Onions, Leeks and Garlics

Perhaps one of the easiest plants to grow in the garden is onions. Onions do best when planted in sets rather than seeds, and thrive in a soil with a pH of about 6.5-7.0. Many varieties of onions exist, but you are most likely to encounter only three: Yellow onions, white onions and red onions. Of these, the yellow onion does the best. Others do not grow as well or to the size of the whites or reds. I usually start planting by preparing my planting bed. Around April (in Zone 6), I till the soil in my garden in the desired location. I will usually add a few shovels of dried or composted manureand turn it again. I will repeat this until the soil looks as if it has darkened by one shade from the rest of the soil around it. I then take newspapers and lay them out in the planting area, I lay them out flat, about 8 sheets thick. I do not use the glossy due to the ink content of the paper. I will then cover the newspaper partially in a layer of wood chips or hardwood mulch. This layer is to hold the paper down so it does not blow away while I am working with it. I then take my garden hose, and saturate the paper rather well, being sure not to soak the soil underneath. This is done by lightly watering the paper several times inside of a couple of hours, rather than all at once. I then take a sharpened stick and poke holes in the newspaper. My rows are about 3 feet wide. and I poke 4 holes side by side, about 10'' apart. The wet paper tears easily. You want to be sure to give the onions growing space. The more space you give, the larger your onions will grow. I go for medium onions, so this spacing is fine. I then take the onion sets and put them into the holes. there is no need to bother filling in the holes, just place the sets into the holes tail up until all of your holes are full. I then cover the entire bed in a nice thick layer of wood chips or mulch, about 2-3'' deep. I then water the entire bed. That is it. Rarely is any more maintenance required. I rarely even water them. At the end of your growing season just till the entire bed under after harvest. By the next year all of the mulch and paper will have broken down, and added nutrients to the soil. Planting this way, one may be able to get several plantings and harvesting in one season. Leeks are planted much the same way as onions, accept you want to harvest them before the green falls over.
Garlic is another story. Garlic should be seeded in the fall as early as possible. It starts to grow as soon as it is planted, but goes dormant during the winter months. This growing time is important to give the plant a good head start for spring. I grow elephant garlic, which is actually in the leek family but grows exactly the same as all other types of garlic. Like onions, you harvest garlic when the green dies, for elephant garlic, this is in mid-July. You will want to dig the heads up rather than pull them because they grip into the earth very well, and tend to grow deep. Simply save some of the cloves from one summers harvest and replant them. I usually harvest garlic every two years, to give the garlic more than enough time to grow and develop flavor. Garlic likes compost in the soil to loosen and add nutrients. If your soil is too hard your garlic bulbs will not develop. Likewise if your soil is too soft, the will not take root well. This is because the tops of garlic plants are very large and heavy.
Garlic and Onions are best served by composting rather than adding fertilizers and products like Miracle Grow later. This is because chemicals can easily be stored in the skins of the plant, which will not only damage the plant, but could damage you as well. Simply add some compost to the soil and till it in well before planting. That is all that is necessary.
I love fresh garlic and onions from the garden. Given how easy they are to grow, these plants are highly recommended for beginning gardeners.

