A bit belated, it's true, but for good reasons. Not only is it the longest day of the year, it is also a choice time for weddings, and we attended two great ones.But the greatest difference between this and the last State-of the Garden report (at Equinox) is that we are long bereft of compost/cover crops, and most of the main-season crops have been in their beds for more
than a month. This is the list that starts with amaranth, beans, and corn, and ends with tomatoes, watermelon, and zucchini. Some notables that fall between the alphabetical extremes are quinoa, leeks, flax, teff, rice, sunflowers, ...
than a month. This is the list that starts with amaranth, beans, and corn, and ends with tomatoes, watermelon, and zucchini. Some notables that fall between the alphabetical extremes are quinoa, leeks, flax, teff, rice, sunflowers, ...While these and the potatoes are growing enthusiastically, it is harvest time for some of my favorite crops: garlic and winter grains! First came the garlic, always threatened by our over-eager gopher population. This year it looks as if the crop was mostly untouched. I will plan to put a post in on them soon, after data has been done. We did a test spacing them on 4", 5" and 6" centers (the distance from one plant to the next). This photo shows one of 13 braids we made from this year's harvest.
As for the winter grains, their time has come as well. We have already harvested Cologna Lunga, Hard Red Winter and SS791 wheats, Kynon oats, Musky
triticale, and Karan 16 barley. The Cereal rye (on left) and Jet barley, with a host of others, are calling my name in the middle of the night, reminding me that they are almost there, too. You know that spring and winter grains are ready when 1) a kernel of grain, removed from the head, is mostly or entirely hard, 2) the grains are falling from the head on their own, or 3) the birds are eating them. Whether or not they are ready for harvest, when the birds are eating them you don't have much choice. To harvest we cut them slightly above ground level, bundle the stalks with heads together, and hang them upside down in a safe place to dry. Ah, grains... The spring wheat and barley will take an additional few weeks in the ground before they are ready.
triticale, and Karan 16 barley. The Cereal rye (on left) and Jet barley, with a host of others, are calling my name in the middle of the night, reminding me that they are almost there, too. You know that spring and winter grains are ready when 1) a kernel of grain, removed from the head, is mostly or entirely hard, 2) the grains are falling from the head on their own, or 3) the birds are eating them. Whether or not they are ready for harvest, when the birds are eating them you don't have much choice. To harvest we cut them slightly above ground level, bundle the stalks with heads together, and hang them upside down in a safe place to dry. Ah, grains... The spring wheat and barley will take an additional few weeks in the ground before they are ready.As the long-season crops come out, they leave bed space to fill. While we have plans to put fava beans or compost/cover crops in for the winter, they will not get planted till October. In the
mean time we'll plant what we call "catch crops", which fill the bed during the intervening time but will probably not come to full maturity. They will, however, grow quickly and cover the bed, keep the soil microbes happy, and look pretty. We are currently putting in Hegari sorghum, Pearl millet, buckwheat, and dry beans for catch crops. Here Margo is interrupted in her millet transplanting by an urgent matter.
mean time we'll plant what we call "catch crops", which fill the bed during the intervening time but will probably not come to full maturity. They will, however, grow quickly and cover the bed, keep the soil microbes happy, and look pretty. We are currently putting in Hegari sorghum, Pearl millet, buckwheat, and dry beans for catch crops. Here Margo is interrupted in her millet transplanting by an urgent matter.Thankfully the fruit set did not get frosted off this spring, so we have promise of Asian pears, numerous apples, and lots of other great stuff.
Finally, an inspiration of Makaiah's is coming into its own: the Sunflower Circle. He wanted a place to be able to lounge in the shade near his parents' garden beds, so they cultivated and planted this area. It promises to be dramatic, but the Fall Equinox post will have to show its maturity.
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