Ray's Garden - has moved on...

April Showers...

2011-04-27T07:51:00.059-05:00

These cold days and cooler nights have kept me in pause as I wait for the warm summer (or at least temperate spring) to finally arrive. Planting crops like tomatoes and okra before the weather is right can kill them off fast. So, I've been waiting for the winter to finally, truly, break.

In the meantime, however, I have planted my flower garden.

I won't go into great detail about how I prepared and planted the garden. If you're curious about how to do that check out my post from last year "Finally I Get to Plant Some Flowers" I will bless you with one fun anecdote, however.

After I began digging around the bed I realized that some plants which I thought were Hostas were not. It turned out that I have been, unknowingly, growing onions!

Well, at least I've been able to get some veggies going, right?

This year I'm trying something kind of neat. All of the seeds I planted are from flowers of other people's gardens. The Zinnias are from my parents garden and were collected while visiting them last year.

In front of them I planted Orange Cosmos.

These were given to me by a co-worker who heads up a local school garden project. They will also be planted at all of the school gardens as well as many other home gardens. All around town these flowers will bloom. Another one of my co-workers sent me a picture of her cosmos first starting to pop up.

Then of course there are my Hostas. Those surprising bloomers of last year. They're growing up stronger than ever and are making a great front row.

As my flowers start to pop up I'll be sure to post photos and share their progress. Until then, we'll all just have to wait.

Let it Be Philosophy

2011-04-06T19:05:00.001-05:00

Where I live the weather likes to change often and fast. So, when I planned out my gardening to dos I had no idea that it would go from 80 degrees to 30 within a matter of a night.

Seriously, it was sunny and beautiful one day and snowing the next.

But, while I sat on my lazy...um...rear end, nature kept on keepin' on.

Oh yeah, and this gives me a good opportunity to introduce a new photography style to my blog. Thanks to a very good recommendation by my friends over at westervin I now have a really cool photo app on my phone that allows me to take some rad vintage looking photos. Thanks for the recommendation guys!

The top photo shows the cucumber and tomato progress. As you can see, they are doing very well. I'll be taking the top off soon and letting them grow sans greenhouse.

The bottom photo is a picture of my hostas in the flower garden. I haven't even touched this garden and it's already springing (get it..spring..get it) up flowers.

How am I Doing You Ask...

2011-03-22T17:58:00.000-05:00

...and I answer hesitantly, "could be doing better".

This weekend was supposed to be a weekend of tilling and prepping. But, alas, it was filled with illness and this bedridden gardener was unable to play in the dirt.

Never fear! I am well and able to make my next move. I am hopeful that I will not only till and prepare my plots this upcoming weekend but plant my flowers as well. If all goes as planned by next week I will have two plots ready for the growing.

I leave you with a few words of wisdom. Head them well.

"Bulb: potential flower buried in Autumn, never to be seen again."

"Hoeing: A manual method of severing roots from stems of newly planted flowers and vegetables."
- Henry Beard

"A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows."
- Doug Larson

Needle and Thread

2011-03-18T15:23:00.003-05:00

The gardener stood in front of the carousel for fifteen maybe thirty minutes, though to him it seemed like hours. He would bend way down to read the packets on the bottom then stand very tall, almost on his toes, to read those on top, and only after carefully examining the selection in front of him would he reach out to turn the carousel. Each time it would squeak as if it were happy to be touched.

The gardener must choose his selection carefully. Once selected there is no turning back. The whole season hinges upon the varieties the gardener finally deems fit for his land.

Arriving home the gardener begins to fill with the joy of anticipation. The gardener quickly sets to work prepping the bed of soil. Small compact peat pots are set up in a beautiful line and the water is slowly poured over them.

The small pots begin to expand, filling with the life-giving water. With a gentle tug, the gardener releases the mesh pots exposing the soil within.

Carefully, the gardener sows the seeds, three tomato and one cucumber per pot, into the peat. With a brush of the fingertip they are covered and ready to sprout.

Finally, with a click of the plastic top, the procedure is finished. Every pot is watered, every seed is planted, and nature is left to run its course.

I brush off my hands and walk away, eagerly waiting the first sight of green.

Seeds!!!

2011-03-16T14:42:00.002-05:00

As promised, week one of my four week venture to plant my garden has come to a fruitful (or should I say vegetable) end. With four varieties chosen and paid for I have finalized my seed selection.

Drum roll please....

1) My tomato variety is the Ukrainian Purple

This tomato (according to it's package) is also known as a Purple Russian. It originally came from Irma Henkel in the Ukraine. If all goes as planed I should have plum shaped fruits that are 3-4" long and weigh 6 ounces within 80 days. I'm very excited about this choice and I think it will work out well. Especially with how well my tomatoes grew last year.

2) My bean variety is the Fin De Bagnol

This is an old gourmet variety of French string bean. Within 50-60 days of planting I should have pods that are round and slender. As you may recall, I tried some bush beans last year to great success. I'm very excited to try this new variety and am hopeful for a generous yield

3) My okra (thanks again to all of you who voted) variety is Hill Country Red.

This is a South Texas heirloom. Within 60-70 days I should have some beautiful 6' tall plants with wide green and red tinged pods. According to the package, this is a good pickling variety and I intend to do just that.

4) Finally, for a squash type plant I chose cucumber. Specifically, Early Fortune.

This cucumber was introduced around 1910 by Jerome B. Rice Seed Company of Cambridge, New York. It originated with George Starr of Royal Oak, Michigan who discovers it in a crop of, now extinct, David Perfect. Within 55-60 days I should expect 8" long fruits. I'm looking forward to trying some vertical gardening experimentation with these plants. More to come on that in the weeks that follow.

So, that's the line up. I've even started growing the tomatoes and cucumbers. But more on that soon. Can't give you all the juicy gossip at once now can I?

Been a While Eh?

2011-03-05T13:33:00.003-06:00

Ray's Garden has been on an unannounced hiatus for the past month. Those of you reading now, thanks for not abandoning me.

Life for this novice gardener has been a little hectic as of late. Some great changes have been happening in my life which has, unfortunately, kept me from devoting time to this lovely blog of mine. But, never fear for I return with great hope for the future...

The spring is fast approaching. Winter's benumbing weather has begun to break and I now wake to the warming sun. I've begun to see sprouts of grass growing in my yard and my garden is starting to fill with the perennial annoyance of weeds. So, I say to myself, "self, it's time to get back to it".

With that in mind, I've made a weekly goal checklist. My hope is that by the end of the month and beginning of April I will have a fully planted garden ready to start growing.

Week 1

Buy seeds

Veggie Garden

Thanks to all of you who voted in my "What Should I Grow" poll. The winner, by a landslide, was okra! How fun. Okra was one of the first crops I ever grew. As a child my dad put me in charge of my own little plot of the garden and almost every year I chose to grow okra. I even had the pleasure of pickling some okra with him this past Fall and I hope to have a chance to pickle some of my very own okra this Fall. I think this veggie will be a perfect addition to my garden and I'm very excited to see how it turns out.

Now, as you may recall from my previous post Thinking Ahead I decided to plant squash, green beans, and tomatoes as well. My goal this week is to go to my local natural food coop and look though the seeds they have from the Seed Saver Exchange. I'll make sure you're the first to know what varieties I choose.

