|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on May 26, 2011 5:57:18 GMT -5
Mike would kill to be able to see hills like yours every day. He and the boys miss that most.
|
|
|
|
Post by steev on May 26, 2011 14:59:21 GMT -5
You're right about slicing with the hoe. In 30 years of a gardening business, I've never had a helper I didn't have to break of that chopping habit, even when using a stirrup hoe or a short Japanese hoe of fine steel that can be sharpened well enough to shave. I've finally settled on saying "that's a knife, not a hammer; if you want a hammer, get one from the truck; otherwise start using that as a knife!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on May 30, 2011 16:59:40 GMT -5
I don't pay attention to government holidays, but today I ended up taking a snow holiday:  The tomatoes had been outside hardening off preparatory to transplanting. They are expected to do fine. |
|
|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on May 30, 2011 21:52:55 GMT -5
That is just plain amazing.
We did our normal Monday housecleaning/laundry/clean the kids room thing. I worked in the garden a bit, Mike and the boys finished the kitty house... then we went to the beach. We go to the beach year round to observe the effect of the seasons, storms, what ever natural events occur. However, today was the first time we could get into the water.
|
|
|
|
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 1, 2011 0:19:15 GMT -5
That is just plain amazing. To me snow the last week of May is typical. Yawn. Happens nearly every year. Even the tomatoes and cucumbers that were planted in the ground outside (and not covered) survived not just one night of snowfall, but two. Two inches Saturday night and three on Sunday night. (I plant a few early sacrificial plants just in case they survive.) I'm anticipating that the morning after it clears up from the storm expected on Thursday will be our last spring frost. So I'm expecting to plant tomatoes and peppers out on Saturday. Yes, that's cutting it close, but if I want a respectable harvest there is no tolerance for a late planting. (I'm hosting a planting party/feast on June 4th if anyone wants to come help and take a garden tour.) First thing this morning I planted 6 rows of [Astronomy Domine X se+] F1 sweet corn in slimy mud. By evening the soil was dry to walk on. Today I spent half a day cleaning the truck and equipment preparing for our first farmer's market, so I only weeded 2500 feet of row with a hand-hoe. I really like weeding these days now that I have proper equipment and know the secret of weeding. (Oh my gosh I let a lambs quarters plant go to seed last summer. Hehehehe what a lot of seeds!!!!) It's my main-effort planting season right now, so I'm barely reading the forum and missing many posts.. Boo Hoo. |
|
|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 1, 2011 5:31:59 GMT -5
Your party is going to be a blast. I love the idea! I might try it for garlic/potato harvest in a couple of weeks!
|
|
|
|
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 8, 2011 22:48:22 GMT -5
We had a lovely tomato and pepper planting party on Saturday. Lots of great food, family, and friends. Here is what my garden looked like today:  And just to show you that my onions are not always perfect:  The farmer's market tonight got rained out. I stayed long enough for my regulars to pick up their baskets. We sure needed the rain since the irrigation system has not been filled yet. |
|
|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 9, 2011 7:59:19 GMT -5
I'm grateful that your onions are not all perfect. I was feeling seriously defective in that area. =o)
Glad to hear that folks are getting some rain. I'm hoping it migrates our way sooner rather than later.
|
|
|
|
Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on Jun 9, 2011 9:21:04 GMT -5
I'm sure it's heading your way. We had heavy rains here, the rivers were already above normal capacity from the +200% snowpack we had in the mountains. I can't imagine the rivers can take much more water. Everything got a thorough soaking though which i suppose is good. But, we received a bit of hail along with it. The hail fortunately was small enough that it only damaged two watermelon seedlings and nothing else. It's 50F now. I don't mind the rain, but i hope it heats up and dries out a little bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Jun 9, 2011 12:40:59 GMT -5
looks like your garden planting was a success joseph!!! love your 'quirky' onions. we have the same variety heere, on occassion! ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 14, 2011 21:58:35 GMT -5
Reached a major milestone today. Irrigation water arrived in my north field.  The yellow flowers are turnips I'm growing for seed. I also have bok choi trying to bloom right now which is the same species as turnip, so I'm eating bok choi flower stems every day. The sky is expected to be like that for ~75 of the next ~80 days which is about when our fall monsoon is expected. I'm also posting a picture of my weedy garden, just so nobody thinks that just because my season is so cold and late that the weeds don't get around to growing. In the foreground is a plant from my winter wheat-like grain crop. It has grown about 5.5 feet tall. Weeds fill the background.  Forgive that awful shirt please. Today was the first day, (due to hot sunny weather, and my fair Nordic skin), that I am working my summer schedule 6AM to 11AM, and 2:30 PM to 8:30PM. Forgot to take proper long-sleeved work clothing with me. And the scowl is due to enduring entirely too much sun this morning, and having gotten up way too early!!! And just so all you long-season gardeners can feel better about your gardens: Here is a photo of what I am just barely starting to harvest in a large enough quantity to notice that there is a harvest.  I am starting a radish land-race this summer adapted to my garden and growing conditions. I planted a row of radishes about 250 feet long containing the homegrown goodness landrace and about 30 other varieties. Today I marked about 30 plants that have produced the largest earliest roots for me. The harvested roots were those that were too close to the big ones. The marked plants will be allowed to go to seed. I intend for rest of the crop to be harvested or hoed out before going to seed. |
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Jun 16, 2011 9:41:52 GMT -5
looking good joseph!
|
|
|
|
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 16, 2011 22:41:12 GMT -5
I started a spinach landrace this spring by planting 10 varieties of smooth-leaved spinach in a block. It is startling to me to compare how the different varieties grew in my garden. Some immediately went to seed producing almost no edible parts, other varieties produced huge amounts of leaves, and are nowhere near bolting. I have been chopping out those plants that bolted early without producing a harvest-able crop. I think I'll have one more chop session in a week or two. Here's what some of the remaining plants looked like this afternoon.  I am constantly amazed at the power of growing my own seeds and adapting my crops specifically to my soil, climate, and pests. I am certain that the offspring of the spinach that I grow this summer will produce better in my garden than any commercial variety on the market. Not only have I selected the best growing varieties, but also the best growing individuals out of each variety: In my garden! |
|
|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 17, 2011 10:11:38 GMT -5
That looks like pizza to me! I didn't grow any spinach this year and the beets and chard went kaplooie. On the other hand, I have some kind of beautiful greens, I THINK it's a mustard, growing in the corn patch. I'm planning on having some with dinner tonight.
|
|
|
|
Post by johno on Jun 17, 2011 11:56:22 GMT -5
I am constantly amazed at the power of growing my own seeds and adapting my crops specifically to my soil, climate, and pests. I am certain that the offspring ... will produce better in my garden than any commercial variety on the market. Not only have I selected the best growing varieties, but also the best growing individuals out of each variety: In my garden!Yes! So true. |
|
