The Little Marvel Peas are ready to pick (almost too ready!)

Just 11 days after taking pictures of the first little pods beginning to form, we have peas ready to pick! The sweet potato vines are flourishing and the sunchokes are looking very healthy. I bought the sunchoke tubers (Jerusalem artichoke) at a local grocery store and sprouted them in pots. They are very invasive so were left in a pot to grow, time will tell on how well they did.

The sunchoke (Helianthus Tuberosus) is a native of North America and is related to the sunflower. They are known to have been cultivated by Native Americans before the arrival of European settlers. It is a high quality edible tuber with a nutty, somewhat sweet flavor, many cooks enjoy adding bits of the crunchy, raw vegetable to salads or salsas, while others prefer them roasted or mashed. That being said, I haven’t tried them and will let you know what I thought of them.

Little Marvel bush peas, ready for harvest

Sunchokes

The Garden Trial of Heirloom Seeds

Many of you may have wondered why I placed so much importance to certain varieties of seeds that were planted, the reason was that I had purchased a sealed can of seed several years ago and wanted to see how they had held up. Of the first 3 varieties planted; Bloomsdale Long Spinach (Heirloom), Buttercrunch lettuce, and Eclipse onion I am happy to report that there was about a 95% germination.

I went on to plant peas and squash (also from the can) that germinated very well. I am very happy with the results and there are many more seeds to test for next year!

We enjoyed the lettuce and spinach but the onions didn't do well where they were planted. My fault! They (the Eclipse onions) will get a better spot next year.

Bloomsdale Long Spinach (Heirloom variety)

Little Marvel bush peas

Little Marvel bush peas

Sweet Potato slips and container growing

Sweet potatoes seem to like forming slips (sprouts) at my house. I set them on the counter and if they don't get eaten right away, they tend to send out a few slips. Until this year I hadn't gotten serious about trying to actually grow any for a harvest. I cut 6 slips from the most recent sweet potato and potted them in a mix of soil, sand and soil, then set the container in the window. We had snow today so won't be setting these out in the unheated greenhouse! We'll see how planting in containers works out.

I've seen many other gardeners starting the slips by putting the sweet potatoes in water so they will sprout and root. My luck trying to root them that way has never worked well, for me.

Compost, sand and potting mix or potting mix, packaged steer manure and peat moss are a couple of the suggestions for growing in pots. It is also suggested, by some folks who grow in containers, to trellis the vines for maximum sun and to mulch with a layer of straw.

There is some confusion regarding sweet potatoes and yams. What we get in the US, are usual light skinned with white flesh or the darker skinned with orange flesh. Now both of these are sweet potatoes but the stores have us all confused by calling the darker ones yams, which they are not! Sweet potatoes are not a type of yam nor is the yam a type of sweet potato... two totally different plants/roots. Yams are natives of Africa and Asia and are related to lilies.

The difference in the two types of sweet potatoes are:
     1. Firm sweet potato (light skinned with white flesh) - remain firm and a little waxy when cooked
     2. Soft sweet potato (darker skinned with orange flesh) - becomes creamy, fluffy and moist when cooked

Sweet potato starts

The First Seeds have been planted!

Today is the day! Started the first seeds of the season. Below are the varieties and a description from the seed catalog. We’ll see how they do and get back to you.

Bloomsdale Long Spinach (Heirloom): An old standard. It’s a large, spreading spinach has dark green, savoyed curled leaves. The yield is good, and it is slow to bolt. For first crop, sow in spring. Plant again in late summer. In mild winter areas, fall planting’s yield in early spring. Days To Maturity 40-48 days Sun Full Sun, Part Sun
Spread 4 inches
Height 10-12 inches
Sow Direct Sow/Indoor Sow
Planting Time Fall, Spring

Eclipse Onion (Open Pollinated): The Eclipse onion’s sweet, mild white flesh complements the flavors of other ingredients. When sauteed to a dark brown shade, Eclipse onions bring out a sweet and sour flavor in other foods. A short-day onion that can be grown in long-day areas to produce mini or pearl onions.
Short Day, White Onion; Medium bulb
80+ Days to Harvest
Prefers full sun exposure

Buttercrunch Lettuce: All-America Selections winner. Extremely popular lettuce with luscious, buttery texture. This extremely popular lettuce has a luscious, buttery texture. The soft heads are creamy yellow inside and have some heat resistance. Best in cooler regions. Plant early in spring and repeat every 2 weeks into fall. Protect from heat with shade cloth. Likes fertile soil, ample water. Best when picked minutes before your meal. Space lettuce plants 8” apart.

