New Onions From Old, December 27, 2013

Every Friday is Sky Watch Friday, but it is only on the fourth Friday of each month
that gardeners around the world post their photos for Salad Days at Veg Plotting.

Sky Watch Friday

Sunset, Fulton, Mississippi, USA, Monday, December 23, 2013

We had 2 inches of rain last week-end, but sunny skies returned on Monday.

December 2013 Salad Day

Sprouted and beginning to rot

What do you do when you find the onions in your kitchen are sprouting and beginning to rot?
Don't throw them out!

Trim off the rotting part

Trim the onions, being careful to leave the green tops and the root intact.

Planted in the garden

Plant them in your garden.
I like to use these large tubs for gardening in cold weather.
They are easy to cover to protect plants from frost.

Harvest

In a couple of months, new onions from old!
Note: I do not have any salad ingredients growing now. These photos are from earlier in the year.

Have a wonderful week-end!

To check out the weather around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

If you enjoy salads, visit Salad Days at Veg Plotting: Click Here!

Sunny Days and Frosty Nights, November 22, 2013

Pecan Tree

This week has been sunny, but with a cold wind blowing.
And on several nights we had below freezing temperatures.

Spirea

Many trees have lost their leaves, but a few plants are still holding on to their Autumn colors.

Limestone Bibb Lettuce

Just two words on growing lettuce in the Autumn: Mulch and Cover.
Lettuce does grow much slower in Autumn than in Spring, but it is good to have something still growing in the garden in November.

Have a Wonderful Week-end!

To check the weather around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

If you like the color ORANGE, visit Orange You Glad It's Friday: Click Here!

To see what gardeners are growing, visit Veg Plotting for Salad Days: Click Here!

October Salad Days, October 26, 2013

'Grand Rapids' Lettuce, October 5, 2013

'Grand Rapids' Lettuce seeds were sown the last week in August
First harvest was October 5th, very near the '45 days to maturity' promised on the seed packet.
Now the weather is getting much colder, I'm covering the plants at night.

'Limestone Bibb' Lettuce, October 26, 2013

The first sowing of this lettuce failed to germinate, probably because the weather was still too hot.
'Limestone Bibb' Lettuces sown again on September 18. They are growing very slowly.

'Fooled You' mild Jalapeno Pepper, October 26, 2013

I've been covering the pepper plants at night hoping to coax a few more to get to eating size.
The rest of my garden (beans, tomatoes, okra) is finished. I'm already planning for next year!

First Frost, October 26, 2013

The view this morning at breakfast - first frost!
The field in the background is Soy Beans ready for harvest.

Have a beautiful day!

To be inspired to grow your own salad ingredients, visit Veg Plotting: Click Here!

Salad Days and Sky Watch Friday, September 27, 2013

The fourth Friday of each month is Salad Day at Veg Plotting
and every Friday is Sky Watch Friday.

Sweet Cayenne and mild Jalapeno peppers, and Sweet 100 (red) and Sun Sugar (yellow) tomatoes

Only a few tomatoes and peppers are left for salad ingredients in the Summer garden.

'Little Marvel' peas

I started the Autumn garden at the beginning of this month.
By the end of October, we hope to be adding little green peas to our salads.

Lettuce 'Grand Rapids'

My leaf lettuce 'Grand Rapids' is coming along nicely, but I had to re-sow the head lettuce 'Bibb'

Sky Watch Friday

This is just one of the many unusual pieces of garden art at the Research Center

Yesterday we went to the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in
Jackson, Tennessee for Pumpkin Field Day. The morning began very foggy, but it cleared off
mid-morning to reveal beautiful blue skies.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins!

If you are in the area, you should go see their pumpkin harvest exhibits.
They will be on display until December 1.

Have a beautiful week-end!

Of course, seeing all those wonderful pumpkins,
I was reminded to join Orange You Glad It's Friday: Click Here!

For more Salad Day photos, visit Veg Plotting: Click Here!

