Comments for The Garden Plot

Comment on Everything you always wanted to know about carrots by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:44:20 +0000

@ttm – Care to share which varieties you plant? I"m partial to Mokum for sweetness and reliability during the spring and summer, but I don't have a favorite storage carrot.

Comment on Everything you always wanted to know about carrots by tootightmike

tootightmike — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:59:53 +0000

We plant two types; one for summer harvest, and one with strong storage characteristics. The summer carrots last nicely in the refrigerator until maybe November. The storage carrots are packed in damp sand, in 5 gallon pails. These pails are either carried to a cold cellar, or in our case buried deep in the sandbox, and covered with a few bags of leaves.
They come out of storage as needed, and are as perfect in April as they were in September.

Comment on Closing out the season by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:57:28 +0000

"Ah well, garlic is the last PLANTING chore, but by no means the last garden chore of the season." – You got that right!!

Mulching the garden over winter is such a good idea. This year I even managed to plant a few beds with a cover crop – oats – that has grown very nicely. I plan to whack off a few inches of the growth to use as mulch on other beds, then leave the shoots and roots in place to rot over the winter. I chose oats because they are not winter hardy, so I won't have new growth coming up if I get behind in prepping the beds in the spring.

Comment on Closing out the season by Michael Greer

Michael Greer — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:07:42 +0000

Ah well, garlic is the last PLANTING chore, but by no means the last garden chore of the season. Every year, for the past 18 or so, we gather and move tons of leaves into our gardens, sometimes covering the whole garden a couple of feet deep. The worms love it and it's a real soil builder. If time and weather allow, it's even better if those leaves can be mowed…either while gathering, or after placing in the garden. The smaller bits disappear faster, and are less likely to blow around.
Here in the village, many of our neighbours bag up their leaves and stack them on the curb. this makes gathering easy. There are also a couple of professional lawn care guys with a mow-and-vac type of machine that dumps out a huge stack of well chopped leaves mixed with grass clippings.
A good foot of mulch really protects the soil from blowing and washing away during our ever more unpredictable winters.

Comment on Decomposition constructed by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:28:24 +0000

@Michael – 3x3x3 is probably big enough, but I was told to not make it too small or it wouldn't heat up.
Boiled tomato seeds sprouting – wow. Gives me hope that the heirloom seeds I saved this year – Galena is the name -will most likely be viable come spring.

Comment on Decomposition constructed by Michael Greer

Michael Greer — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:08:53 +0000

You would have a more manageable pile if you stopped at 3x3x3. You have to be able to reach into the thing…both putting and taking, and oxygen is a critical ingredient.
It's good to avoid quack-grass. I have a raised pallet where I throw those roots to murder them in the sun.
I laugh at those who tell us that 140 degrees is essential for killing seeds and pests. We dumped a load of last years compost recently, and got 20,000 tomato sprouts. The punch line is that these had been boiled, prior to going through the Squeezo, and yet are still viable. Yikes.
If you come through Potsdam, I'll show you the nicest compost in town.

Comment on Tomatoes 3 ways by Martha Foley

Martha Foley — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:18:36 +0000

Hi Ellen — I made my first batch of conserve last weekend. Another to go. I'm also hoping to make grape conserve this year, from the latest edition of Stocking Up.
(If anyone has a better recipe, chime in.) We've made grape juice in years past, and it's a revelation. Lots of grapes this year, but mine are slow to ripen. I'm glad there's more dry sunny weather in our forecast.

Comment on MGVs by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:16:46 +0000

Loni, the best idea would be to contact the St. Lawrence County Extension Office. The first thing I learned during the training is that each county office operates independently. But they are very flexible and willing to do what they can to fill public needs.
Here's the SL website: http://blogs.cce.cornell.edu/st_lawrence/

Comment on MGVs by Loni

Loni — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:26:41 +0000

I wonder if one could be held in St. Lawrence County? How many people are needed for a class?

Comment on Little House by Susan Olsen

Susan Olsen — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 02:16:23 +0000

Every time I read Farmer Boy with my sons, they were hungry afterwards! I had to plan on a snack time to follow!

Comment on Sweeeet! by tootightmike

tootightmike — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:55:00 +0000

Just beautiful. I have a couple of melons coming and also some little watermelons. My big experiment this summer is peanuts…we'll see.

