# Full Stack Gardener — Complete Field Monograph Corpus (llms-full.txt) > Canonical Origin: https://www.fullstackgardener.com > Authors: Cyril and Soly Johns (Full Stack Gardener) > Location: South-East Wisconsin, USA (42°N 88°W · USDA Hardiness Zone 5B) > Baseline Field Study: 2018-12-30 · Updated Monograph Edition: 2026-11-01 > Summary Index: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/llms.txt ## Table of Contents 0. [About the Garden — The 18-Year Story](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/pages/about) 1. [Dispatch № 01: A Summary Of Our Kitchen Gardening in 2018](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/a-summary-of-our-kitchen-gardening-in-2018) (Season, orchard & cellar) 2. [Dispatch № 02: Growing In Raised Beds](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/growing-in-raised-beds) (Garden projects) 3. [Dispatch № 03: How We Use Trellises In Gardening](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/how-we-use-trellises-in-gardening) (Garden projects) 4. [Dispatch № 04: Tomatoes](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/tomatoes) (What we grow) 5. [Dispatch № 05: How We Grow Microgreens](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/how-we-grow-microgreens) (Growing indoors) 6. [Dispatch № 06: Our Garden Fences And Grape Trellis](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/our-garden-fences-and-grape-trellis) (Garden projects) 7. [Dispatch № 07: Seeding Templates And Stamps](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/seeding-templates-and-stamps) (Garden projects) 8. [Dispatch № 08: Asian Gourds](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/asian-gourds) (What we grow) 9. [Dispatch № 09: Pole Beans](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/pole-beans) (What we grow) 10. [Dispatch № 10: Bush Beans](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/bush-beans) (What we grow) 11. [Dispatch № 11: Brussels Sprouts](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/brussels-sprouts) (What we grow) 12. [Dispatch № 12: Large Leafy Greens](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/large-leafy-greens) (What we grow) 13. [Dispatch № 13: Peppers](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/peppers) (What we grow) 14. [Dispatch № 14: Garlic, Onions and Shallots](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/garlic-onions-and-shallots) (Season, orchard & cellar) 15. [Dispatch № 15: Fruits and Berries](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/fruits-and-berries) (Season, orchard & cellar) 16. [Dispatch № 16: Kulli Corn](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/kulli-corn) (What we grow) 17. [Dispatch № 17: A Few Other Favorites](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/a-few-other-favorites) (Season, orchard & cellar) 18. [Dispatch № 18: How We Grow Wheatgrass](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/how-we-grow-wheatgrass) (Growing indoors) --- ## 00. About the Garden (The Garden) - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/pages/about - **Authors**: Cyril and Soly Johns - **Location**: South-East Wisconsin (USDA Hardiness Zone 5B) Full Stack Gardener is a journal of firsthand experience from an organic kitchen garden in South-East Wisconsin. What began with a few tomatoes and peppers in patio pots grew over eighteen years into a 2,000-square-foot (185-square-meter) garden of raised beds, climbing vegetables, indoor winter greens, and harvests preserved for the cold months ahead. These articles and photographs document our 2018 growing season and share the experiments, practical ideas, and lessons that may be useful in other gardens. ![Our main fenced kitchen garden in mid-season.](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/lush-garden-organic.jpg) *Plate Caption: Our main fenced kitchen garden in mid-season.* Gardening in USDA Hardiness Zone 5B means working with a short outdoor season. Our winters are long and freezing, leaving four reliable warm months—from June through September—to grow outside. To make the most of that window, our strategy is to choose crops that give multiple harvests, plant them closely in untreated-lumber raised beds, and train vining plants vertically on sturdy steel cattle-panel trellises. Neither of us started out as experienced gardeners. Over the years we learned through trial, mistakes, gardening books, and the generosity of experienced local gardeners, organic farmers, and neighbors who shared cold-climate seeds, worm castings, compost, and practical advice on foliar feeding, vertical trellising, and soil care. Friends and family also showed us that favorite Asian gourds and specialty vegetables could thrive in a northern backyard when started indoors ahead of the season. Expanding from two small raised beds to three fenced gardens and two open plots taught us how to stretch a summer harvest across all twelve months. What we do not eat fresh is pressure-canned, pickled, dehydrated, or frozen, while indoor trays of microgreens and wheatgrass supply fresh greens through the middle of winter. We are grateful to the gardeners who helped us along the way, and we hope these notes prove useful and enjoyable in your own garden. --- ## Dispatch № 01: A Summary Of Our Kitchen Gardening in 2018 - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/a-summary-of-our-kitchen-gardening-in-2018 - **Category**: Season, orchard & cellar (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/overview) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (505 words, 2 archival plates) - **Summary**: Master overview of our 2,000 sq ft (185 sq m) organic kitchen garden in South-East Wisconsin (USDA Zone 5B): 3 fenced sections, 2 open plots, 35+ heirloom crops, comfrey tea & worm-casting fertility, organic neem/soap pest control, and winter preservation. We live in South-East Wisconsin, USA, in USDA Zone 5B. Our winters are too cold for growing anything; however, we get four months a year, from June till September, for gardening. We use this short season to grow and store most of the vegetables we need for the whole year. Our strategy is to grow plants that give multiple harvests, plant them very close, and grow them vertically as much as possible. The garden currently comprises three separate fenced sections and two open areas. Total area is approximately 2000 square feet (185 square meters). This year we planted several varieties in each of the following: tomato, okra, eggplant, pepper, zucchini and other summer squashes, corn, bean, broccoli, brussels sprouts, chard, nasturtium, tatsoi, mizuna, komatsuna, arugula, spinach, mustard greens, leek, celery, lettuce, Malabar spinach, moringa (for the leaves), radish, beet, carrot, turnip, potato, shallot, onion, garlic, bitter gourd, snake gourd, luffa, ash gourd, cucumber and herbs. ![Main garden, mid-season.](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/lush-garden-organic.jpg) *Plate Caption: Main garden, mid-season.* This is our main garden. Planted tomato, eggplant, peppers, leek, celery and chard in the middle. Compact-sized leafy greens were planted in one of the two raised beds. Root crops in the other. Pole beans, Asian gourds and cucumbers near the trellises along the edges. Items we use almost daily in the kitchen were planted along the edges of the gardens, so that they could be picked without stepping into the (often wet) soil. Onions and shallots were planted between the fences and the trellises, and peppers close to the walkway between the gardens. Herbs were either in pots on the patio or along the edges of the gardens. Fed all the plants with fish emulsion, compost tea, seaweed, worm castings, compost and composted manure. We now have a good amount of comfrey leaves to feed the vegetable crops. They were planted 5 years ago, as guild plants for our fruit trees. Comfrey’s roots go deep and mine nutrients which they then store in their leaves. We cut them up and spread them as mulch, and made them into tea and used it in foliar sprays. We've been making our own compost and compost tea for many years now. We firmly believe prevention is better than cure when it comes to plant diseases and insect infestations. So, sprayed neem oil and 'Safer' brand organic insecticidal soap on tomatoes a few times, to guard against fungal diseases. The same soap was sprayed on eggplants, to prevent flea beetle attacks. We also do crop rotation as much as practical. ![Another fenced garden, early in the season.](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/organic-garden-3.jpg) *Plate Caption: Another fenced garden, early in the season.