Saturday, July 16, 2011

Operation: Transplant!


UPDATE: OPERATION FAILED
Suspected cause: left out too long before transplanting.



Day 0
Michael's tomatoes needed a new home, and my garden was simply begging: "More 'Maters!"

Hence,


I hold no expectations for their recovery at this point, as they were extremely wilted by the time I was able to plant them. HOWEVER, I was able to 'feed' them quite a bit using a local Hydro store's homebrewed tea, and some Age Old Bloom, meant to provide nutrients for root growth and provide vitamins (especially necessary in times of stress). So, we shall see how/if they bounce back!

Backyard Garden 2011: Week 8


Roma tomatoes, going crazy.



Food for Food!



Garlic growing in the worm bin. Hmm...











I see you, cucumber...




Friday, July 8, 2011

Recent Kitchen Happenings: Electric Boogaloo (not necessary)


Stir fry (made with Bragg's Aminos' marinated tofu, homegrown Ichiban eggplants, zucchini green squash, roma tomatoes, mavras pepper, basil and oregano, along with store-bought onion, garlic, and spinach) and boiled Pole Beans (homegrown, as well!)


Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread


Stuffing for yet another stuffed zuke.


Eggplant parmesan (made with homegrown Ichiban eggplant)


The Fat Veggie Salad


Vegan apple cinnabanapplesauce cupcakes


Flautas con calabacitas (served with black bean salsa, sliced pineapple, and avocado)



Veggie empanadas...





The Station.


Fig Cookies!


Vegan burger (BBQ'd), served with sliced avocado, pineapple, and local sweet corn (BBQ'd with parmesan cheese and an ice cube wrapped in aluminum foil)


Stuffed Zucchini



Veggie Tacos


Zucchini Parmesan


Vegan Banananana Nut Loaf (recipe taken from Barefoot And In The Kitchen 2)

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

2011 Backyard Garden: Week 7

NEWS:
-Some soy bean leaves have appeared to become "extra crispy," as if they've been baked at their edges, and turned white. I have been removing these leaves as the symptom becomes apparent.
-Many of the zucchini green squash and the crook-neck squash have softened and yellowed, before finally withering away into mush. I was, at first, concerned that I was experiencing some kind of 'squash rot' or something, but my neighbor has told me that this is common for the first couple of weeks' batches of squashes. Let's hope this is true!
-A single eggplant is growing out of a single flower on each Ichiban plant! They sneak up on you, just as zucchini do.
-Have noticed that, since the cucumber plants have actually been producing decent sized cukes, they need much more water on a daily basis to keep their leaves from wilting.
-I have seen the first tops of orange on the first batch of carrots. I added a bit of soil atop it (as instructed by my neighbor).
-The first sweet 100 tomato to form will be edible within 3-4 days :) My first tomato grown and eaten, ever!

With that out of the way, on to the photos!


Freshly picked zucchini-green squash, ready to use for stuffing.



Ichiban eggplant, displaying its gorgeous flowers. It's produced its first eggplant for me!


Main garden. This has been the week of cucumber growth.


Cantaloupe!


Carrots and Sunflower (Top), Cantaloupe and Mavras Pepper (center), and Soy beans (bottom right)


Roma Tomato (top), Rosita Eggplant (bottom)


Sweet 100 tomato (left) and Beefsteak tomato (right)


Pole/Snap Beans. Growing like crazy. Still no flowers! (?)

2011 Backyard Organic Garden: Week 6

Pole Beans- plenty of leaves and quickly growing shoots. No flowers as of yet.


Basil!


The cantaloupe is growing beautifully


Shot of the main garden


Dallas, with my new tent. Sleeping outside to be closer to my garden? Perhaps. Sleeping with the breeze and waking up without an alarm has its benefits as well :)