Comment on Summer reiterated by Barb Heller

Barb Heller — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:39:41 +0000

We usually dry the cherry tomatoes (cut in half before placing in the dryer). This year I'd like to try making tomato jam. Does anyone have a favorite recipe (perhaps with reduced sugar?). I've never even tasted it, but always loved the idea!

Comment on Worm Crawl! A Vermicomposting Disaster by Dave

Dave — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:04:29 +0000

I've just published a tutorial on vermicomposting, and describe in detail the creation of a worm bin using cheap and easily available rubbermaid bins. I've been using this process successful for a long time now. You can read the article here: http://allthingsplants.com/articles/view/dave/150/ Everyone should do worm composting!

Comment on Summer reiterated by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 13:58:07 +0000

Dried tomatoes – yum! And they look beautiful, as well.

Comment on Summer reiterated by tootightmike

tootightmike — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 19:37:04 +0000

We processed a huge batch of little Julietts last night. Blanched, peeled, sliced into 1/4 inch slices and loaded into the big food dryer. It takes 24 to 36 hours, but then they can be put away in the cupboard. Very delicious.

Comment on Worm Crawl! A Vermicomposting Disaster by Jesse

Jesse — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:07:11 +0000

We use the Worm Factory at home, which is completely odorless and allows for no chance of "worm crawl". Yes, it's a bit of an investment upfront, but it's great because it provides a self contained, easy to manage system for vermicomposting. Check these guys out – great customer service, very knowledgeable – http://naturesfootprintinc.com

Comment on Save seeds – save our food? by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:38:37 +0000

Lucy,
I've never saved seed from kale, but I am in the process of trying to start a permanent parsley bed.

Not sure if I made this clear: the seed saving organizations mentioned on the National Geographic website give access to thousands of seeds so anyone can start growing heirloom varieties. Seed Savers Exchange at seedsavers.org even has a catalog that you can order from without becoming a member of the exchange.

Comment on Save seeds – save our food? by Lucy Martin

Lucy Martin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:20:37 +0000

Sure, I save seeds. Not everything, but for many things it's dead easy, economical and quite a lot of fun. I try to give seeds away too, because gardening should be about sharing nature's bounty.

Favorite flower seeds to save: sunflowers, cosmos, marigold, bachelor buttons, poppies, nasturtiums, hollyhock, sweet pea, columbine…etc., etc. The easy ones!

Easy food savers: kale, parsley, dill, cilantro (you don't have to do anything for some of these! they will re-seed themselves!) snap peas, runner beans. Garlic and potatoes aren't hard either, though you may run into disease issues.

I have moved too far afield to save family heirlooms. But I credit my Mom, Aunts and Grandparents for sharing their love of nature and gardening in the first place. It's a wonderful thing to pass along.

Thanks for your efforts to do that as well.

Comment on Pickles by MH

MH — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:31:39 +0000

Thanks for sharing your recipe. I've done refrigerator dills, but never the low temperature pasteurization treatment – I'm looking forward to trying them in November!

Comment on Worm Crawl! A Vermicomposting Disaster by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:38:28 +0000

I, too, had worm crawl when I used vermicomposting. In my case, I think it was overly wet bedding. There is something horrific in lifting the bin lid and finding hundreds of worms plastered against the underside!

This was a number of years ago; I haven't gone back to worms, although it is a really promising way to make good compost. It sounds like Hannah has worked through some of the finer points of maintaining the bin, and I hope she is able to get started again soon!

Comment on More From Readers by Michael Greer

Michael Greer — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:30:37 +0000

One year, we planted buckwheat as an interim crop. The intent was to turn in in as green manure, but things got a tad too busy, and the buckwheat went on it's merry way to full maturity. This might have been OK too if we'd had chickens or something to eat the seed that was being produced, but no.
What we did have, and did not see because of the deep cover, was a population explosion of small furry creatures. Mice, moles, chipmunks of every size and description will have extra litters as fast as possible in the presence of ample food. In a few short weeks it got to where you couldn't take a step without scaring up some little furry thing.
We got that crop mowed and turned, but it took a while to return to normal as the mice and such had stored vast piles of seed in their little burrows. After a rain, we would find these little places with several hundred buckwheat seedlings growing from a single small hole.
Having a wide band of clean-mowed lawn around the garden allows the hawks and raptors to find their prey, and who knows what sort of population wave we started there.

Comment on Freshmen by Jill Breit

Jill Breit — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:25:52 +0000

An impressive first effort. Surely this will inspire other freshmen!

Comment on More From Readers by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:48:38 +0000

I love the garden bunny!

