GARLIC UP!

garlic up spring

The garlic I planted last fall is coming up. I planted many varieties both softneck and hardneck and one called Gypsy Rose is coming up first. I was lucky enough to meet some professional garlic growers from Washington who came into our studio, Liquid Light Glass and Elodie referred them to me where I was at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market that Saturday. Subsequently they sent a packet of different garlic for me to grow. They were so generous that I had to build another raised bed just to plant them all!

I had the garlic beds covered in row cover all winter but they seem to be drying out faster since it is warming up and we haven’t had much rain. Last weekend I put some straw over the beds as mulch to help keep the water from evaporating and I’m now watering in earnest since the little tops have appeared.

I use to grow only hardneck because they are more flavorful but there are many very flavorful softnecks out there now as well and the softnecks have a longer shelf life, so this year I’m trying both. To learn more about the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic, go to my post, ‘Growing Garlic’.

These are the varieties I planted last fall:

HARDNECK GARLIC          FLAVOR

Chesnok                                        full flavor

Shatili                                               med

Czech                                               HOT

Gypsy Rose                                     HOT

SOFTNECK GARLIC             FLAVOR

Inchelium Red                              mild

Kettle River Giant                        med

Lorz Italian                                   spicy

Giant Tomato Seeds Planted

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

2012 Big Zac tomato-this one weighed 2lbs 12.4 ounces and was 19″ in circumference!

Yesterday I planted 6 giant tomato seeds as well. The seeds came from tomato plants that produced anywhere from 5.5 lbs-7 lb tomatoes! Hope I get some BIG ones! I’m trying to break 3 lbs this year! Nothing better than a BLT where the juice from one of these tomatoes runs down your chin! One slice of tomato covers the whole slice of bread.

Chitting Potatoes

Chitting Potatoes

Chitting Potatoes

Chitting Potatoes in Egg Cartons

Picked up some French Fingerling potatoes last week and am chitting them for the next 1-2 weeks. Chitting potatoes is basically growing out the eyes a little in indirect light, giving them a head start before planting them. I’m using egg cartons to keep them from rolling and breaking the eyes. Also I got the vegetable bed ready, picking a rich, loamy and deep bed (but not the same one as last year) added more manure, dug it in, and dug the trenches 8 inches deep. As soon as they are ready, I will plant them in the bottom of the trench covering them with 3 inches of soil and after the plants are 6″ tall I will start to mound up the dirt around the plants. Last year was my first year growing potatoes and they were fabulous–so much better than store-bought ones.

Seed Starting Class

tomatoes 4_17_11

Today I taught a Seed Starting Class at the Rail Yard classroom here in Santa Fe. We ran out of the handouts because so many people showed up. It was a great class with lots of ideas shared by both me and the participants. I promised to put the all the handouts on my blog for those of you who didn’t get them.

HERE ARE THE HANDOUTS FROM CLASS:

COOL-WARM SEASON CROPS/JOHNNY’S SEEDSTARTING CHART

DIRECT SEEDING:TRANSPLANTING

PRESPOUTING SEEDS

STARTING SEEDS INSIDE

LIGHT TABLES:SEED STARTING

ALSO! Here are some of my posts that might be helpful on things we talked about today:

BUILDING A LIGHT BOX –   https://giantveggiegardener.com/category/gardening-tips/building-a-light-box-gardening-tips/

SEED STARTING TIPS –  https://giantveggiegardener.com/category/gardening-tips/starting-seeds-tips/

GOPHERS PROBLEMS/TRAPS –  https://giantveggiegardener.com/2011/01/20/gopher-problems/

DETERRING SQUIRRELS –  https://giantveggiegardener.com/2011/08/16/deterring-squirrels-from-eating-your-garden/

TOMATO SEEDS PLANTING INSIDE – https://giantveggiegardener.com/2011/03/22/tomato-seeds-planted-inside-march-21/

Finally, there is a ton of information on this site. All you have to do is look at the right hand column and go down to ‘Garden Topics’ and go to the subject that interests you. That way you will only get my posts on that subject and you don’t have to scroll through 4 years of posts.

