{"id":4898,"date":"2013-07-28T11:54:31","date_gmt":"2013-07-28T11:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/troutsfarm.com\/latest\/?p=4898"},"modified":"2013-08-02T17:29:38","modified_gmt":"2013-08-02T17:29:38","slug":"2013-july-gardens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troutsfarmtoo.com\/latest\/2013-july-gardens\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Gardens"},"content":{"rendered":"

The ups and downs of two gardens – one upstairs on the balcony deck and the other in the backyard.<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

BALCONY ABUNDANCE<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Lemongrass, coco yam, peppers, parsley, basil and cilantro with turmeric and more cocoa yam tucked in the back. Bob rigged up a PVC water delivery system to make watering easy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CONTAINERS<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Bob is using everything from muck buckets to tomato paste cans to grow a wide variety of food. Malibar spinach and thai basil on the left. Coco yam on the right.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TURMERIC<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Amy brought a piece of turmeric and planted it. Here’s what happened!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CHOCOLATE AND CHILI<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Here is the beginning of a cocoa tree from seed – just because, why not? And a happy and prolific chili pepper plant. One day, these two plants could make beautiful flavors together.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

LEGACY<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Allison helped Camille weed the beds and Bob trimmed basil and helped Allison add compost on August 7. Then she planted beets, chard and collards that we will enjoy long after Allison returns to the States.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

QUICK STARTS<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Two weeks later, the collards Allison planted are already coming up and the lime basil Bob trimmed back has bushed back out.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

HAVES AND HAVE NOTS<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

The okra is producing beautiful flowers and pods in the same way the sprawling bean vine is not. The beans seem more interested in visiting the neighbors than setting on fruit.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

VOLUNTEER<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Out of the old compost pile grew a squash plant and on that plant blossomed five inch blooms and twining tendrils.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MALE AND FEMALE<\/h3>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

The male flower is showy while the female flower produces the fruit. We are sad to report this fruit didn’t get much further along before succumbing to blossom end rot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

EAT YOUR GREENS!<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Our diet is rich in dandelion and collards (shown above). We also make occasional use of the chard (on the left) and moringa. We had heard about the incredible properties of Moringa and noticed a tree next door hanging over our fence. So Bob harvested seed and started them in cans upstairs. This is an incredibly fast-growing, tasty and nutritious tree. Camille is learning how to strip the leaves from the branches, leaving the stems behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MIRACLE TREE<\/h3>\n