The worst pest for me this year is grasshoppers. Even row covers are not working very well because a few tricky hoppers get under the cover. Fortunately, as plants like chard and kale get larger they seem to repel the insects. Keeping the grass mowed around the beds also helps.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:39:00 +0000

Yeah, that was my thought as well.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by tootightmike

tootightmike — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:19:42 +0000

WHOSE SOYBEAN FIELD??!!!!!
Oy!

Comment on Reader Asks for Advice About Cucumber Beetles by Judy Bailey

Judy Bailey — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:39:27 +0000

Can't say I am glad that I am not the only one being "bugged", but I do appreciate the tips. Next year I also will try some companions and will move the cucumbers and squash to another area. Now if I could only get rid of the deer, but that's another story…

Comment on Reader Asks for Advice About Cucumber Beetles by Barb Heller

Barb Heller — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:48:42 +0000

My Amish friend plants garlic and marigolds amidst the cucumber plants. He says it makes the difference between spraying and not spraying. He still gets a few beetles, but no where near the damage on plants that don't have 'companions'. I'm going to try this next year in my garden which also had a lot of cucumber beetle damage this spring.

Comment on The Sweet (Wild) Side of Summer by tanya

tanya — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:27:41 +0000

Hi, Do you know any good places for picking blueberries? Closer to NYC, like 2 hours away. Thank you very much for your cooperation! my email: tz12345@gmail.com

Comment on The Sweet (Wild) Side of Summer by Loni

Loni — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:06:07 +0000

I just harvested my red currents and made a pie. It was consumed too fast for me to get a photo…

Comment on Reader Asks for Advice About Cucumber Beetles by Louise Scarlett

Louise Scarlett — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:17:20 +0000

Definitely more cucumber beetles this year – even on bush beans, which I've not seen before. I've slowed them down some by spraying a solution of Neem every few days, but its effectiveness is short-lived with the rain we've had. I may have to consider row covers next season. I've avoided them so far because they seem cumbersome. Have others had success using them against cucumber beetles?

Comment on Reader Asks for Advice About Cucumber Beetles by Michael Greer

Michael Greer — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:55:27 +0000

I too have had more cucumber beetles than ever this year. I was very diligent about squashing them twice a day this spring, and managed to get most of them eventually. Ha! The ones that got away laid their eggs nearby, and I think that next generation is out there now. Of course the plants are much too large to inspect this time of year. so we will have to rely on crop rotation…moving the cucurbits to an entirely new spot to try and outrun them next spring.
Next year I'm going to try and confuse their senses by planting other smelly things with the squashes and cucumbers. I'm thinking marigolds will look nice in there….What else?

Comment on Creating a Garden Paradise in the Village of Canton by Jeffner Allen

Jeffner Allen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:57:34 +0000

A beautiful article.

Comment on Creating a Garden Paradise in the Village of Canton by Valerie White

Valerie White — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:31:44 +0000

What a heartwarming and hopeful article…the folks, the history, the garden itself…all wonderful!

Comment on Creating a Garden Paradise in the Village of Canton by Katherine Casey

Katherine Casey — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:34:08 +0000

This is a wonderful article!
Thanks…..

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Scott Lalonde

Scott Lalonde — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:32:30 +0000

Actually after you shoot them and stuff them back in the hole. It does seem to effectively deter others! I have heard of Farmers gasing them with carbon monoxide off truck exhaust as well.

Comment on Creating a Garden Paradise in the Village of Canton by Martha Foley

Martha Foley — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:51:26 +0000

How wonderful. I didn't know anything about this garden. Thanks Jill!

Comment on Creating a Garden Paradise in the Village of Canton by Gary

Gary — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:34:11 +0000

What a Great Idea, neighbors being neighborly. The whole world could learn from these good people.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:19:00 +0000

The woodchuck was caught and relocated. However, I am a bit concerned that the problem may have just been shifted onto an unsuspecting farmer. From Janet Stein:

"Well, yesterday evening at the garden, after having talked to some fellow gardeners about our woodchuck problem, I discovered that "Chuck" had dug yet another hole into the garden. That was it; I declared war…… Filled in the newest hole, covered the gaping hole under the front deck, went home to a neighbors, borrowed a large "Have-a-Heart" trap, returned to the garden, spent some time setting up the trap, baited it with apple pieces, 9pm returned home, 7am this morning, came back to the garden and WHAT A SURPRISE !!!, our furry friend was in the trap !!!! I could hardly believe it !
I was on my way to work in Gabriels anyhow, and so, gave "Chuck" a lift to the soybean field just outside of town. He scampered off to where I hope he will live out a long, unmolested life."

