The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady's fans. The oyster mushroom has...

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Working the December Kitchen Garden

As winter weather sets in early this year--just about everywhere, now is a good time to update your garden records from last season and review your garden design. What worked and what can be improved this coming growing season? Now is the time to plan layout changes for the garden and begin mapping our crop rotations and successions for the coming year.

The spring seed catalogs have started arriving so this is also a great time to prepare seed and plant orders for spring. Plan a continuous harvest for the coming year and order your seed accordingly.

Here are some things you can do now--in December:

Plant. Plant witloof chicory roots in pots of sand and light soil mix and place them in a dark place at about 45ºF. Harvest young shoot as they appear.

Cabbage. Near the end of the month start seeds of cabbage and hardy lettuces indoors. In warm winter regions you can sow hardy and half-hardy cool-season plants such as lettuce and cabbage-family crops in the garden or under cloches. Be patient, crops grow slowly during short winter days. (There is no growth when the day light is less than 10 hours. Don't expect new growth until mid-January.)

Tomatoes (yes, tomatoes). Tender vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants that require 12 weeks or more indoors can be started late this month.

Asparagus, artichokes and rhubarb. These perennial crops can be set out in the perennial section of the garden this month or next. Place perennials at the edge of garden where they can produce for several years without being disturbed. Other perennials include horseradish, sage, mint, and rosemary.

Continue reading "Working the December Kitchen Garden" »

Kitchen Garden Almanac for November

Here is summary of garden opportunities for November; pay close attention to the sections on Soil Prepartion, Season End, and Maintaining the Garden. And don't forget to check out the Regional Suggestions at the end.

Harvest late summer crops. Continue the harvest begun in September and October: cold-weather sweetened carrots, Brussels sprouts (when the buttons firm up), cabbage, and kale. Continue to thin cut-and-come-again crops like lettuce and spinach.

Harvest root crops. Harvest leeks, turnips, rutabagas, kohlrabi, and parsnips as needed. Mulch root crops thickly if you plan to store them in the garden until you are ready to use them; mark their location with tall stakes. Carrots, turnips, leeks, and parsnips can be left in the garden under a one-foot-deep layer of mulch and dug as needed all winter. Root crops that are not protected with a layer of mulch including horseradish and sunchokes should be harvested before the ground freezes.

Seed saving. Seeds from non-hybrid plants can be saved from the garden for planting next year. Thoroughly dry seeds, label, and store them in a closed jar in a cool, dry place.

Storing crops. Keep cabbage in a cool basement or unheated garage until needed. Inspect potatoes and other crops in store; discard any showing signs of rotting or disease.

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Kitchen Garden Almanac for July

July is a busy month in the kitchen garden. This month you are caring for the summer's crops and beginning their harvest, and you are preparing and planting the fall and winter garden.

Beets, turnips, kohlrabi, carrots, and zucchini are ready for harvest this month. Don't be tempted to grow the biggest this or the greatest that. Pick these crops when they are still young and tender; if you do, you'll still be remembering their taste next winter.

Garlic and onions you planted last fall should be ready now. When the leaves of these plants turn yellow, lift them gently and leave them in the sun to dry. Later you can clean them up. Save the best of the small bulbs for planting next spring. The same goes for spring planted shallots which are ready for lifting now.

By the middle and end of July, later summer and winter salad crops, root crops, and spring cabbage can go into the garden. A list of winter crops for planting now follows.

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Kitchen Garden Almanac for June

June is the month to look ahead to the fruit harvest. Peaches and apricots--the early producers--should be thinned by now and many have already come to harvest. Apples, pears, and plums--like the ones above--need your attention now and should be gradually thinned during June.

Fruit trees commonly produce many more fruitlets than they can bear. When you set out to thin your fruit trees, one fruit per spur, or two at the most, is a good guide. But don't rush to thin your fruit trees, work with nature. The natural fruit fall for apples, pears and plums will come later this month and in July. If your trees are heavy laden, go ahead and thin a few fruits now. Start with fruits that are less than marble-sized, discolored or misshapen. Then wait to see which fruits nature drops and do additional thinning after if necessary.

