tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72905065677476881312024-03-13T01:55:22.467-04:00My DirtA Blog Inspired by My Experiences at the Minton Stable Community GardenSallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-84188189187844776972010-05-17T20:44:00.008-04:002010-05-17T22:13:22.379-04:00Harvest Monday and vegetable updateThinned out lettuce continues to be my Harvest Monday story. On Saturday midday, I checked in on my Minton Stable Garden plot as I waited to receive a walking tour that a <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/index.htm">BNAN</a> volunteer was leading. We were one of the final stops of the handful of featured Jamaica Plain community gardens, and by that point, only a few people had stuck with it (my theory: the tour shrank as it passed <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/doyles-cafe-jamaica-plain">Doyle's</a>), but they were impressed with the attention many people have been giving to their plots. After hearing me ramble on about the history of the garden and showing them the John Carroll memorial and wildflower area, they were interested in what I was growing. So I showed them the lettuces, snap peas (some about 8 inches high), the Chinese cabbage and broccoli raab I had planted from seed about a week ago that were germinating, the strawberries (with small white fruits budding), and the mound of black-eyed Susans (now the circumference of a large hula hoop and in sore need of thinning). As you can probably guess, I was without my camera, so you'll need to rely on older photos and your imagination.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLagqxtId6hwbkNqC9rXgb3w17P8gLw_Wbar4DXyUIp40Pl8NA-gw_AYSpsDJaom-pDdrsx1jwFvfWfeY7KJxoKz9lN_iqDgUPJXcUfAOHjJmv-vOOx3lFfShIdPC0Lf4lBsGHXFrnU2-F/s1600/P1020528.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLagqxtId6hwbkNqC9rXgb3w17P8gLw_Wbar4DXyUIp40Pl8NA-gw_AYSpsDJaom-pDdrsx1jwFvfWfeY7KJxoKz9lN_iqDgUPJXcUfAOHjJmv-vOOx3lFfShIdPC0Lf4lBsGHXFrnU2-F/s320/P1020528.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472420357881052690" border="0" /></a>Lunch was calling, so before I left, I thinned out the Summertime Iceberg and Forellenschluss Romaine lettuces. To understand why they need to be grown in the sun, one needs only to compare this harvest (above) to the thinner, wimpier leaves picked earlier this evening (below) from the shady backyard garden my daughter and I planted. The MSG crops seem to have more bones to them, and if we continue to enjoy daytime temperature ranges in the 50s-70s, I'll be posting photos of full, crunchy heads by the beginning of June. If you want to compare these lettuces to others across the country and beyond, visit the Harvest Monday posts listed at <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2010/05/harvest-monday-17-may-2010.html">Daphne's Dandelions</a>.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyKFEmYPF_Rkg-dZCCt9tpeGiTYSzKgBUIlUIgTlbgtEvtlBEg-sjol4form5IKPJVSbWUw9DBHvS_R00EvFS_9fx00B7ltx8p-AfPb7mgG5iTJWQEXyLFRFK7kp2HuGd5-yIRrqQOTU1/s1600/P1020534.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyKFEmYPF_Rkg-dZCCt9tpeGiTYSzKgBUIlUIgTlbgtEvtlBEg-sjol4form5IKPJVSbWUw9DBHvS_R00EvFS_9fx00B7ltx8p-AfPb7mgG5iTJWQEXyLFRFK7kp2HuGd5-yIRrqQOTU1/s320/P1020534.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472421225267830290" border="0" /></a>But I don't want to jinx the situation. Anything can go wrong; today I encountered <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/benefits-of-gardening-and-other-updates.html">a familiar-looking scourge</a> on my Tyee spinach. Already. I'm beginning to wonder that the only way to avoid leaf miners is to grow spinach in the fall.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD27d8XSD6N6xLoLXEhjYybI0LHIkbhHu6w2dL6_gPAGnn-eD01ljhYHF7YHqdht7JOHrUp_AIELjxrmgHvNVkeFvcpfj2koCcZbqTOqsLr-af34aunsVoPYDHZRQdd30WIDGwBBLDxl67/s1600/P1020541.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD27d8XSD6N6xLoLXEhjYybI0LHIkbhHu6w2dL6_gPAGnn-eD01ljhYHF7YHqdht7JOHrUp_AIELjxrmgHvNVkeFvcpfj2koCcZbqTOqsLr-af34aunsVoPYDHZRQdd30WIDGwBBLDxl67/s320/P1020541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472422289360253810" border="0" /></a>At home, I've been hardening off my tomato and brassica seedlings. Last week I transplanted my Black Prince and Rose de Berne tomatoes into larger containers and practiced more vigilance in giving them some time on the sunny front porch, and my efforts are paying off. They are catching up to where they probably should be at this time, and I may be able to plant them out this weekend.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vvt6VIMuUPRFJGdXE0m0mRpJiRNLnwedHVkWkBN-BwMtSeD7A2mMzuKpk1w4ILjmhpRfcZdeCihPAlNgSFbyUaVpVjGe2j8YVQzhf1TLKGUkSBs8GpT_aD_kub3ByHUnQ8r1jZJVEboN/s1600/P1020544.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vvt6VIMuUPRFJGdXE0m0mRpJiRNLnwedHVkWkBN-BwMtSeD7A2mMzuKpk1w4ILjmhpRfcZdeCihPAlNgSFbyUaVpVjGe2j8YVQzhf1TLKGUkSBs8GpT_aD_kub3ByHUnQ8r1jZJVEboN/s320/P1020544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472422814156042018" border="0" /></a>I can't seem to achieve the same momentum for my broccoli and cauliflower. <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/april-showers-bring.html">One year ago today</a>, my Fiesta organic broccoli was not only twice the size as this year's, but already in the ground. This year, I'll be lucky if I can plant out all six of these: two Charming Snow cauliflower, three Fiesta organic broccoli, and the most advanced, the Piricicaba broccoli. I had started four times as many seeds; if I had had more time I would have moved more into larger pots, but I doubt the results would have been different. Now I'm wondering if I can still plant them out this weekend or if I need to wait for them to fatten up a little more. That, along with the arrival of the community garden compost delivery from BNAN and the purchase of a new camera (I've narrowed it down to a particular Canon model) will hopefully happen soon.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-41179863546046811512010-05-03T17:47:00.004-04:002010-05-03T20:14:07.237-04:00There. A harvest.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oa5PR1U2URN5BOSFCBQzFhC2FLw_H09lU7tCRNJ_bQrMkRxFn522eBpwWB1idzIRlaz7hRBstmORjH-bh_KmmdzBDmtMbsdfJl880hO_nT2g3FsG_iotPvTkqzChuwIE32z5NfLXheO3/s1600/P1020527.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oa5PR1U2URN5BOSFCBQzFhC2FLw_H09lU7tCRNJ_bQrMkRxFn522eBpwWB1idzIRlaz7hRBstmORjH-bh_KmmdzBDmtMbsdfJl880hO_nT2g3FsG_iotPvTkqzChuwIE32z5NfLXheO3/s320/P1020527.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467192368309975090" border="0" /></a>Finally, my long absence from Harvest Monday has ended. A week or so ago, I commented to Daphne that I would return soon, even with a yield of thinned-out lettuce plants. And here we have them, mainly the Summertime Iceberg my daughter sowed behind our garage sometime in March, the first seeds of our 2010 gardens. I waved hello to my Minton Stable Community Garden plot yesterday as I rode home from a conference that had kept me indoors most of the weekend. My Iceberg and Romaine lettuces as well as my spinach were not as far along, as they were planted a few weeks later, but because they receive more sunlight the leaves were firmer and healthier. Those seedlings will outpace whatever my daughter and I plant in our increasingly shady backyard. Still, we manage to reap enough greens to make the backyard efforts worthwhile. A few years ago, my husband built some boxes along a retaining wall at the edge of our driveway that gets more sun, so I may try some Chinese cabbage and Quarantina Raab, although I probably should have planted them yesterday.<br /><br />Since I wrote that first paragraph, the lettuce leaves, shown above, were combined with store-bought Romaine, rinsed with <a href="http://wbztv.com/local/water.emergency.boston.2.1668790.html">boiled water</a>, and consumed in a salad. I'm looking forward to my locally-grown lettuce and other greens making up a larger percentage of our vegetable intake.<br /><br />For more (and probably better) harvest news, visit the other blogs listed at <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2010/05/harvest-monday-3-may-2010.html">Daphne's Dandelions</a> that are participating in Harvest Monday.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-84733744387103605612010-04-24T11:45:00.007-04:002010-04-24T12:37:15.149-04:00Now in bloom at home<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDQwF61YoYK8Mm1Go9tRwzg-fVVjZbSSzZP9pY00Cfzip9qMu5OWqVRV9eu7ebqMI4T54Gy3ZNfVmbe4QuUAI0f7DwMfLQDZlEr4n-_0PZLMl9KVcFdX_w3O0jK6y8d7ckgmlhJiFBUu9/s1600/P1020492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDQwF61YoYK8Mm1Go9tRwzg-fVVjZbSSzZP9pY00Cfzip9qMu5OWqVRV9eu7ebqMI4T54Gy3ZNfVmbe4QuUAI0f7DwMfLQDZlEr4n-_0PZLMl9KVcFdX_w3O0jK6y8d7ckgmlhJiFBUu9/s320/P1020492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463742188227542594" border="0" /></a>I don't know which has been worse: keeping up with the blog or keeping up with the gardens. Work, trips away, and other obligations have prevented me from checking in on the Minton Stable Garden, but using the same varieties of lettuce, spinach, and snap peas growing at home as a guide, I believe that the plot will survive a few more days of neglect. A brief shower on Thursday is better than no water at all. I'm just hoping that the peas are attaching themselves to the supports I fashioned for them and not the strawberries growing nearby.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAx1T07tpp97Iu9I-CuPRKTt1stfFHubTUh0rF2puow1rEZIL47SZ5XwGs-DIP7Rl3d1ZnYRe0c-MWXhJXcsSECR8K-hvMQLUXVj8ESKIO3cSA1LICxVNZPjqWgpFyjKTVzHMU4OGPZXN/s1600/P1020493.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAx1T07tpp97Iu9I-CuPRKTt1stfFHubTUh0rF2puow1rEZIL47SZ5XwGs-DIP7Rl3d1ZnYRe0c-MWXhJXcsSECR8K-hvMQLUXVj8ESKIO3cSA1LICxVNZPjqWgpFyjKTVzHMU4OGPZXN/s320/P1020493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463740918989711122" border="0" /></a>In moments of spare time and dry weather I've been clearing out the perennial beds at home, and it looks like there will be several hours of thinning and digging to do between now and the <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/evtSpringFestival.htm">Perennial Divide</a>, which takes place in a few weeks at the City Natives Nursery in Mattapan. First, I need to scale back the bee balm, seen in the top photo behind my tulips, as it is really starting to take over the front garden, and overcrowding plants may lead to another case of <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/bitter-broccoli-besieged-beebalm.html">powdery mildew</a>. Until the bee balm come into bloom during the summer, I can get my fix of red from the coral bells.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp-0JN8PZo-0-tsRJeaLoeoVNbvwxz3HHbDg4lURriX8Ni3hKmy8ITUbm6_OFIezIwulDf5qWhmvgsaul03ZWgXJ0_czX3ILJVX-d-hIP5zcNZmZO-NbQixkrVWbgsBzxiNx1T6yzXF8c/s1600/P1020495.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp-0JN8PZo-0-tsRJeaLoeoVNbvwxz3HHbDg4lURriX8Ni3hKmy8ITUbm6_OFIezIwulDf5qWhmvgsaul03ZWgXJ0_czX3ILJVX-d-hIP5zcNZmZO-NbQixkrVWbgsBzxiNx1T6yzXF8c/s320/P1020495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463741211837018802" border="0" /></a>In the shady backyard, the vinca is flowering and spreading, slowly making up for some neglect a few years back (maple seedlings and other unwanted invaders took over).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcdQ2W30MttiuF0xoe5M-LMv88nB3rCO00abv4BcNouChBVYFseQGhghnj4uJoBab7X5lc85A7K0gaFYpV4RrL3-USeSYR_37KerMaIGqfIcuTHsnVZxDr72IUrb0_SdIo3sDFnTDoGT5/s1600/P1020498.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcdQ2W30MttiuF0xoe5M-LMv88nB3rCO00abv4BcNouChBVYFseQGhghnj4uJoBab7X5lc85A7K0gaFYpV4RrL3-USeSYR_37KerMaIGqfIcuTHsnVZxDr72IUrb0_SdIo3sDFnTDoGT5/s320/P1020498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463741614830699282" border="0" /></a>The lamium is spreading outside the raised bed and onto the grass, but it sure is pretty.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdfRsq7Ms_BdVmJwq3c-DBauRauxgA91ioPWwph-frx-iRrXxFlZCicvGfhHruyxxEZNpL_InfpXvNeD0XA5J7qNEDJFM0YIpduFW2ZNJgmtfWHVFlZs9fb8JY_Eabun-NPKGm4KaYS6Z/s1600/P1020496.