The Great Corn Experiment of 2012 a/k/a Carla Tries to Grow Corn Again March 6, 2012

I have had little to no success at growing corn.  The first try, for which I ripped out landscaping and build an 3′x8′x12″ raised bed under my bedroom window, (so I could watch it swaying in the breeze from bed,) yielded several 4 inch ears, clearly, not to their full potential.  Nonetheless, I was overjoyed with the result which tasted delicious.  http://austinurbangardens.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/my-first-garden-corn/

The next try, I planted corn as part of a Three Sisters Garden, became invested with ants, and was a total failure.

In an effort to remain the butt of my friend Christian’s tiny corn jokes, I’m trying again.  This time, with a dedicated bed, placed in the most full sun I have, and trying several varieties.  I’m also planting really early, taking a risk but hoping to ward off bugs which come in the heat.

I don’t use our business inventory during this time of year, and am out of damaged product, so I’m using wood.  First off, I purchased two 2″x10′x8″ planks of untreated lumber, from Lowe’s and had them cut two feet off of each.  I also bought some long screws.  Total sale was $15.76.  Then I, very unhandily, built the beds, stripping screws and leaving them not very secure.  Hopefully I can persuade someone to add some reinforcements later, but I was in a hurry ahead of the “rain event” on the way.  The end result was a 2×8 bed.  I had leftover soil in the trailer from recent garden installations, and used that to fill the bed.

In the Northern end, I planted 12 seeds of Sweet Early Casino corn.  In the middle, 9 seeds of Peaches & Cream and on the Southern end 9 seeds of Kandy Corn.  So, if all goes well, I’ll have 30 stalks of corn, that (fingers crossed) will yield full sized ears of corn.

I’ll keep you posted.

Almost Fall in an Austin Urban Garden September 5, 2010

The garden is a little boring right now.  The only thing that I’m eating from the garden is serrano and jalapeno peppers.  The lettuce I sowed last week, didn’t survive the heat – it came up, but the sun baked it and it disappeared.  The broccoli is up and looking good.

Baby Broccoli

For comparison sake, I planted more corn a few days ago.  I’m trying to compare growing seasons and different varieties, since I have enough space to do it.  One of my friends makes fun of me for my corn garden, and says I need a Golf Cart combine to harvest my little 5′x5′ patch of corn.  I won’t be sharing.  But, the newly sowed corn is peeking out.

The tomatoes look great, especially those in the Earthbox.  Most are flowering but none have set fruit yet.  The peppers are going great guns.  The cucumber/butternut squash looks great.  Can’t wait to see which it is.  A few days ago I planted Royal Burgundy Bush beans.  They aren’t up yet.

Royal Burgundy Bush Beans

Something is coming up where I planted the potatoes.  I’m not sure it is potatoes yet. I’m fairly confident that many of the potatoes composted because the soil was so warm.  I’m on a wait and see still for the potatoes.  I’ll plant more lettuce and perhaps some chard today, and hope for the best!

Three Sisters Garden Update – Corn! August 22, 2010

In this oppressive heat, I’ve pulled up plants that didn’t yield much food, because it wasn’t cost effective to continue dumping gallons of water on them.  I’ve been focusing lots of my attention and water on the Three Sisters Garden, which I planted as an experiment to test the legendary practice.  So far, the corn has done great, although it curls up in the heat of the day, which makes me cringe.  The other two sisters, pumpkins and beans, are not faring so well.  Every morning when I water the garden, I look for signs of corn silks, which is the first sign of corn cobs forming.

Three Sisters Garden

Corn silks

And today, there were several!

More corn silks

They are small now, but I’ll be watching like a doting mother for more to appear, and as the ears grow.  I’ll treat the silks with mineral oil to keep the worms out, and with any luck and lots of love, there will soon be corn!

Heatwave and Hard Garden Decisions August 20, 2010

I’ve been contemplating this post for a few days, and finally, just today, the forecast calls for lower than 100 degrees days late next week.  I don’t think this will affect my decision to pull some plants up, rather than continuing to try to keep them alive by watering every day.  It’s a decision based on, how much money do I really want to spend, for a nominal yield.? I’ve been dumping gallons of water on food crops that will not return my investment.  And, in this heat, I’m not enjoying it much at all.

