Traditionally, St. Patrick's Day was the day to plant potatoes in East Tennessee. However, this year the day falls on Sunday, and none of my ancestors would have approved of tater planting on the Sabbath.
Thus, today would be the perfect day to plant potatoes. They will be ready to dig anywhere from three to four months from now, depending upon the variety you select.
Some good options for East Tennessee are:
Kennebec--A standard white potato with brown skin, Kennebec is a good keeper.
Red Pontiac--Red-skinned, white-fleshed Red Pontiac is good for potato salad.
Yukon Gold--Yellow-fleshed Yukon Gold is an all-purpose potato that keeps well.
All Blue--The name says it all. Blue potatoes are similar to Russet. They make good bakers and fries.
Irish Cobbler--This old heirloom produces both red- and white-skinned potatoes with excellent flavor.
Buy seed potatoes from a garden center. They will have been certified free of potato viruses that can infect your growing beds if you use potatoes from the grocery store. About five pounds of seed potatoes will produce an abundant harvest from a small space. Potatoes are not picky about soil fertility, so long as the soil is deep and contains lots of organic matter. Cut seed potatoes into chunks, each of which should have two to three eyes. Place the chunks, eyes up, in the bottom of a trench dug three inches deep in the garden bed. Space potatoes 12-18 inches apart.
When the shoots are 6 inches tall, pile compost or soil around them so that just the tips are exposed. When another 6 inches of shoots are visible above the soil, hill them up a second time. Then leave them to grow until you are ready to harvest. Potatoes need an inch of water per week, and should have a side dressing of balanced fertilizer after the second hill-up.
When blooms appear on potatoes, you can steal a few new potatoes from the hill by carefully digging in with your fingers. For storage potatoes, wait until the tops have died and shriveled.
I don't consider potatoes an essential garden product. In spring, if you have limited space you are better off growing spinach, lettuce, green onions, radishes, and miscellaneous leafy greens instead of using the space for potatoes. You will harvest many more servings per square foot.
Showing posts with label food gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food gardening. Show all posts
Monday, March 18, 2019
Thursday, October 22, 2015
The Future of Gardening
I had the pleasure of visiting with Dr. Joanne Logan's class over at the University of Tennessee yesterday. A diverse group of freshmen from all over Tennessee and elsewhere has been spending the past semester learning where food comes from and how to grow it. I received the impression that this generation of citizens will take their food much more seriously than my generation did, and good for them!
I talked about overcoming the obstacles to home food production, problems such as limited space, little or no sunshine, and the ever-present demands upon our time. You can find an outline of my remarks posted under the "Go Vols" tab on this page.
The students seemed to be most interested in the various ways that technology is being applied to revolutionize the way food is grown. We discussed research on LED lighting systems that is currently taking place at UT. Check out this video.
We also discussed the new household appliances on the market, devices intended to automate and simplify food production right in the kitchen. One example is AeroGarden. Other innovations include systems that can be controlled from a smartphone or other mobile device, and professional automated systems that fit in the space typically required by a dishwasher.
As food gardening becomes ever more popular, watch for more innovations designed to make growing at least a portion of your own food a reasonable and cost effective approach for almost anyone. As with other segments of the Internet of Things, look for more digital gardening technology in the near future. Current gardening apps are often simply digital versions of older forms of garden planning and journaling aids. Newer innovations are likely to include a greater degree of customization for individual needs, such as tailoring advice to a particular region of the country.
Plant breeders are responding to the surge in home gardening, also, with each year bringing more offerings of compact-growing vegetables suited to container cultivation or small space gardens.
Food gardening is getting to be more fun every year. It's never too soon to start making plans to grow some food at home in 2016.
The students seemed to be most interested in the various ways that technology is being applied to revolutionize the way food is grown. We discussed research on LED lighting systems that is currently taking place at UT. Check out this video.
We also discussed the new household appliances on the market, devices intended to automate and simplify food production right in the kitchen. One example is AeroGarden. Other innovations include systems that can be controlled from a smartphone or other mobile device, and professional automated systems that fit in the space typically required by a dishwasher.
As food gardening becomes ever more popular, watch for more innovations designed to make growing at least a portion of your own food a reasonable and cost effective approach for almost anyone. As with other segments of the Internet of Things, look for more digital gardening technology in the near future. Current gardening apps are often simply digital versions of older forms of garden planning and journaling aids. Newer innovations are likely to include a greater degree of customization for individual needs, such as tailoring advice to a particular region of the country.
Plant breeders are responding to the surge in home gardening, also, with each year bringing more offerings of compact-growing vegetables suited to container cultivation or small space gardens.
Food gardening is getting to be more fun every year. It's never too soon to start making plans to grow some food at home in 2016.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Garden Renovations
September and October typically offer beautiful weather in the Tennessee Valley, and that makes these months excellent for garden renovation projects. Cooler, drier weather makes working outdoors a pleasure. Soil amendments added now will have time to break down and contribute their intended components to the soil chemistry by spring, in time for next year's plantings.
Some of our trees and other plantings have grown so much that they have now begun to shade the vegetable growing beds. These beds will need re-locating, so we have taken down the tomatoes and okra that were in them. It is a bit early. The plants would have continued to bear, albeit not as well as if they were growing in full sun, until frost. But we don't want to do the work when it's cold and windy, so we will forego the remaining fruits.
It is worth making the point that your garden, first and foremost, should be about you. Your interests, your tastes, and your needs should all be reflected in your garden. Never fear to rip out a plant that is not doing well, or that you find you don't like as well as you thought at first. You are the controlling hand in the garden.
Despite there being only about 30 days until the first suspected frost, you can still get in a crop of fall greens. Try arugula (pictured), bok choy, radishes, mizuna, and chervil. All of them mature quickly and all are frost tolerant. Plant a patch of Seven Top Turnips within the next week, and you should be able to enjoy several pickings of greens, as they are frost hardy. Plant lettuces in containers; one of our favorites for this purpose is Tom Thumb. If frost threatens, container plants can be brought indoors for the night, thus extending the season. You should be able to harvest a nice salad for Thanksgiving dinner.
It is not too early to begin thinking about your vegetable garden for next year. We are launching an exciting new project that will result in another how-to book. More about this as the season progresses, but for now, think about what you would grow in only 100 square feet of outdoor space.
It is worth making the point that your garden, first and foremost, should be about you. Your interests, your tastes, and your needs should all be reflected in your garden. Never fear to rip out a plant that is not doing well, or that you find you don't like as well as you thought at first. You are the controlling hand in the garden.
Despite there being only about 30 days until the first suspected frost, you can still get in a crop of fall greens. Try arugula (pictured), bok choy, radishes, mizuna, and chervil. All of them mature quickly and all are frost tolerant. Plant a patch of Seven Top Turnips within the next week, and you should be able to enjoy several pickings of greens, as they are frost hardy. Plant lettuces in containers; one of our favorites for this purpose is Tom Thumb. If frost threatens, container plants can be brought indoors for the night, thus extending the season. You should be able to harvest a nice salad for Thanksgiving dinner.
It is not too early to begin thinking about your vegetable garden for next year. We are launching an exciting new project that will result in another how-to book. More about this as the season progresses, but for now, think about what you would grow in only 100 square feet of outdoor space.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Thinking About Tomatoes
It won't be long before every gardener in the Valley is inundated with tomatoes. August is traditionally our best tomato month, but many people are already harvesting early fruit. We have been getting good production from our Chadwick Cherry, Amy's Sugar Gem and Marglobe plants for about a week.
The Chadwick Cherry and Amy's Sugar Gem plants have been grown in straw bales, after conditioning the bales as described in my book, Idiot's Guide: Straw Bale Gardening. The book is available here. Supported by a sturdy trellis, one plant per bale, these have grown into some of the finest tomato plants we have ever produced. See the photo. This is only two Chadwick Cherry plants, and the trellis is 6'6". The reason they are doing so well is probably the absence of soil-borne fungal diseases on the leaves. Growing in straw bales offers nearly complete protection from this problem. I was pleased to learn that Holly Jones, who is in charge of the kitchen garden at UT Gardens, has had similarly good results with tomatoes in straw bales. I strongly urge anyone interested in heirloom tomatoes to give this technique a try.
We have had a bumper crop of cucumbers and squash. The early cucumber plants came down last week, and the early squash plants are showing signs of exhaustion. We have already made second plantings of these crops for harvest in September and October.
If you grow okra, pick it every day to keep the plants producing. Okra keeps about five days in the refrigerator, and is easy to freeze. Just wipe the pods with a kitchen towel, drop them into freezer containers, label and freeze. If you want to slice the okra, you can do that before freezing, but you can also cut them up after thawing. The choice is entirely yours.
The high temperatures and heavy rainfall we have experienced this month have stressed some plants. Tomatoes, in particular, have shown signs of heat stress. If the leaves on your plants curl upward but look otherwise normal, the plants are heat stressed. Apply mulch early in the morning hours to help keep the soil cool and evenly moist. Also, pay attention to rainfall patterns. A good downpour should suffice for about two days before your plants need irrigation. When in doubt, stick your finger into the soil. If it does not feel moist in the first inch or so, it is time to water. Avoid wetting the foliage, as this encourages fungal diseases. Water the plants deeply and thoroughly. Uneven soil moisture levels lead to cracking and blossom end rot. Be especially careful with watering during hot weather. It is probably best to water late in the day, as the air is cooling off, rather than early in the morning. A drenching followed by hot sun can cause fruits to absorb water so fast they split.
Our present weather pattern favors peppers. Green fruits should be setting on most varieties by now. This would be from plants transplanted around the first of June. Bell peppers and other large-fruited varieties will benefit from thinning. Multiple fruit clusters should be thinned to a single fruit. Use the removed ones in the kitchen. Thinning will lead to larger and more flavorful fruits, and helps prevent branches from breaking under the weight of a heavy fruit set. You can also thin hot peppers if you want prize-winning size fruits, but the hot varieties are so vigorous it is not really necessary. If you do thin, take care. Hot pepper juice can burn your eyes and skin, and the stems have heat just like the fruits do.
