Garden Journal

Garden Journal


June 4, 2007
We expanded the garden area using fence boards and metal fence posts. Now it is 10’ 3”x 6’ 9”. I added probably ten wheel barrow loads of mostly finished compost and dug it in pretty well. We have been pulling out twigs and spruce cones for the last week.

Yesterday I transplanted a pumpkin start from the compost pile to the garden (it has tertiary leaves).

Today, we planted a row of Parisian Market carrots, and a row of purple carrots. Also, we put a red potato in the ground that had sprouted during the winter while in the dining room. We cut it in half for two potato plants.

Turned the compost yesterday.

Talked to two Master Gardeners at the Extension Office today. They recommend planting carrots at pretty much any time; when carrots are planted late, they can over winter and be ready in early summer; lettuce and spinach as soon as you can work the soil in the spring, and in mid August for late harvest; to trap earwigs, use cooking oil and soy sauce with some water in traps or tuna cans; use row covers to keep tomatoes warm which should either be planted very deep, or laid on their sides to encourage more root growth; zucchini will also need to be covered.

We will see.

June 9

Bought 4 brocoflower, 4 savoy cabbage, 5 tomatoes (Early Girl, Sweet 100 cherry, Lemon Boy, Big Beef, Sweet Chelsea cherries), and space miser zucchini from Lisky’s. Planted all of them around mid day also planting a pumpkin from the compost pile, and thinning some volunteers that were worked in with the compost.

Watered for about 25 minutes.

September 29

Picked tomatoes 7 1/2 pounds of green and pulled plants. Had a heavy frost last night, down to 25 in the morning. All the gourd and pumpkin plants are wilted. Brocoflower, cabbage, arugula are looking good. Also harvested three potatoes, and one zucchini (not three potato plants, but three potatoes total and one zucc total this year).

Amy is making pickled green tomatoes, green tomato pie and green tomato chutney.

Zoe and I picked the pears, not getting as many as I thought we would: the young robins, however, really like us.

As far as the tomatoes went: Amy liked the flavor of the Sweet Chelsea, but they were too big to be bite size; I liked the Sweet 100s, and so did the girls; the Lemon Boy did not do well. We had three ripen, but they didn't really look good, brown spots, etc.; the Big Beef were successful and pretty tasty as were the Early Girl.

My thoughts for next year: two Big Beef, two Sweet 100s, two Early Girls, and one or to experiments.

A few weeks ago, we planted arugula, basil, and lettuce. The basil and lettuce either were eaten immediately, or never germinated. The arugula is about 1 1/2 - 2” tall.