Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:23:09 -0800WeeblyTue, 10 Aug 2010 11:18:08 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/08/happy-daze.htmlThis morning, I have been filling my garden beds with the last of my compost.  It seems The Lad and I are going to get more this weekend.  So...I wanted to prepare for it and use up the compost from before.  If the beds are ready before we go...we can just fill the beds as we unload the truck.  Saves me a bunch of work!  Not that I'm lazy, but that frees me up to work hard at something else.

Some of the beds I was working on, were where I pulled up my squash, lettuce, and carrots.  The dirt in the beds had settled, and I wanted to make sure they were full for the next round, so to speak.

The next thing I need to do, is to decide what to plant where...keeping in mind about rotating crops.  Not rotating crops is what gave me trouble with my squash.

Ever since I pulled up those plants, the bugs have disappeared.  They are not bothering my zucchini plants...at this time.  I am so pleased!

Also, I hate to be too optimistic at this time, but I think my sickly tomatoes may have turned the corner to better health, too!  Blessings all around!  Not to mention that the ants have quit eating my bean plants...and I didn't do anything about that.

It is a good day for my garden!  Good for me, too!  Hope more of the same for all of you too.

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]]>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:50:12 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/07/for-bff.htmlSince tomorrow is the first of August, I got out my BIG basket of seeds to see what I get to plant this month.

It was like opening up a gift.  Seems I get to plant some lettuce this month.  Good!  Back to good salads again.  I am planting some bib lettuce, Vivian (Romaine like), and Iceberg.

I know, I know.  Iceberg doesn't have many nutrients.  But, The Lad likes it best.  I can mix it in salad so we get nutrients with the other lettuces.  Besides, it really IS good on a BLT sandwich.
 
I will be planting heartier greens, like kale, mustard greens, and large ribbed Swiss chard.  Next month I get to plant a lot more greens.  I have chard in every color.

I also have celery, Lemon cucumbers, turnips, and Bok Choi to plant.  We are going to be so healthy!  LOL.

I have also decided to plant some sweet corn.  It takes 73 days to harvest.  We can get corn for Halloween!  Maybe I can make some corn relish.  Oh!  How!  Yummy!  My Pasilla peppers will be ready then, too. 

There are a few repeats from this month that will be going in the ground too.  Like some more beans...Red and Black.  Plus broccoli.

Another thing I have decided to do is to start some eggplant seeds in the house to go in the ground next month.  Just to see if it helps me get more eggplant.  Plus...which does better.

The thing I need to do now, is build more beds, fence them in, and fill them with compost.  I might be able to get some free wood...so I need to check that out.  Or...I can just till up dirt and put a fence around it.  We shall see.

I feel this is urgent, because NEXT month is when I will have many more seeds to plant.  That is...if I get the beds built.  And fenced.  And filled.  We will do what we can.

I just wanted to end this post by saying...BFF, this post's for you!

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]]>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:45:55 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/07/my-new-beds.html

Up against the wood fence, I started a new bed.  I would say this new bed is 4ft by 40ft.  Inside this bed I planted red and black beans.  Plus cucumbers.  This used to be my flower bed, but it died out when I was in Il. last year.

This morning, I laid out this bed, checked for level, layered card board on the bottom, then branch chips, and then my compost.  In my opinion, it is ready to plant.

I started to level and layer...then it got too hot.  Yesterday was the first day in a week we stayed under 100 degrees.  Not so today.  Way too hot for me to work out there past 11 or 12.

I do have to say that I am thrilled to get this much done.  I still have to get it fenced in from the rabbits.  The dogs are another story.  They can jump a 3 foot fence like nothing.  Seriously.

I also want to make sure I can drive around back here without too much trouble turning around and getting to where I need to unload stuff.

Another concern is to make sure I can get a hose around to all the beds so I can water...easily.  So...I have to work this all out in my head, and then I can put my plans into action.  It is just how I roll.

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]]>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:30:45 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/07/works-for-me.htmlThis week I finally got some more seeds in the ground.  It is something I have been working toward for some time now.

I planted herbs to cook with.  Cilantro, parsley, dill, basil, and lemon grass.  These will need to be watered 2-3 times a day for a few weeks (along with everything else I have just started).

For veggies, I planted Hubbard squash, butternut squash, green beans, cucumbers (3 or 4 kinds), black beans, kidney beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi.  I still have compost and beds to fill that I think I can fence in easy enough.  (Pesky wabbits!)

