tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2389237753484832542012-01-25T19:16:39.029-08:00Organic food gardening, preserving the harvest and a peek into a Japanese-and-American family living in the Pacific Northwest corner of USA. アメリカの西海岸のレニアー山の近くにあるオシオラ高地で野菜や果物作りのブログです。 自分でつくた野菜が一番おいしいですよ。いっしょうに畑を作りましょう！Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.comBlogger1171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-41282324744505725312012-01-22T11:55:00.000-08:002012-01-22T22:42:09.326-08:00

Now that we have power again, life is starting to go back to normal.  It snowed, then rained, then froze, then we had freezing rain. Trees and bushes were encased in ice, which looked beautiful, but was deadly for many of the trees.  Branches came crashing down, broke power lines, or the power lines were so weighed down with ice that they snapped. Transformers were blowing up.  Hubby-san and I

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-3968593962860144302012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:002012-01-22T00:27:15.581-08:00

(2 fav's) As the snow falls, the seed catalogs continue to arrive in my mailbox and online. I find myself circling way too many varieties of tomatoes, and wishing I had a large enough back yard so I could plant persimmons, kiwi, hazelnut, fifteen varieties of blueberries, eight varieties of potatoes and a partridge in three varieties of peach trees. But, alas! We have the standard city plot

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-3060009375916832112012-01-18T11:49:00.000-08:002012-01-18T11:49:50.589-08:00

We actually have a decent amount of snow on the ground!  Mr. Weatherman predicted "Snowmageddon", but it's definitely not that bad. Seattle area drivers aren't used to driving in the snow, and we don't have enough snow plows to go around, so most of the area is shut down today. Kids are happy there is no school, and even Hubby-san is home today. I went outside to feed the chickens and check

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-64087884425873363842012-01-15T21:28:00.000-08:002012-01-15T21:28:36.150-08:00

It snowed last night!  Here in the Pacific Northwest corner of USA, we don't get a lot of snow, so it's exciting when we have a layer of white over the back yard. And since it was snowy and cold, it put everyone in the mood for a nice hot pot of Japanese O-nabe (pronounced Oh-NAH-beh). 雪が降りました！　シアトルであまり雪は降らないから、降るとワクワクします。外が寒かったので、暖かいお鍋が食べたくなりました。こたつに座って、いっしょうに食べて、とてもおいしかったです。 毎日が忙しくてなかなか家族

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-34778521507774021532012-01-11T06:30:00.000-08:002012-01-11T07:19:09.837-08:00

We're slowly working our way through the apple trees behind our home.  In deciding which trees to prune, we looked at the health of the tree--many of them have woolly aphids. (Photo by E. Beers) Woolly aphids are a bit different than plain aphids.  Besides being hairy, woolly aphids feed on roots and tender bark, whereas aphids feed on leaves. An old pruning scar is a perfect place for 

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-32254737643797301652012-01-09T06:17:00.000-08:002012-01-09T06:53:38.285-08:00

A sister blogger in England has issued the above challenge to the gardening world, and I'm on the bandwagon.  Here is her post: Hurrah - lots of you have said you're up for the 52 Week Salad Challenge and lo, here we are in week 1! We have people from the UK, France and the USA all eager to have a go, so our salad is fast taking on an international flavour :) Quite a few of you asked

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-46356086496178271062012-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:002012-01-07T06:00:03.288-08:00

We have not had a rooster since Thomas met his demise with the fryers last summer. Dynamics in the hen house change when the rooster is not there. I wasn't too worried about the two hens who became dominant, but I was worried about predators.  Thomas was very good at keeping them at bay, and the girls don't seem to have much common sense about which animals are OK and which are not.  I wanted

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-42177165644323520302012-01-06T16:00:00.000-08:002012-01-06T16:00:04.001-08:00

Do you have fruit trees that need pruning? I am looking for people who are willing to barter pruning for some of the fruit. If you are in the south Puget Sound area, I would love to hear from you!  We are especially interested in apple and pear trees, but love all fruit.  I can be reached at sugi AT tx3 DOT com.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-52806448354225950812012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:002012-01-06T13:36:38.727-08:00

This is the apple orchard directly behind our back yard.  Old and Crotchety Mr. Apple Orchard Guy passed away about five years ago, then Sweet Mrs. Apple Orchard Lady had a mild stroke, so the trees have not been pruned in about four years. There are 25 semi-dwarf trees, all different varieties, and Sweet Mrs. Apple Orchard Lady has let us pick the fruit for most of the last 10 years. She said

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-79726358941301966002012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:002012-01-05T06:00:15.138-08:00

After reading about Hugelkultur, I showed Hubby-san the concept. He actually thought it was a good idea!  (Surprisingly, we don't always see eye-to-eye about gardening. I'm sure that never happens in your relationships.) Since we are making new garden beds, we decided to give Hugelkultur a try. この前、HUGELKULTURと言うドイツの畑の作り方について読み、だんな様に紹介しました。彼もいいアイデアと思いました。（信じられないかもしれないけれど、時々だんな様とわたしは畑について考え方が違

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-84440576846379571712012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:002012-01-04T06:00:02.487-08:00

2012 is really here--what are you going to do with this new year?  We have a few of things that we are working on this year, and most of our plans are garden related. We live inside city limits, on a standard .24 acre lot, and in a very limiting, fancy-schmancy neighborhood with "rules", but we are trying to make better use of the space we do have. (The neighbor directly behind us has refused

