Wonderful Wonderful Raspberries and More!

Raspberries and Boysenberries

It is that time of the year when fresh raspberries are available from early summer to fall when you grow them yourself.  Raspberries are easy to grow in most places. At this time I just grow the red raspberries, but plan on planting some black raspberries (which are firmer than the red) in the future. 

A year ago I attempted to transplant many of my raspberry plants to a bit shadier bed that I created under the edge of my grape arbor. The transplanted plants are growing okay (especially if I keep up the watering), but they are not producing this year. I was planning on moving some boysenberries into the old raspberry bed this year. These boysenberries where bred over a number of years for this area - in fact for my very neighborhood. Oh, and I forgot to mention that they are thornless.  

The old raspberry bed is producing lots of berries everyday (Yumm!), so I will leave them alone until the end of the season.  I have been eating them for breakfast on a little cottage cheese. Here was today's bowl of raspberries and a couple boysenberries. So wonderful as they melt in my mouth. And of course it is hard not to graze when picking a basket of them. They have such a rich delicate flavor. Raspberries are so easy to harvest and the tiny tiny thorns/stickers are almost indiscernible. The only time I feel them is when I am breaking/snapping out old dead canes. Yet, I have solved this problem by buying a new raspberry cane cutter. It is a very cool tool with a curved blade that makes it easy to snap/cut out old canes. It was a Christmas present to myself this last year. 

According to an October/November 2002 Mother Earth article, "Raspberries are high in fiber and vitamin C, and are a rich source of the anticancer compound ellagic acid. Black raspberries are especially fruitful in antioxidant and cancer preventive agents. Fresh raspberries are highly perishable and are best used within one to two days for peak quality, flavor and nutrient content. Rinse berries with cold water just before using."

This is my first year for getting a good crop from the boysenberries. I have only had them for a little over a year. I have been freezing them to bake a boysenberry pie. I am sure I have enough now, but they keep coming on, which is a wonderful surprise.

My blackberries will start later in the summer, which is nice. I have had these plants for many many years and they are thornless too! I freeze lots of blackberries every year.

I use my frozen berries in pies, cobblers and muffins. Sprinkle over cottage cheese, ice cream or pancakes and they make for a real treat.  Or one can make a quick raspberry (or any one of these berries) berry spread by mixing 2 tablespoons crushed berries with 1/3 cup soft butter and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

So, the main question I am currently pondering is what kind of berry (other than blueberries - which I have 2 plants already) will I plant next and where in my very intensively planted backyard city farm/garden will they live?

I hope you seriously entertain the idea of growing berries. They are so easy to grow and offer wonderful rewards.

I believe Spring is finally here!

This month we have had a lot of rain and thunderstorms, (much needed after such a dry winter with no snow to speak of in the mountains) and even had hail one day. A very cold and dramatic April it has been. A true 'April Showers for May Flowers' event!! 

As a consequence of all this cold weather, our usual spring plant date of March 23rd has been put off. I do believe that it may now be warm enough to plant my peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. They have (well some of them) been hanging out in our greenhouse and the others I will have to purchase still. 

Another reason to NOT get right out in the garden, is that everything around my raised beds is all disrupted with some hardscaping construction. My sweet husband pulled out the old redwood walkways that were starting to be a hazard to us due to their age and he is replacing them with concrete cobblestone on one part and we are working on another section to blend in with the brick walkways. 

I do have leeks, garlic, green onions and carrots that are doing well. I just pulled out my Kale last week that I had planted in early spring last year. Of course there are perennial plants and herbs that are always doing their thing too. 

The big job ahead of me is completely cleaning out the greenhouse and rearranging some of the furniture and staging (shelves). I couldn't do it before now because I couldn't leave the plants out over an extended time in the cold. 

I believe next week will be clean and plant time. It should be energizing, since working with the soil helps generate/stimulate the serotonin in our brains which makes us feel good (happy) and takes any blues away. The other part of it that makes me feel good is just being close to nature. It is always so satisfying. I will have pictures to share next blog post.

