1.04.2015

Final garden report 2014

Links first:

YouTube Channel

  • MayJuneGarden
  • JuneGarden
  • SeptGarden-DeathKnell
  • SeptGarden
  • OctGarden1
  • OctGarden2
  • DecGarden
  • JanGarden


  • Below are three visualizations done with D3. They're mostly copies of other people's work using my VeggieData.

    Veggie 2014 Show Reel
    VeggieCircle Pack 2014
    VeggieBurst 2014

    The google doc with the data for the show reel is 2014 Harvest Data



    General notes

  • Main Beds got raised. Individual trips to the materials store, matching the stones for width and height. Satisfying to put those in place, lay down the cardboard and drop the straw on the pathways. Its no longer an eyesore out the living room window.
  • Plants and insects are engage in war crimes.

  • Salsa from the garden is fantastic. More hot peppers needed. Peppers lose their heat in October. The seeds are still hot, though.

  • Visited beautiful biodynamic wonder garden north of Boulder (Thanks T. and K.). I witnessed compost so beautiful and cared for I thought I should cry and give the creator a hug.

  • 2-4D is agent orange? The behind the house neighbors did a re-landscape and I suspect we had an airborne dispersal. I hadn't seen anything like it and I grow 35(*13 years) tomatoe and pepper plants a year. I looked for culprits in the disease vector but couldn't match it up. Then I read about the signs of 2-4D and it matched. Variegated Corn, Lilac, tomatoes, peppers-all hit. At least I think they were. I wasn't disciplined enough to record and submit to extension. sigh.

    Garden in May:

    Garden in August

    Carrots

    The outside planting season began late in spring 2014. I once again planted an entire package of mixed carrots from Botanical Interests in the early spring because last year was a failure and I wanted to prove it. The fabled carrot germination process is somewhat inexplicable. Cool weather prevents germination and then never starts when it warms. I planted some BI seeds later and got better germination, but the carrots, like previous years were meso meso. I did plant another 15+ varieties at the same time and then another planting in under the pea rows 6 weeks later. That worked great. Early evidence for a good multi-color harvest.
    I harvested my last carrots on Thanksgiving and had pounds of harvest during the fall. I love a good carrot fight in the cold November dimly lit early evening.. And if successful, I love eating it more. It is a modern miracle that supermarkets have these things in large bags for pennies an ounce. Halloween harvest.

    Tomatoes

    This was a poor-average tomato year. It started early on with a bad seed start and stunted growth, followed by 2-4D damage on 5-7 of the plants and a cool summer. It wasn't that great. The highlights were the Indigo Rose blue tomatoes, Jaunne Flamme abundance, and a miraculous Neon mint Green Aunt Ruby's. I need to start the smaller more dainty (green grape,white wonder) tomatoes at 8 weeks with the peppers.

    Beans

    Harvested all season, impervious to 2-4D but not sunflowers--beans do not like sunflowers--gives 'em rust.. 2+ pounds of dried beans collected. Marvel of Venice produced marvelously black beans. I experimented with Indian Pink Rajama beans. I planted them next to an additional planting of Dragon lingerie. During the season, I mixed them up. I spent summer thinking, "Man these Rajama's look just like Dragon Lingerie, and eating the unpleasant obviously shell beans next door. It was my palm-meets-forehead moment of the gardening season. Purple Podded Pole was fantastic, producing late into the season and continuously. Scarlet Runner did attract humming birds and made me happy. Neckargold got a weird red "rot" as the season went along. I think I want to try another yellow pole.

    Squash

    Rugosa Fruilano is fun to say, but like most yellow "summer" squashes its a hardshell in disguise. Must eat early. The striata made a few and crapped out and so did the tromboncino. I trained the trombone into the Redbud. For two days, the tromboncino avoided the redbud at all cost. I was witnessing two badass plants in a delicate tango of avoidance. Finally the weight of the trombone forced down onto the lowest branch. Before the final freeze it had climbed 13-17 feet. Funny.

    Cucumbers and Melons

    Cucumbers were fine. They made it through the 9-11 freeze. I was stunned to see snow on cucumbers and have them survive. Suyo long went in too late. I need an early season cucumber. I reaped the massive singleton chanterais. The honeydews stunted at 2-4D time. My Noir des Carmes grew nicely, slowly and eventually nothing. Next year more, better. All charentais all the time.

