Real World Gardener

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August 17th, 2010

Time goes by so quickly. One day you’re planting cucumber seeds, and the next you’re making pickles. I suppose that’s why we garden—to slow things down.

A rainy summer day is a good day for pickling.

green zebras make great gazpacho.

I'm looking forward to pumpkin pie.

Tags: gazpacho, pickles, pumpkins

June 14th, 2010

I nervously waited all week for my pumpkins to germinate. I thought for sure they’d be up by Thursday, but Thursday came and went and still nothing. I began to worry. I’m not usually a worrier, but I guess when it comes to my pumpkin patch, I am.

But by Sunday, five of my nine hills had sprouted.

Now I can start worrying about my seedlings.

Tags: pumpkin, pumpkins, seedlings, squash

April 22nd, 2010

I wonder if it would count as working from home if I didn’t come in tomorrow, stayed home, and finished my raised beds. I have two of them built, one of which is partially double dug. The other is just a frame. I intend to build three, maybe four more of these.

I know I should probably use something longer-lasting then untreated pine 2×10s, but that’s what I bought, so that’s what I’ll use. I know if I had an uninterrupted 8 hours I could get all the beds ready to go. I don’t think I’ve ever had an uninterrupted 8 hours ever in my entire life.

I can’t complain. It’s only April and I have a lot planted already. The peas were first. Then the potatoes and spinach. Brussels a few weeks ago.

Monday morning I planted my kohlrabi, bok choi, and arugula. I bought these cool weather crops at the Rodale Institute’s plant sale last Friday. I also bought some broccoli, mint, foxgloves, and a columbine.

My potatoes are out of the ground already, and we might be eating baby spinach in a week or so.

The thing I’m very excited about is my pumpkin patch. I haven’t planted it yet, but I’ve cleared a spot up in our meadow for it. It’ll be more of a squash patch. I’ll have lots of winter squash up there. Delicata, butternut, maybe acorn. Might even throw some beans and corn in for the 3 Sisters effect. Haven’t decided if I’ll put my summer squash in this new squash patch, or down in one of the as-of-yet un-built raised beds.

And of course there will be pumpkins—big ones, little ones, orange, white, maybe even blue. I love pumpkins. Not sure why. One of my dreams is to grow giant pumpkins. You know: Prizewinners. The kind you could carve out and live in if you had to. The kind you could float down a river in. That’s what I’m talking about. Giant pumpkins.

Tags: bok choi, delicata squash, potatoes, prizewinner pumpkins, pumpkins, raised beds, winter squash