Homegrown Food BlogGrowing vegetables? Want to grow vegetables? The Homegrown Blog gives you seasonal tips for growing vegetables, success in the edible garden, ideas on gardening with kids, and recipes for cooking homegrown food. Aug 7, 2010, Parmesan Eggplant Rounds
Growing up, I don’t think I ever tasted eggplant. And the first time I tasted it—at a cafeteria once I had moved away from home—it was positively revolting. I avoided it like the plague for years as a result of the trauma caused by that supposed eggplant parmesan. I know a lot of people have been traumatized by poorly cooked eggplant. It’s a pity, because it’s not difficult to prepare it well. Here’s a simple recipe that’s bound to win over people formerly traumatized by eggplant... Permalink -- click for full blog post "Parmesan Eggplant Rounds" Aug 7, 2010, QA: Zucchini Aborting
AT MY JUNE TALK FOR THE BEACHES GARDEN SOCIETY, ONE LISTENER ASKED:
Response:
Let’s step back a moment so I can explain why....
Permalink -- click for full blog post "QA: Zucchini Aborting"
So much of a hit, that I often look out to see the kids grazing on them. I wasn’t too surprised, because last year Emma loved them.
But I’ve been surprised by Quinn snacking on raw yellow wax beans. I’ve caught him a couple of times crunching away on them.
There’s a simple reason for the enthusiasm...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Kids in the Garden: Happy Faces and Self-Serve Veggies"
It sounded so mature: “Wait for me, Dad! I’m really interested in those worms,” five-year-old Emma admonished as I carted the pound of worms to the basement without her. She zipped past me on the stairs and scurried to our new worm composter, a three-tiered apartment-like affair also known as a vermicomposter. Quinn tagged along too, though I didn’t know what reaction to expect from him: at two years old, he’s quick to protest when his hands are dirty.
Read the rest of this article about Emma and Quinn and worm composting in Edible Toronto magazine. Just click the link below..
Last week I spoke at a Beach Garden Society meeting about growing vegetables here in the city.
And I came home wanting a fox.
Why a fox?
Anyone growing edibles in the city knows that squirrels are sometimes a bit naughty. And they’re usually very naughty. So I made a point of forewarning any would-be veggie growers to accept that squirrels would probably vandalize the tomato patch…and other parts of the garden too.
In the Q+A session afterwards, one gardener told us that a fox had moved into her neighbourhood…and the squirrels are afraid to come out of the trees. It’s snacked on at least 20 of them!
I had my first feeding of beet root last week. We’ve been eating beet greens for a while, with a hearty helping of greens every time I thin the beet patch.
But last week was the first time I had a feed of baby roots this year.
Here’s a simple way to cook baby beets: Cook them on the barbeque in a covered foil dish, with a dab of butter and some chopped dill. Yum.
Actually, it’s not yet a patch—as I only have one tree. But I’m intending to get a couple more, as two or more genetically distinct trees are required for fruit production.
A recent windstorm brought down a bough from the towering black walnut above and split my pawpaw in two. What a disappointment: I’ve been nurturing this tree for four years!
It’s ironic that the walnut should be the agent of destruction, as I purposely placed the pawpaw patch under the walnut tree. The reason is that black walnut trees give off a compound called juglone…and a lot of plants don’t like juglone. Pawpaw trees are not only tolerant of juglone—they’re an understory tree, meaning they grow well underneath larger trees with only partial sun.
“Dad, if you know a hot place in the backyard, that’s where we should put the plants because they like water, they like light, and to be hot,” Emma advised me. At five years old, she is an authority on gardening now.
I knew of just the hot place she was talking about. It was near ...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Kids in the Garden: If You Know a Hot Place"
CLIFF ASKED:
Response:
The answer is no, no, no.
It’s true that both of these crops prefer cool weather....but
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Arugula and Spinach in June"
If you grow asparagus, you might be tiring of steamed asparagus by now, as we approach the end of asparagus season.
Here’s a simple asparagus recipe that can be served either warm or cold...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Grilled Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus"
If you’re looking for a reason to involve kids in gardening and healthy food, I’ve got it. Just check out the photo of my daughter Emma’s play kitchen.