* We enjoyed the freshly picked vegetables, fruits and herbs throughout the season. Shared some with our neighbors and friends. Pressure canned plenty of tomatoes. Pickled jalapeno peppers, onions, cucumbers and bell peppers. Filled our freezers to the brim with various cut vegetables. Blanched and then dehydrated some of the cayenne pepper and paprika. Most crops were done by the end of September. Removed the trellises and tomato cages, and stacked them all away. Now it's the long wait till the next growing season. --- ## Dispatch № 02: Growing In Raised Beds - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/growing-in-raised-beds - **Category**: Garden projects (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/projects) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (457 words, 5 archival plates) - **Summary**: Constructing untreated construction-lumber raised beds (10-year lifespan in termite-free Wisconsin) to isolate soil moisture and low-nitrogen/high-potassium fertility for root crops (Badger Flame beets, rainbow carrots, radishes) and compact greens planted 2 inches (5 cm) apart. We grow root vegetables and small leafy greens on raised beds. The beds are made with 'construction lumber'. Being not chemically treated makes construction lumber good for organic gardening. They will eventually rot away, but we can get 10 or so years from them, as we don’t have any termites here. In our densely planted gardens, raised beds enable us to isolate plants that have different water and nutrient requirements from those around them, to some extent. Root crops require less water, less nitrogen and more potassium compared to, say, cucumbers next to them. We add a small amount of wood ash to their bed. In some years we add some bone meal too, for phosphorus. The loose soil in the beds helps carrot, parsnip and such to form beautifully straight roots. ![Raised beds with mulch](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/raised-bed-garden-5.jpg) *Plate Caption: Raised beds with mulch* We grow plants 2 inches (5 cm) apart in the raised beds. The seed templates we use make the holes equally spaced. We can produce a large amount of greens and roots from a small area, by planting them this close. Water drains easily from the soil in raised beds. So it's a good idea to mulch the beds to slow down water loss by evaporation and to keep the sowed seeds damp. Finding organic mulch is always a challenge for us. We use untreated wood shavings, ornamental grass from the previous year, or any other organic mulching material from our own yard for mulching. ![Raised beds mid-season](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/raised-bed-garden-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Raised beds mid-season* Leafy vegetables prefer nitrogen-rich soil. We add a bit more composted manure to their bed before planting, and spray them with compost tea and fish emulsion more often. Frequent watering results in juicier leaves and stems too. This year, carrot, beet, radish and turnip were planted in one bed. Radishes grow quite fast. Most were harvested in 30 to 45 days. They also gave a bit of helpful shade to the tiny carrot seedlings. ![Beet and Carrot plants](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/beet-and-carrot.jpg) *Plate Caption: Beet and Carrot plants* Beets and carrots got more breathing room after the radish harvest. Thinned the beets by picking some of them quite young. Leaves of the remaining beets were picked occasionally. We like the greens of beet a lot more than the roots. A few more weeks and the beet roots were harvested. ![Badger Flame beet](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/beet-badgerflame.jpg) *Plate Caption: Badger Flame beet* Badger Flame was a new variety for us this year. They were alright. Cylindrical varieties of beets do better than globe-shaped ones for us. Perhaps because they are planted so closely in raised beds that they get more room to grow downwards than sideways. ![Rainbow carrots](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/carrot-harvested.jpg) *Plate Caption: Rainbow carrots* Carrots need the longest time to mature. Some of those too were picked as baby carrots once in a while. Then had a good harvest of the mature roots towards the end of the season. --- ## Dispatch № 03: How We Use Trellises In Gardening - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/how-we-use-trellises-in-gardening - **Category**: Garden projects (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/projects) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (527 words, 5 archival plates) - **Summary**: Engineering vertical and inverted-L overhead trellises from 50-inch by 16-foot galvanized steel cattle panels cut in half and tied inside 6-foot T-posts (driven with a post driver and extracted with a farm jack) for gourds, cucumbers, pole beans, and indeterminate tomatoes. We prefer to grow vining or climbing varieties of vegetable plants, as opposed to bush varieties. Pole beans, indeterminate tomatoes, cucumbers, Asian gourds etc. They take up less space in the garden, can be harvested without bending down, and they generally keep producing new fruits until the end of the season. Determinate tomato and bush bean varieties generally give one big bounty and do not produce much more. ![Trellis for grape and other vines](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/trellis-design.jpg) *Plate Caption: Trellis for grape and other vines* These vegetables should be trellised for the best result. That gives them more sunlight, helps the pollinators find their flowers, and keeps their fruits clean and away from dirt. Makes harvesting easy too. We make our trellises from 'cattle panels'. Those are made of galvanized steel and are a cheap and very durable product. They are 50 inches (1.27 m) wide and come in 16-foot (4.87 m) lengths. Each is cut into two pieces, and each of those is bent at one end to look like an inverted 'L'. They are then attached to 6-foot-tall (1.82 m) 'T-posts' driven into the ground. ![Post driver](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/t-post-driver.jpg) *Plate Caption: Post driver* A 'post driver' is used to drive the T-posts. It's an excellent tool for this purpose. It has handles on either side so that both hands can be used to slide it up and then ram the post. That causes less strain on the hand/wrist/arm, compared to swinging a hammer. Also, it hits the post straight down; thus, it causes less damage to the post. ![Trellis detail](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/trellis-cucumber-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Trellis detail* The trellises are attached to the posts using zip ties. Each trellis has two posts supporting it. The posts are on the inside of the bent area. That way, the trellises will lean on to the posts with the weight of the fruits. If they are attached on the other side, they are solely supported by the strength of the zip ties. These trellises are quite sturdy. They can withstand the strongest winds and the heaviest fruit loads. We never had any incident of them toppling. ![Beans, cucumber and Asian gourds on trellis](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/snakegourd-luffa.jpg) *Plate Caption: Beans, cucumber and Asian gourds on trellis* In this photo, you can see (edible varieties of) luffa and snake gourd, and beans on the trellises. If you look closely, you may see a bitter gourd and cucumber too. All trellises were placed along the sides of the gardens so that they protrude out, giving extra area. Asian gourds and pole beans love them. Cucumbers need some coaxing to stay on them. The shape and placement of the trellises allow us to harvest without stepping into the gardens. ![T-posts, a post driver and a farm jack.](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/T-post-and-tools.jpg) *Plate Caption: T-posts, a post driver and a farm jack.