August 2, 2010
July 31, 2010
Which way to the 4H fair?
Actually I was joking when I wrote the title of this post, but I just found out that adults can enter into the veggie competition at the annual fair. I'll check out the competition next weekend so I can be sure to be crowned the 2011 champion!!!!!!!
July 25, 2010
Harvest
White and purple bell peppers, purple jalapeños, a million kinds of peppers, world's tiniest tomatoes, kelloggs breakfast tomatoes (orange), green zebra tomatoes, and more!!!
July 19, 2010
July 1, 2010
Dilemma
Not sure what I'll do with the eggplants. Road trip snack?
Hope my husband likes tomatoes, because he's going to be eating a lot in my absence.
June 24, 2010
We Have Color
I just realized Farmer Nacho and Farmer Margarita never gave me a farmer name and I'm kind of pissed about it. So I'm giving myself a farmer name: I would like to be known henceforward as Farmer Emperador Señor Dios del Universo, thankyouverymuch.
Farmer Emperador Señor Dios del Universo is pleased to report that over here on the North Forty, we have red tomato.
One. Red. Tomato.
I'm already planning the salsa I shall make out of him.
The pepper plants look much more bushy and plentiful than our tomatoes, but in the bloom and fruit department, they are lagging seriously behind. The angry infestation of aphids appear to be stunting their growth, but I think I see way down in there, the beginnings of a fruit to come to be. Or maybe just a pregnant aphid.
Farmer Emperador Señor Dios del Universo is pleased to report that over here on the North Forty, we have red tomato.
One. Red. Tomato.
I'm already planning the salsa I shall make out of him.
The pepper plants look much more bushy and plentiful than our tomatoes, but in the bloom and fruit department, they are lagging seriously behind. The angry infestation of aphids appear to be stunting their growth, but I think I see way down in there, the beginnings of a fruit to come to be. Or maybe just a pregnant aphid.
Sowing my seeds
I grew about 200 seedlings too many and I had plenty to go around. I dumped them with anyone and everyone. My chiropractor provides me a weekly report on hers and asks hilarious questions like, "What's that purple thing I'm growing?" (Eggplant.)
Other updates have surfaced online - here and here. A little later in the growing season I will have to visit and see who ended up with what. There was a slight labeling mishap leaving everyone with a grab bag special.
The leaves of my plants seem to suggest I did manage to end up with a nice variety of tomatoes and peppers, I just don't know what. Fingers crossed for some Jamaican Hot Chocolate!
Other updates have surfaced online - here and here. A little later in the growing season I will have to visit and see who ended up with what. There was a slight labeling mishap leaving everyone with a grab bag special.
The leaves of my plants seem to suggest I did manage to end up with a nice variety of tomatoes and peppers, I just don't know what. Fingers crossed for some Jamaican Hot Chocolate!
June 23, 2010
Random report
It was 99 degrees today. 99!!!! My tomatoes may soon cook themselves. I don't know what this heat does to tomatoes, but it can't be good.
Due to the heat all my gardening is done by the light of the moon, and I still come in drenched in sweat laced with potting soil. This update would be much improved with pictures, but no go at 10 pm.
I had to abort some peppers and tomatoes tonight. They were just growing terribly. Really this blog could be a what-not-to-do if nothing else. Let's just sum it up and say -
1. Drainage is important. Your plants can be too wet. Even when it's 99 degrees.
2. Miracle gro moisture control mix is totally worth it. I used some organic bullshit that smells like crap and holds onto water way too long.
My raised beds are so overgrown right now. I should've planted half that number of tomatoes in that space, but I just couldn't choose! I can't imagine what it's going to look like by August. I may lose a child in there. Or a dog. Which wouldn't be all bad.
My deck is also overflowing with pots of all shapes and sizes. I even moved a lot of things to the platform around my HVAC system. So little of our yard gets sun and I'm desperate for space! I know my neighbors just love the scenic view of our yard-o-buckets. But it's all cool, because I busted our HOA President for violating our neighborhood rules (which prohibit growing veggies in your front or side yard). If he comes for me, I'll just mention his squash situation.
I have one tomato that's orange. I am so eating it tomorrow, whether it's ready or not. I'm jealous of my farmer friends to the south who've had ripe veggies for weeks.
This concludes your stream of consciousness farm update.
