The Garden Center

My Apologies...

2010-11-08T20:39:00.000-06:00

I am so incredibly sorry that I have not posted the last few months, but my dear husband of 32 years passed away suddenly and I have not only been unable to imagine life without him, I have not even begun to imagine growing the gardens that he so loved to work and sell fruits and vegetables from. I know that my love for the garden will always be with me and with time I will continue on with my growing, but for now I will just try to reorganize my life and wait for spring to bring out that green thumb. I have been thinking about going in a different route, possibly smaller scale or greenhouse gardening. I have also considered just growing plants and not so many vegetables. --Nah, that's not such a good idea. I have always believed that if you grow it you should be able to eat it. And with the economy and the future of our country and the planet all in question I think that we all need to think about self-sustainability. Thank you for your understanding - and good gardening to us all!!!

I LOVE SUNFLOWERS!!!!

2008-08-13T01:20:00.003-05:00

The summer garden would not be complete without the giant sunflowers growing over the garden fence! The birds and the bees love lighting on them and eating from the large dinner plate offerings.
To be honest I was not ever this interested in sunflowers. I thought it didn't belong in a garden if it did not produce food or ward off the bad bugs. But my dear husband insisted on sunflowers so I threw seeds along the fencerow (162 feet of it) and the flowers that have opened their faces to the sun are the most glorious shades of yellow, orange, burgandy and brown. (I had many different varieties that I just alternated along the fence.) Now I am so glad that I did.
So are the birds and the bees!

I Love The Rain - Just NOT SO MUCH!

2008-07-16T01:49:00.002-05:00

Another short time has flown by and the garden is still wet - sounds like my past posts, huh? It seems like I'm repeating myself over and over again!
Well, the squash has just about drowned. The first planting of cucumbers has been pulled up - too wet, caused fungus - but the tomatoes and the green beans are having a heyday with the weather. They are just not producing too terribly much since there hasn't been any real heat or sunshine to speak of. this week seems to be a little better, however, so my next post may not be quite as dismal.
I am still loving those Japanese tomato rings! The cherry toms - all three varieties that I planted on them - are thriving and are still so lush and producing so many tomatoes! I have never raised so many cherry toms at once. I have started more Roma tomatoes to see if they like them as much as the baby toms do. I still have people stopping to ask what they are, but I may do all of my tomatoes on them this fall and next year!
Sales are off and on for the veggies. With no advertising we are still doing pretty good. Now that everything is getting into full production we may start some advertising on the turn-off road to get here. We are still planning a high tunnel for the front garden to see how long this winter we can keep these tomato rings going. It has also been so wet that the onions are not growing much, but the ones we have pulled and eaten have been absolutely divine. Juicy and sweet with no heat at all! We are keeping the rest of them - a little selfish, I know - but there aren't near enough for my use AND to sell. You just have to draw the line somewhere!

Sales and Orders Are Steady!!

2008-06-24T00:06:00.008-05:00

Squash, cabbage, onions, broccoli, cauliflower - now green beans and cucumbers - are all starting to mature and produce! We even have been selling some green tomatoes, it's a Southern thing to fry them. Saturday we sold out after three hours - even the stir fry ingredients I just picked for supper! And the demand is greater than the amount of ripening produce that we pick in the mornings. Since we are not on a main thoroughfare of the city it will only get better with advertising (we have done none yet).
I can't wait for Wednesday to open back up! We have met some of our neighbors that had just waved before, and have made new customers of friends of friends. Have I mentioned how well we are eating now with all the fresh vegetables on our table?This picture is the stand we put up, but before we opened with vegetables and plants. It's full now and the small garden is right behind it for a great backdrop.
I just can't imagine anything else so worthwhile and so fulfilling as providing good, wholesome nourishment to the public. And with the future of our food supply so much in question I hope to someday be able to teach others how to do the same.
This is one profession that is good for the mind, the soul - and the body!

