Does your garden get a New Years Resolution (revolution)? What will it be? Will you “go organic” this year? Maybe you can try a new vegetable or herb. Most of our garden is being transformed into raised beds. This is a monumental task; but it is a good one for the winter.
There are two spots in the garden where things were growing before the process was started. They will have to wait until summertime. There is not enough scrap lumber now anyway.
Another major goal is finishing a book on gardening that is in process. There are 23 pages written so far. There will eventually be about 150 pages of text, 50 pages of pictures and an awesome bibliography. The working name is “The Incomplete Garden Book”. That name was chosen; because even though many books profess to tell you everything you need to know, that is just not true. The book may get another name before it becomes “complete”.
There are two other goals of a more minor nature. An application has been sent in for the “Master Gardener Program”. Also there are some new herbs and vegetables that look attractive. Yarrow, fennel and cowslip are the herbs. Fennel is a fall-planted one. Several new types of winter squash will be the vegetables.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Tomatoes
In most of the country they come from the windowsill; but Christmas tomatoes are one of the real rewards of gardening. They don’t count if they come from the grocery store. We don’t have Christmas tomatoes this year. The deer feasted on tomato vines and our harvest was almost nil. At the end of the season when the frost was coming and the vines were being pulled, there was only 2 green tomatoes. This was mid November and they ripened and were gobbled down quickly.
We do have tomatoes growing well in the greenhouse. They are planted in an indoor raised bed. We are holding out hope for Easter tomatoes. All of the greenhouse plants are doing pretty well. The garden is still producing kale, mustard, turnips and arugula. The cold weather has slowed them down a little; but the frost has really made them tender.
The newer plantings of spinach, creasy greens and onions from seed are growing very, very slow. The radishes are doing well; but the carrots and beets have not even sprouted. The onions from sets are really doing well. We are picking from one group and another group is almost ready to pick.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
We do have tomatoes growing well in the greenhouse. They are planted in an indoor raised bed. We are holding out hope for Easter tomatoes. All of the greenhouse plants are doing pretty well. The garden is still producing kale, mustard, turnips and arugula. The cold weather has slowed them down a little; but the frost has really made them tender.
The newer plantings of spinach, creasy greens and onions from seed are growing very, very slow. The radishes are doing well; but the carrots and beets have not even sprouted. The onions from sets are really doing well. We are picking from one group and another group is almost ready to pick.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Earthworm Habitat
As mentioned in an earlier blog, the lack of livestock deprives the gardener of manure. Inspired by this situation, I decided to make an earthworm habitat. A tenant left an old plastic washtub with holes drilled in it at a vacant rental house. This was turned into an earthworm habitat. It was buried in a shady spot in the garden that was not much good for planting. This spot is under the fig trees.
Finished compost was used as the medium to fill the tub. Some worms were captured from the compost bins and the garden to populate the “farm”. A little plain corn meal was sprinkled on the top to feed the little critters and the whole thing was covered with an old trashcan lid. Then there was an amazing discovery.
The potting soil was getting really low yesterday so some finished compost was screened to make potting soil. Virtually every forkful of compost had 3 to 5 earthworms. I hope this means that the compost that was put into the habitat originally was also full of earthworms. How nice would it be to reach in and grab a handful of medium and have it wiggle?
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Finished compost was used as the medium to fill the tub. Some worms were captured from the compost bins and the garden to populate the “farm”. A little plain corn meal was sprinkled on the top to feed the little critters and the whole thing was covered with an old trashcan lid. Then there was an amazing discovery.
The potting soil was getting really low yesterday so some finished compost was screened to make potting soil. Virtually every forkful of compost had 3 to 5 earthworms. I hope this means that the compost that was put into the habitat originally was also full of earthworms. How nice would it be to reach in and grab a handful of medium and have it wiggle?
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Winter Garden Tasks
There is almost as much work to do in the garden in the winter as during the growing season. The big difference is that there is no emergency. Just do it when you like. Once everything but the winter crops has played out or frozen, the whole garden can be tilled and mulched. The mulch over the tilled ground keeps it soft and makes the earthworms really happy. The mulch cover can be tilled in just before spring planting or pulled aside. The tilling may not even be necessary.
Planning is a lot of fun on nasty days. The unplanted garden like the imaginary lover is always perfect. If salad greens and sallet greens are planted, they need to be picked regularly to keep them growing. After a frost, they get really tender and tasty. Salad greens are eaten raw, sallet greens are eaten cooked. Greenhouse work is fun too. Winter is a good time for changes to the landscape.