from Brandywine to Cherokee Purple

I love tomatoes. My personal favorite part of having a summer garden would have to be the tomatoes. Flavorful and robust, the garden tomato is far different than those cardboard imitations you buy at the grocery store. Firstly, you have a variety of types of tomatoes to choose from. The most common variety is the Better Boy tomato, or some divergence of this breed. They are a very good all around tomato, good to slice for sandwiches, O.K. at making sauces, ect. This tomato, however, is not great at any one selected use. Rather, it is often grown because of its versatility. As compared to other tomatoes the flavor is mild, with a moderate amount of juice and a stiffer texture. It is also easier to grow, and the fruits have a longer shelf life than many other varieties of tomato. My personal favorite type of tomato is the Brandywine tomato. It is large and irregular in shape when compared to the Better Boy. It is a deep pink tomato, a bit more acidic than Better Boys. It is much juicer and meatier than Better Boys, and is much, MUCH more flavorful. Like the German Stripe, it does not have a very long shelf life. If picked ripe, maybe 3 days, maybe less. German Stripes are a yellow tomato with pink stripes, and an older breed than the Brandywine (The Brandywine was bred from the German Stripe). This tomato is much more acidic than the Brandywine, and has a less firm texture than the Brandywine. It also has a very short shelf life, and when I have grown them I have trouble picking them before they rot... which they tend to do on the vine. These tomatoes are also massive, which creates a problem in plant support. They get to be the size of Beef Steak or Beef Master tomatoes, but have a much more distinct flavor and texture. Beef Steak and Beef Masters are much the same. Years ago I use to get Beef Steak tomatoes and plant them, however it seems they have been replaced with the Beef Master. The Beef Master is a much easier plant to manage, and is not as susceptible to fungi. However, they do not produce as much fruit as the Beef Steaks. These tomatoes are truly massive, but like the Brandywine, and divine on a sandwich. Other breeds of tomato Grape, Cherry, Roma, ect. Grape and Cherry tomatoes are pretty much just for salads, and one of two of these plants will produce more tomatoes than you could ever use, so I would not buy a whole flat of them. Roma tomatoes are very good for juices, or as small slicers for salads or canning. The Cherokee Purple tomato is another old breed of tomato. The texture is much like a Brandywine combined with a Better Boy. The color is, you guessed it, purple. Medium size fruits which often only ripen on their bottom half. Like the Brandywine and German Stripe, it is an heirloom tomato, so it may be harder to find at times.

As far as dirt, tomatoes like a slightly acidic soil... around a pH of 6 - 6.5. They also like composted organic matter and dark soil. When watering, it is best not to get water on the leaves and just water around the base. Watering the leaves causes the vines to sprout roots... which takes energy away from growing delicious fruit. Tomatoes love full sun, hot climates and warm soil. They should be watered very well once daily in the evening. If you water earlier two things happen. 1 : Your water evaporates from the soil and your plant doesn't get as much, and 2: The resulting water vapor can literally steam cook and wilt your plants. Tomatoes, as well as most plants, tend to drink more at night anyhow. Be sure the soil stays moist but not wet. The dirt should always be dark around the roots, even if the surface of your garden is dry and cracked. Do not over water.

Most varieties of tomato plants take from 90-120 days to mature, and should be tied up as they grow. This can be done via tomato cages or stakes. This can be very labor intensive and time consuming so take this into consideration before planting. I have planted over 200 at a time before... and this is overwhelming for one person. Plants should be planted about 18- 24'' apart depending on variety.

Complications with the plants often include fungus in moist conditions, wilt in dry conditions, and pests all around. Insects and Animals also find fresh garden tomatoes irresistible. A very common problem with tomatoes is cracked skin. This is because the tomatoes are growing too quickly. If you are using Miracle Grow and this is happening, Stop Using It. If you are using compost and this is happening, Add Calcium.

P.S.- Green Tomatoes are actually slightly toxic, so consume them in small amounts. Over consumption can cause upset stomach and diarrhea.

The Solution is in Poo

You will surly see me write a great deal about the benefits of natural garden maintenance as opposed to one which uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides. I would like to clear a few things up. I do not have an organic garden. I refuse to use chemicals in my garden in the form of pesticides, however I do sometimes use Miracle Grow, and the compost I use often is not organic, because I compost pieces of vegetables which are not grown organically, manure from goats, alpacas and chickens which are not raised organically, ect. This is because I am very practical. Still, using these things does not decrease the health value of the vegetables. In the case of Miracle Grow, I find myself using it less and less due to adverse effects on the plants themselves. Tomatoe skins tearing? This is often because you have tomatoes that are growing too fast. Miracle Grow is a major cause of this. It could also be a calcium deficiency. Pumpkins become brittle, peppers get a rough barking coating, the list goes on and on and on. Last year I did not use it at all. I will not be using it this year either. Still, if you are new to gardening and your soil is of poor quality, or if you are growing plants in containers, this sort of chemical is very beneficial to the plants.
I have discovered the solution is in the poo. Not just poo, but grass clippings, leaves, paper, table scraps, ect. I mean compost! Poo from animals with multipal stomachs work the best, because it is broken down the most. Goat, alpaca, and cow are a few in this list. Horses only have one stomach, so you tend to get alot of raw materials, such as weed seeds. Using waste materials for something useful. That is what I am all about... P.S.- Do not use human poo or poo from meat eatters... parasites and germs can kill you.

