Planting Cold Growing Greens and Root Crops. 2.11.22

Today I planted one of the new raised beds with various greens and root crops, including white radishes, red radishes, "corn salad" which is not corn at all, also called "Mâche" or lamb's lettuce and is a chill weather green, red stem Swiss chard, spinach,  and cilantro and Simpson lettuce from home-saved seeds. Some of these are old so I planted extra (white radishes and Bibb lettuce). This bed will be planted with tomatoes in mid to late May, so they have about 90 days to grow and produce.

The row markers are coppiced pussy willow poles, as with the peas yesterday. Mâche doesn't germinate if it's warmer than mid 60s, and today was 67F. I think there should be enough chill later. It's only early February right now.

Planting Bush Type Snap Pea Seeds. 2.10.22

Peas like chill and can be planted very early. I read "Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades" and the author, Steve Solomon, recommends a late winter crop of peas to condition the soil. He recommends just tilling then in before planting summer vegetables, but I hope for an early crop instead. Portland Nursery says they can be planted in February. Peas have very deep roots, bringing nutrients up from the depths and adding soil structure. If the soil contains Rhizobium bacteria, legumes (peas, bean, clover, alfalfa, among others) pull nitrogen out of the air, leaving it in the plant material when they are dead. That enriches the soil without chemicals or manures. I love snap peas and snow peas, and they are an expensive vegetable, so they are a good crop for me to grow. Plus the tender shhots are tasty too. However, my soil does not contain Rhizobium. I know that because the previous pea crops and bean crop roots did not contain the nodules that are made by the plant to host the bacteria. So I bought some Rhizobium inoculum by mail order, and inoculated the pea seeds with that.

Then I planted the inoculated pea seeds in trenches about two inches deep. The poles are willow, which is as strong and straight as bamboo. I source both in the garden for making stuff.

Then I filled in the trenches, covered with screening to keep birds away, and scattered slug bait to keep emerging seedlings safe from the miniature Brontosaurus of the invertebrate world. Now it's mostly just waiting. There are also more to plant this month.

Moving and Rehabilitating Old Rosemary and Lavender Shrubs. 2.10.22

We had a sort of wildflower small meadow, planted with herbal shrubs as well as annual wildflowers. Meadows need some maintenance or they become weed patches with a handful of the dominant species. This one is about to become garden, so I decided to recover the most healthy looking of the Rosemary and Lavender shrubs. They were scraggly and mostly fallen over, with a lot of dead branches. Over the past few days, I dug up four of the Rosemary shrubs and about the same number of lavendar. I pruned off all of the dead branches, pruned a lot of the longest brances back to growing buds, and slightly tipped them. Then I replanted in the privacy row, where they joined forsythias and where I will plant annual flowers for birds and bees and me. Once cleaned up and replanted vertically, some of the rosemarys look decent.

Some don't look so good.

The lavender is more difficult to photograph. The leaves are short and gray.

Without planning it that way, this border is turning into an herb garden. It also contains lenon balm and catnip, and mint, with more to come. Other than occasional pruning and keeping weeds controlled, these don't need much care at all. They like hot dry conditions in summer, with no fertilizer. Working with both lavender, they leave incredible scent on my hands and clothes.

February Seed Starting. 2.9.22

I started some more seeds today. Some were quite old and may not grow at all. Some more chili peppers. Their raised bed has room for at least a dozen plants. Last year I used all of the Serranos from two plants, so I'm aiming for three. Similar for Jalapeños. The Jalmundo is a hybrid between Jalapeño and bell, which basically is a larger, meatier Jalapeño. I think they are stabilized and not F2 hybrid. I don't know if the old Yellow Banana pepper seeds will grow, then I found some newer ones in the seed box.

I planted a different Eggplant from Baker Creek, then found these really old eggplant seeds and planted them too. With old seeds, I plant about twice as many to make up for expected poor germination. I also planted the entire rest of the packet of NY Early onions. The poor germination for the first attempt was frustrating. Maybe the seed warming mat is too much for them, so I will leave them off it. That's an excellent variety, good flavor, long keeper, open pollinated to I was hoping for a couple I could over-winter to grow a seed crop next year.

This is my first ever attempt at growing Florence Fennel. I don't expect deer to eat it. The collards seeds were eight years old so I planted them very thickly. I found yet another packet of carnation seeds in the flower seed box. The ones from 2014 didn't germinate. Maybe these will. The "Jig saw" chili peppers look quite ornamental but the first batch didn't germinate at all. I am trying again. And I am starting some sweetpeas. If the grow, they can go outside almost immediately. I think. I've never grown them before. I'm using an overnight soak although some writers state it isn't needed.