This year raised beds are being installed in as much of the garden as is not planted with something. There is an easier method than double digging. The soil is tilled as deep as the tiller will go. The box is built on top of the ground. It is filled to within about 3” of the top with compost and topped up with the loose dirt from the pathways. The fallow beds are mulched.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Planning is a lot of fun on nasty days. The unplanted garden like the imaginary lover is always perfect. If salad greens and sallet greens are planted, they need to be picked regularly to keep them growing. After a frost, they get really tender and tasty. Salad greens are eaten raw, sallet greens are eaten cooked. Greenhouse work is fun too. Winter is a good time for changes to the landscape.
This year raised beds are being installed in as much of the garden as is not planted with something. There is an easier method than double digging. The soil is tilled as deep as the tiller will go. The box is built on top of the ground. It is filled to within about 3” of the top with compost and topped up with the loose dirt from the pathways. The fallow beds are mulched.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Livestock for a Travelin' Man
It is difficult to find livestock, that can be kept in the city. Goats are definitely out. Chickens or rabbits would be fine; but no rooster. For someone who travels, daily care becomes impossible. For someone who really misses having livestock there has to be something. Bees would be nice and they would complement the garden. They pollinate; but they don’t make manure. The final choice is earthworms.
Earthworm dodo (castings) is some of the best stuff on earth. Earthworms only need to be fed once a week. The only real concern in our area would be freezing. The earthworm “farm” can be placed in the greenhouse in the winter. That takes care of that. Having studied the subject extensively on the internet and in gardening books, the “farm” design decided on will be a 18” square plywood box with a screen bottom and a plywood cover. It will be filled with peat moss and loamy dirt. Earthworms don’t like sand.
The earthworms will come from Renfrow’s Hardware Store. They will be fed grass clippings and cornmeal. The castings will go into the garden. The excess earthworms will go into the compost bins and the raised garden beds. Of course I will take them out occasionally and play with them in the yard. I may even take one or two of my favorites for a walk. I don’t think my wife will let them sleep inside on cold nights but we will see. I’m glad we own our home. At least I won’t have to pay a pet fee.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Earthworm dodo (castings) is some of the best stuff on earth. Earthworms only need to be fed once a week. The only real concern in our area would be freezing. The earthworm “farm” can be placed in the greenhouse in the winter. That takes care of that. Having studied the subject extensively on the internet and in gardening books, the “farm” design decided on will be a 18” square plywood box with a screen bottom and a plywood cover. It will be filled with peat moss and loamy dirt. Earthworms don’t like sand.
The earthworms will come from Renfrow’s Hardware Store. They will be fed grass clippings and cornmeal. The castings will go into the garden. The excess earthworms will go into the compost bins and the raised garden beds. Of course I will take them out occasionally and play with them in the yard. I may even take one or two of my favorites for a walk. I don’t think my wife will let them sleep inside on cold nights but we will see. I’m glad we own our home. At least I won’t have to pay a pet fee.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Kale Yeah!!
That is what my friend Burgess says when I offer him kale. He made a big hit with his family making kale soup on the day after thanksgiving. I have persuaded him to share his recipe, which is actually his grandmother’s recipe. This is a 2 day process.
The first day starts with boiling raw linguica and couric sausage (these are Portuguese sausages) . After the sausage is fully cooked pull it out and refrigerate the sausage. Skim the goo off of the top of the water. This will form the stock for the soup.
On day 2, cook carrots and potatoes in the cold stock from the sausage and water. Cabbage is optional. Sauté some onions and celery. When the onions and celery are ready add them and the fresh kale to the pot. Simmer until the kale is cooked. That is all there is to it. Burgess promised to bring me some leftover to try. I will give my report when I have tasted it.
Incidentally the fire ants are gone. I think the grits or the corn meal finished them off. Ray Moore also sent me a method of fire ant eradication using club soda. I hope I will not get to try that until next year.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The first day starts with boiling raw linguica and couric sausage (these are Portuguese sausages) . After the sausage is fully cooked pull it out and refrigerate the sausage. Skim the goo off of the top of the water. This will form the stock for the soup.
On day 2, cook carrots and potatoes in the cold stock from the sausage and water. Cabbage is optional. Sauté some onions and celery. When the onions and celery are ready add them and the fresh kale to the pot. Simmer until the kale is cooked. That is all there is to it. Burgess promised to bring me some leftover to try. I will give my report when I have tasted it.
Incidentally the fire ants are gone. I think the grits or the corn meal finished them off. Ray Moore also sent me a method of fire ant eradication using club soda. I hope I will not get to try that until next year.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
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