Tomatoes II

Tomatoes and dates of first harvest (they were all planted the same day around early/mid March)

 

The tomatoes I grew this year - my favorites are the Chocolate Sprinkles and the Pink Berkeley. The Inca Jewels always ran mealy for me (though were great for Roberta), and the others just weren't agressively flavored enough for me (I really like the robust complex tomato flavors).  The Berkeley is great as a sliced tomato on sandwiches.  All were grown from seed by yours truly, except for the Chocolate Sprinkles which I bought from Home Depot on like 3/3 with Roberta because we HAD to go get tomatoes since the Sunshine Community Garden Sale was canceled on account of COVID.  I've been keeping track of the number of tomatoes harvested which will be announced at the end of the season in the season roundup post.  Since I grew most of these from seed, it's a little surprising to me just how many of them are bicolored (all of them except the Inca Jewels).  I did not think I had a thing for 1) buying tomato seeds since I NEVER grow tomatoes from seed and 2) stripey tomatoes; and yet, these were the oldest tomato seeds I had - I still have some Black Krim and Japanese Trifele tomato seeds that I didn't even plant (at least I *think* I have Black Krim seeds - I *know* I have trifele seeds because they were gifted to me the same year I said that I was not impressed with the Trifele tomatoes - which is, oddly, another tomato that Roberta loved that I didn't - Apparently, we're like Jack Sprat and his wife.)

Behold, my plants

 

So very green.

Tomatoes

I gotta get this down before I forget - the types, not the story. Duh.  [edited to add tomato descriptions 5/23]

So every spring, Roberta and I go to the Sunshine Community Garden plant sale to get way more tomato plants than either of us could ever need. The first year we went, Roberta was having some bad back pain and I drove over like a gazillion speed bumps looking for a place to park. I opted to drive as fast as I could and just give a "sorry" every time it happened. Another year Roberta bought like 50 plants; it was ludicrous. We've gone when it's been freezing, we've gone when it's been hot, we've even gone when it's been raining. It is tradition that we go. I mean we just HAVE to.

But I digress.

The plant sale is held the first weekend in March, and thus 2020 was the last time we went as it was announced somewhat surprisingly early (like fall) that the sale would not be happening in 2021. I'm not sure why it was called so early (it could have something to do with the company that grew all the plants closed down in 2020). So I knew by probably around Thanksgiving that we were going to have a problem with finding tomato seedlings. And thus, this is how, on Christmas I decided I would give growing tomatoes from seed a go.  I was only ever successful one year prior, and even then, I had done it as an experiment during the summer and then gave the seedlings to a teacher in my neighborhood who used them for her class garden.

But, I pulled out all my seed starting stuff and set up the grow light and started like 5 different kinds and said "welp...let's see how this goes."

It went crazy good - by mid January I was already setting the seedlings outside during the day and bringing them in at night and then of course had to start all over again with hardening off after The Big Freeze. And on the first weekend of March, I drove all the plants down to Roberta's house and was like "happy plant day!"

Then I went home and planted the ones I kept for myself in the garden (on somewheres around March 14 - I have pictures of the yard and I clearly didn't have them in on March 7, but did by the 14).  [ETA 5/22 - Also - apparently I have a thing for buying seeds for stripey tomatoes - I don't know why - it's not like I normally am drawn to them (the black ones, sure, the stripey ones? not so much)]

Tigerella - 60 days - English Heirloom. These unique fruits are noted for their stripes, hence the name. When immature they are a light green with dark green stripes. When mature the stripes alternate between red and a yellow orange. Two inch fruit have a very tangy flavor, yields are very heavy, and quite early.

Blueberries -75 days - A dark bi-colored purple and red cherry variety with a rich, sweet flavor. This purple leafed plant will add a unique touch to the garden. Disease resistant and can grow up to 6′ tall. Perfect for fresh eating, salsas, and salads.

Berkeley Pink Tye-Die - 70 days - Compact plants produce beautiful 8-12 ounce fruit with a very sweet, rich, dark tomato flavor. 10 out of 10 people liked the port wine colored beefsteak with metallic green stripes better than Cherokee Purple in a farmers market taste off.

