Browse Month: October 2016

Carving A Homegrown Pumpkin Into A Jack-O-Lantern

Our “pumpkin patch” did not turn over very big nor many pumpkins. However, we did get a small one to carve nonetheless. Today, we help our homegrown pumpkin fulfill its destiny.

8:01 Pumpkin carving tool review for:
Warren Cutlery Pro Pumpkin Carving Set (http://amzn.to/2e30TTp)

FROM THE GARDEN: Taro Rice

With peanuts, Chinese kale, and Chesnok Red garlic from the garden we make a common yet lesser known Asian dish– taro rice.

Makes about 8 servings of taro rice
-2 cups rice
-2 cups taro, cubed
-1 cup pork, cubed
-1 tsp soy sauce
-1/2 cup shiitake mushroom

Shrimp & Gai Lan topping
-8 cups of gai lan
-16 jumbo shrimp (16-20 count/lb) or 1/2 cup
-2 clove garlic
-2 tsp oyster sauce
-2 tsp soy sauce or season to taste
-some roasted peanuts

Green Onion Battle Rd 1: Tokyo Long White vs Ishikura Long Winter

Round 1: Sowing the seeds of the ‘Tokyo Long White’ and ‘Ishikura Long Winter’ green onion.

Green onions / spring onions / scallions / bunching onions are either in delicious dishes or make dishes delicious. The two varieties mentioned will be grown in a side by side contest to observe how they grow.

My favorite scallions have been the Japanese heirloom varieties. Very easy to grow and can be grown year round in the southern California – Los Angeles area. Though an inexpensive produce it is the convenience of walking to the garden to find some that makes this plant worth it to grow. Moreover, fresh harvested scallion has more spring in its texture and is more aromatic.

HARVESTING: Klondike Striped Blue Ribbon Watermelon

Watermelon is one of those crops that seem like they ought to be easy to grow. Well, to a certain extent, they are. It is getting them sizable is where it is tricky. We did not get back large watermelons this year but instead one the size of a small dinosaur’s egg.

With success, semi-success, failure, and everything in between, we always have points of data to work from. Next year when we make our attempt, we will keep in mind the following:
1. Well draining soil
2. Rich soil
3. Sunny and warm location for the plant
4. The actual fruit prefers shade

PLANTING: 1-Year-Old Sugar Apple Tree

Short on time this morning, we took the opportunity to knock off some gardening to-do’s. Mainly, to move plants from their pots and into the ground. One of those plants is the sugar apple tree. It was sprouted from seed a little over a year ago, lived through our Southern California winter, and now planted into the ground.

HARVESTING: Purple Potatoes

The purple potatoes are sharing a container with a watermelon plant. With the watermelon finally ready to go, we can dig for our purple potatoes.

The watermelon harvested is a ‘Mountain Yellow Sweet’ watermelon.

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