Unity Gardens newsletter -- April 2013

Small Fruit, Big Benefits

by Laureen Fagan 

If you didn't get a chance to attend the Annual Growing Summit at IU South Bend in March, it was a great opportunity to learn on a variety of topics: beekeeping, solar energy, edible flowers, chickens.

And fruit.

 Many of us are vegetable gardeners, and we think kale, tomatoes and zucchini. I never really thought about growing fruit until 2001, when I inherited strawberries planted at the house I bought. A few years later, a friend gave me some raspberry starters. Now I'm ready to try growing some grapes.

There's plenty of ways to enjoy growing fruit, and incorporate small fruit plants into your garden and landscape plans. Fresh strawberries from your garden are more than just delicious and full of Vitamin C in dishes as simple as salads or cereals. The berries make a great "edible lawn" ground cover, and mine are used as a design element in a perennial bed that includes lavender, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis and thyme. Even on patios and porch steps, strawberries do well in containers and are a great raised-bed option. Strawberries are also bee-friendly and a good choice to support bee populations and pollinators.

Raspberries are a friend to the bees, too, and easy to grow without extra time or attention. With the extra height raspberry plants offer, they may make a nice tall border element or screening - some of my plants were placed to shield some less-than-elegant utility service hardware. Raspberries are available in different colors, too, although red is most commonly recommended for northern Indiana. As an edible urban ornamental, imagine a row of raspberry bushes along the alley instead of hedges or a fence line.

Grapes are a little harder to grow, but the beauty of a well-established backyard arbor easily persuades. Careful site selection, cultivar selection and trellis training are the keys to success if you take the time and make the commitment. Concord grapes are the most widely grown in Indiana, and may be used as table grapes as well as for wine. I'm hopeful that grapes become another fruit, just outside my door.

Don't forget blueberries, although if you try them remember that they have their own "berry rules." They need to be planted with two different varieties for cross-pollination, and their soil needs to be more acidic than most of your other plants will appreciate. I may try them as a small project though.

Looking for a good shade plant? Try gooseberries, because they easily scald in the hot sun and do best when planted on a north side or other partially-shaded spot. The berries are good in pies or preserves.

If you want to learn more about growing fruit, try this link Small Fruits PDF to the "Small Fruit, Big Benefits" outline from the Growing Summit, sponsored by Unity Gardens and Purdue Extension Master Gardeners Program.

Gardening at The Well: Herb Gardening

                                                Caesar basil/Purdue University

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Basil is a versatile and popular herb grown for its leaves, which may vary in color or flavors, such as lemon or anise. This annual loves the heat and 10-hour sun, so don’t plant it outdoors until a few weeks after the last frost date. Basil can be started or grown indoors, and it works well grown in containers. Pinch the plant to promote branching and leaf growth, and to prevent the plant from blooming. Fresh basil doesn’t freeze or dry well, so store it fresh in a cool location. To preserve it, you can make and freeze pesto. Companion plants for basil include beans and tomatoes, but avoid planting with cucumber.

 

                                                              Dill leaf/Purdue University

Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Leaves, flowers and seeds of this annual are used in many dishes including pickles, salads and seafood. Seeds are sown directly outdoors after the last frost. With its feathery blue-green leaves, dill adds visual interest and texture to the garden with some varieties growing to three feet tall. But it can be done in containers, and the “Fernleaf” cultivar yields smaller plants. This herb (and parsley) feed caterpillars and help to create a butterfly habitat. Don’t plant with cabbage or carrots.

 

                              Alex cilantro/Oregon State

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

Cilantro is a common ingredient in salsas and other dishes, but the plant is grown for its seed too. The seed is called coriander, and it’s harvested when the seed and leaves turn brown.  If it is leaves you’re interested in, look for “Chinese” or “long standing” varieties, which won’t form flowers or go to seed as quickly as cilantro usually does. Plant it with tomatoes, onion and peppers in a themed salsa garden.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)



Parsley is a biennial herb grown for its leaves in year one, and then usually removed before it flowers in the second year. Plant seed directly as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, or place transplants a week or two after the last frost – but transplant seedlings when they’re small, because parsley will form a taproot. Soak seeds overnight to aid in germination. Curly and Italian varieties can be harvested through the warm season and star in lots of cooking recipes. Parsley likes to grow with tomatoes.

                                                                                               Lisette parsley/Purdue University

 

 

  Purdue University professor Natalia Dudareva studies
rosemary's medicinal possibilities.

