Category — Jim’s Thoughts

20 Minute Jan and I participated this year in FestiFools, a short parade of large puppets held the first weekend of April in downtown Ann Arbor. It was spectacularly fun, despite the rain, wind and hail. We chose Jack and the Beanstalk as our theme because, once we thought about it, Jack is our role model.

As I remember the story, Jack had already grown tired of mowing his lawn so he acquired a Cow to do it for him. As much as Jack and his mother appreciated the milk, Jack found cleaning up after the Cow to be as much work as cutting his grass. Jack knew the Cow had to go… but not too much more about what came next. Luckily on the way to market, he met a backyard gardener who shared with him the wonder of pole beans. Pole beans are great for small gardens like Jack’s because they grow up (and up and up) and so don’t require a lot of ground space. And because they’re legumes, pole beans also perform that other kind of magic that improves the soil. Beans and peas absorb nitrogen from the air and change it into a form that plants can use. Yup, pole beans are pretty amazing. The story had a few other minor details –like a giant and stolen treasure and a castle in the clouds — but we’re mostly thrilled by Jack’s commitment to starting a garden with nothing more than a handful of bean seeds. (If you want to read a version of the story that includes the parts I overlook, check out this one.

We honored Jack with a ten foot puppet made of wire coat hangers and paper mâché… and by giving out little packets of “Magic Beans,” or their nearest equivalent, that is, Kentucky Pole Beans.

Plant your bean seeds when all fear of frost is gone – which the experts say around here is mid-MAY! (Since the last frost day is all about averages and the percentage of risk, monitor the weather and decide when you are ready to take the chance!) If you can’t wait that long, try starting them inside but be prepared for them to start climbing almost as soon as they break through the soil… which unlike the story will take a bit longer than overnight.

Once in the garden, your bean stalks will be happiest if you provide them some kind of support since, like Jack’s magic ones, pole beans will try to reach up to the clouds. Any trellis will do for your first attempt. We used various things over the years including an old wooden stepladder but nowadays, we use three bamboo poles about 10 foot long that we lash together at the top into a very elongated pyramid. We’ve acquired a fancy cast finial for the point but all you really need is some twine to tie them together. We also usually thread some twine in between the poles to give the tendrils something to grab onto.

Keep the plants moist but not wet, especially during the germinating stage. Water them if the weather is too dry.

Pick the pods after they develop beans but before they get too big in order to get them while they’re tender. For delicious beans, steam them lightly and don’t over cook them. In fact, I like to crunch on a few as I work in the garden…

And the last step is to take a picture of your vine and send it to us!

We cannot be sure that Jack lived happily ever after, but we do know he had a great gardening season. We wish the same to you!

Cold frames extend the growing season which is handy in a climate like southeastern Michigan. We’ve employed a variety of season extenders in our gardens over the years, from modest juice-jar cloches to a sandbox turned nursery bed with some clear plastic. For quite awhile, however, I’ve wanted a real cold frame with a sturdy wooden box and glazing made from a true glass window.

For how long? I scavenged the window two decades ago. A couple 4 x 4’s came from a student loft– a student who must have graduated in the mid-90’s. A few nicely sized pieces of 1” plywood became available last fall when we demolished some shelves. I have a box of hinges and handles that came from some hardware close-out along the line. But the parts would never have come together if not for that early season gardener’s itch. The soil’s too wet to till but the weather is too glorious to stay cooped up. Building a cold frame is the next best thing to gardening.

The key dimensions all came from the window so I’m not including measurements in these instructions. Construction should be easy enough to figure out from the pictures. Yes, yes, yes, of course, there’s a “correct” angle for a cold frame so that it catches the mathematically optimal amount of sunlight. But then, there is also the best angle possible for this particular window frame and this particular board. I figured that the spring sun is still relatively low in the sky and adjusted my angles accordingly.

I’m wary of pressure treated lumber in yard projects, but I didn’t want the cold frame to rot out quickly. My compromise was to apply a coat of stain or primer to any raw wood. Stain and primer both sink in better than a simple coat of paint. I haven’t heard anyone suggest this idea but I thought if I painted the inside of the cold frame white, the light might bounce around a bit.

Many jokes have been made about how every problem resembles a nail when the only tool at your disposal is a hammer. That folksy wisdom aside, I surely have found a lot of problems that are resolved by 4″ lag screws. I keep a box on my tool shelf, and they were the fastener of choice on this project. I must confess that I purchased 16 2″ washers from the kind folks at Stadium Hardware. The total for the washers was $3.20. Everything else was scavaged, which brings the total cost of the project to $3.20.

