Backyard Agrarian

Has it really been a month since my last post!  To catch you up real quick:  Rain, sun, heat, rain, more sun, more heat.  lot more heat and rain.  The outcome:  summer - and a wet one!  Up here summer means lots of fresh greens - lots of lettuce varieties, kale, chard, and peas.  (early season crops at lower altitudes).  

The herbs like cilantro, dill, chives and oregano have long since bolted.  Oregano now has bright purple flowers topping off long stalks.  The parsley however is going strong and the mint is finally starting to send up new mint shoots.  (I know some people hate mint because it is so invasive... but that just means you haven't tried my fresh mint mojitos!).  

Chamomile grows well in rocky dry soil but even better in well prepared and regularly watered beds.  A great addition to your rock path or seating areas because it releases its sweet calming scent. Use it as a tea, fresh or dried, or in your bath water for delicious smelling natural relaxation concoction. 

 Add the dimension of smell to your edible garden.  

This is my first season growing potatoes.  A friend had extra seed potatoes and passed them along to me.  Most people prefer to get certified seed potatoes to be sure they do not have disease.  I'm not sure I believe this is necessary and will probably try to save potatoes from this year's harvest to sprout and plant next year. 


Potatoes grow incredibly fast!  Tons of greens shoot up above the dirt within a couple of weeks and keep growing and growing.   have not yet piled additional dirt along the stems but will do that in the next few days. 


i was worried that all the heavy rains that came right after planting would rot the potatoes.  I think my soil was well drained enough that this did not happen.  


I planted the potatoes directly in the ground and there is no screen under the garden plot.  I'm hoping the rodents stay away, but I see a rodent hole right next to the row of taters, so i'm a bit worried.  For now, so far so good. 

I planted Bibb and Romaine lettuces along with kale from seeds outside on May 8, 2009.  These are all considered cold weather crops that can be planted well before the last frost date. 

In the past, at this altitude, I have protected the seedlings from the cold and closed the cold frame at night.  (You could also cover with floating row covers or hoops).  This year, I decided to test the timing of growth without doing any season extending practices.  

We have had a cool and very wet spring s far.  The greens have been very slow to get going.  They were very small during the hail storm last week and were crushed.  

However this week, we had several hot days and the greens are FINALLY starting to take off.  They have totally recovered from the hail storm.  

For comparison, lettuce is bolting in Boulder this week, after a prolific early season harvest in every garden I have seen.  

See the picture below.  My greens are planted inside this cold frame, but I have left it open all season so far.  It's main function right now is to protect plants from wind (which are strong) coming through my yard and from animals.  

It has been such an easy early gardening season in Coal Creek Canyon that I let my guard down.  No June frosts, very tiny hail storms only.  Plenty of rain.  ... Until last nights MASSIVE hail storm.  

My poor tomato plants were shredded, especially the two smaller ones.  Leaves just stripped off the stems.  My lettuce, which had really started growing after the last few days of heat and sun, are smashed.  

Peas are a little under the weather but i think they will pop back just fine.  

The hail and wind was blowing in from the north west and so hit most of my garden head on.  The perennial herb and flower gardens on the south side of the house were mostly spared though, protected by the house from the wind and hail.  

oh boy!  Here's a reminder to never let your guard down up here.  Close your cold frames.  Put your hoops on at nights. stake milk crates or other pots over your plants.   Whatever it is you do to protect your garden, well, do it.  

Red Chioggia Beets. Sowed outdoors, May 15, 2009. Still small sprouts. 

Kale sowed outdoors on May 8, 2009. Finally starting to take off!

Garlic is still much smaller than down in Boulder.  This garlic was planted last fall and sprouted in very early spring this year well before the last frost.  Early season was dry so I gave it plenty of water.  It is mulched and the last month has been very wet so I haven't supplemented watering.  

Rhubarb came up again this year.  It is about 1/3 the size of rhubarb growing down in Boulder but it's looking healthy.  This is the 2nd full season for this rhubarb patch.  It sent up a flower this year which I cut off to encourage growth in the edible parts.  

Don't forget, rhubarb leaves are poisonous and should never be eaten.  I have heard they can be concocted into a natural pesticide, but i have not tried this yet.

We planted two  very small Manchurian apricot trees about a month 6 weeks and 4 weeks ago.  They are supposed to be suited for high altitude climates and are leafing out and looking really healthy.  Soil was amended with compost before planting and we kept them well watered for the first several weeks.  We have had a lot rain lately and so haven't supplemented with additional water.