There are still so many delicious, organic greens ready for picking in my vegetable greenhouse.
This time of year, my gardeners are busy planting our crops in the outdoor vegetable gardens, but it's nice to know there are many fresh, delicious vegetables thriving inside my special vegetable greenhouse located behind my Equipment Barn. We practice succession planting in order to keep the produce coming. This process involves following one crop with another in order to maximize a garden's yield. Yesterday, we picked some wonderful greens to enjoy over the long holiday weekend.
Enjoy these photos.
The construction of my vegetable greenhouse in 2008 was inspired by Eliot Coleman, an expert in four-season farming. It uses minimal artificial heat – in fact, most of its energy comes directly from the sun through the giant windows, and it successfully grows a variety of hardy crops.
The vegetables always grow so nicely inside this greenhouse. Just look at these beautiful lettuce heads.
I always grow lots of lettuce, so I can share them with my daughter and her children. I love fresh lettuce. It’s a real treat to have lettuce like this all year long.
Here’s our parsley. Parsley is a flowering plant native to the Mediterranean. It derives its name from the Greek word meaning “rock celery.” Celery is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. We grow flat leaf and curly parsley.
Parsley is one of the most commonly used herbs with its mild flavor and pleasant aroma.
This is curly parsley. This comes from the same family, but curly parsley leaves are thicker and ruffled. Some also say its flavor is a bit stronger in curly parsley than in the flat-leaf varieties.
Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, is also known commonly as coriander or Chinese parsley. Coriander is actually the dried seed of cilantro. Cilantro is a popular micro-green garnish that complements meat, fish, poultry, noodle dishes, and soups.
Look at this beet – ready to pick! Beets are sweet and tender – and one of the healthiest foods. Beets contain a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support.
The gorgeous Swiss chard stalk colors can be seen from afar. They are so vibrant with stems of yellow, red, rose, gold, and white. Chard has very nutritious leaves making it a popular addition to healthful diets.
The most common method for picking is to cut off the outer leaves about two inches above the ground while they are young, tender, and about eight to 12 inches long.
Here is a yellow stemmed Swiss Chard. Look at its giant leaves – so perfect.
I also grow a lot of spinach. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. We use a lot of spinach at the farm for my green juice – a must-have every morning of the year.
New Zealand spinach is a trailing plant that forms a mat of triangular soft fleshy foliage. It is not the same as true spinach, in fact the two plants are not related but can be used fresh or cooked in the same way.
Last summer, my gardeners planted five of my fig trees in the vegetable greenhouse where they can live all year long in a controlled setting. If you enjoy growing an unusual fruit crop that’s delicious and nearly trouble free, consider figs. Figs will grow well unprotected in zones 8 to 10, and also in colder areas if given good care and proper winter protection.
Celery is part of the Apiaceae family, which includes carrots, parsnips, parsley, and celeriac. Its crunchy stalks make the vegetable a popular low-calorie snack with a range of health benefits.
I also use a lot of celery in my green juice. Here is Enma picking several stalks along with their nutritious leaves.
There are even a few carrots to pick. This greenhouse has 16 wooden garden boxes to fit the entire length and width of the space, so we are able to plant many crops. Raised bed gardening allows good drainage, prevents soil compaction, and provides protection for those plants that may otherwise get trampled.
These are scallions. Scallions have a milder taste than most onions. Close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onions. Growing scallions is actually easier than growing onions since they have a much shorter growth period. Varieties sown in spring can be harvested just 60 to 80 days after planting or when transplants reach about a foot tall.
On the wall are the beautiful blooms of passion flower, Passiflora incarnata – a climbing vine with flower bases supporting five or 10 petals in a flat or reflex circle. They can be woody or herbaceous. Flowers come in several different colors including lavender, blue, white, pink, and red.
Enma was able to harvest quite a bit. Thanks, Enma! There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh organic vegetables from one’s own garden – inside or out.
It's always a joy to see beautiful potted plants displayed around the farm during the warm season.
Every year, I take out many of my outdoor ornamental urns and fill them with plants. They do so well outside in the summer months and look great arranged around my home. Yesterday, my gardeners filled several planters in front of my carport with various plants - echeveria, Selaginella, sword ferns, lady palms, and others. These plants are among the first I see when I walk out of the house and some of the last I see when I return.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This concrete trough is located on the stone wall outside my carport. I like to place a variety of planters outside my home and fill them with warm weather specimens. Here, one can see that the drain holes are already covered with pottery shards for drainage and to prevent any soil mix from escaping.
Earlier this spring, the planter was lined with a piece of all-purpose garden fabric or weed cloth to protect the interior of the planter and to make it easier to empty after the season ends.
The trough was also filled with a good quality potting soil. Using a proper soil mix will help to promote faster root growth and give quick anchorage to young roots.
Pete fills several more containers with potting mix on the opposite side of the carport. Doing this in a production line process is quick and efficient. It also helps to ensure there is an equal amount of soil medium in each vessel.
Next – it’s planting time. Pete pots up some Selaginella.
Selaginella is a species of vascular plant in the family Selaginellaceae. It is referred to by the common name spike moss and is mostly found in the tropical regions of the world. Selaginella species are creeping plants with simple, scale-like leaves on branching stems.
It’s so nice to see these pots filled with lush green plants. Spike moss foliage is a vibrant green color. It loves high humidity and indirect light – this will be a perfect summer spot for them.
To protect the rather porous and fragile pots and to simplify the removal in autumn, Brian places this sword fern still in its plastic container.
Brian top dresses the urn with more potting mix. The sword fern plant prefers light to deep shade, but will do well in full sun if watered regularly in summer.
