The Garden Blog

For those who are keeping track, yes, it's been over a month since I last posted here on the garden blog. If it wasn't totally obvious from the fact I was last writing about May Day and we're just two weeks from the summer solstice, I would be able to tell because of my tomato plants. As you can see, they look nothing like the tomato seedlings in my last post. Not only are they almost reaching the top of the six-foot bamboo polls I bought to support them (which are working like a charm, in case you've ever thought about using them) but two already have a number of small green tomatoes getting their start in life. If you look closely in the photo below (taken last Saturday, June 4), you can see the little baby tomatoes on the Purple Russian. 

Part of the reason for my  absence from the blog (but not, I will point out, from my garden, which has been getting more attention from me this spring than last) is all the travel I did in May, starting at the Pierre in New York City, traveling through Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs and Marys Lake Lodge in Estes Park, and ending at Esalen Institute in Big Sur. On the surface, they may not have much in common but at each stop I found people making a conscious effort to either grow their own food or get that food from local organic sources. 

There is no place that does that better than Esalen Institute. Their gardens are quite simply spectacular and provide not only a feast for the eyes but one for the belly as well. I was there to take a workshop called The Land of Milk and Honey, where we learned how to make bread, cheese and honey (and really, does anything go better with fresh produce than bread, cheese and honey?). It was a wonderful reminder of the importance of the simpler things in life, whether it's making your own sourdough (which I can do now that I have my very own starter!) or coming home to find a number of baby tomatoes making their way in the world.

Happy May Day! As the celebration of agriculture and spring (and my mother's birthday!), it's the perfect time to catch up on what's new in the garden, right? As you can see from the photo, the tomato seedlings I put into the ground the first week of April have each grown about a foot. To keep them company, I recently added some basil seedlings I picked up at the Santa Barbara farmers market and Italian parsley and celery seedlings from the farmers market I go to in Santa Monica on Saturdays (Cloverfield and Pico). All are good companions for the tomatoes. Speaking of which: If you want a great reference for companion planting, try Carrots Love Tomatoes. Jeff got me a copy for Christmas and I've been referencing it all the time as I add to the garden.

The celery is something new for me. I'd never really considered growing it because I assumed you just waited until the whole plant emerged and picked it by the root and that was it. Seemed like a lot of work for just one bunch of celery. But then I heard this tip from a fellow gardener: There is no need to pick celery by the root. The plant can grow for more than a year. Just pick the ribs off and leave the little ribs connected to the roots in the ground to grow more celery. 

I love the idea that I can just take a few stalks at a time and let the plant keep growing. Similarly, here's a great tip to keep your tomato plants going from the folks at Tomatomania: With tomatoes growing fast and sturdy side branching inevitable, this year try creating a new plant with a cutting. Cut a six or seven-inch stem, soak the stem in water for a couple days, plant out (deeply) next to the parent or in a container.  Keep moist for a week or so. 

There is something about the spring that brings about thoughts of beginnings and endings. These are, of course, often exacerbated by events in our lives. For instance, tomorrow I'm attending the funeral for a friend who died recently after a sudden illness, while this morning I visited friends with a 15-month old. Ending meet beginning.

I was visiting my friends today to look at their yard and give suggestions on where they might put in a vegetable garden. Looking at some of the spaces they were considering made me realize how far my garden has come in just three years. Above is a photo taken a week ago. There's a lot to look at: the garlic on the right, which is about ready to be harvested; the rose bushes, continuing to bloom; the strawberry and tomato seedlings in the middle, which were just planted; the olive trees on the far left...

This is that same space (and those same olive trees) right after I first started working on it almost three years ago. Pretty dramatic difference, right? Perhaps it's that ability to bring life where there was none before that makes gardening such an enjoyable activity. It is definitely part of it and also something that brings solace during those times when an ending comes as unexpectedly as it did with my friend Nancy.

There are times in a gardener's life when a little inspiration is needed. At least that's the case with this gardener. Maybe it was the disappointment of last summer and fall -- with the gloomy weather inhibiting the usual bounty and the marauding squirrel taking off with everything else -- but I feel like I've been in maintenance mode for awhile now. I have done what needs to be done: keeping weeds at bay, cutting back the trumpet vine and roses (which never stopped blooming) and harvesting greens (mostly arugula). But I haven't put anything new into the garden in awhile.

That's where Tomatomania comes in.  I'd been posting their upcoming events on our Facebook page for awhile and, today, when they were in Encino, I made my way out there. It's hard not to be inspired when you're looking out at skads and skads of tomato seedlings. So I went a little wild and got some for the family as well. Jeff got the German Johnson (a coastal variety) for the bar garden at Big Dean's; my Mom (the traditionalist) got the Brandywine; sis and niece got the Pink Brandywine (a bit of sass added to tradition); and for my dad got the Pink Ping-Pong (just because). For myself, I got the Rose, the Purple Russian and Pineapple. As an added bonus, they were selling some organic seascape strawberry seedlings so I picked up two of those, plus some marigolds and soil amendments and bamboo sticks to support the tomatoes.

Now I can't wait to get to the garden and get them all in the ground. (Speaking of which, here are some great tips on getting the most out of those seedlings from Scott at Tomatomania.) Unfortunately, two things will make me wait: We're still experiencing cool rainy weather here in Southern California (not the best environment for tomato seedlings) and I'll be spending this week in Puerto Vallarta and want to put them in a week when I can check in a little more often (again, see Scott's tips). That's okay -- even if I have to wait a week to get these started it's nice to feel the excitement and eagerness come back. Hello Spring!

Ah, February. Here in Southern California, we've swung wildly weather-wise between blue skies and high temperatures in the 80s to rain and lows in the 40s. Brrr. And, yes, all of you who live in colder climates, it really is brrr as our houses are not built for anything outside of the 70-80 degree range.

In my community garden, this transition time has been marked by the fact that the Christmas poinsettia is still going strong but has been joined by the first blooms of my sweet peas. I say "my" sweet peas even though I didn't actually plant them. I meant to plant them but somehow November slipped by without me getting any seeds. Luckily I have a neighbor gardener who planted them and one day in January I found a volunteer. I gave the seedling the appropriate structure and, voila, I have sweet peas after all. I've also enjoyed a ton of lettuce and arugula and spicy greens this winter, and the soil I used the cover crop on is looking (and feeling) like it's ready for the beginning of spring and the crops that come with it. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, soon it will be time for tomatomania. Details to come.

Until then, I am happy to share the details of our new store on Cafe Press, which has all sorts of Gardens to Tables logo items to create. We have two sizes of the logo up on the site that you can attach to an apron, a farmers market tote, a t-shirt -- or even a little cozy for your little dog. I mean, really, what little dog doesn't want to prance around in Gardens to Tables wear as a way to remind them of our motto: grow what you make, make what you grow. Enjoy! http://cafepress.com/gardenstotables