* At the end of the season, we remove the trellises and the posts. Most of the posts can be pried out using a long-handled shovel. The tip of the shovel can catch the 'T' of the post, or a stud, and the long handle can be used as a lever. Some of the stubborn ones require a 'farm jack'. It’s not as fast as using a shovel though, and one has to bend down to wrap its chain around the post and then to remove the chain too. However, it can exert a large amount of force to pull those out. --- ## Dispatch № 04: Tomatoes - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/tomatoes - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 4 min (671 words, 2 archival plates) - **Summary**: Trialing 16 heirloom and hybrid tomato varieties (30 plants including Amish Paste, San Marzano, Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Sungold, and Black Krim) trained on cattle-panel trellises without heavy pruning, plus tested pressure-canning and freezing workflows. We plant around 30 tomato plants every year. This year we had 16 varieties of tomatoes. Most of them produced well. We plant them about a foot (30 cm) apart. They grow into each other, but produce well nevertheless. **Determinate or Indeterminate** Our preference is to grow indeterminate tomato varieties. Once they start fruiting, they continue to grow and produce until cold weather kills the plants. They need strong trellises or cages for support. Determinate tomatoes usually give one big harvest. That's ideal for canning, dehydrating or other forms of preserving. Canning involves cleaning large equipment like a pressure canner, a big cutting board etc. So, it makes sense to can a large amount at a time. Dehydrating is more energy efficient when all the trays are filled with vegetables. We grow a few paste tomatoes, like Roma varieties, that are of the determinate type. They do not require cages, and they should not be pruned. **Start from seeds or buy plants** Most of the tomatoes we grow are heirloom varieties that we start ourselves, from seeds, indoors. We buy a few plants from nearby nurseries too. Starting from seeds allows us to choose from hundreds of varieties available online or in seed catalogs. However, for kitchen gardeners like us who grow one or two plants of each variety, buying 15-20 seed packets is not that cost effective. The seeds stay unspoiled for 5 or more years, however. Starting from seeds is well suited for those who grow many plants of the same variety. These days we can find quite a number of heirloom varieties, including organically grown plants, from nurseries nearby. We bought a couple of plants this year. One of the concerns we have is the chance of diseases and pests that can come with them. We had two store-bought plants dying for unknown reasons this year. ![Tomato plants](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/organic-garden-5.jpg) *Plate Caption: Tomato plants* **To prune or not** Some growers remove the suckers (new branches that grow between the main stem and side stems) of indeterminate tomato plants. The argument is that then the plants can utilize all their energy on fruit production and not in growing those branches. We don't do that though. First of all, it takes a lot of effort to look for the suckers and remove them. Then there is this argument that un-pruned plants produce better tasting fruits, as they get more sunlight. We prune any branches that tend to fall to the ground or grow into any other plants we love. ![Canned tomatoes](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/canned-tomato.jpg) *Plate Caption: Canned tomatoes* **Preserving for long term use** Our preferred method of preservation until last year was freezing. We cut them into wedges, spread them in trays so that they don't touch each other, and put them in the freezer. Once they freeze, they are transferred into Ziploc bags and stored in the freezer again. This way we can easily take out what we want for cooking. If the freshly cut pieces are packed straight into containers, they will freeze into one solid block. It will be a pain to take a small portion from that later. We also used to dehydrate them. For this we slice them and then either dehydrate with salt, pepper and some spices or just by themselves. Dehydrating is a very efficient way of preservation. First of all, dehydrating reduces the volume so much, as all water content gets evaporated away, that a lot can be stored in a small container. Volume can be further reduced by breaking the dried slices into tiny pieces or pulverizing them. Properly dried tomatoes and other vegetables need airtight packaging and cool, dry, dark storage. Storage time depends on temperature and moisture; see the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s [packaging and storage guidance.](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/general-information-drying/packaging-and-storing-dried-foods/) We, however, don't like the taste of dehydrated tomatoes anymore. This year we pressure canned most of the tomatoes, either as salsa or sauce. For home canning, follow a tested recipe and its requirements for acidification, processing time, pressure, and altitude. See the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s [guidance on canning tomatoes.](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/how-do-i-can-tomatoes/canning-tomatoes-introduction/) --- ## Dispatch № 05: How We Grow Microgreens - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/how-we-grow-microgreens - **Category**: Growing indoors (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/indoors) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 4 min (829 words, 4 archival plates) - **Summary**: Plastic-free indoor winter microgreen production using glass and ceramic dishes, dry soilless seed-starting mix, a wooden float tamper, pressurized misting, and 75°F heating mats to grow mold-free fenugreek, chia, mustard, amaranth, arugula, and cilantro in 14–21 days. We grow several varieties of microgreens indoors during our long winters. Fenugreek, mustard, chia, amaranth, onion, cilantro, arugula and kale are some of the best-loved ones in our home. **What are microgreens** They are regular vegetable plants that are harvested very young. Most of them can be picked within two to three weeks of sowing the seeds. They are highly nutritious and flavorful too. **Why microgreens** Growing microgreens is an excellent way to produce one's own healthy food cheaply. It can be done throughout the year, and since it's done indoors in a controlled environment, can give consistently good results with little effort. Here in Wisconsin, we get four months for growing vegetables outdoors. The rest of the year is too cold for most plants to survive.  