January 14, 2011

garden review: sweet potatoes to Z

SWEET POTATOES: Last year was my first try at sweet potatoes. I started from supermarket and CSA sweets, beginning rooting in mid winter. (I better get going on this year’s sprouts!) I rooted in water, then potted when it got hard to keep the water fresh for the big sprouts. I planted about 25 sprouts in a 4 by 4 patch to the southeast of my popcorn. In October my teenage son dug the patch and we ended up with a BIG basket full. Very exciting and DELICIOUS. I look…

January 11, 2011

garden review: pears to sunflowers

PEARS: Three years ago I moved two espaliered dwarf pear trees from shady areas of my yard to my community plot. A Bartlett and a Parker. The Bartlett did well but the Parker died. This spring I replaced the Parker with a Kieffer. I haven’t started training this new one yet, but it grew well over the summer. The Bartlett is looking very good. I’m hoping for my first pears soon – maybe this spring? I do not know yet if the trees will need to be sprayed for any…

January 9, 2011

garden review: G to parsnips

GARLIC: My garlic was a super crop this year. I cringed to mail order 4 types of high quality garlic seed bulbs that cost about $12 each as I remember. With shipping costs, it added up to a lot. I ended up planting about 100 cloves in my garden and a similar number in my parents’ garden. In July, I harvested 100 big beautiful heads of garlic. In October, I replanted about 1/10 of these – 100 cloves in my garden (and the same at my parents’). So the garlic…

January 9, 2011

garden review: A to F

APPLES: My dwarf Fugi apple tree is near a maple in my backyard. This year we only had one apple set. I bagged it, but a squirrel picked and ate it. This fall, we had a giant branch trimmed from the maple and I’m hoping more light will increase fruit set this summer. Bagging has worked well to protect from apple maggots, the only pest we’ve had so far (except for the squirrel). I’m hoping for a good crop this year! ASPARAGUS: I am looking forward to harvesting my first…

January 7, 2011

2011 garden plan

I think this will be a good plan for my two vegetable garden plots for the coming year.

January 5, 2011

garden summary

I added up the costs of my gardens for the past three years and tried to estimate the value of the produce. My costs have been high because of fencing my plot 3 years ago, adding the cold frame this year, and the shelves/lights last year. These will each last many years. And its hard to estimate the value of produce, because I think its worth more when its homegrown. In any case, my produce is probably valued about $500- $700/year (which is also about the cost of a yearly…

December 27, 2010

planning next year’s garden

I’m starting to plan my next garden! Its much too cold to go outside. But inside a warm fire, leftover Christmas food and piles of new seed catalogs. I figure with my new cold frame I can move up my planting dates. Since the frame extended my harvest by 2 months this fall, I’m guessing I can start two months early in the spring for as much as I can fit in the frame. (I have to remember that I still have plants in there and I want to see…

May 31, 2010

today’s planting list

Today I planted: 4 9-packs of lettuce4 9-packs of soybeans Since I couldn’t decide on only a couple types of lettuce, I just mixed and scattered seeds for 12 different varieties in the cells. Both of these will stay inside til the seedlings sprout. Then I’ll put the lettuce trays out in the sun. I am keeping the soybeans inside for a while this year as yet another attempt to prevent chipmunks from eating the seeds. Last two years I have found they will eat ALL the seeds I plant…

March 14, 2010

my plot – planning for planting peas

Still nothing going on in my plot. But on the next dry day I am planning to plant my peas! This will probably be next Tuesday or Wednesday. Plan: I will find my dogs a nice spot to rest and then I will lime the pea bed (where squash grew last year). Since my soil was very acidic (5.5) on the last soil test I’ll use the maximum rate of 20 lbs per 100 sq ft. I’ll work this in with a cultivator. I am not planning to turn or…

March 4, 2010

community garden planning

Our Community Garden Planning is starting up. It looks like our Work and Plot Assignment Day will be April 10th. Mark your calender if you have a plot at the BVG! We have an enormous waiting list this year – 80 so far. Too bad there isn’t space for everyone who wants to grow their own food. The good news is we likely will have at least several additional new pots this year in an area the town has newly cleared.

weeks and counting until my last spring frost

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