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-30292956062953495072012-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:002012-01-03T06:00:02.539-08:00

As you can see from the photo, I did not make a pie with our blackberry pie filling. I made a cobbler instead--much faster and just as delicious, if not moreso. Cousin B has a topping recipe that is oh, so good! Cobbler Topping 1/2 C brown sugar, packed 1/2 C rolled oats 1/2 C flour handful of breadcrumbs 1/2 soft butter 3/4 tsp cinnamon 3/4 tsp nutmeg Mix ingredients together in a bowl

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-91846131684928990532012-01-02T21:44:00.000-08:002012-01-02T22:08:30.184-08:00

Last summer, we finally had a bumper crop of blackberries. One fine sunny afternoon, I sent the boys out with Hubby-san to pick some berries for a pie, and they came back with FIVE baskets full of purple goodness. I made the pie, but there were still so many berries left I decided to can some pie filling. It was something new for me, and I love the result! Blackberry Pie Filling (per quart)

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-81009157616863255592012-01-02T09:36:00.000-08:002012-01-02T09:36:25.165-08:00

年を重ねただけで人は老いない。理想を失う時に初めて老いがくる。 サミュエル。ウルマン 1840-1924

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-44058488492190327482012-01-01T10:49:00.000-08:002012-01-02T09:36:47.595-08:00

January, 1795 by Mary Darby Robinson Pavement slipp'ry, people sneezing, Lords in ermine, beggars freezing ; Titled gluttons dainties carving, Genius in a garret starving. Lofty mansions, warm and spacious ; Courtiers clinging and voracious ; Misers scarce the wretched heeding ; Gallant soldiers fighting, bleeding. Wives who laugh at passive spouses ; Theatres, and

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-3371810945437221482012-01-01T10:17:00.000-08:002012-01-02T21:45:17.688-08:00

As I watched the first sunrise of the year, I was filled with gratitude for all the blessings of 2011, and with hope for a better 2012. 昨年はお世話になりました。今年もようろひくお願いします。

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-31402543052061903952011-12-29T20:39:00.000-08:002011-12-29T20:47:01.503-08:00

New Years is a big deal in Japan. Since we lived in the country, we got to participate in the whole two weeks of celebrations. It all starts with o-mochitsuki, or rice pounding, a few days before the new year. Like turkey at Thanksgiving, one must have pounded mochi rice balls at New Years. Hubby-san's  whole family gathers for rice pounding, aunts, uncles, cousins and the occasional friend. (

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-69186164714955916252011-12-29T08:50:00.000-08:002011-12-29T18:31:20.709-08:00

Did you know that rice is the staple food for over half of the world's population? It took me a long time to realise the incredible importance rice plays in the Asian diet, but I get it now! In our house, as in much of Japan, rice is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It is the MAIN DISH at any meal.  Once I understood this fact, creating a Japanese meal that Hubby-san would appreciate

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-56500704924402594392011-12-28T17:30:00.000-08:002011-12-29T20:44:16.992-08:00

What does one feed a crowd? In our house, Takikomi Gohan (Rice) is a favorite. It's a good way to use leftovers and the rice cooker does most of the work, so it's a little easier than fried rice.  If you like rice dishes, try Takikomi! 5 cups of medium grain rice (we use Costco Homai rice) 5 tablespoons of soy sauce 2 tablespoons of mirin (sweet rice wine) 3 tablespoons of sake (if you

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-62759674529986201512011-12-23T08:50:00.000-08:002011-12-23T08:50:55.201-08:00

We got a text message from Cousin E at 6:45 this morning: "Just watched some idiot run over one of our chickens..." I was already up and dressed, I was out the door in less than a minute. Seems Snowy had made her way out of the yard and onto the road (they have free range of the whole place). Cousin E was also out and about and saw her on the road as she pulled out of the driveway. She slowed

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-72083181468303576412011-12-18T22:16:00.000-08:002011-12-18T23:30:00.978-08:00

As I was reading some older posts, it became obvious that I did not follow up on our rat adventure.  In order to get rid of rats, mice and other pesty rodents, there are basically three things one needs to do. 1. Get rid of the food source.  In our case, they were eating the dog food and the chicken feed. We put the dog food in a large plastic container with a tight lid, and did the same

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-35016678340171632092011-12-14T21:39:00.000-08:002011-12-14T22:03:17.449-08:00

Dang, I was so excited!  I boiled, cut and peeled the chestnuts, then eagerly took a bite. It was sweet and good.  But wait, what's THAT?  The after-taste was extremely bitter. Downright nasty.  But why?? Sometimes the chestnuts in Japan were a tad bitter, but not like this. Back to the internet I went. I read where you have to cure the chestnuts first, basically leave them out on your counter

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-28790467348637484332011-12-14T10:46:00.000-08:002011-12-14T10:46:50.705-08:00

There are only a handful of old chestnut trees here on the plateau--those that the pioneers planted over 100 years ago.  My cousin happens to have an big, old chestnut tree in her yard, and this morning I suddenly missed Japan and the chestnut dishes that I used to make.  So I gathered what the squirrels and birds had left and am cooking them up this morning. Most of us have heard the song

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-46287030672551378212011-12-13T16:07:00.000-08:002011-12-13T16:07:05.047-08:00

