In the Garden
Check out the day-to-day status of the garden operations
Update - October 16
Sunshine has finally returned to RVA! The warm spell has helped plant growth, but also showed that these bigger plants are now going to need more water. Hopefully cooler temperatures will limit evaporation out of the soil and allow for less frequent watering, but I think the time for an automated solution has come. Stay tuned for more on that.
The kale I planted in a row container has performed surprisingly well. I’ve thinned the sprouts once and tried to salvage the early transplants, but their growth has been significantly stunted and I think it’s time to recognize the sunk costs there. However, I did just thin a second time, and the results are looking promising, even after a couple of hours.
I thinned out the kale yesterday morning and saved the sprouts by placing them in a cup of water in a lit window. This afternoon, I used a 50-50 mix of compost and store-bought garden soil in containers to hopefully house these new tenants happily. Then came the storm…
Of course, the one time I charge my phone inside while I’m working in the garden… I typically would have gotten a radar alert with a reasonable notice on incoming rain. Not this time! The tender new transplants had to weather the storm, and much to my surprise, weather the storm they did. I still have several other sprouts to get into containers, but I think these mature ones will be more hardy than the first attempted round.
The containers have depleted my compost bin significantly, but luckily, I have a pile in process right now! I’m expecting to get at least 10 cubic feet before the lawn goes dormant over the winter. I’ll still gather kitchen scraps, but the abundant source of green material is soon going into hibernation.
Hope for the best, and always prepare for the worst!
Best Regards,
Patrick
Garden is coming into its own - staying the course
Kale is one of my few container plants this fall
Best of luck little buddy - pulling for you!
Fall Lineup
Broccoli
Lieutenant Broccoli - Bonnie's Plants
The old saying "don't forget to eat your vegetables!" produces a mental image of this classic crop. As a variety of the species brassica oleracea, it prefers full sun and cool weather. Broccoli is a staple vegetable that provides a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Toss it in olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes for a crunchy and healthy side dish!
Sugar Snap Peas
Botanical Interests
These were a spontaneous purchase. During the height of summer, I was buying up seeds almost everywhere I went, even Fresh Market! These snap peas took a while to come up, but have since started their climb. Planted in this corner, they'll scale the wire lattice from leftover compost bin supplies. To be honest, I don't know how I'm going to cook these. Any suggestions for recipes or uses? I would love to hear from you!
Cabbage Heads
Mystery? - Bonnie's Plants
I wish I had saved the name stake! Ugh, oh well. These are a variety of cabbage. I only have two in the garden this season, so if I can get one decent sized head, I'll call it a success! Cabbage has all sorts of culinary uses in many cultures across the globe. Kimchi, sauerkraut, coleslaw, cabbage rolls, whatever form or flavor, it's delicious! Give them a little TLC through the fall and enjoy the results (hopefully!)
Lettuce
Buttercrunch Bibb Lettuce - Bonnie's Plants
This is one of the tastiest lettuce varieties I've ever eaten. As the name suggests, it has a great crunch to it, however I don't think I would quite call it buttery. Its flat and broad leaves add a good layer of leafy crunch to your BLTs, sandwiches, and burgers. It's also a great salad green with a light, crispy flavor. Grow it in the fall or spring alongside your brassicas!
Celery
Bonnie's Plants
These were actually the first occupants of the fall garden space, and I'll tell you what, they have thrived! Initially, they looked pretty sad, but now they have certainly grown up well in the garden. Celery is a component of the mirepoix trinity, along with carrot and onion. Fresh celery in a soup, stew or stock is perfect to warm you up in the cold winter weather, or with some buffalo wings during a football game.
Collard Greens
Georgia Hybrid - Bonnie's Plants
Collard greens another sub-species of the cabbage plant that produces broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, all of which are cool weather crops. It's hard to think of a vegetable dish that is more attributable to the South than collards. As a child of the Rust Belt diaspora, these weren't originally in the family cookbook, but boy are they good! Simmer them in some vinegar or stock with ham chunks for a delicious green treat.
Kale
Dwarf Blue Curled, Vate's Strain - Ferry Morse
The kale endeavors have been interesting. Growing kale from seed is not easy, and I would argue growing any crop from seed is significantly harder than using starter plants. My strategy for these was to play the numbers: throw down a dense row, and thin as needed while saving some of the transplanted sprouts to increase yield. I love throwing fresh kale in soups and salads for some crunchy green goodness!