February 2012

Jicama Seedlings are the biggest

jicima seedlings — Jicama Seedlings at Prior Unity Garden

Upon checking in on the seedling babies this morning, the jicimas are the biggest. We do not grow many of them, but they work really well in 5 gallon bucket containers in our roof garden, so we grow a few.

Jicamas (Pachyrhizus erosus) are a root vegetable native to the Americas. They have a cool refreshing crisp taste that is wonderful in salads or as the base of a cooling summer salad.

Although they require a long growing season, folks say, 9 months, we have had great luck with them on the hot sunny roof and think they grow fine in our area (zone 7b now, we had been zone 7a)

Jicamas are a vine with pretty purple flower, but do NOT eat the flowers, leaves or seed pods as they are toxic ! It amazes me how such a yummy root can come from a plants where I cannot eat the rest.

After the plants get to be a few feet long, around three feet or so, you can trim them so they are bushier if you like. We do not tend to do this, since we are growing them on the roof and not up there looking at them all the time, we want maximum energy to go into root production.

Who has seeds:

Bountiful Gardens: http://www.bountifulgardens.org/products.asp?dept=43

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds: http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/cgi-bin/catview.cgi?_fn=Product&_category=131

Both have signed the Safe Seed Pledge !

: Jicama Seedlings at Prior Unity Garden

First Quarter Moon Phase

Debby WardLeave a comment

A quick note, that we are entering into the First Moon Phase, starting in Aries, then moving into Taurus. What this means for you, is that Monday and Tuesday are good days to start fruiting plants … have you started your tomatoes yet ? Monday and Tuesday would be good for this.

Wed, Thurs & Friday when we move into Taurus, is a good time to get some root veggies planted out in your cold frames !

5 Tips for Getting Your Spring Garden Started

Debby WardLeave a comment

Spring is almost here – have you started planning your garden?

Think about what you like to eat – For people who don’t know where to start, we often say, grow what you like to eat! See if you have the growing conditions required for your favorite fruits and veggies…this is a great place to start.
Look to the past – What did you grow last year? Was it successful, too much work, or just right? This will help you decide what to plant this year. You can even use seeds from last year to save money.
Crop Rotation – Most crops do not like to grow in the same location from one year to the next. Research what crops should follow your last year’s crops to plan the rotation. Plus, many pests that liked your broccoli last year, may have eggs close to where you planted, so cleaning out and shifting varieties helps with pest control as well.
Companion Planting – Find out what varieties grow well with one another. For example, we know bean, corn, squash, melons and sunflowers like to grow together. Did you know that lettuce, carrots and peas are good companions for cool spring beds?
Permaculture – Following permaculture design principles is the most advanced way to plan your garden. Take into consideration what permanent or perennial crops you can grow. Plant crops that need more attention closer to the house and those perennials needing less care farther away. This utilizes your property well – creating plant guilds around your perennials ,allowing other plants to do more work so you don’t have to.

Nasturtiums & Cucurbitaceae

Debby Ward1 Comment

Nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed and a great addition to any garden because they have multiple functions of food, flower & pest control.

Food: Both flowers and leaves are edible, great to pick as you move through your garden and to add to salads or anywhere you’d like a beautiful to look at spicy taste addition.

Flowers: They have cool orchid looking flowers in cream, yellows, oranges, reds, mahogany and salmon. Some are trailing and some are upright, so use whichever suits your site, purpose and aesthetic.

Pest Control: They repel white flies, so plant them anywhere our hot humid summers may bring white flies to your garden. Nasturtiums also repel squash bugs, so plant them with members of the cucubritaceae family – what’s that ? .. plant with your cucumbers, melons & squash.

They can ramble among your wandering squash and melons, up a pole with your cucumbers, or put in a pot and moved around the garden where ever you need them. You can also use them as a trap crop for ants.

2nd Quarter Moon Phase – start really early seeds

Debby Ward4 Comments

The second quarter moon phase extends through Monday – so if you want to get an early start on seed starting, now is a good time so seeds germinate quickly.

What do we start now … tomatoes if you want to set them out in walls-o-water to get a jump on the warm weather (although this year we many not need to 🙂 We also start marigolds from seed, because they love hot weather and take a bit of time to get big, starting them now will give you a longer marigold season.