tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66734563134521187772024-03-05T08:26:08.403-08:00The Green(ish) GardenerOne woman's quest to do right by the environment and her garden at the same time.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-77823071308814514702013-06-27T21:08:00.001-07:002013-06-27T21:08:14.601-07:00Shelling Peas<div><p>Went from immature to shriveled (despite tons of rain) in just a few days.</p>
<p>Lots of leaf, not too many pods.</p>
<p>Too much work. Grow snap and snow next year. Or fall?</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9iX5i-nd7b-nisbjYtIP-0iAqImeOod9nKDikLrYKqgSwYUjgWk7gQV1oR7U66IJAlXsFoZtMwnEhhX76ZXjq9fFNzS_dsz9X1JsXLfna8st2Uti6eN6Dq3fue4koWV2sLDCfDjxwI6c/' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-35944832713343118562013-04-27T10:33:00.001-07:002013-04-27T10:38:12.935-07:00Help! What'a wrong with my vine maple?<div><p>Hoping the Garden Hotline has some solutions!</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Dv-VqASEa4g-m7qOsd8KT0hHpPfV4fGyVsfLB5hIdK4Tn3RVGDe79KxYpTUGDl4tYXAFogybbeygaGMllKB497dBvtdu4i4Sdj6hL0Bkh8KLa4Dg4Q5tm6XHJ3t3x-GxbwBE2FtMu8Nn/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZafRasXITY1yPMyXn0u4Aob64bjPt611stzwrFWmThsnTBkcACSdDLedJd1zB3vjnhtEnNF16QTFyIK5zJVUV_vbiT8kFbzBxztT9wP4aFoO2UaN3mSjDNnWNEqt5OtLicEtpx9nKSIfi/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLq3II_ewWQdzlnzI1ywRTMcrCsoGixbfnV33TUiVfST2uUl75sl4j9kJo_JSdzmLQ1XcYXy6553BAWxvGHB7AiV8UvvvkDehgf_PpA6r5Ds8P3XEge355yfhho0Xl8sTqo0kvtsSkGlv/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpoaJ_v7tfinfzwSbeVzsdJKL94i9zVD6Cj8IGHy9nb-N1VtGljFY8pIVxnhE8RdtZtjyYQpAMMFiZyfx3r013RqTrr85fasc3Im_dasugmezKPlMTDkYX9taBYGrhBcEdlRfD4mFdHT7/' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-90599674419424865792012-08-14T18:39:00.000-07:002012-08-14T18:39:40.648-07:00Dahlia delight<div>
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</div>
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</div>
Five years ago (who can believe it?!) I bought an adorable old farmhouse with a white picket fence. I bought it in August when the garden was in full bloom. It looked easy enough, right? Just a little wedding here, some watering there. Oh boy, was I wrong! As soon as the house was mine, I was convinced I would ruin everything, especially the amazing dahlias out front.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl8p_9TQ0rnPKEFgfmTLePfKcyKnOhFvjgvkFSv-Z_OBqXmT_ebYr3dZSE1KmefY8_fSP5VsQMCD5ATOrk5b0ZLeCXVEZ7Bzko1ZBfqkiwc-sk9H8z4A6lAoMWbYlIcAbKc5slSbAeiQc/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdl8p_9TQ0rnPKEFgfmTLePfKcyKnOhFvjgvkFSv-Z_OBqXmT_ebYr3dZSE1KmefY8_fSP5VsQMCD5ATOrk5b0ZLeCXVEZ7Bzko1ZBfqkiwc-sk9H8z4A6lAoMWbYlIcAbKc5slSbAeiQc/" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
I'm happy to report, they're all alive...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo-B-cOjR1vkyQu6I_rPiB_nvy7jngOGA2kT5gQdL_cl9ShInugoq0P8mgGgo0SgymwSGp4NKRlndVWobmxKU4_tEnkd26Xl-c5DhJKk79q6U1uLzTsOOmf67G1CPORe23YbNlE3nwAfw/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo-B-cOjR1vkyQu6I_rPiB_nvy7jngOGA2kT5gQdL_cl9ShInugoq0P8mgGgo0SgymwSGp4NKRlndVWobmxKU4_tEnkd26Xl-c5DhJKk79q6U1uLzTsOOmf67G1CPORe23YbNlE3nwAfw/" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
...and growing so well!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aUl8C0eKP7Cahd1hosfeW4smEBvmj6l3fCVB3OcC5GDUtv2oC7Tg0eTkr3cW3HD3RIpkC_ChMWc56F9WjrMELd1JO65KMN39hDo75R8Vu1NsTmEM9_SlmilWneS9GQkmwaz7BDudIhDd/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aUl8C0eKP7Cahd1hosfeW4smEBvmj6l3fCVB3OcC5GDUtv2oC7Tg0eTkr3cW3HD3RIpkC_ChMWc56F9WjrMELd1JO65KMN39hDo75R8Vu1NsTmEM9_SlmilWneS9GQkmwaz7BDudIhDd/" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The trees in the parking strip are growing vigorously, shading the row of dahlia plants along the fence. I fertilized them this year and it's been a really wet, cool summer, so they're doing ok, but not blooming as much as the ones in the sun. I may have to replace a few of them but I can't bring myself to do it. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I just love the way they look in vases around the house.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xtodpx1Mnt1UgKGzpOPuI8Fuv6Uzo6vypjSw_WvccUyvxNr_CM7b7If2UZq4vi-SwkxhPIydMlQpSuD38163A1ZWvgJVJCkz1cvrUPN5hBq4PrWPn2Dmk_BsK8MiXaAEPUknhNN1ZwZw/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xtodpx1Mnt1UgKGzpOPuI8Fuv6Uzo6vypjSw_WvccUyvxNr_CM7b7If2UZq4vi-SwkxhPIydMlQpSuD38163A1ZWvgJVJCkz1cvrUPN5hBq4PrWPn2Dmk_BsK8MiXaAEPUknhNN1ZwZw/" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-44326134738018571892012-08-01T12:51:00.000-07:002012-08-01T12:52:18.877-07:00The great scape!<div>
<div>
Last fall I decided to plant garlic to overwinter. I wasn't really very excited about it because garlic is cheap in the store, it all tastes the same (I thought), and I don't use all that much of it. But I have a fond memory of braiding freshly-harvested garlic stalks with my friend Nancy at her beautiful Chicago home one summer, so I thought I'd give it a try. I bought a head of hardneck and a head of softneck from the Ballard Farmer's Market, broke up the cloves, and planted them in mid-October. <br />
