Zucchini Pickles

Even though I only have 3 zucchini plants in the garden, I can see I'd better find lots of ways of dealing with the produce.  I usually only grow 1 plant and get lots from that, but with the 3 tires fronting the squash portion of the Three Sisters Garden, I felt I should put a plant in each one.  If I want to keep my friends, I need to find ways to use the excess myself.

Today I made zucchini pickles.  It was super easy, quick to make and I had all the ingredients on hand. We tasted them an hour after they were made and they were delicious.  I imagine the flavour will only improve with time.  The recipe I found called for halved zucchini (down the length) sliced thinly, but since my zucchini were quite small, I just cut thin rounds.

Zucchini Pickles

4 cups of thinly sliced zucchini
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes

Sprinkle the sliced zucchini with the salt and let stand for 15 minutes.  Squeeze out the excess moisture.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the zucchini, mixing in well.  I also stirred the mixture up several times.  What with the hot pepper flakes and the minced garlic, these pickles have a bite!

The corn is as high -

- as my husband's eye!

Three Sisters Garden

The recent spell of cool, wet weather hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of the Three Sisters Garden at all.  The beans have been twining way above the corn and are now looping down to swarm all over it.  This is a big plus because in the past when I grew corn by itself, it would do great and then along would come a big wind and blow the whole thing flat!  The beans will give the bed stability on the framework of the corn.

The squash component isn't exactly sitting around doing nothing either.  We've been picking zucchini for a couple of weeks now.  The other squashes are setting up their vines and are venturing out of the protection of the corn.  I can see that I'll have to direct the vines or we won't be able to get around in this part of the garden at all.

As for the corn, the tassels are starting to poke through.  I can see slight bulges at the sides of the stalks where the ears are going to pop out.  It's the end of June.  I think we're doing fine!

Pruning Tomatoes - Revisited

A dear friend, who also happens to be my daughter-in-law's mother, is a volunteer at a museum where she works with a master gardener and has been learning a lot.  What an amazing opportunity!  She recently told me that the master gardener told her to remove the bottom sets of leaves from her tomatoes.  This was news to me so I did a little digging - and here's what I've learned.

Moneymaker and Bonny Best with their lower leaves removed

Indeterminate - or vine - tomatoes:  When the plant has developed a bit, it's suggested that you remove the leaves below the first truss of flowers.  The rationale behind this is that rain splashes on the ground and can put dirt on the leaves which might pass on disease.  This isn't so much of a problem in my garden as I have mulch over the dirt.  Then let 4 or 5 stems grow up and pinch off all other shoots.  I guess I've been doing this by being haphazard in my pruning!  Quite accidental, I assure you.  This way, you get better production but limit the stress on the plant.  As the plants get older, some of the lower leaves may yellow and those can be picked off.  I'd have to think before I put these leaves in the compost as they might be yellow because of disease.  Diseased plant growth should never be put in a compost bin.

Determiniate - or bush - tomatoes:  Allow all shoots to grow but remove any on the inside of the plant.  Leaves here will not receive enough sunshine to benefit the plant and may actually sap the plant.  This makes sense to me as that's what you do with fruit trees - keeping the center open to allow air flow is healthy for the tree.

Gold Nugget in high gear

And of course, as fall approaches which would be 2 or 3 weeks before your first expected frost date, pinch off the tops of all shoots so the plant can put all its energy into producing lovely tomatoes.  And always provide some sort of support to tomatoes - never let them lie on the ground.

And it's just so true - there's always something new to be learned!  Thanks Trish!

Curling Tomato Leaves

A few weeks ago, I noticed that some of the tomato plants had leaves that curled up.  Not all of the tomato plants were affected - mainly Bonny Best and Principe Borghese.  There was a little on Moneymaker and the rest of the plants seemed fine.

Curling Principe Borghese leaves

At first I thought perhaps my plants were lacking in something.  But why did only some of the plants have upward curling leaves?  Why not the others in the same bed?  Research on the Internet told me that it wasn't a lack of nutrients or a symptom of disease, but simply an outcome of the cool weather that we've been experiencing.  I also learned that it wouldn't affect the health of the plant or diminish the crop at all.

After a scorching week in May, our temperatures plummeted again.  This seems to be the direction we're heading in with Earth's movement into global warming.

Older leaves on Bonny Best exhibit the curl

For the past 3 years, some of my onions have been starting to show seed heads.  Each year, more plants seem to be affected.  A question sent to West Coast Seeds elicited the response that it was the cold weather early in the development of the onions (what we're now calling June-uary) that had urged them to go to seed.  Last year half of my onion crop was affected.  It was suggested that I try another variety which would withstand our cool springs a little better, but I really like Copra and so continued to grow it.  I was careful to store only onions which hadn't gone to seed, but surprisingly, while those onions which had gone to seed were smaller, they still  stayed firm a long time.  This year's onions are fine so far, but I'll be watching them closely.

Perhaps we can expect cool springs from now on. And perhaps it's now time to choose varieties which can better withstand cool weather.  I guess it all boils down to how stubborn I am!

Help! I'm drowning in snow peas!

