Garden Journals

Growing vegetables is hard work, and should not be attempted by couch potatoes, according to Robert Norris, a retired weed science professor from UC Davis. Norris has been gardening in the Central Valley for over 30 years, and through trial and error, has discovered many valuable insights. I had the opportunity to hear him speak in Stockton this past week.

What impressed me most about Norris’ presentation was that it was based on his garden journal. Every year he recorded planted varieties success and failure rates. He even kept track of how many pounds of vegetables harvested from each plant to help him determine the most productive varieties.

During his speech he made this interesting statement: “There is no such thing as a bad tomato year.” Norris noted that when many gardeners report low quantities of tomatoes harvested, tomato farmers never seem to have this problem. Why? “Farmers know which varieties to plant, while home gardeners are planting the wrong kinds of tomato.

When a tomato plant fails to “set”, the blossom drops off instead of developing into a fruit. As a horticulturist, I (the author) tell people this has to do with temperature fluctuations. During cold weather, a gardener can spray blossoms with a fruit setting hormone to prevent blossom drop; however, nothing can be done to prevent a tomato plant from dropping flowers when daytime temperatures exceed 92°F.

Norris has yet to have a bad crop of tomatoes, because he chooses varieties that have the ability to set fruit in hot weather, the most critical factor for ensuring a good harvest. Most heirloom varieties do not have this ability, which is why success with fruit set may be spotty.

Norris has had success with varieties such as Big Beef, Burpee 4th of July and Park’s Whopper. Local nurseries and garden centers also carry tomatoes successful in our area, such as Better Boy, Early Girl and Ace. Norris also mentioned that he only chooses tomato varieties with the acronyms VFNT or at least VFN in the name. This is because tomatoes are susceptible to verticillium and fusarium wilt, nematodes and the tobacco mosaic virus. Varieties with the mentioned acronyms are resistant to these problems.

None of Robert Norris’ work is University researched material, it’s simply information he has learned over his lifetime. He noted that it would be difficult for him to remember past gardening experience without the reference of his garden journal.

It’s easy to get stuck on a certain variety, for example my favorite, the heirloom tomato Brandywine. It tastes like it has been salted and is extremely juicy. Unfortunately, in certain years I have limited success in getting fruit set. So although I haven’t given up on Brandywine, I plant plenty of other varieties

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

If you haven't read this book, you might want to pick it up. Barbara Kingsolver is a well-known author of quite a few tomes, but in this one, she switches from fiction to non-fiction. The book chronicles a year in the life of her family as they move from the south-west to Appalachia.

Not only do they move, they decide to change their entire lifestyle by growing almost everything they eat, or at least getting it as local as possible if they can't make it themselves. They avoid foods not grown in their area such as bananas, although each member of the family is allowed to keep one vice.

The book is lyrical and prose-like at times, and full of recipes and canning methods that would make almost anybody want to have a farm, or at least a small garden. Their new lifestyle is not easy, and Kingsolver discusses the bumps in the road that eventually smooth out or at least teach an important lesson.

This book is also "laugh out loud" funny. It's available in hardback for sale, or check it out at the local library.

Blueberries

Photo by Jack Kelly Clark
Blueberries belong to the family Ericaceae, which include azaleas and rhododendrons. Most gardeners will recognize this plant family as one that does best in acidic soil (4.5-5.5). Stanislaus County soils range in pH from 5 to 7.5, so most garden soils will need to be amended. To determine the pH level of your home garden soil, use a simple pH soil test kit.

Apartment gardeners or gardeners with limited space can grow blueberries in containers. Use an acidic planting mix specifically for azalea type plants and use a soil pH test kit to determine when to add amendments.

Before planting blueberries in your garden, amend the soil with elemental sulfur at a rate of approximately 1 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet to lower the pH one unit. Aluminum sulfate can also be used, at the rate of 6-12 pounds per 100 square unit.

To keep the soil at the optimum pH, side dress with a 10-10-10 fertilizer four weeks after planting, preferably one composed of potassium sulfate and ammonium sulfate. Use about 1 oz. (1 ½ tbsp) per plant, sprinkling it within 12-18 inches of the plant, but not directly on the crown or stems. Keep your soil test kit handy to determine when to apply more fertilizer. Once the plants reach maturity, fertilizer can be used at a rate of ½ cup per plant 3-4 times per year. Start fertilizing in spring and continue at 2 month intervals. Organic fertilizers such as feather, blood or fish meal can also be used at the rate of one pound per plant.