We’re so pleased with this cold frame that we hope to make at least one additional cold frame very similar to it. Our first cold frame is settled on what we call the lettuce bed where it provides access to the sun, encouraging the tiny seeds to germinate, as well as protection from the harsher early spring elements.

This week we ordered a couple new fruit trees for the 20minutegarden — I just love garden work I can do while wearing slippers and sipping a cup of tea. We have been working slowly and steadily to build a small scale urban orchard for several years. This year it was time to add a couple more trees now that we’re pretty comfortable with the overall shape of the garden. Our first advice is to carefully observe your yard and don’t rush into things. It’s far easier to transplant a rogue perennial than a mis-planted apple tree.

Our selection process focused on choosing the best kind of tree for us and deciding on the optimal spots in the yard. And it went without saying that we’d buy good stock from a reputable dealer. A tree will be a feature of our yard –and nearly a member of our family– for decades so it didn’t make sense to save a few bucks for a short-sighted bargain. We have had good luck with Trees of Antiquity; their catalog and website provide the right information for making decisions about fruit trees for the home orchard.

We’ve been scoping out spots for a couple years now. Your yard of course will have different considerations, but we tried to consider the effect of the trees’ roots, branches and leaves. As far as roots, we didn’t want to plant TOO closely to the foundation of either the house or the barn (foundations can alter the pH of the soil too). Similar concern for the branches since our first tree regularly sends out its loving arms toward the side of the barn. The effect of the leaves had two kinds of concern. First we wanted a spot where the leaves would get as much direct sunlight as possible; in particular, we tried to avoid structural shade caused by neighboring buildings. The other concern was what kind of shade the trees would cast at their prime. I don’t want shadows. Since I am a somewhat lazy gardener, I would prefer that as many of the leaves as possible fall right on top of the beds where I am going to rake them anyway. We knew this year that we could add two more trees.

We already have a Roxbury Russet apple that predates the construction of the barn. We selected that tree because it was one variety that was somewhat difficult to find at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (though Wasem‘s usually has them in the late fall, unless they sell out.) It’s also an heirloom variety that we absolutely love to eat.

But apple trees like companionship so we ordered two other trees that

1) will bloom at the same time of the season, in this case, late
2) will thrive in our climate zone. It’s possible to coddle and coax a creature to grow outside of their home climate, but even when they live, I sense their hearts are pining for elsewhere.

We wanted semi-dwarf stock so that the tree will be more compact that a full-sized apple tree. We had enough room that we didn’t want to go with a dwarf stock that would always require staking.

We decided to order a Hauer Pippin tree and a Newtown Pippen tree. Both are hardy for our zone and will bloom late in the season along with our Roxbury Russet.

If you are thinking of adding apple trees or other fruit to your garden, take these ideas into account:
* Give yourself time to plan. You may be able to purchase a tree for this year (although some varieties will already be sold out), but one season does not make that much difference. Instead, take a year to monitor and observe your yard. Study the sun patterns to see how many hours your yard actually gets and where.
* Take time to learn. Read up on your chosen fruit trees so you know what to expect in terms of time to fruiting, pollination requirements, tree size, pruning, and pest control. If your selection isn’t self-pollinating (and many fruit trees are not), you will want to plant another one, unless you or a nearby neighbor already have a compatible variety growing.
* Shop with a reputable nursery. Cheap isn’t best with fruit stock. Find a nursery here or online that will teach you about your options so you can make a smart decision.
* Plant it right. We’ll have tips and photos on planting when we get to that step.
* Cultivate patience. Planting a fruit tree isn’t a quick road to home-made fruit pie. It’s an opportunity to think about the long haul and the future.

Martin Luther was quoted as saying, “Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant a tree today.” Even if you can’t imagine living in your present house in ten years from now, someone will. Consider planting a fruit tree for them.

A certain criminal practice exists within the kitchen garden movement, one that runs rampant this time of year. The crime? Leaf Thievery. We at the 20 Minute Garden have located a self-confessed “leaf thief” who agreed to answer a few questions under the promise of strict confidentiality.

Q: How did you start your life of crime?

A: I’ve always raked up the leaves from my own lawn and used them as a very effective mulch on my garden.

Q: But it didn’t stop there.

A: I saw the piles of leaves my neighbors had raked up. They were just sitting there. Unattended. Doing no one any good.

Q: So you took them.

A: I was weak. And greedy. Sometimes I asked my neighbors first. Sometimes, I just took. But where’s the harm? Who really misses a few leaves when they could do so much good in my garden beds?

Q: Can you describe the modus operandi of a leaf thief.

A: Simple tools: a leaf rake and a large tarp. Sometimes I wore a black leotard and a mask to conceal my identity.