<br />
I was extremely excited when they sprouted, all in their perfect 4" rows, within a few weeks and grew a few inches before the winter really hit. There they stayed, a few inches high, for about four months.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvUCgX8VFmocJKr0Uk7yBpRpcjELdthOwyGtUKfKmRfHN9KfLFY5nk1Up5EUB-c_Tc2ykW7djuWEtKtXbeqq_rzIUqaVAoYsMsepzc1NrU-8uhJUC65OMSVDufe4d5zYycTTWHpk7msND/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvUCgX8VFmocJKr0Uk7yBpRpcjELdthOwyGtUKfKmRfHN9KfLFY5nk1Up5EUB-c_Tc2ykW7djuWEtKtXbeqq_rzIUqaVAoYsMsepzc1NrU-8uhJUC65OMSVDufe4d5zYycTTWHpk7msND/" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In April they started growing taller. I got excited: garlic, soon! Alas, I read the internet and realized it would still be a few moons before the harvest.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGuWgn3n9-zIgBID-lzyZg24U5zCGwOkqnHWH2yYPc9B5rWUC-S6dkK8nPxtUrAM01LuksSmPYjYYy-A-6Tvi90e3IudgsMkyHg33UYBXnWh4AvW6RVuJagRdZ1LA8O2CQ0cY7G5qQotS/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGuWgn3n9-zIgBID-lzyZg24U5zCGwOkqnHWH2yYPc9B5rWUC-S6dkK8nPxtUrAM01LuksSmPYjYYy-A-6Tvi90e3IudgsMkyHg33UYBXnWh4AvW6RVuJagRdZ1LA8O2CQ0cY7G5qQotS/" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
But in June, the scapes arrived to distract me! These flower stalks grow out of the hardneck varieties and are edible themselves. In fact, many gardeners believe cutting the scape results in larger, more flavorful heads. The scapes have a mild garlic flavor themselves and can be made into pesto. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUV1FizQDR2VJfjs3Kg4KABAc7MyjewHFOpZ2g9P8VBY2d1kdFi6Bl-Eyjz4prEiNO375Tf63pKQpj-47JPzdEibQ1GDFImZdKqG-QMDAKrkch1pTlAgUxFJ0np8oQaEpxRPbkfoj5vmj/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUV1FizQDR2VJfjs3Kg4KABAc7MyjewHFOpZ2g9P8VBY2d1kdFi6Bl-Eyjz4prEiNO375Tf63pKQpj-47JPzdEibQ1GDFImZdKqG-QMDAKrkch1pTlAgUxFJ0np8oQaEpxRPbkfoj5vmj/" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So when life gives you scapes (and a lemon, some pinenuts, and parmesan cheese), make pesto!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwHGMtAMMugimxIhRfsxDUxoVk3zo7ptnYHAz7cIAzkI3IFqP3sAO4HPNXY0s7ik_7H9ss1VxMOGPrqwCd7WZi7kDVJEcmFQcrLhngf446OfMMPeRxVIVRZkm9Afi8cigSzqYQVyAWpfy/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwHGMtAMMugimxIhRfsxDUxoVk3zo7ptnYHAz7cIAzkI3IFqP3sAO4HPNXY0s7ik_7H9ss1VxMOGPrqwCd7WZi7kDVJEcmFQcrLhngf446OfMMPeRxVIVRZkm9Afi8cigSzqYQVyAWpfy/" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I also had some shelling peas in the garden by this time, so I harvested them and made delicious Pea Pesto Pasta. I was so pleased!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Notes for next year:<br />
--Grow more garlic<br />
--Plant them closer together to save on watering<br />
--Plant two heads of hardneck for more scapes and to give some away, one head of softneck for storage.<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-23951370036863232822012-06-24T20:00:00.000-07:002012-06-24T20:00:51.683-07:00Technological revolution spurs return<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDbrxNW6pemRQFz_JlndcsZ2M1fpa8HUUXKjPzactPk7t1zRDoFPGP-TfG_Xj4W9-9jNuss-aeyj0OFb6xLTkqTepWmWZ6jy8D-FJ3bCqDsuakqx6gcmHgAtKcuuFsVXnpu6KV_u6oReZ/" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Dear blog,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Oh how I've missed you! I've thought a lot about you these past two years. I thought about you last year when I wondered how my lettuce yield compared to the year before. I thought about you in the fall when I waited interminably for my chard to sprout, wondering whether the slow start was typical. I started you to share with friends and keep track of my gardening lessons, but I couldn't keep up with you. I couldn't keep up with you because uploading pictures was a pain the ass.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the olden days, I had to plug my camera in to the computer to upload photos. Before doing that, because I have an old camera, I had to plug the camera into the wall. Then I had to upload the photo to my computer, and THEN to my picasa album! Then finally to the blogger, where I painstakingly arranged it in the middle of the text window, only for it to move from being centered to left justified when I hit return. So annoying! But with the advent of (golly gee!) smartphones, I can now upload photos directly to my blog. I hope this changes things.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You can see that in the intervening years, I've managed to keep my garden alive. Some things - like the dogwood - are even thriving! I'm rotating my crops, attracting bees with annual flowers, and creating an aura of relaxation even if the garden is rarely that. I enjoy the view, though, many times each day. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Soon,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
GG</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-68389146209359733582011-07-14T08:06:00.000-07:002011-07-14T08:06:59.367-07:00Garden InjusticeNobody comes here anymore. <br />