Update - Japanese Tomato Rings

2008-06-23T23:47:00.004-05:00

I know I have discussed this before, but I have found out something very important about the Japanese tomato rings.
The plants love it, like I said earlier, they have so much fruit that I have to work them almost every other day to keep them supported! In the picture above they are just behind the vegetable stand next to the road in my front yard. Every single person that has stopped at the stand has had to look at these contraptions and is amazed with the tomato production and beauty of the plants themselves. Nobody seems to have ever heard of them.
I would be happy with them even if they did not produce one single tomato, because I have had people stop just to look at and ask about what they are, since they are just off the road but too far to see very well! They have been worth their weight in gold as conversation starters - I can say that for sure!

Time For An Update!

2008-06-08T23:21:00.005-05:00

The garden is starting to really take off. The tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabbage family of veggies are almost ready to start picking (however, I did get a couple of really great bunches of broccoli and squash - yellow and zucchini - yesterday!) It will be stirfry tomorrow.Here's how it's grown. I know you can't really see it, but the tomatoes are very productive and should be ready to start eating next week! The Japanese tomato rings for the cherry tomatoes has had everyone asking what I'm doing there. But the number of cherry tomatoes and the health of the plants has convinced me that I will do the cherry toms like this forever more!
The big garden is really starting to take off as well. Pictures are hard to capture the true size and health of the garden, but it's gonna be great! The first planting of okra has started to set blooms already (the first set was about 200 plants!) and the second planting is getting off to a good start. The birds have eaten the tops off a few, but they can be replaced, but as thick and healthy as they are I probably won't bother.I didn't take any pictures of the long 162' garden, but there are thirty tomato plants, with onions, garlic, and sunflowers in between that seem to like the new soil.
Today has been tomato grooming day. I have never really like tomato vines that are too thick to work in. I trim away any leaves that are dragging the ground to prevent any soil-borne bacteria or fungus, tie up the vines so that there is easy access to the entire plant (not to mention good airflow), and those suckers must come off! Then a quick scan of the tomatoes and to knock off any blooms that stick to them, a quick feed with water and nutrients, and I'm done! (I didn't tell you that this took almost all day since I have around a hundred plants!)
I have tomatoes down pat. I have always been successful with tomatoes, be it in a garden or on the deck in pots. They are easy, you just have to remember to follow the easy gardening rules. It takes less time to groom them than it does to try to figure out what the problem is when they don't produce or the vines start dying! My brother-in-law next door has really nice tomato plants - but he doesn't groom. He thinks it's sacriligious or something to break off leaves or limbs. Of course he has no tomatoes, and his vines usually live a very short life, but if he won't listen....?
Now I am on to other vegetables and try to sort out the secrets of mass production!

On a side note - did you hear about all the people getting sick from the salmonella tainted tomatoes? We will pray for their recovery, and for the CDC or the FDA to figure out where the problem came from. It just makes more sense to grow your own. At least you know where your food comes from and that it is safe to eat. I hope to inspire someone to get out and grow - it's the best thing you can do for yourself and your family's health. Not bad at relieving stress, either!

Japanese Tomato Rings

2008-05-21T22:51:00.002-05:00

I have never before used Japanese tomato rings to grow tomatoes (or anything else for that matter) but I think I like it greatly! It's not only an easy way to compost, but the cherry tomatoes I have growing around them seem to be utterly thriving! I am much preferring to handle the tomatoes on the outside of the ring since you don't have to work around the wire. My rings are smaller than recommended, but for the cherry tomatoes that are on them they seem to work just fine. It also takes up a lot less space, since you can put more plants in the ring area. I have 27 plants on 9 rings and have used less space. I'm not sure how much, but i am going to check it out. I think I saved myself two rows for something else. Nearly every one of the tomatoes is in full bloom, and the composting seems to be breaking down nicely. Having it so open also prevents any odor. Time will tell, but I think I LIKE it!

Not Anymore!

