Garden

Know How: Harvesting Lettuce

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Unless you’re growing head lettuce, your greens can be a “cut and come again” crop. Instead of pulling the entire plant, thus ending the fresh salads, use scissors to cut off the outer leaves near the base of the plant. Leave the inner leaves intact and the entire plant will continue to grow. I’ve been harvesting my lettuce this way for a month and will continue to do so until the plant goes to seed.

This is what my lettuce looked like before today’s harvest:

This is what it looks like now:

Within a week, it will look like that first picture again.

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Troubleshooting: Tomato Seedlings

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One of my readers, Ray, is trying valiantly to grow carefully chosen tomatoes from seed. But he’s getting frustrated:

My plants were looking a little yellow so I figured they needed sun, but maybe I left them out too long. Some look basically dead…leaves are like blanched or something. How long does it take usually to get them used to the sun? Is it like an hour a day then two hours then 3 and so on or less/more? I feel frustrated because I put a lot of effort into selecting my seeds and getting the seed soil and everything else. I have my last bit of seeds in damp soil inside medium pots…I am pretty sure they are germinating…at this point are they better just planted outside you think??

Ray, tomatoes are something that I bought as plants for YEARS. If you’re new to gardening, I hate to see you frustrated trying to start tomatoes from seed. Do you have a local source for heirloom tomato plants? They’re more expensive, but way less frustrating!

As far as seeds go, I’ve found that you really need to keep the seedlings at a consistent temperature with consistent moisture (maintain moisture similar to a wrung out sponge). Once they’ve reached 3-4″ in height, start letting them spend some time outside. Too much hot sun at once can be killer, as can cold nights. I used to put mine out under an awning for the first couple of days for bright, but not direct, sunlight.

I wouldn’t move just-started seedlings, but if you have any seeds left, you might try direct sowing once the weather really warms up  (use a TP tube to plant in to keep bugs off). I’ve found that plants that start from seed in the garden in their own time (think: compost pile) end up fruiting at roughly the same time as those that I’ve nurtured from seed in inclement weather. Mother Nature really does know what she’s doing.

Try not to get too frustrated. Growing tomatoes from seed – even if you’re struggling with it – is such a learning experience!

These links might prove helpful:

Photo: Flickr user  Ian’s Shutter Habit

Anyone have more tips or words of encouragement for Ray?

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Update: Upside-Down Tomato

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I posted about my upside-down tomato experiment about six weeks ago. Here’s what it looked like when I first planted it (can you see it there?):

 

This is what it looks like today:

The first blossoms have appeared and the plant remains free of tree hoppers, which plague my in-ground tomatoes. There is some slight browning on the edges of some of the leaves that I’m keeping my eyes on. I’m watering only about once a week, which surprises me. I’d expected this plant to dry out quickly, but so far that hasn’t been the case. I’m pleased enough with how it’s growing that I intend to plant a few more this way.

Want to try it yourself? Instructions here.

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Crazy Idea Number 547 aka: Tangerine Vinegar

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We’ve already addressed the fact that I tend to try ridiculous crazy potentially clever ideas with abandon. So it will come as no surprise to many of you that when I finished peeling and juicing tangerines for my Tangerine Triple Sec, instead of composting the waste, I decided to try making vinegar. Tangerine vinegar? Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. Ick. But worry not – I didn’t want to use it in the kitchen; my goal was to create a natural weed killer.

In Wild Fermentation, Sandor Katz has a recipe for fruit scrap vinegar and, well, these were surely fruit scraps. I mixed the tangerine peels and the pulp in a big plastic container with about a gallon of water (enough to cover the fruit scraps) and one cup of sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolved. (Katz suggests 1/4 cup of sugar for each quart of water.) I covered the container with cheese cloth and set it out in my garage for about a month. Fruit flies managed to get into the container, but I since I didn’t plan to use this vinegar for cooking, I didn’t worry too much about them.

After a month or so, the concoction was smelling very orange-y but not so vinegar-y. I drained the solids from the liquid and let it ferment for another three weeks or so. By this time, my ‘vinegar’ had a creepy floating surface – the mother. (See the curved edge? That’s the mother, not a shadow.)

Still not much vinegar smell, but I decided it was time for my experiment. (I am impatient. If I’d let it go longer, would it have been more vinegar-like? I don’t know.) I removed the mother and strained the liquid several times, first through a fine sieve, then through cheesecloth. I put the liquid into my pump sprayer without diluting it at all, and sprayed several different patches of weeds.

