As you may have noticed, I’ve been especially passionate about gardening these days… The more I learn about growing my own vegetables (and how fun, easy and DELICIOUS it is), the more I want share this with others!
With summer fast approaching, and plant sales at practically every corner, I cannot think of a better time to show folks first-hand how easy it really is…
In this hands-on introductory class, we will explore simple and practical gardening techniques, which can be applied based upon how much space (and time) you have available. Instructions and material lists will be provided for each method, including:
1). Raised bed gardening: This method involves building a simple wood frame that is filled with soil above ground level. Some folks find this “tidy” method easier to manage, with higher yields per square foot than non-raised beds.
2). Straw bale gardening: This simple and affordable method uses straw bales as the growing “medium” with very minimal soil or compost necessary (perfect when healthy soil is limited). This is also a great option for folks who have challenges with physical mobility, as it requires very little manual labor (beyond the placement of the bales) and can be reached without a lot of bending. This will be my first year experimenting with this ancient technique, and I am very excited to see it unfold!
3). Container gardening: This method is ideal when space is limited, or you just want to start simple with a few of your favorite vegetables. We will discuss various kinds of containers from commercial pots to burlap sacs, and how you can make the most out of your gardening space.
We will also discuss the basics of healthy soil, composting, planting, transplanting, and much much more…
This event has passed. Feel free to let me know if you would like to see more classes like this in the future!
Happy Gardening!
Spring has officially sprung and flowers are cropping up everywhere, including in my kale, collards and kohlrabi!
These Brassica vegetables (in the same family as cabbage and Brussels sprouts) are “biennial” plants, which means it takes roughly 2 growing seasons to complete their life cycle.
Part of this process involves producing flowers… Or if harvested at the right time, nutritious and absolutely delicious florets, called “raab”. A more familiar example is “broccoli raab” (also known as “rapini”), known for it’s slightly bitter broccoli-like flowers amidst bushy green leaves. While you can usually find this delicious raab in some markets and grocery stores, you are less likely to see the raab of it’s sweeter cousins, such as kale, collard and kohlrabi.
If you grow your own kale, (which I HIGHLY recommend), you’ll most likely notice long stems with broccoli-like buds emerging after a couple of months (or sooner in hot weather). It will take “wintering over” for collard greens and kohlrabi to flower, but their tender sweetness is WELL worth the wait! Last spring, our collards grew over 5 feet tall, and were bursting with delectable new shoots. Now I grow collards more for the flowers than the leaves themselves!
To harvest: Cut the florets (stem and all) BEFORE you start to see yellow petals. Leave the central stalk of the plant, as it continues to produce more shoots.
To prepare: Simply steam or blanch them lightly until they are tender, but still “sexy green” (thank you, Stacey for teaching me this! :)). For a little more flavor, saute them with a little garlic and olive oil. You can’t go wrong, even eating them straight out of the garden!
Enjoy!
Photos: (top left) first collard “raab” emerging, (bottom center) Kohlrabi raab (I love saying that :))
Who says you need lots of land and a “green thumb” to grow your own food?
After finishing the “Comprehensive Organic Gardening” (COG) course through Seattle Tilth last week, I’m more convinced than ever that this is hardly the case.
We learned more in 3 and a half weeks than I can possibly mention, but a few of my favorite highlights were “cloche” building (see photo below), composting, crop rotation, and how to turn your lawn into a flourishing garden with very little effort.
I’m already applying my new-found skills in my own family’s garden, which has been ever-evolving over the last 2 years. This weekend I planted seeds, planned new beds, and even harvested some of our over-wintering root vegetables and greens! I’m also excited about building a simple and inexpensive “straw bale” garden in our back yard, which I will write more about soon…
For those of you who have not already discovered Seattle Tilth, they are an outstanding resource for anyone interested in learning more about healthy, sustainable living. The Tilth offers a wide variety of classes for both the seasoned gardener and the “budding” novice, and they even provide a FREE “Garden Hotline” to help you along the way.
So whether you have the time and space for a full garden or a couple of pots (or even burlap sacks!), all it takes is some soil, light, and a little patience…
The fruits of your labor will be well-worth it.
P.S. And thanks to the AMAZING teachers at Seattle Tilth, and all of my fabulous classmates for letting me take their pictures and making the class so much fun… :)
