Yesterday's Harvest

Edible and Ecological Landscaping

I attended a class today at my local library and the terms edible and ecological were mixed throughout the lecture, and I couldn't help but marvel at the importance of the two concepts. I live in an arid climate and I have no intention of having an all native landscape, but perhaps I can combine a little of the art of horticulture to create an ecologically sound and edible landscape. With the cost of fuel rising and the ever-present reminder of the limited resources of our planet, I am striving to make decisions that limit my impact on the Earth.The Day-Riverside Library has an Eco-garden that is tended by the folks from TreeUtah. The garden is pesticide free, striving to achieve the goal of being edible as well as ecological.

The first two pictures are of a hazelnut bush.

Rosehips are full of vitamin C and my three-year-old loves them.

Elderberry

Release the Ladybugs!

I was actually excited to see the currant bush covered in aphids; these tiny green bugs were the perfect excuse to buy the $9.99 bag of ladybugs.

The kids were ecstatic!

Freedom!

Kind of reminds me of the nursery rhyme:

Ladybug, ladybug fly away home

Your house is on fire and your children are home

All except one, and that's little Ann

For she has crept under the warming pan.

Well, I have no intentions of burning down the garden, so the ladybugs don't need to worry here.

Feast!

Did you know that it is a myth that the number of spots on a ladybug indicates the bugs age? Anyway,if you are interested, I purchased these bug at Millcreek Gardens in Holladay and supposedly one lady bug can eat up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime!

The June Bloomers

Delicate looking geranium flowers . While these petite flowers may look delicate, geraniums are pretty tough perennials.

Of course, all the annuals, like this ageratum, are happily blooming.




The horse chestnut is beautiful.

Wisteria at Red Butte Gardens

All the columbine is still going strong.

Lambs Ears (Stachys byzantina) with Catmint (Nepeta)

Crab Apples

These are the real crab apples with the golf ball sized fruit that rot on the walkaway and make a terrible mess. Are these trees worth all the maintenance? Right now have to say yes!

Edible Plants-Basil

An annual herb in the mint family, basil is a must grow for any gardener. Basil loves warmth and is frost sensitive. If you want to harvest the leaves around the time the tomatoes ripen, direct sow seeds two weeks after the last frost. If you are going for dry basil leaves, make sure to harvest before the the appearance of flowers. The flowers can be harvested to make basil tea. I can't wait for the mozzarella, tomato, basil sandwiches, how about you?

The Garden is a Growing

Aquilegia from the native plant giveaway. This 3-foot columbine started out last Spring as a tiny seedling. Way to grow!

Gooseberry Bush and Peas
Yummy Salad Greens



Not fully opened Aquilegia


More Peas!



Chives and Thyme

Ikea Pots and Mother's Day Plantings

On a recent visit to Ikea, I spotted these metal, blue planters and had to purchase them for my back cement slab, or more lovingly referred to as the back patio. Most of Ikea's planters, however, do not have drainage holes so I recruited my trusty husband and his drill to make my containers more plant friendly.

I decided to add some rock to help with the whole drainage situation.

Here are my extra tomato seedlings from the greenhouse. I obviously sowed too many seeds; this flat represents my bounty after I transplanted around thirty seedlings in 4 1/2" pots. A rule of thumb is to transplant flats of germinated seeds after their first true leaves appear. The first leaves you will notice on a germinating seedling are referred to as the cotyledons while the next set of leaves are known as the true leaves.

Received some Thai Basil for Mother's Day. I love this stuff because it is so easy to grow and the bees love it!

I also planted some lemon thyme, chives, and greek oregano with a little Riesentraube(cherry tomato) in the center.

April in the Garden

Anemone pulsatilla also known as Pulsatilla vulgaris

Chickens Attack!

I planted my radish, pea and lettuce seeds around March 15th. I kept them covered on the really snowy, cold days and they germinated and already had their true leaves when the chicken flew the coop and scratched up all my lovely plant babies. Chickens!

Vegetable Garden Planting Chart for Salt Lake City

Here's a quick reference of when to plant (based on the extension planting guide):

Hardy Vegetables--Plant between March 15th and May 1st
Broccoli,Cabbage,Kohlrabi, Peas(through May 15th),Radish, Spinach, Turnip


Semi-Hardy (Plant 2 weeks after planting hardy vegetables) March 20th-May 1st
Salsify, Lettuce, Endive

Tender-Around May 5th
Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant


Very Tender--May 20 to June 10
Tomato, Watermelon, Pepper, Lima Bean

Fall Harvest--July 1 to August 1
Lettuce, Spinach,Kale

Seed List

I ordered my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company on Sunday and received them Thursday. What a treat, not only is the Seed Company's catalogue beautiful, but so are the seed packets. Here is my seed list:

Tomatoes

Riesentraube--an old German heirloom meaning "Giant bunch of Grapes"

Pineapple--very large, up to 2 lbs each. The yellow fruit has red marbling through the flesh with a sweet and fruity flavor.

Black from Tula--a rich, deep purplish brown tomato with a rich, sweet and spicy flavor.

Pink Brandywine--large fruit with superb flavor, a potato-leafed variety from 1885.

Peppers

Golden Cal Wonder
Red Mini Bell

Lettuce Mixes
European Muclun Salad
Rocky Top Mix

Radicchio
Casrelfranco "Libra"

Carrots
Parisienne-Small round carrots, that are fairly uniform

Cucumbers
Mexican Sour Gherkin--small cucumber-like fruit are shaped like baby watermelons

Melon
Minnesota Midget

Since it is so Cold and Dreary...

I thought I would explore the world of house plants to remind myself that green, happy plants do exist in the middle of January.

Here is the beautiful Croton.

Pleomele reflexa 'Song of India' does best in bright, indirect sunlight. Drench soil and let it dry out slightly between waterings. Fertilize once a year.

Another Dracena, this one is known as Dracena 'Art'/'Carmen'

Dracena compact does well in lower light conditions.

Gardening Goals for 2011

My back yard is a disaster with very little going for it. A dilapidated detached garage, a 60 year-old walnut tree that shades everything and drops debris like mad, a crazy, half-built chicken coop and,well, I think I made my point. Oh, I forgot the trampoline.
My goal this year is to get my yard looking decent and in the process grow some yummy food for my family. So here are my goals in no particular order;

1. Build a pole bean tepee like the one picture here:

The tepee also serves as a hideout for the little ones. Not sure where I'm going to put the hideout yet, but I want to grow one of these!

2. Build 6 raised beds.

3. Start cool season crops on time by using hoops. Traditional radishes take 25 days from seed to harvest so I have no excuse but to get these babies planted and harvested!

4. Follow with the warm season crops. I plan to get my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. This company has the most beautiful seed catalogue ever. You've got to order one.

5. Finish the chicken coop by building a living roof and planting grapes along the south side of the run. Here is an example:

Not exactly what I plan, but it is cute.

And here is what I wish the coop would look like when I am done.

This gardening/homesteading adventure, however, is an undertaking with extremely limited funds so I will be grateful for my coop made from scavenged, I mean recycled, materials.

6. Have a killer compost pile.

7. Install at least one rain barrel.

8. Plant at least one fruit tree ( two, if I need a pollinator).

The yard needs much more work than the above goals cover, but I think this will be a good start for my time and money constrained gardening budget. Wish me luck and happy gardening in 2011!