Summer Goodness

... At The Thrifty Garden Home

Yesterday was a 'work hard in the yard' day.  Every so often we need to get control of summer growth .. read weeds .. and take a string trimmer to the landscape.  Every muscle aches and yet feels sort of good after the workout.  My mind is ever 'expanding' the garden space and making mental notes for next year (which should be written down .. and soon .. lest I forget).  The strawberry bed is taking up too much precious ground inside the fenced garden area.  I'm hoping to develop a new home for the plants.  I have my eye on an area to grow corn that gets long hours of sunlight each day.   Soon we should have tomatoes coming out of our ears from the 30 or so plants in our 'square foot garden' area .. it's amazing how tall they can grow if given a chance and a good sturdy trellis.  Every year our garden grows a little bit .. and we become better at tending it.

I love when the birds 'plant' giant sunflowers :)

Hopes for next year (read, 'what failed this year;): 

• Grow more cucumbers (find out what I'm doing wrong .. only one plant survived)
• Plant twice as many green beans (so I don't have to buy any from the farm to can)
• Add more soil to my deeper raised beds .. the sides cast shadows and cause some areas to have stunted growth
• Plant more peas (read .. enough to freeze once they're shelled as most get eaten while I'm working in the garden)
• Plant onions in the old garden .. they failed miserably in the raised beds
• Amend the raised beds to include a little clay for better water retention .. or mulch heavily with straw

A bumper crop of good sized heads of cabbage

Triumphs this year:

•   Green beans
•   Tomatoes (crossing fingers)
•   Raspberries
•   Strawberries
•   Greens
•   Celery
•   Herbs
•   Pumpkins & squash (a triumph because we don't have zucchini coming out of our ears;)
  
•   Peppers (still a work in progress)
•   Cabbage
•   Not a record .. but we have potatoes
•   Assortment of flowers to attract bees .. and the chipmunks didn't eat all of the gladiola bulbs :)

What's thriving (or failing) in your garden?

This And That

in the middle of summer.

The garden is growing leaps and bounds.  Tomatoes are setting fruit .. and huge heads of broccoli have been picked, blanched ... and frozen for winter.  Raspberries are ripening .. and being picked .. though not many are surviving the walk to the kitchen ;)  It's been cool enough for the lettuce to still be producing ... which means LOTS OF SALADS!  I'm noticing the northeast corners of the double stacked raised beds grow lush .. while the southwest ends seem stunted.  Will have to adjust my planting next year to take this into consideration.

We just got back from a mini trip up to Glacier National Park ... arriving only days after the Going To The Sun road opened for the season.  This drive passes across the Continental Divide and opened rather late this year.  (I think the latest ever.) 

It seems the weather tables have turned and the inland northwest has THE best weather across the United States this summer.  Of course, we'll get our payback come winter.  The air conditioner has only been turned on once this summer ... and that was due to humidity .. not excess heat.

I've been enjoying and really using our flour mill of late.  It's become a habit now to grind enough wheat for a day or two.

I also dragged out my pasta roller/cutter after watching an Italian cooking show that featured a recipe with dough made so quickly in the food processor .. then rolled and cut quickly.  For this I am using some of my home ground flour and semolina flour ... a good mix.

The herb garden has been harvested once already with bundles of greens hanging in the garden shed to dry.  My favorite dried herb is thyme.  There should be enough time for another growth spurt and harvest.  Nothing beats fresh herbs in the summer right out the kitchen door.

Now that our daughter, Ann, moved out in May ... we are seeing a savings in electricity and food.  Coffee beans last much longer :)  Speaking of coffee ..we're now roasting beans in a hot air popcorn popper!  It works much better than smoking up the kitchen using a skillet ... and can be done outside.

Glacier National Park

What's growing in your garden ... and happening in your neck of the woods?

Nice Weather

... a bit too cool for tomatoes and peppers.