I do have to say that lots of baking has been going on in this extended winter season.  Each loaf is an experiment with different grains and seeds, and some with sourdough and some not. We have several favorites, but all were wonderful. Here are a few of the loaves.

This first loaf is made with whole wheat/unbleached, sourdough starter and two-seeds (sunflower and sesame seed).

This loaf is another sourdough whole wheat loaf with molasses and three-seeds (sunflower, sesame, poppy seeds).

This is called Indian Bread. This is a three-grain (whole wheat, unbleached, cornmeal) with sesame seeds.

This is a three-seed (sunflower, sesame, poppy seed), whole wheat/unbleached loaf.

This is a a three-seed (sunflower, pumpkin, poppy seed), whole wheat/unbleached loaf. I added the seeds after the first kneed, which leaves more on the top. Yumm!

This is another whole wheat/unbleached loaf with sunflower and sesame seeds.






This last loaf is a three-seed (sunflower, sesame, poppy seed) whole wheat/unbleached loaf. It had about 1/2 tablespoon of liquid too much, so the center is just a little sunken. It sure was wonderful though!!! I think this last loaf was our favorite so far. We eat a slice for desert. It is that good!

Tomorrow I will make another loaf, but don't know what yet. It will probably be sourdough, since my starter is bubbling really well tonight after being used for sourdough buckwheat pancakes this morn. 

But soon my energies will be focused more on the garden! It is all part of creating our own environment. So, I will soon post garden pics.

Is Spring really here?

The Vernal Equinox

Ah, it is spring! The Vernal Equinox, which is the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere was on March 20, 2012, at 1:14 A.M. (EDT).

The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” The spring and fall equinoxes are the only dates with equal daylight and dark as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

It is this season that brings increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the rebirth of our flora and fauna.
Spring is all about "new" - new life and growth!

According to folklore, you can stand a raw egg on its end on the equinox. Is this true?

One spring, at the minute of the vernal equinox, (Pacific Time) I tried this. For about 1/2 the day my egg stood on its own end, then I took it down. Try this yourself and let me know what happens!


  
We can all envision what we think of when spring arrives. Maybe it is the tender new light green growth we see, or the smell of warming soil or a flower in bloom, the feel of warm rain or a light breeze. 

Spring is also the time when green buds appear and blooms cover many trees, birds are active and insects buzz by, and flowers begin to bloom. Daffodils, Lily of the Valley,  and other spring flowers provide a sight for sore eyes after a long cold gray winter.

The vernal, or spring, equinox signals the beginning of nature’s renewal in the Northern Hemisphere.

Gardeners have been waiting for this day to arrive. Winter provides lots of time to dream, to look through garden catalogs and decide what new things to grow this year. This is spring, the beginning of a new growing season and a time to again be in harmony with Mother Nature.

We had Spring in July!

Yes, we have had a mixed up year when it comes down to Mother Nature and our environment. After an extremely cool/cold/wet March through May we got sizzling temps in June and then July provided us with Spring time temperatures. It was a blessing. All those things we weren't able to do during our regular spring could be done (or most of them) in July. 

I was able to clean out all those garden storage spots with piles of old plastic pots, some full of soil and much more. Now I am looking for a home for all those pots and I mean LOTS of pots.  I cleaned out and put together all of those broken pieces of terracotta pots which we all save for planting. I am saving many of them for artistic endeavors in making homemade designer pots. Someday I will have time for those types of projects. Oh, I found all kinds of treasures in the garden and a bunch of stuff I was able to throw away too!

I designed and my dear husband built a new 8' long potting bench that is absolutely beautiful - a work of art. I already have my containers of compost, worm casting compost, seed mixture, and general soil underneath. Then there is the vermiculite, sand, kelp and other ingredients stored under the new potting bench.

The shade cloth suspended above is what is reflecting the light above. I am calling this area my potting shed because it now has a shade cloth suspended over it, but will soon have a new awning installed.

