I Yam what I Yam, and that's all that I Yam

Speaking of yams... Often what you find in the supermarket labeled as a yam, is a sweet potato and not a yam at all.  True yams have a rough bark-like outer skin of brown or black. Native to Africa and Asia,  Africa grows the bulk of commercially sold yams.  The flesh can range from white to purple, or even red.  Unlike the sweet potato (which isn't even a distant cousin to the yam), yams aren't sweet. Rather, they are dry and starchy with a texture and flavor comparable to white russet potatoes.

 

In the United States, the words yam and sweet potato are used interchangeably but refer to what are sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are readily available while the yam is harder to find. Specialty grocers or Asian food stores are more apt to carry them. I discovered the African yam at an Asian grocery an hour's drive from where I live.  Averaging $3.99 to $4.99 per pound, one small yam cost $10.  

I wasn't about to pay $10 for one small spud though, so I marched up to the checkout and paid for my other items.  Before I could leave, the owner and her sweet husband stopped me.  A gift.  A lovely little gift!  Tucked inside a ziplock bag was a newly sprouted yam.  Naturally such a gift inspired me to start my next mission.  Trying to grow a true yam right here in southwest Oklahoma.  Research says it can't be done.  I believe that creating the right microclimate, it can.  Game on.  

Yams require up to a year of frost-free weather before harvest.  My area has a freeze or two during winter, which might present a significant challenge.  To combat the ground freezing, I could grow the yam in large tubs and move indoors over winter, or, leave the yams in the garden bed and cover them in a  6" of wood chips.  Another alternative would be to build a cold frame over the yam bed.  A south-facing, reflective wall behind the yam bed could provide radiant heat when temperatures drop.  
Options... options.  

It will be interesting to see how this new specimen fares in this area.  Keep checking back for updates.

Lazy gardening - the sustainable perennial garden

As  much as I enjoy working in the garden, life and time can get away from me.  I've been on a mission the past couple years to develop a vegetable garden that is not only self sustaining and a prolific producer, but one that will require only minimal effort on my end to thrive.  I'm experimenting now to find what does and doesn't work for me, and will carry this experience over to my off grid garden when I make my final move. 

I will continue to expand and update this list, so be sure to keep checking back!  

#1  Top of the list is Asparagus.  I started with three year old crowns - the root system of a mature plant.  These went directly into a permaculture bed up close to a fence.  As the plant matures through the season it sends up beautiful fern like shoots and creates a natural, ferny hedge.  the taller the ferns, the bigger your harvest will be the following year.  Asparagus is a heavy feeder and requires lots of fertilizing.  I've found that by composting each year and throughout the growing season, my Asparagus does well enough.  Occasionally I will mix up some fish emulsion and give the plants a little drink.  

#2  Jerusalem Artichoke.  A delicious substitute for potatoes and a perennial that requires next to zero maintenance.  A member of the sunflower family, this plant will grow upwards of 6' and produces pretty yellow flowers.                                                                                                                                                                                    
 I use these not only as a potato replacement but as a natural privacy fence around my property.  They're certainly pretty enough to disguise the fact they're part of my "farming".  The tubers can be prepared in much the same way as potatoes.  Raw they taste similar to a water chestnut.  A word of caution - these can become invasive, so unless you want them growing everywhere, you might want to section off a specific area for them or grow them in large containers. You won't be disappointed in the harvest from these tubers, they are prolific!  

#3 Walking Onions.  I can't say enough about this onion variety, from the ease in planting and harvesting to how hardy these onions are.  All parts of the plant can be used.  The bulblets on top, the green stems (like chives or green onions) and the bulb beneath the dirt.  Such a versatile, flavorful addition to the homestead.

#4  Strawberries.  No garden would be complete with this delicious addition.  Strawberries can live for many years , dying back in the winter, to reemerge in the spring.  Since they propogate through runners and seeds, a strawberry garden can grow and live indefinitely.  Admittedly, I'm successful at everything I grow, and I have successfully killed all of my strawberry plants for years.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I figure out the issue and somehow keep them alive this year.  I'm open to tips and tricks, so if you have some, drop me a comment!


#5 Taro.  I was told Taro wouldn't grow in this climate, but here I am, growing it.  Not only will it grow, but it will survive overwintering in the ground, and it comes back early in the spring. Be sure to mulch it with a good 6" of mulch in the fall (after cutting it back to the ground).  The roots/tubers are a wonderful substitute for potatoes.  Not as prolific as the Jerusalem Artichoke, but it's nice to have options.  

#6 Saffron Crocus.  Saffron is the world's most expensive spice (by weight), but it's one of

the easiest spices to grow. To plant saffron crocus, start with high quality corms. These can be purchased from several different online companies.  Choose a planting site that is well drained and has soil rich in organic matter.  Plant in the spring or early fall, to a depth of 4 to 6".  when the flower blooms in the autumn, the orangish-red stigmas are plucked from the flowers.  air dry for a few days before storing.   

#7 Ginseng.  I was told repeatedly this wouldn't grow in my zone, and against all nay sayers, it's not only growing, but thriving.  I started with 3 year old roots that I ordered online.  Each winter I cover the bed with a good 6" of leaves to protect them against the cold The leaves break down through the seasons, creating a nice compost and fertile soil for the roots.  Research what ginseng needs to grow and create your own "micro-climate".  Rules were meant to be broken, right?

#8 Turmeric and Ginger.  Turmeric and Ginger grow in the same manner with very similar needs.  Once you figure it out, they're both relatively easy.  I recommend growing in planters or big pots, because they really don't overwinter well in many climates.  I'll post specifically about growing these two tubers, complete with photos to help explain the process.  Keep checking back and I will provide a link here with the instructions. 

