Planting Strawberry Popcorn
Mr Chiots and I are big fans of popcorn, we often eat it in the evenings. Since we’re trying to eat more locally we were thrilled to find some local popcorn last year. While I was out and about one day I spotted seeds for Bonatical Interests Strawberry Popcorn and I just had to have them. How can you not want to grow corn that’s described as: the diminutive strawberry shaped, ruby red ears on these stalks are an eye-catching addition to the back of the flower border. So we’re going to try growing our own popcorn this year.
I soaked the seeds overnight (I’ve heard it softens them and helps them germinate) and I planted them in peat pots. I wanted them to be germinated when I planted them because then I wouldn’t have to worry about animals digging up the seeds. I used peat pots because corn does not like to have it’s roots disturbed.
I had great germination in a few days and they were ready to plant on Monday.
So I headed over to my mom’s house to plant it in the plot that we tilled up several weeks ago. Yesterday we added some compost and other amendments and worked them into the soil.
Then I set about planting the corn seedlings. I’m thinking about making this a traditional 3 sisters planting, since this is an heirloom Indian corn. There’s already a ‘Rouge Vif d’Etampes’ in there that my mom started and I have a few butternut and pumpkins to plant in there as well. I’ll have to pre-germinate some beans when the corn gets to be about 6-8 inches tall and then I’ll plant the pole beans at the base of the cornstalks.
I’m really excited about this popcorn. I’m hoping to have a good crop so I can give some away as Christmas gifts and so that we have enough popcorn to last us till next year.
Are there foods that you love that you’re trying to grow yourself?
Update:
– it was super delicious, we love it!
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Planting Pole Beans
This is my first year growing a lot of things, like beans. I’m growing bush beans (2 kinds) and pole beans (2 kinds). My beets aren’t quite ready to harvest yet, although if whatever varmint keeps getting into them and eating them keeps it up, I’ll be pickling baby beets. My beet bed is where the bush beans will be going, but I really didn’t have a place for the pole beans. I have a trellis, but it’s currently covered in peas, clematis, hops and soon birdhouse gourds as well.
So I decided to grow my pole beans in a pot with a trellis, you can see the two pots there with the black trellises in them. They should be really beautiful in those pots filling them up quickly. I’m not sure where the pots will go yet, but they’ll look lovely wherever I put them. (this is my pot holding area, some of these will be moved to other locations throughout the gardens)
Several days ago I wrapped the seeds in a wet rag and let them sit overnight. By the next morning they had all started to germinate, so into the pots they went. I planted them the day before yesterday and this morning I noticed the first sprout starting to pop up. By the end of the day it was standing tall and starting to unfurl it’s first set of leaves.
I’m growing Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans and Dragon Tongue beans. Hopefully in a week or two I’ll be starting the bush beans in the raised bed. I’m hoping for a good bean crop this year for canning, we’ll see if the local wildlife finds them as tasty as the peas.
What kinds of beans do you grow?
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Harvesting Sugar Snap Peas
I’m currently harvest sugar snap peas, MMMMMMMM. They’re Oregon Sugar Pod II peas and they’re really tasty. Last year I grew Super Sugar Snap peas and they were good, but slightly bitter. These Oregon Sugar Pods are sweet, crisp and very tender. These kinds of peas are some of my favorites to eat, I like that they’re not as much work as podding peas, you seem to get more for your harvest since you eat the pods.
We’ve been steaming them for 4-5 minutes and then drizzling them with a little olive oil and sprinkling them with freshly ground pepper and salt. So far this season I’ve harvested 1 pound of these peas. I’m glad I planted some in pots on my back deck since the deer ate all the peas I had in the garden beds out back. At least we’re able to enjoy some peas!
What kinds of peas do you like? Sugar snap or podded peas?
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Picking Strawberries
Our strawberries are ripe! They’re such a delayed gratification crop since you plant them one year and don’t start harvesting till the next. Last year I planted them and dutifully pinched off the blossoms in order for a larger harvest this year.
My efforts were rewarded because our strawberries are producing like crazy. We’ve been out picking them every evening.
We picked our first berries last Thursday, there were only a few ripe then. It seems like they’re kicking into full gear now, we have to go out and pick every night to keep up with them (we’ve picked 4.5 pounds since last Thurs). The chipmunks and slugs are getting a few, but the Chiots loves it because she gets the ones they start on.
I’m glad I planted 3 different kinds; early, mid and late maturing ones to extend our harvest. We’ve already enjoyed our berries in some strawberry rhubarb crisp, strawberry rhubarb syrup over waffles and of course we’ve eaten a lot as is. You just can’t beat berries ripe from the garden.
Do you grow strawberries in your garden?
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Mini Veg
The vegetables are all starting to come on, most of them are mini veggies at the moment. Soon enough we’ll be enjoying bounty from the gardens.
I’m really suprised that I had peppers set so early, especially since we’ve had such cold weather (even now it’s in the low 50’s at night). I heard that if you spray them with fish emulsion or seaweed it helps the blooms set into peppers, I guess it works!
These are the Sub Arctic tomatoes, I have one that has a tomato the size of large marble already.
This is one of the late strawberries (we have early, mid & late bearing). I harvested our first batch of strawberries yesterday (1lb 7 oz) and we enjoyed the for dinner before I remembered to take photos.
Do you have baby veg or are you harvesting already?