<br />
I don't even come here anymore! <br />
<br />
But maybe I'll start again. Blogger is advertising all kids of new features at me so maybe it will be easier to upload photos, my big limiter from over a year ago. After all, if you ever visited regularly, you probably only came for the photos. Well, come back in a couple of weeks. You should SEE what is happening in the bed for Tom! The asparagus is going nuts! It's amazing!<br />
<br />
But today I felt compelled to write and share a little diddy from the Great State of Michigan. Check this out:<br />
<a href="http://oakparkhatesveggies.wordpress.com/">http://oakparkhatesveggies.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<br />
This lady has been charged with a misdemeanor because she planted raised beds in her front yard. Not even on the parking strip, mind you, in her yard! I guess feeding your family the hyperlocal way is a crime in Michigan. This is extra funny given all the hoopla about urban farming in Detroit which, by the way, warms my heart. I'm sure this case will be dropped, but even if it is, she seems to be a budding gardener as well, learning her way through veggies as I am. Good luck, OakParkHatesVeggies!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-71119138352008753692010-02-21T11:18:00.000-08:002010-02-21T11:18:08.871-08:00This Bed's For Tom!There was one blank space in my garden along the fence line just behind (but not obstructed by) the new deck. It was begging for another bed to match it's next-door neighbor, and I figured after deck building that I had the skills to make it happen. My bathroom contractor left a chop saw in my garage while he was working, so I decided to have at it - all by myself.<br />
<br />
I diligently measured the bed boards already in the garden and determined my lumber needs. I then randomly poked around the garage and found I already had all the materials. (Main board courtesy of my previous owners.) I went to it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosh02Gm_bT26uYR633FDCPzqW3Hd7HjjSujjAGpVHbESgT_zfUe9bN9exvu85db8QTafuqOFUZ_TD1U7xxkoyH2JwmX0Vr408KwePFwP_gjdtgcO_XdyjnwuVb9lRQOyStSj7xk4ojbM1/s1600-h/DSC02918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosh02Gm_bT26uYR633FDCPzqW3Hd7HjjSujjAGpVHbESgT_zfUe9bN9exvu85db8QTafuqOFUZ_TD1U7xxkoyH2JwmX0Vr408KwePFwP_gjdtgcO_XdyjnwuVb9lRQOyStSj7xk4ojbM1/s320/DSC02918.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Tom Wilson, Shelby's dad, is the one who helped me build the deck and taught me what I know about working with wood. Tom had two favorite things, as far as I could tell: his Sawzall and "cutting a notch out of it." So when I got to the point of installing a side board but almost running into the fencepost, I employed the second of this favorite things. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Wpwg3gV7Fe7kuaJFnKnd6u0MKRWj-V7LRNwIf03NOKSKYDnrmkl6EerLl7jYnS8-GymOwfOdpGcVIGS7IUE52gtZfVfve6YwlYoDC4uyJmLb5u4LvF0M2PO7NeJMfT6foZVuBefiH5fR/s1600-h/DSC02919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Wpwg3gV7Fe7kuaJFnKnd6u0MKRWj-V7LRNwIf03NOKSKYDnrmkl6EerLl7jYnS8-GymOwfOdpGcVIGS7IUE52gtZfVfve6YwlYoDC4uyJmLb5u4LvF0M2PO7NeJMfT6foZVuBefiH5fR/s200/DSC02919.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I measured, I cut, I drilled, and by golly I got the thing in! It only took about 2 hours, and probably would have taken a skilled person about 25 mins, but I did it...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBliFIa1RygtKPQMnr0GqYJwnrJ5rloHBGFfV6AQa37dIQbiuJk_XXLLjUQZtYfVf4WYzFAt-vF4VfPJvGGpssDTbUgCV7nipZvjztstpxOT3PFZ1VLeAKvhgQrcFNOP-NOXTShx3vCldr/s320/DSC02920.JPG" /></div>I had a few issues with screws, probably on account of my small "girly" drill, so I'm guessing Professor Tom would give me about a B in his class. Now, if I could get my hands on a Sawzall to take off those tops...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCheY_tEU5YAyuDfaxGbrAjdNUCjlcaDsCF-_0xqazZfIAwe_jsjx55ToTpe09bT_jAMtxILVJ1rte9FRRk5kdiW73xO6SbHpPbVRL2jEhaWWYUh7SUOw8NkI1Sv8XUKau2jfg31Ih2O-U/s1600-h/DSC02923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCheY_tEU5YAyuDfaxGbrAjdNUCjlcaDsCF-_0xqazZfIAwe_jsjx55ToTpe09bT_jAMtxILVJ1rte9FRRk5kdiW73xO6SbHpPbVRL2jEhaWWYUh7SUOw8NkI1Sv8XUKau2jfg31Ih2O-U/s320/DSC02923.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_nd6lmea8AyfmMlGNYZVZ1zRV1Xp7RB4Uf2PVN3uXifKXXSb6jX7Ec2cgy4C1_3SA1JiFabAwzVAu36-RoWax4lwen2nd2Oo_Aqpy1kEGIMasiGdP0I8qTkEzBM9XdAr-l_V5wU-fuND/s1600-h/DSC02922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_nd6lmea8AyfmMlGNYZVZ1zRV1Xp7RB4Uf2PVN3uXifKXXSb6jX7Ec2cgy4C1_3SA1JiFabAwzVAu36-RoWax4lwen2nd2Oo_Aqpy1kEGIMasiGdP0I8qTkEzBM9XdAr-l_V5wU-fuND/s320/DSC02922.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOBUO41ncaRc9E5IIihuNTqpI-6i27ge7iPrSPXDOjhPczJaVpv2ovlplavHZ0-G9SR-8Su_1ZNk7jZluuKEfu5sjADbK3rKRHRgbTNiMkYYrJY4H4v5c-yFDhDoELs0i0Qzu9nt0lUwg/s1600-h/DSC02921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOBUO41ncaRc9E5IIihuNTqpI-6i27ge7iPrSPXDOjhPczJaVpv2ovlplavHZ0-G9SR-8Su_1ZNk7jZluuKEfu5sjADbK3rKRHRgbTNiMkYYrJY4H4v5c-yFDhDoELs0i0Qzu9nt0lUwg/s320/DSC02921.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's all ready to plant my perennial asparagus bed, which I did a few weekends later (last weekend). Check back in 2 years to see how it tastes!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-42525992813580853142010-01-27T22:37:00.000-08:002010-01-27T22:37:55.484-08:00Tomatoes '09<a href="http://localhost:1357/ef2ccdd2e18fa05a5e2017c14b8faf85/image/56b47747cdc3a87a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://localhost:1357/ef2ccdd2e18fa05a5e2017c14b8faf85/image/56b47747cdc3a87a.jpg?size=320" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a> <br />