Due to the heat all my gardening is done by the light of the moon, and I still come in drenched in sweat laced with potting soil. This update would be much improved with pictures, but no go at 10 pm.
I had to abort some peppers and tomatoes tonight. They were just growing terribly. Really this blog could be a what-not-to-do if nothing else. Let's just sum it up and say -
1. Drainage is important. Your plants can be too wet. Even when it's 99 degrees.
2. Miracle gro moisture control mix is totally worth it. I used some organic bullshit that smells like crap and holds onto water way too long.
My raised beds are so overgrown right now. I should've planted half that number of tomatoes in that space, but I just couldn't choose! I can't imagine what it's going to look like by August. I may lose a child in there. Or a dog. Which wouldn't be all bad.
My deck is also overflowing with pots of all shapes and sizes. I even moved a lot of things to the platform around my HVAC system. So little of our yard gets sun and I'm desperate for space! I know my neighbors just love the scenic view of our yard-o-buckets. But it's all cool, because I busted our HOA President for violating our neighborhood rules (which prohibit growing veggies in your front or side yard). If he comes for me, I'll just mention his squash situation.
I have one tomato that's orange. I am so eating it tomorrow, whether it's ready or not. I'm jealous of my farmer friends to the south who've had ripe veggies for weeks.
This concludes your stream of consciousness farm update.
June 4, 2010
Progress report, 1 month post transplant
I squeezed onions, garlic, 7 tomato plants and an eggplant into this tiny box.
Lots of pruning, staking and caging will be required. I'm guessing by the end of the summer the tomatoes will be 20 feet tall, or I will have given up and it will just be one giant mess of tomato plants.
The peppers are putting up a valiant fight against the aphids. It's been raining almost every day here and I swear they doubled in size in under 48 hours.
I still wish the 18,000 ladybugs I ordered 3 weeks ago would hurry up and get here!
(There's one other raised bed not shown, home to 9 more tomato plants.)
(There's one other raised bed not shown, home to 9 more tomato plants.)
June 2, 2010
Fruit!!!!
June 1:
The potted plants are growing fastest - probably because they are in fresh 100% miracle grow potting soil. Mmmm, chemicals!
The potted plants are growing fastest - probably because they are in fresh 100% miracle grow potting soil. Mmmm, chemicals!
May 31, 2010
Pesto - it's not just for basil anymore
We had a bumper crop of cilantro this week. Most of it's in the flower bed in the front yard - my best guess is I reused some potting soil that grew last year's cilantro? The cilantro I was actually trying to grow isn't doing nearly as well. Further proof that more effort does not equal better results.
First I made pico de gallo, using store bought tomatoes (gasp) as mine are still blossoming. I did harvest an onion to add to my bushels of cilantro. Served it with bean and cheese taquitos.
I was still left with a TON of cilantro so I made a pesto of cilantro, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt. I stuffed a chicken breast with provolone, then coated it with the pesto. Pretty impressive concoction for a vegetarian, don't you think?
First I made pico de gallo, using store bought tomatoes (gasp) as mine are still blossoming. I did harvest an onion to add to my bushels of cilantro. Served it with bean and cheese taquitos.
I was still left with a TON of cilantro so I made a pesto of cilantro, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt. I stuffed a chicken breast with provolone, then coated it with the pesto. Pretty impressive concoction for a vegetarian, don't you think?
May 23, 2010
How does a 3 year old's garden grow?
My three year old decided to fertilize some of my seedlings. With toothpaste. As you can imagine, that didn't end well.
May 16, 2010
ETA: sooner than I thought
As of yesterday we have blossoms on one of the tomato plants!!! It's about 3 feet tall, growing in a pot on the deck. I'm leaving town for 3 weeks in July, but maybe there's hope I'll get a tomato or two before leaving town.
The raised bed filled with peppers is being devoured by bugs. I'm debating between horrific chemicals and ordering thousands of ladybugs. As a back up, I'm still growing peppers indoors (in the bathtub, of course). Once they get nice and big I may replace some of the ones in the garden.
The raised bed filled with peppers is being devoured by bugs. I'm debating between horrific chemicals and ordering thousands of ladybugs. As a back up, I'm still growing peppers indoors (in the bathtub, of course). Once they get nice and big I may replace some of the ones in the garden.