I found a new garden blog today!  Not only that, there is this great post about Hugelkulture (I know, I didn't know what it was, either).  I tried to copy and paste the post in its entirety, but the images did not paste. So here's the first part of his post, with the link at the bottom so you can read the rest and see the pictures and photos. I think I'm going to have to try this! It's a German

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-52240929493616026572011-12-12T21:55:00.000-08:002011-12-12T21:55:24.726-08:00

The church Christmas party was a lot of fun! The ham dinner was good, but after all was cleared away and cleaned up, the meaty ham bones were headed for the garbage can. Hubby-san (with his self professed "thrifty mentality"), brought them home and I made split pea soup for dinner the next night.  The family loved it, so I made a huge pot again today that will be divided into smaller portions

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-1372183801624161592011-12-12T14:21:00.000-08:002011-12-12T14:21:45.526-08:00

Well, it's been really cold lately, with snow before Thanksgiving (!) and now heavy frost for several days.  That's good, because it will kill the bugs, and hopefully all those aphid eggs that are surely on my plum tree. As for the rats, we were finally able to get them under control.  Put the dogfood in containers, kept the old chicken bread in containers and put out several rat traps. Cleaning

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-50584633232593118762011-07-05T11:17:00.000-07:002011-12-28T21:34:39.136-08:00

I just watched this BBC documentary and want to share it with you.  It's about one farm in England and what they're doing to adjust to the modern challenges of farming.  There are five parts on YouTube, be sure and watch all of them.  Very educational and inspiring!  Click here to watch.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-64443779009728363752011-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:002011-07-02T06:00:02.831-07:00

The question when planting new asparagus is always, "Can I eat it the first year?" Well, yes. BUT, the spears must be thicker than a pencil. We watched our baby asparagus this year, but all the spears were thinner than a pencil, so we didn't get to taste-test. We did get plenty from our established asparagus bed, though, and now they have all ferned out. I've noticed that some sources recommend

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-60998531941021980612011-07-01T20:31:00.000-07:002011-07-01T20:31:43.214-07:00

My Heart Is In July shifting away from June's budto leave dandelions scattered in the yardthis dawn of Julymarks the end of a liea lie from past seasonfor a strong reason in July robin will make herself shy and cover her reddish breast with her celestial hued crest then flap her wings to fly close against the sky i want to kiss July and make July last forever in beauty but not

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-3152750789008347172011-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:002011-12-28T21:45:50.539-08:00

We finally have strawberries!  The weather has been cooler than normal this year, so it's taken a little longer for the strawberry season to come, even for the professional growers.  This photo is of our baby strawberry plants, so they're still not very big yet. And not very sweet yet, either (c'mon sunshine!). やっといちごができました！今年はふつよりすずしいので、いちごの時期がずいぶん遅れました。まだ甘くないけれど　（早くお天気が熱くなってほしいな）。

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-74371619456874339932011-06-30T23:01:00.000-07:002011-06-30T23:01:34.826-07:00

Where, oh where, is our summer?  It is STILL cool and rainy and the ground is STILL wet and soggy, which is not a good place to plant potatoes.  Early July is the latest we can plant potatoes here and hope to be able to grow a decent crop before cooler fall weather sets in, so we are getting creative this year.  Other than grow them right in the ground and mound the soil up around them as they

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-86557839993076432082011-06-27T11:09:00.000-07:002011-06-27T12:26:40.203-07:00

Welcome to our new Garden Coaching service!  We can help your food grow.  Whether you need a few hours of help, monthly guidance or seasonal assistance, we are here to help you learn.  Backyard gardens are a great way to bring food to your table.  Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have mild winters and can grow food nearly all year.  Small children love to be in the garden and older children

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-42838137138269166802011-06-24T14:28:00.000-07:002011-06-28T15:03:16.914-07:00

I have received a few questions about our canning experience, so here are a few more details on how we canned our chicken. We did not pluck our chickens, we skinned them. We put the water hose in between the skin and the muscle of the just-butchered chicken to loosen the connections. This made skinning a bit easier, but it was still tight around the wings and legs. When canning chicken, one can

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-65546449046102491852011-06-21T21:55:00.000-07:002011-06-28T15:00:57.372-07:00

                                             Last year when we processed our chickens, we waited too long. They were 13 weeks by the time we could get everyone together to process.  We had 9-11 pound birds, but the cockerels (males) were tough. Our cousins J&B processed their chickens at eight weeks and got 4-pound birds, so I thought we'd try processing at 10 weeks to see if we could get the

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-80874454918466432542011-05-21T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-21T06:00:05.342-07:00

You may be wondering where Holli Honey and Mr. Beekeeper sell their honey. Well, wonder no more! They sell at a couple of farmer's markets around the Seattle area, the biggest one being Pike Place Market.  Our children get to help them out, so I thought I'd repost recent a blog from #1 Daughter. So for those who don't know, I'm working at Pike Place Market again this summer and I'm kind of

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-43361347123905212302011-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-20T06:00:05.443-07:00

I didn't know they (whoever "they" are), kept track of things like this, but here it is, folks, the official Global Garden Report. Garden blogs from 13 countries were scrutinised, as were internet offerings,  and the statistics were rounded off for our enjoyment and enlightenment.  Here is a quote from the opening: Unlike what many people might expect, gardening is not about showing off. Of

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-31710159350895165252011-05-19T09:38:00.000-07:002011-12-18T22:19:58.220-08:00

