Tag Archives: vegetables

Garden 2026

May 19: Peppers and Tomatoes in!

Today was a perfect day to put all the plant babies into the raised beds. Last fall I had planted some garlic and early spring I tossed some potatoes (that had started to grow in my pantry) into the smaller beds. I had propagated all the tomatoes from seed as well as some peppers, and true to form my tomato labels were completely scrambled as I moved the seedlings from the greenhouse to the beds! So now it is kind of a crap-shoot to figure out which plant is determinate and which is indeterminate. I was hoping to keep the taller ones in the rear, and shorter bushier plants in the forefront but..well you know “the best laid plans…”

I am attempting to propagate some eggplants and some more onions, I find onions incredibly difficult to germinate, but this year I was able to get about 18 red and yellow plants to survive. The greenhouse was a success this spring! Bill set up a system with an air conditioner/ dehumidifier so when it gets above 70 degrees, the air conditioner creates condensate and with the addition of a pump, empties water into my “AutoPot” gravity self watering system. I am hoping it can work through the summer and early fall as I know once the temperature gets too cold for the AC to create condensate, the plants get too dry and they fall below their 55 degree comfort zone. We had set this system up at the end of last summer, so this will be the first full growing season test!

Still setting up the Huglekulture garden. Spring cleanup filled the spent soil with fresh load of twigs and organic matter. it has been sitting a couple of weeks in the “April Shower” weather, and I am just adding new soil to the top of the bed so it can start filtering down. I had tossed a few potatoes that were going soft into the twigs, and as expected, they are growing! Honestly…ANYTHING that goes into that plot grows like something out of a Disney movie (Snow White to be specific)

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Fall 2023 Garden

January 9, 2024

This fall may have been the end of the outdoor growing season, but the start of the indoor and greenhouse garden! My long awaited greenhouse kit arrived and was erected in late September, so rather than growing from seed, I have opted to winter-over some kale, yucca, peppers and my Banana trees. I have started some seeds indoors, and have moved some potted up broccoli rabe and arugula out to the greenhouse to see how it does. The Temp in the greenhouse is a steady 56 degrees with the addition of a thermostatically controlled heater/fan .

On January 1, I planted some cayenne pepper and Italian flat onion seeds and they were germinating nicely…until last night. I usually clamp the humidity dome shut to prevent critters from snacking on sprouts, but having forgottn to do that I now have to replant and start again.

My Root cellar attempt was…just OK. The temp around the carrots and green squash was a steady 61 degrees, I believe that is far too warm. I had to cook and freeze so I didn’t loose my squash harvest. Back to the drawing board on that! In the meantime I did successfully preserve most of the Tomatoes, apples, peaches and grapes! Peppers are drying and hanging in my kitchen, Bill has created some amazing hot sauces with recipes for next season in the works. I plan on working on my preservation techniques for 2024 garden. Green beans, although very prolific have been a bit of a disappointment. Dragon beans (which I had last season) were great, however the heirloom green beans I planted this season were harvested and frozen with the “string” intact! I should have taken it out before freezing…now I know.

Always learning. Each season is a new lesson!

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