Garden Plan for 2013

It's PLANTIN' TIME!!  Well, we're almost there... Some items will be planted this weekend and others are being hardened over for transplanting in a couple of weeks. I am hoping for a high yield this year as the previous 2 years we've had numerous consecutive days of 100+ degree weather and most of my crops just burned under the Texas sun.

The "Plan" is a little ambitious for me, especially when summer hits and constant care is required. And, I've already ruined the first batch of saffron corms. It seems my darling daughter was watering the plants as well, so they were being over-watered which is a huge "no-no" for  saffron, so... yeah, a new batch will be planted this weekend as well as the following:

    Bought some "blue" potatoes, they looked really cool and they are supposed to be delicious. Anyway, the blues are going in this weekend as well as the Yukon Gold.

    I am also planting the shallots (used all of last years, so I am starting with new bulbs and keeping my fingers crossed.

    I am planting both hot and sweet peppers. I can never get enough of these so I am over-planting these this year for a bountiful crop. They don't go in the ground just yet, but I will put them in my terrace room to over-hardened before they're planted in.

    Onions are going in as well, those are a 'fingers-crossed" deal too. I will be more detailed on what's going in as I plant each vegetable. Expect an update on all items planted this weekend in proper detail. Please note, the plan depicts what I would like to see but as math gives me a headache, I don't formally measure anything out... Its more of a guide on how I see it in my head but reality is always a lot less forgiving. I guess I could be more accurate but I admit, I am "math lazy"... I can add/multiply/subtract and divide and since I am NOT an aerospace engineer, I don't feel so bad about dismissing geometry, calculus and trig. And when I do use this level of mathematics, I don't realize that's what I am doing and "voila" ~~ no headaches... see, it works out for everyone involved. Below are a list of my garden veggies going in this  year...

I've chosen this years 'experiment plant' to be the 'Saffron Crocus'. I ordered bulbs and planted them in December in a container inside the house. They have string-like green leaves but they haven't flowered. They produce a beautiful purple flower so it will be an added benefit in making my garden 'pretty'. I am hoping to use some of the filaments in cooking and preserving the rest for future use. This is a very expensive herb so grow it yourself instead and save a LOT of money.


Grow your own Saffron Crocus bulbs for harvesting and cooking.
[Info from: http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/crocus-sativus-saffron-crocus.aspx ]

The saffron crocus blooms in the autumn, producing 1 to 5 rich lilac flowers with dark purple veins, held wide open above inconspicuous foliage.

Noteworthy characteristics: Plants may bloom well the first year, but sparsely thereafter. Generally will not flower in cool, wet areas. Saffron, called "the world's most expensive spice,"  is obtained from the long, conspicuous, deep red style. It takes about 14,000 stigma to make one ounce of saffron threads.

Care: Plant 3 to 4 inches deep in late summer. Likes full sun and gritty, poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Prefers hot summers. Under glass, provide full light with gritty soil and ample water during growth. Keep dry during summer dormancy.

Propagation: Sterile, increasing only by division.

Problems: Mice, voles, and squirrels may eat the corms, while birds may pick off flowers. In storage, corms are prone to rots and molds.

Roma Tomatoes

NOTE: The following information was pulled from The Gardening Channel, [thank you, GC!] cause I've been too busy to do my own research but really needed to get back to my blog... Wait til you hear how this summer's record heat MASSACRED my garden! Over 69 days of 100+ degree weather. Pictures as well... Yeah, it ain't pretty...

Roma Tomatoes are the traditional paste tomatoes. With their dense and meaty flesh, low moisture content, and few seeds they are the ideal tomatoes for processing into sauces and pastes. Roma tomatoes have a cylindrical or plum shape, and feel heavy for their size. Their colors range from pink to orange to deep red. Veeroma, La Roma, and Sam Marzano are among the many popular Roma varieties.
New varieties of Roma are both flavorful for eating and meaty for cooking. These include Roma Napoli, Martino’s Roma, and Rio Grande Roma. Cherry Romas are small and sweet, perfect for snacking.

Growing Romas
You can start Roma tomatoes from seeds indoor two months before the last frost date for your area. Or, you can purchase seedlings (also called starts) from a local nursery or garden center and transplant them after the danger of frost has past.

Romas need the same conditions as other tomatoes—well-drained soil high in organic matter, full sun, and plenty of water. Plant them about 14 to 20 inches apart. They’ll be ready to harvest in about 75 to 80 days. Because Romas are determinate plants all the fruits ripen at about the same time, which is a big advantage if you’re making sauce.


Harvesting Roma Tomatoes
Harvest your Roma tomatoes when the fruit is firm and evenly colored. If the temperature reaches 90 degrees F it’s best to pick the fruit when it’s just started to color to ripen indoors at about 70 degrees F. Tomatoes won’t survive a frost, so if frost is predicted bring in the unripe fruits and ripen them in paper bags at 60 degrees or so.


Roma Tomato Pests and Diseases
Many Roma tomatoes are resistant to early blight, fusarium and verticillium wilt, diseases that plague tomatoes. Always choose seeds or seedlings that are VF resistant.

If you see a water-soaked area near the blossom end (bottom) of the fruit, your tomato may have blossom end rot, which is basically a calcium deficiency. To help avoid this problem don’t plant your tomatoes until the soil has warmed up and keep the soil evenly moist.

Tomato hornworms are big green caterpillars that camouflage themselves along the stems of tomato plants. The best thing to do is to pick them off—if you can find them!

Recipes to try:
Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes

Pasta with Fresh Roma Tomato Sauce No. 2