Melons should also get your attention in June. The growing point of melons should be pinched out now and melon plants should be limited to four side shoots each. Make sure the shoots you choose are spread out in opposite directions. When each side shoot has produced five leaves, pinch out the growing tip for that shoot. Soon you will have sub-laterals and flowers.

If you want to make sure your melon harvest is full later this summer, look in June for the flowers with a tiny bulge on the stalk right behind the petals--these are the female flowers. On a sunny day, take male flowers, remove their petals and brush them against the knob-like stigmas of the female flowers. When the fruits begin to swell, choose one fruit for each of the four side shoots--that is four melons per plant, and remove the others.

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Warm Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for May

Spring flowers like sweet peas will spill over into the garden this month. The roses will have heady days in May and the time for warm-weather vegetables like beans and peppers and tomatoes is very close.

Warm-weather vegetable starts can be transplanted into the kitchen garden probably by mid month and direct sowing of seeds will not be far behind once the soil has warmed. Beans will do best after the soil has reached 55ºF (13ºC) and corn will take off after the soil has reached 65ºF (18ºC).

You can minimize transplant shock if you hold off putting melons and summer and winter squash seedlings in the garden until a week or so after the last frost. Peppers and eggplants can be transplanted into the garden two or three weeks after the last frost.

Herbs starts like dill, Green oregano, sweet marjoram, cilantro, rosemary, sage, summer and winter thyme, and garlic chives can be transplanted into the garden this month. You might want to wait just a bit longer before planting basil and lemon grass.

Here is a kitchen garden guide for warm regions—growing zones 7-11—for the month of May.

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Cool Region Kitchen Garden Alamanac for May

The weather in cool northern regions can remain unsettled even in May. Remember that both the soil and air temperature are important when planting the kitchen garden. Few seeds will germinate if the soil temperature is below 45ºF (7ºC) and warm-weather crops are not going to thrive until the night temperatures consistently stay above 50ºF (10ºC).

By the end of the month--or two to three weeks after your last frost, your kitchen garden will be able to welcome cucumbers, bush and pole beans, and tomatoes. In the meantime you can get these crops going in a greenhouse or coldframe or in the kitchen window. If you get the seedlings growing now, you’ll enjoy an earlier harvest next summer.

Strawberries can be planted now. June-bearing-type strawberries are vigorous and spread runners rapidly and should be producing in June. Everbearing-type strawberries will fruit in June and again later in the fall. If you are looking for the easiest to grow, try Alpine strawberries.

Cool-weather crops such as peas (see their blooms above) should be ready for harvest later this month or in June before the weather warms. Keep you eye on cauliflower and Brussels sprouts to get them out of the garden at their peak and before they bolt in warm weather.

Here is a kitchen garden guide for cool regions—growing zones 3-6—for the month of May.

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Cool Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for April

When the crocus and narcissus bloom, the soil is growing warm enough to begin working in the kitchen garden. And if you want a sure sign that winter in your area is past, look for the first leafing out of the birch trees and the bloom of the lilacs.

Don’t rush spring if you are in a region that is just seeing the last of the snow melt. It’s too early to be in the kitchen garden if the soil is partly frozen, muddy or wet. But changes will come quickly this month; April is the month of greatest change in the garden. Spring blossoms will arrive in the north and so will many song birds.

In the United States, the danger of frost is likely to continue this month in all or part of the states in the Northeast, Rocky Mountains and Plains regions, and some parts of the Pacific Northwest,. These regions include planting zones 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Here is a kitchen garden guide for cold and cool regions for the month of April:

Continue reading "Cool Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for April" »

Warm Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for April

April is a month of quick transition in the garden. Frost and possible extreme weather—such as snow—can still come in April, but so can unseasonably warm weather in many regions.

