Kiss Me, I'm Iris

Oh the Merry Month of May

MAY GARDEN LOG

Tuesday, May 1
too much commotion to be outside much, Daryll weed eating, wood chipper down below
soak corn overnight
Wednesday, May 2
plant corn in 4" pots, 8-9 per pot, cover on deck
transplant orach from Gabe Bed to Long Bed, make way for new retaining wall
cage peas in Bed 2 and Sam Bed, peas are stirring
beans and cukes are up, germinating on deck, no cover
harvest last of spinach in Sam Bed
Thursday, May 3
take out flowering kale, Edge 1 and Scotty Beds, save seed
plant out cilantro from 6 packs, Edge 1
plant out kolrabi from 6 packs, Scotty Bed, gallon pots
plant out parsley from 6 packs, top between lettuce
thin lettuce, Bed 5, plant out on top
weed carrots and assorted flower beds
cover eggplant on deck, no germination yet
Monday, May 7
take out white radishes in Gabe Bed
harvest for chef in evening. little gems, purple cauliflower, etc.
Daryll plant potatoes in little farm
Tuesday, May 8
very hot, 80's
get gopher in favas! Edge 2
finish harvest for chef, snip spring mix
transplant orach out of Gabe Bed into Long Bed
transplant russian kale out of Gabe Bed into Cherry Bed
plant out bronze fennel on top, new bed by faucet
plant out borage, Border bed on top
Wednesday, May 9
amend Bed 5, plant out celery from 6 packs
pot up 6 packs of impatiens and snap dragons
Thursday, May 10
plant out tuscan kale top of Bed 5 and fill in
seed plant dill, top of Edge 2
start to amend Beds 2,3,4 for beans in back, pull out cages
pot up watercress, pumpkins, 2 kinds of cukes
arrange flower pots on decks, start new succulents
plant out cosmos in asparagus pots
Friday, May 11
plant out beans in cages, Beds 2,3,4
yellow, purple, blue lake, haricouverts
Daryll planting sunchokes and sunflowers down below
" landscaping front entrance to barn
start 2 six packs parsley
direct seed chervil in Long Bed, cover
Monday, May 14
harvest for chef, take out all remaining little gems, spinach, chard, thin arugula
Daryll plants 12 tomatoes in Gabe Bed
Tuesday, May 15
build starting bed next to dutch door of New Room
plant 4 kinds of sunflowers, direct home seed, cover
Wednesday, May 16
transplant potted Blood Sorrel into Top Bed, clean up top garden
harvest Tuscan Kale seed, turn and amend Edge 2
plant out Romanesco Zucchini, Edge 2
connect irrigation drip hoses to each other (Daryll's suggestion), Edge 2
clean up bedroom deck, trim ivy etc. cut back blue violas, put in New Room
Thursday, May 17
thin rustic arugula in Long Bed, transplant into Cherry Bed
transplant shiso into Cherry Bed and Long Bed
rework irrigation,transplant amaranth, shaker seed 2 lettuce mixes and cover, Edge 2
set up cages for favas in Willow Bed, plan more beans here
Friday, May 18
foot still hurts, cramping my style
prep willow bed for butternut squash, going to direct seed
harvest onion seed from willow bed, a pleasant surprise, I just liked the flowers
harvest curly green kale seed from Sam bed, take down aphid infested seed plants
Thursday, May 24
bad gopher gets a tomato in Gabe Bed, setting traps
turn and amend: Sam, Scott and Willow Beds, mess with irrigation, its a mess
harvest red kale seed
plant out red sunflowers, nasturtiums

Late Bloomers

I'm a firm believer in late bloomers because they're just like me.
They get planted with their group and lag behind, never making the big harvest. The rest of the class graduates and moves on, but they remain, leafy and fruitless, waiting for a nudge.
They occupy prime garden real estate yet I refuse to pull them, rather wishing to give them a shot. Speaking in plant whisperer-ese I offer encouraging words, "Never give up my pretty," or "I think I can, I think I can ... " Struggling, propped up with bamboo stakes, they fight off late frosts, schizophrenic weather patterns, a wider range of pests, and inferiority complexes.
"Fear not!" I say after each bout, then sing them a few bars of "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!" and do the Kelly Clarkson dance.  Faithfully, they hang in there.

Lo and behold, one day, scarred and weathered, they bear fruit and tasting better than all the rest.

Just like me.

Happy May Day!

Lettuce Eat Sorrel

Is Sorrel the New Green?

