Gardening tools

Gardening tools are essential and having a few well-made tools are important.  I work my gardening tools and selected them accordingly.  While digging up carrots, of all things, my spading fork snapped in half.  I was left holding the handle while the tines remained in the soil.  The spading fork is my go-to tool; she is the most versatile and was used the most.  I was crestfallen!  Thankful, however, the fork didn't break until the end of the season, and it did last seven seasons.  Still, I expected a much longer life.

Part of my gardening plans include replacing my garden fork.  With any luck I will find an all-steel construction version.

Included below is a list of companies who sell gardening tools and supplies.  Have fun browsing around, shopping and, ultimately, gardening!

Red Pig Garden Tools & Blacksmith: This company makes their tools by hand!  To quote their web page - "We use steel, fire, an anvil and good, honest sweat."  They'll even make a custom tool for you if you don't see what you're looking for.  Yes, please.  I will own a Red Pig tool.  Perhaps the 2-Tine Hand Weeding Fork?

Corona Tools:  "Founded in the early 1920s, Corona, Inc. is a leader in the marketing and manufacturing of professional and consumer tools for the lawn and garden, landscape, irrigation, construction and agriculture markets." 

Ames True Temper: "With a history that spans more than 230 years, Ames' growth and operation parallels the expansion of the United States in both peace and wartime."

Seymour Manufacturing Company: "Founded in 1872, Seymour Manufacturing makes lawn and garden hand tools, replacement handles, and fireplace accessories for a wide range of home, farm, commercial and industrial applications."

Council Tool:  "For 125 years, Council tool in Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina has been manufacturing some of the finest American made tools available.  As one of the oldest forging operation in the United States, Council tool was founded by John Pickett Council in 1886 and fourth generation Council family members manage the company today."

Clarington: English made garden tools since 1780.

Winter 2012

It's always hard to believe just how quickly each season passes.  Winter has officially arrived and what remained growing in the garden has finally fallen under it's spell.

Collard greens, kale, leeks and parsley were being harvested well after Thanksgiving.  Today, in fact, I will attempt to harvest what remains of the leeks so they can be used to make a quiche for Christmas breakfast.  Quiche Poireaux aux Champignons (leeks and mushrooms) with the recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I look forward to the house smelling of sautéing leeks.

I've eaten quiche many times over the years and each time I've thought 'I'd like to make a quiche' but have never done so.  Leeks from our garden, grown from seed no less, Christmas breakfast, and Julia's wisdom create the perfect trinity for my first crack at quiche.

Merry Christmas and a joyful, healthy, adventurous and fruitful new year to you!

Winter blooms

Amaryllis

Chet can be difficult to photograph.
He rarely stands still.

UPDATE:  The leek harvest was successful.  The leeks were beautiful and quite flavorful.  The quiche was also delicious.  Yay!

Harvested leeks.
They sat inside for several hours to allow the soil to warm up as well as dry.
This make it much easier to separate the leeks from the clump of soil.

Chet sampling a leek frond.

The fragrant break-down.

Cleaned up and ready for slicing and sautéing.

Alas, I neglected to photograph the freshly baked quiche.  You'll have to trust me -and Julia's recipe- that the quiche was fantastically delicious.

Garden planning info

This year's growing season may be over but now is the time to begin planning next season's garden. Compiled below is a list of gardening catalogs and web sites that I favor.

For the past three years only heirloom seeds and plants have been grown in Wright Gardens.  No hybrid seeds or plants.  The references below reflect the same standard.  Less grass, more food!


Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - They sell only open-pollinated, non-GMO/GE seeds.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Botanical Interests - High quality seeds, many heirloom varieties, and a large variety of organic seeds.  No GMO/GEs.  Botanical Interests have signed the Safe Seed Pledge and are included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Edible Landscaping - No herbicides are used on their plants, and none of their products are derived from or contain any GMO/GEs.

Filaree Garlic Farm - Certified annually by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, all of their garlic is certified organic.  Filagree Garlic Farm grows most of the garlic they sell and purchases the rest from other small, certified organic farmers in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.

Hood River Garlic - Hood River Garlic is a small, certified organic garlic farm located in Oregon's Hood River Valley.  They have been certified organic by the Oregon Tilth since May 2002.