<br />
I'm so lame. I never uploaded a post about my tomatoes. They were fabulous! And I don't even like tomatoes! I harvested aplenty for about a month. I had Isis Candy, a big orange variety I seem to remember as Valencia, and a grape-style that I don't know the name of. I liked them heated and tossed with chard, baked down into sauce, and sliced atop foccacia with zucchini.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5Myli-OHk5IOqnSqSj8iBQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCMWgw6n2xY_wmAE&feat=embedwebsite" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ptq6dGAVsDqEcQC2ZoSG_3pxOlTIhcI1yD77yWnK9thPhc7DdNhpl5Z_qslvKhUplfqRdPjCZxmDcEvy8ZANAT9G_xfNhFgHihln8l18nxZ3qfKOsWkgKu4ti2VtU6zLLaLwQdO0ze0w/s144/DSC02746.JPG" /></a><br />
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Gi1m6QJDr5QBiqdFq8lNlQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCMWgw6n2xY_wmAE&feat=embedwebsite" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaok_8wQoG6197Sv76BU6g5IAU1isLNN6sVlIg3k3I9TyzCN1dz11h_B51MWiE_gXI_etHvv2XqTXckl3dOUqf63rOnx8OsH8XVdgh6BgSn3ArFxAkDPOkD0Pys4UYAZMtenQiLlozS-S/s144/DSC02752.JPG" /></a>I'm considering starting seeds this year if I can get my hand on a grow light and a warming tray. The only problem with tomatoes last year is that they blocked the sun to my eggplant. Next year: eggplant in front of tomatoes.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-8646291925004513552009-08-16T21:36:00.000-07:002009-08-17T22:09:29.832-07:00Zucchini Gone Wild<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg5ciCdP6wxhCxvNE8o1NFFVymzbzn2y32tvx3tw5Orl4oT9Uz3GJ20VMcMtqfZ1QDVrvCai12UdmuL-hbeTkGzAR9NscqPYxZeX1S0q4utql6aBK30GBZbxJY2cDZtl4-_QzMWJ28uwD/s1600-h/DSC02679.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg5ciCdP6wxhCxvNE8o1NFFVymzbzn2y32tvx3tw5Orl4oT9Uz3GJ20VMcMtqfZ1QDVrvCai12UdmuL-hbeTkGzAR9NscqPYxZeX1S0q4utql6aBK30GBZbxJY2cDZtl4-_QzMWJ28uwD/s200/DSC02679.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371166351762007106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNzuF1y65cRP-qfHEHNHv5WiIROHpbeURr4s0D6EtxCMQZAwcAPx-hp7QJYkWfMqSFs9gIGi8iCePSFSxD7odYuR3MjlAsu2rB1i4qLuEgEPUP0mwFu7pLd8rja5SUyalDP76gLM0t0El/s1600-h/DSC02683.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNzuF1y65cRP-qfHEHNHv5WiIROHpbeURr4s0D6EtxCMQZAwcAPx-hp7QJYkWfMqSFs9gIGi8iCePSFSxD7odYuR3MjlAsu2rB1i4qLuEgEPUP0mwFu7pLd8rja5SUyalDP76gLM0t0El/s200/DSC02683.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371166188449600450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There's a joke on Vashon Island near Seattle that you can't drive on the island in the summertime with your windows down or else someone will throw a zucchini in it. I completely understand. I figure I've harvested about 25lbs of zucchini so far. I've given away many, contributed one for a chocolate-zucchini cake for our neighborhood block party, made five loaves of zucchini bread, one batch of soup, and several kabobs. Sadly, none of these recipes blow my mind. Zucchini is best eaten simply grilled or in the house special (see previous post). I have "eight ball" that looks like a big globe and "black zucchini" which is the traditional kind. The eight ball looks cool but doesn't taste much better than regular. I want to try it halved and stuffed with a bulgar pilaf - that might make it worthwhile.<br />Next year: two plants tops, of the regular variety.<br /><br />Oh, and the plants are still kicking so if you drive by my house with your window open, watch out!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-55676399668912046212009-07-22T22:29:00.000-07:002009-08-10T22:36:38.147-07:00DinnerWhen I lived with Ali Segal in Chicago in 2002, we used to both make the "house special" at least once a week: pasta, broccoli and red sauce. At some point my tastes changed and the house special became whole wheat pasta, asparagus, olive oil, fresh parm, salt and pepper. Amazing! But when asparagus isn't in season and there are veggies in the backyard, the formula changes.<br /><br />In mid-July the snap peas were desperate for the picking, the ugly yellow squash just getting fired up, and the first zucchini - skinny and perfect - were ready for harvest. Behold pasta primavera - locavore style:<br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1tOJwNDjZW7t3Pj_o2dUbg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLatjrPM1OaXvgE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlhxsobmiWoTn6Yh2zmKMiupt9dmL7MiYb8bqXmbNW5d3xopsof4zT5BlgVPtBeEqPRpr87sXXRkrFHn_8sOpj8WasLdinmIsIYSJLRMvu2_3X8cAtEPekrVw15bBviW8_GlDlCB88KiP/s144/DSC02666.