PUMPKINS: A crop so waterlogged, it's scary - Boston Globe

(photo via Christine Peterson for The Boston Globe)

We were not imagining it - this has been a very wet year. GardenSnob has noticed it primarily with tomatoes but pumpkin growers are also having a bad year. There has been so much rain that pollination rates are lower because bees don't fly in the rain. Then, fruits become so waterlogged, they fall off the vine early and rot. Read more about New England pumpkin farmers in this article by Michael Levenson for the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/09/18/a_crop_so_waterlogged_its_scary/?page=1

If you're looking for a pie pumpkin, we had good luck with the Long Pie pumpkin this year which is available at Fedco Seeds, a quirky co-op seed catalog. This heirloom pumpkin is shaped like a large zucchini and hails from Maine. When it is still dark green but sporting a circle of orange on its side, the pumpkin is ready to be picked. After a few weeks in storage, it turns a vivid orange and keeps well into the winter. It also has a voice that sounds a bit like James Brown, but it only speaks out in the field so you'd have to visit next year to hear that. :)

Tulip World

www.tulipworld.com

Now here's a site to get lost in - at least I did. Lots of bulbs, good prices and good information about growing, planting, etc. My favorite bulb is scilla. They are small and maybe a little expensive for their size, but they are one of the longest lasting bulbs.

The site recommends planting them under spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendrons but I like to plant them in the lawn. After they've naturalized for a few years, they create a beautiful spread and blend with the spring green grass. Plus, you don't have to mow the grass until after they stop blooming. I mean, who would want you to mow down flowers?

To make sure you don't order more bulbs than you have time to plant, here's a way to estimate the work load. Time yourself as you dig a hole with your bulb planter, add bone meal or whatever you like to add, stick a rock or, better yet, a gold coin in the hole, and tamp it down. If it took you 1 minute and you want to order 300 bulbs, plan on spending a minimum of 6 hours planting bulbs. Another way to get the job done is to make a crock pot full of chili and some corn bread and invite people over for a bulb planting party. If everyone plants 30 bulbs, you need 10 hungry people.

Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) and other cover crops

Even if you have a small garden, 10' x 20' or even smaller, you might want to consider planting a green manure in the fall. This practice helps to prevent erosion and adds valuable nutrients to your garden soil.
There are many types of grains and legumes that can serve this purpose such as crimson clover, red clover, white clover, field peas, alfalfa, rye, oilseed radish and hairy vetch (pictured above). Sow cover crop seeds in the fall after you've pulled all the dead vegetable and flower plants out. Rake lightly to slightly cover the seeds. Come spring, till this crop into the soil before you plant your spring veggies such as lettuce, carrots, peas and other cold crops. Lots of options are available at Johnny's Seeds.

Did you plant your peas last week?

If you planted a fall crop of peas last week, they probably look like this now:

We planted these on Aug. 27th - well, stuck them in the ground in 30 seconds and barely covered them - under the dying vines of the cucumbers and they are just about 1" high (in front of the stick). Not bad for day 9. They will climb up the cucumber trellis and we'll dine on fresh peas for a couple of months.

Sternbergia lutea - another fall blooming bulb

If you plant these now, you'll see them bloom this fall. This is an heirloom bulb which will multiply freely and help stretch the summer with its happy, yellow flowers. From White Flower Farm, 12 for $16.50.

Honeybees and Sedum - a great combination

Our bees are going crazy over the blooming sedum in the front garden. Goldenrod, joe pie weed and loosestrife are among the last flowers from which bees can collect nectar. Sedum is another late season source for honeybees and, if our bees are any indication, they love it.

There are many different kinds of sedum available. Although planting perennials might not be the first thing on your list right now, it's a great time to buy sedum because you get to see the actual color of the flowers instead of examining the i.d. tag photo. Here are a couple considerations:

Dragon's Blood Sedum

Voodoo Sedum

Quick, plant some peas for a fall crop!

