Comments on: Would you care for half a mouthful of broccoli, dear? http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:21:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: susan http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-16526 susan Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:48:25 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-16526 I was going to recommend Now Norma Knits as a reference for garden planning, but she already posted. Nevermind! I'm up in Seattle and it's been just a cold, crummy start to the growing season. Our yard is surrounded by tall pines, so the veggies and herbs I have in all fall in the ornamental category, but we're also members of a CSA (community supported agriculture -- you buy a stake in a local farm in the spring and receive weekly produce deliveries into the fall), and their newsletter has said that nothing outside of the greenhouses started growing in earnest until last week's heatwave -- 1 to 2 months behind the norm. I was going to recommend Now Norma Knits as a reference for garden planning, but she already posted. Nevermind!

I’m up in Seattle and it’s been just a cold, crummy start to the growing season. Our yard is surrounded by tall pines, so the veggies and herbs I have in all fall in the ornamental category, but we’re also members of a CSA (community supported agriculture — you buy a stake in a local farm in the spring and receive weekly produce deliveries into the fall), and their newsletter has said that nothing outside of the greenhouses started growing in earnest until last week’s heatwave — 1 to 2 months behind the norm.

]]> By: susan http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-38570 susan Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:48:25 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-38570 I was going to recommend Now Norma Knits as a reference for garden planning, but she already posted. Nevermind! I'm up in Seattle and it's been just a cold, crummy start to the growing season. Our yard is surrounded by tall pines, so the veggies and herbs I have in all fall in the ornamental category, but we're also members of a CSA (community supported agriculture -- you buy a stake in a local farm in the spring and receive weekly produce deliveries into the fall), and their newsletter has said that nothing outside of the greenhouses started growing in earnest until last week's heatwave -- 1 to 2 months behind the norm. I was going to recommend Now Norma Knits as a reference for garden planning, but she already posted. Nevermind!

I’m up in Seattle and it’s been just a cold, crummy start to the growing season. Our yard is surrounded by tall pines, so the veggies and herbs I have in all fall in the ornamental category, but we’re also members of a CSA (community supported agriculture — you buy a stake in a local farm in the spring and receive weekly produce deliveries into the fall), and their newsletter has said that nothing outside of the greenhouses started growing in earnest until last week’s heatwave — 1 to 2 months behind the norm.

]]> By: Ann http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-16525 Ann Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:48:18 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-16525 I'm going to disagree with Norma and back Michele on the sugar snap pea issue. You can plant them early, and they do grow really well in the Northwest. I'm not gardening this year, but in the past, I've made teepees out of bamboo stakes, planted peas at the base of each leg, and then seeded mesclun underneath. By the time the peas get big enough to shade the operation, the lettuces need it. I’m going to disagree with Norma and back Michele on the sugar snap pea issue. You can plant them early, and they do grow really well in the Northwest. I’m not gardening this year, but in the past, I’ve made teepees out of bamboo stakes, planted peas at the base of each leg, and then seeded mesclun underneath. By the time the peas get big enough to shade the operation, the lettuces need it.

]]> By: Ann http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-38569 Ann Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:48:18 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-38569 I'm going to disagree with Norma and back Michele on the sugar snap pea issue. You can plant them early, and they do grow really well in the Northwest. I'm not gardening this year, but in the past, I've made teepees out of bamboo stakes, planted peas at the base of each leg, and then seeded mesclun underneath. By the time the peas get big enough to shade the operation, the lettuces need it. I’m going to disagree with Norma and back Michele on the sugar snap pea issue. You can plant them early, and they do grow really well in the Northwest. I’m not gardening this year, but in the past, I’ve made teepees out of bamboo stakes, planted peas at the base of each leg, and then seeded mesclun underneath. By the time the peas get big enough to shade the operation, the lettuces need it.

]]> By: Toni http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-16524 Toni Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:33:05 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-16524 I don't know if this would be helpful for you but I read Pile of O'Melays (www.omelays.blogspot.com) they are a homesteading family back east and they live off their garden, the sheer volume of food they need to grow to live off makes my head spin. Last year they grew and processed almost eight hundred pounds of tomatoes, yep that's a lot of sauce for a family of five and they used it all. Carl also has a lot of fascinating entries on bee keeping, my yard is to small of chickens but I do entertain the idea of a hive in my backyard every once in a while. Fair warning his latest entry is about slaughtering and plucking chickens while there are no graphic photos if you are sensitive it would be best to skip that entry. Have a good day, I think you are getting some really good gardening advice from everyone else. I don’t know if this would be helpful for you but I read Pile of O’Melays (www.omelays.blogspot.com) they are a homesteading family back east and they live off their garden, the sheer volume of food they need to grow to live off makes my head spin. Last year they grew and processed almost eight hundred pounds of tomatoes, yep that’s a lot of sauce for a family of five and they used it all. Carl also has a lot of fascinating entries on bee keeping, my yard is to small of chickens but I do entertain the idea of a hive in my backyard every once in a while. Fair warning his latest entry is about slaughtering and plucking chickens while there are no graphic photos if you are sensitive it would be best to skip that entry. Have a good day, I think you are getting some really good gardening advice from everyone else.