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rpklein727/200907July?authkey=Gv1sRgCLatjrPM1OaXvgE&feat=embedwebsite">2009 07 July</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TR7n8Najyx4RRrSrMsWLvg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLatjrPM1OaXvgE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9x5MyQXdB2tMWFlQsK7pUZP42YCpxKCKHGz52QO9JpJ-yN6lBDdjr7-__oeoA7hQ4EVg7ix3Uo0UkcxJMUzbzdKJdX6fwYxN9Kb0XFUGZoZ1iwp8lelyelysFNjX1Om2XcpLoEkgaLoh/s144/DSC02671.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rpklein727/200907July?authkey=Gv1sRgCLatjrPM1OaXvgE&feat=embedwebsite">2009 07 July</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-24501240027460933652009-07-15T22:02:00.000-07:002009-08-10T22:21:37.742-07:00It was a good springI should be banned from the blogosphere for my absence. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkJuIvNOft5jEgF6BgdF8NN_hKXEr9pTrcEgqy_yDte4_q0YhNd18WUqsBboxL48rx55oytctI9UJGdLfaPRpz8ShiOiV48FY4utOmrN49Pb7oPDsneBwNFshn0zAr5OcuV5Kqfr8nCEN/s1600-h/DSC02639.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkJuIvNOft5jEgF6BgdF8NN_hKXEr9pTrcEgqy_yDte4_q0YhNd18WUqsBboxL48rx55oytctI9UJGdLfaPRpz8ShiOiV48FY4utOmrN49Pb7oPDsneBwNFshn0zAr5OcuV5Kqfr8nCEN/s200/DSC02639.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368570800101413010" border="0" /></a><br />I wish I could claim that I was so busy in the garden this spring that I didn't have time to write, but it's not true. Instead I've been having a moral dilemma: each time I get on a train of thought, it's about pests. Weeds, ants, bugs, the thing that is gnawing on my zucchini, oh, and slugs. The famous Pacific Northwest slug. And then I remember that's the point about organic gardening - no pesticides means pests right alongside my veggies. Well, it wasn't all bad this spring: I had a great crop of field greens and green and red leaf lettuces. Snap peas were abundant and flavorful, especially in these last few days as they've gotten really plump. Raspberries were sweet and strawberries were juicy.<br /><br />The garden put on quite a show when Lindsay and Ali came to visit at the end of June. Lindsay joined a CSA last year in Chicago and it <a href="http://woodentable.blogspot.com/">transformed her cooking repertoire</a>. She brought some CSA zucchini that we thoroughly enjoyed on our camping trip, and snap peas that tasted completely different from mine but lovely in their own right. Ali gardens organically at a community garden in Missoula and I give her huge credit for getting on her bike just to water the veggies. Anyway, I was so happy that they were able to snack in my yard - no washing required.<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/grktDKGSLkXomWjV2Cwqwg?authkey=Gv1sRgCLvbpc-KiI38CQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VeoqqvF4KtP0eE0tC27MQlYGFpMhIeWjCX52dNJFUVi3Z2j7fXTop9zCoAGnaI6KLuE39F5v3PvnpL-9Zh-ty21EWNGH46zTnnGx289Ss1Hgpj956DlmmStjK7FOv3smruBW0O67Rc-C/s144/DSC02654.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rpklein727/200906June?authkey=Gv1sRgCLvbpc-KiI38CQ&feat=embedwebsite">2009 06 June</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-26882888036944648342009-06-05T13:43:00.000-07:002009-06-05T13:46:36.892-07:00Nature’s Turkey BasterI’ve been worried about the bees. You know, the fact that, beginning a few years ago, scientists have noticed a <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6299480">dramatic drop in the bee population</a> which has effects not just on honey production but also on farmers who rely on bees to pollinate their crops. I’ve thought about adding plants that attract bees, and have even toyed with the idea of getting my own hive. I’m just worried about them stinging someone (me).<br /><br />Today, however, I read my favorite weekly garden column by PNW expert Ciscoe. He says:<br /><br /><em>The most common problem home gardeners have growing zucchini is that the fruit form, then rot on the vine. The cause is lack of pollination. There just aren't enough bees around to get the job done these days.<br /><br />Solve the problem by being the bee. Take a male flower and use it to pollinate about 5 female blossoms (the female looks like it has a little fruit at the bottom; the male lacks this) by knocking pollen on the pistil that sticks up out of the middle of the bloom. If all goes well, the only job left to do is to keep the area around the plant weeded, and to remember to pick your zucchinis before they become the size of baseball bats!<br /></em><br />I didn’t seem to have a problem with too much zucchini rot last year, but I did have baseball bat-sized zucchini! Well, I’m hopeful that the bees (and the birds) will do their thing this year and I won’t have to get involved, but I’ll be sure to let you know if I get in the pollination business.