 

I have seeds starting for onions and zucchini squash, plus basil and some ornamentals too.

Soon we are building a tool closet/shed to the right of this photo for obviously my tools and all the things that help me in the garden. Then it will truly be a potting shed!!!

Of course now, it is time to clean out the greenhouse. There is always a list of chores waiting in the garden.

Finally planting a Spring garden in May and June

So we finally got some spring weather about three weeks ago, which came right after our full day of hail! Mother Nature is not happy! It sure is very evident this year with all this crazy weather and events around the world.

Alright, back to my little piece of nature. We have a city lot with some very old fruit trees and many I planted years ago. The (white) fig tree was planted in 1920 and the Santa Rosa plum was planted some time between 1920-1950. There are two Loquots, one old and another was a baby volunteer, a Meyer and Eureka lemon tree,  a pink grapefruit tree, a large Bay tree, Vitex tree, and Elder tree. There is a three year old Suncrest peach, a two year old Fantasia nectarine and a two year old Royal Blenheim apricot (replacing my old 25yr. old apricot that died a couple years ago).

We have several blackberry plants in several beds and this picture shows some of their pretty flowers that will bring fruit soon.

The raspberry bed is shown below. I have had it for several years and it is finally acting happy. Hope it bears well this year. I think I love raspberries best of all!

This next picture is of our new boysenberry bed, planted in mid April. This picture was taken 13 days ago and the plants have filled out significantly since then. I haven't built the supportive structure to hold up the vines yet. All the berries are doing well this year.

My red potatoes are looking really good in this picture. You can see the Calendula (yellow flowers) in the background. Calendula is a wonderful healing herb. Really good for the skin.

The bush beans (below) were planted as young starters. They sat here doing nothing for a couple hot weeks, but now they have buds and are happy. Since this picture, I had to separate them more, because when I planted them I thought they were climbing beans which can be planted closer together.

So this is a little abbreviated inventory of some of my sustainable urban gardens.

Planting the vegetable garden and wildlife

Every season that I put in a new crop I mulch the bed, stake the starters, lay a few sticks across the bed to keep out any cats and look at my new beautiful bed with awe.

This month has been a different story.

My cat is a house cat, because cats threaten and kill wildlife. I welcome wildlife on my property. I share figs, grapes, loquats, and plums with squirrels and many varieties of birds. Possums come through here but do no damage and the raccoons wash their hands in my water features which can make it a little muddy, but they do no damage. Many birds are nesting right now and there is a army of cats that belong to neighbors (or no) that is patrolling our neighborhood. I used to tell them that they were welcome to sit in the sun in my yard, but no more. This year they took advantage of my good spirit.

I didn't start planting my heat loving vegetables until almost two weeks ago. I started with peppers, because even though we were still getting this unusual cold, they always seem to be forgiving of the weather. So, the long pepper bed was planted with the Habaneros, Jalapenos, Poblano, Anaheim, all the way down the hotness scale to Sweet Bell's or California Wonder Bell peppers.

Oh, I always love my pepper bed. It is a raised bed so I am able to crowd them in together a little and knowing the growth habits of the different varieties allows me to know who needs a little more room. I am a pepper queen, as they always do so well. They will keep producing until sometime after Thanksgiving or after Christmas in a mild weather year.

Of course they are planted with organic everything - my own compost and mulch (leaves and compost that isn't as broken down). We do have good soil to start with, river bottom soil as the river is just about a mile away. And they like getting only partial day full sun, but late afternoon shade in our hot California summers.

Back to the kicker!
After I plant a new bed I just enjoy watching it, but the next morning I went out to look at my beautiful bed and found a place where digging had occurred, the mulch was piled in an unusual pile. Immediately upon inspection I found the culprit was a cat. Cat feces are not healthy in an edible garden or any garden. Many people try: Cayenne pepper (works until the first rain washes it away) or mothballs (toxic), wiring up a low-current (non-lethal) fence or motion sensor water gun (very expensive). Cats HATE to poop in anything that is wet or step on anything that sticks to or pokes their feet, so some people use chicken wire. My neighbor Cindy resorted to chicken wire. The problem is you can't keep adding mulch or you are just covering the chicken wire and then it is useless and when your plants grow up you can't take the chicken wire out of the bed for the rest of the season.

