Summer heat on the way! Tropical Concerns, and Garden tips.

For a while I wondered if the alignment of convection in the tropics called the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) was going to override the coming of 90 degree+ heat to our region.  It has decided to die out instead of progress through the cool phases!  Therefore here comes summer heat!

The good news is that I expect the worst heat of the whole summer during the next few weeks.  On a bad note:  with the coming of a more moderate to even cool at times regime will come serious hurricane threats to the SE US and eventually even to New England.   Please read a TERRIFIC summary of what to expect this hurricane season by Greg Nordstrom.   Greg is an Instructor or Meteorology at Mississippi State University.

As the heat moves in your gardens will need to be tended in a way that minimizes the stress to your plants.  Here are some guidelines:

• Water lettuce, salad greens, and anything else every day.  Pick those crops ASAP because time is up!  Eat your salads and give away what you cannot use.
• It never helps a plant to flood it with water.  Limit watering to 2-4 cups per tomato, pepper, or other summer plant every other day that it does not rain. Water directly to the base of the plants.  Do not water weeds.
• Zucchini, Squash, Pumpkins, and Cucumbers will wilt some in the afternoon heat.  It is normal.  If the plants fail to recover by 5 PM then give them 2 cups of water to the roots.  Begin to inspect your squash, zucchini, and pumpkins for squash bugs.  Remove the ones that you find and either squash them (phew!!!) or drop them and any eggs you scrape off into soapy water.
• Mulch summer plants with grass clippings, ground leaves, or other organic matter to maintain moisture.  
• If your soil is drying out to quickly then gently mix in some compost but do not disturb the roots.  Compost adds spongy matter called humus which will absorb more water.
• Please avoid spraying tomato vines with water.  It increases the chance of disease

Have no fear that this summer will repeat last years inferno.  It is expected that the heat will come early.  Most of summer will be quite nice!

East Asia Ridge portends late March Cold

A special thanks to Joe Bastardi  for directing my attention to recent developments in East Asia.  There is a relationship which he taught me years ago called "Cahir's Ridge", high pressure east of the Caspian Sea which pushes Siberian cold over the North Pole into North America.

Admittedly I had gotten a little weather complacent because of our new involvement with the American-Belorussian Relief Organization.  We are blessed to report that $950 has been donated toward the travel and other expenses to a little girl from the Chernobyl affected region to come to our home for 6 weeks of clean food and air, sanctuary from low level contamination, and medical assistance. 

The timing of the high pressure east of the Caspian is a relationship which would deliver the cold air to the eastern US between March 18-22.  Later this week a low pressure system is expected to replace that high, indicating that the cold surge will be short-lived.

Absolutely resist any temptation to plant your summer vegetables until after mid-April at least (Central NC and VA).  There may be a need to protect freeze sensitive lettuce and other spring cool season crops during the incoming cold snap.

Garden 2011 is underway!

In expectation of extremes of weather through the spring and a possible (we need RAIN!) slightly cooler than average summer I have made the following vegetable choices:

