Red Bell Peppers

Running out of time and have even more red bell peppers. What to do???? Make Red Bell Pepper Bisque.

I'll post this on my kitchen blog
http://www.cradlemtkitchen.blogspot.com/

Off to plant the winter garden!

Proud Gardener

Looking at these beautiful red peppers.... I feel like a proud mama!  These have been a huge success.  With the weather staying consistently warm, these red peppers are coming into their own.  If you have the room, make a note to yourself to plant red bell peppers next spring.  When you slice into a fresh from the garden pepper, it makes a "crack" sound unlike anything you'll ever get from a grocery store pepper.... and the smell..... yummy!

I'm grilling these and freezing for 'fire roasted red peppers' all year long.   (Grill or roast in a hot oven.  Then put into a paper bag and close tightly for 20 minutes.  remove the skins and seeds.  lay flat on cookie sheet to freeze, place in zip seal bag once frozen and don't forget to label the bag.  Another option:  instead of freezing, put into a jar with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and keep in the frig... eat or use within a few weeks....YUMMY)

What's Wrong With That Plant?

As my neighbor was recently looking at my tomatoes, this was a comment.  Neighbor said her plants were looking the same and what was wrong with them.  NOTHING...... this is how tomato and cucumber plants look at the end of the season.  They've had plently of water, sunshine and fertilizer, they are just done!  That little seed grew and gave an extraordinary amount of energy for 7 months and it's just done!..... Pull, put into the compost  bin and that plant will reward you next spring as rich compost to nurish another little seed!

The beauty of gardening!!

Off to the dirt!

Potato tower results

The potato tower was a failure.  I had beautiful yummy potatoes from those planted into the ground, but nothing in the tower when I dug it up.  As I went back and looked at the instructions, I see I have the wrong percentages of straw to compost.  But what potatoes we got were worth the effort.  I haven't had such delicious potatoes since those freshly dug Shafter Long Whites 'liberated' from a field this spring!

I planted 1 pound of seed potatoes that I bought from Cameron Park Nursery.  Yukon Golds.  I harvested 11 pounds, so that's a pretty average yield.   I"m going to try the tower again for the fall planting.  I've already ordered more seed potatoes and will get them into the ground in late October......nothing better than oven roasted potatoes that still smell of the dirt!

It was a good summer in the dirt

I find it difficult to find time to blog about the garden when the days are long and the garden beckons.

Successes were the Black  Beauty eggplant, pablano and red bell peppers, Thai chilies, zucchini, lemon balm, and lemon cucumbers.... in fact I am ready to pull the lemon cucumbers because I and the entire neighborhood are tired of them.  I'm letting them get too big now to care, a bad gardener sign of 'tired'. 

Disappointments have been the tomatoes (really disappointed, but more on that later) the parsley, cilantro and green beans. 

But excited to get the winter garden into the ground!!  Hope springs eternal in the gardeners heart!!

Tomato Envy

Cousin Marty's Iowa garden is starting to produce beautiful red tomatoes.  Can't wait to see what's happening in the Cradle Mountain Garden!!

A good's days pickings

Yes, it is a good day in the garden.  The kale is plentiful and oh so tasty. Each of the three varieties of cucumbers is very happy with the heat and producing as much as they can.  The lemon cucumber plant is full of beautiful little yellow flowers and shows no sign of letting up!  Looks like I'll be pulling the last of this carrot harvest this week!  Need to start planning for the fall harvest.............yet, still no red tomatoes from the heirloom and slicers! 

Finally... eating tomatoes

Yes, we finally have tomatoes to eat.  Well, I use that phrasing a little loosely.  I picked 5 beautifully red little globes of the Cherry Buzz Tomatoes. Mr. B and I each had 5 halves, slightly salted.  They were nice, but to be truthful, I was disappointed.  I'm not sure if it is the slow start with the unusually cool summer , but these were not delightfully sweet.  Last year I planted Sweet 100's and they were little bursts of sugar with each bite.  These were ...... just ok. 

Oh well, more are turning pink so I hope to have better reports.  The heirlooms and slicers are setting on, but nothing red to eat yet.

However, cucumbers are more than plentifull.  I"m taking several to neighbors most mornings as there are just too many to eat at 2 meals a day.  iI may try to use my mother's Bread and Butter Pickles recipe this weekend.

So, off to the dirt!

When There is Nothing To Harvest

Since I really do like playing in the dirt, what does one doe when there is nothing to do????  Re-finish the teak furniture!!  It wasn't really all that difficult.  Just start very, very early in the morning while it's still cool outside, under 95 degrees......

12 chairs, 2 tables and 2 deck chairs later, I'm done and boy was it worth it!!
Used Watco Teak Oil from Home Depot.  Just brush it on, set for 30 min then wipe off.  Doing the second coat means I may not have to do it again for 2 years!!!

Well, off to look at the dirt!

57 Tomatoes (Plants, that is)

Dearest husband asked me how many tomato plants I actually have in the ground...... I asked if those in pots count and we agreed that they do.  Well, I officially have 57 tomato plants planted!  Yes, that is  a rather large number for a home garden!  However, with this cool start to the summer I may not get that swamped with those luscious red orbs.... yet one can only wish to have such a problem!