Flower Garden
This year I don't plan on changing up my flower garden too much. I loved the sunflowers I did last year and I have no desire to remove the beautiful hostas. The only change I intend to make is removing the alyssum and replacing it with some purple zinnias I got from my family. I think this will make for another beautiful flower garden.

Plant seeds
By the end of the week I will have all of my seeds planted. Last year I started this too late and as a result I lost a lot of great harvest time. I won't make the same mistake this year. Again, I'll keep you informed as this process occurs.

Week 2

Prep the garden
In week 2 I will prepare both plots for planting. In this week I will till (yes I will be getting a tiller this year), add any necessary additives such as peat moss or coir, and set up my hoses. Last year, as seen in my post From the Soil... I did all this by hand. But, I think the use of a tiller will greatly improve my gardening results by helping to fully incorporate any additives I'm using and by breaking up the soil more thoroughly.

Week 3

Plant companion plants
Last year the pests just got out of hand. I lost a lot of good plants to bugs and I have no intention of letting the same thing happen this year. One of the ways I hope to prevent this from occurring is to do some companion planting. I have a bag of marigold seeds which I will plant throughout my veggie garden. Marigolds are supposed to be great pest deterrents and I plan on putting that to the test.

Week 4

Plant the garden
By this point I hope to have some great seedlings started and with any luck I will be able to move them into the ground. With a well tilled and cultivated garden ready to go this process should, in theory, be easy. I see this as the final touch to the garden process. From this point on out it'll be a maintain and harvest game.

So long as I follow my plan, I should be done planting my garden by the beginning of April. This will give me a good and long growing season...or so I hope.

Oh, and don't worry, I'll keep you informed all along the way.

Composting. Yeah, it's Pretty Cool.

2011-01-31T18:38:00.001-06:00

I think there truly is no better expression of our connection to the earth than with composting. It's as natural as can be, taking what would become a part of the dirt and aiding it in its process.

So, if you feel I've over written on the subject. I do apologize. But, that withstanding, here is a great article that I think delves a little deeper into the practice of composting.

On a side note: I just discovered this site and accompanying magazine and I hope to find more to share with you from them. Check them out!

Twenty Below by Paul Engle

2011-01-14T12:13:00.001-06:00

The temperatures have dropped below zero and the air has become like a wall of ice. The recent snow still covers the ground with more on its way. I, like so many others, stay indoors and only step out to peek at the world.

Poetry is not an unfamiliar sight here at Ray's Garden. This time, though, I have a poem that's not my own.
Twenty Below by Paul Engle : The Poetry Foundation [poem] : Find Poems and Poets. Discover Poetry.

Enjoy!

Winter Cooking Just Warms Up the House

2011-01-07T16:21:00.001-06:00

This time of year old apples are turned to cider and curling up next to the fire becomes an evening staple. Walking outside means embracing the sharp cold and warm drinks make for the perfect nightcap. For me, this is the winter I discovered mulled wine...er I mean cider. Ok, maybe both.

In keeping with the mulled theme I thought I'd take it to the next level. I couldn't think of a better way to get rid of that bag of apples hanging out in my crisper drawer than to make mulled applesauce.

This is an easy recipe that's perfect for a dinner side. I used this with Isa Chandra's Olive Lentil Burgers and it made a perfect pairing.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs apples cored and chopped (skinning is optional)
1/2 C. apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
4-6 cloves
4-6 allspice berries
zest from 1 orange
1/2 C. brown sugar (optional)

Core and chop your apples and put them in a medium sized sauce pot with the apple cider.

Grind up the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. You can do this in your spice grinder, small food processor, or mortar and pestle.

Add spices to apple and cider blend. Simmer for 5-10min until apples are soft.

Using either an immersion blender or food processor blend apple mixture to desired consistency (making sure spices are well ground up).

Serve hot, or chill. Oh...and enjoy!

A Cool New Way to Recycle

2011-01-05T14:35:00.002-06:00

I just love the New Year. Everyone is making resolutions (mostly to work off some of those holiday pounds) and the air starts to clear from the bustling holiday season.

I have always seen this as a great time to get rid of all the junk in my life. Both physical and mental. This is a time to embrace change and hope to start anew. But, getting rid of everything isn't always the best thing to do. Sometimes it's great to take the old and make it new.

Like that Christmas tree you've got lying around...

Baby it's cold outside...

2011-01-03T16:50:00.001-06:00

I woke up this morning to 7 degree weather and a ground that crunched at my feet. Stepping outside I look around at the trees that look so dead. The last leaf fell weeks ago and has begun feed the earth. My garden has done the same.

I shiver at the cold and at the idea that there are no plants to tend. The frozen soil is beyond all hope of tilling and even if I could break the ground I know that nothing would grow. So, I turn to my memories of the time I spent planting, growing, tending, and harvesting my garden.

But, I have more than just memories of my garden. As I look back in nostalgic bliss at the garden that kept me warm, I realize that I am fortunate to have recorded the season and enjoy knowing that I can share this warmth with you too.

Local Fall Veggies Do Exist!

2010-11-12T15:47:00.001-06:00

Today I'm sharing a wonderful fall time recipe. Red Lentil Dal with Butternut Squash and Crispy Cabbage. What's so wonderful about this dish is that both the squash and cabbage are in season and can be found locally at your farmers market (if it's still running) or natural foods store. But don't fret, if you don't have either you can still find these veggies, along with all of the other ingredients, at your nearest supermarket.

There are really two parts of this recipe, the dal and the cabbage. Both can be done at the same time so long as you prep your ingredients first.

Red Lentil Dal with Butternut Squash

1 15oz can coconut milk
1/2 C. water
1 C. red lentils
1 small butternut squash peeled and diced into 1/4-1/2 inch cubes

Bring your coconut milk and water to a boil then add in lentils and squash. Bring back to boil then cover and simmer for 20-40min or until squash is soft.

Crispy Cabbage

1 small head of red cabbage sliced
1/2 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. whole wheat flour
3-4 Tbls. canola oil

Preheat oven to 475.

Slice cabbage into 1/8 inch strips.

Mix flours in medium bowl. Then mix in cabbage coating well.

On stove top, preheat oil in a large skillet. Once oil is hot, place flour coated cabbage in oil and fry until it starts to brown.

Don't be tempted to fry it too long. We'll finish the cabbage off in the oven and we don't want it to burn.

Then place fried cabbage on a sheet pan an into preheated oven.

Cook cabbage in oven for about 5-10 minutes or until crispy. Being careful not to let it burn.

It should look about like this.

Once cabbage is cooked and dal is done simply spoon the dal into a bowl and place some cabbage on top. This is a perfect meal for the chilly fall nights.

If you have some cabbage left over it can be made into a great sandwich. Just add some greens, an avacado, and a little mayo or deli mustard and you've got a great lunch the next day.

Or heck, just sprinkle on some salt or seasoning of your choice and eat it like you would chips or fries.

But, as always, no matter what...enjoy!

