Basement Salads

I'm experimenting with what I can grow in the basement (to eat) overwinter. Already some things haven't worked out and others have proven successful.

What hasn't worked: I bought some of that moisture retaining potting mix because it was dirt cheap on sale. Seeds rotted in it. Stuff that wouldn't germinate: beans, peas, cucumbers, squash. I have 1 bean, 1 pea and 1 squash seed (by another method). *Might be good for houseplants, but not for starting seeds.

What has worked: Greens continue to do well and we are eating regular salads. I'm hoping to get to the point where daily salads are an option. It looks like I can cut from the same pots about every 5-10 days. I'm leaf-pruning, rather than topping plants off. Growing: Red Russian Kale, Lettuces, Frilly Mustard. Other happy plants- cilantro, oregano, parsley, jalapeno, a volunteer tomato plant, eggplant, alpine strawberry (no fruit yet, but coming).

The New Experiment

This one is set up with 3 shop lights fairly high over plants.

This is working out fine for already established plants, but

seedlings aren't loving it. In this picture- jalapeno, calendula, violas,

brugmansia, oregano, parsley, green onions, chard, alpine strawberries,

1 squash, 1 pea, 1 bean, alyssum, turnips, eggplant, 1 fig, stocks,

pomegranate in foreground.

Greens doing well

frilly mustards- my fav

 Mixed Greens

I was swooned by the internet powers to order this LED light.

It may significantly reduce energy deman, but it is not proving to grow

better or faster plants. Plus, it's really hard to look at or be near it.

How to overwinter a Jalapeno to eat from

Yank Jalapeno from pot it was in.

Wow, that's a small root ball.

 Line bottom of pot with leaves. 

Adds fiber, minerals, beneficial microbes.

Stake it. Harvest all peppers to help

adjust from transplant shock. Energy to go to

new root making.

New peppers already forming. No new flowers yet.

Happy Oregano & Parsley

Alpine Strawberry & Green Onions

From front to back: 1 pea, 1 bean, 1 tomato

Back row: Stock, Eggplant

Middle: Stock, Violas

Front: Chard transplants, Dill, Alpine Strawberry

Other set up. Much closer to lights.

 Cilantro

Overwintering Non-Edibles

Fuschia

 Coleus cuttings have already rooted (from Oct 4)

 Various houseplants in the basement...

And Houseplants in the windows...

Spider plant, Meyer Lemon, Fragrant Olive, Fern

Outdoor Activities

Fall Blooming Speciosus Crocus- bloomed w/o leaves Row 2

Saffron Crocus is sending up leaves.

Had 2 blooms. Rows 1 & 3

 Planted to the right of the East side Orchard entrance

I've been planted Darwin Tulips & Purple Sensation Alliums on the streets.

Still need to plant the spring crocuses in the new 2016 bed.

Critters (in the basement garden)

Food stuff

Cauliflower Patties- from the Cauliflower Tot recipe

So good.

Crap I need to do when the Queen is done napping

Put away laundry.

Happy (if possible) Election Day and Late Fall!

August Hate- An Annual Tradition

I've noticed a theme developing. I hate my garden come late August. I looked back to last year's August post and I have the very same thoughts today. Synopsis: the garden was fine and then we got a lot of rain and the weeds and mosquitoes took over and I don't want to be in it. (3rd wettest July in recorded history btw)

I wore long pants, a flannel shirt with collar up and clogs to do a wee bit of gardening in this morning and still got swarmed in the face. I asked the hubs if I could borrow his bee veil yesterday. He asked why- to garden in, of course. This is a note to you, dear Laura, to lower your expectations of August. In fact, have none.
All this being said, the maters, peppers and eggplant are still producing, but the smartweed is smarter than I and conquers my world.

So, when August hell comes I turn to garden indoors. I have to get excited about something and that something is going to be Fall & Winter gardening. Each year I think I become more in love with Winter gardening. There are no weeds and no bugs and a lot fewer other yard chores to distract me. It's just simple. However, everything grows at a much slower pace, but the veggies are much sweeter. Trade-offs.

I need to keep better notes on when I start seeds for fall/winter plants. I thought I wrote something down when I started the first ones for this year, but now I can't seem to find the date. I believe it was the last week in July or first week in August. Regardless, the first flats have moved outside and under bug cloth.

From R to L: Bunching Onions, Nero Kale, Bright Lights Chard, 

Frilly Mustard (my fav), a lettuce mix and more frilly mustard. 