It's not too late to get one last crop of snap, shelling, or snow peas in for fall harvesting. Sow two months before frost which around here has been early as Sept. 7th in 1993 or as late as Oct 20th. Peas can handle colder weather and it's always worth the cost of a packet of seeds ($2.95 from Johnny's Seeds in Albion, ME) to try and beat the weather. You can always throw a sheet over them at night just in case. If that's too much bother, and/or the frost is early this year, at least you've given your garden some extra nitrogen and have something to till into the soil for next year. Or divide it among the pigs and goats for a light afternoon snack.

Saffron Crocus Bulbs

If you are looking for a cool collectible, this is it. These are beautiful blue fall-blooming crocus bulbs with stamens of saffron, the world's most expensive spice. Available from Amazon for $8.99 for ten bulbs. A very unusual and unique gift would be a tiny box of your own home-grown saffron. You could also give small containers of other dried herbs from your garden, such as dill, oregano, mint and thyme. Or a red-themed gift of saffron, strawberry jam and tomato sauce all from your own backyard!

Blue Moon Triumph Tulip Mix

Even though everything in the garden and yard is crying for more attention, it's time to think about ordering bulbs for fall planting. Don't wait until all the good stuff is gone. The bulbs can sit around in the basement for a few weeks where it's dark and cool until you have time to plant them. Most companies don't mail them out until planting time in your area, anyway. The key thing is to get the order in.
Here is a great mix of blue and purple tulips from Hirt's Gardens available through Amazon. Blue is one of the most unusual and highly sought after flower colors and these are gorgeous. They would look great amid crowds of yellow daffodils.

Our own field of gold - Spring Wheat (Alsen) (OG)

Alright, maybe it's just a nugget of gold. What?? You say it's a flake if we're lucky?! Well, dear reader, you may have a point. And if you are in the Midwest or are from the Midwest, no doubt you are doubled over laughing with tears streaming out of your eyes. AHHH HA! HA! HA! I can hear it now. You are correct to laugh but we are also correct to plant. If we get one small loaf of bread out of this patch of crappy dirt with the 5.2 soil test, our experiment will be hailed as a success and we will have learned a little bit about this plant, Wheat, upon which we depend so much for food. This picture is of the wheat patch (Spring Wheat available at Johnny's Seeds) a few weeks ago before it was weeded. Indeed, it is planted in rows for easy weeding just like the ancient Chinese did, although next year we'll hand-broadcast the seed in one big square. We've since finished weeding 2/3 of it and have been bothered by the fact that we haven't had time or energy to finish. It would look so good to see the neat rows of wheat, seedheads waving in the soft breeze. And what a conversation piece! Alas, after surveying the rest of the gardens and seeing some unstaked tomato plants heavy with green fruit, we've concluded that the wheat will survive the weeds. Not only will the wheat survive, but you can put animals out to graze it for a few weeks after it is 6" or so high and it will still have time to produce new seedheads by fall. (This fact was proven to us by the local deer who ate the wheat down to 3". It has now grown back and all the plants have seedheads on them.) The tomato plants, on the other hand, need attention now and their fruit will rot on the ground if they are not staked. To put it in more modern terms, time management is the key from now until frost. As hard as it is to do, forget the cosmetic look of the garden and focus on a well rounded harvest. Any extra energy can be spent gearing up for the August canning & jamming marathon.

Gay butterflies? - don't be silly! it's another variety of Asclepias tuberosa

If you want to attract butterflies and bees to your garden, plant Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'. This heat and drought tolerant perennial works great alone or in a mixed bed for colorful blossoms from early summer through frost. The flowers are strong shades of red, orange and yellow and It stands only 2' tall so it won't take over like some other summer bloomers. Also great as a cut flower. On sale at Park Seed for $8.95.

Edamame Soybeans "Beer Friend" - a healthy cocktail snack

Easy to grow and easy to eat, better tasting than pretzels and better for you, these soybeans are a mainstay in our garden every year. The seeds sprout quickly and mature early into deep green plants 2' - 2 1/2' high. Be sure to protect from rabbits, deer and woodchucks with fencing or a sprinkler scarecrow. Boil pods for 3-4 minutes in salted water and salt lightly. Serve at cocktail hour. The pods break apart easily in your fingers revealing 3-4 delicious beans. Eat the beans and save the pods for the chickens. These seeds are a bargain at $3.35! Think of how many bags of pretzels you would have to buy to equal the amount of food these seeds will grow.