September 21, 2013
Bishop
Gardening, Potato Growing, Vegetables
cucumbers, gardening, hummingbirds, sago palms, strawberries, sweet potatoes
Trying to balance work, travel and my backyard duties has been a juggling act. My hired help has had to step in and lend me a hand. My hired hand is a bit expensive but he does good, albeit slow, and deliberate work. Expensive in that I pay him an hourly wage and have to feed the 6 foot 5 inch behemoth too! He really is worth every grocery bag that he chomps through!
This week besides the usual lawn mowing and edging he harvested some long overdue Sago Palm pups. He did a beautiful job removing them and now we are in the process of potting them. Sago Palm pups can be a money making venture. I may ask him to cruise the neighborhood and remove the pups for our neighbors.
A nice sized pup!
Before I took off to Colorado last week I was replanting some of my strawberries. One of my beds was devastated by the brutal summer an then wiped out completely by my son as he did some irrigation work in the strawberry patch. It really turned out well for me in the end. I had a portion of my veggie beds where I had dropped some strawberry plants into several years ago. They took over that end of the bed! I am needing to clean that end out to plant some fall veggies so no harm done. I moved quite a few out last week and have more to do this weekend. Can’t wait for the spring harvest!
The newly planted strawberry bed
The white flies destroyed my cucumbers and devastated my friend John’s too. I replanted and the white flies returned only this tie I was ready! At first sign of the little buggers I blasted them with a good and safe insecticidal soap. They are looing really healthy! My discarded sweet potatoes have overwhelmed the 4X25 foot bed near the garage. Wow….I will be very curious to see the resulting harvest in a month or so.
My healthy cucumbers climbing the trellis
Those pesky sweet potato vines!
The hummingbirds have been cruising through the Houston area on their way south. We love watching their antics around the feeders as the greedy ones chase others off.
Backyard Visitors
Rain has been long overdue and we are getting a huge dose of it over the past several days! Needed but probably not quite enough to pulls us out of the state wide drought!
TTFN
Bishop
July 17, 2013
Bishop
Gardening, Photography
almonds, avocados, California, gardening, grapes, pistachios, strawberries, vegetables
I have been in California since July 3rd and won’t return until the 24th. I have left others at the house in charge of my vegetable patch. I am hoping for the best. Even though I left good instructions I think my garden misses my dirty hands….. It’s not that others can’t do what I do but I would suggest that my soul and the soul of my garden have a stronger connection. I am missing my visual fix, my fix from the garden/earthy odors and the fix I get from sampling the bounty.
My son Joe is at the house now….I asked him to send some current photos……he said he would – when got around to it. Now I suspect that was a literal comment and he is hunting for a “roudtuit”! Once he finds it it I am sure he will then send me some photos for my visual fix!
Here is what I remember….. and what I need to see more of!
Wine Barrel Composter
Gate to my Garden
The pole bean arches with some red blossoms.
The May 10th tomatoes picked in the dark. Dark at 10:30 AM. Yes AM – today’s storm is very dark. 4 inches per hour of rain heading our way!
One of the many blackberry clusters.
Celebrity Variety – 4-5 inch size and does well when it is hot.
Some of my Swiss Chard
All is not lost…..I have been up and down the state of California traveling through those commercial sized gardens and orchards. Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, citrus, avocados in the orchards. Fields of strawberries, tomatoes, grapes, onions, cabbage and more. Last Friday I sat a the in-laws place watching polo on some of the most verdant grass you have ever seen!
Prince William galloping across the verdant grass on his way to scoring a goal in the 2011 match in Santa Barbara. From the in-laws patio!
Joe – I am still waiting!!!!!
TTFN
Bishop
May 11, 2013
Bishop
berrries, Composting, Gardening, Healthy Lifestyle, Potato Growing, Rubbermaid, Vegetables, Vermicoposting
chard, compost, gardening, potatoes, swiss chard, tomatoes, worms
I seem to celebrate the tomato as if it the crown jewel of the backyard farmer as many gardeners do. Tomatoes do seem to be a central theme with many garden bloggers, “how to” sites, mail order companies and farmer’s markets. That said, I would like to share my growing fascination with potato growing. I have tried barrel or basket growing in the past. This year I have a mix of conventional trenched and hilled in ground method, a barrel and two tubs.