Small hot peppers, either green or fully ripe, can be easily preserved in vinegar or sherry. Select a bottle and thoroughly clean it. Place some peppers in the bottom of the bottle, then fill it with sherry or the vinegar of your choice. Apply the cap and set the bottle aside in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks before you use it. The amount of heat will depend upon how many peppers you use. About half a cup of peppers for each cup of liquid will produce a product comparable to commercial hot pepper vinegar. Small fruited peppers work best for this, or you can cut larger peppers into chunks. Always wear plastic gloves when handling hot peppers, and take care not to get the juice in your eyes.
We have had a bumper crop of cucumbers and squash. The early cucumber plants came down last week, and the early squash plants are showing signs of exhaustion. We have already made second plantings of these crops for harvest in September and October.
If you grow okra, pick it every day to keep the plants producing. Okra keeps about five days in the refrigerator, and is easy to freeze. Just wipe the pods with a kitchen towel, drop them into freezer containers, label and freeze. If you want to slice the okra, you can do that before freezing, but you can also cut them up after thawing. The choice is entirely yours.
The high temperatures and heavy rainfall we have experienced this month have stressed some plants. Tomatoes, in particular, have shown signs of heat stress. If the leaves on your plants curl upward but look otherwise normal, the plants are heat stressed. Apply mulch early in the morning hours to help keep the soil cool and evenly moist. Also, pay attention to rainfall patterns. A good downpour should suffice for about two days before your plants need irrigation. When in doubt, stick your finger into the soil. If it does not feel moist in the first inch or so, it is time to water. Avoid wetting the foliage, as this encourages fungal diseases. Water the plants deeply and thoroughly. Uneven soil moisture levels lead to cracking and blossom end rot. Be especially careful with watering during hot weather. It is probably best to water late in the day, as the air is cooling off, rather than early in the morning. A drenching followed by hot sun can cause fruits to absorb water so fast they split.
Our present weather pattern favors peppers. Green fruits should be setting on most varieties by now. This would be from plants transplanted around the first of June. Bell peppers and other large-fruited varieties will benefit from thinning. Multiple fruit clusters should be thinned to a single fruit. Use the removed ones in the kitchen. Thinning will lead to larger and more flavorful fruits, and helps prevent branches from breaking under the weight of a heavy fruit set. You can also thin hot peppers if you want prize-winning size fruits, but the hot varieties are so vigorous it is not really necessary. If you do thin, take care. Hot pepper juice can burn your eyes and skin, and the stems have heat just like the fruits do.
Small hot peppers, either green or fully ripe, can be easily preserved in vinegar or sherry. Select a bottle and thoroughly clean it. Place some peppers in the bottom of the bottle, then fill it with sherry or the vinegar of your choice. Apply the cap and set the bottle aside in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks before you use it. The amount of heat will depend upon how many peppers you use. About half a cup of peppers for each cup of liquid will produce a product comparable to commercial hot pepper vinegar. Small fruited peppers work best for this, or you can cut larger peppers into chunks. Always wear plastic gloves when handling hot peppers, and take care not to get the juice in your eyes.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Time to Re-Plant
Early July is a good time to replant certain crops for a late harvest. Among the choices are beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, parsley, basil, and scallions.
Most bush bean varieties mature quickly, allowing you to plant them in succession all summer long. Unfortunately, when we have a spate of temperatures above 90, as we did in June, beans suffer from heat stress. It appears that temperatures will be more moderate for the next few weeks, which bodes well for late crops of beans.
Beets and carrots perform best in cool weather, but will nevertheless germinate and produce a crop in about 60 to 70 days, or early September if planted now. You can expect smaller roots, but more intense flavor, in summer-grown beets and carrots.
Cucumbers mature in about 60 days, and will appreciate the cooler night temperatures that will be arriving in late August. High heat stresses cucumbers and may interfere with proper pollination, resulting in deformed fruits. Later crops will not have this problem.
Late plantings of summer squash are less likely to be attacked by the squash borer, although it is wise to keep them covered until flowers appear. Squash borer populations are at a low ebb this time of year, so there are simply fewer females out flying around looking for plants on which to lay their eggs.
Tomato and pepper plants will respond quickly when transplanted into warm soil. Some garden centers will have plants ready for this time of year. If you cannot find pepper plants, there is not a lot you can do, as it is too late to start them from seeds. In the case of tomatoes, however, you can remove suckers that naturally form on your earlier plants. Remove all but the top two tiers of leaves from each sucker and drop the stems in a glass of water. They should root before the end of the month and can be transplanted as soon as the roots are two inches long. Keep them well watered until new growth is obvious, feed with a balanced fertilizer, and expect tomatoes right up until the first frost. You can hasten rooting of the cuttings by placing some willow cuttings in the water with the tomatoes. Cut six to eight inches from the tip of a willow branch and remove most of the leaves. In a glass of water, the willow will root with remarkable speed. As it does so, it releases plant hormones into the water that will encourage rooting by other cuttings.
Parsley, basil and scallions can all be direct seeded now. Barely cover the seeds with fine soil and keep them watered if rain does not arrive. Thin them as soon as true leaves have appeared, or when scallions are two to three inches tall. It won't take them long to get big enough to harvest. You can also root cuttings from established basil plants, following the instructions for tomatoes.
Keep garden fresh produce coming all season long by re-planting now.
Beets and carrots perform best in cool weather, but will nevertheless germinate and produce a crop in about 60 to 70 days, or early September if planted now. You can expect smaller roots, but more intense flavor, in summer-grown beets and carrots.
Cucumbers mature in about 60 days, and will appreciate the cooler night temperatures that will be arriving in late August. High heat stresses cucumbers and may interfere with proper pollination, resulting in deformed fruits. Later crops will not have this problem.
Late plantings of summer squash are less likely to be attacked by the squash borer, although it is wise to keep them covered until flowers appear. Squash borer populations are at a low ebb this time of year, so there are simply fewer females out flying around looking for plants on which to lay their eggs.
Tomato and pepper plants will respond quickly when transplanted into warm soil. Some garden centers will have plants ready for this time of year. If you cannot find pepper plants, there is not a lot you can do, as it is too late to start them from seeds. In the case of tomatoes, however, you can remove suckers that naturally form on your earlier plants. Remove all but the top two tiers of leaves from each sucker and drop the stems in a glass of water. They should root before the end of the month and can be transplanted as soon as the roots are two inches long. Keep them well watered until new growth is obvious, feed with a balanced fertilizer, and expect tomatoes right up until the first frost. You can hasten rooting of the cuttings by placing some willow cuttings in the water with the tomatoes. Cut six to eight inches from the tip of a willow branch and remove most of the leaves. In a glass of water, the willow will root with remarkable speed. As it does so, it releases plant hormones into the water that will encourage rooting by other cuttings.
Parsley, basil and scallions can all be direct seeded now. Barely cover the seeds with fine soil and keep them watered if rain does not arrive. Thin them as soon as true leaves have appeared, or when scallions are two to three inches tall. It won't take them long to get big enough to harvest. You can also root cuttings from established basil plants, following the instructions for tomatoes.
Keep garden fresh produce coming all season long by re-planting now.
Monday, June 1, 2015
"Do Everything" Time
I was relieved to read that John Coykendall, chief gardener at Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN, abandons his do-list at this time of year, and simply writes "Do Everything!" on the blackboard in his workspace. This is indeed the time of year to "do everything" in your garden.
Warm season weeds will be growing strong, and you should remove them while they are small, before they produce seeds for another crop. It is a good idea to apply a germination inhibitor to the area after weeding. Disturbing the soil by pulling up weeds can bring more seeds to the surface, where they will germinate. There are both organic and non-organic germination inhibitors on the market. Both are sold under the "Preen" brand, so read the label, and always follow the label directions. Be careful of using germination inhibitors in any area of the vegetable garden in which you intend to direct sow seeds. Using the inhibitor around transplants, such as tomatoes, is OK, as only sprouting seeds are affected by these products.
Now is the time to plant all the crops that are associated with Southern food and cooking: corn, okra, tomatoes, peppers, field peas, sweet potatoes and pole beans all have plenty of time to mature before the weather cools down again. Cucurbits, too, thrive on summer heat. Now is the time to plant watermelon, winter squash and pumpkins, as well as the faster-maturing summer squash and cucumbers. If you have room to grow pole lima beans or field peas, the flavor of freshly shelled ones is well worth the trouble. It is difficult to produce them in quantity with limited growing space.
Plenty of time remains for growing basil and eggplant. Protect the latter from flea beetles with a fabric cover, or grow dwarf plants in hanging baskets. The beetles do not fly very far off the ground, so hanging baskets provide a measure of protection from this major eggplant pest. Basil, on the other hand, is typically pest free and will produce abundantly until the temperature dips into the 40s again. You can find basil plants in a range of sizes, colors and flavors. Try them all if you have room. Basil needs plenty of water, but not much fertilizer. If growing in containers, they need to be fed about every two weeks. One or two feedings druing the season is enough for plants growing in the ground. For container production, we like Bush Spicy Globe, as it has great flavor and remains small.
Early June is also the time when the first shelling peas arrive. We have grown Sugar Snap peas in recent years, but this year we decided to grow shelling, or English, peas instead. The variety we chose is Green Arrow, a very old heirloom cultivar we purchased at Mayo Garden Center. It is easy to see why this pea has been grown for so long. Despite producing vines only about 30 inches in height, it bears heavy crops of pods, each with 10 to 12 peas inside. The pods are easy to shell, and are said to be preferred for making green pea soup. It should be noted that all pea pods, not just those from Sugar Snap types, are edible, but they are typically too tough to be eaten without being cooked, pureed, and strained to eliminate fibrous material. The characteristics that make pea pods easy to shell unfortunately also make them tough.