To see skies from around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

Planning the Fall Garden August 23, 2013

Sky Watch Friday

Cloudy skies all week. Finally the rain came on Thursday night.

Salad Days

Sweet 100 (red) and Sun Sugar (yellow) tomatoes can be sliced in half or added whole to a salad.

When these two tomato plants first began to fruit in July,
I was getting about the same amount of tomatoes from each one.
But now the Sun Sugar has slowed down production and the Sweet 100 has speeded up!

Lettuces and peas will be planted next week.

Now that the worst heat of the Summer is over, I can plant cool weather vegetables.
I am planning to plant two types of lettuce:
Grand Rapids is a loose leaf lettuce, and Bibb is a butterhead variety.
I have not grown either one before, so I am eager to see how they do.

Another cool weather vegetable I am trying for the first time is Little Marvel peas.
The packet says "8-12 days to germination, 61 days to harvest"
Little green peas can be cooked like any other pea, but we like them sprinkled raw on our salads.

Have a wonderful week-end!

For more Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

For more on Salad Days, visit Veg Plotting: Click Here! and learn about using seed tapes.




Salad Day and Sky Watch Friday July 26, 2013

Every Friday is Sky Watch Friday.
And the fourth Friday of each month is Salad Day at Veg Plotting.

Growing your own salads

Basic salad ingredients are very easy to grow, and they don't need a lot of space.

It is not even necessary to dig or till the ground.

Just get some large containers (even a window box will do),

a bag or two of good quality potting mix, and a few packets of seed.

Follow the planting instructions on the seed packets.

Water well, and remember to water twice a week unless it rains.

You can be enjoying your own home-grown salads in just a few weeks!

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Today I have everything I need for a salad except lettuce!

But I'll be able to grow lettuce again when our weather cools off in September.

This is the last of the Spring Onions and Baby Carrots.

The Sweet 100 (red) and Sun Sugar (yellow) Tomatoes are fruiting very well.

The Jalapeño Peppers are called 'Fooled You'

You expect them to be hot, but they are really mild!

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Now for Sky Watch Friday

We've had over 4 inches (10 cm) of rain this week,

but now the skies are clear and the butterflies are swarming around the Butterfly Bush.

Happy Friday!

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For more Salad Days, visit Veg Plotting:  Click Here  for a quick look at Hydroponics.

To check the weather around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday:  Click Here!

Carrots and Onions, Tomatoes and Peppers June 28, 2013

It is time for Salad Days again!

I know this is not much to show for the June Salad Day,

but salad harvesting has slowed down since the lettuce bolted.

The Spring garden (onions and carrots) is nearing the end of production.

The Summer garden (tomatoes and peppers) is just getting started.

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'Little Fingers' Baby Carrot seeds were sown February 18.

Onion bulbs were set out March 28.

The Sun Sugar Tomato plant, a very sweet cherry-type tomato, was set out May 8.

Sweet Cayenne pepper plants were set out May 9.

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And now for Sky Watch Friday:

The Tomato plants' view of Thursday morning's sky.
Alas, these clouds moved on eastward taking their rain with them.
But, truthfully, another day without rain was good news
for farmers harvesting the Winter Wheat or baling their Hay.

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Have a wonderful week-end!

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Visit Veg Plotting to see what salad ingredients Garden Bloggers are growing:  Click Here!
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To see weather photos from around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday:  Click Here!

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Onions May 24, 2013

As a beginning gardener, I have found onions to be one of the easiest vegetables to grow.

They are available as:

Onion seeds (in packets like many other vegetable seeds),

Onion bulbs (very small dried bulbs in mesh bags), or

Onion sets (sprouted onion bulbs sold in bundles).

I like to buy the onion bulbs.

I divided this package of 80 bulbs into 4 groups. One group I gave to a friend.
The other three groups were planted 10 days apart in March.
We like long green onions so I cover the bulbs with about 3 inches (8 cm) of soil.

