Grilled Zucchini

I'm always looking for new ways to deal with zucchini.  I only have 2 plants but they are huge and I can see that once again, my limited ingenuity will be taxed.  Tonight's dinner was again from the garden with the exception of the steak.  It was my husband's turn to cook and he marinated a steak to grill on the barbecue.  He baked a couple of freshly harvested Pacific Russet potatoes and steamed snow peas to go with it.  I had a nice-sized zucchini and thought I'd try an oil-seasoning mix on them, which turned out quite tasty.  Even my husband, who is definitely not a zucchini lover, agreed that they were - well - okay!

Grilled Zucchini

Mix together very finely minced garlic, salt and cajun seasoning with olive oil.  Slice a medium-sized zucchini lengthwise into even "planks" and let the zucchini sit in the oil mixture while the barbecue heats up.  Grill the zucchini for about 5 minutes per side, until soft.

I made up the oil mixture several hours before dinner so that the garlic and spices could thoroughly infuse the oil.  My husband brushed the potatoes with some of this oil before he baked them since we like to eat the potato skins - and very nice they were too!

End of May - Things Are Flourishing!

This post will be mostly pictures so that I can compare end of May progress from year to year.

In one week, the Totem strawberries are plumping out rapidly and a few are starting to take on a bit of colour.  It won't be long now!

In my Tulameen raspberry jungle, flowers are forming.  Raspberries are always later than strawberries and mine aren't in total sun, so they're probably a bit later than most peoples'.

I have moved the cherry tomatoes from the deck.  They weren't getting as much sun as I'd thought they would.  The pots have been positioned in front of the tomato bed.  I bought a small pot of basil and split it into 3 clumps.  They've been planted at the front of the tomato bed as tomatoes and basil go very well together.

Flowers on Health Kick

Flowers are open on the tomatoes in the raised bed and so far all plants are looking very healthy.

The raised bed with the beans planted at the end is progressing well.  This bed houses beans and zucchini at the far end.  Multiplier onions and shallots are at the front.  In between, I've seeded second crops of carrots, beets and parsnips.  The half barrel in the front has a Sweet Million growing in it.  To the right is a bed of leeks with swiss chard at the back of it.  You can see the grapevine scrambling over the fence at the back of the garden.

I have 2 plantings of Italian heritage beans.  Both have been placed where they can get the maximum support.  In the raised bed, they are starting to climb up the bamboo poles which were placed inside their water bottle collars.  By the time they reach the end of the bamboo supports, they'll be well able to withstand the predation of wood bugs and earwigs.

We've been eating asparagus and the dill I planted in with the asparagus has provided new plants this year.  Dill and asparagus are a good pairing as the dill protects the asparagus from beetles - not that I've had a problem with beetles, but a little prevention could be a good thing.

May is such a wonderful month for flowers!  Irises, peonies, perennial geraniums are thriving in the central bed.

A ceanothus shrub in the garden is loud with bees.  Unfortunately they are all wild bees as it's been a few years since I've seen a domestic honeybee in my garden.

Frameworks for Tomatoes and Beans

Today's garden chores were all about providing support for tomatoes and beans.

Italian heritage beans in a half-barrel

The framework for the Italian heritage beans planted in the half-barrel was already in place.  The tripod of stakes had 6 seeds planted around it and all are now up.

Zucchini and Italian heritage beans.  Potatoes in the background.

Since a mouse has decided that the potting shed is a great place to grab a meal and that beans are next to corn in deliciousness, I thought it best to plant out those beans now.  We have an 8' framework that sits on the end of any of our raised beds and is easily moved from bed to bed.  Six of the Italian heritage beans which were started in the potting shed were transplanted to grow on the framework.  Two zucchini seedlings were planted in front.

Bean seedlings are protected with water bottle collars

The bean seedlings were protected with plastic water bottle collars and a bamboo stake was placed beside each plant.  The collars protect the bean seedlings from wood bug predation and they can grow up the stake and then grab onto the framework.  By the time they reach that height wood bugs won't be any match for the beans.  The final step was to liberally dust under each framework "foot" with diatomaceous earth.  This is a natural material composed of tiny exoskeletons.  The sharp edges of the exoskeletons pierce the bodies of wood bugs and earwigs, dehydrating them.  Harmless to humans, plants and animals.

Sweet Million tomato growing in a barrel

The other job for today was making the framework for the tomatoes.  The one tomato growing in a half-barrel this year is a Sweet Million and as it's indeterminate it requires sturdy and tall staking.  Three tall stakes were placed in the barrel, lashed together at the midpoint with short bamboo stakes.  One upright provides support for the tomato until it reaches the first horizontal framework point.

All of the rest of the tomatoes in the garden are in one raised bed.  Each tomato has a wire cage around it and a 6' stake beside it.  These stakes are lashed together with bamboo stakes horizontally.  The tops of the stakes are tied together with twine.  It looks pretty rickety but it's surprisingly sturdy and I've been growing tomatoes this way for years now.  As all these tomatoes are determinate and not too tall, the one horizontal framework will probably be enough.  I can easily add another layer if needed.