The photo shows two other crops that are reaching perfection right about now. Zinnias are among the hardest working flowers in the garden, as they attract pollinators as well as providing lots of cut flowers for the house. Mint has been growing well since April, but the warm, wet weather of late has produced some enormous, flavorful leaves and plenty of greenery for the flower vase. Mint won't wilt after cutting if you immerse it in plain water. In fact, it will remain in fine shape for days and will root if you place the plants where they will get some sunshine. You will need to replace the zinnias after a few days, however. Fortunately, they will continue to produce blooms until frost if tended properly.
Now is also the time to harvest new potatoes. You can "steal" a few or dig up most of your crop for canning, provided you have a pressure canner. Otherwise, leave the plants alone until they turn yellow and fall over. Spring-planted beets and carrots will also be ready to harvest now.
Crops that mature together in the garden often go together in the kitchen. Early June peas are perfect when seasoned with fresh mint, for example. Here is a simple recipe:
Peas With Mint
(2 servings)
1 cup freshly shelled peas
1 tablespoon safflower oil or olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the peas, reduce the heat and cook for exactly 3 minutes. Drain the peas in a strainer, rinse them under cold water, and set aside.
In a small skillet, warm the oil and add the scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened but not browned. Add the peas to the skillet, followed by the reamining ingredients. Heat through, tossing or stirring occasionally. Serve immediately as a side dish.
A few steamed new potatoes, some roasted carrots and/or beets, and your protein of choice would make a superb dinner!
Warm season weeds will be growing strong, and you should remove them while they are small, before they produce seeds for another crop. It is a good idea to apply a germination inhibitor to the area after weeding. Disturbing the soil by pulling up weeds can bring more seeds to the surface, where they will germinate. There are both organic and non-organic germination inhibitors on the market. Both are sold under the "Preen" brand, so read the label, and always follow the label directions. Be careful of using germination inhibitors in any area of the vegetable garden in which you intend to direct sow seeds. Using the inhibitor around transplants, such as tomatoes, is OK, as only sprouting seeds are affected by these products.
Plenty of time remains for growing basil and eggplant. Protect the latter from flea beetles with a fabric cover, or grow dwarf plants in hanging baskets. The beetles do not fly very far off the ground, so hanging baskets provide a measure of protection from this major eggplant pest. Basil, on the other hand, is typically pest free and will produce abundantly until the temperature dips into the 40s again. You can find basil plants in a range of sizes, colors and flavors. Try them all if you have room. Basil needs plenty of water, but not much fertilizer. If growing in containers, they need to be fed about every two weeks. One or two feedings druing the season is enough for plants growing in the ground. For container production, we like Bush Spicy Globe, as it has great flavor and remains small.
Early June is also the time when the first shelling peas arrive. We have grown Sugar Snap peas in recent years, but this year we decided to grow shelling, or English, peas instead. The variety we chose is Green Arrow, a very old heirloom cultivar we purchased at Mayo Garden Center. It is easy to see why this pea has been grown for so long. Despite producing vines only about 30 inches in height, it bears heavy crops of pods, each with 10 to 12 peas inside. The pods are easy to shell, and are said to be preferred for making green pea soup. It should be noted that all pea pods, not just those from Sugar Snap types, are edible, but they are typically too tough to be eaten without being cooked, pureed, and strained to eliminate fibrous material. The characteristics that make pea pods easy to shell unfortunately also make them tough.
The photo shows two other crops that are reaching perfection right about now. Zinnias are among the hardest working flowers in the garden, as they attract pollinators as well as providing lots of cut flowers for the house. Mint has been growing well since April, but the warm, wet weather of late has produced some enormous, flavorful leaves and plenty of greenery for the flower vase. Mint won't wilt after cutting if you immerse it in plain water. In fact, it will remain in fine shape for days and will root if you place the plants where they will get some sunshine. You will need to replace the zinnias after a few days, however. Fortunately, they will continue to produce blooms until frost if tended properly.
Now is also the time to harvest new potatoes. You can "steal" a few or dig up most of your crop for canning, provided you have a pressure canner. Otherwise, leave the plants alone until they turn yellow and fall over. Spring-planted beets and carrots will also be ready to harvest now.
Crops that mature together in the garden often go together in the kitchen. Early June peas are perfect when seasoned with fresh mint, for example. Here is a simple recipe:
Peas With Mint
(2 servings)
1 cup freshly shelled peas
1 tablespoon safflower oil or olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of saltfreshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the peas, reduce the heat and cook for exactly 3 minutes. Drain the peas in a strainer, rinse them under cold water, and set aside.
In a small skillet, warm the oil and add the scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened but not browned. Add the peas to the skillet, followed by the reamining ingredients. Heat through, tossing or stirring occasionally. Serve immediately as a side dish.
A few steamed new potatoes, some roasted carrots and/or beets, and your protein of choice would make a superb dinner!
Monday, May 11, 2015
Time to Plant Summer Vegetables
Mother's Day marks the beginning of the traditional time for planting summer vegetables here in the Valley. All of the favorite summer crops can go in now, although in a couple of cases it is better to wait until the end of the month. Here's the rundown:
Tomatoes
Without a doubt, tomatoes are the most popular backyard vegetable crop. You can find a variety of tomato to meet just about any gardening situation, so there is little excuse not to grow them. We have Tiny Tim, which only reaches about 8 inches in height, just for fun, and Marglobe, an older and reliable cultivar, just for canning. Marglobe is a determinate type, meaning it grows to about five feet tall and then stops, bearing most of its fruit over a short season. This facilitates having a large amount on hand at canning time.
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Tomatoes need even moisture, well-drained soil, and a four inch mulch. The biggest problem is foliar diseases. Either grow resistant varieties, or grow your tomatoes in straw bales if you want to grow non-resistant heirlooms like Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. Feed tomatoes at transplant time with a balanced organic fertilizer, but withold fertilizer when blooms appear or you will reduce the crop.
Corn
"Knee high by the Fourth of July" is the goal of the corn grower. Plenty of sunshine, nitrogen and water are needed to achieve that goal. Corn is among the least productive of backyard crops, but the flavor of freshly picked roasting ears is hard to beat.
Plant corn in blocks rather than rows to facilitate pollination. Give it at least an inch of water weekly if rainfall is insufficient. Feed corn with a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as cottonseed meal, when it is 6 inches tall and again about every two weeks until tassels appear.
Cucurbits
Cucumbers, squash and melons may all be planted now, although melons and winter squash may not grow very rapidly until nighttime temperatures are quite warm. All these vegetables are subject to foliar disease problems. Grow resistant varieties, keep them mulched to prevent soil from reaching the foliage, and make sure the plants have good air circulation around them. Growing cucurbits on a trellis results in fewer problems with foliar disease.
Summer squash typically do not climb, and their primary enemy is the squash vine borer. The only sure way to prevent an attack by this pest is to keep the plants covered with fabric until flowers appear. Insect barrier fabric is available at most garden centers.
Beans
Continue planting beans every two weeks if you want a steady supply. Bush beans are easier than pole beans and need no trellis. Try something different from the standard "green beans." Yellow wax beans are tender and delicious, and filet beans are ideal for quick cooking. Big, flat Italian beans have rich flavor and are better for long-cooked bean dishes. With so many types to choose from, you should be able to have beans on a regular basis without getting tired of them.
Blue Lake beans, although certainly an older cultivar, were developed with the needs of commercial harvesting equipment in mind. They are stringier, and tougher, than many other beans. They tend to appear on numerous seed racks, probably because they are produced in huge quantities, but they are not the best bean for home growers.
Okra and Sweet Potatoes
These two Southern favorites can be planted together. Neither needs especially rich soil, and the potatoes provide a good mulch over the roots of the okra. Plant them any time between now and the middle of June.
Peppers
All types of peppers can be planted now. They need the same attention as tomatoes, and should be planted in blocks of four plants. Doing so keeps the humidity high around the leaves, a condition that peppers thrive upon. Most pepper varieties avoid the foliar disease problems that plague tomatoes, and are thus among the easiest and most productive of summer vegetable crops. The do need heat, however, so later plantings will have the best chance of success. Transplant peppers any time between now and the end of June.
Many thanks to everyone who came by our tent at UT Gardens' Bloomsdays event last Saturday. We had a wonderful time and answered a ton of questions for aspiring backyard farmers. It is very encouraging to see so many people taking an interest in growing food.
Tomatoes
Without a doubt, tomatoes are the most popular backyard vegetable crop. You can find a variety of tomato to meet just about any gardening situation, so there is little excuse not to grow them. We have Tiny Tim, which only reaches about 8 inches in height, just for fun, and Marglobe, an older and reliable cultivar, just for canning. Marglobe is a determinate type, meaning it grows to about five feet tall and then stops, bearing most of its fruit over a short season. This facilitates having a large amount on hand at canning time.
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Corn
"Knee high by the Fourth of July" is the goal of the corn grower. Plenty of sunshine, nitrogen and water are needed to achieve that goal. Corn is among the least productive of backyard crops, but the flavor of freshly picked roasting ears is hard to beat.
Plant corn in blocks rather than rows to facilitate pollination. Give it at least an inch of water weekly if rainfall is insufficient. Feed corn with a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as cottonseed meal, when it is 6 inches tall and again about every two weeks until tassels appear.
Cucurbits
Cucumbers, squash and melons may all be planted now, although melons and winter squash may not grow very rapidly until nighttime temperatures are quite warm. All these vegetables are subject to foliar disease problems. Grow resistant varieties, keep them mulched to prevent soil from reaching the foliage, and make sure the plants have good air circulation around them. Growing cucurbits on a trellis results in fewer problems with foliar disease.