Cold Frame Survivors

I tried to overwinter some veggies in the coldframe that I planted last October. I wanted to see what would survive and what would die back.

coldframe survivors

Here is what has survived (so far) in the coldframe – 1 sad little bok choy, 2 sadder lettuces, 4 happy endives, a row of Bull’s Blood beets and 2 chard. The mache and arugula were doing great but bolted during the 70°F day we had last week and were loaded with aphids so I pulled them out and the chickens enjoyed them instead of me. What didn’t make it was some of the chard, most of the lettuces and mesclun (more baby lettuce).

Now it is suppose to get down to 16°F tomorrow night and 14°F on Sunday night! Yikes! I’m going to spray everything with insecticidal soap for 7 days in a row to hopefully rid me of the aphids. I don’t dare plant anything else in the coldframe till I’m sure they’re gone.

I also planted spinach in an outside raised box with row cover over them and they hung on in a rather dormant state and now they are growing full blast.

Next year I will only plant endive, mache, spinach and arugula as they did great even when we got down to 10°F although I do put a layer of heavy row cover over all when it gets down in the teens.

Santa Fe Seed Exchange

ATTENTION ALL SANTA FE GARDENERS!

seed exchange HGNM

Come to the Santa Fe Seed Exchange Wednesday —   March 20

If you are looking for seeds and ideas for your vegetable garden, come to the Santa Fe Seed Exchange on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 from 4 pm-7 pm in Frenchy’s Barn on Agua Fria and Osage Ave. Last year we had over 200 people come and pick up and exchange seeds!  Hope to see you there! For more info about what this is all about go to the Home Grown New Mexico link here:

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=1918a75deae1c54e3561e368c&id=c96905515a&e=fa40006742

Phenology

Forysthia-Photo courtesy of Monrovia.com

Forysthia-Photo courtesy of Monrovia.com

Phenology:

‘The study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena in relation to climate and plant and animal life.’

Phenology is an interesting science that has never been officially proven but ascribes to what I believe-paying attention to what is going on outside in nature at certain times of the year can sometimes serve as cues for the gardener for when to plant. Is it fool proof? Na, but neither is weather forecasting and I pay attention to that too.

Here is a list of tips I’ve compiled from many sources. Are they all true? Probably not, but wouldn’t it be interesting if we pay attention, write down our observations and make our own phenology for our local conditions in our gardens. I’m going to give it a try for a few years and see if I SEE any similarities to these tips below. Some of them are sort of humorous so I hope you enjoy them.

  • Plant lettuce, spinach, beets and carrots when dandelions are blooming. (what? we allow weeds to be in our gardens?)
  • Plant lettuce, spinach, and peas when the lilacs show their first true leaves or when the daffodils bloom.
  • Plant spinach, radishes and broad beans as soon as frost is out of the ground. (how does frost get out of the ground?)
  • Plant peas when the daffodils begin to bloom.
  • Plant beans when lilacs are in full bloom. (not sure of this one around here-seems early)
  • Plant cucumbers and squash when the lilacs fade.
  • Grasshopper eggs hatch when the lilac blooms.
  • Plant tomatoes, peppers, and early corn when daylilies start to bloom (I’m going to watch this one closely as I have daylilies)
  • Set tomatoes out when lily-of-the-valley is in full bloom. (Do any of you have this one?)
  • Plant corn when elm leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear or when oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s. (Ok, I’ll just get out the ruler and measure those ears and compare)
  • Plant perennials when maple leaves begin to unfurl
  • Prune roses when the forsythia blooms (this one makes sense)
  • Plant pansies, snapdragons, and other hardy annuals after the aspens and chokecherry trees are leafed out. This indicates no more hard frosts.
  • Plant annuals when you see new growth on green ash, grapes, and bur oaks.
  • Plant annuals when peaches and plums are in full bloom.
  • Plant morning glory seeds when maples are fully leafed out.
  • When Morning Glories start to climb, Japanese Beetles arrive.
  • When Foxgloves open, Mexican bean beetles appear.
  • When the locusts bloom in May, it will turn cold and rainy (I wish)
  • Corn-“Knee high by the Fourth of July” (yes, yes!)
  • Plant peppers and eggplant outside when bearded iris is in bloom. (I’ll be watching closely on this one too)
  • When lilac plants have leafed out, plant lettuce, peas and other cool weather varieties. When it’s flowers are in full bloom plant beans and squash. When its’ flowers have faded plant cucumbers and squash.
  • When yellow forsythia and crocus bloom, prune roses and fertilize the lawn.

