Some Thoughts On Starting Seeds

I'm a gardener of average skill and knowledge. I have grown many things successfully from seed that I have directly sown into the ground. (peas, radish, turnips, sunflowers, beans, morning glory, lettuce, spinach).

Most years I just buy plants at the nursery when it's time for Tomatos, peppers, etc.... This year I decided to try and grow some veggies from seed by starting seeds inside. I choose broccoli, 2 kinds of tomato and onions. I read up a little on seed starting, ordered my seeds and then I was in business. I also ordered seeds that I sowed directly into the ground (Arugula, Spinach, Peas)

I have mixed feelings about this whole thing. Not only did this become a daily chore for me to have to remember but I only grew 2 kinds of tomato. (I'm giving a bunch away but they look nothing like the robust transplants at the nursery this time of year.) This year, many of the nurseries that I frequent got in on the heirloom vegetable resurgence and have offered so many different varities. You can buy one of each for about $1.69 and I ended up purchasing a bunch of tomatos as well. (purple, striped, dwarf, yellow) of course a seed grown tomato costs a lot less than $1.69 but a plant produces enough fruit that I can be satisfied with that return on investment. Also, I'm only growing 9 tomato plants. If I was growing 30, then starting seeds might be a better option for me.

The onions were so scrawny that they didnt transplant well at all. I finally put 2 clumps in and figure the clumps will be big enough in the fall for me to transplant for next year.

The broccoli. Well Im excited because Im growing a kind I can't find in transplants. However, something in my garden has snapped the stem of a few already so I filled the spaces with brussles sprouts from a nursery. It's much less frustrating replanting something you just bought rather than something you've been growing since February!

The heirloom spinach had a VERY low germination rate and I imagine that is why people stopped planting it. I had to supplement with a local brand of seeds-The cost was less and seeds acclimated to my area.

The jury is still out on the peas. I saw flowers today so peas are in my future.

First Harvest!

Today, May 22nd, I harvested the first thing from this year's garden.

Broccoli Rabe (Rappi) that, with the July-like temps of the last few days, flowered yesterday, way earlier than I expected. The stalks really didn't have enough time to get very big around and they were a little tough at the bottom. Certainly not the best veggie that I've ever harvested from my yard, but as the first this year, it was still pretty darn great.

I sauteed these up with some olive and sesame oils and then added some of the Chineese Green Onion Sauce that my husband whipped up for the Chineese wings he grilled tonight.

New Header

Like my new header? Stuff is growing around here! You can see my lovely chives mixed in with geraniums and those little seedlings behind the chives-Turnips!

My Own Planting Progress

I really need to post some new pictures, the garden ALREADY looks different!

So far I have planted the following:
Potatoes
Leeks
Turnips
Onions
Shallots
Broccoli
Broccoli Rabe (Rappi)
Arugula
Lettuce (various kinds)
Spinach
Shelling Peas
Snow Peas
Golden Beets (I'm not sure on the progress of these. They seem to be taking a long time and I've never grown them before.
Rhubarb
Garlic (I planted this last fall)
Horseradish (again, planted last fall)
Dill-I actually didn't plant it, it's sprouting from some seed from last year, I'm just letting it grow!)
Radishes
Brussels Sprouts
Oregano (had already)
Sage (Ditto)
Winter Savory (Ditto)
Chives (Ditto)
Thyme (Ditto)
Tarragon (Ditto)

Wow-On paper that looks like more than it does to me out in the garden. Perhaps it's because the garden is bigger than it ever was or perhaps it's because some of that stuff is still small and no where near ready to eat.

Mother's Day Garden Update

Well we took the raised bed over to my parents today and I have to say-My mom was surprised and a bit perplexed. Like why would we expect her to GROW FOOD??? By the end of construction though, I could feel her warming up to the idea. I could tell she was having fun as we sat down and designed what kind of food she was going to have in it. She even called me tonight to thank me again and say she thinks it will be really neat when things start to grow.

I'm setting things out in a Square Foot Gardening configuration and her 4' x 8' garden will contain:

-1 Tomato, I am also making a homemade earthbox for an additional tomato
-2 Broccoli
-2 Pepper
-2 Eggplant
-1 Zucchini
-2 Bush cucumbers
-Green onions that she can cut early and use for, well, green onions.
-9 Onions that will grow into full size onions
-Parsley
-Basil-The funny thing about this is she asked if she could dry it. So hmm...she went from being perplexed by the whole thing to wondering about drying herbs in the space of like 2 hours. I think my plan is working......
-Marigolds in the corners
-1 separate planter of lettuce


I'll post some pictures when all the more tender veggies are planted.

If you think you don't have room to grow veggies!

When I worked at Citibank and became a manager I was upgraded to a great cubicle (Is it even legal to use those words in the same sentence???) It had 6ft tall sunny window that ran the length of the cube with a huge window sill. It looked over a large expansive lawn with gorgeous trees that turned a fiery orange in fall. It was the best seat I ever sat in during my corporate world work days. I had some plants but nothing edible.

I also worked with some IT geeks at Paychex who were growing pea vines in their office window. Urban gardeners before it was even cool!!! Sadly, at Paychex, I had a dreary cube in the middle of a building that had tinted windows. While the job was great, the surroundings were suffocating.

If I worked in the corporate world today THIS is what I would be tending at my desk!

Earthbound Farms Clamshell Lettuce Garden

I am going to try this next winter. I think I'll do lettuce and arugula. Arugula is my very favorite green and is always in short supply in the winter. This past winter I bought 2 small bunches for $5 at the Long Season Market because I missed it so much. This winter I will raise my own!!

