The Garden Beet The Garden Beet

The Garden Beet
Garden Project Newsletter
Feeding our community since 1972
Tools & Techniques:
Winter Gardening in the Summer
Companion Planting
Veggie of the Month:
Kohlrabi
Cherry Tomatoes
Kid’s Corner:
Edible Flowers
August 2016
Tools and Techniques
Winter Gardening in the Summer
by
Dyana Fiediga
A
year round harvest can occur in the Pacific
Northwest Maritime climate, but we need to
plan ahead and take action earlier than expected
by many beginning gardeners. With moderate
winter temperatures, we are able to harvest
many crops throughout the colder, wetter season
using the cooler outside temperatures to our
advantage. Cool weather crops planted for a later
harvest are less likely to bolt, can taste sweeter
and many store well in the ground until we are
ready to harvest.
The main timeframe for planting our fall and winter
gardens begins Mid-July and finishes up in early
September. Crops will have a difficult time receiving enough light and heat come October when the sun lays lower
in the sky as winter makes it way. For a productive fall and winter garden, we are looking to have most plants well
established, but not fully mature (unless you are storing them in the ground, such as leeks and root crops, i.e., carrots,
beets, turnips) come this time.
Preparing Your Soil
Clear out bolting and overly mature plants and weed unused space to prepare the soil for the next round of crops.
Compost unwanted plants and place a thin layer of finished compost on the soil or add a small amount of organic
fertilizer, such as pelletized chicken manure, at the base of each plant.
When To Plant
Now is the time to plant cool weather crops, which can take the light frosts to freezing temperatures that can occur
during our mild winters. By planting now, in the first two weeks of August, you are able to take full advantage of the
summer heat and long daylight hours before it begins
to wane, as cooler temperatures frequently arrive the
second half of August.
What To Plant
Some plants can handle the cold and their flavor
improves after a light frost, while others will literally
melt, as their cell walls cannot handle the cold
temperatures that occur with a frost. We have already
planted our warm weather crops earlier in the season
to ensure that they had plenty of time to reach
their maturity. Any of these sensitive plants, such as
tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, summer squash,
melons and peppers will need to have their fruits
harvested when a frost is predicted.
Tools and Techniques
There is some wiggle room when planting as each year the season is different, but there are basic guidelines that, in
general, let us know what to plant and when. Looking at the number of days it will take a plant to reach maturity tells
us how long until we will be able to harvest a crop off of the plant. This information can be found on seed packages and
start tags. Local seeds and starts sold at the local farmers markets and coops provide season specific varieties that will
grow well during the cooler wet months. Starts are appropriate to use for larger crops, since many of us do not have a
greenhouse to jump-start our plants in mid-July nor the space to directly seed at that point.
Plants that are best directly seeded into the ground now include carrots, beets, and turnips. All of these crops can be
harvested come fall and stored in the ground over winter in a well-drained garden bed. Cilantro, Swiss chard, spinach,
lettuce, broccoli raab, mustard greens and radishes are also able to be directly sown into the soil and can last until the
first hard frosts of November. Cooler weather crops that have a longer length to maturity such as kale, broccoli, cabbage,
collards, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts will need to be transplanted using veggie starts purchased or seeded by you
in mid-July. Many of these plants in the Brassica family transplanted now will be ready late fall or hold throughout the
winter and finish sizing up in early spring.
Tips Towards a Successful Harvest
• Keep the soil with your newly planted seeds and
transplants moist in the end of the summer heat. This will
allow the seeds to germinate successfully and the starts
to avoid as much shock as possible.
• Cover young cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels
Plastic bottles provide cover and warmth.
sprouts and other Brassicas with Remay or row cover, if
possible, to keep out the cabbage maggot and cabbage worm
that can occur.
• Thin your carrots, beets, turnips and other crops to allow for extra
space for airflow to avoid rot.
• Find more resources if need be. Some great books include: The
Maritime Northwest Garden Guide by Seattle Tilth, Growing
Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon, and Your
Farm in the City by Lisa Taylor.
• Just try it, keep experimenting and having fun!
Remay (fabric) provides
protection from pests.
A cloche and hoop house can be used to extend the gardening season.
Tools and Techniques
COMPANION PLANTING
by
Barbara King
Companion planting is the
inter-planting of two or
more plant species in close
proximity to take advantage
of
naturally
occurring
symbiotic
relationships.
