YUM. I've been amazed by how good the produce I froze last summer tastes....as much of a pain as it was blanching and bagging, I think it was definitely worth the effort to do it. I may go and invest in a Food Saver for next summer since that is supposed to help save freezer space--I don't have much! I will probably venture into canning this summer too...I definitely want to put up some tomatoes, maybe make sauce and salsa for winter...
Project Garlic apears to be doing FINE. I peeked under the mulch and there are still happy looking garlic leaves poking up! I was pretty hopeful when I went and found the SWCs nota giant frozen solid mass. The boxes of mesculun I have outside the bedroom window also look reasonably well, and they are at a bigger risk for freezing, I think. yet they are still growing (very slowly) and look pretty good. If we get and nasty storms, I'll pull them inside, but they may be ready for greens in March.
Today's plan is to plot out when I need to start seeds. And finish out my seed orders. I've gotten catalogs from Burpee, Cook's Garden (a gorgeous one this year!) and Seeds of Change. I am likely NOT going to order from Burpee, but I will order from Cook's and I need to flip through Seeds of Change (the garlic came from there) The plan is to get my orders out by mid January so I am ready to roll in March. I'm not ordering much this time, since I have a lot left over from last year that I can use again.
I've been steadily using up what I out up last summer too. Today it was Jersey blueberries in the pancakes. YUM. I've been amazed by how good the produce I froze last summer tastes....as much of a pain as it was blanching and bagging, I think it was definitely worth the effort to do it. I may go and invest in a Food Saver for next summer since that is supposed to help save freezer space--I don't have much! I will probably venture into canning this summer too...I definitely want to put up some tomatoes, maybe make sauce and salsa for winter...
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Well, this is exciting
I've been despairing a bit of late over The Garlic Experiment. We had frost one night about 10 days after I got the garlic in, and I wasn't sure if my protective fort for the garlic worked or not. I haven't found sprouts yet and I know it should sprout and grow a little before the cold really sets in. Of course, my work schedule also doesn't give me a lot of daylight to check, either.
Well, there are TWO sprouted right now! And my little bunker has proven to be a spot where leaves get hung up as they blow off trees, so no the garlic planters are mulched with leaves as has been recommended. I think I planted 8 cloves, and while 2 out of 8 isn't a great yield, it will likely be plenty for me and maybe more will pop up before we get a hard frost.
Well, there are TWO sprouted right now! And my little bunker has proven to be a spot where leaves get hung up as they blow off trees, so no the garlic planters are mulched with leaves as has been recommended. I think I planted 8 cloves, and while 2 out of 8 isn't a great yield, it will likely be plenty for me and maybe more will pop up before we get a hard frost.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Garlic and Winter whining
The garlic was planted on Sunday--I photos, but they are not very interesting, so I will spare you. I also took down most of my garden since fall is apparently here. I garden on the rooftop outside my window (I live in a second story apartment) so everything I do is in containers. You need to mulch garlic to convince it to survive the winter. I am hoping that by tucking my garlic boxes within the protective confines of a fort built by my big tomato boxes this will help insulate them. We'll see. If I had a porch that got sun but no heat, I'd try that, but I don't have such a thing.
I didn't have time to truck out to Abma's today so I had to hit the Stop N Shop. I think I have successfully weaned myself off the prepackaged vegetation, but it is frustrating not knowing where stuff comes from...so I spent time looking at labels on the milk and whatnot and picking out things that were at least distributed close by. I suspect this doesn't mean much.
I am beginning to think that winter was not such a great time to get more serious about local feeding. I had all summer, and while I did do some, I didn't do enough. I started to hit my freezer today to help solve the issue, and once my chicken stock thaws (I make stock whenever I make a whole chicken, and this one was definitely a Purdue) I'll be making a soup of roasted garlic and eggplant....the garlic was locally grown, and the eggplant is from my own garden, so that will be better.
I think I will aim for one meal a week that is mostly local for the winter, and try not to stress out over it in the meanwhile. I can get off the supermarket habit when the alternatives are available again...and next summer I will get boatloads of strawberries to enjoy now!
I didn't have time to truck out to Abma's today so I had to hit the Stop N Shop. I think I have successfully weaned myself off the prepackaged vegetation, but it is frustrating not knowing where stuff comes from...so I spent time looking at labels on the milk and whatnot and picking out things that were at least distributed close by. I suspect this doesn't mean much.
I am beginning to think that winter was not such a great time to get more serious about local feeding. I had all summer, and while I did do some, I didn't do enough. I started to hit my freezer today to help solve the issue, and once my chicken stock thaws (I make stock whenever I make a whole chicken, and this one was definitely a Purdue) I'll be making a soup of roasted garlic and eggplant....the garlic was locally grown, and the eggplant is from my own garden, so that will be better.
I think I will aim for one meal a week that is mostly local for the winter, and try not to stress out over it in the meanwhile. I can get off the supermarket habit when the alternatives are available again...and next summer I will get boatloads of strawberries to enjoy now!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Garlic's here!
My garlic bulbs arrived yesterday! They are lovely. My plan is to plant these on Sunday since it is dark AND rainy right now, and I will be busy after work the next two nights, as well as AWOL on Saturday. So Sunday is garlic planting day! I'll make a photo essay out of it.
In the meantime, enjoy these garlic growing links I found while researching this project:
The Garlic Store on How To Grow Garlic
Gardenwebs Contianer Gardening Forum
Enjoy!
In the meantime, enjoy these garlic growing links I found while researching this project:
The Garlic Store on How To Grow Garlic
Gardenwebs Contianer Gardening Forum
Enjoy!
Friday, October 19, 2007
The current experiment
This year I am going to try and keep my garden rollng as close to year round as possible. I've got salad greens outside the bedroom window, and the last of the main garden is still kicking out tomatoes.
Its also the right time to plant garlic, so I am giving that a whirl. I bought some hardneck garlic cloves from Seeds of Change. Supposedly this type does better in a cooler climate. Hopefully I won't end up with rotten cloves in the dirt, and there will be nice garlic greens this spring.
Its also the right time to plant garlic, so I am giving that a whirl. I bought some hardneck garlic cloves from Seeds of Change. Supposedly this type does better in a cooler climate. Hopefully I won't end up with rotten cloves in the dirt, and there will be nice garlic greens this spring.
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