Forsythia Cuttings. 2.8.22

 No roots yet, but I don't expect them for a couple of months.  Meanwhile, all of the flowers have opened.

Cymbidium Orchid Flowers. 2.8.22

 Only three flowers, but they are very nice.  Last year I didn't treat it nicely. What will it do if I actually take care of it?

Geraniums in Winter. 2.8.22

 These are the multicolor leaf heirloom variety that I brought out of dormancy.

The main plant has grown a lot of new leaves.  It does not receive supplemental light , so the leaves are mostly just green with yellow borders.

These are the cuttings in water.    They are under LEDs, so the leaves are more colorful.

One of the cuttings has grown roots.  Soon I'll plant it in potting soil.

Pruning Grapes and Kiwis. 2.8.23

 All but one of the grapes are pruned

Most look like this.  They still need a couple more years to develop.  This one is a red seedless, Einsetl

This one is Buffalo, the Pacific NW answer to Concord.  I added a bamboo bar to the trellis, pruned quite a lot, an tied to the trellis.

Finally, there is this Red Blake's Kiwi.  I don't know if it will bear like this.  Most set-ups seem to be for industrial level production.  I only want a bowl full.  This variety is not supposed to need a male.  So far it's never bloomed.  Who knows?

Seedlings So Far. 2.8.22

 At one month, the onion and shallot seedlings are looking nice.  They usually look like this at one month, so all is OK so far.

Red Wethersfield Onion

Ambition Shallot

Heshiko Japanese Bunching Onion.

All of the other onion and shallot seedlings look about the same.

 Carnations, Jalapeños, Serranos, Rudbeckias

Thyme, Carnations, Kale, Rudbeckias

Planting a New Genetic Dwarf Apple Tree. 2.4.22

 Dwarf apple trees are usually created by grafting a "normal" apple scion onto a dwarfing rootstock.  There is a history of doing that going back at least a century.  Genetic dwarf varieties do not need a dwarfing rootstock.  They have a mutated gene, such that the length of stem is significantly shortened.  This is called "brachytic dwarfism".  This is not genetic engineering, it's just a mutation that is passed down through generations of breeding.  Brachytic dwarf tree scion can be grafted onto much more vigorous rootstock, so they are more deeply rooted and need less, if any, support.  The disadvantage is, you can's grow your favorite variety as a brachytic dwarf.

I saw One Green World nursery was offering a brachytic dwarf apple variety called "Apple Babe".  I don't know if it will be good, but the general idea might be nice in my minidwarf apple orchard.  The brachytic dwarf tree should max out at about six to eight feet tall, smaller with pruning.  It's more likely to have excellent leaf cover, similar to brachytic dwarf peaches.

I ordered one as a Christmas present to myself.  It came today.  Merry Christmas!

 I thought this was a very nice specimen.  The roots look good.  The stem is sturdy and has lots of buds.  I'll probably prune the top back by a foot.  Kind of hate doing that, but I want it to branch out low on the trunk.

Sewing a Garden Tool Holster. 2.2.22

 Happy 2/2/22!  But it's not Tuesday!

Today I made a holster for garden tools.  The fabric came from the scrap bag.  It was formerly the top part of some trousers.  Normally I throw that away, but saved for this little project.  I ripped out the seams (how unseemly!), removed the belt loops, opened it up, cut the pieces, ironed flat, sewed back together.   I sewed on the button before sewing the strap to the holster.

Then I sewed the holster to a pair of garden pants, so it won't get lost.  

This holster is good because now I won't poke hokes in pockets, lose the pruners or scissors - which I do a lot - and it doesn't require a belt.

If I like this, I can make a couple more for other garden pants.  

Seedlings. More Red Wethersfield Onions, Echinacea. 2.1.22

That second planting of Red Wethersfield onion seedlings germinated nicely.  Looks like there will be all I can plant.  Echinacea germinated sporadically without stratification.  I only want about a dozen plants, so I'm happy with that.  There are more stratifying in the fridge.  I can plant those March 1.

Red Wethersfield Onion Seedlings.  I hope they are good onions.  

 Echinacea seedlings.

 Also the micro-mini tomato seeds germinated.  Micro Tom and Red Robin.

I'm still hopeful there will be Tabascos and Thai peppers.   The current Tabasco pepper seedlings are really puny, and one tiny Thai seedling has emerged.  The second batch needs more time.