Norway rats, to be specific.  I've seen them many times in the barn and scurrying around outside. There are two of them, one almost black, and the other a dark brown. I don't mind mice and rats until they start eating things they shouldn't.  And this morning there was a nice hole chewed through the new bag of chicken feed. That did it. I moved the remaining bags of chicken feed into what was

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-22892964598622102302011-05-17T22:03:00.000-07:002011-05-17T22:03:32.264-07:00

Went over to my cousin's house about sunset tonight. Fed the teenage chickens, checked on the hens--avoided the rooster while collecting six warm brown eggs. Closed all the roost doors and made sure the heat lamps were on. Walked out to the garden to check on the newly planted beans. Nothing has come up yet, but the good rain we had over the weekend has kept the soil nice and moist. Met my

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-68989204113158361192011-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-17T06:00:09.068-07:00

I got a phone call from one of my friends late one evening.  She and her husband are new beekeepers, and have two brand new hives on some property, about 10 feet apart from each other. The property owner had called them to let them know that both supers (hive boxes) were covered in ants.  Her mentor was not answering the phone, so she called me.  I don't know that much about bees, but I know

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-79600742661214713102011-05-16T19:09:00.000-07:002011-05-16T19:09:34.828-07:00

Holli Honey has been very busy lately, so I will post for her. #1 Son and #2 Son helped Mr. Beekeeper clean and ready the supers (the green boxes in the photo below). I guess you don't want to clean the supers TOO well, or the bees won't accept it.  Honey bees are very hard working, so if there is nothing for them to do in their new home, they have a tendency to fly off.  Wouldn't want that.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-62195857408146682532011-05-09T23:02:00.000-07:002011-05-09T23:02:56.396-07:00

Ah, the first rhubarb of the season!  I love rhubarb raw and I like my rhubarb pie sour--it tastes SO much better with vanilla ice cream if it's on the sour side.  I use my Grandmother's pie crust recipe for the perfect Mother's Day dessert. Grandmother Melba's No-Fail Pie Crust 4 cups flour, unsifted 1 3/4cup ~ 1 2/3cup butter, room temperature 1/2 cup cold water 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 egg

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-43068260659928302052011-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-05T06:00:10.503-07:00

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Keio Slow Food- Japanese Farm blog, and they have wonderful photos of their raised beds being built this year.  If you don't read Japanese, just scroll down to the photos. There are enough of them to where non-Japanese reading people can understand. This is how we grew our veggies when we lived in Hiroshima--brings back good memories! 日本のうね作りのいい写真を見つけました。

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-2359231153826387432011-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-03T06:00:08.246-07:00

We planted asparagus a loooong time ago, and I was beginning to wonder if it would EVER come up. Well, it did--finally.  It has been unusually cold this spring, so I think they were just waiting until it warmed up around here.  Probably a good thing, since it snowed just last week. Anyway, they are poking their heads through the soil.  We'll wait until they are about three inches out of the

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-8501181757756612042011-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-02T06:00:07.023-07:00

Our chicks are now four weeks old.  They were in our house for the first week, then we took them over to my cousin's house. We built a small room in their very long shed and call it the 'Chicken Nursery'.  With a heat lamp, water and food, they have been quite happy there.  But this last week they have obviously outgrown the nursery. It has been colder than normal, so we've been hesitant to take

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-62257483334859253222011-05-01T22:29:00.000-07:002011-05-02T18:28:53.090-07:00

The Wind -Robert Louis Stevenson I saw you toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies'skirts across the grass--    O wind, a-blowing all day long,    O wind, that sings so loud a song! I saw the different things you did, But always you yourself you hid. I felt you push, I heard you call, I could not see yourself at all--    O wind,

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-54479831400655424242011-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:002011-04-12T06:00:13.456-07:00

 We decided we didn't have enough asparagus (can one ever have enough asparagus??), so we ordered more crowns from Territorial Seed this year. They arrived last Friday, and we spent Saturday morning at my cousin's house, getting the bed ready and planting the crowns. わが家はアスパラが大好きです！もう少し食べたいと思って、アスパラの根っこを注文しました。裏庭にはすでにもう植えてあるのでいとこの畑で植えました。 This first photo is what asparagus crowns look like. 

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-12537246504321978002011-04-11T08:18:00.000-07:002011-04-11T08:20:09.381-07:00

Can you tell I visited several friends' homes over the weekend?  Here is Lisa and Keith's garden bed, effective using a sunny corner of their yard. リーサーとキースの畑です。日当たりのいい所でつくりました。

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-52065599816475424202011-04-11T08:09:00.000-07:002011-04-11T08:10:11.707-07:00

  One of the things I like about Connie is her creativity and resoursefulness.  Here you can see how she has created her garden beds from cinder blocks. Not only that, she has artfully arranged the beds on her patio. Don't let the too much cement stop you from gardening! 友達のコニーの畑です。うらにわが少しせまくてセメントが多いのでブロックを使って畑を作りました。賢い！

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-51465832365769432372011-04-11T07:53:00.000-07:002011-04-11T07:53:18.316-07:00

To follow up and Carl & Sara's raised bed project, here are some updated photos:  Click on the photos to get a close look and note the extra work Carl put in for his irrigation system. They now have a spout at the end of each box with a double spout at the end of the garden.  It makes watering the garden beds much easier than running hoses across their yard. カールとサーラの畑のつづきです。カールは水の噴出をはこにいれました。奥

