Journal Entry 2015-02-24

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Record-keeping has been spotty this year as we have been moving. Hope to catch up on that this weekend. I am happy to see that some of my tomato seeds from 2006 and 2007 have germinated, even if rates are low as expected. If I can get tomatoes off of one or two plants, then I can have fresh seed. I am also pleased that peppers are doing well.

I put seedlings under lights this last few days. They have turned from pale yellow to green. Today will be their first full day in light. Hopefully they are a dark greens you in a day or two. 

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How did this entry get here? What are Journal Entries? https://www.thelittlebiddyhenhouse.com/2018/12/combining-blogs.html

Ice Storm

I am saddened by the branches that have splintered from our tall trees, and losing hope that the buds on some of our smaller trees will bloom.  For sure when I have a small orchard, I will be out there with blankets and heat and I don't know what to protect my fruit trees.  I know it is the cycle of life and death, and that Spring will still be amazing even though there are some things that will not make it.  And yet, there was a part of me - the photographer in me, no doubt - that marveled at the beauty of it all.  So when the temps made it up to 20*F, I donned insulated coveralls, heavy jacket, double socks, boots, and gloves, and took my camera out to survey the world.  The day was full of gray skies, but that didn't make the day dreary at all.  I walked outside the property, for the most part, not wishing to step on something frozen that might have made it if I had not have crunched it with my boot when it was covered in ice.

For the most part, over exposed by +1.3 to +1.7,  More photos to eventually be posted on my Facebook Page.

Fat, fuzzy buds in January 2015

Now encased in ice.

January vista looking towards the road.

February view from the driveway looking in.

Patterns in the tree branches.

A hungry visitor awaiting its turn at the feeder.

Snowflakes (from my Facebook page)

View of the field and the neighbor's trees.

Seed Starting Craziness Begins

Costoluto Genovese, Pomodora Roma Nano - the names of these tomatoes conjure up the aromas from an Italian kitchen.  Travel from the Old World to the New World, and peppers like Arroz con Pollo, Jalapeno, and Habanero makes one salivate for all foods "South of the Border."   Here in the Middle of Middle Tennessee, we are blessed to be able to grow all of it.

I seem to always over-dream the number of amazing plants that will delight the senses in the garden - but I am pretty sure that is the only way I make it through February - by dreaming, planning, and starting seeds.  Today I will start 32 pepper plants (4 each of 8 varieties), and over 50 tomato seeds (representing 13 different varieties).  A first year garden probably cannot absorb that many peppers and tomatoes, so, as in years past, I am likely to give away some (many?) plants to friends and coworkers.

I used to use the Miracle Grow version,
but the last few years, I found sticks and rocks in it,
so I've switched.  I like the Jiffy Mix so far.

The Peppers - I did not try and grow peppers for the last few years since I did not have sufficient space or sunlight.  Now I have both, but probably not enough time!

Sweet Peppers

• Sheepnose Pimentos (Google Photos) - because, presumably, they look like sheep's noses?  70 days to ripening from transplant.  There is a pepper called Bull's Nose, too.  I am imagining they are much larger? 
• Mini Yellow Bell (Google Photos) - because they are cute, and yellow, and I have been unsuccessful in growing these in the desert? I want to make bite-sized tuna-stuffed peppers.  90 days to harvest from transplant.
• California Wonder - you know these ones - if you get green peppers from the grocery store, this is likely the one you are getting.  I love green peppers.  I might not share these.
• Golden Bell (F1 hybrid) (Google Photos) - Been trying to grow this one since 2006.  Seed might not be viable any more, but I'm going to give it one more shot.   Seeds are almost 10 years old, so if I get 25% germination, I'll be happy.

I used to grow in "six-packs" and I probably will continue to do so for some seeds,
but peppers and tomatoes can take a certain amount of abuse, so this method works with them.
These containers have been reused for years now.  Don't recall where I got them.

