Good Morning!

This is actually a public thank you to my better half....

Last night we were under a severe freeze warning (it didn't happen, by the way) and my partner diligently went from plant to plant outside and covered those most likely to succumb from any frost bite. I have been under the weather for a few days, and could not take care of the babies myself.
This all occured after 10:00 p.m., in the dark and damp.

Thank you, honey.

A Little Sprinkler Action

I see the start of a fence... and Riley's response...

Riley likes to dig in the garden... I think this does not have her preturbed in the least...

You like tomato and I like tomahto..... new plants in the ground!

First time out of the greenhouse room

I am having an anxiety moment!

So the hardening off begins! (Separation anxiety)

It appears that we are out of our frost threat season - which is wonderful as I have a jungle in my garden starting / greenhouse room.

My babies - the seedlings - will be going out in mom natures environment this morning - spend the day outside (and maybe the evening as well) to get ready for the big wide world of the garden plot! I raked andd hoed their rows yesterday; gathered pine straw to blanket the little darlings (I have a huge pine tree in the back yard, so that really wasn't very taxing), have saved a variety of containers to cover the seedlings in case of intemperate weather, added my compost for the worms, and... and.... Oh My! I have pre garden anxiety with a side of separation anxiety for my little seedlings! Its almost like sending my kid to summer camp for the first time (that IS an exaggeration, by the way- I think).

On a more practical side- the growing season here is SO hot, if one doesn't start early one misses out on many things (as it is I am not quite in the Farmers Almanac selected days - although I am right with the moon). At any rate, it is time.

By the way- hoeing is not like sweeping or raking leaves.... my bones and muscles have made me quite aware of that this morning.

I do think my 'over achiever' mentality might come in handy this season.

I wonder if I can find the sleeping bag so.... no... I don't need to sleep by the garden. Or do I?

Help is on the way (for your garden!)

http://www.blotanical.com/

I stumbled across a collection of gardeners- amature, professional, container, raised beds... you name it! If you are a gardener (or want to be one) you should click on the link above.Happy gardening!

a few little herbs...

Pineapple Sage Volunteer



















Curly Parsley



















Rosemary and a bit of lavender

My rows are hoed!

I think this might be my birthday present

Today's growth spurt

Garden Anxiety

OK... so I have my plot; I have about 50# of compost, I have seedlings and seeds and.... what?!?! Snow and hard freezes are a threat? Now??

I guess my 'greenhouse room' will have to remain intact until I am absolutely sure I can put the new guys outside. I know- because of the way I started them - I am going to have to 'harden' these delicate little things a bit but... I want spring NOW!

(Yes, I am a little impatient)

My Da was an avid gardener; and to tell the truth (in my memories) it seemed as though he was always doing something in his garden- regardless of the season. These blogs are good for enticing the old memories to the surface. He also started many of his plants inside, but in the cellar under a florescent light (not all warm and cozy like I am doing). In retrospect I imagine that there was a reason for that way of doing things.

Vegetables to be...

Aside from the Moonies....

I just checked on my little seedlings; there are many.

We have:
2 spinach
6 bibb lettuce
5 leeks
3 scallions
2 bush beans (blue lake)
6 sugar snap peas

Not going to mention how many moonies (this is a vegetable post!) ok, Zoe?

Moonies Moonies everywhere!

Composting: Turning garbage into goodies...

I have had one of these tumblers for years (note advertisement photo). Although they are really not more efficient then a well turned composting frame they seem to be easier (you turn a crank rather then a pitchfork).

The basic premise; I take my vegetable waste, plant clippings, etc (no protiens) and dump them in this tumbler. Now the manufacturer said I would have compost in 14 days- and I did have... once... in the middle of August... but, over all it takes about 3 weeks and even then you have to 'break up' the composted matter a little bit. Still, the flowers love the composted dirt.

Does anyone else compost?

Note to self...

No matter how easy a person makes it look.... raking a garden is NOT the same as sweeping the kitchen floor!

March 3

My little moonie















Bibb Lettuce

Pre Propogation anxiety is OVER!!!!

Bibb lettuce (above)

MoonFlower (below)

Moonies Galore!

For the record:

Burpee has moonflower seeds (bought at Wally World for 1.07).

There are about 19 seeds per package.

And how does your garden grow?

Here we have:

2 rows of sugar snap peas

2 rows of bush beans (blue lake)

1 row black beauty eggplant

2 rows scallions

1 row banana peppers

1 row mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, white, black)

1 row leeks

1 row bibb lettuce

1 row spinach

I have a plot!