The other aspect of
companion planting is
keeping ‘bad companions’
apart. For hundreds of
years,
gardeners
have
believed
this
practice
can benefit the plants
involved to assist in healthy
growth or by discouraging
pests and disease. Some
horticulturalists, however,
believe that a better term to
use is “plant associations”
as many of the benefits
long claimed cannot be
scientifically proven.
How did the idea arise that
benefits can be derived by planting certain plants
together? An example is the historical planting of the
“Three Sisters” - corn, beans and squash - by Native
Americans. The beans supplied nitrogen to the soil, the
corn stalks provided a structure for the beans to climb
and the broad leaves of the squash vines shaded the
soil, keeping it moist and inhibiting the germination of
weed seeds
What is known today about beneficial plant associations
in the garden? Diverse plantings can attract and retain
beneficial insects, including predator and parasitoid
species that are important for pest management and
plant health. They can also help attract pollinators,
improving pollination for certain crops that may be less
desirable to pollinators. It seems that the presence of
several species in a given area can disrupt the ability of
many herbivorous insects to discover their appropriate
host plants for feeding or egg laying.
Below ground, research has revealed that many plants
share root system connections that transfer nutrients
between plant species, facilitating their growth. An
example is nitrogen-fixing legumes (like peas or beans),
which add nutrients to the soil. Up top, “nurse plants”
can provide shade and moderate the microclimate for
newly germinated plants.
Some common companion plant ideas to try: using
marigolds to repel pests; planting flowers in the Aster
family (sunflower, purple coneflower, black-eyed
susan) to attract beneficial insects such as lady beetles,
spined soldier bugs, assassin bugs, and predatory
wasps; planting beans and potatoes together to repel
Colorado potato beetles and Mexican bean beetles;
and planting onions to repel insects and, maybe, even
wildlife. Growing parsley and carrots next to each
other can help to deter carrot flies due to the aroma
of the parsley. Similarly, the smell of cilantro can repel
aphids. Marigolds and chamomile are other examples
of strong smelling herbs that can deter garden pests
while attracting beneficial insects.
When planning your next garden, why not explore
companion planting? Even if you don’t give much
credence to such plant associations, having flowers
intermixed with vegetables is a pretty picture.
Veggie of the Month
KOHLRABI
by
Joanna Kenyon
If an animated movie were being made about invading
space aliens who disguise themselves as garden vegetables,
kohlrabi would be a major contender for the leading role. It
seems one of the most unlikely of vegetables, with its long
leaves jutting out of a round root-like ball that rests just
above the soil.
photo taken by Rose Schultz
Although kohlrabi seems like a root crop, everything edible
on the kohlrabi plant is above soil. The leaves can be eaten,
as they can in most of kohlrabi’s Brassica family members
(cabbage, kale, turnips, broccoli, and radishes). Usually it is
the bulb-like stem growing just above the ground that veggie
lovers relish, and it may be eaten both raw and cooked. In
addition to having a delicious apple-broccoli flavor, the
kohlrabi is chockablock full of vitamins C and A, as well as
folate and calcium.
Planting
Kohlrabi prefers cool weather. Because of this, there are two excellent times of the year for planting kohlrabi, and
you’re in luck, because one is coming up soon! You can plant kohlrabi in the spring, starting 4-6 weeks before the last
expected frost, and continue planting through April. As the weather begins to warm up, the kohlrabi will ripen, and
you want to keep an eye on them: if you leave them too long after ripening, the bulb will begin to turn woody and lose
flavor. If you plant only some of your kohlrabi seeds each week, you can harvest over a period of time while still keeping
the nice crisp kohlrabi taste.
The second period of time you can plant kohlrabi is late
summer, about 8 -10 weeks before the last frost. In the
Pacific Northwest, this means you can start planting
now, and continue into mid-August. Here are a few more
planting tips:
• You can both transplant and direct sow kohlrabi.
It prefers full sun, and will be happy if you give it
nice fertile soil with compost mixed into it. If you
transplant kohlrabi, move it to its new home when it
is 4 inches tall.
• Kohlrabi likes a bit of space to grow. Transplant normal
varieties 4 - 6 inches apart, or thin to the same spacing
if you direct sow. If you select a larger variety, such as
the fantastically-named Superschmeltz variety, plant
each more like 2 feet apart.
photo taken by Rose Schultz
• There are a number of primarily ornamental varieties of kohlrabi that do not produce as nice tasting results. You
might skip over varieties of Vienna in favor of others, such as the Winner FI, which is recommended for our region.