Native Seeds/SEARCH - Offers seeds best suited for the Greater Southwest region (U.S.).  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Nourse Farms - Berry plants.  No GMO/GEs.

Richters Herbs - They pledge not to knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants by signing the Safe Seed Pledge.  Richters Herbs is included on the Safe Seed Resource List as well.

Seed Savers Exchange - Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.  

Select Seeds - Rare and heirloom variety of flower seeds and plants.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Victory Seeds - Rare, open-pollinated, and heirloom seeds.  Included on the Safe Seed Resource List.

Hollingsworth Nursery - Peonies are all they do.

Moss Acres -  A beautiful lush green and the perfect solution for a shady area in your garden.  Moss is perfect for terrariums of all sizes, too.

Peony's Envy - More peonies.

Schreiner's Iris Gardens - High quality rhizomes that produce spectacular flowers.

Simply Succulents

Weeks Roses

Area calculator

Mother Earth News - Vegetable Garden Planner

NCDC: Freeze/Frost Maps

Uncle Jim's Worm Farm  - Indoor and outdoor composting supplies.  And, of course, worms!

Don't forget garden tools!

77

Typically, the number 77 makes me think of a Trans Am.  It is a classic muscle car that was featured in the movie Smokey and the Bandit.  A gleaming black car with sleek lines and gold accents.  However, today, the number seventy-seven equals the number of cloves of garlic that are planted in Wright Gardens.  Nestled two inches beneath the surface of the soil, covered with a thin sheet of shredded leaves, which is then covered with a six-inch blanket of straw.  For those keeping count, this is seventeen more cloves than were planted last year.  Some garlic cloves were even planted within the main raised garden bed.

In addition to the same three varieties grown last year (Chet's Italian Red, Chesnok Red and Georgian Fire), a fourth variety has been planted - Spanish Roja.  This variety was purchased from Hood River Garlic and is organic seed garlic.

This description included with the garlic seed:

Spanish Roja - Rocambole hardneck variety.  Originating from the Pacific Northwest, in Portland, Oregon, makes this varietal a great choice for the Northwest and other wet winter climates.  Rocamboles are known for their rich, versatile flavor, that is more sweet than hot.  In U.S. taste tests, Spanish Roja is at the top of the charts.  A well rounded flavor either raw or cooked, an excellent choice for pesto and pasta dishes.  If curing period is prolonged, a greater storage life may be obtained.  6-11 cloves per bulb.  45-60 cloves per pound.  Late harvest.  Stores 6 months.  Recommended for zones 1-7.

Of the fifty-five garlic bulbs that were harvested this summer, even with sharing with family and friends, and setting aside four choice bulbs of each variety for planting, we have had plenty to use for cooking.  In fact, we still have several bulbs remaining that ought to last us for another month or so.  Next summer's harvest should bring us through the winter, which is what we're aiming for.

Kale, collard greens, leeks, and many herbs are still a vibrant green and growing in the garden.  Otherwise, all other spent plants have been removed from the garden bed.  Before the end of the week a layer of newspaper will be spread over the surface of the bed, and then a layer of mulch spread over the top of the newspaper.  This is meant to help smother weed seeds as well as simultaneously add nutrients to the soil.

Brussels sprouts: I love them but they won't likely be grown in Wright Gardens next season.  The reason for this decision is because the plants haven't grown compact sprouts.  Not anything close to resembling a tiny head of cabbage.  The plant itself (this year as well as last season) was strong and healthy, but no sprouts.  Sprout research is in order.  

Have fun planning your garden!

Fall 2012

A recent harvest from the garden included leeks, tomatoes, Georgia Flame peppers, a butternut squash and a Golden Midget watermelon.

Watermelons are round and therefore easily roll off surfaces that aren't level.  This is why the watermelon pictured below is practically split in half.  The sound the melon made when it hit the lawn was a wet thudchrrrusscch.  My mouth began to water as the sweet fragrance of warm, ripe watermelon filled the air.

It's delicious!

It's late in the season but the orange bell peppers are finally beginning to blush.

The Brussels sprouts and kale are loving this cooler weather.  I learned my lesson last year and won't up-root the sprouts stalk prematurely.  These mini cabbage-like veggies thrive in cooler weather.  Perhaps we will have fresh Brussels sprouts with our Thanksgiving dinner this year rather than just the greens as we did last year.