2008-05-16T21:58:00.004-05:00

Rain every other day or so can wreak havoc on good intentions. I intended to have all the gardens planted before this weekend, but with the rain coming and going its just been too wet to work the dirt! What I have been able to accomplish has been growing like a weed - well, some of it is weeds!
As you can tell it's still very very wet and I can't get to weed prevention just yet!
This is the little garden (the north 1/3 of it, anyway!), the big garden is still under construction and not all planted.
But I did get 162 feet of toamtoes, sunflowers, garlic, onions, and marigolds out before it rained - almost, since I planted the last of while the rain poured down. I was a muddy mess! You can't see the plants very well in the shadow of the clouds, but I promise they are there! I forgot to get the basil out there, so I'll have to go back to do that. I love the way basil keeps the bugs away! I used lemon last time and it smelled so GREAT in and around the garden! I also had no pest problem at all with the garden tomatoes - not even hornworms!

The Dirt is Turned and DRY!

2008-05-05T10:34:00.004-05:00

The little garden is planted, the pictures don't show all of it, it's kinda' like spaghetti - long and skinny!
But the first of the tomatoes - the cherry type and the Romas - are in the ground, as are onions, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage, cucumbers, corn, green beans and of course, the entire squash family. Plus the watermelons that needed to come out of the greenhouse to make room - it may be too early for them yet, but they're still alive and blooming!
The biggest garden is now officially started, with lettuce, carrots, peppers, and more green beans already planted. I can get them done in a hurry if I think it's gonna' rain so that I don't have to water! Still waiting on the fence to be finished so I can put out the bigger tomato varieties. And more cucumbers, of course.
I'm starting on a research project in the little greenhouse, doing aquaponics, so if you'd like to see what that's all about you can see it at Greenhouse Aquaponics. I'm trying to get some research started for future gardening possibilities. The opportunity of a totally natural ecosystem involving food interests me greatly, as I'm sure it does anyone that is concerned about our future food supply.
But the sun's out, the garden calls, the rain waits for no one - so I must get finished what I can do for now!

You Will Just Never Guess!

2008-04-11T01:38:00.003-05:00

It's raining again! Thunderstorms, no hail here, no tornadoes, just more flooding. The garden is once again soaked two miles deep, but with a little sunshine and a great deal of wind it may be dry enough to plant by Christmas - if it doesn't rain again!
So I have decided to make my small greenhouse into a miniature aquaponics experiment. I want to grow strawberries. So I put the tank in there, got me some shallow shelves, and now all I have to do is line the tank, get the fish, string the tubing, and plant. I have everything else ready. Saturday, I think. Let you know how that goes.
The cherry tomato plant behind me is blooming. I really need to get some good weather so this poor little darling can get outside. I hate to put it in the greenhouse since I'll be working in there, but I've become so attached!
Can you tell I need to get in the garden?
Back to work so I'll be ready.

GUESS WHAT - IT'S RAINING AGAIN!

2008-03-30T22:33:00.001-05:00

Now I'm depressed, another day NOT spent in the garden. (Maybe another week!)

Plowing's DONE!

2008-03-28T15:14:00.005-05:00

Just so excited about getting my hands dirty!
Last week we had an unexpected frost, didn't turn on the greenhouse heater, lost several of my beautiful plants, but alas, my own fault!
The garden is ready to plant, have the rows lined up and the Japanese Towers ready for the cherry tomatoes, but didn't get to plant anything yesterday - storm in the Midwest!
We didn't get any rain during the day, but while we were in the garden we got to watch a tornado try to make its way to the ground. Thankfully it didn't make it.
But it rained a little last night and today's temperature is in the lower 40's so I'm not actually planting until tomorrow. I took out most of the plants and doubled the walls in the little greenhouse and the lowest it's read since has been around 50. Plants are liking it pretty well, too! Not growing too fast, but getting stronger and ready to plant outside.
My potted plants, the zucchini and tomatoes are still sitting next to me in front of the deck doors. The zucchini has already started with the silly blooms! I hope it gets warm enough to set them outside soon.
I'm posting pics of my little greenhouse. They were taken at night, so it's a little hard to see. I didn't have the plants back in there yet, so it's also a little bare! I am going to start some hydroponics - well, actually aquaponics since I'll be using fish. Getting it up and running first of next week, fingers crossed!
The lights work really well, too bad they're outside my bedroom window. So much for pre-planning!