My tomatoes have blossoms that keep falling off.  I think our chilly summer is the cause.  My pepper plants started from seed last March are slowly getting bigger.  Ever thankful for the bigger plants I purchased and added for insurance.  Not sure about the rest of the country that seems to be sweltering in the heat and humidity .. but would like to have some of the warmth arrive to set the blossoms.  Today I was thankful to see the bees out once again in the backyard.  Seems they were mainly collecting from the spring flowers that are now just blooming in the front yard.  I have lots of clover in the back .. and now the mustard is blooming .. hopefully this will entice the bees enough to notice the tomato plants as well.

What's blooming, withering, or being harvested from your garden?

Lightening .. the natural fertalizer (huh?)

Last Years Garden

I can't wait to peek at the garden in the morning.  We had a huge electrical storm pass through that should green things up.  It's especially true if you have any metal (i.e. fencing) nearby.  I'm no scientist .. just observant.  My pole beans greened up quite nicely last year from such a storm.  Here's an article with some of the facts.  HOW LIGHTENING BENEFITS THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 

The Ups and Downs of Raised Garden Beds

I like the new raised garden area.  It is, for the most part, WEED FREE (yes!).  My vole problem has turned out to be a ground squirrel (chipmunk).  Confusing .. I know.  But after studying the destructive habits and telltale signs .. and seeing a chipmunk, he is making holes all over the yard surrounding the garden.  The only direct damage inside the fenced off area are my gladiola bulbs .. half of which have gone missing .. and nice little mounds of soft dirt piled up in each back corner where they were planted below the wood chips.  And to think I scolded my dog while trying to nab the critter last week when she upturned a small woodpile.  I have found one dead (half eaten) vole as well .. that I have credited to the dog.

The downside to the raised beds .. onions are not growing well.  The top inch or so of soil does not retain moisture .. and yet it is damp deep down below the surface.   Next year I shall try filling the beds to the top with more soil so as not to cast shadows from the wooden sides, as this causes uneven plant growth to some extent ... and to apply some hay for moisture retention. 

This week the strawberries have ripened supplying about a quart each day .. enough to eat and make some freezer jam.

A New Garden Favorite

Not a new veggie .. just new to our family.  Kale is growing in abundance in our garden; getting picked sometimes twice a day.  I never knew how good it could taste .. and only associated it with the curly variety used as a food prop to pretty up restaurant plates.  I can think of many uses for this hardy green .. such as used in soups, stir-fries, sauteed  ... and even as a delicious topping on homemade pizza (which we've baked up twice this week).

About ready to be picked are our June strawberries .. they're just turning red and have been covered to keep the birds from having a field day.  Lettuce is growing and filling salad bowls .. along with radishes .. which have only had some success.   Some of our onions are not doing well .. and am not sure why .. could be from planting in the raised beds .. as we've never had problems other than them going missing from voles.  Speaking of the pesky creatures, here is a good link on trapping them   .  Looks easy enough to make the trap devices at home .. and will try it later this week.  So far I haven't noticed too much missing from the garden .. and I know the voles are out there.  Our raised beds lined with hardware cloth seem to be working.

Sewing In Progress

 Another little reveal in 'Grandma's Sewing Room.'  After examining my sewing machine, I do believe it's more of a portable model than one that can be installed into a sewing cabinet ... so I found a vintage library/sofa table that is very sturdy, a perfect height, and together with an antique (in good condition) sewing rocker, makes the perfect combination for a sewing table and chair.

It serves double duty when not in use as a plant nursery.  There's even a recessed ceiling light above the bay window that gives off good illumination while sewing at night.

My first night of sewing produced a beautiful linen and battenburg lace addition to the valance in the master bathroom's water closet.  And .. some sachet pouches for my dresser drawers.

I'm beginning to really appreciate this new (almost) empty nest phase of life :)

A few more reveals to come.

