PEAS

PEAS
My peas are in blossom! I should have fresh peas within two weeks. Frozen peas are so ubiquitous that it is easy to forget the simple pleasure of shelling pea pods and eating fresh, sweet peas straight from the vegetable garden. If you find shelling peas too labor intensive, you can try snow peas or snap peas instead; you eat the pod whole so there’s less work –and less waste, too.
SOW-peas are hardy plants so they are a useful early crop. I didn’t get mine in as early as I usually do- I like to have fresh peas by the 4th of July, this year they will be a week or two later but my plants look good. If you start early enough in the season you can make several sowing through the spring and summer for a succession of fresh peas. However, in hotter areas they will suffer in the heat, so confine yourself to early spring and fall crops.
GROW- I fertilize mine when the plant looks like it is ready to burst with blossoms. They have that look for about two weeks before they actually blossom, so it is not difficult to catch this stage and react with some fertilizer. I dig a shallow ditch on the upper side of the row next to the roots- sprinkle the fertilizer into the row and as I cover the row I work the soil towards the plant. Peas do not need a lot of water until the first flowers start to form. As the pods start to swell, regular watering in dry spells should increase the yield.
HARVEST-For the maximum harvest, pick pods regularly to encourage more flowering and more pods to form- I pick mine every other day. Nip off the pods using your index finger and thumb to avoid uprooting the plant. If you have a surplus of any kind of pea, they freeze well. Blanch briefly in boiling water, cool quickly (in ice water), and freeze on a metal tray. Separate and transfer to plastic bags or plastic containers when frozen. You can also pick pea shoots and tendrils when young and tender and add them to salads. They will have a mild pea flavor.

More on strawberries!

More news on strawberries! As you can see from the photo my strawberry harvest has been plentiful this spring. I have picked about 20 qts. of strawberries and my plants are still producing, although I get fewer each time I pick. I froze 2 gallon bags of strawberries and I made 35 jars of jam and we have enjoyed endless strawberry shortcakes.
I feel like no garden should be without strawberries. There’s nothing to compare with a warm fully ripe berry right from the plant, and they couldn’t be much easier to grow. Simply plant a few new seedlings every year to harvest berries the following year. Some folks use the plants from the runners as their seedlings for the following year but I buy new plants each year. I pick all the blossoms off the new plants the first year, that way all the plant energy goes into making a strong plant. Plant in rows 18 inches apart, with 3 feet between the rows. Plant them at the correct depth-the top of the crown should be just above soil level. The second year they bear fruit. When they stop bearing the second year I pull them out and use that space for the following year’s new seedlings. It is good to fertilize your strawberries. The first year I fertilize the plants at least twice in the summer. The flowing spring I fertilize once when I see new growth, early in the spring, and then again before the blossoms appear. If you fertilize too much or at the wrong time you will have beautiful lush plant but they will not bear fruit as all the energy has gone into growing the plant and not producing blossoms for fruit. I cover my new seedlings in late fall with straw to help them survive the winter. As soon as it begins to warm up in the spring I uncover to allow maximum sunlight.
Harvest-you need to pick strawberries on the day they ripen because overripe fruit deteriorates quickly once picked. However, under-ripe fruit can be too tart. Ideally, pick every day in peak season in the morning, when the fruit is cool and the dew has dried. Store the berries in shallow layers in the refrigerator. Don’t wash them until just before serving, which will help retain their vitamins and keep them fresh.
I plan to cover different vegetables in this blog – if you have questions about a vegetable please let me know – otherwise I will randomly choose a different vegetable for each post.

Garlic

Garlic is unique amoung vegatables . It never prduces seeds, so the only way to progagate it is by saving cloves from the previous season. Fortunately, each clove you plant divides into a bulb containing 12-15 new ones. It is very easy to grow enough for the most adventurous of cooks who use garlic in almost every recipe. YOu can plant garlic from the supermakret , but there's a risk of intruciing viruses and other deisease. It is safer to start with cirtivied desese -free stock from a reputable supplier.
This is garlic from a friend’s garden as mine are not as tall as these. They are now just over 3 feet tall. Note the “bulb” as shown in the photos still on the plant. These have to be removed as they will use all the nutrients that give the garlic its strength or intensity.

There is a photo showing what they look like when removed for a better view.

These plants are a combination of Italian Purple and German White garlic.

You plant them on Columbus Day. They are harvested normally after the 4th of July….usually the 3rd week of July, or after you cut the “circular bulbs in the photos” from the plant,and when the bottom 3 or 4 leaves are dry and brown.

Garden June 5, 2010

I started most of my garden from seeds, planting seeds is an easy way to grow most vegatables. You should start with good-quality seeds and give them all the conditions that they need for the best chance of success. As long as you follow the instructions of the package carefully, you should produce a bountiful harvest. You can buy started plants from a mail-order supplier, garden center, or a local nursery, which is a great way to save time if you get a late start on your garden. It is also more convenient to buy started plants than to grow vegatables from seed as you can cut out the germination and handling of small seedlings stages. My garden is growing nicely as you can see from the photo above.

Strawberries Yum!!

My strawberries are ripe! I picked a quart of strawberries on Saturday, June 5 and another two quarts of strawberries on June 7th. My father's birthday is June 7- my mother's goal was always to have fresh from the garden strawberry shortcake for his birthday dinner - I guess I'm on track this year.

Getting Ready.

You need to choose a spot in your yard that receives full sun. If you do not have the space for a dedicated garden you can add garden plants to your existing flower or shrub bed. You can also build a raised bed –you’ll be surprised how much a 4x10 bed can produce. You can also grow vegetables in containers on your deck or patio. If you decide on a vegetable plot, a good starting point is to lean about your soil. One surefire way to improve any soil is to add organic material, and your own compost pile is the most convenient source of organic matter. I use a garden fertilizer of 15-15-15 and spread lime on my soil. If you plan to plant potatoes, do not spread the lime (powered –from a farm store-not the fruit!) in the rows where the potatoes will be planted. Potatoes do not like lime! The fertilizer and lime can be a bit difficult to find but a farm and feed store in your area will probably carry both. After the fertilizer and the lime are spread (I use a garden/lawn spreader –but I have a very large garden). I have many wild animals who like to snake on my garden vegetables so if you think this might be a problem for you also – then you should consider enclosing your garden with a fence.
The next step is deciding what to grow. Plan your garden with grouping crops together. Growing vegetables can be unpredictable –you will find yourself adapting and improvising throughout the process even if you are organized at the beginning.

Why I garden.

I garden because I love the feel of the earth- I inherited the love of gardening from my parents and grandmother. My grandmother gardened to feed her family . It was a necessity for her to produce enough vegetables to feed her family throughout the winter. She would freeze or can her bountiful crops in the fall. My parents garden for the joy of producing enough vegetables for their use and to share with friends and neighbors. From the first strawberry or summer squash to final fall harvest my parents are producing and sharing vegetables with all who visit. I garden because I grew up respecting and loving living plants. I love working the soil and watching over my plants as they growing into edible vegetables.I learned many techniques from my grandmother and parents that I would like to share with you.