California Gardening: What's up?

[judiu]

As always, Andie, you are an overachiever. What a garden!

We had one currant tomato overwinter, and bear. The small person claims the little tiny fruits are now as sweet as candy. Since she eats a lot of candy, she's qualified to judge. I dont rate any of the fruit, so cant confirm.

Got a VERY late start this year. Put 3 tomatoes in the ground 3 weeks back, including one called "Aussie", a few more in pots, and one in the hydroponic-y thing. Got some bush beans about to flower, lima beans sprouting, and hoping the japanese eggplant will sprout. Have a good patch of corn at 6" high and 3-4 weeks old. Am looking for time and a place to put the purple bush beans and maybe some climbers.

We planted a loufa and a cantelope. We have ~ 15 volunteers that I think will turn out to be cantelope. If so, I have to thin them over the next week, and share the wealth.

Got a new recipe for oranges - 4 oranges: slice off the peel and pith. Slice "thinly" (I use 3-4 mm), layer in shallow pan, bowl or plate. In small pan, heat 3 T honey (I use orangeblossom) and 1 T orangeflower water, and 1 cinnamon stick, simmer 1 min. Remove the stick, pour the syrup over the oranges, and marinate as long as you want. Instant service isnt bad. Next day is wonderful.

Take a tip from the Native Americans, plant your climbing beans between the corn plants. Instant trellis! I think there is good symbiosis between the two as well; I seem to remember my Grand Daddy using them as 'companion plants' like tomatoes and basil grown together.

[Toliver]

My mom's Topsy-Turvy tomato plant already is bearing four fruit and even more blossoms. Unfortunately, she still has it hanging in the same place it's always been which is over the waist-high railing along her patio. It's the perfect height for a night critter to come along the railing and chow down on the hanging fruit just as it's done in the past. I guess some lessons just don't take...

[heidih]

Summer squash is really coming quickly (zukes and crookneck). Eggplants are getting fat and glossy. Tomatoes are suffering from the June gloom. Lots of fruit but ripening slowly. The greengage plums are also coming slowly (picking maybe 10 a day) so that is actually better than a mass ripening and bird/critter frenzy. The arugula and radishes seem to like the somewhat cooler weather and the basil is also happy. The green beans are climbing like mad and flowering. I discussed the uses for my grape trimmings here. The ancient peach tree that was being choked by a nasty vine only has 5 fruits but they are large and already fragrant. Apples and pears are visible but they won't be edible for months. The chile peppers seem to finally be setting. Looks to be a great summer.

[andiesenji]

Here are some photos taken earlier this morning:

the bush beans are blooming but their blossoms are hidden under the big leaves.

This pair of Celebrity tomato plants has set more than twenty fruits.

These Yacon plants are new to me this year and there won't be a harvest for months but they are interesting.

Both my crookneck squash and zucchini are doing well and I have picked enough for two meals.

all my herbs are growing with great enthusiasm.

The tri-color pole beans were planted later than the bush beans but they are now taking off.

After a slow start this Early Girl in the TopsyTurvy planter has accelerated its growth and has set a bunch of small fruits.

And here is the tomato "jungle"

Edited June 21, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[andiesenji]

For whoever emailed me about the Yacon plant (had problems with my email this morning, after reading a couple of messages lost everything and had to restore from the 6:15 p.m. yesterday Time Machine backup)

Here is the information from Nichols Garden Nursery from whom I ordered the plants (4).

Yacon Plant info.

I'm anxious to see how they do in the heat of the desert summer here. So far they have done okay with the high winds we have had but I do have then in a protected area, screened by the bay laurel bushes and they are in open shade during the middle of the day.

[heidih]

The yakon plant surely sounds interesting and is quite attractive. Do you think you will have to pot it up to a larger size to get good tuber growth? I will look forward to hearing how it does in your climate, and seeing the cooking results in the Cooking forum.

[andiesenji]

The Yacon plants are in fairly large and deep pots. They just look smaller because of the way I took the photo.

Besides the fertilizer already in the potting soil (Miracle Grow Moisture Control) I am using foliar feeding, which has given me great results in the past with gardening in containers.

[andiesenji]

Sharp comment, KA!

I forgot to mention that I have had great success with growing sunchokes in the same size containers with great tuber production. I haven't grown them in three or four years but the last year I did, I got 8 pounds of 'chokes from one pot.

[heidih]

Wow on the sunchokes- I will have to check that out. My soil is stubborn clay so pots and raised bed are my most cost and time effective option.

[andiesenji]

Wow on the sunchokes- I will have to check that out. My soil is stubborn clay so pots and raised bed are my most cost and tie effective option.

This site has detailed instructions and results

Mine were very tasty, I stored them in a tub of clean sand in the shed and they kept well into March.

(Harvested in early November when the leaves looked mostly dead.

I like the flavor. When I still was working the big garden, I also grew artichokes and cardoons - the latter were constantly self-seeding and I had lots of baby cardoons popping up all over the property.

