Italian Gardening

Propagating Fig Cuttings Indoors

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:42:00 +0000

A while back I described how I root my fig cuttings by sticking them underground in the fall. Then in the spring they should be budding out and growing some roots. Another method of fig propagation that works almost just as well is the indoor rooting method.

This method is less messier as all you need is basically a see through container and some perlite. Perlite can be found at your local home depot or lowes and all it consists of is some super heated rock that is puffed up, sterile and very light. This makes a great medium for rooting plants.

Here is an example of a cutting that I rooted in some moistened perlite. When I first stuck the fig cutting in the perlite it had no green growth or roots. After 4 weeks of keeping the fig and perlite moist and warm with a heating mat, I noticed root growth. Then it started to bud out and grow a new branch. At this point when the fig is rooted you need to transplant it to a larger container filled with a 50/50 mix of garden soil and perlite (Careful with the roots as they are very delicate). It should also be placed outside or under bright grow lights as soon as the green growth begins. I would warn you against rooting cuttings in the fall because the fig will root in about a month and then you won't be able to place the fig outside because it's too cold. Plan to do something like this in early march.

I still prefer the old method of rooting fig cuttings but if you don't have a raised bed or cold frame or just prefer starting things inside, then I recommend the indoor method.

Planting Ramp Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:09:00 +0000

While my goal is to only grow Italian originated plants America does have one botanical treasure that the Italians don't have... ramps!

Ramps are a type of American wild leek that taste like a cross between a garlic and an onion. They are extremely pungent but at the same time have an exquisite earthy flavor. As you cook them they get milder and develop that delicious garlic/onion flavor. You can find out more about ramps here.

I was able to source about a 100 ramp bulbs from a farm down in Virginia (Mail order only). I just got them a few days ago and today was a perfect day to plant them. Since my garden is already allocated to the max with future plant homes, I decided that the best way to grow these ramps was in one of the available 4x4 raised beds I had. All I did was dig my trowel about 7 inches deep into the soil and moved it left to right in order to make a 'V' shaped well for the ramp bulb. I kept the spacing pretty close as I want the bed to get filled with ramps. Once the bed is established I plan to take chunks of ramps and transplant them out to other areas of the property other than the garden.

Seed Starting In February

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:47:00 +0000

This past weekend I started all my summer and spring seeds. The spring seeds consisted of brassicas and salad greens (cauliflower, broccolini, laccinato kale, mache). As for the hot weather plants I started pera d'abruzzo tomatoes, corno do toro peppers, and all my herbs.

Rosemary At Home In The Cold Frame

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:58:00 +0000

I've grown the same Rosemary bush for the past 6 years. It has endured root division, transplanting, trimming, pruning, frigid winters and hot summers. I owe a major part of its resilience to the cold frame I keep it in during the winters. If I were to keep the Rosemary outside unprotected for the winter it would surely die. If I were to keep it in my garage with my figs it would succumb to withering. Rosemary does not like to be kept in indoor low lighting as it wants sunlight all year long. The cold frame allows me to give it just that. You can see in one corner of the cold frame I'm experimenting with a Bay Laurel to see how it does overwintering in the cold frame. So far so good.

Watering The Bay Laurels & Figs

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:44:00 +0000

Today was an unseasonably mild 61 degrees for a Pennsylvania January. It was a perfect time to water the bay laurels and figs as well as get the snow blower ready. I have three bay laurels per container and this spring each plant will get its own container. The figs were root pruned this past August so they are ready to go out to the garden once spring arrives. All the plants you see below have been over wintering in my garage since October.

Kicking The Potted Fig Outside

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:11:00 +0000

Over at Garden Rant one of the blogs I visit, I stumbled on a sad article. Turns out that Michele is growing tired of lugging her potted fig back inside for the winter. The 4 figs a year she gets from the tree is also contributing to kicking the fig outside and back into the ground.

Here is some unsolicited advice I have for Michele if she decides to rethink kicking the fig out.