    Greens

    We had early greens, lettuce, spinach, arugala, mache, all the standards from March. I didn't plant any of it in 2014. The 2013 winter planting took us from March through May. I had added winter hardy type lettuces 'Winter Density' etc. from Fedco in 2013. They came early.
    I planted the Fall garden in mid-July under straw. The graveyard beds had mostly been clear for a month. I'd say the straw was not a benefit. I'd wait till later in the process. But it was wet and cool some of the fall. Hard to say for sure. That doesn't mean I lacked for greens(weeds), harvesting uncovered (except for blankets during the Nov snowfall) until Dec 25. Must plant more lettuce. Must plant more winter lettuce.

    Herbs

    Oregano in abundance. Oregano in abundance. Vulgare isn't strong. I had to rip out 2 outcroppings. It kind of grows with tenacious runners. I was able to harvest said oregano two times for dried. Large amounts. Then fresh throughout the fall and available for harvest on Dec. 25th. I didn't know it was a good winter salad plant. The leaves get good sized, with mild herbiness and a little fuzzy. Kids will love it!. Greek Oregano is sharper and more papery than the vulgare. Its also hardy as an an aphid wrapped in a komatsuna leaf. But the texture makes it difficult in a salad. Should be back next year.Marjoram

    Marcelka vrs Sweet Marjoram was a test this year. We couldn't tell the difference in taste, although N thought maybe a little pepperier. Marcelka was a little easier to germinate and start up. Marjoram is little at the start and can be tricky. Marjoram is reserved for beets at our house. Its one of our treasured fall treats. Marjoram goes to sh!t after 1 month dried. I dried all three types in October. I just opened 2 bags to put on our last beets and the aroma had diminished almost completely. I've bought it from the store before and wondered what it was: tasted like grass. Then I grew and I know. But I'd never had enough to harvest and dry. This year I did and it went to sh!t in a month in the refrigerator. Never buy marjoram, but you have to grow it. I should note friends tell me its too strong. I'd say summer savory, and winter savory are strong. Marjoram is parfum. I grew Zataar again. It also did well. I had an encounter with a neighborhood woman who was harvesting apples across the street with her son (the apple year of apple years). She came to see the garden and I showed her the Zataar, she said "Zataar, don't talk to me about zataar." An unusual response, no? She'd lived in Saudi Arabia for years. I find out the Zataar is a traditional "relish" rub, made with ancient secret home recipes throughout Arabic culture. Neat-o.

    Fennel proved to be nettlesome again. I'd grown them out downstairs and planted them in two patches. Only one got to a commercial size before bolting. They all bolted at the same time. That's not helpful. I've grown different ways. Here's my answer. Plant downstairs with 4. Plant in the ground in mid April and get 4-6 more of different sizes. Plant again in late June. Direct sew and select largest only.

    Allium

    I planted a small purple garlic from seed in 2012 from next door neighbor M. I took the sprouts and replanted in 2013. In 2014 I got eat it. That's slow food my friends. I planted a bunch of shallot and cippiolini from seed this spring. A complete mixed bag. I don't commit enough maybe, but the shallots seem like they should be replanted and harvested in the second year. Only 2 or three of the 15 shallots were of any size. Cippiolini's were sparse too. But..I've got some 20 different remnant experiments. Next spring should be interesting. Most of last seasons garlic went into the dilly beans. More varieties of onions.

    Chicories, Endives and Escaroles

    I had 2 chicories winter over and make heads. I had a b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. upright Treviso head grow during the summer. It didn't bolt. All the other 2013 italians bolted. But not this one. I waited, not quite knowing what to do with this massively bitter "treat". I let it sit. Until, it was gone. Or most of it. I came out one morning and it'd been 2/3 eaten. Some critter had his or herself a radicchio feast, bitterness notwithstanding. The fall planting was good but not great. I still like direct sowing, but I don't get any *big* heads. Ideal might be to start a few inside and direct sew additional.

    Peppers

    2-4D Paso Bajillo peppers were essentially destroyed but everything else except fish made it to the table. Cal-Wonder yellow had one plant produce some crazy nasty peppers like I'd never seen. I assume that's the 2-4D. Chocolate wonder produced the most. Not a great year, but not a bad one.

