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Re: garden update-long

Mike

I might suggest a cover crop over the winter (such as winter rye) to be
turned under next spring.  Might help your soil condition.

JonquilJan

----------
> Hi folks,
> 
> Don't know if y'all remember me, I joined the list early in Spring and
then
> disappeared from sight. Got busy gardening! Anyhow, I thought I would
send a
> note on how things were going, ask for some advice, and compare notes with
> the rest of you. Just finished bringing in the spring vegetables and
> watching the warm weather ones get started.
> 
> For background, this is my first ever garden. The soil is screened topsoil
> that has turned into the usual Utah clay (Zone 5). This stuff would be
right
> at home on a potter's wheel. Watered regularly and used emulsified fish
> fertilizer twice a week. Also I am using the square foot gardening method
as
> developed by Mel Bartholemew (sp?). 
> 
> I haven't planted much, trying to keep things small and manageable until I
> figure out what I'm doing. The broccoli and cauliflower have grown well,
but
> they both have come up tasting REALLY bitter, with a kind of "soapy" taste
> to them. Anybody have suggestions as to why this happens? I was wondering
if
> it might be the heat. We went from balmy 60 degree days to high 80s-low
90s
> in a week. 
> 
> The kohlrabi, that which survived the grasshoppers, came out great!  The
> Bright Lights Swiss Chard also came out with the soapy flavor and I think
is
> the favorite of the grasshoppers. It grew really well, but would literally
> disappear overnight, with just a few stems left in the morning. Two have
> successfully grown to maturity and I cut the leaves off when they're
about 6
> inches long. Anybody have recommendations for natural controls of
> grasshoppers?
> 
> The anise hyssop and chammomile are doing great. Hardy little guys.
> 
> The various lettuce mixtures I tried did outstanding but they are in
planter
> boxes filled with 50/50 topsoil and steer manure. I'm trying to grow
mesclun
> mixes with varying degrees of success. BTW, most of the seeds are from
> Sheperds which I've been really happy with. Excellent germination rates on
> seedlings started indoors.
> 
> The onions are doing great so far but still in the ground so I can't vouch
> for the flavor. Same thing with the artichokes, which finally are showing
> blossoms. I'm going to try and keep them over the winter but I don't
expect
> success. The heirloom tomotoes went in as seedlings, the following day we
> received our one and only hailstorm of the year. No tomatoes this year.
The
> pepper and bean plants are surviving well, including the heirloom beans
from
> the 4 Corners region south of here. I'd like to save some of the seeds to
> use next year so if anyone can offer advice on saving and storing beans
(the
> kind used for frijoles) for planting, I'd appreciate it. 
> 
> Well, that's pretty much it. A bunch of you gave me help on starting seeds
> indoors which was a great help, thanks again. I'm wondering how everybody
> else's garden is doing. What's doing really well and what's not doing so
> well? Thanks for the bandwidth and the help!
> 
> Mike
> Zone 5
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
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