The Last Hoorah!

Well not technically the LAST one; but probably the last one of this growing season (I may have some suprises...you never know). But as I look out on the light coating of snow that came upon us last night, I had the feeling of finality for the gardening season.

Luckily, I was able to get the shallots planted before the snow. The ground was hard, but with a little work and a little added warmer compost I was able to get the soil friable enough to plant the shallots.

The rich, creamy flavor and texture of French shallots elevate the delicacy of almost any recipe. The shallots are generally grown from sets that are actually little individual bulbs that you plant to yield 10-15 times the number of shallots! Early in the spring, their dark green shoots will poke through the soil within a couple of weeks of the thaw.

This year, since they are pretty much foolproof, I planted French Red Shallots. These are a good shallot for novice growers (and I will always think of myself that way). They are amazingly productive; are easy to peel and dice and have a delicious, intense, spicy flavor. In the summer, when the top greens start to die back; they will yeild shallots roughtly the size of chestnuts with coppery russet skins and purplle pink flesh. Plus, they store really well. They can last up to a year if properly cellared (Dark, Cool, Dry).

I am looking forward to the winter time part of gardening. The planning of next year's garden, the seed catalogues arriving in the next few weeks! I will check in with everyone then!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Gardening!

The Trees are ALIVE!

Well the day has finally come!! The planting of the fruit trees!. Many of you know that I ordered trees from the National Arbor Day Foundation back in August. The trees were ordered as saplings (Dwarf Winesap and Dwarf Lodi); I was told that the trees would arrive sometime in Mid November.

Well wouldn't you know it, they arrived the day after Thanksgiving (not so mid) and I was out of town with my family...grrrrr. But the good news is becuase of the good care and preparation by the folks at the NADF ensured that the trees would be healthy if they sat for a day or so in the packaging. NADF preps the roots by soaking them in a gell that helps seal in moisture to the bare roots, they then wrap the roots in wet shredded paper and then enclose the bundle in plastic bags to seal in the moisture for shipping.

I filled a large bucket with water and unpacked the trees and immediately submerged them for 3.5 hours...allowing the bare roots to be exposed to air even for a few minutes can cause damage in these delicate saplings.

While the trees relaxed in their bath, I dug the holes. I dug about 8 inches down, placing the extricated soil next to the hole. I then took a handful of soil and put it back in the bottom of the hole to create a small mound. This will support the root canopy and ensures there will be no air pockets below the roots. You could use compost to create the mound, but if your soil is of good quality and nutrient content, you will not need to add any ammendments and too much fertilizer is not good for trees.

I then carefully place the trees back in the hole and back fill to near the surface. I add water to compress the soil and moisten the soil. After this, add the remaining soil and water again. I then repeated the process with the other tree. The final step was to stake the tree, mulch around it and add protection from rabbits and squirrels by adding a ventilated sleeve around the trunk.

I will water the trees every few days while the weather cooperates and also water when the winter weather allows (dry winter days with no snow). These trees are very small and will not produce fruit for a few years, but they will eventually be beautiful and bountiful espaliered trees adding fruit and form to the garden!

Happy Gardening!

Late Season Bulb Digger (Finale)

Now that the soil is prepped and you are ready, it is time to tuck your bulbs in the soil and prep them for winter!

Plant your bulbs at twice their height and twice their width if planting single. When creating bulb compositions follow the height rule, but you can then crowd the bulbs into whatever formation you want. I plant mine in concentric circles alternating the bulb type for maximum beauty.

I throw a little compost into the holes before planting to provide nutrients in our terrible clay soil, then cover them with soil, add a bit of water and then cover over with a nice layer of mulch.

To protect your precious bulbs from pests (the dreaded grey squirell here in Columbus), I sprinkle and mix in the mulch some cayenne pepper...this keeps the pesky squirells away from my tender bulbs! You will have to periodically refresh the pepper until it snows and the ground is covered. Also companion planting narcissus bulbs keep the pests away as well!

If you follow these simple steps, you will have a spring bursting with color!

Happy Gardening!

Late Season Bulb Digger (Part 2)

Once you have selected, purchased or ordered your bulbs, you will want to get them planted before the ground freezes.

Selecting the location

Before selecting the location to plant bulbs in the landscape, consider the light requirements of the plant. Does it require full sun, part shade, etc.? Once that is determined you can decide to plant in a bed, around rocks, under trees based on what will make the bulb thrive.

Now for the fun part, planning your palate...I love the juxtaposition of pink, yellow, lavender and blue and I plant in clusters of each color paired with yellow (yellow/pink, yellow/purple, yellow/blue), mixing the bulbs in various heights to create clusters. This year I added something calle the queen of the night (cue Whitney Houston!) that is a deep deep purple. I am excited to see what the results will be.

Preparing Soil

Properly preparing the soil for bulb planting is important. Good soil drainage is essential in raising bulbs. If you have soil with a high clay content (like we all do in Columbus), it can be improved with the addition of compost and peat moss. The material should be worked into the top 12-18 inches of soil.

Next up, planting and caring for your bulbs!

Happy Gardening!

Late Season Bulb Digger! (Part 1)

I admit it...I am...but I am not ashamed! The stores, garden centers and many garden "experts" would have you beleive that you practically have to run from your labor day celebrations to the garden center to get your bulbs and get them in the ground!

I, however, take a more laxidasical approach...I wait...I wait with a knowing grin

I never buy bulbs from garden centers until at least November 1st. Why? for a couple of reasons. One, my garden plants are still up and going until then, it makes it difficult to determine where I want to plant a cluster...Two, I am CHEAP!!! Bulbs purchased in late October or early November are at least 50% and up to 85% off (this year I waited until the 15th of November and bought about 250 additional bulbs for 90% off). Now that is for commodity bulbs like tulips, narcissus, etc. For specialty bulbs, I go online where the savings can be equally great!

Bulbs provide a good investment for the money spent. They can supply years of color to your yard (particularly in early spring when it needs it the most). Most bulbs can be planted up until the ground is frozen, so hold off and wait to buy your bulbs!

Happy Gardening!

Building the Fourth Wall (Part 3)

With time running out before the fruit trees arrived from the Arbor Day Foundation; it was time to install the trellises. Unfortunately the design of the system became a problem again. The brackets used to attach the trellise to the base were simply not rubust enought to hold the seven foot tall trellis secure and the system flopped again.

Once again, ingenuity and creativity came to our rescue. We purchased 72" metal 1/2 inch diameter pipes (in black) from our local home improvement store. We pounded the pipes into the ground (about 3 feet down) aligned with the center spoke of the trellis and affixed them to the trellis using industrial strapping.

As you can see, the result is a beautiful trellis system that will eventually be the framework for a stunning display of two dwarf fruit trees trained to follow the structure in a two dimensional sculpture. Once planted, the trees will grow through pruning and training on the trellis. While I wait for the trees to grow and produce fruit, I will us teh trellis system to support a crop of sweet peas this spring. Multiple uses and efficient space management! That is what having a potager is all about!