Tomorrow this will be my garden

Garden layout and Plant list

Better Homes and Gardens Heirloom Garden Plan

Vegetable Garden

A Amish Paste Tomato
Teardrop-shaped red fruit, meaty and juicy with outstanding flavor. Amish
heirloom discovered in Wisconsin, 85 days after transplanting.

B Brandywine Tomato
Flattened form, red, rich flavor has slightly spicy flavor, grows 6-7 inches
in diameter and up to 1 pound. Amish heirloom, 90 days.

C Amish Snap Pea
Long-time favorite in the Amish community, flavorful 2-inch pods on 5-to
6-foot vines. Prolific, and will yield for 6 weeks if picked regularly, 60
days.

A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T
Super Sugar Snap Peas
3-to 4-inch pods on a disease-resistant vine, grow on 2-foot-wide
trellises, 62-66 days.

D Vernandon Bush Beans
Gourmet filet beans from France, meaty texture, delicate and rich flavor.
Harvest at 6-inch length, 50-60 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Sequoia Bush Bean
Italian-type Romano, 5-inch-long purple pods turn green when cooked,
50-60 days.

E White Wonder Cucumber
Heirloom variety and hardy grower in hot weather, ivory-skinned cukes
have a mild flavor and unique color, pick at 7 inches, great for salads and
fancy pickles, 35-60 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Miniature White Cucumber
Ivory-colored 3-inch cucumber, sweet eating that requires no peeling.
Productive, growing on 3-foot vines, 50-55 days.
F Alma Paprika Pepper

According to Seed Savers this is "a favorite at Heritage Farms," best for
drying and grinding into paprika or eating fresh, slightly warm and very
sweet, can be cream, orange, or red, 70-80 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T
Beaver Dam Pepper

A Hungarian heirloom brought to Wisconsin in 1929 by the Joe Hussli
family. Great when eaten sliced and raw in cheese or meat sandwiches
or for stuffing. Mildly hot when seeded. Crunchy, green to red, 80 days.

GRosa Bianca Eggplant
Lavender-rose with white markings, round to teardrop shaped, Italian
heirloom is tender and creamy, pick when 5 to 6 inches and shiny, good
for stuffing, 70-80 days.

A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T
Louisiana Long Green Eggplant
Southern heirloom variety with extremely sweet, long fruits, mild and
tender skinned. Pale lime-green in color with creamy-white flesh, easy to
cook, grill, or broil, 75-100 days.

H Purple Sweet Basil
Purple-red leaves on bushy plants with reddish stems. Use in salads, as
garnish, or flavor vinegars.


A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T
Lavender
"Munstead strain" of lavender will provide fragrant foliage and lavender
blooms much of the summer. Use as a garnish or in potpourri.

I Pinwheel Marigold (Tagetes erecta "Pinwheel")
A single-blooming marigold with gold and red stripes, first mentioned in
Curtis’ Botanical Journalin 1791, 24-36" tall.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Chamomile (Motricaria recutita "Bodegold")
Small "daisies" with yellow centers, slightly apple scented, use in teas.
Sweet blooms are said to benefit pollination of nearby vegetables,
2 feet tall.

J Purple Dragon Carrot
Named for its red-purple exterior, but the interior is deep orange, sweet,
juicy and slightly spicy. Harvest at smaller sizes for best flavor, grows
quickly, 60-70 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Royal Chantenay Carrot
Reliable variety that will grow in heavier soils, deep orange and good for
canning, freezing, and juicing, 60-70 days.

K Nordic IV Spinach
Sturdy hybrid form Holland, fast growing, 8-inch leaves have a
delicate flavor and can be creamed or used in salads or pasta dishes.
39-45 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Bloomsdale Spinach
Vigorous, dark green stalks with twisted leaves, tender and well flavored.
Good for salads, cooked, or canned, first introduced in 1908. 39-60
days.

L Hailstone Radish
Pure white skinned radish with firm, crunchy flesh, globe shaped,
23-40 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Early Scarlet Globe Radish
Bright red globe with white flesh, 1-inch diameter, good flavor,
20-28 days.

MMerville des Quatre Saisons Lettuce
Easy-to-grow French heirloom, soft butterhead type. Loose pale leaves
are tinged with rose and bronze shades, good for baby greens,
50-60 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

Cardinale Lettuce
"French crisp" lettuce has thick, crunchy red leaves, heat tolerant and
delicious, 50-60 days.

