One Alaskans greenhouse

[digitS']

The purpose is to toughen up the skins before digging

I do that but we harvest some plants for new potatoes. So, we see that skin on both sides of those 2 weeks. For some varieties, that cutback and time is very, very important.

Late varieties, we can probably wait for frost and harvest 2 weeks after. Early varieties here, we risk foliage dying down from senescence and then, growth beginning again – when it interferes with Winter storage.

We are happy that they aren't sprayed with chemicals to kill that foliage as will be done in a commercial operation.

Steve

 

[heirloomgal]

With 1.5 inches of rain predicted over the next 3 days, it seemed prudent to work the potato’s over. Each year about this time when the vines are going downhill, i clear cut everything down to just stubs. Then add some hoops and a piece of plastic over it all. The purpose is to toughen up the skins before digging and since i dig by hand having the soil a little dryer is nice too!
This is the start of harvest for us. I’ll dig the “taters” in a couple weeks and lift the carrots, beets and parsnips between now and then.
This is kind of like “report card” time for me; how’d i do? What can i do better? Etc.
Exciting stuff for sure and a lot of “Thank you Lord” moments along the way.

In the greenhouse i trimmed back the new tomato growth, preferring the plant put the effort into ripening the hanging fruit.

Looking ahead there’s 4” long Cukes on the vines in the bathtub upstairs and about 1/3 of next years seed has arrived and been stored!

I see some chard still standing in the foreground, are you finding the leaves still good to eat or have they toughened? I made lasagna the other day with lots of chard and was impressed that though the leaves seemed a bit glossier and stiffer the older leaves were still tender when cooked. The younger leaves however seemed far too tough to eat when I chewed a piece in the garden?

 

[Alasgun]

The Chard’s fine, last year we discovered just how much frost it can stand too! Typiclly the last thing standing is Kale which (under cover) will still be there and edible into December! Previously i’d get tired of digging it out of the snow and give up on it about then.

The Chard was completely useable into November, a little wilty but no appreciable change in the taste on texture; once cooked. We steam both the Chard and Kale.
I wish it were as easy to “store” as the Kale but we’ve not found a good way to do that. There’s 2 side by side and 3 stand alone Freezers on the place and each of them has it’s storage allotment and Chard is pretty low on the totem pole which is the biggest factor in not attempting to store some.

 

[Alasgun]

The rains are here, as predicted so after a quick stroll thru the garden gathering some Rabbit fodder i went to work on the Compost. Being completely under roof has been a valuable up-grade and except for the exertion of forking it by hand; it was a pleasant place to hang out for a couple hours.
Both were turned and still appear to be working strong based on the steam coming forth. All the Potato vines were added to this years bin and in the near future it will get a “big gulp” of inputs as we transition thru fall.
Last year’s bin is getting just about ready to grind. I’ll turn it once more in a week or so and anytime after that it will be ready for a trip thru the hammer-mill and on to the beds.

While foraging for Bunny breakfast i check in on the 2nd crop Broccoli and see 8-10 that will finish in plenty of time. We blanched and froze the take from the first 32 plants and are wanting to just eat these fresh.
At the carrot bed i notice a lot of silver dollar size carrot heads looking up at me too!

 

[ducks4you]

Compost tea comes in more flavors than ice cream and many folks brew and use an “anaerobic” (non aerated) tea like you are describing. The Queen of non aerated teas is to simply place a good handful of Comfrey in a bucket of water and wait till the water turns black; or the smell makes you doubt your sanity!
I refer to these teas an “nutrient teas”. On a scale of 1-10 these teas will come in under a 5 in comparison to an aerated “aerobic”Tea.

no microbes in one and lots of “home grown” microbes in the other. I attached an very elementary Rodale link which gives good (beginner’s) instruction for each.

Over the years i’ve helped numerous folks up their garden game if they are Organic minded and the first thing that comes out of my mouth is “learn how to make good Compost tea”. Now days im good enough at it to tell when the tea is mature without resorting to a microscope.

It’s simpler than you'd think and all plants love your efforts!

Compost Tea: A How-To Guide - Rodale Institute

The use of compost is keyto a regenerative organic system. Learn how compost tea delivers nutrients directly to plants.

rodaleinstitute.org

I accidentally made some lovely compost tea this summer when I left straw in a bucket and forgot about it. It got rained on turned into lovely tea. Doesn't go as far as you want it to.

 

[Alasgun]

@ducks4you, i have both a 13 and a 55 gallon brewer so when i set up to make tea there’s always plenty to go around.

I call the 55gal brewer “the Big Bopper” because when it’s running the rhythmic thump is easily heard in the house and it reminds me of some background music of Jerry Lee Lewis. (The Big Bopper)!

P.s, i just picked on you some over on the getting old thread too.

 

[Alasgun]

All but 4 of these are from my Celebrity. In an effort to maximize the light over the next couple weeks; several of these were picked a wee bit early to take the burden off the plant, who’s efforts can go to the remaining fruit. And, after today when we finish saucing; we can put the canner away till Applesauce time.

 

[Alasgun]

Today i gathered in the Comfrey which after drying will be ground and stored for use in Compost tea and as soil amendment's for the real special stuff! Hopefully by next year my harvest will be great enough to include it with the Kelp and Fish bone meal that all garden beds get.

 

[Alasgun]

Last year i ran out of Horseradish because i only ground 1 qt. So, this year i dug roughly twice that.
After processing it gets poured into ice cube trays and frozen, allowing me to keep 2 or 3 cubes in a pimento jar in the fridge. Im the only one who eats it.

** Later in the day “after the smoke cleared” i realized id dug far more than i needed! Everything to the right of the big root, including the root sections i trimmed off the big one made 3 pints; which should be about right. I gave the big one to some friends who will stick it back in the ground and have a little patch of their own, next year.

And while the wife was in town And i had the blender dirty; i blended up a big handful of yesterdays Comfrey leaf’s, enough with the water to fill a gallon jar. Then warmed it up like i would a pot of tea and let it set. Once some fermentation takes place ( a couple weeks) it will be useable as a foliar or a soil drench.
Right now everythings still doing fine with just the Lacto / Kelp foliar feeding; by adding the Comfrey tea to the mix i’m pretty sure i’ll be able to finish out the season (mid January) with nothing else!
This is not an aerated tea and more like what @ducks4you was describing earlier - just a nutrient brew , no big microbe population boost!

I added a link for the Comfrey tea and like most of these articles there are tons of variables but at the end of the day the sky’s the limit as to ways you can change it up. For example; you can use Alfalfa instead of Comfrey and get a very useful nutrient tea as well!

How to Make and Use Comfrey Tea Fertilizer | Gardener’s Path

Learn to make your own comfrey tea fertilizer, an organic, easy, and free way to feed your plants and recycle nutrients back into the soil. Read more now.

gardenerspath.com

 

[Dahlia]

Last year i ran out of Horseradish because i only ground 1 qt. So, this year i dug roughly twice that.
After processing it gets poured into ice cube trays and frozen, allowing me to keep 2 or 3 cubes in a pimento jar in the fridge. Im the only one who eats it.

We make California rolls now and then and horseradish goes well with that!