         

ginger developing buds for planting

turmeric pre-budding

#9 Malabar Spinach.  This is actually an edible ornamental, so don't hesitate to use it in some of your landscaping/yardscaping.  Since it vines, it's beautiful kept in a container with a trellis.  The thick, dark green leaves provide tasty greens throughout the summer, when traditional spinach will not grow. The mild flavor makes Red Stem equally good cooked or fresh.  Children often prefer this variety over the cooler season spinaches.

As you can see in the below photograph, this vine gets tall.  About 6' of vertical salad, right at your fingertips! Perfect for container gardening when ground space is limited.  

               

Egyptian Walking Onion

They aren't called  Walking Onions (aka Winter Onion) without good reason.  One of my all time favorite, and most versatile onions, has a way of walking through the garden.  A wonderful gardening friend, Barbara,  got me started with these and now I'm addicted.  

 Though  not invasive, the Walking Onion will happily drop it’s top set (this makes me think "tipping it's top hat") and grow on its own. Hence, the "walking" in it's name.  

Walking onion bed

A prolific producer, and a hardy perennial, these onions making gardening easy.  The bulblets can be used like pearl onions and added to roasts or stews. Add a few to a pan of fresh snap peas, or pickle them, like I do.   

 I was told I wouldn't see bulblets the first year, but lo and behold, there they were.  I had bulblets by the hundreds and it was more than enough for me to share with friends and neighbors. I shared so much I didn't realize (initially) that I'd shared myself right out of them.  Fortunately there were still some in the ground and I've seen them popping up in different garden beds.  

The tall, green stems can be diced fresh to use in salads, or garnish dishes the same as chives or green onions, and have a light, delicate flavor.  Freeze some for later to add to winter soups and stews.  Be sure you don't harvest all the topsets (greenery) or you won't have any bulblets. 

Walking Onion Bulb

Beneath the ground you will find  delicious, shallot like bulbs -  often in clusters.  These can be eaten and prepared like any onion or shallot.  Leave the onion in the ground over winter and it will come back in the spring when the clusters can be divided and replanted for a more abundant harvest in late summer or  fall.  

Bloomin' onions

As part of my edible landscape, I especially enjoy this onion when it's in full bloom.  

These onions are very winter hardy and have stayed in the ground for as long as I've had them, and that's with some pretty solid freezes.  The mulch  I put on when I'm winterizing my garden beds might contribute to their overwintering success.  

If you have  favorite photos of your Walking Onions, or recipes you'd like to share, be sure to drop them in the comments.  

Move over potatoes, there's a new spud in town

Beneath a sky dotted with pink cotton candy clouds, I assess the gardens, excited by what I see already above the ground, curious about the plants I do not.  And so, like any normal five year old, I grab my handy dandy garden claw rake, decide on my first victim, and dig.  I know, I know, that's a huge no-no, but I really need to know what's going on.  Did my tubers get too wet?  Did they freeze?  Did they rot?   Did the squirrels get them? In under a minute, I find a tuber. Still as fresh as the day I received it. So now I'm puzzled.

• Did I plant them 2 to 3" deep?  Check.  
• Planted 2' apart?  Check  
• Plant as soon as the ground was workable?  Double check.  
• Are they rooting?  No.  No they aren't.  

 I  tuck the tuber back into the dirt, and pat the soil down lightly.  Back to the drawing board, or rather Google, to do some follow up research.  

A little backstory here.  I've been exploring perennial vegetables that are fast growing and prolific producers. This resulted in the discovery of tubers, and hence, the Jerusalem Artichoke. This is not an actual artichoke, but a relative of the sunflower.  It's also a wonderful perennial that will return year after year, like it or not.  Known to be invasive, it's a good idea to dedicate one area of the yard or garden to Jerusalem Artichoke and to maintain that area so the plants don't take over. 

Further research tells me that I should:

• Start new plants in spring 4 to 6 weeks after the last frost for an autumn harvest. So I may have gotten a bit of an early start.  Patience, grasshoppa, patience.
• Optimal planting soil temperature is 50°F to 60°F (10-16°C). The soil certainly wasn't 50 to 60 degrees at the time I set the tubers.  In fact, the ground had recently thawed after a nice, hard freeze.  In my defense, the instructions that were sent with the tubers indicated to plant them any time.  And so, I did.
• Optimal growing soil temperature is 65°F to 90°F (18-32°C).  With this in mind, it seems I need to hurry up and wait and watch.  Our days are only now heating up, so perhaps a few more weeks.  

Strategically, this member of the sunflower family will reach 6' to 10' tall, creating a beautiful, natural,  privacy fence with it's dainty yellow flowers.  Living on a highly visible corner lot, privacy is key.  And, since the tubers can be harvested in late fall or early winter - after a frost or two, I'll have natural privacy for the best part of the year.    

This, my friends, is what I call "edible landscaping".  Much like the Okra plants growing in my tree garden in the front. I refer to them as "shrubs", but that's a story for another time.  

Meanwhile, here's a  little nutrition information for you:

"One cup of sliced, raw Jerusalem artichokes (about 150g) has 117 calories, 3.0g protein, 26.2g of carbohydrates, 2.4g fiber, 14.4g sugar, and no significant amounts of fat. Jerusalem artichokes are an excellent source of potassium and a good source of iron." 

It took a bit of digging (see what I did there?) to locate Jerusalem Artichoke tubers online, but I succeeded.  They're currently selling on Etsy, Amazon, and Ebay.  Gurney's Seeds (who has been around for as l long as I can recall) and Johnny's Selected Seeds have them as well. You might also check area markets, like Farmer's Market, Sprouts, etc.  There isn't one specific source that I use, so be sure to do your research.

If you'd like to learn more about this wonderful tuber, check out this article:  7 Health Benefits of Jerusalem Artichokes complete with references.