Tulip Tree: Urban Homestead in Central Illinois

first fruits of the harvest

tuliptree — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:18:16 +0000

strawberries

tuliptree — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:34:57 +0000

The first harvest of strawberries has arrived.

the first wild strawberry harvest

Also pictured is my “berry saver” storage bowl. It was a bargain bin purchase for $4 and does a pretty good job of keeping berries fresh(er). It’s specially designed to keep the contents dry, elevated, and with venting to release ethylene gas produced during ripening. Ethylene also accelerates ripening.

I’m going to make “freezer jam” with crushed berries, lemon juice and a very small amount of sugar as the strawberry fountain will (hopefully!) produce too many for my own consumption of fresh berries.

volunteers

tuliptree — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:31:41 +0000

My garden beds are almost done. Volunteer plants discovered today: 4 tomatoes, broccoli, kale, and, of course, plenty of runner mints.

Scored from Freecycle: Marjoram, wild strawberries, and raspberry canes.

The beans are up, but not yet winding around the new bamboo trellises.

new bamboo supports for the beans and peas

strawberry fountain

tuliptree — Sat, 30 May 2009 22:37:02 +0000

My DIY strawberry fountain:

strawberry fountain

You need several clay pots and a sturdy stake. Assemble as above. I use a second stake behind to add stability. Fill with rocks/compost/soil. Transplant strawberry plants. Water as needed. No water is wasted as the top pot drains into the next pot down.

This also allows strawberries to dangle elimnating the need to stake/string the plants. It also adds a barrier to the creepy-crawlies that love strawberry plants.

ugly is the new beautiful

tuliptree — Mon, 25 May 2009 02:12:40 +0000

One thing that you realize when you work in your garden is that it really doesn’t matter how eye-appealing your garden looks. Productive is productive. Fertile is fertile. The detritus that surrounds or is in between the plants doesn’t really matter. Rocks, dried roots, sticks, cut grass or old leaf matter may be unsightly, but they have a function and should be treasured for their water holding ability and soil erosion control. Thye good stuff – the rich soil and compost is below the surface where it does the most good. Soil as a top layer dries out and blows away.

Borders are another thing that I used to worry about, but frankly, I realized I don’t have time or the money to build a permanent stone or wood wall around my garden. It also strikes me as inflexible if I want to move or relocate beds. Old boards held upright by sticks may not make it into Home & Garden magazine, but it will hold back your moist, rich earth from running into the lawn during a heavy downpour.

Under the Tulip Tree, I put my effort into productive things and I don’t worry what visitors will think. Once the garden is producing, no one will notice the borders or edges, they will only see the beautiful red, yellow and green fruits and flowering herbs. Trust me.

garden update & seed cost

tuliptree — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:22:13 +0000

The seedlings are doing well with sun and water. I expect to be able to transplant most of them next weekend.

The total cost for seeds and supplies for this years garden is around $40.

I save pots and trays from year to year. The strawberry fountain will cost around $20 to make for clay planters mostly.

Tomatoes & cabbage are ready for transplant outside.

winter carrots

tuliptree — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:17:20 +0000

In preparing the beds for new plants, I dug up some green carrot tops to discover my beautiful winter carrots below.

Tasty!!

cold pile in disarray

tuliptree — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:59:33 +0000

I’ve been out with the first mow of the season. My poor cold pile compost box came apart at the seams. Time to dig it out – I’m sure it is root bound from the silver maple tree above it. I’ll reassemble the box tomorrow.

Also, my pryamid composters are working okay, but can not produce the amount of compost I need for the garden beds. I’m going to build a DIY compost tumbler. If I get it together soon enough, I can put the pyramids into the neighborhood garage sale in 2 weeks.

Seedlings continue to flourish indoors in the east windows.

seeds & seedlings

tuliptree — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:09:23 +0000

It is almost time to start some seeds indoors. I typically start the first week of March in order to transplant into the garden beds under cold frames the second or third week in April. I have plastic shelving and a full spectrum light to help things along. I use both peat pots for sprouting and small pots with garden soil for transplanting.

On deck for this year:

tomatoes, lettuces, kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, hot peppers, brussel sprouts, carrots, beets, pole beans, sweet peas

oregano, basil, stevia, rosemary, lemon balm, catmint, peppermint, spearmint, sage, savory, thyme, marjoram, yarrow

new this year: strawberries (in vertical potting system), potatoes

I should be able to harvest some asparagus as well.

When I transplant the greens outside under the cold frames, I’ll also directly seed for a second & third crop of greens. Ditto for beans.

Things that do not grow in my garden: squash/melon of any kind. Been there. Done that. Didn’t work. Too much space for no rewards. I can also easily purchase what I need from a local farmer at the farmer’s market at good prices. Enough.

Flowers this year are: daisies, sunflowers, morning glories, petunias, and I’m growing a plot of Utah wildflowers for table top arrangements.

Compost is black gold

tuliptree — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:25:35 +0000

Even though the temperature has been in single digits here in central Illinois with ice and snow layered inches deep, Tulip Tree is hard at work saving organic scraps and eggshells from the kitchen and composting them out back. I save the scraps by placing them in bags in the freezer and then making a trip every couple of weeks. I have a cold pile box that I built myself out of scrap pine three years ago. Almost all the yard and garden waste goes into it to provide brown material for the two pyramid machines that generate the black gold at least 4 times a year. I obtained Earth Machines about two years ago from Peoria County during a discounted drive. I use a layered method with kitchen scraps and brown matter from the cold pile. I spread the compost in early spring, early summer, autumn and late fall and till it into the garden beds. I started my garden by tilling up the landscaping that ran the back of the yard between two trees. There was rock, clay, polyethylene sheets, old moldy mulch, more rocks and clay. I use a double dig raised bed method. My first garden was 4′ by 12′ which I expanded last year to 4′ by 28′. I still pick out rocks. I use an electric cultivator and have a friend bring over the big tiller to break through the hard packed sod. I plan on expanding my beds to double the current size. I’ll need a lot of compost. I’m looking into whether the City/County offers free or cheap compost from the curbside collection of yard waste. I’m also considering a DIY compost tumbler to accelerate the production of compost.

More information on composting:

How To Compost
Guide to Composting

black gold from the compost pile