Our first vegetable harvest of the season...asparagus!
Of course, we should have had many times this amount, but last year voles destroyed most of the plants. I replanted, and even added a second row this year, but it will be a few years before we get to pick them.
This became part of a wonderful dinner of chicken and baby back ribs we smoked using chunks from the ancient apple tree that fell over last fall. Also included are corn cakes using our flint corn from last year.
I gave the chives a haircut. They are about to flower, and I find they are tastier before flowering. I also topped the basil, which was getting leggy. It will be a few weeks before it gets transplanted.
Okay, that was a ruse to get you to look at the rest of our non-harvest garden pictures.
The nectarine tree is flowering beautifully as usual. Too bad we never get any fruit. It develops some sort of disease which turns the fruit gooey.
The Macoun apple we planted four years ago looks like it will give us fruit this year. I hope so. It's my favorite apple.
The broccoli transplanted April 18 is doing nicely, although one seems to be a runt. The varieties are Acadia, Blue Wind, and Fiesta.
The bed frames are new. They are cedar, and measure (nominally) 4x6 feet. I bought four, to replace two 4x12 beds that had rotted. They are kits from The Farmstead. I forget which blogger suggested this source; for that I apologize. The mortise-and-tenon joints make them super-easy to assemble. My one complaint is those very same joints reduce the inside dimension by 9 inches both length and width.
The Brussels sprouts were transplanted this weekend. These were started April 15. They got a row cover to hopefully help them adjust to sunlight and outdoor temperatures. I know they are useful, but I just don't like row covers. I like to watch the plants grow!
I also sowed corn (Espresso bi-color, an early variety) in one of the smaller beds. I know this is dangerous, but it's been so warm the soil has gotten up to temperature. I'm taking a risk, but I guess the worst that could happen is I replant it.
Potatoes were planted this weekend. The onions (from sets) in the same bed are doing pretty well.
The leeks (from seed, transplanted April 19) are starting to settle down. In the background are Dwarf Blauwschokkers peas (for soup) I'm trying out this year. These were sown April 19.
Mesclun, snow and snap peas, and in the doghouse row cover, radishes. I hope this cover prevents the root maggots.
The "row garden" section has frustrated me productivity-wise for years; I finally gave in and brought in 6 yards of fresh loam. On the left tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant will go, on the right corn and cucumbers.
So here's a shot looking up the fenced garden. The first two beds on the right are resting this year.
I leave you with a snap of our weeping cherry tree at its loveliest. Thanks for reading, and thanks again to Daphne.
A nice big garden there. My daughter lives in Cornish Flat. How close is that to you? She has a big garden too. She told me she was waiting for the dandelions to flower before she planted her potatoes. Never heard of that have you?
ReplyDeleteThank you Marcia. Cornish Flat is north and west of us, near the Vermont border. Not sure mileage-wise, but it is a bit of a hike. We're closer to the seacoast. Yes, I have heard of and use the dandelion method--the Fedco catalog mentions it.
DeleteYou have a nice big crop. Sorry to hear about the nectarine tree. Have you tried spraying water mixed with neem oil or tree oil? Neem oil is very good to fight off plant diseases and bacteria. Great alternatives to the chemical stuff. I had spray my meyer lemon and kumquat plant tree because it was getting sticky film all over the leaves. http://LivingItUpAlternatively.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThank you. So far I have only sprayed my fruit trees with a dormant oil before they bud--to ward off scale etc. I may try Neem, thanks to your suggestion.
DeleteHurray for the first harvest! That's too bad about the nectarines - fingers crossed on getting fruit from your apple tree will make up for it. It's difficult being patient when it comes to fruit trees.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite delayed this year - I definitely thought I would have something to show by now, but as of yet - nothing.
Yes, it's a strange year. I'm sure you will be bursting with produce before you know it, and am looking forward to hearing about it.
DeleteEverything looks so well organized, you should be in for a good harvest this year with so many beds! I also had asparagus and chives (and nothing else)!
ReplyDeleteThank you Susie. I'm not so sure about the organized part...I just realized I did not map out where the summer squash is supposed to go!
DeleteYou've been hard at work getting things going in the garden. What a lovely big garden space you have. Thanks for the shots of all the blossoms, we are long past that around here.
ReplyDeleteThank you Michele. Can't compare to your lovely and prolific Carmel Valley garden.
DeleteSix yards should help a lot. I had to buy a yard of compost to mix in with a new bed this year. It would take years to make enough compost on site to make that bed right. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteYes, compost looks big when adding things like shredded leaves, then reduces to almost nothing. Sometimes you have to augment.
DeleteI know how you feel about row covers. Though mine is a love hate relationship. At least most of mine are netting and see through. I do have three that are more solid though and those really annoy me. If they didn't work so dang well I'd banish them from the garden as they are ugly and I can't see my plants well.
ReplyDeleteIt's a compromise. I should use them more, especially for the squashes as the squash bugs and vine borers just won't stop. But I don't see myself hand-pollinating.
ReplyDeleteThe garden is looking good. I bought a couple of those cedar raised beds but decided not to use them in my garden because I couldn't justify the loss of planting space. They were in the garage for a year but now my wife has assembled them and dumped them in the back yard. I think that's a hint. Maybe they are the new herb garden.
ReplyDelete