Garden 2
January 5, 2013
Winter seems like a good time to begin writing about the garden. It is time to think about the future. Seed catalogs arrive, tempting thoughts of planting. Fair weather prowling for garden chores, pruning, and cleanup, reveals what has already been planted by nature.
We are in the soup season now. Onions and Garlic, harvested in July are used daily, stored Potatoes of various ages and varieties need to be consumed, Carrots & Beets, & Jerusalem Artichokes are stored in the ground where they grow, in raised beds, armored against subterranean rodents with 1/2 inch “hardware cloth” screen. The exotic Andean tubers Mashua & Yacon have just been dug up before a hard freeze. An abundant selection of Kale; planted, volunteer, & perennial offer a spectrum of leave shapes, sizes & colors, Various Endives, Chicories & Radicchios take the cold in stride. A few lingering Cabbages continue to fill the endless Kraut jar. Brussels sprouts are still producing, and some tiny Broccoli flowers can be gleaned before the plants regenerate for an early spring burst of florets. Carpets of delicate & colorful Mustard and Arugula are spreading, Leeks are are growing, Parsley is both lingering and sprouting, Chervil is weathering well, & Celery offers small stalks & leaves to flavor the soup. Garlic planted in November is showing green shoots. Neglected Shallot bulbs should be in the ground by now, but will still produce if planted soon, in a few weeks I will start Onion seeds under glass, followed by Peas & Lettuce
Before the week of freezing temperatures and light snow this month I harvested Olives, a half gallon blend of Mission and Kalamata. The Mission Olives were started from seeds and seedlings from a Palo Alto front yard years ago, and with very little attention (or water) have grown slowly but surely. Now with some compost, & pruning, they are nice specimens just beginning to produce. The Kalamata is a grafted scion from a nursery in Santa Cruz, which has grown nicely. I have so far unsuccessfully attempted to graft one with Mission rootstock.
Growing Quinoa for 5 years has proven it a productive and reliable crop here at the top. A relative of the common garden weed Goosefoot, this Chenopodium is a tall bushy plant with edible leaves that produces a nutrient rich, grain like seed. with colorful varieties and diverse habits. I start the seeds in flats, 5 or 6 seeds on 1” centers. When the plants have true leaves, but are still quite small, I transplant the plugs on 12” centers, as they gain size they are thinned to the most vigorous 2-4 plants. The plants grow quickly and hold themselves up initially, but a stake and string enclosure helps hold them up as the top-heavy seed heads develop and our ridge top winds take their toll.
As the seed ripens in the fall vigilance is required, if soaking rain is not followed immediately by drying conditions, the seed can sprout on the plant, ruining the crop. I have had good luck, but to be sure last year I planted seed derived from the first importations in the 80’s selected for its resistance to sprouting by GROWING TOGETHER FARM in Oregon. Another Chenopodium that I enjoy every year is their prolific, self sowing Magentaspreen, a tasty green leaf dusted with a crystalline magenta powder, that can grow to 6’.
Apparently in its native range farmers take great care to avoid a soaking rain, even firing rockets at approaching storm clouds. I had to rescue a crop one year by cutting wet seed heads and hanging them in a green house window to dry, this worked well and proved to be an efficient way to harvest generally. Placing a tray under the drying stalks to catch any dropping seeds, then shaking and stripping when thoroughly dry, I filter it through an old fryer basket and winnow out as much chaff as a light wind can with out losing seed. Last year a 4’ x 12’ bed with around 55 plants yielded a gallon of seed. Before consumption It has to be washed of its protective saponin coating. I use a hand cranked blender, blending the seed with water, straining & rinsing at least 3 times till the water runs clear. The sudsy rinse water actually can be used as soap. Before cooking any remaining chaff can be floated off. After cooking the volume expands at least 4x. I highly recommend planting this beautiful, productive, ancient mountain staple & survival crop. GARDEN PART 1
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed
2013 as the International year of Quinoa.
2013 Joshua Golden / partners in time
