Sunday papers and Starting seeds February 8, 2009

I thought it would be cool to spend the next couple of weeks talking about seed starting. Everyone has their own style for starting seeds. The process can be super involved or simple, depending on the type of gardener you are. Some like to use peat pots. While others like to try plastic cells in trays. Rose’s dad, sweet Tom Nicholson, used to use small recycled containers, like yogurt cups, before recycling was the thing to do. Me? I will spend the next week rolling 150 paper pots. Yep, using the Sunday papers, I will cut the Sports, Local, and Style sections into strips, and roll them into small pots for planting. It’s so easy. When May rolls around and it’s time to drop those delicate seedlings into the ground, there is no messing around with ruining root structures, the whole pot goes in! It’s excellent for the soil in the garden, too.

Garden Hoes Gather Together for 2009 January 20, 2009

The Hoes got together this past Sunday to talk about our gardens and drink delicious Ridge wine.  (If you’re ever out in wine country, you need to swing by Ridge.  It’s amazing – you taste their wonderful wines in a straw bale building that is out of this world cool! One of the Hoes, Steph, has spent some serious time building with straw bale at a Native American reservation in North Dakota.  She can attest to it’s efficiency and eco-friendly ways. )

After an hour of chat, we decided to focus on vegetables and leave flower and herb decisions for next month.  As we paged through our favorite seed catalogs, the back and forth banter began.

I love to grow Nutribud broccoli – Steph feels it takes up way too much room and goes to seed too quickly.  What is she talking about?

Michelle can’t grow sweet peppers and neither can I, but why is it that the smoking hot ones do so well?  We’re done with peppers for awhile.

The gals love their chioggia beets, golden beets, and we’ll plant the Bull’s Blood, too. The beets greens are yummy, so don’t forget about them.

Beans, beans, beans – the plant that keeps producing.  We are going pole and bush! Aren’t Blue Lake beans the ones in the Green Giant can? Someone suggested we try an heirloom wax bean – ugh.  I’m not a fan of the pale yellow, but I’m going to give it a try with Beurre De Rocquencourt.  Love the Cupidon – haricot vert variety. And I did seed save the Scarlet Runner beans, you know the ones, gorgeous blooms and more ornamental, so no need to order those.

No carrots for the Hoes.  We are done with them.  Maybe this shows weakness on our parts – but who cares!

We made the choice to go with the lemon cucumber again.  I had volunteers last summer and enjoyed those little surprises once again.  They’re sweet, mild and have the same shape as a lemon.  Perfect.

Zucchini?  Of course.  Golden and Black Beauty.  They are super versatile.  Sauteed with nutmeg, fried with breadcrumbs, baked in cookies and bread.  It’s a no-brainer!

Lettuce?  Yes. Yes. Yes. Lollo Rossa, Cimmaron, Speckled, Little Gem – I’ll plant and replant in the ground and in containers on the patio.

Sugar Ann snap peas are a must.  These peas are tender and sweet and hardly ever make it back to my kitchen.

All of the Garden Hoes felt they did not utilize the winter squash very well.  Why?  Don’t know.  With that said, we decided on one, not four.

Tomatoes were an area of focus and self control for us.  We tend to get a bit nutty and order 9 varieties and try to cram 36 tomato plants into our raised beds.  Not this year!  The new rule for 2009 is between 6 and 8 plants.  (I may try the buckets again just for kicks – so that gives me at least 12 plants…do I need 12 plants? Probably not.) There is one variety that I am looking forward to planting, it’s called Orange Fleshed Purple Smudge.  Crazy unique and gorgeous!

I would love to plant sweet potatoes again and may give them a whirl.  The other Hoes are out.  Last year, we planted kohlrabi, and sweet Rose, Hoe with new baby, loved it!  Her neighbor thought it tasted like dirt!

The Garden Hoes are my favorite gals and I’m all smiles when we gather together.

Garden Hoes:  Steph, Mal, and Michelle with Rand (Rose was at home with baby Helyn)

Take the quiz! January 15, 2009

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You?

Flower in December December 23, 2008

The coneflower still looks cool.

The catalog arrived! December 21, 2008

It happened yesterday.  With 8 inches of gorgeous snow on the ground, my favorite seed catalog arrived!  Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.  The catalog is glossier, bigger, and better than ever.  I sound like a nut, but really, it’s so pretty.  Back cover – a beautiful bright lime green zinnia.  The diverse seeds are all non-hybrid and non-GMO – the only ones you should be planting.

So today with temps at 4 below 0, I’ll page through the catalog and begin to think about what will be planted in the spring.