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdfRsq7Ms_BdVmJwq3c-DBauRauxgA91ioPWwph-frx-iRrXxFlZCicvGfhHruyxxEZNpL_InfpXvNeD0XA5J7qNEDJFM0YIpduFW2ZNJgmtfWHVFlZs9fb8JY_Eabun-NPKGm4KaYS6Z/s320/P1020496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463741965744485218" border="0" /></a>These last few years I haven't found much for free at the Perennial Divide that I don't already have growing, so I have picked up a native or two from the nursery. This foam flower (tiarella cordifolia) is looking quite at home.<br /><br />Some of the other perennials in bloom include pulmonaria, lemon balm, and pachysandra, and the hostas, ferns, and lily of the valley are poking out of the ground and starting to unfurl their leaves. After all of the dreary weather and flooding of the early spring, it's nice to see them return. It's too early to tell which diseases or pests will surface from this disruption from the norm, though I've heard we may be visited by an overabundance of <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/15/this_spring_winter_moths_may_dominate/">winter moths.</a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-34172308525003823912010-04-08T16:30:00.008-04:002010-04-08T19:30:30.832-04:00Update on my plot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN5eqjBTNkwgyjJl5ER2Xkl81uDQXz3Daaxhrh7tXlGbP-C566zJBDHHukaQu9bZdRmnnhtGjJc2xfWwDqDDf17-dHOh82tez26CmiFCdI2o40eL5h9Xn_GB6FQtDiL56XjY01ESGnVfX/s1600/P1020374.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN5eqjBTNkwgyjJl5ER2Xkl81uDQXz3Daaxhrh7tXlGbP-C566zJBDHHukaQu9bZdRmnnhtGjJc2xfWwDqDDf17-dHOh82tez26CmiFCdI2o40eL5h9Xn_GB6FQtDiL56XjY01ESGnVfX/s320/P1020374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457910373615212914" border="0" /></a>As the temperatures in Boston yesterday escalated toward the 90s, I biked over to my Minton Stable Garden plot in the early afternoon to see if any seedlings were poking through the soil. At first glance, nothing. Then I crouched down for a closer inspection and there, in between the small rocks and stray blades of salt hay and leaves I found them--My lettuce (above) and spinach (below) I had planted on March 28. I photographed them with the same camera I haven't gotten around to replacing (I have been making good use of the crop feature in my photo application to hide the fuzzy left side of my images).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkF1ggU8xhWJVc_IW-3-0aPfVkylJZAfaeYKT5f3EwPFnLAu_P6trRluFQW4e_QQqLZGVuuNOKlZ8PX8QEqR251TraXmBmo1YnPvkXgTiZ_RoECOgAUzstzkqpKEF6vTjPFDPqCjnKQV4H/s1600/P1020379.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkF1ggU8xhWJVc_IW-3-0aPfVkylJZAfaeYKT5f3EwPFnLAu_P6trRluFQW4e_QQqLZGVuuNOKlZ8PX8QEqR251TraXmBmo1YnPvkXgTiZ_RoECOgAUzstzkqpKEF6vTjPFDPqCjnKQV4H/s320/P1020379.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457909969704456178" border="0" /></a>And there were the plants that had decided to sow themselves. I had always wanted to grow raspberries, so I kept a few of the volunteers that blew into my plot last year. And those have multiplied tenfold and spread across my plot. Almost as pesky as <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/bindweed-battles-continued.html">bindweed</a>, though not as threatening. I'd love to keep them, but they have entered my perennial section and also taking the space reserved for my pole beans. Anyone want to start their own raspberry beds? I have plenty here just for the digging.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4FqE0IouPNu76Xr-W9ptjR-JIl9PJyAeSuqqp9dj_4Ck-iUX0HswxXR2WjXeIQg788cGyW0YoBbkgXm5x3H3Up1HxD5sj4Dk817Z4dUrPUcImTUla2mwAmryQqzxNBcwxjuunrTQ-OGP/s1600/P1020380.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4FqE0IouPNu76Xr-W9ptjR-JIl9PJyAeSuqqp9dj_4Ck-iUX0HswxXR2WjXeIQg788cGyW0YoBbkgXm5x3H3Up1HxD5sj4Dk817Z4dUrPUcImTUla2mwAmryQqzxNBcwxjuunrTQ-OGP/s320/P1020380.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457908649486946178" border="0" /></a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-61921884888790506782010-03-31T22:28:00.005-04:002010-04-08T16:29:38.416-04:00Minton Stable Garden Annual MeetingDespite the rain and the unintentional conflict with the first night of Passover, about 30 Minton Stable Community Gardeners attended the annual meeting, which took place on Monday night down the street in the English High School library. At least one of the lucky former waitlisters was there to pay her $30 dues and sign her contract stating that she will follow the ever-increasing list of rules; new additions for 2010 include a protocol for dealing with people who are at risk of losing their plot (due to not completing hours or other violations), the procedure for those wanting to use the property for their own gatherings, and the opportunity to donate extra work hours into a bank so others who may have some physical limitations or other emergency can have them applied to meet their own requirement (still 4 hours per season). With a few families and individuals having left the neighborhood since last season, a few more plots are being allocated to those at the top of the waitlist (of now over 40 wannabe gardeners).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87pBp7O4Hb3GK5wgmL25rViGb7hYsAeK4q9r-4wk86tVLBi1kk0HBzsqzFpphRE9tb84a1ay8xBZbEO-kjLXj4dztNWSFh3tLXxM-XDWSVGhXzFYYXELAYbCZMB5zTxHKLMDHKamzdz4D/s1600/cropped+meeting+shot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87pBp7O4Hb3GK5wgmL25rViGb7hYsAeK4q9r-4wk86tVLBi1kk0HBzsqzFpphRE9tb84a1ay8xBZbEO-kjLXj4dztNWSFh3tLXxM-XDWSVGhXzFYYXELAYbCZMB5zTxHKLMDHKamzdz4D/s320/cropped+meeting+shot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454994747426327634" border="0" /></a>Thanks to Allan for sending me photos; I posted this one because it features almost everyone in attendance. If you click on photo to enlarge it you can make out the Steering Committee members in the back facing the crowd--I'm wearing yellow, Todd is left of me, John is right of me in a white shirt, Asa (in a black jacket with white stripes) is discussing the rules, Terry is right of her (in a maroon sweater). Roxane is sitting on the left side of the table, wearing a light blue shirt and taking notes on her laptop. Jennifer, who usually takes notes and chairs meetings, was taking a well-deserved vacation in Guatemala.<br /><br />We managed to finish ahead of schedule so I could (as treasurer) process the dues payments of everyone who had brought them. In past years different issues extended the meeting; at least once there were disagreements between dog owners and gardeners over where dogs could roam and do their business, and the year the shed was built there was much discussion about how to carry out that project. But this year dogs were hardly mentioned. Bees were, though, as Joe (one of the gardeners) presented some information in advance of a possible proposal to keep some at the garden, a project in such an early stage that it has not sparked any controversy. One item that members did want to discuss was how to better turn our weeds and plant waste into compost. Right now we don't have the capability and there are sanitation issues as well, but there seems to be enough interest and energy to investigate and implement a plan to change that.<br /><br />If you are a member reading this post, I would like to remind you that there will be four Steering Committee seats to be filled in the election this May. Asa, Roxane, and I will stay on for the second year of our two-year term, but the four whose terms are ending have decided not to run again. Sure, there is work involved, and decisions to be made, but we only meet for two hours a month. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have (there's a link on my profile page if you want to email me), or you can contact the committee at mintonstablegarden@yahoo.com.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-18290003638072896182010-03-28T19:02:00.013-04:002010-03-28T22:44:14.646-04:00Observing some traditions, forsaking othersArmed with my dysfunctional digital camera, I set out on this last sunny March weekend day to keep up with my growing traditions as well as experience how others respond to plant life. In the late morning I headed over to my plot at the Minton Stable Garden and turned over some of the soil for the first time in 2010. With a few breaks to chat with others passing through, I managed to dig up about a third of the plot, exhume the skeletons of last fall's broccoli, and sow the following: Forellenshluss Romaine Lettuce (a success from last year that I hope to repeat), Summertime Iceberg (for the younger taste buds), and Tyee Spinach (which Fedco sent as a substitute for the Space I had ordered). I repeated the same planting later in the afternoon in my backyard raised bed.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNTcpTJO05NU20inUZ9SGzt51M6WAHXVHwUei9_KIoYEea6COmLwl6E9KPPjMC8vBcNBX0HhKbEdvU7jPlLdAWYRVKsvnYAO77-kbLOaKkwk1UI3WlsPZ-Tu5Wz3MdLPwVmd4P1tgiLee/s1600/P1020363.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNTcpTJO05NU20inUZ9SGzt51M6WAHXVHwUei9_KIoYEea6COmLwl6E9KPPjMC8vBcNBX0HhKbEdvU7jPlLdAWYRVKsvnYAO77-kbLOaKkwk1UI3WlsPZ-Tu5Wz3MdLPwVmd4P1tgiLee/s320/P1020363.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453860893930757122" border="0" /></a>Around 2:00 I was back in JP, to pick up my friend Kim and head down to to <a href="http://www.mobius.org/">Mobius</a>, an experimental arts organization in Boston's South End, for an event that had intrigued us, the <a href="http://www.mobius.org/events/mobius-experimental-flower-show">Alternative Experimental Flower Show</a>. We had attended the traditional <a href="http://www.paragonexpo.com/466.html?flash=1">flower show</a> on and off for years, but despite the change in venue (Boston's World Trade Center) and main sponsor (formerly <a href="http://www.masshort.org/">Massachusetts Horticultural Society</a>, now <a href="http://www.paragonexpo.com/">Paragon Group</a>), we could already envision the types of exhibits we'd encounter for the $20 we'd end up spending (although I do regret missing a display that Asa, a fellow Steering Committee member, had some involvement in assembling). We were looking forward to spending only $5 to support a great non-profit and not knowing what to expect.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB-Ys9zC3_PvYrxodOy1yQW7vGzrSKr-SWj8m9qFmYWTIe6Fqw9-kEdQvtFIY3W8l2-eRBhbfT4Phamzr7NeXkrxjNSYfVg_xlOKSN-dm1xidyTKcyWAlQAWgUHUdt2bZbX5lFq0gaxEQ/s1600/P1020366_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB-Ys9zC3_PvYrxodOy1yQW7vGzrSKr-SWj8m9qFmYWTIe6Fqw9-kEdQvtFIY3W8l2-eRBhbfT4Phamzr7NeXkrxjNSYfVg_xlOKSN-dm1xidyTKcyWAlQAWgUHUdt2bZbX5lFq0gaxEQ/s200/P1020366_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453861688898360946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Outside the entrance, we encountered the bouquets of flowers that we assumed that people had brought the past few nights as part of the admission fee to the dances and other live performances. Inside, Kim took advantage of a rare opportunity--she became a plant, potted by one of the artists, <a href="http://www.mobius.org/artist/cathy-nolan">Cathy Nolan Vincevic</a>. She removed her shoes, stepped into a pot, then Cathy added some potting soil and greenery. Feet buried in the dirt, Kim sensed what it was like to have a strong root system. She asked how she should behave, a little surprising given her extensive knowledge as a gardener, and her friend Marlo and I suggested that she face the sun. Other works in the exhibit included bananas and banana peels arranged like flowers (by <a href="http://www.smfa.edu/facultymodule/view/id/159/src/@random4a83044d9a8b2/">Ursula Ziegler</a>) and <a href="http://billevertson.blogspot.com/">Bill Evertson</a>'s "Thorns in the Garden," where the visitor watches a looping video of various scenes of environmental destruction through a telescope and has the opportunity to buy fake seed packets with colorful images of mushroom clouds over fields of flowers and maps of chemical weapons storage sites. <a href="http://www.deborahbohnert.com/">Deborah Bohnert</a>, who has been giving away much of her art over the course of her career, made sure we didn't leave without one of her elegant pyramid-shaped potpourri pieces.<br /><br />The installations provided a much-needed contrast to the traditional flower show exhibits. Instead of cordoning plant life off from human contact, we were encouraged to mingle with it in some cases, witness how it must hold up in the face of other forces, whether they be environmental or cultural (such as how they are portrayed in origami and other mediums), and see floral features in other objects.