Mark Griffin

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since Aug 15, 2018
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Piedmont, North Carolina - 7b/8a
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Recent posts by Mark Griffin

Artichokes. Starting the variety 'Imperial Star' from seed.  It has supposedly been bred to produce in one season.  However, since I am in long suspected and newly official zone 8, they may just be perennial for me.  I've made a nice new bed for them in hopes that they will stick around more than one season.
1 week ago
If you are looking for old southern apple varieties, check out Century Farm Orchards in NC.  Owner is very knowledgeable and helpful.

https://www.centuryfarmorchards.com
1 month ago
Here's a video of a local (central North Carolina) extension agent planting potatoes in 'leaf mold.'  His leaf mold is pretty much all pine straw.  It looks like the leaf mold I have around, so I think I'll give it a try this year, too. Looking forward to seeing how it works out for others as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHeLRrWlTdI&t=151s


2 months ago
I also overwintered lettuce this year.  First time I have done this and it worked great.  I was definitely celebrating as I began harvesting some weekly beginning in January.  As usual, however, I overdid it and now there is no more celebration, just groans from the family as I try to feed them more lettuce.  The warm weather is beginning to send some of it to seed, so the pace of harvest has picked up and the eye rolls of the family are almost audible when they sit down to dinner!

I will probably overwinter lettuce again next year.  Just a lot less.  And then I can plant another round in early February, as usual, so there is a more manageable pace of harvest.

I am also currently watching second year asparagus plants send up sprouts.  Very cool.  There will definitely be a celebration next year when all that waiting and expectation pays off!
I just listened to this podcast with owner of Logee's Greenhouse, Byron Martin, that was mostly about growing citrus as a houseplant.  It wasn't super informative but he did have a few interesting tidbits.  I don't remember kumquats being mentioned but I think he did talk about some varieties that were naturally smaller.  It sounds like any variety can be kept small with pruning as he says citrus in general responds well even to heavy pruning.

https://awaytogarden.com/edible-houseplants-growing-citrus-with-logees-byron-martin/


1 year ago
They are evergreen, slow growing and easy to propagate by cuttings.  In a pot it will stay relatively small but if it gets too big you can always prune it, hang the branches to dry and pluck the leaves and save for cooking.  I've heard they are only hardy to zone 9 but I have never gotten more than some light damage down in the mid teens so I don't bother protecting it anymore.  I bought mine at a local nursery 10-12 years ago, just a little 6-8 inch stick with a few leaves.  It's about 3 or 4 feet tall now and not very bushy, but I use bay leaves a lot in the kitchen.  It is in a pot and doesn't seem to be bothered when I forget to water it for long stretches in the summer.  I'm considering planting it in the ground since winters aren't as cold around here as they used to be.  I'm pretty sure where you are a bay tree would need little to no protection once established.  Also, I've never had issues with anything eating, or even nibbling, it.  If you like to cook with bay leaves, it is worth searching out, fresh leaves are far superior to dried.
1 year ago
You are in a lot different climate than me, but the first thing that comes to mind is alliums.  I plant garlic and onions in the fall for late spring harvest.  It is only a few days before they begin to sprout, and I also inevitably find other garlic and onions sprouting around previously planted beds that had somehow escaped harvest.  This is not true for the chives, both common and garlic, though, that I have in my garden.

And maybe not really what you had in mind but annuals that are better in cool weather also begin sprouting in the fall in my garden.  I always get cilantro, mustard, lettuce and borage volunteers in the fall, sometimes other things depending on what has gone to seed.  Last year there was a very productive spinach volunteer that showed up mid fall and powered through the winter.  Though it may be the temps, there may also be a light aspect to it as well. I know cilantro is day length sensitive, so maybe the seeds have this trait. These volunteers will usually grow a bit into December then just hang around until early February before taking off.
1 year ago
I don't see that variety on the inventory list, but this is a good source for heritage apple varieties for anyone else interested.  The owner is very helpful and knowledgeable and may be able to provide some info.  The site does say they specialize in Southern (US) varieties though. Good luck!

https://www.centuryfarmorchards.com
1 year ago
In the southeast, Wax Myrtle is quite often used for this sort of hedging.  It is evergreen, grows about 10-20 feet, takes pruning well but will also sucker a bit so it can make a thick hedge in the right spot and left to its own devices.  Its berries can be used in candle making and have a nice fresh scent.  It is also fixes nitrogen (though I think this might be debatable?). It has some medicinal uses as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrica_cerifera

I have a few wax myrtles in my nascent food hedge, but another evergreen I was thinking about adding is loquat.  This should survive in zone 8 but I don't know that it will flower and fruit at colder temps.  It is a very attractive shrub with large shiny dark green leaves growing to the 10-20ft range.  It might not take pruning quite as well, or so I've read.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat



1 year ago
These guys have some interesting citrus varieties that would probably work.  They are in zone 8 and could probably give you some guidance on what would work for you.  Never ordered from them but I have heard good things.

http://mckenzie-farms.com/index.htm

1 year ago