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Week of March 7th
 
A ton of work went into the garden this week, all culminating in a huge work push this weekend.  Photos are on the following page. If you have questions you can contact us @: info@kitchengardenfoods.com
 
This weekend we got a chance to finish the woven hurdles around the central herb beds. I finished the rock wall on Saturday, but I think I will continue it on towards the right, over to the compost bins. Finishing the wall allowed me to till in front of it. I was able to till in some rich compost and chicken manure to help break up the clay soil there. This can sit a few weeks before we plant tomatoes, zucchini, basil and cilantro there. We are hoping the stones in the wall will act like a heat sink to allow these plants to develop more fully than in past years. We are costal, and our growing season is short. Though our days are long and hot during the summer, before and after the days are short and cool. There is often heavy marine fog in the Spring and Autumn as well. With the trellis-wall in front and the stones around, we are hoping to create a hotter micro-climate. We do have a hotter garden area about 5 minutes down the road, but it is not practical to run down there for herbs, or salad greens. This experiment will allow us to use a neglected space and develop it into something vital and productive.

We moved three neglected and stunted kiwi plants to the front of the trellis/fence where we hope they will get better nutrients and more heat/sun. I am hoping they will take off this year. The hops, which should be coming this week, will also go along this fence.
Ran down to the sawmill at the corner of our property for sawdust for the paths. We really wanted to go with stones or slate here, but the sawdust didn't cost anything. We will also have the ability to change it easier once we do find the path material we want to stick with.
Sunday morning we went a bit mad with seed catalogues and ordered a ton more varieties.
We use these seed companies because they sell varieties selected for our zone.
TOMATILLO
 TUSCAN KALE - ORGANIC
GIANT ITALIAN PARSLEY
 Mizuna - Organic
GREEN SPRAY - MIBUNA
Exotic Mixed Bunch Onion--leeks, torpedo reds, cippolini
Nasturtium-Tip Top Mahogany
Nasturtium-Tip Top Alaska
Shallots:
   Gray Shallots
   Sante Shallot
   Bonilla Shallot seeds
   Oregon Blue
   Germidour
Garlic--2 hardneck, 2 softneck
  Purple Glazer - Organic
  Killarney Red - Organic
  Hamburg
  Melissa
Horseradish Roots
Rat Tailed Radish
Mammoth Red Clover- ground cover
Red Mulch for tomatoes
Tarragon - French
White Button Mushroom Kit
Asparagus seeds--UC 157
The shallots and garlic won't ship until next Autumn for planting then, but we wanted to order them now so we wouldn't forget and not have them (like is the case this year.) We also ordered a ground cover--Red Clover--for for fall planting. We are going to try growing a mushroom kit as well. I have long wanted to try one of these out. The reason behind ordering one now is because the other day at breakfast I wanted grilled mushrooms and only had button mushrooms in the fridge. For some reason in the States we don't allow our button mushrooms to mature and flatten out. In England, Ireland, and perhaps the rest of Europe you can get fantastic "Breakfast Flats" which aren't as big or thick as Portobellos. In reality they are just mature button mushrooms.  We are also going to try growing Asparagus from seed, as the last time we purchased crowns they rotted before we could get anywhere with them. Not to say that crowns wouldn't work now--we just want to see what will happen with the seeds. I am realizing in looking over this list, I forgot to order Homburg Parsley Roots--a bit like parsnips--but I will get them another time. These seeds, when combined with the ones we already have should give us a very diverse planting. We have aimed to get varieties and types which are not commonly available locally--both for ourselves and, if we have extra, to sell.