Black Vernissage - 75 Days - This 2 to 3 ounce saladette variety is very good for fresh eating, salads, drying or making sauces. Healthy, highly adaptable and very productive over a long season. Deep mahogany, striped with green. Like most black tomatoes, the flavor is pleasingly rich, especially tasty in sauces.
Indeterminate

Inca Jewels - 75 days - These delicious “Roma” style container tomatoes are bred for extra-heavy yields on space-saving 3 ft. plants. Ideal to grow in large pots or in smaller garden spaces. You’ll have an abundance of plump fruits bursting with juicy flavor, delicious right from the garden or made into rich, thick, homemade sauce. Perfect to eat fresh; make sauce or grill; to put up in jars; or just freeze the tomatoes whole in bags to defrost and make sauce as needed at a later date.

And a store bought "chocolate cherry" from Home Depot.

Chocolate Sprinkles - 55 days - This cherry tomato has it all: good looks, great flavor, heavy yields, and disease resistance. Bite-sized, cherry-type fruits are beautifully colored — red striped with dark green — that explode with rich, robust flavor. This highly productive plant forms its fruit in clusters, and starts bearing early in the season. Support Chocolate Sprinkles Tomato with stakes or sturdy cage at planting time.

I also had started a few habaneros and a scotch bonnet (though I think the scotch bonnet has since disappeared).  I've since started a few cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins - the melon and pumpkin seeds were a decade old and most did not germinate, though the pumpkin seeds did (which was very surprising since they were 11 years old). So now it's all wait and see for what actually produces.  The tomatoes all have at least a few on the plants so I'm hopeful those will at least do well.  I still have a basil seedlings and a ground cherry seedling that I need to plant (once the baby blue eyes can be ripped out)

How it started (3/14/21)

How it's going (5/6/21).

2017 Sunshine Community Garden Plant Sale

The annual plant sale was huge this year, and they still had plenty of plants - the volunteers were on their game today and removed plant signs as soon as they were gone so I didn't really even notice if they were out of varieties.  Of course, I also tend not to plan when I go to the sale (except for how many plants I'm going to get).

This year, I pre-determined that I should only get 3 or 4 plants since I grew peppers, basil, and tomatoes from seed.  Roberta also stuck to her guns and only got 6 tomatoes.  Of course, having it be cold and rainy may have helped with this.  The tomatoes I got this year were all recommended tomatoes in the book, Epic Tomatoes.

Purchased:

Black from Tula - Heirloom - Deep, reddish-brown Russian beefsteak. Smooth skin, fairly heat-tolerant, can be a good producer. Delicious slightly sweet fruit, 8-12oz. Indeterminate. 78 days.

Coyote - Cherry - A yellow jewel-like cherry, that bears 6 to 8 on a branch. Very flavorful. Indeterminate. 75 days.

Nepal - Heirloom - 10-12 oz., medium-large, globe-shaped, bright red fruits are rather soft but meaty with excellent flavor. Plenty of old-fashioned tomato flavor. Indeterminate. 78 days.

Rosella Purple - Container - Dwarf, good for containers. Similar to Cherokee Purple for great flavor and 6-10 oz. deep-purple fruits. Determinate. 65 days.

Grown:
Black Krim - Heirloom - Flattened 4-5" globes with dark greenish-black shoulders. Likes hot weather. Rich complex flavor, sweet-tasting fruit. Indeterminate. 75 – 90 days.

Cayenne - 75 days. Concentrated set of wrinkled, very pungent fruit, 6X1/4 inches. For sauces and drying.

Pasilla Bajio - 75-80 days. Good yields of 8-10 inch long fruit that are mildly hot and turn from green to dark brown when mature. Used to make smoky flavored sauces.

Cabbage Worms

 

Eggs

What they turn into.

As far as I can tell, they're a cabbage worm.  I've just been checking the leaves, scraping of the eggs and picking off the worms, though I'm sure I could use Bt.

Starting My Own Seeds

For Christmas, my sister got me a seed delivery service. Basically they send me 5 seed packs every month.  And I have access to a website which provides tips and tricks and what have you.  Supposedly the seeds are sent at the time when you're supposed to plant them, but I question it since they sent some summer direct-sow seeds in the winter and some winter seeds this month, but whatever - they'll keep in the fridge until the right season.

First, I had to go buy myself some little seed starter setups - I could have probably used 4" pots, but I could get more variety by using the little Jiffy Pellets.  Be sure to somehow label your seeds you start so you don't go all forgetting what you planted.

See packets from Grow Journey, Jiffy Pellets, a Sharpie for writing, and Masking Tape for Labelling.

