Gonna Roast Peter Cottontail on a Stick

This morning when I went out to water my plants, my green beans looked like this, minus the plastic bottles....

A few hours later, I went out to pick weeds and my green beans now look like this....

The guilty rabbit was sitting in the middle of my neighbors yard mocking me. Now I have more lovely jugs over the surviving plants.

Mr. Cottontail will soon be introduced to Cleatus:)

Milk jugs and soda bottles

Wind is my biggest enemy out here on the beach! My tomatoes have only been in the ground for a couple of days and the forcast was calling for 15 to 20 mph gusts. Of course this was at 9:30pm when I heard the forcast and it was supposed to start blowing in the middle of the night. Luckily, this year I was prepared. I headed out with my flashlight and garbage bag of milk jugs and juice and soda bottles, while my husband shook his head in disbelief at his crazy wife. I was also in my pajamas. The wind has been blowing strong for three days and the covers have helped a little, but my tomatoes are looking a little rough. Hopefully they'll survive, but I've got plenty more seedlings in the house under the plant lights if I need them! Yep...crazy.

Even Cleatus has fun helping with the garden...

Lettuce!

We now have lettuce with our radishes! It's so fun to run out there while fixing dinner and pick a fresh salad. I've got loose leaf, head lettuce and spinach growing so far and have some romaine seedlings started. My spinach is growing really slow and may need an extra dose of nitrogen. Occasionally I'll put coffee grounds around them or pour diluted left over coffee in the soil but manure tea would probably be better. Manure tea provides a natural liquid fertilizer for nitrogen loving plants. Sounds disgusting but is an easy, cheap organic alternative to chemical fertilizers.


Manure Tea Recipe

1. Fill a metal bucket one-third full of composted manure (you can buy it in bags at any nursery). Or fill an old pillowcase or pantyhose with the manure

2. Add water to fill the bucket to the top

3. Let it steep for three to four days

4. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or other porous fabric into another container. Add any remaining solids to the garden or toss them into the compost bin.

5. Dilute the remaining liquid with water so it's the color of weak tea (about one cup of concentrate to one gallon of water)

6. Apply manure tea according to each plant's requirements

Our First Harvest

We have a radish! The first thing picked in 2010. I would say I split it down the middle, but my husband would probably disagree. Hopefully we'll have more ready in a few days.

Radishes like cold weather and moist soil and can be planted in early spring and fall. They also grow quickly (3 to 4 weeks) and can be planted in between rows of other slower growing vegetables. They should be sowed at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Mix composted manure in soil before planting and that should be enough for fertilizing. Radishes do not like a lot of nitrogen.

I noticed some funky looking leaves on one of the radishes and when I looked closer I found a lovely surprise under the leaves (see picture below). I believe they were aphids, and luckily were only on one plant so I just threw it out. I am not an organic gardener and admit I run to the Sevin Dust insecticide for bugs, but there are some other nonchemical treatment for aphids.


Natural Spray:
You can eliminate an aphid infestation by creating a natural spray from water, oil and dishwater soap. It is non toxic to humans and pets but it is highly effective in eliminating an aphid problem.

Eucalyptus Oil and Garlic Cloves:
Eucalyptus Oil can be sprayed directly onto flowers and it is more of a natural cure for aphids. It is a humane way of controlling aphids and it deters them rather than kills them. Garlic cloves are also effective in warding aphids and they should be rubbed along the plants leaves and stem.

Other Bugs:
Try ladybugs for serious aphid infestations. Place a newly purchased bag of ladybugs in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator while you go outside and water your garden. Release them during the evening hours to protect them from hungry birds.

Fragrant herbs such as basil are also deterents and can be planted within the garden to eliminate pests.

Radish Salad
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne
3 Tbs red-wine vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cups sliced radishes

Mix all ingredients and add radishes; toss lightly. Cover and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 hour, but not longer or radishes will get blotchy and fade.

Let the gardening begin

Last Spring, having been in the Outer Banks for just a few months, I needed to find a hobby. My wonderful husband helped me dig a small plot in the back yard to start a garden. Having grown up on a farm you would think I would be a natural at this, but there were some good lessons learned last year. I've always wanted to start a blog but had nothing of interest to write about. Now in my second year as a gardener and having gone through our local cooperative extension master gardener program, I sort of know what I'm doing. Maybe by sharing some of the things I learn as I go along, I can help some of my fellow gardeners.

Last year's plot was a small area with a just a few of each plant (tomatoes, squash, zucchini, green beans, red peppers, carrots, onions and lettuce). We had a great tomato harvest and a small harvest of the other stuff.

This year we have gone all out! My husband built several raised beds on each side of the house, along the back of the house and a flower bed in the front yard. So far in the ground are carrots, onions, spinach, several types of lettuce, kale, peas, sugar snap peas, radishes, strawberries, potatoes, watermelons, cantelopes and blueberry bushes. I've got tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and green beans to fit in somewhere. I've gone just a little bit crazy. I've got seedlings in the house under special plant lights. I save milk jugs, water bottles and soda bottles to cover my plants when the wind starts blowing, which out here on the beach happens a lot! I've even started a worm composter. Never did I think I would see a day when I would get excited about having a box of worms! It's been a lot of fun to learn about gardening and enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Last year's garden....

This year's garden....