One day's picking of snow peas

I think you can say that the zig zag fence for the snow peas is an unqualified success!  We've already had 4 pickings and today produced a good harvest, a little of which will go in tonight's dinner and the rest will be blanched and frozen in meal-sized packages for the winter.  The fence is only about 8' long but I guess if you stretched it out, it would be 14' long.  It's still standing solidly and the pea vines are well over the top and producing lots of flowers, promise of much more to come.  I'm sure tomorrow will yield just as much as today.  I'm hoping this variety - Oregon Sugar Pod II - will freeze well.  Previously I grew Dwarf Sugar Grey and the frozen peas turned out to be tough and stringy.  Just about inedible.  These peas are only supposed to be about 30" tall, but are well over that already and the package says "great for freezing".  Here's hoping it's truth in advertising!

I nipped the stem ends of the pods and blanched them in boiling water.  You blanch vegetables you plan on freezing to stop the enzyme action which causes vegetables to grow and mature.  The enzymes are still active when the product is frozen and may result in off-colours, off-flavours and toughening.  It only takes a minute or two - the snow peas were just in the water until they turned bright green.  Then they were cooled under cold running water and dumped on a kitchen towel to wick off some of the water.  I packed meal-sized portions in ziplock snack bags, squeezing out the excess air, and put 7 little bags into a larger ziplock bag to keep them together with lots of room to receive the next batch.  The whole process only took about half an hour from the time I started the water boiling.  We'll be able to use the snow peas in stir fries or simply steamed a little as a side dish.  The blanching partially cooks them and very little additional cooking will be needed.

It's a wonderful feeling to look in the freezer and see that your own efforts result in nourishing, home-grown food to warm your family in the winter.

Mid-June Update

I'm delighted with how well everything is growing.  Even the weeds are flourishing - which tells me that the SeaSoil we added has made a big difference.

The beans are over the tops of the poles!

The Three Sisters Garden is charging ahead.  The beans grew so quickly that I had to put in bamboo poles to support them for now.  They've gone over the tops of the poles.  Click on the picture above to get a better look.  The two beans which were planted directly into the ground inside protective collars are the correct height.  From this I've learned that next year I seed the corn in the potting shed, but plant the beans when the corn is 6" high.  The literature I found on Three Sisters Gardening told me this.  Why didn't I believe it?

Abraham Darby - my favorite rose

In February we transplanted a much-loved rose, Abraham Darby.  This is a David Austin rose and as well as being vigorous and beautiful, it's highly scented.  I'm so happy that it's transplanted well and is now coming into flower.

Bonica coming into bloom

Many years ago when my daughter moved back east, she gave me her little Bonica rose.  It's been transplanted at least 3 times and surges back each time.  Its current spot is now permanent and it is also coming into bloom.  A very pretty rose, the literature tells you it's scented, but we haven't noticed much scent.  However, it's very pretty so it stays.

Aphid infestation before and after spraying with water.

A few weeks ago I noticed aphids on one bud.  Aphids multiply rapidly by asexual reproduction and you need to take care of them pronto before they become a real problem. The easiest way to get rid of aphids is to hit them with water spray.  It knocks the aphids off and they can't get back on.  I checked out this bud today and there are still no aphids to be seen.

Snow peas over the top of their fence

We've already had a couple of meals of the snow peas and they are gearing up into high production and will need picking every day.  They are over the top of their zig zag fence, but they can sprawl over the top so I'm not worried.

Little Beth - bottom right - is even flowering

The tomatoes are also doing extremely well.  All are in flower and all the cherry variety have little tomatoes in evidence.  It won't be long!

Cherry Tomatoes - Gold Nugget, Honey Bee and Sweet Baby Girl

The cherry tomatoes in the tires and half barrel are just as advanced as those in the main bed.  The black of the tires absorbs heat.  The tomato between the tires is one given me by a friend.  Unfortunately this pot was all I had available at the time, so I'm not expecting huge production from Honey Bee until I can find something bigger.

And finally, today we poured another 4x4 bed.  This will be the last for this area as there's no more room.  One bed is totally finished, another bed had its floor poured today while we poured the wall of the third.  Each time we pour a new bed we find ways to improve.  This time we added cross bracing so the walls don't bulge in even a little bit.  Makes removing the forms so much easier!  Now we just need soil.  I've noticed that the wood on the Three Sisters Garden is finally giving up.  It has to be over 15 years old now and has certainly served its purpose.  We're thinking we'll make three more 4x4's in place of what is there now.  Each bed will be a little Three Sisters Garden and the squash can meander at will.

I really do prefer to garden in a raised bed.  A little bit of height makes gardening so much easier.  The soil is untouched by human feet and so I can do all the soil turning myself.  Perhaps now that I have so many raised beds I'll be satisfied!  Perhaps.

Use Those Garlic Scapes!

When I first started growing garlic, I conscientiously snipped off the garlic scapes so the plant would throw all its energy into making big bulbs.  The scapes were thrown on the compost.  Since then, I've gotten a little bit smarter!  I haven't become terribly creative with scapes, however, and this year I've resolved to do better.  I was also cutting off the top because when I used older scapes, we found them tough.  If you're using young ones, you can use the whole scape.  I chose to leave the tops off mine because when I experimentally chewed on one, I found it a bit chewy.