After getting my little seeds planted, I finally went and got myself the stuff to start my plant grow light.  I bought the stuff and came home to plug it all in before realizing that the lamp I bought was meant to be hardwired, not a plug in version.  So after doing some research (and some fast and furious texting to a coworker whose dad is an electrician), I managed to figure out what to do to convert it into a plug-in light.  As I was banging away in the bedroom (trying to break out a round piece for the plug I used - an old computer monitor cord), Shawn came in and was like "oh dear lord you're going to electrocute yourself." So he took over and finished the wiring.

Then came the fun part of trying to figure out the best way to hang the light from my shelf; the answer: Paper Clips - I had the wires, I just needed a way to raise and lower the light.  I actually figured out that using books under the plants was better because it allowed for each plant grouping to be moved closer or further from the light.

Tomato seedlings starting to grow.

After the ceremonial plugging in of the light, Shawn looked at me and (quite dejectedly) said, "well, great, we've just joined the legions of pot growers out there and are now paying money to grow plants when there's this thing called a sun."

After a few weeks, the seedlings were big enough, and it was warm enough that I moved them outside. So, in the end, I only used the light for a few weeks. But of course, I had to move them in during inclement weather.

Tomato seedlings, Spruce Campbell (my spruce tree seedling), and my home made ginger & cranberry infused vodka in lemonade.

After a few more weeks out in the sunshine, I transplanted the seedlings into 4" pots, and then a week or so later (3/26), planted them in the garden.  Naturally, growing 24 plants is WAY more than I have space for in my garden (especially when I also went to the Sunshine Community Garden Sale with Roberta and got 3 tomatoes and 2 peppers), so I took a lot of the seedlings to work - I got rid of 4 of them before even getting to my floor; and while I thought that I would end up with some extras at the end of the day, they all found good homes.

Now to just get some eggplants, peppers and tomatoes this year...

Winter Harvest Veg

My "Graffiti" Cauliflower.  It's 'falling apart' - this is mostly because I never pick them when I'm supposed to because I hold out hope that they'll get bigger.

"Graffiti" Cauliflower with "Pacman" and "Marathon" Broccoli.  All chopped and ready to be added to the Mac n Cheeses

Added to the pot of water in the last 3 minutes of boiling the macaroni.  Drain, add your cheese and voila! Dinner!

Mother Nature

So Mother Nature has decided that we weren't to have any freezes here in north Austin until late in the year - like I don't remember going quite this long before getting a freeze.  We may hit freezing tonight (predicted low of 34), and we'll likely get a brief freeze tomorrow as well (predicted low of 33).  And of course it's coming in with some rain which means that the sheets I put out are soaking wet and the Christmas lights on the plants keep tripping the CFGI on the outlet. 

Now you may be asking WHY I have Christmas lights on the plants - and I really only have Christmas lights on 2 plants - the tomato plant and the mum plant that has a queen chrysalis on it.  To be fair, the added heat isn't for the mum. 

This is the latest I've ever had a tomato plant; and it is loaded with green tomatoes. I may end up having to make Jenny's famous Green Tomato Chutney (which is very good); but I was so hoping to get some ripened tomatoes.  I just wish I had paid more attention to when the plant was flowering because then I'd have a better idea of when I should be expecting the tomatoes.  I feel like it was in early October because I was expecting them to be ready around Christmas-time...

Fall Planting & Homemade Ollas

I finally got around to planting my fall garden last weekend.  Part of the reason it took so long was because of all the rain (over 10" at my house over the last 2 weeks).  The other reason was that I had decided to make some homemade Ollas.  I'm not sure if they'll work, or how well, but I figured that it was like $10 for two of them so it's not a big deal if it doesn't work.

I made mine thusly:

Step 1: purchase an unglazed terracotta pot with a saucer that fits the top.  Also get yourself some permanent craft glue.  The directions I followed actually recommended using permanent craft glue and then sealing around the seams with caulk.  I opted to skip the caulking part and only used the E6000; so again, I don't know if it will work or for how long, but yay! EXPERIMENT!

Step 2: Follow craft glue directions to glue the saucer to the pot.  In the case of E6000, you're to put a thin layer on each piece, let them sit for 2-5 minutes and then press together.

Step 3: After pressing the pieces together, I added a bead around the outside  and then let them sit for a few days.

