Day 2 - Broccoli Shoots

Check it out.. day 2 and the seeds have sprouted! We're now just a couple of days from harvest..



I'm out of sunflower seeds for shoots/sprouts, so I think I'll pick up more from Halifax Seed this weekend.. I love the look of the fresh shoots growing in my kitchen and the sunflower shoots grow so big! Usually 2 to 4 inches when we clip them to eat.

Late Winter = Shoots!

Ready to plant - shoot/sprout seed, a container and an inch
of moistened potting soil.

One of my favourite indoor food projects for this time of the year is growing shoots - broccoli, sunflower, peas and such. Shoots are simply the immature seedlings of various edible plants and are packed with phytonutrients (and other good things that I can't pronounce) and are typically harvested when the first set of true leaves appears. Need more convincing? Shoots are super easy to grow, ready to harvest in a matter of days to weeks, depending on the type you're growing and they're tasty! I toss handfuls in roasted vegetable wraps, black bean burritos, on top of stir fries or munch as I do the dishes.. after all, most of my saucers of shoots are on the kitchen windowsill.



Unlike sprouts, which are grown in jars and need to be rinsed a few times a day, shoots are grown in a shallow amount of potting soil - usually about an inch - and require little care besides watering when the soil is dry. I do recommend buying seed specific for shoot/sprouts like the Mumm's in the above photo. (I get mine from Halifax Seed).

A thick layer of seeds..

This is also a fun winter project for kids. Once the tiny plants are ready to harvest, give the kids a pair of scissors (supervising them!) and let them scissor harvest - like mowing the lawn - and then (fingers crossed) see if they'll eat the tender shoots. Plant a fresh tray/pot every few days for a non-stop supply..

Scratch them in to ensure good soil-seed contact..

Wait!! In about 7 days, these will be ready to clip!

Curing gourds

During summer and autumn I post a lot of photos that chronicle the many gourds we grow.. This past year was an outstanding growing season and we ended up with PLENTY of gourds! I don't usually have a lot of luck curing them and they tend to rot, rather than dry. Over the years, I've managed to successfully cure only 3 gourds. Not such a great record, eh?



So, I did some reading.. and more reading and asked questions of gourd growers.. I got a lot of different answers - often conflicting - and so I decided to try things a few different ways. First, I left some of the gourds in the garden (buried under the snow now, so no photos yet sorry!), a few others I put in the basement to cure in a cool, dry spot (rotted quickly) and finally, I left the majority of them on an out-of-the-way corner of the front porch (see above photo). I gotta say, the front porch gourds are doing MUCH better than I expected. My huge cannon ball gourd has rotted, but the majority of the others - snake, long dipper, apple, speckled swan and so on, have actually maintained their shapes and although the outer skin has rotted (a natural process that give the finished gourds their lovely mottled appearances), I think they're going to successfully cure.



It's also seed catalogue season and I've been busy checking out the daily catalogues in my mailbox and scouring websites online trying to decide what to grow this year. I really want to experiment with the wide range of Asian vegetables, but I also want to trial many of the heirloom pole beans that I've yet to taste.. Of course, the deer fence comes first and I think this is the year we go electric. Yep, I've said that before, but this year I really mean it!



What are you going to grow this year..? I'd love to hear some of your must-have's and perhaps add them to my own growing list.. like I need any more seed! :)

Flowers in the snow

I always thought the Christmas-blooming hellebores were a myth—something that only happens in England or in much warmer zones.  But it’s early January and I have flowers in full bloom in the front yard. Not such a common occurrence in Buffalo. This must be one of the helleborus niger variety, which really does flower in the depths of winter. I guess it would have been flowering under the snow, if there were any.

Also up, if more expected: snowdrops.  I was never one to care much about "winter interest," which usually means evergreens, seedheads, and sculptural grasses. When it's cold outside, I'm inside. But 50 or better temps with flowers? That's interesting.

Happy New Year - A January Gift!

My publisher Storey sends out a monthly e-newsletter to thousands of subscribers.. For their latest edition, which was just published today, not only did they interview me, but they also have placed the ebook edition of The Year Round Vegetable Gardener on special for January!! It is now JUST $2.99 for the e-book, a savings of $17! But, it's only for Jan.. To get details, click here.



And if you want to subscribe to the newsletter (I do, I love so many of their authors), just click here! It's free and awesome!