The strawberry bed is lush!  Next June, we should be knee deep in strawberries.  Next week straw will be added to the top of the bed to protect the strawberry crowns from the winter cold.

Beautiful zinnias.  Flowers will always have a place in Wright Gardens.  Aside from looking lovely, they brought so many bees, butterflies and dragonflies to the garden.

"Beauty is only a byproduct... The main business of gardens is sex and death."

-- Sam Llewellyn

The onions, although growing, don't seem to be growing quickly.  I dug one up that had tall greens but where the onion bulb should be, there was a white pea-sized nub.  It smelled fantastic but an onion bulb it was not.  I'll try digging up another tomorrow and if it looks the same as the first, I'll leave the rest in the ground to over-winter.  Hopefully, by doing so, come late spring, an armful of onions will be pulled up from the Earth.

Garlic!  It's nearly time for it to be planted.  Wright Gardens will be growing 50-60 bulbs of garlic again this year.  Next week the garlic beds will be prepped and the soil amended with fresh top soil, compost and peat moss.  Then, in three to four weeks the garlic will be planted.

In addition to Chet's Italian Red, Georgian Fire and Chesnok Red, a forth garlic variety will be planted this year - Spanish Roja.  Mmm-M.

"I appreciate the misunderstanding that I have had with Nature over my perennial border.  I think it is a flower garden; she thinks it is a meadow lacking grass , and tries to correct the error."  -- Sara Bonnett Stein

Friday afternoon, my beloved and I attended a bulb sale at the Chicago Botanic Garden.  We came home with a just a few bulbs to add to our flower beds.

Muscari armeniacum (Grape Hyacinth) - 15 bulbs

Tulipa 'Blue Spectacle' (Double Late Tulip) - 20 bulbs

Tulipa 'Sensual Touch' (Fringed Tulip) - 10 bulbs

Tulipa 'Sweetheart' (Fosteriana Tulip) - 10 bulbs

Nectaroscordum siculum (Sicilian Honey Garlic) - 10 bulbs

Fritillaria imperialis 'Aureomarginata' (Guinea Hen Fritillary) - 1 bulb

Fritillaria michailowsky (Guinea Hen Fritillary) - 5 bulbs

Allium 'Silver Spring' (Ornamental Onion) - 1 bulb

Allium 'Globemaster' (Ornamental Onion) - 2 bulbs

Allium 'Gladiator' (Ornamental Onion) - 1 bulb

Allium schubertii (Schubert Onion) - 1 bulb

Crocus flavus 'Yellow Mammoth' (Crocus) - 10 bulbs

Iris reticulata 'J.S. Dijt' (Dwarf Iris) - 25 bulbs

Chionodoxa forbesii 'Pink Giant' (Glory of the Snow) - 25 bulbs

Just a few... Our spring beds are going to look glorious!

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The Cool Down

The growing season is beginning to wind down and although this makes me a little sad, I've learned plenty that will make next year's garden even more successful.

Tomato plants need loads of room to grow.  Each year I've allowed more space between the plants than the year prior, but it never seems to be enough.  When the wee seedlings are transferred to the garden bed, the space between each plant seems so vast.  Yet, inevitably, a tomato jungle forms and surrounding plants are swallowed by the jungle or shaded to the point that their growth is stunted.

The plan for next year is to give the tomatoes their own beds.  This strategy worked out very well for the two melon and two squash varieties grown in Wright Gardens, so why not for the tomatoes?  Having their own bed will guarantee that the plants will get proper air circulation and sunlight.  It will be much easier to pick the tomatoes as well when there is one plant per bed.

Watermelon and butternut squash have been coming off the vine left and right.  Both will continue to be grown in Wright Gardens each year.

Our first pie pumpkin was picked on Monday.  It will soon be transformed into pie.  Pumpkin ice cream is a distinct possibility as well.

After picking the ripe pumpkin in the above photo, I checked on the other two pumpkins to see how they were doing.  When I neared the smallest pumpkin, this is what I found.  Imagine a wild creatures face all sticky with pumpkin.  I did and it makes losing this pumpkin less painful.

