tomato survey at Mother Earth News

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Mother Earth News is inviting tomato growers to take their new Top Tomato Varieties online survey. Their goal is to combine everyone’s tomato-growing experience and advice into an article for Mother Earth News, with emphasis on the best varieties for different regional growing conditions. All gardeners who grow tomatoes are invited to take the 4-minute survey. Just click on: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=e1HH0dD96LHer4kqCFZFpQ_3d_3d. You can see the summary of all results here. Findings are planned for the February-March 2010 issue.
 
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sunflowers in their glory

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I think the sunflowers may be my favorite! And this year the gardens have a lot of variety. Dark and light. Giant ones and minis. Single and doubles. I like how they glow in the 6 pm light. All of these are from other peoples plots. None of my sunflowers grew this year.
 
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harvest celebration plans

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I posted a new sign on my gate today. (My son says no one will ever read all that.) But maybe they’ll read the free food part. I’m really excited that Gretta Anderson, a farmer from Shared Harvest CSA, will come a speak. Her topic will be “Late Blight: Sharing the collective experience of local organic growers this summer”. I can’t wait to hear what she has to say. (I may FliP and post it, if she doesn’t mind.) I got a fantastic box of free seeds in the mail today.…
 
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potato and squash casserole

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This is a casserole I often make with summer squash and potatoes. (The recipe is here.) I used four of the varieties of potatoes that I grew this year: Rio Grande Russet (bright white flesh), Yellow Gold (red skin), Red Norland (red skin, white flesh) and Green Mountain. (Here’s a nice chart of potato varieties from Fedco.) All of these varieties were very tasty. Nice to have the mix. Next year I’d like to add a blue potato too. Most of my potatoes are still waiting to be dug. I’ve…
 
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pumpkins ripening

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The pumpkins in my plot are ripening fast. Under big leaves and overgrown weeds, orange and green fruits. Something about pumpkins means summer’s over. One of the last crops. A grand finale. This year I grew Baby Pam (a small sweet pie pumpkin), Big Rock (a 20lb Jack-O-Lantern type) and Jarrahdale (a ribbed gray pumpkin that I look forward to tasting). All have done very well. So far I’ve picked three and eaten one Baby Pam – grated into pumpkin bread. Yummy. About 5 more Baby Pam’s are on the…
 
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parsnips

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I dug down a bit around the crown of one of my parsnips today. Yes! A root. I won’t pull these til after a frost, but they are coming along. The past two years I tried to grow parsnips and was not able to get them to sprout. This year I kept reseeding and watering. They start out very slowly.
 
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garden notes

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– I counted my butternut squash too soon. I found 2 more today! They are not ripe yet, hanging outside my fence, hidden in the weeds. – I ordered garlic for planting a few days ago. Decided I did not have enough this year to use for planting as well as eating. I’ll eat my whole crop. I ordered 1 lb from Territorial Seed Co (2 varieties – their special combo of a white soft neck and a purple hard neck) – about 60 cloves total for planting later this…
 
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butternut squash harvest

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This is my butternut squash harvest this year! Minus the 3 I’ve already given away. 23 squashes – 60 pounds total. I’m looking forward to enjoying lots of squash this winter. I had 5 plants, I think. So that’s 4 or 5 squash per plant each averaging 2 1/2 lbs. The biggest squash are 4-5 lbs and the smallest ones are just over 1 lb. I think my yield is actually lower than what’s advertised for this squash. Seems pretty amazing to me! The variety I grew is the original…
 
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BVG harvest celebration: seed swap and giant vegetable contest

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Belmont Victory Gardens Harvest Celebration: Seed Swap & Giant Vegetable Contest Where: The Event will take place at the Belmont Victory Gardens, (next to Rock Meadow, Mill Street, Belmont MA) on Saturday October 3rd 2009 from 2pm-4pm. The Seed & Plant Swap offers a chance to share divisions of your raspberries, rhubarb, day lilies, and other perennials. Also seeds you have collected or bought, new or out-of-date. Seeds for vegetables, herbs, ornamentals, annuals, and perennials. The swap provides access to FREE stuff while helping to support local food growing. Join…
 
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Kathy Martin
This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy thinks the garden is his, even though I do all the work. We're located near Boston, in USDA zone 6. I have bees, chickens, fruit trees and berry bushes, too. I use all sustainable organic methods and strive to grow all of my family's vegetables myself. -Kathy


weeks and counting until my last spring frost

What I planted recently

Jan 21
thyme, lettuce, escarole

Feb 21
celery, celeriac, parsley, leeks

March 11
cabbage, kale, arugula



What I'm planting soon

April 1
peppers, eggplants, marigolds, beets

April 12
tomatoes, basil, sunflowers

Make your own customized planting calendar. Try out my app!
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My garden this week

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17 years of archives!

Check out the food pantry farm I helped to start up:

Aurelia's Garden

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Skippy’s vegetable of the month – Egyptian walking onions!

“I envision a day when every city and town has front and back yards, community gardens and growing spaces, nurtured into life by neighbors who are no longer strangers, but friends who delight in the edible rewards offered from a garden they discovered together.” – Greg Peterson

"What can happen to a seed is a miracle."

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