Making Food Production a Family Affair!

My brother and I have come up with an AWESOME (I think) Mother's Day Gift for our mom!

He is building her a 4' x 8' raised bed with some scrap wood of and we are going to fill it with a small veggie garden for her. I have also already started a large rectangle planter of salad greens that is growing quite well.

My mom has never been a gardener but she does love her potted plants on the patio. She's good about caring for them and I imagine will be good about a veggie garden (especially one from her kids!) Ohhh....Great idea-I just had the thought to have my daughter make her a sign for it! She'll love it even more!

I just feel so strongly that people should learn to produce some of their own food. As soon as you have the garden, the rest is relatively easy-Water, weed & consume!

I've also been encouraging my brother, who is a landscaper, to grow some of his own food as well this year. So far he is off and running with peas, snow peas, radishes, lettuce, 2 brussles sprouts, broccoli and potatoes!

Romanesco Broccoli

Have you ever seen such pretty broccoli????

Romanesco Broccoli!

Yesterday I planted 14 plants! I have started many more seedlings than that and am having trouble deciding how many more to plant. I'll give the ones that I don't use to my brother and some gardening friends but first I need to decide how much is enough for me.

On one hand, this is supposed to be amazing tasting broccoli. On the other, since they were started and planted all at the same time, they will probably all mature at the same time. That's a lot of broccoli for 3 people. I don't know how this is frozen but I will try and freeze a few heads. Sure, I could give some to my parents and friends, but the garden exists mostly to grown food for us. Of course most people I know probably have not eaten this so it would be a real novelty to give away. Lastly, space. I think I have a lot of space this year, but I'm nervous because I don't want to fill it up with cool season vegetables to the point that I have little room leftover for summer stuff. (I've already decided only ONE zucchini!)

Seedlings

For the past month or so I have been babying these little guys in my basement under a grown light.

Even though I've successfully grown vegetables before, I have never done any from seed! This year I waded into what, for me, is new territory.

What you see are are Romanesco Broccoli, and 3 heirloom tomato varieties ' (Brandywine, Raad Red, and genovese) Raad Red might not be an heirloom as much as it is a production variety good for canning. Problem is I lost the labels so I can't figure out who is who. I'm hoping Google Images might be able to help me as they get bigger as they do have really different leaves.

My next step is hardening these babies off to be able to survive outside. What needs to happen is that I need to put them outside a little at a time to get use to it out there other wise they won't acclimate and shrivel up and die. (or some similar fate!) The broccoli I will start with this weekend. The tomatoes (which I just re-potted into single pots) will need to wait a few more weeks!

There are also tiny onions in the upper right corner. My MIL's cat that I am watching actually ATE the first bunch of onions I planted (who knew cats eat onions?) so I only have a few from seed. I got worried and ended up buying some onion sets, which I planted this past weekend. 89 onions!!! That may sound like a lot but I'm hoping to store some as well as use some as green onions over the course of the summer.

You Say Potato...

This past weekend I received my potato order from Seed Savers Exchange, a company that specializes in heirloom vegetables.

I've never grown potatoes before. I ordered the smallest amount which was a 2 1/2 lb bag. They assure me that this can plant a 50 ft row!!! I am going to try some in the driveway bed but I am also going to construct some potato towers to see how those work as well.


The variety I ordered is called La Ratte and is a french fingerling potato

Since potatoes are so cheap you may wonder why I'm even bothering.

From Mother Earth News regarding La Ratte:

‘La Ratte’ came into being through many years of selection by farmers in the Ardêche region of France. It became a culinary favorite upon its introduction to Paris markets in the late 1800s.

The flavor of ‘La Ratte’ is unique — not quite earthy, a little on the mushroom side. Its skin is the color of parchment, but the flesh is yellowish-white. The yellow deepens in storage, and over time, the potato sweetens. The tubers are 6 to 8 inches in length, a little bumpy and slightly bent like a horn. In fact, because of their shape, fingerlings are sometimes referred to as “horns” or “pinecones.”

‘La Ratte’ is quite versatile in the kitchen, with a wonderful buttery texture. Like most fingerlings, it is perfect in salads. But it’s also frequently paired with smoked foods, and some cooks like to smoke the tubers themselves.

That sounds like a pretty good endorsement!

In The Beginning

Well these spring pictures don't do much for me actually, but they are the start of my official homesteading project!

I will change the header as the garden grows or as I produce something a little more interesting than a deer fence! But oh, what a deer fence it is! NO STINKING WHITE TAIL DEER IS GOING TO MAKE IT'S WAY INTO MY FOOD THIS YEAR. Ok, now that that's off my chest, I actually DO have a few things growing in this backyard already.
Last year's leeks and some tarragon beginning to grow. Those leeks actually need to move soon to make way for some broccoli . Tiny Tiny Broccli Rabe

Oregano
Garlic!! I'm good at growing garlic. Ok, don't let me fool you, it's the easiest thing ever to grow!
The first pea shoots! I have been waiting so long for theses. I planted a little too early and didn't think they were ever coming up.
Flower garden that is becoming an Herb/Onion garden this summer. It's outside of the fence and deer won't eat herbs or alliums. Please notice my broken birdbath that, was knocked over by, what else, a deer.

Beginning of driveway bed. It was originally an old hedge row where I intended to plant grass. Right after the hedge was taken up someone gave me 6 zucchini plants. It was a great garden and retains heat from the driveway. Now I'm making it bigger. That big dent is where I drove through it this past winter. Obviously I'm not planting anything permanent here. I originally thought about a blueberry hedge but am rethinking that logic. I think turnips/beets/radish. Deer seem to leave those alone.