Moss, it's lovely but not in the lawn

In the last few years the moss has encroached into the lawn. While moss is pretty, it really doesn’t look very good once the dry, hot weather begins and dries it out. Here is what can cause conditions for the moss to thrive and the solution for ridding moss from areas it’s not wanted.

Moss grows where grass cannot survive, such as nutrient poor soil, soil with high acidity, soil that is compacted or drains poorly or where there is excessive shade or thatch accumulation. Sulphate of iron, also known as iron sulphate or ferrous sulphate, applied in winter or early spring kills moss.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-moss-organic-iron-sulfate-25334.html

Blankets of moss may entice many to slip off their shoes and let their toes luxuriate in the velvety cushion provide by these lush, green byrophytes. Moss is commonly considered a beautiful addition to landscapes and is often introduced when growing conditions are unfavorable for grass. If patches of moss spring up in your lawn, however, it may indicate that the lawn is too moist, dark and lacking in nutrients. You can use organic iron sulphate to kill moss in grass, but you must also address the environmental concerns to prevent moss from recurring.

1

Mix 5 ounces of organic iron sulphate with 4 gallons of water for every 1,000 square feet of lawn to be treated. Add the organic iron sulphate solution to a garden sprayer.

2

Spray the organic iron sulphate mixture to saturate the entire lawn. Concentrate specifically on areas with existing moss, but spray the entire lawn to prevent future moss growth in all areas of the lawn.     Do not water the lawn after applying the iron sulphate treatment.

3

Allow the iron sulphate solution to work on killing the moss for several days. The moss will dry out and turn brown.

4

Rake the dead moss patches out of the lawn or pick them out by hand.

5

Spread 5 to 10 pounds of ground limestone per 1,000 square feet of lawn to neutralize the effects of the iron sulfate. A lawn spreader works well for treating large lawns, but you can simply dust the lawn with a cup of lime to treat small sections of lawn.

6

Add finished organic compost to the lawn to restore nutrients to the soil. Grass grows better in nutrient-rich soil. When soil lacks nutrients and grass growth is stunted, moss may easily take over the lawn.

7

Reseed any bare portions of the lawn with new grass seed. Over seeding the lawn promotes thick coverage, which helps to crowd out any future moss growth.

8

Trim large branches or remove other objects that create excess shade on the lawn. Shaded lawns dry out slowly. If you don't decrease the shade, conditions are still suitable for moss growth.

Things You Will Need

•      Garden sprayer
•      Garden rake
•      Ground limestone
•      Organic compost
•      Grass seed

Tip

•      While iron sulfate acts as a desiccant to dry out moss, it actually provides elements needed for turfgrass growth.

Keeping Deer & other Critters out of the Garden

It’s spring and many of us are getting ready or all ready working in our gardens. However, the deer, rabbits and other critters are enjoying our gardens as well! Here is the link to a product that may be just what you need to repel those critters without resorting to violence!

http://www.deerdefeat.com/frequently%20asked%20questions.htm

Country Roads

What a winter we've had!! This winter reminds me of the winters we use to have with lots of snow and very cold weather. Both beautiful and hazardous with the drifts and slick roads. The weather has kept us indoors much of the winter so the first nice day we hopped in the car and took a drive and enjoyed the beauty of the snow!

City Elk

 

This picture was taken yesterday, just down the road from our house! There were about 50 head of elk!  We saw them on our way to the shopping center and went back to the house to get the camera!  There is so much snow in the mountains that the elk, dear and pronghorn antelope are coming down into the fields to find food.

Magpies ~ Opportunists

 With all of the snow and frigid temperatures the feeders have been very busy! It always surprises us when the magpies show up just minutes after my husband puts out the peanuts and grubs. They seemingly know... or smell... or just do a fly by to see if the food is out yet. The suet feeder is out of their reach but they will sit under it while the other birds and squirrels are feasting so they can clean up any pieces that drop.