1. Make sure your potted fig isn't root bound in its container. If there are too many roots the fig will not produce well. Even two year old figs can send out crazy amounts of roots and become root bound. A yearly pruning of the root ball will help.

2. Make sure your fig gets even and steady watering all summer long. Drought is one of the main reasons why baby figs created in the spring drop during the summer. They become hollow and rubbery and once this happens no amount of water will rescue the aborted baby fig.

3. Set your container fig out as soon as possible for your region. Here in the northeast you can put the fig out in March provided that the temperatures doesn't go below 30 degrees. The more time the fig has outside the more figs it will produce.

And finally if you are going to plant the fig in ground make sure that either you wrap the fig for the winter or bury it. Those that think the fig will regrow from the roots once spring comes are correct. But this isn't enough time for the fig to produce anything. Although they are prolific growers starting from zero each spring is a sure fire way of guaranteeing an October harvest of small green lifeless figs.

Hope you change your mind Michele.

Late September Fig Harvest

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:37:00 +0000

This time of year is when the figs hurry up and ripen overnight. All the rain we've received this summer has surely helped the figs along. Figs love even and consistent watering the entire growing season, the end result is plump sweet figs. Here are some Gino Figs and Italian Everbearing I picked today.

Deboning A Whole Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 14:09:00 +0000

After watching Jacques Pepin debone an entire chicken in less than five minutes I felt the need to recreate this at home. Watch the video 5 or more times and then attempt it yourself. It was fairly easy, just make sure you have a sharp deboning knife available.

Here is the master at work

How To Deal With Slugs Who Feast On Your Artichokes

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:27:00 +0000

Recently Tony posted about how his Artichokes were under attack by slugs. Tony decided to use a slug repellant as well as an insecticidal soap. While those are both good methods to go about it I chose a different way. Like Tony my Romanesco artichoke was under attack by slugs. What I do in these slug situations is to use horticultural DE (Diatomaceous Earth). DE shreds the insects tender skin as it comes in contact with it. It is safe for humans to be in contact with it as DE only impacts small insects (Humans eat DE every time they eat flour or grains). One application resolved my slug problem and my artichokes are now slug free.

DE is excellent for use on other tender leafy greens or basically any plant that is susceptible to insect pests. Please remember that DE doesn't discern between good insects and bad insects so be aware of that. DE is a great alternative for pesticides when you don't really need them. You also have to reapply it after rainfall

Pac Choi Harvest

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Mon, 16 May 2011 00:42:00 +0000

This spring I decided to sow some Pac Choi seeds I forgot I bought a few years ago from Kitazawa seed company. While not a traditional or native Italian brassica, I was still pretty happy with the end results, as it was a fast grower and gives you plenty of heads up before it bolts. I think this is a great broccoli or cabbage substitute as it was fairly pest free and grew very quickly (45 days)

One method of cooking it is simply grilling it. Another way we prepare it is to break it down into individual leaves, boil them in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and cool in an ice bath. Once cooled you can freeze the leaves in ziploc bags for later use or simply sautee them with garlic and olive oil.

Asparagus Ferning Out

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sun, 15 May 2011 23:42:00 +0000

Most people don't know that if you let asparagus spears keep on growing they eventually become tall thin ferns. Here is a pic I took last week showing how tall the asparagus spears have gotten.

Three Ways To Store Your Fig Trees For The Winter And Why I Prefer The Zombie Method

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:43:00 +0000

When it comes to fig trees and northern climates you have three options when it comes to storing your fig trees for the winter:

Container Growing
Grow fig tree in container and bring inside when winter comes

Tree Wrapping
Grow Fig tree in ground when winter comes wrap the fig tree with burlap and other insulating materials.

Burial Method a.k.a Zombie Method
Grow Fig tree in ground when winter comes Bury the fig tree under ground (I call this the zombie method because you bury them in winter and they 'rise' in the spring)

Now I have 8 fig trees in containers and 4 trees that I keep outside. The container figs are pretty simple to store for the winter. After the first frost comes and burns the leaves off the fig tree they are then ready to be stored in either a garage or a dark basement.