    Celery

    Celery? Yes, Celery. 12 types. 24 plants set out. Forced numerous transplants on neighbors including unsuspecting C. and T. and a drive-by drop off to S. I find that indeed it is hard to grow commercial grade celery. Like fennel, it doesn't get big enough. 2 out of 24 were commercial size. One was a Utah one was Gigante Dorato. T. of above biodynamic farm refused to take any Celery. She asked, "Will it be thin and stringy?". She's right. But its still worth it for flavor and freshness. How much celery can three people eat? The key with celery is to harvest when the outer leaves start to fall. Those will hollow out if you wait too long. At that point you have to decide whether to harvest the whole head(?), or just the outside stalks. A revelation was had when an entire Utah was juiced with a large Yellow beat. It was a creamy sensation, unpredictably. Smaller heads can easily be juiced and take up little space. I will not force celery on unsuspecting gardeners any more. I thing its driving animosity.

    Preserves

  • 7.21.2014

    July Eats

    Still not putting in the dollar amounts but have been keeping a pretty good record of the vittles.
    6/30: 1/2 lb peas
    7/1: 1/2 lb peas
    7/2: handful cilantro
    7/2: 1/4 lb peas
    7/3: 1/16 lb peas
    7/2: 1/2 lb bag mixed greens
    7/4: 1/8 lb peas
    7/4: 1/2 herb packet
    7/4: 1/4 bunch kale
    7/4: 1/4 bunch baby beets
    7/4: 1/8 bunch baby carrots
    7/5: handful peas
    7/5: 1/2 herb packet
    7/6: 1/8 lb mixed greens
    7/7: carrot thinnings(1 carrot)
    7/8: handful last peas
    7/10: 1 carrot
    7/10: 1/2 herb packet
    7/10: 1 bunch kale
    7/11: handful mixed greens
    7/11: 1/2 carrot
    7/11: 1/4 lb mixed greens
    7/12: 1 oregano packet
    7/12: 1/8 lb basil, carrot, celery salad
    7/13: 1 overwintered carrot
    7/13: 1/2 bunch kale
    7/14: 1 carrot
    7/15: 1 bunch beets
    7/15: 2 carrots
    7/15: 1 fresno chile
    7/15: 1 bunch amaranth
    7/16: 1/2 carrot
    7/17: handful mixed greens
    7/18: 1 carrot
    7/18: handful mixed greens
    7/20: 1 carrot
    7/20: 1/2 bunch kale
    7/21: 6 garlic
    7/21: 1 shallot
    7/21: 1/3 carrot
    7/21: 1/2 bunch kale
    7/10-7/22: borage flowers

    It is interesting to see it in black on white.

    6.29.2014

    June Eatin

    3.5 bunch spinach 1 bunch raab 2 bunch chard 2 bunch kale 5 heads lettuce 3 packet herbs 4 pounds peas

    6.11.2014

    I decided here in Garden of eatin I would post what we actually eat. This season I'm going to try to calculate a cost of the food. Never done it before, seems arduous and a pain in the caboose but I"m going to try anyway. I can't calculate for the first three months, but salads is mostly what it is. Spinach too. Little bit of chicory and a fair amount of corn mache and arugala. March 6 salads April 10 salads May 15 salads I'll try to be more exact starting June. Trip to the farmer's market this weekend to maximize my prices! :) June: 2 bunch kale 3 bunch spinach 9 heads lettuce 1 bunch radish 2 package herb 1 bunch arugala 1 bunch broccoli raab

    5.28.2014

    Back and still not in business. Jes plantin an eatin.

    Been a while since I posted here. I thought I'd point to PoppySeed on Facebook. I s'pose I'm s'posed to say "like me". Which is a problem with the social media. I have to "like" and "follow"...people and corporations!? Harumph. I planted Japanese squash today. Kuri Blue and Red. Futsu Black. Two types pumpkin. So I'm back..Not too fat and not super happy. Realizing that although I'm not an expert on any of this, many times I've been helped by others who've taken the time to write of their experiences. They weren't necessarily experts but shared their foibles; I benefited. Maybe I can provide the same.

