A bit of this and a bit of that ~ Tasty tidbits from the garden

We were supposed to be traveling all summer but our plans were changed for various reasons.

Considering everything that didn't happen in the garden this year, it's pleasing to see and enjoy what is happening. 

The bush beans have produced enough for a nice side dish and another little picking will be ready in a few days, the yard long beans are still climbing the trellis and there are a few little blooms coming on.

The Oregon Sugar Pod peas have produced two nice pickings with a third coming on in spite of the temperatures reaching the triple digits. In fact there is new growth coming on at the bottom of many plants and there could be more peas for the pot in our future! 

The radishes bolted right away, however the bees are enjoying the blooms, the Swiss Chard is also bolting but it's still quite tasty.

The beets and carrots are vying for room as a rogue squash is taking over the raised beds! Oh, and a huge potato plant that grew from the purple potatoes that were planted last year and didn't produce any potatoes... well I guess they did but we didn't find them!

The garlic is ready to harvest if we get out early enough to dig before the heat hits again as it is supposed to hit over 100 degrees F again tomorrow.

All in all, just enough veggies for the two of us to enjoy fresh from the garden to the table. What more can one ask for from the unkempt garden? It's perfect for us this year.

Blue Lake Bush Beans and Oregon Sugar Pod Peas growing in containers

Oregon Grape - State flower and great for Jelly!

I try to learn about new food sources as often as possible. I knew that Oregon Grape was used to make dye, but had not pursued it's other uses such as a food source (Jelly). The berries are not yet ripe here but should be ready in early fall.

Here is a link to one of the jelly recipes I've found. https://agardenerstable.com/2010/08/26/the-oregon-grape/

Oregon Grape in bloom

Oregon Grape fruit

Watch out for those spiky holly like leaves! They hurt!

Hardy (edible) Ginger varieties for temperate climates

Edible gingers for temperate climates

The three edible hardy gingers that popped up as I was searching were: mioga ginger (Zingiber mioga), with edible shoots and roots; butterfly ginger (Hedychium coronarium), with beautiful edible flowers; and zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria), a species of which almost every part is used as a spice.

1. Mioga ginger (Zingiber mioga) has edible shoots, leaves, flower spikes, and rhizomes. This is the winner at -10F/-23C (USDA zone 6).

2. Butterfly ginger (Hedychium coronarium) has edible flowers (infuse fragrance and flavor into tea), and the  rhizomes have some medicinal value. This one you will need to take up for the winter (USDA zone 7-10).

3. Zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria) is grown for starch, extracted from the roots. The spicy shoots, flower spikes, and leaves are also used. Hardy to 5F/-15C (USDA zone 7).

In my zone (5-6) none of these will be completely hardy but well worth the time and effort to lift and store them over winter along with the turmeric and true ginger (Zingiber officinale). I am currently trying to grow turmeric and true ginger. So far none of the turmeric are growing; they seem to be dormant and only two of the 10, true ginger are putting out shoots.

4. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) can handle 5F/-15C (USDA zone 7). The rhizomes make a great tea and are wonderful shredded into stir-fry's or cooked with rice. There are many other uses for this versatile plant!

5. True ginger (Zingiber officinale) is the most important member of the family, with edible rhizomes and shoots. Surprisingly, ginger can handle 15F/-9C (USDA zone 8).

Honeyberry - member of the Honeysuckle family

Honeyberry

(Lonicera caerula ssp)
Can hardly wait to see how they do next spring! Only got a couple of berries this spring but they were so good!

Description and site preference
Type and size – bush, variable shapes from low-spreading to 2-5 feet upright
Hardiness zone – 2-7
Exposure – full sun
Soil – all but very wet, pH 5.0 to 7.0
Drainage – moderate to well-drained

Some days I just sit and remember

Early morning coffee, outside, birds singing, the smell of rich earth & new mown hay, the sun warming the earth ~ all take me to other times and other places. May your day be blessed with a rich harvest of family, good friends, good food and abundance.

Blueberries ~ Gotta love em!

A few years ago I bought some large blueberry plants and then didn't get a spot opened up to plant them. They did ok in the pots for a couple of years, then I planted in their forever home and they promptly went to heck! One died and the other two are just struggling along. So here I am years later and have finally did what I should have done in the first place, reading about they care and feeding of blueberries! Yes, sometimes I am a slow learner at times.

Last year, realizing that the two struggling blueberries would either be too large for the spot they are in or finally die, I bought a bush variety, Northsky, that can live in pots. They were planted in a combination of potting soil, peat moss and steer manure (sterilized) and did very well last summer.

Northsky Blueberry "Vaccinium"

Half-High Blueberry fruiting mid-season.

Full Description

Northsky is the most cold-hardy of all blueberries and can survive extreme winter conditions. The compact bushes that carry a snow load without damage to the branches.Lower growing plant habit is particularly well suited for container growing, borders or group plantings. The bush grows 2-3 feet wide and begins spring completely covered in snow-white blooms. Fruits are small is size but with fresh wild flavor. 

Zone 

 

3-7

Sun 

 

Full Sun

Height 

 

12-24 inches

       Spread 

 

24-36 inches

     

•      Do not fertilize newly planted bushes until they have leafed out. Work a fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants (10-10-10 or Osmocoat controlled release) into the top 3 inches of soil around each plant. Apply again 4-6 weeks later. After the first year, fertilize in spring as new growth begins, and again 4-6 weeks later. Apply fertilizer to the soil beneath each bush, keeping it 5-6 inches away from the main stem.
•      Do not water as frequently after early September unless the soil is very dry.
•      Mulch after the ground freezes in fall to prevent root damage from alternating freezing and thawing.
•      Mulch with 2-3 inches of compost of pine needles to retain moisture and prohibit weed growth.

Northsky Blueberry 

Paw Paw and Figs!! In NE Oregon?

Paw Paw:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba 

Paw Paw fruit

The largest edible fruit native to the Eastern United States and Canada and grows wild in twenty-six states. It belongs to the genus Asimina in the same plant family (the Annonaceae) as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop.  The Paw Paw is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada, producing a large, yellowish-green to brown fruit and is a patch-forming (clonal) understory tree found in well-drained, deep, fertile bottom-land and hilly upland habitat, with large, simple leaves. They are commonly eaten raw, but also make excellent ice cream and baked desserts, fruits have a sweet, custardish flavor somewhat similar to banana, mango, and cantaloupe. 

Chicago Fig:
https://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/fig-trees/chicago-hardy-fig

Also called bensonhurst purple fig

Chicago Hardy Fig

Productive and easy to grow. Bears delicious medium-size figs. Exhibits drought-tolerance once established. May die back in colder climates and resume growth in spring. Bears fruit early on new growth. Fruit produced on the older wood will appear in early summer and fruit on new growth will appear in early fall. Ripe fruit has a dark mahogany color. Originates from Sicily. Grows well in containers! Heat-tolerant. Ripens in July through frost. Self-pollinating. When mature, this tree will be approximately 15 - 30’ tall x 15 - 35’ wide, if not containered and pruned.

Characteristics

Fruit Color	Purple
Fruit Size	Medium
Pollination	Self-pollinating
Ripens/Harvest	July Through Frost
Shade/Sun	Partial Shade - Full Sun
Soil Composition	Loamy

Soil Moisture	Well Drained
Soil pH Level	6.0 - 6.5
Taste	Sweet
Texture	Fine Grained
Years to Bear	1 - 2
Zone Range	5 - 10