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-41077681452588440862009-04-26T20:45:00.000-07:002009-04-26T21:04:12.692-07:00Attack!I did not intend to write a blog about weeds. Weeds, while one of my favorite TV shows, are not what I had in mind when I got into gardening. Alas, I am under attack. Here's the current round up (ha ha! Pun intended!):<br /><br />1) Chickweed - at bay. It was 70 degrees and sunny a few weekends ago and I busted out the big gun - Monsanto's finest - and took care of all of it. For now. My hope is that two or fewer additional applications of this over the course of the summer will keep the chickweed level "weedable" for many years to come. And hopefully I can switch back to vinegar after this bottle is gone. So far, so good.<br /><br />2) Blackberries - menacing. A couple of months ago I saw bright green leaves growing proudly out of the dead brown winter that was my yard. Like an alien to the mothership (I'm reading my first sci-fi novel, what can I say?) I walked to the yard only to find LARGE THORNS and a JAGGED STEM that could only be exotic blackberry. I did my best to yank it out. Lately I've seen a lot of berry plants popping out of the soil but I can't tell if they're raspberries (controllable) or blackberries (scary). <br /><br />3) Morning Glory - code red! I had MG in my raspberry corral last summer which didn't bother me until I tasted my first raspberry (AMAZING) and realized that that MG was choking the life out of the raspberry stalks. Daunted by the prickly raspberries and general weediness of the corral, i just pulled the MG from the stems, not the roots. Clearly this wasn't going to solve my problem, and it caused great distruction to the raspberries. Last week I decided to go in, to take the bull by the horns, er, the MG by the roots. I got some good ones, 2' long roots and all, but suspect there's still a lot under there. I need to teach neighbor cat how to dig for morning glory.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-58609900138379428192009-01-14T14:42:00.001-08:002009-01-14T14:43:13.197-08:00ChickweedI could grow old pulling chickweed. It’s everywhere. In the beds, in the grass, in the rocks, even where I didn’t know I had soil. The best thing about chickweed? “common chickweed can reroot from stem nodes in moist areas.” Great, so if I pull a clump out and a small piece flies away it will re-root. Urg.<br /><br />90% of what I found online tells me to use something extremely toxic. Here, I started this blog because of my guilt over Round Up, which seems pretty benign compared to Weed-B-Gon. Alas, there is another remedy that my garden mentor suggested last year: a flame weeder. Yes, indeed, this is like a blowtorch and especially recommended for rocky areas. Apparently it doesn’t burn the plant to death, it causes a chemical reaction inside which makes it die. Die, chickweed, die!<br /><br />No discussion of the death of chickweed goes without the few but whiney chickweed advocates who espouse its health benefits. “Natural anti-inflammatory!” “Makes great pesto!” “Fights cancer!” If they’re so into chickweed, why don’t they come over and clean me out? Perhaps I should post on craigslist: “Free chickweed. U-pick.”Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-594900076289885622008-09-18T22:30:00.000-07:002008-09-18T22:35:58.559-07:00The Truth About RadishesDid you know that radishes are bitter? They're all nice and innocent, red and white like a candy cane, then BAM the spice kicks up when you're about three chews in. Spicy like you put a lot of pepper on them. I had no idea. All this time I thought radishes were kind of unnecessary. Sure, they add a little color and the nutritionists like that, but it didn't go much farther than that for me. Then I ate Shelby's Radish.* I wondered if it was my soil or if I'd done something wrong, but luckily I was on the phone with my mom who confirmed that radishes are indeed spicy - good radishes, that is. I guess I'd never had a good, fresh radish. Good thing radishes are about the easiest thing you can grow in your garden because I'm going to plant some more, and I'll have to find some recipes that highlight their flavor. <br /><br /><br />*Shelby urged me to plant the radishes. Shelby must have known that radishes have a nice little kick to them. Shelby did not harvest her radish before she left the continent, so I had to eat it in her honor. It was excellent, Shelby, thanks!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-20224139536104130082008-08-25T21:54:00.000-07:002008-08-25T22:13:36.047-07:00Complete SaladFor years...since the first veggies I planted in Chicago in 2004 to be exact...I have desired to grow sufficient vegetables that I could have one complete salad all grown at home. In addition to growing several different kinds of vegetables, this required all of the vegetables to ripen at the same time. It finally happened! My first complete salad: red leaf lettuce, snap peas, cucumbers, and a yellow carrot. You can see the joy on my face as well as Mr. Salad's.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ol2xUy0i_WXatUTktPAX60bMBXtgsP0rAA2BpezlvjHdGmJ0B27KuEsrI_swNaBsCL19Eduh4p8FVMTVN5x0zCmjr-IMu4R47i5Q_kDIo2uq2zbMz3vhw1r3Mpcd81eXR6r94TfyH0YA/s1600-h/DSC01943.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ol2xUy0i_WXatUTktPAX60bMBXtgsP0rAA2BpezlvjHdGmJ0B27KuEsrI_swNaBsCL19Eduh4p8FVMTVN5x0zCmjr-IMu4R47i5Q_kDIo2uq2zbMz3vhw1r3Mpcd81eXR6r94TfyH0YA/s200/DSC01943.