Other varieties originating in Europe should also work well, both purple and green varieties.
Veggie of the Month
Cultivation
In addition to a healthy level of compost, the kohlrabi requires
regular watering. When the topsoil is dry, you should water—
about 3 or so times a week in dry weather.
Kohlrabi is fairly hardy and doesn’t have many pests or diseases
for you to worry about. However, as a Brassica, it can be
susceptible to slugs, snails, aphids, and leaf-eating caterpillars
such as the green Cabbage looper. For each of these, you should
regularly check the leaves and bulb, and pick off any pests you
find (mashing them can be very satisfying). At certain times of
year flea beetles can be a problem, which can be helped by
using row covers or stem barriers.
You may also need to be cautious of root pests, especially if they
tend to be in your soil. Both cutworms and root maggots can
be a problem for kohlrabi, as they only have the one slender
little taproot. If you’ve had problems in the past, or are seeing
problems in early sowing, you may want to favor transplanting
over direct sowing, and place a homemade cutworm collar
around each plant. These can be made out of paper towel tubes,
or tin cans and paper coffee cups with the bottoms cut out.
Harvesting, Storing & Eating
Harvest kohlrabi when they stop growing, or when growth slows. For most varieties, this is when the bulb is about the
size of a baseball. It’s important to harvest them before they get woody, and you might thin them out a few at a time,
making sure that the remaining plants continue to get ample light and water.
You can keep and eat the leaves, much as you would with kale or collards—but they are tougher, like collards, and some
people do not like them as much as other Brassica leaves.
The bulb is what most people are interested in with a kohlrabi, and what you will find for sale in markets as well. Most
recipes call for you to enjoy the delights of the raw kohlrabi bulb—cut just above its single root, peeled, and sliced or
cut into cubes. You can store kohlrabi bulbs for a few weeks in your refrigerator after removing the leaves and stems
and placing in a sealed plastic bag or container. You can also cube, blanch, and freeze kohlrabi for winter storage in
your freezer.
There are multiple recipes for dips that do well with raw kohlrabi, or raw kohlrabi salads and slaws. The bulb does well
in a Waldorf salad, grated or noodled. However, for a challenge, the recipe below involves cooking with kohlrabi—both
leaves and bulb.
Ingredients
Kohlrabi Curry
3 peeled and sliced kohlrabi bulbs & their leaves with
stems cut away
2 tbsp. canola, coconut, or other neutral oil
2 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and thinly sliced
1½ tsp. ground cumin
1½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground turmeric
14oz can of coconut milk
½ cup of chicken or veggie broth
Optional for topping: chopped fresh cilantro, lime,
jalapeño slices
Preparation
1. Put oil, ginger in deep frying pan and place over
medium heat
2. Add onion, bell pepper when warm for 5 minutes
3. Add jalapeño, kohlrabi slices, herbs, salt, and stir
4. Add coconut milk and broth, and bring to simmer
5. Lower heat and stir for 10 minutes
6. Remove ginger, and serve hot with “optionals” on top
if you wish!
Veggie of the Month
CHERRY
by
Alex Milne
TOMATO
A cherry tomato is nothing more
than a small tomato. Many
varieties have been bred to have
a higher sugar content. They
can be standard red, the fairly
common orange or yellow, or
the more elusive black, green,
and purple colors. There is
some debate over the cherry
tomato’s origins, so we won’t
delve into the topic. We do,
however, know plenty about
the tomato’s nutritional
characteristics.
Nutrition
Cherry tomatoes have pretty much the same nutritional
profile as regular tomatoes, but these guys are just
more fun to eat. One cup of cherry tomatoes will keep
your immune system strong by providing 20 milligrams
of vitamin C. They are a good source of vitamin B-6,
which is known to improve brain function. They are a
good source of vitamin A, which is essential to keep your
eyes working properly and your white blood cells to
regenerating. They are also a good source of potassium,
an electrolyte and mineral that is necessary for proper
heart function.
The nutrient that really sets this fruit apart from other
foods is its presence of lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful
phytochemical that is linked to prevention of cancer and
other chronic diseases. It is far easier for our body to
absorb and implement when the tomatoes are cooked.
