News Feed: Keeping a Record

Hey All!

I thought I should keep a record of the dates on which I hv sown seeds, when they sprouted, and also the date of first harvest. This will help us next year too! You can do the same !dont forget to include ur location and temp.

Location: Karachi
current temp: min 12 max 30
Date sown: 11th Nov'08
Date to sprout: Carrots(19th) Cumcumber(23rd) tomato roma(19th) tomato marmilade(17th) Cherry tomato(19th)beets(15th) Spinach(16th)

Peppers,some flowers,corn,beafsteak tomato,broccoli hv nt shown any sign yet..

Sec Sowing: 22nd nov '08 seeds sown: Radishes, carrots and all others that hvnt shown any sign yet.


This sowing season is special 'cause this time two of my gardener frds started their kitchen garden along with me. Cant wait to see your photos and reports too ! :D


Happy Gardening

~ Zahra

!

Buried Rubies

Next time you hear someone say that you get what you wish for, you better believe that!

Just few months back I was going through marthastewart.com and got in love with lush red beets and radishes; wanted to grow some of my own. I saved a photo from her garden which I used to admire all the time.

And now when I started writing this post, I came across the same photo. It dazed me with joy to see that I was able to grow same luscious red roots successfully myself.

Red radishes (Raphanus sativus) are considered the easiest and the fasted growing crop. These are famous for children gardening projects because the crop is ready to harvest with in 20-30 days.

Rapid growing radishes can be planted through out the year. Red-skinned and white-fleshed vegetable is a globe of around an inch. There are some elongated varieties as well. But the blushing red color of these tiny globes is unbeatable!

Radishes are best grown in rich, loose soil. We are looking for a pleasant tang which can easily turn into fiery hot. They should be picked as soon as they around an inch in size. Leaving them for longer time will make them taste hot. Simply starts off by filling a tray with loose soil. Randomly sow seeds every 2 inches. Water it regularly. Irregular water patterns will make them blot. Radishes need minimum 6-8 hrs of sunlight. When days get longer, radishes will bloom, producing many seeds that can be saved for next sowing.

Beetroots (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. vulgaris) are 3-4 inched globes, rich in color and loaded with flavor. Red roots and bright green leaves make tasty meals. I have sown mine but will have to wait for 2 months to harvest them.

I feel rewarded when I get stunning, scrumptious food, stocked with nourishment for some seeds that I had. Delight of picking up vegetables and fruits from branches is exceptional, but nothing can match the spine-tingling excitement and elation that you get when you unearth the root vegetables. It’s truly like digging up for treasure.


Grow your own …and feel that sensation!

Happy Gardening!

-Zahra


Thanks to all my regular readers. I love to see your comments :)