For the other 4 fig trees I use the burial method. These outdoor figs are grown in the ground from April until November. Once the cold weather comes and burns the leaves off the trees I take a spade shovel and dig a foot from the base of the trunk all around the tree. Once I've severed enough roots and the root ball becomes free I lean the tree to one side and begin severing the bottom roots. I repeat this step on the opposite side until the tree is able to be lifted root ball and all from the location it has been growing. Don't worry fig trees can take heavy pruning of their root systems. As long as you don't damage the central core of the root ball the fig won't feel a thing.

Once you have the tree free you can perform some light pruning in order to make the tree more compact and make it ready for burying it underground. I like to bury the fig tree in my raised beds as the soil is easy to dig and work with. I dig down about a foot and a half or more depending on how large the fig tree is. You want to make sure that the trees root-ball and trunk will be covered by at least 12 inches of soil so the freezing temps stay at bay while it's buried.

Here are some photos of me digging up my zombie fig trees that I buried this past November. They are all healthy and the buds were greening even though they've been buried for 5 months. Figs are hardy and can take being buried as long as they are covered with enough soil.

6 Month Old Romaine Lettuce Still Going Strong

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:56:00 +0000

After 6 months in the cold frame the Romaine Lettuce is starting to take off with the warmer spring temperatures. In the coldest winter months the 5 inch plants just went into a dormant state and pretty much didn't grow at all. The cold frame acted as hibernation chamber for the lettuce greens. This helps get a big jump start in the spring since the plants are already a third of the way grown.

Purple Asparagus: Asparagi Viola

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Like clockwork my purple asparagus are now coming up. I will let these grow and fern out until next season. The longer you let asparagus grow and fern out the better results you'll get. As their root systems become stronger you'll get more production out of the plant. It's best to let them fern out for at least three years. I can't resist the temptation so I may break a spear off when I get home.

Romanesco Artichoke Update: It's Still Alive After 1 Year

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:28:00 +0000

That Artichoke seedling I started back in March of 2010 grew all summer long up until fall. The cold weather then burned up all the leaves and I trimmed the remaining leaves back to the soil. I thought for sure that the artichoke was dead. Well this spring I noticed that the artichoke root started sending leaves up through the soil. Then I started to do some research and found out that artichokes can die back to the ground in the winter but will then come back up again in the spring.

I started feeding it with a 10-10-10 solution and it seems to be doing well. I have one burned leaf but I attribute that to getting some of the fertilizer on the leaf. So these Romanesco artichokes seem pretty hardy, I think I will start a few more seeds and dedicate a 4x4 bed to just Artichokes.

What A Difference A Few Seasons Make

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:19:00 +0000

So this is what my garden looked like back in 2008

And this is what it looks like today. I removed the pine trees that shaded most of the area and fenced in the the whole lot. I added more raised beds and a designated cold frame box. Along the wooden fence I have 6 grape vines, and in the upper left hand corner of the fence I'm going to plant 6 fig trees. I have a busy spring ahead of me.

Home Depot's Seductive Nursery Section. Buyer Beware

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 22:18:00 +0000

This past weekend I was at home depot browsing for some landscaping items. As I often do when I'm at home depot I wander into the nursery section just to see what they are offering. Now it takes quite a bit of restraint browsing that section and not purchasing something but I prevailed. However looking at all the veggie seedlings they had on sale I noticed that they had quite a large selection of tomato and pepper plants. Now here in the north east you basically have to wait until mothers day to set your summer plants out otherwise they will succumb to our vicious early morning frosts. Now I know this and if you're reading this blog you probably know this as well. But for the casual person looking at those tempting tomato plants they may be unaware that it's too early to be buying tomato plants in late march. Now unless they are buying these plants and then sticking them under some grow lights then I can see that being feasible even though the tomato plants that were on sale were at least a foot tall. My worry is that someone sees tomato plants at home depot and then assumes that since home depot is selling them then it must be time to plant them in the backyard. Then when they visit that plant later in the afternoon and see it wilted to the ground and yellowed they might become jaded and curse gardening off for good. I asked a home depot employee if they cover the plants at night since there is no roof in the outside nursery, he said they don't cover anything.

