It’s getting chilly here in the Northwest. I stand on my back porch, looking at the garden and plotting. A gardener never stops planning. As the night’s grow colder and we gardeners stare at the thermometer and wonder when to start covering the crops for longer harvest. We are scurrying to get the last of the delicate harvest processed, the winter greens planted and under cover.

Spinach, mâche, cress and the like can all thrive under the cover of a few hoop houses. Other crops such as beets, kale, carrots, brussel sprouts, onions and garlic can be left out in the snow to get a crisp sweetness from the frost. This year, our plan is to do a double job of the “hoophouse” protection by making a large hoophouse to cover the boxes wile covering the boxes individually as we did last year. This double layered protection also keeps the cats out of the boxes and the ground warm. Still, there will need to be a rest period and sections that will be planted with a cover crop. That cover crop will be harvested and fed to the bunny (doesn’t everyone have one?) and then… well, you get the picture. The cycle continues for every smart urban gardener.

Keeping motivated for the project is the biggest problem since it’s just me with grand designs. Sam (my 24 year old son) has gone back to work, still investigating school, and Thom (my patient and brilliant husband) is gone almost all day. That leaves me and my computer and a new book that is inspiring me for the long haul through winter gardening. The Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman has given me a way to solve the winter harvest dilemma.

My first thought had been to simply cover the boxes again. However, often that is only enough in the winter time to make the crops that I have already planted stay put and not turn into brown brittle nothings. No, if we want fresh spinach for Thanksgiving and Christmas then we must have a plan. Ambitious, yes. Impossible, no.

I currently have my 4×4 square raised beds set up for hoop houses. This year, I was able to get earlier production on my spring greens that way. The book states that Coleman, in Maine, can grow crops over the winter that will not go dormant. He uses a double layer method for keeping the crops warm. Inside covers with an outside hoop house. How simple is that? Isn’t that what we do with our clothes in the winter? Layering?

To get this garden party started, we’ll need a roll of greenhouse film that will go over an arc, the base of which is six to eight feet. That means, if I want it at least five feet high, it will be more elliptical in shape than a traditional half circle. The half circle length will be at least 12.5 feet. A roll of durafilm 14′ x 100′ will cost about $170 plus shipping. Using a PVC and wood frame which will cost another $50, plus the straw for the ground cover which is about $8 per bale. For that minimum price, you can make a temporary greenhouse that can be taken down in the summer but replaced year after year for the winter.

So, now to begin life as a small time Maraîcher!

Baby Round Zucchini

Not the game, not the act… just the multitude.

It’s the time of year when I think to myself — What the heck were you thinking with the squash? This year I planted only two plants of different varieties. We liked the round ones last year (Baby Round Zucchini) and I tried these cocozelle (Italian Zucchini – Romanesco from Renee’s Garden)which are stripey and very very difficult to get off the plant without ripping off a great hunk of the vine.

But I now have five squash on my back deck.

So, last night it was veggie minestrone/stew! Yeah, I know 100 degrees and I’m makin’ stew, right? But I think it brought the cool weather faeries cause it cooled down that night enough to welcome a little warm comfort food. At the last minute I was going to throw in the kale but I forgot. My brain had melted. This is my basic recipe and you can add what you like in the way of leafy greens at the end with the squash.

Simple stuff really. Easily adaptable to Vegetarian by leaving out the meat and using veg broth.

Nummy “Minestrone”
1 cup lima beans
1 cup red beans

1-3 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot
2 – 3 cloves of fresh garlic
Handful of chopped basil & parsley
1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 small carrots (or one very large) diced
2 14 1/2 oz cans chopped tomatoes (preferably the italian with spices and onion)

Chicken broth 3-5 cups (depending on how much cooking water is left and how chunky or soupy you prefer the stew)
Chicken thighs, deboned and skinless
1 large zucchini, diced
Salt (I like Redmond salt)

In a separate pot, cover beans with water and bring to boil, then let lower to simmer and cook till tender. You can use the cooking broth in your soup/stew.

In a large heavy stock pan warm oil. Prep all veggies up to the carrots (I like the shallots sliced and the garlic chopped roughly). Put all five veggies into oil to “stew” a bit and become soft over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for another 20 minutes on med-low, lower if it starts to stick or get too hot. Then let it all sit (covered) until about 30 minutes or so before you want to eat. You can refrigerate it at this point.

