Grape Propagation Update

Back in April I took some fresh spring cuttings on my Thompson Grape vine. Its is 4 years old, and this is its first year producing grapes. I wanting to try to take some cuttings and grow additional vines, however, ever site I looked at and everyone suggested fall cuttings. I was sheering and pruning this spring anyways trying to keep 1 or 2 main vines for producing only. So it couldn't hurt to try right?!

I put 10 cuttings into water with some root hormone in them. I let them sit in the water for about 3 weeks. (I changed the water daily and dusted a bit more hormone in them, DAILY!) Then it looked like 3 had rooted, but a few others were iffy.... so I transplanted 6 into clay pots in my greenhouse where it was super hot during the day, to keep pushing root development. 5 didn't take well, 2 dampened off for sure and died right away... the rest took a little while to notice they gave up. ...but one didn't quit, and its super hardy and has new buds of growth on it now!

So here is our one that has taken root.... and it will remain on my deck in the pot until fall when we transplant it to where we are building a new arbor for shade.

Here's to more grapes and shade in a few years! ..and in the fall, I will be taking MORE cuttings again.

Things Are Growing More Then You Know

I've been a bit busy lately, trying to make a start at a new farmers market, and trying to race the rain to the garden. Though we needed the rain, we got way too much, way too close together. I was lucky to get my garlic out while I could. I had a close call last night trying to get all my onions out and set out to dry, because before I could finish the sky opened up and let the rain come tumbling down again!

So it seems like months have passed in much less time since I'm actually harvesting things. So I thought I would share the few things I've got to collect, and the wonderful fruits that are getting ready for me to enjoy soon.

First, as mentioned above, I collected my onions. I had to find a workable drying method so they could cure on the front porch with my garlic. Like the garlic, no direct sun, that could wreck the flavor. So on to the north porch they go. I needed something they could sit on and let air pass through, they need good air circulation, or you end up with dark squishy spots, or mold before they are done curing for storage. Some people braid the tops together and hang them, which is a fine idea.... but I had no where to hang them. I needed something they could sit on. Some milk crates, or old soda flat would have been perfect, but I don't have any of those. However, someone gave us all their windows from their house when they got their windows redone and I just remembered at the last second (race against the storm) they gave us all the screens too! So with the help of my front porch bench, and some cement garden liners.... we have a stackable onion drying system. And I should be able to do this again next year, because I am so going to be doing onions again.

Here you can see the garlic now 10 days into curing, in about 10-14 more they should be done and ready for storage in my pantry.

I am harvesting Lettuce regularly now. I pull the outside leaves while leaving the inside tiny leaves to keep to producing. Long as they are blocked from mid day sun being on the north front garden bed, they don't get bitter. I should have a salad bar all summer.

I was once concerned about a climbing rose I bought in Feburary, but it appears that it has taken off with vigor... and I will making rose petal jelly again very soon!

To the joy of many who want to buy some, my heirloom tomatoes are producing TONS of green tomatoes right now. My White Wonder are prolific with dozens on each plant. I have Green Sausage tomatoes that are taking off as well. I checked my Italian Market Reds, and they are just forming the first few with Purple Cherokee and Roomii tomatoes close behind. The last two are long season tomatoes, they need nearly 100 days to ripen... its like waiting for a watermelon!

I am going to do a separate post for my grapes... but I want to share how those cuttings I did back in April are doing. I know some people are following that for learning how to propergate their own vines. Its not exactly easy... up until now every cutting I've ever done DIED! I will share my good fortune this time though. Next post!

Don't forget to post any questions you have, it doesn't have to be private messages, I'm sure lots of people have the same questions... and if I don't know, I sure would like to know the answer too!

Definitely a Long Awaited Harvest

Back in October I planted my first ever bed of onions and garlic. Something about the sheer size of elephant garlic intrigued me, even though I knew it was mild in comparasion to some of the popular California choices and varieties available. So I bought 1 pound (that would be 1 whole bulb and like 2 cloves) and planted with my onions. You can search back to my October threads and find pictures.

Well today I got to harvest that long awaited garlic.

It is now 'curing' in a basket on the north facing porch to protect it from the sun. The hot sun really changes the flavor of garlic, and as I've been told it is not pleasant. It needs about 3 weeks to be cured enough for storage. I should be able to keep it up to 8 months as I've read. However, as large as these cloves are, I don't know if any will be left. I LOVE garlic!!!