Compost

Compost is the most important part of your garden's ecosystem. Compost is somewhat time consuming but relatively easy to make. I have decided to make composters to make compost. Traditionally compost was made via a compost pile. This was simply a heap of scraps, grass clippings, leaves (though I would not advise this, but more on that later) manure, or about anything else which will decompose. This pile is then mixed and turned at least once daily, and moisture is frequently added to keep the pile damp. As the pile breaks down it will produce heat and reduce the nitrogen and ammonia levels to those which are usable and healthy to the plants. Some items, such as leaves, I tend to shy away from adding to the compost. This is because some leaves contain a very high acid level, namely oak. However, many people still compost leaves with no problem. I am just paranoid about it and considering my soil is very acidic I try to do whatever I can to reduce the problem. Composters work like a small cement mixer, which is filled with compostable materials, and given a spin a few times daily. This is much easier than using a pitch fork and turning it by hand. It also helps keep the compost contained and thus reduces the wasting of any good compost.

Garden Thinking on Christmas Eve

I miss my garden. There is something very spiritual about farming. I feel close to the divine working so close the the earth. I am thinking about what to plant this year.
This will be the first year I dedicate myself actually selling my produce. I have sold some by the road out from my house, but it was more to build a deeper connection with my community, than to actually make money. I live in the rural town of Fraziers Bottom. Search it on Google Earth if you want, it is the only community that bares this name. It is in West Virginia, and like many small communities in my area, is falling victim to urbanization.
I am looking around at the assortment of seeds available to me online. I buy most of my plant starters from Caldwells, a local greenhouse. I finished seeding my garlic today. I grow elephant garlic here, which is more mild than regular garlic but produces massive bulbs. Elephant garlic actually is in the leek family, not the garlic family, but it tastes wonderful.
I also secured some manure today from some friends and family. My fiances family owns goats and alpacas, and I will be composting that, as well as chicken manure from my cousin Sasha. Composting manure is very important before using it. If you do not the ammonia and nitrogen in the manure will burn the roots of the plants, stunting or even killing them. It is best to age all compost at least 6 months.
I will be building some composters in the next month or so. These are relatively easy and cheap to make. I tend to shy away from the compost pile idea of composting simply because of the difficulty of turning the compost, which must be done to create air circulation. Instead, I will be taking 50 gallon plastic drums I have obtained from my neighbor Doodle. I will take these, and cut a square out of the side. Then I will take hinges and a latch and attach to the flap to make a door. I will drill a whole in the top and bottom of the drum and turn it on its side, running a bar right through the middle. Then I will screw paddles onto the inside walls of the drum and drill air holes all over the drum. This way, when the drum is filled with compost and rolled, it will turn the compost. This will also make the drums easy to transport around the yard.
I am looking at burpee.com and parkseeds.com at some of my seed choices, as well as using amazon. I plan on planting sweetcorn, popcorn, green beans, brandywine tomatoes (my favorite), bell peppers, onions, squash and peas in May. Then in my fall garden I want to plant some pak choy and other cabbages, onions, turnips, radishes, lettuce, carrots, and some greens.
At my house I have two gardens and a pumpkin patch. The main garden is about 3400 sq. feet. This one is often the most diverse and the most productive of the two. The second garden is located behind the first, and is about 1200 sq. feet.. I often plant just one or two crops out there, usually corn, and leave everything else to the first garden. The second garden is often eaten by deer and rabbits, so it is often not as productive. Last year I installed an electric fence, which has done a wonderful job of keeping the deer out. Also around April I and my friend Ben went out and hunted some of the rabbits out of the field. The area I live in is very fertile and wonderful habitat for rabbits. I counted 22 in my back field last April, and decided the thin them out a bit. I like having the animals around, but there must be some population control to keep them from eating everything to the ground (which they have done many times before). So, we went out and shot a half a dozen of them. This is good, though, because we both consider rabbit to be a fine meal.
Can't wait until Spring.