Horseradish and Garlic

Horseradish and Garlic. http://wohbae.notlong.com Horseradish and Garlic 30 April 2008. Both species are planted in the late fall about October in Zone 5.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoracia) is a perennial but I treat it as an annual, and propagate the following year's plant from a piece of the current root. It is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes mustard, wasabi, and cabbages. I put it in a convenient place for digging in the late Fall, since the roots are a real hassle to remove from the ground, and the plant gets about two feet in diameter and about four feet tall.

Hardneck garlic is technically known as the ophioscorodon variety of allium sativum. Hardneck garlics have a "scape" - stalk - which coils from the top. These "scapes" are in much demand, and essentially gives the commercial growers two products from as field of garlic. There are three main types of hardneck garlic: rocambole, porcelain and purple stripe. My type is probably porcelain garlic.

Forsythia.

http://ioseis.notlong.com/ 25 April 2008 Pictures of my two forsythia.

I tend to let this plant grow as it desires, since it is situated in an area of no consequence at the rear of the property. But if pruning is necessary, it must be done immediately after blooming, since new growth will form and this is the flowering part for next year.

25 April 2008 Daffodils (Genus Narcissus)

http://wahyu.notlong.com/ 25 April 2008 Pictures of my Daffodils.

Brantford has many public land and business daffodil gardens. There is a blaze of colour during April. Later when the dandelions arrive it is hard to tell the plants apart from a distance.

http://www.cjzonneveld.com/catlsdaffodils.html Here is a site for daffodil names.

Pawpaw (Asimina trilobais)

Two (two years old) Pawpaw trees were planted today. They were purchased from Grimo Nut ,Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LMQWY 22 April 2008 Pawpaw trees planted.

Origin: The pawpaw (Asimina trilobais) native to the temperate woodlands of the eastern U.S. Fossils prove the pawpaw is indigenous to the U.S., (hardy to USDA Climate Zone 5).

The pawpaw is the largest edible fruit native to America. Individual fruits weigh 5 to 16 ounces and are 3 to 6 inches in length.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?MTGSI 18 June 2008 Pawpaw (Asimina trilobais) It appears the trees are growing well.

Most useful garden tools

http://highu.notlong.com/ 21 April 2008 Most useful Garden Tools.

These are pictures of my most useful garden tools. Gardening entails a fair amount of physical labour, and the object is to reduce this labour effort.

Removing sod is a real misery even for a small area. The kick type sod cutter is idea for a small garden.

The little high speed Honda FG110 rototiller is probably the most indispensable. It makes gardening a pleasure. It digs hole, breaks up clumps, mixes soil, turns over the compost pile, irrigates space between plants. Don't leave home without it.

A large strong wheelbarrow is a necessity for any gardening. It is used to move earth and handles dead plants with little effort.

A machette and chopping block dispenses with large stalks that are too large for the chipper/Shredder.

A good sharp hoe is great for removing weeds and hilling plants.

The chipper/shredder effectively breaks up sod, aand vegetation for composting.

The two foot rooting spade is ideal for removing plants with the roots intact.

Rakes are necessary for cleaning up, the brush rake effectively removes earth from grass.

The edge cutter is great for removing a square of sod, for deep edging, and taking a piece out to start a hole for the the kick type sod cutter.

Crosne (Stachys affinis)

I receive about 30 crosne tubers (Stachys affinis) today 18 April 2008, and found information for planting. Cost was $12.00 for the 30 tubers or 40 cents apiece. They will be in the ground tomorrow. I have a contained area for growing, since they are considered to be invasive. This hard to find vegetable that is easily grown. You eat the tubers either raw or slightly stir fried, only limited by the imagination. This vegetable is also known as Chinese Artichoke, but has no relation to the artichoke.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?CBVBT Here is information about Crosne.


http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?URRCK 18 April 2008 Crosne tubers received and ready for planting.

