Fruit and Vegetable Gardening in British Columbia
One approaches the garden under the watchful eye of this metal-and-wood raven sculpture by Oregon artist Andy Strickland.
I grow several kinds of mint in this patch. I find that if you snip the heads when they get close to a foot tall, they become sturdier and can be harvested for a longer period.
The cabbage is doing wonderfully!
I grow a variety of corn called Serendipity, which thrives in our summer climate of long, cool days. One great advantage of this cultivar is an extended harvest season; you can pull out fresh ears for three weeks. This is bad for commercial growers, who want the whole field to ripen at the same time, but perfect for home gardeners.
Harvesting black raspberries. These have among the highest antioxidant content of any berry ever tested. The netting is essential to keep birds away.
These huge, beautiful fruits are tayberries (Rubus fruticosus x idaeus). A cross between blackberries and red raspberries, they are named after the river Tay in Scotland. I enjoy their subtle sweetness. When very ripe, they provide a wonderful, slightly tannic "finish" reminiscent of good wine.
I love fresh Roma-variety string beans!
Known as Tuscan kale, black kale, Russian kale or dinosaur kale, this is one of my favorite vegetables. Fabulous in salads, soups and stir-fries, it's among the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can eat.
I am experimenting with growing strawberries in these planters, raised three feet above the ground on welded-steel legs. Keeps the slugs away from the berries - also easier on the back to harvest!
Still a few more weeks before I can harvest my tomatoes. This variety is known as Brandywine - an heirloom strain with fantastic flavor!
Setting out lettuce seedlings. I don't know the particular varieties here - my friend Nori Fletcher gave me several kinds. Knowing Nori, I can trust that they will all grow well and taste great!
There is a fair amount of rain here in British Columbia, but nonetheless I find drip irrigation (via the brown tubes visible in this photo) absolutely essential. The soil here is so sandy that it can't hold moisture, and becomes completely dry within hours after a rain.
I immediately replant areas in the garden that open up after harvesting. Here, I am setting out several varieties of leaf lettuce.
The new lettuce planting gets its first watering.
Mushroom growing is not for the impatient! A year ago, we drilled holes in these alder logs, pounded in shiitake spore plugs, sealed the openings with soy wax, and stacked them in a cool spot in my yard. I water them regularly. A few days after this was taken, the first large mushroom sprouted out!
This summer squash will be ready for harvest in a few days.
