This last week in the garden – vegetables

It’s always a struggle to get things in the gardens and greenhouse under control before we start haying.  So far, we’re behind.  While the guys were making noise yesterday, I snapped off all the garlic scapes for pesto, and the bolting tops on the multiplier onions, the weeds in the garlic I think I will leave until after I harvest the garlic.  Things grow so fast around the solstice, I never know if I should work on the harder to weed areas, or keep the new seedlings from getting lost.  The inderminate tomatoes were past due for their first clips, and the determinates needed straw to keep the plants off the ground.  Working in the greenhouse is an early morning, or late evening proposition since the temperature in there is unbearable during the day, even with the sides up and the end doors open.  But the solanums love it.

Bellstar paste tomatoes with straw mulch to keep developing fruit clean.

Tomato clip, make sure twine is in hinged part of clip.  Costoluto Genovese tomato.

 

Closing the clip. 

Clipped. 

These clips and twine are from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.  I do dispose of the twine every year to prevent disease.  I’ve been able to sterilize the clips and get three years so far out of that investment.  The twine is tied to the purlins in the greenhouse.  I have seen this system used in hoophouses in the valley, trellised to T-posts with cross pieces attached, which would use even less twine and be more economical.  I bought a bag of clips and twine for about $35.00 and I’m not even close to using up that supply.  The thin twine is necessary for these to work.  If I was desperate I could sterilize the twine too, and reuse it.  I love this system, I have tried cages, twine, and hog panels – this has been the easiest for me.  I can access all sides of the plant for easy harvesting and I don’t have to fight any cages or hog panels. 

And no, I’m not pruning tomatoes this year.  I don’t have time, and the subject is so, well, subjective.

At this point in the post, I have to say I’m jealous of all the gardens and market gardens I’m seeing on blogs around the states.  Even in Maine and New York!  Especially the southern gardens, people are already canning cucurbits!!   I’m used to being jealous of the sea level CSA farms we supplied eggs for.  We weren’t able to plant some seeds until June 18th or so.  Some warm weather crops I usually succession plant, like cukes, zukes and corn will have a succession skipped.

Warning –  pictures of extremely small plants ahead.  Some of these photos were taken early last week, things have grown considerably, but are still small.

Hill of sweet corn.

 

Hill of pole beans.

Two rows of my Uncle John beans.  These are my dry beans.  This picture shows the wide spacing necessary for dust mulch type of gardening.   The top inch or so is kept weed free with shallow cultivation, and this prevents soil moisture that is present from wicking up and away.  The hardest part of this type of gardening is getting fine seeds to germinate, and it takes longer for plants to grow, so you have to be PATIENT and have your timing right for seeding.  But, if you have a low water supply, this is the way the old timers used to farm and garden.  It does work.  The plants roots instinctively go down to the moist soil level and are actually more tolerant of drought.  ( insert sounds of dead horse being whipped here – Steve Solomon details this in his books:  Water-wise Vegetables and Growing Food When It Counts.)

 

This hole shows the residual moisture beneath the dust surface.  I’m getting ready to plant lettuce transplants here.  I do water in my transplants in.

Potatoes in need of hilling and weeding.  

Lutz beets.  Finally, it looks like the right seed.   The stems are pink, not dark red.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.  These are my winter beets that store the best.  I had thrown away perfectly good older seed and used new last year.   Much to my chagrin, I discovered what I had bought and what was available in the seed trade was not true to type.  All the seed companies that carry this variety are promising 2009.  Being a paranoid freak, I’m saving my own seed from these next season.
 

 

National Pickling, I usually plant cukes in succession – not this year.

Sweet Meat Winter Squash.  These are my Everything winter squash.   Dense, sweet, good for pies, pickles, squash anything, and tons of seeds for roasting.  They keep until May or June with a minimum of care.  No canning, freezing or processing required.  I LOVE THAT!!  Also originated in Portland – I’ve been saving these seeds for a long time.

Winter brassicas awaiting transplanting.  We’ll still be dining on some of these next spring.  All my seedlings are outside on the North end of the greenhouse where it is cool and shady.  I seeded several more flats of brassicas and lettuces for August planting, those are outside also where it is cool enough to germinate.

Lettuce and early (for us) zucchini interplanted with tomatoes in the greenhouse.

 

Stalking the wily grass outside the barn.