See a big, yellow M? Yup, you guessed it, she was pretending to run a McDonalds restaurant.
Yikes. I don’t like McDonalds, so have never taken her there—but Shelley has on occasion. (Emma is also quick to spot a Tim Horton’s—and that’s my fault.)
We’re not fast food junkies—so these are very occasional visits. That’s why it was a shock to me to see what powerful brand recognition the fast food chain has with kids.
So back to how I began, gardening for kids.......
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Branding Gardening as Fun"
May is the month to set out tomato plants, but there’s so much more you can do too. In this May 16 workshop you’ll learn how to transplant plants into the garden, how to care for them, and what seeds you can keep planting to have a continuous crop. Take home seeds for your bean crop.
I keep workshop numbers small, so reserve your spot now.
I set you up to succeed at home: You get a detailed technical bulletin that summarize the workshop. No need to worry about forgetting important details.
And You become a member of the Edible Gardening Club e-mail forum. So once you’re home, you still have my support—and you have a network of like-minded gardeners.
To learn more or register, visit the website or call me at (416) 953-1549.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Hands-on Seeding and Transplanting Workshop"
SUSAN ASKED:
”I have a newly constructed outdoor planter I'd like to use for veggies/herbs but it is constructed from pressure treated wood. Are there health hazards associated?”
RESPONSE:
Great question.
I'm no expert on pressure treated wood...but the industry association website says...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Using Pressure Treated Wood with Edibles"
From a gardener’s perspective, nothing could be easier. It’s a hardy perennial that comes back on its own year after year—yet does not get aggressive and take over the garden.
Here’s a simple recipe for a creamy, lemony sorrel soup…
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Time for Sorrel Soup"
As the wheelbarrow filled with sticky yellow clay subsoil, the kids meandered over, looking bored.
Still not done digging post holes, I hoped the kids would amuse themselves for another few minutes.
“Why is the soil yellow,” asked Emma. So I told her about topsoil and subsoil…and how clay was sticky, and used to make pottery—not unlike the Play-Doh they use in the house. She touched it. “Quinn,” she said, “touch this, it’s sticky.”
And so it began. Two kids delightedly squealing while squishing wet clay in a wheelbarrow. And how did it end?
(OK, this is my fault…) Yellow clay rolled into pretend dog dirt, as a surprise for mom.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Gooey Yellow Clay"
I’m late getting onions into the garden this spring…
Here’s a photo of onion transplants being planted at a farm on the Holland Marsh, north of Toronto.
I toured the operation with a group of farm writers this past week.
What impressed me is that the tractor has a GPS control that has a margin of error of less than half an inch.
That’s a lot straighter than the rows in my garden…
Looking for more information on vegetable gardening? I’m running a garden making/planning/sowing workshop on Sunday April 18.
Design a Garden + Plant Seeds, April 18
It’s time to get the garden ready then plant it with seeds for frost-tolerant crops. In this workshop you’ll learn about making a garden, what seeds to sow directly in the garden, how to sow them, and how to get the most from a small space. Take home carrot, pea, and beet seeds that you can plant at home.
I keep workshop small, so reserve your spot now.
I set you up to succeed at home:
Workshops take place where any gardening workshop should: in a gardener’s home and garden. Location: Toronto, near the North York Centre subway station.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Garden Making/Planning/Sowing Workshop"
Last summer my son was 18 months old. Walking and running everywhere was his main goal in life. Hubby and I love to garden and enjoy having lots of container
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Help from our toddler"
Q+A: Mould on Soil
DEBBIE ASKED:”My seedlings are growing in a covered tray and there’s white stuff everywhere. Is this OK?”Response:
NOPE. Sounds like the conditions are TOO humid.
Once your seedlings germinate, remove any cover such as a plastic dome or plastic bag.
We use the covers during germination...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Seedlings and Soil Mould"
I CAUGHT IT while it was on its nocturnal foray around the potted orange tree that it called home.