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238690069648806466" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggikXppwPxwoO1xRvrpX8eEhWGAX8JAdeJ7KeFUiIDbswHyS0fR9Q0YaHNqb5vGXz7W-4q6769EuhSjwp4mzXxLzrZlIKPRpG5rIIlJTgQKnlbXbmCx2VD1xdWuXy5_nOYO33Kr88d1Vjz/s1600-h/DSC01944.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggikXppwPxwoO1xRvrpX8eEhWGAX8JAdeJ7KeFUiIDbswHyS0fR9Q0YaHNqb5vGXz7W-4q6769EuhSjwp4mzXxLzrZlIKPRpG5rIIlJTgQKnlbXbmCx2VD1xdWuXy5_nOYO33Kr88d1Vjz/s200/DSC01944.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238690073139130066" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-28746376171958253792008-07-21T21:50:00.000-07:002008-07-21T22:11:09.596-07:00Bad blogger eats veggies<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CRACHEL%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I'm such a bad blogger! My apologies to all of my devoted fans out there (including those of you I had to remind to read this)! Perhaps I've just been too busy in the garden? Here's what's new:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">1) Snap peas are AWESOME! The longer you leave them on the plant the fatter and sweeter they get.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">2) The broccoli is producing little florets, but they are very loose and go to flower very quickly. All the web chatter says this makes for inedible, bitter broccoli but <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Shelby</st1:place></st1:city> tried some last night and said it was tasty, flowers and all.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">3) Lettuce is still kicking, in fact finally producing fuller more compact heads just like real lettuce you buy in the store!<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">4) Strawberries ripen every few days or so but some critter keeps chewing them off. I got one full plump one tonight.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">5) Raspberries, feared to be completely overwhelming, are amazing. They taste like store-bought with added sugar. Yum!<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On the flipside...<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Cucumbers never showed up. I planted plants around the fourth of July and they look like they're going to bear fruit. Added some zucchini also.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Carrots look great but are growing slowly and are all tangled in each other because I didn't thin them (I was overzealous). I'm banking on survival of the fittest to kill the little ones and let the big ones grow straight, but I'm going to let them grow another month if possible.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Peppers, left in their starts too long, seem to have gotten stunted because they're not growing even now that they're in yummy compost. Oh well. Next year!<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So, vegetables are doing great! I've also been busy landscaping and building the deck but those will be posts for other days...stay tuned.</p>
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/rpklein727/SIVqMrfDXLI/AAAAAAAAA58/aWSvnYAj32E/DSC01890-1.JPG?imgmax=576"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/rpklein727/SIVqMrfDXLI/AAAAAAAAA58/aWSvnYAj32E/DSC01890-1.JPG?imgmax=576" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/rpklein727/SIVqLgRWnXI/AAAAAAAAA50/WcoMZpBOukU/DSC01889-1.JPG?imgmax=576"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/rpklein727/SIVqLgRWnXI/AAAAAAAAA50/WcoMZpBOukU/DSC01889-1.JPG?imgmax=576" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-19844295933343632762008-06-25T22:34:00.000-07:002008-06-25T23:09:01.940-07:00LettuceToday I harvested my first head of lettuce. It was great! I grew it from seeds planted in late April. The lettuce was slightly more bitter and dare I say more flavorful than lettuce I get in the store. Much to my surprise, there was only one bug on the whole head and not that much dirt. I think the midnight slug attack from a few weeks ago paid off - the lettuce had been chewed in and out and through by the slimy nocturnal creatures so in one weekend I initiated every slug attack I had heard of:<br /><br />1) Go out with a headlamp in the dark and pick them off (Eeew. Between the lettuce and the dahlias I got about 50.).<br />2) Put coffee grounds around the base of the plant (thanks to the barista at Victrola who gave me a whole bag).<br />3) Sprinkle eggshells around the base of the plant (no, they don't smell like rotten eggs).<br />4) (I was actually too lazy for this one...) Put a cupful of beer half deep in the soil and let them clamour to the "bar" and get drunk and die. Poor suckers don't know when to say when.<br />5) Apply Sluggo to the soil. Now, Sluggo is not labeled as organic but every organic-friendly garden store sells it. Technically it's made from iron phosphate which "occurs naturally in the soil." When slugs eat it, they feel full and stop eating so they starve to death. (more information <a href="http://goldengategarden.typepad.com/golden_gate_gardener_/2006/05/where_is_the_bl.html">here</a>) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br />Frankly, I think #5 was the one that did the trick. The others look nice and organic and are much more natural than the Sluggo option, but the darn stuff really seems to work. Next time maybe I'll try random assignment of slug control mechanism, but for now I'm happy to have a home-grown salad.