DIY Cold Frame

2010-11-04T14:00:00.001-05:00

My most recent post got me to thinking about the home gardener and just how 'high tunnels' can be applied to the small garden. It's great that there are options for the gardeners who's livelihood depend on their crops. But, what about those of us who just want to grow some lettuce in the late fall and early winter? To that issue I say, cold frame.

Now, those of you familiar enough with Ray's Garden may notice that this particular plot looks a little alien. That's because this is not Ray's Garden. It is, in fact, The Mountainside Garden. Today's post is going to be a first. I'll be talking about the experiences of another fellow gardener. One who is much more seasoned than I am and has chosen to take on the task of building a cold frame. A task, which I have learned, is not too difficult. Even for a beginner gardener such as myself.
What is a cold frame? Why would I need one?

These are questions you may be asking yourself. Well, a cold frame is an enclosed box built low to the ground with a transparent roof. It is used as a "mini-greenhouse" and helps to protect plants from cold weather. The transparency of the roof admits sunlight and prevents heat escape through a process called convection. Hey now, don't be surprised, I payed attention to my science teachers.

So, that covers the what. How about the why?

Simply put, a cold frame will allow the home gardener to extend their growing season much longer than with out. A cold frame along with early fall planting can stretch a growing season even into December, when the harsh winter weather has begun to set in.

Ok, anymore questions? Oh, what's that? You want to know how to build a cold frame?

It's simple! All you have to do is build a few walls to have around your frame.

As you can see, at The Mountainside garden the frame is made with three wooden boards which have been held together with a few supports. The tops have been angled so as to allow for a sloped roof. Though an angled roof isn't 100% necessary, it is better to have it angled than to have a flat roof. This will allow rain to run off the roof and not pool on top.

Important: Make the frame of your cold frame fit whatever you're using for a roof.

Roof options are numerous. Some people will just use a thick piece of plastic, others will use old window panes, and some (Mountainside included) use cheap door panels found at second hand supply stores. An old sliding door or swinging glass door makes for a great option.

Once the frame is built to the size of the transparent roof you can attach the roof with a few simple hinges (this is why an old swinging door would work well). If you can't use hinges, no problem, just anchor your roof down somehow just in case a gust of wind decides it wants to bring your cold frame with it.

There are a few final steps to getting your cold frame ready for action. First, you'll want to set up some way to prop up your roof so that you can have easy unhindered access to your plants.

The Mountainside Garden accomplished this by using a few small boards for support rods. They just slip them between the roof and the ground.

Finally, you'll want to fully insulate your cold frame. Make sure it's tight all around. In the following picture you can see that this can be achieved by pushing earth to the edge of the frame.

So there you have it! A cold frame for your fall crops.

Wait! I almost forgot. Plant some veggies in the frame! What kind? Well, how about some lettuce, maybe you're in the mood for fall cabbage, kale is tasty plus very healthy, and squash is another great option. Be creative and brave. Try some bush beans or carrots. It's really up to you. Just be sure to have fun and enjoy your time in the garden.

Birds Aren't the Only Thing Tweeting in my Garden

2010-11-03T15:34:00.001-05:00

Well. Ray's Garden has gone tech and has a twitter account now. I'll be tweeting about anything from articles I like to blog updates. Follow me on twitter and don't miss out.

Let's talk cold weather gardening

2010-10-30T10:45:00.008-05:00

So, winter has started to peep it frosty head out of hiding. The days have begun to shrink as the light begins to fail earlier. Gardeners wake up to a sharp white frost layering the ground and covering their crops. And with that frost comes the end of the season. For some at least...

Some professional gardeners are turning to government subsidized options and building 'high tunnels'. This is revolutionizing the availability of local produce. Click on the picture to take a look...

'high tunnels' extend growing season for local farmers

Fried Green Tomatoes (not the movie)

2010-10-17T22:29:00.002-05:00

As a good ole' southern boy there are a few treats that I grew up knowing well. Pecan pie, deep fried catfish (and of course the hush puppies to accomp'ny it), and beans 'n cornbread are just a few of the delicious dishes I know and love. So, natur'lly, when my tomato plants decided frost be damned they was gonna bear fruit anyway, I knew what I had to do...

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2-4 Medium Green Tomatoes
1 C. Corn Meal
1 C. All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp. Dried Basil

1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme Or whatever spices you wanna use.

1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
2 C. Milk

Slice tomatoes into 1/2 inch rounds.

Mix dry ingredients. Then soak the tomato slices in milk for no more than 5 minutes.

Move soaked tomatoes to dry ingredients and cover well. Then repeat once more to get a good coating on the tomatoes.

Heat about an inch of oil in a pan (cast iron works great!).

Once the oil heats up drop in the battered tomatoes and fry 'em up.

Serve 'em with some homemade (or bought) pickled okra and some beans 'n cornbread and you've got a good ol' southern meal fresh from your garden (or farmers market...or local grocery store).

These fried tomatoes are so good you'll eat 'em up faster than you can snap a picture of 'em. At least I did.

“It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” - Lewis Grizzard

Time to Plant!

2010-10-10T11:40:00.004-05:00

Wait...what? Time to plant? What could possibly need planting this late in the season?

Garlic!

October is garlic planting season...it turns out. So, this past week I got in my garden and tilled up a small corner for garlic.

When planting garlic it's important to leave the skins on. Other wise you garlic will rot in the ground long before it can even begin to sprout.

It's kind of hard to tell in this picture, but, I spread my garlic out a minimum of six inches.This should allow it plenty of room to grow.

All that's left to do is mulch before winter really sets in. I'll do this to prevent the garlic from freezing.

Come next spring my garlic should be ready for sauteing, frying, mincing, and more!

Thinking Ahead

2010-09-23T16:25:00.002-05:00

Well, this season is starting to come to a close. Naturally I've begun to think about what I want to grow next year. I ponder the past season's triumphs and losses and think about what I've learned. Next year will be about trying to ameliorate my troubles by honing my gardening skills further.

I want to see more tomatoes and not make the mistake of caging them late. I will find creative and inspired ways to avoid the pests that destroyed my yellow squash. I plan to keep the rabbits at bay with new fencing and perhaps I can save my beans. There you have it--I've chosen three crops already.

Another change my garden will see next year is a reduction of plants. I found this year that five was just one species to many. My garden is small and my plants grew well. So, next year I will grow four types. Some quick math will tell you that I have room for one more vegetable, then.

So... Ray's Garden is having a survey!

I've added a poll to the site asking my readers what they think I should plant next year. So, it's up to you to decide. What will be? Corn? Cucumbers? Okra? Or onions? I look forward to finding out.

The poll will last till January 31st. On February 1st, I will declare the winner.

Don't Forget Your Plants!

2010-09-10T17:39:00.002-05:00

Heat! That's right, I said it and I'll say it again. Heat! It's been so freakin' hot lately that I've had no motivation to get out and do anything in my garden. I mean it, I did nothing for a good 2-3 weeks. Ok, I guess I did make it out occasionally to water. But, all that required of me was a simple turn of the hose.
So, what's the result of my lack of attendance? Well, I've now lost all but one of my squash plants

Ok, that's not so bad. After all, I really didn't have much faith in them making it into the fall anyway. That I have one left is a wonderful occurrence in itself. What's amazing about this survivor is that its root system was completely desiccated by squash beetles. It survived being an "all you can eat" beetle buffet in the most amazing way. By actually growing a new root system. I can't help but think of the saying, "nature will find a way". Well, in the case of my new favorite (and only) squash plant, it did. Let's just hope it doesn't break free of its cages during a power outage and attack me and my visitors.

