What's Growing: Tomato Sauce & Freezer Pesto

I love my Potager. I would love it even if it did not produce a large amount of vegetables although it usually does. It is not just a crop to be harvested, it is a sacred place for me. All the plants have been carefully plotted and planned to work together and yet it still manages to sneak in a surprise or two. They grow upward, onward and intertwine. There is always a "moment" to catch - a humming bird attracted by the red blooms of the Scarlet Runner Beans, a bumble bee tipping the delicate disks of Blue Scabiosa, a Robin perched on top of the rustic arbor, a flushed rabbit ...

This year I planted Morning Glory among the runner beans, Cardinal flower beneath the peas, and Cathedral Bells along with the cherry tomatoes. Now, the Morning Glory masks the fading bean leaves and the Cardinal Flower blooms where there are no peas. The Cathedral Bells have yet to bloom but I see they have reached the top of the trellis and their leaves have a touch of purple to them and look fresh – not like the leaves of the cherry tomatoes that are growing tired.

I love this climbing Nasturtium Moonlight. It mixes wonderfully with the "surprise" ornamental gourds that began growing up the rustic arbor.

I have made three batches so far of tomato sauce which I freeze in jars. I cook them down skins and all and smooth using an immersion blender. I only add balsamic vinegar, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. This year I came across so many wonderful heirloom tomatoes between Cross Island Farms on Wellesley Island, the community garden and a very talented friend on Round Island. I am attempting to save some of their seeds. They are fermenting now on the back porch. So far, they do not smell too strongly. (Click here to read about how to save heirloom tomato seeds from a previous post.)

I don't believe my one German Striped Tomato plant has flowered yet. It may be too late. It is probably also too late for this eggplant. We will see but try, try again (next year).

With the dry, hot summer many of my plants bolted including the Cilantro. I chopped it down mid-summer and scattered the seed. I have a new fresh crop that I am really enjoying. This year I am going to harvest it and freeze it in oil for cooking all winter. And this year I finally harvested the Basil at its peak before too cold nights. I have a nice batch of freezer pesto.

Plenty of kale and collards for soups this season!

Carrots, golden beets and possibly a parsnip or two next. 

What's Growing: Kale & Collards

I am enjoying the cooling nights and misty mornings of this August after a hot and dry spell of Summer. I continue to water the Potager. The crack in the earth near the compost continues to grow. Many of my perennials have begun to go dormant. The kale and horseradish are indifferent. The Perilla weeps and sleeps during the day but awakens each evening.

In just a few days, the pole and scarlet runner beans live up to the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk ... they now completely cover their trellis and are searching for more. The bush and soybeans were enjoyed by the rabbits.

The bees are becoming lazy. I catch them napping in the squash, under the leaves of the Coneflowers, on the moppy heads of Joe-pye. The surprise squash I let grow among the patty pan or scalloped squash are ornamental gourds! Much to my delight they have taken to growing up the rustic arbor.

We have harvested garlic, scallions, peppers. Hopefully the potato bin is full. It needs to be harvested soon.

 

Tomato sandwiches and homemade sauce are on the menu. Apparently some of the lower Romas are also on the menu for the chipmunks! I love to lightly pan stir the cherries with garlic and olive oil then drizzle them over pasta or baguette.

 

The garlic chives are beginning to bloom. The collards and brussel sprouts are lost in a sea of Borage. Everywhere creeps Calendula. Anyone want seeds? The artichokes choked - not even a flower. Next year I will try again in the soil (not raised bed) with plenty of water. Any other advice?

What's Growing

What's not growing in the potager this month is squash. I did manage to harvest a few patty pan squash and will grow this again with more diligence. If I had paid closer attention I might have been able to save it. The price for my blinding neglect? Squash vine borer. It is my first year growing squash. I haven't before since it is so readily available at the Amish farms, but I just love the flowers and rarely see the patty pan variety. Big heavy sigh – at least I enjoyed a few. May all this year's squash rest in peace.

Last month I complained that my lettuces were ridden with insect holes. This month I now know I have flea beetles. Next year I will plan to plant my greens in between rows of garlic – a natural repellent plant. On the sunny side, maybe these beetles will attract a toad – a natural predator.

I have just harvested the garlic and more beets. Lots of beets.

Garlic chives are also blooming now.

The tomatoes are turning red and it's a daily cherry tomato harvest.

I have to say that this year my favorite crop is the tomatillos although they are sprawling all over the ground. Next year I will have to grow them with support. Tonight it's black beans with tomatillo salsa.