It had a beautifully mottled back, two antennae, and was one of the biggest slugs I’ve seen here in Toronto. A prize specimen.
Emma and Quinn took...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Unexpected Pet"
Q+A: Buying Plants
JENNIFER ASKED:What I'd really like to know are some good resources for buying vegetable seedlings. My seeds didn't do so well; they either didn't sprout or they dried up. I hope all is not lost. I'd like to just start my garden with pre-grown seedlings...just don't know where to get them.
Response:Buying seedlings is a very practical approach for people with limited space or time...or seedling problems. Last year I bought pepper transplants when my own looked pitifully small. Here are some thoughts on buying seedlings...
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Buying Vegetable Plants"
I thank fellow gardener Tom for a couple of timely gardening tips he shared during a recent chat.
1. Keep a Log. Tom and his wife Marion are fairly serious vegetable gardeners: serious enough to know that the variety of squash they grew last year didn’t measure up to those they grew previous years. And that’s where good records come into play. Every year, Tom jots down the varieties of vegetables he grows, along with a few observations. So when he’s buying seed this year, he knows which squash measure up, and which don’t. (admission: I use the lazy man’s variation on Tom’s method of record keeping, simply retaining the packing slips from seed orders.)
2. Simple Germination Test. Instead of being sidelined by unexpectedly poor germination, Tom tests seed he has left over from previous years. That way he knows if he needs to order new seed. His test for large seeds takes only a plastic sandwich bag and a piece of damp towel. He folds the damp paper towel over the seed, places it in the bag, and then puts it somewhere warm, such as on a fridge. Then waits to see how well the seeds germinate.
I also blog on the www.sharingbackyardstoronto.ca website. Marnie, a reader from that website, contacted me because she has garden space to share—but it falls outside of the partnering region covered by the website.
So if you’re in the GTA and looking for the opportunity to garden, keep reading: Marnie has a 50 acre farm north of Waterdown, is an avid gardener, and keeps chickens and horses. She is offering to share her space and knowledge with a “newbie” urban gardener. If interested, e-mail me using my contact page, and I'll forward it to her.
GOT IT. Yesterday I got it.
The reason I got it so early in the season is that it’s hotbed time. Unrotted manure is the stuff that fuels a hotbed: a cold frame above a pit filled with manure (and capped with soil.)
The manure decomposes and gives off heat. That’s the heat that fuels the hotbed: it heats the soil from underneath, allowing an early start for spring greens.
To see the brief blurb on hotbeds in my article Spring Greens, click below.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Manure Run"
Adventures in the Childrens Garden. Get ideas and have a laugh reading about growing vegetables with kids, in Steven Biggs’ Toronto garden.
Readers write: questions about growing vegetables and success in the edible garden. Answered by Toronto horticulturist Steven Biggs on www.the-locavores-garden.com.
Grow onions, pickle onions for your own homemade traditional pickles.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Grow onions then make pickled onions"
SUSAN AND CLIFF ASKED:
Check out the Q+A page for the answer to this and other questions:
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Garden Q+A: Starting Seeds Under Lights"
I was surprised at how seriously Emma took the seed selection process this year. She’s not even five years old, so I was sure she’d quickly leaf through the seed catalogue and tell me a couple crops she wanted.
BUT NO.
She sat on the chesterfield with catalogue in hand for a long time, yelling out to me the different seeds she wanted me to add to the order for her. “Don’t forget the peas, Daddy,” she yelled, and then soon added, “And I want lots and lots of ground cherries.”
As she approached a dozen items, I asked whether she thought they would all fit in her corner of the garden. “That’s OK Daddy, I’m sharing the big garden with you,” she said with a nod.
OTHER WINDOWSILL CROPS. The dill and arugula are ready to pick. I only planted the spinach a week ago, so at this point there are only a few seeds poking up. I’m growing a spinach variety suited to fall and winter growing, so although it’s the first time I’ve grown it inside, I expect it will perform well.
