September 15

2007

2012

2007-09-15

Gardening in the High Desert

Planted out 48 cloves of garlic today. Having a fence sure revolutionizes my gardening. Don't have to wait for raised beds or worry about dogs!

• 6 Georgia Crystal
• 14 Bogartyr
• 17 Kettle River Soft Neck [2012-09-12 Note: presumably one of the bonus varieties]
• 6 Korean Red
• 5 Siberian
• 6 Polish

2 cloves of Kettle River and 1 clove of Siberian - too small to plant - will eat!

Planted 8 bulbs all together. Still have lots more to plant.

Well, at least I didn't totally procrastinate and I have at least 4 dozen bulbs in the ground. I will be more than thrilled to get even half that next summer. Still need to put in at least one more bed of garlic - maybe plant some and let them flower - maybe the Kettle River since you get a lot of small cloves from one bulb [have since learned that soft neck garlic generally does not set flowers - and they aren't really flowers, but tiny bulbils]. I could plant some and let them flower, but I'd need to remember where I put them so I could make sure that they got watered!

Tied some apple tree branches and weighted them - I think it will only take a few weeks to train them. I only have one concrete stake to use as a weight right now, and since it hasn't been very windy, I figure I'd see how it went.

MDH is amazing. He built me this awesome fence and today I woke to the sounds of hammering - he was building the gate. I'm so thrilled. I don't think he knows how much I've wanted a garden like this - for nearly all of my adult life.

I think I still have about 10 more garlic bulbs to plant - a next week job. Or, a next week pleasure.

The sun is setting. It is peaceful and still and a pleasant bit of chill in the air. I love this time of day, and this time of year.

The boys are out hunting Evil Rabbits.

Observed my Tomato Horn Worm eating this afternoon - totally pigging out is a better description.

NEXT YEAR: Cage or fence in toms

I started my seed inventory and maybe I won't need to order too, too much - I have MG's and all sorts of veggies. Including pole beans. But, of course, "having enough" is no the real reason one goes into a see buying frenzy - it is the hope and the promise of a bountiful garden that lures one.

OK, I promised myself that to show my appreciation for all the time and energy that MDH gave me on building the fence, that I would spend a significant amount of time cleaning house. I so much would rather play in the garden, but I will do it - this is an awesome thing he's done for me!

2012-09-15

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Made a good haul from the Farmer's Market this morning. One farmer noted that this was an awesome year for tomatoes.

• Carrots - 1 doz at $5 - the most expensive thing, but they are divine. Full sized but as sweet and crisp as baby fingerlings.
• Tomatoes - $1/pound - juicy, luscious, perfectly ripe, you can smell them
• 5 hot peppers - Tabasco style - boxes for canning were $14 - I just wanted 5. the farmer tried to just give them to me - I forced them to take 75cents
• 2 fat sweet potatoes for baking
• One green and one red bell pepper - hardly any ripe ones today - nearly all green. Maybe I didn't get to market early enough
• Bag of peaches - looked way better than the last batch. I may eat some fresh.
• Bag of spinach and one of red lettuce; one cuke. Salad for lunch on Sunday!