Plant blueberries in a sunny location and in raised beds that are 8-18 inches high and 3-4 feet wide. Space plants 8-10 feet apart, and cover the roots with 1-2 inches of soil. Lightly firm the soil around the plants and water thoroughly.

Blueberries have shallow, fibrous roots and need adequate drainage and aeration. They are very susceptible to drought injury, and for optimum health should receive 1-2 inches of water per week from May through September. During July and August, water two times per week to prevent them from drying out. The balance between adequate moisture and too much water is important, as blueberries are susceptible to root rot. The best method of watering is to use minisprinkler irrigation. A drip system can also be used, with a line running on each side of the blueberry plants.

It will take at least three years for a blueberry plant to become established and healthy. Remove all blossoms as they appear. Prune off any diseased and damaged wood during the first three dormant seasons. After their third year, blueberries should be pruned annually.

Blueberry plants have a naturally bushy form, but the number of canes should be limited to the age of the plant, up to a maximum of 6 to 8 canes for old bushes. Yearly remove 1-2 canes so that no canes are over 4-6 years old. Prune out suckers and weak wood, especially from the top of the plant.

Apples

Photo by Jack Kelly Clark

My last post was about consuming local foods as a matter of taste. In this one, I just want to mention a little bit more information about apples. Apple crops need a certain amount of chilling time, something more readily available in our northern states. However, there are some apple varieties that do well locally. There were even a few vendors at the farmers market selling apples last month.

For your own backyard, there are varieties available from local nurseries that do well. My father has a granny smith apple that has great apples, tart at first but actually sweet if left on the tree long enough.

In the supermarket, apples are available year-round. Apples from Washington are available past their picking time, because they are kept in storage facilities that enable them to retain their flavor.

I've had fuji apples from New Zealand that are actually quite good. Possibly they have found a way to breed this variety so it can retain flavor over many miles. Apples I've tasted from Chile have so far been rather disappointing.

Supermarkets have to keep a steady supply of apples, so they work with vendors to ensure this. If apples are available from two places at the same time, the supermarket most likely chooses the one with the lowest price.

Regional Food Systems

Recently I attended a meeting at the Great Valley Center (http://www.greatvalley.org/) about regional food systems. We discussed local food and how it moves through the system, and also the quality of food available in the Central Valley for purchase. We also discussed the definition of local, something that most people agreed was the area of California.

The best place to find locally grown produce is The Modesto Farmers Market, which takes place behind the Stanislaus County library. The 2007 season is May5-Dec5. It's a great place and has delicious produce.

Life is busy, and it's difficult to make healthy food choices. This is why I do try to buy locally grown produce when possible. My main motivation is taste. I grew up eating fruits and veggies from my grandfather's farm. If you've grown your own carrots, then you know what a REAL carrot should taste like. You aren't fooled by the dry, wilty substitutes found in most markets that have been trucked many miles.

I can't say this is a study I've conducted, or verified research, but from my own tiniest point of view in the food web, the fresher the food, the better the taste. Therefore, it makes the most sense to buy locally grown food. But how do you know what is local or the most local if you can't visit a farmers market?

Here's a familiar story: a man goes to the supermarket today and buys some peaches. He has no way of knowing the local season for them is long past. He gets home, eagerly bites into the fruit, but finds it is dry, mealy and inedible. Disgusted, he throws it in the trash can and vows never to shop at that market again. Or that he doesn't like peaches.

I imagine this scenario happens frequently, with the sad consequence of less people consuming fresh fruits and vegetables.

A truly tasty peach is picked at the height of its ripeness (June-August in our area). One bite causes a large amount of juice to dribble down your chin. A peach grown south of the border may be in season there, but it's from a variety chosen for it's durability.

And here's the sad part: local farmers are tearing out peach orchards because there is no longer a market for them. They can't sell their peaches fresh or canned. This all has to do with economics, availability, the world market, changes in consumer desires and the price of land in California. It's a sad cycle, but I think it's one we can slow down somewhat.

If you're interested in fresh produce, start by learning a little bit more about the seasons (check out the link below), then, ask your grocer for local produce. Chances are, they may be able to find something you are looking for, and other people will be interested in, too.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/ck_cg_produce_guide/

When you shop, think about geography. An apple from Washington will taste fresher than one from NZ or Chile. And I think that's something worthing paying a few extra cents (or dollars) per pound.

