Zucchini

Zucchini in North San Gabriel Valley.

I have found that two crops work well. The first plants seem to give up mid season. New plants are more vigorous. Each variety is a little different in flavor and optimal size - yellow, Italian variegated, medium and dark green. They are not always so good when allowed to grow very large. There becomes a big core of spongy seed down the middle. Watch out, they can grow an inch a day and hide.

There are of course many ways to take advantage of what sometimes seems to be A LOT of a crop. Zucchini is VERY versatile.

• Flowers - raw in a salad, sauteed with zucchini, stuffed.
• Pick them as babies with the flowers still in good condition. They are a good presentation gently steamed.
• Grill - slice cross wise very large ones, or length wise medium ones.
• Sweet bread - nothing better than this, I freeze loaves for off season.
• Saute alone or with anything else in the garden including herbs. Freeze in portion containers to use for soup or whatever else. Make ratatouille.
• Lasagna - using big zucchini cut in lengthwise strips replacing pasta strips.
• Stuffed - large zucchini cut in half. Core out the middle seed core, saute white onion to mix with panchetta and rosemary. Stuff and top with Parmesan before baking. Also, stuff with anything else including seasoned rice and tomatoes.
• Raw or barely steamed slices with salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar. Add to a salad.
• Casserole - bake with rice, cheese and tomato.
• Frittata - add some onion and a couple herbs, or whatever.

Tomato Blossom Drop

It is so disappointing to watch anxiously to see the first tomatoes forming and then see the blossoms missing. After all, they are not the first thing in the garden to ripen. So when blossoms drop, leaving little or no forming fruit, I (have to go to the Farmer's Market....) to have tomatoes to go with my basil and avocados.

I am starting to understand why I have more blossom drop than when I planted random plants around the townhouse grounds where I previously lived in the Sierra Madre area of No San Gabriel Valley. One of the causes is lower than 50F nighttime temps. The plants I had at the townhouse grounds had tree protection.

Once the fruit starts to get going, and it warms up, the plants start doing better. Also, some varieties are hardier than others. Cherry varieties seem to have less of this problem However, long spells of high heat can affect the blossoms.

Here is a summary of causes -

• Temp stress - higher than 85F daytime, higher than approx 70F at night and lower than 50F at night.
• Humidity - too low or too high. This is not typically a concern in our area.
• Too many blossoms - some loss is expected.
• Pollination - well, you know, not enough bees.
• Watering - deep water 1 - 2 times a week, do not water shallow.
• Over feeding - feeding lightly at planting and again when fruit starts to ripen is enough. Applying too much nitrogen in our efforts to make robust plants, can cause our own problems.
• Pests - control white flies, aphids, etc.
• Pruning - cut back some of the side shoots to force more energy into the blossom clusters.

Bounty 05.22.10

Today's pickings, hmmm what's for dinner.

Urban Homestead in No Pasadena

Highlighted in the Pasadena Star News, Home and Garden Section 05.15.10

This is a small urban farm that is self sufficient. Here are a couple of their sites.

http://www.peddlerswagon.com/
http://www.freedomseeds.org/

Bounty 05.15.10

Today's bounty - all but the sweet peas and lilac will go in salad

• *"Peter Pan" patty pan summer squash
• *Basil
• *Yellow and green pole and bush green beans
• *English cucumber
• *Chives
• *French tarragon - only a fraction of what is growing, these will be dried
• *Oregano - only a fraction of what is growing, these will be dried
• *Blueberries and raspberries - I ate them on the spot
• *Sweet peas - the fragrance
• *Lilacs - wonderful fragrance, low chill variety
• *Nasturtiums

FarmScape

Farmscape is on my list of sites to watch. I am making a separate entry about them. This is a unique service in the North San Gabriel Valley, and it is my dream job. Their business is booming.

Check it out.

http://www.farmscapegardens.com/#home

Corn Varieties

Spring Treat - Early and sweet. Large, 8 1/2 inch ears with succulent, yellow kernels with rich, corn flavor. The silk and tassels are maroon in color. Grow to about 5 ft with 1-3 ears per stalk.

Stowell's Evergreen - originally bred by Nathaniel Newman Stowell, born May 16, 1793 in New Ipswich, Massachusetts. After 150 years, this variety is still the leading white variety. Ears are 8-9" long with 1-2 ears per stalk.

Honey'n Pearl - All-America Selections winner is considered the premium bicolored corn. Each well-formed, 8 1/2-inch ears have honey-sweet pearly kernels.

Silver Queen - late-season with tenderness and flavor worth waiting for. Large ears are 9" long with white kernels, height 8'. Proven tops for productivity, flavor and wide adaptability.