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-27559645369805356082011-04-07T23:06:00.000-07:002011-04-08T09:35:42.014-07:00

Our chicks are four days old now and doing well.  I keep them in my office where I can watch them and they can entertain me.  The cats didn't know what to think of these "prey" in their house, but they have both been very good boys around the chicks. We had all 19 chicks in one bin for the first two days, but on the third day, I noticed some picking going on. Picking is just that--one bird

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-62307044663792464372011-04-07T22:08:00.000-07:002011-04-08T09:34:57.388-07:00

You may have noticed a new blogger listed. The new blogger is Holli Honey, and we welcome her to Plateau Gardening!  By way of introduction, she is a beekeeper along with her Mr. Beekeeper, in the Kent area of our great state of Washingon.  They sell their golden goodness at several farmer's markets in the area and are regulars at Pike Place Market in Seattle.  I have to admit, their honey is by

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-79338416185453793282011-04-06T00:42:00.000-07:002011-12-29T08:55:29.223-08:00

Horsetail weed (Equinestum) seems to be a problem for many people, as my post about horsetails way back in 2009 is still the most viewed post of the blog.  So here is a little bit more information for those poor souls struggling with horsetail weeds. Field horsetail has two types of hollow stems which grow from deep, creeping rootsocks.  The leafless or fertile stems are about one foot high (

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-62882653567674996262011-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:002011-04-04T06:00:07.658-07:00

I always get stuck at the book booths when I go to garden shows.  The NW Flower and Garden Show in February was no exception.  I found another great book--The Edible Front Yard, by Ivette Soler.  Where Eric is detailed in his description of the plants in last month's book, Perennial Vegetables, Ivette is detailed in the how-to of transforming your front yard. I am not a designer, so I read and

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-76744008997810205302011-04-01T22:45:00.000-07:002011-04-01T22:45:22.768-07:00

Have you noticed?  The price of very basic food items has gone up lately. One of the blogs I read, Totally Ready, has this to say, quoting from The Herald newspaper here in WA state: "Wholesale food prices rose 3.9 percent in February over January — the highest monthly jump in 37 years, the Department of Labor reported last week. Cold spells have driven up produce and wheat prices, while surging

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-4306981121440691862011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:002011-04-01T10:33:59.089-07:00

OF COURSE IT HURTS ~Karin Boye, 1935 Yes, of course it hurts when buds are bursting. Why else would springtime hesitate? Why would all our fervent longing bind itself in frozen, bitter pallor? After all, the bud was encased all through winter. What new thing is it that swells and breaks? Yes, of course it hurts when buds are bursting, hurts for that which grows and that which bars. Yes, it is

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-82936905847342266072011-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:002011-03-31T06:00:11.860-07:00

We've got our first batch of baby chicks (Jumbo Cornish Rock) coming after the weekend and I need to be sure we're ready for them.  Let's see, we've got a large plastic tub to keep the chicks in when they arrive. I still need a stiff mesh or wire cover to keep our expert hunting cats out.  There's wood shavings to go in the plastic bin, got that.  I need to find the watering jug for the little

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-53708300528868848322011-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:002011-12-28T21:30:55.561-08:00

Another weed I have seen a lot of lately is chickweed (stellaria media).  It grows anywhere!  In gravel, between the cracks in the sidewalk, in flower beds, veggie beds--anywhere.  It appears that they will also grow everywhere.  They have established themselves all over the world and are especially prolific in the temperate zones of Europe and Asia. There are as many species as there are

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-53436370994351365282011-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:002011-03-30T23:23:28.358-07:00

Look what Territorial Seed Company is offering!  An online, easy-to-use garden planner. I just took a few minutes and played with it, and even I can use it.  They also offer tutorial videos, which helped.  They include information on the plants, planting/harvesting times, and they will send you reminders if you like.  The first 30 days are free (long enough to plan several gardens), and then it's

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-28966805934002297612011-03-28T09:02:00.000-07:002011-03-28T19:18:34.710-07:00

I have forgotten how seriously unpleasant stomach flu is.  After a week of recouperating, I think I'm back on my feet again. Fortunately, I was the only one in the family who caught the bug. Have you planted your seeds yet?  Not outdoors yet, but indoors in little planting pots.  I have previously posted details of our family's kitchen table being taken over by the planting pots, and I also

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-3949859876599031122011-03-17T09:02:00.000-07:002011-03-17T09:05:20.427-07:00

I was in Georgia for a training conference when Hubby-san texted me about the earthquake in Japan.  That was all I knew until we went to the airport and I saw the footage of the tsunami. What a shock. Our family is in the southern part of Japan and not affected by the earthquake, but as Hubby-san said, "We're all Japanese. We're all family."  Our hearts go out to the people of Japan, especially

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-43309062458027234702011-03-16T10:36:00.000-07:002011-12-28T21:31:17.585-08:00

I've decided to start posting a bit on weeds, which for some will also be a post on herbs.  Our first post is on the incredibly irritating Bittercress, or 'shotweed' (Cardamine hirsuta).  I originally thought this was our native Cardamine oligosperma, but upon further reading discovered that this little plant that populates our gardens, lawns, sidewalks, rockeries, walls, playgrounds and

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-72332825096404542232011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:002011-03-16T10:42:05.021-07:00