Sorrel, not exactly a household word or on your regular shopping list. Yet this mysterious vegetable, veiled in acidity, carries a treasure-trove of citrusy notes. Of European origin, the domestic varieties grow year round in our neck of the woods. In spring however, the arrival of its wild relative triggers a refreshed enthusiasm for this curious leafy green.

Wild Sorrel, also known as Sheep Sorrel, casts itself randomly in the nooks and crannies of my landscape, a common weed with a distict acidic bite. Growing up, my kids called it sour grass. They roamed the property foraging the largest leaves, pairing it with bronze fennel sandwiched between layers, gobbling it up like an amuse-bouche. Foodies before their time or just plain hungry? Mama was busy in the garden and they were left candy deprived, craving the tangy tartness of the wild. Fine memories indeed...

French Sorrel has come of age at Voss Gardens. A hearty perennial, its broad leaves have transformed odd plots into lush boutique-ish beds. Sorrel is symbiotic with parsley, and once established, requires little maintenance - some cutting back once a year. The rest of the time it stands at attention, ready to yield its goodness, small leaves for salads, bigger ones for sauces. Baby slugs live to nosh on the stuff, but no worries, the teeny holes they leave behind will disappear into purees.

Red Veined Sorrel, aka Blood Veined, is a newbie this year and mingles cordially into the pastoral color scheme. A brilliant Looker, recently popularized by chefs adventuring into unfamiliar cultivars, but certainly not as pungent as its cousins. It makes a bloody good visual splash in a salad or a bold dash of color in a presentation.The micro greens will party up a plate. The red hues do turn, so if you like pink puree and poopy looking soup its all yours.

For cooking, I'm sticking with Frenchy, aka Rumix Scutatus.The ancient Greeks and Romans valued Sorrel for promoting digestion and considered it a good complement to rich, fatty meals.  Rich in potassium and vitamins C and A, its slightly acidic taste makes it a perfect base for a sauce. Sorrel is best raw and pureed, to which any number of ingredients can be added. Recipes abound on Google. It has great affinity with eggs and fish, but can generally accompany a wide range of vittles. Fresh Sorrel leaves chopped into a tangy chiffonade can scatter about like parsley or cilantro.

Warning! This Sorrel Pesto can be addictive devoured in dips, sandwiches, pasta, and pizza.

Omit the nuts and cheese and Voila!- a stunning sauce to drizzle on smoked salmon or kick up a salad

Sorrel Pesto

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh sorrel, ribs removed
 1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
 1/4 cup pine nuts
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 cup olive oil
 In a food processor or blender puree the sorrel, the parsley, the garlic,
 the parmesan, the pine nuts and the oil, transfer the pesto to a jar with
 a tight fitting lid and chill it, covered. The pesto keeps, covered and
 chilled, for 2 weeks. Makes about 1 cup.
 
 

Some Press

http://www.mercurynews.com/food-wine/ci_20409692/diy-condiments-dress-up-that-grilled-feast

Back from the Emerald City, there's no place like home.

Wherever I Go, There I Am

Back in the Garden again, even when I go away.

Urban agriculture shines on my list of Favorite Things.

It warms my heart to see human creativity put to the test of growing food in your neighborhood.

This garden thrives a few blocks from my son's apartment in the Emerald City.

 My visits always include a sojourn through the community pea patch.

The landscape juxtaposes old and new. The garden remains timeless.

Community members express individuality in their plots.

Recycled found objects can prove arty.

 A makeshift hoop house made of PVC pipe and cover cloth gives shelter from the storm.

Starting beds are covered with old newspaper until germination.

 No problem keeping things moist here.

I could wax poetic about compost.

Strange as it seems, there are days you need to collect rain water in Seattle.

Food and flowers, so happy together.

A hipster moment....

 Luv those black patent heels struttin' in the garden girrrl!

Country, City

Ain't it pretty?

The gates to a little chunk of heaven.

Thank you Seattle peapatchers! Keep up the good work!

If I Only Had a Brain

On occasion, gardeners take get aways and visit loved ones. Greetings from The Emerald City of Seattle, the land where sunny days put locals in a tizzy.  Wherever I go, the garden finds me, and I couldn't help whistling this song as we strolled through the Conservatory at Volunteer Park.

I could wile away the hours

Conferrin' with the flowers

Consultin' with the rain

And my head I'd be scratchin'

While my thoughts were busy hatchin'

If I only had a brain