ONIONS. I still have trays of onions from last summer. Because onions are inexpensive to buy, some gardeners think twice about giving them space in the vegetable plot. But they fit well with my system of raised beds. I like to keep raised beds simple: no wooden boards or plastic edging. It’s inexpensive, and there’s nothing to get in the way when it’s time to dig. And that’s where onions fit into my scheme: While the sloped ground at the edge of the raised bed might not be suited to large plants or those that need coddling, onions grow well there and help stabilize the soil.
In January I advised you to THINK SEEDS. Same message this time.
But now I want you to think then mark your calendars so you’ll remember when to sow your seeds indoors.
Average Last Spring Frost Date. The last frost date is beacon that most gardeners use to find planting dates.
I said mark your calendars, right? How do you know when to start your peppers, for example? Most seed packets will tell you to start them 10 weeks before the last frost. So simply work backwards from the average last spring frost date.
I know...you want to know the last frost date. I’ve typically gone with May 9, which some seed companies publish for Toronto.
But this spring I thought I’d check with Environment Canada about the “official” last frost date. They pointed me to this map on the Natural Resources Canada website (http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/archives/5thedition/environment/climate/mcr4035), which, if I’m reading it correctly, puts the average last frost date in Toronto at May 1. I think I’ll stick with May 9. Better to start seedlings a bit late than too early.
QUESTIONS ABOUT STARTING SEEDS? When should I start tomato seeds? What soil should I use? How often should I water? Why did my seedlings die last year?
Then I have just what you need. It’s a hands-on seed-starting workshop on March 7, 2010.
I’ll tell you about containers, soil, light, heat...everything you’ll need to know to start seeds at home. And you’ll get your hands dirty too, as you plant seeds. I keep the number of participants to 10 or less, so reserve your spot now.
To learn more or register, visit the workshop web page http://www.the-locavores-garden.com/grow-edibles-workshops-toronto.html or call me at (416) 953-1549.
When should I start tomato seeds? What soil should I use? How often should I water? Why did my seedlings die last year?
Get a jump on spring with a workshop where you'll learn hands-on how to start seeds indoors. Crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and basil need a head start indoors. In this workshop you’ll learn about soil, pots, types of seed, and the right conditions for germination. Take home the pepper seeds you planted in the workshop—and take home tomato seeds to plant at home.
March 7, 2010, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Click the link to learn more.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Starting Seeds Indoors"
CLIFF ASKED:Celery roots and parsley roots you buy in the supermarkets, are they the same as the roots of celery and parsley we grow in the garden?
Check out the Q+A page for the answer to this and other questions.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Garden Q+A: Parsley and Celery Root"
WE’VE HAD MICE IN THE HOUSE THIS WINTER.
My daughter Emma, who is four and a half years old, caught me baiting a trap. So I explained how the mice are attracted to the peanut butter on the trap, how it snaps and catches the mice, and that I didn’t want her to touch the trap—or tell her younger brother Quinn about it.
A short while later, we were working in the yard when Emma left. Seeing her scurry to the house and back with some newspaper, I was curious what was up. Scattered under a spruce tree were balls of scrunched up newspaper.
“What are you doing, Emma?” I asked. “Catching monsters,” she replied.
The DILL in my sunroom is a couple inches high and I’ll soon start thinning the young plants and using the thinnings in salads and cooking. Dill germinates easily and is a worthwhile windowsill crop.
FRUIT TREES are tempting for mice, who burrow under the snow and gnaw at the bark as a winter snack. I planted plum trees in the fall, and made wire tree guards to protect the trunk from mice. If you make tree guards, be sure to use a fine mesh, as a mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime.
FUCHSIA. I originally grew Fuchsia boliviana as an ornamental. Then, one day learned that the fruit, which look like purple, elongated peas are edible. Right now I’m enjoying the red flowers...but I see some small fruit have formed.
LETTUCE. Like dill, I have lettuce growing in my sunroom. I simply transplanted a few young plants from the garden in late November. I won’t be getting a lot of it, though, because I’m not growing the best variety. Some varieties are suited to the low-light conditions in the winter, and they would perform much better.