Summer squash typically do not climb, and their primary enemy is the squash vine borer. The only sure way to prevent an attack by this pest is to keep the plants covered with fabric until flowers appear. Insect barrier fabric is available at most garden centers.
Beans
Continue planting beans every two weeks if you want a steady supply. Bush beans are easier than pole beans and need no trellis. Try something different from the standard "green beans." Yellow wax beans are tender and delicious, and filet beans are ideal for quick cooking. Big, flat Italian beans have rich flavor and are better for long-cooked bean dishes. With so many types to choose from, you should be able to have beans on a regular basis without getting tired of them.
Blue Lake beans, although certainly an older cultivar, were developed with the needs of commercial harvesting equipment in mind. They are stringier, and tougher, than many other beans. They tend to appear on numerous seed racks, probably because they are produced in huge quantities, but they are not the best bean for home growers.
Okra and Sweet Potatoes
These two Southern favorites can be planted together. Neither needs especially rich soil, and the potatoes provide a good mulch over the roots of the okra. Plant them any time between now and the middle of June.
Peppers
All types of peppers can be planted now. They need the same attention as tomatoes, and should be planted in blocks of four plants. Doing so keeps the humidity high around the leaves, a condition that peppers thrive upon. Most pepper varieties avoid the foliar disease problems that plague tomatoes, and are thus among the easiest and most productive of summer vegetable crops. The do need heat, however, so later plantings will have the best chance of success. Transplant peppers any time between now and the end of June.
Many thanks to everyone who came by our tent at UT Gardens' Bloomsdays event last Saturday. We had a wonderful time and answered a ton of questions for aspiring backyard farmers. It is very encouraging to see so many people taking an interest in growing food.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Container Vegetable Gardening
Growing food in containers is becoming commonplace. From a collection of potted herbs decorating a patio to hydroponic indoor gardens under artificial light, container food production offers several benefits over traditional, in-ground gardening. But first, consider the drawbacks.
Plants in containers need more attention than those in the ground. Containers dry out rapidly, and frequent watering washes out nutrients that plants need to grow. Thus, container vegetable gardens need daily watering and bi-weekly fertilization. Weekly fertilization may be needed for fast-growing greens that are harvested more than once.
The size of any container limits the root space available to the plants. For vegetables with vigorous root systems, containers of at least five gallons capacity are needed for reasonable production.
Despite these issues, container gardens flourish on patios, kitchen counters and decks. Container gardens are mobile. They can be moved indoors or out to take advantage of weather conditions. They can also be moved around during the season to accommodate changing patterns of sun and shadow.
Container-grown vegetables remain cleaner and seldom require as much effort to wash as soil-grown crops do. The image shows the arugula harvest from one 4-inch square container grown under LED lights.
Well-tended container gardens rarely have pests, as the plants are under minimal stress.
Because container vegetables are typically grown in a soil-less sterile potting mix, soil borne diseases and insects are eliminated.
Once you start looking, you will find that numerous compact or dwarf varieties of vegetables exist, and more seem to be appearing every year. A few examples: Tom Thumb snow peas, Tiny Tim tomato, Tumblin' Tom tomato, Cayenetta hot pepper, Atlas carrots, Cherry Belle radish, Tom Thumb lettuce, Bush Spicy Globe basil, Boxwood basil, Patio tomato, On Deck sweet corn, Rougette de Montpelier lettuce, and many more. Add these to the various herbs and veggies that are normally small enough for pots, such as corn salad, scallions, and curly parsley, and you have the makings of a sensational vegetable garden that can be accommodated on a table top.
Growing in containers also means that plants will likely be close at hand when you are cooking. Including perfectly grown vegetables and herbs in your kitchen creations becomes almost effortless, and it does not get any fresher than "picked five minutes ago."
This year, we are trying something different with our indoor garden. During winter and early spring, we grew a variety of greens and herbs in plastic planters illuminated with a high-output LED light. It recently occurred to us, as the cool spring season is beginning to wind down, that we could use this growing system during hot weather to produce cool season veggies indoors. We already have planters with basil, parsley, cilantro and miniature tomatoes sitting under the lights. We plan to try radishes, carrots, corn salad, spinach, and lettuce later in the season, when these crops would do poorly outdoors.
We will keep you posted on our efforts to produce cool season veggies in our indoor garden space.
Plants in containers need more attention than those in the ground. Containers dry out rapidly, and frequent watering washes out nutrients that plants need to grow. Thus, container vegetable gardens need daily watering and bi-weekly fertilization. Weekly fertilization may be needed for fast-growing greens that are harvested more than once.
The size of any container limits the root space available to the plants. For vegetables with vigorous root systems, containers of at least five gallons capacity are needed for reasonable production.
Container-grown vegetables remain cleaner and seldom require as much effort to wash as soil-grown crops do. The image shows the arugula harvest from one 4-inch square container grown under LED lights.
Well-tended container gardens rarely have pests, as the plants are under minimal stress.
Because container vegetables are typically grown in a soil-less sterile potting mix, soil borne diseases and insects are eliminated.
Once you start looking, you will find that numerous compact or dwarf varieties of vegetables exist, and more seem to be appearing every year. A few examples: Tom Thumb snow peas, Tiny Tim tomato, Tumblin' Tom tomato, Cayenetta hot pepper, Atlas carrots, Cherry Belle radish, Tom Thumb lettuce, Bush Spicy Globe basil, Boxwood basil, Patio tomato, On Deck sweet corn, Rougette de Montpelier lettuce, and many more. Add these to the various herbs and veggies that are normally small enough for pots, such as corn salad, scallions, and curly parsley, and you have the makings of a sensational vegetable garden that can be accommodated on a table top.
Growing in containers also means that plants will likely be close at hand when you are cooking. Including perfectly grown vegetables and herbs in your kitchen creations becomes almost effortless, and it does not get any fresher than "picked five minutes ago."
This year, we are trying something different with our indoor garden. During winter and early spring, we grew a variety of greens and herbs in plastic planters illuminated with a high-output LED light. It recently occurred to us, as the cool spring season is beginning to wind down, that we could use this growing system during hot weather to produce cool season veggies indoors. We already have planters with basil, parsley, cilantro and miniature tomatoes sitting under the lights. We plan to try radishes, carrots, corn salad, spinach, and lettuce later in the season, when these crops would do poorly outdoors.
We will keep you posted on our efforts to produce cool season veggies in our indoor garden space.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Exploring New Ideas
What if you could take starch and sugar and convert them into healthy, delicious salad greens? Believe it or not, the lowly sweet potato can do this effortlessly. Encouraging one to do so is a great way to use up last year's sweet potatoes that are starting to sprout, along with producing new plants for this year's crop. Besides the sweet potato, you will need a quart Mason jar and (possibly) three toothpicks.
Choose a sweet potato that already shows signs of sprouting. Set it, sprouted end up, in the Mason jar. If necessary, stick toothpicks into the potato near the sprout end to support it upright in the center of the jar. Pour about two inches of tap water into the jar and set it in a sunny place. Within a week or two, the sprouts will begin to elongate, forming heart-shaped leaves. At the same time, roots will emerge from the bottom end of the potato. Keep the water level topped up, as the sweet potato will start drinink a lot of water once it has a root system. Don't worry about the growth of algae in the water, and do not add fertilizer to the jar.
For sweet potato plants to transplant to the garden, wait until several stems are at least six inches long and have multiple leaves. Remove these stems close to the old potato root, and remove all but the top two leaves. Set these "slips" in a glass of water, where they will root within two weeks. The rooted slips may be transplanted directly to the garden if the soil has warmed up, or you can put them in pots to hold for a few weeks until favorable planting conditions arrive.
Don't discard the old sweet potato, however. It will continue to produce stems and leaves, feeding off the carbohydrates stored within it last season. You can continue to take slips until you have as many as you like. Thereafter, you can harvest the leaves from the potato any time. They make delicious additions to salads, soups and stir frys. Use them as you would spinach. You can eat the stems, too, if they are not too tough. The original root will continue to produce leaves until all of its stored food is exhausted. At that point, it is ready for the compost pile. Until then, you should get several servings of sweet potato leaves.
For sweet potato plants to transplant to the garden, wait until several stems are at least six inches long and have multiple leaves. Remove these stems close to the old potato root, and remove all but the top two leaves. Set these "slips" in a glass of water, where they will root within two weeks. The rooted slips may be transplanted directly to the garden if the soil has warmed up, or you can put them in pots to hold for a few weeks until favorable planting conditions arrive.
Don't discard the old sweet potato, however. It will continue to produce stems and leaves, feeding off the carbohydrates stored within it last season. You can continue to take slips until you have as many as you like. Thereafter, you can harvest the leaves from the potato any time. They make delicious additions to salads, soups and stir frys. Use them as you would spinach. You can eat the stems, too, if they are not too tough. The original root will continue to produce leaves until all of its stored food is exhausted. At that point, it is ready for the compost pile. Until then, you should get several servings of sweet potato leaves.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Let's Talk Seeds
Spring unfolds in all its glory, with each new day in East Tennessee bringing another wonder. If it isn't the parade of flowers in the woods and along the roadside, it is the way the spinach seems to grow, getting visibly larger by the hour. After a snowy winter, we are being rewarded with nearly perfect growing conditions this spring.
If you are not planting a food garden now, you should be. There is still time for heat tolerant lettuces, beets, carrots, and all members of the onion family. Beans of all types should be planted now. You can try planting tomatoes, peppers or eggplant this early, but if you can bear to wait three more weeks you will likely have fewer problems with these crops. Wait another week or two to plant sweet corn, also. Brave souls may go ahead and plant corn now.