The weather finally cleared up long enough and was warm enough to drag my family out into the yard for a little early Spring tidy-up.  #2 Son found our horseradish plant, with a little green just barely poking through the soil.  It needed to be moved--or at least divided--so he grabbed a shovel and started digging (anything to get out of weeding).  Well, he dug and he dug and ended up with quite

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-7994356200415244782011-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:002011-03-30T15:12:21.043-07:00

Mom and I went to the Garden Show at the Tacoma Dome a couple of weeks ago and I got stuck at the Master Gardener's book booth.  After spending more than 30 minutes perusing each book they had, I found the treasure I was looking for:  Perennial Vegetables, by Eric Toensmeier.  What a book!  Eric has profiled well over 100 species in his book and gives basic design ideas for incorporating

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-83268510044131878862011-03-10T06:00:00.000-08:002011-03-16T10:39:58.939-07:00

And these friends have quite a bit of backyard space, so they installed very large raised beds.  Kristine measured each bed to equal 100 square feet so that figuring fertilizer amounts and other ammendments would be easy to calculate.  There is also plenty of room between the beds for walking and overhanging plants.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-73094671337203142932011-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:002011-03-16T10:40:18.251-07:00

Another neighbor decided to install raised beds in their backyard.  They started last year with a few beds in the sunniest corner of their lot and now have several with an irrigation system.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-16334192488847832522011-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:002011-03-16T10:40:42.206-07:00

These friends moved into a house that already had a small raised bed.  They added a few large pots for tomatoes and potatoes and it worked quite nicely for them last year.  If you are an apartment dweller or have very little room for a garden, large pots will give you the growing room you need.ダニエルさんと奥さんのクリスチイさんはさいきん、この家にひっこして来ました。にわが少しせまいけれど、小さな畑がもうありました。ばしょうがたりないと思って、バケツも用意しました。土はお店から買いました。

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-10617823171444677922011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:002011-03-16T10:42:58.008-07:00

Raised beds are almost a necessity here in the Northwest. It gives more exposure to the sunshine so the soil warms up and stays warmer longer.  It also raises the veggies up out of the water-logged ground. The simplest raised beds are seen everywhere in Asia--no wood, no constructing, just neatly piled-up rows of soil.  The advantage of this method is that if you need to change it somehow, all

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-17214476205308155242011-03-04T06:00:00.001-08:002011-03-16T10:41:03.434-07:00

Raised beds are the way to food garden here in the Northwest. We have wet Springs and if we wait until the back yard dries out, some of will be waiting until July before we can plant. By building a raised bed, we can get an earlier start on planting. They also hold heat better, making it easier to raise those lucious tomatoes that we all dream about growing. Peppers, eggplant, okra and melons do

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-10840810488732369292011-03-03T21:51:00.000-08:002011-03-03T21:51:26.820-08:00

前は、日本の広島県に住んでいましたが今はアメリカのシアトル市に住んでいます。 畑作りが大好きです！日本語があまり上手でわありませんが、ブログをかきます。 楽しんで読んでくださいね。

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-19054071356431236222011-03-03T06:11:00.000-08:002011-12-28T21:37:16.406-08:00

I love what they have done with their yard! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPEBM5ol0Q&feature=player_embedded 全部英語ですが、見るだけでも感動すると思います！

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-85598259341243909762011-03-02T17:18:00.000-08:002011-03-02T18:41:11.163-08:00

It is pouring rain, a very gray day in sore need of a bit of humor. And what better than British garden humour? It brightened my day and I hope it does the same for you. Three Men Went to Mow

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-58784721559395807172011-03-01T13:27:00.000-08:002011-03-01T13:35:08.996-08:00

Dear March, come in!How glad I am!I looked for you before.Put down your hat-You must have walked-How out of breath you are!Dear March, how are you?And the rest?Did you leave Nature well?Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,I have so much to tell!I got your letter, and the birds';The maples never knewThat you were coming, I declare,How red their faces grew!But, March, forgive me-And all those

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-74792386071520823212011-02-20T17:02:00.000-08:002011-12-28T21:52:03.517-08:00

It's midwinter break for those who are in school or who have publically schooled children. For us here, that means it's time to sharpen the pruners and get to work! The weather is supposed to be fairly good for the first part of the week, the perfect time to work in the garden. Remember your D's while pruning to make it go quicker: dead, diseased, dying, damaged, decaying, and disgusting. Roses-

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-2447923353682623122011-02-15T15:07:00.000-08:002011-03-30T22:16:38.634-07:00

We decided to try our hand at chickens last year, and were wildly successful! The beauties have started laying again this year after a winter snooze and we are lovin' all the eggs they produce for several families. We ordered our day-old chicks from McMurray's Hatchery www.mcmurrayshatchery.com, and have been very happy. We're gathering our family's orders for this year so we can keep up the

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-58486174872091806312010-05-14T22:00:00.000-07:002010-05-14T22:14:01.295-07:00

Wow--what gorgeous weather we've been having these past few days! And I am so ready for it to warm up around here. This spring has been gray and more rainy than usual, so the sunshine is very welcome. Tomorrow is Saturday and I can't wait to go dig in the dirt.Even though the weather has warmed up, don't be tempted to jump the gun and plant everything outside tomorrow. It's not so much how

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-84167845723310286832010-05-01T17:52:00.001-07:002010-05-01T18:35:02.887-07:00

