# Jens General Garden Notes **URL:** \ **Category:** Adaptation Projects\ **Tags:** tomatoes, cold-tolerance, potatoes, goldenberry, tobacco\ **Created:** [September 8, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/jens-general-garden-notes/2915 "2024-09-08T17:44:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jens](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/jens/32/569_2.png) [@jens](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/jens)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/jens-general-garden-notes/2915/1 "2024-09-08T17:44:09Z")
I could post so many pics of the gardens as they’ve grown this season, but I’ll start with orientation then move to fun things hubs has been harvesting. Side note: I planted so many seeds this winter with the intention of growing all the things this season, then got a work contract on the other side of the country. Now hubs is tending all the things as best he can while I merely look on longingly from afar. A lot of the seeds were direct sown: corn, squash, melons, beans, peas, flowers, greens, artichokes, asparagus. Some veggies/greens/fruits were seeded ahead of time - tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, aubergines, onions, culinary herbs (mint, basil, klip dagga, lavender, cilantro, etc.), tobacco, goldenberry. I also include some video walkthroughs of the beds/areas. There may be some random swearing, so just glide on past that if it bothers you. I’ve been hanging around too many roughnecks. 🙊 If you want to see crop specific where I post more particularly about some things: [Tomatoes](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/gts-tomatoes-others-jens-grow-out-notes/2910) [Potatoes](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/gts-colorful-mix-cultivariable-potatoes-jens-grow-out/2343) [Bulbing Onions](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/going-to-seed-bulbing-onion-mix-jens-grow-out/2171) ## Onward! **Eastern Beds** Sometime in March the snow melted off, and I couldn’t control myself. I planted an asparagus bed and a greens bed - mache, chard, kale, shiso, lettuce, and artichokes. Mind you, I don’t really like greens, so this was all for the love of my hubs… who hasn’t eaten any of them and who only eats the wild lamb’s quarters growing everywhere. 😐 Asparagus bed has Mary Washington seeds, and we later bought some MW and (some purple variety) crowns to add to this bed. I think he also later added garlic in here as well.: ![Asparagus Bed2024-03-08-152203_002](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/a/a83be79c53536b90764ba86311a4126f59dd34e1.jpeg) The greens bed: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/9/9457262d7d666afac40f2998c9c68c9803b1f688.jpeg) These two beds were a bit of a turning point in my head. I’d like to believe that I can plant seeds that will figure out when they want to sprout. Obviously some seeds won’t handle this kind of STUN, but I’m playing around to see how many of our typical “annuals” will transition to this style of growing. Or to see which ones I can seed in the fall and will come up on their own in the spring. The goal being to reduce the number of things I have to coddle inside (our house is small and we are off-grid) and reduce the number of things we have to seed/plant in the spring. 🤞 These are the four eastern beds. Far left (north/east) mostly garlic + lamb’s quarters, next closest is the asparagus + garlic/lamb’s quarters, one perpendicular to that is the greens bed, then the far right (south/east) bed is sun roots and heeled in baby trees (black cherry, pecan, red mulberry, shellbark hickory, hickory mix, and persimmons). ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/8/85c49b278c8d439cb6fa4882208a2731f324d349.jpeg) Greens + garlic, cilantro, and a couple potatoes: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/8/8d9de3bf43a989664eb1e208b84cdbd883ac214a.jpeg) Video walkthrough of this bed: > **[Eastern Garden: Greens Bed](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/GreensBed:7)** > > Forest Gardening in zone 5b. Here's the bed of greens I planted in March '24 when we had a snow melt off, and I couldn't contain my gardening excitement any longer. This is what happens. I am happy to... Asparagus bed in the foreground, garlic/cilantro bed in the background: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/b/beb20ef8dd0120da0cd0c601d845a0d6ae39318b.jpeg) Video of this bed: > **[Eastern Garden: Asparagus Bed](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/AsparagusBed:1)** > > This bed has Mary Washington and \[purple variety\] asparagus, garlic, and cilantro. Sun roots + trees: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/f9a9a0e7f209ededeb3ff647eaedcda084d6c0ad.jpeg) Video: > **[Eastern Garden: Sun Roots and Tree Babies](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/SunrootTreeBed:e)** > > This bed contains sun roots and tree babies: black cherry, pecan, red mulberry, shellbark hickory, hickory mix, and persimmons. In June I came home for a break and planted the remaining seed snail plants that hadn’t been put in the ground yet. This group of random tomatoes + lettuce leaf basil got planted on the forest floor. The basil hates this decision. It hasn’t grown well at all. It hasn’t died, but it also hasn’t thrived. You won’t be seeing pictures of any of these again.. 