Vegetable Gardening

[OakLeaf]

I didn't get cabbage or kale because... we just don't care for it!

You definitely need to try some of that red Russian kale. I'm not a huge fan of ordinary curly kale either, but I like black (lacinato) kale in soups and stews, and the red kale is just plain delicious and really, really tender.

[Photoflygirl]

Your lettuce bed is very pretty! And I love the strawberry runners being sent out in all directions.

I want to put some strawberries in my upcoming new vegetable garden too.

Thanks! This is the first time I've grown lettuce so I tried several varieties to see what we liked. I did a third planting of 'Black Seeded Simpson' in between the strawberry rows, but something (birds?) ate all the sprouts when they were a few days old! I did try Arugla last year and it didn't come up. It doesn't seem to be doing too well this year either, and I planted in a different bed to see what happened. I don't know what it is needed.

I was surprised to find out the strawberries will perform better if we pick all the blooms off during the first two years! Oh well, it will be well worth the wait.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm so excited!!
Even though the ground is wet and the rain never seems to stop, the excavator says he's coming anyway tomorrow to lay out and dig my vegetable garden! He'll come back with topsoil a day or two later. He has to remove the sod and dig out about 6" of nasty shale/clay as well. YAY!!!
I'll have to take pictures of the process.

[tulip]

My spuds are blooming, which means I'll soon have new potatoes. I picked a bowlful of fresh peas, which are so good straight from the pod. My tomatoes are picking up, and my cucumbers, zucchini, and watermelons are blooming.

My onions died, I think because I mulched them when I should not have. I still haven't planted beans, but I'll do that his weekend for a late crop.

[GLC1968]

You definitely need to try some of that red Russian kale. I'm not a huge fan of ordinary curly kale either, but I like black (lacinato) kale in soups and stews, and the red kale is just plain delicious and really, really tender.

I have to second this! I like the curly Kale - but it would not be my first choice in terms of veggies. I wanted to grow Kale just because it's different and it grows almost year-round here. I bought red russian seeds because it looked pretty (and figured it would taste the same). We've been harvesting it like mad and I made my first big batch of sauteed kale and sweet corn the other day. I've made this 'recipe' before with curly kale and it was good. With the red russian? It's amazing! Sooo tender and slightly sweet...no bitter bite like the curly stuff. I'm a new fan (and super glad since I've got mounds and mounds of it)!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok ok I will try some red Russian kale! (If I can get the seeds around here in the boondocks).

They broke ground for the new 40' x 18' vegetable garden in our back yard today- so exciting! They are coming back tomorrow to do some more digging and bring in some new topsoil and compost to heap in the middle. After that it's a matter of waiting for the fence to be installed around the perimeter (to keep all the marauding varmints and deer out), then lastly laying out and sculpting the beds and paths inside. I can't wait to starting planting! (but I'll have to).

Here are a few pix- I'm in the last two shots, after the guys went home for the day.

[tulip]

Lisa, that is going to be one wonderful garden! Congratulations!

EDIT: Wait, do you have TWO new gardens? Looks like another one over to the right.

[GLC1968]

Very nice!

(but I think you should have dug that by hand )

[OakLeaf]

Mmmmmmm, backhoe.

Sheesh, if her soil is as clay as mine was when I started, she'd still be digging out the third shovel full.

Plow attachment for the lawn tractor. Lots of shaking out sod by hand.

First year I pulled out the six-inch rocks.

Second year I pulled out the four-inch rocks.

Third year I pulled out some of the two-inch rocks.

Fourth year I grew beautiful carrots. (And I'm still pulling out two-inch rocks. )



PS. Seeds.

[GLC1968]

Oooh yeah, I meant to post this...

Red Russian Kale from my two favorite non-local seed sources:

http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Kale/Russ...or-Ragged-Jack

http://www.seedsavers.org/Details.aspx?itemNo=625(OG)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa, that is going to be one wonderful garden! Congratulations!
EDIT: Wait, do you have TWO new gardens? Looks like another one over to the right.

No- that area on the right was a decades-old old heavy 5" thick poured concrete parking area next to the house, it was cracked, heaving, and uneven and thus very hard to snowplow or shovel. Very ugly as well. My DH is so clever that he figured out why not, while we have the backhoe here and the fill freshly removed from the new garden spot,- well he had the excavator backhoe that cement out and haul it away and then use our own fill there and just seed it over with new grass. We have parking enough elsewhere. It was a brilliant and efficient move!

(but I think you should have dug that by hand )

I thought you were going to do it? Don't you remember offering??

Mmmmmmm, backhoe.
Plow attachment for the lawn tractor. Lots of shaking out sod by hand.
First year I pulled out the six-inch rocks.
Second year I pulled out the four-inch rocks.
Third year I pulled out some of the two-inch rocks.
Fourth year I grew beautiful carrots. (And I'm still pulling out two-inch rocks. )

At 55, I decided I didn't want to spend the next few years hauling rocks and killing myself. I can kill myself weeding it instead for the next 30 years, and at least eat well while I'm doing it.

Thanks for the kale seed links, guys- I'll def look into it.

Ok now I hear thunder in the distance again...dire weather warnings of thunderstorms and hail again tonight. It was a miracle the sunny window we had today when they dug and worked.

[Tuckervill]

I thought you'd have to dig out about 12 inches to get rid of the grass? Are you going to have raised sides?

Karen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I thought you'd have to dig out about 12 inches to get rid of the grass? Are you going to have raised sides?
Karen

Going to have a 6" raised board all around the garden perimeter (to keep soil from washing away) but will have a series of raised 'berm beds' for planting and mulched pathways around the berm beds.

Vegetable gardening is a practical way of keeping your household healthy and it is also cost efficient because you don’t have to spend much about buying vegetables anymore.

Yes. We figure the money we save on growing our own veggies will pay for the cost of putting in the garden in about... 50 years.
Just kidding (sort of)- this garden will not save us money for many years to come....but it will give us a happier healthier lifestyle, and that's worth a lot! Sort of like our bikes.

[smilingcat]

Going to have a 6" raised board all around the garden perimeter (to keep soil from washing away) but will have a series of raised 'berm beds' for planting and mulched pathways around the berm beds.



Yes. We figure the money we save on growing our own veggies will pay for the cost of putting in the garden in about... 50 years.
Just kidding (sort of)- this garden will not save us money for many years to come....but it will give us a happier healthier lifestyle, and that's worth a lot! Sort of like our bikes.

Hi Lisa,

Ohh I think your garden will more than pay for itself much sooner than later. You'll have better health and that alone is worth more than any money. It's the hidden cost you don't see. Not to mention, you will be enjoying fresh food which you can not get from a grocery store.

Our vegetables are not coated in the food grade wax. It is also free of pesticides and other harsh chemicals. We also harvest varieties of vegetables not available in the grocery store. We are growing three kinds of zuccini, one is called 8-ball. yes its perfectly spherical. Great for stuffing.

Wow. I keep forgetting how green the east coast is. It's very pretty... with land.

smilingcat

[Tuckervill]

That will be quite a garden! Such fun! Who cares what it costs?

I have a big garden like that, but it's covered in plastic, because I don't have time to grow right now.

Karen