    8.22.2010

    dinner

    App
    Rice Cracker
    Mixed cheese and olives
    Spanish Cava Sparkler

    Main Course
    Saffron Shallot Tofu
    Greek Oregano Dusted Adobo, Green Chile Paste Chicken

    StirFry
    Garlic
    saffron
    Cayenne
    Hungarian Black Pepper Paprika
    Flat Leaf Parsley
    Amarillo Yellow Carrot
    Danvers 126 Carrot
    Celery
    Buerre d' Roc Yellow Wax
    Rattlesnake Beans
    Sliced Marvel of Venice Pole Beans
    Tromboncino and White Sicilian Zuchinni
    Chocolate Beauty Pepper
    Tequila Orange Pepper
    Gourmet Orange Pepper
    Garden Sunshine(still yellow) Pepper
    Pink Lipstick Chard

    Sides
    Marjoram Roasted Egyption Flat and Ruby Beets
    Tortarello Abruzezze and black and cream tomato salad with fresh mozz and thai basil

    Wine
    Bodegas Lan 2002

    Desert
    Dow Port Vintage 1985
    Fresh Home made Peach and Blueberry IceCream with waffle cone crisps

    8.12.2010

    Bean Report

    Lost the Dragon Lingerie ;( , Maxibel, Burgundy and a lot of the Provider to the hideous rust. I've never planted beans in any of the spots where these puppies died. Never had rust like this. Other beans, planted places where they'd planted in previous years--no rust. Strange. I thought, at first, it had something to do with the small blue spruces proximity to the bed. Yet, however and suchforth, correlation doesn't equal causation. Its a fungus-amongous--Uromyces phaseoli typica. I think Neem is the answer for this. Anyway...sadness but we move on, cause I planted plenty more. They're everwar--that's why I spread out plantings! The Pole Beans are really starting to come in. All the shell beans are getting going. The succession planting is definitely the answer.

    Just harvested the major Buerre d' Roquencourt crop for our precious Dilly Beans-delicioso.

    Let me just say again. Succession planting!

    Fall garden is in.

    A 4 hour digging and chopping festival. First, had to cut out the first wax beans and volunteer agate soy beans(harvested all dry..yum). Removed the destroyed Maxibel and Burgandy. Left the provider green beans in for a little while longer. Also prepared all the pots that, in previous years, had been the pepper pots. Added three strips of 6 inch emitter 1/4 for some dry spots in the system.

    All of the things I listed in the previous post are now planted. Last year I got it all in August 15th. This year, August 6th and August 11th. I can't wait for winter salads.......man o man, I can't wait.

    8.05.2010

    Trifele

    First one today! Doesn't have the classic pear shape though.

    rose, green heart, misato daikons are planted.
    Variegated Raddichios planted
    Frisee's planted. Aug 6.

    8.04.2010

    What's producin.

    Tomato

    White Currant
    Nyagous
    Red Rose
    Cream Sausage
    Principe Borghese

    Monday Night Stir Fry

    White Zuchini
    Crooked Neck Zuchinni
    Agate Soy Bean
    Beurre 'd Roq beans
    Violetto Beans
    Red Core Chantenay
    Multi Colored Chard
    Celery
    Masai Beans
    Purple Glazer Garlic
    Shallot
    Flat Italian Parsley

    8.02.2010

    Tomato Report

    3 plants lost to the wretched spotted wilt.

    White Beauty
    Green Giant
    Box Car Willie

    Garden Peach was interplanted with mustards and choi. It shriveled up and died, it was so unhappy. A green grape and black cherry were also stunted but have since revived. A terrible companion planting. The flea beetles had a Say-hey!-day. 30 Plants left...

    7.15.2010

    Fall/Winter Starts

    Here is the list of winter starts in the basement plus future and recent direct seeding for the fall. In previous years, I've planted romanesco, cabbage, brocoli, cauliflower, and asian radishes in springtime with poor results. Colorado gets to hot, too quick.

    This year hope to plant all Kole's by Aug 1rst. Last year I didn't get them in till the 15th..we had an early hard frost and I didn't get much from the broccoli. But I'm recommitted. We'll see what kind of production comes of it. The italian seeds are all from Seeds of Italy..a g.r.e.a.t. seed company.