“One who plants a garden, plants happiness” – Chinese proverb

unorganized gardener December 2, 2008

I am totally an unorganized gardener.  It’s true and it’s chaos in some areas of my garden. The Garden Hoes are always getting after me about labeling plants.  Some seasons I have no clue as to where the Bloody Butcher tomatoes are and what’s next to the Joe Pye Weed.  This year was different.  In September, I decided to take pictures and notes for next year.

Here’s the problem – even with pictures – I’m still not sure what plants need to be moved or why I was unhappy with a plant’s location in the garden bed.  Take a look.  It’s pretty funny.  Maybe it’s the butterfly weed?  Or maybe the asters??

favorite places November 30, 2008

 Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, Ohio is one of my favorite places to walk when I am back home for the holidays.  I have enjoyed hiking the paths around Lanterman’s Mill and marveling at the rose garden in July.  Visiting that beautiful park never gets old.

Flowers in a Veggie Garden November 22, 2008

After weeks of *pinching back* the sweet basil, I did love seeing pretty little white flowers on the tops of basil plants at the end of the season.  Yellow broccoli blooms were so delicate and small.  And who doesn’t love a squash blossom?

Funny how with some plants, you need to delay the flowering process to get what you want and with other plants, the flower brings something way better with time.   Isn’t that true with certain things in our lives, as well?

The Garden Hoes November 12, 2008

Many of you have responded to my blog with so many sweet words and kind thoughts.  Thanks so much!

I was thinking about how many of you want to get started with some kind of gardening – whether it’s veggies or flowers.  Please know that you are all in some way able to grow things for pleasure.  Plants in pots and containers or plants in the ground, a flower bed or veggie garden.  Fancy and manicured or natural and a bit out of control…it doesn’t matter.  Everyone can do it.  For me, it’s got to be outside.  House plants don’t stand a chance with me.

I am very fortunate to have 3 gals in my life that share the same passion.  We call ourselves the “Garden Hoes”.  The first idea for our name was “Dirty Hoes”, but then we thought better…who would want tomatoes from a dirty hoe?

The Garden Hoes meet every now and then to talk about seeds, plants, space issues, and other garden problems.  We order our seeds together and discuss how our gardens will be better than previous years. My favorite meeting is in February when it’s subzero outside, yet we sit inside and talk about all the things we will plant in the spring.  We dream about the beautiful things we will grow.  It’s my favorite time.

These gals are my kindred spirits.  They love to dig in the dirt just like me.  They are willing to try something different.  These gals make me happy.  They are my Garden Hoes.

Steph, Michelle, and I made delicious tomato sauce last summer in my kitchen.  We also made a huge batch of pesto that day and froze it in ice cube trays.  Perfect to flavor soups and sauces.

Garden Reflection and Clean Up November 9, 2008

As I was pulling dead plants out of the garden to prep for winter, I reviewed the growing season in my mind.  What was great?  What was a let-down?  What took up way too much space? What was devoured by rabbits?

Here’s what I came up with:

• Nobody needs to plant 15 tomato plants unless she is going to commit to making sauce and salsa in August.  (Grad. school was more important this summer. )
• Don’t wait until the tomatoes are falling all over each other to stake them.  It’s a mess and a total hassle!
• The doughnut filling buckets that I used to grow more tomatoes was a fun experiment!  I can’t believe my Uncle Bob grew tomatoes like this year after year along his driveway. Plants were not as big, but that was my fault.  Not enough water.
• Broccoli – although delicious – takes a ton of room! I may need to move it next year.
• Sugar peas – so worth it – plant more next year! The neighbor kid kept eating them when he was in the yard playing!
• The green beans were a gift that kept giving, even after the rabbits enjoyed them!  I harvested once and then again, but found more as I was cleaning up.  Note to self:  pick more in September. And no matter what – I need to make a few jars of dill beans for my dad next year!
• Lettuce does well in containers and in the ground.  I like it close to my house in pots, so that I can cut it and get into a salad faster.
• The basil, parsley, and cilantro on the side of my house was a super great idea.  Next year – get the dill and chives over there! Again, it’s easier to run out the side door and pick a few fragrant herbs – than hauling out back to find stuff.
• Squash and zucchini love to spread out and travel across the yard, but they are delicious and deserve to grow like crazy.  I loved the golden zucchini and the “mystery” squash this year.  Did not miss the scalloped pattypan!
• Beets!  More Beets!  I can’t believe I’m saying that! I used to dislike them, but after having them prepared correctly – I’m nuts about them now.  Ruby red, golden, candy striped, I’ll plant them all next year!

The garden is pretty much cleaned up.  I need to take down the dead staked tomato plants – no fun – but will enjoy planning for next year.

Jelly filling, anyone?                    Is that last tomato any good?

My copper birdbath.