Earlier in the week Rachael Adaire came down to the farm site to help transplant the cabbage. It is great to have her around because she is savvy and has worked by herself and with others to start two previous CSA projects. After joining us in February, she is the newest member of the team at Brookside Elementary working to develop the Willits Energy Farm. Rachael is participating in this project as part of a work study program from Mendocino College. During the course of this semester, she will develop an on-site mycelium habitat as well as source parts and help inform decisions on the irrigation system. At the end of her work she receives college credit, (and if we can), a positive recommendation.

Rachael is also working on another farm project in Willits that is intended to grow food for the soon to be built “green hospital”. I have talked with people from that developing project and they too are impressed by her hard work and positive attitude. Both developing farms in the community have been gifted with Rachael’s efforts and we are glad she is willing to share her time. Thank You for Demonstrating Community Cooperation, Rachael!

Side Note: For those who might be interested, Mendocino College has accepted the site at Brookside Elementary into the organic gardening curriculum. Organic gardening courses will be able to use parts of the site to ground the practices of their organic gardening courses. I think the site will be available to the college at the end of 2007.

Rachael and Friends

We have been growing starts of Kale and Lettuce in a glasshouse for about 3 weeks. They will be ready for transplant sometime next week. For those who might be planting Kale or Lettuce there is a chart below that you might find useful. On that chart, *LFD=Last frost date and *FFD= First frost date. For Willits, LFD is usually May 15 and FFD is usually October 15.

Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephela)

Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)

Temperature:

• For germination: 45°F-95°F
• For growth: 60°F-65°F

--Soil and Water Needs--

pH: 6.0-7.0

Side Dressing: Apply when plants are about one-third grown.

Water: Heavy

--Measurements--

Planting Depth: ½”

Root Depth: 6”-12”

Height: 12”-18”

Breadth: 8”-12”

Space Between Plants:

• In beds: 15”-18”
• In rows: 18”-24”

Space Between Rows: 24”-46”

--Grow Biointensive Measurements--

Space Between Plants:

• In Beds: 15”

Maximum Number of Plants per 100 Square Feet: 84

--Threats and Interactions--

Pests: Aphid, cabbage looper, cabbage maggot, celery leaftier, diamondback moth, flea beetle, harlequin bug, imported cabbage worm, Mexican bean beetle, mites, thrips, weevil.

Diseases: Alternaria leaf spot, black leg, clubroot.

Allies: Uncertain: Chamomile, dill, garlic, mint, nasturtium, rosemary, sage, tansy, (perhaps tomato).

Companions: Artichoke, beet, bush bean, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, peas, potato, spinach.

Incompatibilities: Pole beans, strawberry, (perhaps tomato).

Planting:

First Seed-Starting Date: (Plant every 10 days in case of poor germination)

Last Seed-Starting Date:

Harvest notes: Harvest younger leaves from the middle and work your way up the stalk as it grows. Keep some of the leaves on the bottom to feed growth at the top. You can also harvest the plant all at once by cutting the stem near the bottom.

Storage Requirements: For fresh storage don’t wash the leaves. For drying, cut the leaves into strips and steam for 2-5 minutes. Spread on trays no more than ½” thick, and dry. If using an oven, set the temperature below 145°F, check and turn every hour. Kale will store at 32°F at 95%-100% humidity for 2-3 weeks. At 32°F to 40°F and 80%-90% humidity it will store for up to 10 months (with fair taste).

Sources:

Denckla, Tanya., The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food., Storey Publishing © 2003., pp.94-95.

Jeavons, John., How to Grow More Vegetables* 7^th Edition., Ten Speed Press © 2006., pp. 90-91.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Family: Compositae or Asterceae (Sunflower family)

Temperature:

• For germination: 40°F-80°F
• For growth: 60°F-65°F

--Soil and Water Needs--

pH: 6.0-7.5

Fertilizer: Heavy feeder.

Side Dressing: Every 2 weeks, apply balanced fertilizer or foliar spray

Water: Low to medium, heavy in arid climates, water early in the morning to minimize diseases

--Measurements--

Planting Depth: ¼”-½”

Root Depth: 18”-36”, with 5’ taproot

Height: 6”-12”

Breadth: 6”-12”

Space Between Plants:

• In Beds:
  • Head Lettuce: 10”-12”
  • Leaf Lettuce: 6”-8”
  • Romaine Lettuce: 10”
• In Rows:12”

Space Between Rows: 14”

--Grow Biointensive Measurements--

Space Between Plants:

• In Beds:
  • Head Lettuce: 12”
  • Leaf Lettuce: 8” in winter and 9” in spring-fall
  • Romaine Lettuce: N/A

Maximum Number of Plants per 100 Square Feet:

• Head Lettuce: 159
• Leaf Lettuce: 320 in winter and 248 in spring-fall
• Romaine Lettuce: N/A