I started another couple of flats last night and ran out of potting mix. Ran to the store. Then I decided to do some more indoor-garden greens, as I remember having success with them in year's past. I used some old containers, fresh potting mix. The three below are: 2 lettuce mixes and 1 Siberian Dwarf Kale. Want to fill this entire shelf with fresh winter indoor greens.

Indoor winter green beds started today

Outdoor Prep

The spring/summer beds in the orchard were pretty much done. The perpetual chard had gone to seed, the kale had been eaten back to nubs, the ruby orach (don't grow again-same as Lamb's Quarter) seeded, so I weeded what needed and opened the bird netting to let the chickens do the rest of the work, which they got to scratching in no time. The free garden prep is nice considering the skeeter hell. I believe I have about 48 square feet to fill in orchard beds. The Minutina/ Erba Stella (a perennial, info here) has grown well all summer and now the leaves are a bit hairy, so I've decided to not eat it until winter. I tried it this summer and it was ok. Hoping it will sweeten with lowering temps. There is also some very small Good King Henry (also a perennial green) that made it under the shade of the Ruby Orach and 4 alpine strawberries in one bed. The soil needs to be raised a bit and then I will plant transplants in all of the beds once they are ready and the bugs and heat have subsided. Ideally I would like each of these beds to hold some perennial food that the chickens and I can enjoy. 

Garden inspired food stuff

Spinach, caramelized onion, brie

and roasted tom, basil, brie pizzas

 Chinese Eggplant, Frying Pepper and Tofu stir fry.

 Tomato, Red Onion, Olive, Mint over Polenta cubes

 Left: Roasted beans over polenta cubes

Putting Up or By

I haven't canned anything yet. Only froze a couple of bags of maters. Bought a dozen ears of corn from the local farm yesterday. Froze 6 ears. Peaches in at the farm- fresh eating only.
I really need to get on canning some tomatoes and freezing eggplant before things get away from me. Oh, and clean out the freezer from last year's put ups. 

Loathing and embracing August hell. Happy Gardening, L

Spring Break

Spring break began Friday, March 11th with a high of 75F and ends today with snow (promptly melting of course). Expected freeze (30F) tonight. And today is the first day of Spring!

What is in bloom (that faces impending doom): Spicebush, Plum, Peach, Apricot, Honeyberry.
Also in bloom: Hellebores, Daffodils, Hyacinth

Varying Hellebores in the Northeastern Perimeter bed

 

Growing on 

Mache, Chinese Cabbage, Red Kale  and Perpetual Chard overwintered in coldframes (above)

 First Asparagus

Bitter Endive reseeds about the yard

Under lights

Little Lupine doing well (above)

All of the tomato plants are up (but the ground cherries are not) (below)

Began transplanting peppers this weekend.

 

Projects: New Upright Cold frame

I decided to build an upright cold frame inspired by one I saw on the internet. I plan to use it for storing nursery plants, overwintering, cold stratification, late summer starts (for the fall/winter garden), early spring starts and hardening off. It's like an unheated greenhouse, but cheaper and with a small footprint. I plan to build doors at some point (fall probably). It also now has walls on both sides (the one on the right is missing in this pic) Below with temporary plastic covering. 

 Will have 3 shelves. I think I already have them full.

I made need a second one. ; )

Projects: The Orchard Overhaul continues

Beds were topped with compost, conduit frames and bird nettting.

I discovered the chickens won't go near this stuff. Why hasn't anyone

written about this yet?! It's a game changer.

Ready for planting. 

 Pots were topped with compost and protective bird netting.

 Papi in foreground. Angry Mattilda was moved

into his new home just behind the blooming Plums.

 Going to plant a Fig in this double tire.

Hoping the tire will work as insulation for winter-keeping.

 The raspberry beds got new frames (below)

Squiggy supervising.

 Pots circle the south side of the hoophouse. 1 lavendar

was planted. Waiting for warm up!

And inside the hoop (below). Chard, Kale, Collards, 

Arugula, Mustard, leeks, Green onions

Hardy Kiwi leafing out (below)

Other Spring Break Activities:

Spent most of Friday burning at a coworker's place. 

I doubt there is better weather to end spring break than snow. It keeps me inside so my body can heal and I can get some grading done!       View from office window looking down into the orchard (aka beeyard. chickenyard).

It's been a gorgeous and productive week. Thankful for my awesome job.