Happy Gardening

Building the Fourth Wall (Part 2)

Now that the trees for the espaliered are on their way, we needed to get the trellis system installed. I purchased modular stakes that attach to the trellises that are then sunk into the ground and attached. Easier said than done…While beautiful, the trellis system makers did not think out their design very well. The weight of the trellis overwhelmed the stake bottoms while simply sunk into the soil and the trellis toppled on the first and second attempt to install them. This was a frustrating situation!

Luckily, my friend Don came up with the thought of concreting in the bases to ensure that the bases would stay firm! To do this we had to draw a straight and level string line after we measured the span of the three trellises. Once done, we dug small holes where the trellis stakes would go into the ground. Using quick setting cement, we filled in around the stakes with the dry concrete mix and added water according to package directions. Now we simply had to wait for the concrete to set and our schedules to align to install the trellis system!

Happy Gardening!

Building the Fourth Wall (Part One)

No, I am not talking about an acting technique (drama is so tired), I am talking about building a fourth wall to the vegetable garden!

I am attempting to do a similar technique to create a “fourth wall” around my jardin potager. Classically, the French kitchen garden (jardin potager) is an enclosed space. In my garden the fence on two sides and the garage on one side provide three of the four walls. For the fourth wall, I wanted something that would be productive and alive and blend well with the yard.

I researched several options and finally chose to create the fourth wall with trellises and espaliered fruit trees. Some of you may recall the post recently about ordering fruit trees. Well those trees will be arriving in a couple of weeks so I needed to get the trellising built.

Creating an espaliered tree wall takes several steps. For those who don’t know, Espalier is the horticultural technique of training trees through pruning and grafting in order to create formal "two-dimensional" or single plane patterns by the branches of the tree. The technique was popular in the Middle Ages in Europe to produce fruit inside the walls of a typical castle courtyard without interfering with the open space, and to decorate solid walls by such trees planted near them.

We debated on material (cedar, pressure treated lumber, iron, metal) for a while as well as design. Then on a recent shopping trip to the soon to be closed Smith and Hawkin in our area, I came across modular trellises. The design was beatiful, simple and a touch modern. I like the juxtaposition of styles it would create. Once purchased, the task was to build them! More on that in the next few posts!

Happy Gardening!

Fall = Fertilize

I know it sounds like the wrong time to fertilize your garden, with everything going into senescence…and for those who already think I am wacky, this will enhance that perception. However, there is method to the madness! Let me explain.

Sometime cooler weather will make plants seem dead or dormant when they are not, their roots are only growing. That is a good time to fertilize with a high phosphorus fertilizer to help ensure that your plants will have a strong root system next spring.

When there is an early frost in the fall this helps plants to produce higher levels of amino acids which will help them to resist freezing and making them hardier when the winter temperatures drop. As you start your fall fertilization remember that different plants have different needs such as perennials, your spring bulbs and your roses.

Perennial love a high phosphate fertilizer with low nitrogen content and fertilizing with this type will give you a lovely array of blossoms at blooming time. In September or October plant your spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils and feed them with a phosphorus fertilizer at the root level to help get them established before the winter sets in.

As I plant I like to add a little compost as food being sure to plant with the tips up and in a manner that the hole is at least 4 times the height of the bulb. Now is not a good time to fertilize roses, they should be fertilized and cut back after they have gone dormant for the winter.

For the vegetable garden the same holds true. Adding compost to the garden the season before growing is essential. Micronutrients from the compost take time to break down and become available for root absorption (approximately 8-12 weeks). Since most people plant in April and May, that leaves February and March as the latest time you can fertilize so nutrients are available in the soil at the time of planting. Successful gardeners know that waiting longer is preferable and fertilizing in the fall give ample time for the soil to rest and regenerate with its augmentations! Get out and fertilize today!

Happy Gardening!

Herbal Vinegar and Oils

This is certainly not a new idea or project; however, it is a perrenial favorite on my gift lists. My family and friends love getting herbal or flavored olive oil and vinegars each year. Looking around in the gourmet stores, I know they are also a valuable gift. Purchasing these products can set you back at least $10 per bottle. If you have a large gift lists, this can become really expensive.

Growing your own herbs gives you the raw materials to make these delicious gifts. You can use your fresh herbs all season long, transplant your favorites to overwinter in a sunny window and dry them to use them all winter long. In addition, you can snatch a few sprigs to tuck into bottles and fill with quality olive oils and white wine vinegar purchased in bulk.

Start with extremely clean bottles, run them through the dishwasher to get them sparkling. Use a skewer or chop stick to tuck the fresh herbs into the bottles artfully. Use a funnel to fill the bottles with the vinegar and oil to above the shoulders of the bottles and cap with either the spout or a cork.

To finish the bottles off, wrap the spouts with a small amount of plastic wrap to prevent leakage or use a cork and affix the spout to the bottle. Melt sealing wax in a double boiler. Dip the tops of the bottles in the wax and turn in your hand to evenly distribute the wax. Allow each bottle to cool slightly before re-dipping. To ensure an attractive and effective seal, you will need to dip the bottles about 10 times or more. Pair with a beautiful ribbon or raffia tie and a decorative and descriptive tag and you have a marvelous host present or a great addition to an elegant holiday gift basket!

Happy Gardening!

Garlic, Garlic and More Garlic

I planted garlic yesterday morning. It was a cool fall morning just after a night of rain. The soil was damp and beginning to cool, and according to the farmers almanac, it was a good day to plant.

Soil Preparation: Garlic will grow under a wide variety of soil conditions. However, normally garlic prefers free draining loam with lots of organic matter. So my favorite soil mix with 30 soil/30 peat/ 30/ sand 10/ compost will work really well with garlic bulbs.

Under most conditions, garlic does best when planted in the fall. The timing of fall planting should be such that the roots have a chance to develop and the tops do not break the surface before winter. Planting in the spring in our part of the country will produce mixed results.
Hardneck garlics need to go through a cold period to trigger sprouting. If your soil temperatures stay warm, store the garlic in a cool, dry place, 45 - 50°F, for about three weeks before planting.

Shortly before planting break the bulbs apart into cloves. This is called ‘cracking’. The cloves are attached to the basal plate, the plate that the roots grow from. When you crack the bulb each clove should break away cleanly, leaving an intact ‘footprint’ on the basal plate.

Set aside the very small cloves to eat soon, to make into pickles, to dry, or to plant tightly together for eating in the spring, like green onions. Each larger clove will produce a good sized bulb by the end of the growing season. The smallest cloves require just as much space, care and attention in the garden and produce significantly smaller bulbs.

If you separate the garlic cloves as close to planting time as possible, preferably within 24 hours, the root nodules won’t dry out and the garlic will be able to set roots quickly.

Planting Garlic
I plant garlic in a square foot garden, to grow properly in this setting, the cloves should be planted 4 or 5 per square foot.