Improved Cadet Caps from Upcycled Fabric. 2.1.22

Cadet caps are far superior to baseball caps, due to the lack of a hard rivet or button on the top, more comfortable, and better general fit for me.  They are also easier to make, for an amateur tailor such as me.  I like these because:  I make them with a liner, so the inside is soft and comfortable.  With a liner, there are no exposed edges to fray.  The fabric is upcycled, with an outer shell that's more durable and lining that's softer and more comfortable.  The upcycled fabric has been softened with repeated washings.  The brim is a heavy interfacing but not the hard edge, rigid plastic that's usually used, so the cap will last much longer.  The fabric is all machine wash and dry, same as any other clothing.  I'm accident prone and somehow hit my head a lot, resulting in scalp divots and gross scabs.  I make the liner with a quilted top, which is comfortable and protective (outer layer plus two fabric layers sandwiched around a layer of  cotton quilt batting).  

The fit has been a challenge.  I made new templates for the sides, giving them a half inch more height and a quarter inch to each end of the side panels, and this result was (nearly) perfect.  It shrinks slightly out of the washer and then is snug.

The best shell fabrics are lighter than denim but heavier than quilting cotton.  For upcycle, men's pants made from 100% cotton, such as chinos or Dockers, are perfect.  Heavy denim is too stiff and heavy to sew on my machine.  For the liner, a soft shirt fabric or flannel is good.  

I found an old canvas Trader Joe's grocery tote that had shrunk too much when washed, to hold much groceries.  That is the outer shell.  The liner is a soft cotton shirt.  I used the old (late '50s / early 60's) Morse (Toyota?) sewing machine to see if I can sew with it.  It works nicely but takes some practice.  Unlike the newest sewing machine, it doesn't skip stitches when encountering a thick seam or hem.  However, the stitches look a little less tight.

Inside

That was a practice run, but it's a good result and I'm happy wearing it for garden work.  The cap that I used for the pattern had an outside hat band and inside sweat band.  I don't think the hat band was all that functional.  I could add a sweat band but I think the added liner has that function.

Here are the templates using some chinos remnants.  I didn't have blue thread sitting around, so set those aside and used a Docker's remnant instead.  It takes some rearranging to have enough for a nice hat with no wear or tear.  The top and brim are from the original cap.

 

Here is the cap when finished.  I'll make the blue one later.

Here, along with the tote made from the same fabric.

The liner is soft cotton corduroy, same shirt that I used to make Rufus's rain jacket liner.  

This cap turned out almost exactly what I like.  The fit is  very nice.  What I especially like is that I have a cap that fits my needs exactly, can be washed and dried with the laundry whenever I like, is comfortable and protective  I know that my sewing is not as precise and uniform as something from a factory, but that's OK.  

Forsythia Flowers. 1.30.22

 I cut these a couple weeks ago to bloom indoors.  It's a welcome preview of Spring.

After they bloom, I'll keep them in water to see if they grow roots, as in last year's project.  If they do, they can be planted to extend the forsythia hedge I started then.

The flowers are a little sparse at this point, but should fill in.  There are lots of unopened buds.

Pruning Blackberries and Raspberries. 1.27.22

 Pruning continued today.  I cut out all of last year's fruiting blackberry and raspberry canes, so all that remains is new growth.  I shortened the canes, raspberries to 5 feet and blackberries to about a foot of secondary growth on the 6 foot primary growth.  I dug out all of the useless varieties of blackberries - Prime Ark Freedom and Arapaho, just keeping Triple Crown.  I made the blackberry bed smaller now that there is only one cluster.  There is room for another if I add it.

It seems like kind of extreme pruning.  However, I think it's not that different from the recommendations,  This years' crop will tell me if I did OK.

Cherry Pie. 1.27.22

 I knew there was a reason I pitted all of those pie cherries!

When I pitted them, I premade the filling and froze it.  That way all I needed to make was the crust.  

Gloriosa Daisy Seedlings. 1.27.22

 I wondered if these needed stratification.  I guess not.  First seedlings emerged in three days.  That's fast.

Gloriosa Daisies are Rudbeckia hirta, similar to Black Eyed Susans but perennial (although Black Eyed Susans apparently can be annual, perennial, biennial) and have more fall colors (center tends to be golden / brown / ochre / brick red, outer parts of petals are yellow) to the flowers.   I'm glad I tried without stratification.

Such tiny seedlings.  I think they will grow quickly and probably more will germinate.

Pruning Apple Trees. 1.26.22

 January can be a good time to prune apple trees.  They are not actively growing or producing apples, so we get a good look at their structure.  Many other farming / gardening jobs are on hold although there is always something.