Then came this last weekend - I pulled out the spring veggies (it was tough - especially since both the tomato and habanero were alive; but neither had any flowers and it's really too late in the season to have expected them to produce anything before the freezes), and buried the ollas in the garden - one in each bed, and then planted the fall veggies around.

I left the herbs in place and I had already planted the Inchellium garlic so I really only needed to transplant the starts I had purchased at Red Barn a few weeks ago.  This year I'm growing the aforementioned Inchelium Garlic, Garlic Chives, Oregano, "Bouquet" Dill, "Bronze" Fennel, "Snow Crown" Cauliflower, "Pacman" Broccoli, "Black Magic" Kale, "Dragon Tongue" Mustard, "Graffiti" Cauliflower, "Romanesco" Broccoli, and "Southern Comet" Broccoli.

Taking cuttings of Tomatoes

In Austin, we actually have two short growing seasons for tomatoes and not one long one.  There is always a period of time when the tomatoes will not set fruit - that time is when night time temperatures are above 74 degrees and day time temperatures are above 95 (or so).  There are some varieties, especially cherry tomato, that will set fruit during the hotter times of the summer, but for most it's a time to either let them die, or cut them back and nurse them through the heat hoping they'll produce in the fall.

But I like tomatoes (despite not eating them raw unless they're in salsa), and so I always want them in the garden, but I don't necessarily like nursing them along.  But I'm also cheap so I won't buy any new plants, nor will I start seed.  So what is one to do?  Take cuttings of course!

Tomato plants are actually vines and they will root along the vine where it touches ground.  You could just let your tomato plants flop all over the place (which is apparently what my grandma used to do), or you can stake them to take up less space (which is what most people do - I guess that's the difference between living on a farm and not).  Occasionally, especially during wetter weather, you'll see bumps along the stem - these bumps are not some weird Tomato STD, but are actually little aborted root nodules - when you see these, your tomato is trying to root. 

If you want any other proof that tomatoes are vines that root easily, my friend accidentally decapitated a tomato plant as she was planting it in the garden - she, being an engineer and up for a grand science experiment, planted both the bottom half (with roots and a few leaves) and the top half (the growing tip) in the garden next to each other to see what would happen.  The top part ended up being the best tomato she had in her garden that year.

So!  Tomato Propagation.  If your tomato plant needs a do-over, you can take some cuttings and plant those (it's also a good way to save tomatoes over the winter if you've got a greenhouse).

Step 1: Find your victim (I mean donor!).

Step 2: Cut off about 4-6" of a growing tip of the vine - you can't just cut off a leaf and expect it to work, you need some actual stem and a growing tip.

Step 3: Cut the stem at an angle and remove the bottom leaves leaving only the top two leaves.

Step 4: Hold your pruners at an angle and drag it along the bottom inch or two of the stem.  Supposedly this 'bruising' helps with rooting.

Step 5: This is the point where you would dip the cut end in rooting hormone if you have it/want it; but I've also known tomatoes to take root without the hormone - but the rooting hormone does help.

Step 6: Poke a hole in the dirt (whether that's in the garden, or in a 4" pot).  If you're using a pot, I'd recommend using cutting/seed starting mix as opposed to regular garden soil.

Step 7: Put your cutting in the hole and press the soil around the stem.

Step 8: Water well.

Step 9: Label your plant.

Step 10: Water daily - it would also be smart to provide shade so the poor little thing isn't having to contend with trying to grow roots and fend off the death star.

Step 11: Wait a few weeks (I noticed mine had roots after about 2 weeks; but I also use the rooting hormone)

Step 12: Plant!


Now then, by the time I'm getting around to writing this (August), it's already too late to really be planting tomatoes - the last weekend in July is generally the last recommended date for planting tomato transplants, BUT, now you'll know for next year.

Fall 2014 Garden Round Up

Lettuce "Red Rosie" transplanted November 9.   
- Red Rosie has an upright habit. The leaves are red more than half way down and then fade to green, creating a unique 'half and half' look. Resistant to downy mildew races 1-16, 19, 21, and 23. 
- Begin harvest November 30.  
- Experience: A bit bitter for my taste (especially the ribs), very doable if the ribs are removed...or unless you're my husband who claims that the more bitter a lettuce, the better it is for you.  By early February, this lettuce started to bolt.  The older leaves are less bitter than the newer ones.  
- Pulled out of the garden 3/14

Close Up

Side view

Kale "Scarlet" transplanted November 9.
- Remarkably attractive dark green kale with red veined, frilly, tightly curled leaves. We have found Scarlet to be a vigorous performer with good cold tolerance. Begin harvesting leaves when young, and allow plant to grow well into the early winter. 24-36" tall by 24" wide, 60 days from transplant.
- Harvested and removed from garden on 3/21/15
- Experience: It's kale.  We ate it with sweet potatoes and it was good.