Edited June 24, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[heidih]

Well I adore the cardoons for their foliage and the mini chokes when I let them flower, but the eating part has never really jelled. A gardening aquaintenance just dubbed them thistles (which they are) and said we should walk around the hood and sprinkle the seeds.......Eyore needs to be fed...

[Kouign Aman]

Limes harvested, and new limes on the way.

Oranges still on the tree from last year - the cool weather is keeping them hanging on.

Some of the tomatoes have set fruit, but the majority havent, as we havent had a hot spell since I put them in the ground.

Lots of lovely purple string-beans. We'll pick the first ones tonight. 4-6" long, a deep purple color. If they are the same as those I grew as a child, they'll turn green upon cooking.

Lima beans are flowering (planted only a month ago, from seed). 5 little baby loquat trees poking thru the soil.

The best surprise was a peanut plant resprouting, and one lone lettuce from our repeated attempts last year to grow lettuce. One seed bided (bid?) its time and now has become a lovely little plant - salad for one.

[heidih]

Green beans are coming in perfectly- just enough for a serving every day or so. The summer squash continue- I am picking them really young and they seem happy to continue producing. Butternut squash had a growth spurt. One is about 7 inches long with the final bulbous shape in place. Tomatoes would really appreciate some sunny days but the greenies are plump and just need that sun to ripen.

[Raoul Duke]

Pulled out shallots to dry along with some garlic (not shown). Tomato's off to a slow start along with zucchinni. Still have to pull white and yellow onions. The shallots ended up being about 25 pounds. That should hold us till winter.

[heidih]

Everything from the summer is out except the basils, parsley and mint which I will leave until they look sad, and the Lemon Boy tomato. With the bizarro hot weather in Los Angeles I have been hesitant to start the "cool weather" crops. I did sow radish, India mustard, and chive seeds yesterday figuring the warmth would aid germination. If we stay in the low 70's I will plant seedlings dependent on the garden center selection. I am going to stop replying on them one of these days.

[CaliPoutine]

Having just moved back to Cali, I'm not that familar with gardening here( waiting for my Sunset subscription to start). Its been really, really hot here in Santa Clarita and I only have a balcony( no yard). Do things grow all year round? I still have herbs( sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano) in my kitchen bay window and they're doing great. Will they grow all year long? I'm on my second basil plant, the first one died after a couple of months.

[heidih]

Randi- I think year round is possible. Just depends on the amount of sun, heat, cold. Sunset is a great magazine and has good on line info. I got a $1/month subscription recently. I have most things in containers (the biggest being abandoned kiddie pools so kind of shallow)- have had great success. Nothing like being able to toss a few fresh grown herbs or greens in to any dish.

[ScottyBoy]

So time to start thinking for winter, all that's producing right now in my space are artichokes and tomatoes. Here's a picture of a box I put together for a friend and a link to the rest of the album of the garden I built to supply for my private dinners.

Vegetables yay!

[Kouign Aman]

ScottyBoy, that's gorgeous!

Pulled most of the tomatoes last weekend, and the cornstalks/beans. The peanut and garlic and onions died back of their own accord. Time to dig them up, I suppose.

The potatoes just started going mad, be interesting to see how long the weather holds.

Will dig one and plant a random assortment of beans next weekend, I hope.

Got lots of tiny little guavas. Never know what to do with them when they ripen.

Cant bring em in the house without a plan as they are ... pungent.

Edited October 11, 2010 by Kouign Aman (log)

[Raoul Duke]

Squeeze those guavas into a glass w/a little vodka and watch the sun kiss the earth.

[heidih]

This newest heat wave in Los Angeles is not making me happy. I am enjoying thinning the radishes and Indian mustard. I let them get about 3 inches tall before thinning and am enjoying their peppery goodness in soup and salad.

[heidih]

Still enjoying another planting of the radishes and Indian mustard. I enjoyed some spinach and lettuce and may go for another round of planting on that. The mint is hanging in there and for some reason the marjoram is thriving. The citrus of course is gorgeous- tangerine, navel orange, juice orange, lime, and grapefruit plus a few kumquats from the new tree. Pears are about done as the crows have found them. I have had one nice broccoli crown and it was delicious. The brussel sprouts look to more all leaf formation and not much stalk progress. Are the leaves tasty or too tough? I should try if it looks like they are not going to amount to a sprout tree. Oh and the peas are trying hard.

[Kouign Aman]

heidih, it all sounds so wonderful.

This year, again, the weeds won. I need to borrow a goat.

If anyone local likes stinging nettles, we have a handsome crop of young nettles you are welcome to harvest.

[ScottyBoy]

Winter = root vegetables. Growing 3 types of heirloom carrots and some baby parsnips.

[andiesenji]

In my area the nighttime temps are still below freezing so it will be some time before I can be planting outside.

There are some things that have survived the snow and the freezing: onions, parsley, sorrel, Swiss chard and kale, plus the hardier herbs; sages, rosemary (impossible to kill), the bay trees, etc.