May 2, 2010
Learn from my mistakes
Mistakes I made when putting my plants in the ground-
For the first four tomatoes, i didn't keep track of which varieties I put in! I should have just thrown them out and started over, but instead I'll just be surprised. And maybe have a lot of one type and none of several others.
I put them in the day before it poured rain for 24 hours straight. Some didn't survive the beating. Good thing I have 50 more understudies ready to fill in.
One week after planting, it got so cold at night that the next county over had a frost advisory! I always plant too early, which can stunt their growth. The seedling were just sooo huge though, and I was so anxious.
A lot of the plants are quite close together. I had a lot more varieties of peppers and tomatoes than I had space. I'm hoping with staking and/or cages, I can make the magic happen. I'm also planning to selectively reduce tomato plants if needed.
Stay tuned for more page turning (mouse scrolling?) stories of life on the farm.
For the first four tomatoes, i didn't keep track of which varieties I put in! I should have just thrown them out and started over, but instead I'll just be surprised. And maybe have a lot of one type and none of several others.
I put them in the day before it poured rain for 24 hours straight. Some didn't survive the beating. Good thing I have 50 more understudies ready to fill in.
One week after planting, it got so cold at night that the next county over had a frost advisory! I always plant too early, which can stunt their growth. The seedling were just sooo huge though, and I was so anxious.
A lot of the plants are quite close together. I had a lot more varieties of peppers and tomatoes than I had space. I'm hoping with staking and/or cages, I can make the magic happen. I'm also planning to selectively reduce tomato plants if needed.
Stay tuned for more page turning (mouse scrolling?) stories of life on the farm.
Staff turnover
Farmer Nacho is leaving me. He's going to be summering in Southeast Asia, leaving me with a big sombero to fill.
My master plan definitely included having him around conme August to supervise our salsa production. Instead, he has only a few weeks to teach me how to properly hold a knife as well as can salsa.
I picture many lessons via Skpye in my future, as well as a severed finger or two and a nice case of Botulism.
My master plan definitely included having him around conme August to supervise our salsa production. Instead, he has only a few weeks to teach me how to properly hold a knife as well as can salsa.
I picture many lessons via Skpye in my future, as well as a severed finger or two and a nice case of Botulism.
April 20, 2010
Waiting
I'm resisting the urge to plant everything in the ground immediately. It's a predictable cycle -I always plant too early, plant growth gets stunted, husband says "I told you it was too early!" for the next 3 years.
Instead I have larger and larger specimins taking over my house. I've given away quite a few seedlings, yet it seems like I still have hundreds left (probably because I do).
So we wait. And wait. And wait.
Maybe I could just plant a couple and see what happens? Not like I don't have understudies waiting in the wings.
Instead I have larger and larger specimins taking over my house. I've given away quite a few seedlings, yet it seems like I still have hundreds left (probably because I do).
So we wait. And wait. And wait.
Maybe I could just plant a couple and see what happens? Not like I don't have understudies waiting in the wings.
April 5, 2010
April 4, 2010
My big box
I was loving this, until I figured out it will hold 5 tomato plants, max.
The green edging is supposed to be a beagle deterrent. We shall see. I wanted to buy some wire fencing, but after realizing I spent $100 on lumber plus another $120 on 40 bags of topsoil, manure and humus, I figured I had spent enough money for the day.
Now please pause for a moment to contemplate me hauling FORTY bags weighing 40 lbs each, to my backyard. Damn.
The green edging is supposed to be a beagle deterrent. We shall see. I wanted to buy some wire fencing, but after realizing I spent $100 on lumber plus another $120 on 40 bags of topsoil, manure and humus, I figured I had spent enough money for the day.
Now please pause for a moment to contemplate me hauling FORTY bags weighing 40 lbs each, to my backyard. Damn.
April 3, 2010
Admire my box
Before, 11 am:
After, 5 pm:
I have a car full of topsoil, humus and cow manure to add tomorrow.
Not pictured - giant new garden space I just put in around the corner.
Many thanks to NG and KoH for their assistance. Plus, KoH showed me how to use a circular saw and I am hooked! Guess what somebody's getting for Father's Day!
After, 5 pm:
I have a car full of topsoil, humus and cow manure to add tomorrow.
Not pictured - giant new garden space I just put in around the corner.
Many thanks to NG and KoH for their assistance. Plus, KoH showed me how to use a circular saw and I am hooked! Guess what somebody's getting for Father's Day!
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