What is it about growing some of your family’s food that is so satisfying?  That sense of self-sufficiency - as well as confidence in the quality and healthfulness - just can’t be beat.  It is reassuring to know that you won’t be hit with an E-coli scare with the spinach you are serving your kids, and also comforting to know what has (or has NOT) been sprayed on your blueberries….. in a world full of worries, it’s just nice to take a few things off the list.

Which brings me to the happy news that edibles are starting to arrive here!  Time to set out starts of spinach, onions, leeks, arugula, peas, potatoes, and garlic.  We’ve got the favorite perennials as well: artichoke, rhubarb, bareroot asparagus and horseradish.

And we’ve also received 11 varieties of fresh bareroot strawberry starts – 25 for $7.99.  Such a deal: not only will they produce for several years, but they continue to multiply.  How much is a flat of strawberries at the farmer’s market?  $25?  ‘Nuf said!

As you make your plans for your garden this year, remember that we have lots of resources available for you on our website.  Interested in fruit trees, but don’t know the first thing about growing them?  Or strawberries?  Blueberries?  Tomatoes?  Asparagus?  We’ve got just the help you need to be successful right out of the gate.  These handy reference sheets are available for you to download and print out as you’d like – go to http://www.farmingtongardens.com/reference.html

Remember this handful of tips when you start your seeds indoors, and you will sprout success!

• Light:  Normal household or window light is not adequate for starting seedlings indoors.  Fluorescent tubes work great – use a double tube set-up, preferably with one being a cool-white and one a warm white.  Keep tubes no more than 3 inches away from the seedlings.  Seedlings should receive 16 hours of light per day, with the remainder of the day in darkness (that is important).  If you’ve grown tall, skinny seedlings in the past, then you are not giving them enough light.
• Moisture: Keep seedlings moist but NOT soggy.  If they dry out just once, seedlings will die.  Too much moisture can cause fungal diseases to take hold.
• Soil:  Use only seedling mix with its finer texture; it has great aeration and moisture retention.  We recommend Black Gold seedling mix.
• Containers:  Almost any container can be used to start seeds, including old milk containers or egg cartons.  Just be sure to have good drainage.  We have a good assortment of peat pots; the advantage with these: they can be directly transplanted out - peat pot and all - which minimizes stress on the plants.
• Hardening off:  Your seedlings have been raised in the cushy home environment.  Before you plant them outside, you will need to ‘harden them off’ for about a week, so that they gradually toughen up to the outdoor environment.  Take the containers outside and place in a filtered sun/shade location away from harsh winds during the day.  Gradually increase time outdoors.

Our season of classes started off with a roar this weekend!  Thank you everyone for your understanding as we use a temporary location for our ‘classroom’ until our new space is finished.  At least it was warm and dry, and maybe that’s all we need from a classroom in January…

Ernie Carlson from Botanical Interests Seeds gave a  great talk on what we should be thinking about now for seed-starting.  Over the next few days, I’ll post some seed-starting pointers, for those of you who missed the class.  And if you’d like copies of his handouts, they can be found at http://www.botanicalinterests.com/gardening_tips.php.  There is a handy chart, “Indoor Spring Sowing Guide,” which lists how many weeks in advance to start seeds indoors, before it is safe to plant outside.  A very useful reference.

Before starting seeds indoors, however, you need to know when our last frost occurs.  Most resources will  confirm that in the Portland metro area, we are usually safely out of frost danger after April 26.  Naturally, that is dependent upon where you live – higher elevations will be later, and unique micro-climates can vary widely.  So be aware, if you are planting out some tender things towards the end of April and into early May, be aware of the weather forecast, and protect your fragile babies if needed.

But for seed-starting indoors, that date is your general guideline.  Use the Indoor Spring Sowing Guide with that date in mind, as you plan.  For instance,  let’s say you want to start some kale seeds – and the chart says to start them indoors 6 weeks before average last spring frost.  So, looking at the calendar, you will want to start those seeds about March 15th.  Make sense?  When grown under the right conditions and from the correct starting date, your seedlings should be ready to plant out when the weather is just right for them!

Next time we’ll talk about the best materials to use, and the all-important LIGHT issue.

Why is it that spraying trees or shrubs seems a little scary?  We frequently get inquiries from people seeking more information about ~ 

• what plants benefit from seasonal spraying
• how to do it
• what to use
• and the timing of the spraying 

We will demystify this whole topic on Saturday, February 6 at 11 am.  Tom Combs will cover many options for you to consider, whether you are interested in gardening organically, or whether you are okay with ‘conventional’ remedies.  There are excellent options for everyone.

A little preventive care now for roses, lilacs, cane berries, grapes, and fruit trees will result in a much easier and more productive season for you!  It is important to give these plants at least a February spraying – come and learn what to use and how.

This is a free class – please reserve your space by either calling us at 503-649-4568, or emailing us at events@farmingtongardens.com with your name and phone number.

Our 2010 series of classes  begins soon, and we are as excited as ever to bring you all the information you will need to enjoy being a savvy, knowledgeable, and creative gardener.  This will be another great year for our educational programming – we’ve got some great speakers scheduled for you to meet.  Keep checking this blog for updated information on scheduled classes, or pick up a class brochure when you are in the store.