‘Legendary Locals of Santa Fe’

2me and kong b4 cutting

Last year, Anna Pacheco, who is a writer for the new Mexican, called up to ask me if I would be interested in being in her next book, Legendary Locals of Santa Fe. She said she wanted me in it for my giant pumpkins and giant vegetables that I grow. I asked her if I was old enough and she said yes (you don’t have to be dead)! The book will be available for purchase at the book signing this Sunday, March 17 and I will be there to sign my page for anyone interested. I wonder who else will be in it. The mayor will be there and there will refreshments and music too! Such a festive event! Amazing-so many people are interested in this odd hobby of mine. Hope you can come and check it out.  As I have not seen the book yet, I wonder what category I fall under? Entertainment? Art? LOL!

Here is the press release:

“The City of Santa Fe Arts Commission will sponsor the book signing-launch of:

Legendary Locals of Santa Fe

on Sunday, March 17th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.

The event will be held in the community room at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center

located at 3221 W. Rodeo Road.

Mayor David Coss will be there to read the proclamation, “Legendary Locals of Santa Fe Day.” Entertainment will be provided by Grupo Zia and refreshments will be served.”

*The book will be available on amazon.com and as a Kindle book in early March.

*The 128-page book features 200 profiles with accompanying photos and has an index.

*Both historical and contemporary people are profiled in the following chapters:

History

Literature

Art

Entertainment

Sports

Military Service

Public Service

Daylight Savings

Uncle-Sam-Daylight-Savings-Time

So what is this daylight savings time (DST) that went into effect last Saturday? Simply put, as the days start get longer, we set our clocks one hour forward in the spring and set them back one hour in the fall. But we didn’t always have daylight savings time here in the US and in fact it has a pretty controversial history.

In 1784 Benjamin Franklin came up with an idea as a way to save money on candles only he didn’t want to change the time but the time people wake up. His idea? By firing cannons to wake people up! How’s that for a wake up call!

Actually the first implemented DST was done by the Germans in World War I as an energy saving measure. The US followed soon with its own version of DST but was it met with stiff resistance being repealed by Congress within a year of it being put into practice. For the next 5 decades it was up to the individual states to decide if they would practice Daylight Saving which became rather confusing for travelers.

In 1966 Congress passed a bill called the  ‘Uniform Time Act’ which tried to make it unanimous but there were a few state holdouts that refused to participate so in 2005 Congress revisited the law and moved the start date of Daylight Savings Time from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March. There are still some state holdouts such as Arizona, Indiana and Hawaii that don’t observe Daylight Savings Time but overall there is no more controversy over it except in my house where everyone complains of losing an hour’s worth of sleep in spring-except me. I’m happy to have more sunlight at the end of the day so can get off work and still go out in my garden and dream of what will be this gardening season.

2013 SEED LISTS

2013 SEED LIST

Below is the final list for 2013. But first-

Here is the legend where I buy the seeds or plants listed below and their links (I’ve put their initials at the end of each plant listed so you may know which seed company or Santa Fe nursery to purchase them from):
AFN-Agua Fria Nursery (plants)
BH– Baker Heirloom (seeds)
SSE– Seed Saver Exchange (seeds)
TS–Territorial Seeds (seeds)
JSKG–John Scheepers Kitchen Garden  (seeds)
KS–Kitazawa Seed (seeds)
WCS–West Coast Seeds (seeds)
CG–Cooks Garden (seeds)
TF–Tomato Fest (seeds)
TG–Tomato Growers (seeds)
TT–Totally Tomatoes (seeds)
WBF-Wild Boar Farms  (seeds)
B-Burpee (seeds)