I planted some Yukon Gold taters in the ground and the barrel at the same time. They are doing very well. I had a few leftover and a couple of weeks later I planted them in the Rubbermaid tub I had been using to house my vermicomposting worms. I need to add lots of soil to it tomorrow!!!! I planted another tub a week ago and the shoots have yet to break the surface.
The barrel planted potato eyes were placed in the barrel with about six inches of soil. They took off. I think they benefitted from the warming effect of the barrel. The soil level is up to about 40 inches now and I won’t add any more. The in ground potatoes are also doing very well. The plants are 30+ inches above the hilled up mounds. I have high hopes for a good harvest.
An old garbage barrel with holes in the bottom. Potato eyes at the bottom, 30 + inches below support the lush green growth.
The newest tub was planted with supermarket spuds that sprouted in the pantry. Supermarket spids are not the best choice as they are sometimes treated to inhibit sprouting. The Yukon Gold are actual seed potatoes purchased at Kingwood Garden Center. Helpful folks, lots of knowledge and support organic gardeners!
The tub as it appears when the potatoes are planted. About 6 inches in the bottom,
Soil in this one is up about 10 inches and needs quite a bit more this weekend.
I am looking forward to filching a few “new” potatoes down a foot or so a little later in early summer. I will be watching closely….once they flower and the tops die back I will harvest. The nice thing about using the tubs and barrels is the no digging to harvest. Just dump the container and sort through bounty!
PS – lunch was tomatoes picked today used in a wilted spinach and fresh Chard salad with grilled chicken breast. Dressing was simply EVOO and a blackberry flavored aged Balsamic vinegar. A little fresh ground pepper and sea salt! Just perfect!
TTFN
Bishop
May 10, 2013
Bishop
Buzz Polination, Healthy Lifestyle, pollination, Tomato Growing, Vegetables
asparagus, beans, cucumbers, gardening, Pineberry, strawberries, tomatoes
May 10th 2013 I picked the season’s first red, ripe and redolent of traditional flavor – tomatoes – yes plural form of the word tomato, more than one – Yee Haw cowboy! The Sweet Million variety is the first to deliver the goods. My Celebrity plant will not be too far behind. My mouth will just have to wait a little longer to savor a BLT with one of MY red, ripe and redolent of traditional flavor – real tomatoes. I will have to admit that I am not so optimistic with my Mortgage Lifter tomatoes – at least so far this season. I have had blossoms, I put my bumblebee suit on and buzzed the flowers with the electric toothbrush but the blossoms close up and drop off! Another update – I have my wife to thank for having tomatoes to pick today….she was tempted yesterday…thank goodness they weren’t apples or margaritas!
(see- https://bishopsbackyardfarm.com/2012/10/02/a-vibrating-garden-visitor/ ) I also planted some grafted heirloom varieties purchased from Burpee so maybe I will have some better luck!
The May 10th tomatoes picked in the dark. Dark at 10:30 AM. Yes AM – today’s storm is very dark. 4 inches per hour of rain heading our way!
The asparagus bed gets better each year…I think it is on year 5 for the oldest root crowns. Sometimes the spears never make the kitchen……they are so good freshly cut! Last night I snacked on a few after my return from McAllen Texas, down in the Rio Grande River valley. I also savored a few Alpine strawberries and a few full sized berries off of my strawberry towers. The white Pineberries seem to be busy sending out runners…..I may have to snip that behavior and try to force it until later this summer.
Finger sized asparagus spear….flash photograph at 10:30 AM!!!!!
My friend John and I have cucumber seeds in the ground ready to start up the trellis. He is a bit more limited with space so he is only growing a slicing variety. Me, on the other hand have slicers, Armenian long style and “picklers” planted in my beds. I will promise my family….no more attempts at making dill pickle. I can’t compete with your favorites! So, sweet or bread and butter types will be my focus. Several years ago I made a spicy, mildly hot bread and butter recipe….I liked it! If I remember I will share that recipe later on this summer.
