A WEED GROWS IN QUEENS
Back with an update from the verdant patch of earth alternately known as Urban America's Favorite Backyard Garden. And no, I don't have any news to report about our international ranking. Seems "the experts" still think that "professional" gardens like Versailles & even New York's own Botanical Gardens are better than what we've got out back.
Idiots.
Anyway, the news has generally been good. Generally. Unfortunately, two annuals have headed off to the Happy Flower Pot in the Sky. One of the marigolds, which had been blooming nicely, just got dry and brittle at the base of the stem & cracked off. Strange. And the yellow begonia, mentioned a few weeks ago as being in bad shape, is gone. The coup de grace came in the form of a squirrel digging up the remaining roots.
Which reminds me: squirrels are menaces. I'm not sure where in Queens, NY, squirrels get peanuts, but get em they do, and random flower pots or planting trays out on the deck seem to look like good places to bury those nuts. Every few mornings I see holes next to the plants, or even worse, small plants dug up in the most haphazard manner. Some days I've caught a squirrel in the act. Hearing noise on the deck, I'll look out I see one --peanut in mouth -- staring at me angrily, with a face that says, "What the hell are you looking at, jackass? Can't you see I'm trying to bury this peanut in one of your plants?"
Just last week about 1/3 of my wife's baby spinach took a major turn for the worse under the indiscriminate paws of a digging squirrel. I understand now why farmers shoot "pests." Incredibly frustrating to see a squirrel destroying our plants to hide non-indigenous nuts that he'll never remember anyhow. Knocked from the rankings by a rodent!
That's it, I'm buying a gun. No more varmints. If you hear about a New Yorker getting busted for firing a shotgun in a crowded neighborhood, that'll be me. When he says he was shooting the"meddling squirrels destroying his handiwork"? Not a crazy man. Just me too.
But there's good news too. Good news, I'm telling you. The latest round of pepper was excellent. Not nearly as fiery as the first batch, which were so hot as to be nearly inedible, the latest harvest was smoky, a bit sweet, with that fresh taste I'm finding with everything we grow. I'm trying to experiment with the amount of water I give them, to see if it affects the spiciness at all. With last month's two-step of Heat Wave & Thunderstorm, I didn't have all that much choice in the matter. This month? We'll see.
Another treat? Ggaennip. Say what? I'd never seen or heard of it in the US, but aparently it's called Perilla, and in Japan, Shiso. In Korea it's called ggaennip, and it's got a very intense flavor and smell, reminiscent of both mint & fennel. But stronger than both. My wife's Korean and like all Koreans she loves it -- as a wrap or garnish for a variety of foods, often meats. I hated it at first, but like many international foods it's an acquired taste. I've acquired it. At any rate, it's a very easy plant to grow (like most herbs) and the yield is enormous. Every week we cut off 15-30 new leaves.
And finally . . . the tomatoes. Wow! Three tomatoes ripened over the weekend, and we ate them last night. Unlike the batch from a few weeks ago, which were fresh tasting, if a bit watery, these were spectacular. I'm not bullshitting you. Exceptionally sweet, with almost no sourness, they were among the best tomatoes I've ever eaten. Bright red, juicy without being drippy or waterlogged, they had just a clean, incredibly pleasant taste. We were both in a bit of shock. A few more -- still green -- are growing, and I'm very anxious to see if they're as good.
From the stem, to my mouth, to these pages, you'll be the first to know. Stay tuned.
Unless I get busted for shooting squirrels . . . or one of them gets me first. Bastards.
Idiots.
Anyway, the news has generally been good. Generally. Unfortunately, two annuals have headed off to the Happy Flower Pot in the Sky. One of the marigolds, which had been blooming nicely, just got dry and brittle at the base of the stem & cracked off. Strange. And the yellow begonia, mentioned a few weeks ago as being in bad shape, is gone. The coup de grace came in the form of a squirrel digging up the remaining roots.
Which reminds me: squirrels are menaces. I'm not sure where in Queens, NY, squirrels get peanuts, but get em they do, and random flower pots or planting trays out on the deck seem to look like good places to bury those nuts. Every few mornings I see holes next to the plants, or even worse, small plants dug up in the most haphazard manner. Some days I've caught a squirrel in the act. Hearing noise on the deck, I'll look out I see one --peanut in mouth -- staring at me angrily, with a face that says, "What the hell are you looking at, jackass? Can't you see I'm trying to bury this peanut in one of your plants?"
Just last week about 1/3 of my wife's baby spinach took a major turn for the worse under the indiscriminate paws of a digging squirrel. I understand now why farmers shoot "pests." Incredibly frustrating to see a squirrel destroying our plants to hide non-indigenous nuts that he'll never remember anyhow. Knocked from the rankings by a rodent!