    Radicchio
    Cicoria Bianca di bergamo(white radicchio like)
    Cicoria Pan di Zucchero (upright white radicchio!)
    Cicoria Variegata Di CastelFranco (variegated radicchio)
    Cicoria Variegata Di Chioggia (same)
    Cicoria Variegata Di Lusia(same)
    Cicoria Palla Rossa Precocce (early red radicchio)
    Cicoria Grumolo Bionda
    Cicoria Grumolo Rossa
    Cicoria Orchidea Rossa
    Cicoria Rossa Di Treviso (upright red radicchio)
    Cicoria Catalogna Brindisina (new poor germination)

    Other Italian
    Escarole-Bionda A Cuore Pieno
    Escarole-Bubikopf
    Endive-Frisee Cuor D'Oro
    Endive-Frisee Riccia Louviers


    Kole
    Broccoli-Atlantic
    Broccoli-Piracicabe OP Calabrese-type
    Raab-Zamboni
    Romanesco-Cavolfiore broccolo romanesco natalino (romanesco)
    Cauliflower-Cavolfiore di Sicilia Violetto (purple)
    Kale-Savoy Cross
    Kale-Rainbow Tuscan (fedco)
    Red Cabbage-Marner Laggerot
    Red Cabbage-Red Acre

    Winter recommended lettuces from Fedco
    Tango
    Winter Marvel bibb
    Winter Density bibb/rom.
    red velvet(nichols garden nursery)
    cardinale batavian

    Fennel-Finale (short season)

    Choice mixture petunia's, fill in spaces in the pots for fall.

    Aug 1rst
    Radishes(Red, Green hearted; Daikon), mustards, tatsoi, mache all direct seeded.

    July 3rd week-Succession plant carrots. 5th planting. To avoid the worms, I'm giving them a headfake.

    July 7
    Direct Seeded Green Lettuce Leaf Basil, Lemon, Lime Basil.


    4.17.2009

    Flower seed sowin

    Threw out a bunch of seeds into the cold rainy night

    poppies (multiple types)
    nicotiana
    love in a mist
    heliopsis
    coreopsis
    star of the veld
    some yellow thing I found near where the prarie dogs live.
    Miss Willmott's Ghost(Eryngium giganteum)

    wonder if any will grow...

    4.16.2009

    Carrots

    23 varieties of carrots planted last night. See if I can do it from memory:

    berlicum
    japanese imperial
    scarlet nantes
    rothild
    amarillo
    jaume du daub
    vert et blanche
    white satin
    purple haze
    purple dragon
    red samurai
    Tonda di Parigi
    red-core chanteney
    1/2 long danvers
    danvers
    oxheart
    atomic red
    yellowstone
    nantaise
    st. valery
    Shin Kuroda 5 inch
    rodelika
    solar yellow

    Planted earlier and sprouted--took forever 3-4 weeks.
    Amsterdam #2

    4.15.2009

    lettuce & more spinach

    Added some Erste Ernte and Bloomsdale last night.

    Also added 12 lettuces. Most of them new red lettuces for this year, but also finished off a bunch of old seed. Don't expect much germination from those.

    Tonight--carrots (25 varieties).

    Now if we can get the big storm projected for Friday, I won't have to water any of this in.

    I can hope can't I?

    4.14.2009

    Latest Planting

    Planted arugala, green streaks mustard, parsnip, caraway, cilantro (delfino and plain), dill, and new purple cabbage called Marner Lagerrot. We'll see if I can keep the flea beetles from stunting it...

    4.13.2009

    neuSpring

    Well into it.

    Outside I have sprouted peas, spinach, lettuce, mache, radishes and a few amsterdam #2 carrots from last fall.

    Seeded beets two nights ago. Raab and parsnip last night.

    Grumolo type radicchio, red endive(which I never dug up) spinach, celery, kale, parsley all wintered over.
    Volunteers include orach, yellow streaks mustard, some carrot.

    Hardening off pansies, Fennel, stonecress(aubrietta).

    Inside 56 pepper plants--7 to kezia yesterday-6 more to give away. 10 1/2 trays of flowers and herbs. Tomatos are in little 6 packets. Experimental in that I'll have to replant. Not sure whether they'll root out in time.