New Room .. Just A Peek

vintage parlor style lamp

The new sewing room is being transformed into a vintage tribute to my many grandmothers.  I'm working on getting Grandma Libby's hand pieced quilt squares matched with some coordinating/accent fabric .. (we  have a new quilt shop in town for advice and selecting material:)  Here's a look-see at the lamps I purchased this week.  The parlor style double globe lamp is vintage .. I'm thinking mid century by the look of the cord.  Top and bottom lamps work separately or together.

antique painted rose oil lamp

The oil lamp appears to be an antique .. it may be original or have been made from two lamp parts .. I need to do a little research and look closer at it's design with a magnifying glass. More peeks to come :)

A Room Of My Own

Week #1: 

Our daughter, Ann, recently moved out on her own and I inherited her room to turn into my own little space.  As you can see it's a clean blank slate ready for a makeover.  My plan is to set up the sewing machine in a permanent cabinet .. my entire life, I've had to schlep it to the kitchen table and put everything away each night.  This will be nice in that I can keep a sewing project out until it's finished. 

The sewing machine might be in front of the bay window .. the view is inspiring and beautiful!

Extra deep closet .. ahem .. hubby somehow has some 'stuff' in here already!

Yes .. I'm a vanilla color nut :)

I envision antiques including a bed and small rocking chair.  A washstand with a towel bar and tiled back splash to hold a pitcher and bowl.  Perhaps an old dress form and a pretty lamp with a painted glass shade and a chimney.  Now it's time to scour the flea markets and garage sales ... AND check the basement for items to re-purpose.  Check back for week #2.

Picture Perfect Weather

Today is a beautiful sunny day in the North Woods.  I'm hoping the temps are warm enough to kick start some growth in the garden.  My rhubarb plants have been producing for a few weeks and it's time to start thinking about preserving some of their yummy goodness.  Perhaps canning some rhubarb sauce this week is in order.  Rhubarb freezes well .. it's great to pull out in the winter to bake up a pie or for stewing.

The leaves are poisonous .. but you can add them to the compost heap without a problem.  Nothing says it's gardening time better than the arrival of rhubarb.

Simmered Rhubarb:

4 cups diced rhubarb stalks
3/4 cup sugar
water to cover

Simmer the rhubarb for a few minutes then cover the pan and let it sit until cool.  This method keeps the rhubarb pieces whole.  For a sweeter version, cook uncovered until tender and liquid has reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2 in volume ..  Rhubarb goes well with strawberries and apples in pies.

Coaxing Some Warmth In The Garden

So far this spring has been a fizzle.  Not to say that I'm disappointed with so many people's lives torn apart from horrific weather in the mid-west and southern parts of the United States and elsewhere around the world ... but our damp, cloudy, rainy cool weather in the Pacific and Inland Northwest has given gardeners a run for their money.  Hubby and I are just about finished with the newly installed raised bed garden; we are adding fine bark on the ground to suppress weeds.  Fencing has been put up around the center section of the garden.  As you can see from the photo, I have some beds sitting outside the fence.  These are my deeper beds with fine wire mesh installed in the bottoms that are a foot deep to be used for root veggies.  Hoops or wire surrounds will eventually be installed to keep the deer and moose from lunching on the plants.  The mesh wire is to keep the pesky voles from stealing whole crops from underground tunnels.  This interior/exterior fence planting has worked for us in the past as it keeps the large animals from attempting to leap over the fence .. and I really didn't want the expense nor view of an 8 foot garden fence.

The white fabric is covering our tomato, pepper and eggplants.  It's breathable and lets in some rain .. but traps heat during our cold spell this spring.  On sunny warm days (which are few) the coverings are peeled back.  A few heirloom tomato plants and peppers have been mingled in with our plants started from seed .. just as an extra measure of success.  This year I have done some companion planting .. and have left room for planting in succession. 

How is your garden growing?