– If you see AG in front of the variety-recommended by Amy Goldman’s Heirloom Tomatoes book
– If you see D at the end of the variety (as in 78D)-that represents 78 Days till harvest
* means NEW VARIETY I’m trying this year

——————————————————————————————–

2013 TOMATOES

REDS
AG/Costoluto Genevese-TG, TF-78 D
AG/Pantano Romanesco-BH-78D
AG/Goldman’s Italian American-BH-80-90 D
Matina-Agua Fria/TG-58D
Original Goliath/pio -TT-65 D
*French Carmello-JS, TF-70-75D
*Marmande-BH-60-80D
*Bloody Butcher-TF,TT-55D

PINK
*Brandy Boy/Burbees-MS BOBBS Recommended-75-80D
*Pink Berkley Tie Dye/BH-65-75 D
*Anna Russian-BH-69-80D
*Pink Boar-WBF-70-80D

YELLOW
*Big Sungold Select-WBF-
*Porkchop-WBF-75-85D

ORANGE
Juane Flamme-TT-80D
*Orange Wellington-Burbee-MS BOBBS Recommended

BI-COLOR-yellow and red blush
Virginia Sweet-Agua Fria-80D
AG/Gold Medal-BH-75-80D
Galon De Melon (cherry tomato)

PURPLE or BLACK
Paul Robeson-AFN-75-85D
Cherokee Chocolate OR Cherokee Purple-AFN-80D
Black Pear-AFN-70D
Brown Sugar-BH-?D
Black Cherry-75D-AFN
Southern Nites-BH -?D
*Indigo Apple-WBF-
*Black and Brown Boar-WBF-65-75D

GREEN
Green Grape-Agua Fria-70 D
Ananas Noire-Agua Fria-80-85 D (actually a bi-color with green and red blush inside)

CHERRY TOMATOES
Sungold-yellow-AFN-
AG/Black Cherry/ AFN-75D
AG/Green Grape-green/AFN, SSE

——————————————————————————————–

2013 VEGETABLE LIST

ARUGULA-Apollo-SSE (seeds)

BEANS-
Rattlesnake-BH
Tarabais-BH
Fava-BH
Golden Sunshine Scarlet Runner-BH

BEETS-
Craupdine-BH
Cylindra-BH
Touchstone Gold Beet-JS-55D
CHIOGGA-JS-45-55D

BOK CHOY-Extra Dwarf Pak Choy-BH (seeds)

CARROTS–
Cosmic Purple-BH
Atomic Red-BH

CHARD–5 Color Silverbeet-SSE, Ruby, and Argentata Swiss Chard-JSKG

JAPONICA CORN-Ornamental corn only-beautiful magenta and white stripes on green-beautiful mixed with flowers

PEPPER–Shishito (Japanese non hot pepper)-AFN (plants) or KS(seeds)

SUMMER SQUASH-ZUCCHINI–Costata Romanesco (best tasting zuke around)-BH (seeds)

EGGPLANT–Fairy Tale (best sweet, no bitter taste and soft skin eggplant I’ve tasted)-AFN (plants) or TS (seeds)

CUCUMBERS–
Armenian
Lemon Boy-AFN
Poona Kheera-BH
Boothsby Blonde-BH
Bourbonne-BH-50-60 D (I grow cukes for either taste or which variety is best for different types of pickles-all BH)

JAPONICA CORN-Ornamental corn only-beautiful magenta and white stripes on green-beautiful mixed with flowers

LETTUCES–Provencal Mix, Mesclun Mix, Buttercrunch, Yugoslavian Red, Santoro Lettuce-CG (seeds)

PEAS–
Sugar Snap
Blausschokker Alauws-purple pea-JSKG

SPINACH–Bloomsdale-CG (seeds) and Tyee

TOMATILLO-Green-AFN (plants) 70-80 days-

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE

POTATOES-fingerlings also at AFN
French Fingerlings-Irish Eyes
La Ratte-Irish Eyes

————————————————————————————–

2012 GIANT PUMPKINS

To be Announced…
All will come from private growers

————————————————————————————–

OTHER GIANT VEGETABLES

GIANT GREEN SQUASH-all came from private grower-
340 Cabossel 11 which came from 903 Noel 07 (848 McKenzie x self)