Corn

The home garden is the only way to enjoy unusual heirloom varieties of corn. Even our wonderful Pasadena farmers market is not able to offer these. Their white and yellow varieties of sweet corn are a pretty good alternative, however.

Corn changes fast after picking because the sugars change into starch. This is a BIG reason to have it in your own garden. Stagger plantings so they do not all ripen at once.

These heirloom corn varieties can be eaten raw right when picked or steamed 2 minutes in a microwave vegetable steaming bag.

Good plant nurseries offer varieties that one would expect to do well in No San Gabriel Valley. There are even more varieties available as seeds. Even in our heat, corn needs to be in full sun.

As usual, even watering is a must and not overhead. Always water at the base. Harvest when husks are dark green, silks are dry and brown but still supple, and full-size kernels reach to or near the top of the ear. For most varieties, that will be about 20 days after the silks appear. I usually get one worn inside at the top for each ear. Have not discovered how to prevent this. I just cut the tip of the ear off.

Herbs

Everyone can have fresh herbs growing all year long. They are pretty and can fit into so many spots amongst ornamental shrubs and flowers as well as pots. Cook them into excess crop that will go into the freezer for winter use. The most fun thing is to go out and cut fresh herbs for the meal that is on the stove.

Rosemary - is perennial and will become a hedge if not kept under control. They can take almost any condition and are hearty all year. Neither heat nor full sun are a problem. Neither is some shade. Stronger branches can be used as skewers on the grill. There is nothing like fresh rosemary.


French Tarragon - grows very fast in long and soft cascading branches. It is so fragrant and can easily be dried for winter use is desired. In the winter, the branches brown, just cut it back. Likes some protection from late afternoon sun.

Sage - another hearty one that takes lots of heat and sun. It does get a little scraggly in winter. In the spring it should be trimmed back and shaped. It also can be dried easily if desired. Watch for pests that might like to nibble.

Oregano - good all year. Although plant should be cut back in winter, there is still enough to cut. It is much better the rest of the year and grows pretty flower sprigs. Fills out fast into beautiful light green branches starting in spring.

Thyme - another strong growing perennial. It flowers a lot in spring. It is easy to cut back to keep under control. It does well in heat and sun.

Chives - are pretty good perennials. For me they grow well most of the year. In the late fall, they are cut back to the ground. In spring they start to grow fast and produce purple flowers.

Basil - annual for sure! In fall they just drop their leaves, roll over and die. They easily get too hot in No San Gabriel Valley and do well with afternoon shade. The heat and sun stunt them and can make them bitter. I found it best to plant two times in the growing season. BE SURE to pinch back the flowers and cut some often to use. If it is not cut regularly, it just gets woody, leggy and bitter. Use it up making pesto that can be frozen in portions. It is easy and can last a long time!

Marjoram - another good one. It might have to be replanted each year.

Parsley - flat leaf or curly there is nothing like always having this around. It will grow for a full year and does very well through the winter. By early spring replant.

Mint - great to have around, just control it from spreading everywhere.

North San Gabriel Valley Farmers Markets

When there is nothing in the backyard garden or you just want Gaviota strawberries, do not forget about all the terrific Farmers Markets in the No San Gabriel Valley. Some are more like carnivals + market. The best and serious one by far is on Saturday mornings at Pasadena High School.

Others are in Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Duarte and other parts of Pasadena. These are all on various different days.

http://www.farmernet.com/events/cfms

Eggplants

There are 3 common types of eggplants - elongated, oval and white.

Large Oval
Black Beauty - is the most familiar. Besides being large and oval, this variety is shiny, dark purple with wonderful firm fruit. It cuts into big slices.
Rosa Bianca - an Italian heirloom with meaty, full flavor. It is large and oval, with creamy, lavender and rosy color streaks. Fruit is white and sweet with no bitterness.

Elongated
Japanese/ Asian - the most common in No San Gabriel Valley. They like the heat, are long and thin with dark purple-black shiny color, very productive.

White
Lavender Touch - long shape with pastel lavender and white color. Easy to grow and taste best when picked young.

Care
Need consistent watering and moisture. Regulated drip works well, too. Do not overdo the sun. Remember, in No San Gabriel Valley it gets hot. Eggplant can do with some shade from late afternoon.

Pests and Disease
Exclude flea beetles and cutworms. Pull weeds.

Harvest
Know the size the fruit should be and pick earlier. Eggplant is best on the younger side. Otherwise, they can be tough, bitter and have lots of seeds. If the skin springs back when pressed with a finger, they are ready.