My teenage children and I worked in the family garden at my cousin's house this morning. Their children were out with us and it brought back such good memories to hear their three-year old saying, "Daddy, I wanna help. Daddy, I wanna help!" Ah, those were the days. So much different than my morning, waking the slumbering sibings after a late Friday night. (One had a movie night at her

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-92075378985097036362010-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:002011-03-28T09:14:07.210-07:00

Your seedlings are growing well and will soon need a new home, i.e., a bigger pot. How do you know when it's time to repot? If there are roots growing out the bottom of the pot, it's time to move them to a bigger home. Here is how you do that with minimal trauma. First, spread your fingers and straddle the stem. Turn the pot upside down. You may need to squeeze the pot a little to loosen

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-58572734461974821762010-04-27T19:14:00.000-07:002010-04-27T19:57:37.912-07:00

Speaking of carrots, I remember my first year of planting those teeny, tiny seeds. I diligently made my shallow ditches, planted all those seeds and waited impatiently for them to come up. Carrots take forever to come up! But even then, I figured three weeks was long enough. Nothing came up, so I replanted all of those little seeds. After a couple of days, I noticed my carrot bed was very

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-26822053839351876472010-04-24T22:20:00.000-07:002011-04-12T09:09:21.794-07:00

Ah, the first asparagus from the garden--I'm sure Adam and Eve never had it so good. My cousin Erin introduced us to broiled asparagus and it is delicious. Here is her recipe: One bunch of fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed.Place in a glass casserole dish, single layer.Drizzle (or pour) olive oil over the asparagus,Sprinkle with sea salt. Place in oven on broil until tender. Eat while hot

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-12505868084176982342010-04-23T22:38:00.001-07:002011-12-28T21:53:58.069-08:00

These are our favorite carrots--Ed Hume's Rainbow Blend. They can be found at nearly any hardware store, feed store and grocery store in this area and are easy to grow. Each color has a slightly different taste; kids love them and they make beautiful side dishes. Carrots can be planted nearly any time except winter, but now is a good time to get them started. The seeds are so tiny that they are

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-22098602142077439042010-04-23T20:30:00.000-07:002011-03-28T09:13:31.807-07:00

So you've planted your seeds and the first leaves have appeared. They are most likely two nice, round leaves. These are the 'seed leaves' which give the seed enough energy to send down a root and push the first true leaves out. After you have two or three true leaves, you need to pinch off the seed leaves. They have done their job and the energy now needs to go to the true leaves. You can use

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-47572225532451382042010-04-23T19:43:00.001-07:002011-03-16T10:44:03.969-07:00

I love rhubarb! It's wonderfully sour and can be eaten raw, especially now in the early Spring. Rhubarb pie (with NO strawberries) is one of my alltime favorite pies, and our family now has another favorite rhubarb treat--rhubarb cake. This recipe is from our good friend Alice B. I made it last night from the first pickings of backyard rhubarb and it is sooooo good! Here is the recipe for your

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-7073539987472633322010-04-21T21:24:00.000-07:002011-03-28T09:13:10.456-07:00

I just discovered a really cool website! It's all about growing veggies in your windows by using simple hydroponics and some recycled materials. Check it out at http://www.windowfarms.org/. I would love to have mini tomatoes year round--I think I'll try it.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-52964732884926944552010-04-21T18:13:00.000-07:002011-03-28T09:12:18.727-07:00

When it came time to plant my seeds in their little pots, I didn't have enough potting soil. I only had one bag left over from last year and I didn't want to run to the store and get more, besides the fact that potting soil can be a bit pricey. So, I skimped this year. I planted the tomato seeds in sterile potting soil, then started mixing in our garden soil to make it go further. By the time I

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-9743170195296011922010-04-12T08:17:00.000-07:002011-12-28T21:53:10.024-08:00

I've received a few phone calls about pruning lately. "What do I prune off?" seems to be the big question. Here are a few tips. Begin with the D's. Branches that are Dead, Diseased, Damaged, Distorted, Dragging, Dangling, Directionally-challenged (growing in the wrong direction, crossing another branch or rubbing on another branch) or just Disgusting-looking are the first to get whacked off.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-77576014314126828632010-04-12T07:53:00.000-07:002011-12-28T21:44:03.364-08:00

There are two kinds of strawberries--June bearing and everbearing. June bearing are the soft, very sweet berries whose season is much too short. Everbearing have a much longer season, but aren't nearly as sweet. They are also firmer, which is why they are the ones in the plastic containers at the grocery store. Plant breeders have tried for years to get a firmer June bearing strawberry or a

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-41927409485190589372010-04-12T06:06:00.000-07:002010-04-12T06:40:40.512-07:00

What is it about a package of seeds in the mail that makes the heart sing? Our seeds orders came in recently and yesterday I planted about 100 little pots with various seeds. Most of them came from Territorial Seeds but some were also Ed Hume, Seeds of Change and Kitazawa Seed Company. Here is a sample of what has worked will for us here in Enumclaw:Tomatoes: Manitoba (heirloom),Oregon Star (

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-64404954877492148632010-01-02T19:46:00.000-08:002011-12-28T21:53:38.150-08:00

Happy 2010! January is named after the Roman deity Janus with two faces, one looking back and one looking forward. He presided over the threshold of endeavors. As Janus, you can use both forsight and hindsight as you plan your 2010 garden. January is a very good month to take a good, hard look at your yard and garden. All is bare, so you can really see the shape and design. Look to see where