For the fresh produce needs during that time, we rely on microgreen growing. ![Amaranth and Chia seeds](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/microgreen-seeds.jpg) *Plate Caption: Amaranth and Chia seeds* **How we grow them** There are many ways to grow them. One can buy specialized containers and growing media that are marketed for microgreen growers. As we try to avoid using plastics in and around our gardens and home, we prefer to grow them in glass or ceramic containers. We use an organic seed starting mix to plant the seeds in. **To soak or not to soak the seeds** Most seeds germinate quicker if soaked for a couple of hours. However, some seeds are difficult to sow evenly when wet. Seeds like chia that get gelatinous, or tiny seeds like cabbage and broccoli, are easier to sow dry. Larger seeds like fenugreek, wheat and beans are soaked for 8 to 12 hours. ![Tamping tool](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/microgreen-seeds-tamper.jpg) *Plate Caption: Tamping tool* To plant the seeds, the growing medium is spread in the container, and is gently pressed flat. A thin layer is sufficient. Our homemade wooden tamping tool works perfectly for this. Seeds are then spread over the soil* evenly. Seeds need good soil contact. So, they are tamped down again, this time somewhat firmly. We don't spread any soil over the seeds. If soil is spread over them, the germinating seedlings will lift up some of that as they emerge, and that may stay on their leaves. Seeds do not need any light to germinate, but warm soil speeds up germination. As we grow them in our cold basement, some additional heat gives better results. So we keep the containers on seed starting heating mats until they start to sprout. A fine mist of water is sprayed on them three or four times a day. A small pressurized pump sprayer is well worth buying, for this purpose. Though a spray bottle can be used instead, a pump sprayer allows spraying at any angle, even upside down. They generally have a finer and more consistent spray too. ![Fenugreek seeds sprouting](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/microgreen-seeds-sprouting.jpg) *Plate Caption: Fenugreek seeds sprouting* Once they germinate, we move them to a sunny area or under grow lights. Heating mats are not needed once the seeds germinate. They grow faster if they get plenty of light and regular watering. They can be picked and eaten at any stage, though it's better to let them produce a set of true leaves before harvesting. **How we avoid mold** Years ago when we started growing wheatgrass, we had to discard a batch every now and then because of mold forming on it. What we noticed was that mold grows if the soil and the seeds are too wet and/or do not have enough air circulation. To prevent mold and weed growth, we use soilless media. Most organic seed starting mixes available here in the USA are soilless. We do not soak the soil before sowing. Some of the seeds are soaked, but never the soil. That way, when we mist the seeds, the extra moisture is absorbed by the soil. The seeds only need to be damp, not soaking wet, for germinating. We then either do not cover the containers at all or cover them with a cheesecloth. That will let air circulate by the seeds. Good air circulation also is helpful in preventing mold. ![Fenugreek microgreens](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/fenugreek-microgreens.jpg) *Plate Caption: Fenugreek microgreens* **What seeds to buy** Seeds that are meant for farming or outdoor gardening may be treated with chemicals. So, organic seeds that are marketed as microgreen or sprouting seeds are the best. However, they are often much more expensive. We try to germinate the organic spices, grains and legumes that we buy for cooking. Some of them do not germinate at all. Perhaps because they are irradiated? *We use soil-less growing media for all indoor seed starting. These days it's 'Organic Seed Starting Mix' from Burpee or Pro-Mix. Burpee's is much easier to work with, as it absorbs water much easier, and has evenly-sized particles. We think it's better not to use soil from the garden for seed starting. Garden soil can get compacted easily and can contain disease causing organisms and weed seeds. Microgreens need only a small amount of growing media, and the media can be re-used too. So, for us, it makes sense to use a seed starting mix. --- ## Dispatch № 06: Our Garden Fences And Grape Trellis - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/our-garden-fences-and-grape-trellis - **Category**: Garden projects (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/projects) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (421 words, 3 archival plates) - **Summary**: Designing permanent yet removable Eastern Cottontail rabbit-proof fences using table-saw grooved cedar boards and galvanized hardware cloth anchored to T-posts, alongside a heavy-duty steel cattle-panel arbor supporting prolific Concord grapevines. We have a lot of wild rabbits, ‘Eastern Cottontail’, in the area. In the first year of gardening we thought we could do without fences. Instead we used garlic or pepper sprays, human hair, commercial rabbit repellents etc. Some of them were somewhat effective, but only for a short time. Most lost their effectiveness after a couple of rains, and needed to be re-applied. Not very practical for vegetable gardening. ![A corner of the fence](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/garden-fence-detail-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: A corner of the fence* After a year or two we decided to make fences around the gardens. The first ones were made of chicken wire. They were quite effective, but were a hassle to have around. They used to get caught in the tines of our cultivator. It's then a big pain to remove them! They also used to hurt our son and his friends playing around the backyard. So we replaced them with plastic 'hardware cloth'. They are nets made of thick plastic. Seemed to work fine until rabbits started chewing their way through them! ![Fence joinery detail](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/basil-kale-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Fence joinery detail* We finally decided to make permanent fences using cedar posts and boards, with galvanized steel hardware cloth between them. Cedar is the wood of choice for outdoor projects here, as it doesn't rot easily when exposed to water and other outdoor elements. An oil-based primer is a must, in our experience, for cedar. If water-based primer or paint is applied, it will blister and peel off. Probably because of the oily nature of the wood. ![Fence detail](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/asian-gourds-2.jpg) *Plate Caption: Fence detail* The posts are made of 4" by 4" cedar (10 cm by 10 cm). They are shaped using a miter saw and a router. The holes (mortises) are made with a drill press first and then shaped with a chisel and mallet. The groove on the boards, to insert the hardware cloth, is made on a table saw. Having a board on the top and bottom makes the fence beautiful and functional. The bottom board prevents the hardware cloth from getting tangled in the cultivator tines. When the tines hit the board, they get bounced back from the fence, instead of getting stuck. The top board makes it safe to cross over. Though the fences are only two feet (60 cm) tall, they are enough to keep the rabbits away. We've never seen any rabbit inside the gardens after installing these. The grape trellis at the top also is made of cedar posts and boards, with cattle panels between them. The trellis photo is from years ago. It’s mostly covered by the vines now. --- ## Dispatch № 07: Seeding Templates And Stamps - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/seeding-templates-and-stamps - **Category**: Garden projects (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/projects) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (432 words, 6 archival plates) - **Summary**: Custom high-density seeding tools built for 2-inch (5 cm), 3-inch, and 4-inch grid planting: a full-bed wooden stamp with oak-dowel pegs making 1,200 holes per bed, drilled pegboard templates, a graduated shovel handle, and a tangle-free fishing-reel planting line. We plant our vegetables much denser than usually recommended. The root vegetables and leafy greens we plant in raised beds are only 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Though they are planted densely, they are planted in straight lines, equally spaced. That makes weeding easier too. Weeding is the most time-consuming task