Friday, October 23, 2009

New Type Tomato Plant Support

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HSTRY 23 October 2009 New Type Tomato Plant Support

This support at first look appears to be ideal for supporting tomato plants in the home garden. The ring is 9 inches in diameter and diameter is about 1/8 inch and is stiff and very strong.

One of the sides of the ring can be easily removed to facilitate circling an existing plant, particularly if a support is required lower than the those installed.

The plastic clamp is well made and of strong construction. I use rebar for support, but wooden stakes up to about two inches could be utilized.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JMRZU Purchased here at $2.99 US.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pruning my Raspberries

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CQAID 21 October 2009 Pruning my Raspberries
Two types of raspberries are in the garden. June and Fall bearing, and Everbearing. I never knew the name of the cultivars.

The June and Fall bearing produce fruit in June 2010 on pruned canes that produced fruit in 2009. The cut point is below the bearing clusters. If completely cut to the ground only a Fall crop will be produced on new growth of 2010. Two bearing times for these by the pruning method used, June and Fall.

Everbearing: No fruit were produced on this patch in 2009 and they were cut to the ground in 2008, so this year the 2009 canes were cleaned up and will be left to see if they produce in 2010.

Garden Cover Crop

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WPLTN 21 October 2009 Garden Cover Crop
The cover crop of double cut red annual clover was planted on 5 September 2009. It has been cold and growth has been inhibited. The clover should be about four inches tall at this time of year, but the roots will still fix some nitrogen in the soil. It will be rototilled into the soil in the Spring.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Crosne (Stachys affinis)

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JZQMJ 19 October 2009 Crosne (Stachys affinis) Final Harvesting and Processing.

Crosne were dug a total weight of 15 pounds from the row, around 40 plants. Seven liters of the crosne were pickled in vinegar for future use, and a liter was left out for eating fresh. The blue tarp under the plants has no real advantage, and will be abandoned next year.

If the climate is congenial, the tubers can be left in the ground and dug as required, but this is not an option in my cold region.

Last year most tubers got ruined, since they were kept under water in a pail, and taste and color changed. Crosne change to a dark color quickly in the refrigerator, so pickling seems like a good choice for storage.

Some tubers were placed in a pot and buried in the ground for seed in 2010. This same practice was successful last year.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Goji berry, Chinese Wolfberry, Lycium barbarum

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OBPCS 14 October 2009 Goja Berries. Various views of the berries and plants.
Inspecting the garden after the first severe frost, six goja berries were discovered on one Chinese Wolfberry plant. This is after 18 months from seed growth. There are three plants in the garden. Two are thriving and the other is healthy but stunted, since a rabbit ate the top in the Spring of 2009.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EHWKI 26 February 2008 Chinese Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum)
The Chinese Wolfberry pods were planted on 10 February 2008. Due to ignorance the whole pod was planted, but it is only necessary to plant one seed per plant. They were thinned and the stronger plant will be kept as they get larger. Germination was about 14 days and it appears maybe planting the pod is a good idea, since the germination was probably 100%. The plant is a perennial. Fruit production is in the third and fourth year, according to the literature.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Planting Horseradish for 2010 crop

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XSBFR 11 October 2009 Planting Horseradish for 2010 crop

Any shoot could be used, since the plant grows well with even a small piece. I chose a large chunk from the main shoot since the season is late. Usually I start the plant in a pot in July, but was away this year so am compromising. The pots will be dug up in early Spring, and planted in open ground with a square foot board under the plant to make digging easier. It is a bit wet or the procedure would be done now. The plant will form strong roots in the pot, since there is probably another month of reasonable growing left for this season. The plants could also be grown in the house to over-winter if desired. I treat the horseradish as an annual.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Digging and Processing Horseradish

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BKKWA 10 October 2009 Digging and Processing Horseradish.
The square foot board placed under the plant makes digging the roots easy. I read about the procedure on some garden forum, and this was my first year trying it. The plant was a real joy to dig as opposed to previous years. All the processing is best done ou doors, due to the strong fumes given off by the roots.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?horseradish 5 October 2008 Planting Horseradish
This is how the horseradish was planted in the Fall of 2008. I treat this perennial as an annual, since I believe the roots are less fibrous, and make better condiment. Two plants are grown each year.