Close Up

Side view

Taken Feb 18 - the leaves are definitely darker than before.

Cabbage "Early Flat Dutch" transplanted November 2.
- 85 days. [Pre-1875, possibly pre-1855 variety]
- Does well in southern and coastal areas because of its heat resistance. Excellent variety for sauerkraut and the best variety for storage. Heads are large and flat, weighing 6 to 10 lbs., averaging 11 in. diameter with medium core and few outside leaves.
- Experience: Still in the garden as of April 12, 2015 - it's now about baseball sized, so I'll probably be pulling it soon.
- Pulled out of the garden on May 7 - it was oblong and looked ready to bloom.  It went bad before we could eat it.

Still but a wee thing in Mid-February

Lettuce "Parris Island" transplanted November 2.
- 70 days. A tasty romaine-type. Uniform heads are pale cream-green inside, and the outside is dark green. Developed around 1949; named after Parris Island, off the East coast.
- Begin harvest November 30.  Pretty good general lettuce.  By mid-Feb, this lettuce has started to bolt and is now bitter.
- Experience:  I always thought the leaves were too stringy to really make a good salad lettuce.
- Pulled out of the garden 3/14

Close Up - it's already bolting (January 23)

Side view - looks leggy because I harvest from the bottom of the plant up.

Lettuce "Dark Lolla Rosa" transplanted November 2.  
- One of the most deeply curled loose-leaf lettuces. Beautiful magenta leaves with light green bases, mild flavor, cut and come again, sow spring or fall.
- Plant eaten by opossums November 8.

Brussels Sprouts "" transplanted November 2.
- The Brussels sprout is a cultivar in the Gemmifera group of cabbages, grown for its edible buds. The leafy green vegetables are typically 2.5–4 cm in diameter and look like miniature cabbages.
- Plant died sometime in January.

Cauliflower "Veronica Romanesco" transplanted November 2.
- 85 days. Veronica is the finest variety we have seen, with very symmetrical, absolutely lovely lime-green heads topped by tightly beaded, pointed domes. Excellent raw or cooked, it boasts a milder, sweeter flavor than white Cauliflower, to say nothing of its appetizing visual appeal!
- Harvested on 2/22/15.
- Experience: Eaten with Ranch dressing on 2/23/15 and it was very good.
- Plant removed from garden 3/14 - it did not look like it was going to sprout side shoots though supposedly cauliflower can have side shoots (but it's not as common as broccoli).

FRACTALS!  I probably should have blanched this one to prevent the pink tinge, but whatever.

Mustard Greens "Osaka Purple" transplanted November 2.  
- The large rounded purple leaves of this Japanese mustard are beautiful, pungent and sharp. Try placing a filet of steamed fish on top of a bed of these leaves as a substitute for wasabi. It is best planted as a cool weather crop, and can also be used as a companion plant to repel aphids. 
- Begin harvest November 30. 
- Experience: More bitter than the Red Giant - also has more aphids than the Red Giant. 
- Plant stump removed from garden 3/14.

Close Up

Cauliflower "Graffiti" transplanted November 2.
- 80 days from setting out transplants. Easily the darkest and "truest" of the purple cauliflowers. This widely adapted, vigorous variety sets large heads of deep purple that keep their color even after cooking (reaching a shade of mauve). These heavy, well-packed heads intensify their shade of violet with exposure to sun, and need less wrapper protection than most others. They make a splendid fall crop, but are also suitable for spring. Highly resistant to downy mildew, they can withstand rainy and humid climates far easier than older varieties. And they just look spectacular!
- Experience: 3/14 - the head isn't much bigger than what it was in February - I blame the late freeze we had.
- Harvested 3/29 - harvested the head (was maybe navel orange sized) and ate in Mac and Cheese.

Mid February - a head is just starting to form

Brussels Sprouts "Nautic" transplanted November 2.  
- Nautic's sprouts are medium-sized and have excellent taste. Plant is bigger than Diablo and has a higher yield potential, especially in areas with a cool fall. Excellent cold tolerance. For late fall harvest. 
- Experience: The plant has finally gotten taller, but the brussels are maybe fingernail sized as of 4/12/15 
- Pulled out of the garden on May 7, 2015. I harvested a handful of sprouts, but they went bad before we could eat them.