The PARSNIPS from summer 2009 are perfect. Neighbours Anna and Chris suggested a root-and-grain potlatch at the end of December. Luckily, we had a brief thaw that gave me time to chop the few remaining parsnips out of the garden. If you’re planning to grow parsnips, remember that it’s worth the cost of buying fresh seed, as parsnip seed quickly loses its viability.
ROSEMARY is doing well in the sunroom. Over the years, I have killed countless rosemary plants while trying to overwinter them indoors. They just don’t thrive in the hot, dry, low-light conditions. That’s where the sunroom is perfect: It doesn’t freeze, but it stays quite cool—and the rosemary loves it.
TOMATOES. I’m still eating fresh tomatoes from my garden. I’m not joking. The variety of tomatoes I’m eating produces small, bullet-hard tomatoes that pale in comparison to large, juice beefsteak varieties. But they keep well and are great for chopping on salads or making bruschetta over the winter.
THINK SEEDS. Last year seed houses reported very strong sales of vegetable seeds. It’s no surprise: growing vegetables has once again become sexy. So get your order in early to make sure you get what you want.
Not sure about seed terminology?
check out my most recent newsletter, Homegrown in Toronto. http://www.the-locavores-garden.com/Homegrown_in_Toronto-ezine100112.html
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Tasks for January"
ARUGULA is still lush and there’s lots of it.
CELERY. I’ve never been too excited about store-bought celery, but freshly picked celery is a different beast, and much more flavourful. Here’s a trick if your celery plants look good but snowfall is imminent: dig up the plant, getting a good clump of soil so the rootball is intact. Then, stick it somewhere slightly protected so you can keep harvesting for a while. I’ve kept them in both my garden shed and my cold cupboard.
DILL. If you scattered seeds from dill seed heads that formed earlier in the summer, have a look around the garden and you might find some young dill plants. I’m harvesting this second “flush” of dill now.
LEEKS are plump, but there’s no rush to use them yet. They keep well in the garden till it freezes—and you can always harvest them from under the snow if needed.
PARSLEY continues to grow well in the fall. I like to plant lots of it, knowing that at this time of year it is a welcome green. I keep a container of frozen, chopped parley in the freezer so that I’m never without it in the middle of the winter.
The PARSNIPS are ready. One of the first crops seeded in the garden, and the last harvested, they’re a low-maintenance crop over the summer. And after harvest, parsnips are a crop that can last well into the winter. If you’re planning to grow them next year, remember that it’s worth the cost of buying fresh seed, as parsnip seed quickly loses its viability.
SWISS CHARD is still going strong and will keep growing till freeze up.
TOMATOES. While the tomato plants in the garden perished with the first frost, green tomatoes that I brought indoors continue to ripen. While some people ripen them on windowsills, when I’m short of sill space I just leave them in the basement, spreading them on a tray to ripen.
“Jakie, Jakie,” Emma called to her cousin, “Let’s make a lake.” Figuring they had found a pail of water somewhere, I looked up.
But there was no water. Just sand...which they were spreading on the mound of earth in the middle of the yard. Next year, I plan for it to be a new garden bed—but for now, the kids know that they can play in it. And even though there’s a whole yard to play in, they love that mound of soil.
That day, the light-coloured sand, juxtaposed with dark soil, was their lake. And before long, the lake was sprouting sailboat masts as they collected sticks from around the yard.
FALL PLANTING. Now is a good time to plant bushes and perennials. This week I transplanted currant, gooseberry, and saskatoon bushes.
TIP: When you transplant a tree or bush, don’t forget to trim back the top too. The reason is simple: In the process of digging it up, you remove roots, no matter how careful you are. And that means the plant has fewer roots to feed the top of the plant. By removing some of the branches, you reduce the stress to the plant.
BEANS (WAX). They’re purple, green, and yellow, and they’re out in abundance. Today I’ll plant more beans. Might be too late...but might not if we have a warm fall.
BEANS (POLE). The purple pole beans are beautiful—a bit longer and flatter than the wax beans. The neat thing about purple beans is that they turn green upon cooking. And the neat thing about pole beans is that they tend to produce beans longer than bush beans—which usually give a heavy flush of beans and then finish.