Pronunciation is 'Crone'.
Plant 7cm deep, 15cm apart. Harvest after frost kills the foliage. Leave in the ground until needed. Scrub and then boil the pretty pearl tubers for 5-10 minutes, or use raw in salads, or stir fry. Tip: When harvesting, drop the tubers straight into a bucket of cold water to start soaking off the dirt.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?BEOFH 22 May 2008 Crosne (Stachys affinis) growing.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LHTKB 22 June 2008 Crosne (Stachys affinis) Plants are thriving. An unknown bug was eating the leaves yesterday, and I utilized some Integrated Pest Management to effect.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?HFBBY 3 August 2008 Crosne (Stachys affinis)
The plants are almost ready to flower, which will be removed, since I have read that the tubers get larger without flowering.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?EVCJY 16 October 2008 Crosne (Stachys affinis)
The plants are starting to die off. The tubers will be dug after complete die-off.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FRDKT 20 October 2008 First Crosne Harvest.
Some crosne tubers were dug today, since the vegetation is dying off. the first fork full displayed perfect tubers, 85 in total. Some were eaten raw and some were stir fried in butter. This was my first tasting. The texture is similar to a tender celery heart, without any fiber. Taste is sort of neutral, so they probably take on the flavor of any condiment used when cooked. The weight of the few dug was 250 grams or about half a pound, and I estimate that there must be about 25 plus pounds in the 32 square foot bed. The remainder will be dug when the vegetation dies completely. Size of tubers was about half an inch diameter and about 1.5 to 2 inches long, larger in the middle than at the ends.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?XRGVI 21 October 2008 Crosne (Stachys affinis) Main Harvest
All the Crosne were dug today. The method is depicted in the pictures. The bed was 32 square feet in area, and 18 pounds of tubers were collected. The average size was excellent. Some were cooked in butter in a frying pan at a slow simmer for 15 minutes with pepper as as condiment, and some were eaten raw. No preparation is required other than washing off the dirt. This is an excellent vegetable, and is well worth growing a few plants. The tubers will be packed in peat moss and stored in the shed. It is best to protect from light, since the tubers darken if exposed.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?EPWHC Summary: Crosne growing experience.

Planting seeds (Method)

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?IOULX 17 April 2008. Method of planting seeds.

Using this method the seeds are more easily spaced, since it is relatively easy to view where the seeds land, and the cover depth is more easily controlled. I know lay a few large nails along the rolled out paper to hold in place, until it is watered down.This is particularly advantageous with small seeds. In this case peas were planted, and the method has been used for carrots, beets, and other seeds.

Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum)

Hardneck garlic is technically known as the ophioscorodon variety of allium sativum. Hardneck garlic have a "scape" - stalk - which coils from the top. These "scapes" are in much demand, and essentially gives the commercial growers two products from as field of garlic. There are three main types of hardneck garlic: rocambole, porcelain and purple stripe. My type is probably porcelain garlic.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ENSEF 17 April 2008 Snake Garlic (Allium sativum)
Planted in October 2007, and all 54 plants are doing well.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YGWRM 9 May 2008 Indicating Growth

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?EOXEN 1 June 2008 Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum) Plants are slightly over three feet tall, and very healthy.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?RYVPE 14 June 2008 Garlic producing scapes (seed trunk). These will be cut off before they straighten out in two or three days, and used in a stir fry. Apparently the garlic cloves get slightly larger when the scapes are removed.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?DWGWU 17 June 2008 Garlic scapes removed. These will be used in a stir fry. They are an expensive luxury item.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?TVHHI 5 July 2008 Harvesting Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum)
Pulling garlic and the beginning of the curing process.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?OEBKL 12 July 2008 Garlic drying
Cutting the long stems to speed up the drying process. Drying will continue until the stems are soft and sealed off from the main bulb, then the remainder of the stem will be cut off.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?NHLXI 21 July 2008 Hard Neck Snake Garlic (Allium sativum) Crop Final Processing complete.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?YVWRS Summary: Garlic Growing Experience.

17 April 2008 Preparing Vegetable bed.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?HRVQQ 17 April 2008 Preparing vegetable bed.

The 2007 cover crop of double-cut red annual clover was effectively winter killed. This procedure is to fix nitrogen in the soil. The bed is now ready for vegetable planting, when the weather warms.

Siberian Squill, Scilla sibirica

http://ahwub.notlong.com/ 17 April 2008 Siberian Squill.

The bright blue flowers of Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) are one of the first of the spring-flowering bulbs. Grows in USDA zones 2 to 8. It has been cultivated since 1796. This flower often grows in lawns. This little flower arrives just after the crocuses.

There are only a few named varieties of Siberian squill:
'Spring Beauty' has somewhat larger flowers and sturdier stems than the species.
'Alba' is a pure white form.
Scilla sibirica taurica has bright blue flowers.

