Tuesday, December 29, 2009 — Older healthier

With the new year, I am incorporating updates to the gardening journal to Older Healthier, a site that encourages older people to think clearly, eat well, and exercise regularly.

Monday, December 28, 2009 — Winter harvest

I felt like a thief. I have not done any solid work in the garden for days. And I have not planted anything for some time, either. Even so, I harvested potatoes, carrots, and cabbage for dinner tonight.

The vegetables are not pretty to most eyes. They are to mine. Worms have been at the cabbage. No big deal. I'll check carefully before cooking. Proof of organic gardening!

From the garden

An orange, potatoes, carrots, and carrots.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 — Well drained soil

I had bought a pot roast and needed potatoes. Holding my breath, I dug up one planting. The soil was still very moist, but not too difficult to dig. Beautiful potatoes. And the rich smell! The secret is my well drained soil in the raised beds. A reward for a lot of hard work.

From the garden

An orange, potatoes, carrots.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009 — Seedlings

Planting seedlings inside is especially important as it gives crops time to get strong enough to thrive in a colder, windier, wetter environment. It also gives them a head start against slugs, snails, and bugs. I will soon order seed to start seedlings for summer crops for 2010.

From the garden

An orange.

Monday, December 21, 2009 — A rainy solstice

I had meant to harvest some potatoes. I took a hike instead. And I just might be too late. It is raining now, and I don't know if the ground will dry enough for digging before the potatoes begin to rot. This is my first time to try to grow potatoes in the winter. We shall see.

From the garden

Lettuce, carrots, an orange.

Friday, December 18, 2009 — Playing possum

A possum skittering across the deck outside my window set off a motion-sensitive light. I knew what would happen. It kept me awake for awhile. The possum went to bed 2 next: digging for worms. The bed is rich in worms and attracts possums and skunks. Squirrels plant acorns there. Cats defecate there.

I will go to the nursery this weekend and get some netting to stretch over the bed. That has worked on bed 1.

From the garden

Lettuce, carrots, an orange.

Thursday, December 17, 2009 — A good excuse

You think there are no good excuses? Then you have not tried to pull weeds from mud.

I took a look around, searching for any productive work I could do in the garden today. Nothing. Except to pick up trash. Clean up the tool shed you suggest? I am saving that for January. So, a fate much worse than weeding: housecleaning.

From the garden

Lettuce, carrots, an orange.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 — Slow

It's like . . . watching lettuce grow. Ha.

Lots of rain this week, and the lettuce is very perky. I planted some seedlings inside yesteryday:

• Miner romaine
• Great Lakes iceberg
• Buttercrunch
• Grandpa admires
• Black seeded Simpson and
• Mascara

The broccoli seedlings I planted a few weeks ago have barely grown. Sigh.

From the garden

Lettuce, carrots, an orange.

Friday, December 3, 2009 — Lettuce, oranges, and potatoes

A burgeoning lettuce patch is a joy to behold, easy to prepare, and to care for.

I spent the morning in the garden, weeding, pulling ivy and morning glory vines off the uphill fence, amending soil in bed 3 and planting potatoes there. And I spent some time admiring the orange tree. And taking the first orange of the season. Not very sweet, but delicious.

And a tomato, a Brandywine. Hanging off what appeared to be a dead vine. Global warming?

From the garden

Lettuce, a tomato, an orange.