And it’s got me pumped up for spring!

Over the last couple weekends, I’ve been clearing out the vegetable beds and laying in a layer of mulch - carefully avoiding pulling the remaining overwintering leeks, kale and celeriac. Sadly, I did not plan my winter garden as meticulously as Valria, and ran out of winter veggies early on in the winter. But as spring beckons with it’s seductive gardening catalogs, I’ve begun the planning.

If you have been inundated with catalogs, I’d encourage you to take a moment to determine what plants are good for your area, and not be easily swayed by the colorful images of plants that can’t flourish in your climate. How do you determine this? By finding out what “Zone” you’re in!

Most purveyors of plants and seeds indicate what “zone” a plant is suited for based on the USDA’s “Plant Hardiness Zone Map”.

You can click here to find your zone!

Basically, this map indicates, by region the average annual minimum temperature range. By determining this temperature, you can make an educated selection on your plants, based on which are hardy at those temperatures. For instance, living in Seattle, I am in Zone 7b, which based on these statistics, means that the average minimum temperature is 5-10 degrees Farenheit.

Now, those who live in Seattle know that it is RARE to ever see a winter that cold - thus far, the lowest I’ve seen over this last winter is 22 degrees, and not for any significant amount of time. This relatively mild winter, means that it never “hard freezes”, and that soil can be worked throughout the winter, and that bulbs that remain in the ground over winter won’t necessarily freeze to death.

As tempting as may of those tropical beauties may be, make sure your climate will allow it.

So, the planning continues - take a moment and check out Territorial Seed Catalog!

I pulled more carrots today, they have a nice sweetness from the winter cold.

These became a big part of my dinner tonight.

Also I wanted to show you some umbrella cloche’s I got last fall. I only got two because I wanted to see how they would work. They are super easy to use, use pull the string to open and push the stake into the ground. As you can see I put them over the romaine and the leaf lettuce before the first frost last fall and I am still harvesting. I have the lettuce’s planted in barrels but these work quite well. They are bigger around then the barrel’s so they actually vent themselves.

Romaine

Leaf Lettuce

I have never before picked romaine in January out of the garden. It is quite decedent. Of course it does have me thinking greenhouse now.

Garlic is a bulb and is planted in the fall. These will start to grow in the spring and should be watered and fertilized then. Decrease watering as it nears time to harvest so that your not promoting mold or bulb discoloration. I usually harvest when there are least 3 to 4 green leaves left and them. But heck more on harvesting and storing next year when these are up.

I also planted some multiplier onions today in the same spot.

First picking the spot, tougher then it seems as spring is around the corner and lots of seeds will be going in. I try not to plant the same thing in the same spot every year so I chose just outside the herb bed this time. I had to pull out the rest of the beets to get the spot ready. I also planted the onions right up to and under the brussels sprouts. But long before the onions are up the brussels sprouts will have been harvested and eaten. I’ve never ended up moving my garlic but I have wished I had put it elsewhere. This should be a great place next to the herbs and leeks.

The spot, cleaned out ready to plant.
Don’t separate the garlic until just before planting.
Plant with root side down.
Space them out 4 to 6 inches apart.
They only are planted 1-2 inches in so I just
made a hole with my finger.
Then just cover them up. I didn’t even water
them since its going to rain tonight.Same process for the multiplier onions:

The onions should be 6 inches apart.
When you cover them up the tip should be
about level with the surface of the soil.

I found a spot, I planted several, I thinned down to the strongest three plants when they were small. Lots of flowers and the fruit just starting and we never got any heat this summer. It was cool to say the least.

Today I picked ALL of my pumpkins, both of them, and I carried them in the house in one hand. Sad huh.

As for the carrots, the spring planted carrots are the ones I will pull and eat all winter, as you can see in this picture I am still thinning and these made a nice quick snack earlier. I store carrots in the ground during the winter and just use them right out of the garden. They actually just get sweeter as it gets colder. The type I planted today are new type for me, they are the Merida Hybrid from Territorial Seed and they are an overwintering carrot. Planted today, at a 240 day maturity I will be eating these early next summer after the spring carrots from this year are all gone and the spring carrots next year are just getting started.

To have year round vegetables means year round planning and planting.
Still to go in this weekend are onion sets, leeks and garlic. I do have onions and leeks already in from earlier this year but I am trying to get year round vegetables. I am hoping to have mature leeks this winter just in time for some yummy fall risotto’s.
I am going to plant a cover crop in where the beans, corn and tomatoes are all out to dig that in next spring for soil nutrients.

There is more produce then one can eat alone. Besides even the freshest of beans or in my case yellow squash, there comes a time when you have just eaten so much you can’t comprehend another meal with that vegetable. Today I picked a bushel of beans, I gave some to the neighbor and have a bag for a friend coming by today and look at this is what is left from today’s harvest. The sad thing is, there were so many beans I really just picked what was within easy reach. One good thing about beans is they freeze well. I will be picking more tomorrow and freezing bags of them for fall and winter when there are no more to pick.

On to the tomatoes, it is hard to get tired of eating home grown tomatoes. These are just the gold nuggets off of one plant today, oh a a couple roma’s as well. I again gave a bag tot he neighbor. If I can’t give all of these away and/or eat them I may just throw them in a pot and make and freeze tomato soup. There are more in the garden and other variety’s as well.

Here in the Pacific Northwest they can be a bit of a challenge, (even with the zillion varietals that grow well in cooler, wetter climates), and can frustrate even the most savvy of gardeners. I once heard a friend say that she was considering not growing them at all. I was stunned.

What would be the point of gardening, if NOT to grow your own tomatoes. More than any other vegetable, I think, the difference between a home-grown tomato and a store-bought tomato is the greatest. I’ve fed home-grown tomatoes to people who have never had one (can you imagine?) and they are almost confused; overwhelmed by the enormity of the difference in flavor and quality.

The photo above is of the first cherry tomatoes I pulled from the vine earlier this week. They are explosively sweet, and full of flavor. Another perk, or so it seems to me, of homegrown tomatoes, is that they last longer. Of course, you should NEVER refrigerate a tomato - EVER! That will only accelerate the wilting and dying process. It should only find it’s way to the refrigerator after it’s been cut into a salad, or for no more than an hour or so to chill it before serving. However, I wouldn’t even bother chilling them. When they get cold, the natural sweetness is hindered, and they can become unpleasant, because only the acidic tang can be tasted.

A tomato, fresh from the garden, washed gently with cool water, sliced and served with a sprinkling of salt and pepper (perhaps a bit of fresh basil and olive oil?) is one of the most perfect of summer delights, and should only be attempted in the summer.

In a few weeks time, I’m hoping to start canning tomatoes. I have quite a few lovely saucing tomatoes that are currently green on the vine and will be perfect soon. Time to dig out those canners and Mason jars!

Isn’t it cute

Here I’ll move the leaf out of the wayNow I think when this one gets bigger it will be pumpkin soup or maybe even pumpkin butter, we shall see.

A few days away and look at all the butterstick squash I found last night when I went to pull lettuce for a salad.

Needless to say, I’ll be grilling squash tonight!

In addition to their speedy growth, and obvious nice flowers, it turns out that they are a virtual magnet for aphids. As a result, they’ve become something of a sacrificial lamb for my garden.

The ones shown in the photo to the right are planted next to my lettuces, and chards. The lettuces and chards doing very nicely, and the nasturtiums are taking the brunt of the abuse from the aphids.

Most strangely, I’ve cycled at least three sets of nasturtiums out of this space, and now I’m afraid to NOT replant more. Perhaps it’s time to get more ladybugs?