for us. Though we don't have many plant diseases or bugs to deal with, we have an unbelievable amount of weeds each year. It's not easy to differentiate them from the desired plants when they are tiny. If the seeds are planted this way, we know whatever tiny things emerging every two inches are, most likely, the ones we planted. ![Seeding template](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/seeding-template-2.jpg) *Plate Caption: Seeding template* We use a couple of homemade templates and tools to make the planting easier. This one makes holes 2 inches (5 cm) apart. It's made of 6 inch ( 15 cm) wide pine boards and 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) diameter oak dowels. Galvanized iron pipe is used for handles. That's perfect for our root vegetables and small leafy greens. First the soil is loosened with a small cultivator. A leaf rake is used to level the top of the soil and to remove any rocks or debris. Then the soil top is made damp with a fine spray of water. ![Backside of the seeding template](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/seeding-template-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Backside of the seeding template* This tool is used to stamp holes then. The handles make it easy to press down and lift up. It's just long enough to fit the width of the bed; it makes about 1200 or so holes per bed. The tedious job is to place seeds into each of the holes. ![Planting line set](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/straight-line-tool.jpg) *Plate Caption: Planting line set* This is used for planting tomatoes and other large plants that need bigger holes, in straight lines. It's made of a fishing reel and fishing line. The fishing reel makes it very easy to extend the line and wind it back, without tangling. A lot better than using just stakes and a line. ![Shovel handle with markings](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/tool-handle-for-measuring.jpg) *Plate Caption: Shovel handle with markings* Our digging tools' handles have markings for measurement. That way we can avoid using measuring tapes too. ![Seeding boards](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/seeding-boards.jpg) *Plate Caption: Seeding boards* We also have a couple of seeding boards with equally spaced holes. Drop a seed into each hole and gently press with a wooden dowel. That will result in a dense, but equally spaced, set of plants. ![Large Planting template](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/seeding-template.jpg) *Plate Caption: Large Planting template* This is a tool we use for transplanting 3/4 inch and 2-inch (1.9 cm and 5 cm) soil blocks. The pins on this are made of 2x2 inch (5cm x 5cm) construction lumber. We use it to plant onion sets in some years too. --- ## Dispatch № 08: Asian Gourds - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/asian-gourds - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (425 words, 3 archival plates) - **Summary**: Cultivating tropical Asian cucurbits in short-season Zone 5B Wisconsin by starting seeds indoors two months early and training vines over inverted-L cattle panels: snake gourd, Satsuma Onaga & Indian bitter melon, edible angled luffa (ridge gourd), and winter ash gourd. Bitter gourd, snake gourd, ash gourd, hairy gourd, luffa and tindora are vegetables we love. They need a longer growing season than what we have. So, we start them indoors, from seeds, about two months before planting outdoors. Except for tindora. They are propagated by stem cuttings. We have one mother plant in a large pot that we keep inside the house during winters. The stems of that are used to make new plants each year. ![Luffa or ridge gourd on a trellis](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/luffa-on-a-trellis.jpg) *Plate Caption: Luffa or ridge gourd on a trellis* All of them require trellises. Ideally, they should be given plenty of space between the plants. We, however, plant them close and let them grow into each other. Our plants still produce quite well every year. One of the reasons is the abundance of pollinators here. Bees and wasps love to visit their flowers, and we have so many of them in and around the gardens. Although we noticed a significant reduction in the number of bees this year, wasps still were plentiful. In the past we used to destroy every wasp nest that we could find, but stopped that when we realized how useful they are for gardening. These days we leave some grapes, apples and pears unpicked so that the wasps and bees have something to feed on at the end of the season. We can see hundreds of them feeding on the almost rotten fruits in October and November. ![Ash gourds](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/ashgourd-harvest.jpg) *Plate Caption: Ash gourds* Ash gourd is an ideal vegetable to grow, for our needs. They are quite versatile. Can be eaten raw, juiced or cooked in various ways. They are quite nutritious and said to have medicinal properties too. They stay fresh for months after harvest, at room temperature. ![Two bitter gourds](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/bitter-gourd-harvest.jpg) *Plate Caption: Two bitter gourds* Bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon. Yes, they are quite bitter! They, however, are a delicacy for us. Organically grown ones are not available in any stores here. So the only way to have them is to grow them ourselves. That is true of all Asian gourds, for us. They are nutrient rich and, when cooked the right way, quite tasty to our palates. We plant several varieties each year. They grow and produce quite well here. Our favorite way of preparing them is to chop finely and stir-fry with an equal amount of grated coconut, along with sliced shallots, green cayenne pepper, curry leaves, salt and turmeric. The saddest part is seeing hundreds of tiny fruits on the gourd vines wilting with the plants when frost arrives. None of these gourds has any tolerance to cold weather. --- ## Dispatch № 09: Pole Beans - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/pole-beans - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (303 words, 4 archival plates) - **Summary**: High-yield vertical pole bean cultivation on cattle-panel trellises comparing purple Blauhilde, Seychelles, Kentucky Wonder, and asparagus yardlong beans, plus snapping, steam-blanching, and tray-freezing techniques for year-round stir-fries. Every year we plant three or four varieties of pole beans and a couple of varieties of bush beans. Pole beans are much better suited to our needs. First of all, each plant takes lesser area on the ground compared to bush beans. That allows us to plant them densely. They love to climb up on our trellises. The second benefit is that most pole varieties keep producing until the end of the season. The more frequently we harvest, the more abundantly they produce. This is ideal for us, and likely for most kitchen gardeners. This year we had Blauhilde, Seychelles, Yard Long and Wing beans in pole varieties. Wing beans did not produce at all. The rest did quite well. ![Sliced Blauhilde beans](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/blauhilde-beans.jpg) *Plate Caption: Sliced Blauhilde beans* Our favorite was Blauhilde. They were quite prolific producers. Their pods remained stringless even when left on the vines for too long. They kept producing until the first hard frost. We even had two hummingbirds visiting their flowers often! ![Seychelles beans](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/seychelles-beans.jpg) *Plate Caption: Seychelles beans* Seychelles and Yard Long beans too did quite well. Seychelles kept producing even after a few mild frosts! We were able to freeze several pounds of Seychelles for the winter months. We wash them first, cut them and pack in glass containers or Ziploc bags. They keep well in the freezer, even without blanching. ![Yardlong