I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be tall and not the silly squat plant that it is...

Broccoli "Marathon" transplanted November 2.  
- This late variety is highly tolerant to cold. Grown successfully in the Northeast for late summer and fall crops, and over the winter in Florida and California.  
- Harvested main head on 2/16/15.  Used in mac n' cheese and it was very good. As of 3/14, this plant has some very good side shoots going which will be harvested shortly.  
- Harvested side shoots and removed from garden on 3/25/15

Head starting to form as of January 23.

 

Side view

Lettuce "Merlot" transplanted November 2.
- 55 days. (Also known as “Galactic.”) Reputed to be absolutely the darkest red lettuce in existence, which should make it tops for anthocyanin (anti-oxidant) content as well! Leaf lettuce with wavy to frilly leaf margins and very crisp, waxy leaves! Excellent bolt resistance, and good cold tolerance for a late fall to winter crop. Recommended as a cutting type for baby greens production or cut-and-come-again harvesting. We feel, along with our friend William Woys Weaver, that this variety is destined to become a classic, and it certainly deserves it!
- Begin harvest November 30.
- Experience: My favorite of the lettuces this year. By mid-Feb, this lettuce has started to bolt - the least bitter of the lettuces at this point.
- Plant removed from the garden 3/14

Lettuce "Flashy Trout" transplanted November 2.
- 55 days. This beautiful variety steals all the attention in the salad garden. In Europe, this Austrian heirloom is called Forellenschluss romaine and is one of the most prized of all varieties. A dark green leaved romaine splashed with wine-red speckles. Imagine dipping a paintbrush in red paint and giving it a hard shake onto your romaine lettuce. You've got the picture. Your taste buds will like it too, for its rich buttery flavor.
- Begin harvest November 30.
- Experience: The older leaves are bitter.  The last salad we had only used the older leaves, so I'll need to try some of the baby leaves to see if it's not bitter.  By mid-Feb, this lettuce has bolted and the leaves are all bitter.
- Plant removed from the garden 3/14

Close up

Side view.  Again, it looks funny because I harvest from the bottom of the plant.

Cauliflower "Snow Crown" transplanted November 2.
- 50-60 days. Snow Crown is always mild and sweet. Its hybrid vigor and rapid growth make it one of the easiest to grow of all early cauliflower varieties. It forms fully domed curds in heads 7-8 inches across, weighing 1-2 pounds. This variety maintains its prime eating quality for up to 10 days in the garden. May manifest a delicate pink blush when maturing in the hotter parts of summer.
- Harvested on 2/16/15 - it was what is known as "loose" by the time I pulled it - I should have probably cut it off on like the 12th.  I used it in mac n' cheese and it was very good.
- Plant removed from ground 3/14 - it did not look like it was even thinking of forming side shoots.

Garlic "White" planted October 12 (west bed).
- Large, plump soft-neck bulbs have papery skins and plenty of creamy white cloves bursting with excellent spicy-hot flavor. Easy to grow, very productive, adaptable to any climate.
- Experience: Pulled most of the garlic on May 17 because it started flopping over.

Store-bought garlic just can't compare! Large, plump softneck bulbs have papery skins and plenty of creamy-white cloves bursting with excellent, spicy-hot flavor. Easy to grow, very productive, adaptable to any climate. Cultivate and store as you would onions. - See more at: http://www.gurneys.com/product/california_white_garlic#sthash.00H6vCVB.dpuf

Store-bought garlic just can't compare! Large, plump softneck bulbs have papery skins and plenty of creamy-white cloves bursting with excellent, spicy-hot flavor. Easy to grow, very productive, adaptable to any climate. Cultivate and store as you would onions. - See more at: http://www.gurneys.com/product/california_white_garlic#sthash.00H6vCVB.dpuf

Garlic "Inchelium" planted October 12 (east bed).
- Mid-season. Inchelium Red is a national taste-test winner in the softneck division. This mild flavored garlic is great baked and blended with mashed potatoes. This large, top-quality softneck was discovered on the Colville Indian Reservation in northern Washington. Stores very well for 6-9 months.
- Experience: Still in the garden as of April 12, 2015 - the plants are very large this year (apparently fish emulsion every 4 weeks or so is a good thing), but have not started showing signs of needing to be pulled.
- Pulled most of the garlic on May 17 because it started flopping over.

