Category Archives: garden

5.29.12 New beginnings: Hazelbert and ginger

Posted on May 30, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Gardening is sometimes a leap of faith. I’d ordered a pair of hazelberts, and received what appeared to be two sticks with some roots attached. Described as “bare root,” I stuck them in a couple of pots (above), crossed my … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged , | 4 Comments

5.28.12 Glorious greens

Posted on May 28, 2012 by diary of a tomato

We’re enjoying eating from the garden again. Mesclun mixes and arugula are thriving in the cool, damp weather.  Siberian and Red Russian Kales are also establishing well, and should provide us with cooking greens all season.    It’s time to … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

5.21.12 First harvests: Radishes and rhubarb

Posted on May 21, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Our first harvest of radishes for the season, planted with three-year-old seed, surprisingly still viable.  A couple of sunny days have given the rhubarb a boost, and we were finally able to harvest some for a galette, along with field-grown … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged , | 20 Comments

5.19.12 Backyard mushrooms

Posted on May 21, 2012 by diary of a tomato

This month’s rains delivered an unexpected crop of shiitake on logs we’d given up as spent. More on growing these mushrooms can be found in the archives, here and here.

Posted in garden | Tagged | 11 Comments

5.16.12 Fallen cherry blossoms

Posted on May 16, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Cherry blossom season always seems to coincide with wet weather here. No sooner do the blooms arrive, when a big storm comes by to bring them down. These fragile blossoms were a little more tenacious this year, and ephemeral showers … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged | 5 Comments

5.14.12 Garden greens

Posted on May 14, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Overwintered kales — Lacinato flowering between the Siberian and Red Russian kales. Favas — the Cascine are proving better at germinating than the Aguadulce.  With overnight temperatures still dipping into the 40’s, tender greens remain in cold frames (clockwise from upper … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | 14 Comments

5.9.12 Apple blossoms

Posted on May 9, 2012 by diary of a tomato

Last week’s hard frost left the tips of some of our trees damaged. With the apple tree beginning to flower, we were glad to see that it was spared. The number of  blooms gives us hope that this year’s harvest … Continue reading →

Posted in garden | Tagged | 16 Comments