Charley's Vegetables

Still waiting for Spring….

Lacey — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:58:42 +0000

I just heard on the news that it is supposed to be colder and wetter than normal for the next 3 months! I know we are at the whim of the weather, but I am sure ready to dig in my dirt. But…its just mud, mud and more mud! Last year I was ready to plant my early lettuce and snow peas, but I cannot even get to the garden without my wading boots! How is it in your neck of the woods? Hope the sun is shining on you!

Winter Weather

Lacey — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:07:39 +0000

With 8 inches of snow on the ground and freezing temperatures outside, the only thing one can do in the garden is dream about it from the couch. Now is planning time…time to study last years garden and decide what to do different this year. Reflect on the layout and plantings and harvest, what do you need to expand? How did the design of your garden affect accessibility and aesthetics? Were your paths wide enough? Could you get to everything easily to pick the fruit? Did you have too much of one thing and not enough of the other? What worked and what did not?

Reflecting and recording are two favorite past times of good gardeners. Write down your thoughts and new ideas. Study the seed catalogs and order new seeds for the Spring. The vision of your new garden will enable you to weather the winter blues without too much cabin fever.

Enjoy the snow – it is summers irrigation!

Winter Wishes

Lacey — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:44:54 +0000

How many of you have a big stack of seed catalogs sitting on your coffe table? If your like me, you have five or more beautiful, colorful seed catalogs to cheer up your winter blues.
I sit and dream and think about all the different things I would like to grow this next spring. I have circles hundreds of dollars worth of seed in just 2 catalogs! Of course, I will not order that much but it is fun to dream.
How do you choose what to order? There are so many choices, though not as many as there were 80-100 years ago. I choose based on what was fun last year but maybe I did not plant enough or I want to try a different variety. Take potatoes, for instance, last year they grew quite well but I did not plant very many. This year I want o plant several different varieties as well as more of each. The varieties I am considering are All Blue, French Fingerling and Caribe. I also choose seeds based on just plain interesting. Maybe it is something I have never tried before or it is something neat that I want to show the kids or something I think they will like, like Mexican Sour Gherkins, Hardy Kiwi and Luffa Gourds. Of course, my garden is a work and progress and I plant half the things I dream about and half the things I already have or can get at the Farm.
My eyes are bigger than my yard, as the saying goes!

What to do with green tomatoes?

Lacey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:56:18 +0000

So…what does one do with a whole, whole bunch of green tomatoes? Why, make pickled green tomatoes, of course!
I was determined not to throw all those green tomatoes away, so I did a little searching and found a great canning recipe for Pickled Green Tomatoes on allrecipes.com.
Now, it was time to try my hand at canning for the first time ever. I quizzed several friends and neighbors on the process – if I would need anything special to do it or not. I found out that all you need are some big deep pots, the jars and a sense of adventure!
The Day of Canning commenced with me getting everything ready. I had sliced the tomatoes the night before and refrigerated them per the recipes instructions and now was ready to do the thing. I started boiling jars and lids and the vinegar and tomato concoction and it all just came together…after about 5 phone calls to Mom, that is!
Truly, this was so fun and much easier than I expected. I just finished canning the second batch today. Now, I am hooked. I keep trying to come up with something else to can! I highly recommend this to any beginner. I had been totally intimidated by all the `rules` I thought went into canning, but it was not that bad once I got going. And it is a great way to store excess produce from your garden!

