Comments on: Success and Failure in the Garden

By: karen

karen — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:55:12 +0000

Oh the garden……totally agree each year there are successes and unfortunate failures…that what makes us such strong trueblue people.I personally think its gods way of letting us totally appreciate each crops uniqueness and abundance.The climate is in control always.Each year something different takes center stage.Last year couldnt get a vine crop to save my soul This year they are amazing! As long as your in the soil Enjoy!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:58:19 +0000

My failures this year perhaps makes me a huge-ass loser-style-failure. I split and moved my mint clump. And most of it died. I must really, really, really suck to kill mint. I also drowned the vast majority of my horseradish. Horseradish and mint. Again, I must be a loser.

Success: I planted way more stuff than I killed.

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:26:09 +0000

All my pak choi bolted straight up this year, right out of the gate. No idea why. The chioggias are doing well, though; they seems a little less finicky than other types.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:03:29 +0000

This is concerning, Hank, as I am solely using your methods for my own small garlic patch. If I have to go out and buy garlic at the store, I know who to send my receipts to.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:51:16 +0000

I can’t have a garden any more- I miss it! But I have to tell you I love beets. And one of my favorite things has always been a pickled beet salad my mother used to make. Made with fresh beets….yum.

By: Nina

Nina — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:11:31 +0000

I’ve always had good luck with beets, and I agree roasted beets with balsamico is pure pleasure! Chioggias rock, and I have also planted golden beets which have done really well. I have serious gopher issues here in Humboldt County, and they did not care for the yellow beets at all. They were the last thing they took last month and I managed at least to get the greens! Could there possibly be spring boletes here in Humboldt? I gather bunches every fall and dehydrate them but have never heard of finding them in the spring… Went morel hunting last weekend and it was a bust
Love your site. Be back soon!

By: Tina

Tina — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:48:17 +0000

I gotta tell you, I am very jealous! I had to give up my backyard garden a couple of years ago (the garden’s still there, but so is the ex-husband…). Now I live in a rented townhouse with a driveway and a 8 x 10 patch of grass, complete with an ornamental fruit tree (what a waste!). However, I have discovered container gardening; my tomatoes were just planted last week, so not much progress yet, but I’m very hopeful. The only other thing I have room for is a large planter of herbs, which are doing very well so far.

Hopefully by next summer, I’ll again have a house with a yard (she gives a very wistful sigh…).

At least I have literally dozens of farmers markets and roadside farm stands withing a few miles. I’d be very depressed if I had to rely on grocery stores for my produce.

By: Madeline

Madeline — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:40:44 +0000

Sorry about your garlic but your beets are gorgeous! This is my first year growing a vegetable garden and while it’s a lot of work, I was so proud to eat my first homegrown pea and gathering lettuce from my own backyard. I love beet greens prepared this way too. Fun fact: when you add lemon juice to sauteed greens, it helps your body absorb the nutrients better

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:14:38 +0000

Last year my choggias were so crisp and sweet I could’ve eaten them raw.

This is my first year growing garlic. I planted it next to my dahlias as an ornamental after it all sprouted in my kitchen last September. I’ve started just doing that with all of my alliums, in fact – garlic, shallots, even leeks all are great just popped into the soil after they shoot their green in my pantry.