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Tim

Tim — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:49:49 +0000

I have a "have a heart" trap and i live on Cherry Tree, if you need it let me know and i can drop it off. leaving lettuce or somehting leafy works pretty well. i'm not sure of the DEC rules on relocating pests.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by doug

doug — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 08:00:29 +0000

The person whose relative shot 30 woodchucks this year is proof killing by fire arm does not work…as soon as one rodent exits the scene others come from the vicinity to take over the under ground den..the same holds for live trapping, besides where do you intend to relocate the many rodents you wind up trapping? Whose problem are you making it now? Woodchuck battles are only won by constant vigilance over the denholes until a rodent decides the fight is not worth it…for a strt use a repellant, then fill in the holes and with rocks and stay at it.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Ina Brockriede

Ina Brockriede — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:05:11 +0000

The "for certain" remedy and a humane one at that, is: make a mixture of garlic, onion, and cayenne powders, with a hair dryer blow it into entrances and exits and spread it liberally on the ground at entrances and exits. The powders can be purchased where herbal products are sold in bulk (very inexpensive that way). In my area the powders can be found at the Food Co-Op in Potsdam and at Nature's Storehouse in Canton. The results are immediate and positive.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:20:13 +0000

Bev, the repellent sounds like it's worth a try! Thanks for the tip.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Ellen Beberman

Ellen Beberman — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:33:43 +0000

30 groundhogs!! Makes me feel lucky to have only dealt with two or three over our 15 years at our house. Unfortunately, the community garden is on a small lot in the middle of Saranac Lake, so using dogs or a .22 might disturb neighbors.

About the traps – where should we put them? Near the hole, or near the garden?

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Michael Greer

Michael Greer — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:52:46 +0000

A have-a-heart trap, baited with apples and peanut butter works great, but a .22 works better. Groundhogs are as plentiful as mosquitos…my brother has killed 30 in his garden so far this year.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Peter Hahn

Peter Hahn — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 19:11:30 +0000

You could also try one of those live traps using peanut butter as bait. Squirrels go in easily, but i dont know about woodchucks.

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Bev Stellges

Bev Stellges — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:56:18 +0000

A friend in P'burgh had this problem and purchased a spray at Lowe's called "Repels All". She applied it around the garden and it worked; she hasn't seen the woodchuck since. Not sure what chemicals are in the spray but it is supposed to last up to two months even through the rain.
Good luck!

Comment on Woodchuck Remedies Sought by Peter Hahn

Peter Hahn — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:50:52 +0000

dogs

Comment on Organic? by Snowflake

Snowflake — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:33:17 +0000

I try to eat all organic produce if I can, especially since I am a BC survivor. It is just not possible to all the time because I can't find that much around. But, I want to know more that harmful pesticides, and fertilizers are not being used. Some farmers have outright lied to me about their goods being organic or sustainably raised and some actually say they don't know their job is to sell the stuff. I grow my own blueberries and lettuce so that I know what I'm eating is safe. Everything I try to buy certified organic.

Comment on Old Friends by Jill Breit

Jill Breit — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:55:59 +0000

Bishop's weed is a particularly assertive plant. A friend of mine called a landscaper to ask him how to eradicate it from her garden and he advised her to move! I've never had experience with this plant, but I did manage to eradicate a large stand of Japanese knotweed from my property by cutting back any bit of foliage I saw emerging from the roots. It took a few years to stop finding shoots, but eventually the roots expired. This method requires real vigilance, because if you let any new shoots grow, the plant will gain vigor and ground. Not sure if this method will work for bishop's weed.

Comment on The Life of a Gardener by Jill Breit

Jill Breit — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:49:37 +0000

Timmermeister has tried selling vegetables, milk, meat, and finally settled on value-added products for best profitability. His conclusion was that you can't compete with the supermarket for basic commodities. The value-added product for the milk from his Jersey cows is cheese. The value-added product for the fruits and vegetables and meats he produces is to host weekly dinners at his farm, charging $100 per person. The entire menu uses ingredients from Kurtwood Farms, with the exception of flour, salt and pepper. He brings cooks in to prepare the meals. Timmermeister reports that the weekly cash flow from the dinners is key to keeping the operation solvent.