It is important to plant hard neck garlic with the top (pointed end) of the clove up, at least two inches below the surface. Planting garlic is like planting shallots or other bulbs, the garlic should be planted twice as deep as the size of the clove.

When you have planted the garlic you can cover it with a layer of mulch if you wish. Mulching conserves moisture, moderates soil temperatures and inhibits weeds.

Watering Garlic
Garlic requires fairly even soil moisture during its early growth and then no additional moisture during the last few weeks. Mulch is one way of maintaining an even moisture regime. Not enough moisture means that garlic does not develop a full sized bulb. Over watering results in garlic with poor keeping qualities - poor wrappers, burst skins and mold.

Harvesting Garlic
A few weeks before harvesting stop watering the garlic. Different growers have different rules of thumb regarding the best time to harvest:

· when the lower leaves are half to three-quarters brown
· when the plants are 40% brown, 60% green.

The dying back of the leaves is only an approximate indicator. Inspect a few bulbs in the ground by carefully scraping away the dirt. Pull the garlic from the ground when the bulb has reached a good size and before the wrappers begin to deteriorate or the bulbs begin to split open. If a bulb is not well-wrapped, and the skins on the cloves are not intact, the garlic will not keep well.

Learning exactly when to stop watering and when to harvest is a matter of judgment that comes with experience. But it is pretty easy to tell, so don't be discouraged...get out and get your hands dirty by planting garlic this weekend!

Happy Gardening!

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts, are hardy, slow-growing, long-season vegetables belonging to the cabbage family. In the proper season of the year, it can be grown in most areas of the country. In mild areas, or where there is deep snow cover, the sprouts may overwinter.

The "sprouts" (small heads that resemble miniature cabbages) are produced in the leaf axils, starting at the base of the stem and working upward. Sprouts improve in quality and grow best during cool or even lightly frosty weather. Brussels sprouts require a long growing period, though newer hybrids have greatly reduced this requirement. In all but the most northern states, summers are usually too warm for completely satisfactory production from spring plantings. Plants set out in late spring to early summer grow satisfactorily and mature high-quality sprouts when the fall weather begins to cool.

Now that the weather is really getting cool and we are getting frost advisories, it is time to harvest and use the delectible little sprouts. The small sprouts or buds form heads one to two inches in diameter. They may be picked (or cut) off the stem when they are firm and about one inch in size. The lower sprouts mature first. The lowermost leaves, if they have not been removed already, should be removed when the sprouts are harvested. Harvest sprouts before the leaves yellow.

The key to cooking Brussels sprouts is in not overcooking them. The leaves cook faster than the core, so cut an X in the bottom of the stem for even cooking when cooking the sprouts whole. As a rule, when Brussels sprouts have lost the bright green color, they are overcooked and have lost a considerable amount of nutritional value as well. My favorite method is to blanch the sprouts, then slice them in half and quick saute them in a little butter or olive oil with salt and pepper. This simple preparation brings out the best in the sprouts and eliminates any bitter flavor!

If you want to preserve the sprouts for later use, the best way to accomplish this is to freeze the sprouts once they are blanched…so remove them from the hot water and plunge them into iced water, then drain, dry and freeze flat on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic storage container or freezer bag. Enjoy these delicious bundles of fall flavor with your harvest meals, Thanksgiving or even a Tuesday night with a good chicken!

Happy Gardening!

The Sunshine State

As a nice Jewish boy, I think I am naturally (by the deviation in my septum) to Florida. The warm climate, sunshine and fun all have their appeals but I am not much of a beach person and I would probably burst into flames without an umbrella, zinc oxide and SPF 9000. But, when my job required me to go to Florida for a conference I thought I should make it doubly useful. One, I would go to my conference, spend my evenings at the computer working on homework and other business, but I also thought I should do a little gardening research and report back on the blog.

One of the fascinating places here in the Orlando area is Epcot Center. The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center was opened in 1982 and prominently features a variety of hydroponic techniques for growing vegetables; I got a chance to tour the exhibit at the pavilion during some off time (evening) from the conference (Epcot is 2 miles from my hotel and the Living with the Land boat tour is only 14 minutes long!).

Hydroponics is a method of agriculture that doesn't use any soil. Plants are fed with nutrient solution that contains all of the minerals they need for growth. Hydroponic systems can be either media-based, with some sort of inert media supporting the roots, or water culture, which doesn't utilize any other growing media at all. Hydroponics is commonly used on Space Shuttle missions and on space stations to supply some fresh food. Since soil doesn't exist in space, researchers believe that hydroponics is the way to go in the future for long-term stays on space stations or on long orbiting missions and NASA is always experimenting with new setups.

Hydroponics holds a lot of promise for future generations as it represents a way to continue to have fresh vegetables even if we are not habituating this earth. It also holds a lot of promise for famine relief if the techniques are researched to the point of being cost effective for economically depressed societies.

It was a really interesting tour and I remain fascinated by all the new advancements in growing techniques. However, I still believe the quality of the produce grown in this manner can never equal that of something grown from properly maintained and cared for land. The flavor of something grown in a nutrient enhanced solution can never rival that of something grown in nutrient rich, compost enhanced soil.

Happy Gardening!

Senescence, Rest and Dreams of Rebirth (Part 2)

Continuing the fall clean up, I was also busy this weekend dreaming and planning next year’s garden. I created two new spots: One, against the garage was once home to two peony plants. Those plants went to a dear friend who has been building a garden of her own. The space that is left is perfect for a trellised item. We are debating on what that will be…pole beans? Warty, nubby gourds? Or something purely decorative?

The other new area is in front of the potager area. Since the traditional Jardin Potager is required to be enclosed, Don and I have been discussing potentially having trellis material go in and the new dwarf apple trees will be espaliered on those trellises, enclosing the potager and adding beautiful architectural element to the space.

I will post what we decide :-)

Happy Gardening!

Senescence, Rest and Dreams of Rebirth (Part 1)

All things, in their time, must rest. It is true of so many things; people, relationships, animals, plants and our earth. The fall is a time of mixed emotions…sadness and hopefulness and thoughts of not so distant joy.

This week, I cleared out some of the summer plants from the garden. Many of the tomato plants were leggy, past their prime and not productive. These needed to be removed; I dug the last of the baby carrots, summer beets, the remaining shallots, onions and a few other items. There are brussel sprouts, peppers, egg plants and another tomato plant still in the garden and producing, so I will leave them alone for now.

This process helped me clear area to move soil. In a raised bed, it is difficult to do any sort of crop rotation. In addition, I needed to add soil to the beds to make them full 12 inches of raised space. I took the cleared soil from one bed and added to the other to fill the bed to its top. I then added soil, peat, sand and compost to the donor bed to bring it to level. The recipient bed will be home to my garlic this fall as well as be the root crop bed next season. The recipient bed with new soil will rest over the winter and be the above ground crop bed; holding cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and the like. More fall work yet to come...stay tuned!

