Value of harvest as of 7/20/10: $563

A kitchen gardener's blog

A Very Toady Day

April 24, 2010 - I had very few slug problems last summer because the chickens loved eating them. Now that I am chicken-less, I have been pondering how I would keep the slugs at bay. Well, problem solved! Yesterday I discovered 2 toads while planting tomatoes. They were partially buried in the loose soil. I wondered if they might be a couple.

Later that evening, I took a flashlight out to the pond to see if I could find the source of the croaking we have been hearing for weeks. There they were, and it was very obvious that they were a couple. In a few week... MORE

Eat your Violets

April 07, 2010 - If I sprayed my lawn for weeds, I would not get to enjoy this lovely scene. Purple/green is my favorite color combo. And violet flowers and leaves are eatable. Not only are they loaded with vitamin C, but they make pretty additions to salads and desserts.
... MORE

Dancing Butterfly

April 30, 2009 - This eat seasonally thing is creeping into other parts of our lives. Take cut flowers for example. Years ago I never even had cut flowers in the house. All the important women in my life when I was a child, thought cut flowers were an extravagance. That way of thinking went with me into adulthood, but then I read Dr Weil's book Eight Weeks to Optimal Health. In the book he talks about how most Americans are disconnected from nature. To combat... MORE

Patience

April 26, 2009 - Patience, is something I have developed as a gardener. Actually it is something that has been forced upon me. It was about 18 years ago when I first fell in love with wisteria. I was living in Eugene Oregon at the time. We had traveled to a near-by city for the day where I saw an old wisteria vine braided and wrapping around a tree. It was in bloom. I wanted one.

Seven years later, I planted one in my Urbana, Illinois garden. I lived in that house for another seven years while that vigorous vine almost consumed my garage but never bloomed.

Four and a half-years-ago, when I ... MORE

Time to Plant the Tomatoes

April 23, 2009 - Weather.com is predicting, that nights for the next 10 day will remain above 50. So although I had work to do, I put everything on hold, and planted tomatoes today. I tucked in a few Sweet Annie plants and scattered borage and dill seeds in the tomato bed. These plants help ward off tomato pests, and they look pretty.

Tomorrow I will plant this flat of Zinnias after I plant the a flat of peppers and seed some beans. Boy there is a lot to do this time of year.... MORE

Onion Sets

April 10, 2009 - In the past I have planted onion slips and seeds. This year I decided to try onion sets. So today I planted 80 yellow onions and 80 red ones. I wonder how these will preform compared to planting slips or seeds?... MORE

Corn

April 25, 2008 - I planted a block of triple play sweet corn today. This is the first of several sowings.... MORE

Beans

April 25, 2008 - My potatoes are just up, so I planted a row of bush beans next to them. In two weeks I will add another row on the other side. I have read that this will confuse both the bean and potato beetles. I hope so.... MORE

Transplanting Tomatoes

April 22, 2008 - All my tomatoes are in the ground. I planted more this year than ever, 40. This is the earliest I have ever transplanted them. I know we will still have cool nights, however experienced gardeners here tell me that you have to put them out early so they will set fruit before it gets too hot.... MORE

Sorrel

April 15, 2008 - There is not much to eat at this time in the garden. The winter crops are all spent, and the spring planted ones are not yet mature enough for harvesting. Sorrel is one of the few exceptions. Since it is a perennial it's in the ground and ready to grow at the first sign of warm weather. With a tart lemon flavor it makes a great addition to salads.... MORE

Phenology

April 02, 2008 - Before the days of gardening zones and last frost dates, people used native plants as indicators of when to plant certain crops. The practice of studying the times of recurring natural phenomena is called phenology. In an effort to be a more efficient gardener in a time of erratic weather conditions, I have started watching the plants in my area. Today I observed the following:

Almost done blooming- some daffodils, peaches, plums

In full bloom- red buds, some daffodils, some tulips, narcissus, dandelion, forsythia, quince

Just beginning to bloom- violets, pi... MORE