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxRE98pvXjP5laT9_nS0SX1f_K4P8iM_T1DnmyHJxjWyWLFvt-_eluFNQmew-p2YpTjkW5pvSQe0jqJ3vTXCQ-cENg1__AyulLayHXgBq7ilvaqjk9S5ksF7HE0qqQNYOINNVzV0LsIfg/s1600/P1020370.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxRE98pvXjP5laT9_nS0SX1f_K4P8iM_T1DnmyHJxjWyWLFvt-_eluFNQmew-p2YpTjkW5pvSQe0jqJ3vTXCQ-cENg1__AyulLayHXgBq7ilvaqjk9S5ksF7HE0qqQNYOINNVzV0LsIfg/s320/P1020370.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453862325221405026" border="0" /></a>Later at home, as the skies began to cloud foreshadowing a soggy week ahead, I decided to be proactive and start some snap peas indoors. Reading <a href="http://veggiegardenblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/pea-planting.html">a post from Dan's blog</a> last week, I was reminded how the seeds that had germinated under the grow lights last season fared much better than those that I had sown directly into my backyard garden. I did plant some last weekend but it's still too early to tell how they'll do. I brought my peat pots indoors and added them to the other occupants under the grow lights, including my Black Prince tomatoes (above) and Piricicaba broccoli (below). So far, I feel I should have taken my delphinium seed money and bought a nice cup of coffee instead, but at least most my vegetables are progressing normally.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO3rkDcK0xCDarcLYo2AbTXP-TyiFPj9LIUSVN072hdYJ7_WX1ihOos-gJt7RNCh3waNRhG2bJMJoaetxvcfgOofj_dy1cuspB5XysIxR2f5GWAtegnRSreA6vaSNqu66YL1x0QWX7JPr/s1600/P1020371.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO3rkDcK0xCDarcLYo2AbTXP-TyiFPj9LIUSVN072hdYJ7_WX1ihOos-gJt7RNCh3waNRhG2bJMJoaetxvcfgOofj_dy1cuspB5XysIxR2f5GWAtegnRSreA6vaSNqu66YL1x0QWX7JPr/s320/P1020371.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453862670691153634" border="0" /></a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-53150289629119413302010-03-21T18:29:00.006-04:002010-03-21T23:06:27.435-04:00Don't just garden, advocateIt may have been a gorgeous spring day yesterday, but the 35th annual <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/calendar.asp?M=3&D=20&Y=2010&EVType=Events">Gardeners Gathering</a> drew its regular crowd at Northeastern University, with many workshops filled and standing-room-only attendance at the noontime plenary session. I wish I could provide you with sharper photos of the event, but if you have been reading earlier posts, you are aware that I've been having problems with the focus and range finder of my digital camera. My search for repairs has taken me out of state, with a quote of about half the price of the camera itself. So I'll be shopping for a replacement, and hopefully finding a way to recycle this camera without adding to all of the other appliances in our landfills.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbJZ6u_8f48z91iI4DX09Q6OIv5JkUP6DcLsnK2oOeiTDK_BCW8rM6FRjlUKhwuNfSff2MHewJnupcFH_fYaSQ15iUsbltRoahwWurjN71oB2QXaYWgncs9SwphWYWtiWmwrjXUJUfPE5/s1600-h/P1020339.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbJZ6u_8f48z91iI4DX09Q6OIv5JkUP6DcLsnK2oOeiTDK_BCW8rM6FRjlUKhwuNfSff2MHewJnupcFH_fYaSQ15iUsbltRoahwWurjN71oB2QXaYWgncs9SwphWYWtiWmwrjXUJUfPE5/s320/P1020339.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451229395560954802" border="0" /></a>The organization behind the Gardeners Gathering is the <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/index.htm">Boston Natural Areas Network</a>. In her address, BNAN president Valerie Burns informed members of its Boston community gardens that compost delivery will be delayed 3-4 weeks; the compost comes from the city's collected yard waste and won't be released until tests reveal that it meets lead-level and other requirements. With that and some other business taken care of, she dedicated the remainder of her speech to the important issue of advocacy, explaining that many of our elected officials aren't aware of the community gardens within their districts. Gardens beautify our neighborhoods, make them safer, and bring people together, but it's simply not enough for us to grow and maintain our plots. With citywide budgetary constraints, it's the silent that are most likely to end up on the chopping block. So speak up at neighborhood meetings about the benefits of community gardens, and write letters to city councilors and other elected officials. According to Burns, for every one letter they get from a constituent, it is assumed that there are about a hundred others who feel the same way.<br /><br />A gardener in the crowd brought our attention to a bill that was introduced last summer, <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-3225">H.R. 3225</a>, The Community Gardens Act of 2009, which would provide funding for community gardens. Obviously, the Congress is tied up with the health care bill and other matters, but she urged us to contact our representatives to urge them to support it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbNZMiz7hi8qe0vyLQ7U3XaP1kGz8vCN0iK-8K3bum3LP9ZtWdV4RmLL7CwDhkySppiE_eNcZmkTrsuz9n_4bjeQK511O-tkT_xpODtMORRQopxMl3sTdx4KKjtrYgpO8VB_hAnXJrN_K/s1600-h/P1020343.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbNZMiz7hi8qe0vyLQ7U3XaP1kGz8vCN0iK-8K3bum3LP9ZtWdV4RmLL7CwDhkySppiE_eNcZmkTrsuz9n_4bjeQK511O-tkT_xpODtMORRQopxMl3sTdx4KKjtrYgpO8VB_hAnXJrN_K/s320/P1020343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451252551774981586" border="0" /></a>Later I attended a few of the workshops, including Fresh Tastes from the Garden & Cooking with Seasonal Vegetables, put on by several graduates of BNAN's <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/MUG.htm">Master Urban Gardener</a> program. After tasting Patricia's swiss chard with cannelloni and some kale seasoned with garlic and other spices, I am now trying to figure out where I can make room for these vegetables in my garden. Florence showed us different ways to use every part of the cassava plant, a major staple for many in African countries, and Phoebe had us taste-testing various salad dressings made from yogurt, orange juice, and herbs.<br /><br />At the end, everyone reunited in the plenary room to hear Mayor Menino's annual remarks. In addition to urging everyone to invite him to their gardens at harvest time (which he does every year), he touted an initiative as a testament to his dedication to community gardening. For this year, he described the garden on Long Island (one of the Boston Harbor Islands), where residents of the homeless shelter help grow, harvest, and sell produce at a farmers market. The farm recently acquired 100 chickens, so he kidded the math-challenged by explaining that if each chicken laid an egg a day, there would be 700 after a week. After his speech, he stuck around to bestow awards and raffle prizes. The honored included the Hall of Fame inductee, the Southwest Corridor Parkland (11 gardens along the Southwest Corridor between the Back Bay and Jamaica Plain, including some I passed on my bike on the way home), and the Most Valuable Gardener, CiCi Kwan(sp?) of the Berkeley Street Community Garden. That she has never missed a garden cleanup in twenty-five years would put any work-hour slacker to shame.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-88516800017844623522010-03-12T16:40:00.006-05:002010-03-12T17:49:06.078-05:00Did the season start without me?Everyone has a different determinant for the beginning of the gardening season. For some, it's as soon as the ground can be worked, which for us in New England is a week or two away (given the temperatures in the 40s and 50s this past week it might be able to be worked now, but I haven't checked). For others, it's around the time of the <a href="http://www.masshort.org/Blooms-2010">Blooms!</a> flower show (formally the New England Flower Show), starting on March 24; they need to see some advanced display to get in the mood. For Minton Stable Gardeners, the season might start when they attend the <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/mintonstablegarden/home/upcoming-events">annual meeting</a>, where they sign their rules and pay their dues. But for those of us around here starting seeds, the season should have begun by now.<br /><br />According to the <a href="http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/MA/Boston">Farmer's Almanac</a>, I have arrived late to the party. This past Tuesday, I started five varieties from my Fedco order: Black Prince and Rose de Berne organic tomatoes, Fiesta organic and Piracicaba broccoli, and Charming Snow Cauliflower. According to the Almanac's chart I should have had them under the grow light by February 23. Oh well...At least the cauliflower has decided to help me catch up.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGo93EBVamALvUvOa282nCmhjFJja3ca0V0T4XxWhCEy0RHLii1R-96Fl2UppzlrYSMhZUK8F-IKlKa3zl_LoLTuMR2zA839vmVtYcVxnGE5dud2khMun9QPpSRO80bxTP9-DEUIrjxVd/s1600-h/P1020303.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGo93EBVamALvUvOa282nCmhjFJja3ca0V0T4XxWhCEy0RHLii1R-96Fl2UppzlrYSMhZUK8F-IKlKa3zl_LoLTuMR2zA839vmVtYcVxnGE5dud2khMun9QPpSRO80bxTP9-DEUIrjxVd/s320/P1020303.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447882740944341042" /></a>Are you on schedule?Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-91368636465512811112010-03-04T16:45:00.006-05:002010-03-04T18:01:31.666-05:00Greenway Gardens visitI am a day late for <a href="http://veggiegardenblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-fever-on-wordless-wednesday.html">Wordless Wednesday</a>, but I like the idea of taking it easy and letting the photos do the blogging. Unfortunately, my camera seems to have some impediment, adjusting its focus in the wrong direction at times, blurring the sides or all of my images, regardless of whether I use automatic settings or not. It may be my fault; since <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/msg-through-different-lens.html">I received it</a> two Christmases ago I have been mainly keeping it in the pouch of whatever bag I've been using, leaving it in the dirt, and letting it end up in little hands. I need to find a good repair place in Boston. In the meantime, I'll post a few of the better shots of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Gardens, which I visited after work on Tuesday before catching a train home.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9ja-Wdtt5lVca1itppYmxmCSWZoWFiAPVFTKto2iBmWKAgMtk9mTRcqZO2ANwsVr39SuzlidDOCnKKN9nwqYQmo7KgW6av8aQj3fKLtgzY9DmX0He2IpZpFFkTb6xdC1W8m_sfk3YAeR/s1600-h/P1020281.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9ja-Wdtt5lVca1itppYmxmCSWZoWFiAPVFTKto2iBmWKAgMtk9mTRcqZO2ANwsVr39SuzlidDOCnKKN9nwqYQmo7KgW6av8aQj3fKLtgzY9DmX0He2IpZpFFkTb6xdC1W8m_sfk3YAeR/s320/P1020281.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444903261479850786" border="0" /></a>Some daffodils already? Seems a little early, but the way the weather has been, not surprising.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaOrnsy8U0FmBOGDiB9gzQmXBMYy6Kwj2NvnyyIjDwZtZEP_zvcXqdkNqXwBP-jqJSvqXsM_yGOzUGH5_RqFpNr5FEZl44j-X_xylyTekUemSCZVcpGuL_-qLxZuHypKFEwmw0BhPw_M4/s1600-h/P1020280.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaOrnsy8U0FmBOGDiB9gzQmXBMYy6Kwj2NvnyyIjDwZtZEP_zvcXqdkNqXwBP-jqJSvqXsM_yGOzUGH5_RqFpNr5FEZl44j-X_xylyTekUemSCZVcpGuL_-qLxZuHypKFEwmw0BhPw_M4/s320/P1020280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444904415034747730" border="0" /></a>These signs were all around, and refer to the Conservancy's commissioned study highlighting the effects of poor drainage in the gardens. This photo below shows the worst conditions I've seen during my visit. I don't know how bad it gets during a rainstorm, but I think most parks and backyard gardens have a hard time escaping this problem.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtQ3TygDRN9gNfRtVVDRPeWgL50Ty8ejPiTasD_2zBLdEakwEXCCE_rnJGhwpuRnqjsR-HCz3RX8s5-rlzRSTmV9Az3bzHU3Bb7gQt5WBI0hhCi5wLH52AzZKnxkgKLiwpJsbR9IidWX1/s1600-h/P1020282.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtQ3TygDRN9gNfRtVVDRPeWgL50Ty8ejPiTasD_2zBLdEakwEXCCE_rnJGhwpuRnqjsR-HCz3RX8s5-rlzRSTmV9Az3bzHU3Bb7gQt5WBI0hhCi5wLH52AzZKnxkgKLiwpJsbR9IidWX1/s320/P1020282.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444905490455740242" border="0" /></a>Save the Greenway Gardens <a href="http://greenwaygardens.