]]> By: Toni http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-38568 Toni Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:33:05 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-38568 I don't know if this would be helpful for you but I read Pile of O'Melays (www.omelays.blogspot.com) they are a homesteading family back east and they live off their garden, the sheer volume of food they need to grow to live off makes my head spin. Last year they grew and processed almost eight hundred pounds of tomatoes, yep that's a lot of sauce for a family of five and they used it all. Carl also has a lot of fascinating entries on bee keeping, my yard is to small of chickens but I do entertain the idea of a hive in my backyard every once in a while. Fair warning his latest entry is about slaughtering and plucking chickens while there are no graphic photos if you are sensitive it would be best to skip that entry. Have a good day, I think you are getting some really good gardening advice from everyone else. I don’t know if this would be helpful for you but I read Pile of O’Melays (www.omelays.blogspot.com) they are a homesteading family back east and they live off their garden, the sheer volume of food they need to grow to live off makes my head spin. Last year they grew and processed almost eight hundred pounds of tomatoes, yep that’s a lot of sauce for a family of five and they used it all. Carl also has a lot of fascinating entries on bee keeping, my yard is to small of chickens but I do entertain the idea of a hive in my backyard every once in a while. Fair warning his latest entry is about slaughtering and plucking chickens while there are no graphic photos if you are sensitive it would be best to skip that entry. Have a good day, I think you are getting some really good gardening advice from everyone else.

]]> By: Alison http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-16523 Alison Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:27:56 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-16523 Size does matter ;) In your beds, is it just the cole plants that have had disappointing yields?. Have they been getting enough sun? Is your soil nutrient-poor? They are heavy feeders. PS. Are you using/reading Square Foot Gardening? I think it underplays the usefulness of fertilizers, particularly with uncooperative weather. The book's argument for soil enrichment rather than topical application by parallel with woodland environments is questionable because perennial plants have a different life/timeline, and wild annuals are primarily going towards seed production, while domesticated food crops are frequently being manipulated by us humans to do the opposite: grow leaves or roots, not seeds. Second, I have had success with late transplanting. Back-up seedlings and ruthless culling are sometimes the best solution to mediocre yields. Size does matter ;) In your beds, is it just the cole plants that have had disappointing yields?. Have they been getting enough sun? Is your soil nutrient-poor? They are heavy feeders.

PS. Are you using/reading Square Foot Gardening? I think it underplays the usefulness of fertilizers, particularly with uncooperative weather. The book’s argument for soil enrichment rather than topical application by parallel with woodland environments is questionable because perennial plants have a different life/timeline, and wild annuals are primarily going towards seed production, while domesticated food crops are frequently being manipulated by us humans to do the opposite: grow leaves or roots, not seeds.

Second, I have had success with late transplanting. Back-up seedlings and ruthless culling are sometimes the best solution to mediocre yields.

]]> By: Alison http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-38567 Alison Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:27:56 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-38567 Size does matter ;) In your beds, is it just the cole plants that have had disappointing yields?. Have they been getting enough sun? Is your soil nutrient-poor? They are heavy feeders. PS. Are you using/reading Square Foot Gardening? I think it underplays the usefulness of fertilizers, particularly with uncooperative weather. The book's argument for soil enrichment rather than topical application by parallel with woodland environments is questionable because perennial plants have a different life/timeline, and wild annuals are primarily going towards seed production, while domesticated food crops are frequently being manipulated by us humans to do the opposite: grow leaves or roots, not seeds. Second, I have had success with late transplanting. Back-up seedlings and ruthless culling are sometimes the best solution to mediocre yields. Size does matter ;) In your beds, is it just the cole plants that have had disappointing yields?. Have they been getting enough sun? Is your soil nutrient-poor? They are heavy feeders.

PS. Are you using/reading Square Foot Gardening? I think it underplays the usefulness of fertilizers, particularly with uncooperative weather. The book’s argument for soil enrichment rather than topical application by parallel with woodland environments is questionable because perennial plants have a different life/timeline, and wild annuals are primarily going towards seed production, while domesticated food crops are frequently being manipulated by us humans to do the opposite: grow leaves or roots, not seeds.

Second, I have had success with late transplanting. Back-up seedlings and ruthless culling are sometimes the best solution to mediocre yields.

]]> By: Ellen http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-16522 Ellen Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:02:53 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-16522 Each year is different. I usually get tons of peas; this year something ate all my plants. I've reseeded chard twice with no luck--usually it comes up quickly and grows fast. Okra looks pitiful, and the eggplant didn't come up. Beans were slow to grow--I plant the burgundy beans first because they can tolerate cool weather, and they are usually done by the end of May. They didn't flower and produce until late June this year and are still growing strong. Some years will be record breakers for one veg, and nothing for another. I'm glad I don't have to do this for a living! Each year is different. I usually get tons of peas; this year something ate all my plants. I’ve reseeded chard twice with no luck–usually it comes up quickly and grows fast. Okra looks pitiful, and the eggplant didn’t come up. Beans were slow to grow–I plant the burgundy beans first because they can tolerate cool weather, and they are usually done by the end of May. They didn’t flower and produce until late June this year and are still growing strong. Some years will be record breakers for one veg, and nothing for another. I’m glad I don’t have to do this for a living!

]]> By: Ellen http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298&cpage=1#comment-38566 Ellen Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:02:53 +0000 http://fromutopia.com/?p=3298#comment-38566 Each year is different. I usually get tons of peas; this year something ate all my plants. I've reseeded chard twice with no luck--usually it comes up quickly and grows fast. Okra looks pitiful, and the eggplant didn't come up. Beans were slow to grow--I plant the burgundy beans first because they can tolerate cool weather, and they are usually done by the end of May. They didn't flower and produce until late June this year and are still growing strong. Some years will be record breakers for one veg, and nothing for another. I'm glad I don't have to do this for a living! Each year is different. I usually get tons of peas; this year something ate all my plants. I’ve reseeded chard twice with no luck–usually it comes up quickly and grows fast. Okra looks pitiful, and the eggplant didn’t come up. Beans were slow to grow–I plant the burgundy beans first because they can tolerate cool weather, and they are usually done by the end of May. They didn’t flower and produce until late June this year and are still growing strong. Some years will be record breakers for one veg, and nothing for another. I’m glad I don’t have to do this for a living!

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