• Spring
• Bloomsdale and Galilee Spinach: Both stand up to the heat better than most varieties.  The idea of bringing in a spinach that grows in the mideast is based on my expectation of a rough spring.  Bloomsdale gets planted now, Galilee in a month.
• Bright Lights Swiss Chard:  The leaves and colorful stems are tasty and useful in salads or sauteed like spinach.
• Buttercrunch Lettuce: We really love this lettuce.  Crunchy and sweet.
• Alfresco Blend Salad Greens:  Most people I know rarely eat salad.  It is EASY to grow and when harvest to plate is immediate the taste is unbelievable!  Amazing amount of food for 2-3 square feet of space.
• Jericho Romaine Lettuce:  We have missed the taste and texture of Romaine Lettuce.  I understand that this variety's tolerance of weather conditions reaches Biblical proportions! :>)
• Summer - Seedlings being planted this week.
• Siletz Tomato: Early season F1 Hybrid tomato which does not require bees or other pollination to set fruit.  This variety is intended to provide a tomato harvest in June before the mid and late season maters are ready.  The plant stands up to cool spring weather very well.
• Homestead Tomato: My main all-purpose mid-season tomato.  Last summer we averaged 6-10 tomatoes per day from late June to early August with a peak of 29 in one day!  All from 4 plants.  I have a small garden and the 4 ft height works out really well.  
• Whatever Craig LeHoullier offers:  My limited space forces me to only be able to have a few full-size varieties.  Those of you who have been to Tomatopalooza or followed my pictures and coverage know that Craig's work to preserve the genetic diversity of varieties which span generation is immensely valuable!  Craig is also involved in a global effort to breed new Dwarf Tomato varieties.
• Partenon Squash: This hybrid is expensive but can both stand up to cooler temperatures (May) and set fruit without pollinators.  My plan to beat the squash bugs is to get seedlings going extra-early and use the 3 strongest plants.  Those of us who do not use pesticides have a terrible time growing squash.  I plan to revert to an open-pollinated type in 2012 if spring and early summer look more moderate.
• Indian River Winter Pumpkin - Bug resistant vines produce the most awesome pumpkins we have ever tasted!  We were eating RAW pieces last fall.  I saved seeds after determining that they were heirloom.
• Malabar Spinach:  A completely edible vining plant.  When the Galilee Spinach gives out then this takes over. 
• Armenian Cucumbers:  I wanted to try something different.  Cucumbers always seem to do well in my garden.  These are related to melons and have a milder taste and thin skin. 
• Stevia:  I am going to attempt to grow some stevia.  This mint relative imparts a sweet taste to food and beverages.  Bruised leaves can make a "sugar tea" which can be used with fruit punch or lemonade.
• Others:  Basil, Bush Beans, Nasturtiums (bugs hate this plant.  great addition to salads).  Cayenne, Serrano, and Jalapeno pepper.  GARLIC!!! (Easy to grow!). Maybe a chocolate mint plant or other herbs.

The big theme this year to is overcome a roller-coaster spring and early summer.  If we can experience some decent rainfall this spring then the opportunity exists for a nice summer ...albeit.. with a bad hurricane season.  No west QBO to limit storm growth and keep them out to sea like last year!

Fall/Winter Gardening, Why stop when its frosts?

Why stop when it frosts?

Thanks to book loaned to me by a good friend almost 18 months ago I learned that the joy of gardening does not stop when it frosts.  In fact, one cool season vegetables are established and a typical NC winter sets in there are no bugs, very little maintenance, and plenty of tasty Italian mixed Greens, Beets Kale, Spinach, <green> Garlic, Carrots, and other root crops.  The book by Eliot Coleman is called Four Season Harvest.

One of the principles which I learned is that it is good to pay attention to what God is serving in each season.  Greens and root crops are rich in anti-oxidants and minerals which benefit people by bolstering our immune systems and speeding recovery from winter colds and flu.

Insalata Odorosa - We have already eaten a few bowls.

Swiss Chard and Beets got a slow start no thanks to September's heat.  Now that it is cooler and I added some fertilizer the plants are on the move and will keep growing as long as temperatures stay above 27 degrees.  Swiss Chard will go dormant below 27 and re-awaken in the spring.  Beets are great when cut into strips and sauteed in a cast iron skillet in butter/coconut oil mix.  Add a dash of sugar and cook until the edges are crispy!

Rainbow Swiss Chard and Detroit Red Beets

      Spinach and Buttercrunch Lettuce are also delicious and have a great tender taste once temperatures drop.  The Lettuce will need to be eaten before a hard frost.  Spinach keeps on coming all winter long....

Viroflay Spinach and Buttercrunch Lettuce

     Kale tastes best after a hard frost and will also thrive in cold.  Another friend introduced us to the idea of making Kale hips by lightly oiling the leaves and baking them at 350 on a cookie sheet.  If that does not work out then Kale still tastes good in salads or sauteed,

Dwarf Kale is behind the Insalata Odorosa

     The next 2 weeks is garlic planting time!  Plant 1 clove every 4" and fertilize with compost and a pinch of 0-45-0 super phosphate.  Garlic can be picked green during the entire winter.  The roots that survive (because you have not eaten them yet) through next june will reward you richly with unbelievable tasting mature garlic!

    Sad you missed out?  Plant your garlic now and get your lettuce, chard, spinach ...etc... planted around March 1 for the Spring cool season campaign.