Wednesday, December 29, 2021

December's Garden (2021)

This past month has been extremely busy due to big changes.  Dustin accepted a job in Chattanooga which is a 2 1/2 hour drive away and has moved out.  He will obviously not be eating here daily so my garden plans have changed...again.  To avoid waste, I have been sharing freely and focusing on harvesting the varieties that can't handle the bitter cold. 

Gifts for friends

Empty spots are appearing so raked leaves from the big oak tree in the front yard are being spread over the garden.



All of the radishes which were growing between the corn stalk roots at the base of the one remaining support fence have been harvested. A few were beginning to rot so it was time to move them to the refrigerator. There might be other ways to store them but there is plenty of room in my fridge - Dustin took all of the food.


Garlic bulbs were squeezed between the radish roots last month and they have already begun to sprout.  Come spring, onion bulbs will be added, and then later something vining will be planted to grow up the fence. 


One hoop house has been taken down and the other one at the far end of this row will come down in a few days. These were the mixed plants from the saved assorted unknown seeds which had been broadcast during the late summer. Most were finished producing. That still leaves me with 12 hoop houses.



Right now the cool weather crops are being harvested. Tsa Tsai is a mustard green that has a round bulb at the base of the stem which can be eaten along with the leaves. When grown last spring, it had a stronger flavor but became milder in the cooler weather.  However, even though it is not extremely spicy, we still don't like it and are giving it to mustard-loving friends. This is the last time it will be grown.  The stems and bulbs have begun to split from the freezing weather.



Anything with a thick stem like bok choy or napa cabbages won't last much longer.



My preference is for variety so I plant a couple of everything. It is how I manage to grow so many different vegetables. At last count, I have seeds for over 20 varieties of Chinese greens alone. That doesn't count the saved seeds which have produced crossed surprises. Buying seeds is my weakness. Two or three of whatever happens to germinate is planted each season and that keeps my meal choices interesting. 




Seeds for this red hybrid cabbage were purchased a few years ago but haven't been for sale since. It is rare for me to buy a hybrid because I can't save the seeds; however, I couldn't resist its color. This fall only one sprouted so the leaves have been used to garnish salads. It turns black when cooked which might be why it isn't sold anymore. It can get much bigger if not snipped constantly.


Katsuona is another of the unusual vegetables in my garden.


Its leaves have gotten frost burn where they touched the top of the hoop house.  It won't survive much longer either. 


Napa cabbages never live long. They grow fast then either freeze in the winter or bolt in the summer.  These are Chirimen Hakusai Napa Cabbages. There are only two, but it is enough. Next season, a few more seeds will be planted until they no longer germinate. This seed packet has lasted for years.


Golden Beauty Napa Cabbage has been a wonderful discovery and has become one of Bill's favorite salad greens. The flavor is mild and delicious.  



It is green when picked but as the outer leaves are removed, the inner leaves are a pale yellow.  



They are not being shared (Bill's favorite) but are being picked as fast as we can eat them.  They don't seem able to handle temperatures below the '30s because their outer leaves freeze and rot.  Even with the protection of a hoop house, they suffer. This is how they look now, pretty rough. The slimy outer leaves have been removed to avoid attracting slugs. 


Last month's disastrous broccoli/lettuce/collard bed is still a disaster.  The experiment to find a nontoxic poison (nontoxic to humans but lethal to ants) continues.  I dug out the huge ant mound because it had killed most of the plants in the middle area. 


The back part of the bed is in better shape.


Most of the Landis Winter lettuce didn't survive my excavations but what few did, seem to be past their prime. There is a later sprouting one in another part of the garden and it is doing much better.  Planting times should have been staggered. It seems I must figure out when to plant them in my zone so they will make it through my winter.


The assorted broccoli and Cascade Glaze Collards will be harvested deep in the winter after the less hardy vegetables are gone.


There was a surprise in the back area of the garden in front of the shed.  Last fall (2020), a potato was planted to see if a second crop was possible in my 7a garden zone - it isn't - everything died in the winter. However, this past spring (2021) one potato left in the soil sprouted and grew under the okra plants producing these potatoes. They were discovered when we were spreading the horse manure.


Now I am wondering if this area would be best for growing potatoes.  Perhaps the shade will keep them from dying in the summer heat so they can produce more.  I don't know but the plan right now is to put potatoes in the back of the garden. 


The cool weather crops will soon be gone and we will begin harvesting hardier cold weather vegetables.  Our diets will once again completely change.  Change - it seems to be the only thing constant in my life right now.