The butternut squash and pumpkin vines were infected with what appeared to be white mildew on the leaves.  In an attempt to prevent whatever it was from spreading, I cut off the affected leaves and discarded them.  This didn't work, however, as each leaf soon became infected.  Whatever the substance is, thankfully, it did not seem to affect the plants ability to produce fruit.

The watermelon vine, although a vigorous grower, struggled, too.  Perhaps the soil lacked, or contained too much of something, as the vine nearer to the main stem yellowed rather than remaining green.  This happened when the plant was still young, too, and only one tiny green egg-sized watermelon was present on the vine.

Research over the winter months will be to learn what caused these vines to react this way and, hopefully, prevent the same thing from happening during future growing seasons.

"To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil."  

-- Xenophon, Oeconomicus, (400 B.C.)

When I was deciding whether or not to grow okra, the selling point was the plants flowers.  They're gorgeous! As you can see, they resemble hibiscus flowers.  The Burgundy okra is delicious, too.

Two new flower beds have been added to the yard.  The first, technically, isn't new, but the bed is now more substantial.  Four tall bearded iris rhizomes have been planted in the bed.  Two named Tour de France, one Blueberry Bliss, and one named Hello Darkness.

With our order we received a free tall bearded bonus iris named All Night Long, which we planted in one of the flower beds in the front yard.

While clearing out the hostas originally growing where the iris' above are now planted, I discovered a praying mantis!  Seeing her head turn to look up at me as I took her picture made me grin.  Still does.

The second flower bed was added along the south side of the garage.  Planted there is a common purple variety of the tall bearded iris.  The contrast of the flowers soft organic shape against the brick wall should be striking.  The colors should be complimentary, too.

"Plowed ground smells of earthworms and empires."  --Justin Isherwood

 Chet relaxing.

Chet chomping on grass.  This picture cracks me up.

"Dirt is a lot more fun when you add water!"  -- Dennis the Menace

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Root cellar beginnings

For the past two weeks I've been busy in the kitchen, standing next to a hot stove and preserving much of our garden booty by way of canning.  I've been having a good time and am happy to have the beginnings of a root cellar in our basement.

So far, we have 6 four-ounce jars of pesto, 18 four-ounce jars of peach jam, 13 quarts of peaches (picked by me at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm in Eau Claire, Michigan), 2 quarts of red beets, 4 quarts of whole tomatoes, 2 quarts of diced tomatoes, and 2 quarts of stew fixin's.  The jars of stew fixin's contain celery, tomatoes, carrots, marjoram, thyme, rosemary (all from our garden) and corn sheared from the cob.

Making blueberry jam is on Saturday's agenda.  I hope to end up with at least 15 four-ounce jars when all is said and done.

Over the winter, I plan to monitor the temperature and humidity level in the basement to see if it's possible to store root vegetables down there successfully next year.  I suspect the temperature may be too warm and not humid enough to prevent vegetables from simply shriveling and drying up.  Air circulation will be an issue, too.  More research needs to be done to determine the best area to establish an actuall root cellar to store our fresh produce.  For now, stocking up on our own canned goods, to enjoy in the middle of winter, is a great start.

*     *     *

Our butterfly bush continues to be an endless source of wonder.  Wednesday morning -wait, who are we kidding?  Wednesday afternoon began with a hummingbird sighting.  Shortly after noon I stepped out on the front porch to enjoy the warmth of the day and read a book.   Just as I turned to my left to look at the butterfly bush a hummingbird came zooming along the side of the house towards the bush, and then happily buzzed around several flower heads to drink the sweet nectar within.  

I'm always amazed whenever I see a hummingbird.  Amazed by their small size, the speed at which their wings flap, the way they move, and by the luxurious metallic sheen of their feathers.  Seeing this little fellow was a perfect way to start the day.

There are always dozens of different types of bees all around the bush, as well as butterflies and moths, but I have never seen this type of butterfly before.  Well, at least not under glass with a pin in its back under the care of a museum staff.

While reading, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a fluttering motion and saw what appeared to be the coloring of a Monarch butterfly.  I set my book down and got up to grab the camera.  What a joy to see this rust-colored beauty.  I believe this is a Great Spangled Fritillary.  At the very least, it most resembles a Great Spangled Fritillary.