<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaWAbV01bkcUjLdv4YPG3D-9VqcsBaS-mLbWVYSEv5TOVT4MeH-AuGZlQlFZcYFYh99yciL5X0MCbvQK_9-K6FDtQ0H1RqXmrMRE2Qbm_7Zuvu-9yn5QsShps2v18tYuKb0Uhke9ec7bf/s1600-h/DSC01817.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaWAbV01bkcUjLdv4YPG3D-9VqcsBaS-mLbWVYSEv5TOVT4MeH-AuGZlQlFZcYFYh99yciL5X0MCbvQK_9-K6FDtQ0H1RqXmrMRE2Qbm_7Zuvu-9yn5QsShps2v18tYuKb0Uhke9ec7bf/s320/DSC01817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216067982436820578" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNLh93JwPQcb1UH3P1Eyo_hkAkLF-PCbTkSS4vcFNBRdE9Ounz7ObTDNnDKiLnyt-RR9KJdgrJeFlaAJ_IuyJNCcE2ZftUqEw-xeoWCvo2PdqNQWzq5tnzqmEnIZ2-SIpUogq3ONvufHW/s1600-h/DSC01818.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNLh93JwPQcb1UH3P1Eyo_hkAkLF-PCbTkSS4vcFNBRdE9Ounz7ObTDNnDKiLnyt-RR9KJdgrJeFlaAJ_IuyJNCcE2ZftUqEw-xeoWCvo2PdqNQWzq5tnzqmEnIZ2-SIpUogq3ONvufHW/s320/DSC01818.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216067693278802962" border="0" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-6019202255208579292008-06-25T15:58:00.000-07:002008-06-25T16:01:29.465-07:00First tasteI ate a strawberry this morning - right from my garden! Unfortunately, so did some other animal, and they left half of it in the bed next to the plant it was stolen from. Who was that varmint? Neighbor kitty? Well, whomever it was, I hope they learned that they don't like strawberries and leave the rest for me. It was a darn good strawberry.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-52237809250108604852008-06-03T22:09:00.000-07:002008-06-04T08:13:10.494-07:00On broccoli<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOUipoMrhSLBnENrS0rgSYjvX2bFr7hWHpVDYPNI-qxSY95Ut9qy0Gb87w748EuqCJ25-xMaPj5aAfZ8aatMqAHWRCOONxXjNhbRWi28m2t7pSZGVh00AhBY9Z8mrsbMlh_34auXDdyZ8/s1600-h/DSC01800.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOUipoMrhSLBnENrS0rgSYjvX2bFr7hWHpVDYPNI-qxSY95Ut9qy0Gb87w748EuqCJ25-xMaPj5aAfZ8aatMqAHWRCOONxXjNhbRWi28m2t7pSZGVh00AhBY9Z8mrsbMlh_34auXDdyZ8/s320/DSC01800.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208043788027836546" border="0" /></a><br />My broccoli fell over. I don't really get how a whole head of broccoli is going to grow on those skinny little stalks. It's growing great, big, tough leaves that I want to chop into some pad see eiw. But is it supposed to fall over or was that the fault of the robins who are constantly pecking in the beds (on account of my vigorous worm population - yay!)? So far the robins have done little damage except to one pea plant that's coming back. Or was the broccoli trampled by neighbor cat who, I hope, is no longer using the bed as a litter box?<br /><br />Well, I didn't think the broccoli was supposed to fall over so I propped it up with a little mound of soil. I then looked online and found out that broccoli plants grow to be 2-2.5 feet tall! And it grows multiple heads. "Removing the central head stimulates the side shoots to develop for later picking." says the UofI extension website. Wow! 3 heads per plant, 4 plants = 12 heads of broccoli? Fingers crossed!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673456313452118777.post-15665030429630319432008-05-26T21:17:00.000-07:002008-06-04T09:21:38.954-07:00ConfessionI bought Round Up.<br /><br />The weeds were out of control. Chickweed, mustard seed, dandelion, individual spears of grass growing 2 feet high with a root system as long and tangled as the Paris Metro. Not to mention that I have to kill all the grass in the yard in order to plant over it. But how to do that without destroying the environment? Perfectly Natural Weed & Grass Killer, of course! One $20 bottle covers, oh, about 10 square feet. I think my backyard is about 1,000. Despite that, I was optimistic. I sprayed bottle after bottle of the stuff and it did actually work, complete with a lovely, lingering clove smell that must have made my neighbors wonder what was really going on in the pink loft. 6 bottles later, though, I wondered if dumping all of this clove oil, citric acid, Lecithin, and "82% other" was really better for my soil than Round Up, the toxic-while-wet farm-industry standard. The claims are vehement on both sides. "Keep away from pets and children for 6 hours." "It's the only thing that kills the weeds on my coffee farm and allows me to plant what I want." "It breaks down into ingredients found naturally in soil." What is a girl to believe? This girl finally believed that using one-quarter as much product for one-fifth the price to achieve the same result would be worth it for the initial project, to hopefully kill the weed infestations on my property so I'll be able to manage it organically for the rest of our time together. Cross your fingers/stems for me!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14038680937220036680noreply@blogger.com2