Peas Please!!
Checkboard Lettuce - update!
When I just walked outside to take a few photos of the lettuce.. I was assailed by the loveliest aroma - my Miss Kim dwarf lilac is now in full bloom - sweet!! This is a late bloomer and not quite as fragrant as common lilac, but so worthwhile in a border. It grows just 5 by 5 feet, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees and creates a mound of blooms in the early summer garden. I find it tends to flower biennially.. for example, one year it's fabulous (like today!) and the following year it's flower deficient. If I prune it though after bloom, however, it blooms more reliably from year to year.
Anyway, on to my real topic of discussion - my lettuce. From late March to early September there is always a tray or plug flat of lettuce babies under my lights. This allows me to have a continuous supply of prime seedlings to plant in patterns, along the bed edges, under my bean teepees and trellises, in pots, wherever!! I love mixing and matching the many colours and textures of lettuce like the deep crimson, frilly edged leaves of Outredgeous with a bright green butterhead. Scroll down and check out the progress on my current lettuce checkerboard.. I could have made a whole 4 by 10 foot bed in this pattern.. but let's be honest, do I really need 50+ lettuce plants ready at once? Nope! I'd rather have about 20 so I don't waste any homegrown goodness.. this patch will last for at least 5 to 6 more weeks.. longer, if I cover the bed with a 30% shade cloth to block some of the summer sun..
Anyway, on to my real topic of discussion - my lettuce. From late March to early September there is always a tray or plug flat of lettuce babies under my lights. This allows me to have a continuous supply of prime seedlings to plant in patterns, along the bed edges, under my bean teepees and trellises, in pots, wherever!! I love mixing and matching the many colours and textures of lettuce like the deep crimson, frilly edged leaves of Outredgeous with a bright green butterhead. Scroll down and check out the progress on my current lettuce checkerboard.. I could have made a whole 4 by 10 foot bed in this pattern.. but let's be honest, do I really need 50+ lettuce plants ready at once? Nope! I'd rather have about 20 so I don't waste any homegrown goodness.. this patch will last for at least 5 to 6 more weeks.. longer, if I cover the bed with a 30% shade cloth to block some of the summer sun..
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| Well hello, Miss Kim! |
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| Lovely lilac |
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| This looks like chamomile is taking over the garden!! But fear not, it's actually just the angle of the photo - it edges the garden on both sides of the path as you enter. It's in peak bloom now. Can you believe I actually pulled about 75% of the seedlings that came up! Mildly invasive, but easy to control. And so fragrant - like green apples! And the beneficials love it. |
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| Planting my lettuce babies weeks ago.. |
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| Done - bed planted.. do you see the potential? |
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| Two weeks after planting.. they're starting to grow together!! |
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| Today - they're almost a checkerboard (with a bush basil border in front) and a pole bean teepee behind. Sorry about the bright lighting.. I thought it would still be shaded so early in the morning! I've started to pick these tender lettuces. |
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| Close up! A crunchy butterhead.. |
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| And Outredgeous.. the light has washed out the intense, deep red hue. But you can see the unique ruffled leaves. |
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| Totally off topic, but check out this cool mint.. This will be fab on my deck in a pot! |
My Ignored Garden
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| Lovin' the kale! |
I've been stealing as much time as I can to work in the garden, but I still have plenty to do! It's amazing how quickly 2000 sq feet fills up.. This year, I've got a few crops that I've never grown before or haven't grown in years - quinoa (new), amaranth (years ago), chickpeas (years ago) and giant limas (new) to name a few. Some of those crops seem to suck up a lot of room! Plus, one of my soon-to-be tomato beds is still full of spinach and kale. The cool/wet weather has prolonged their harvest and I'm trying to use up the spinach as fast as I can (spinach/feta pizzas, pasta with garden asparagus and handfuls of shredded spinach, etc.), but I have a hard time pulling out the blooming kale as the bees are loving it so much! Who knew that such small creatures could make so much noise! They go crazy in the golden blooms..
