What's in your Herb / Vegetable garden?

[Ciel]

@redhdlois At least your carrots thrived to something you can use! I only had a couple of teeny taproots from carrot seeding this year. Did you make carrot soup or roast the roots?

[zygrfrid005]

Asian Pigeonwings. The flowers grow fast and it have a lot of benefits in our health. It can be used for herb medication and it is very effective.

[Ciel]

I plan to count out a certain number of bulbil bulbs and separate the cloves (I have found a few cloves that have turned bad when I reach for a few for cooking or roasting) so I have them set aside for planting in the spring. The garden has maybe up to 40 bulbils left to fend for themselves over winter (I did not pull every single one out-too much effort after multiple garden weedings and soil turnovers).

A French home decor magazine had a town writeup and one photo of a farmer's market showed a banner for pink garlic from Tarn in Albi, France. Wonder what's special about pink garlic?

[TrueNorthTreasures]

Oh, @Ciel - It's so funny you should mention that! Last week, I was looking up different varieties I might like to try growing and found an article describing a beautiful pink type that originated in southern France. The name in that article was, "Rose de Lautrec" but I read it also has a few other names (like simply, "Lautrec"). The information on the Rasa Creek Farm site says, "Rose de Lautrec is a name which actually refers to the Creole garlic grown within a very limited region in southern France. There are 4 different Creole cultivars that can legally be named Rose de Lautrec if they are grown within that region. Those cultivars are Iberose, Goulurose, Edenrose and Jardirose...."

If you do an online search for "Rose de Lautrec", you will find more information!

There is a nice picture of it at this site.

It looks pretty, and I would love to try growing it, but it is a variety (Creole) that prefers warmer climates and usually doesn't do well in most parts of Canada, from what I have read. (Most garlic that seems to do well here are the Rocambole, Porcelain, and Marbled/Striped varieties). I might try to find some bulbils and grow it, anyway, because I am intrigued!

[Ciel]

Love that blog name, Bulbs of Fire! Thanks for the fascinating read and oodles of garlic variety info, @TrueNorthTreasures ! Here I thought that Ontario garlic festivals (three that I know of) were the last word in garlic and now I know of this farm!

On the Rasa farms site, I saw mention of Yugoslavian (Porcelain) garlic. Seems like the variety my late father used to plant in the late 70s and 80s due to the colours seen in the photo. What a time warp for me!

[TrueNorthTreasures]

Isn't that a great name?! ("Bulbs of Fire") It made me laugh! I have never been to a garlic festival, but I think it would be fun.

[TrueNorthTreasures]

A friend recently referred me to an online forum for gardeners who love to grow tomatoes. (There are sections on the forum relating to other crops, too). My impression is that it is mainly geared towards people with gardening experience/experience growing tomatoes, but I am sure everyone with a sincere interest would be welcome. If you would like to check it out, the link is here.

[Ciel]

The article on garlic in Mother Earth magazine (Oct 2019?) mentioned the need for phosphorus to be added to the soil. Guess that is why late father added manure most springs to his vegetable garden.

But since phosphoric acid in pop leaches calcium from my bones, could I pour a case of Dr. Pepper or Coke into the soil bed for garlic and call it a good deed for garlic?

[Ciel]

Canadian Tire only has two brands of seed racks at my local store. Purchased a poppy flower seed mix, red & white strawberry mix, and a mixed sweet peppers seed packet. Think I need to figure out when or where any seeding will occur! The flower seeds might go outside mid-March as early spring planting is indicated.

[Linda Evans]

i will be planting lettuce this yr...my first time. any advice? i have a 4X5 raised bed. not sure how far to space them....

[TrueNorthTreasures]

i will be planting lettuce this yr...my first time. any advice? i have a 4X5 raised bed. not sure how far to space them....

I would suggest sowing the lettuce before the weather gets too hot - they seem to prefer to germinate in cool/warm temps. I would also recommend doing two thing I have a hard time doing (but regret it every year): 1) thin the lettuce out (~ 4 or 5 inches between) and 2) stagger your planting rather than planting all at once (e.g., sow some lettuce seeds, then sow some more two weeks later, then more a week or two after that, if you want more).

There are some great varieties out there! I love Lolla Rosa, Speckled, and Deer Tongue. Frilly Endive looks neat in salads. Black-Seeded Simpson always does well for me, too.

Let us know how it goes!

[Linda Evans]

Too late...i planted all 6 plants. 4 in the raised bed & 2 in a different more sunny area. Not sure if they will survive b/c i have seen possums in the area. im gonna try to make a fence with my netting.

I ordered garden soil from a new place & its very clumpy...dont like it at all. ;-(

[damonsalvatore]

Hey guys, I hope you all doing great. I just read your comments and I wanted to share my knowledge with you guys that Im very fond of online shopping. And i easily get discount codes and coupons. i think you can get your seeds for your farm by using discount codes.

[jacklye]

I'm in Vancouver and my garden has gone berserk with all the nice weather we've been having! Lettuce mixes, kale, peppers, cukes, tomatoes and leeks everywhere--just from a patio garden

[Ciel]

I ignored my arugula *about 6 plants* and two have bolted/flowered. I picked some leaves from the smaller plants. My April garlic started to get yellow stalks right after I cut the scapes off. Ditto the fall garlic. I have harvested the last third of the fall garlic (Mom still thinks I can braid hard-neck garlic and I encouraged her to do it herself) and am drying that second batch of bulbs in the sun for a few days.

I'll have to haul out my garlic on Saturday-most stalks have collapsed already. Some bulbs never got past an early stage.