My apple pruning goals:  Try to keep the branches at a height that won't be easy for deer to reach, but I can reach without a ladder.  My fruit goals are to have various varieties ripening from summer through fall and into early winter.  Not bushels of fruit at a time, but rather bowls at a time.

This is what started as minidwarf Liberty Apple, now at 22 years old has overgrown some of the dwarfing effect of the rootstock.  I bent higher branches horizontally to let them fruit within reach.  I cut off all vertical shoots, a few buds after their origins.   In front of Liberty is the columnar North Pole, with McIntosh flavors but larger and sweeter.  I just cut the top and prune side spurs to keep them about
a foot long.  Those were a few weeks ago.

Another NorthPole.  Both North Pole apple trees are on minidwarfing M27 rootstock, which gives small,  very slow growing tree but keeps the size manageable and maintenance easy.

Also Golden Sentinel.   Also columnar.   It's had some bark problems, seem to be healing but I'm leaving two healthy looking lower shoots in place as potential replacements.  If the existing top doesn't produce this year, I'll cut it off and let the vigorous young shoots take over.  I think it's on M9 dwarfing rootstock, but I forget.

I also pruned the Jonagold and Winecrisp - which has grafts of Sweet-16, Fameuse, and Duchess of Oldenberg.  Mostly, remove high vertical shoots, open up the canopies a little, remove long willowy branches that, when weighed down with apples, bend to easy deer heights.   Stubby branches don't bend so easily so are relatively safer from Bambizilla.   I pruned the dwarf multigraft that has Sutton Beauty, Airlie Redflesh, Liberty, Baldwin, and Prima.  I'm debating removing more of the Airlie Redflesh because those get too much scab.  The star of that tree is the ancient variety, Sutton Beauty (discovered about 1848).  Prima is a good disease resistant variety so I'm curious about how that will do.

There is one more apple tree to prune in this group, a large multigraft with Akane, Summerred, Fuji (Beni Shogun early variant), some Pristine shoots (early early very good disease resistant, sparkly good flavor), more Jonagold, and a red flesh from Home Orchard Society that might be descended from the variety Grenadine.  

Then there will be the three front yard apple trees, and that's all.  I very good that Im this far along on the apple tree maintenance.

Pizza. Home Crust. 1.26.22

 This is the pizza dough that seems to work best.  The recipe calls for more flour but then it's too dry and difficult (damn near impossible) to work.  It also calls for not kneading, but without kneading, the flour doesn't become evenly moist.   

Recipe (my version):

First, combine...

1 cup bread flour

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups warm water.

Stir together in bowl, cover, let sit until lots of bubbles.  About 30 min.

Then gradually work in about 2 more cups of bread flour.  I knead it together in the bowl.

Let dough rise for about an hour until doubled.

Cover and refrigerate,  It's nice to use a Rubbermaid type bowl so the cover doesn't come lose.  Refrigerate overnight or up to two week.  Longer duration gives a more sourdough like flavor and texture.

This is great because you don't have to worry about timing before making a pizza.  

To make the pizza, cut into half and roll out on floured board, making circles about 1/4 inch thick.

Then I use the cast iron skillet method.  One of the skillets is actually a cast iron tortilla pan, which is bigger but very shallow, like a pizza stone.  I oil the pans and transfer dough to pans.  Preheat oven to a toasty 500F.

The sauce:  1 cup home made tomato sauce ( just boiled down sauce tomatoes, pureed, frozen), thawed with 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp Italian herbs, dash pepper, 1 tsp dry minced garlic.  This time the sauce was a little runny so I mixed in a few spoons of dried tomato powder (slices of tomato dried in food dehydrator then blended into powder).  I made the tomato powder last summer using extra slicing tomatoes.  They actually have more flavor compared to the sauce tomatoes, and by drying them rather than cooking down, they don't cause an overcooked flavor.  More fresh.

Topping:  Spread on the sauce  then mozzarella, thin onion slices, thin garlic slices, 

mushrooms, Jalapeño slices, this time I added squash slivers,

Baking:  Place the cast iron skillets containing pizzas onto stove burners.  Turn heat up to high, or slightly below high.  Heat for 4 minutes,  The sough will rise and the bottom will start to brown.

Then transfer to 500F oven, mid to high rack,  Bake 7 minutes, until top is bubbling and toppings are roasted.

Remove from oven (careful, hot) onto cooling rack.  Sprinkle with dried oregano.

I think the squash might have been better under the other veggies.  It tended to fall off.   This is my favorite pizza recipe.  Even though I love sourdough crusts, this crust is really excellent.  Also these photos were before scattering on the oregano.  Finally, I like to add Tabasco sauce for extra zing.