Heck, it's 3:58 a.m. and I'm down to 13% battery life.  I'd document my thoughts on where and how to plant tomatoes in next year's garden, and to add several recipes to Wright Garden Recipes, but I much prefer to be sound asleep before the birds start their chatter.  I'll be dreaming of blueberry jam and blueberry pies.



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Bountiful

An edible artist's palette.  Red and golden beets, butternut squash, cucumbers and tomatoes.
The zinnias are from our garden, too.

The tomatoes from L to R are Costoluto Genovese, Mama Leone, Djeena Lee'a Golden, and Black Iceicle.

Once the rind of this watermelon turns golden yellow, it's ready to be eaten.  There are distinctive golden spots on this beauty so the change is underway.  We can hardly wait to taste these baby's. 

Don't let this shape fool you; it's pie.

A tiny muskmelon.  I was so glad to spot this little melon!  The five that have already been harvested
were unbelievably sweet and delicious.

Watermelon, melon, melon.

Wright Gardens profile

Wright Gardens as seen from our kitchen window.

"We might say that the earth has the spirit of growth; that its flesh is the soil."  -- Leonardo da Vinci


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Minnesota Midget

Plump, juicy and, oh, so sweet!  Seeds from this beauty will be saved for planting in next year's garden.

Minnesota Midget Melon

We're swimming in pickles!

Dill, bay leaves, and tarragon from the garden, along with the cucumbers.

Water, vinegar, salt, homegrown garlic, dill, tarragon, bay leaves,
black peppercorns, yellow & brown mustard seeds,
coriander seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

It's difficult to believe that the growing season is nearly over.  In preparation for next year I've been reading a book recently borrowed from the library titled The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds by Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough.  The book includes seed saving tips for 322 vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits, trees and shrubs.  For each entry in the book there is a tip for seed collection, seed cleaning and storage, seed treatment (prior to planting), germination (optimal conditions for), and transplanting.  Concise information that will help make me a better gardener.

A detail that will help me this year (and now you, too) is to save seeds from early harvested items versus fruit harvested later in the season.  The logic being that seeds saved from early fruits are more likely to produce early fruit next season, versus fruits that ripen late in the season.  Seems like obvious information but it never occurred to me that there could be that subtle of a difference from seed to seed.

"The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all." -- Wendell Berry




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A basket of nightshade

Yesterday's harvest was plentiful.  We've picked a few tomatoes here and there, but yesterday there were several pounds of tomatoes that were ripe.  The majority of the ripe tomatoes are Costoluto Genovese (the red tomatoes with "cleavage") with a few each of Black Icicle (thin plum shape) and Mama Leone (large red plum shape), and a single Djeena Lee's Golden Girl.  All four are heirloom varieties and, boy, are they scrumptious!

Djeena Lee's Golden Girl has mild acidity with a sweet and slightly fruity flavor.  Costoluto Genovese have a fantastic deep flavor.  Mama Leone tomatoes have a wonderful earthy flavor.  They are a paste tomato so they contain very little seed.  You can make a tomato sandwich with them, using the slices of tomato as the bread.  Tuck a basil leaf and a slice of fresh mozzarella between slices of Mama Leone and you'll have a tasty summer lunch.  Finally, the Black Icicle tomatoes have a robust, almost black pepper, flavor.  The flavor is so rich it is hard to describe.

Included in the harvest were many cucumbers that are the perfect size to be pickled,  jalapeno peppers, green bell peppers and enough celery stalks to include in a pot of turkey soup.  Celery stalks have been picked as we need it.  Otherwise, there are five celery plants growing in the garden.  Gardening makes me so happy!

The melons and squash are coming along wonderfully as well.  A muskmelon or two or three will be fully ripe any day now.  They look so lovely and are beginning to smell great, too.

The watermelon aren't far behind.  Although they are green now, as they begin to ripen the skin will turn a golden yellow.  They'll only be about three pounds as well.

This tiny pie pumpkin looks like a Flamenco dancer to me.

A nifty potters table was given to us by our pal Judy.  It fits perfectly on the side of garage across from the garden bed, between a patch of Lamb's Ear and Queen Anne's Lace.  Thanks, Judy!

Queen Anne's Lace being illuminated by the setting sun.

"All gardening is a landscape painting." -- William Kent

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." -- Marcus Tullius Cicero


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