From the Grow Indie Test Garden

grow indie test garden, May 24, 2010

It’s the end of May, and the test garden is in full swing—it’s all pretty exciting. And kind of amazing what a group of 8 or so of us can accomplish by meeting just twice a week. In our 1/2 acre test garden, we’ve planted more than 75 varieties of tomatoes, 9  types of heirloom spuds, more than 60 varieties of pumpkins and winter squash, 17  types of summer squash and cucumbers, a plethora of greens, and that’s just a start. We also scored a bunch of bamboo off of Freecycle (thanks Cindy!), and are experimenting with growing vertical cucumbers, squash, and of course, pole beans.

Since March, we’ve been getting the plot ready, and are already harvesting lots of  heirloom radishes, mustard greens, lettuce, broccoli raab and Ching Chong Baby Bok Choy. I used all of the extra Bok Choy to make kimchi, so stay tuned for a recipe soon as it’s ready. In the meantime, here are a few pics of what we’ve been growing:

i love love love this red merlot colored romaine.

Anney picking spring mix

First tomato goes to the Chiquita!

walla walla onion starting to bulb

first broccoli!

Lacinato, or as I like to call it, dino kale

purple globe turnip and a large sluggo hanging out

Make it: Free Downloadable Plant Markers

Here’s a new batch of grow indie seed markers, just in time for transplanting!

These are super easy to use—-just download the Word doc template, pick a cool font, add your plant name, print and cut out.  To make the plant “sign” itself, just cut out a few pieces of plastic (like from those salad containers) and tape the plant marker on. You can even laminate them to make them waterproof and last a few seasons.

These nifty plant markers come in two sizes, long or square, so pick what’cha like:

Click here to download the new growindie small plant markers.

And, here’s a link to download the larger version.

They also work really well if you are starting a bunch of plants in one pot, like this group of Peaceful Valley Basil that I started in those compostable salad containers.

I also sometimes like to put little markers in pots around the house, like this catnip (which already doesn’t stand much of a chance with our kitty kats.) And, of course, they add a nice touch of flair if you’re giving a plant away as a gift (which I’m notorious for since I always start too many plants)

Thinning Rows = Tasty Microgreens

radish microgreen and feta sandwich

Next time you are thinning your beets, radishes, kale, bok choy, swiss chard and lettuces, don’t just throw those tasty little green sprouts in the compost pile—these are the fancy schmancy greens that chefs live for. They really dress up just about anything and are nutritional dynamos. Just look at the sandwich above—-that’s just cheese on a cracker, but add a few microgreens and it looks downright gourmet.

Here’s how to do it:

Start with a row of beets, radishes, lettuces, mustard greens, swiss chard, kale, etc. Below are bunches of Detroit Dark Red beets, that sprout in groups and always need thinning (this is a good thing though, just wait).

Then, pull a group out like a little flower bouquet, holding them at the stem.

Cut above the root with a scissors. (Option 2: You can also cut them right above the dirt without pulling if you want, just be careful when you’re cutting so you don’t cut too many.)

Put sprout tops into a strainer and rinse. Eat them right away, or you can store them in a plastic bag and put them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Then, just start throwing them on soups, sandwiches, salads, you name it. Each microgreen will give you a specific flavor, or you can just mix them all up and create a micro salad. Radish sprouts and mustards are spicier, beets and lettuces are more mellow, and swiss chard and kale add a nice texture. These simple greens are one of the first harvests of the garden, and one of my personal favorites. I may have to have a dinner party just to celebrate microgreen time!

detroit dark red beet microgreens on Fleur-de-Lys heirloom egg sandwich