And here’s what happened overnight. The broad-leafed vine type weeds and the invasive kava turned slightly brown on the edges. Not much to talk about at all. But the crabgrass actually shows a difference.

Before (what is that little string thing and why is it in my picture?):

After (Ooh, different camera, different color):

Here’s another shot of dead weeds (no before picture at this spot, unfortunately):

It’s not Roundup, by any means. And it wasn’t as successful as Kevin at A Garden for the House’s experiment. But I’m thinking this idea has potential. My guess is that if the acid content were higher, I’d have had more success. I’m definitely going to try making vinegar again – we’ve got no shortage of citrus peels and the stuff from the store is, as we’ve discussed before, likely full of gmos. But I think a little research is in order to figure out how to achieve a higher acid content.

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On the Bookshelf

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I’ve been reading books to inspire my lifestyle lately and these really impressed me.

Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter

The idea of creating a productive urban farm in the less desirable parts of Oakland, California is mind boggling to me. But while the location freaks me out a little – I’ve been lost in the seedier parts of Oakland. It is a scary place. – the story is an honest look at the author’s efforts to raise her own food. It’s not always pretty, but her determination and resourcefulness move her toward her goal and will certainly give those interested in adopting this sort of lifestyle an intimate look at what it’s like to raise poultry in a small space, scrounge for materials, and create something from nothing.

When I mentioned this title on Facebook, The Metropolitan Homestead said:

I’ve read it, and honestly, it was one of the things that pushed me into seriously starting our homesteading activities. I always wanted to get back to this lifestyle, but didn’t’ think we could in the city. Her book changed that mindset for me.

The author has just released a second book, The Essential Urban Farmer, co-written with Willow Rosenthal (who makes an appearance or two in Farm City). Adding that one to my wish list immediately.

 Solviva: How to grow $500,000 on one acre and Peace on Earth by Anna Edey

Years ago someone told me about this book, describing a Martha’s Vineyard woman who had dealt with plumbing issues by tossing urine out into her yard, only to discover that the plants that had been alternatively watered thrived. It sounded interesting to me, but life intervened and I forgot about it.

Last month, my neighbor asked, “Have you read Solviva?” I told her that I wasn’t familiar with it, and she went on to describe a woman from Martha’s Vineyard who accidentally discovered that urine was a great fertilizer. Oh, yes! I had heard of that book! I borrowed her copy and discovered an entirely alternative method of living. And I’m not just talking about pee.

Martha’s Vineyard gets cold in the wintertime, complete with snow and blizzards. But the author’s greenhouse maintains a balmy temperature all winter long without the use of a traditional heating system. Solar gain and the warmth of animals in the greenhouse allow her to grow vegetables year round without any energy from the grid.

Her “solar dynamic, bio-benign design” offers a better way to live more inexpensively and without leaving a big carbon footprint. The author no longer tosses her urine out into her yard, but she’s designed an amazing system to filter waste and utilize the valuable water without harmfully impacting the water table the way cess pools do.

I highly recommend this book for a look at someone who’s figured out some innovative alternatives both for city and country living. The author’s website has detailed information about her wastewater systems as well as a fun and telling comparison of two hypothetical cities.

Folks, This Ain’t Normal: A Farmer’s Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World by Joel Salatin

Joel Salatin is the visible face behind Polyface Farms. You might have seen him in Food, Inc. (If you’ve not yet seen Food, Inc, please do) or met him in Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma or perhaps you caught his TED presentation (Mid Atlantic). I am a huge fan of Salatin, so it’s no surprise that I loved his book in spite of his occasional crotchety outbursts. He’s a wise man who is willing to say some of the things that other people just won’t. First and foremost in this book is the fact that our food system, one that trucks and ships and flies our food thousands of miles just ain’t normal.

Salatin covers the politics of food, but he also spends a lot of time discussing what works on his farm and why community based food sources make so much sense. The book will likely anger you when you read about some of the difficulties that farmers face in bringing good, wholesome food to the table, but more often, I think it will inspire you to make changes in the way you source your food, whether that’s growing your own or seeking out a CSA or local farmer. You can see Mr. Salatin in action, talking about his pigerators and other topics on the book’s website.

What have you read lately to inspire a more sustainable lifestyle?

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Upside Down Tomatoes

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While much of our steep lot is shady, we have plenty of sunshine on our driveway. My husband, however, is steadfast in his refusal to rip up the concrete to put in a garden. Not to be dissuaded, I came up with an alternative plan to utilize the space: upside down tomatoes. You’ve seen those Topsy Turvy contraptions, right? I decided to create one of my own with a bucket I had on hand to see how well it works. It took about two hours, including paint drying time. If you’re not painting, you’re looking at 20 minutes or so.