The technique also is simple enough. Rake the leaves into a big pile and spread the tarp next to them. It helps if the leaves are on slightly higher ground. rake them into the center of the tarp. Then make a burrito.

Q: A burrito?

A: A friend of mine who had a summer job at a taco joint let me in on the secrets of burrito construction. Fold one of the long sides over the filling about 1/3 of the way. Then fold the bottom up about a 1/4. Fold the other long side over to seal in the leaves. The same primary rule for burrito construction applies: Don’t try to stuff in too much filling. Grab it by the top — the unfolded end — and drag it to your garden bed. The best way I’ve found to get the leaves out of the burrito is to pick up the bottom, the folded end, and to empty out the leaves from the top.

Yeah, the leaf burrito makes it a one-person operation. No accomplices. Fewer risks.

Q: So simple. So diabolically simple. You’re a self-confessed “Petty Thief.” Don’t you feel any remorse?

A: I’m unrepentant. But this year it’ll be even trickier to steal leaves since the city isn’t collecting them from the streets. But I’m prepared to take them right off the yards.

Q: What is the best way for people to protect themselves against thieves like you?

It’s obvious. Use the the leaves yourself. They’re free, high-carbon mulch. Learn to view the trees on your property as mulch-makers.

And don’t wait until all the leaves are down to attempt some grand larceny. Stunts like that never work out. A little every day, maybe 20 minutes worth. It won’t break your back. And you’ll be surprised how quickly the mulch adds up.

The tide has shifted in our kitchen garden. After the long wait for the first tomato to ripen, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of a tomato deluge. You may have also grown too many tomatoes or found yourself carried away when purchasing at the farmers’ markets. Here are a few ways to enjoy all of your tomatoes to the maximum.

1. Eat tomatoes fresh or barely cooked.
Mid-summer is too hot for lengthy cooking and little preparation is needed for tomato consumption. Jim often skips washing them and eats tomatoes still warm from the sun while standing in the garden — one of the greatest things about organic gardening. If neatness counts, slice or chop your tomato first and sprinkle on a little salt. Just slightly more work, add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh or dried herbs and now you have a classy snack or side dish. Toss on some cheese — feta or bleu — and you can call it a salad. With further preparation, you could enjoy tabbouleh. We like these two easy and fast tomato sauces adapted from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 cup peeled and seeded tomatoes
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Several dashes cayenne

1. In a blender, purée the garlic and tomato. Put the mixture in a non-metal bowl.
2. Stir in the basil, oil, salt and cayenne. Serve at room temperature on pasta, cold steamed vegetables, cold cooked chicken or fish, or hot rice.

Marinara Sauce
2 lbs peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 – 6 ounce can of tomato paste
1-1/4 teaspoons oregano
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

1. Purée the tomatoes in a food mill, blender or food processor.
2. Heat the oil briefly and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic, stirring it for 15 seconds, but do not let it brown. Add the puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

2. Preserve for later.
Canning tomatoes is the best place to start if you are interested in learning to can. Anyone with motivation can learn to can by carefully following the guidelines in the Ball Blue Book: Guide to Home Canning, Freezing and Hydration. Most tomatoes and especially heirloom varieties tend to be high in acid and hence resistant to spoilage. Our favored method of preserving tomatoes is canning a not-too-thick tomato sauce that we can simmer further in soups or spaghetti sauces in the fall and winter. To get a smooth sauce, we use a food mill that we purchased at a garage sale for $1, but nicer ones can be had at Downtown Home and Garden or Williams & Sonoma, if you aren’t so lucky. Weather too hot for lengthy cooking sessions is also unsuitable for the boiling water of canning, so you might save that technique for later in the season and instead consider freezing a quart or two of sauce. We have also had good luck with freezing tomatoes whole in Ziploc bags or plastic containers to cook later on.

3. Share your bounty.
The best thing about having too many tomatoes or any vegetable is that you can feel generous and share. One neighbor whose partner gardens only native plants seems especially appreciative of receiving some of our heirloom tomatoes. I had a co-worker who would send out a morning email announcement about the fresh herbs she’d brought from her garden to share that day.

If you have a lot to share or want to provide goodness from your garden to those in need, be aware that Food Gatherers accepts produce donations from home gardeners. You can make your donation in two ways. Produce can be dropped off at the Food Gatherers Warehouse at 1 Carrot Way, near Dhu Varren and Pontiac Trail. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday. You can also take your donations to English Gardens at 155 N. Maple Road during regular store hours, (Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.). English Gardens will store your produce in their cooler and notify Food Gathers to arrange a pickup. Donations of any freshly picked vegetables, fruits and herbs are appreciated.

The days of too many tomatoes pass quickly. What are your favorite ways to enjoy your tomato bounty?