Text 8490, 61 rader
Skriven 2008-06-07 23:06:08 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: ANY GARDENS?  80607
===========================
GJ> OK, I didn't know your temperature got that high.

People don't generally understand that although coastal 
temperatures are moderated by the sea breezes and ocean,
inland areas of Southern New England get fairly tropical
in the summer.

We're at the very start of a heat wave today; it was 32 C
today.  Tomorrow is forcast to be 35 C, and Monday 37 C +.
Temps are expected to break perhaps on Tuesday.

During this kind of weather, I cook meals outdoors, and we
retreat to our living room where we pull the shades to keep
the sun out, close the French doors to the rest of the house,
and turn on the small air conditioner.  The parrots don't mind
the heat at all, the dog stays in with us, and the tomato
vines grow three inches a day.

GJ> Most root vegetables are much cheaper grown commercially, with
GJ> mechanical sowing and harvesting.

I read of an extremely interesting way of growing potatoes; the 
ground is trenched to about 12" deep and the trench is filled with
composted leaf litter and peat moss - light fluffy "soil" if you
will - in which the seed potatoes are planted.  When the potato
plants emerge, they are mulched in well with straw to hold moisture
and prevent the litter from packing down.  At harvest time, the
plants are simply pulled from the loose soil and the potatoes 
released.

I'm considering trying that in a small (perhaps 4-foot long)
trench next year to see how well it goes.  I would like to grow
some heirloom varieties of potatoes as a change from the same old
reds, russets, and yellows we grow here in the valley.

GJ> I see you have planted eggplants; are these the
GJ> large European types, or the smaller, elongated Asian variety?  

The Asian varieties were hard to find this year (I bought plants
rather than started seeds) but I found an interesting-looking
European hybrid that is somewhat smaller than the usual and I'm
giving that a try.  From past experience, I've found that smaller
types are much less bitter than the really large ones.

GJ> What about that other important adjunct to the garden - 
GJ> chooks?  Have you got them established yet?

We anticipate getting six or eight chicks next spring.  I'm
still clearing roots and vines from the area where I want to put
the henyard.  Unfortunately, the house and garden were abandoned
for ten years before we moved in and it is taking us some time
to put things in order.

---
http://davescupboard.blogspot.com/ - Dave's Cupboard - Food and 
Restaurant Reviews; If I post it here in NCE, you'll find it 
blogged with photos at Dave's Cupboard.

http://bacon-labels.blogspot.com/ - A gallery of bacon package labels.
(The extra shelf in Dave's Cupboard.
 * Origin: Doc's Place BBS Fido Since 1991 docsplace.tzo.com (1:123/140)