These are the first potatoes. The red ones are a pink flesh potato. I think - forgot to take notes - this is Red Thumb Fingerling. The brown ones are Burbank Russets. I harvested about 2 plants of each. Estimating the yeild here as 5 pounds. We should be past the rainy season now, so I think I can dig them as I need them. Tomorrow: pink flesh potato salad.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Pie Cherries / Cherry Pie. 6.23.16
Montmorency Cherries. 6.26.16 |
Wild Bird-Planted Cherries. 6.26.16 |
Cherry Pie Filling Ingredients. 6.26.16 |
This is my first crop of Montmorency pie cherries. We also have a massive, bird-planted cherry tree that bears small red/yellow cherries. All went into two pies. The first pie was last week, and was all from the wild bird-planted cherry tree. The montmorency cherries were too small for cherry pitter, so I pitted them by hand. There were enough for 1/2 of the pie filling, so the 2nd pie also got wild cherries. These pies were the most cherry-tasting pies I've had in many, many years. These cherries have clear juice - the filling will not be red without coloring, and I don't need chemical-red to taste cherry. It was so good.
Cherry Pie. 6.26.16 |
The pie filling is 4 cups of pitted cherries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, pinch of salt, mix together and let it extract the cherry juice while making the pie crusts. After filling with the cherry filling, I add dabs of butter before covering with the top crust. This pie is baked at 375 F for 50 minutes.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Last corn planted. First Zucchini harvested. Beans planted. 6.19.16
Today I planted another row of bean seedlings. These are the Chinese bean seeds that are in the range of 10 to 15 years old. Some of the seedlings had distorted leaves, and two were missing their first set of true leaves. Most look OK.
I planted the final block of sweet corn. I don't know if the season will be long enough, or warm enough for long enough, for a harvest of such a late planting. But if I don't plant it, I could miss out on some sweet corn. This is the first yellow variety that I planted, for variety sake. This is a sugary enhancer (se) type, NOT GMO, 75 days to maturity so fairly early compared to some that are 100 days.
I take my I-pad to the store and research varieties that I'm curious about. This is info on the sweet corn variety, "Bodaceous" via ufseeds.com:
Beautiful, uniform, well-filled ear.
High quality yellow sweet corn that has large, mouth-watering kernels. Bodacious has 18 rows and 8" ears. Kernels are delicious, sugary and very tender. Bodacious is great for fresh eating, freezing and canning. A popular yellow market variety that holds well once picked. Tolerates cold weather conditions better than most.
Germination: 5-7 days
Days to Maturity: 80-90 days
Ear Length: 8" inches
Ear Diameter: 2" inches
Plant Height: 84" inches
Ear Height: 28" inches
Color: Yellow
Genotype: Sugar Enhanced (SE)
Resistance: MS, MR
First Zucchini picked today. Not bad, June 21.
I planted the final block of sweet corn. I don't know if the season will be long enough, or warm enough for long enough, for a harvest of such a late planting. But if I don't plant it, I could miss out on some sweet corn. This is the first yellow variety that I planted, for variety sake. This is a sugary enhancer (se) type, NOT GMO, 75 days to maturity so fairly early compared to some that are 100 days.
I take my I-pad to the store and research varieties that I'm curious about. This is info on the sweet corn variety, "Bodaceous" via ufseeds.com:
Beautiful, uniform, well-filled ear.
High quality yellow sweet corn that has large, mouth-watering kernels. Bodacious has 18 rows and 8" ears. Kernels are delicious, sugary and very tender. Bodacious is great for fresh eating, freezing and canning. A popular yellow market variety that holds well once picked. Tolerates cold weather conditions better than most.
Product Details
Breed: F1 Hybrid
Zones: 3-9
Days to Maturity: 80-90 days
Ear Length: 8" inches
Ear Diameter: 2" inches
Plant Height: 84" inches
Ear Height: 28" inches
Color: Yellow
Genotype: Sugar Enhanced (SE)
Resistance: MS, MR
First Zucchini picked today. Not bad, June 21.
Beans from old seeds. 6.21.16 |
Corn Seeds Planted 6.21.16 |
Corn Seeds Planted. 6.21.16 |
First Zucchinin of the Year. 6.21.16 |
Labels:
Chinese Beans,
old seeds,
Sweet Corn,
zucchini
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Seeds on sale. 6.15.16
Seeds are on sale at Fred Meyer for 40% off. This is a big savings, and no postage and shipping for mail order. So, it's a good time to get seeds for next year. One year old seeds of these varieties should grow fine. I chose types that have been successful for me, or look interesting.
They will go into the seed collection for next year. There were also a Fava bean variety with no variety name. I usually do well with Hume seeds.