Thinking of corn and beans leads me to think about seeds, as well. Seeds seldom get the media attention they deserve, unless perhaps if they are GMO seeds. Nevertheless, gardeners should always remember that our backyard vegetable gardens would not be possible without a vast network of growers, brokers and retailers who produce and sell seeds. For you and me, the end result of all their efforts is the ability to step inside any big box store, garden center or specialty shop, and chances are we will find a varied selection of seeds. Amazingly, they are cheap, too. Seldom is a seed packet more than three dollars.
I write about seed catalogs a lot during the winter months. It is fun to pore over them and pick out likely candidates for the spring and summer garden envisioned for six months in the future. This year, however, I took a different approach. I decided to find all our seeds locally. As it turns out, this has proven much simpler than I would have thought.
If we broaden the term "local" to include businesses in Virginia and North Carolina, we have two suppliers of heirloom and organic seeds just over the mountains. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Virginia and Sow True Seed in Asheville, NC, were at one time both mail order-only operations. These days, you can find their seed racks at Three Rivers Market.
The big surprise was that two genuinely local, Knoxville-based, family-owned seed companies between them have all the seeds we needed for our vegetable garden. Knoxville Seed and Greenhouse Supply on Rutledge Pike caters to professional growers as well as the general public. In addition to an extensive selection of seeds under their own brand label, all in reasonably price one ounce envelopes, Knoxville Seed displays racks for several specialty suppliers. Bean, pea and corn seeds, along with some other crops popular with market growers, are available in half pound or full pound quantities. (Be prepared for sticker shock if you are purchasing corn. This crop is the exception to the "seeds are cheap" rule.)
I have been impressed with the extensive selection of heirloom vegetables offered by Knoxville Seed. Cherokee Purple tomatoes, dipper gourds, Cherry Belle radishes, and more. I have not counted, but the selection includes well over 100 varieties.
Our other great seed resource is Mayo Seed Co., which has for several decades operated Mayo Garden Centers around the area. The core business, however, has been seeds. The company was founded in 1878 and is still run by members of the Mayo family. In addition to a huge selection of vegetable seeds, Mayo offers flower seeds, many of them "old-fashioned" cultivars that were popular generations ago. Mayo can always be counted on to carry seeds of vegetables that only a few people still grow, including parsnips, New Zealand spinach, and salsify.
Because they have long been focused upon plant varieties that perform well in the Tennessee Valley region, Mayo can be counted upon to carry seeds that gardeners have relied upon for over 100 years. Examples are Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, Mayo's own generic varieties of romaine lettuce and leeks, and White Icicle radishes that make roots the size of carrots.
Next time you think about seeds, think about all the work it took to get them on the shelves, and reward our local seedsmen and their network of suppliers. Those heirloom varieties may have been the work of only one small farm, the owners of which took a great risk to devote part of their land and labor to the seed crop. Think about that, also, as you enjoy those Cherokee Purples in August.
If you are not planting a food garden now, you should be. There is still time for heat tolerant lettuces, beets, carrots, and all members of the onion family. Beans of all types should be planted now. You can try planting tomatoes, peppers or eggplant this early, but if you can bear to wait three more weeks you will likely have fewer problems with these crops. Wait another week or two to plant sweet corn, also. Brave souls may go ahead and plant corn now.
I write about seed catalogs a lot during the winter months. It is fun to pore over them and pick out likely candidates for the spring and summer garden envisioned for six months in the future. This year, however, I took a different approach. I decided to find all our seeds locally. As it turns out, this has proven much simpler than I would have thought.
If we broaden the term "local" to include businesses in Virginia and North Carolina, we have two suppliers of heirloom and organic seeds just over the mountains. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Virginia and Sow True Seed in Asheville, NC, were at one time both mail order-only operations. These days, you can find their seed racks at Three Rivers Market.
The big surprise was that two genuinely local, Knoxville-based, family-owned seed companies between them have all the seeds we needed for our vegetable garden. Knoxville Seed and Greenhouse Supply on Rutledge Pike caters to professional growers as well as the general public. In addition to an extensive selection of seeds under their own brand label, all in reasonably price one ounce envelopes, Knoxville Seed displays racks for several specialty suppliers. Bean, pea and corn seeds, along with some other crops popular with market growers, are available in half pound or full pound quantities. (Be prepared for sticker shock if you are purchasing corn. This crop is the exception to the "seeds are cheap" rule.)
I have been impressed with the extensive selection of heirloom vegetables offered by Knoxville Seed. Cherokee Purple tomatoes, dipper gourds, Cherry Belle radishes, and more. I have not counted, but the selection includes well over 100 varieties.
Our other great seed resource is Mayo Seed Co., which has for several decades operated Mayo Garden Centers around the area. The core business, however, has been seeds. The company was founded in 1878 and is still run by members of the Mayo family. In addition to a huge selection of vegetable seeds, Mayo offers flower seeds, many of them "old-fashioned" cultivars that were popular generations ago. Mayo can always be counted on to carry seeds of vegetables that only a few people still grow, including parsnips, New Zealand spinach, and salsify.
Because they have long been focused upon plant varieties that perform well in the Tennessee Valley region, Mayo can be counted upon to carry seeds that gardeners have relied upon for over 100 years. Examples are Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, Mayo's own generic varieties of romaine lettuce and leeks, and White Icicle radishes that make roots the size of carrots.
Next time you think about seeds, think about all the work it took to get them on the shelves, and reward our local seedsmen and their network of suppliers. Those heirloom varieties may have been the work of only one small farm, the owners of which took a great risk to devote part of their land and labor to the seed crop. Think about that, also, as you enjoy those Cherokee Purples in August.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Full Tilt Springtime
Many thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at the UT Gardens Spring Plant Sale last Saturday! It was a pleasure to meet our fellow gardeners, readers, and listeners of the radio show.
April is the biggest gardening month here in the Tennessee Valley. If you have not already planted cool season crops like lettuce or mustard, the window for success is rapidly closing. Your best bet is fast maturing greens, such as mizuna or arugula, and heat tolerant lettuces. Jericho, Anuenue and most romaine varieties are heat tolerant cultivars. Another good one is Black Seeded Simpson, a local favorite since the 19th Century.
You can also plant beans, potatoes, onion sets or plants, scallions, beets, radishes, carrots and cabbage plants with success. Broccoli and cauliflower may or may not produce a crop if planted this late.
Even though tomato and pepper plants have appeared in the garden centers, hold off until at least May 1 to plant. We will still have some cold nights that can set these plants back if they are not protected. You have plenty of time to obtain a crop even if you wait.
It is still a bit early for cucumbers and squash. Plants in cold soil have more disease and pest problems. Wait until after Mothers Day to plant these veggies.
Here's a great idea for growing lettuce, which does not need a lot of root space. Slap a coat of white primer on a citrus crate. These little crates were full of mandarin oranges or clementines when we bought them. I saved a bunch (we love citrus in the winter) and we planted them with an assortment of smallish lettuces. The result is shown in the photo. If you'd like one of these, Sweet Pea in Bearden is carrying them. Besides interesting plants, Sweet Pea stocks a wide selection of high-quality garden art and accessories.
For those who would like to purchase our hardy orchids, they are available at the following local independent garden centers:
Stanley's Greenhouse
Ellenburg's Landscaping
Mayo Garden Centers in Powell, Bearden and Farragut
Sweet Pea, on Carr Street in Bearden
Hardy orchids will be available until mid-May.
Please support your local, family-owned garden centers this season. Not only will your dollars remain in the area, you will get better plants, better advice and an overall better value than you will find at any big box retailer.
April is the biggest gardening month here in the Tennessee Valley. If you have not already planted cool season crops like lettuce or mustard, the window for success is rapidly closing. Your best bet is fast maturing greens, such as mizuna or arugula, and heat tolerant lettuces. Jericho, Anuenue and most romaine varieties are heat tolerant cultivars. Another good one is Black Seeded Simpson, a local favorite since the 19th Century.
You can also plant beans, potatoes, onion sets or plants, scallions, beets, radishes, carrots and cabbage plants with success. Broccoli and cauliflower may or may not produce a crop if planted this late.
Even though tomato and pepper plants have appeared in the garden centers, hold off until at least May 1 to plant. We will still have some cold nights that can set these plants back if they are not protected. You have plenty of time to obtain a crop even if you wait.
It is still a bit early for cucumbers and squash. Plants in cold soil have more disease and pest problems. Wait until after Mothers Day to plant these veggies.
For those who would like to purchase our hardy orchids, they are available at the following local independent garden centers:
Stanley's Greenhouse
Ellenburg's Landscaping
Mayo Garden Centers in Powell, Bearden and Farragut
Sweet Pea, on Carr Street in Bearden
Hardy orchids will be available until mid-May.
Please support your local, family-owned garden centers this season. Not only will your dollars remain in the area, you will get better plants, better advice and an overall better value than you will find at any big box retailer.
Monday, March 30, 2015
It's About More Than Food
With the arrival of spring, I have decided to take this blog post in a new direction, enlarging our vision of "sustainablility" as it applies to people in their everyday lives. If preserving our planet's ecosystems and biodiversity for future generations is important enough to you that you spend your weekends growing food and you teach your kids how to raise chickens in the backyard, I hope you will join me in a renewed quest to define the goals of a sustainable society and to explore ways to achieve those goals.
Since its inception, I have wanted this blog to be about sustainability and leaving the world a better place than when we found it. Perhaps the most significant way in which one can interact directly with the surrounding environment is through growing some of your own food at home. Home food production is in numerous ways both good for the environment and for the individual, and is fast becoming the number one home-based leisure pursuit. That is good news.
Now for the bad news, growing your own food, riding a bike to work and recycling will not save the planet. While it is better for the earth that you do these things rather than not doing them, the collective effort of even millions of people will not be enough to stop the wanton destruction of our only home.