Happy Gardening!

From Field To Table

I am in LOVE! Well, I have been in love with my partner for a very long time, hi honey! But, I visited the new campus area of the Franklin Park Conservatory and I am definitely smitten!
We visited the campus during the From Field to Table Festival. This celebration of Ohio’s harvest is sponosored, in part by Our Ohio (the Ohio Farm Bureau).

The festival features some of the best fresh from the farm to the table food and fun for the whole family. I also had a chance to attend some workshops on preserving, wood fire cooking and a special discussion and cooking demonstration by one of my favorites, the chef and owner of Dragonfly.

Magdiale discussed with the audience the aesthetics of the garden, its inspiration as well as shared sources of organic seeds and supplies. He then prepared a fricasse of leeks with heirloom tomatoes, portobello mushrooms and french bread! It was outstanding.

The campus looked amazing, with potagers, abeiery habitats, composting areas…it was amazing, check out these photos, or better yet, go see the new campus for yourself. Visit http://www.fpconservatory.org/ for moreinformation on hours and current exhibits.

Happy Gardening!

You Know it is Catching On!!!

You know gardening is an empowering ,green way to live and so many people are catching the buzz!

I love it! I just about wrapped my bike around a pole the other day. I was driving to my job and happened upon the cutest community garden right on the property of a church. The German Village Community Farm is located at the corner of 4th street and Livingston Avenue at the Livingston Avenue Methodist Church in Columbus, OH!....Check it out!!

Happy Gardening

Salsa

I am not talking about dancing…although, to admit it, I do dance around my kitchen when I cook, we are talking about tomato salsa. Since we continue to have a bumper crop of tomatos, we need to be creative with what to do with them.

We have already talked about pasta sauce, now let’s move on to salsa. Salsa is a great summer and fall dish to keep on hand for impromptu guests and snacks. It also works when making huevos rancheros or even canning as gifts.

I have a pile of new tomatoes this week so after my 100 mile charity ride on Saturday, I will need some restorative time and that means in the kitchen on Sunday. I am going to make several pints of salsa and can it up for fall host presents and to keep in the pantry (more on our pantry plans later).

Here is a terrific, simple salsa recipe…the great thing about it is that you can add the items you like and alter the recipe to your tastes…it is a great base recipe!

Simple Salsa
1 3/4 cups diced tomato (about 1 large tomato)
1/4 cup diced white onion (about half of an onion)
1 finely chopped fresh jalapeno chile (seeded, if you like, for a milder salsa)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon chopped fine cilantro

Stir ingredients together. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving to let the flavors develop or process in glass jars for 20 minutes.

Happy Gardening!

Neo V- Cuisine!

It is no secret that I love to cook. I love growing our food and preparing a meal to be eaten at home. I am also interested in sustainable living. One tenent of sustainable living is eating vegetarian or vegan two to three times a week. While I do like lean meats and fish and think they are a good part of a balanced diet, minimizing their consumption is better for your health and better for the environment.

The downside is that unfortunately, the one creative cuisine I have not mastered is vegetarian or vegan cooking. I am pretty good with salads, casseroles, etc. But the neo V cusine is far more creative and is taking the use of vegetables to a whole new level. It is my goal to learn more about the cooking methods and the possibilities so I can incorporate more creative vegan and vegetarian dishes in my repitoire. Until then, I rely on creative chefs to provide vegan delights. So when I had the opportunity to eat at Dragonfly here in Columbus, I was very excited. They are a vegan restaurant that grows their own produce in a little potager in the back of the restaurant!

Dragonfly and its quick stop lunch spot On the Fly are located in Columbus’ Victorian Village and have won numerous distinctions, such as being on Columbus Monthly’s top 10 list and being mentioned in US Today and Veg News. Their menus are seasonal, ecclectic and amazingly delicious!

I also got a chance to tour the garden with the owner Magdiale Wolmark. He showed a friend and I his specially designed raised bed garden. Designed by Wolmark and Jennifer Bartley (Author of Designing the New Kitchen Garden), the garden is an elegant and efficient use of space. With espaliered fruit trees, and 24 inches of rich soil in a modified U shape that makes it compact, productive and very urban.

Wolmark is a subscriber to the Biodynamic method of gardening. Biodynamics is a science of life-forces, a recognition of the basic principles at work in nature, and an approach to agriculture which takes these principles into account to bring about balance and healing. Magdiale uses the Stella Natura planting planner and calendar to successfully manage the potager along the principles of Biodynamics (http://www.stellanatura.com/ ).

One of the new amazing things in the Dragonfly garden is the mushroom area. Magdiale has inoculated white oak logs to grow Shitake mushrooms in a cool nook between the kitchen and the restaurant. I cannot wait to see what he comes up with to use those delicious mushrooms!
Check out their website at http://www.dragonflyneov.com/ but better yet, stop in and experience it yourself!

Happy Gardening…and Eating!!

Be Fruitful and Multiply!

Oh dear, I think my inner Jewish roots are showing…but I want to emphasize that I am planning on including fruit (specifically apple) trees in the potager. A well balanced potager includes vegetables, flowers and fruit to supply the home with these treasures. Even in a small plot like ours, fruit can be nurtured and grown successfully!

The plan is to include two types of apple trees designed to pollinate together, I chose;

· Lodi (Malus x domestica): This treeproduces an early harvest of juicy, yellow apples. Harvested during July to August. As with most fruit trees, this requires a minimum of 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. This variety of apple is not drought tolerant so it will require water. This type of tree is hardy in zones 3-8 (http://www.arborday.org/treeinfo/zonelookup.cfm ).

· Stayman Winesap (Malus x domestica): This tree produces a large red apple that is the most popular winter keeper with a tart, rich, wine like flavor. The tree is hardy in zones 5 – 8. Luckily, we live in a nice belt (zone 6) that is great for growing apples, pears, cherries and other fruit.

Purchasing trees is very easy, but I will clue you in on a tip to save money and help a great cause. Many people purchase their trees at local nurseries, which is totally fine. However, the cost of bucketed trees, depending on the size can range anywhere from $30 to $130 for a single tree. But, you can save money and support a great foundation by ordering your trees from the Arbor Day Foundation.

The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. Its million members plant millions of trees every year. New members receive 10 free trees. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Foundation is supported by donations, selling trees and merchandise, and by corporate sponsors. They also operate the Rain Forest Rescue charity. For every $10 contributed by public donations, 2,500 square feet area of rain forest is saved in the name of the donator. Rain Forest Rescue has preserved nearly two billion square feet of land this way.
I ordered two trees (one of each variety) for fall delivery to my area (November). With my membership and some free forsythia bushes thrown in, my total order was $30. Members can order trees for as low as $7 each!

For more information about the good work the National Arbor Day Foundation and how you can become a member, visit http://www.arborday.org/index.cfm

I will update the blog when the trees come in and how I am going to plant them, but for now…Happy Gardening!

Leeks: Epic Fail!