I even have jalapeno peppers this year to add to my salsa! The sweet pimento lipstick peppers are looking good but should turn red at the tips. Same goes for the cayenne peppers.

The basil isn't affected by the flea beetles at all. This week we had fresh pesto for dinner.

The Scarlet Runner Beans are now producing. They and Exotic Love Vine are now twining along the roof of the rustic arbor, but still no flowers on the Love Vine. This year I planted a Trumpet Vine at the base of the arbor. With our short season I am running out of patience with annual vines. I want flowers!

What's Growing

Inside my seedlings continue to grow. The scarlet runner and purple hyacinth beans are really taking off. I've had to pot them up. I need to address the tomatoes next. They really should be potted up. The peppers are just starting. I had been putting all these seedlings outside on my covered front porch a couple hours a day for better sun but it has stayed so cold here that some of them actually shriveled right up and died! (Sort of like spring.) I have been keeping them indoors all day since then. Most bounced right back. Hopefully next week will warm up a bit. I am sure they can't wait to get their roots into the earth. How hopeful I am when I look at these starts and think of Earth Day. What better way to celebrate than to expand the garden, feed its soil and us, too!

Outside (in the near freezing cold) my milk jug plantings are just sprouting – so far hyssop and larkspur.

Back in the potager, things are starting to happen.

Rhubarb

Strawberries

Tarragon

Garlic Chives & Chives

Garlic

Snap Peas

This year I planted my peas really early after reading that in the Northeast, peas should be planted after St. Patrick's Day. I think that may be why my peas have not always done so well. Hopefully, this year, starting out in the cold (and it is c-c-cold), they will do better. We sure will find out!

Project: Rustic Arbor

We had several severe thunderstorms over the summer. Many trees fell over and lost branches as a result. I love using branches to make my own trellises (see previous post Branching Out), but have always wanted to take a bigger step and build a rustic arbor. Well, this summer I had the chance to do so.

The local dump was overwhelmed with fallen branches after the storms and I had a lot of wood to choose from - FREE wood. I tried to find four relatively tall and straight branches for the main structure of the arbor. I ended up with four cedar posts that someone dumped and two large, tall branches, as well as an assortment of other branches to use for the sides and roof.

Free wood haul from local dump.

This project requires two people to piece together the sides and roof. Once again, I called upon my favorite contractor, Big Bern. Depending upon your stamina, this project may also require some, ah, reinforcement (beer). Also used were a box saw, power and electric drill, hex / carriage bolt screws 6-8" long, and a number of drywall and decking screws in varying lengths.

Tools and "reinforcement."

I began construction by piecing together the sides. They are connected with relatively hefty pieces of wood because we can get some pretty strong winds here in north country and I don't want the arbor to blow over. It rests on the ground. The branches (and posts) are bolted together and were sawed off to make them somewhat equal in height and length.

Sides bolted together.

We temporarily braced the sides together before adding the roof. Here is where a second person is really needed to hold up the sides while the other secures the bracing. We used some leftover wood we had on hand for the bracing. We decided to construct the arbor where it was going to be placed because "rustic" means "not straight and perfect." I did use a level on the sides to make sure the arbor was resting evenly, horizontally, on the ground. I dug out or added dirt beneath each of the four main vertical posts as needed.

Sides temporarily secured with bracing.

Then I selected pieces to make the frame of the roof. These branches were also sawed off to make them close to the same length. We then attached this framework on top of the four main posts. Again, it is helpful to have a second person hold the branches in place while the other secures them.

Roof framework.

Roof attached.

From here on out I was able to complete the arbor myself. I added cross branches and "joists" on each of the four corners where the posts met the roof framework to make the structure more sturdy, and then removed the temporary bracing.

Cross branches and "joists" added to sides.

I added a cross piece on each face of the roof framework. Then I began adding the roof by placing branches vertically along the framework. Being short, I needed a step ladder. I held up the branches and marked the length of each with a marker, then pruned them off before screwing them onto the framework.

Roof under construction.

Roof completed.

Finally, I added some decorative branches in a fan shape. I have a half circle of log that I am going to place above the cross bar on the front face of the roof as you enter through the arbor. On it, I plan to engrave "Mohala," the name of my garden. I will also extend the mulch path to include the entire arbor.

I now have a grand entrance to my potager. It will also give this garden some presence over the winter. The shadows from the branches should look pretty across the snow.

You could probably finish this project in a weekend once you have gathered the wood. I took my time and worked on it here and there over the summer. Can't wait to grow Scarlet Runner Beans over this arbor next year!