My method of laying a few branches (saved from pruning) like "pick up sticks", did not work. So I decided to make the bed indestructible to cats. It looks like one of those torture beds seen in films from ancient times. No cat is going to want to come near my peppers anymore. Of course, once the plants fill out I can remove the weapons of torture. Unfortunately is does not look like a perfect Sunset Magazine bed, but it is a real way to keep your beds from becoming contaminated with cat poop!

For some reason it is hard to see the vertical sticks sticking up all over the bed. It is more evident on my paste tomato bed filled with Amish paste and Sausage paste tomatoes which a I planted a couple days after the peppers.

The tomato cage helps to keep them out too. It is hard to see the cage, but it is homemade (out of heavy wire fencing with 6" openings) and has been used for more than 20 years. So, this was an easier bed to secure. Here is a close-up below of the mass of upright sticks!

It also helps to have lots and lots of sticks/stakes. They are useful for all kinds of things in the garden, from this deterring cats use, to staking and supporting new starts, supporting plants laden with heavy fruit, to becoming the uprights for shade cloths (I just use a staple gun to hold the shade cloth to the stakes) during different times when a plant maybe stressed from the sun.

2011 May Day East Sac Garden Tour - for gardeners by gardeners

We had a gorgeous day for a garden tour, yet it did feel warm around noon. We chose an earlier date for the tour this year to highlight different gardens, and also different plants that are in their best form. We showed 7 East Sacramento Gardens. All these gardens are cared for by their owners with love and dedication. The love and hard work showed in the beauty we were able to observe.

We started out at Nina's with her unique sustainable gardens and orchard.

Next we visited Anita's fantastic rose gardens and other perennials. The senses were also filled with the wonderful smells.

Cindy's gardens were next with her rose arbor and perennials. Her garden also demonstrates cooperation as she has a vegetable garden on her neighbor's back property.

Kim's gardens were filled with wonderful plant diversity focusing on shape, form and color. Always changing and interesting.

Then we visited my gardens. Here is a front yard bed with various perennials in a shady bed.

Next were Dave's special garden rooms. We are leaving one garden room and entering another in this photo.

And lastly we visited Noelle's pretty gardens.

The tour was a real success. We all had fun visiting and sharing and we all gained information and ideas to incorporate into our knowledge base and possibly our gardens along the way.

It is April already!!!

It seems quite strange to just now be getting out into the garden this year! I had a four month job developing a huge website with no time for fun free-time activities, let alone for the garden or normal chores. So, here I am checking out my yard to see how my precious plants have survived this very long cold and hard winter.

Many plants are bursting out with new life. Yea! We have had a couple gorgeous days and the honey bees are very busy in my gardens. I sure wish everything had been pruned before this. I am doing some catch-up pruning of vines and other over-due chores.

A few invaders have decided to take over where my mulch has been utilized by the microherd and is almost showing the soil now. Well it would be showing soil if the oxalis and cleavers hadn't filled in these places. So, I have spent 5 hours over a few days earlier in the week pulling out these two invaders who thought they were 'home free' in my gardens. No, it is not gone, not by a long shot, but several beds are looking good enough to get another layer of mulch for this season or even the year depending on sun exposure and how fast it breaks down.

Yesterday, my friend Nina gave me a bunch of boysenberries canes ready to plant; that were in need of being planted soon. So, today, instead of continuing my battle with the invaders in fully developed beds, I developed a new berry bed. I had been thinking about starting this bed for the last year. This bed is on the west side of the yard and is next to the raspberry bed. The soil is nice in this new bed which hadn't grown anything productive for years. Many years ago it used to be my main vegetable garden; now abandoned for the wooden raised vegetable beds I built towards the back of my property. These beds have lasted for 25 years. This year I will need to replace a board or two on a couple of them, but the redwood has held up quite well over the years.