CUCUMBERS. I picked the first cucumber last week! There are lots coming, so soon it will be time to make the annual trek to the cheese shop for a bucket of feta cheese for making cucumber and tomato salad.
CUCUMBERS (ARMENIAN). The Armenian cucumbers I seeded a couple weeks back are up and have a couple leaves. I’ve never eaten one before, so am curious to see how the taste and texture compares with other cucumbers.
GARLIC plants are starting to die back. This is good, because it means the bulbs are nearly ready. I’d normally leave them a week or two longer, but I think I’ll dig them today, as I won’t have time over the next couple of weeks. I dig the whole plant—bulb and all— then let it cure in the sun for a couple weeks (under an awning, a spot free from rain.)
LETTUCE. There are still some edible lettuce plants about, but they are becoming scant as the lettuce all starts to bolt. I’ve seeded lots more, so there should be a good crop for the fall. Remember to let a few lettuce plants “bolt” and form seed. That way, it will seed itself for you.
MEXICAN GHERKIN. The Mexican gherkins, small, finger-nail-sized cucumber relatives, are ready. They’re tangy little things, a good garnish, or fun to munch on their own.
POTATOES. We’ve been eating new potatoes for the past couple weeks. My daughter Emma loves to dig for them—it’s like looking for pirate’s treasure. Today we’ll dig them all out and make way for a new planting of something.
TOMATOES are languishing this year. And the ones I planted in my garden are worse than the ones I planted across the fence in my neighbour’s garden. I suspect inadequately composted leaves have robbed the soil of nitrogen—and the poor things are starving. Oops.
Before I knew it, she’d prepared a spread including wax beans, sorrel, chives, parsley, mint, and lettuce.
And she told me what each one was too.
Best of all, she made some pies...Frisbees filled with sand!
Have a backyard but not enough time to take care of it? Or maybe you want a veggie patch but haven't any land? Check out this garden-sharing resource in Toronto:
http://growingforgreen.wordpress.com/sharing-backyards/
AS I PULLED OFF THE BLUE TUPPERWARE LID with one hand, I shook the salad dressing in the other. Then, without looking, I doused my homegrown garden salad.
Readying my fork, I was surprised to see that I had dressed more than my salad: Like a marching army, dressing-covered aphids were parading around, over, and under it.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Edible Flowers"
On Sunday July 5, we’ll talk about succession crops—things you plant in the summer to make your harvest last into the fall. Find out what to plant once crops such as garlic and lettuce are finished, and you have empty space in the plot.
In that same workshop we’ll also take a look at simple ways to start preserving your harvest. Did you know that you can make dill pickles without vinegar?
The workshop includes detailed technical bulletins that complement the informative and hands-on training. And participants can become members of our e-mail forum, the Toronto Edible Gardening Club, a great resource for gardening questions.
To learn more or register, visit the webpage http://www.the-locavores-garden.com/edible-gardening-workshops.html or call me at (416) 953-1549.
CARROTS. I picked the first carrots last week. They’re small, not even the length of my baby finger, and narrower than a pencil. If you’re wondering why I’m picking them so early, I’m thinning the patch. I don’t use precision when I seed, so there are always instances where plants are far too close together. That’s fine with me, because now I can eat the thinnings, still leaving enough plants for a good harvest of full sized carrots later.
CHIVE FLOWERS are nearly done. I’ve been using them to garnish asparagus-filled crepes this year. Once they’re done flowering, chop back the plants to an inch above ground level and they’ll send up fresh, tender leaves.
CUCUMBERS. A couple weeks back I stuck in cucumber seeds where a few plants had perished. They’re up. Still only at the 2-leaf stage, they should take off quickly with this hot weather.
GARLIC SCAPES have arrived. I gave a few to a friend for use in a stir fry. I’ll soon pick a bunch for making pesto. Scapes should be picked so that the plant directs energy to the developing bulb. Fry them, grill them on the barbeque, make pesto—and if you don’t know what to do with them now, you can blanche them and freeze them.