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/conservancy-meetings/">reported</a> on a meeting on February 24 in which the Conservancy unveiled some proposals for the Greenway. For the gardens (the area also known as the Fort Point Channel Parks), benches and chairs were proposed, but no vendor carts. Save the Greenway Gardens did not publish an opinion (as far as I can see), but to me these additions seem reasonable. It was a little disappointing to not find a bench to sit on when I first visited last summer. I hope this means the gardens will stay.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-24869658862640142392010-02-28T13:35:00.006-05:002010-02-28T16:04:04.294-05:00Waiting...As you can see, I have been a bit of a slacker when it comes to updating the blog. The main reason for this has been a fortunate one--I have been moving forward in my fledgling career as a freelance writer. After spending a good chunk of my day facing a screen, on those projects and commitments as well as my fiction, it has been difficult to bring myself to do <span style="font-style: italic;">even more</span> writing. Another reason is common among many garden bloggers: this is still the off-season. One can't simply upload a few photos and say, "Look, my organic Canton Dwarf bok choy is germinating!" Some folks can garden all year round; I don't seem to be one of them (see #7 below). Engaging topics can be as scarce as available plots in the Minton Stable Garden (the waiting list is now up to 40).<br /><br />So I have decided to employ a strategy to help break my writer's block: lists. Make a list of something, anything, and maybe an idea will come from it. For example, in the northeast this is the time of year for waiting. Many gardeners are waiting for their seeds to arrive. Mine did yesterday, but now I have to wait for the right time to plant them. Here are some other things I'm waiting for, not necessarily impatiently, but waiting nonetheless.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.</span> Spring, obviously. Unlike the rest of the country and even other parts of Massachusetts we are just having a dull, wet winter. The rain has washed away the snow from this untouched garden path I photographed earlier this month.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnSv9Fl9ZGJtMf4LJzlJxNmGCkGAEPSY8rYCyqnNoRP2l_oc00ceclqI47cGdrkRsGt4a01BKO9LpHP_Lfnf7QAiofLIKf9SrNb4ylwQw2tV6DEOsmT1gzW_z5SwnqtA_fLzuFMPaxa-n/s1600-h/P1020190.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnSv9Fl9ZGJtMf4LJzlJxNmGCkGAEPSY8rYCyqnNoRP2l_oc00ceclqI47cGdrkRsGt4a01BKO9LpHP_Lfnf7QAiofLIKf9SrNb4ylwQw2tV6DEOsmT1gzW_z5SwnqtA_fLzuFMPaxa-n/s320/P1020190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443398831439703106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">2.</span> The Minton Stable Community Garden <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/mintonstablegarden/home/upcoming-events">annual meeting</a>, which will take place on March 29. Looking forward to catching up with some members I haven't seen since the fall, though a little nervous about co-running a large gathering. Right now I'm committed to giving a treasurer's report and collecting and recording many dues checks in a short period. And then there are the other questions: will we get through the agenda on time? What will spark controversy? Could be...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3.</span>..an anticipated proposal to <a href="http://keepingbeesformoney.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%21C22FAE4D733C06DF%21116.entry">keep bees</a> in the community garden. One of the gardeners along with an experienced bee keeper would like to establish a few hives on the property. The Steering Committee likes the idea and there are already a handful of interested volunteers, but the membership must approve it, a plan to fund it needs to be in place, and there has to be an agreement on its location. Stay tuned...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4.</span> What will happen with the Rose Kennedy <a href="http://greenwaygardens.wordpress.com/about/">Greenway Gardens</a>. I had learned back in January that the Greenway Conservancy, which has been granted control over the development of the parcels where the gardens are located, was considering removing them. Now, it seems that the Conservancy wants some gardens as well, but has <a href="http://blog.rosekennedygreenway.org/2010/02/06/continued-report-on-feb-2-joint-meeting-of-the-conservancy-board-of-directors-and-greenway-leadership-council/">reported</a> on issues related to poor drainage and other problems with the existing gardens (which had been planted two years ago by volunteer master gardeners), and is trying to justify making significant changes that include building a pavilion. <a href="http://greenwaygardens.wordpress.com/">Save the Greenway Gardens</a> and others are keeping an eye on these developments; for their reaction to the Conservancy's findings and information about upcoming community meetings check out their <a href="http://greenwaygardens.wordpress.com/">site</a>.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5.</span> <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/index.htm">Boston Natural Areas Network</a>'s <a href="http://www.bostonnatural.org/evtGardenersGathering.htm">Gardener's Gathering</a>, which will take place March 20 at Northeastern University. Workshops, prizes, other freebies, and an opportunity to fill the room when the Mayor makes his annual appearance (so green spaces and community gardens stay on his radar).<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. </span> My Olympia spinach and State Fair Mix zinnia seeds, on backorder from <a href="http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds.htm">Fedco</a>. I'm not too concerned about the zinnias but the spinach needs to be sown in late March.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7.</span> My indoor herbs to thrive. Right now I'm down to one spindly coriander and and four starter pots of stunted basil seedlings. I think I can keep the basil but I'm not sure whether I should transplant them, change the distance of the grow lights, add fertilizer, or just move them to a sunny window.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8.</span> The next installment of Daphne's <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/search/label/Get%20Growing">Get Growing</a> series. She and another blogger have been publishing these thorough how-to posts that cover basics from seed starting to composting. The series has been informative; I'm not sure if Daphne and Robin get paid for writing the posts but they should. They appear the first of each month, so I won't have to wait long for the next one.<br /><br />This list-making won't prevent me from becoming a weekly (or even monthly) blogger, but the exercise has been useful for generating or reminding myself of some topics for future posts.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-81994836134598895702010-02-11T05:09:00.007-05:002010-02-11T06:54:56.025-05:00Things learned while ordering seedsI am finally getting around to ordering seeds, once again, through <a href="http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds.htm">Fedco</a>. I'm aware of the existence of other reputable companies, but have decided to stick with Fedco because of 1) convenience--this was the only catalog I have received and I have been too busy to explore alternatives, 2) success I've had with most of the varieties I've purchased, and 3) their cool catalog, minimalist in style with its black-and-white newsprint, but full of commentary and interesting factoids. Yesterday, while anticipating the Boston snowstorm that wasn't, I tore out the form and began painstakingly transcribing the correct codes for my upcoming crops. I ended up with a few of last year's successes, a few that have worked well for other gardeners in the area, and other vegetables/herbs and varieties I haven't yet grown. I'm still compiling my list, but for this post I thought I'd share some information, new to me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Prince Tomato:</span> Fedco had not offered this variety for thirteen years because when it was first sold, the company "could not find a market for it." Now Google "black prince tomato" and most of the links up front are from other seed merchants, probably due to the popularity of heirlooms nowadays, and for the variety's rich flavor. According to one online <a href="http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/black-prince-tomato">source</a>, this Siberian tomato originated in Irkutsk, Russia, and is known for its health benefits due to its abundance of the antioxidant <a href="http://www.improvingyourworld.com/health/lycopene_how_to_get_more_000806.html">lypocene</a>. Though other reports indicate that the plant has grown successfully in western and southern regions of the US, I'm going to give the Black Prince a chance here in New England. Since it also grows well in cold climates in Russia, maybe if I try growing it, Murphy's Law will take effect and we'll end up having a warmer summer.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhohxGPptrDjoql9q3eN5bJfWmYWJwk768Kw77qwaky0jR31A5TsFU2Xk5VoSuBwX6bzHmmiaU2GdiI01Aeo-6dUJk3VKfJVwwayIWy1IGQcon3SmWDNHq80rEBq6kOIS56kFalNq9cq3/s1600-h/P1020175.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhohxGPptrDjoql9q3eN5bJfWmYWJwk768Kw77qwaky0jR31A5TsFU2Xk5VoSuBwX6bzHmmiaU2GdiI01Aeo-6dUJk3VKfJVwwayIWy1IGQcon3SmWDNHq80rEBq6kOIS56kFalNq9cq3/s320/P1020175.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436950137160992290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Catnip:</span> The fact that our cat (above, one of my daughter's many photos) goes crazy for catnip is enough reason to order it, but the Fedco catalog states that this herb can calm mild stomach disorders, aid sleep, and lower fevers if added to tea. Rats hate it, and crushing and rubbing it on the skin can repel mosquitoes better than DEET (according to an Iowa State University <a href="http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/2001releases/catnip.html">study</a>).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sugar Ann Snap Pea:</span> I had mixed results growing it last season but it could have been worse. Fedco's crop was blown away by a hurricane. As a result, it's not available in 2010, so I'm ordering Cascadia instead.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-40709431213850720302010-01-31T15:14:00.004-05:002010-01-31T16:23:15.811-05:00Herbs and Greenway updateWith grow lights an inch or two above them, all four of my herb varieties planted on January 10 have germinated. First up were a few of the dill seeds (third group from the left in the photos below), then the 2008 basil (at left). I thought I would have more success with the coriander, but all I have so far is a small finger sticking out of the soil (at right). The most pleasant surprise has been the cilantro; not only were the seeds a few years old, but cilantro (second from left) is fussier than many other herbs when it comes to watering and circulation in the soil. Hopefully I can keep them in enough light and heat so they don't become spindly. The cilantro and dill are looking a little emaciated already.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJcKvwjs7sn39mORnX3tCFcdMC1P6VU27f9gjky_xWWR3oRtxbxMPS33GgzRDhUHalxwkMIIWNahORGcP4i6PqhqVhmASJ3u1WUH6ehw0mJ02-R7t_G9BFToWzKLNSTs0GwAe5xg4RDCv/s1600-h/P1020160.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJcKvwjs7sn39mORnX3tCFcdMC1P6VU27f9gjky_xWWR3oRtxbxMPS33GgzRDhUHalxwkMIIWNahORGcP4i6PqhqVhmASJ3u1WUH6ehw0mJ02-R7t_G9BFToWzKLNSTs0GwAe5xg4RDCv/s320/P1020160.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433016535884067426" border="0" /></a>About saving the Greenway Gardens, I've received a little feedback (here and elsewhere) on my previous post ranging from "great writing" to "a little skewed" and even "whining." To the first I say thanks, and regarding the second, it was nice to have a response from someone who lives near the Gardens and who knows a few individuals from the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. Basically, my main purpose of the post was to address the issue of possible plans to remove the gardens, not to accuse the Conservancy of failing to be civic-minded in their goals; they also want people to come together and use the space. A few days after my post, local journalist Karen Cord Taylor <a href="http://www.bostoncolumn.com/2010/01/26/greenway-plans-rile-gardeners/">explained in more detail </a>the breakdown in communication and collaboration between the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and the Conservancy. The different perspectives (as well as comments) shed more light on the complexities of these issues. The encouraging development is that the Conservancy's executive director has stated, according to the post, that "these parcels will remain gardens." We'll see.