beans](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/yardlong-bean-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Yardlong beans* Yard Long bean too is a favorite of ours, in terms of taste. We like sautéing them with slices of coconut, onions, garlic, pepper, turmeric powder etc. For this they are snapped, not cut, into pieces an inch or so (3-4 cm) long. Only the tender ones will snap. The mature ones are shelled and those too are added. ![Yard Long beans on trellis](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/yardlong-bean.jpg) *Plate Caption: Yard Long beans on trellis* Though Yard Long too produce well here, their production goes down with the early signs of fall (autumn). --- ## Dispatch № 10: Bush Beans - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/bush-beans - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (225 words, 3 archival plates) - **Summary**: Growing determinate and multi-pick bush beans in high-density rows—Borlotto (Tongue of Fire) shell beans, Royal Burgundy, Provider, and prolific Henderson bush baby lima beans—harvested both tender and dried for winter soups. We plant a couple of varieties of bush beans too every year. Though some of them are quite tasty, they are a pain to harvest. Bending down to pick them is not something I enjoy. So, each year, while harvesting, I decide never to plant them again. However, all that is forgotten when the seed catalogs arrive for the next season! ![Borlotto bush bean](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/borlotto-bean.jpg) *Plate Caption: Borlotto bush bean* Bush varieties of beans generally produce all their pods at one time, resulting in one big harvest, and then stop producing. This is good for a market garden or a commercial producer. The whole plant can be pulled out and the pods separated from it. Ideal for machine harvesting too. They are also good for kitchen gardeners who do canning or other methods of preserving. ![Henderson Lima beans](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/lima-bean-harvest.jpg) *Plate Caption: Henderson Lima beans* They are good as a second crop for late season harvest. In our case, they can be planted after garlic is picked, which is by the first week of July, and we still get a chance to harvest them before frost arrives. ![Henderson Lima bean plants](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/lima-bean-plant.jpg) *Plate Caption: Henderson Lima bean plants* This year we had Henderson Lima, Meraviglia Di Venezia, Borlotto and Provider varieties. All of them produced well. Beans are good for long term preservation. Our preferred way is to cut them up and freeze. Blanching is optional. They can stay in the freezer for several months. --- ## Dispatch № 11: Brussels Sprouts - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/brussels-sprouts - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (252 words, 4 archival plates) - **Summary**: Full-season organic Brussels sprouts cultivation in Wisconsin: early transplanting, organic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) caterpillar protection, autumn frost-sweetening in the garden, freezer preservation, and 330°F air-fryer preparation. We had stopped growing them many years ago, as these large plants take a lot of space in the garden and they require almost the entire growing season to mature. We didn't like their taste all that much either, at that time. ![Brussels Sprouts plant](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/brusselssprouts-plant.jpg) *Plate Caption: Brussels Sprouts plant* Lately we started buying organic Brussels Sprouts from a local store and we started liking them. Stir fried or roasted, it has become one of our top favorites these days! We also decided to plant a few seedlings this year. They did quite well. ![Brussels Sprouts plants harvested](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/brusselssprouts-harvested-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Brussels Sprouts plants harvested* They taste better if harvested after a frost or two. That doesn't mean not to pick any until then though. We learned that it's better to keep picking them from the bottom up, as they grow to an inch and a half (4 cm) in diameter. Otherwise, the bottom ones can become overripe by the time frost arrives. ![Quartered Brussels sprouts](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/brusselssprouts-quartered.jpg) *Plate Caption: Quartered Brussels sprouts* They are very easy to prepare. Cut in quarters, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Air fry at 330 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) for 6 to 8 minutes. ![Sautéed Brussels Sprouts](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/brusselssprouts-sauteed.jpg) *Plate Caption: Sautéed Brussels Sprouts* Another way is to sauté in olive oil, with garlic, turmeric, black pepper, salt and plenty of onion. Add sliced onions to the heated oil first. When they turn translucent, add crushed garlic, followed by turmeric, black pepper and salt. We like our Brussels Sprouts undercooked, still keeping their crunch. So, they are added at the end. A few minutes in high heat is enough. --- ## Dispatch № 12: Large Leafy Greens - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/large-leafy-greens - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (348 words, 5 archival plates) - **Summary**: Multi-harvest cut-and-come-again greens grown in open garden beds: Rainbow Swiss chard, pungent Japanese Red Giant mustard, Lacinato & curly kale, overwintering leeks, celery, edible nasturtium leaves/flowers, and potted drumstick (moringa) trees. In addition to the compact greens we grow on raised beds, Swiss Chard, Japanese Mustard, Kale, Leek, Celery, Nasturtium etc. are grown outside the raised beds. ![Rainbow Chard](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/chard-harvested.jpg) *Plate Caption: Rainbow Chard* Swiss Chard is well worth growing, for us. They grow fast and produce large leaves and stems. We like to harvest their leaves when young and their stems when they are larger. These are excellent cut and come again plants. We can cut off the entire top and it will grow back in a couple of weeks. ![Leek](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/leek.jpg) *Plate Caption: Leek* Leek and Celery too are very easy to grow and they too can be harvested multiple times. Both of them are quite cold hardy and can withstand the first couple of frosts. Our harvesting method for leek is to cut off the stem just above the soil and leave the bottom of the plants intact, to re-sprout. We typically get three harvests from each plant. Celery stems are harvested as needed throughout the growing season. They are mostly used for juicing, in our home. The outer stems are cut off or snapped off. They keep growing new stems, even if the entire top is cut off. ![Japanese red mustard plants](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/japanese-redmustard-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Japanese red mustard plants* These are Japanese Red Mustard. They produce tasty leaves that are good for stir-fries and soups. They too can be harvested multiple times. ![Moringa plants](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/moringa-plants.jpg) *Plate Caption: Moringa plants* We grow Moringa for their leaves. They can grow into large trees and produce their nutritious pods in tropical climates, but they can't survive our winters at all. So, we grow several of them as annuals, to harvest their tasty and nutritious leaves. ![Nasturtium](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/nasturtium.jpg) *Plate Caption: Nasturtium* Nasturtium is another plant that we grow for its leaves and flowers. We had two varieties this year - 'Empress of India' and 'Tall Trailing Mix'. They produced quite a lot of leaves and flowers. It's better to plant them in poor soil. Nutrient rich soils make more foliage and fewer flowers. 