Um...I think I got a little off track there. What was I talking about? Oh yeah!

You can see the root system there in the middle. It looks kinda like a growth (I guess it is a growth) coming off the vine.

So, speaking of squash bugs. They're back! That's ok though. I've started spraying for them again using my good ol' Bronners Soap solution that I used before. It seems to be doing the trick and I suspect in no time I'll see them disappear. Hopefully, before too long, it'll be time for them to move on/die/do whatever they do when fall comes and the bugs vacate. With any luck, my pumpkins will survive them.

Finally, the lack of maintenance allowed my tomato plants to over grow. During the drouth they didn't get enough water to produce any fruit. They did, however, still manage to keep growing. They actually grew so much that their leaves and vines were blocking the sunlight from themselves. One of my plants actually grew 7' tall and was not only growing over the cage, but touching the ground.

Making sure I was minding the vines that contained tomatoes and the vines that had flowers on them, I went to pruning and cutting them down. Now, they have plenty of room to grow and get sunlight, not competing with themselves and each other.

Fall is coming up on us fast. The rains have started and seem to be continuing. My duties still remain and I must always be vigilant if I'm to see a fall crop. But, if I'm good and I take care of my garden I can look forward to a few more months of fresh produce.

Fall, oh how you make me lament!

2010-08-19T17:17:00.000-05:00

Well, the end is near. My flower garden is slowly dying. The sunflowers that once worshiped the sky now bow to the ground, as they prepare to shed their seeds in promise for a new generation. The hostas' surprising blooms are slowly turning from a bright alabaster white to an earthly brown. Long ago I saw the last of the alysum die out leaving only the faintest aroma of a honey-like smell.

Far from gone, however, is my desire to grow. I look to the future as I harvest my sunflowers and protect their seeds. I enjoy the last of the hostas as I think about the pleasure I had watching them grow. Finally, I begin to consider what I will add to the garden next year to compliment the sunflowers and hostas which I hope to grow again.

Thank you, my flower garden, for giving me so much joy.

Urban Composting

2010-08-13T14:00:00.006-05:00

I've talked some about the options for apartment/city dwellers who want to compost. I think this post in the Seventh Generation Blog does a good job of laying out some other options I hadn't thought of. Check it out!

Urban Composting | Seventh Generation

I Garden For This

2010-08-12T17:18:00.001-05:00

I view out my pane

And catch a scenic moment

After the cool rain

Update on Squash Bug Situation

2010-08-11T19:37:00.001-05:00

I've been using the soap solution for several days now, spraying on average once a day, and it seems to be working. At first I saw fewer bugs, gradually I've seen even less. Finally, I went out and found none. Today, however, I did find that some of the eggs had hatched and a new batch of baby bugs were poised and ready to take over. Luckily, I found them in time and sprayed it all down. I feel good about this solution and (at this point) would recommend it to anyone who asks.

They!

2010-08-06T18:47:00.006-05:00

For some time now I've been wearily checking my squash leaves for the dreaded sign of squash bugs. I will go out to my garden and apprehensively lift several of the leaves looking for those feared reddish-brown eggs. You know the ones right? No? Well they look kinda (exactly) like this.

I wish I could say found this picture somewhere online for demonstration purposes only. But, alas, this is my garden, these are my plants, those are, sigh, my bugs.

Ok, Ok, take a deep breath, and get into research mode. What can I find out.

1) Squash bugs love summer squash, especially yellow summer squash (should have thought about that before I planted yellow summer squash)

2) They also love pumpkins. So, I will need to be careful to maintain the infestation before my pumpkins are in danger.

3) They are not easy to get rid of (especially if you're an organic gardener). But, there is some hope.

Here are a few pest control techniques for organic gardening that I've found.

1) Place boards around your squash plants. The bugs will crawl under them and you can go out in the morning and squash the squash bugs. One website I found even recommended taking two boards and attaching them with hinges so that you can just shut the boards together.

2) Start a trap crop. Early in the season, before you want to even begin planting your squash, start a few squash plants. These plants will attract the beetles. When they're good and infested burn them (I read one article that cited someone using moonshine). I get the feeling, however, that this technique is more for large gardens with room to spare for throw away crops.

3) Use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint or Eucalyptus soap. About two tablespoons of this diluted in a quart of water is supposed to help kill along with deter bugs of several varieties. I first heard about this while working out in my garden. I often attract bikers (the pedal kind) and walkers while working on my garden. People like to throw in their two cents worth and I love to hear it. This is just one of the many joys of gardening that I've discovered. After some quick research I found several sites confirming this technique.

I have a bottle left over from some organic flower garden pest control I used earlier on this season.

I find this bottle convenient as it mixes the water and soap while spraying. I simply filled this up with some Dr. Bronners Peppermint and got spraying.

While I didn't see squash bugs dropping dead left and right, I did see some considerable reactions. Mostly, I noticed that the bugs didn't like the spray and almost seemed to be fleeing from it.There were even some dead beetles to be found.

I'm happy with what I've seen so far from this technique. I've even begun spraying my other plants, hoping to prevent any more pest issues. With any luck I've caught them in time and saved the squash.

I Harvest Ergo I Cook

2010-08-04T18:07:00.001-05:00

My wife and I have recently opted to change out diets dramatically and eat vegan. Consider this post a response to the many who wonder what it is exactly someone who eats a vegan diet does, in fact, eat.

I adapted this recipe from the April 2010 issue of Veg News.

Summer Squash Vegan Quiche

1 Lb. firm tofu, drained
1/3 C. unsweetened soymilk
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Medium yellow crookneck squash (fresh from garden if possible)
1 Medium patty pan squash (from your father's garden if possible)
3 Cloves garlic
1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Pepper
1 9 Inch vegan pie crust
1/4 C. vegan cheese (I like garlic and herb almond cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend tofu and soymilk until smooth.

2. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add yellow squash and patty pan squash. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until tender. Add garlic and continue to cook for another minute.

3. Fold squash and garlic into tofu mixture adding basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

4. Pour mixture into uncooked pie crust, spreading smoothly and evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Rotate once halfway through to ensure even cooking.

5. Pull quiche from oven and sprinkle vegan cheese over top. Return to oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes until cheese begins to melt (note: vegan cheese doesn't melt like regular cheese, don't expect it to fully melt).

6. Enjoy warm or let cool off and serve cold. Great for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Caution! Addictive Recipe Ahead.

2010-07-27T19:27:00.004-05:00

I can't get enough of heirloom tomatoes. They look, taste, smell, and taste (I feel a need to repeat this) great. Next time you make it to your local natural food store, or farmers market definitely pick up a pint (or three) of these wonderfully flavorful and richly colored tomatoes.