16 comments:

  1. I'm always impressed by all that you grow. You're an awfully nice Mama to let Dustin take all the food :o). Hope the job is all he hopes for. Wishing you a happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurie, it is hard to resist a starving man and Dustin is always hungry. Always! I made huge stir fries and then froze them in smaller containers for meals. He took enough to fill his fridge and freezer. He is very appreciative which makes it worth the work. Joshua comes home every two weeks and takes enough salad greens to last until the next visit. Reese will be home next month for two weeks and I am already canning soups for him to take back with him. Cold food won't last the long drive. All I want in return is a thank you.

      Delete
  2. Twelve hoop houses: wow! How nice to have such plentiful fresh produce into the winter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I planted so much because Dustin eats massive amounts and never gains an ounce. Now he has moved away. I sent enough with him to hopefully keep him from going hungry. Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment and the nurses got a laundry basket full. Nobody knew what anything was but they gladly helped themselves. Sunday night the temperature will drop down to 14 degrees. That will end all of the cool weather plants.

      Delete
  3. The nurses must have enjoyed their unexpected present from you! Hope Dustin is settling in well and enjoying his new job and location. Bill's Golden Beauty Napa Cabbage looks crisp and tasty no wonder there is little left for anyone else! Thanks for taking part in Through the Garden Gate it is always a pleasure to look at your garden once a month and be astounded and learn about all the vegetables you grow! Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah, it is a pleasure to see other gardens from around the world. Looking at flowers during my wintertime cheers me and seeing winter snows during my hot summertime reminds me of the restful days ahead.

      Delete
  4. Those potatoes look big and round; that was where one of the first loads of horse manure went. I guess the soil was loose and the okra shaded the potatoes so they wouldn't burn. Quite a pleasant surprise.
    And yes, I am enjoying the food you sent very much. Thank you Momma!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dustin, I miss cooking for you! Food hasn't been disappearing from the refrigerator. Tomorrow we are visiting Joshua and Nana and will be delivering care packages of greens. Don't worry, there will still be plenty for you when you visit.

      You are right about the potato being in the spot where the first load of manure was dumped - you were the person doing the shoveling! Some things you can't forget - like the scent of fresh manure on a hot day.

      We miss you.
      Mom, Dad, and Scooter

      Delete
  5. Your Napa cabbage is what I buy as Chinese cabbage.
    I wonder if your sons will one day inherit your Grow your Own genes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dustin and Joshua are not allowed in the garden without adult supervision (me) because they know nothing about gardening. Reese, my youngest has inherited my love of gardening except he prefers aquaponics. This is the system he set up in our backyard: http://getmetothecountry.blogspot.com/2018/03/aquaponics.html

      At present, he works at a greenhouse in another state and is saving money to start his own business someday. This is where he works:
      http://getmetothecountry.blogspot.com/2018/12/a-stranger-arrives-home.html

      Delete
  6. I'm always impressed by all that vegetable you grow. Wishing you happy and healthy 2022 and all the best to your son starting a new life!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fascinating! I am amazed (and inspired) by the many veggies you manage to keep growing, even when it's cold. We are still in Michigan, and when I look out, all I see is snow and ice. Gotta try some of your methods -- and veggie types.
    Happy New Year, friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Cindy, it is snow and ice here also - a second storm is blowing in right now. It is 28 degrees outside. The earlier one this week melted enough for me to go out yesterday and harvest two arm loads of greens. I knew the hoop houses would freeze to the ground so I got a lot. I couldn't believe my eyes, there was an outbreak of aphids and slugs when I lifted the covers! How can they survive? They must freeze and then thaw without dying. Good grief!

      Delete
  8. I sure have missed seeing all of your wonderful garden posts. Happy new year to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love seeing your garden! Always!
    Our garden isn't very good this winter. Last year, I actually was doing well experimenting with winter gardening, but this year I've been preoccupied with the grandsons. There's nothing like 2 babies exactly 1 year apart to keep a grandma busy. We keep them at least a couple of days each week, for several hours at a time, and see them way more than that when their mama and auntie come over and collapse on our couches and eat up my food while we play with babies. That seems to be a cross-country event--there and here:)

    Thankfully, I was able to grow an amazing, huge garden this past summer and canned and froze it all, so we are still eating very well, with some help from the store. The older grandson eats like a horse. He loves the home=canned peaches, soup made from preserved veggies, and lots more. The younger baby just started eating food, so I expect he will eat the canned foods, too. It's really a fun time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't blame you. Playing with grandbabies is much better than weeding a garden! I haven't done anything in my garden except for picking for a long time now. It isn't fun being outside when your fingers are frozen.

      Delete