'Redbor' is the variety of Kale we planted in recent years. They grow quite large and survive till December. We use them for juicing. Not the tastiest juice, but quite healthful. --- ## Dispatch № 13: Peppers - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/peppers - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (359 words, 2 archival plates) - **Summary**: Growing 40+ hot and sweet pepper plants in Wisconsin (Long Slim Cayenne, Early Jalapeño, Hungarian Wax, sweet bell, and heirloom Leutschauer Paprika), including steam-blanching red peppers before dehydrating to lock in vibrant red pigment for homemade paprika and chili flakes. Cayenne is our favorite pepper. We use them in a lot of preparations in the kitchen. So, we grow at least 10-15 plants each year. They are either harvested when green or after they turn red. Green ones are used in stir-fries and some other dishes. We harvest the green ones and keep them in the freezer for the rest of the year. The red ones are usually dehydrated. They then can either be stored whole or made into flakes or powders. If stored whole, they can be flame charred for some dishes. We like to use charred peppers in a few chutneys we make. **Blanching peppers** Red peppers' color can be enhanced by blanching them first. Take a large vessel with plenty of water and boil it on high heat. Once the water starts boiling vigorously, add the cleaned peppers. Wait for 30 seconds or so, then transfer the peppers into an ice bath. That will stop them from getting cooked. All you need is to get the skin cooked. That will release the gases in the cell walls and make the skin more translucent, thus making the red color brighter. Boiling a large amount of water is to keep it from getting too cold when peppers are added. ![Jalapeno peppers harvested](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/jalapeno.jpg) *Plate Caption: Jalapeno peppers harvested* A couple of jalapeño and bell peppers too are grown every year, and paprika in some years. Pickled jalapeños are our son's favorite. They are usually not pressure canned. High temperature in the canner overcooks and makes them mushy. They are better crunchy. So, the sliced pieces are added to boiling pickling liquid (made with vinegar, water, salt, garlic and spices) and then removed from heat. When cooled, they are transferred to glass jars and kept in the fridge. They stay fresh for a month or two. ![Leutschauer Paprika](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/paprika.jpg) *Plate Caption: Leutschauer Paprika* We had Leutschauer, a Hungarian paprika, this year. They were started a bit too late. So, they did not produce all that well. Whatever we harvested was dehydrated and made into powder. Since it is a mild pepper, its powder can be used for giving deep red color to some dishes, without making the dish too spicy. --- ## Dispatch № 14: Garlic, Onions and Shallots - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/garlic-onions-and-shallots - **Category**: Season, orchard & cellar (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/overview) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 3 min (434 words, 2 archival plates) - **Summary**: Allium cultivation and storage in Zone 5B: fall-planting German Giant hardneck garlic 6 inches deep under shredded leaf mulch for mid-June scapes and July 4th bulbs, plus Zebrune shallots and hundreds of red onions cured or pickled in apple cider vinegar. We use garlic, onions and shallots regularly in our kitchen. They are very easy to grow too. So we grow plenty of each. 'Hardneck' varieties of garlic grow best in our cold climate. They are planted about a month before the ground freezes. That gives them just enough time to establish roots before the hard winter. They emerge once the soil gets warm next spring. Their seed stalks, also called 'scapes', can be harvested by mid-June. The scapes are good in soups and stir-fries. The bulbs are harvested usually on July 4th weekend. We plant a hardneck variety of garlic named 'German Giant' in late October or early November. Cloves (of garlic) are planted about 6 inches (15 cm) deep. They are heavily mulched with shredded leaves, so that they survive the harsh winter that follows. It's important that they are planted in well-drained soil, to avoid any water becoming ice and killing the cloves. At least that's the explanation we were given by a farmer friend when our container-planted garlic did not survive the winter, in the early years of gardening. ![Red onions](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/onion-harvested.jpg) *Plate Caption: Red onions* We can grow onions from 'sets' or seeds, in our climate. Sets are tiny onion bulbs that were started from seeds, harvested when very young and stored dry for the next growing season. Those are available in nurseries here. Planting them is an easy way to grow onions. However, only a few varieties are available as sets. Starting from seeds gives a lot more choices. Seeds of so many varieties are available online. Plants grown from seeds take longer to mature, but produce larger bulbs. This year we grew 'Ailsa Craig' from seeds and a red variety from sets. Ailsa Craig can produce very large bulbs, though ours did not do all that well. We, however, were able to harvest hundreds of red onions. Started picking them as green onions, and as bulbs, throughout the season. ![Pickled onion](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/onion-pickled.jpg) *Plate Caption: Pickled onion* These are onions made into 'refrigerator pickles', not pressure canned ones. They stay unspoiled for a month or two. Pickling liquid was made from equal volumes of apple cider vinegar and water, with salt mixed in. We use wide-mouthed Mason jars for refrigerator pickles. Shallots are quite expensive to buy here. If grown from seeds, they can be produced quite cheaply. Like onions and garlic, they are very easy to grow. We had the 'Zebrune' variety this year. For those who are not familiar, an onion plant produces one large bulb, a garlic plant produces one bulb comprising multiple cloves and a shallot produces a cluster of small bulbs, at the bottom. --- ## Dispatch № 15: Fruits and Berries - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/fruits-and-berries - **Category**: Season, orchard & cellar (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/overview) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (256 words, 3 archival plates) - **Summary**: Perennial backyard orchard and berry findings in Zone 5B: low-maintenance Flemish Beauty and Luscious pear trees, Japanese beetle challenges on stone fruits, frost lessons with hardy kiwi, and reliable harvests from Concord grapes, red currants, blackberries, and raspberries. We have a couple of apple, pear, cherry and plum trees, and one apricot tree in our backyard. Pear trees are the easiest to maintain and the most productive for us. They produce consistently well, and do not have any pest or disease issues. ![Pear tree](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/pear-tree.jpg) *Plate Caption: Pear tree* All the other trees are attacked by 'Japanese Beetles', a difficult-to-contain pest for us. These trees produce well in some years, but not so in others. The apricot tree needs a second tree for cross-pollination. Our second tree had died a few years ago. So, the remaining one doesn't produce more than one or two fruits per year! We had a peach tree that produced so much in one year that most of its branches snapped and the main trunk got split in half. The tree died in a year or two despite all our efforts to save it. ![Unripe kiwifruits on vine](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/kiwifruit-2.jpg) *Plate Caption: Unripe kiwifruits on vine* We have two Hardy Kiwi vines. They produce the tastiest kiwi fruits. Their fruits have fuzz-free skins that do not have to be peeled. Our short growing season is barely enough for the fruits to mature though. This year they produced abundantly, but all of them were killed by frost before they ripened! We couldn't get a single ripe one! ![Kiwi fruits killed by frost.](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/kiwi-killed-by-frost.jpg) *Plate Caption: Kiwi fruits killed by frost.