Click through for my step-by-step photos if you’d like to give it a try, too.

Read more »

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Radish Leaf Pesto

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Radishes are one of the fastest ripening crops a gardener can plant. If you’re aching to have something – anything – that you grew yourself on the dinner table, radishes are a good bet. They’re one of the earliest crops you can plant, and are ready in just 3-4 weeks from planting date. But don’t stop at eating the rosy roots. I discovered a couple of years ago that the radish leaves are edible too. (I have no idea how I grew up without knowing this!)

My writing colleague, April Paffrath, shared a recipe for radish leaf pesto on Wicked Tasty Harvest a couple of years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Spicier than pesto made with basil leaves, radish leaf pesto is a fabulous way to stretch the harvest from an early spring garden. I’ve served it over pasta, and my kids love to spread it on crackers or in mozzarella grilled cheese sandwiches. It has a tendency to maintain its bright green hue without discoloring like traditional pesto does, so it’s a nice bet for a pretty springtime appetizer, too.

pesto, garden, recipe, radish

If you know me at all, you know that I didn’t make this without modifying April’s recipe just a bit. Here’s my version:

Radish Leaf Pesto

  • Leaves from two bunches of radishes (about 3 cups)
  • 2 big cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese
  • small handful of fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  • pinch of sea salt

Thoroughly wash and dry radish leaves. Remove woody stems and put in blender with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday.

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New Chickens, Orange Blossoms, and Peas

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I added three new hens – six months old and already laying – to the flock last week. We’ve had Danish Brown Leghorns in the past and really liked them for their hardiness, so I was happy to find these. My friend Kate asked for pics of the new chickens, so I figured I’d take the camera out for a spin on this beautiful Superbowl Sunday. (Incidentally, if you’re a fan of Disney World, you should check out Kate’s book.)

Two of the three new girls:

 

The handiwork of one of the new girls:

 

You know how the idea of regrowing celery is popping up all over the internet? Here’s what it looks like in action:

 

I will never win any photography awards, but this is a baby egg plant. The plants were started back in oh, late October, have handled the cooler temperatures and are now starting to fruit:

 

No snow, but we’ve got snow peas:

 

Green Surinam cherry:

 

I really wish you could smell the orange blossoms. The fragrance is just divine. And yes, those are aphids:

 

Not just a camera gone crazy. See the little black spots against the blue sky? Those are crab spiders and the webs are everywhere. They are the reason that I wander around waving a stick and looking like Harry Potter this time of year. Expelliarmus!

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Make a Worm Composter for Less than Five Bucks

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Apartment dwellers and urbanites often lament the lack of options for composting in homes with limited yard space. If you’re not the kind to get all squirmy over worms in your house, I highly recommend vermicomposting as a method for composting your kitchen waste. You can buy ready-made worm bins, but if you’re even a little bit handy and have access to a drill you can make one yourself for under $5.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 2 nesting buckets (or three; see note at end of post)
  • 1 bucket lid
  • a drill fit with an 1/8″ (or so) bit
  • newspaper
  • worms (You’ll need red wigglers for this; if you have a friend with worms see if you can have a handful. Otherwise, you may need to buy some, which will put your expenses up over $20 – still less than a ready-made bin.)

Click through for step by step instructions complete with photos.

Read more »

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Harvesting Bananas

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Awhile back I promised my friend Jane that I’d take a video of our next banana harvest. She lives in Washington state with her family, and none of them has ever seen a banana growing, let alone harvested. Since someone asked about growing bananas last week on the Attainable Sustainable Facebook page, I figured it would be fun to share the video here, too. As you can see, the bananas (these are apple bananas) are harvested while they’re still green; they’ll be ready to eat in about a week. I wish I could share some of the ripe fruit with you all – fifty pounds of bananas is a LOT of bananas!

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Welcome

It’s one thing to think, “Hey, I’d love to be more self-sufficient!” and quite another to implement a lifestyle change that might require learning some new skills.

Attainable Sustainable is about bridging the gap between wanting change and making it happen without becoming overwhelmed. Nobody’s saying you have to go get a tractor and a cow. Attainable Sustainable is about discovering – one step at a time – how to make changes in your life to support a sustainable lifestyle.

The Author

Kris Bordessa has been gardening for most of her life. She's been authoring books and writing features for the past ten years or so. It's about time she combined the two, don't you think? [More about the author]