NBorentta Onion
Mild-flavored Italian heirloom is a "little onion." Matures at 2 inches,
bronze-rose color, great for cooking. 100-110 days.
A LT E R N AT I V E P L A N T

German Red Garlic
A German heirloom with 8 to 12 cloves, light brown with purplish base,
plant 4 weeks prior to the first fall frost.

Wampanoag Three Sisters Garden (acclimated to the south east by Native Americans

Wampanoag Three Sisters Garden

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html#appCultivation

It was the Wampanoag gardens that enabled the early settlers of Jamestown to survive and thrive in the New World. Squanto was a Wampanoag who "taught the newcomers to plant maize in little hills and fertilize each mound with an alewife, a species of fish". With this efficient and intensive gardening style, each family could sustain their needs on about one acre of land. Many of the tribes of the Northeast, including the Iroquois, used the Wampanoag garden design. Planted without plowing or tilling, the traditional Wampanoag garden includes corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. The corn and beans are planted in mounds, with squash planted between the mounds.

The sunflowers are planted along the north edge of the garden, so that they do not cast a shadow on the other crops . When the sunflowers have bloomed and the squash and beans have flowered, the Wampanoag Three Sisters garden becomes a stunning cluster of red, yellow, and white flowers against a textured backdrop of shimmering greens.

First, the raised corn and bean mounds must be constructed. These small mounds are laid out in rows with 4 feet between the centers of the mounds . Each mound is about 4 inches high, with a wide base (about 18 inches in diameter) that narrows to a flattened top (about 10 inches across). To conserve moisture, a depression with a lip may be formed at the top of each mound . The finished mounds have a remarkable resemblance to miniature moon craters.

When the mounds are ready, plant four corn seeds about 6 inches apart and 3 inches deep in the top of each mound. Once the corn has grown to a height of 4 inches or more, plant four beans seeds halfway down the slopes on the sides of each mound . Allow the bean vines to entwine themselves around the cornstalks for support. The bean vines may be pruned if they get too aggressive .

Squash seedlings are planted at the same time as the beans. Construct rounded mounds 3 inches high and about 1 foot across at the base. The squash mounds are staggered between the mounds of corn and beans . Traditionally, four seedlings are planted in the top of each mound.

The seedlings are arranged to represent each of the four sacred directions . Both winter and summer varieties are planted, including pumpkins, acorn squash, and summer crookneck squash . Sunflower seeds are planted at the same time as the corn. The smaller-flowering common sunflower, Helianthus annus, is traditionally grown in a Wampanoag Three Sisters garden. The sunflower mounds are located at the north edge of the garden. The mounds are spaced about three feet apart from center, with three seeds planted (one seed per hole) atop each mound. The sunflowers seeds are traditionally harvested after the first frost.

Companion Planting Chart

Table 1. COMPANION PLANTING CHART FOR HOME & MARKET GARDENING (compiled from traditional literature on companion planting)
CROP	COMPANIONS	INCOMPATIBLE
Asparagus	Tomato, Parsley, Basil
Beans	Most Vegetables & Herbs
Beans, Bush	Irish Potato, Cucumber, Corn, Strawberry, Celery, Summer Savory	Onion
Beans, Pole	Corn, Summer Savory, Radish	Onion, Beets, Kohlrabi, Sunflower
Cabbage Family	Aromatic Herbs, Celery, Beets, Onion Family, Chamomile, Spinach, Chard	Dill, Strawberries, Pole Beans, Tomato
Carrots	English Pea, Lettuce, Rosemary, Onion Family, Sage, Tomato	Dill
Celery	Onion & Cabbage Families, Tomato, Bush Beans, Nasturtium
Corn	Irish Potato, Beans, English Pea, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Squash	Tomato
Cucumber	Beans, Corn, English Pea, Sunflowers, Radish	Irish Potato, Aromatic Herbs
Eggplant	Beans, Marigold
Lettuce	Carrot, Radish, Strawberry, Cucumber
Onion Family	Beets, Carrot, Lettuce, Cabbage Family, Summer Savory	Beans, English Peas
Parsley	Tomato, Asparagus
Pea, English	Carrots, Radish, Turnip, Cucumber, Corn, Beans	Onion Family, Gladiolus, Irish Potato
Potato, Irish	Beans, Corn, Cabbage Family, Marigolds, Horseradish	Pumpkin, Squash, Tomato, Cucumber, Sunflower
Pumpkins	Corn, Marigold	Irish Potato
Radish	English Pea, Nasturtium, Lettuce, Cucumber	Hyssop
Spinach	Strawberry, Faba Bean
Squash	Nasturtium, Corn, Marigold	Irish Potato
Tomato	Onion Family, Nasturtium, Marigold, Asparagus, Carrot, Parsley, Cucumber	Irish Potato, Fennel, Cabbage Family
Turnip	English Pea	Irish Potato

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html#appCultivation

companion planting

Traditional Companion Planting

Companion planting can be described as the establishment of two or more plant species in close proximity so that some cultural benefit (pest control, higher yield, etc.) is derived. The concept embraces a number of strategies that increase the biodiversity of agroecosystems.