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-22223038331689623702010-01-22T14:09:00.006-05:002010-01-31T16:24:29.228-05:00Greenway Gardens at riskThese past couple of weeks have been marked by acts of generosity and community activism in the face of disastrous and threatening events. Many of us have opened our wallets to aid victims of Haiti's earthquake or picked by phones or signs in an attempt to sway the results of an uncomfortably close Senate election. These news items had been keeping me occupied when I received a request from a fellow Steering Committee member to become a fan of the newly-formed <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Bostons-Greenway-Gardens/186933326855">Facebook page</a>, "Save Boston's Greenway Gardens."<br /><br />I was a little surprised to learn that the gardens were at risk. After all, they were completed less than two years ago, thanks to a team of volunteer master gardeners, and, according to this <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/2078721.html">LiveJournal entry</a>, $850,000 provided by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. The Rose Kennedy Greenway Gardens occupy three parcels of land in downtown Boston that was once shaded over by the elevated Central Artery, before the "Big Dig" rerouted the expressway underground.<br /><br />Winding paths take pedestrians past an impressive arrangement of annuals and perennials, complete with discreet identification signs staked into the flower beds. The landscape of native perennials serves as a refreshing alternative to the typical public-space mass plantings that feature monotonous rows of petunias, impatiens, or other annuals that get ripped out at the end of a season. And the natives may inspire gardeners to give them a try in their own beds. I have only had a chance to rush down the path on my way to other destinations (hence the embarrassing lack of photos); now I'm concerned I may not get a chance to make a proper visit.<br /><br />A different group, the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, was in alliance with MassHort, but now has other ideas. A non-profit that leases the land from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, its plans call for more "active use," with a pavillion, a paved-over area for a farmers market, and even a skating rink.<br /><br />Ripping out these lovely plantings would be a waste of all of the money and community effort put into this project. The Conservancy argues that the gardens would be expensive to maintain. There are other green spaces in the city that are watered regularly, and plants growing in their native habitat are more adapted to the climate and would presumably require less care. Would maintaining a building or a rink of ice that needs constant temperature control be cheaper? I don't think so.<br /><br />Do we need these new facilities? There's already a skating rink on the Boston Common, and farmers markets in nearby Dewey Square, Copley Square, and other places. A public toilet somewhere on the Greenway might be nice, since they are scarce anyway, but there is already enough concrete. I think the fountain and seating in the nearby parcels will suffice.<br /><br />Who knows what will get slipped by us before the gardening season begins. As I write this the Facebook page only has about as many fans as I have friends, with a little overlap, a number that's okay for an individual but not a cause. If you have any investment in this issue become a fan (if you're on Facebook), write to an official, or follow some of the other <a href="http://greenwaygardens.wordpress.com/what-you-can-do/">suggestions</a> on the organization's web site.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-27790970845576148952010-01-10T18:17:00.006-05:002010-01-10T20:34:40.840-05:00More herbs indoorsToday I followed through on my plan to continue growing herbs indoors. My <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/harvest-update-indoor-season-begins.html">previous efforts </a>have had mixed results. We have been harvesting the parsley and new sprigs that rise up to replace them; although I've been told by other gardeners that the flavor diminishes with the new growth, I haven't tried it on its own to make a comparison. The German thyme that I had moved indoors has been sorely neglected. Call it preoccupation with the holidays, or a lapse in executive functioning, but in any case, maybe I should harvest it in its already-dried state.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsaMtBIyn5fqox_pUOMPKfuA41eHLnut3qO6Y6FweuOWMBJL9AuCE4DquekNOsHgovozWBL3T8oZoCg5hfg_EcJCbllmvt4bi8azY7zayH4-38xVUa1gRuDIl4ocDi6_vYb6VU9Sy5yHH/s1600-h/P1020126.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsaMtBIyn5fqox_pUOMPKfuA41eHLnut3qO6Y6FweuOWMBJL9AuCE4DquekNOsHgovozWBL3T8oZoCg5hfg_EcJCbllmvt4bi8azY7zayH4-38xVUa1gRuDIl4ocDi6_vYb6VU9Sy5yHH/s320/P1020126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425288674819637794" border="0" /></a>With a vacancy under the grow lights until tomatoes are sown in March, I have decided to start a few varieties of herbs in the hopes that I can get them established enough to transfer them to sunny windows and have a nice kitchen garden in the spring. I prepared recycled cell packs with a layer of gravel because herbs like soil with good drainage. If I had some sand handy, I would have added a little to the potting mix, but with vigilance I hope to maintain the right level of moisture.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxBP5DJp2QOzxCCtNOsLgzVwnOxnLxSmB5XpbkLGQm1O1_nGafTzHCai6rNpK9-Gu5wlYOcCPMFWH53TzEwRLO6_daFhrDzuLmrflbA-VgCM3teAKWuAXHtpmrr5-eCxHLTP75ctPqzIV/s1600-h/P1020131.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxBP5DJp2QOzxCCtNOsLgzVwnOxnLxSmB5XpbkLGQm1O1_nGafTzHCai6rNpK9-Gu5wlYOcCPMFWH53TzEwRLO6_daFhrDzuLmrflbA-VgCM3teAKWuAXHtpmrr5-eCxHLTP75ctPqzIV/s320/P1020131.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425289016058380690" /></a>The four varieties include dill and coriander that I snapped up from <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2009/12/seeds-in-need-of-good-home.html">Daphne's giveaway</a> (seeds she had saved). My friend Kim provided me with leftover cilantro seeds, and I found some sweet basil, not my most recent seeds, so I hope they'll take. And now I need to add alerts to check on and water these young ones, not to mention turn on and off the grow lights. I haven't found much online about folks starting herbs at this time of year; in any case, any insights are welcome.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-13371899259404620282009-12-31T12:35:00.004-05:002009-12-31T14:03:31.894-05:00The year in gardening 2009/Resolutions for 2010<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H9ItbWaGPNHj05uryJfFxT81LXMYuRTFMzziiNF-7XYg_O8aKRqoVSoWkXrZShhFIj0cnG04ZznIeHI1HzpvntxO-N1jaGuo6Gqqd5VVNCWSjqdcJEVHC_Lt0ri-E948W3FngeO86CbI/s1600-h/P1010363.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H9ItbWaGPNHj05uryJfFxT81LXMYuRTFMzziiNF-7XYg_O8aKRqoVSoWkXrZShhFIj0cnG04ZznIeHI1HzpvntxO-N1jaGuo6Gqqd5VVNCWSjqdcJEVHC_Lt0ri-E948W3FngeO86CbI/s320/P1010363.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421474119681210530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My plot back in early September</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The past year may go down in history as one of the worst years in gardening, at least in the past decade. Above-average rainfall and below-average temperatures during the crucial months of the growing season resulted in a below-average yield, especially with tomatoes. In November, I abandoned my experiment of determining how much I benefited monetarily from planting and harvesting edibles, reporting a negative balance. And on some days, I spent more time clearing out infected fruits and vegetables than harvesting healthy ones.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIN1xWecbxQYTkcwjGwDu0vH6zvtvvw-XouMh_w50GLE-Wa9tcFAAz6HAplupqD6hVqWYth8vao7MRuZLRoEGQL8XPj5ZuUhdrvpYBBShoVNQOB9M-npdE6N6s0kxw4zQkJiZ8RmMgdm5/s1600-h/P1010070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIN1xWecbxQYTkcwjGwDu0vH6zvtvvw-XouMh_w50GLE-Wa9tcFAAz6HAplupqD6hVqWYth8vao7MRuZLRoEGQL8XPj5ZuUhdrvpYBBShoVNQOB9M-npdE6N6s0kxw4zQkJiZ8RmMgdm5/s320/P1010070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421475206251797634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The Minton Stable Garden in bloom, August</span><br /></div><br />However, I still find gardening to be a satisfying act, providing physical and emotional benefits to those who participate in it. Another year at the Minton Stable Community Garden led to more friendships with gardeners and other Steering Committee members. A community of bloggers provided advice and ideas for improving my garden practices as well. And the rain had some advantages, including a lower water bill for the community garden (only $141.82, down from last year's $203.40). As long as I have my 140 square feet in JP and land at home, and Massachusetts hasn't yet disappeared under rising sea levels, I'll continue gardening. Here is my second annual set of lists, with items not in any particular order.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 5 successful plants:</span><br />1. Kentucky Wonder pole beans<br />2. Fiesta organic broccoli<br />3. Forellenschluss Romaine lettuce (grown in Minton Stable Garden)<br />4. June-bearing strawberries (before the botrytis set in)<br />5. Volunteer raspberries--they liked the fall conditions<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 5 failures:</span><br />1. All tomato varieties (except volunteer cherry tomatoes)--due to below-average temps and late blight<br />2. Anything I tried to grow in my backyard--too shady<br />3. Spinach after the invasion of leaf miners<br />4. Irises I tried to transplant to a sunnier location in front yard--maybe they'll bloom next year<br />5. Zinnias--planted late and not given enough room<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Resolutions for 2010:</span><br />1. Continue growing the same volume of tomatoes, trying some different varieties, but make a point of pruning them to strengthen plants and ensure that they get more light.<br />2. Grow more varieties of broccoli, like Piricicaba and broccoli raab, and other plants, including kale and other greens, coriander, parsley, and other herbs, carrots, and cauliflower.<br />3. Reduce the size of the strawberry bed to make room for the raspberries.<br />4. Keep trying to achieve that fall crop of greens, perhaps by planting better varieties sooner, starting some indoors in August so they can grow out back under row covers, or by some other means.<br />5. Be more aggressive in thinning out perennials, to avoid diseases like powdery mildew or to keep them from taking over my MSG plot. Black-eyed susans, anyone?<br />6. Take better photos, including sharper close-ups and documentation of the garden over time.<br /><br />Happy New Year! I'd be curious to read the resolutions of other gardeners.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-41973237398103189342009-12-25T22:04:00.011-05:002009-12-26T07:07:38.054-05:00Christmas day in the garden<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86Y8gRQ9NCRDgzwHEjllQCbkafbI90x861400vHhP4ehihDbIrUXyFz90Yz5Qr7uwD0GothFmZZV9oKgIGgXGYkHFVik7__QyLHrGchmFs1-HkxQCRZCcvvm1_V6_TFestdyvkaIE-NAo/s1600-h/P1020040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86Y8gRQ9NCRDgzwHEjllQCbkafbI90x861400vHhP4ehihDbIrUXyFz90Yz5Qr7uwD0GothFmZZV9oKgIGgXGYkHFVik7__QyLHrGchmFs1-HkxQCRZCcvvm1_V6_TFestdyvkaIE-NAo/s320/P1020040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419383446178818194" border="0" /></a>At a gathering of family and friends that I had on Christmas Eve I was asked if I'd be posting photos of the Minton Stable Garden on Christmas day. After all of the holiday preparations, including buying gifts and getting ready for the party, I was overdue for a visit. We never host anything on Christmas Day, so it's a time to exhale, enjoy the quiet morning, and take our time making our way over to my in-laws'. I stopped by on this white Christmas, which has been <a href="http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/holidays/">statistically demonstrated</a> to be a rarity, and took a few photos. I found few footprints past the garden gate, and though it was likely due to the cold that I didn't linger for long, I couldn't help but also feel that I had invaded a bedroom of sleepers who should not be disturbed.