This afternoon I'll give them another dose of bone meal.  Make sure to water the soil first then two tablespoons at each plant  (114 tablespoons???  I'd better check how much I have).  The bone meal will give them a boost to blossom and set fruit.  Make sure to fertilize every week now going into the heavy production time of year.

I have lots of kale to harvest for salads.  Yummmm

Tomato Envy

Here we are on July 21 and I still don't have a single red tomato. I am 6 weeks behind the first ripe tomatoes in 2010.  Lot's of beautiful little yellow blossoms, some forming tomatoes, but nothing red, except the pots some are planted in.  I have great envy when talking to my mom (in Central California) and she is harvesting  5 - 7 each day off her two 'Home Depot' plants while I have nothing to show (yet) for all my hours of tending over seeds, seedlings, transplanting and bi weekly fertilization. 

With nice warm weather here again this week, I hope to see something turn red!  Cucumbers are going great and I harvest 2 - 3 each day.  Just one little eggplant starting to grow... and that's on a total of 3 plants.  

And so, I've finished with my complaining about the results of the cool weather.... and the good news is that our electric bill is the lowest it's ever been!!!

So... off to the dirt.

Creative Tomato Trellis

In this raised box I have tomato plants...... 18 Russian Black Heirlooms and 2 Fantastic Slicers.  (again, all started from seed!) Why the mix???  Well, I read that heirlooms are often temperamental and one way to get better production is to introduce another variety for cross pollination.  So, I pulled 2 of the Russian Black's and planted the Fantastic's.  

So here is the trellis I've built.  I used 6' fence post.  For the cross sections I used construction stakes and fastened with wood screws.  The wire mesh is the type used when they pour concrete (I'm sure it has a proper name) but let's just say I got lots of strange looks at Home Depot when I was trying to fold these 8' sheets in half to get into the Jeep.  We didn't have a heavy duty wire cutter so I decided to use my new tree pruner.... but I needed Mr. B to help me cut the wire mesh.  So between the two of us we got it cut.  I have a sore shoulder and elbow, but we got it cut!!! This we laid across the stakes to create the trellis for the tomatoes. 

Yes, looks like we ruined the tree pruner, but I have a trellis for this tomatoe bed that I can store in the winter and move around in future years!!

And...GOOD NEWS..this morning I saw little tomatoes forming  .. yeah!!!  we may have tomatoes to eat yet this summer!
Off To The Dirt!!!

Potatoes, Level 5, and stopping

I'm stopping this potato tower at level 5.  This last time I broke two of the plants off during my building up with straw and compost.  It's getting to unwieldy to pack in the compost without breaking branches. 

But the remaining plants look good and are robust.

Are there actually potatoes growing in this cage???

Off to the dirt!

BeanFest

Celebrating July 4 with the first harvest of bush green beans.  They grew from little bean'lets' to 5" in about 4 days. These are started from seeds, Speedy Bush Bean from Territorial Seed Co.  They were to come into maturity in 50 days.  I planted them the week of April 10.... so I'd say that this cold and wet spring definitely slowed the growth since the first picking is about 75 days out.

The edamame are beginning to bloom so hope to be picking those in about 20 days. 

Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed...... Lettuce

Yes the butter-head lettuce seeds are actually named...Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed Lettuce  (Territorial Seed Company).  I harvested the first tonight and boy is it tender and sweet.  The leaves are a beautiful pale green and some have a slight hint of ruby on the edges.  But so sweet!!  Although a butter-head lettuce, they are actually more of a loose leaf lettuce.  They braved it through the cold and June first hail storm... and we are eating them on June 20!!


Off to the dirt!!!

Blooms are a beautiful thing

Tomato blooms, that is.  Each day there are more and more of these beautiful little yellow flowers on the tomatoes.  I know that after the fertilization of the flower, fruit starts to grow!!  However, a problem is becoming apparent.  I have not seen any bees in the last few weeks.  I know that my growing garden needs these  little kings of the garden in order for the beautiful flowers to turn into something edible. 

When we had 2 days of spring in March, I marveled at the buzzing all over the garden.  They were everywhere.  However, as we are now actually in summer, not a buzz to be heard.  Although we have a yard full of lavender, rosemary and flowering thyme, not a bee to be seen.  This weekend I added a  large yellow yarrow near some of the new raised beds hoping to draw bees to that area of the yard.  I need to do more research on what will be a draw to the bees.

Off to bed...then in the morning, off to the dirt!

Sweet Rewards -- carrots and radishes

I love the sun up so early.  I was out by 7am and harvested the first of the carrots planted this spring.  They are so sweet!!  Not long, about 5 inches, but tender and sweet.  I think a carrot salad is in the making for dinner with a grilled steak!!!  So glad summer is here. 

I also harvested the last of the green onions from the winter garden.  Planted more radishes in that space since I've discovered I really like them!  I wasn't fond of the radishes we grew as a kid, but I've found a variety that is crisp and delicate.  I like to slice them thin and put on a slice of freshly baked bread with good European butter.  A sprinkling of sea salt and it's...  YUMM. 