This makes foods like tomato sauce an extra good source of
lycopene.
The Mediterranean
diet is correlated to much lower risks
of skin cancer, and the prominence of tomatoes in
that diet is thought to be one of the main contributing
factors. It acts as an internal sun screen to protect skin
from sunburns and it also slows the aging of your skin.
Lycopene also improves cardiovascular health, protects
against macular degeneration, improves fertility in
men, helps prevent diabetes, and it protects against
osteoporosis.
The bottom line is that cherry tomatoes are an incredible
food for your health, especially if you enjoy spending
time under the big, bad sun. And lucky us, cherry
tomatoes taste incredible. Don’t believe me? Try this
pasta dish and tell me otherwise…
Linguini with Roasted Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon salt
8 ounces linguine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pints cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved
1/4 cup small basil leaves
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1
tablespoon salt. Add the pasta; cook 10 minutes
or until al dente. Drain.
3. Drizzle baking pan with olive oil and salt; bake
garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes for about
10 minutes or until the tomatoes are lightly
browned and begin to burst.
4. Combine pasta with tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive
oil, pepper to taste, and a pinch of salt.
5. Top with cheese and remaining basil.
Kid’s Corner
EDIBLE FLOWERS
by
Tessa McKnight
Did you know you can eat some flowers? Well, you
can. The vibrant colors, sweet smells and various petal
shape add such beauty to both the garden and plate.
Did you know that you most likely eat flowers on a
regular basis? Two popular flowers that we eat are
broccoli and cauliflower. When you eat these veggies
you’re actually eating unopened flower buds. If you
leave these plants in the garden after they mature,
you’ll see the tight buds slowly open into yellow
flowers. Guess what, you can eat those too!
nasturium
calendula
colorful violas
Grow Your Own!
Try some of the following flowers that are easy and
fun to grow yourself. You might even already have
some of these around your yard! The flowers listed
below grow great in the Pacific Northwest.
Kale Flowers are small and yellow with a similar
taste to broccoli. The buds as well as the flowers are
edible. You’ll have to be a little patient for these ones
though, because the flowers only come at the end of
the plant’s life cycle. If you grow kale over the winter,
so many edible flowers including
it will flower in the spring.
chive, day lily, violas, aruglua
arugula buds and flowers
Calendula is easy to grow and often re-seeds itself
– what a bonus! To eat these flowers, just remove the
petals. Add the bright yellow or orange petals to a
salad for a splash of color and vitamin A & C boost.
Arugula Flowers are another one
borage flowers
Get Creative with Edible Flowers
that you’ll have to be patient for as they
only appear once the plant bolts (goes • Decorate your salads and dinner plates with edible flowers. Invite your
friends to try this delight.
to seed). Arugula buds have a delicious
nutty flavor and the flowers are sweet • Make a flower infused mist! Take equal amounts of water and witch
and spicy. They are delicious on a salad!
hazel and place in a jar with flower petals of your choice. Let this
mixture sit for a couple of weeks. Once it’s done, strain out the flowers
Nasturtium Flowers are easy to grow
and put the liquid into a spray bottle. Mist on a freshly made bed to
and have beautiful blooms in yellow,
give it a lovely spring smell! You can also use this liquid as a facial toner.
orange, and red. You can eat every part
Just apply evenly on your face with a cotton ball and let dry.
of this plant: the petals, leaves and even
• Tie a bunch of flowers together at the stem and hang upside down to
stems. These flowers have a spicy flavor.
dry. These make lovely decorations and smell amazing! When it comes
Save the seeds to plant next year, or just
time to wrap a present, take a little clipping and tie a dried flower to
let them drop from the flowers and they
the front of your package.
will re-seed themselves.
• Use a flower press or a stack of heavy books and newspaper to press
your flowers. In a few weeks you will have beautifully flat flowers
Other Edible Flowers are violas,
that you can preserve for many different uses: mailing to a friend,
rose petals, lavender, chive flowers,
chrysanthemum, dill, carnations, borage,
scrapbooking, framing, gluing to a craft or journal. The list is endless!
squash blossom, lavender, mint...and • Decorate cakes or cupcakes with violas and calendula. It will be
the list goes on!
beautiful.
• Dry calendula petals, lavender, chamomile and mint for a sweet
relaxing tea blend.