 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Rosemary is a tender perennial and doesn’t usually survive northern Indiana winters outdoors, but you may bring rosemary inside for the winter in pots and place them in a cool, sunny location. Rosemary may suffer from aphids or fungal disease indoors though. Outdoors, it makes a good companion planting for carrots.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Munstead lavender/Colorado State University

The most difficult herb to grow in northern Indiana, but this perennial is worth it for its color, scent, texture and flavorful flowers. The edible flowers can be used in salads or baking. Look for cultivars that are hardy in zones 5 and 6, including “Lavender Lady” and “Munstead.” Lavender likes a 6.5 to 7.5 soil pH, and is very picky about soil drainage – a soggy soil can quickly kill lavender. Lavender can become woody without pruning in spring, when you remove old growth but not stems that have new growth. Makes a nice border planting.

Mint/southernliving.com
 

Mints (Mentha spp.)

As easy to grow as lavender is hard! Mints are aggressive perennials and should be grown in containers to keep them under control, even if you’re just sinking the container outdoors as shown in the picture to the left. Mint also likes partial shade with more moisture than most of the herbs. Trim back severely one time during midseason, and you’ll encourage new growth through until fall. Mints come in lots of flavors: orange, chocolate and apple make nice tea flavors. But mint leaves are also good in salads and stir fry, and not just for tea or sauce. Baking chocolate chip cookies. Tabbouleh. See the recipe for mixed-herb pesto posted below.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

 

A hardy perennial that likes full sun to light shade, it can be started from either seeds or transplants. It’s pretty in the garden, growing low with white/pink flowers in late summer -- but Greek oregano grows to 18-24 inches tall, a height to consider when planning. Oregano’s an important ingredient in Italian food.

Greek oregano/Cornell University

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Several varieties of sage are available, but gray-leaf does best in Indiana and can be grown well into November and December. Trim this perennial in spring to encourage new growth, and consider replacing every 3-5 years because sage can become woody. Sage attracts butterflies, and hummingbirds to the more-tender Pineapple sage cultivar with its scarlet flowers in late summer. Grows from seed.

Elfin creeping thyme/davesgarden.com

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

There are more than 300 species and many varieties available: lemon or caraway, creeping or tall. Thyme can even be a lawn substitute. This perennial can be grown from seed, but many thyme varieties are grown from cuttings or dividing plants. Thyme flowers may be pink (as with silver thyme) or red, lavender and white. In a sunny location with good soil drainage, thyme may grow for years without pest or disease problems, but some can become woody and need to be replaced.

Mixed-herb pesto recipe

Chef Domenica Catelli, Sonoma County, Calif.

½ cup toasted pine nuts

9 large cloves of garlic

4 ½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 cups mixed fresh herbs (mint, basil, dill, oregano and/or thyme)

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil

In a processor combine all ingredients except for olive oil. Slowly add oil. Process until well-blended, then store in sealed/airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze 6 months. Yields 2 ½ cups.

 

Herb harvesting, preserving and storage tips

Both wind and heat disperse essential polis quickly, and fewer oils are produced on excessively wet days. So choose a calm, dry morning and pick just after the dew has dried. Most herbs will have maximum oil content just before the flower opens, so this is a good time.

Never harvest more than one-third of the plant at once, so that it can regrow.

Dry bundles of 6-12 stems with lower leaves removed, and hang the bundle with an elastic band that will contract as the herbs dry. Keep away from sunlight in a cool spot. Individual leaves can be dried on racks or screens. Using a conventional or microwave oven is not recommended.

Chives, tarragon and some other herbs freeze well. Snip chives into ¼ inch pieces, and place into the freezer on a baking sheet. Put them into a bag and spoon out to use as needed. Herbs can also be frozen in ice-cube trays, or in tomato or meat stock (mint, tarragon, basil in vinegar).

Other herbs that grow well in Indiana include: Tarragon, chamomile, chives and lemon balm.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service advice: To prevent contamination and botulism do not preserve herbs in oil. For more information on herbs in the home garden, see HO-28-W online.

 

 

 

Gardening with seniors -- March Unity newsletter

By Laureen Fagan

This week, I listened to an NPR story about families struggling to have shared dinner meals together, and how hard it is to prepare healthy, home-cooked meals every day. They want to, because they know about the nation’s obesity and other diet-related medical problems. They want to, because meals are about conversation and relationships too. They want to, but the world is so busy and it’s hard. 

