Back Yard Gardens

Sunchokes by the creek (on the left), hardy kiwi growing on the lattice of the outdoor swing, and zucchini and cucumbers growing in one of the back beds. These are a few of the things we have planted in the last two years. We also have butternut squash, lots of tomatoes, more rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, garlic, and more potatoes. We've planted paw paw trees (a fruit tree native to this area), chestnut trees, and locust trees (for wood). The hardy kiwi (below) hasn't flowered or produced fruit and the blueberries are sort of pitiful because it turns out that blueberries are not really native to this area. But, it's a learning process and maybe the kiwi and the blueberries will produce fruit at some point.

I want to plant some more paw paw trees back by the creek and I also want to plant a few mulberry trees. Both fruits grow in the wild here, so I'd like to experiment with growing them. Paw paw fruits taste a bit like banana custard, believe it or not! And the mulberries will be a replacement for our poor little blueberry bushes.

Last week I put in a few more beds with onions, stinging nettle, Italian dandelion, brussel sprouts and burdock. These beds are sort of experimental because I had a lot of seeds left from the past few years and I wanted to get them in the ground and see what happens. I'm still experimenting and learning so sometimes I plant things just to see what they will look like!

I'm going to start some sea kale and some Good King Henry from seed and plant those once they have grown a bit. I've got the seeds and just need to get them in under the grow lights. They are both perennial vegetables and I want to get them established in the garden. I'm also going to order Egyptian walking onions because they will keep growing from year to year. I want to put in some wild onions (ramps), but I don't know where to get them yet.

I wish there were local nurseries where you could buy some of these perennial vegetables. I have to really search for them, track them down in different catalogs, and then order them. Well, I guess that's part of the fun.