Heirloom tomatoes are grown from seeds that have been passed down generation after generation. Because of this, they are considered to be a vestige of the antique tomato. They are more "true to form" than their cousins the hybrid tomatoes. Also, unlike hybrid tomatoes (which are what you mostly see at the supermarket) heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated. This helps to create the prized multifarious nature of the heirloom tomato.

While waiting for my tomatoes to grow I have greatly enjoyed the many heirloom varieties available to me. I've used larger ones on sandwiches and burgers while using the smaller cherry tomatoes in salads. Salads, like this one!

Heirloom Tomato and Chickpea Salad

2 pints of Heirloom Tomatoes
2 15oz cans of Chickpeas drained and washed
2 C. Kalamata Olives
1 tbsp. Fresh Oregano finely chopped
1 tbsp. Fresh Basil finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp. Olive Oil

Cut tomatoes in half and combine in large bowl with Chickpeas, Olives, Oregano, Basil, Salt, Pepper, and Olive Oil.

Yes, it is just that easy.

I've been enjoying making many variations on this salad. By changing up the type of beans or olives the combinations are endless. I've even tried capers instead of olives.

So, have fun, try something new, and enjoy good veggies.

Tomato Haiku

2010-07-22T17:51:00.001-05:00

Cage tomatoes young
A new gardener must learn
Or else they grow wild

As if I haven't tortured you enough with my writing, I decided to come up with a haiku about my most recent gardening endeavor.

It became apparent recently that the cage I originally made for my tomatoes was inadequate. When I first built it I had hoped that the tomatoes would cling to it. I imagined them holding on, like a vine to a chain-link fence. Instead, they ignored the fence almost completely and have grown wild.

To remedy the situation I went out (finally) and purchased five tomato cages. As further evidence of my inexperience, I was almost unable to find cages at my local hardware store. It is, in fact, so late in the season that almost all of the cages have been bought up. I was lucky enough, however, to find some.

The biggest snag I ran into was that my tomatoes weren't spaced out enough. Because of this, I had to uproot a few of my plants (three to be exact). While I tried to pull up as much of the root structure as I could, in the end I had to leave a lot behind. This has left these tomatoes with an inadequate ablity to pull their nutrients from the soil causing many of the leaves to wilt and die.

There is, however, some good news beyond a lesson learned. Those plants that were uprooted seem to be surviving. It's been just a few days since I had to move them and they are already starting to show signs of growth and continued life. Some leaves that were wilted and beginning to die have perked back up and are bright and green again.

I leave you now with a few pictures of my tomatoes. Soon, I feel, I will be able to harvest yet another hard-earned vegetable from my garden.

I see you growing
Day by day my young seedling
What will summer bring?

Sometimes They Don't Make It

2010-07-21T16:30:00.001-05:00

I've had to do a little housekeeping with my flower garden. As you can see in the following pictures I've lost a few sunflowers to wind, leaving just a stump behind.

Losing these few sunflowers has given me the opportunity rearrange the garden providing more sunlight for those sunflowers which have been dwarfed by the larger ones.

Before:

After:

I also took the opportunity to trim off the dying and dead leaves at the bottom of the sunflowers. I figure these died off because of a lack of sunlight. As you can see in the pictures, the sunflowers are now less crowded. I'm hoping this will help to ensure the growth of the smaller sunflowers. With any luck they'll catch up and eventually look like this.

Wha..Wha..Cool

2010-07-19T16:19:00.001-05:00

So, I've mentioned that I don't know much about flowers and gardening right? So, there should be no shock when I tell you that I was very surprised when this happened.

It seems my hostas have been holding out on me. Who knew they'd flower? Really, did anyone out there know?

Well, I'd have to say this is a happy surprise.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on the flower progress.

Can I Keep Him?

2010-07-16T17:19:00.013-05:00

Remember that earlier post insert flashback here when I talked about the rabbits eating my greens. Seems like so long ago. As you recall (I'm sure you recall right) I put up a fence to keep the rabbits out. Recently though I was messing around in my garden and I saw the cutest smallest little bunny rabbit ever. There it was, looking up from my beans, as relaxed as can be.

Hoping to see just how it got through my impenetrable barrier, I watched as it ran out of the garden .

Turns out that this rabbit (being a baby and quite small) is simply small enough to run right through the holes in my fence. Luckily, though, it hasn't done much damage. Well, except for my carrot.
Before:

After:

But yeah, other than the carrot, he really doesn't seem to be doing much damage. Plus, he's cute.

No Vegetable Left Behind

2010-07-12T15:00:00.002-05:00

I'm loving the harvest of lettuce, squash, and more beans than I know what to do with. But, I don't want to forget about those vegetables left behind. I still have tomatoes and carrot (yes singular) to think about.

I have little faith in the survival of my carrots. Only one has really shown any growth.

I am very excited about the tomatoes, though. They are surely going to be ready for harvest near the end of July and beginning of August.

I'm looking forward to the continued harvest and growth of my garden.

Take a Minute to Look at the Flowers

2010-07-09T14:42:00.003-05:00

I love the instant before you hit the summit of a roller coaster. In that moment you can feel the build-up hitting its peak. Your heart begins to pound and you begin to imagine the thrill that lies ahead. I feel as if I'm there now with my flower garden.

Recently the alyssum began to bloom, little white flowers now fill my bed. The sunflowers are at that point where I can see the bud beginning to form but it's not quite there yet. I can now see, with my minds eye, the garden as it will be. Sunflowers standing tall over a beautifully fragrant white bed of alyssum surrounded by leafy hostas.

As Seen on Westervin.com

2010-07-08T14:58:00.000-05:00

I've recently been featured as a guest blogger on westervin. Check out my post on composting, then take a minute to peruse this eclectic site full of wonderful posts. Read up on making cocktails, or watch some fantastic music videos, maybe win a giveaway, and discover a new artist to love. I'm excited to be included as a guest blogger and I hope you'll enjoy westervin as much as I do (I check it daily...it's kinda sad).

Production, Harvesting, Reaping What You Sow, or Whatever You Feel Like Calling It

2010-07-08T14:22:00.001-05:00

Countless hours have been spent, back bent, sun beating down on my neck, sweat pouring from my forehead as I till, hoe, rake, plant, weed, weed, and weed some more. All this time telling myself not to be upset if nothing grew. Yet still, knowing the disappointment that would come from so many lost hours.

I am excited to say I am not disappointed.

Using Those Greens

2010-06-25T17:26:00.000-05:00

Grilled Cheese with Garden Greens
serving size: 1 sandwich

1 Tbl Butter
2 Slices of Bread
2 T. Chevre
2 T. Ricotta Cheese
4-6 Washed Bibb Lettuce Leaves
1/4 C. Jarlsberg

Evenly spread butter on slices of bread. Spread ricotta on un-buttered side of one slice of bread and spread chevre on other slice. Layer lettuce on one slice and jarlsburg on other. Put slices together to make sandwich.

In a pan heated over medium-high heat cook sandwich until cheese is melted. Turning once.

Serve hot. Perhaps with some fresh garden tomato soup.

Enjoy!