Also, my endless summer blue hydrangea finally has blooms on it this year. I had none last year due to a boo boo on my part thinking I needed to prune it. Well, it only blooms on branches set the previous year, so I cut everything off that had a bud on it. Boy did I feel dumb.

I also harvested a bit of my baby lettuce from my 'salad bar' bed in the front yard. Its so hot here in the south most greens have been done here, but I have a bed in the front yard and it had shade from 1pm to 4pm and the cool season veggies seem to like it. So I'm going to add more cabbage and lettuce all summer.

Well, it looks like rain this weekend, but if it holds off I will be selling jams/jellies and cut flowers at the new sustainable living Farmer's Market in Fuquay on HWY 401 in front of Kohl's at the Landscaping place with all the rocks in front. If you are interested in visiting my stand, I will be there from 8am until 1pm. (Given the rain isn't bad) If I am there I will take photos to come back and share here on Sunday. Take care!

A Few Hummingbirds

The clouds roll in...and stay!

Weather is uncooperative this week... AGAIN! The days have been wet, either from it being cloudy and not drying from the night before rain, or there are random storms through out the day. Its the plight of the south. Just because you see sun in the morning doesn't mean you shouldn't have an umbrella by your side for the day. I blame it on the humidity, which is the number one thing I hate about the south. I can tell how bad the day is going to be when I try to brush my hair in the morning and it becomes pure frizz.

Though I can't complain mother nature is taking care of watering the garden for me. Saving me on my water bills until we can hook up a pump to the pond to water with. The plants are looking fabulous and green, even our tomatoes have taken off! Some were languishing until the rains started last week. They needed a good healthy does of water from the sky, my tap wasn't cutting it. However, this rain is not good for my onions and garlic. They needed at least 2 weeks of dry for I could harvest them and cure them for storage. My elephant garlic is turning yellow/brown now, almost 50% of the plant. That means I should leave them unwatered for harvest from now on, and my onions were starting to flop over for harvest too... no they have perked up... and I'm afraid they will flower. Flowering onions are NOT good for storage. I would have to eat them all fresh within 2-3 weeks or they are no good. That's not worth my time since all these were planted in October with the hope I could store them for 6 months until my next fall planting.

I am planning on my next article to share with everyone here while this is going on, so just wait to see the information I will fill you with by the end of the week. I think you'll find it useful... maybe even bookmarkable! :)

Until then... PICTURES!

Painted turtle I found crossing our front yard:

Don't be fooled, she was a HUGE turtle!

Here's a little bossy hummingbird we have visiting right now. We have a feeder off the fence and the little ruby throat tries to attack all the other hummingbirds that come by for a drink. He doesn't even care when I'm out there. He holds his ground. We're sure there is a nest close by.

I found this article I wanted to share: The Dirty Dozen - Pesticides On Our Produce

**I think this is a wonderful article, and I know I haven't been writing much myself lately. Don't worry, I'll be adding my own articles and bringing more pictures to share soon. Its just been either steaming hot, or raining. I've also been dealing with the lose of some chickens, and a broken heart is hard of moving on. So here's a great read for now:**

"pesticides in food

Don't Be Fooled by the Dirty Dozen

A new "Dirty Dozen" list points out the most pesticide-contaminated food, but don't take that to mean that everything else is OK.

By Leah Zerbe 

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Chemical-based farming causes problems we can't veggie-wash our way out of. It's common knowledge that conventional fruits and vegetables are contaminated with pesticide residues on their skins and peels. But what many people don't realize is that the pesticides are actually inside the food, too...."   Read the rest of the article on rodale.com

Jellies and Jams

Though it may seem early in the season to be canning, as soon as the strawberries ripened we began jellies! So far I've canned about 40 jars this week. I will add 1 or 2 new flavors to my Etsy store each day. That means you should come check out my store everyday. ;)

Here are some of my Jams and Jellies so far:

These jellies include: Honeysuckle, Clover, Rose Petal and Honey, Strawberry, Strawberry Lemonade, Strawberry Kiwi, Rosemary and Apple/Rosemary

Check out the cool Rosemary jars, I stuck a twig of the rosemary bush right in it.

And as always, my jellies are made from what I grow and I grow ORGANIC!

http://BiscottiQueen.Etsy.com