Alright, I admit it…I have failed! I planted leeks directly in the soil this year and they did absolutely NOTHING…they grew these sad little chive like stems and they have stayed exactly like that all season long. I have reviewed the watering schedule, the soil composition and depth and I just don’t have a good answer as to why these did not grow.

As I have said before, while success is awesome and yummy in the garden, failure is a good way to learn new things or be reminding of things we should have learned before. I am searching for the lessons in my leek disaster, but I have yet to figure it out.

So much for my plans of Vichyssoise this fall :-(

Sad Gardener….but happy gardening!

Entertaining "in" and "from" the Garden

I knew that having a potager would be a great addition to our home from an economical and certainly from a gourmet perspective. But I really hadn’t imagined that it would add so much to our home entertaining.

This weekend, we held a little end of summer party. We host an annual event each year, but this year the garden played heavily in the theme as well as the menu. In addition, it really became a conversation item for many guests who toured around the beds to see what was growing. The garden bench served as an impromptu conversation stop.

Good friends, good food…Good Times. We served chicken and beef brisket slider sandwiches for the main course. For the side dishes, we incorporated items from the garden in each dish. The centerpiece was the Caprese salad that included the heirloom tomatoes and the bright and tasty basil from the garden. The pasta salad included corn, zuccini, pepers and peas from the garden. The antipasta/relish tray included roasted peppers and homemade pickles from cucumbers grown in the garden.

Entertaining is always fun for us, but adding the garden took it to another level. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the year’s entertaining is enhanced by our little potager.

Happy Gardening!

When You Can't Grow It

I have limits…I know, shocking, right? But living in an urban neighborhood, the amount of space to grow food is limited. When I cannot grow the produce or flowers I need for my table or for an event, I turn to farmers markets or a public market. Here in Columbus, that means our treasured North Market.

Recently, I visited the market to attend the Farmer’s Festival. This is the open air weekend farmers market, with flowers, vegetables, fruit, meats and other delicacies all farm fresh, most organic and wonderful.

Since my corn is limited and still a couple of weeks from harvest, we picked up a dozen ears as well as some wonderful pepper jelly. In addition, I bought garlic for pasta sauce, chicken stock and a few other uses since I have not grown it yet (it goes into the garden in the fall).
We also picked up a gorgeous bouquet of sunflowers (I just couldn’t wait for our new transplants to bloom).

I think what is so marvelous about a public market is that you get closer to your food…the folks who grow it are selling it to you. Not a commercial farmer who then sells to a broker, who then sells to a distributor who then in turn sells it to a grocery chain who then distributes the food to its local stores….not yummy!

Fresh from your ground or the local farm is really the way to go! The freshness and the taste will blow you away and the lack of toxins will help your family’s health immensely!
Visit your local farmers or public market today! For more information on Columbus’ North Market, visit their website at http://www.northmarket.com/

Happy Gardening!

Fall Harvest Continues: Broccoli

I admit I am a finicky Broccoli eater. I like it three ways…steamed, blanched or in soup…that is it. Raw broccoli is gross and reminds me of those insipid vegetable trays from the grocery store (ick!). Roasted Broccoli is too bitter and boiled and smothered in cheese sauce is simply nasty.

How you prepare and enjoy Broccoli is completely your choice; as for growing it, it couldn’t be easier.

You can easily figure the perfect time to plant broccoli seeds this fall. If you want to sow seeds directly in the garden, do so about 85 to 100 days before the average first fall frost in your area, which happens in mid to late summer in most places (including here in Ohio). If you prefer to grow from transplants, figure the date for getting your plants in the ground by adding 10 days to the "days to maturity" for the variety you're growing, and then counting backwards from your expected first fall frost date.


Broccoli grows best in full sun and where the soil is slightly acidic, fertile, and well-drained, yet consistently moist and rich in organic matter.

Fall broccoli has specific spacing requirements. If you're gardening intensively in a raised bed, space your plants 15 to 18 inches apart..

Broccoli is a moderately heavy feeder, so work in 2 to 4 inches of rich compost or a thin layer of well-aged manure before planting. Rabbit manure is excellent if available, otherwise good compost will do.

Offer cold-weather protection with floating row covers, which provide an additional 4 degrees to 8 degrees F worth of warmth, shielding harvests from heavy freezes and extending the season by up to four weeks. Or cover broccoli with tunnels or a coldframe, which can boost daytime temperatures by 10 degrees to 30 degrees F.

Harvest broccoli heads while the buds are just starting to swell but before the yellow petals start to show. Keep an eye on the head, for when it begins to spread open, the individual buds start to flower. Harvest the central head by cutting the stalk at a slant, about 5 to 8 inches below the head. This encourages side-shoot production for continued harvests.

Happy Gardening!

Fall Harvest Continues: Carrots

Carrots are a more progressive planting crop, but if you have not continually planted carrots throughout the season (and I didn’t), we have an opportunity for a second sewing of the delicious root vegetables (I am still picking carrots little by little so as not to run out before the new plants emerge).

People say I am crazy for thinking that carrots are the reason that I am the only person in my family not blind as a bat…after eating all of my carrots (plus my brother’s) as a child and loving the vegetable in all forms today, I can still read the eye chart in its entirety from 25-30 feet away. Scoff if you will non believers, but it is true!

Carrots do best in raised beds filled with well-draining, fertile topsoil that contains plenty of organic matter. Remove rocks and debris from past crops to clear the path for maturing carrots and prevent misshapen roots. If you have clay soil, double-dig your carrot bed to loosen and aerate the soil, and plant Nantes, Chantenay, or ball type carrots, because their shorter roots grow well even in heavier soils. I love carrots and grow two varieties (Adelaide Baby Carrots and the French Babette).


I am not a big fan of planting then thinning so I plant in square foot patches. 16 carrot seeds per square feet is excellent spacing and you don’t waste seeds!


Watering: Carrots need consistent soil moisture from the time you plant until harvest. Seedlings stressed by low moisture grow slowly and produce lower yields. Dry soil causes carrots to develop uneven surfaces, yet too much moisture encourages small, hairy-looking roots to form. If your carrot bed happens to dry out, remoisten the soil over a period of days, because sudden saturation causes carrots to split. Use an organic mulch around your carrots to retain moisture.

My soil has a lot of organic matter in it so I should not need to fertilize much. However, since I am quite anal about things, I did use liquid fish emulsion in my hose fertilizer container that dilutes the mixture 1/10th. It seems to perk everything up…I did this twice this season and do not plant to add more fertilizer until it is time to compost in the fall

White maggots or tunnels filled with brown, crumbly material are the work of carrot rust flies. Keep these at bay with your Veggie Farm peppermint/garlic spray as much as possible. And watch out for dark, yellow-bordered spots on leaves since this signals that you might have fungal leaf blight. Stunted, light yellow leaves and woody roots with tufts of white side roots are signs of aster yellows.