So does Home Depot just let the summer plants die on a cold spring night?

A Home For My Knives

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 04:21:00 +0000

I got tired of having my nice knives shoved in a drawer and being mishandled so I picked up a Magnetic knife holder. It was easy to install and now my knives are readibly accessible at a moments notice.

I also picked up this nifty Knife sharpener which lets you sharpen your knives edge in a few minutes. I thought it was gimmicky at first but it was so cheap that I decided to pick it up anyway. After trying it on a couple knives and doing the paper test I was left impressed. You run it along the blade and in a few swipes your knife is back in business.

Cold Frame Protects Plants During Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0000

I'm once again surprised at how well my Juwel Cold Frame has protected my seedlings. Back in October I transplanted Romaine & Black Seeded Simpson lettuce seedlings into the cold frame. After 4 months of enduring a Pennsylvania winter the lettuce still looks great. I watered the cold frame maybe three times the entire winter. I'm still surprised how well the structure insulates the greens from the freezing winter temperatures at night.

Today I took some photos of the cold frame with the 2010 October transplants. Can't wait to transplant these into my raised beds in a few weeks.

Last years results http://www.italiangardening.com/2010/04/cold-frame-winter-garden-results.html

Fig & Laurel Update

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:43:00 +0000

My fig trees and laurel plants all overwintered in the garage just fine. In a few weeks I'll be able to set them back outside. Some of the fig trees will require heavy root pruning as they are prolific in sending roots out. As for the Italian Bay Laurel plants, right now I'm keeping them 3 to a container. In a few years they will outgrow their current container and will need their own individually. I have to say the Laurels are extremely hardy. They've survived a transatlantic flight, root division and no sunlight for three months and they look great.

Spring Has Sprung In The Office

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Seeds are starting in the garage. Heat mats are warming the seedlings. And the plants at my desk are blooming. More 2011 posts to come...

Early Summer Garden Checkup

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:48:00 +0000

So far so good. My Romaine and Lollo Rosso are doing great despite the heat and humidity. The Broccolini is growing well and hasn't shown any signs of bolting. I will post tomato pics soon as I am almost done with my brand new bamboo staking method. Stay tuned.

Planting Store Bought Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:37:00 +0000

I can't tell you how many times I've had store bought potatoes sprout in my pantry. Sometimes we don't use up all the potatoes we buy and they start to sprout in the warm dark pantry. I've always wanted to plant these sprouting potatoes but when I would do some research online the consensus was that you should only plant certified seed potatoes, other wise the potatoes wouldn't produce tubers or they would simply succumb to disease.

Well rather than waste the potatoes I decided to go against mainstream potato wisdom and plant the sprouted grocery store potatoes. I planted these in March and I just recently dug up some potatoes to see how they were doing. You can tell by my pics that the grocery store potatoes are growing just fine.

So guess what? Plant those old grocery store potatoes you have in your pantry... They will grow!

Indoor Seed Starting Update

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:05:00 +0000

My seed starting is complete and everything is ready to be planted in the garden. Outside photos to follow shortly. I was a bit late getting these shots uploaded but better late than never.

Cold Frame Winter Garden Results

noreply@blogger.com (Timoti) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 23:07:00 +0000

So my spinach, bietola swiss chard and trevisio radicchio all over wintered successfully in the cold frame and are now ready to be transplanted to their permanent raised beds. Again I'm really surprised how well the cold frame worked. We've had the worst winter in recorded history here in PA, and the cold frame was able to shield the greens from any permanent damage. All the greens you see above were sown in October of 2009. I regularly watered them once spring
temps began to rise so they wouldn't dry out inside the cold frame. The one thing you have to remember is that the cold frame doesn't let much rain water inside, so it's up to you to either remove a lid from the cold frame once you expect rain in your forecast.