I am pleasantly surprised, my quiet strawberry beds, resting after an early spring burst of activity, are showing lots of blossoms….again, Yee Haw cowboy! I really don’t think a person can have too may strawberries! The arches over the garden entry I built with Crepe Myrtle pruning’s are supporting several varieties of pole beans. The blossoms are heavy on some of the supports indicating a potentially bountiful harvest. Once the vines are filled in a little better I will share a photo. I have a mix of red, purple and white pole bean blossoms showing. Fingers crossed that the vision in my head is reflected in the end result of the planting.
The pole bean arches with some red blossoms.
Chard, Brussels Sprouts and some tomatoes
My Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree has set a good number of lemons, some are approaching egg size right now. What is interesting though is that there is evidence of many new blossom forming on the tree now. Not sure if this is in the realm of normal behavior but I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth….I will certainly take and enjoy any extra efforts by my little lemon tree!
Weather update….nearly 2000 lightning strike per hour in some areas just east of Houston. Flooding, hail and dark, dark skies! we are bracing for some very wet weather.
TTFN
Bishop
March 6, 2013
Bishop
berrries, Gardening, Mason bees, pollination, Strawberry
broccoli, gardening, hand pollinating, honeybees, strawberries
It really started with my broccoli plants that took off and went to blossom. Theyhave beautiful yellow blossoms that are attracting honeybees and a small variety of bumblebee. I found this a real positive change from previous springs. In fact, the number of honeybees spotted in my garden area has been dismal and seemed to be getting worse. I actually employed some Mason Bees the past two years. There seems to be a steady crew working from mid-morning until late afternoon. My guess is that these are a wild variety that hang out in the woods nearby.
I put my macro lens of my Nikon D-200 and attempted to capture the guys at work. The yellow broccoli blossoms must be a bee magnet. I will try to remember that fact next year to draw bees in. I seem to be getting a little better handling this lens.
Bee and broccoli blossom
Carrying quite a load while working this blossom
Off to another one. Trying to improve my moving critter skills. My goal is get a crisp shot of the bee flying!
Strawberries grown outside seem to pollinate themselves pretty well but the fruit size may improve with help from the bees. If you are anal enough, you can take on the task yourself armed with a magnifying glass and an artist’s brush. I have used an electric toothbrush with my tomatoes with outstanding results. If I get frisky enough to crawl around the berry patch soon I will let you know!
Although small, strawberry blossoms have a delicate beauty about them. I caught some of the broccoli work crew sliding on over to the strawberry bed and working their magic. I may hire on tomorrow with my magnifying glass and brush….Love those strawberries! I will make jam in a couple of days and will hopefully put up a couple of dozen jars!
Do your magic little guy!
Very nice strawberry blossom
Now for the payoff –
Just starting to show!
Yes – developing nicely
The final payoff
Yum!!!!!
TTFN
Bishop
January 30, 2013
Bishop
berrries, Composting, Gardening, Strawberry
berries, carrots, gardening, peppers, strawberries
Maybe not what you were thinking but I went out with the camera this morning after the storm front had passed to check on the garden and in particular, the strawberries. I was greeted by clear blue skies, much nicer temperatures … a nice break from the mid to high humid 70’s we have been experiencing and a seemingly happy garden. The sun felt nice, the shade was cool and the breeze was stirring up the leaves not yet sequestered in my compost bins. While out in the garden I attacked some of the never ending supply of weeds, checked on the carrots, yes-the strawberries too, made notes to pull out the remaining pepper plants and checked on the internal compost bin temperatures…..getting pretty darned warm.
Take a gander at my strawberry shots below….I suspect that I will break the old record…I should have my first ripe berry in just a few days. My guess is February 3rd +/-. I may be able to thank global warming for the bounty. I am continuing my reading and knowledge building with the issues around global warming….an opinion piece will be coming in the near future.
Now for the feature presentation; Strawberries.
January 30th – Should be ripe soon!
One of the Strawberry tower pockets headed toward a bountiful harvest.
A look at one of the ground based plants. I will have to watch for competitors…There are some bugs that also enjoy juicy red berries!