Back to the boysenberries. So, I got 4 canes planted before it was time to call it quits today. Tomorrow the rest will be planted and I will come up with a structure to support the new plants. My friend Kim was such a help today, she is a hard worker. Working with a buddy is very inspirational. The time flies by that way.

Ever wonder why gardeners are always such a happy group??? Well, there is a bacteria in the soil that actually generates Serotonin in our brains. It is said that this works better than Prozac and we have all heard about a town where the citizens went on Prozac to be happy.  So one of the best things about gardening is the concept of being sustainable by growing food, having a beautiful garden bed full of life, getting some good exercise and vitamin D and a good shot of Serotonin that makes us happy. What else could we need?

I will add boysenberry pictures tomorrow, as it is pitch black now.

I believe that Spring is finally here!!!

At least it seems that many of the flowers believe that Spring is here.
For several years I have purchased Passiflora incarnata (passion flower) vines from reputable nurseries. I have wanted to grow one on the back side of a fence facing west. Every year they have died. I never saw a flower unless the plant came with one.

So, this last year I purchased another, but this time I put it in a pot and set the pot on the north wall of my house, because plants in pots can't handle as much sun as when in the ground if they are sensitive to too much sun at all. I was just out looking around and noticed that the vine that has crawled up the side of the house now has flowers. It has also traveled onto a trellis which holds an orange trumpet vine (another story). To my surprise there are about five flowers and more to come. Here is a picture I took of one of the passion flower blooms. I am a happy gardener!

 

So what do we know about Passiflora incarnata, commonly called passion flowers?  Well, they don't like my west fence! They are also known as a maypop.

The maypop is a common roadside weed found throughout the Southeastern U.S and also Argentina and Brazil.  It derived this early common name because it just seems to 'pop' out of the ground in May. They grow in USDA zones 5-9, but should be planted in protected locations and mulched heavily from severe cold. Top growth can be killed back from frost. They need partial to full sun (not full sun in Sacramento though), and will adapt themselves to most well-drained soils. During the growing season the soil should be kept evenly moist for better flowering and growth. The flowers range around 3" in diameter and are very unique and quite beautiful. We also know that they start blooming in May! 

The vines can easily grow up to 15 feet in one season. (that is good because I want mine to end up along the railing of a two-story deck) They grow well on a fence or trellis, and they will scramble over shrubs and trees. They produce small fruits in the shape of an oval berry, similar to a kiwi fruit, called granadilla or water lemon. The fruit is edible, but it is pretty seedy. I have friends that eat them though. You can also make it into a jelly. 

The passion flower fruit is also a food source for several species of butterfly and their larvae.

Best of all, the passion flower is a naturally grown medicinal herb, in the treatment of insomnia and nervousness. It is also used as a sedative in nervous disorders (including gastrointestional complaints of nervous origin), difficulties in sleeping, and anxiety or restlessness. Passion flower reduces spasms and depresses the central nervous system. The aerial parts of the plant are gathered during fruiting season and are dried for herbal uses.

Passion flower has a tranquilizing effect, including mild sedative and anti-anxiety effects. In studies conducted since the 1930's, its mode of action has been found to be different than that of most sedative drugs (sleeping pills), thus making it a non-addictive herb to promote relaxation.

The sedative effect of Passion flower has made it popular for treating a variety of ailments, including nervousness and insomnia. Research had indicated that passion flower has a complex activity on the central nervous system, which is responsible for its overall tranquilizing effects. Also, it has an antispasmodic effect on smooth muscles within the body, including the digestive system, promoting digestion.

Also, there are no reported side effects for passion flower. However, it is not recommended for use in pregnant women or children under the age of two. 

(And in self protection - here is my disclaimer: This is not medical advice, but herbal information that you can acquire on the internet or from herbal practitioners. Anyone already taking a sedative or tranquilizer would need to consult a health care professional before using passion flower.

