The Garden Blog

Today is a cool (I won't say cold as we're in the 50s and, as you can see from the previous blog post, I was recently in Canada where they considered our 20-something-degree weather quite balmy), gray drizzly day here in Southern California. But the last few weeks we've also had our share of freakishly hot weather. I say freakish because the 80-degree temps came in the middle of a number of other cool and rainy weeks, not because we won't get them; almost every year we get a freakishly hot week or two in January or February. They're caused by what's known as a Santa Ana condition, which is when hot winds come from the northeast deserts instead of from the ocean. But I digress. The hot dry weather in the middle of all the wet weather definitely had its effect on the garden. As you can see from this photo from one of my neighbors in the community garden, her tulips have decided that it is spring, baby.

This mix of wet and sunny winter weather this year has meant I that could be kind of a lazy gardener this season -- while looking like I'm doing a lot more than I am. Except for the occasional foray to harvest or cut back weeds, I'm quite simply not all that necessary. My lettuces (esp. the arugula) are going crazy. I'm able to go and pluck up carrots and radishes from seeds planted last fall for my salads and sandwiches. And I'm getting a lot of volunteers as well, and not just the lettuce I allowed to bolt. If you look at this photo of my garden taken last week, look toward the center at the green stakes -- those are to hold up small tomato plants that have volunteered from last year's crop.

Tomatoes magically erupting out of the ground on their own. I think you'll have to agree it's a definite sign that spring is on its way.

I am back from my trip to the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario, and the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Quebec -- and happy to report that both were serving farm-to-table produce in their restaurants. It being January in Canada, that's pretty impressive, as was the Byward Market in Ottawa, which offers all sorts of fresh local fare -- plus, okay, the fried dough that is a BeaverTail (one of the local faves). Just to show that I was in Canada in January, here is a photo of me participating in that most Canadian of sports: curling. Oh yeah, I curled.

Back in Santa Monica, I was surprised to see just how fast the white ginger I picked up in Maui (in the red container to the left) had grown in less than three weeks. It's obviously a happy camper in my kitchen window but even more impressive because it was an impulse airport kiosk purchase.

My community garden is also doing really well. This photo was taken on February 3 and the difference between what it looks like this year and what it looked like last year at this time (see blog post dated April 7, 2009) is remarkable. Some of that is probably due to the torrential rains that kept it well hydrated in my absence but, as a friend was nice enough to say recently, it might also be that I'm becoming a better all-season gardener (that's not to say a "good" all-season gardener but a better one). The greens I put in as seeds during the late fall months are going nuts - as are the lettuces I allowed to bolt at the end of the summer, plus some wildflowers I didn't know had volunteered. From seeds I planted last fall, I've also been getting some radishes and can see some carrots poking their little orange heads out. The onions and garlic will take more time. Still, for February I think it's quite a happy garden, don't you?

...and, no, I'm not talking about the one trapped on the island with Gilligan. I'm also not talking about the hair color or its reference in a "South Park" episode (I'd say a controversial "South Park" episode but I think that's somewhat redundant, don't you?). No, I'm talking about the root, which seems to be the ingredient of choice for many a trendy signature cocktail and all sorts of other dishes as well. 

On our way back from Maui, we noticed ginger being sold at the airport so I decided that perhaps I should learn what goes into growing this little root and bought a White Ginger root, along with a Blue Ginger root, which it ends up is not a ginger at all but a tropical plant that resembles ginger. So, here are the two gingers -- the white and the fake blue -- planted in their starter containers along with the rose and lavender cuttings and the last Marina di Chioggia melon I harvested from my garden during a big clean-out (below right). It's definitely a time of transition in the garden so I figured it could use a good hair cut and that's what it got. 

In related news, the first day I was home from Maui I had voice-mail messages from the city of Santa Monica saying they'd never received my community garden contract or payment for the year. That's probably because they never sent me the contract or request for payment. So I ran over the next morning and made sure the contracts were signed and the payment received -- heaven forbid I have to take a stand to defend my "land." Then this weekend I did the clean-out and somewhere along the line lost my garden key. The garden's in great shape, it's supposed to rain here in Southern California all week and and I'm off on a trip to Quebec until next Sunday so hopefully between now and then the key will show up and, who knows, maybe I'll have some agricultural goodie from Canada that's being used in all their trendy signature cocktails to plant alongside the ginger.

There are few ways better to start a new year than with a trip to Maui. I think that's just a given. This year, it was particularly brilliant (to borrow an adjective from the British) as there are few places that represent the GardenstoTables ideal like Maui does -- with so much agricultural abundance and so many of the restaurants and hotels embracing the farm-to-table model. I'm going to be putting together a guide for the Travel section of the site on restaurants across the island that use local produce based on the places Jeff and I experienced on our trip and suggestions from friends -- but if any of you reading this have favorites you'd like to include, feel free to send them in to ann@gardenstotables.com.

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting Chef Marc McDowell (pictured above left). As an accomplished chef who has become a passionate gardener after putting in an extensive kitchen garden at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, McDowell really exemplifies what we've been trying to do on this site. Chef Marc made sure we were well fed during our stay, which culminated in a fabulous dinner at their signature restaurant, The Banyan Tree, where Chef Ryan Urig (pictured here with Marc in the herb garden) put together a his and hers tasting menu that was simply spectacular. The custom tasting menu is something Chef Ryan does for any guest who requests it and highlighted both his skill in the kitchen and the fresh herbs and vegetables growing on the property.

Like I said, not a bad way to start the new year.

Well, we've reach the nice even-sounded 2010. Monk would be happy. All you TV viewers out there will appreciate that. Of course, we're not talking TV here, we're talking gardens and the beginning of the year is kind of the beginning of all that is possible in the garden. But first a little 2009 wrap-up, which highlights this adorable poinsettia, which was a remnant of the 2008 holiday season that I rescued. In the early days of 2009 it was starting to be seriously unhappy in its pot so I gave it a little spot in the garden and, as you can see, it showed its appreciation by bringing the garden a little Christmas cheer in December.

Otherwise, the garden is doing well -- much more going on than there was last year at this time. I've still got one Marina di Chioggia growing on that crazy vine, which I did cut back a bit once I harvested the other one. This will be three I got from that one little seed, which is pretty amazing. The roses are still blooming and I've been enjoying radishes and lettuces I just put in a month or so ago. Hopefully soon will be adding carrots plus, later, some onions and garlic to that list.

Although the basil are pretty much finished I'm letting the last few bushes (both lemon and Italian) continue volunteering, both because this way we'll get some early sprouts next year and also because the bees seem to love them. Plus today I saw a lady bug hanging out on the lemon basil. Not only does anything that makes a lady bug happy make me happy but I figure it's good omen for the year. Happy new year in the garden, everybody!