Therefore, I’m pulling up the Purple Hull Peas.  They are healthy, but don’t produce much volume at all.  I can buy a pound at the Farmer’s Market for less than the water they require.  Same with the Watermelon.  I have one watermelon on the ground now, but it’s time to harvest it and then I’ll pull those plants up.  Two plants in a 5×5 bed, yielding a total of 2 watermelons historically, don’t justify the water they require.

I will continue to water the 3 Sisters Garden, because the corn is putting on tassles and hopefully will still yield a hearty batch of corn.  The tomatoes are hanging in and the peppers are rocking my socks off, so I will continue to water those.

I have no idea what’s up with the potatoes.  No sign of plants sprouting and I’m not totally surprised, but I am curious, so I’ll likely dig one up this weekend.

It feels wasteful to dig up healthy plants, but the reality of what it costs to keep them healthy in this heatwave, is a big factor, so I will do it grudgingly.  Once the weather cools off a bit, there will be much more to plant for Fall Winter, and many more enjoyable days in the garden.

Garden Update, Mid July July 16, 2010

It’s hot, and most of the gardens space is in rest mode.  I’m not going to plant anything else for at least a couple of weeks.  The Three Sisters Garden is doing well, I think.  The corn looks perfect, but the second set of sisters beans, and pumpkins are not quite all up.  Something has sprung up, but I haven’t looked close enough to see if its the pumpkin or beans.

Three Sisters Garden

The purple hull peas in the former landscape Nadina bed are looking gorgeous.

Purple Hull Peas

An unexpected surprise from the Watermelon I planted way too late.

Watermelon!

I’m still picking Chocolate Cherry Tomatoes from one plant, and Lemon Cucumbers are coming on strong.  Peppers are still producing as well.

The Limes are almost ready to be picked and the Meyer Lemon needs some more time.

Limes

Meyer Lemons

And, once again, its time to make pesto.

Basil and Thyme

The lettuce is coming up in pots and needs to be thinned, which I’m horrible at.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce

I’m on the hunt for seed potatoes to plant the first of August.  If you see any out there, let me know since I can’t go to the grocery store to use those.  I can probably order some online.

Garden Overhaul, and Three Sisters Garden July 6, 2010

I spent five hours working in the garden on Sunday morning. It was pleasant before the heat set in and I got lots done.  First, I was greeted, as I have been every day, by something that makes me happy:

My Sunny Friend

There is another one next to it that should be open in the next few days.  I would love to have lots more of these so I’m going to save the seeds.

I planted two packages of zinnias in the neglected front flower bed.  It needs lots more work, as I’ve not weeded at all this year.  I hate weeding.

The corn I planted last week in the 5′x5′ bed dedicated to my Three Sisters Garden experiment is up.

First of the Three Sisters - corn

I pulled up the purple basil that I found bitter and to stiff for pesto, and added 3 wheelbarrow loads of Hill Country Garden soil to the large back bed, worm castings, and some Lady Bug fertilizer.  I still haven’t formulated my plan fully for that bed.

The seeds in the greenhouse are up:

Butternut squash or lemon cucumber seedlings

I planted more butternut squash, lemon cucumber, and tomato seedlings.   I think the lemon cucumbers in the ground will just keep producing all Fall, however, so no need for these others.  I just don’t ever want to be without lemon cucumbers!

I pulled up the last of the spent corn in the Nandina bed, and it is being taken over by the highly productive Celebrity Tomato.

I took tip cuttings from the Celebrity, and two Chocolate Cherry Tomato plants, and they have already died.  That is my second failed attempt at rooting tip cuttings from tomato plants.  I’ve got tomatoes coming out my ears already.

Lastly, I turned my compost which is far from ready at this point.  I’m contemplating covering it with a black tarp to speed things up.