    Bought 2 new lights and light bulbs so I can expand a little more.

    Still to plant are the summer flowers--dahlia's, zinnias and the like. Cucumbers, Melons and Squash, and then the final planting for late summer of lettuces and escaroles radicchios etc.

    Maybe, just maybe, got Phormium to sprout. Typical delphiniums didn't. Lots of whites for side bed and yellows for sandbox bed. Reds for U-bed. Penstemons have sprouted in most cases--but not to many. Looks like prince's plume just came up and I've got 4 crazy tall hibiscus. Done a fair amount of transplanting and thinning. Good work ethic thus far.

    always a mixture of success and failure this time of the year.

    12.10.2008

    winter harvest..not yet

    harvest today

    daikon
    3 raddichios
    viroflay spinach
    winter spinach
    curled parsley
    endive head
    cracoviensis

    harvested 2 of the remaining 11 carrots. yummy. The kale and raddichios were under snow. They seem impervious. The radichios are by far the hardiest. Unvelievable.

    First jar of canned beets is gone. Had tomato soup this week. N made bean dip from the beans from Last year. Dried beans this year were a total failure. The rattlesnake beans looked great but I didn't get them watered and all the beans are tine and "burned". must install irrigation system.

    10.27.2008

    Tunnell

    Made a tunnel yesterday with PVC and clear plastic. Didn't work out exactly as I thought it would but it might just hold up. Need a good wind storm to really know.

    Made a toasted garlic-roasted chile-tomato-savory sauce last night. Used New Mexico #6 and Numex Anaheims. Surprised at how much it tasted like an enchilada sauce.

    Cut up two more honeydew melons today. mmmm. The nose wasn't too much, but they started to get soft after yellowing. One is sweeter than the other but together in the same container melds them. Appears that eating melons seasonally in Colorado means October. I think the last one might ripen after Nov 1.

    Down to 1 big yellow bowl of green tomatoes. The four section plate is full with the ripe ones.

    Peppers are good. I have a big bag of ripe multicolored peppers in the fridge. The chocolate beauties have come nicely from the green to brown since I picked them all two weeks ago. The ones in the bowl are getting wrinkly.

    G ate almost the last of the cucumber tonight...

    First harvest of Tuscan Kale. Its a superb late planting. Had our first daikon and long red radishes.

    The large chicory and the escaroles are not handling the cold--some getting tip burn. The raddicio is doing great but not sure I'll get heads before the hard frost comes.

    The basil under the new pergola still hasn't frozen!

    Not sure, don't think any of the larger brassicas or cabbages are going to make before freeze. Looks like they might need to be either a lot bigger transplants or planted a lot earlier--hard to say--but Aug 15th didn't get it done. Kales are doing fine though.

    that's all.

    10.05.2008

    Rain in drops and a clean garage

    We're getting some rain tonight. Smells nice.

    Made tomato paste this morning with san marzano, orange banana and cream sausage. Added in some brown berry and a juane flamme. Cooked down pretty well. Hadn't ever done it before--had always made sauce or soup. Now frozen for a later date. So sweet.

    Also made a zingy gingery (too much.) green juice.

    Redventure Celery
    Shogin Turnip thinnings
    Golden Streaks Mustard
    White Satin Carrot
    Ginger
    Curled Leaf Parsley Stem
    Di Cicco Broccoli Raab Stem
    Large Abruzzese Tortarello Cucumber.

    The white satin was sweet enough to balance all the greens -- but not the ginger. N liked it anyway.

    N made a roasted tomatillo salsa. Thanks Josh and Dani!

    tomato(boxcar willie)
    numex anaheim chili
    garlic(not sure what type. Have to be more careful in the field trials! ;)

    For dinner we had wilted greens of baby spinach, bulls blood beat, and five beet chard. beneath thyme rubbed seared scallops, kochoba squash(bought), spiral pasta, and shitake. Earthy but light was what I was trying to get--sorta worked.

    The tromboncino, oh my. Still going strong. We have three large trombones in the house. Still 2 more on the plant... This late with no, and I mean none, powdery mildew. Zuchetta Rampicante, just rolls right off the tongue.

    Finally, brought in another muskmelon. It is sweet like it should be. The other one maybe did get the cucumber pollen.