Our best hope for a better future for our grandchildren and their grandchildren in turn can only be realized through change in our political and social consciousness. The scale of climate change, species loss, pollution, and deforestation are all global. As the citizens of the world's richest and most powerful country, we have an obligation to ourselves and the rest of the biosphere to do everything we can to alter the dangerous course down which many among our politicians and uber-capitalists would have us tread. Corporations and institutions which do not have the best interests of the world and it people in mind when constructing policy are the real power centers in our so-called democracy, and they are presently doing everything possible to reduce the rest of us to minions.
The profound damages resulting from industrial agriculture, resource extraction, and the discharge of waste products into the commons must be eliminated where possible and mitigated otherwise, or else we are headed for a catastrophe that will make World War II look like an across-the-fence spat. But before we can do any of these things, we have to elect leaders who, at the very minimum, look to science and established facts when formulating policy, and not to some arbitrary ideology. To base our national policies on anything other than the best information science can provide is worse than crazy. It is suicidal.
In the coming weeks, I will be offering information and opinions on certain policy issues, in addition to advice on growing and preparing food at home. Please join the conversation. Post your comments and opinions, also.
Now for the bad news, growing your own food, riding a bike to work and recycling will not save the planet. While it is better for the earth that you do these things rather than not doing them, the collective effort of even millions of people will not be enough to stop the wanton destruction of our only home.
Our best hope for a better future for our grandchildren and their grandchildren in turn can only be realized through change in our political and social consciousness. The scale of climate change, species loss, pollution, and deforestation are all global. As the citizens of the world's richest and most powerful country, we have an obligation to ourselves and the rest of the biosphere to do everything we can to alter the dangerous course down which many among our politicians and uber-capitalists would have us tread. Corporations and institutions which do not have the best interests of the world and it people in mind when constructing policy are the real power centers in our so-called democracy, and they are presently doing everything possible to reduce the rest of us to minions.
The profound damages resulting from industrial agriculture, resource extraction, and the discharge of waste products into the commons must be eliminated where possible and mitigated otherwise, or else we are headed for a catastrophe that will make World War II look like an across-the-fence spat. But before we can do any of these things, we have to elect leaders who, at the very minimum, look to science and established facts when formulating policy, and not to some arbitrary ideology. To base our national policies on anything other than the best information science can provide is worse than crazy. It is suicidal.
In the coming weeks, I will be offering information and opinions on certain policy issues, in addition to advice on growing and preparing food at home. Please join the conversation. Post your comments and opinions, also.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Out of Hibernation
After a month's hiatus due to family issues, I am back at the keyboard. We had an especially wintry February, but the current week has given us the first taste of 70-degree sunshine, and the vernal equinox is Thursday. The garden looks great, and we have lots of transplants waiting in the wings.
Yesterday we planted peas, transplanted spinach seedlings, and added compost to the bed where potatoes will be planted, on the traditional date, Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day. Appropriately enough, we are planting Irish Cobbler again this year. We will plant some radish seeds here and there, also. Cherry Belle is the variety we have chosen for spring planting. It produces roots about the size of a nickel.
Waiting in the wings are lettuce seedlings of several varieties, leeks about the diameter of a string, and a Greek basil, 'Bush Spicy Globe,' that we plan on keeping in containers.
We have been harvesting lettuce, parsley and cilantro from our windowsill garden, and will be replanting it with lettuce seedlings this week. As more and more crops become possible outdoors, we tend to focus on achieving "perfect" lettuce under the pampering conditions of our indoor garden.
I had the pleasure last Saturday of presenting a talk on spring vegetable gardening, as the guest of Stanley's Greenhouse. Stanley's is also the sponsor of "Garden Talk," the radio show I co-host with Dr. Sue Hamilton and Andy Pulte. Please join us on Saturday mornings at 8:00 on 94.3 WNFZ-FM.
We have been forcing our Bletilla orchids for early blooms this season. You can find them at these local garden centers:
Stanley's Greenhouse
Ellenburg's Nursery and Landscaping
Mayo Garden Center, Emory Road
Mayo Garden Center, Bearden
Sweet Pea Garden and Gifts, Bearden
Please support your local, independent garden centers!
Yesterday we planted peas, transplanted spinach seedlings, and added compost to the bed where potatoes will be planted, on the traditional date, Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day. Appropriately enough, we are planting Irish Cobbler again this year. We will plant some radish seeds here and there, also. Cherry Belle is the variety we have chosen for spring planting. It produces roots about the size of a nickel.
Waiting in the wings are lettuce seedlings of several varieties, leeks about the diameter of a string, and a Greek basil, 'Bush Spicy Globe,' that we plan on keeping in containers.
We have been harvesting lettuce, parsley and cilantro from our windowsill garden, and will be replanting it with lettuce seedlings this week. As more and more crops become possible outdoors, we tend to focus on achieving "perfect" lettuce under the pampering conditions of our indoor garden.
I had the pleasure last Saturday of presenting a talk on spring vegetable gardening, as the guest of Stanley's Greenhouse. Stanley's is also the sponsor of "Garden Talk," the radio show I co-host with Dr. Sue Hamilton and Andy Pulte. Please join us on Saturday mornings at 8:00 on 94.3 WNFZ-FM.
We have been forcing our Bletilla orchids for early blooms this season. You can find them at these local garden centers:
Stanley's Greenhouse
Ellenburg's Nursery and Landscaping
Mayo Garden Center, Emory Road
Mayo Garden Center, Bearden
Sweet Pea Garden and Gifts, Bearden
Please support your local, independent garden centers!
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Less Than Fifty Days Away
Spring arrives officially on March 20, so we are less than fifty days away! We have had some pleasant days during January, but hopefully it has not been warm enough long enough to bring plants out of dormancy. Snowdrops are blooming in some gardens by now, and the early Crocus chrysanthus blooms will be along shortly.
Now is the time to get your seed orders in, or to visit your favorite garden center's seed rack, in order to be assured of the best selection. All indications are that the hot items this year will be heirloom vegetables, especially tomatoes, and compact-growing varieties suitable for container or small space vegetable gardens. This is unsurprising given the trend toward home food gardening.
Time is running out if you are starting leeks or celery from seeds for spring transplant.
It is now time to start broccoli, cabbage and other brassicas for spring transplants. To spread out the harvest, start only one or two plants per week for the next several weeks. Wait a couple more weeks before starting lettuce, unless you are betting on an early spring, or can cover your transplants if frost arrives.
Hold off on starting any warm season plants, however. We are still roughly 80 days from the frost date. Despite the undeniable urge to get things growing, you will have more success if you wait until March 15 or after to start tomatoes. Bell and chili peppers should be started even later, around the first of April, and must be kept warm during their early development. Otherwise, they may not ever reach their full potential.
Now is a great time to start seeds indoors for cool season flowers. Calendula is an old favorite, and the petals are edible. Another edible flower, Dianthus or annual pinks, thrives in spring, but starts looking ratty after the weather really heats up.
For an early season pleasure that is definitely NOT edible, start seeds of sweet peas, Lathyrus, in small pots. They will need something to climb on if you cannot get them outside before they begin to climb. Start seeds around February 20 for transplant around March 20. This should give the sweet peas enough time to grow and bloom before the succumb to summer heat. The large, colorful, and exquisitely fragrant flowers are worth all the trouble, and they make good cut flowers, too.
Now is the time to get your seed orders in, or to visit your favorite garden center's seed rack, in order to be assured of the best selection. All indications are that the hot items this year will be heirloom vegetables, especially tomatoes, and compact-growing varieties suitable for container or small space vegetable gardens. This is unsurprising given the trend toward home food gardening.
It is now time to start broccoli, cabbage and other brassicas for spring transplants. To spread out the harvest, start only one or two plants per week for the next several weeks. Wait a couple more weeks before starting lettuce, unless you are betting on an early spring, or can cover your transplants if frost arrives.
Hold off on starting any warm season plants, however. We are still roughly 80 days from the frost date. Despite the undeniable urge to get things growing, you will have more success if you wait until March 15 or after to start tomatoes. Bell and chili peppers should be started even later, around the first of April, and must be kept warm during their early development. Otherwise, they may not ever reach their full potential.
Now is a great time to start seeds indoors for cool season flowers. Calendula is an old favorite, and the petals are edible. Another edible flower, Dianthus or annual pinks, thrives in spring, but starts looking ratty after the weather really heats up.
For an early season pleasure that is definitely NOT edible, start seeds of sweet peas, Lathyrus, in small pots. They will need something to climb on if you cannot get them outside before they begin to climb. Start seeds around February 20 for transplant around March 20. This should give the sweet peas enough time to grow and bloom before the succumb to summer heat. The large, colorful, and exquisitely fragrant flowers are worth all the trouble, and they make good cut flowers, too.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Indoor Growing and a Word About Potatoes
If you cannot wait for spring, why not try growing a few veggies and herbs indoors this winter? A sunny windowsill or some artificial light will allow you not only to satisfy your gardening urge, but also to provide some welcome, out-of-season freshness in the kitchen.
If you have a south-facing window, you should be able to grow shade-tolerant greens and herbs. Some good ones to try are chervil, cilantro, and chives, all of which will grow without full sun. (In winter in Tennessee, a south-facing window is not nearly as bright as full summer sun.) With the addition of light, you can branch out into more demanding crops, like arugula, lettuce and corn salad.
I currently have an LED unit capable of illuminating about four square feet of growing space. We have lettuce, arugula, chives, chervil, cilantro, parsley and bak choy all growing well. LED lighting produces a lot of illumination for very little electricity. This unit, which is a prototype obtained from the manufacturer, consumes only 15 watts.