--Threats and Interactions--

Pests: Aphid, beet leafhopper, cabbage looper, cutworm, earwig, flea beetle, garden centipede, leaf miner, millipede, slug, snail

Diseases: Bacterial soft rot, botrytis rot, damping off, downy mildew, fusarium wilt, lettuce drop, mosaic, pink rot, powdery mildew, tip burn

Allies: Uncertain: Chive, garlic, radish

Companions: Beet (to head lettuce), all brassicas (except broccoli), carrot, cucumber, onion family, pole lima bean, strawberry

Incompatibilities: None; some studies have shown lettuce to be sensitive to plant residues of barley, broccoli, broad bean, vetch, wheat, rye

Planting:

First Seed-Starting Date: (Plant every 10 days in case of poor germination)

Last Seed-Starting Date:

Harvest notes:

For leaf lettuce, start picking the leaves when there are at least five to six mature leaves of usable size. Usable size means about 2” long for baby lettuce and 5”-6” long for more mature lettuce. Keep picking until a seed stalk appears or the leaves become bitter. For head lettuce, when the head feels firm and mature simply cut it off at the soil surface. Harvest all the lettuce in early morning for the maximum carotene and best taste. Refrigerate immediately.

Storage Requirements:

Lettuce does not store well for long periods and is best eaten fresh. At 32°F-40°F at humidity of 80%-90% the storage life of lettuce is 1 month. At 32°F at 98%-100% humidity the storage life is 2-3 weeks.

Sources:

Denckla, Tanya., The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food., Storey Publishing © 2003., pp.97-99.

Jeavons, John., How to Grow More Vegetables* 7^th Edition., Ten Speed Press © 2006., pp. 90-91.

As the snow melts and the water saturated ground drains, we are anxious to plant out our pea starts. They are looking good and the cold weather does not seem to have threatened their health. For those who might be planting peas there is a chart below that you might find useful. On that chart, *LFD=Last frost date and *FFD= First frost date. For Willits, LFD is usually May 15 and FFD is usually October 15.

Peas (Pisum sativum)

Family: Leguminosae or Fabacea

Temperature:

• For germination: 40°F-70°F
• For growth: 60°F-65°F

--Soil and Water Needs--

pH: 6.0-7.5

Fertilizer: Light feeder. When inoculated, peas are nitrogen fixing and need low nitrogen. Apply liquid seaweed 2-3 times per season.

Side Dressing: When vines are about 6” tall, apply compost or an amendment high in P and K, and light on N.

Water: Low initially, heavy after bloom, shallow watering is said to increase germination.

--Measurements--

Planting Depth: 1” or ½”- ¾”

Root Depth: Shallow to 3’

Height: Garden Peas: 21”-4’; Snap Peas: 4’-6’;

Breadth: 6”-10”

Space Between Plants:

• In beds: 2”-4”
• In rows: 1”-3”

Space Between Rows: 18”-48”

--Grow Biointensive Measurements--

Space Between Plants:

• In Beds:
  • Bush Peas: 3”
  • Pole Peas: 4”

Maximum Number of Plants per 100 Square Feet:

• Bush Peas: 2507
• Pole Peas: 1343

--Threats and Interactions--

Pests: More problems affect seedlings: aphid, cabbage looper, cabbage maggot, corn earworm, corn maggot, cucumber beetle, cutworm, garden webworm, pale-stripped flea beetle, seedcorn maggot, slug, snail, thrips, webworm, weevil, wireworm.

Diseases: Bacterial blight, downy mildew, nation mosaic, fusarium wilt, leaf curl, powdery mildew, root rot, seed rot.

Allies: Some evidence of tomato. Uncertain: Brassicas, caraway, carrot, chive, goldenrod, mint, turnip.

Companions: All beans, coriander, corn, cucumber, radish, spinach.

Incompatibilities: Garlic, corn, potato.

Planting:

First Seed-Starting Date: (Plant every 10 days in case of poor germination)

Last Seed-Starting Date:

Harvest notes: If a plant has only a few peas on it, pinch the growing tip to encourage further fruiting. When pea pods are plump, crisp, and before they begin to harden or fade in color, harvest them with one clean cut. Sugar snaps are best picked when plump and filled out. Harvest snow peas when the pods are young and peas under developed. Pick peas everyday for continuous production. Pea shoots, the last 4”-6” can be harvested for stir-fry dishes and salads.

Storage Requirements: Blanch shelled regular peas and whole snap and snow peas before freezing. When stored at 32°F at 95%-100% humidity, peas will last for 1-2 weeks.

Sources:

Denckla, Tanya., The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food., Storey Publishing © 2003., pp.112-115.

Jeavons, John., How to Grow More Vegetables* 7^th Edition., Ten Speed Press © 2006., pp. 90-95.