I am still having trouble with those bugs in my squash.  I think the garlic/tobacco/baby shampoo/water mix was too little, too late.  I am still trying to make it work, but I may end up pulling them up and planting something else there that those bugs won't eat. 

I have other options.  Like...plant new plants in one of my new beds.  I think the reason I am having this problem is that last year the pumpkin/squash that covered this garden.  It didn't dawn on me that would cause problems...but ...yes it does!

If that doesn't work, I hope I can count on the kindness of others to give me their extra zucchini.  But zucchini grows fast, and we have a long growing season.  So all is not lost.

Besides, I have a feeling I will be busy with what I have already.  Plus, my front porch is a staging area for all things coming and going. 

Ever since I started...whatever you want to call what I am doing...people come and leave stuff there.  Like my scraps from Big Al's for the compost.  Or canning jars, fruit, veggies, trees, tools, you name it.  It is mostly coming in here, but sometimes it goes out.

I have been thinking I should put a pad and pen on a clip board by the front door so people can leave a note.  That way, I can properly thank people by sharing what I make in exchange for their generosity.  'Cause, what you share returns expanded.

My belief is that gardens are bounty and need to be shared.  I think it is easy to share when you have more than you need.  Kind of like paying it forward.  I like that concept.  It works for me.

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]]>Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:43:08 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/07/ant-poison.htmlAnyone who knows me, knows I want to know everything, yesterday.  As a result, I do a lot of research.  All the time.  The problem is, I collect the information in my head, but not always the source.

One of the things I was curious about, was how to get rid of ants, without poison.  I tried corn meal and coffee grounds. So, for years, I have been trying do this, without much luck.  Till now.

I mixed Borax with sugar, equal parts, and poured it into four ant hills.  After about 4 days, there are nowhere near the amount of ants that there used to be.  Plus, the ants that are there, are not the ants that used to live there.

I am talking about BIG ant hills.  Where the opening is the size of a large peach.  Now it looks like a ghost town.  I had ants in an area where I wanted to put a bed to plant.  Now I can.

I just wanted to let you know something safe and cheap to use.  Let me know what you think.  If you have other "green" ways to help with pests let me know.  Please.  I need all the help I can get.
]]>Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:42:13 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/06/more-of-the-garden.html

I have spent the last 2 hours working in the gardens.  Mostly trimming my tomatoes and tying them up.  See the carnage?

I also took a bunch of 'close-up' pictures just so you can see what is happening.

Super Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes...

Polish Linguisa paste tomatoes...

Beefsteak tomatoes.

and my lovely zucchini.  My finger is almost touching it.  My camera decides what to focus on..and when the wind blows the plants it changes.  Please forgive my dirty nails...the plight of a gardener.

Then there are my pepper plants.  Blooms galore!

Sorry about the focus...I will try again...later.  I need a break.

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]]>Sat, 29 May 2010 10:44:53 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/05/staking-tomatoes.html

Today I want to show you what I have done about staking my tomatoes. 

As you can see above, I have taken the frames for the shed floors, screwed them together, and drove them into the ground, in-between the plants.  That way I can tie the plants to the frames from both sides. 

When I planted the tomatoes, I kept the root ball out of the center so I could stake it there.  Also, I staggered the plants a little so they wouldn't shade each other too much.

The black cloth on the ground in the left-hand corner will be moving to the other side of this row.  I plan on shading the plants a little in the afternoon so they don't crack.  They will still get the heat, so they will do well, I believe.

The next step is to tie the plants to this frame.  Then I can trim off all the leaves that we don't need.  That way the plants can put their energy into the tomatoes, instead of plant.

Hopefully, I will be able to document that procedure this weekend.  But, I am wanting to have a few people over for ribs and strawberry shortcake...so that my keep me busy.

I found some nice strawberries yesterday, so I plan on making jam, too.  They smell perfect!  That is how I pick strawberries...by the smell.  They have to smell real strong, or they won't have much flavor.

Plus...when choosing berries, pick the green cap up so you can see the center of the berry.  Does the red go all the way to the cap, or is there white?  White means they are not ripe all the way through.

When you make jam, it needs to be 3/4 of the recipe, ripe fruit, and 1/4 under ripe fruit to make it set right.  I am very picky about my strawberry jam.

My school of thought on Jams and Jellies are the fruit needs to be over ripe, but not spoiled.  It makes the sweetest jams.  Fruit that is good-ripe for eating is not ripe enough for really good jam.