So far this year, I've used scapes in stir fries and chopped up fine in quinoa tabouli.   A little research has revealed a few recipes for me to try, so here are a couple.

Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto

Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto
12 scapes (mine weighed 8 1/2 ounces much to my surprise!)
1/3 to 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in the food processor and puree to the desired smoothness.

Fresh, homemade pesto will keep for about a week in the fridge.  I freeze it in ice cube trays.  Each cube will serve one person mixed with pasta.  I package the cubes in vacuum seal plastic bags - not too many in a bag - and they keep for several months.

It was delicious!

A few uses for pesto:  Mix pesto with cooked pasta, some of the pasta water and crumbled feta cheese for a quick, tasty meal.  It's also great mixed in mayonnaise for a sandwich spread.  Add some when you're making mashed potatoes.  Thin with a little oil or vinegar for a salad dressing.  Goes great on meat or fish.

Hummus and pita

Garlic Scape Hummus
12 garlic scapes
1 can of chick peas, drained
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

In a food processor, blend up the scapes, chick peas with the lemon juice.  Then add the olive oil to get the proper consistency.  Season with the salt to taste.  Hummus freezes well.

Concrete Raised Beds - Second Try

Today we poured the walls of the second 4x4 concrete raised bed, and the floor of the first one.

Ready to pour

Our first attempt proved to have design flaws - the inside walls were very difficult to remove. To remedy the situation, my husband purchased a sheet of treated 3/4" plywood to make the inner walls of the form.  This time they were joined by metal corner pieces and allowances made for walls to slip out easily once the concrete had hardened.  The smooth finish should make them easier to remove.

Pouring the floor

First we poured the walls of the new bed which took a little over 4 wheelbarrow loads of cement with the leftover from a 5th going to the floor.  Then another 2 wheelbarrow loads were poured into the floor of the first bed.  We used a rake to push the cement into place.

Floating the wall top

To finish the tops of the walls, my husband used a yellow cedar float made for him by our friend, Ken, who had come up with the idea of making forms for raised beds.

Floating the floor - note the drainage pipe which will be cut off when the cement has hardened

A larger yellow cedar float was used to finish the floor of the first bed.  Later, when the cement has settled a little, my husband will smooth the floor with a metal finishing float.  The edges of the walls will be shaped with a metal finishing edger.

Finishing tools

We plan on building 4 of these beds and it works really well to pour a wall and a floor at the same time.  And of course, I already have plans for these new beds.  One will be a strawberry bed and another will have winter vegetables.  A third will be a cold frame and I'm thinking this will be achieved by inserting hoops in the bed and covering them with plastic.  This way, a wooden frame won't create any shade for the plants, or provide a structure for wood bugs to hide under.  I can hardly wait!

Garlic Scapes, Snow Peas, Kale and Tomatoes

Garlic Scapes

Now that we're into June, the garlic is starting to send out scapes.  These are the "flower" portion of the garlic.  Not really flowers, though.  Once matured, the scapes contain lots of little tiny bulbils, each capable of becoming a garlic plant, although it takes a lot longer than if you grow from cloves.  They're best removed, however, as you will get smaller garlic bulbs if you don't.  They should be snipped off before they curl around twice.  One of the nice things about garlic scapes is that they're deliciously edible.  Taken young, they can be eaten raw in salads.  Allowed to get a little older and they become more fibrous, better for soups, stews, etc.  Mine are still young - they've only gone once around in the loop.  I picked off a couple and chopped the stem portions up fine to go in a quinoa tabouli for today's lunch.

Snow Peas

The rest of the garden is progressing well.  The snow peas are flowering and a few tender little pods are forming.

Zig Zag Snow Pea Fence

The fence is holding up well and I'm wondering just how tall these plants will be!  The lettuces in the zags are maturing and it's probably time to start seeding some new plants.  I'll probably sit them in the zags or in amongst the kale so they can take advantage of the shade.

A variety of kale plants.  The garlic bed is behind.

The kale plants are now providing us with good pickings.  In the picture above, the closer rows are younger plants - Vates and Russian Red.  Behind them is Lacinato with it's tall elegant plumes.  Then at the back are 6 plants of the winter kale - Siberian for one which has quickly become my favorite.  I can't resist picking off a leaf and eating it raw on the spot!

My crazy tomato frame

A couple of days ago, I erected the tomato frame.  My raised beds aren't deep enough to firmly hold stakes for the tomatoes.  The uprights in the picture are plastic-coated metal rods from Lee Valley Tools.  To the uprights, I've lashed bamboo poles using hemp twine.  While it looks pretty "Heath Robinson", it's amazingly sturdy.  Some of the tomatoes will climb to the top and drape themselves over the cross pieces.

Iris Thriller and unknown oriental poppy

June is the best month for flowers.  The oriental poppies briefly flourish, irises and asiatic lilies are at their best and peonies flaunt their frothy blooms.