Hard on limited incomes, hard in underserved communities with limited access to fresh produce and local food. Harder still for some Indiana seniors, living on fixed incomes with a SNAP card for food assistance. According to recent figures, a senior living alone among us gets on average $1.23 per meal. 

Take a minute and count that as if it were change in your palm. That’s $3.69 per day, or $25.90 for your weekly shopping trip. Forgetting for now, hard that trip can even be to make if you don’t drive. And not even talking about how nourishing those meals are without friends, family and shared conversation.

The thing is, our seniors are often a treasure of gardening knowledge and expertise. Many of them remember their farms and their Victory Gardens. Anyone who’s 75 years old today? Was born before “food” was new and improved, packaged or processed or convenient. It’s true that some products, like packaged salad greens, are easier for some seniors to use in an adaptive sense. But it’s more true that seniors can benefit from having garden access, while the rest of us are blessed by their friendships.

Unity Gardens plays a huge role in making free, fresh food available to our senior neighbors. For Unity gardeners, committed to community building and food justice in gardening, seniors are among our favorite volunteers, partners and guests. So as you begin cold-weather planting and seed-starting  – yes, it’s time – you may wish to think about ways you can include seniors in your gardening season plans.

Here are a few ideas that can work in your own garden, your neighborhood or your Unity-network site:

·         Reach out to senior neighbors, and invite them to help you on the basis of their ability. There’s lots of gardening tasks that don’t involve digging potato trenches or filling wheelbarrows. When they share in the bounty, they’ll know they were key contributors active in the garden’s success.

·         Consider creating a space for seniors! Raised beds at the right height can be weeded by anyone who’s more comfortable sitting. Container gardens and watering cans can bring joy at home. A cool, shady spot in August is just the right place for a picnic table when seniors come to visit.

·         Think Meals Without Wheels. Growing food in the garden only makes sense if we eat it, so think about meal planning and preparation. For seniors? This can really stretch $1.23, add such rich variety and texture to the nutrition, and limit the salt and sugar in packaged items that seniors are so often restricted from having. Garden together – and then help a senior cook and freeze.

·         Learn the secret many seniors taught us: Slow food is actually faster, and “Cooking Day” is a real timesaver. I often prepare 10-15 meals at a time, on one afternoon. It’s crazy in-season fun, on a rainy day when the garden’s too wet to work. Freeze them in reusable containers and pop them out each day for lunch at work, or into the microwave when you come home. Per $1.23 meal? It takes more time to drive, wait in a fast-food line, order from a stranger and pay more for less. 

·         Listen to seniors’ gardening stories and gardening advice. We all benefit from work that’s been done by Latino migrant workers, former Mississippi sharecroppers and our Depression-era friends. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet them, and honored to learn from their experience.

Garden planning -- February Unity newsletter

By Laureen Fagan

When it comes to garden planning, it seems there's some people who really like it and others who'd rather just enjoy their flowers and veggies without thinking that hard. 

I understand. I feel the same way about interior painting. I want the walls to be a fresh new color, but I can't say I'm crazy about sanding, priming and taping around all the wood window trim either. The thing is, proper planning -- especially on a snowy winter day when May seems so far off -- is so important for gardeners.

Plus, it's fun. I know I go through plenty of crumpled-paper sketches and designs, trying to decide what veggies are going to go where, and when I plan to plant them. But first I always start with last year's garden and what it looked like, for at least two reasons. 

The first is so that I know where things won't be going. Because of crop rotation, I want to see where everything was last year so I can change the plots and give this year's plants the best possible start, hoping to minimize insect pest impacts and nutrient depletion. 

The other reason is so that I can ask myself questions about what worked and what didn't, or what I might want to do instead. For example, this year I hope to add grapes to the small fruit growing at the Madison Street garden. We've had strawberries and raspberries, and I hope to have even more this year, but I've never tried grapes yet. So obviously I have to think about where they'll go and what trade-offs or add-ons need to be made.

Whenever you're planning, it's important to remember the obvious: sunlight, soil quality, water and drainage. Planting tall corn plants where they'll block the sun from reaching your green peppers isn't a good idea, but why won't be painfully clear until later in the year if you do. So now's the time to think about what plants you want to grow and why you want to grow them. Oh right -- why do you want to grow them? 