Another ground based plant setting lots of potentially sweet berries!
TTFN
Bishop
December 11, 2012
Bishop
Gardening, Tomato Growing, Vegetables, Winter Chill
carrots, gardening, lettuce, Meyer lemon, peppers, tomatoes, turnips
The freeze or near freeze last night put the hurt on two of the 4 remaining tomato plants. The Juliett plants showed significant freeze burn on the extremities and my potted patio plants have begun to droop. Some of the droop is due to the large number of tomatoes ripening and trying to ripen. I picked quite a few today and will get the remaining in tomorrow. I saved some so my little buddy Caleb two doors down can pick some. During his last visit to the garden I had to do some coaching concerning what was ready and what needed to wait….poor little guy, there wasn’t much that he could pull! Tomorrow he can pick large and small tomatoes, Poblano peppers, Meyer lemons, turnips, carrots, radishes and some leaf lettuce. If his mother approves I hope to capture his joy and smile in some pictures to include in the near future.
A large mixing bowl with at least double that remaining. They may have to sit in the widow sill to finish ripening.
A closer look at the tomatoes and a few radishes.
December 11th, 2012……I will have to wait about 90 days before I can put my transplants out for 2013. With a little bit of shelter I might be able to get these tomato plants to over-winter, hmmmmmm, another potential experiment !
TTFN
Bishop
October 29, 2012
Bishop
Fall, Gardening, Philosophical, Potatoes, Strawberry, Vegetables
asparagus, beets, cucumbers, gardening, peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, vegetables
It is October 29th and my asparagus just won’t lay down and go into their winter slumber. This morning we finally had a low 40 degree temperature so maybe they will get the message and stay in bed! As a parent I remember those days when the little ones did not want to stay in their beds. It was a tiring and a bit painful series of nights but the kids finally figured out that mom and dad were not going to give in. They finally stayed in their beds!
The asparagus, now that is a different dilemma. They do not listen….their cue’s are taken entirely from the environment and they ignore my planned schedule for their winter sleep. I trimmed them back several weeks ago but the stubborn root crowns are still sending up shoots. It is a mixed blessing, the nicer, thicker shoots have found their way into the kitchen and the skinny ones that reach on up are sending a little more energy back into the buried crowns. I would like to get the bed deeply covered in mulch and fertilized for the next spring but…..as with the kids, I need to be a little more stubborn than they are and a little more patient. Yes, easier said than done.
I harvested a few spears today and plan on incorporating them into a meal tomorrow night. I inspected the new strawberry plants that my wife has so nicely cared for in my recent absence – nicely done Hun, they look healthy! I planted another round of beets, Danvers carrots, Cozmic Purple carrots, Watermelon Radish seeds and pulled a bunch of never ending weeds. I have a lot of tomatoes that are needing to turn red or at least break that direction real soon. The lemons are mostly yellow now, my little buddy Caleb down the street wants to pick them now! A couple of cucumbers are nearly ready and I have some turnips that are maturing. I have a bin with some potatoes that seem to be doing well…..an extension of the spring’s experimentation. Oh, the Ancho pepper plants(2) are overloaded and will be donated at the farmers market on Thursday. Wish I knew how to do chili rellenos ….. these are perfect size and flavor…..
I feel blessed to have this weather, high of 70 today and mid 80’s by Thursday. I can’t help but pray for and wish the best for the folks on the East Coast in the path of Sandy. At least the 13 days I spent without power after Hurricane Ike was accompanied by decent weather. I hope all y’all are well prepared and will work to help your neighbors in need.
One for the kitchen, one for the root crowns and couple just starting to break the surface.
A squad destined for the kitchen. Thank you lads for being so persistent.
Strawberry Towers with Sweet Charlie plugs looking healthy and snug in their new home.
TTFN
Bishop
October 20, 2012
Bishop
Dessert, Gardening, jam and jelly, Making Jam, Recipe, Strawberry
asparagus, gardening, Rose Petal Jelly, strawberries
I stepped out into the front yard yesterday and picked up the scent of my wife’s roses in bloom. What immediately hit my mind was an article I read a few days ago about “Rose Petal Jelly”. I knew that I had to get it made this weekend before I left for Long Beach California for a week-long session with a client.