PEAS. I had the first picking of peas this past weekend. There weren’t enough to give everyone a helping, so I sprinkled them on a salad.
STRAWBERRIES are going strong. Tonight I picked a couple litres. The slugs carve holes in the odd berry—and the birds scatter from the patch when they see me coming—but I’m getting a decent haul.
We’ve joined the ranks of other parents and have a backyard with brightly coloured kids accessories adorning the landscape. The colours add a haphazard (and kitschy) feel to what was once a contrived look. The latest addition is a bright blue kiddie pool that Shelley dragged home a couple of weeks ago. It’s ugly...but the kids love it.
It sits in the only patch of grass we have, the little strip we call a bocce ball court. And luckily for me, it’s beside the vegetable garden—so I figured I could tend the garden while the kids have a splash.
A couple days ago I was busy weeding in the garden while they splashed. Then the splashing ceased and I noticed them industriously marching like ants from the pool to the garden edge, over and over again. Little by little they lowered the water level in the pool as they poured buckets of water atop the garden.
Next time we’ll work on getting a better distribution of watering!
CUCUMBERS. I have a bare spot along the fence where something ate my Mexican gherkin plants. So I have cucumber seeds ready to stick in that space today.
LETTUCE. Today I’ll scatter some lettuce seeds around the tomato and asparagus plants, so I’ll have a little bit ready later in the summer. I don’t have a dedicated bed, but simply scatter seed in areas where I’ve planted taller crops. Think of the lettuce as an understorey crop.
MELON. Something ate a couple of my melon transplants, so yesterday I stuck in a few seeds. Better to have late melons than no melons at all.
Yeah, the rabbits are back...
The excitement last week was the baby rabbit that lost its family. Emma wanted to care for it, so we fixed up a box with some bedding, water, and lots of greens. I was gritting my teeth, knowing that this rabbit will be raiding my garden in the future. But the kids learned about rabbits—and learned that wildlife should stay wild when we released it a couple days later. We told Emma that the rabbit had to go back to its family—and released it where my neighbours had seen the other family members grazing every evening.
BROAD BEANS are flowering. But...the black aphids have moved in. If you see clusters of bugs near the shoot tip on broad beans, good chance it’s aphids. They love broad beans. A spray with insecticidal soap will fix it—and that’s what I’m doing today.
DILL, dill, everywhere: Now I’m weeding it out from other crops so it doesn’t compete with them. The most challenging weeding occurs in the carrot beds, where both crops have ferny foliage. You can tell the difference by the colour: While carrot leaves are green, dill leaves have a greenish-blue hue.
LETTUCE. The first plants that were up this spring are no longer baby lettuce plants, but full, beautiful heads.
POTATO plants are at least six inches high now.
RADISHES are out everywhere and, as usual, I have more than I can eat. My neighbours Anna and Chris help by responding to my over-the-fence pleas for a radish foster home.
STALLED... The heat-loving plants have been languishing...eggplants, peppers, cucumbers. But they should pick up when we get a run of warm weather.
STRAWBERRIES. We’ve had two good pickings from the strawberry patch. My four-year-old Emma insists on doing all the picking—but I have to cast an eye in her direction to make sure that some of the berries make it into the house...
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The Mexican gherkins, which look like mini cucumbers, have been a huge hit around here.
Catastrophe struck my pawpaw patch.
We’re seeing some territorial behaviour here in the Biggs household. There’s more than one avid gardener here now…and garden space is in demand.
If you don’t already grow sorrel, I recommend you try it. It is an overlooked plant. The arrowhead shaped leaves are delicious fresh, making a good garnish or mixed into salads. And when cooked, they add a tangy flavour to soups and sauces.
But not everybody is.
I got the annual haul of fresh, uncomposted horse manure.
LETTUCE. I explained in my last e-zine that the lettuce I’m growing in my sunroom is not the ideal variety for winter growing. Nonetheless, it’s looking good, and I hope to pick a few leaves tonight.
“Daddy, let’s have a picnic,” Emma exclaimed as I was watering the garden.