BUSY TIMES AHEAD!!!

IT'S FARMER'S MARKET THIS YEAR, FOR SURE!

2008-03-20T23:01:00.002-05:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks that you started something and then just couldn't finish? The plow and tiller work this week (before the rains) did not want to stop! For some odd reason it just kept breaking up ground, and now the original garden has increased in size by more than double from last year!
I have so many plants in my small greenhouse I don't think I'll have much trouble filling the plowed land, but I'm having a tough time figuring out just what all I want to plant. I would hate for any of this good produce to go to waste, so I'm thinking of the best things to grow to get rid of. I have the room now for some of the more exotic things I have always wanted to try, like spaghetti squash and some different pappers - and maybe even some tomatillos for my salsa this year!
There are several farmer's markets here, so finding an outlet for the excess should not be a problem. I'm going to try growing in diferent methods, also, like Japanese tomato rings instead of just trellising, and the big greenhouse will be up and running with some hydroponic and aquaponic systems in there. I can't wait to get started with the water!
It's time for me to finish my planting plan, so hopefully we will dry out enough to actually plant some of these cabbage, brussels sprout, and broccoli babies I have been growing.
Best of gardening to you, and better weather for the garden!

COULDN'T WAIT, HAVE PLANTS UP AND RUNNING!

2008-02-18T14:43:00.005-06:00

I know, I know, it's too early for planting. But they're just babies, really. They'll be well on their way if the weather straightens up soon. Either that or the greenhouse will be too full to walk in, much less work in. It's not very big, but it's been worth it's weight in gold for my sanity!
My escape haven is something everybody needs for these long winter days and evenings when the ground is too hard to work. Just some light and a little heat is all you need to be able to smell the dirt year-round. Best medicine under the sun!
Between propogating the houseplants and getting started on the plans for the garden and extra greenhouse space we will have (as soon as the weather breaks), it's been a pretty good winter so far. We have many plans for our garden harvests, and we decided to grow a few extra plants since the Farmer's Market crowds are always looking for an early start. I'm hoping to start a stampede of people using pot and patio planting for some of their easier plants, such as tomatoes and cucumbers. My sister was pretty successful with leaf lettuce and spinach long planters on her deck last year. She could protect them better and pop them inside on those cooler nights. This year they have built their own greenhouse, so hopefully I can help them out with how they can best utilize it.

This year's Farmer's Markets (there are four in this area) will be very successful for us this year if all the plans we have made come to fruition. We will have many plants and vegetables to sell, and there are uses for our excess that we had not thought about before now. I'll let you know if those work out for us. Could be some possibilities for others, perhaps? We'll see.
The other good thing is that our son is now in a position to help us out with a lot of this stuff. He's a great salesman, and he is eagerly wanting to make our little produce farm a success (I think he just wants an inheritance!). But he also wants to get married again, so we'll see how far his interest goes. At least it should mean that we will be spending more time with him.
Gardening is so good for the soul. It brings people together in mysterious ways and makes people feel like they are doing something beneficial. Of course they are! Who doesn't need more fresh, organic, healthy fruits and vegetables on their table?
Gotta' get back to work, burning daylight building words instead of gardens.
Seriously dude, think about building your own greenhouse. It just may save your life and your sanity!

These New-Fangled Machines, Anyway!