Native to North America, the Western sword fern gets its name from its elongated blade-like fronds. The robust, handsome leaves can grow several feet long and have as many as a hundred leaves. In fact, long ago on the California coast, Native American Miwoks used the long, sturdy fronds to thatch structures. I have lots of ferns here at the farm – in my gardens and in pots.
As each specimen on the ledge is planted, Brian tamps the soil down to prevent any air holes.
Next, Pete sprinkles a handful of plant food in every pot – a very important part of gardening. I always say, “if you eat, so should your plants.” Each planter gets a sprinkling of Osmocote – small plant food particles known as prills.
Osmocote prills contain a core of nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. As the plant’s root system takes-up nutrition from the soil, it also takes up the needed nutrients from the Osmocote.
Small wooden shims are used to lift all the planters off the ledge. This is very important for good drainage. All the pots around the farm are always raised. We save any usable pieces of wood from year to year for this purpose.
The troughs are now filled with succulents. Succulents are mostly native to arid regions and store water in their fleshy leaves, stems, and roots, enabling them to resist drought. The round antique ornamental containers are planted with sago palms.
Succulents have relatively shallow root systems so they don’t need a lot of soil.
Echeverias are some of the most attractive of all succulents and they are highly valued by plant enthusiasts for their gorgeous colors and beautiful shapes. The leaves are also fleshy and have a waxy cuticle on the exterior. The echeveria plant is slow growing and usually doesn’t exceed 12 inches in height or spread.
The sago palm, Cycas revoluta, is a popular houseplant known for its feathery foliage and ease of care. Native to the southern islands of Japan, the sago palm goes by several common names, including Japanese palm, funeral palm, king sago, or just plain sago palm. Sago palms are cycads, one of the most ancient plants that have been around since prehistoric times.
Finally, Brian gives every plant a good drink. It’s always important to water after planting, transplanting and potting. It is a good way to avoid transplant shock, and will help the plant settle in to its new location.
I love how these ledges look. These plants will thrive here all season long where they will get ample sun and light shade. The gardens and all my plants are looking so beautiful.
Developing a garden takes a lot of planning, time, and patience, but come next year, I'll have more gorgeous azaleas blooming than ever before here at my Bedford, New York farm.
Last weekend, I purchased 150 beautiful azaleas from White's Nursery in Germantown, Maryland. White’s Nursery specializes in azaleas as well as rhododendrons. All the plants are for my new azalea grove - a garden I designed along two sides of the carriage road between my Summer House and my stable. We've already planted more than 370 azaleas in this area - shades of pink, orange, crimson, yellow, and white. I just love azaleas! Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays. I am so excited to see this garden mature.
Enjoy these photos.
Last weekend, White’s Nursery in Germantown, Maryland hosted a big Spring Open House to sell some of their plants – I am glad we didn’t miss it!
Look at all the gorgeous blooms. White’s Nursery has more than 350 varieties of evergreen azaleas such as Glenn Dale, Bowie Mill, Satsuki, Robin Hill and many others. In addition, they also carry a wide selection of deciduous and native azaleas such as Calendulaceum, Chop Tank, Great Balls of Fire, Lemon Drop, Red Pepper, and some fragrant varieties.
All of the plants are grown right on site. Owner, Mike White, and I discussed my garden needs and he helped select the best specimens.
We picked all the plants up in my large trailer. Here, the plants are getting a good watering before the five hour ride back to my Bedford farm.
Once they arrived, I placed them in the garden where they would be planted. They were organized by color and variety.
We placed them strategically along the carriage road – keeping like colors together and always keeping the plant’s mature size in mind. Azaleas prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. Hot all-day sun can stress the plants and make them more susceptible to pests.
With so many plants to get in the ground, it is important to work quickly and efficiently. Pasang worked on digging the holes. The holes are made at least twice the size of the root ball about to be planted. Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter.
Then each plant is placed into its designated hole.
As each specimen is planted, a good handful of fertilizer is dropped into every hole and mixed with the existing soil. I always use an all-natural fertilizer to aid transplant survival and increase water and nutrient absorption.
Phurba uses a hori hori to scarify the roots of this specimen. A hori hori is a Japanese-inspired tool with a double-edged, rust-resistant blade that’s serrated on one side and sharpened on the other. It is great for cutting through tough roots. Scarifying stimulates root growth.
Then he manually breaks up the bottom of the root ball. Essentially, he breaks up small portions to loosen the roots a bit and create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new environment.
Next, the plant is placed into the hole and then checked to be sure it is at the right depth.
Phurba ensures the best side of the plant is facing the road and then backfills the hole. Azaleas have short root systems, so they can easily be transplanted in spring or early fall.
Here it one all planted – and it has a lot of room to grow and spread. Some azaleas, including native types, can reach towering heights of 20 feet or more. Dwarf azaleas grow two to three feet tall, and many garden azaleas stay four to six feet in height with as wide a spread.
The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Leaves of most azaleas are solid green with a roughly long football-shape.
Some of the plants are blooming so beautifully. Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe, and North America. These plants can live for many years, and they continue to grow their entire lives.
This is an evergreen azalea developed by hybridizer Joe Klimavicz. This one has two-inch wide pink ruffled blooms.
Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals. The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center. The leaves are often evergreen with wooly undersides.
Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping rounded petals. They can also be flat, wavy or ruffled. Many azaleas have two to three inch flowers and range in a variety of colors from pink to white to purple, red, orange and yellow.
The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so you can see their flower colors and forms.
Lastly, Pasang walks to every azalea and gives it a good thorough drink. Whenever watering, be sure to focus on the root zone – it’s the roots that need access to water, not the leaves.
I just love how the rich bold colors of azaleas look in the gardens. All these new azaleas are great additions to this new and developing grove. As the saying goes in the plant world… “first year sleep, second year creep, and third year leap.” I can’t wait to see it this time next year!
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