New Raised Beds .. and Family Life

We've been busy at the Thrifty Garden Home with installing our raised beds.  Everything is set for the garden fence to be put up on the already installed fence posts tomorrow.  Family life has taken over gardening plans as our youngest was being checked for leukemia after a scary white blood count during a recent out patient dental visit.  This crisis has passed as he does not have leukemia .. but still wondering why such a low count .. a time of worry has passed .. although always lingering. 

The garden is sprouting .. potatoes are poking through the soil .. raspberry canes are green, the strawberry bed planted a few years ago is beginning bud with berries, asparagus is being picked here and there from a two year old bed, and the chard that managed to survive winter is about ready to be picked.  Most everything has been planted .. except for corn and pumpkins .. We have had nights in the 40's .. and should they drop, I have means to cover the tender plants.  What's growing in your garden?

2011 Square Foot Garden Planting

This is just a reference list for my square foot garden for 2011; my first attempt at this type of gardening.  I found an easy way to mark the garden using ground eggshells.  Just use a pointed stick as you measure your planting grid area and apply a thin line of eggshells as a planting guide.  The grounds last a few days and add calcium into the soil.  This is less work than making a wooden grid.  I will be adding my planting schedule and pictures later.  We have above freezing night time temps this week and the tomatoes, peppers and other plants are hardening off in the shelter of the front porch.  What's up in your garden this week?

Update (May 20, 2011)

To date garden planting

April 24 - broccoli, wala-wala onions, radish, replanted garlic planted last fall, red and Yukon gold potatoes, new asparagus bed
May 3   - bulb onions, sugar snap peas
May 12 - broccoli, bulb onions, celery, kale, parsley, petunias, tomatoes
May 18 - pepper plants (started from seed), eggplant, rosemary, carrots, cabbage plants, yellow crookneck squash, rosemary, broccoli, lettuce, chard, spinach, cilantro, ever-bearing strawberries, butternut squash (plants) cucumbers (plants), nasturtium
May 27 - corn, pumpkins (orange & white), replanted horseradish to a better location, green beans, zucchini, peas, lettuce plants started from seed, Russian kale plants (from seed), sweet peas, broccoli plants (grown  from seed), Danish ball head cabbage plants (grown from seed)
May 29 - cauliflower plants (given to me by a friend), red sweet pepper plant

Stuck In La Nina

We are in a awful weather pattern .. every other day brings rain or snow showers .. it's been like this for several months including ten degrees below normal temperatures.  Our last 60 degree day was in November.  There is a slim chance that Easter Saturday will be hovering around 60 .. but then we slide back into the cooler wet weather pattern.  Makes for little news to blog about.  Just ho-hum going on here.  I am still recovering from the flu (which I imagine was the swine or similar variety).  Although no loner contagious .. and I did visit the doctor .. my strength has not completely returned.

Hubby and I have one last raised bed to set in place and fill with garden soil.  I hope to get the potatoes planted in the next day or so. What's the weather like in your neighborhood?

Coaxing Spring (hurry up already)

Our weather of late has been fickle.  Most of March found rain showers, gray skies, a few snow showers .. and April is only a little bit 'more promising' ... Our teeny tiny dining room plant nursery has expanded and now includes a sturdy new shelf unit sitting in front of one of the many windows.  All of our plants have sprouted .. even the pepper plants after getting a good warm start in the little plastic covered greenhouse rigged with warming beds and a grow light. 

Hubby and I worked on building 10 of 14 raised garden beds last week, some extra deep and outfitted with quarter inch wire mesh underneath and soon to include hoops made from curved electric conduit to support different coverings.  We have them stacked and draped outside on a slope until the actual garden ground is ready.  It will be at least another five weeks or so before we are frost free and can transplant the seedlings. 

Through all of this soggy weather, I picked up a flu virus that ended with acute sinusitis and over two weeks of feeling exhausted.  Saturday I finally broke down and visited the doctor to get some meds and am almost up to feeling 100% better.  The thought of lying on the backyard hammock in the warm summer air sounds like heavenly therapy; can't wait!