Alliums in Your Garden

Onion photo byEvett Kilmartin

Alliums are a genus of plants that have provided flavorful seasoning in food for thousands of years. Onions and garlic were two of the most important crops consumed in ancient Egypt.

Edible Alliums
The following are the Latin names of edible alliums, and show how they are separated into different species:
A. cepa: onion
A. ascalonicum: shallot
A. sativum: garlic
A. ampeloprasum: leek, elephant garlic

The reason I call these plants "edible alliums" is because there are also inedible alliums, which make attractive flowers and are sold as bulbs in nurseries and garden centers. Chives are also alliums, but are not mentioned in this post. For more information on chives and other herbs, go to http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/2193/41502.pdf

Onions
Onions can be white, red or yellow and come in many sizes. Their flavors are categorized as sweet, mild or pungent.

Garlic
Garlic is composed of about 10 bulbs contained in a papery skin. It has a unique, pungent aroma that separates it from other alliums.

Scallions & Green Onions
Botanical references define scallions as any young crop of onion, shallot or leek. For most purposes, the terms scallion and green onion can be used interchangeably.

Shallots
Shallots are composed of cloves encased in a papery skin. Shallots have a sweeter, milder flavor than onions and are usually coppery in color, although they can be gray or pink.

Leeks
Leeks have a mild, onion taste and are popular for use in soup. Surprisingly, elephant garlic is also a leek. It shares the same shape as ordinary garlic, but not its pungent taste. Elephant garlic has a softer flavor and its cloves can be roasted and spread like butter.

To read the rest of this publication, click on the link below and choose "Alliums in Your Garden"
http://cestanislaus.ucdavis.edu/Gardening/Gardening_Articles.htm

Happy Gardening!

Carnivorous Plants

The Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco is currently running it's carnivorous plant show called "Chomp." The event started in May, and will end November 4th. The plants are on loan from California Carnivores in Sebastopol.

The main plants on display are flytraps, pitchers, sundews and bladderworts. Over 600 types of carnivorous plants have been discovered in existence, although many are now extinct.

Carnivorous plants live on almost every continent (except Antarctica) and in every state in the U.S. Most are rare, and poaching (stealing plants from the wild) is common. Housing developments, the loss of peat bogs (sold as peat moss in stores), acid rain and global warming contribute to the loss of plants. Sadly, only 3-5% remain in the wild.

Q. Why do carnivorous plants capture flies and other insects (and sometime lizards, frogs and small monkeys)?

A. The places that carnivorous plants live are usually low in soil and water nutrients. Over time these plants developed features (leaves) that capture insects to add in their diet.

Types of plants and their trapping methods:
1. The Venus Flytrap: when small trigger hairs on the leaves are touched twice within about 30 seconds, a trap will close within one second. Then, the trap tightens and finally seals.

2. The Pitcher Plant: has small pitchers (actually leaves) that are inviting to insects. Once an insect crawls into the pitcher, it is difficult to crawl back out. Tiny hairs all point downward to the bottom of the plant, which is often filled with digestive juices.

3. The Sundews: these plants have a sticky substance on tentacles attached to their leaves. The "dew" is a mixture of nectar, adhesive compounds and digestive juices. Insects literally stick to them like flypaper.

4. Bladderworts: a curious plant whose interesting behaviour was discovered in 1876 by a woman scientist named Mary Treat. The trap is set by the action of pumping water out of the bladder, resulting in lower water pressure inside. An insect that bumps against the "door" of the bladder triggers the bladder and sucks the insect in within 1/30th of a second! The "door" then shuts behind them, sealing them in forever, BWAH HA HA! (couldn't help that) Scientists are still not exactly sure if the insect is attracted to the plant or just wanders by.

The site below mentions places where you can visit these plants that are complete with boardwalks for viewing. Venus flytraps are indigenous to North and South Carolina. They have been introduced to other states though, and can be found growing in other states.

Growing carnivorous plants isn't easy. I have never tried, but after viewing the exhibit am enthusiastic about purchasing some. It's important to buy plants from reputable nurseries who do not collect specimens from the wild. This link will list several places worldwide that carry specimens checked by a reputable source. http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq6280.html

Here is the start of that website for easier navigation: http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html

above photos by Holly Guenther