Early Harvests

I love the earliest harvests of spring, especially asparagus and rhubarb. The first taste of grilled asparagus reminds me why I'm a farmer. These two crops pop up so early and easily in the spring that they seem effortless. Of course, I've conveniently forgotten that I composted and mulched them last fall. Right now, they seem almost miraculous and provide enough inspiration to lure me outside to the gardens.

This morning I harvested baby carrots, kale and bok choi. I started them by seed in February, beneath grow lights indoors. They were transferred outdoors into a covered raised bed in early April. The weather was lousy and I didn't expect to harvest anything. It isn't much of a harvest, but I'm grateful that anything managed to survive this spring.

The herbs have done nicely in the greenhouse--basil, chives, rosemary, and sage--also providing a little inspiration for my gardening soul.

That's all for now. I'm off to bake rhubarb custard pie. It's what's for breakfast in the morning.

Tomatoes and Basil

I planted tomatoes and basil today. Spring is really here! Yay!

I started three varieties of tomato plants by seed in early March, first under growing lights in the basement, and more recently in the greenhouse. These plants had been growing in 4" pots. They were nearly root bound and had grown to an enthusiastic 24" tall. They were beginning to bloom---it was high time to move outdoors.

I removed the straw mulch from the beds, which I had laid in November before it snowed. I set the mulch aside on a tarp while I loosened the soil by hand with my Japanese gardening tool. Then I added a layer of sifted compost and got some help to pound in tall support stakes. Installing the stakes before planting helps avoid damaging roots later in the summer. The stakes seem huge now, but will support many pounds of fruit in due course.

It's a good idea to plant tomatoes deeply in the soil, even a little deeper than they were in their small containers. I alternated tomatoes and basil in the beds (they are companion plants) and gave them plenty of breathing room which will help avoid blight. Remember to rotate crops---tomatoes should not be planted in the same beds as last year.

Finally, I mulched again with a thick layer of straw and gave it a quick drink of water (we've had plenty of rain). Mulching helps keep the soil warm on chilly nights, holds in moisture on hot days, and keeps down the weeds. Of course, I was finished when I realized that I might have also planted some dill or parsley in these beds. Tomorrow.....

Custom Soil Mix

Last week I potted up my veggie seedlings. The peppers, lemon cuke, eggplant, cantaloupe and basil went into large glazed containers. They'll live in the greenhouse for the summer, where I hope the extra heat will boost crops. Using so many containers requires quite a bit of potting soil, and the quality of the soil is especially important for container plants.

I learned from the bonsai community years ago that mixing your own potting soil is cost effective and far more convenient than purchasing heavy bags of the right blend. The bonsai experts in my area recommend equal parts peat moss, Turface and chicken grit. Now that I'm focusing on vegetables, fruits and herbs, my soil mix has evolved to include plenty of sifted compost, rich in nitrogen from chicken manure.

Turface is a soil amendment that keeps soil loose and aerated. It stores and releases moisture and nutrients and helps produce a deep root structure. Red chicken grit is made from granite and helps promote good drainage. (White chicken grit is made of oyster shells and increases calcium in the chicken's diet.)

I blend my soil mixes in a wheelbarrow. It's easy to adjust the blend for the needs of various plants. For example, too much nitrogen in the pepper containers will grow lush leaves and little fruit, so I cut back on the compost. On the other hand, cantaloupe plants love the compost, so I gave it to them straight. I keep plastic tubs of Turface, chicken grit and peat moss in my potting area. Our compost gets sifted out back and wheeled up the hill as needed.

There is no need to purchase bags of special potting soil from the garden center. Just mix your own!

Compost Awareness

This week is International Compost Awareness Week, sponsored by the US Composting Council. It's an opportunity to educate about the benefits of composting.

We tried composting years ago and we were terrible at it. Our compost bins were just a matted, dense pile of yard waste that never quite broke down to be the crumbly golden substance it was purported to be. Eventually we gave it up.

Last spring we began composting again in earnest. We got a little smarter about it and realized that our previous attempts didn't contain all the right ingredients.

A compost pile needs brown materials that are high in carbon: ashes, wood, bark, shredded cardboard, fruit waste, leaves, peanut shells, peat moss, pine needles, sawdust, straw, vegetable stalks.

The compost pile also needs green materials that are high in nitrogen: clover, coffee grounds, food waste, garden waste, grass clippings, hay, hedge clippings, manures, seaweed, vegetable scraps, weeds without seeds.

Remember, compost needs both green materials and brown materials.

Since we began composting, I've noticed that I rarely use the garbage disposal in my kitchen. I have a small bucket on the counter where I save all the kitchen scraps such as fruits and veggie trimmings, tea bags, and egg shells. Also, I've noticed that composting has reduced the amount of garbage that goes to the curb on garbage days.

We have three compost bins. One is for the current collection pile. We add scraps to it daily and turn it over on the weekends, usually by hauling out much of it on a tarp and putting it back in the bin. The second pile has been retired and is gently decomposing. That one gets turned less frequently. The third bin is compost ready to be sifted and put to good use.

Compost bins at the garden center can be pricey, but it's easy to get creative. Old pallets make a good bin, or any other scrap lumber. We've got our eyes on a pile of discarded deck railing down the street which will expand and improve our current system.

If you live in an apartment or small home, you can try worm composting. The worms will help percolate your small pile of scraps and turn it into wonderful fertilizer for your container plants.

Please do your part to reduce, reuse and recyle. Composting is easy!