From the South Lawn, a Sweet smell of Honey

First just a small White House Vegetable Garden.
Now the White House Garden is beginning to expand
into an even better example of sustainable urban gardening.
A key to a sustainable garden is an emphasis on diversity.


This is a fun Multimedia Audio Slide Show by the New York Times.
Click on the photo to jump to the New York Times page so you can play this show.

At the end of the show click on your browser's back arrow button twice
to return to this blog page. Enjoy!

by Viktor Koen
Multimedia
Audio Slide Show

Time Flies When Working in the Garden

For another week now I have spent non-stop in the garden. Well, I have seen clients with my two businesses. But that did not take more than three days away from the garden.

The only reason I have time to blog now is because it has been raining yesterday and all of today so far. We broke a record for the most rain on May 1st since 1905. We got .65 inch yesterday. Actually they had predicted more rain, but there still is today and tomorrow.

Yesterday I spent sometime in the greenhouse replanting some African Violets and today I just came in from the greenhouse starting some new African Violets from the leaves that snapped off in the transplanting. There was water in the greenhouse from a leak, but I have a pile of plastic containers that can be used for mini-greenhouses and they collected the bulk of the water. The floor will dry out. My 5 gal. container under the drain for the huge greenhouse sink/table (was a darkroom sink) is full and the excess is of course ending up on the concrete floor. I am really hoping we can get the polycarbonate siding install this spring/early summer. It will free up a large patio too when it happens.



So, back to the garden. Here is a sweet little color spot under my Crepe Myrtle tree in the front yard.





I have now installed three very large trellis structures along the west side of the front yard. It supports my Brother Cadfael, Cottage Rose, Mme. Alfred Carriere, and an Apple Rose. They are beautiful structures I think. I am pleased with my find. They are handcrafted by a guy in El Dorado Hills, therefore supporting local small businesses.

Here are three pictures of the trellis from left to right as it travels along the side of my property. They are hard to see in the photos, but each of the three sections has three sections with arched tops. I believe they are made of rusted steel. These pictures don't do them justice.

The second photo is of Mme. Alfred Carriere, who was a solid white blush all over with flowers.

The third photo is of Cottage Rose was almost covered with pink blooms. Then we had 35 mph winds for several days and then the rain yesterday and today have eliminated the beautiful show they were displaying.



I have put compost tea on my gardens two and three times for some parts. This all started when I transplanted a three year old Suncrest Peach that hadn't been doing well in its old home in Newcastle. I had been unable to find one anywhere this year for sale. A dear friend found this one for me. Here is a photo of the peach tree, still somewhat in shock.




Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas. ~ Elizabeth Murray

Today was Earth Day, and . . .

Early this morning I started off with my hands in the dirt. First I had my gloves on to pull up some volunteers (like mint, blue vervain, a couple weeds). Then off went the gloves to plant a couple bell peppers. One round of watering in the veggie garden and my new fruit tree and herb bed the length of the backyard, a scattering of other watering spots and into the house I went as it started to warm-up to about 90 degrees. These last few days of summer have been a bit much for the beginning of spring here in Sacramento.

A week ago, I planted a Suncrest peach that was dug up from the foothills and donated to me. This weather has not been a friend to the peach tree. It was just too soon for this type of punishment. Many of the leaves are turning bright yellow and all the leaves feel very limp when I touch them. Tomorrow, I plan on spraying compost tea on my new peach tree. Hopefully that will help with this stress. But really, I think the cool breeze that came in tonight is going to be the saving grace in this situation.

Happy Earth Day!!! Bless this earth and all those organisms living on/above and below the earth's surface. I am loving my insects that are gracing my gardens with their activity. May we all live sustainably and in harmony.

Okay Mother Nature! I've had enough WIND!

We have had too many days of wind. Thank goodness the worst of it is over.

I actually lost a few plants in pots that I overlooked during my watering regime.