Generally, companion planting is thought of as a small-scale gardening practice. However, in this discussion the term is applied in its broadest sense to include applications to commercial horticultural and agronomic crops. ATTRA has another publication, Intercropping Principles and Production Practices, that provides additional information on larger-scale applications.

While companion planting has a long history, the mechanisms of beneficial plant interaction have not always been well understood. Traditional recommendations (see summary chart provided as Table 1) used by gardeners have evolved from an interesting combination of historical observation, horticultural science, and a few unconventional sources. For example, some of the recommendations for companion planting, made around the middle of this century, were based on the results of sensitive crystallization tests (1).

Originally developed by Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, sensitive crystallization testing entails the mixing of plant extracts with select salt reagents like sodium sulfate or copper chloride. The resulting solution is placed in a controlled environment chamber and allowed to evaporate slowly. The process results in a precipitate that often takes on beautiful geometric forms and patterns. The characteristics of the pattern are studied and interpreted to establish whether the plants are likely to interact well with each other (1). Sensitive crystallization appeals to practitioners of Biodynamics™ (BD) and others who take a more metaphysical approach to nature. Conventional science is much more skeptical of this process as a means to evaluate plant associations.

Food as (my) Artwork

Zoe's Romantic Getaway Sat Night Downtown Ramisi's Cocktail Party...

Ramsi’s Cafe on the World Louisville, KY
October 20, 2006 · 5 Comments
Where can you go in Louisville KY and choose a dish off a menu with options from around the world? Ramsis Café on the World of course. This is my kind of eclectic place. It sits in a hip, urban and diverse neighborhood while delivering freshly cooked food from around the world.

Right when you walk in you know you are in for a treat. The décor is international. There is a Jamaican wall hanging next to an African picture with a beautiful British painting in between. There is a huge (12 foot) door leaning on a wall, a great water fountain in the outdoor covered seating area and many unique statues and trinkets on the wall. I bet there is a story behind each item. I would love to hear about each one of them. Every table in the restaurant is different, each with their own table cloth and many of them are handmade or imported. Even the chairs are different. But that is not all, each table setting is unique as well – plates, forks, knives, spoons and glasses.

The food is great. I enjoyed it so much on the first night of my trip that I went back on the second. I started the night with the Tuna Tartare (Fresh marinated Yellow fin tuna with red onions, peppers, green onions, avocado & cilantro). It had such a fresh, light and tangy flavor. For my entrée I tried the Coconut Scallops served with spinach Alfredo and fried plantains. What a great combination. The scallops were perfect, crisp on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. On the second night I tried the 1001 Arabian lentils. It was served with caramelized onion marmalade, yogurt and cucumber-tomato relish. Again, quite a unique combo that my taste buds couldn’t get enough of. I also had the soup of day, which unfortunately I cannot remember what it was. All I know is I finished it off.

I recommended the place to a couple of co-workers (Vishal & Hooman) who went toLouisville a week after I had gone in September. Guys, please tell us what you thought.

This place earns a 4 page rating for the story. The owners are both Arabs who grew up inJerusalem and their Mother is Catholic. Their Mother owns a small grocery store and they both have engineering degrees. In 1994 they decided to start a unique restaurant that would provide a place for people to feel at home, enjoy international food while they engage in great conversation. What a fascinating story.

It started out very small and every few years has had to expand in order to keep up with the demand due to the tremendous popularity. So, it is actually quite large and therefore only has a 1 hole in the wall rating.

I must mention the wait staff. I have never seen a more eclectic collection of folks – some very young, some with pink hair, others more middle aged, but all were totally into serving their customers. One of the hostesses spent a little time with me and gave me the pieces of the story that I shared above. If anyone has more information on the story, I would love to hear it.

Next time I am in Louisville, I will definitely go back to one of my kind of places, Ramsi’s Café on the World.