Harvest carrots as soon as they're big enough to eat. Hand-pull carrots to avoid damaging their roots. Extend their storage life by cutting off all but 1 inch of the leaves and stem. Store carrots in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, or layer them in a box with damp sand and store them in a cool room or root cellar.

Happy Gardening!

Planting Fall Crops (Part 1)

With the summer heat, it is easy to forget that there is another growing season about to begin! While you might be in garden overload at the moment with all the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers coming your way; don’t forget to get your fall crops ready to go into the ground this month!

Fall crops such as beets, carrots, lettuce, and broccoli should be planting within the next week to ensure you get a fall harvest before the frost. Over the next few days, I am going to talk about what we are doing with fall crops. Beginning with Beets

Your soil should be a light, sandy loam. This permits rapid, uninterrupted growth for tender roots. The soil should be moist, fertile and well drained so we are adding a bit of compost and sand to assist with the drainage well before planting the beets.

Space plants 2 to 4 inches apart; When plants are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. I ususally plant 9 beet plants per square foot.

You can harvest the beets 56 to 70 days after sowing seeds. Baby beets are ready sooner. Beet greens are ready to harvest in just 30 to 45 days.

Happy Gardening!

Gifts From The Garden (Part I)

I am writing this as a multipart entry because as the season ends and more items come for harvest, I am going to talk about this again and go into a little more detail with what to do with your harvest to transform them into gifts for family and friends. But for now, think of this as what to do with your abundance of fresh veggies!...SHARE them!

Everyone loves fresh organic vegetables; this is a great way to show you care. Think of the money you save them if you provide a little basket of goodness!

We were fortunate to be invited to a dear friend’s house for dinner the other night(Thanks David and Jay!). As most people do, I struggle with bringing the perfect host present. This summer, I am not struggling! For most or all of our social occasions that call for a host present, we are bringing a bit of the garden.

In the winter, I came across a sale on these fantastic small bushel baskets and I snatched all that the store had, I knew I could use them sometime…now is the time.

Filled with a selection of fresh vegetables from the garden and some fragrant olive oil flavored with items from the garden (this one is baby shallots), we were ready to go.

Pick what is most beautiful and abundant and you will never go wrong bringing the perfect summer host or hostess gift!
Happy Gardening!

All Together Now

Last week we talked about making pasta sauce with all of the tomatoes out of the garden. Now, you can make spaghetti or another pasta dish, but with all the talk around the blog about eggplant parmesan, I decided to take my own approach to the classic dish.

I pulled one of each kind of eggplant from the garden. Sliced them up and prepared to get cooking! I wanted to bread the eggplant, but not with traditional breadcrumbs…they tend to get too soggy very quickly so instead I chose Japanese Panko bread crumbs. These are bread flakes rather than crumbs and remain lighter when cooked.

I began with an egg wash and seasoned flour (with salt and pepper); I put them through the egg wash again and then coat them with the Panko crumbs. I fried the eggplant in 350 degree oil, and then drained on a paper towel.

To make this dish a little different, I chose Asiago cheese rather than parmegano reggiano since the parm cheese is too flaky to hold up being stacked. I used a fluted biscuit cutter to shape the cheese, then stacked it with the eggplant. I then served it with the heated sauce I made the night before. The great thing about the panko is that it kept the eggplant nice and crisp throughout the whole meal….delicious!

Happy Gardening!

Bella, Bella, Belissimo!

With an over abundance of fresh tomatoes, onions and herbs…what’s a boy to do? Make pasta sauce!
I make fresh pasta sauce a few times a year. The summer harvest of tomatoes gave me a reason to make it last night. With all the talk on the blog of eggplants, I thought I could make a good eggplant parmesan (I am creating a new recipe thanks to a few suggestions…more on that later).

Ingredients
1 dozen varied size tomatoes (medium and large). Add any little cherry or plum tomatoes as well (heirloom, yellow, red, all sorts).
3 medium sized onions in a medium dice
6 cloves garlic, roughly minced
1 bundle of fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano)
1-2 inch square of parmeggiano reggiano rind (leftover and kept in the freezer)
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Meanwhile chop onions and saute and sweat for 15-20 minutes until really soft and cooked (saute is on medium high heat to start, then turn the heat to medium low so the onions do not get browned).

When water is boiling, stem and core the tomatoes and mark the bottom of each with an ex with your pairing knife. Drop 1-2 tomatoes in the boiling water and stew until the skins become loose. Retrieve them with a chinese strainer or other draining utensil. Immediately plunge the tomatoes into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking and retract the skin. Once cool, remove and discard the tomato skins (into the compost). With clean hands drain and crush the tomatoes.

Add the garlic to the onions for and cook for one minute stirring constantly. Add crushed tomatoes, cheese rind and cook over medium heat (stirring occasionally)for 30-45 minutes until tomatoes are very soft. Add chopped herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Plunge an emersion blender into the tomatoes and process until smooth. Cook an additional 30 minutes until the liquid is reduced and the over all sauce is reduced by 25%.

Allow to cool and store in plastic deli or other plastic quart containers (makes two) for at least a day before serving or freezing.

Now you don’t have to give away all of your tomatoes when you have a bumper crop and you have also created at least two meals! Home Economics at its best!

Happy Gardening!

Bob, would call this color Grape or Aubergine? (Part II)

Plant eggplants in a warm spot. Eggplants, with their thin and delicate skins, will not tolerate any cold at all. Even the slightest frost may kill your crop. For this reason, plant the seeds only in the warmest climates during the spring time. In other climates, it is best to start from transplants once temperatures are in the 70's.

Space the plants about 2 or 3 feet apart in rows that are spaced about 2 feet apart. Soil should be loose, full of nutrients and drained well. For those that have poorly draining compact soil or a heavy ratio of clay soil, the best amendment is silica sand. Silica sand will help improve the soil's drainage properties without upsetting its Ph--a crucial factor in growing a healthy eggplant. Eggplants need full sun to reach their potential. Keep that in mind when digging the garden.
Feed new transplants every four to six weeks. The first application of fertilizer should be a good liquid 20-20-20 mix. After that, you can use 10-10-10 in dry form. Eggplants are heavy drinkers. Be sure to check the soil often to ensure it retains even moisture.

Keep weeds at bay. Watch out for white flies, aphids and flea beetles (use your garlic and peppermint oil spray). All can do serious damage to your plants if left unchecked, but these pests are pretty easy to control if you are attentive. Flea beetles, in particular, are a common problem for young plants. Once they get a bit older, the leaf damage will not hurt them. Since eggplant shrubs may grow to heights in excess of three feet and because the fruits are quite heavy, it is a good idea to stake them.

Decide what kind of eggplants you like best. Left alone, plants will produce many small fruits. If harvesting bigger specimens is your goal, you will need to pinch out some buds and terminal growth. The result should be between three and six fruits per plant. The time between planting and harvest can vary, but usually it will take about two months before the eggplants are ready to be eaten.