GIANT MARROW-(like giant Zucchini)-all came from private growers
75.4 Wursten 09
62 Cabossel 11

GIANT TOMATOES
-7.18 N. Harp 09 (5.58 Timm x open)-private grower
5.416 N, Harp 09 (5.58 Harp x open)-private grower
Big Zac/TT (seeds)

GIANT PEAR GOURD-private grower-
103 Cabossel 11 which came from 89 Scherber 10

LONG GOURD-private grower
-135 Jacobus 10

GIANT SUNFLOWERS
-Titan-SSE, BH (seeds)

—————————————————————————————-

2013 HERBS

Following is a list of herbs that will be planted or exist on the property
Basil (Genevese)-new SHGH (plants), 
Lime Basil-new-SFGH (plants), 
Thai Basil-new-SFGH (plants)
Oregano-must replant rabbits ate it this winter
Thyme-exists
Lemon Thyme-exists
Chives-exists
Dill-usually self seeds
Marjoram-new-SFGH (plants)
Mint-exists
Sage-exists
Lavender-exists
Winter Savory-exists
Lemon Verbena-exists

————————————————————————————–

2013 EDIBLE FLOWER LIST


Following is the list of edible flowers that will be planted or are on the property:
Borage-great honeybee plant
Calendula-Orange King-BH (seeds)
Chives-AFN (plants)
Cilantro-AFN (plants)
Dill-AFN (plants)
Lavender (in existing different area)
Marigold-Lemon Gem-TS (seeds) this is the only edible marigold
Nasturtiums-Tip Top -CG (seeds)-prettiest nasturiums
Pansies-get them anywhere
Violas-get them anywhere
Roses (in different existing area)
Black Oil Seed sunflower (for the birds!)-WCS (seeds)

 

Soil Testing For Your Garden

Gardeners should consider getting their soil tested to see where their soil is at-if it has adequate organic matter, what the Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium levels are at, what the pH is of their soil, how high the salt content is, and calcium, sulpher, iron, magnesium levels and much more. The problem is we use to be able to give soil samples to our county extension agent and he would send it off to the state lab for analysis but that service is no longer available to us here in New Mexico. You can still get a soil analysis done but will have to send it away.

I like A & L Labs in California and have used them before. It was well worth it as I found out a lot about my soil. The first time I submitted samples and the form, I had someone walk me through it as it seems complicated but is not. So here’s how to submit your soil samples to A & L labs. This one is in California but there is another one back east if you like. They offer many different kinds of tests but you only need a soil test.

1. Go to their site http://www.al-labs-west.com/

2. Click on ‘Analytical Services’ . They have many different services but you want the  ‘Soil Analysis’ section.

3. Click on ‘Sampling’ to see how to collect the soil specimens. Follow their procedures and send the samples (I put mine in a big ziploc baggie) to the address listed along at the bottom of the ‘Sampling’ section with the money $35.00. The price may seem a little steep but when you consider how much money we spend on gardening, it is not a lot to find out about your soil.

soil analysis report

SAMPLE-Soil Analysis Report-say what??! I didn’t understand this!

Graphical Soil Analysis Report

SAMPLE-Graphical Soil Analysis Report-I can understand this much better!

4. Then go back and look at ‘Example Reports’. See examples above. I got the ‘Standard Soil Report’ and be sure to get the ‘Graphical Soil Report’.  I didn’t understand everything in the standard soil test but you have to get it to get the graphical soil test which is easy to read and understand.

Scan

5, Next print out the ‘Submittal Form’ and fill it out.  See example above. Put what crops you are growing and other information they ask for. I just put in general vegetables. Check off  SC3 report (complete analysis-$35.00) and check off Graphical Soil Report-additional-$1.00. (The ‘soil analysis fees’ are in the blue column on the left side of the web page if you are wondering where I got these)

6. Mail soil samples, money and form back to them. Be sure to check off email return on the form as you will get it sooner than snail mail. It takes about a week to get the results after they receive it.