Here's a few photos from Friday and today.. yesterday was a total washout with the 70 mm of rain we received, but I just snuck up before dinner and put in 3 more 'Fairy Tale' eggplants.. yum!
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| Blue skies, golden kale |
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| Where did you come from?? This popped up on the edge of the veggie garden. |
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| The bees love the catmint too.. |
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| Catmint, mache and garlic.. |
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| Planted for 2 1/2 weeks now and these little plants have quadrupled in size! |
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| Hello sunflower.. where did you come from? |
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| I love the chive blooms.. so cheerful! |
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| It's almost tea time! The chamomile is starting to open. |
Book Review - Maritime Fresh by Elisabeth Bailey
Ok, let me start by saying that I'm slightly biased.. I have met Elisabeth Bailey on a number of occasions and she also joined me on the The Weekend Gardener radio show last summer and will do so again this Sunday. She is an avid gardener, as well as being a talented food writer and through our conversations I have learned that she is passionate about growing and preparing local and homegrown food. Plus, she's a hoot!! (Sorry, the Maritimer in me had to say it!) In 2011, Elisabeth's first book, A Taste of the Maritimes was published by Nimbus Publishing. I immediately bought a copy and can honestly say that it is now well speckled and splotched with the results of my cooking! I loved it so much that I've also given it as a gift on - at least - a handful of occasions. Therefore, I was very excited when she told me last autumn that she was working on a new cookbook.. We discussed recipes and I shared a few of my own using garden ingredients.. so imagine my surprise when I picked up her latest book - Maritime Fresh - and saw that she actually mentioned me!! So cool..
Anyhoo, I am asked at least twice a week what I do with all my garden veggies. 'Eat them' is my usual, semi-sarcastic answer.. and many folks have told me that I should write my own 'from the garden' cookbook.. Listen, I'm an OK cook, but I'm no food writer! :) That's why I'm grateful for Elisabeth's books..
Maritime Fresh divides itself by various garden vegetables, fruits and herbs. So.. if you have just found yourself picking a few bushels of beans, flip to page 32 and make her Bean and Cheese Burritos (and then bring me some, they are divine!).. or what do you do when all 20 of your broccoli plants are ready to harvest at once? How about some Broccoli Jack Soup (page 52) and then freeze the extras for autumn.
Does dad love to garden or cook? Check out Elisabeth's book and tune in to The Weekend Gardener on News 95.7 FM in Halifax (www.news957.com) this Sunday to ask her your questions on cooking from the garden - 11 to 1 pm - and her segment will be from noon to 12:30.
Today on The Weekend Gardener!!
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| Some of my new Proven Winners plants.. I will blog about this soon too!! |
Just up drinking tea and getting a few notes together for today's radio show.. It's been crazy hot for the past few days, a nice change from the crazy cold/wet weather that we've had for weeks.. It's amazing how a few days of sun will really make plants grow!! I promise to do a chickpea post soon (my plants are almost a foot tall!), but for now, here's a glimpse of today's radio show:
Jane Rostek will join me to offer a preview on the upcoming and super popular, YWCA Over the Garden Gate garden tour that takes place Sunday June 9th.. It's the 21st year for the tour and tickets are available at FRED, Halifax Seed and a few other locations. I have seen a few of the gardens on the tour and they are AMAZING!!
Then, Robert Baldwin, plantsman extraordinarre, and the owner of Baldwin's Nurseries will be in studio to talk plants!! From shrubs to trees to perennials, Robert will talk favourites, deer-resistant and whatever else our listeners want to learn about. I encourage you to call in with your questions and comments!! 1-877-801-8255
Also coming in studio today, Jayme Melrose, project co-ordinator for the Common Roots Urban Farm in Halifax. She's bringing in Sara Burgess, the farmer for the project and Rob McNeish, a volunteer. We'll find out what's happening at the farm, about their new community garden plots and how you can volunteer!!
Hope you can join us!! 11 to 1 pm Atlantic time (10-noon EST) on News 95.7 FM in Halifax, News 91.9 FM in Moncton and News 88.9 FM in Saint John or listen live anywhere at www.news957.com.