2008-01-30T20:12:00.000-06:00

I think you can guess that I had computer problems, so I have not been online for a few days! So guess what I HAVE been doing? Why, I thought you'd NEVER ASK!
Planting, of course! I luckily ordered, when the house was built, a wonderful south-facing double glass door, aligned between the master bedroom and my office here. It gets sun the full day. Facing south, it gets the most sun it could possibly get indoors (even my skylights don't get as much, but they are pretty good to revive a sun needy houseplant!) It opens up onto a great big deck that retains heat very efficiently, so on the warmer days you can open the doors and get fresh air and breezes to the plants. I can hardly wait to start picking those tomatoes! It's an easy transition from the doors to the deck for the tomato plants that I always pot for the deck. Until they get big enough to have to stake they can be carried inside out of the cooler night air if need be.
I think we will have an early spring in this area, so I planted tomatoes (five of my favorite varieties, of course) and decided to start on an early crop of broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. If spring comes early, I might just be able to get in two harvests, covering in late fall, naturally!
I just can't seem to help myself! As soon as I start getting the gardening books in the mail I get the fever. I am also always told I am starting too early, but somehow I always have the plants ready to transplant to the garden or my outdoor pots. Even my dad, the loudest naysayer, ends up putting some of my plants into his garden before it's over! But I NEVER, EVER say I told you so!
I have room to start about 200 more in peat pots, so hopefully I can find enough seeds to get started. I usually have good luck with leftovers I usually buy too many of last year, but I noticed in WalMart they already started receiving their little packets. My next trip will be to Garden City to see if they have any of their bulk seeds in yet. It may be a limited supply, but at least these days my fingernails are getting a little of that soul-soothing soil under them to keep my head, heart, and hands happy!
Happy Gardening!

Play in the Dirt - Indoors!

2008-01-17T17:28:00.000-06:00

Maybe you just can't stand it - you have to get something planted NOW! You are not alone, all avid gardeners are at that point right about now (unless you live in one of those climates that you have a year-round growing season - if you do, just let us know and we'll all move in with you for the winter!).
There are so many new products that have come out in the last few years that let you accomplish that, to grow inside your house. If you are not lucky (or prepared) enough to have a heated greenhouse to tend, there are options that you can use to nip a little bit of the gardening withdrawels in the bud. There are lights, grow beds, plant holders, and complete gardening centers that you can fit into your house and satiate that need for gardening, and provide healthy eating as an extra benefit!
Most of these are fairly small, but there are larger tiered grow beds that , if you have the room, you can grow some of the essentials, like lettuces and other shallow rooted crops to tide you over until the planting season can actually begin. Just think how good a fresh herbed pesto would be for Valentine's Day! Or fresh chives for the stuffed baked potato skins for Super Bowl Sunday!

For Your Small Areas Try the 3-Tier Style ........................ With More Room, Try The Larger Version

If you do not want to actually garden in the house, by the time you got one of these growing systems set up it would be time for the seed starting for your garden! Having tomatoes to get into the ground - without having to wait until the garden centers to have your favorites in stock - would be priceless!
So what are you waiting for - you could have your garden started by this time next week, and have some great salads by Easter! If you are not still in the planning stage for your outside garden you should be in the planting stage for your indoor garden!

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It's Time To Start Preparing For The Garden!

2008-01-14T14:29:00.000-06:00

MEMORIES OF LAST YEAR - HAVING A HARD TIME WAITING THIS IS HOW IT STARTED IN '07!

The weather is nasty, cold and wet, and the temperatures are soaring in the upper teens, and the garden magazines have started to arrive in the mail. This is the perfect time to start planning your garden and what great plants you will soon begin to grow.
Oh, how we love to dream of those days in the sun and soil, with all our plants perfectly growing, and no bugs or blight in sight.
We just don't seem to remember all the problems we had to deal with and all the work that was involved with our precious crop. What we DO remember, however is how good that first tomato tasted, and how many bags of squash we put in the freezer that we have eaten in our casseroles and soups, and how much easier it was to eat healthy when we did it from the freezer!
We have received some great catalogs in the mail already, and this year we are building a hoop house and will be re-covering our small greenhouse so we can get started with our seedlings. This is the time I love the best!
I really love preparing the garden as well. I like to take the tiller around the rows, and get the hoe and forks and lighten the soil, that is gardening to me! Just the smell of the fresh dirt being aereated is of such joy - not to mention the promise of the new beginning!
It's time now - time to plan and dream and make our drawings. Time to replace the overly used tools and prepare the soil test kits and the compost piles and order all those little things we decide to use and grow this year.
I can't wait, listen closely - the earth says "WELCOME TO THE REBIRTH!".