They will go into the seed collection for next year. There were also a Fava bean variety with no variety name. I usually do well with Hume seeds.
Labels:
flower seed,
saving money,
vegetable seeds
Harvest. 6.15.16
Recovering Old Bean Seeds. 6.15.16
Germinating 10 year old bean seeds. 6.1.5.16 |
Rinsed Germinating Bean Seeds. 6.15.16 |
The seeds are 3 types. There is a dark brown seed, a light brown seed with darker markings, and a white seed.
I have tried to locate new seeds, but can't find the variety. At the saturday market, we did buy some once at a Chinese vegetable stand.
I decided to try to germinate the seeds. There might be 400 seeds. I did not count. I used the wet paper towel method.
Bean Seedlings. 6.15.16 |
These will get special planting and treatment when they have their first true leaves. I intend to save a few dozen seeds, so we have fresh seeds next year.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Milkweeds and Lindens. 6.8.16
Asclepias syriaca, approx one year after panting seeds. 6.8.16 |
Asclepias syriaca at one year. 6.8.16 |
The American Linden is blooming very nicely. There are pollinating bees, although I have not seen honeybees. The flowers are fragrant. I planted this tree February, 2013.
Deer damage has occurred, but minimal. I'm a bit surprised, since Linden leaves are considered edible.
American Linden Tilia americana "Redmond". 6.9.16 |
Tilia americana "Redmond" with wasp. 6.8.16 |
American Linden "Redmond" about 3 years after planting. 6.8.16 |
Labels:
American Linden,
asclepius syriaca,
milkweed
Some flowers. 6.9.16
Buddleia "Miss Ruby" 6.9.16 |
Buddleia "Miss Ruby". 6.9.16 |
Daylily, unknown variety. 6.9.16 |
Potatoes in bloom. 6.9.16 |
Roses. 6.9.16 |
Daylily, unknown variety. 6.9.16 |
Thursday, June 09, 2016
Fava Harvest. 6.9 16
Favas Ready To Harvest. 6.9.16 |
They grew great. These were amazing plants, growing before almost I could plant most other kitchen garden seeds or plants. They were vigorous and problem-free.
I didn't know when to harvest. The beans have grown large, so I cut a batch today. After shelling them, I boiled for one minute, poured them into cold water, then peeled the beans.
I've never tasted favas before. They were delicious.
Harvested Fresh Favas. 6.9.16 |
Shelled Favas. 6.9.16 |
Since I"m just now planting regular beans, this is a chance to to grow and harvest legumes long before the usual bean. The prep is a little tedious, as noted by others, but they are so delicious, they are worth the effort.
I ate a fair amount with no further prep. Others, we had on salad with lettuce, fresh snow peas, and sliced tomatoes, with a Ceasar dressing. Very good.
Parboiled, Peeled Favas. 6.9.16 |
,
Walking around. Persimmons, Figs, Vines, Kiwis, . 6.8.16
Chocolate persimmon scion, grafted 4.14.16. 6.8.16 |
I have left the scions wrapped. The graft tape can be removed when they are more mature and more growth has occurred.
Nikita's Gift Persimmon Flowers. 6.8.16 |
This is the first year that I have put significant effort into the row of grape vines and kiwis. They were planted from early 2013 to this spring. This year I cleaned up the row, mulched with grass clippings, and fertilized (peecycle) to promote vigor. Most are at or above their deer cages. There is some risk for deer damageif those animals become more ambitious.
The mulberries (Illinois Everbearing) are producing very well. They are incredibly sweet. For some reason, there isn't much, if any, bird theft. I moved this tree from Vancouver to Battleground in October, 2012. I originally planted it March, 2010.
Saijo Persimmon Flower. 6.8.16 |
All of the brebas fell off Smith Fig, but now there are main crop buds. This tree is an experiment, not know to do well in Patcific Northwest. Meanwhile, Lattarula figs are swelling bigger, showing promise. Same for Carini.
Grapevines and kiwis. 6.8.16 |
With more nurturing, mulch, water, fertilizer, Blake Kiwi is growinbg more vigorously this year. The male fuzzy kiwi graft on that vine is also still looking good. There isn't a lot of info on growing kiwis in the Pacific NW, so I am on untested ground with this one. So far, deer have avoided this vine, while eating any grape leaf that sticks out of the cages.
Illinois Everbearing Mulberries. 6.8.16 |
Illinois Everbearing Mulberries. 6.8.16 |
Petite negri graft 6.8.16, Graftged whip / tongue, 3.21.16 |
Image of grafted fig tree. Eisen, 1901. |
Eisen's method for grafting figs. 1901. |
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