Fall begins at Gallucci Garden, 10/2/21

 Today we planted our first bed of garlic. The bed was prepared by weeding and working in nutrients. We used a low nitrogen fertilizer, minerals and lime, then planted the garlic cloves 4 inches apart. Finally, row cover was spread over the bed and held down with staples. We want the garlic to get a good start without interference by our local squirrels, birds, possums, rats or raccoons. 

We have beautiful winter squash this year which we are harvesting to give to local immigrant families. A bed that has hosting perennial flowers for several years will be used for more garlic. We dug the perennials and will divide them to plant throughout the garden next year. The photo shows penstemon, salvia and yarrow. Flowers growing throughout the garden are key to attracting pollinators and increasing harvest.

Tomato Tasting Results: Saturday 9/11/21

We had a good turnout for the Tomato Tasting event.  A huge thanks to the Gallucci stewards for all their work and our fun, engaged guests. We invited our attendees to take home produce and let them cut their own herbs and flowers.

Orange Paruche was hands down favorite cherry tomato, sweet and yummy. 

Sungold also received high marks.

Bloody Butcher, Magic Mountain and Beliy Naliv  for taste as a small red slicer.

Black Krim and Mortgage Lifter for taste and texture from heirloom group.

 

Recipe for Roasted Tomatoes

 

3 pounds of med-large tomatoes, avoid cherry tomatoes for this recipe as you want chunks of roasted tomato.

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

¼ tsp dried oregano

Kosher salt and pepper

¾ cup good olive oil

Set oven to 425 and spread thick rings of cut tomatoes in roasting pan. Place smashed garlic over tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle over olive oil.

Roast tomatoes at this temperature for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 and continue to roast for 1 hour.

You want to see blistered skins with collapsed rings of tomatoes. Your kitchen should be perfumed with roasting tomato and garlic.

Cool completely, discard garlic and transfer remainder to airtight container.

 

HOW TO USE:

Bruschetta topping with fresh mozzarella

Stirred in pasta salad

Incorporated into bread dough

Add to hot pasta but at room temperature, grate parmesan cheese and enjoy

Tomato Tasting Event Coming Saturday, September 11

 Join the Gallucci Gardeners at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 11 to taste a range of tomatoes from slicers, heirloom, salad, cherry and paste. The event will be held at the Gallucci Learning Garden on the corner of 14th and G Street in Tacoma. See you there!

Bountiful Harvest Continues - Saturday August 28

 We are beginning our fall harvest with potatoes. The winter squash will stay on the vine a few more weeks, but is looking good and some will be ready for harvest soon.

Bountiful Harvest - Saturday, August 21, 2021

 Today we had a major harvest. Below are vegetable photos to enjoy. Please join us Saturdays at 8 a.m. There is plenty to share!

Cabbages and tomatoes, Saturday 8/11/21

 Today we harvested over 40 pounds of cabbages. We also picked two Old German tomatoes that weighed two pounds together. Old German is a large, yellow slicer with a flavor we really like. We grow our tomatoes on hog wire fencing and trim back the leaves and new growth in early August to promote ripening for the fruit that has already set. In late July we planted collards for the winter, seen in the photo by the sunflower.

Planning for seed saving, August 7, 2021

 Gardeners are planning seed saving this year, especially of the many flower varieties that grow in the garden. We find the large number of flowers support a healthy pollinator population, which has gives our garden a very high yield. Every season the calendula, sunflowers and culinary poppy reseed on their own. Included is a beautiful variety of zinnia, whose seeds are easy to save and plant. 

We enjoyed a hearty snack with bagels, cheese and cucumbers and tomatoes from our own harvest, along with our Goji berries, blueberries and figs.