Pick your eggplant when it has developed color but before it has lost its shine. Use a knife or pruning shears to cut the fruit from the plant. Leave about an inch of stem.

Here is a terrific recipe for Cous Cous Stuffed Eggplant, it serves 6 and is different and tasty!

1/2 head garlic
4 small eggplant
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup uncooked couscous
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons), finely chopped
1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 pound red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cut into eighths

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap garlic in aluminum foil. Cook until cloves are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool, and squeeze the soft garlic from the cloves; set aside.
Cut 3 eggplant in half lengthwise, and place the 6 halves cut sides up on a cutting board. Using a paring knife, cut around the perimeters, leaving a 1/3-inch-wide border and being careful not to cut through skin. Cutting down through flesh, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Using a small spoon, scoop out the strips, keeping skin intact. Cut strips into 1/4-inch dice. Set both the diced eggplant and shells aside. Cut the remaining eggplant, skin on, into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside.
In a large skillet set over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add all diced eggplant, bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. If mixture starts to become dry, add the additional tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

Place couscous in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over couscous. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let sit until slightly cooled, 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add lemon zest, ricotta, parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the reserved eggplant mixture, the roasted garlic, and cherry tomatoes. Stir to combine.

Fill each reserved eggplant shell with couscous mixture. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake until warm throughout and shell has softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil, and continue cooking until tops are toasty brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Happy Gardening!

Bob, would call this color Grape or Aubergine? (Part I)

The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal (Solanum melongena), is a plant of the nightshade family, but don’t worry it isn’t deadly! It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India and Sri Lanka.

The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is fleshy, less than 3 cm in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms.

The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but are bitter because they contain (an insignificant amount of) nicotinoid alkaloids, unsurprising as it is a close relative of tobacco.

I am growing two varieties of Eggplant (Black Beauty and Ichibahn)
The Ichiban or Japanese variety of eggplant differs from the regular eggplant only in its size and shape. Regular eggplants are, after all, egg shaped. Ichiban eggplants are long and slender. At maturity, these eggplants are between 10 inches and one foot long, depending upon the variety. Eggplants, though delicate, are moderately easy to grow.

The 'Black Beauty' Eggplant plant has been a dependable producer for decades. It yields up to 15 fruits per plant. The egg-shaped fruits range from 4 to 6 inches and may weigh up to 3 lbs., but they are best harvested when smaller.

In the next post, I will give you tips on growing and preparing them!

Until then,

Happy Gardening!

Nicoise Ne Pas?

When I got home last evening, I was able to harvest this amazing bowl of vegetables. I am having some friends over tonight so I am going to make a classic Salad Nicoise….sans black olives on a couple of the servings as my friends don’t care for them. I thought I would share the my recipe (acquired on a trip to France, a…ahem few years ago).

Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) is essentially a French composed salad, much like our American Cobb salad, but with tuna, green beans, and potatoes, instead of chicken, bacon, and avocado. Salad Niçoise hails from Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea, though like so many foods we enjoy here of French origin, has changed a bit to adapt to our tastes. The one thing that I didn’t like is that some of the cafes in Paris, they served this salad with canned tuna….a great big world of NO!!! More of the upscale cafes though, served the salad with freshly grilled tuna. While I really like the salad, they do take a little while to make…hence making it for special dinner rather than a regular weeknight meal . It is a good idea to set up a mise en place (all ingredients chopped and ready to go) will help the salad come together smoothly.

For the Vinaigrette

1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad

2 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks* (8 oz each)
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered
10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
1 small red onion, sliced very thin
8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
1/4 cup niçoise olives
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed or several anchovies (optional)

Marinate tuna steaks in a little olive oil for an hour. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, or place on a hot grill. Cook the steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
1 Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

2 Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.

3 While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter (I used two serving platters, shown in the photos). Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.

4 Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.

5 Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers and serve immediately.

Happy Gardening

The Tomatoes are Coming!! The Tomatoes are Coming (Part II)

Growing tomatoes is relatively easy. I prefer growing from organic seeds so I can be assured that my plants are completely free of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilzers.

Starting seedlings: I place 1-2 seeds in each peat pot and keep them watered well until the sprouts appear and the seedlings have grown to an appropriate height (6 inches) and thickened slightly before transplanting into the garden. The seedlings also spend time outside during the day and then are brought in at night for a couple of days, then they are transferred outside with the protection of my mini greenhouse cold frames. Once all danger of frost has past (check your local forecast), the seedlings are planted near my garden structures.

Soil preparation: Tomatoes do best in loose, rich, well-drained soil, so make sure to work lots of compost into your beds before planting.

Planting: Tomatoes like warm soil and don't tolerate frost, so wait until warm spring days arrive and soil temperatures reach above 60°F to plant.

Spacing: Plant tomatoes deeply, so the lowest set of leaves is at soil level, and press the soil down gently. Stake your tomatoes, leave about 1 to 3 feet between the plants. Plant spacing in ample garden space is fine, but in the raised bed garden, tomatoes are a little more crowded. I plan 4 plants at each garden structure so they can be staked (or tied) to the side of the structure.
Watering: Once all your plants are in the ground, water them well. To avoid problems with disease, water from the bottom and early in the day. Tomatoes need even moisture, though, so don't let your beds dry out. Once the tomato plants are established, apply a thick mulch of straw, grass clippings, or composted leaves.

Fertilizing: As long as you've added compost to your beds before planting, you shouldn't need to add any other fertilizer for tomatoes; although, I do fertilize everything else with fish emulsion so the tomatoes get it too.

Pests:If your plants' stems are being chewed off, you might have cutworms. If you notice holes in the leaves of your tomato plants or big, fat, green caterpillars lolling on the plants, you're probably dealing with tomato hornworms. Curled-down leaves and small pink, green, or black insects on leaf undersides signal aphids. To prevent insect infestation, remove any fruit with signs of damage as well as leaves. I also use a combination of pepermint and garlic oil to spray all foliage and fruit to deter insects.

Disease:If you spot speckles on any leaves (especially lower leaves) during the growing season, pinch off the affected leaves to reduce problems with early blight, late blight, and other leaf spot diseases. Blossom end rot is marked by a sunken, brownish black area at the blossom end of some of your tomatoes. At the end of the season, be sure to pull out and destroy or throw away (not on your compost pile, though) all of your tomato plants if they showed any signs of disease. Otherwise, the next season's crop may be infected by disease organisms that survive the winter sheltered in the debris of the old crop.

Harvesting :Pick tomatoes when they just begin to change from orange to red. Gently twist the fruit off while holding the vine, then let the tomatoes finish ripening at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Don't store them in your refrigerator because the cold temperature will cause them to lose flavor and texture.

Happy Gardening!

The Tomatoes are Coming! The Tomatoes are Coming!

Nope, no warning of impeding invasion, just a warning that bumper crops of tomatoes are about to explode in the garden.