Hot Peppers

• Arroz con Pollo (Baker Creek) -  Looks like an orange Habanero - but with spice instead of searing heat.  To make Chicken and Rice, of course.  80 days from transplant.
• Cayenne, Long, Thin - (Baker Creek) - Spicy hot - hopefully not as hot as the Thai chillies.  Planning to dry some to add to home made taco seasoning. 
• TAM Jalapeno  (Wikipedia) - From our friends plant friends at Texas A&M (Go Aggies! Love that Marching Band!... but I digress...), a mild Jalapeno purported to have all of the flavor, but only some of the heat.
• Peach Habanero (Google Photos) - looks a lot like Arroz con Pollo, except that this one can sear your face off.  Gotta grow at least one of those high-temperature beasties, right?

Issues with color-coding arrows; however, I'm not redoing the photo. 
Peppers like light to germinate, so keeping these misted, and covered with a clear top.

Tomatoes - Did I mention my love affair with tomato plants?  And my growing interest in making home made salsa and spaghetti sauce?  And that freezing tomatoes requires no blanching, skinning, or slicing and dicing?  And, of course, there are tomato on Wonder Bread with Best Food's mayonnaise sandwiches like my Daddy made (only here in Tennessee, those sandwiches are on Bunny Bread with Hellman's Mayo).  Good stuff!

Roma or Paste Tomatoes

• Polish Linguisa (Burpee) - a large paste tomato. Good for stews and freezing for winter use.  Rinse, pat dry, and freeze whole in zip lock bags.  When ready to use, put in a plastic colander or strainer over a glass bowl.  Collect the thawed juice for later.  When the outside has thawed a little, the skin will slide right off.
• Speckled Roman (TomatoFest) - a multi-colored roma type.  Probably not going to make a huge color difference in a sauce, but might look pretty on the vine or cut up in a salad.
• Roma - Just plain old Roma that has been grown for generation - no V, no F, not hybrid, just the Roma from our grandma's day.
• Pomodora Roma Nano (Ferry-Morse)- you know I had to buy this one just because of the name.  You know some Marketing person is enjoying how they have hooked me in.  Hoping to do a taste test this summer.

Cherry and Grape Cherry Tomatoes

• Red Pear (Google Images)- not the "Mexican Hat" that I remember growing with my Mom during my youth, but a little burst of cherry tomato goodness to pop in the mouth just the same.  I have seed from 2007 and seed from 2011.  Will be growing both out to see if the 2007 seeds are still viable.
• Tennessee Yellow Cherry (TomatoFest)- Looking forward to seeing how this Tennessee cherry stacks up against my other "snacking" cherry toms.
• Hssiao His Hung Shih (Baker Creek) - Say that one 10 times really fast.  A yellow grape shaped/sized cherry.  One year I went on a binge and bough a bunch of yellow cherry styled tomatoes.  This was one of them.  Growing for the first time this year.
• Yellow Pear (Google Images)- Thick skinned, and not as sweet as some cherry tomatoes - but what endears me is that this tom will grow and ripen anywhere - and still have better taste than a store bought tomato.  My old reliable - I bought this seed back in 2005 to grow in the desert (one of the few to thrive and set fruit when it was 99*F!) - and last year I still got excellent germination.  This year I'm going to save some seeds from this work-horse variety.  10 year old seed that was not nicely stored, and still viable.  Life is tenacious!
• Mexico Midget (Totally Tomatoes) - little round cherry, barely a 1/2 inch in diameter.  Another one that laughs at the desert. Thinner skinned than Yellow Pear.  Maybe under sweeter circumstances it is a sweeter tom?

Other Tomatoes

•  Costoluto Genovese (TomatoFest)- "Fluted" (ribbed) Italian Heirloom.  I grew one in a 5 gal bucket in the shade last year - really sub-par conditions for a standard tomato.  Still, she gave me three of the reddest, tastiest toms.  They were just over 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  I am hoping with better growing conditions that she will give me basket-fulls of bigger fruit this year.
• Anna Rusian - a heart shaped, red tomato, but not as big as the "ox hearts"
• Amana Orange (Tomato Fest) - An orange Beefsteak style tomato. I'm still kicking myself for not saving some seed from the mild, luscious orange tomatoes from the farmer's market last year.  Might have been a hybrid with lousy progeny... might have been an open pollinated wonder to save for generations.
• Bradley (TomatoFest)- An heirloom slicer - one of my friend's favorites.  I try and give her at least one every year.
• Spears Tennessee Green (TomatoFest) - Late compared to everything growing in the shade in a bucket last year - frost came before it ripened.  We'll see how it does with sunshine.  Turns from "green tomato green" to a lighter green with darker green shoulders when ripe.  Hopefully I get some ripe ones this year.