That's it, I'm buying a gun. No more varmints. If you hear about a New Yorker getting busted for firing a shotgun in a crowded neighborhood, that'll be me. When he says he was shooting the"meddling squirrels destroying his handiwork"? Not a crazy man. Just me too.
But there's good news too. Good news, I'm telling you. The latest round of pepper was excellent. Not nearly as fiery as the first batch, which were so hot as to be nearly inedible, the latest harvest was smoky, a bit sweet, with that fresh taste I'm finding with everything we grow. I'm trying to experiment with the amount of water I give them, to see if it affects the spiciness at all. With last month's two-step of Heat Wave & Thunderstorm, I didn't have all that much choice in the matter. This month? We'll see.
Another treat? Ggaennip. Say what? I'd never seen or heard of it in the US, but aparently it's called Perilla, and in Japan, Shiso. In Korea it's called ggaennip, and it's got a very intense flavor and smell, reminiscent of both mint & fennel. But stronger than both. My wife's Korean and like all Koreans she loves it -- as a wrap or garnish for a variety of foods, often meats. I hated it at first, but like many international foods it's an acquired taste. I've acquired it. At any rate, it's a very easy plant to grow (like most herbs) and the yield is enormous. Every week we cut off 15-30 new leaves.
And finally . . . the tomatoes. Wow! Three tomatoes ripened over the weekend, and we ate them last night. Unlike the batch from a few weeks ago, which were fresh tasting, if a bit watery, these were spectacular. I'm not bullshitting you. Exceptionally sweet, with almost no sourness, they were among the best tomatoes I've ever eaten. Bright red, juicy without being drippy or waterlogged, they had just a clean, incredibly pleasant taste. We were both in a bit of shock. A few more -- still green -- are growing, and I'm very anxious to see if they're as good.
From the stem, to my mouth, to these pages, you'll be the first to know. Stay tuned.
Unless I get busted for shooting squirrels . . . or one of them gets me first. Bastards.
posted by Mike at 8:12 AM
12 Comments:
The squirrels up this way have plenty to eat so I don't have to worry about them going after my sorry tomato plant. But i also have two outdoor cats who are merciless hunters. Actually, they're more like sadists. They don't always kill their prey, preferring to play with the hapless victim, forcing me to intervene as the Angel of Death.
My dogs treed there first squirrel last week. It tried to come in the garden and found himself trapped in the will in the center of the yard.
Squirrels haven't been a problem since I got my Catahoula Leopard Dog. :)
http://weaseldog.blogspot.com/2006/04/yard-blogging.html
That's it, I'm buying a gun. No more varmints.
May I recommend the RWS model 134? One pump, powerful, and quiet as the dickens. (That and a tin of .177 pellets and no more varmints with attitudes;)
I was joking, Mort, but . . . thanks I guess. :-P
Nice to see you can bring the Oklahoman out of Oklahoma, but . . . oh, you know the rest.
ok, so you were kidding, i was going to advise against the shotgun because by its very nature and design you would experience a lot of collateral damage to the very garden you were intending to protect. i am speaking here as someone who enjoys friccasie of rabbits that tried to eat my fucking spinach.
I love fresh spinach! Yeah, a 12 ga. for squirrels is just overkill. I can see making a point, but there wouldn't be much left of the squirrel if you went that route.
Hey Mike, are you sure those aren't poison peanuts they're burying? I don't think I'd be eating any NYC squirrels. ;-(
Third time I've tried to leave a comment here, Mike. WTF, huh?
Anyway...my sister attracts squirrels. Feeds them peanuts out of her hand. She used to have a chickadee that would sit in her hand, too--I saw it once. Trippy!
Your blog's still making me hungry. The tomatoes sound heavenly! ;-9
They were heavenly. And now they're in tomato heaven, cause they're all gone on earth!
Mmmm.
You should send your sister here. Perhaps she can play Pied Piper to the Squirrels of Astoria, as if they were Rats of Hamelin.
A (stupid) friend of mine once tried to help a squirrel that was injured by a car. That's right, rabies shots.
I love it!
(Actually I don't, but it's funny.)
Reminds me of a story I read once about Gaylord Perry, the Hall of Fame pitcher. He was from the country, and when he was a kid some major league scout visited his family to try to encourage him to sign. Anyway, the scout apparently tried to show off his "rural accumen," and went to feed one of the Perry's mules.
And the brute bit his finger right off!
It probably looked like a carrot to the mule. LOL!
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