Chives

Next week after we get rid of a small system coming our way, I'll seed the corn and plant out squash and melons.

Zucchini Bread

It's official.  I've grown too many zucchini plants!  Yesterday I came back from the garden with 8 zucchinis and 2 of them were starting to get large.  I'll have to be checking them every day now and I hope I can find some friends to take excess.

However, today I made a really nice zucchini bread.  I used my own raisins and it took 2 good-sized zucchinis to get the required amount.  I used butter, but oil would probably work just as well.  You could use pecans instead of the walnuts, and dried cranberries would be a good option.  Next time I'll try brown sugar instead of white.  This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Zucchini Bread

2 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted butter
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins

Grease two 5x9 loaf pans and preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter.

Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl and add to the wet ingredients a third at a time, mixing well.  Fold in the nuts and raisins.

Divide the batter equally between 2 loaf pans.  Bake at 350F for 55 minutes (or until done).  Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then cool on wire racks.

Zucchini Blueberry Muffins

Hot muffins fresh from the oven with butter melting in!  Yum!

Today I tried grated zucchini in a muffin recipe.  I adapted a blueberry muffin recipe I had, adding the grated zucchini to the wet ingredients.  Blueberries are so fresh and juicy at this time of the year and the zucchini extends the batter.  Instead of the 12 muffins I usually get, I got 16.  They turned out moist and tender - a recipe I'll make again.

Wet Ingredients
2 eggs beaten well
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 small grated zucchini

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and only stir enough to mix - about 15 stirs.  Fill greased muffin cups very full.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes.

And I'll bet the muffins will be even better next time if I remember to put in the sugar!

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!

Three Sisters - Part 2 (and a few other things!)

Now that the Three Sisters bed has been prepared, I've been waiting patiently until I could take the next step.  Today I seeded the squash.  I've decided to plant Early Butternut Squash in the Three Sisters bed and zucchini in the tires at the back of the bed.  I seeded three pots with the squash and two pots of zucchini - one is Zucchini Black Beauty and the other Corgette Primula F1.  I put two seeds in each pot and will pinch off the weaker seedling.

The squash component of Three Sisters Garden is started.

Then I decided to try my hand at melons.  I purchased the seeds (Cantaloupe Tirreno) from West Coast Seeds a couple of years ago but hadn't been organized enough to try it, so I now planted three seeds in each of two pots.  I will grow the melons in one side of my compost bin.  This will give them a sheltered spot with rich soil.  I've tried this twice before; the first time with a tomato and the second with squash.  The results were incredible!  I have no doubt it will work again.

My saggy compost bin

A word or two about my compost bin.  My husband built the compost bin a number of years ago.  It has two sides so I can toss the compost from one side to the other and always have some ready to use.  It's on a concrete base so the cedar roots can't invade it and as you'll see from the photo, is starting to sag a bit.  For now it's just propped up but I imagine we'll have to replace it in the near future.  Many years ago when we moved to Thetis Island, a horsey friend gave me a small container of red wiggler worms.  My compost box is inhabited by a seething mass of them!  I also have a black plastic compost bin which I use for kitchen waste.  What with the two-sided bin and the plastic composter, I always have red wigglers to add to a new start - and some to give away to friends!  The side that the melons will go into has lots of uncomposted material but the red wigglers with their voracious appetites will make short work of that.

Red wigglers - the best composters ever!

Squashes planted, there was time to check on how the rest of the garden is doing.

A forest of tomato seedlings in the potting shed

Snow peas sprouting at the base of the zig zag fence, lettuces, mescalun

The garlic is right on schedule.

Asparagus is up - start the water boiling!

Fall in the Garden

Now that Thanksgiving is done with, there's time for a little work in the garden.  Fall colours are arriving thick and fast due to the warm, dry weather we've been experiencing.  This year has exploded the record books and the Forestry Service says there's nothing left to measure the dryness in the woods. Rain is expected in a couple of days which will definitely be an event to give thanks for!  In the meantime, we'll enjoy the brilliance of Autumn.

Japanese Maple and Robinia behind the pond show off their Autumn couture

The snow pea fence experiment is proving to be a success and I'll definitely be repeating it next growing season.  The vines are scrambling up the zig zag fence which remains sturdily in place.  We've already had a couple of pickings with many more to come.

Snow peas ready for picking

The one zucchini plant is still holding its own and popping out a few babies for future stir fries.

Pick me!  Pick me!

I can't believe that it's almost mid-October and the tomatoes are still producing.  The dehydrator is running again, drying Principe Borghese tomato quarters to tuck away for winter consumption.  Stella's Altai is finally showing promise, although it's too late to have enough tomatoes to make salsa.  The mystery grape tomatoes grown from self-seeded plants are incredibly productive, although the skins are tough.  Gives you a clue why commercial growers like these tomatoes - they obviously travel well!

My tough-skinned experiment.  Pretty, though!

This year I grew Bergamot.  It's supposed to be an ingredient for making Earl Grey Tea.  More reading is required to figure this out, though.  Do I use the flower petals?  The leaves?  Research!

Bergamot flowers