It’s that time of year when the tomatoes you’ve waited all year on has finally ripen. Before you enjoy them all, it is important to save some seeds to plant next year or to share. Here’s a seed saving process that I just learned and used thanks to viewers like you. If you will like more information on this fermentation method of tomato seed saving and cleaning, follow the this link:
Holy basil or tulsi is a generic term for the four types that make up this group. Those four types are: Rama, Krishna, Kapoor, and Vana.
The culinary quest to make a more authentic version of a Kra Prao Gai (Thai Chicken & Basil) dish turned into a botanical quest to seek out and grow the correct holy basil.
This video is an update to an earlier video. To also see how the seedlings are transplanted, see that earlier video here: https://youtu.be/IIYxQB2_Dis
Potatoes are relative inexpensive and available pretty much all year round. They are not very exciting plants to grow as a result. Especially when there is limited growing area in the garden.
On the flip side, potatoes can be grown with minimum effort. They have been incorporated into the front yard landscape and grown along the side walk. Planted and walking away until the plants dry, they have yielded humble amounts of potato.
One of the curiosities that I wanted to satisfy was to see how big and how many potatoes would be returned if a little more effort was put into growing them. The only effort that I was willing to spare was the labor of mounding the plants as they grow.
From a frugal and practical stand point, to fertilize or purchase amendment would likely cost more in the end than purchasing potatoes from the market.
These red potatoes were grown from potatoes that were originally purchased from the market.
Making a quick batch of roasted salsa with ingredients all from the garden. In the salsa we have: Italian Roma heirloom tomatoes, French Zebrune heirloom, Chesnok Red garlic, jalapeno, ancho chile, and poblano pepper.
Recipe is inspired by the following CBS Sunday Morning segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDcrJuNh4GU
The root cutting (Russian Comfrey Bocking #14) of almost an inch was planted July 16th. Two weeks later, we see its sprouts!
As a practical / frugal / permaculture gardener, comfrey is being sought out a source of low cost fertilizer. In addition, one hopes that with its deep tap roots; comfrey can mine the minerals that most crop plants would not otherwise be able to get to.
Comfrey is reported to have many special properties. It has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy. However, the property we are most interested as gardeners is its “green manure” attribute. Unlike most compost material, comfrey works pretty much right away to improve soil. With most green and brown waste, they draw nitrogen from the soil as they break down; and the breaking down process can take weeks.
The garden is still going through another transition so there is not too many exciting things going on. By transition, we mean that the next crop of plants are just starting to grow. Plants like: Dorinny Sweet corn, Moon & Stars watermelon, Chantais (cantaloupe) melon, Ha Ogen melon, Cherokee Purple and Aunt Ruby’s German Green tomatoes.
One of the fun things about going out to the farmers’ market, nursery, or garden center is the mystery of what you would find. On one outing, a sage with variegated mutation was spotted. It was a plant that I had to have. I asked about the price and it was just around the price for a good burger with fries and a drink. I am glad it was not more because I may have gone for it regardless.
Mutations do not happen all the time and it is rare to me to find variegated mutation on garden sage. With the plant, I will definitely want to isolate out the mutation and propagate a new plant from it.
The second newest plant is a blood banana (musa zubrina). It is a dwarf (growing no taller than 8-feet) ornamental banana. This particular plant is one of the more healthier and nicer looking ones I have seen. I did not take it home right away.
It did not feel completely right that I would spend as much as a fruit tree for a plant that is mostly ornamental. After sleeping on it, I just went ahead and did it.
Banana plants have been lower on my list of plants to get. It seems that the fruit are relatively inexpensive. Lately, I have gotten the itch to get a banana plant. That from seeing my brother and others grow banana.
This banana is from wild dwarf bananas that are native to Sumatra, Indonesia.
Also in this video we will see Maiden of Orleans and Mysore Mulli jasmine flowers. (jasmine sambac).