I have about another 20 varieties of tomato seeds stashed away.  Maybe next year I will grow some of them out, too.

Where to Buy - These are some of my favorite seed sellers.  Over the decades, I've probably spent over $100 at each of them.  I purchase nearly all open pollinated seeds with the idea that I could save seeds if I wanted to.  The companies I deal with do not sell GMO seeds. Rating: §§§§§ = awesome! None = don't go there.

• §§§§§ TomatoFest - The Famous Gary Ibsen and Dagma Lacey tomato duo.  Still the best quality seed with an amazing number of varieties - on a pleasant and easy to use site.  Many, many of my tomato seeds originate from here.
• §§§§§ Baker Creek (Note: The website is http//:www.rareseeds.com) - not a tomato or pepper site, per se; however, they have all kinds of wonderful things.  Mostly heirloom seeds. All (I believe) open pollinated. Their catalogs are pieces of photographic heaven. A tad pricey - but you gotta support photographic beauty somehow!
• §§§§ Totally Tomatoes (Note: The website is http://www.totallytomato.com/) - They seem to be moving towards hybrids, and while I have nothing against hybrids, open pollinated is the way to go for those wishing to save seeds.

Ok, there are more places to buy these seeds from; however, I'm going to stop now or I'll never get this posted.

PS It's still quite too early to plant out beans, but I have about 100 foot of temporary fence to cover... stay tuned for the Bean and Cowpea trials!

Food Forest Dreaming

Plans and more plans.  I'm sure this isn't the final plan, either.  But, still, good entertainment while I am still house bound with this dastardly cold.

Year One, of course, we have a lot to do, and probably not enough time or money to do things with, so going to start with a few fruit trees and a small, sunny garden (orange areas).  Also, going to need to observe the shady (blue) area cast by mature trees directly to the west of that area.  Not sure what to do with it yet; however, hoping a year of observation will help.  Everything will need to be planted on raised beds due to the 50-60 inches of rain that we get a year, so in addition to the raised beds for the garden and the first fruit trees, will also build the raised berms for additional trees and beds and cover crop them with a variety of clovers and bush beans.

For the trees, I am envisioning

• Remove top soil where the trees will be
• Dig shallow trench - 1-2 feet deep
• Fill trench with thin branches, wood chips, and trench soil
• Build mound up about 2 ft tall and 5-6 feet wide
• Replace topsoil
• Plant to cover crop
• When planting trees, put card board around them and mulch
• Put tree protectors
• Stake for the first year

Year 1 - Shape Beds & Plant 9 fruit trees

First Year Trees to include all of our favorites, as it will take 2-4 years for them to begin producing. 
Apple - Fuji September Wonder - Semi-Dwarf - Ripens Sept
Nectarine - Hardired - Standard - August
Apricot - Goldcot - Dwarf - Early July
Apple - Royal Gala - Semi-Dwarf - Late August
Peach - Carolina Belle - Standard - Mid August
Pear - Moonglow - Standard - Mid August
Apple - Golden Delicious - Semi-Dwarf - Late Sept
Pear - Red Sensation - Standard - Ripens Late August
Apricot - Wilson Delicious - Standard - Ripens Early July

Still need to research what guilds well with these trees.  If possible, year one, build all the beds that need to be built using tractor so don't need to bring the tractor in again.  The sunny (orange) areas will continue to be the yearly vegetable garden.

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Year Two, continue adding trees, but also add berry bushes to the various trees to begin rounding out their guilds.  Continue to chop and drop cover crops and to add mulch.