If the daffodils and tulips have bloomed and the lilacs are in bloom in your region, the time has come to sow directly in the kitchen garden. By the middle of the month you may be able to begin planting successive cool-weather crops, and by the end of April in the warmest regions you may be able to transplant out tomatoes, eggplant, and other warm-weather crops.

The timing of planting is important in the kitchen garden. Frost and cool weather can harm some crops, others thrive in cooler weather. If you are looking to get the most out of your kitchen garden, successive plantings of crops is a way to extend the season. Plant as early as possible and then replant every week to 10 days. You will have an unending harvest later. Fast growing crops are best for successive planting: lettuce, radishes, spinach, chard, peas, beets, and carrots in cool weather, and later string beans and sweet corn.

Continue reading "Warm Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for April" »

Cold Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for March

Spring has not come to most parts of the far north—zones 3-6, but you can still get some work done before spring-like weather arrives.

Here is a checklist of things to do in the kitchen garden during March in the cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere:

Plan and design. Map where snow melts first in the garden and mark these spots for planting early crops.

Planting bed and soil preparation. As soon as the soil is dry enough to work, clean up the garden and prepare the soil for planting cool-weather crops. First remove any winter debris or winter mulches, then take a soil sample and have it tested. You can renew most vegetable growing beds by simply adding well-rotted manure and compost.

Few seeds will germinate in cold soil where the temperature is below 45ºF (7ºC). Use a soil thermometer to check how warm your soil is.

Continue reading "Cold Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for March" »

Mild Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for March

Spring-like weather has arrived in most of the mild-winter regions of the northern hemisphere from zones 7 through 9. So now is the time to get growing in the kitchen garden.

Your kitchen garden is a place where you can enjoy the garden as both a gardener and a cook. Make your kitchen garden as delightful as any other room in your home. It's a place where you can grow both vegetables, small fruits, herbs, and edible flowers for the pleasure of the table and the simple delight of watching them grow, blossom, and fruit.

As soon as the ground can be worked in your kitchen garden, prepare beds, borders, and vegetable areas. The danger of frost may continue in some areas, but as the weather warms get your garden ready and begin planting.

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Mild Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for February

Preparation for spring can get under way in your kitchen garden this month in cool- and mild-winter regions. There may still be snow on the ground in some areas, and freezing weather and the danger of frost can continue into March. But if the weather is turning towards spring, now is the time to ready your garden. In the northern hemisphere, cool- and mild-winter regions include zones 7-9.

Here is a checklist of things to do during February in zones 7-9:

Plan and design. Before planting, sketch a base plan for your kitchen garden. Consider the location of house, garage, shed, fences, walls, and large trees that will cast shadows across the garden. Vegetables require at least 6 hours of sun each day to thrive. Locate your garden near a water source if you live in a region with dry summers.

Seed orders. Order seeds and plants for spring planting now.

Soil preparation. Prepare garden beds as soon as the ground can be worked. Test your soil. Add lime if your soil is too acid. Mow winter cover crops and turn them under if the soil is dry enough to cultivate. Spread compost over beds that you will plant.

Check winter mulch around perennial vegetables, brambles, and fruit trees and add more if needed. Press frost-heaved plants back into the soil.

Continue reading "Mild Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for February" »

Cold Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for February

Preliminary preparation for the spring kitchen garden can begin this month in cold-winter regions. Snow and freezing weather is likely to persist in these areas for another month or two. But begin thinking about spring now and when the weather turns your garden will be ready. In the northern hemisphere, cold-winter regions include zones 3-6.

Here is a checklist of things to do during February in zones 3-6:

Plan and design. Map where snow melts first in the garden and mark these spots for planting early crops.

Seed orders. Study on-line and mail-order catalogs and order seeds and plants for spring.

Outdoors. Check winter mulch around perennials, vines, and trees and add more if needed. Press frost-heaved plants back into the soil.

Soil preparation. Prepare garden beds as soon as the ground can be worked. Test your soil. Add lime if your soil needs it.

Continue reading "Cold Region Kitchen Garden Almanac for February" »

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