Our first class is coming up on Saturday, January 30 at 11 am.  Ernie Carlson from Botanical Interests will share his best tips for seed starting.  Whether you are growing vegetables or flowers, this is the most economical way to have those favorites you love to grow.   It is also a great strategy for trying new varieties.   Make plans now to get a jump on the season!

This is a free class; however space is limited, so please register to save your space – call us at 503-649-4568, or email events@farmingtongardens.com, with your name and phone number.

Now that the edible gardening season is slowing down (hopefully you are still tucking in a few cool-season veggies for fall and winter eating!), I thought I’d check in with all you new gardeners.  I know we have LOTS of new gardeners this year because I’ve talked with many of you, and so naturally I’m eager to know how you fared.   How did your first season of edible gardening go for you?   Do you feel successful?  Did you encounter challenges, and if so what were they?  Did the experience meet your expectations?  Were there lessons learned that you’d like to share?  As we’ve said before on this page, gardening is a life-long pursuit, and taking the time to assess and reflect on our gardens is a very important step to learning.  And sharing with other fellow gardeners having similar experiences can be enlightening.

Since this blog is not meant to be a forum for this sort of discussion, I would love to have this conversation with you on our Community Page.  http://community.farmingtongardens.com/ If you’d like to share your achievements and struggles, pose questions, share plans for the future – please go to this link and click on Edibles in the Garden.  I’ll meet you over there, and we can talk!  Think of it as a support group for edible gardeners…

The tomato season is drawing to a close, I’m sad to say.  But as I always try to look on the bright side, I want to point out that you might have a bonus crop of Green Tomatoes sitting out there.  You will certainly find plenty of advice on how to bring those in and have them ripen for you over the next couple of months, and many of those strategies work pretty well.  However, I would advise you not to sock away ALL of your green bounty, but save a little for tasty green tomato dishes.  Green tomatoes are a fruit all unto their own.  They are full of bright tangy citrus-y flavor, and should be enjoyed for what they are.  Just don’t try to compare them to your favorite ripe tomato; they are a different fruit. 

During our Tomato Festival this year Chef Dan Brophy, from the Oregon Culinary Institute, gave a class on Preserving the Harvest.  One of his recipes, Salsa Verde, was a knock-out.  He had made it with green tomatillos, but he said it also works great for green tomatoes.  I highly recommend you give this one a try!

Salsa Verde

Yield: 3-4 cups

2 lbs                       tomatillos, husked and soaked in warm water  or green tomatoes

1 large                   yellow onion, peeled and diced fine

4 large                   garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced

2-4                          jalapeno chilies or to taste

3 Tbsp                   salad oil, canola, soy or olive

½ cup                     lime juice

1 bunch                 cilantro, leaves removed from stem and chopped

2 tsp                       ground cumin

1 tsp                       dried oregano

1 tsp                       Kosher salt

1 tsp                       freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients, except cilantro and spices in a large bowl or pan and mix together.  Place in a 400 degree oven and roast for 20-30 minutes.  Stir once or twice.  Mixture should be fragrant and showing signs of caramelization.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.   Process mixture in a blender or food processor, adding cilantro and remaining spices including salt and pepper.  Cover and chill. Sauce will keep under refrigeration for 3-5 days.

We’re planning a party to celebrate the wonderful generosity of all you donors for Plant a Row for the Hungry.  There are over forty of you who’ve given so graciously of your time and bounty this season.  (And 14 of you brought in over 100 pounds each!  That is amazing.)  To date, we’ve collectively harvested  5600 pounds of gorgeous, homegrown fruits and veggies, which we in turn have taken to the Sunshine Pantry in Beaverton.  The need has been greater than ever this year, and I am told the produce is much sought after, flying off their shelves.

For all of you who’ve schlepped in here so faithfully every Sunday with your boxes and bags of veggies and fruits, we invite you to a Harvest Celebration.  Come and meet Sharon Straus, the founder and director of Sunshine Pantry, who would like to thank you for your efforts.  She will share with you some of the work they are doing at the Pantry, and what the future holds for them.    Enjoy a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres while meeting other gardeners.

What:             Harvest Celebration for all  Plant a Row for the Hungry  Donors

When:            Sunday, October 18, 2 pm

Where:           Farmington Gardens

RSVP:             by Oct. 14 – call Linda at 503-649-4568, or email events@farmingtongardens.com

Thank you, donors, for all your efforts this year!  We hope you can tear yourselves away from your gardens to attend this celebration, so we can thank you in person.

I always find this month an interesting time in the garden!  Many of the summer veggies have peaked but are still huge and productive.  The tomatoes, for instance, are still big and beautiful, and thankfully still ripening.  The kale is so huge it stops people in their tracks.  The Swiss chard, peppers and eggplants continue to look good.   Meanwhile, it is time to pull out those that have finished and make way to replant for even more good eating down the way.