I picked this recipe up from “The Creamer Chronicles” blog. Easy recipe!
The ingredients you need are:
1 cup packed fresh flower petals
3 cups of water
Juice of one lemon
1 box powdered pectin
4 cups sugar
“Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan and stir in the roses. Remove from the heat, and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, as if you were making rose-petal tea. Strain the “tea” making sure to squeeze the petals to get every last drop of flavor out of them. Now this is where the magic happens: Pour in the fresh lemon juice and the “tea” turns back into the color of the flowers you used………”
The jelly making from this point forward is pretty straight forward. After steeping, I went triple the 10 minute suggestion. I poured the tea through a coffee filter before the jelly cooking process. Stir in the pectin and bring to a boil. Add the sugar stirring constantly and return to a full boil. Boil for 2 minutes at a full boil, remove from heat and skim any foam off before ladling into clean sterilized jars. I went ahead and processed the jars for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.
A small rose shown with the jelly. The jelly does take on a hue very similar to the color of the petals used.
I also put a few more strawberry plants out this afternoon. I ordered “Sweet Charlie” plugs from Ison’s Nursery. They are a recommended variety for my Zone 9 gardening area. I filled my strawberry towers and filled in a few spots in my beds. I had 5 of the 50 remaining so I went over to John’s house, you remember him, Mr. 2 – 4X4 raised beds that I tend part-time. He has been smitten and does a pretty good job keeping stuff alive.
My home-made dibble used to plant some strawberry plugs.
I thought that my Asparagus bed was done for the season…beginning to yellow and die back. I cut it back a week ago and look what I find. A few of the root crowns are still pushing up spears. I love to just snap them off in the garden, give them a quick rinse and munch away…..so sweet!
Renegade asparagus – I cut it all back last week and I have a few trying to break out…Guess I’ll just have to eat them!
TTFN
Bishop
October 13, 2012
Bishop
Amends, Gardening, Humor, Optimism, Philosophical
asparagus, gardening, sweet potatoes
If you read my last post,” A Letter to Home”, you probably realize that if I had indeed been serious, I would have been in serious hot water. Fortunately my wife somewhat tolerates my tongue in cheek adventures. I received some feedback on the post from my cousin Sandy how read the post and picked up on my intent pretty early on.
“By the coffee grounds I was LOL ! Yes, good thing you don’t have a dog house!
Sandy”
Now as for Ms. Gloanah Bruce, I am not so sure see immediately saw the humor that I had intended. She posted to my Facebook –
Gloanah wrote: “And this is my son, I didn””’t teach him that kind of behavior. His MOM”
Sorry Mom….I was only trying to have some fun – Uh oh, I can hear her words now, “It is only fun until somebody gets hurt!”
Let me try to redeem myself. I did not immediately rush out to the garden to check on it when I returned home from my trip. I waited a good 45 minutes, visited with my bride, confirmed that she had understood my last post as intended. She did, but she also reminded me that my Mom had made the comment about us maybe not making that 31st anniversary milestone on October 2nd 2013! I hope Mom was being tongue in cheek. There are risks to attempts at humor….should I put the disclaimer at the top of the post or is the bottom position OK???????
The garden looked very healthy upon my return. Kathy kept the moisture levels just right, appeared to have pulled a few weeds, Hun you really didn’t have too! I also decided to take a peek under the abundant asparagus foliage. The plants are doing very well. I also discovered another sweet potato hiding under the dense ferns. I suspect that I will discover a few more when I cut the ferns back.
I hope that I have stepped out of the hot water, at least for a bit…..I will probably find something to write about that will raise the temperature again….but it is always meant to be in jest, well maybe mostly in jest…..My Valentines Day post and poll hit a hot button amongst family and friends!!!! I still think the SS Sink was a great gift.
A view of the asparagus stems at ground level supporting the canopy of ferns above. I will cut it all back to ground level soon – and maybe discover a few more sweet potatoes lurking in the soil.
TTFN
Bishop
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