* We have blackberries, raspberries and currants: several plants of each. They are very easy to grow and maintain. They all produce tasty, nutritious berries, in abundance, every year. Our Concord grapes are usually prolific producers. Somehow they didn't produce any this year! --- ## Dispatch № 16: Kulli Corn - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/kulli-corn - **Category**: What we grow (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/growing) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (241 words, 2 archival plates) - **Summary**: Growing ancient Andean Kulli black/purple corn (Maíz Morado) from Baker Creek in a small garden plot: managing 10-foot stalks, hand-assisted pollination, drying anthocyanin-rich cobs, and simmering traditional Peruvian Chicha Morada with pineapple, apple, cinnamon, and cloves. We try to avoid plants that take a lot of space in the garden and give a single harvest. Corn is one of them. Not only are they large, but they can grow quite tall and block the sun from other plants too. So, we'd decided years ago not to grow them. However, when we saw 'Kulli' corn in the Baker Creek catalog, we had to try it! 'Kulli' corn is also called 'Maiz Morado'. Said to be one of the darkest corns. It's an ancient variety from Peru. ![Kulli corn plants](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/kulli-corn-plants.jpg) *Plate Caption: Kulli corn plants* Kulli was a pleasant surprise. First of all, they grew quite tall, like 12 feet or more! Luckily we had planted them outside our fenced gardens, away from all other plants. The ears they produced were anywhere from well-shaped and well-formed to having an ear within another to three ears all together to ears with greens coming out at the top! ![Kulli corn harvested](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/kulli-corn-harvest-1.jpg) *Plate Caption: Kulli corn harvested* We picked some young and ate them raw. Some of the tiny ones were added to soups, turning the soups dark purple! A couple of them were large and well formed. We also made 'Chicha Morada', said to be a very popular drink in Peru. For that, boiled some of the leftover dry corn, pineapple pieces, cloves and cinnamon. Did not add sugar. Instead added honey after it cooled down. We enjoyed it! Will be planting a lot more of this corn starting next year. --- ## Dispatch № 17: A Few Other Favorites - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/a-few-other-favorites - **Category**: Season, orchard & cellar (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/overview) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (334 words, 3 archival plates) - **Summary**: Field notes on essential companion crops across our 2,000 sq ft garden: 30 heat-loving okra plants, rust-resistant Poona Kheera and Beit Alpha trellised cucumbers, no-trench hilled Yukon Gold & red potatoes, Barq zucchini squash, broccoli, and semicircular harvests of Asian eggplants. Okra, broccoli, summer squash, cucumber, eggplant etc. are vegetables we grow every year. They all produce abundantly here. We had 30 or so okra plants this year, in several varieties. They need very warm weather for the best results. We can either start them indoors and transplant in early June, or sow the seeds directly by the last week of May. We usually do both. They keep producing quite well, and their pods mature quickly, when the weather is at the warmest. Once the temperature goes down, their production immediately slows down, and they get killed by the very first frost. ![Eggplants, harvested and arranged in a semicircle](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/eggplant.jpg) *Plate Caption: Eggplants, harvested and arranged in a semicircle* Eggplants also like warm weather. If fed well and the flea beetles that attack them are taken care of, they produce quite well every year. This year we had 4-5 varieties. Most produced satisfactorily, though 'Aswad', a variety we tried for the first time, did not produce at all. ![Barq squash](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/barq-squash.jpg) *Plate Caption: Barq squash* 'Barq' is our most-liked summer squash. They are prolific producers every year. Their fruits can grow quite large too, though they are at their best when harvested young. We slice and freeze a great quantity of them for later use. ![Okra, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bush Beans etc.](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/organic-garden-4.jpg) *Plate Caption: Okra, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bush Beans etc.* The broccoli varieties we plant keep producing side shoots after the main head is harvested. They are quite cold-tolerant too. In most years, we can harvest them well into winter. Broccoli plants require plenty of water and feed. Their young leaves also can be harvested. We love growing them. 'Poona Kheera' is the cucumber we like the most. They are good for both eating raw and cooking. We buy the seeds from 'Seed Savers Exchange'. Though most cucumbers seem to want to spread their vines along the garden floor, we force them to grow on the trellises. Different varieties of cucumber can cross-pollinate if planted close together. So, we limit ourselves to planting 3-4 varieties each year, although so many varieties are available online and in seed catalogs. --- ## Dispatch № 18: How We Grow Wheatgrass - **Canonical URL**: https://www.fullstackgardener.com/articles/how-we-grow-wheatgrass - **Category**: Growing indoors (https://www.fullstackgardener.com/indoors) - **Baseline Study Date**: 2018-12-30 - **Edition Last Modified**: 2026-11-01 - **Reading Time / Length**: 2 min (275 words, 2 archival plates) - **Summary**: Soaking hard red winter wheat seed for 8 hours, sowing densely over dry starter mix on a warming mat, misting 3–4 times daily for a 10-day indoor harvest, and extracting antioxidant-rich wheatgrass juice in seconds using a personal blender and fine mesh strainer instead of a slow masticating juicer. Wheatgrass is believed to be highly nutritious, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to boot. It's one of the easiest microgreens to grow indoors too. We grow and consume them throughout the winter months. ![Harvested Wheatgrass](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/wheatgrass-harvested.jpg) *Plate Caption: Harvested Wheatgrass* They are grown in much the same way as other microgreens. Seeds are soaked for 8 hours and then sowed on seed starting mix. They are misted with water three or four times a day. The container is placed on a heating mat until the seeds germinate. Once the majority of the seeds germinate, the container is moved to a well-lit area. We start harvesting them when they are three to four inches tall. Snip them close to the base, with a pair of scissors, and let them grow back. We get three to five harvests from each plant. The second harvest is usually the biggest. The harvested grass is washed and then juiced. These days we like to use a personal blender for juicing. We chop them an inch or so long and blend them with water. Once blended, the juice is poured through a strainer and drunk immediately. ![Wheatgrass juice](https://www.fullstackgardener.com/media/2018/12/wheatgrass-juice.jpg) *Plate Caption: Wheatgrass juice* Some argue that blending heats the juice and thus reduces its nutritional value. We don't notice any heating if an equal amount of water is added before blending. Another argument against blending is that it can oxidize the juice. I'm not sure if it's significant or not. A personal blender is a whole lot easier to clean, however, compared to a juicer. We used to use a masticating juicer and a centrifugal juicer in the past, but cleaning either of them is not the easiest thing to do.