Ok, enough of that.. The good news is that I'm deep into sub-editing my next book, which should keep me rather busy for the next week.. and I will have an article in Fine Gardening magazine later this year and also one in Reader's Digest coming up in March. For that article, I wrote seed swaps. Did you know that Seedy Saturday originated in Canada?? BC to be precise, and soon, these seed sharing events will be popping up across North America. If you want to take part in one, check out the list at Seeds of Diversity - here. On the right side of the page is a constantly updated listing of where Seedy Saturdays and Sundays will be taking place from Jan through June. Hope to see you at one of these!!



Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2012 in Review

First off, I want to thank ALL of you for sticking with me and my lax blogging abilities this year.. It's been an all-out year of promoting The Year Round Vegetable Gardener while writing my next book, which was kicking my butt for months! Luckily for me, I finally finished the manuscript on December 22nd and it will (hopefully) be out in about a year.. I had figured that 2013 will be a bit slower for me, but I'm already booking a lot of speaking gigs near and far, so I will be lucky enough to visit more of the many great garden fairs and shows this year and I promise to bring the best of each to you via this blog.. In 2013, I will continue to contribute to the magazines and blogs that I write for and The Weekend Gardener radio show will kick off in spring. I also plan on starting on book 3, but am just waiting on my proposal acceptance from my publisher.. All I can say at this point, is that I love the idea/concept and it is still firmly in my comfort zone of edible gardening.. fun fun! :) 

So, to recap, I thought I would post a few photos and thoughts from 2012. It was the year I had little time to garden. I concentrated on low maintenance plants that wouldn't need much love.. It was also the year of the deer invasion (let's be honest, every year is a deer invasion) and this coming year I do resolve to go electric. It's time to get serious about the deer problem.



What are your big garden resolutions for 2013?



Happy New Year to you and yours and may the year be filled with happiness and good health!



I started the gardening year with visits to both the Boston Flower Show and the famed Philadelphia Flower Show where I had the honour of giving talks on Year Round Veggie Gardening.

One of the many gorgeous gardens at the Boston Flower Show

Look Ma, it's my book in Boston!

Philly! And a huge indoor veggie garden. A number
of the gardens featured edible plants, which reflects
the popularity of growing food.

Cold frames in Philly. Needless to say, I was thrilled!

A 40 foot living wall of lettuce.. amazing.. such textures and colours.

'Drunken Woman' lettuce.. one of my favourites this year!

Getting ready to plant some potatoes, onions and veggies.. My top potato
of 2012 was a toss up between Pink Fir Apple and Banana. Both
fingerlings and divine!

It was a banner year for butterflies with record
numbers visiting the province - and my garden!

Zucchini love.. don't ask me to pick a favourite.. 

My biggest tomato ever - Persimmon - and it was delicious!

Small, but mighty! Sungold, Ildi, Yellow Pear and Black Cherry.

It was also the year of the peanuts. For the first time,  Annapolis Seeds
will be listing this heirloom short-season variety in their 2013 seed
catalogue. 

Frilly mustards add sharp flavour and welcome
texture to salads. 

Asian greens - and they're still going strong under 6 inches of snow
in their mini hoop tunnel. 

Gourd love. So many gourds.. many of these are now drying to
be saved for crafting.

I'm Baaaaaaack!!

Yeah, I've been a bad blogger.. I've been pedal to the metal trying to finish the last bits of the next book and have been very negligent! So sorry.. I'm almost done now and will definitely be a better blogger!! :)  



I just got a note from fellow garder writer, Carolyn Binder, who is the blogger behind Cowlick Cottage Farm where she has just launched a big holiday giveaway - and she has included my book, The Year Round Vegetable Gardener!! Thanks Carolyn! Just click on the link above to check it out.. plenty of fabulous prizes (that I wouldn't mind winning!) including Moo Poo Tea from Annie Haven, the awesome new book from Amanda Thomsen called Kiss My Aster (a MUST have), Chris McLaughlin's new book on vertical veggies, assorted tools, and much more!!



I can't believe this crazy weather we're having (Hello Global Warming!) as it's 11 C outside today.. I am trying to finish my work as quickly as possible this morning so I can go up and play in the garden for a bit.. I'd still like to tuck in a bit more garlic - it's not too late - and also spread some more chopped leaves over the carrots and other root crops and even toss some old straw in the paths of the garden. It's been raining so much lately that walking on those paths is rather squishy!



Photos to follow - I promise!! And check out Carolyn's great giveaway if you get a chance!!