Still not sure what to do with the shady area.  After year 4 or so, it will get shade from both the East and the West.  Not sure what to do with it.  Could that become a plant propagation area?  Also, perhaps there will be enough sunlight for greens - lettuces, spinach, cabbage, kale, bok choi and the like.  Do I see snails and slugs in my future?  Hopefully an army of Robins will move in and keep the place slug free.

The sunny beds (orange) to the North are 15 feet long - almost 200 feet.  And then the fence line - that will be mostly sun for the first several years, with the lower Eastern side eventually getting more shade.  Should be enough for a home garden.  Not so sure about enough for a market garden.  The shade beds in between where future trees will go will be sunny places to plant on while waiting for trees.  Even the tree berms can be planted to row crops during this time.

Year 2 - Add 8 More Trees

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Year Three still adding lots of trees.  But the plan gets more fuzzy as we look out over time...

Year 3 - 8 More Trees

Year 4 - First trees should be producing; Add 8 more trees

A decision in years 4 - 5 will need to be made concerning adding the last two rows of trees.  If I don't add them, will there be enough sunlight to continue growing row crops there?

Year 5 - First 2 sets of trees should be producing - Add 6 more trees.

Year 6 - Many trees should be producing; Add the last of the main trees

Year 7 - Most trees producing; add additional trees to fill in gaps

A Deciduous Magnola?

Fuzzy Buds on a multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree.

Not the best photograph that I ever took; however, my phone just did not want to focus on something that was already fuzzy looking.  These fuzzy buds are about the size of the first joint of my thumb.  I am hoping that they are one of the signs of spring mentioned at igarden.com.au - a deciduous magnolia.  Some photos of deciduous magnolias in bloom can be found at http://conradartglassgardens.blogspot.com/p/an-example-of-using-magnolias-in.html.  The timing appears to be right - fattening buds in mid-January, ready to burst forth ahead of leaves in February.  The size of the buds are right.  The look of the bark.  I can't pin-point a cultivar, but it seems to be saying "Deciduous Magnolia" to me.  ... If it is a deciduous magnolia, then even though its location is most inopportune for us humans, I think that  it will have to take precedence, and stand her ground.  ... I cannot wait for the delightful surprises that this Spring holds for us.

An Unlimmeted Source of Mulch?

I can envision a nice layer of mulch around these trees -
perhaps contained by a decorative border.

Can it be? Do dreams really do come true?  The 'Boro collects leaves, tree trimmings, and trims trees along the highways and byways - and turns it all into mulch - which is made available for free, yes, free to the residents.  AND, it is right on the way home from work.  Somehow, I am envisioning stopping by there every Friday on the way home, to load up my truck with wonderful stuff.  True, I cannot immediately use it for filling garden beds; however, I can see garden pathways 10 or more inches deep with mulch - the bottom layers composting in place and turning into worm-filled soil.  And alternating chicken pens being topped off with mulch to increase sanitation, and, again, to produce more soil.  And thick walking trails of mulch (first swept and cleared of Evil Thorns) through our little forest.  Besides becoming lovely pathways or chicken run flooring, or garden and fruit tree mulching - they become part of the solution to too much water.  (Ah, ironic that just a few short years ago I was pining for rain...)

I had been thinking of purchasing a chipper for my husband for his birthday, but I was reluctant, because I really want those one inch weed saplings and branches to build trellises and tomato cages in my garden - I didn't want to use such a valuable resource to make mulch.  I hemmed and hawed and finally decided that we just were not going to be able to afford it this year.  We could afford a really good chain saw or a chipper.  Chain saw won.  Not that buying a chain saw isn't exciting (I eventually want a lightweight one for my very own), but I was feeling a little blue about not being able to make my own mulch, and certainly not being able to afford buying as much commercial mulch as I need to enhance 3 or so acres.  But, as I've said before, I am amazingly blessed, and the right thing always presents itself when I need it most.  As our daughters remind me, dreams do come true.

When one considers just how many raised beds that I will eventually need,
then one might understand the joy at finding an unlimited, free supply of glorious mulch.