Master Gardener Interns

tomatoes on table

Tonight I taught the Vegetable Class section to the aspiring Master Gardener interns of 2013 and tomorrow will be the second group of interns in the morning. A total of 63 students for both groups which is inspiring to me to see so many people interested in becoming Master Gardeners. To every one of you-hang in there! There are many more interesting classes to come.

I promised to put the class handouts on my blog for anyone interested so here they are:

VEGETABLE GARDENING IN SANTA FE

INFORMATION SHEET

PLANTING SQUASH

PLANTING TOMATOES

I also said I would put a couple of extra handouts on the blog which were not given out in the class but have very useful information on them:

TOMATO DISEASES

COOL-WARM SEASON CROPS

HERBS

Seed Starting Date Calculator

Below is a seed starting date calculator from Johnny’s Seeds. I downloaded it from the interactive tools section on their home page. I put the date of our spring frost-free date (May 15 in the Santa Fe area) and it automatically put in all the dates from when to start seeds inside to when we can safely put the plants out in our gardens. I just copied the vegetable section here for you to see but it also has many flower planting dates as well-it was just too big to capture it all. If you live in another area or want to capture the flower information as well, then be sure to go to the interactive tool section at Johnny’s to get your own. But here it is for those of you who live in Santa Fe, NM for all the vegetables they list. If you click on the image it will show up clearer and you can print it.

2013 Johnny's seedstarting chart

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones and ‘average first frost free dates’ explained

NMSo what are USDA Plant Hardiness Zones? And what is this ‘first frost free date’ we hear about as gardeners so often?

The Plant Hardiness Zone is a standard set by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and is calculated by accumulating many years of data. Zones are used by gardeners to help determine which plants will most likely thrive in their area. “The maps are based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10 degree-F Zones”. There are 13 Zones, the coldest being Zone 1 and the warmest is Zone 13.

In Santa Fe, we used to be in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5 but now Santa Fe is in Zone 6b (-5 to 0°F). The reason our Zone has been changed according to the USDA is because it has better models to follow with more information gathered throughout the years- not necessarily because it’s getting warmer (although I do believe that too). Some areas in our county could be Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F) if they are closer to the mountainous areas. If you are not sure what zone you live in (where ever you live) go to the USDA plant hardiness site and type in your zip code and it will tell you what zone you are in-it’s as simple as that. So when you go to a nursery and the plant tag says zone 7-forget about it—it won’t survive our winters but any tag with Zone 6 or lower number should survive.

The average first frost free date is the date that we can safely put plants outside in our gardens. Notice I said average because some years we are colder and some years warmer. You’ll just have to watch the weather closely in spring for deciding if you want to try to sneak them out earlier in your area if spring appears to be a warm one. In Santa Fe our first average frost free date is May 15. So plant away outside after May 15, unless you hear we are getting a hard freeze! Of course if you are starting them in a hoophouse or greenhouse, you can start seedlings much earlier.

Now, once you know your planting zone and first frost free date, you can use the many tools available on the web for calculating all kinds of things from seed starting to succession planting to harvest times. Many seed companies have web tools to help you calculate the dates. In my next post I will show one such tool I use.

Why start vegetable seeds inside?

transplanted tomatoes

Why would any of us bother to start seeds when we can go to nurseries to buy the plants. Well, I do both. I can only speak for myself but I have grown all kinds of unusual vegetables that I couldn’t find at the nursery and I like to try something new and different every year. Besides being ‘The Tomato Lady’ here at the Santa Farmers Market, I really like to try some new heirloom tomatoes every year along with my tried and true varieties. Every year some new variety gets on my ‘all-star’ list at the end of the season while others don’t make the cut. In fact in some years, many don’t make the cut-I’m picky as hell about my tomatoes. If I don’t like them I don’t grow them again. Luckily, I like many tomatoes but they’ve got to taste good!

Some of the unusual varieties I have tried and loved eating are Atomic Red carrots, Cosmic Purple carrots, Craupadine Beets, Tarabais beans, Rattlesnake beans, Emerite beans, Fava beans, Parisian cucumbers, Poona Kheera cucumbers, and about 25 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes (too many to mention). None of these are sold as plant starts in the nurseries but you can buy some of the seeds at the nurseries and some seeds you have to order online.