Ready to finish?

Add the beans and broth and determine how much chicken (or vegetable) stock you want thickness wise for the stew. I like a chunkier heartier “stew). Remember it will chunk up more so reserve liquid to add later to bring the consistency to your preference.

Debone the thighs and skin them. I use the meaty bones for stock so I don’t buy boneless and skinless. Chop as you like, I tend to leave them in larger pieces so they won’t dry out. Saute in oil in a large skillet. Drop the chicken into the veg pot and add the broth, turn up the heat to warm up the tomato mixture. Let it all simmer for about 10 minutes or so while you dice the zucchini. I end up with about two-three cups of zucchini, don’t be alarmed. Pop the zucchini/squash in the soup pot, stir cover and let simmer for another 10 minutes taking care to keep the squash in tact and not overly mushy.

I know… that’s only one recipe. But here’s a list of ideas for other things to do with your squash/zucchini and other abundance in the garden.

Bread
Croquettes
Stuffed with other veggies & grains
Zucchini and Tomato Fettucine
Patties

Still too much? Cut them into cubes, steam for about three minutes and freeze in freezerbags. Don’t forget to label with name and date.

Support your tomatoes, they depend on you.

Tomatoes are the number one favorite amateur gardener choice for summer food gardens. If we love them so much, we should treat them with love and care, right? It’s simple enough to do. Tie them up!

Last year I tried an experiment and did not stake my tomatoes. I thought, “Aren’t they vines and aren’t they supposed to grow along the ground?” I saw an internet article that said it would make no difference…It was a disaster for me. They barely produced any tomatoes and those that were on the vines, did not ripen. Last year was not the best year for tomatoes climate-wise but I could have done much more to support mine. Do yourself a favor, learn the lesson from my experiment and get your tomatoes off the ground.

Staking is not just for vampires…

A stake should be about six feet tall. You will need to place it on the north side of the tomato, two to three inches from the stem and drive it about one to two feet into the ground.

Now that you have the stake firmly in place, tie ‘em up. I know, it sounds so rude! But while tomatoes need to be held up in order to produce an abundance of fruit, they have no natural way to do it themselves. They need our help. A few things to remember:

• Use something soft
• Keep it tied loosely
• Place the under a sturdy non-fruit branch

Tie the rag strip to the stake first. Make a nice square knot. With the loose end gently place it under a strong branch. Never place the tie under a fruit branch as it may snap the branch laden with fruit.  Then tie the rag strip again to the stake. At the end of the season those rag strips can go into the compost with your tomato plants as long as you have used a natural fiber like cotton.

As the plant grows, keep adding your rag strips about every 12 to 18 inches.

If you are the type of person that likes your garden neat and tidy, I suggest the stake method. This is for the gardener that likes to pinch back suckers and is diligent about it. Cages obstruct your hands for this.

Sew? Use your sewing fabric scraps for bright, cheerful veggie ties.

Cage the wild tomato!

And just because you’ve put them in a cage, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check to make sure they don’t need a little help in there. If need be, make sure your tomatoes are upright in the cage with a loose rag.

If you do choose the cage method try to avoid using the wimpier store-bought cages for heavy tomatoes like beefsteak varieties. The weight of the fruit will likely tip over the cage. If you want a sturdier cage for your beefier tomatoes, it’s easy enough to create them yourself. It’s very simple. You can use hardware cloth or fencing materials.

First, get out your wire cutters and buy a roll of the wire mesh of your choice. Cut the mesh in any diameter you feel comfortable with, I like to make mine tighter (18″) circles because it means I have less worry over supporting. At the bottom, cut a few inches of the horizontal layer of wires off to create little stakes to go into the ground and keep the cage steady. The circle itself will enable self-stabilization of the cage.

Now, fold over the wires where you cut them and voilà! It’s a great way to get a cheap, heavy, stable tomato cage!

That’s it, that’s how to support a tomato and be rewarded with a better yield of yummy juicy tomatoes.

Photos are all of the Frank Mastini Memorial Garden in Cine’s citystead