Brocolli

Brocolli head
Originally uploaded by kschwink

Did you know that a serving of brocolli has more calcium in it than a serving of milk? As do other greens, such as kale, the leafy vegetables are very high in calcium. If you are like me, dairy intollerant, than greens are a good bet to keep your bones strong.

Brocolli is easy to grow for the organic gardener, but can get aphids. To take care of the problem, be sure to water well, keep your plants healthy with lots of organic fertilizer and if the plants get attacked, hose them off. Often, only one or two plants will have a problem. I keep the problem planst separate, by using the plants around them first. I was told a long time ago to plant for myself, to plant for the bugs, and around here, to plant for the deer. That way everyone stays happy.

The grandbaby will be here shortly, so if I have time today, I'll say a little more about brocolli. Aren't you just on pins and needles? If not, I'll see you tomorrow.

Happy Gardening

Stormy Weather

A storm came through in the night, some wind, some rain, nothing excessive. I don't know about farther south. Perhaps south they got the two inches predicted. I thinking now about excess, because weather can come in excess, but what I have in excess is stuff. What I'd like to have in excess is vegetables, then I could give them away. And eat more, of course. But we're all prosperous in different ways. I am reading a book by Allen Cohen called <a type="amzn">Relax into Wealth</a>. My dad always said we're rich if we have family and love and pets and a roof over our head, etc. This is true, and cash helps too—but I'm pondering excess stuff when there is no place to put it. I'll pick up the rest of my belongings at the end of the month and put them in storage. Storage makes no sense to me. I think that if one doesn't use something, then get rid of it. On the other hand, I have family heirlooms that won't fit in my 525 sq ft condo. So there you go.

Well, back to the garden. Once I had a garden that was practically the size of a small lot. I had a rototiller and my hubby at the time tilled the thing. My father-in-law gave me advice, just plant things far enough apart that you can till between the rows. Of course my garden looked like my closet, crammed full of stuff. I don't think there was ever any tilling between rows. But that was a good garden and it was on a lot that had fruit trees and grapes, filberts and asparagus. I used to garden in my bathing suit so I'd get a good tan. When I met the neighbors they snickered about me being out there in my suit. I was surprised. I had no idea someone was watching, after all there was a hedge along the street and the entrance into the place was narrow, situated between trees. I wonder if they had binoculars.

On that lot I also had a small greenhouse where I started my plants. The planting bed had heat coils running beneath the soil, as Spokane is slow to warm up in the spring, so the little plants had nice warm soil to begin their lives. I had great cabbage starts and broccoli and cauliflower. I planted a bigger variety of stuff then than I do now. Of course there was a family to feed, now just one person. In fact, I confess I do more eating out than I ever thought I would. I could start a dinner club. Just move from house to house on different nights of the week, always a guarantee of a home cooked meal. Now there's an idea.

Happy Gardening,
Flower

PS That's the Angel Face rose, like the one I have growing in Kingston.