Veggies

May 22, 2009

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Chitting Potatoes

I grew this potato variety, ‘Purple Peruvian’ in a big trash can out on the roof last year. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until spring 2010 to see a picture of that… or read about it for that matter.

Anybookpublishingtakestoolong, it’s a pretty little fingerling variety with purple flowers that grows well in containers. I can only guess that this is because it is small to begin with and it is difficult to grow anything much larger than new potatoes in containers. In short, if you’re looking for a variety to grow, try this one. I like that it’s purple inside as well as out and makes purplish mashed potatoes.

I fully intended to grow a different variety this year, but then these sprouted and I was left without a choice. Well, I suppose there is always a choice, but this year’s roof garden is taking form primarily by happenstance and a general going with the flow. I guess you could say that my newly evolving garden kung-fu style is all about being like water, or Bruce Lee, or whatever.

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May 18, 2009

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Bloody Dock Seedlings

Meanwhile, over at the community garden, I allowed a single bloody dock (Rumex sanguineus) plant to go to seed last fall and this is the result…. gazillions of baby plants are taking over the section of the garden that plant once occupied.

And to think I actually considered buying a replacement this year. HA! Turns out I’ve got enough to feed the world. In case you’re unfamiliar, bloody dock is related to sorrel and tastes like a tangy spinach. And of course, since they are so beautiful, I can’t bear to toss a single seedling into the compost bin. I dug a few out this weekend to try on the roof, but the rest…. Look out friends and neighbours…

Here’s what that section of the garden looked like last night:

It’s not just bloody dock in there but they make up the bulk of it. There are also borage, calendula and chervil seedlings vying for space, albeit in more manageable quantities. Even the chocolate mint was better behaved.

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May 5, 2009

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Sweet Potato Slips

I’ve been meaning to write about making sweet potato slips for weeks, but it keeps getting pushed back.

I’ll be growing these out on the roof this year. It wasn’t planned, but when the sweet potatoes I had sitting on top of the fridge started to sprout, I decided to just go with it.

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April 29, 2009

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These are a Few of My Favourite Peas

These are the pea varieties I like best and am growing again this year. ‘Tom Thumb’ and ‘Dwarf Grey Sugar’ go in pots and everything else goes in even larger pots or in-ground at the community garden. I meant to write a post about planting my peas ages ago (peas generally go in early, as soon as the ground is “workable”) but that didn’t happen, weeks have passed and here we are.

Incidentally, this photo is the reason why my peas got mixed up. I spent a stupid amount of time one Sunday morning setting this shot up indoors but did not like the light. The little tags should be yellower. There is too much shadow. So then I had the thought to carry the board outdoors so that I could take a Polaroid. It was a precarious and thoughtless idea but I managed to make it all the way outside with only a few rollie-pollie seeds making a break for it. But then I got outside and it was windy, and I did not stick those pieces of paper down with tape, and well…. you can guess what happened next. The tags took flight. The peas shot off the board. Mayhem. I managed to sort some seeds by color, size, and texture but the remainders ended up in an envelope marked, ‘Edible Pea Grab Bag.’

The end.

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April 28, 2009

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Early Spring Asparagus!

I took this photo last week at Dufferin Grove Park where little spears of asparagus were starting to pop up in one of the garden beds. A day later I was treated to an AMAZING microgreens salad that included asparagus, prepared by the chef at Terrain and left for me at my hotel. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated such a delicious and nourishing meal after a day spent in airports. And to top it off, it was my first taste of fresh asparagus stalks of the season!

I look forward to lots more as it becomes available here in Toronto.

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