😂 Though I think hubs said he was able to harvest a couple cherry tomatoes from these plants. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/a/ae60349b5db4f76f7cdd5803a3e4e2fc46eca953.jpeg) Video: > **[Eastern Garden: Random Tomatoes and Lettuce Leaf Basil on the Forest Floor](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/RandomTomatoBasil:2)** > > Random Tomatoes and Lettuce Leaf Basil on the Forest Floor More in the next post.. ---
**Author:** ![jens](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/jens/32/569_2.png) [@jens](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/jens)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/jens-general-garden-notes/2915/2 "2024-09-08T18:00:29Z")
**South Gardens in June** Rocky outcropping has a bunch of tomato plants. I had sown poppy seeds here when the snow was still on the ground, but NONE OF THEM SPROUTED. I’m a little upset. I also planted Maypops along the drip edge of the house where that board is leaning, but they didn’t come up either. 🙄 Things to try again… Right (northern) bed has beans, overwintered peppers, seeded peppers, corn, aubergine, clover, fennel bulbs, cabbages (?), and peas. Next to the water tank are my dragonfruit pretending that they can thrive up here. 😂 Left raised bed is radishes, garlic, cabbages, tomatoes, corn. Tree box to the left of that raised bed is full of crab apple seedlings. Tree box to the right of that bed has more apples, seaberries, and a couple nut tree seedlings. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/ff6f8b103bdd83a181b7a7db46484367b6a561ab.jpeg) Video Tours: > **[South Gardens: The Rocky Outcropping](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/South-RockyOutcrop:b)** > > Tomatoes planted on the ground, rocks surround them for visual barrier - keeps the humans and dogs from trampling the plants. > **[South Garden: Northish Raised Bed + Lower Bed](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/South-NRaisedBed:1)** > > The raised bed closest to the house - beans, peas, fennel, potatoes, maybe cabbages, and lots of clover. The lower bed has squash, corn, garlic, and beans. > **[South Garden: Dragonfruit and Tree Boxes](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/South-Dragons:9)** > > I have three varieties of dragonfruit growing - Venus, Israeli, and Royal. I bought them all as little stumps and they've been slowly growing, mostly indoors. They get to go outside during the summer,... > **[South Garden: Southern Raised Bed](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/South-SRaisedBed:d)** > > This raised bed contains brassicas, tomatoes, garlic, random whatnot, and corn. **Northern Raised Bed:** Alpine Poblano from an overwintered plant: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/ffe72980a108d60e789c6ffe36b62c8942078ca4.jpeg) Jalapenos from a plant we overwintered in the house then planted into this bed: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/f35e9d7b21c2a82ad2b033e91e5c2fc02fda69c4.jpeg) Fennel: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/0/096e5f797803222a2ef3a3fd346a19143bf16178.jpeg) DuckDuckGoose finding tasty treats: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/a/a68afeea1db019b12973bfeff1061f109bde953c.jpeg) Snow Peas: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/b/b8122e11850c88a2da81889a46013234e8658627.jpeg) **Lower Bed** Squash Flowers: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/5/5d7b6b03790d3bd30e6e1493b99d7952adb8a578.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![jens](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/jens/32/569_2.png) [@jens](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/jens)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/jens-general-garden-notes/2915/3 "2024-09-08T18:01:35Z")
**North Gardens** On the north side of the house, we’ve overtaken the “driveway” with planting spaces… like you do. Tire Tomatoes (you can see our winter sled and poultry tractor in the background): ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/3/3ff20d526230777061a075bfcab44667b8c2ad5d.jpeg) The thing we often refer to as “The North Bed”: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/1/1e85d69c69090313dae372302aa6d4c28ef63073.jpeg) Video tours: > **[North Garden: Semi Circle Bed + Nearby Pots](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/NorthBed:4)** > > This bed has a lot of potatoes, squash, corn, a gooseberry hiding next to the large oak