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguOxUzM0-_EmGRuJ910BM2socgmZUNRUsp4FrjFZMtYjKHhlneIrcVp_S9w33K82CK-jYoZlvr8cxkYln6O1JactMh86IkOaUCD3v3F7uQ816wQptkKq3p9PeRw_DntuzeRx4Xz0GDmxV/s1600-h/P1020044.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguOxUzM0-_EmGRuJ910BM2socgmZUNRUsp4FrjFZMtYjKHhlneIrcVp_S9w33K82CK-jYoZlvr8cxkYln6O1JactMh86IkOaUCD3v3F7uQ816wQptkKq3p9PeRw_DntuzeRx4Xz0GDmxV/s320/P1020044.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419383932935311234" border="0" /></a>My broccoli in the snow<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The garden may be in hibernation, but in future posts I hope to outline the past year's successes and failures, provide updates on the possibility of keeping bees in the garden, and after the new season begins put up a few videos from 2010 garden events.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZhGC0_ulzqV656usXXPPUw0N4FnudoOQvl8Cil56HRP9sIECULrxSptAJ98K6tApDBeFqc1GLlhJcN5oC2Iq33Dp6GONwtHOXUMl00LH5Kmm3hJpo7ipc-suqu5F8KXcLcwKrLk_Y8D5/s1600-h/P1020038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZhGC0_ulzqV656usXXPPUw0N4FnudoOQvl8Cil56HRP9sIECULrxSptAJ98K6tApDBeFqc1GLlhJcN5oC2Iq33Dp6GONwtHOXUMl00LH5Kmm3hJpo7ipc-suqu5F8KXcLcwKrLk_Y8D5/s320/P1020038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419384402068312802" border="0" /></a>The John Carroll Memorial in the snow<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOaZof1C2VKIqlMOy2ePnR6CaNYLoh8uVdczW-X85ajL5dxqj1uXRnPlkSW7NK-w4Xxz-8_xxMieq-XPinDcc44vrEDajeYrJlaxhF_aC_U-rAF3vVWSCya0Py66kgh1bmaKzt_VLvdaP/s1600-h/P1020046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOaZof1C2VKIqlMOy2ePnR6CaNYLoh8uVdczW-X85ajL5dxqj1uXRnPlkSW7NK-w4Xxz-8_xxMieq-XPinDcc44vrEDajeYrJlaxhF_aC_U-rAF3vVWSCya0Py66kgh1bmaKzt_VLvdaP/s320/P1020046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419384821660608482" border="0" /></a>One of the wildflower gardens in the snow</div>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-32012256133493258612009-12-14T16:51:00.007-05:002009-12-14T17:38:46.880-05:00Still harvesting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeWHlxuWvhpbHyAIDV9VlW2yIUQffO7eRzSpE-ndN-v9dmeuryOzO_dqrlaqmbWVSGcf5_2tjMsgLADQPRSrNcNLqmAtqcunNXrFpP05yK9OS8zgJhmnn33D4751LhPYvXoivQf-aNm3U/s1600-h/P1010948.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeWHlxuWvhpbHyAIDV9VlW2yIUQffO7eRzSpE-ndN-v9dmeuryOzO_dqrlaqmbWVSGcf5_2tjMsgLADQPRSrNcNLqmAtqcunNXrFpP05yK9OS8zgJhmnn33D4751LhPYvXoivQf-aNm3U/s320/P1010948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415224035666883042" border="0" /></a>"Why are you always taking pictures of broccoli?" my daughter asked me today. Anyone who has followed my Monday harvest updates (as well as the links at the mother lode, <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2009/12/harvest-monday-14-december-2009.html">Daphne's Dandelions</a>) knows by now that's all that remains in my Minton Stable Garden plot. I visited the garden last Thursday, the day after our snow/rain event, expecting to pull up the plants entirely, but the sideshoots are still loving this weather. We'll see how long that lasts as nighttime temps start dipping into the twenties. For tonight at home, I'll roast this week's harvest along with a chicken, potatoes, and whatever else in the fridge I can throw in the pan.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkzP43npczl1FvGHWRhwb-csRG3J3P4Qv0Fn33bdjsTm5QT1qBxEg1AcPC8vr5Kd4pmZIxlQhEfu6wdWo1xm_LZfdpIXg82Ppb89Sg8LNQyaSUcsVvI2NkHIv36sc3uQ-hs-KpzaSi6fF/s1600-h/P1010922.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkzP43npczl1FvGHWRhwb-csRG3J3P4Qv0Fn33bdjsTm5QT1qBxEg1AcPC8vr5Kd4pmZIxlQhEfu6wdWo1xm_LZfdpIXg82Ppb89Sg8LNQyaSUcsVvI2NkHIv36sc3uQ-hs-KpzaSi6fF/s320/P1010922.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415223678684378866" border="0" /></a>The community garden is now in winter mode. Brassicas are mostly what remain. Mainly kale. The topic of many of the emails going back and forth among Steering Committee members has shifted from who hasn't completed their work hours to who has signed up for snow shoveling; we won't even convene again until late January. There will be many gardeners I won't see again until around April, when we have our general meeting. In some ways I feel a little sad about this, but I've gotten used to it. Spring will be here in no time.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBAFmVrafOgbuLYSlWmPCBsLoDVAlxEcHjujUXySwsn3OLCk64NOQuMM-0hgNDJ98qD14KhQpsmzPjgGt7mktVriNVJu6eXL1KKu-d4K5lwPsZsLaCegoQn0Mie3IO6Mcp3f8grEYFQtu/s1600-h/P1010924.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBAFmVrafOgbuLYSlWmPCBsLoDVAlxEcHjujUXySwsn3OLCk64NOQuMM-0hgNDJ98qD14KhQpsmzPjgGt7mktVriNVJu6eXL1KKu-d4K5lwPsZsLaCegoQn0Mie3IO6Mcp3f8grEYFQtu/s320/P1010924.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415223273123161202" border="0" /></a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-77309670047036076172009-12-10T16:43:00.007-05:002009-12-10T21:52:53.562-05:00Gifts you may or may not wantFor the past week I've been chipping away at the holiday gift-buying expectations, and I must admit that up to this point, nothing I've purchased has had anything to do with gardening. Perhaps this is because the gardeners in my life are outfitted with everything they need--all the tools, grow lights, and references on their bookshelves to supplement their already-expansive working knowledge. Not to mention that my daughter and most of my eight(!) nieces and nephews are at that awkward age between curiosity about nature and mature reconnection with it, a period that can sometimes last more than ten years (okay, that might be a cynical exaggeration). And if someone mysteriously leaves you a garden gnome working on a laptop, which really happened to my parents right before Thanksgiving (they found it on a stone wall near their garden, but my father took it inside tonight to take this photo), then what else could top that?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHFpB8MkZEzE8OrkwhNR3SO82ysSwD1n6XVDJ3Y7UAmjAgXkx5o0YU_rJw3VQlngl_sMYWFleyygqIhN0Ckx38KTs_s5N_-ORId0V1nBFyjJSJhCYLa8SreLcEPWRiD_69gLGgnEoLgW4/s1600-h/100_2495.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHFpB8MkZEzE8OrkwhNR3SO82ysSwD1n6XVDJ3Y7UAmjAgXkx5o0YU_rJw3VQlngl_sMYWFleyygqIhN0Ckx38KTs_s5N_-ORId0V1nBFyjJSJhCYLa8SreLcEPWRiD_69gLGgnEoLgW4/s320/100_2495.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413791854585572178" border="0" /></a>Having read an <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/house/articles/2009/12/10/the_best_and_worst_holiday_plants/">article</a> in today's Boston Globe about the best and worst holiday plants, I got to thinking about what I might or could give that special gardener if the opportunity arose. Here is a very random selection of ideas. But first, I want to make it clear that there is no possibility at this time that I would <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/05/ap/hightech/main5363914.shtml">need to disclose</a> that I'm getting paid in any form by any of the vendors or manufacturers offering these items described below--not that anyone would suspect I'd be getting a kickback for my humble musings.<br /><br />Winter is the time for planning next season's garden. A novice might need a hand in determining what to plant and when to plant it. For those with an iPhone or iPod touch, and if you are extremely cheap, you might want to check out the <a href="http://www.appstorehq.com/gardenguide-iphone-9709/app">Garden Guide application</a>; only 99 cents puts information about plants and their growing conditions at a gardener's fingertips. For the Luddite grower, there is the <a href="http://www.cleanairgardening.com/garden-planner.html">Clyde Planting Chart</a> and its sliding adjuster, no computer required. Or better yet, pick up one of my favorite books, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Primer-Barbara-Damrosch/dp/0894803166">The Garden Primer</a> by Barbara Damrosch, which I often consult first for basic, straightforward advice.<br /><br />Got a depressed gardener on your list? Maybe a <a href="http://www.cleanairgardening.com/full-spectrum-growlight.html">Full Sun Grow Lamp</a> is the answer. Not only does it offer a full spectrum of light, but could be used to prevent the onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's a little small for starting lots of seeds but if you place it on your bedside table, it will be near enough that you can roll over and stick your head under it on those mornings you are so despondent that you can't get out of bed. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjPlFHRTJ3c8QEeuWYetnmQiTmzoisbhzAJy70GNKtZPkw9C4bqIdJFF19cOMDy2poYpKIX-wbbH6LNBcItk6fXOMi-YedFXG2QX5E6m7cIP4tPgpWD2Amepmq7vWk_UJi4niglfsGru3/s1600-h/P1010327.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjPlFHRTJ3c8QEeuWYetnmQiTmzoisbhzAJy70GNKtZPkw9C4bqIdJFF19cOMDy2poYpKIX-wbbH6LNBcItk6fXOMi-YedFXG2QX5E6m7cIP4tPgpWD2Amepmq7vWk_UJi4niglfsGru3/s320/P1010327.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413794035430745186" border="0" /></a>And when a foam pad or folding stool just won't do, there's the <a href="http://www.gardeners.com/Deluxe-Tractor-Scoot/20679,38-656,default,cp.html">Tractor Scoot</a>. For $89.95, you can pull a swiveling seat around like a wagon. I predict a motor in the next version.<br /><br />It's amazing what new accessories are available these days. I often find that what I grow is beautiful enough on its own. However, we have recently acquired a loved one who is deserving of a gift, and have found <a href="http://www.gardeners.com/Cat-Garden-Kit/20681,38-345,default,cp.html">just the thing</a> for him. Because everyone could benefit from a garden.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-63483046537453756222009-12-01T09:24:00.004-05:002009-12-01T10:24:51.929-05:00Another unhealthy tradition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi128iOno3uQMFFuYRfH1cNgeWQDAE1RQNJu5JioHpb7fcJgDZb1JOFu5V7VM5vfGcHLSeC6Vs4GHNEpktjIxHwc-Z1shp7kRGCTSUI1BE5lHenunQHDY2B4LV8D28S5bo5BbOVIiOCSJVY/s1600/P1010907.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi128iOno3uQMFFuYRfH1cNgeWQDAE1RQNJu5JioHpb7fcJgDZb1JOFu5V7VM5vfGcHLSeC6Vs4GHNEpktjIxHwc-Z1shp7kRGCTSUI1BE5lHenunQHDY2B4LV8D28S5bo5BbOVIiOCSJVY/s320/P1010907.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410286924398759010" border="0" /></a>Let's face it; every year there is some new revelation about the dangers of the holiday season. For a while, we were told to buy artificial trees to save our forests, only to learn later about some <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/keeping-it-real.html">issues around their manufacture</a>. In addition, stopping the <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/mail-order-assault.html">flow of catalogs</a> can require more effort than merely recycling them. This season, environmental officials in Massachusetts have issued a new warning: a couple of our most festive-looking plants <a href="http://massnrc.org/pests/blog/2009/11/invasive-plants-in-holiday-decorations.html">are invasive</a> and should not be used for decorating.<br /><br />I remember taking the advice of a friend during my early lean years of living in Jamaica Plain: the <a href="http://www.invasive.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=3012">bittersweet</a> that grew freely on the fence of a nearby tennis court could be cut and made into a wreath or stuffed in a vase for some instant color. It was the perfect time of the year, as the red berries had popped out from their tannish-yellow casing, a nice two-toned effect. Well, in the process of using cuttings, those berries can drop, and spread across fields, forests, and yards, choking out other plants.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDLBW1NZIJ5eV61F9TLXa0Ttk2sFY7uw33zXfK_WHD_0OzkNdPqJPl8ginXvuXkVk_uFWoMctwAVyheqCd9O_Mk5x2VzDG4qo0SjPRjqAomIHzHnWkTeMVGWPvqPA3cARlfHlgvPtfDXC/s1600/P1010903.