Posted on May 17, 2022May 17, 202205/16/2022 south of the river An update from the Texas home garden this past week! Pink brandywine tomato flowering in Mom and Dad’s container planter garden last week. White currant tomato flower buds. The red rubin basil has appreciated an increased watering regime. First marigold bloom! The ones up here in Norman in my garden are just getting their first and second sets of true leaves. Last Wednesday, note the size of mustard greens. They sure grew over just a few days! In fact, they grew enough that Mom harvested some. Mom sauteed them in butter, oil, and white vinegar with salt, pepper, and a lemon juice top off at the end. Sources say it was good.
Posted on May 12, 2022May 12, 202205/12/2022 all the not dramatic regular stuff Walking onions from garden, assorted farm share veggies, with glass noodles and chicken. Pulled a lot more Maximilian sunflower this evening. I put it in a tub with some potting soil to keep until they can go to new homes. I found a baby spittlebug on one sunflower stem! I took it over to the sunflowers we’re keeping so it can keep eating. In the front yard, a few winecup seedlings are coming up in the ground cover orchard area. More baby winecup! I pulled up two more native black walnut seedlings and potted them. Hopefully this one can make it with only half its remaining food. Anyways, this makes a total of four. I have found good homes for most or all of them now. Our lot is too small for another big tree.
Posted on May 7, 2022May 7, 202205/06/2022 emergency strawberry eating party Fruit processing is a social endeavor among vaccinated friends. The Chef’s magic strawberry sauce recipe… Strawberries and powdered sugar! The angel food cake meringue. Angel food cake must be cooled upside down for fluffiness. Since they’re tiny angel food cakes I call them cherub cakes. The Chef made everything look pretty. Dog awaits her guests. She likes guests. Paula had the excellent idea to use our garden cart stools as more seating. Farm to table eating!
Posted on May 1, 2022May 1, 202205/01/2022 ashy sunflower from moldy humid container, attempt 2 The ashy sunflower humid tupperware had those two new seedlings. Last time I transferred out into soil, they shriveled within a few days. So, this time I’m making them a little greenhouse to get adjusted. This pot actually has two: one seedling and one I found sprouted with a root but the cotelydons (seed leaves) weren’t out yet from the seed husk. The upside down lunch meat container doesn’t quite seal over them, so I put damp paper towels as a sort of barrier. We’ll see if it works! Accidentally knocked off some flowers of showy evening primrose by the sidewalk when going back and forth to get pots and soil.
Posted on May 1, 2022May 1, 2022A prairie gardening book with nice species accounts and germination information The Prairie Garden: 70 Native Plants You Can Grow in Town or Country by J. Robert Smith with Beatrice S. Smith. The authors founded a prairie seed and plant nursery that’s still in business. I’ll have to check them for plants in the future! The table of contents is available online at Google books too. You can get your own copy new or used. It’s still in print!
Posted on April 24, 2022April 24, 2022Farm share dinner Our household has subscribed to a farm share program. The asparagus, green pepper, and green onion are all part of this week’s delivery.
Posted on April 23, 2022April 23, 2022Late night probiotics Garden strawberries on Greek yogurt with honey from Paula’s parents’ bees.
Posted on April 23, 2022April 23, 202204/23 front yard Viola bicolor going to seed! There’s a lot of it growing this year. I have taken some of the seeds and sprinkled over on the new filled in soil as I don’t want to bury their next generation. Native Bluets going to seed! Mystery plant in raised bed. Tree of heaven (invasive non native) has been suggested. Mostly got this leak taken care of with new rubber seals and Teflon tape. There’s still a tiny drip, but I’ll just call it watering the strawberries. Before, it was a consistent trickle. Extremely bored helper. Four varieties of strawberry. First harvest of the season. Culinary sage in rainbow garden is about to bloom! Potato straw bales are growing!! Blue flax babies where I’m pointing, as well as larger ones near front of picture. The broad leafed plant to the right is mealy blue sage.
Posted on April 10, 2022April 10, 2022Starving and alone The Chef reports he is eating package ramen for dinner… I see some additions there including walking onions.