I have been sneaking tomatoes out of the garden for a couple of weeks now, but the bumper crop is beginning to mature! I grew eight varieties of tomatoes this year. Since this is the first year of the potager, I wanted to see what varieties would do best in our zone, with the soild in the raised beds and with the care provided. I also wanted to try a few heirloom varieties to determine what to grow next year based on performance and taste. I will report on the performance in a few weeks once the harvest has subsided.

In the meantime, I thought it was a good idea to talk about the varieties of tomatoes I am growing. These are the tomatoes in the garden:

· Roma: An excellent variety for salads, stewing and canning. This is also the most popular tomato used in sauces.

· Better Boy: Standard Hybrid tomato with few seeds, good for slicing!

· Early Girl: A determinate early variety that is an excellent choice for salads and quick sauces

· Hybrid Yellow: I chose to include a yellow tomato for color when making capresi (tomato, mozzerella and basil) salads. This variety is excellent for slicing and works best for fried green tomatoes if taken off the vine early.

· Grape Tomato (red): For salads and snacking, this variety grows in clusters of 6 or 8 tomatoes that mature in succession.

· Cherry Tomato (white): Although I planted this with a roma tomato in a pot, it is still retaining a lighter color (although much more yellow than white). It is excellent to pop in salads or a quick pasta dish!

· Ox Heart (Heirloom): This is an old fashioned Amish heirloom variety with a heart shaped pink fruit that can weigh up to 1 pound. The flesh is very meaty and containes very few seeds, making it great for slicing. Another advantage is that this is an indeterminate variety, which means it will produce fruits over a longer period of time rather that in one big harvest!

· German Pink (Heirloom): is a Bavarian variety that produces large 1-2 pound meaty fruits with few seeds. The German Pink has a full sweet flavor, even floral, and a tender skin. The tomato is an extremely versatile fruit, as it is excellent for canning and freezing but also slicing and juicing.

Next time, I will talk about growing methods….ooooh exciting!

Happy Gardening!

Mehhh, What's Up Doc?

Carrots, carrots, carrots! Have we got carrots!

The carrots are beginning to crown in the garden so I am going to have full grown carrots for munching and cooking shortly! Truth be told, I have been snitching a few of them already when they were babies so I could enjoy the sweet taste of baby carrots in salads, etc.

There are numerous varieties of carrots and purchasing standard organic carrots is pretty inexpensive so I chose to grow two varieties that are not commonly available at the market.

Adelaide Baby Carrots is a miniature Nantes-type, with straight sides, shaped like a baby finger; this new variety is much improved from its Dutch “seedsmen” predecessor. This carrot is bred to reliably produce coreless, succulently sweet baby carrots. The carrots should be harvested at no larger than 3" - the smaller the better. I like to serve this bright orange baby carrot with the little greens still attached blanched for a salad or blanched and sautéed for a delightful side dish!

I also planted French Babette (baby) carrots. This is a brand new French Nantes hybrid finger carrot bred for early color, even cylindrical shape, high-yields and extraordinary taste. These carrots germinate quickly after being directly sewn into the garden soil and mature in approximately 70 days after germination.

Carrots work best when planted in friable soil so add extra sand to this part of the garden (this also benefits leeks, beets, and other root crops). Do not plant carrots directly after composting the soil. Add compost in the fall to be ready for spring carrot planting. While hardy, these carrots also like to be watered properly so watch the greens for signs of yellowing or wilt.

Happy Gardening!

All Fired Up!

Channeling Pat Benetar for a moment there, forgive me….Part of the enjoyment of growing your own fruits and vegetables is, of course, eating them! The beauty of a potager is that there is always something new ready to go at any given time. Last night, it was an onion, some fingerling potatoes and broccoli! I thought I could simply blanch everything and serve it with the incredible wild salmon I was planning to poach. However, I was inspired to grill out since the weather was so gorgeous!

I love to grill and nothing brings out the sweetness of food than grilling! To enhance the flavor of the food I was making last night, I decided to cedar plank grill instead of simply placing the food on the grill.

Cedar planks are available everywhere now. High quality ones are available at http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/h244/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1150cedar+grill+planks&cm_src=SCH

These couldn’t be easier to use and you will be amazed at the flavor they add to grilled meats, fish and vegetables!

To use a cedar plank for grilling, you must rinse any loose material off the plank and then place it in a sink or vessel submerged in water for a minimum of 20 minutes, up to 4 hours. Once soaked, you can light your grill (charcoal or gas). Once the grill is at temperature, place the cedar grilling plank on the grate and watch until it begins to smoke. Place your fish, fruit, vegetable and or other meat on the plank arranged for proper cooking. The salmon I made last night along with the potatoes, brocolli and onions were ready in less than 20 minutes with a smokey and savory flavor that just couldn’t have been better.

Try different cooking methods with your potager’s bounty as you begin the heavy harvesting season and remember if you are in the midwest, to start your secondary tomato seeds in the next two weeks so they will be ready to go in the ground in mid August for late September harvesting!

Happy Gardening!

The Summer Garden

The garden is in full swing, with many items already harvested and or in decline. That also means that many heat loving plants are thriving. It is also time to think about planting…..WHAT? Planting?...You heard it right…planting.

The lettuce, radishes and early beet crops have all been harvested and removed as well as my broccoli (see center picture); these crops cannot be re-sown in the heat of the summer, so that will leave holes in your garden.

There are many things you can plant in their place. If you would like a lot of cut flowers for your late summer/ early fall table, this would be an excellent time to plant large marigolds, amaranth and larkspur. However, this is also a very productive time for some vegetables. Planting summer onion seeds, late crop squash, swiss chard and hearty beet varieties, makes your summer garden as productive as its spring and fall sisters (yes, you will want to plant items for fall).

Summer is also a time to watch and be amazed at the progress of your garden. I have already gotten a harvest from my bush beans; I am hoping for another soon. The cucumbers are producing about 1-2 ripe fruits per week! The eggplant, peppers, potatoes, shallots are all coming along and I have so many green tomatoes, I am not sure what I am going to do with the miriad of ripe ones I am sure to bring in shortly.

But the coolest plants I am growing are just now starting to take off. The blue cheese pumpkin squash, winter squash, bottle neck gourds and the triumph of the ages, a miniature sugar, seedless watermelon! I am so delighted at its progress, I am almost willing to overlook the squirell theif that stole one of the fruits already! I said almost. I finally broke down and used my fox urine granuals along the fence row (away from places the dogs will go) to deter the rats with cuter outfits from visiting my garden.

Growing organically has also left me vulnerable to some other insect pests, but the peppermint and garlic oil spray is doing a pretty good job and keeping them at bay without adding chemicals to my food supply.

The most important thing to remember in the summer garden is watering! While your raised beds and plants in the ground may be able to go a few days without watering, your potted items will wither and die without almost daily intervention. I am still using collected water for the most part; I have had to break the hose out about three times so far when my english rain barrell was a little low on supply, but for the most part, it has created a completely self sustained garden!

It is a busy time in the garden, but I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Happy Gardening!