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-3717021909824194972009-12-30T21:26:00.001-08:002009-12-30T21:34:12.416-08:00

So I'm still thinking about all these windows we've been blessed with. Instead of a greenhouse (or perhaps in addition to), I could use them for cold frames.Cold frames are much smaller than a greenhouse and therefore easier to build. (I wouldn't need to get approval from the Homeowner's Assocation, either.) They serve the same purpose, that is to extend the growing season. You can start your

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-33974994244110241412009-12-30T21:11:00.000-08:002009-12-30T21:26:00.195-08:00

Thanks to Carole and Jeff, we now have quite a few windows. I hesitate to call them 'old' windows, because they are the new-fangled vinyl wrapped item, but our neighbors replaced most of their windows with newer ones, so I guess I can call them old.Anyway, my dream is to build a greenhouse with them. Since I am not a builder, of course I hopped on the internet to see what I could find. I did

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-65223173926483913112009-12-30T20:54:00.000-08:002009-12-30T21:38:57.702-08:00

Well, 2009 is winding down and I hope everyone had a very good Christmas. Ours was calm and good. We got to talk with our son who lives in Okinawa and that was a real highlight. He loves it there and is doing well.I managed to get sick (fever, chills) the week before Christmas. I recovered, but then proceeded to overdue it and now have bronchitis. So life has been a little slow lately. I have

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-91894572982407278212009-12-15T22:01:00.001-08:002009-12-15T22:05:15.001-08:00

With the cold snap this last week, we broke several 50-year-old records for overnight lows, daytime lows and continuous lows. It was cold, wasn't it? My garden certainly thought so, and all of the Chingensai, spinach and chard are now officially frozen out. I am contemplating bringing a few large pots inside and planting salad greens, spinach and chard. I hope my family doesn't mind sharing

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-22553389743993559692009-12-10T19:34:00.000-08:002009-12-10T19:39:33.715-08:00

What a cold snap we've been having! I hear it's fixing to snow tomorrow and/or Saturday as well. The kids have been asking for more veggies, so I ventured out into the garden today to see if anything had survived the cold. The Chingensai (Chinese mustard greens) looked the least frozen, so I cut a basket and brought them in. But once they thawed, I'm not sure they're really edible after all.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-80484608415638398582009-06-22T11:30:00.000-07:002009-06-22T11:32:35.460-07:00

Sara and Carl's two year-old granddaughter passed away just a few days ago, so--needless to say--they will not be hosting our monthly Gardening Gathering. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family during this difficult time.We will be meeting at my house on Tuesday, June 23 at 7:00 pm.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-75839909244943552942009-06-16T07:57:00.000-07:002009-06-16T08:44:56.508-07:00

I know that summer is just getting started and everyone is thinking of those fat, juicy tomatoes, but if you want to enjoy the harvest of your garden into the winter months, now is the time to start thinking and planning.Year 'round gardening appears to be a new fad, but it is actually hundreds (if not thousands) of years old. Year 'round gardening was practiced in England and many other European

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-76622818590615906882009-06-08T19:55:00.000-07:002009-06-08T20:08:15.677-07:00

Rhubarb is not usually thought of as a flower, but if left to nature, it will send up a rather unusual looking flower. If you want to use the rhubarb for eating, it's best to cut the flower off before it blooms to encourage more stalk growth. Take a sharp knife and cut diagonally downward. Here is a rhubarb in full bloom.

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-72481974201312204502009-06-08T18:36:00.000-07:002011-12-29T08:54:32.959-08:00

'Horse tails' are early Spring weeds, and if not taken care of promptly, can overtake your garden. Since they are native to wetlands and swamps, you can imagine how they love it here on the plateau. The trick to convincing them to leave your garden is NOT to pull. Like Morning Glory, pulling them will stimulate root growth and you will have a losing battle on your hands. Keep an old pair of

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-34264926501081040322009-06-08T18:21:00.000-07:002009-06-08T18:34:23.668-07:00

I was looking up rhubarb, and found this very interesting site. For all the information you'll ever need on rhubarb, check out The Rhubarb Compendium. Their recipe for insecticidal soap, using rhubarb leaves, piqued my interest:InsecticideRhubarb leaves can be used to make an effective organic insecticide for any of the leaf eating insects (cabbage caterpillars, aphids, peach and cherry slug, etc

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-34192889900995879762009-06-08T16:50:00.000-07:002012-01-18T11:51:30.614-08:00

Whew--it's been awhile since I've been online. Sorry! With the sudden spurt of hot weather, guess what I've been doing lately? Yup, gardening! My rhubarb plants have grown to Amazon size and has given us wonderful rhubarb pies. My family also loves Alice's rhubarb cake. Anyway, let's talk a little about rhubarb. It is one of only a few perennial vegetables and comes on early in the

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238923775348483254.post-46529780018452265302009-05-06T09:49:00.000-07:002009-05-06T10:17:50.274-07:00

Potatoes can be planted up to the Fourth of July here, which gives us plenty of time to chit the seed potatoes before putting them into the ground (see Chitting Potatoes post). How you plant them depends on how you want to grow them.Potatoes do not grow so much DOWN as they grow OUT and even UP. If you plant your seed potato, cover it with dirt and do nothing more than water and weed, you would

Garden Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607747671347688348noreply@blogger.com4