First Harvest

2010-06-22T17:06:00.000-05:00

I have fond childhood memories of walking (running) up to my family's garden for fresh veggies. We'd be preparing for dinner, maybe grilling some burgers, prepping a salad, or pan searing trout, and my dad would turn to me and say, "Hey, why don't you go get some tomatoes from the garden?" I'd happily grab a bowl or colander and head on up to the garden ready to find the perfect tomato. Like a pro, I would reach through the tomato cages, gently squeezing every bright red succulent fruit. Finally, I would find the right one, perfectly ripe and ready for harvest. With a gentle tug the tomato would almost fall off the vine as if jumping at the chance to be devoured. In my opinion,there is little in the world that tastes better than a tomato, fresh from the garden, still warm from the summer sun, juicy and ready to be eaten.

Ever since first conception of growing a garden I've been waiting for the opportunity to experience that gratification once again. Not the specific pleasure of eating a fresh tomato (though I do wait patiently for that occasion) but the satisfaction of harvesting fresh food. Today, I was able to fulfill this desire.

I had guessed in a previous post that my lettuce had failed completely. To my surprise though, a few of my plants have come in beautifully and are ready for the harvest. So, today I gathered up the necessary tools, a pair of scissors and a bowl, and got to work.

I've read that if you cut the lettuce, instead of tearing it off or pulling up the whole plant, it may grow back and you'll get two or more harvests out of it. Though I doubt I will get any more than this one, as it is late in the season, I figure why not try anyway.

When looking at what's left after gathering the lettuce an initial sadness comes over me. My once beautiful crop is now reduced to a few disfigured plants. I realize, though, that this is what they were here for. Without their destruction I cannot live and if it wasn't for the giving of other plants before these I could have never grown them. There is a lesson to be learned here, there is a connection to be made.

I can now return from my garden, fresh veggies in hand, and enjoy the fruits (vegetables) of my labor. Just the first celebration of hard work, long days, and great care.

Update!!

2010-06-12T10:52:00.003-05:00

Right now the garden has been pretty easy going. While I seem to be having trouble in some areas there are others that are coming along very nicely. But, enough from me, take a look for yourself.

Beans are looking great!

Squash plants are thriving and even starting to produce buds.

The tomatoes are coming along. I've caged my tomatoes, as they are indeterminate and will need support. Indeterminate tomatoes, as opposed to determinate, will produce fruit till the first frost. It's important to stake or cage them in order to provide support throughout the year. It's not as important to stake or cage determinate tomatoes as they only produce fruit once in the year.

I'm afraid my lettuce didn't quite make it. Between rabbits, heat, and bugs this is all I have left.

Soon I'll harvest this little bit of lettuce I do have and replace it with pumpkins. Hopefully I'll have some pumpkins just in time for Halloween. So, there's a bright side to a crop failing.

Speaking of a crop failing. My carrots are struggling a bit. Though they haven't failed completely, they are struggling along.

I planted some sorrel that I recently got from a cooking class. So, now I've got a carrot and sorrel plot.

I'm happy with my garden. Sure, I could get down about the lettuce and the potential failure of the carrot crop. But, I'm having fun, out in the world digging in and feeling the earth in my hands connects me to the earth and to the plants that I'm cultivating. That alone is what makes me garden.

Weeds! Mulch!

2010-05-28T16:18:00.004-05:00

A garden is a relationship. You give and you give and you give...and you give.....where was I going with that. Oh yes! If you don't put in the effort your garden will fail. Sure, maybe it'll be fine for a while. The seeds will germinate, the plants will grow, and the soil will stay moist. But, eventually weeds will form. At first they'll be small. You may even mistake them for seedlings. Upon further inspection and upon ignoring the issue they will soon grow. Before you know it, they'll take over.

Put a little work into it and soon your garden will look beautiful again.

Some mulch, some compost, and I'm ready to go.

I carefully weeded the flower garden. Then spread out the mulch/compost combination.

My vegetable garden is large enough that I was able to take my rake and hoe to the ground. I then spread out the compost being careful not to get it on top of seedlings.

I recently invested in a soaker hose. This hose is porous and allows the water to seep into the ground. It not only lets me turn on the water and forget it, but it also gets deeper and uses less water than a traditional sprayer. I turn it on for about two hours everyday (unless it rained or will rain later).

I neglected my gardens and they soon got out of control. As a gardener it's important to remember to take the time to do what is necessary. A few hours of work and care brought my garden back to life and now. Well, now it's beautiful again.

It Happens to all Gardeners at Some Point, it's Nothing to be Ashamed About

2010-05-25T15:49:00.001-05:00

Last week it rained. All week. A few weeks ago I may have been very upset by this. But now, with my garden planted, I loved this. My lettuce was growing at an astonishing rate. Tomatoes were poking up through the soil. Oh my, my green beans, well, just look at them.

Now, comes the sad part. This past weekend the rain finally stopped (no that's not the sad part), the sun came out (still not the sad part), and I went on a little trip (definitely not the sad part). When I returned, all of my lettuce was gone (that's the sad part). It seems I have a little bit of a bunny issue. That's right, rabbits have eaten my crop. It was so young, so new, I didn't even have time to take pictures of it. Something must be done!

Yeah, that's a fence. Let's see if the rabbits can get past that!

From the Soil...

2010-05-07T14:34:00.005-05:00

Ok, so I've gotten a "little" behind on the posting.

Last time we saw my garden it looked like this.

Now, it looks like this.

Yes, that's right, what was just an area of land infested with weeds has become a plot of soil which will (with any luck) produce a beautiful vegetable garden.

Here's how I did it.
First I had to turn up the soil. With my trusty shovel I got to work. One foot at a time I dug in and turned over the soil. Leaving a garden that looked like this.

Even as a beginner gardener, I know that chunks of hard clay-like soil makes for a poor ground to sow my seeds. So, I added my Coir. For more information about this product read my previous post on creating my flower garden.

As you can see, I spread the product over the soil and then incorporated it in using my rake. I had treated my soil I could turn to breaking up the clumps of clay and dirt that filled my garden. In order to do this I got out my hoe and worked against the "grain". If you recall an earlier post when I was talking about criss-crossing over the soil with a tiller (which I chose not to invest in) I used that pattern, going one way with my shovel and the other with my hoe. This left the soil looking like this.

After hoeing and raking the soil even. I felt I had broken up the chunks as well as I could. My hope is that over time the Coir will become a little better incorporated and the soil will become even finer. For now though, I took a step back and admired my work

There it was, finally, my garden. The soil prepared for all things to come. Cultivated, tilled, weeded, materials added to improve the quality and composition for optimal...wait! I forgot something! Something big and highly necessary for a successful garden. The seeds! Without them all I have is a very nice plot of dirt.

Ok, so maybe I didn't actually forget the seeds.

You may not be able to see it in the pictures. But, some of my seedlings started sprouting. Before too long I'll be able to see some real growth (literally).

After planting the seeds I wanted to make sure not to step on them as I did further work in the garden in the weeks to come. To solve that problem I sectioned off specific walking areas.

I used rocks to mark the paths in case they were later less visible.