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDLBW1NZIJ5eV61F9TLXa0Ttk2sFY7uw33zXfK_WHD_0OzkNdPqJPl8ginXvuXkVk_uFWoMctwAVyheqCd9O_Mk5x2VzDG4qo0SjPRjqAomIHzHnWkTeMVGWPvqPA3cARlfHlgvPtfDXC/s320/P1010903.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410287356562537570" border="0" /></a>I should know this by now. Although I haven't decorated with bittersweet since moving into our current home, we have been battling this nasty knot of it that has been clinging to the roof and side of our garage and along the driveway fence on and off for years. The problem is compounded by the difficulty in reaching some of it. Those branches hang over our neighbor's yard, and because our driveway is about 8 feet higher and the fence unstable, anyone trying to cut it down risks falling a dangerous distance. We tried to stay on top of it when our neighbors grew tomatoes in that part of their yard, but when they moved away and rented their house to non-gardeners we let things go.<br /><br />I know now that simply cutting it back won't suffice, as the berries will fall and spread. Carol Stocker <a href="http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2007/10/18/hunting_a_colorful_enemy_in_the_yard/">has recommended</a> applying an herbicide known as Brush-B-Gon on cut stems, and as much as I have avoided using chemicals, I may have no other choice. Time to stop procrastinating and get up on that ladder.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-37677510472159636442009-11-23T09:11:00.004-05:002009-11-23T10:13:40.201-05:00Harvest Monday and reflecting on the broccoli crop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOZFbFRRtqaEU7QBD_0Hheowi7qlObUtNlKly31OGOfxWIUne-voOnAzSESUhSIC6PRqJo9MqfM4sUhZllqDsA0WfQiQL0J1qyi2ES2Gz8F9ct-hIiAi_8W9zrzSgMMti8456BZhRiyTk/s1600/P1010852.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOZFbFRRtqaEU7QBD_0Hheowi7qlObUtNlKly31OGOfxWIUne-voOnAzSESUhSIC6PRqJo9MqfM4sUhZllqDsA0WfQiQL0J1qyi2ES2Gz8F9ct-hIiAi_8W9zrzSgMMti8456BZhRiyTk/s200/P1010852.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407316457938309682" border="0" /></a>It's harvest Monday, and two weeks since I reported on mine and linked with the others at <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2009/11/harvest-monday-23-november-2009.html">Daphne's blog</a>. Late November is officially here and I'm pleased that there is still a broccoli harvest to report. Here is what I picked last Thursday, though the side shoots are getting smaller and smaller. I filled a 9-ounce cup, and for dinner later I stirred some into some leftover chicken soup. Just reheating the soup for a few minutes cooked the broccoli to the right texture. I haven't been to the Minton Stable Garden since then; I hope to make it today. I need to cut back the raspberries, which are done producing desirable fruit, and may be able to pinch off a few more sideshoots, though some are starting to produce yellow flowers, a signal that the end is near.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxgW8yU73pDe8BS4EduW6y-A0vTW6xprA_FP7RSBleXN4jWmA2CJvxb3_1HC-xXHVeFJZBJB4w9BTas1I20gWeTeylO-wUAaJDNBy2mpdnc5HNoUo2-0dQcEKAQJRdaExQzSOfJn-VLdm/s1600/P1010856.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxgW8yU73pDe8BS4EduW6y-A0vTW6xprA_FP7RSBleXN4jWmA2CJvxb3_1HC-xXHVeFJZBJB4w9BTas1I20gWeTeylO-wUAaJDNBy2mpdnc5HNoUo2-0dQcEKAQJRdaExQzSOfJn-VLdm/s320/P1010856.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407316628619608914" border="0" /></a>Along with the pole beans and romaine lettuce, the Fiesta organic broccoli seeds (from Fedco) <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/costs-of-gardening-and-other-updates.html">I had sown back in March</a> have grown into my most successful crop of the season. This was likely due to several factors: 1) the sunny location in the Minton Stable Garden (the ones in my back yard failed to produce), 2) the well-drained soil with added compost, and 3) the cooler-than-average conditions prevented the plants from bolting sooner. Starting and planting them out at the right time, and using a potting medium with fertilizer also played a role, of course.<br /><br />This morning I poked around online to determine what I could do next year to improve my broccoli growing practices. Some sites, including <a href="http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/growing-broccoli.html">this one</a>, stressed that crops should be rotated every few years to avoid diseases, and instructed me to cut stems at an angle when harvesting. I had done the quickest thing by snapping off sideshoots with my bare hand, which probably wasn't such a big deal, but had I cut off the initial heads at an angle I may have been able to avoid <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghRq4fgyLLTsdrnM-lp7yG3qmlz_mGGpMiKyqOOTFIAn8rrLVxWnBZwbXsVlVPk9Xg5FPhZtXXF0G8GTRr-ev0v5vhbJh39FVBeZCoOygiyTcqa3de8HaVbbYeP4c2GI1u7xJEcf_Zp72h/s1600-h/P1010064.JPG">this</a>. Leaving a flat stump allowed rainwater to pool up and cause rot, though it didn't harm the whole plant and I was still able to harvest side shoots. Broccoli roots tend to be shallow, so mounding soil around the base of the plant may help. One of my plants became uprooted and died, but I didn't bother to check for clubroot, which could have also been a culprit.<br /><br />I'll definitely grow it again next year, and perhaps try some Romanesco or Broccoli Raab for more variety. I may also save the seeds of what I have grown, also highly recommended. I'd be curious to find out what other gardeners took away from their growing experience this season.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-8711958591387852752009-11-15T16:44:00.007-05:002009-11-15T17:50:44.082-05:00Last work dayWhat a wild weather weekend as usual...another work day postponed as 1-2 inches of rain soaked the Boston area yesterday. Certainly not ideal conditions for hauling compost. Today's temperatures in the 60s made up for it, that is, if one doesn't worry about whether or not the neighborhood will be underwater in a few years from all these possible effects of global warming.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNmCsiSFCm2b961hWyuxep4cspmS534Ur_ASWjGhiD0ko-woJ5-gS98pfCEVRJHMHrsKzHc2CDo4x9i5NAgQuC76y8ue0W0t_Jub7fTrmtUJi94dFH2Gr7RrvSMMylgW7LqmeSAv90VJz/s1600-h/P1010840.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNmCsiSFCm2b961hWyuxep4cspmS534Ur_ASWjGhiD0ko-woJ5-gS98pfCEVRJHMHrsKzHc2CDo4x9i5NAgQuC76y8ue0W0t_Jub7fTrmtUJi94dFH2Gr7RrvSMMylgW7LqmeSAv90VJz/s320/P1010840.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404463688560150210" border="0" /></a>Having finished up my work requirement earlier in the season and experiencing some back problems, I chose not to participate, but I stopped over at the Minton Stable Garden to harvest more broccoli sideshoots (see above) and see how the work was progressing. John, who along with Todd from the Steering Committee was running the work day, filled me in on who managed to show up to finish up their hours. They had finished loading this truck, but because <a href="http://www.appledortree.com/about.html">Apple D'Or Tree</a>, the composting business and destination for our yard waste, is closed on Sunday, it will spend the night here. Hopefully the tires won't sink deeper in the mud overnight. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to compost all our waste on site because it doesn't get hot enough in our receptacles for it to break down. Although Apple D'Or is nearby and not expensive, what to do about our composting still remains an issue; a few people on the Steering Committee are interested in developing a workable on-site system.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiTfas4Rrt2Xgal5WjAlXFQUYWRDr4hDab55O1kZf3fTPbsp08fjsnnTcCYHIceYY_a1ycP1h8hAylcQQuRtYbT9uJa6X_0sXvhRxpqW5aVDkR6shN4fgSFTYGz3fWZ7jqeAjCWWyW3bQ/s1600-h/P1010844.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiTfas4Rrt2Xgal5WjAlXFQUYWRDr4hDab55O1kZf3fTPbsp08fjsnnTcCYHIceYY_a1ycP1h8hAylcQQuRtYbT9uJa6X_0sXvhRxpqW5aVDkR6shN4fgSFTYGz3fWZ7jqeAjCWWyW3bQ/s320/P1010844.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404464026143177458" border="0" /></a>After I picked the broccoli I also noticed that the <a href="http://mydirtblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/super-colossal-gin-soaked-garlic.html">garlic I planted</a> a few weeks ago is coming up.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAM5KFwtDEyMyZQ-bKDkSgz1qgZGQLLJOn4bgMOnSIlnQfFxXAXWHgdY04ku2vSxESc0HxXt9LtUdPxHgZAbuP5Nkpsw51dJvdc2SrhlqwcJ00HbY-bsRlEe73TLhyphenhyphenT0ueLY_CSUngTnfS/s1600-h/P1010841.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAM5KFwtDEyMyZQ-bKDkSgz1qgZGQLLJOn4bgMOnSIlnQfFxXAXWHgdY04ku2vSxESc0HxXt9LtUdPxHgZAbuP5Nkpsw51dJvdc2SrhlqwcJ00HbY-bsRlEe73TLhyphenhyphenT0ueLY_CSUngTnfS/s320/P1010841.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404464415323591394" border="0" /></a>As I lingered to take photos of the garden Ralph and Karla showed up to begin the next phase of their work contribution: fitting the shed with hooks and other fixtures so our tools and supplies can be stored efficiently. Ralph is a woodworker and Karla designs cabinetry configurations (the Steering Committee was duly impressed with her blueprints), so the project is in good hands. There had been a bit of complaining among us about tools being left around the garden and difficulty maneuvering around the shed to retrieve needed items. These improvements will give items their proper place and free up some more space for storage.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDP4iYVkFAf1_8K7JGBUQ8Ec_NItOskJQQ7GudR-lOTcyViQtXI1HWQ5_cJ3KSedAEcmB_PeyAasvTwnV2nlK5zHsRZe_Pm5bbn_2DbJvGX4XPjvcUm2BRzg5JrLQseraW_9Mo3sZijKm/s1600-h/P1010845.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDP4iYVkFAf1_8K7JGBUQ8Ec_NItOskJQQ7GudR-lOTcyViQtXI1HWQ5_cJ3KSedAEcmB_PeyAasvTwnV2nlK5zHsRZe_Pm5bbn_2DbJvGX4XPjvcUm2BRzg5JrLQseraW_9Mo3sZijKm/s320/P1010845.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404464981428436626" border="0" /></a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-52848303718244426642009-11-10T16:19:00.005-05:002009-11-10T17:06:30.457-05:00Harvest update; the indoor season beginsFirst, a harvest update; better late than never, I suppose. These last few days we've been enjoying sunshine and temperatures in the sixties. Not only has the weather extended the harvest, but has coaxed my first season raspberry plants to continue producing new berries. Only one of my four plants has quit, leaving pea-sized dried-up remains. Fortunately for me, the other fruits have retained their sweet flavor, which is not always guaranteed to happen this late in the season (the berries in the communal patch at the Minton Stable Garden taste bland and are lacking in juiciness in comparison).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyScG16uesnmorcFsBss-nGJV2wq1U4clFsFUMY5q4k32y8-EdsDAshhTPkAPI9fezw73SmU17XcQ6HAl-IMtQFIMcVhz-q5Fzq0NPsglJ1RbNALbj590u6OBi3QMSiolKSAR1SReVKEJV/s1600-h/P1010816.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyScG16uesnmorcFsBss-nGJV2wq1U4clFsFUMY5q4k32y8-EdsDAshhTPkAPI9fezw73SmU17XcQ6HAl-IMtQFIMcVhz-q5Fzq0NPsglJ1RbNALbj590u6OBi3QMSiolKSAR1SReVKEJV/s320/P1010816.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402598865156224034" border="0" /></a>Now for some not-so-scientific estimates of the value of my harvest (for more impressive numbers and other gardeners' harvest updates visit <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2009/11/harvest-monday-9-november-2009.html">Daphne's</a> blog). Based on all of the nearly identical photos I've taken since my last tally, I've yielded the following:<br /><br />Previous benefits total: $143.18<br />1/2 pound (estimated) organic broccoli at $2.50/lb.: $1.25<br />1 package (estimated) raspberries at $3.59: $3.59<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New benefits total: $148.02</span><br /><br />Current cost total: $171.57<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New balance: -$23.55</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5AP4Q4Jl4z2wzTfLLgOfXP911HXv7KfCL0BCu_y15URmArkLWC8svzZm2XG886cfqiCnfdgP-WfZxkVfv-QpvJZ24oo9Yy3maFROCFZoEHBjFipIBr7yxEs5v4pDBTD7fsNxttIr17WZ/s1600-h/P1010824.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5AP4Q4Jl4z2wzTfLLgOfXP911HXv7KfCL0BCu_y15URmArkLWC8svzZm2XG886cfqiCnfdgP-WfZxkVfv-QpvJZ24oo9Yy3maFROCFZoEHBjFipIBr7yxEs5v4pDBTD7fsNxttIr17WZ/s320/P1010824.