Cauliflower "Chef's Blend" sown August 30.  Sprouted September 6.  Transplanted October 30.
- 75-120 days. This colorful mix of three varieties gives you a long harvest period from 75 to 120 days. ‘Snowball Y’, an heirloom variety from 1947, has tight white heads on dwarf plants. ‘Green Macerata’ is a delicious green Italian heirloom. ‘Purple of Sicily’ is also an Italian heirloom with bright purple heads and mild flavor. Healthful minerals give it the purple color, which turns green when cooked. We recommend a late summer planting with fall harvest for best results.
- Experience: The Snowball one pictured below was removed from the garden 3/14 - the head that had formed became rotten because of the late freeze and copious amount of rain we got. 3/29 - harvested the other head (must have been Snowball as well since it was white).  Head was pretty small, but already falling apart. Ate in Mac and Cheese.
- Removed both plants by 3/29

Must be the Snowball variety.

Swiss Chard "Silver Rib" sown August 30.  Sprouted September 6. Transplanted October 30.
- Selected by discerning Italian cooks for its clean mellow flavor, these handsome vigorous plants have wide, silvery mid-ribs and crinkly, broad, deep green leaves.
- Experience: I grow chard because I have seeds for it.  I don't use it for anything (though I probably ought to).  As of April 12, 2015, the plants are still in the garden.
- As of May 25, the plants are still in the garden.  I still haven't harvested any of the leaves to use in anything.

Still pretty little in mid-February

Mustard Greens "Red Giant" sown August 30. Sprouted September 6. Transplanted October 30.
- 40 days (mature) or 20 days (baby greens). Red Giant is a brilliant maroon with deep green midribs, so showy you may just have to plant two crops. These leaves are slightly textured for a better bite and good holding power. The flavor is zesty and full, with a good bite that you just can't find in store-bought mustard greens. And because you pick this mustard leaf by leaf for eating (instead of uprooting the entire plant, as you do for head lettuce), you can enjoy the fine display of color for many weeks! Frost just improves the flavor and color.
- Begin harvest November 30.
- Experience:  I like the flavor better than the Osaka Purple.  Shawn likes to use a leaf on his sandwiches. 4/10 - Most of the leaves are gone - I'm using it as a trap plant for the snails and roly polys at this point.
- Plant was gone around May 1.

in Mid December

In mid February

Garden Journaling

Probably meant more for ornamental plants, but whatever.  Also, I think I'm going to find this quicker than blogging which requires planning and editing and photo taking, etc.

The cover

March 7: Garden Day (Part The Second)

As I mentioned in my previous post, part of the deal with Sunshine Community Garden Spring Plant Sale Day is that I spend the entire day with Roberta, it means that we spend the ENTIRE DAY TOGETHER.  And no, we don't just stay at the Sunshine Plant Sale.

After the Sunshine Garden Sale, we headed down to Zilker for the Austin Organic Gardeners' Plant sale.  Naturally the tomatoes looked much better at the AOG sale, but we were both tomato'ed out, and they don't have the same variety as the Sunshine sale.  But they do have ornamental plants - and so we bought some plants, put them in our car, and then walked around the gardens because we paid our $2, we might as well get our money's worth.

Garden walk by the Koi Pond.

Downtown from the Japanese Garden

Buds

Roberta taking a picture of the waterfall in the Prehistoric Garden.

Poppiez!

 After Zilker, we went to Gordough's Public House for lunch (delicious).  Then there was the stop at Shoal Creek Nursery to pick up some Artichokes (Roberta) and Bamboo Muhly (me).  And finally, at like 4 in the afternoon, back to Roberta's house where there was the counting and organizing of the tomato plants, the walk around the yard, the saying "hi" to Roberta's chickens, the dropping off of tomato plants at Ana's house, the walking around Ana's yard looking at her garden (and her drainage solutions work she's doing), and, of course, just sitting around shooting the breeze before I finally decided to head home.
 

Agnew.  One of Roberta's accidental roosters.

As I was pulling into the driveway, my husband sent a text, "I used to have a wife.  Have you seen her?"  I guess telling him that I'm going to be 'gone all day' doesn't translate into "I'm going to be out of the house for 10 hours" for him.