Also, how I chop up the fruit is important.  I cut strawberries with a knife into a small dice.  After the jam has cooked a bit, I take a potato masher to the prepared fruit.  It makes a better texture, and  easier to spread.

On other fruits and veggies I use an old fashioned meat grinder.   That is what I use to make my hot pepper relish, apricot jam, peach jam, and plum jam.  The texture is perfect.  At least in my not-so-humble opinion it is.  Hope this info works for you.  Pictures to follow.

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]]>Thu, 20 May 2010 18:55:25 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/05/lucky-gal.htmlToday I took pictures of my new plants...like the Cripps Pink apples...

...there are three of them.  I guess it will be a long time before i see any apples.

These are my new pomegranate plants.  Again...a long time before I get fruit.

Look at those tomato blossoms...yummy summer goodness to come.  I love to see those healthy stems, so hairy, fat, and perky.

If you look closely, you can see a bunch of soon-to-bloom buds all over this pepper plant.  It seems that the peppers had a rough start, but have since recovered nicely.  Something ate the leaves a bit, but it seems to have stopped.  I have lizards in this garden and they eat the bugs so maybe they have the problem under control.  Works for me.  Bad Dog is a lizard killer, so it better stay in the garden...if it knows what's good for it. 

This bed is full of 'greens'.  They are ready to eat now.  Tender, sweet, and spicy.  I have arugula, and Mesclun.  I even pulled up a small radish and ate it right out of my garden.  What a lucky Gal I am!

]]>Wed, 19 May 2010 08:45:48 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/05/fertilized.htmlToday I fertilized all my plants with the worm tea.  Now that the tomatoes are blooming, I want to make sure they have all that they need to make the best tomatoes ever! 

I am very happy with the progress of the plants.  In a week, I can eat a little of the salad greens and maybe some radishes.

Today I want to plant more zucchini and some beets.  I have a few 'bald spots' in the West wing.  Seems the ants or birds or something ate most of my zucchini sprouts and I need gobs for my zucchini bread.

Also, I am glad to report that I am getting some sprouts from the pile of pomegranate scraps I threw compost on last fall.  They will make a nice hedge to block my neighbor's ugly garage door barn.  I would love to have at least 5 shoots I can transplant.

Also...I have two sprouts from my Cripp's Pink apple seeds.  I would love to have at least 2 of those trees.  I think they would make most excellent apple pies.  Especially if they are in the individual pastry cups (I showed how to make in the cooking section last fall).

Anyway...at this time in the garden, we are waiting for things to start producing.  It seems like it takes forever...but once it kicks in, I have a feeling that I am going to need help.  A lot!!!

That is what I am hoping for.  So much veggies that I just have to sell them.  AND I make bunches of money and live happily ever after. 

It could happen!!!!  Besides, it's my fantasy, I can dream it any way I want to. 

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]]>Wed, 12 May 2010 10:58:05 -0800http://www.biggreenacres.com/4/post/2010/05/garden-progress.html

Here is a picture of my idea of how to use up these metal posts.  Originally, they were frames for the flooring in my sheds.  We decided to go another way.  I plan on putting another cross-beam to the posts.  That way, it will be real sturdy, and I can tie the tomatoes to the cross-beams with twine.  I always like to re-purpose things.  It is just how my brain works...what can I say...

This is the 'greens' bed.  Kale, arugula, Swiss chard, Romaine lettuce, and some micro greens.  I can hardly wait for my salads.

Four kinds of carrots and three kinds of radish...still a little slow in the carrot department.  But you can see the little hairy shoots in the fore ground.

See the bloom in the center?  Promises of those big, beefy tomatoes.  Sandwiches, salads, sauces, catsup, salsa, the best spaghetti sauce, ever!  I can already taste them...what a lucky girl I am!

Here are some pictures of some new seedlings I started in some cups.  More beefsteaks and some yellow tomatoes.

These are those Cripps Pink apples I like so much.  I found some sprouted seeds in the apple.  So you know me, in the pot they go.

I know this is out-of-focus, but I just wanted to mention that I am hoping to get a few Granny Smith apples off of this tree this year.  I just wanted to show the blooms, but it seems the leaves got in the way.  At least that is what is in focus.

See...a few days without my camera, and I need to be re-trained.  Not really.  Just an old Pollock joke, come to life.    I am allowed...I am Polish.  Maybe even royalty...but that is just a rumor.  It was never proven.  A girl can hope, right? 

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