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402598056518542434" border="0" /></a>I have this nifty grow light that has put me in the red this season, so I may as well keep using it. Under a layer of leaves in containers out back, I was pleasantly surprised to find a few German thyme plants still thriving and new parsley rising up over the stumps of what my husband had picked and used in pesto. I potted them in containers I could bring indoors, and plan to keep them alive for as long as I can under the grow light. I placed another thyme plant under a kitchen window; we'll see which fares better. I would like to start some rosemary from seed, maybe some other herbs, as well as lettuce. In a comment she made earlier to my blog <a href="http://greensandjeans.blogspot.com/">Emily</a> mentioned that she was going to sow an indoor garden, and since I still have soil, light, and lettuce seeds, why not?Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-49553025184718571412009-11-02T21:42:00.006-05:002009-11-02T22:17:04.459-05:00Brief harvest Monday and plot update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaTYcHUcoFMD9luQTJ_dyi2GjTOj7MNpf7UArsoGVQFXF69ITmPib3P9aW_24K0oFaPOQNyeYeFubEUzQcBYLu9hkvyRfCHDX3j96e4uXJtGsWKVzNtX73pj7uanO_q0OCPdDAk6nEGwi/s1600-h/P1010751.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaTYcHUcoFMD9luQTJ_dyi2GjTOj7MNpf7UArsoGVQFXF69ITmPib3P9aW_24K0oFaPOQNyeYeFubEUzQcBYLu9hkvyRfCHDX3j96e4uXJtGsWKVzNtX73pj7uanO_q0OCPdDAk6nEGwi/s320/P1010751.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399708242860945122" border="0" /></a>It's been two weeks since I posted a harvest update. To my surprise, there continues to be a yield about which to report, and the list of Harvest Monday participants over at <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2009/11/harvest-monday-2-november-2009.html">Daphne's Dandelions</a> is growing again. Thanks to an amendment to the Minton Stable Garden rule that states that plots must be winterized by November 1, plants that are still producing can stay in the ground. In my case, it's still the broccoli sending out sideshoots (a nice addition to last night's stir fry) and a few more raspberries. I think by the end of next week I'll have enough raspberries to fill a package and add that information to my tally. After I filled my tiny baggie with the goodies I snapped a few photos to show off the compliance of most MSG gardeners. Luckily nasturtiums count as edibles and add some color.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYc6PezHRctl-sKJ0Ic9LDTHT1ZbzrWDG8dPU0gFTLKd6O3KQtELbFmrosQi1IbSjTOpnQWQ3s6vrNf28hFiFQ3ARrxyHR-GD9Ri4fu1GAIufV3g6VXV0aT1bgL1DqLF946BKCRKzM7LRY/s1600-h/P1010747.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYc6PezHRctl-sKJ0Ic9LDTHT1ZbzrWDG8dPU0gFTLKd6O3KQtELbFmrosQi1IbSjTOpnQWQ3s6vrNf28hFiFQ3ARrxyHR-GD9Ri4fu1GAIufV3g6VXV0aT1bgL1DqLF946BKCRKzM7LRY/s320/P1010747.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399707740335621282" border="0" /></a>Tomorrow's a busy day, and I have to squeeze voting in there somewhere. We'll see which man--Menino or Flaherty (with Yoon)--will be at the podium at next year's Gardener's Gathering. Whoever it is, I hope he keeps the free compost coming.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-87529594845761544812009-10-29T22:13:00.009-04:002009-10-29T23:05:41.335-04:00Winterization bearing downThe deadline at the Minton Stable Garden for winterizing one's plot is November 1. By this date gardeners are expected to cut back perennials, clear out annuals, and remove all of the fencing, tools, supports, bags of soil, and other items. The water has been shut off for the season, and only one more work day has been scheduled for the unfortunate few still needing to fulfill their four-hour requirement (or else their plot will be given to one of the thirty people on the waiting list).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7r4erhLAopDOWS_f_ESQnldPy8h31vvmqNxR3DG_R6Ic3mVgtXCvCb-e8G5Z8Q-jlQmkD8fXYyABEGqVPX-7SA_EEGL2jDEs8EZCvj3AwAAT9FS8ML4JNWqjWsOqJiml5ZVEESTD522ot/s1600-h/P1010701.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7r4erhLAopDOWS_f_ESQnldPy8h31vvmqNxR3DG_R6Ic3mVgtXCvCb-e8G5Z8Q-jlQmkD8fXYyABEGqVPX-7SA_EEGL2jDEs8EZCvj3AwAAT9FS8ML4JNWqjWsOqJiml5ZVEESTD522ot/s320/P1010701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398219950236968578" border="0" /></a>However, my raspberries and broccoli haven't received the memo. The rainy fall conditions have prolonged the growing season for both, with new berries for the former and the continued production of sideshoots for the latter. Otherwise, most everything else is ready to go. I had forgotten (or have been too embarrassed) to take a photo of my bean supports that fell over weeks ago. The tomatoes and peas are gone, and the perennials have been deadheaded but ready to be trimmed back completely. In about another week, material to be composted offsite will probably overflow on this tarp.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjwvbnzacTCV_kfi41oMgJ0DS8brghDt0QKtdkhN286BfENcbB9fncTWoMbZwq3Jwn_RiO3-YQkO0E2EP2roI1rhylRnV5PL04HNfHUTglc_-Ex37WxgCg1Z3N_Iq-A3gta3_x-BqBNM3/s1600-h/P1010703.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjwvbnzacTCV_kfi41oMgJ0DS8brghDt0QKtdkhN286BfENcbB9fncTWoMbZwq3Jwn_RiO3-YQkO0E2EP2roI1rhylRnV5PL04HNfHUTglc_-Ex37WxgCg1Z3N_Iq-A3gta3_x-BqBNM3/s320/P1010703.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398220182675635090" border="0" /></a>One of my post ideas for earlier this summer was to showcase the elaborate supports built by my fellow gardeners. Some have been taken down already while others have the skeletal remains of whatever they supported clinging to them. Grotesquely bulging and overripe beans. Blighted tomato stems rotting against metal rings. If not slimy to the touch then crinkling from dryness. It's a shame I never got around to executing this idea, but there's always next season.<br /><br />Here are a few photos of what's still up. A lean-to that the creator had intended for cucumbers (notice the nice brussel sprouts next to it).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTHWtGy4y2VgF_9ormXPA3jwzE9LqcvO-rYCcOfn5gwzoNQf3dK8VgUp70agjwvMCiTFoPPP5hKmJiK1u0Nje-fUmeVaGNoCc4YuAWXZpTFWP_Z32niHzjqes4DsN2ZSG5l-sSpsqUonm/s1600-h/P1010705.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTHWtGy4y2VgF_9ormXPA3jwzE9LqcvO-rYCcOfn5gwzoNQf3dK8VgUp70agjwvMCiTFoPPP5hKmJiK1u0Nje-fUmeVaGNoCc4YuAWXZpTFWP_Z32niHzjqes4DsN2ZSG5l-sSpsqUonm/s320/P1010705.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398220528894072354" border="0" /></a>One substantial setup that once had peas climbing up strings, and still supporting the highest cosmos I've ever seen.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXclIL7Qo_Izo7HOv2k_d-lWRzdN3eZgmSGJU8k8IoKOwdvwDk2sRZtBgUXCkDr57xnurxZzKesa2oNktpGYq8VPRawigQPDc7pVQXe9fs2Qzg_eB3x0626E4o3K4TR_0HmEZQadJBlULH/s1600-h/P1010704.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXclIL7Qo_Izo7HOv2k_d-lWRzdN3eZgmSGJU8k8IoKOwdvwDk2sRZtBgUXCkDr57xnurxZzKesa2oNktpGYq8VPRawigQPDc7pVQXe9fs2Qzg_eB3x0626E4o3K4TR_0HmEZQadJBlULH/s320/P1010704.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398220907791273650" border="0" /></a>One of several pea trellises made from pipes, broomsticks, and chicken wire.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DNLfhL73LlBXoaswA4XZom7oOX-9UiR5AW9Q0heYJlXQmUGHZ3x5ED2pYJPMA8JSAn1X7hbzqqu2zWhU2L-zN32QpDrxTzlZ20LPGOtuTXjGrpyBimjuozlVXuie9CU-ACoIJFc7BNbF/s1600-h/P1010707.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DNLfhL73LlBXoaswA4XZom7oOX-9UiR5AW9Q0heYJlXQmUGHZ3x5ED2pYJPMA8JSAn1X7hbzqqu2zWhU2L-zN32QpDrxTzlZ20LPGOtuTXjGrpyBimjuozlVXuie9CU-ACoIJFc7BNbF/s320/P1010707.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398221288465588002" border="0" /></a>And one of my favorites: the arch connecting two raised beds designed for the handicapped. As in previous years, that will stay up throughout the winter, poking out from the snowbanks.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxPIR_GxsAYfpSE1auCRKfSPmqSf46hZwYPPUIfwzB9UjPBke465XvGNUqi9SJatki4romnXBnn-RTnwNGlf21pKOhe2KXShpODHDpBCSx277pswXYOF4Sr17ATFAlSKewk7ZU4j9g_hd/s1600-h/P1010708.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxPIR_GxsAYfpSE1auCRKfSPmqSf46hZwYPPUIfwzB9UjPBke465XvGNUqi9SJatki4romnXBnn-RTnwNGlf21pKOhe2KXShpODHDpBCSx277pswXYOF4Sr17ATFAlSKewk7ZU4j9g_hd/s320/P1010708.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398221581666912770" border="0" /></a>Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7290506567747688131.post-72639815896137665502009-10-20T21:23:00.006-04:002009-10-20T23:18:00.025-04:00Super Colossal gin-soaked garlicMany of us gardeners are just not ready for our plots to go to bed. We know it's October, but we want to stay up a little longer. I'm no exception, and a post in <a href="http://darkcreekfarm.blogspot.com/2009/10/in-praise-of-stinking-rose.html">Dark Creek Chronicles</a> reminded me that October is the perfect time to start garlic. So I put "plant garlic" on my to-do list for the following week, and not long after, a post in <a href="http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2009/10/planting-garlic.html">Daphne's Dandelions</a> explained how to prepare garlic cloves for planting. I was intrigued by this approach because a) of the mixed results my husband had in the past with growing garlic and b) she had success with this in the past.<br /><br />The beauty of garlic is that you don't need to order bulbs, though some gardeners do to grow particular varieties. I just headed over to my local supermarket and bought a couple of bulbs. "Super Colossal Garlic" was written on the sign. I bought two for a total of 69 cents, took them home and googled "super colossal garlic," but didn't find much. One <a href="http://garlicfestival.com/cat_summary.php?cat=Fresh%20Garlic%20and%20Garlic%20Braids">site </a>described it as "the whimpy cousin of the California garlic in flavor if not in size." Ouch. But it also added that it was a "nice addition to soups, salads or to a roast." "Super colossal" is also a name used for types of olives and shrimp.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn8fioHaSzKEszEurdAeDwQNYuAOcVuQ-WyjrI9XcqO9oX0hdbUsrjzIF5LzKW2l2mKrAtlPZTrL_UT5-Yvc8vyMgu-h4uHIFdMhD_As8gQcIkdZbkZmxa-FjikMJWYgK3E7lfxCtQ_6l/s1600-h/P1010664.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn8fioHaSzKEszEurdAeDwQNYuAOcVuQ-WyjrI9XcqO9oX0hdbUsrjzIF5LzKW2l2mKrAtlPZTrL_UT5-Yvc8vyMgu-h4uHIFdMhD_As8gQcIkdZbkZmxa-FjikMJWYgK3E7lfxCtQ_6l/s320/P1010664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879217844597906" border="0" /></a>Yesterday I soaked cloves from 1 1/2 bulbs in a baking soda/water solution as Daphne did, and today I peeled the cloves and soaked them some more. Daphne had used vodka, but I didn't have any, though I did have some really old gin left over from my wedding reception over 12 years ago, so I used that for a quick soak. I also found some information from <a href="http://www.garlic-central.com/">Garlic Central</a> about planting the bulbs. Because it contains the antifungal compound allicin, there can be benefits from planting it near some other crops, such as lettuce where it can help keep aphids away. However, it doesn't do well near peas, potatoes, or legumes.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRb5EiJ0_VYDN3XGwX294uSm6pXylsq8hBSh_GJJCnHWRzFmdhNiywnMXlu5J5FztOf94VjO9QKXZ2djZZsnQfd4anPwt4SNPgTqIyZ5LH1iFRaUVBE2jjsFcgBD3W5Xq3WWd5d9ocjfP-/s1600-h/P1010667.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRb5EiJ0_VYDN3XGwX294uSm6pXylsq8hBSh_GJJCnHWRzFmdhNiywnMXlu5J5FztOf94VjO9QKXZ2djZZsnQfd4anPwt4SNPgTqIyZ5LH1iFRaUVBE2jjsFcgBD3W5Xq3WWd5d9ocjfP-/s320/P1010667.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879585957477218" border="0" /></a>I planted my cloves in four different places. At home I'm short on sunlight and at the Minton Stable Garden I'm short on space. I planted around 14 cloves, 6 at the MSG (above), 6 in a backyard plot where I can usually get in a spring crop of lettuce and peas before the leaves shade things out, in a box along a fence behind my house near a spot where basil grew successfully, and in a couple of pots on the front upstairs porch. We'll see if by next August if there will be any garlic ready to add to that first batch of salsa.Sallyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16533917819185792443noreply@blogger.com6