Friday, September 11, 2009

garden notes

another butternut squash

- I counted my butternut squash too soon. I found 2 more today! They are not ripe yet, hanging outside my fence, hidden in the weeds.

- I ordered garlic for planting a few days ago. Decided I did not have enough this year to use for planting as well as eating. I'll eat my whole crop. I ordered 1 lb from Territorial Seed Co (2 varieties - their special combo of a white soft neck and a purple hard neck) - about 60 cloves total for planting later this fall.

- Its time to consider your fall cover crops and order seed now. Still early enough to plant clovers and legumes. As it gets later, go for just rye. I wish I'd remembered this and ordered it with my garlic. I might have saved on shipping charges.

6 comments:

Hilery said...

I just picked up my green onion, peas and lettuce seeds today. Gearing up for my weekend gardening project!

Do you have good luck with garlic? I've planted a few cloves and I'm anxious to see how they do.

kathy said...

My garlic has been OK, but I'm still working at growing it well.

The last couple year my cloves have been small. This year's were nice and big. Better soil, more sun. But I have a lot of onion mites in it, I think because I grew it where I had onions last years. (I will be making a good rotation plan this year.)

And I'd like to grow enough of it so I can eat it and replant my own too. (Have my cake and eat it too...) Its very expensive to buy. Maybe next year.

Of course, fresh homegrown garlic tastes much better than supermarket. And gardening always brings its challenges for doing better next year.

We have rain here this weekend, though maybe a little sun will come tomorrow. Have fun out there!

tinapuntasecca said...

Thanks for the ground cover tip. I have wanted to buy some, but since Im pretty new to gardening, the list of ground covers at johnny's just overwhelmed me. I will order some rye pretty soon!

Hilery - Desert Greenhouse Guide said...

Thanks Kathy, sounds very encouraging! I'll keep at my garlic growing. I've never eaten homegrown so I am anxious to see how much better it tastes!

Unknown said...

Kathy, I accidently picked a delecta (sp?) squash before it was mature while trimming back a vine I didn't realize had fruit on it still. A winter squash, it's skin was still soft though its stripes were showing, so it was a good way toward mature. I quartered it the long way and grilled it. It was totally wonderful! Much different than grilling a summer squash -- much more dense flesh and certainly more flavorful. So if my winter squash aren't ripe by frost, this is the treatment they'll get in the future!

kathy said...

Interesting!

I've read that winter squash can be eaten early and prepared like summer squash. I've never tried this. I just may try it with one of these butternuts.