For larger, round onions, plant them more shallow and farther apart.

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These were planted on March 8.

We pulled the first ones to eat seven weeks later on April 27. 

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If onions are left in the ground long enough, they will bloom and make seed.

I plan to save seed from this one (planted last year) and sow them in the Autumn.
I have not done this before, so we will see how this experiment goes.

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Occassionally there are twins!

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Even if you have to buy all your other salad ingredients as I did this week,

(lettuce, tomatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms, and sweet pickles),

Adding home-grown onions makes it special!
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In case you are wondering about my Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce:
I am in the southeastern United States  zone 7.

When our temperatures go over 80F (26C), it is good-bye lettuce.

I can sow more seeds when the weather cools in September.

BTW, it is not unusual for our Summer temperatures to be over 100F (38C).

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Happy Gardening!

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If you are interested in growing your own salads,
Visit Veg Plotting for this month's Salad Days: Click Here!

52 Week Salad Challenge April 2012

Without the encouragement of Veg Plotting's

52 Week Salad Challenge

I would not know the joy of home-grown lettuce!

This large container of Mixed Lettuces was sown on March 3.
I enjoy the different colors and shapes.

I sowed several containers with Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce, beginning early in March. 

This one mixed with 'Little Finger' Baby Carrots was sown on March 12.

I began picking lettuce on April 10 and have enough to share with friends!

I found a new purpose for the side rails of an old baby bed. They keep the cat out of my onions!

These yellow onions were started from bulbs on February 27.

I started my tomatoes a month earlier this year than last year.

I had to cover them on cold nights, but it was worth the extra trouble.

I have blooms now at the end of April!

I set out cucumber plants earlier this week. I grew three different cucumbers last year.

We liked these Burpless Hybirds the best.

Another addition to the garden this week.

Jalapeño peppers for my husband's salads.

No, thank you, not for me!

Yesterday I picked the first of the Green Garden Peas 'Early Maturing Alaska'

Planted March 1 in large containers, they withstood near freezing night-time temperatures.

They can be cooked like any other pea or bean, but they are wonderful eaten raw.

Just sprinkle a few on your salad!

Happy Gardening!

To visit more salad growing folks at the Veg Plotting meme  Click Here!

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The Winter Garden February 2012

Winter Gardening Experiment
and the 52 Week Salad Challenge
 This is my first year to attempt growing a Fall/Winter garden. On August 31, September 13, and September 24, I planted radishes, onions and carrots in containers - just a small experimental garden.

Home-grown salad ingredients February 22, 2012

My harvest from October 2011 through February 2012
'Early Scarlet Globe' Radishes - 34 (they were ready to eat in 6  to 10 weeks).
'Little Fingers' Baby Carrots - 65 (with a few more still to be pulled).
'Evergreen Long White Bunching' Onions - 4 (The onions are just now getting big enough to eat.
                                                                      Many more to come).

Not a great total, but pretty good, I think, for a small experiment in winter gardening.

On November 24, I planted a container of potatoes. They have had a stuggle to survive. The foliage was frozen twice in January, despite being covered at night. (One night 22F, -5C, another night 19F, -7C). However, with warmer temperatures, they put up leaves again.

When, and if, I have new potatoes to eat, I'll have rosemary to season them with.

February 5, 2012 - The Rosemary seems to enjoy the winter weather!

On February 1, I planted more radishes in the container that has only onions left in it.

Of course, the weather immediately turned much colder!

They poked their little heads up on February 13 and seem to be growing well.

I sowed more radish seeds on February 20.

The first of March, I plan to plant more containers with lettuce, onions, carrots and radishes. It will be another two months before the weather is right to get started with tomatoes, peppers, and other warm season vegetables. But I may try to get an earlier start. We'll see how it goes! 

Veg Plotting has issued a challenge to grow our own salads all year round.

For more on the 52 Week Salad Challenge Click Here!