Mutha Nature

Mourning doves in the garden have been a thorn to me this season.  The trash they dragged in to try to construct so many feeble nests.  Their poop they let fly with abandon.  And most recently, two chicks – Tisket and Tasket – were determined to meet an early end a la Charles Darwin.  This afternoon, I needed some onions for some salsa so I headed out to the garden to grab a few.  GASP!  A collection of small feathers that looked to be those of a mourning dove were on the lawn in the shade of the Chinese Elm tree.  Pumpkin!  What have you done?  The basket in the grape arbor was empty.  No way would Pumpkin take the initiative to climb up and grab a snack.  Once upon a time Pumpkin was known to sit under the bird feeder then spring at least 5 feet up to snag a dove.  Not now.  Time has passed.  The chicks must have made another lame attempt at flight and fell right on top of Pumpkin.  The old gal may not be as limber as she once was but with time she has gained wisdom and patience.

I continued on into the garden to pull some onions.  Up in the grape arbor rested an empty basket that briefly held Tisket, Tasket, and their mama.  C'est la vie.  While pulling onions I spotted Tasket tucked amongst the onions.  I snagged her and put her back up in the basket.  At sunset, the basket was empty.  Let’s simply believe that Tasket made a successful flight to the neighbor’s dilapidated orchard and is resting comfortably in a dying lemon tree.

Some creatures believe that you can’t fool Mutha Nature…

 

 

 

…while other creatures have no opinion.

The Onion Field*

Everything in the garden was planted in place - meaning that a package of seeds was opened and sown in the place the vegetables are intended to grow.  Onions are fairly easy to get started.  Like other vegetables that are root crops, the soil needs to be well draining and free of stones.  Make sure to choose a spot that will get full sun most of the day.

The seeds are usually pretty small – about the size of a grain of sand.  Please do not leave a geological comment regarding the previous generalized term.  Only lightly cover the seeds with soil and sprinkle to get everything nice and moist.  Keep the onion bed moist but not wet.  Some seeds germinate faster than others.  Bright green strings should start punching up towards the warm sun in about 6 – 10 days.  You might get some over achievers like the bunching onions I just planted on Sunday.  They are up today (Tuesday).  You’ll need to thin your sprouts to make room for a healthy crop.  The thinned onions can be used like you would chives.

A variety of onions are in for the fall / winter garden: 

Flat of Italy

He-Shi-Ko Bunching

Jaune Pailles Des Vertus

White Lisbon Bunching

Yellow of Parma

A package of seeds costs about $2 so the investment isn’t a big one.  That small investment helps you to have onions that will allow you to avoid the grocery store more and more while using your money for something else.

I love onions.  In fact, whenever I’m driving behind a trailer loaded with onions I roll down the windows and drive behind the truck for as long as possible to enjoy the onion scented air.

Enjoy.

 

*The Onion Field is a 1973 nonfiction book by Joseph Wambaugh that is set in the fields surrounding Bakersfield, California, my hometown.