Twenty-five to thirty-five mile an hour winds does not blend into my type of garden.

Poor Mme. Alfred Carriere, an 1879 old rose, who is a strong climber and tall rambler to 15’ and also in full bloom with large white blush pink flowers. Why? Her branches are spread all over the yard with blooms resting on the lawn. Tying up all of those very long branches will be a 3 hour job. I just purchased a couple trellis structures to help tie her up.

Wednesday, I planted a three year old Suncrest peach tree. I couldn't find one to buy during bare root time, so my friend Vicky enticed her friend to dig this tree out of his yard and donate it to me. The tree had not done well in its old home. In fact I found two small leaves with curly leaf. I soaked the root ball with a strong dose of compost tea and poured some over some of the leaves.

Thursday my new Suncrest peach looked okay. No leaves are hanging. The woodland perennials that I had to dig up so I could plant the peach don't look as perky.

So, Saturday will be the day I plant most of my vegetables. I have the rest of the tomatoes to plant, some of my peppers to plant, my eggplant and many more herbs. I still need to purchase a couple roma heirloom tomatoes. I need to see if my zucchini has sprouted in the greenhouse, because I would like to plant it soon.

Love this time of year. Just one problem. Sunday is supposed to be 94 degrees. Ugh!

"Gardening has compensations out of all proportions to its goals. It is creation in the pure sense."-Phillis McGinley (1805-1978)

Planting a spring garden

Spring is really here! It feels so good to spend time in the garden. To clear off mulch, sometimes large prunings and to find that the soil is so alive and healthy. One raised bed had about 6 inches of mulch covering more than off the bed and the other half had about 2 inches of mulch. The difference in the soil between the two halves of the bed was very evident. So it tells me that I need to mulch mulch mulch!!!

I have my eggplant bed planted with four starters, two Japanese long and two Rosa Bianca. There is also a catnip plant on one side of this bed.

My pepper bed is mostly planted. I have 5 green bells and 5 Anaheim peppers. I have one Ancho, one Jalapeno, one Habanaro and still have little paprika peppers to plant. I will probably squeeze in a couple basil plants too. I just can't get enough basil. We use it fresh in salads and cooking. I also dry it for later in the year when we don't have the fresh.

I planted half of the onion bed two months ago. Today, I planted out some Torpedo Red 1 lb. purple-red starts and California Red 4" late season slow to bolt onions.

The zucchini is doing well. Really growing fast, I could probably see it grow if I could sit there long enough. Who has time for that? Also planted in this bed is a row of sugar snap peas (in the light shade of the Elder tree), a broccoli raab and two Chinese cabbage plants. And a nastrutium and one basil. All doing well except the Chinese cabbages are very little - we will see on that one.

My paste tomato bed is doing well. They are all in flower. This year I planted 5 Roma paste tomatoes. Last year I tried Amish paste and they didn't do that well - but then again it was a bad year for tomatoes with two weeks of heat above 100 and up to 114 degree weather. Tomatoes won't set fruit above about 90 degrees. I also have basil planted amongst the tomatoes. They always do well together.


The rest of the tomatoes are planted in individual pots:

Stupice (heirloom indeterminate)-60-75 days potato leaf/good yielder with great flavor (tall, spindly 4’, 2-4oz.deep red, yellow on shoulder/dries well) -one of earliest tomatoes known/from Czechoslovakia

Cherokee Purple Tomato (heirloom indeterminate) 80 days, good producer & disease resistance (10-14 oz. maroon with green shoulders, excellent flavor)
-said to have originated with the Cherokee Nation


Jaune Flamme Tomato (French heirloom indeterminate) very productive, tangy flavor (2-3 oz. deep orange, apricot shaped fruit, great for drying) 75 days to maturity


More about tomatoes planted in my next post.
Also, my ideas for the rest of the spring planting.
Bush and pole beans, etc.



'Every one of us can do something to protect and care for our planet.We should live in a way that makes a future possible.'- Thich Nhat Hanh