Now, I could look over my garden, and as I did so, I got to thinking about what is to come. Sure, there will be plenty of weeding, mulching, watering, harvesting, and just general work. A garden, like any great endeavor, is no easy feat. But, the rewards I could imagine were unmistakably worth all of the work I saw ahead. To go out and pick, fresh from the vine, my very own tomato or bean or squash, to pull from the ground a beautiful orange carrot and add it to my fresh lettuce salad. These things, these are why we garden. They are the reason to dig deep into the ground. They are why I look down at my hands and see dirt imbedded deep under the nails. From the soil I bring forth life.

Sprouting Seeds Indoors

2010-05-04T11:56:00.004-05:00

With Spring quickly passing and my vegetable garden still waiting for a good till I decided I'd start sprouting a few of my vegetables that I felt needed to get going.

By doing this I'll ensure that as soon as I can get my garden tilled and ready for planting I'll have some of my early summer plants germinated and growing. This will help to ensure a longer season and better production.

I'm starting my lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots. All of these, according to their package, are supposed to be planted in early spring. The lettuce especially should be planted early as warmer temperatures will cause it to "bolt" making the lettuce bitter. For more information on bolting read this article by Sherry Rindels, Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University. The tomatoes' package specifically instructed indoor seeding first. Tomatoes are very sensitive to cold weather and if planted before the last frost they will not germinate. By starting them indoors I am ensuring that does not happen. I ended up doing only half the package of carrots. I wanted to do these so that I could get one early crop and one later crop. They take about 75 days to grow and be ready for harvest. Sometime between now and then I'll plant more in my garden in order to have two harvests.

There are many different ways to start seeds indoors. The options can be a little overwhelming even. There are miniature greenhouses, full size greenhouses, peat pots, plastic containers, regular pots, cold frames, and much more. In the end though you need a few basic things in order to start seeds indoors. You need starting mix, a sunlit spot, some container with adequate drainage, and seeds.

For my starting mix I just went out and bought a $4 bag of organic seed starting mix from my local hardware store. From my research this seems to be the most recommended thing to do. While it may seem wise to just dig up some soil from your garden and use that instead there are a few problems with that option. First, the soil from your garden is going to be more dense than the seeding mix. This will prevent the seed from getting the oxygen it needs. Second, who knows what other seeds are in that soil. As a beginner gardener I wouldn't know a carrot sprout from an oak tree. Before I know I'm planting trees in my vegetable garden. That's just crazy! Finally, Soil from your garden may contain insect eggs, fungi, and other unknown elements. With a seed mix you can guarantee not having that issue. So, basically take the small hit and get a bag of mix.

For my containers I decided to try two methods. I purchased some small peat pots. The benefit of these being that I could just plant them directly into the ground. A more economical option is to get an egg crate. I got a large 30 egg crate from work. If you want one like I got and you don't already by your eggs in bulk (who does really) go to your local grocery store and ask someone in the deli prepared foods or bakery if they have any. Your best bet is going to be to try this at a whole/natural foods store where they actually prepare most of their food from scratch. You could also use a 12 or 6 pack crate. Whatever choice you make just make sure it's not Styrofoam or plastic.

I used the egg carton for the lettuce and the peat pots for the carrots and tomatoes. Really for not particular reason it was sort of just what I chose at the time.

After filling my containers with soil and planting my seeds according to their package instructions I put them on a shelf by a window in my garage where there will be plenty of sunlight. A quick watering and I left them alone.

Finally I Get to Plant Some Flowers

2010-05-04T10:10:00.011-05:00

Let's review.

This is what my flower garden looked like

Now it looks like this

Oh yes, that's right, I finally got to one of my gardens. So, lets talk about the process.

First I assembled my tools and materials.

Not shown in this picture is my hoe, shovel, and rake.

In order to begin preparing the bed for planting I had to remove the "plants" (more like weeds) that were in the garden to begin with. Because I chose to keep one type of them (I'm still not sure what these are but I like them for my front border) I took them out first.

I made sure to preserve as much of the root base as I could.

After removing these plants I turned up the bed, pulling out as many weeds as I could.

After pulling all of the weeds and old plants out I then had to prepare the soil. My soil is very clay-like and required an additive. In most of my research peat moss is the #1 thing to use. It helps soil that's too clay-like by breaking up the tight mineral particles, making it more porous and better able to drain water. For the other spectrum of soils (sandy soils) peat moss acts like a sponge, helping the soil hold more water.When I went to the store I found something else that I just had to try.

This product is made from coir, a coconut byproduct. It boasts that it is a more eco-friendly alternative to peat moss. Even the WWF endorses this product.While peat moss harvesting isn't creating an extreme impact on the environment I figured why not go another direction. Coir has many other benefits that peat moss can't claim. It is PH neutral, cheaper, it adds organic material to the soil, and it doesn't decompose as fast as peat moss.

This product proved to be very interesting. After I opened it up I found that there were four bricks of compressed coir. Each had to be reconstituted with water. So, I grabbed my mop bucket filled it with water and broke up a brick.

The coir ended up absorbing a lot of water. For every brick I used about 1-2 gallons of water and the resulting product soaked up so much it was just damp.

I took the reconstituted coir and spread it over my garden

I then went to work with my hoe, mixing the coir into the soil and breaking up any large clumps. By the time I was done I had a clump free well mixed soil ready for planting.

You may notice that my garden isn't very well weeded. As I planted (you'll see this in the final picture) I took out some of the weeds. But, I will admit I could have done a better job with this part. Later (after my flowers have come up high enough) I plan on mulching. This should help with those weeds I missed.

After preparing the soil it was time to make my garden actually look like a garden and not just an un-mowed section of yard. Lucky for me, I already had some rocks from this garden that I could use as a frame.

The last thing I had to do was plant my flowers. Knowing very little about flowers, and being overwhelmed by the amount of information and choices there are, I decided to just have fun with my flower garden and see what would happen. So, I chose two flowers I thought would be nice to have as I walked up to my front door. I also decided to start from seeds. Not only is this the cheaper option, but now I have the fun of watching as they sprout and grow.

The Sunflower "Skyscraper" I figure will make for a great background in my garden. If they grow well they should reach up to 5'. They're also natural bird feeders and at the end of the summer I think I'll try to harvest the seeds.

The Alyssum "Carpet of Snow" will, in theory, create a nice carpet of flowers that smell like honey. So, not only are they nice to look at but anyone coming up to my front door will be greeted with a beautiful floral aroma.

Now I wait, patiently, and see how my flowers grow. With proper watering, mulching, weeding, and sunlight I hope to see a beautiful flower garden within the next 2 months.

Flower Garden

2010-04-28T15:29:00.002-05:00

So far I've talked about my vegetable garden. Originally I didn't plan on starting a flower garden. But, as I was mowing yesterday it became apparent that there a space at the front of my house that just needed to be renovated.

Being even more of a novice at flower gardening than I am at vegetable gardening, I did a quick Google search for "easy flower garden" and came up with many wonderful websites about flower gardening. My favorite so far is http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com. This site is filled with wonderful tips and information about flower gardens. The articles on this site will be invaluable to me as I start in on another gardening adventure.

What's to come on Ray's Garden?

-indoor seed starting for tomatoes
-more on composting and an update on my compost system
-choosing the right flowers for your garden

Garden Planing

2010-04-23T15:21:00.000-05:00

First, with all the rain lately still no movement on the tilling front. So, here's what my garden looks like now.

