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The Plant Lady

Music Garlic

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Music Garlic is from the Continental subgrouping of the Ophioscorodon or Hardneck subspecies of garlic.

I purchased some bulbs from Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply in September of 2008. They described this variety as easy to grow with classic garlic flavor, and very cold hardy. They have pink to purple clove skins and are easy to peel. The cloves, though there's only 4 to 6 per clove, are large.

They didn't get in the ground until November, but they were all still looking good. I planted them about 12" apart in rows about 12 to 16" apart. Here they are in early January, 2.5 months after planting: Garlic in January, 2.5 months after planting

 In late March I planted potatoes in between the rows of garlic, thinking the garlic would be done by the time the potatoes really start to grow. It is working out well, so far...it's the end of May and I'm already harvesting the garlic. A few of my potatoes are blooming, so they are trying to grow. Time to speed up the garlic harvesting.

Yesterday i harvested my first garlic. They were both Musics and look great. One of them I chose because the stock had totally died back, and I thought it was probably rotting down there, but it was just fine! Good sized with 4 cloves--which were big cloves, too! The taste was okay, but my research shows that they develop more flavor during curing.

The other garlic I chose to pull up was unique because it was forming a bulb about 6" above the ground. it was also a Music variety. Inside the above-ground bulb were two mini cloves growing a green stalk about 8" tall within the dying stalk of the below-ground bulb. I will try to plant it to see if it grows, but it doesn't have any roots, since I snapped it off the neck of the below ground one. Pictures are below.

 

Peaceful Valley was accurate in their description; they were very easy to peel...and had purple sheaths...and there were 4 cloves. If they were completely ripe when i pulled them up, they only took 7 months to develop. From my research I expected them to mature later than some of the other varieties I am growing...maybe they are all ready! 

Last Updated on Sunday, 31 May 2009 18:39
 

Onion & Leek Transplant Experiment

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Onions & Leeks are often purchased as bareroot stock, ready to be planted into your garden. These bareroots should be kept moist and cool until you are ready to plant them. In the event that the onions or leeks cannot be planted within a week or so, they should be heeled in. Heeling in is done by digging a v-shaped trench in a shady, sheltered location. Lay the bareroot stock with the roots in the trench. You can leave the bunch tied together here. Then cover with soil. They should keep this way for several months, but the recommendations are for not more than a few weeks. The idea is to keep them dormant until you are ready to put them where they need to be.

I had some onions and leeks that i had to heel in a few months ago...actually, it was 8 months ago. They have definitely come out of dormancy. oops.

I pulled them up yesterday to plant in their real place in the garden. We decided to trim their green tops and their roots, just like you do when you are planting bareroot stock. Some of them were even flowering already. They are all planted, so we'll see if they sprout...or rot! 

 

Last Updated on Monday, 25 May 2009 14:48
 

Tomatoes: Varieties

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Varieties Available: 

  • Better Boy
    • F1 disease resistance
    • large fruits
    • huge crops of fine tasting tomatoes (NCG)
    • Heat tolerant (TKG)
  • Bonny Best
    • great tasting
  • Brandywine
    • most famous; 
    • heirloom; 
    • great tasting
    • amish cultivar; originated in Pennsylvania's Brandywine River Valley; 
Last Updated on Friday, 27 March 2009 02:32 Read more...
 

Shallots

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  1. Soil Requirements for Shallots:
    • pH: although they are very tolerant, and can grow in 5.0-7.0 soils, they prefer 6.0-6.8
    • fertile soil
    • well-drained
    • looser soil equals bigger shallots
    • use fully broken down compost, from either animal or vegatable sources, but no cedar or redwood
    • shallots need ample phosphorus
  2. Pests:
    • gophers love shallots
    • prevention:
      • wire traps or chicken wire under the bed
  3. Propagation of Shallots:
Last Updated on Friday, 22 May 2009 15:07 Read more...
 

Onions

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Growth Requirements of Onions: 

  1. Soil:
    • loose & well-drained soil
    • high fertility
    • slightly acidic
    • onions grow bigger in very loose soil
    • animal or vegetable compost matter is good, but must be fully broken down
    • cedar or redwood compost is not acceptable
  2. Sun: full sun
  3. Diseases:
    • smut 
    • downy mildew 
    • pink root 
    • longer than 2 years between crop site is even better
Last Updated on Monday, 25 May 2009 14:49 Read more...
 
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