Cover Crops

In an effort to increase the soil fertility of one of our in-ground beds, and to cut down on weeds while we are out of town, I planted a "cover crop" of barley in the open bed space.

A cover crop, also referred to as "green manure" is a method to introduce nitrogen and other great nutrients into the soil between crops. After growing the crop for a specified period of time, the young plants are tilled/plowed into the soil to improve soil fertility and quality. Typical cover crops include beans, alfalfa, and barley. These crops are also used in commercial-scale farming as an alternative or supplement to nitrogen fertilizer.

I picked up this barley in bulk for about $5 a pound. Before planting I tilled the soil and watered very well. Then I spread a thin layer of barley seed and watered over the top .  I made sure to keep it well-watered during a few hot days but haven't had to do anything else. The barley is sprouting now and should crowd out weed growth until I come back from vacation and plant these areas of the lot.

* You might note in the back of this photo that a lone pumpkin plant has come back from the dead now that I have been watering that area. We may have some jack-o-lanterns from the garden after all!

Product Review: Plant Nanny

This morning we are headed out of town for almost two weeks and I have to admit that I'm not too excited about leaving the garden at this time of year. I'm worried that it might be too hot and the plants won't get enough water. I've been sowing rows of lettuce, and planted some starts recently. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they all make it!

We have a house sitter that will be watering, but I especially wanted to make sure that our potted herbs have a steady source of water while we are gone.

I picked up a 4-pack of these plant nannys and will be trying them out while we are gone. Here is the product description on amazon.com: "The Plant Nanny is a specially-engineered ceramic stake that waters your plant easily and beneficially. Inserted into moist soil near the root base, the Nanny will release water as the soil begins to dry, so it won't under-water or over-water your plants. A recycled wine bottle serves as the water reservoir and adds a decorative flair to the plant. The water level can be seen through the glass so that you know when it is time to refill the bottle."

I'll do a follow-up post when we get back so you can see how things have gone. In the meantime, here are some pictures of my planters with their nannys...

Last harvest (for a couple weeks)

We are headed out of town just as our tomatoes are starting to ripen and the cucumber plants are producing enough for a few jars of pickles! :O( 

I told a few friends to swing by and grab some groceries from the garden so the veggies won't go to waste.  I do hope they take me up on it!

Tonight's harvest. Tomatoes, zucchini, & cucumbers. Nom Nom!

My Garden Kicks...

I found this magnet at a book store in Hood River.  I had to get one for my mother and, of course, myself. 

Pretty sassy don't you think? :) You'll note an awesome picture directly below the magnet of my mom and me in a hot air balloon. We are both rocking amazing hot pink and teal outfits...it was the early 90's...

Flowers from the Garden

The first of (hopefully many) mammoth sunflowers.  Oddly enough...this opened on the rainiest day in a month. Ahhh nature :)

Birthday Pig Roast

We roasted a pig for Tony's 30th Birthday party last weekend.  I wouldn't say it was easy but it was surprisingly straight-forward.

Tony did quite a bit of research in advance.  He got a lot of tips from this New York Times article. 

The weekend before the pig roast, Tony and his dad, Terry, dug a large pit by hand.  On the weekend of the pig roast, Tony started a big fire mid-day on Saturday and let it burn for about 3 1/2 hours.

The pig was prepared by rubbing a mixture of spices (paprika, kosher salt, cumin, brown sugar, garlic powder, sage, and oregano). If we did it again I would rub the pig with a sauce and maybe some molasses and beer for a little more flavor infusion in the meat.

Then we stuffed the pig with fruits and veggies (pineapple, yams, sweet potatoes, red onions, and squash). 

Once the pig was stuffed.  Tony added some hot rocks from the fire to the inside of the pig to cook it from the inside out.

Then the pig was wrapped in corn leaves and wet burlap coffee sacks. 

Then the whole package was wrapped with medium-gauge un-galvanized steel wire to hold it together through the cooking process.

 

After it was wrapped up tightly,the ends were connected to large chains so the pig could be lowered into the pit of hot coals and covered with dirt.

 

Then. 24 hours later. We ate :)

Afternoon Snack

I've never had a FRESH cucumber from the garden.  I really can't believe how lovely they are.  Especially compared with store-bought cukes!  This little plate made for a heavenly afternoon snack...

Hummus and white cheddar cheese from the farmers market. Cucumbers and tomatoes from the backyard garden.  A nice smooth white wine would have gone great with this combo.  Lucky for me there are a lot more cucumbers on their way so I'll have the opportunity to try that pairing :)