In two months, it will be time to plant potatoes. I mention this now, because you should now be ordering your seed potatoes online, if you want something other than the standard offerings we see around here. In my experience, Kennebec is the most common seed potato in the garden centers, with Red Pontiac being a close second. While I have seen heirlooms, most notably Irish Cobbler, available in recent years, they are not common. Another one you can often find is Yukon Gold, which is not only a great all-purpose potato but a good keeper, something important for home gardeners.
Contrary to popular belief, you can plant potatoes from the grocery store and they will grow. However, using them is not a good idea, as you may bring potato viruses, of which there are several, into your garden, making it difficult thereafter to produce potatoes. Play it safe and purchase certified virus free seed potatoes from a garden center or catalog.
I currently have an LED unit capable of illuminating about four square feet of growing space. We have lettuce, arugula, chives, chervil, cilantro, parsley and bak choy all growing well. LED lighting produces a lot of illumination for very little electricity. This unit, which is a prototype obtained from the manufacturer, consumes only 15 watts.
In two months, it will be time to plant potatoes. I mention this now, because you should now be ordering your seed potatoes online, if you want something other than the standard offerings we see around here. In my experience, Kennebec is the most common seed potato in the garden centers, with Red Pontiac being a close second. While I have seen heirlooms, most notably Irish Cobbler, available in recent years, they are not common. Another one you can often find is Yukon Gold, which is not only a great all-purpose potato but a good keeper, something important for home gardeners.
Contrary to popular belief, you can plant potatoes from the grocery store and they will grow. However, using them is not a good idea, as you may bring potato viruses, of which there are several, into your garden, making it difficult thereafter to produce potatoes. Play it safe and purchase certified virus free seed potatoes from a garden center or catalog.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Time for Early Plantings
Although the frigid temperatures outside may not be encouraging, now is the time to plant some slow growing crops for spring transplants. Leeks, celery, celery root and seed onions should all be started indoors by mid-January, in order to have plants ready for moving into the garden by the first week of March.
Gardeners with a coldframe should also think about starting lettuce and spinach indoors for moving to the coldframe in about a month. Other good early crop choices for coldframe production are corn salad, mizuna, bak choy, scallions, and mustards.
I have been experimenting with artificial light gardening for a number of years, and this season I am using an LED lighting system originally designed for aquarium illumination. While it is not ideal for plant production, it is certainly a far cry from the fluorescent shop lights I once used. The LED unit is compact, runs cool, uses only 15 watts of electricity and is producing a fine crop of microgreens and herbs for the kitchen.
If you are thinking about growing windowsill herbs this winter, start with chives, chervil and cilantro. They all grow easily from seed, do not mind crowding in the pot, and develop flavor at a young age. They all also tolerate light shade, and so will grow in a sunny window or under artificial lights more readily than more sun-loving crops. Cilantro microgreens only a couple of inches tall will brighten up your Latino or Asian dishes during the gloomy months. Chervil is almost too pretty to eat, but it adds a note of tarragon and parsley combined. Use it on vegetable or fish dishes, in particular. Chives can be used to bring a hint of onion flavor wherever you need it. If you start a few pots now and have some plants left over, you can transplant them to outdoor beds around the first of March, and they should grow and produce more herbs before the weather heats up. Chives is perennial, and clumps started from seed this spring may bloom next fall. They will certainly bloom when they are in their second season outside, especially if placed in full sun. Chervil will go to seed in May or June, as soon as the weather warms. Gather the needle-like seeds for a fall planting, and compost the rest of the plant. Chervil does not germinate well, so be sure to save a lot of seeds.
Gardeners with a coldframe should also think about starting lettuce and spinach indoors for moving to the coldframe in about a month. Other good early crop choices for coldframe production are corn salad, mizuna, bak choy, scallions, and mustards.
 |
| Free-standing coldframe |
If you are thinking about growing windowsill herbs this winter, start with chives, chervil and cilantro. They all grow easily from seed, do not mind crowding in the pot, and develop flavor at a young age. They all also tolerate light shade, and so will grow in a sunny window or under artificial lights more readily than more sun-loving crops. Cilantro microgreens only a couple of inches tall will brighten up your Latino or Asian dishes during the gloomy months. Chervil is almost too pretty to eat, but it adds a note of tarragon and parsley combined. Use it on vegetable or fish dishes, in particular. Chives can be used to bring a hint of onion flavor wherever you need it. If you start a few pots now and have some plants left over, you can transplant them to outdoor beds around the first of March, and they should grow and produce more herbs before the weather heats up. Chives is perennial, and clumps started from seed this spring may bloom next fall. They will certainly bloom when they are in their second season outside, especially if placed in full sun. Chervil will go to seed in May or June, as soon as the weather warms. Gather the needle-like seeds for a fall planting, and compost the rest of the plant. Chervil does not germinate well, so be sure to save a lot of seeds.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
New Year, New Garden
Happy New Year!
Even before New Year's Eve, we had received a couple of seed catalogs. Now, we have half a dozen, with more undoubtedly on the way. Whether you realize it or not, the 2015 gardening season has begun!
Now is the perfect time to think about what you will grow in your vegetable garden come spring, and seed catalogs are full of great suggestions. Trending this year are compact vegetable varieties suitable for containers or small space gardens. Plant breeders seem to have outdone themselves with lots of new tomatoes, peppers and squash, staples of the summer garden here in the South.
Tomatoes rank high on almost everyone's list, and there are varieties suitable for all kinds of growing situations, from patio pots to a traditional row garden. When looking for tomato varieties, consider how much support the plants will need. Indeterminate tomatoes typically grow a bit larger in Tennessee than the catalog listings indicate. Be prepared with a large, sturdy trellis. If you cannot provide appropriate support, consider one of the smaller tomato types that can be grown in a hanging basket.
Peppers, both hot and sweet, are also popular. Peppers are typically more compact than tomatoes, but nevertheless benefit from a cage or trellis. Some peppers bear so much fruit the branches will break if left unsupported. Several new introductions remain small and are suitable for patio containers.
Squash have gained a reputation for being uncontrollable sprawlers that take up too much room, but recent introductions promise gourmet-quality squash on compact plant. Most of the better summer squash types are Cucurbita pepo, a favorite target of the squash borer. The surefire, organic way to control this pest is to prevent its access to your plants. Keep squash covered with a row cover or grow tunnel until female flowers appear. Then, remove the cover to allow access by pollinators. Once the squash is mature, borers are less of a threat. A few varieties of summer squash are parthenocarpic, meaning they will set fruit without a pollinator. You can keep these types covered for the entire season. The cultivar 'Cavili' is one such. Another is 'Easypick Gold' shown in the photo.
Among the early, cool season crops, lettuce is probably the most rewarding one for small space gardens. Looseleaf and loosehead varieties of lettuce will give you the most salad greens per square foot. Butterhead lettuces, such as the miniature heirloom Tom Thumb, will grow to maturity in a six inch pot, and are pretty enough to partner with flowers. Scallions grow well with lettuce, and combine well in salad, too. We are partial to 'Parade' an annual scallion that makes long, straight onions with lots of white stalk.
Early January is the time to start celery, onions and leeks from seed, in order to have plants ready for moving outside around the first of March. Leeks and onions grow well in a sunny windowsill. For celery you will probably need supplemental lighting, unless you have a greenhouse. Supplemental lighting for growing vegetable plants indoors continues to improve. Many good choices are available. LED units are the most expensive, but have the lowest operating cost.
Here are some links to seed companies that you may want to investigate:
www.territorialseed.com
www.parkseed.com
www.southernexposure.com
www.jungseed.com
www.cooksgarden.com
www.seedsofchange.com
www.sowtrueseed.com
www.johnnyseeds.com
Even before New Year's Eve, we had received a couple of seed catalogs. Now, we have half a dozen, with more undoubtedly on the way. Whether you realize it or not, the 2015 gardening season has begun!
Now is the perfect time to think about what you will grow in your vegetable garden come spring, and seed catalogs are full of great suggestions. Trending this year are compact vegetable varieties suitable for containers or small space gardens. Plant breeders seem to have outdone themselves with lots of new tomatoes, peppers and squash, staples of the summer garden here in the South.
Tomatoes rank high on almost everyone's list, and there are varieties suitable for all kinds of growing situations, from patio pots to a traditional row garden. When looking for tomato varieties, consider how much support the plants will need. Indeterminate tomatoes typically grow a bit larger in Tennessee than the catalog listings indicate. Be prepared with a large, sturdy trellis. If you cannot provide appropriate support, consider one of the smaller tomato types that can be grown in a hanging basket.
Peppers, both hot and sweet, are also popular. Peppers are typically more compact than tomatoes, but nevertheless benefit from a cage or trellis. Some peppers bear so much fruit the branches will break if left unsupported. Several new introductions remain small and are suitable for patio containers.
Among the early, cool season crops, lettuce is probably the most rewarding one for small space gardens. Looseleaf and loosehead varieties of lettuce will give you the most salad greens per square foot. Butterhead lettuces, such as the miniature heirloom Tom Thumb, will grow to maturity in a six inch pot, and are pretty enough to partner with flowers. Scallions grow well with lettuce, and combine well in salad, too. We are partial to 'Parade' an annual scallion that makes long, straight onions with lots of white stalk.
Early January is the time to start celery, onions and leeks from seed, in order to have plants ready for moving outside around the first of March. Leeks and onions grow well in a sunny windowsill. For celery you will probably need supplemental lighting, unless you have a greenhouse. Supplemental lighting for growing vegetable plants indoors continues to improve. Many good choices are available. LED units are the most expensive, but have the lowest operating cost.
Here are some links to seed companies that you may want to investigate:
www.territorialseed.com
www.parkseed.com
www.southernexposure.com
www.jungseed.com
www.cooksgarden.com
www.seedsofchange.com
www.sowtrueseed.com
www.johnnyseeds.com
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Planning for Next Year
We are still tidying up here and there from last season's garden, and what should arrive in the mail last week but the new catalog from Park Seed (Greenwood, SC). I have awaited this catalog with great anticipation for more than 50 years, and each holiday season it never fails to delight. Only a few years ago did they modernize some of the photos. The pictures of children that used to appear, holding a giant sunflower, for example, or a really large tomato, were so old that many of those people no doubt have grandchildren by now. For sure, some were older than I am, because I remember seeing them in the catalog when I was a child.
