Growing grapes and making wine in Bellevue
Posted in gardening, rhubarb wine on May 29th, 2008
This time last year, I was trying to make up for lost time, “better late than never!” I thought as I belatedly weeded, watered, and fertilized. I didn’t want spindly plants this year, so I tended my rhubarb in March. The payoff came in May when I harvested 1 lb 14.5 oz (865 g), putting […]
Posted in climate & weather, gardening on May 26th, 2008
A cold April followed a cold March with the average high temperature 3.36 °F (1.87 °C) below normal and the average low temperature 2.50 °F (1.39 °C) below normal. May is almost over, and it feels like its warming up. I’ll post complete data when I have it.
A La Nina weather pattern gave us the […]
Posted in climate & weather, gardening on Apr 3rd, 2008
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center has an explanation for cool weather I noticed in March. When the eastern Pacific Ocean cools, called La Nina, it affects local climates in predictable ways. Here in Washington State it brings cool, wet weather. Since the CPC expects La Nina to continue into April, it looks like […]
Posted in climate & weather, gardening on Apr 2nd, 2008
This is not what I expect my backyard to look like in Spring! I start paying close attention to the weather this time of year, because I’m starting my garden and a lot of what I grow will end up in a primary fermenter. How’s the weather looking thus far? It felt cold to me […]
Posted in gardening, rhubarb wine, tomato wine on Oct 8th, 2007
Harvest your rhubarb early in the fall
I pulled in the last of the rhubarb on 10/5/07. The 11 oz (312 g) brought my total for the year to 62 oz (1737 g), which is about what I harvested last year. October is a bit late, and I had to discard many stalks. Next year, I’ll […]
Posted in gardening, tomato wine on Sep 7th, 2007
I began harvesting my Gold Nugget tomatoes a month ago. I hope to get at least 15 lb (almost 7 kg) to make a white tomato wine. The 6.5 oz (175 g) that I harvested on 8/9/07 has become 9 lb 12.5 oz (about 4.4 kg) and counting, so I’m about 2/3 of the way […]
Posted in gardening, tomato wine on Jul 27th, 2007
I’m waiting to see how my white tomato wine turns out before trying a red, so I haven’t been thinking about which varietals to try. Until yesterday. That’s when I noticed a photo of some beautiful bite-sized tomatoes that, if they were darker, would be just the thing for a red tomato wine. The photo […]
Posted in gardening, tomato wine on Jul 8th, 2007
I put a lot of thought into pruning my grapes, but I normally just let my tomatoes grow any which way they choose. I might try to tuck them into their cages every now and again, but I never thought about pruning. Now that I’m growing tomatoes for wine, I’m starting to wonder if some […]
Posted in gardening, rhubarb wine on Jul 6th, 2007
I’m still behind last year, but the rhubarb patch is looking much better now.
The large leaves on large stalks show how far the rhubarb patch has come from early spring.
Posted in gardening, tomato wine on Jun 25th, 2007
I noticed the first flower among my gold nugget tomatoes a few days ago, and that marks another milestone on the path toward tomato wine.
I took this photo on 6/21/07, and since then one or two other flowers have bloomed. These tomatoes are a lot more patient than I am. I’ve done my part. I […]