Tag Archives: Kale

Overwintering

Seed haul from Bainbridge Gardens
Seed haul from Bainbridge Gardens

I hadn’t been to the garden since right before Christmas so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was getting the ‘bug’ to get some seeds and plan out this year’s garden so I decided to stop by Bainbridge Gardens to see what they had available. I was also hoping they might have a small Desert King fig tree. Those are supposed to do well here. I did bring some cuttings with me and 3 have rooted but am not sure if those are Brown Turkey or Petite Nigra. Unfortuantely BG only had a couple of beautiful 6 footers. The smaller ones won’t be in for another month or so. I’m hoping to keep mine in a pot so the 6 footer would be overkill.

Perennial onions aka 'potato' onions, garlic in the background.
Perennial onions aka ‘potato’ onions, garlic in the background.

I did end up picking up some seed. I decided to try some flowers this time. I picked up a packet of Persian Violet Nigella and Persian Carpet Butterfly Zinnias. I also picked up some ‘Cut and Come Again’ baby mesclun lettuce, baby pak choi, edible pod peas, bush zucchini along with some Japanese Spinach, green onions, garlic chives (for a pot on the deck) and Litt’l Bites Cherry Windowbox Tomatoes (also for the deck). The trick in all of this will be to figure out how I am going to start the tomatoes.

Purple sprouting type of broccoli?
Purple sprouting type of broccoli?

Last fall, some time in October, I planted some Silverwhite garlic I picked up at the farmer’s market along with some Turkish Giant garlic and yellow multiplier onions (we used to call these ‘potato’ onions) from a Territorial Seed order. As I drove to the garden this morning, I wondered if the garlic and onions were up and was quite pleased with what I found. The garlic are about 3 inches tall and the onions are up about 5 or 6 inches. I didn’t expect them not to make it through but it is still nice to see them starting their journey.

One of the broccoli plants didn't make it through the Winter.
Winter fatality.

Last July or August I picked up some purple sprouting type broccoli and possibly another variety from Bainbridge Gardens, a local garden center. The end of the garden I planted these in became shady too early and I didn’t get any harvest from this planting last year. I decided to leave them in the ground to see if they could make it through the Winter and possibly reward me with something this Spring. It looks like all but one has made it through the coldest part of the year and is looking lanky but healthy. I may cut one or two back and see how they fare. Probably something I should have done last year but what he heck.

Overwintered Russian Kale
Overwintered Russian Kale

At the same time I planted the purple broccoli I put in some kale. The idea was to have it ready for this Spring. I had seen that other gardeners here had done this last year and I wanted to give it a shot. Tho the plants were fairly small, most overwintered fine.

Overwintered beets
Overwintered beets

Early last Spring I planted beets. There are probably half a dozen or so still in the ground. One or two are little piles of mush, the one on the left of this pic looks like a mouse or slug may have had a small meal.

I am amazed at how quickly moss can cover anything standing still long enough. This stone was fairly clean last Fall.

Moss

A New Garden in the PNW

I had lived on Bainbridge Island, WA for about 3 months when I started looking around for a community garden spot. I love growing things and living in a condo severely limited my ability to garden. One can only fit so many pots on a balcony before it is either full or you or the people you live with start to complain. Though I had grown up in central CA, I learned most of what I know about gardening in the Midwest. Hot and humid Summers were the norm and watering was a must most years. I would have to relearn gardening here in the PNW. The climate was practically the exact opposite from where I had moved from. The pests I was used to dealing with were, for the most part, not an issue here.

Rock Farm, Bainbridge Island, WA
Rock Farm, Bainbridge Island, WA

After digging up some contact info for local community garden spots on the island, I sent out half a dozen or so emails in mid March of 2014. I had several responses offering to put me on a waiting list. Just when it started to look like any gardening I would be doing was on the condo’s tiny balcony, Anita of Rock Farm emailed me back to say that a spot or two was available at Rock Farm. Things were looking up.

A New Garden Spot - Rock Farm, Bainbridge Island, WA
A New Garden Spot – Rock Farm, Bainbridge Island, WA

I drove over to survey the garden plots and learn a little bit about Rock Farm, Anita and Phil Rockefeller’s gift to the community. An unbelievable amount of time, sweat and money have gone into providing a garden space for islanders that need one and providing food to the local food banks. When the economy tanked a few years back they wanted to do something to help local families and decided to devote some of their land to a community garden. They have built a beautiful garden with 12′ high deer fencing, wooden sides to contain the soil, running water, tables, a shaded spot to sit and enjoy the scenery and an herb garden for all. Each garden spot that is rented comes with an additional row that gardeners tend for the food bank. Anita orchestrates the planting and harvesting of the food bank rows so that the produce is staggered and arrives in a timely manner.

First Planting - Broccoli, Kale and Swiss Chard
First Planting – Broccoli, Kale and Swiss Chard

Fast forward a couple weeks after that first meeting and I was planting kale (Toscano and Red Russian), broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, peas, beets and radishes in my 10’x20′ garden spot.