Seed catalogs remind us that the best time to plan next year's vegetable garden is right after the holidays. Not only do the catalogs fill your mailbox, or inbox, at that time of year, but also thinking about a lush garden of vegetables and flowers is a great way to fight the post-holiday blues.
I note with pleasure that this year's catalog offers many new varieties of vegetables that are compact enough for container growing, something that is becoming every more popular in urban and suburban settings. When space is at a premium, a few large containers on a patio or balcony can produce a surprising amount of food. Besides a wide variety of herbs, lettuce and other greens are an excellent choice for containers.
Among the new cultivars that caught my eye in the Park Seed catalog:
Nasturtium 'Phoenix' is an interesting new selection with flame-like flowers in a variety of colors. Trailing nasturtiums are great "spillers" for a container herb and veggie garden.
Pak Choi 'Toy Choi' grows only 6 or 8 inches tall, perfect for a porch box or planter. Ready in 40 days, you can raise a crop before the weather warms up, getting double duty from the same container.
Arugula 'Speedy' provides another opportunity for a quick crop ahead of warm season vegetables like tomatoes. This new arugula selection matures in only 30 days.
Carrot 'Atlas' produces roots somewhat like radishes. It would make a good companion, in fact, for 'Park's Beauty Blend' radishes.
Among warm season crops, I am anxious to try Eggplant 'Patio Baby,' which produces mini-eggplants on plants remaining under two feet tall.
Pepper 'Sweet Pickle' and its hot, spicy cousin 'Cayennette' would look great flanking an entryway in 16-inch pots.
Another intriguing trend that plant breeders seem to be following: crossing two heirloom vegetables to produce a new hybrid. A great example is 'Genuwine' (pictured) which is the offspring of Costoluto Genovese and Brandywine. Expect higher yields, hybrid vigor, and excellent flavor.
We'll have more suggestions from the catalogs as they keep rolling in.
Seed catalogs remind us that the best time to plan next year's vegetable garden is right after the holidays. Not only do the catalogs fill your mailbox, or inbox, at that time of year, but also thinking about a lush garden of vegetables and flowers is a great way to fight the post-holiday blues.
I note with pleasure that this year's catalog offers many new varieties of vegetables that are compact enough for container growing, something that is becoming every more popular in urban and suburban settings. When space is at a premium, a few large containers on a patio or balcony can produce a surprising amount of food. Besides a wide variety of herbs, lettuce and other greens are an excellent choice for containers.
Among the new cultivars that caught my eye in the Park Seed catalog:
Nasturtium 'Phoenix' is an interesting new selection with flame-like flowers in a variety of colors. Trailing nasturtiums are great "spillers" for a container herb and veggie garden.
Pak Choi 'Toy Choi' grows only 6 or 8 inches tall, perfect for a porch box or planter. Ready in 40 days, you can raise a crop before the weather warms up, getting double duty from the same container.
 |
| Tomato Genuwine from Park Seed |
Carrot 'Atlas' produces roots somewhat like radishes. It would make a good companion, in fact, for 'Park's Beauty Blend' radishes.
Among warm season crops, I am anxious to try Eggplant 'Patio Baby,' which produces mini-eggplants on plants remaining under two feet tall.
Pepper 'Sweet Pickle' and its hot, spicy cousin 'Cayennette' would look great flanking an entryway in 16-inch pots.
Another intriguing trend that plant breeders seem to be following: crossing two heirloom vegetables to produce a new hybrid. A great example is 'Genuwine' (pictured) which is the offspring of Costoluto Genovese and Brandywine. Expect higher yields, hybrid vigor, and excellent flavor.
We'll have more suggestions from the catalogs as they keep rolling in.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
October Bounty
October brings all sorts of goodies. Apples, pumpkins,
glorious foliage, and mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms, in fact. Local foragers
have been out in the woods, bringing back treasures like the chicken of the
woods mushrooms I purchased today at the Market Square Farmer’s Market. Mossy
Creek Mushrooms was the vendor. I
received helpful suggestions on preparing the mushrooms, and an invitation to a
mushroom log cultivation workshop offered by Mossy Creek Mushrooms on Sunday,
October 26, beginning at 2:00 at Panther Creek State Park near Morristown. Find
more information on the Mossy Creek Mushrooms Facebook Page.
Chicken-of-the-woods, Laetiporus
sulphureus, typically appears on trees in October. Recent mycological
research indicates that this fungus only occurs east of the Rocky Mountains.
Several similar-appearing species constitute a group once thought to contain
only a single species. The “true” species lives on hardwood trees, often oaks,
and the fruiting body appears some distance off the ground. Related species
growing on conifers or near the ground should be avoided, despite the
superficially similar appearance. In fact, unless you are an experienced
mushroom forager, you should rely on the pros to find local edible mushrooms.
Chicken-of-the-woods should not be consumed raw. Clean them
of any surface debris, and place in a saucepan. Cover with water, add a big
pinch of salt and a dribble of vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and
simmer gently for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and use as you would a cooked
chicken breast.
Vegan “Chicken” Noodle Soup
2 ounces chicken-of-the-woods mushroom
1/3 cup EACH chopped onion, celery and carrot
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra-thin egg noodles
salt and freshly ground black pepper
minced fresh parsley
Prepare the mushroom as described. Chop into bite-size
pieces. Reserve. Place the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, and
heat gently, covered, until the onion is softened. Add the celery, carrots, bay
leaf, thyme, stock, and the reserved mushrooms. Adjust the heat and simmer,
covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the noodles,
salt as you prefer, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover the pan and
continue to cook until the noodles are done, about 5 more minutes. Serve
garnished with minced parsley.
The farmer’s market was also brimming with late summer
produce. Plenty of tomatoes, squash and eggplants are still available. Hot
peppers are really at peak season now, and cool season greens and brassicas are
back. I saw beautiful kohlrabi and cauliflower. Greens, from arugula to tatsoi,
seemed to be everywhere. Seeing the bounty at the market today, all from
regional farms, reminded me that Knoxville used to be known as the “asparagus
patch of the East Tennessee garden spot.” Our soils and climate are ideal for a
wide variety of vegetables, and the forested mountains to our east and west
support a mind-boggling diversity of edible wild plants, including
chicken-of-the-woods.
Speaking of wild plants, now is a good time to go looking
for elderberries. The juice makes great jelly and if you have enough you may
want to try making wine. Sumac, an important spice in Middle Eastern cooking,
as well as in the cuisine of Native Americans, is showing off its bright red,
pointed seedheads as if they were flaming torches. Cut the entire head and
allow to dry at room temperature. Sumac adds a lemony flavor. Persimmons will
be ripening, but you should wait until after a frost to gather them. Wild
grapes are ripening, and several cultivated varieties derived from them are
available at the farmer’s market.
Now is also a great time to stock up on vegetables that store
well without much fuss. Turnips and kohlrabi should go in the crisper or in a
root cellar. Sweet potatoes, pumpkins and winter squashes all keep best in
warm, dry conditions, such as a dark closet or pantry. Many varieties of apples
keep well if cold and dry. Check with the farmer for advice on storing any of
the late season produce you see at the farmer’s market.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Plant Fall Greens Now!
The coming week will be your last opportunity to plant fall greens. Some of the best performers for this time of year are kale, mustards, and turnips.
Kale and other brassica plants are showing up in the garden centers. It is too late to start broccoli and cabbage from seed, but kales, especially the really cold hardy ones like 'Red Russian' and 'Lacinato,' will be able to make decent growth before the first frost. The plants are sufficiently cold hardy to provide a harvest well into December.
With about 45 days remaining until the first expected frost, look for greens crops that will mature quickly. Top choices include the turnip variety 'Seven Top,' and various mustards. Mizuna, tatsoi and bak choy. These Asian mustards will all mature before it gets too cold, as will both curly and red European mustard varieties. Also in the mustard family, radishes will have plenty of time to mature before frost. You can get in 2 or 3 sowings, a few days apart, between now and the end of the month. Another good choice is arugula. Plant small amounts every few days for a succession of crops in October.
All these greens are good in salads when they are small, and can be used as cooked greens when they get larger.
Garden centers also have lettuce plants in cell trays. If you don't already have some lettuce seeds germinating, the commercial plants will give you a quick crop or two before frost reduces the quality.
While you are at the garden center, why not purchase a row cover tunnel for your garden? Using one of these tunnels will protect late crops from frost, and extend the growing season by a week or two at least. Given the cost of fresh salad greens, the small investment in a row cover is paid back the first season in our garden.
With about 45 days remaining until the first expected frost, look for greens crops that will mature quickly. Top choices include the turnip variety 'Seven Top,' and various mustards. Mizuna, tatsoi and bak choy. These Asian mustards will all mature before it gets too cold, as will both curly and red European mustard varieties. Also in the mustard family, radishes will have plenty of time to mature before frost. You can get in 2 or 3 sowings, a few days apart, between now and the end of the month. Another good choice is arugula. Plant small amounts every few days for a succession of crops in October.
All these greens are good in salads when they are small, and can be used as cooked greens when they get larger.
Garden centers also have lettuce plants in cell trays. If you don't already have some lettuce seeds germinating, the commercial plants will give you a quick crop or two before frost reduces the quality.
While you are at the garden center, why not purchase a row cover tunnel for your garden? Using one of these tunnels will protect late crops from frost, and extend the growing season by a week or two at least. Given the cost of fresh salad greens, the small investment in a row cover is paid back the first season in our garden.
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