Seedlings are up!Preparing the Fall Garden July 3, 2010

This morning I went out to check the gardens, pick tomatoes and peppers and get chased by stink bugs.  Most of the remaining tomato plants are starting to look craggy.  While the Celebrity is still producing tomatoes, they are getting smaller.  Fortunately, the stink bugs haven’t found that plant yet, hidden behind the corn, and the tomatoes are blemish, and cloudy spot free and gorgeous, if small.  The Chocolate Cherries are still covered in unripe tomatoes, but have stopped producing the quantity they provided all Spring.  Several of my jalapeno pepper plants got crowded out by the tomatoes, so I planted a couple more in the cleared out beds.  The seeds I planted a few days ago in the greenhouse, are up!

The Lemon Cucumbers and Butternut Squash are up, little sign of the Sungold tomatoes yet.  Equally exciting, the newly planted corn has made an appearance, albeit tiny.

Corn, its there, I swear

I’m excited about the volume of corn I planted, 40 seeds, rather than the random planting on the side beds.  This bed is dedicated to Three Sisters.  I can’t wait to see the beans growing up the corn stalks!

The Purple Hulls continue their march upwards and seem to be happy.

Purple Hull Peas

All in all, I’m happy about the status of things.  I’ve got to think about what I want to be eating in 3 months, and do something about it now, keeping in mind what I need to be planting in 3 months for winter.   Always something to think about in the garden.

My First Garden Corn! July 1, 2010

For those of you who follow my little adventures, you know how excited I was to rip out my horrible landscaping (Nandina) and plant corn.  I’ve been so hopeful all along that the corn would make it, but for the last couple of weeks, it seemed to stop its progressive growth.  Yesterday a couple of the stalks fell over.  Was it from the weight of the corn?  Was it a sign that the plants were done?  The corn cobs seemed smallish.  After a day of errands, my friend Christian stopped by to chat about the day’s events.  When time came for him to leave to pick up Jaime, I said come back for a glass of wine and we’ll have happy hour.  I really just wanted support for what was about to happen, the plucking of the corn.  I had no idea if there would be kernals or not, worms or not, or just not anything.

So, I plucked a corn cob.

My first corn!

While not the monumental, lengthy grocery corn of my youth, I found it to be perfect, and wormless.  So, with company coming back, I wanted to celebrate my corn, so I scraped it off the cob, picked a ripe jalapeno, and took a ripe Celebrity from the window, and sauteed them together.

Corn, Garden tomato, and garden pepper

MMM, garden corn

The end result, was amazing to me, topped with shaved Sand Creek Farm Monterrey Jack.  I over peppered it for one of my guests.  Sorry C!  I didn’t know.

Final corn tasting

I have planted 40 corn seeds in the 5 x 5 garden I’ve dedicated to Three Sisters Gardening.   The corn I planted is different, but from Buck Moore Feed, so I’m sure it is corn that grows well here.  I’m excited for more corn adventures.  I picked some more and another tomato to boot!

this evening's harvest

Native American Three Sisters Garden June 19, 2010

I had heard about the Three Sisters Garden practice, but didn’t know much about it until I recently found these seeds from Renee’s Garden, at Callahans.  The packet contains equal parts Earth-Tones Dent Corn, Rattlesnake Beans, and Sugar Pie Pumpkins.  This is what it says:

“According to Iroquois legend, corn, beans, and squash/pumpkins are inseparable sisters; precious gifts from the Great Spirit.  The tradition of interplanting them in the same mounds is actually a sophisticated, sustainable system providing long-term soil fertility and healthy harvests.”   You plant the corn first, which provides natural poles for the beans to climb.  You then plant the pumpkins which cover the ground and act as mulch, and shade out the weeds.

I don’t currently have room for this, because you need three 10 foot rows, each 5 feet apart.  But I’d like to plant a Three Sisters Garden at some point.

Renee's Garden Seeds

Corn Update and Cucumber Takeover June 15, 2010

Corn!

The corn is looking like actual corn.  The silks appeared first, soon after the tassels.  It seems to almost double every day.  I stare at it a lot, being a first time corn grower and all.

On a different note, the lemon cucumbers are taking over the yard.  They have taken over their end of the garden and have creeped over and out of the raised bed.  They struggle during the heat of the day, almost collapsing in a dramatic manner, then perk up as it cools off.  I’m hoping for enough cucumbers to pickle using Ruhlman’s recipe.

Cucumbers