Note: The striped one is Puschkinia libanotica(striped squill)....not a true scilla.

Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?MGIAZ 8 April 2008 Re potting luffah seedlings.
The seeds were planted in a pot covered with a clear plastic bag 21 March 2008. All seeds germinated. These seeds were from my 2006 stock, since I didn't get any mature seeds in 2007.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?UOIEU 13 July 2008 Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)
Plants all healthy anad growing well.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?OASUD 5 August 2008 Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)
Luffa is growing very well this year.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?KOSSN 15 August 2008 Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa) Producing fruit
It has rained almost every day over the last two weeks. Fortunately luffa thrives on this type of weather. The fruiting bodies are now forming.

Some luffah fruit that was dry was stored in the shed over winter. Others not ripe in the Fall were left on the luffah vine. Today sponges were made. The shed dried ones had fewer stains, but all were good quality. Usually I make them in the Fall, but neglected to do so in 2007.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ZKUBJ 6 April 2008 Making Luffah Sponges. Pictures annotated.

(aka. Luffa, Luffah, Loofa, Loofah, Sze Qwa, Cee Gwa, Sponge Gourd, Dishcloth Gourd

Method to manufacture is simple, and takes little time.
Remove the shell, which is hard and comes off cleanly.
Cut the ends off and shake out the seeds. There are about 100 plus seeds in each fruit.
Wash in the washing machine with soap, a normal cycle works fine.
Bleach in a pan for a few minutes.
Wash again in the washing machine to remove all bleach with plain water.
Hang up to dry in the sun.I have one from last year used to clean out the bathtub, and it is still in fine shape.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FPCUQ 21 September 2008 Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)
Seventeen large luffa fruiting bodies are forming several are over 20 inches in length. Now the season has to endure long enough for the bodies to ripen.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ADKCR 16 October 2008 Luffa cylindrica (Sponge Luffa)
Frost has arrived, but there is no ripening of the fruit yet.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?KYAWO Summary: Luffa Growing Experience

First Crocus 2008

http://ahqueu.notlong.com/ 6 April 2008 First crocus 2008.

This is really a harbinger of Spring. The first plant to flower. A week ago the yard was covered with snow. These small plants probably start growing as the snow recedes.
http://audol.notlong.com/ 10 April 2008 Crocus Bed

A small note.
Hhorticultural crocuses are also the source of saffron (Crocus sativus Fall blooming), one of the world's most expensive spices. The stigmas of approximately 150 crocuses must be harvested to obtain a single gram of saffron, and at current supermarket prices a gram is selling for about $12.

Making Luffah Sponges

Some luffah fruit that was dry was stored in the shed over winter. Others not ripe in the Fall were left on the luffah vine. Today sponges were made. The shed dried ones had fewer stains, but all were good quality. Usually I make them in the Fall, but neglected to do so in 2007.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ZKUBJ 6 April 2008 Making Luffah Sponges. Pictures annotated.

(aka. Luffa, Luffah, Loofa, Loofah, Sze Qwa, Cee Gwa, Sponge Gourd, Dishcloth Gourd

Method to manufacture is simple, and takes little time.
Remove the shell, which is hard and comes off cleanly.
Cut the ends off and shake out the seeds. There are about 30 seeds in each fruit.
Wash in the washing machine with soap, a normal cycle works fine.
Bleach in a pan for a few minutes.
Wash again in the washing machine to remove all bleach with plain water.
Hang up to dry in the sun.

I have one from last year used to clean out the bathtub, and it is still in fine shape.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?NQXUN Summary: Making Luffa Sponges.

Removing suckers from Tomato plants.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?IVEEN 1 April 2008 Pictures explaining the method.

Suckers are removed from tomato plants to prevent; crowding of the fruit, to increase the size of the fruit. If a sucker is allowed to grow it will produce a stem similiar to the main stem, and the fruit will be extremely crowded and sometimes difficult to pick.

One or two suckers can be allowed to grow if desired, but they should emanate from the area above the first cluster of fruit.

The suckers should not be removed until they can be clearly identified as such. Avoid removing suckers from the main header area due to possibly confusing suckers with the header or a fruiting branch.

Two weeks before the end of the season remove the main header. This will allow the remaining fruit to enlarge and ripen. The plants will often get 4 to 8 feet high, and will need support in most cases.