Monday, June 14, 2010



Three weeks ago we had snow on the ground and highs in the 40s. Today is hot 86 degrees. Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, leeks and fennel are in the ground. Sowed 3 lettuces, and cucumbers. Fennel and leeks are ready now.
I plan only a small garden this year, water rates went up and they were high to begin with.
No squash this year, everybody has it so we will trade.
I plan a salad and salsa garden, ie. if it goes in salad or salsa I will grow it. Except peppers they never do well in my soil. Oh and of course parsley, garlic, shallots (just pulled out) basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Winter again



Winter always seems to arrive every year at about the same time, amazing I know. Can't we just skip it?

No Excuses, but it was an interesting Summer and Fall



Well I did fully intend to document my garden this year, but it took a backseat to other issues.
Like my health for instance, work and an educational non-profit that I help with. I am one of three directors. If you know about the 20 80 rule I am one of the 20 percent, and was very busy.
The garden did well, but not great.
I spoke with many other gardeners in the area, some 12 miles from my garden, and found that they had similar issue this past summer.
For instance, it seems that everything, and I mean all the summer and early fall crops, were very late showing any vigorous growth. Seedlings took sometimes 8 weeks to get growing. We did have a fairly cool June so that is probably why.
Cole crops, broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts all had aphids and ruined the crop.
We are all asking ourselves why our raspberries didn't fruit!
Funny thing is, with cool weather in June my tomato crop was one of the most prolific ever!
Lettuces in my garden and elsewhere in this area were terrible. I thought with a cool June that they would do well. I planted 5-6 different varieties every two to three weeks and nothing worth noting happened. They all sucked wind.
My squashes were not nearly as abundant as past year, and varieties my Aunt Pat gave me from Italy did not do well, nor did any peppers. My pumpkins also did horrible.
Leeks, potatoes, onions, shallots carrots, tomatoes did very well. So this winter it has been potage parmentier, soups and stews. I also froze a boatload of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes.
Well like other gardeners it the time of year to enjoy our seed catalogs, and get down to ordering seeds.
I will try again this spring, both in the garden and on this blog.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Sprouts, and Planting, Finally




I got some help from Rudy our cat. He is checking to see if the Italian Cucumbers my Aunt Pat set me have sprouted yet. They haven't, it's only been three days.
My carrots, squash, Romaine lettuce, onions, and others are finally sprouting.
Middle photo shows some Romaine in foreground, behind it is Broccoli Rabe, and third row is broccoli and Brussel sprouts.
I put up a small trellis of fence posts and chicken wire for my pole beans, Roma II, and Blue Lake. The Blue Lake seeds are a year old so I'm taking a chance, we'll see if anything pops up.
The squash, melons and some cucumber are in "hills", although I have some cucumber in rows.
Tomatoes are still VERY small under the patio cover. I will plant tomatoes after checking the weather.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Not a lot to report

With such a late frost date, June 15th, I still have my seedlings in the kitchen window. Tomatoes are doing well and I did plant my potatoes, carrots and onions in the garden, but not much to see yet. Fennel looks good, apple tree is starting to show a few blooms, my Brussel sprouts, broccoli, rainbow chard and cabbage seem to be growing slowly.
June 15th we'll go "wild with the planting!
Squashes, 3 types, lettuce several varieties, radish, French Breakfast, cucumbers lemon, Verde Ortalani and Marketmore, celery, melons, 3 varieties including watermelon, Charentais , Jarrahdale pumpkins, peppers, herbs and catnip for our kitties will be direct planted around the first of June.
Patience, patience, patience!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

More wildflowers





My wife, Becky and I headed towards Lake Isabella for a picnic. Along the way we took some Photos of the wildflowers. They are peaking in the high country as they are here in Stallion Springs now..

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes, and Other good Stuff

Well I've finished planting Beefsteaks, Yellow Pear, Stupice, and Roma Tomatoes. Added more peas, and dug my trenches for my Potatoes, Yukon Golds, Pontiac Reds and Russets. This weekend we'll also plant Scarlet Nantes Carrots, Romaine Lettuce, Oak Leaf Lettuce, maybe some Escarole.

When Planting potatoes I dig large deep trenches (about 4"-6" deep), plant the seed potatoes, cover with about 2"inches of soil. Once they grow to about 6' inches in height I cover with about 2 more inches of soil. I continue to mound soil around them until the rows are approximately 4" high. This allows for a higher yield. When the leaves start to brown I discontinue watering so that the skin will dry and get thicker. Weeks later it's harvest time. You know I should pick up some fingerlings they are always fun to cook.