End of Season Summary

The tomatoes grew 5 feet tall, and we had ripe toms by July 4th. The Tomcat Hybrids were the first ones to ripen.  The beans did well as long as they had water. The algae bloomed in the lake and clogged the drip irrigation so we had major problems delivering water to contend with. We used portable rainbirds to water with.  The squash grew very well, and we will grow less summer squash next time. And more winter squash.

In August we harvested 100 pounds of tomatoes in one morning and we canned 70 quarts of tomato soup from them over 2 following days.  We canned chutneys, sauces, pickles, and preserves. From around the garden and our from our back yard we harvested chestnuts, peaches, apricots, apples, grapes, and figs, and walnuts.

All in all it was a very successful season and we look forward to next year!

Garden progress is tremendous!

I wish I had the camera! Loren has it with him right now.

The tomatoes are over 5.5 feet tall now, and they have outgrown the cages due to my inattendance at times to cage training.  The plants are impressive and tremendous. They are loaded with fruit.

The rows are actually 45 feet long, so there are even more of them there than I thought. Especially the bush beans. I am harvesting the bush beans right now, and the pole beans that I’m not saving for seed. I am canning them today. So many shapes and colors!
And the summer squash! Wow! What a performance those plants are putting out. I’m baking lots of zuke bread and freezing it. Some bigger ones that escaped our notice until too late are going to the chooks.

We are having some irrigation problems with algae, even with filters in line. It clogs up the T-tape holes.  Have to flush the lines repeatedly to try and help it along.  I wish I had more, but I can’t keep up with weeding what I have.

Am going to start planning for next year while ideas and notes are fresh in my head from this year right now.

This is June of 2007. My garden is above. I no longer garden at home except hydroponically. Now I have garden space at Monty's farm down the road. Look at how good my plants are doing! If you want to know how to grow the best tomato transplants ever, email me and I'll tell you my secrets! These plants are only 5 weeks in the ground and loaded with fruit!

A bit of snowy intermission

I haven't posted here in a while, since I started my own blog on my tomato website. One great thing about having your own server, is you can play around with it as much as you like.

My husband used the new tiller to do a square in the lower garden. I planted Bermuda onion plants, the larger cabbage and cauliflower plants, and I transplanted some garlic plants that were crowded and gone wild in the lower garden from years past. I mulched the area with alfa hay, the store was out of straw.

We hauled 50 bags of steer manure, plus seed starting mix, the very best organic potting soil, and other stuff. We till it into the garden as we work.

Right now, we are visiting my daughter in MN. Yesterday there was a blizzard, and we had to drive from Luci's home back to my Mom's house and our hotel. We saw numerous accidents, as it was very slippery. So we are getting our dose of cold and snow for the year. It was hard to leave home, as it was 80 degrees, and our front yard flowers were in full bloom. I hate missing them. I would so much rather be home.

We get home next week, and the very next day Loren is coming over to work for us for 2 days. He is tackling the tilling of the lower garden, and things like that. I am going to work with him just part of the time, as I have other work waiting for me when we get home. Hopefully I'll have photos to post when I get home.

Spring Garden Progress

Since I last wrote, Loren has cut down the dead Buddleia tree that fell over amongst the apple trees. The tiller arrived, and we assembled it and it works great! We got the 85 strawberry plants planted in the terra cotta Mexican jars. 35 Tristar, and 50 Seascape. Stan helped me empty them out of the old, bad dirt, and we refilled them coco-fiber/coir potting soil that holds more moisture than regular potting soil. Then I tilled the upper garden with 4 bags of steer manure in it and planted potatoes. Pink Wink, Charlotte, and Butterfinger, plus one yellow/white I don't recall the name of from last year.

Indoors I started tomato and pepper seeds about 4 days ago. About 75% have sprouted of the tomatoes, no sign of the peppers yet. Tonight I am starting 6 packs of each one starting tonight, so they will grow under Scott's care while we are gone from the 9th of March to the 20th or so. 11 kinds of tomatoes, and 4 peppers. I am getting excited!

Henry Field's Seed and Nursery sent me a catalogue with a preferred customer sale. Selected seeds at 2 for 1 pricing. I couldn't resist and got peas, beans, broccoli, and other stuff. I don't know if I'll plant it all, but we do have plenty of room if we conquer the whole back yard by May.

Tomorrow I will post pictures of the cabbage plants. They have gotten really big! I have to go now, as I am wetting down the special seed starting mix in the flats.

Young Earliana cabbage plant 3 wks old. 

Wednesday is the Big Day

Well, Wednesday is looking to be an eventful day.

First of all, we are going up to Willits with a trailer, and are hauling home a ton of bagged cow manure, ground oystershell, rice hulls, organic potting soil with coco fiber, and some other stuff to rehab the dirt gardens.

Loren is driving over to work on his days off from the Inn. He is unloading the trailer, and carrying stuff to the garden spaces. He is also briging a chainsaw to cut down the dead tree.

The new Mantis Electric Tiller arrives Wednesday. And so does the 2 additional bean towers from Burpee.

Yippee! What a fun day it is going to be!

I am all ready for seed starting in earnest March 1st. I have the new heating mat, and the light and table as I told you earlier. I have the seeds.

I have been transplanting more raab and cabbage into larger grow cubes. I have 7 celery seedlings growing, tiny tiny little things they are. The seeds are like dust. The bok choi is up and growing its first true leaves. One of the 9 yr old broccoli seeds sprouted. We'll see if it is healthy or not. It is growing slowly, and has not popped up it's head yet.

March 1st we start the tomato seeds, and many others, like flowers. I am getting new planting trays and cells Wednesday. Will be properly prepared for the Big Day.