Potatoes, Level 2

I have 10 seed potatoes, organic Yukon Gold, planted in 6 square feet.  The planting directions stated to space them 18 inches apart.  But, I figured, if they don't all sprout, that will work just fine. 

I'm also using  a method to build up the ground around the plants to generate more potatoes.  This is from an article in Sunset Magazine on  creating a potato tower. Check out the Sunset site for Potato Towers.  I'll post pictures later as I keep you in the potato loop.

So, I made the second level last week.  I took straw and covered the lower level of plant leaves.  The straw holds the leaves down while you then cover them with compost.  I must say, it is working really well.  I added some potting soil over the compost to give the leaves more nutrients to put down roots and grow the tubers.  Although the Sunset instructions is to build the tower frame first, I find that this would make it difficult to work with since they are in raised beds, 2 feet tall.  So, I built a little fence with chicken wire.  It is folded over right now to give me the room to work.  I'll fold the wire up as I build the ground up higher. The plants grew about 2 inches in 2 days with the sun we had (before it started to storm again) so I'm ready to cover with level 3. 

And those original 10 potato seed... they all sprouted and so now I have a large amount of plants in a small space!  I'll just need to keep them fertilized to make up for the fact that there are so many plants taking nutrients from these 6 square feet. 

I wonder if I can get 100 pounds of potatoes from 6 square feet????  Let's see.....

Off to the dirt!

It was a Windy and Stormy Day

Although the weather person said Sunny with Some Clouds, the sky is a complete mix of blue, black and white!  (Kind of like my legs look after a day in the garden and at the beginning of spring.)  We've even had our share of thunder today which means lightening is somewhere! 

Definitely not going to the dirt today!

Mom Always Said To Eat Your Vegetables

Picked the last of the rainbow Swiss Chard.  This is a crop that does very well at this elevation for the winter garden.  I purchased 2 - 6 paks of Bright Lights Swiss Chard from the big box garden store.  We have  enjoyed from these 12 plants all winter and spring.  They were still producing well, but it is in a space in which I want the red bell peppers.

I still have one area, actually 3 square feet, with regular Swiss Chard that I'm going to let remain for the summer.  I'm going to try to plant seeds in between the plants to keep that space going all year long. 

The building up of the potato bed went well.  I took straw and covered the lower leaves of the plants.  They were about 6 inches tall.  Then covered the straw with compost.  Saw this in Sunset Magazine.  This should increase thepotato yield...... when do I harvest potatoes??????????

P.S..... buying a bale of straw was easier said than done!  Went to Lee's Feed in Shingle Springs.  Took the old Jeep for this dirty job.  Needless to say straw ALL OVER that vehicle.  While cleaning it out, straw got out on the driveway... wind came up.... now straw all over our front lawn and the neighbors..... ooooops, sorry guys!

Pruning Pine Trees

Pine trees can be shaped, like most any other tree.  You simply cut off the 'candles' in the spring.  That was one of my accomplishments today.  I want the trees to fill-in in the lower levels, so I cut off the candles on the upper branches. 

My goal is to have them be nice and full as they mature.  Next year I'll leave the candels on the top to gain more height. 

Off to the dirt!

Oh Why Little Tomato

So, of the 22 replanted,  why did two just die?  They are in in the potted area, so I need to watch how dry the soil is getting.  I'm loving the new compost from Cameron Park Nursery.  It is truly so much richer with actual compost material than that which I've been using from the 'big box' store which seems to be mostly wood chips. 

The peppers look like they made the transition from seeding into the garden. 
I have Ascent  (Thai), Anaheim College, Ancho Magnificio, Lady Bell and the green bell is California Wonder.  All the green bush beans popped up this morning.  Looks like I'm going to have a nice selection of green beans. 

The chive plant I purchased was so large that I divided it into two and planted.  They are in the big tomato raised bed.  Since they are a companion plant, the idea is that they will be low and under the tomatoes.  After success last year with pruning the tomatoes, the plan is to to the same again so I can have several types of plants in the the tomato bed. 

Still working to design a portable trellis for the tomato bed.  Hummmmm..

Well, off to the dirt.

200 Tomatoes

It's a good thing that I actually took 200 of the 400 tomato seedlings and turned them into transplants.  I planted 30 into the boxes and pots on Saturday.  They were all dead on Sunday.  Was it too windy?  Did they not like the special 'tonic' I used ( more on that later).  Replanted 12 Fantastic and Cherry Buzz 2 days ago and they are doing well.  Will replant the Russian Black Heirlooms tonight.  Tonight is also time to get the peppers into the ground. 

My cucumber and zucchini seeds finally all germinated.  At first I thought I might only get 2-3 plants.  They did not all sprout at the same time.  I think the germinating pots were too wet for these.  Next year, keep the seeds on the water mat for only 2-3 days a week and dry out between.

Potatoes have all sprouted!  I'm going to try to increase production by layering compost and straw over the lower leaves  and make the plants grow higher.  (Note to self, buy straw)

Off to the dirt.