We have had a great year here in the garden at Houston High School! I told you in an earlier blog about how we were a Wildfire Command Post with the fire fighters and evacuees living all around and in the school - and once our yards were cleaned up (they didn't leave too much of a mess - just had to put some things back where they belong), we got busy putting in the rest of the garden.
Two apple trees went in at the point beyond the huglekulture beds. We have an Adanac and an Early Harvest planted there now and they seem to be thriving. I am concerned that we weren't able to give them enough water during the season - I just read that they should have about 10 gallons per day to start out and we weren't able to give them any where near that without our hose connection. We weren't able to hook up our hoses during the fire since it is non-potable water hose and might contaminate the water spigots that were needed for potable water for evacuees and firefighters. Ill keep you posted on how they do.
Here they are in the ground! We had some funny things happen - I have the spoons as markers (also see prior blog for more information on that), and I would come to the garden and the spoon markers would be out of the ground and all over the place. Finally one of the people helping said they thought they saw a Raven messing around near the apple trees. Sure enough - the Raven liked that shiny spoon and was picking them up and tossing them about! I have now wire tied them to the stakes so they at least can't be absconded off with!
Another perennial we have for the garden now is Chives. We have the potatoes and maybe the kids can do a baked potato bar and have the chives and all the fixins! They are small now but we should be able to harvest some after next season. we will probably add a few more plants to the patch as well.
The Kohlrabi did wonderfully - we had to harvest them before school started as they were starting to split and were not going to make it to the opening day. We shared them among staff members and we have some new Kohlrabi fans at the school! Many of the folks hadn't tried it ever so this was something new and wonderful. It tastes like a cross between jicama and turnip - very mild and refreshing flavor. It would make great pickles or slaw as well - we just sliced and dipped it! We will definitely grow these again next season!
Oregon snow peas are looking good - we had a harvest in the second week of school and are excited to have the kids trying these. So good!
Yellow zuchinni did amazingly well at our location! We harvested 5 squash off these two plants and there are at least 10 more almost ready. The kids will be using these this week in their dishes.
The cabbage is doing great and will be ready for slaw soon. This is Stonehead and even though it was such a hot summer, as soon as it cooled off it took off and is growing great guns!
Rhubarb. Almost don't need to say more! We have two of these perennial plants donated to us and we will be able to harvest next year. Looking forward to that - our culinary arts class knows how to make some pie crust if you know what I mean.
Yukon Gold potatoes thriving in the pallet bin! The raised bed potatoes didn't do as well (lack of water after planting I think), and the bins got hot, hot, hot. The pallet bed and the tires did really well for us. I didnt get a picture of the carrots but they are really doing well too! Next year we will rotate crops and the carrots will be in one of the big new raised beds so we can plant a lot more - maybe two beds full!
Huglekulture for the strawberries.
I completely underestimated the amount of fabric and chips it would take! These beds are huge. This is one whole roll of fabric and it did about a third of our strawberry row! We planted 30 strawberry plants in this section and we will go and grow from there next year. We have quite a few folks who have said they are saving runners and starts for us for the garden. Can't wait! Strawberry Rhubarb pie - that's what I'm talking about!
We also planted a few raspberries that will be perennial for us and should produce next year for some berry mixes. We will be getting some more of those plants as well for next spring.
Stay tuned for the harvesting of the garden. The kids are anxious and even the staff seem really excited to see what the garden holds.
I hope your garden is growing well - no matter if you have one bin or 50!
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