Issaquah Grange Supply Undressed

Time for Garlic

This has been a phenominal year for the home gardener. Not only has the weather been ideal but more and more people have learned just how easy it is to grow their own vegatables in a small backyard plot, a raised bed or even containers on their deck.

Some of my customers have expressed dismay over the approach of Fall and the subsequent loss of fresh vegetables. To those people I say pfffffft!  Not only is NOW the time to replant your cool weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli, but also to get an area ready to plant garlic.

Garlic can be planted in either the Fall or the Spring, but for the best results ,plant from early October to late November, preferably a few weeks ahead of the first hard freeze.

The planting site should be a full sun location, (or as much sun as possible) with well composted soil and good drainage.  Now would be a good time to choose the site for planting and incorporate some good quality compost. 

Plant individual unpeeled cloves “pointy” side up, about 1 inch deep and about 6 inches apart.  I plant only the largest cloves as the smaller ones will be less vigorous.  You can fertilize with either a balanced organic fertilizer like a 5-5-5 or use conventional bulb food.  I like to fertilize when I plant and once more in mid to late Spring.

Once the plant starts growing in the Spring cut back any flower stalks that form.  This will create a larger bulb.  The garlic leaves can be clipped any time for culinary uses but don’t take more than 1/4 of the plant’s top growth.  It is also important that the plant gets enough water but not to the point of drowning.  About 1 inch of water per week should be sufficient

Sometime around mid July the tops will start yellowing and falling over.  At the first sign of the yellowing, stop watering.  They should go without water for about 2 weeks before harvest. 

Lay or hang the harvested bulbs in a warm dry shaded area for 2 to 3 weeks to cure.  Garlic bulbs are ready when the skins are tight against the bulb and papery.

We are offering both hardneck and softneck garlic.  The basic difference is that the hardneck varieties will have fewer but larger cloves, but the softneck can be braided for decorative purposes.

Varieties on hand;  Chesnok Red, Elephant, German Red, Inchelium Red, Kilarney Red, Polish Jenn, Romanium Red, and Silver White.

LET THE GARDENING BEGIN…

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Gallagher Electric Fence From the Home to the Range

How electric fencing works
An electric fence is a psychological barrier that keeps farm animals in and wild animals out – even over long distances.
A pulsed electric current is sent along the fence wire, about one pulse per second, from an energizer which is grounded. When the animal touches the fence it completes the circuit between the fence and the ground and receives a short, sharp but safe shock. The shock is sufficiently memorable that the animal never forgets.
Because the electric fence is a psychological barrier, it does not require great strength to be effective. However, it must be well designed and constructed to absorb some pressure from animals, snow and wind. The energizer must have enough power for the length of the fence and for the animals being controlled.
Uses and benefits
Animal control is perhaps the most widely recognized reason for power fencing. Not only does power fencing keep domestic animals and livestock contained, it has various other important uses, including:
• Keeping wild animals out
• Separating different groups of animals
• Allowing rationing of crops and pasture
• Fencing animals off from eroding areas, trees, rivers and roads
Power fencing has revolutionized pasture management techniques and better pasture management means better profitability for farmers. Permanent or portable power fences are used to subdivide pasture to ensure even distribution of manure over grazing areas. In this way, pastures are kept fresh, short and palatable which ultimately leads to increased milk and meat production. If you are interested in finding out more about pasture management techniques.
Other key benefits of power fencing:
• Affordable
• Easily constructed and maintained
• Durable, because of low physical contact
• Light weight and easily transported
• Easily modified
• Less animal hide and pelt damage
• Deterrent to trespassers and predators
For convenient, economical animal control, improved pasture management and more profitable farming, a Gallagher Power Fence System is the trusted solution.

supplied by http://www.gallagherusa.com/

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Canning Supplies

Canning is becoming more and more popular as we try to conserve our cash and preserve our harvest! At the Grange Supply Inc. we carry a full line of canning supplies.

Including:

• A variety of Mason jars including wide mouth 1/2 gallon, quart and pint
• Jelly jars 4 oz. and 8 oz.
• Bands and lids and plastic storage caps
• Original fruit pectin, no-sugar needed pectin, and freezer jam pectin
• Jelly strainer and strainer bags
• Jar lifters and wrenches
• Fruit jar funnels
• Canning labels
• Cheesecloth and paraffin wax
• 21 1/2 qt. kettle canner
• 22 qt. pressure cooker
• “Ball” Blue Book Guide to Preserving

If there is anything we don’t have, and you want, just let us know and we will be happy to assist you.

Happy Canning!

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How’s your garden growing?