Today I spent a couple of hours out in the garden.  It was time to harvest the pumpkins and pull out the declining vines.  Same for the cucumbers that have climbed to the top of our six-foot hand-made trellis.  (Amazingly, there were about 6 pounds of cucumbers hidden in there!)  And by the end of the season like this, there are dead and fallen leaves littering the garden, which are becoming slimy and diseased.  A good strategy for a healthy garden is to tidy up – slugs love this kind of plant material, so let’s not make it too easy for them. 

It was also time to give another pruning to the tomato vines – as I’ve said before, it is important to cut out extra foliage to let in light and air.  I also cut out new blooming shoots that had sprouted since I last thinned.  All of this will promote ripening – a good thing!

Once the bed was tidied up and I could ascertain how much available space there was for planting, then the fun began!  I planted a traypack of Olympia spinach, which did so awesomely in the garden last fall.  I also planted a traypack of red Pac Choi, which hopefully will be as prolific as the green variety we put in last fall.  And lastly, I put in a traypack of cauliflower.  I hope I don’t regret that, because cauliflower takes a bit of room.  But since we’ve not had that in the garden yet, I thought we should show you what it does.  So check it out the next time you are here.

With all these tasty new things in the garden, I scattered a bit of Sluggo around, just to distract the slugs.  As you know, Sluggo is safe for birds and animals, but does the trick for our nemesis the slug.  I highly recommend taking preventive measures!  And using Sluggo this time of year will kill off the adults before they have a chance to lay eggs over the winter, thereby reducing your slug population next year – a very good thing.

So I hope you too can find a bit of time this week to do some garden clean up and maybe plant a few new things too.  Remember the strategy of succession plantings – when something comes out, plant something new!  We have a good assortment of veggie starts here now, as well as garlic and onion sets.   Now is a great time to get all those going.

Are you all sick of hearing about tomatoes yet?  This’ll be quick – folks always want to know what the favorites were at our annual tomato festival, so here they are, listed in descending order of votes.  Sungold and Cherokee Purple were by far the crowd favorites, and tomatoes I would personally recommend you try growing at home.  Sungold is a prolific cherry, with a sweet and fruity flavor.  Cherokee Purple is a large heirloom with a rich tomato flavor and a deep red-purple color with green shoulders.  Both are great additions to the summer garden.

Now this recipe is super yummy.  I will definitely be making this one when I want something warm and spicy this winter.  It will be great with chapati bread, and a yogurt/cucumber salad.

Chole (Curried Chick Peas)

Serves 6

 2 cups                    cooked chick peas, canned or soaked and simmered

4 Tbsp                    oil or butter

½                             red onion, minced

2 cups                    tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped or canned diced

1 clove   garlic, smashed, peeled and minced

2 tsp                       ginger, peeled and minced

2 fresh                   green chilies, chopped and minced

1                              bay leaf

½ tsp                      cayenne

¼ tsp                      tumeric

½ tsp                      cumin, ground

2 tsp                       garam masala

2 tsp                       amchoor powder

2 Tbsp                    cilantro leaves, chopped

TT                           salt, pepper and cayenne pepper

1                              lime, cut into 6 wedges for garnish

 Heat butter or oil in wok or heavy pan. Add chili and onions. Fry until golden. Add ginger and garlic, cook until fragrant.  Add tomatoes. Let reduce about 15 minutes. Add spices except for cilantro. Cook for another 5 minutes.  Add chick peas. Simmer. Reduced until fairly dry or add water/stock and serve soup.

 Serve with rice or whole wheat tortilla. Garnish with cilantro and limes

Aren’t we having some great tomato-ripening weather?!  I’m hopeful we can get them all ripe before winter arrives – the race is on.  And just a reminder: if your tomatoes look as thick with foliage as this one pictured, you really need to grab your clippers and start trimming away some of those leaves – you should be able to see some daylight through the plant.  The tomato plant doesn’t need all these leaves now, and you really need to expose the green tomatoes to light and air.  Trust me; it seems like a totally brutal thing to do, to cut off so much of the foliage, but you will be rewarded if you do!

I promised you a recipe a day until we covered them all from this week’s Tomato Festival.  This Arugula Pesto Couscous and Sundried Tomatoes was really yummy.  Very garlicy.  You could ad lib this recipe in lots of different ways; Chef Dan gave us permission to get creative!

Arugula Pesto Couscous and Sun-dried tomato

 Make pesto. Set aside.  Sauté tomatoes in olive oil.  Season. Cook Couscous. Lightly toss all components together. Serve immediately.

 Pesto:

 2 cups    arugula leaves    

3 cloves   garlic, minced                                     

1 Tbsp    fresh lemon juice                                               

1/4 cup   extra virgin olive oil                                            

1/2 tsp    salt                                                                         

1/2 tsp    freshly ground black pepper            

 1 cup      sun-dried tomatoes, drained, if in oil

2 Tbsp    olive oil

TT           salt and pepper

 Couscous:

 1 1/2 part liquid: 1 part grain

 Bring liquid (water, stock, etc) to a boil.  Add instant couscous, stir thoroughly, cover tightly, turn off heat.  Let stand covered for 10 minutes.  Fluff, season and serve or hold for service.