For each raised bed

• Thick layer of cardboard, shredded bills, 
  waste paper on the very bottom to smother existing vegetation
• 5" of mulch on top of the cardboard and paper
• 15" of dirt (some of it from the excavated paths)
• 2" of mulch on the top of the bed
• 15" of mulch in the path

I will do the math when I actually have a garden plan, but even for one 3 ft long bed with a path on one side, one can see that I will need more than just a few bags of mulch from Lowes.   And, yes, yes, I have a tractor to help me do this.  Happy New Year - and - Let the dreaming begin!

Honey Locust Nightmare in the Making?

In addition to fighting Poison Ivy, I have discovered Honey Locust.
Those thorns are as long as my index finger.

Apparently I am going to learn how to eradicate Honey Locust from the little woods.  They are a nitrogen fixing "pioneer" species of tree that works hard at protecting and feeding other (not thorny) young trees as it helps to turn grasslands back into forests.   The Internet (and more specifically, Google), is not giving me much encouragement that I can win this war - even if I resort to toxic chemicals and fire.  What are we getting ourselves into?  I am really hoping that the two giant canopy trees that we have seen are not - honey locust!  (Named after the locust because they are a plague?) 

Possible Battle Tactics

I read from here that one might be able to use a blow torch to burn the thorns and then harvest the tree.  Make sure to rake up debris to get dropped thorns and then burn.  According to the thread, the trees themselves appear to make good firewood.

Suggestion here is that, if you are desperate and resort to chemicals, to put a dye in it, so you know you hit your target.  Chemicals to apply to the cut stump to prevent suckering can be found here and here. 

More labor intensive, but less chemically toxic method here.

Beginnings of a Tree Planting Plan

The initial set of trees.

Planning.  Did I mention that Planning is a favorite hobby of mine?  This plan will probably change 3, 4, 5, 20 times before we actually planting anything; however, it makes for good entertainment on a cold, Winter's night.

Purpose of these plantings will be to 1) screen the neighbors so we can pretend we are in the middle of nowhere, 2) provide future firewood for when we put in a fireplace in the next few years, 3) drain the boggy soggy area in the lower left area, 4) provide some pretty spring flowers along the driveway.  What is not pictured here are the location of the 6 or so fruit trees that I will plant during the fall of 2015.  And ditto for the blueberry and raspberries that will go in, also.  I will be busy enough with observations and filling out an overall plan for this property that I won't be ready to start my "food forest" until fall.  That's a better tree planting time, anyway, for things that I will actually put some care into. 

Key

• Large Olive Circle: The Weeping Willow that my husband has been wanting for at least 15 years
• Small Olive Circle: Some kind of fast growing conifer - a thuja or some kind of cypress
• Small Bright Green Circle: Hybrid Poplar (probably only keep 5 years and then cut)
• Small Pink Circle: Flowering ornamental to parallel future driveway
• Yellow Dashed Lines: Double wide future driveway
• Green Dashed Lines: Some upright hybrid willows to suck up some of the water in the soggy areas.
• Orange Dashed Lines: Property lines, easements, and setbacks

Trade-offs and Compromises

TVA Power Easement - 75 feet from the middle of the power lines into our property.

When purchasing any property, home, or even a car, there are always trade-offs.  Hopefully, we are going into this knowing what "defects" we are accepting.   And, with my background in Permacutlure, we are hoping that we can make the "problem be the solution."

So, trade-off number 1 - The Tennessee Valley Association owns a 75 foot wide easement on one side of the property.  Means that there can be no trees grown and no structures built (including fences) on that part of the property.  Means it's also kind of ugly to see the tower on either side of the property along this side. The upside being, that the other people's property also has a 75 foot TVA easement - so the closest anyone could build on that side of us is 150 feet.  We can live with that, especially since there are no buildings/houses on that property right now, and it is mostly wild and wooded.  And, second bonus, there are no towers actually on our property. 

Compromises.  We got: close to work for both of us, high speed internet connection, more than 3 acres, 15 minutes from a grocery store (maybe less the way I drive), less than that to a gas station, 25 minutes from the heart of town (i.e. like to the farmer's market), trees and more trees, close to the Dodge Dealership. A place with lots of potential.