Pickled Green Tomatoes

Fall Garden Pictures

Lacey — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:19:10 +0000

So bear with me as I figure how to post pictures on this blog site. Jason has been doing it for me, but I guess he got tired of it…he sent me my log in and password so I could do it myself. Be patient. Lacey

Fall Gardening

Lacey — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:01:21 +0000

Wow! My garden has been an adventure this year! And the adventure continues. With all the whacky weather things are kind of confused…I am still picking black cherry tomatoes. Everytime I go out to pull up the vines there are bunches of ripe tomatoes.
I planted carrot seeds and endive seeds, but it has not been sunny and they are not germinating at all. These plants like the cool weather but they still need sun. But the radishes could care less whats going on; they come up immediately and thrive no matter what the weather conditions.
I have some flats of pansies to plant but again it has not dried out enough for me to clean out the bed they are going in.
I am loving the cool weather, but I miss the sun!
What kind of crazy weather are you experiencing?
Enjoy your fall gardens.

Lacey’s Garden – Lessons Learned

Jason — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:36:58 +0000

Summer has officially ended! Autumn is here – cool nights, beautiful leaves, pumpkins and scarecrows. What does an autumn garden look like? Well, I am determined to find out. I have pulled up everything and planted turnips, beets, lettuce, garlic, radishes, and carrots. This is definitely a learning process for me as I have never planted any of these things in the fall. Learn with me – I will keep you updated on the fall growth (or not, as the case may be! J)

Things I have learned this summer:

1) Straw mulch is awesome!!! This was the best thing I have ever done for me and my garden. It kept even the Bermuda grass from taking over my garden. Usually by July I have thrown in the towel and totally admitted defeat to the Bermuda grass, but not this year!

2) Rain is good is small measured amounts. Too much or too little is not good.

3) Gourds grow really fast.

4) My kids will eat anything that comes from the garden, and most friends who visit will at least try it.

5) I still like to garden.

These pictures are the last of the summer garden and the beginnings of the fall garden. Next posting will be about the fall garden completely. This will be an adventure!

Happy gardening.

Lacey’s Garden – Pictures

Jason — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:43:17 +0000

Here some pictures of my very lush and verdant garden….it has really liked the rain!

Lacey’s Garden – Gourds, Tomatoes, Herbs and Fall Vegetables

Jason — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:44:57 +0000

It’s been a while since the last post – so sorry!

Things here are very wet. I think this must be how folks in Seattle feel. It is not flooding; it just rains a little every day and stays gray and cloudy. Yuck!

What is left in the garden is thriving! I have three gourd vines that have taken over the whole back half of the garden completely. They grow so quickly that I have to trim them back in some places so I can pick tomatoes, but then they grow even more vigorously where they were trimmed! I think there are about 20 gourds out there so far and more coming on each day! Gourds anyone?

The tomatoes still have never ripened on the vine. I have been picking them when they first start to change from a darker to a lighter green, and letting them ripen on the window sill. This seems to be working but it just isn’t the same as seeing lovely red tomatoes on the vine. Oh well!

I have been harvesting herbs to dry for the winter and seeds to plant next spring. I have all sorts of sunflower seeds and zinnias. I have saved a few squash and will try to save some of the black cherry tomato seeds too. I have some moon and stars watermelon seeds and cantaloupe. Oh and I am pretty sure I will have plenty of gourd seeds to share too!

I planted some radishes and lettuce and will be planting turnips, beets, and cabbage as soon as I clear out the okra and melons. I want to see how these things do over the winter. I really want to plant garlic, too, if I can find some.

Well even though it is the end of season there is still plenty to do – keep at it and happy gardening!

A Rainy Week In The Garden

Jason — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:12:45 +0000

It has been a rainy week! It started raining the day after I posted about not getting any rain! And, it has not stopped. It has rained or stormed for about a week a little each day. I have not been in the garden very much what with the rain and school starting for the kids. One would think that with the girls out of the house for most of the time, I would be able to work in the garden! The few times I have been out there I pulled up overgrown marigolds and checked for ripe tomatoes. Still no ripe tomatoes! Oh well! My fall tomatoes look great and I think they will ripen before the ones that have been in the garden all summer will.

The community garden is coming along. We have a meeting with the city to request a donation of a water meter; after that meeting we will start entering grant proposals. Then we wait….

So long and good gardening in your neck of the woods!