Last summer compared to this summer has been quite a turn around in the Northwest.  Tomatoes are turning red, green beans are hanging like tinsel off a Christmas Tree, and I recently found a zucchini  about the size of a 64 Volkswagen! 

 Despite the ideal weather we’ve had there are some folks I’ve spoken with whose veggie gardens can barely produce enough to make a decent dinner salad.  Here at The Grange Supply we’ve had seminars featuring both Ed Hume and Cisco Morris.  I had the opportunity to speak with both of these experts and combining their wisdom with successes and failures I’ve had in my own garden, I can pass some valuable tips on to you.

Location, location, location.  This can’t be stressed enough.  Summer fruits and veggies do their best when given a spot with as much sun as possible.  It’s important to note that winter veggies,( i.e. lettuce, beets cabbage, broccoli, etc) do not require as much sun and in fact can “bolt” (go to seed) when too hot.

Water.  Most summer veggies like water but not to the point of drowning.  Too much water can hinder the root development and without a solid root growth the end product will be stunted or very slow to develop.  During the very hot days in the high 80’s to 90’s I watered every other day.  When temps drop into the 70’s and low 80’s I water every 3 days or as needed, (stick your finger in the soil).

Fertilizer. With the exception of potatoes and onions, I normally fertilize my veggies when I plant them with a good organic fertilizer and call it good for the season.  this year however I had two jalapeno plants that grew big and lush and didn’t produce a single flower.  Over a two week period I fed them with a synthetic “bud and bloom” fertilizer (10-52-8).  I now have an abundance of the little salsa makers!

The two most common problems I hear are concerning squash and tomatoes.  The squash flowers,and starts to develop then falls off and withers up.  This is caused by  the flower not getting pollinated.  You can either plant more bee and butterfly attracting plants nearby or get down and dirty with a small paint brush and manually transfer pollen from one flower to another.

The second problem concerns tomato plants with lots of tomatoes that won’t ripen.  the first method to try is to pinch off any new flowers.  It is easier for the plant to produce blossoms than it is to ripen its fruit.  If you pinch off any new flowers this will force the plant to ripen the existing fruit.  Once the fruit starts to blush with color, let the plant produce more flowers.

This second option is a bit more drastic and is usually used at the end of the season.  Pull the whole plant out of the ground and hang it upside down in a covered area to protect it from rain.  Within a week the tomatoes will start to ripen and you can pick them at will.

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Ciscoe Morris at The Grange Supply of Issaquah May 31st at 1pm

Needless to say, we’re extremely excited to have Ciscoe Morris at The Grange Supply on May 31st at 1pm.  Ciscoe will be talking about Veggies, especially some of those that you would plant in the month of May.  Some examples are tomatoes, basil, eggplant, peppers, zucchini and even brussel sprouts! He will also be sharing about some of his favorite perennials and also about some, more rare “tender plants”.  In addition to Ciscoe expounding on some of his amazing knowledge, he will be answering many of the attendee’s questions, which many of us are so accustomed to him doing on the radio and the television.  He will also be giving away some free products to those in attendance, being provided by The Grange Supply. 

Ciscoe is highly thought of by many of The Grange Supply’s own employees, of which many are avid gardeners.  So we hope that you take time to stop by The Grange Supply, which by the way is celebrating its 75th year in Issaquah, on May 31st around 1pm to see and hear legend Master Gardener, Ciscoe Morris!

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Growing Potatos to stretch the food dollar – find ‘em at The Grange

A $1 investment in a Seed Potato will produce $5 savings at the grocery store.  Right now at The Grange Supply, Inc. in Issaquah, Wa.  we have 7 different varieties of seed potatoes.  They include: Yukon Gold, great all around potato; Burbank Russet, of course, a wonderfully delicious baked potato;  Norkotah, a net skin potato which is resistant to scab, which is a common potato skin blemish;  Satina,  a yellow flesh potato, great for either boiling or baking; Chieftain, a red skinned, white flesh potato resist to scab and also extremely tasty when fried; All Blue, which has both blue skin and blue flesh, and makes a great mashed potato.  To keep the blue color, add a bit of vinegar to the boiling water; and last but not least, Rose Finn Apple, a fingerling potato, highly prized by chefs in upscale restaurants. A tid bit of information, the new garden is frequently benefited by the growing of potatoes, especially if your a first time vegetable gardener. Cultivating potatoes provides a excellent opportunity to clear the ground of weeds, rocks etc.  So, come on down to the The Grange Supply of Issaquah and get your seed potatoes today, for planting in early April.  You will enjoy seeing the “vegetable” of your labor.  ;>)   If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact The Grange Supply by phone, (425-392-6469) or coming on down in person.  We’re across from the Triple X in Issaquah.

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