I've had sometime to really think about and research how to map out my garden though. I've even found some great resources including http://www.thegardenhelper.com. Another fun resource I found was a garden mapping tool. Unfortunately my garden is too big for this tool. But, for those who have an even smaller plot than I do, this is a fun little free tool. In the end the old fashion method worked best for me. I went out looked at and measured my garden.

This 8' x 25' plot is going to leave me plenty of room to grow my five vegetables. I'll be sure to leave walking space between each row of plants.

Here's a look at how I'm laying out my garden.

Scheduling Conflicts

2010-04-16T12:23:00.001-05:00

The weather and my schedule just won't line up! I had some great plans all set out today and I was so looking forward to getting my hands dirty. But no, it has to rain on my day off. At this point in the process I'm just waiting for a chance to till. Well, I guess I can take the time to set up my garden plan.

First thing to think about is how I'm going to till (when I finally get the opportunity to). Because I have a very clay like soil, I'm going to want to get some peat moss. Spreading this on the garden and incorporating it with the tiller will help to break up the soil giving the roots a chance to grow. This will also help to add some organic compounds to my soil.
I'm going to also want to add in some compost. My compost still has some time to go before it's ready to be put in my garden. So, I'm just going to have to go pick some up at the store.
Finally, I need to plan out exactly how I'm going to till. I figure I'll start with a criss-cross type pattern.

Then I'll finish off with an east to west pattern. Thus, setting up my rows.

Now, all I need is for the weather to get on my schedule. Not likely to happen, I know.

Making the right choices

2010-04-12T15:34:00.002-05:00

Decisions decisions...For a new gardener like me it's hard to know exactly what to plant. Looking through all of the differnent seed magazines, scanning the thousands of websites, and standing in front of the display at my local hardware store became a daunting task. So, finally I just force myself to go into to the store and pick 5 vegetables. In order to have a good shot at actually producing something I chose a few items that I'd grown as a kid. But, I didn't want to limit myself, so I chose a few items I'd never grown before. Here it is, the rundown of what I will plant.

All of my seeds are Ferry Morse brand. The descriptions I'm giving are what Ferry Morse uses on the back of their packets.

1)Big Boy Hybrid Tomato
       Description: One of the most popular hybrid tomatoes! Indeterminate plants produce large, deep red slicing tomatoes, some up to 2 pounds. Great for salads, canning or juice. Plants will produce until frost.

2)Derby (bush) Garden Beans
Description: This All-American Selection has capacity to produce new pods throughout growing season. Stringless pods are very long and straight; most tender when 5-6 inches long. Disease resistant.

3)Yellow Summer Crookneck Squash
      Description: A popular yellow summer squash with firm, tender, pale cream flesh. For best flavor, eat young fruit when 4-8inches long. High in vitamin A.

4) Long Imperator #58 Carrot
      Description: Large, straight, smooth roots. about 8 inches long when fully mature. The flesh is firm, and the flavor is excellent. Perfect in fresh salads. One of nature's best sources of vitamin A.

5) Bibb (or Limestone) Lettuce
Description: A butterhead variety considered a real delicacy. Easy to grow. The small somewhat loose head is tender with distinctive flavor. Early starting is advised to avoid bolting to seed in hot weather.

So there you have it. The lineup as it stands now.

and the rain rain rain came down down down

2010-04-09T09:16:00.001-05:00

Next on the list of garden things to do is till. I've found a place to rent a tiller and I've even found a co-worker who's willing to split the cost and time with me. Both of us have small plots and don't want to put the effort into hoeing the whole plot.

Only problem right now is the rain. While not constant, the rain is making it impossible to get out and till. My hope is next week I'll be able to finally get the garden tilled and ready to go. In the mean time here's what my plot looks like:

Composting 101

2010-04-05T15:53:00.011-05:00

So, I didn't do anything this past weekend (Easter weekend and all). With the move finally finished and lots of unpacking and sorting ahead. My wife and I decided to take the weekend off. So, with nothing to report on the garden front, I thought I'd talk a little about composting.

When we first moved into this new house we immediately decided to start composting. Not only is it a great way to give back to the environment, it's great for gardens. Having never composted before I did some light research and here's what I came up with.

For our composting needs we have a 5 gallon bucket with a lid under our sink. All of our compostable items go in here first. This prevents us from having to run outside every time we have to scrape our plates.

I make a point of emptying this bucket every Monday (at the same time I take the trash to the curb). Because it's just the two of us this works out nicely.

Our compost bin is an old trash can that I've converted by punching holes in the sides and bottom.
I've also set my compost bin off the ground on a few small cinder blocks. This is to allow it to drain and would be important if my bin was metal instead of plastic.

The holes are about 1/8 of an inch thick. That's just enough to make sure the compost gets air circulation and drainage. But not so much that it's coming out of the sides of my bin.

When researching composting I came across a few really good lists of what to and not to compost. I took those lists and compiled one of my own. To make it easy I attached that list next too my indoor bucket.

So there you have it. Easy home composting.

Step One

2010-04-02T18:19:00.000-05:00

So, here I am. Standing above my little patch of land I call ‘garden’. All I can do is shake my head and wonder at my vast task ahead. Yes, I am referring to the process of tilling my garden. I’m in the first stage of my gardening process and I’ve already managed to run into a problem, no tiller. The tools I have at my disposal consist of a rake, a hoe, and a shovel. While good and strong, these tools, unfortunately, do not a tiller make. All I can do is dig in, literally, with my shovel. It doesn’t take long before I find that this will not due. Simply breaking up the dirt with the shovel leaves me with lumps of wet claylike dirt. These will not due for my garden. So, I amend the plan. First, I go down a row with my shovel turning the dirt over. After, I use my hoe to break up the clumps left behind. Not bad, I think as I look over the row I have just completed. With a little raking I can even it up and presto! I have a freshly “tilled” garden.

It’s sad though. By the time I was able to come up with the plan, implement it, and revel in my work an hour had already gone by. In that time I could have fired up a tiller and finished the whole garden. Perhaps I should look into renting one. Maybe that’ll be worth my while.

Spring Arrives

2010-04-01T16:26:00.000-05:00

Here I am, on the cusp of a new spring. The harsh winter air quickly becomes a distant memory as I step outside into the new world. What better way to celebrate the spring than with gardening. Gardening is the perfect chance to step outside, dig into the earth, and cultivate from the soil something that is not only aesthetically pleasing but sustaining as well.

When I was growing up my family would garden. They had a medium size plot of land to garden on. Not much bigger than your average trailer home. I can remember picking tomatoes from the vine, sitting on the porch snapping the peas, the feel of the fiber in my hand as I peel off the husk from our corn, and watching as the pumpkins bloomed then grew into giant canvases for us to carve on Halloween. Now, I have a plot of my own. It’s much smaller than my family’s plot, but, it’s mine.

I am not a professional gardener. I know very little about the task. My hope this season is to learn and to (if you’ll excuse the pun) grow. My goal is to record my progress in the garden and as a gardener. As I find out new tips through articles I read, people I talk to, or just plain trail and error I will share them. Hopefully you will be inspired, informed, or, at the very least, just plain entertained.

-Ray