tree, basil, fennel, and other random plants. We built up the soil here, which is mostly just raked leaves from ... > **[North Garden: Klip Dagga Pot + Friends](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/KlipDaggaPot:0)** > > This pot contains klip dagga, Genovese basil, peppers, and mint. > **[North Garden: Tomatoes and Wild Blueberries on the Forest Floor](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/North-TomatoesBlewbs:5)** > > Tomatoes, tobacco, and ashwaganda were planted among the rocks near the wild blueberries. Tobacco is a new, random plant I’m interested in growing. One plant is doing much better than the others: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/e/e909a2c3c9c035a9fdcd12d3fa68d3fd47ad006a.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/fb7c978a64a57734b02426dc340134c9260aed37.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/2/25429626feefa5436f15789a32ca1207797fdc27.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/e/e5c18f83ea5e90b4250fc0d97daf8d5c0acffc49.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/5/54e5f974006fff5a3c785e5d2fce131fe2b53001.jpeg) Klip Dagga trying to put on flowers in our cool climate: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/fdf0933cf2717666761fbd992d8bc04531ffe1b0.jpeg) Peppers from the Klip Dagga pot: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/2/2c309f22abd64321bd7c15ba60322f34db2d75e1.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/e/ed44c1a1a0b83cb722113ac583208d3016056772.jpeg) Potato flower: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/a/ac5e706c17a376884a09fa0734638121c7893c59.jpeg) **Ledge Garden** This area mostly has shallow soil with granite anywhere from 4-12" below the surface. Plants have to really want to survive to live here. The maple tree growing here has provided some soil and better growing conditions for some of the plants, but it’s still a pretty rough struggle bus ride out here. I’m excited to see some plants surviving and producing fruit in spite of the rough conditions. Video tour: > **[Ledge Garden: Tomatoes, Sage, Goldenberries, Tomatillos](https://odysee.com/@HomesteadontheHill:5/LedgeG:a)** > > On the Ledge aka very shallow soil/granite rock very close to surface, we have a bunch of plants we're actively torturing. Tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, broad-leaf sage, goldenberries, and (later) ore... Goldenberry: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/b/b137b9cc46bdafaa328eb3935a895179035f35ac.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/5/5cc2ad29ec23ed96a74b7fd6519b95ac7fa051dd.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/e/ed3d0ac182227e537a9dfbacc41270b72929f57a.jpeg) Tomatillos struggling but putting on fruit: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/1/16883423e48299510d610f17745e645057eb8077.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![jens](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/jens/32/569_2.png) [@jens](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/jens)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/jens-general-garden-notes/2915/4 "2024-09-08T18:02:54Z")
**Corn Harvest!** This is our first year growing corn in this location. Very excited to see that we were actually able to produce kernels we can save and grow next year! I think sweet corn was in the South Garden and other corn in the North. Painted Mountain and Mountain Morado: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/f/f1d69831fd7cb965ea06e247074be287394c511d.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/8/83d068a1c14473e5eeaa09502d1297273f3cbeec.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/9/965acc010f101c383440a78cebec47274d560681.jpeg) Astonomy Domine and Bantam Sweet Corn: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/a/a0eadfef0a68d307c18fa82ad8116cac8d912f05.jpeg) Baby corn that didn’t quite make it to ripening: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/landracegardening/original/2X/e/e3d411b9b81fb203d74654321458d6fc0d029ee4.jpeg) You can see that our corn is tiny and sad. There wasn’t good sunlight for most of it, and I think it was shaded out by other plants in the raised beds in the back. Next year, better location. Poor pollination - we will probably work on hand pollinating some of it next year as well as planting in tighter/larger groupings. I ordered more corn to plant as well, which will at least (hopefully) give us a better yield than what we got this year, even if they’re smaller. ---
**Author:** ![NicoleB](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/goingtoseed.discourse.group/nicoleb/32/5368_2.png) [@NicoleB](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/NicoleB)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 6:57pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/jens-general-garden-notes/2915/5 "2024-09-08T18:57:45Z")
Great pictures! I enjoyed looking😊