What we wish wish we didn't have, but are going to move forward with mitigating: neighbors on 3 sides.  Like a track home neighborhood.  They are most likely excellent people, and I have nothing against them other than that they are closer than a mile to us.  Ah, well, planting more trees so we won't see their houses and can pretend we are in the Smokey Mountains.  And maybe I can sell tomatoes to them? ... Rock on and near the surface.  Like, bedrock rock.  Like trees can't grow in it rock.  Luckily, I can raise bed garden on it.  Can I grow 10 feet of soil on it and then plant trees?  Ah, the gauntlet has been thrown. ... Falling down wire fences.  Well, there is a very nice cattle gate, but most of the once high tensile fencing is now low sagging barely fencing.  Mostly the wire is being held up by shrubs (and, shudder, poison ivy!)  Some of the wire might be good.  Perhaps it is a lifetime supply of trellis wire?  It is probably too stretched and old to become fencing again.  But trellis wire, I could use.  Like how that works - the problem becomes the solution.  Waste not, want not.  The hubby has already found an iron bracket in the trash pile that he wants.  

Surface Rock - looks like granite to my untrained eye.

What we're hoping we didn't get: a money pit!  Ok, I am sure we got a money pit - it will take all of our time and money to develop this property - but the journey, ah, the journey will be well worth it.  So blessed to have a little piece of land to steward.

Outdoor Project No. 1 - Extend Driveway

Outdoor Project No. 1

Ok, yes, I know. we have not even closed on the house yet, and we are already acting as if it was ours!  But, my hobbies include Researching and Planning (and Facebook!), and so here I am, Planning. 

Took this picture on the day I met the home inspector at the house.  From the street, the driveway goes up the side of the house and then makes a small rectangle of parking area in front of the garage.  Actually, for most people, it makes a fairly big parking area - 4 cars can fit OK in it.  For a True Mopar Enthusiast, professional diesel mechanic, and hobby dirt track racer, however, this is a tiny driveway and parking area.  Can't even turn around any of our trailers. So, before even moving in, we have to extend the driveway.  Like, 100 feet.

Remove the fence from the left all the way to the X to the right of my truck, salvaging as best as possible, as I have designs on painting it and using it in my garden.  The red X's represent things that need to go - like the fence and several shrubs.  After working so hard in the desert to keep trees and shrubs alive, we are loath to remove them; however, we have a few acres worth of trees at this point,  and these ones have to go.  :(  I'm not good at rooting shrubs yet, but I may take some cuttings and stick them in the ground in our "forest" and see what happens.  Double wide driveway between the dotted yellow lines about a 100 feet from the fence towards the back of the property.

Of course, that makes my husband happy about this project, but what makes me happy?  Thinking about extending the tree line on the left out parallel to the new driveway.  Pink and White Crepe Myrtles?  Besides Magnolia and Lilac not much else says, "I love The South" like Crepe Myrtles.  Ok, maybe Honey Suckle and Jasmine, but I am talking trees, here, and fairly rapidly growing trees.  Showed the handsome half of this team some pictures of Crepe Myrtles lining a street.  He didn't look impressed.  Never let that stop me before, so, the thinking is still Crepe Myrtles.

Now, what would really make me happy is to plant plums and peaches and other fruiting trees, but this close to the driveway, they are probably not practical.  They also don't grow as fast as, say, Crepe Myrtles; however, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't put a few dwarf fruit trees in, just for diversity's sake.

Dreaming of Spring Time and Summer; however, everything is looking rather gray and brown right now. Still, all of that grass will turn emerald green and start growing at a rate of 6 inches a week once the sun returns around March or April.  And that brown oak tree - once Spring Fever hits it, the new, green leaves will push the brown ones out, and we'll have a mini-Autumn Fall.  Google Maps showed the line of small trees on the left as being dark red (the photo was from April), so maybe they are cherry or plumbs (fruiting or not)?  Can't wait to see what secrets Nature has in store for us here.

Mystery Trees Along the Existing Driveway