It's a question that deserves to be answered so that you have clear expectations about the care involved, what the yield should be like, and what it's for. That same tall corn is fun to grow, and people like to see it when they drive by but the reality is, corn takes up a lot of space and soil nutrients for less payback than some other plants. So it may not be the best use of your garden space, when more peppers are what people want.

Good planning also takes time frames into consideration. As you think about when to start some seeds indoors and when that last frost will be, it's a good idea to think about the first frost, too, and how you'll use your garden space across the season until then. If you're planting a cool-weather crop in spring, think about how that same space might be used during the warm-weather months of tomatoes and cucumbers. 

But above all else? Pay attention to plant spacing as you plan your garden. Not just in terms of companion plantings and what things grow together well, but the actual physical space needed for plants to thrive. I have a hard time with this because I suffer from "just one more" syndrome. Just one more tomato plant will fit ... It won't really hurt to tuck a few okra plants in the same space ... There's nowhere else to put the eggplant ...

No, I don't like to thin or prune things either. OK, I always feel bad, as if every plant should have its chance and I can't decide among them ... 

... and this is how I end up with waaaay too many plants competing in the space.

But the proper space matters for several reasons -- some you can see, and some you can't. Below the ground, you want to be sure the roots aren't crowded together, or competing with nearby plants for all the available soil and nutrients. And above the ground, among other things? Plants that are too crowded together often restrict airflow and movement, making them more susceptible to dampness, disease and insect attack.

So happy planning, and remember those plants will grow too. As you sketch out your designs, by hand or on computer, keep in mind the mature sizes of things so that the garden you envision in February?

Is the one you really have in May and July.

Garden resolutions -- January Unity newsletter

By Laureen Fagan

So it was time for New Year’s Resolutions, and I’m not really a person who does those. The resolution thing usually feels like “artificial time” to me instead of living and embracing life, making adjustments and changes in real time as we grow, and sharing new experiences along with our collective wisdom.

Your physical body is doing this all the time through a process called homeostasis – endlessly making even the tiniest of chemical or spatial adjustments to maintain its internal balance, and I like to think our minds do too. Our garden plants are a lot like us in that respect: adjusting to temperature and moisture, asking for more nutrients, “knowing” when it’s time to go dormant or stretch for more light.

So out of respect for the plants’ wisdom and not necessarily my own, I grudgingly decided to make a few gardening resolutions on their future behalf. Here’s one thing I promise to do better in the new season:

Keep a garden diary

Well, no, I never have. And that’s because I always think that I’ll just remember. Sure, I diligently consult the planting calendar, and carefully plan my garden – in fact, I’m already sketching out this year’s, because it’s January and only a matter of weeks until we start planting seeds indoors and go to our coldframes.  

But ask me about garden diary entries and you might get some laughable answers. "Oh, that was the cabbage planted in March when Wendell stopped by. Maybe."  

Maybe what? Maybe it was cabbage? Or maybe it was March? Come to think of it, maybe it was Wendell?

If you’ve ever done this too, then you know how amusing the conversations can become as you try to identify really young plants from the same family, or if March was really April, or if these were actually cabbage planted in any sort of intentional sense or just plants that overwintered in a mild year.

The other thing is, not keeping a diary never really seems like a problem. It’s not like you forgot to water the beans and you were too lazy to harvest the cucumbers. It’s not the kind of trellis faux pas that you think will trash the tomatoes, or a squash tragedy that’s anything like what those unforgiving insects do.

But I’ve come to believe that not keeping notes is just as bad for those squash. Maybe worse, especially as you garden year after year.

Crop rotation means you have to remember. Any fertilization means you have to remember: how much, where and when. Most of all, maximizing your harvest – and growing as much healthy, local Unity food as possible in your space – means you have to remember because so many other decisions rest on that. 

How many days to germinate? Is this yield what you hoped? What good companion choices do you have? How long have those tiny green bugs been on the tomato leaf undersides? Did picking them off work?

We don’t write down every time a cup of coffee rearranges our body and its chemical responses. And we don’t write down every memory that shapes us, mostly because we don’t even remember every memory and frankly, our friends and families are plenty OK with that.

But we do stop sometimes to think about who we are and who we think we are, where we’ve been and where we’re going. And the turn of the year is a nice time to be reminded that perhaps our seeds and soils might benefit from a little more of that mindfulness too. A diary is one way I hope to do better in 2013.

By the way? Those were cabbage. It was a warm March. And I’m absolutely, positively sure that it was Wendell.