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Welcome to our Terra Preta
Vegetable Garden Photo Page. For more information on the Amazonian
Dark Earth, or Terra Preta Nova soil, click on the Terra Preta button at left. |
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Above, The experiment began with the first
Terra Preta or Amazonian Dark Earth Bed, and the first Terra Preta crop of Onions, beets,
carrots, and
Japanese mustard, April 2008 |
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The Queen in
profile, Heirloom African Queen tomato ripens on the
vine. Is it the first grown in Terra Preta soil?
Perhaps. For history and more information on this
extraordinary plant scroll down. Photo
DML 06/29/2010 |
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The African Queen
Tomato poses with Big Bertha Red Bell and California Golden
Wonder, Black Beauty Eggplants and various herbs. The
African Queen weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces and measured 5.5
inches at her broad shoulders. She will fulfill her
ultimate destiny tonight, as we taste the first fruit!
photo 07/03/10 DML |
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Above,
Portrait of a Queen, The African Queen to be precise,
an heirloom tomato whose seeds I obtained by joining
the Seed Savers Exchange. Inspired by Amy Goldman's book, The
Heirloom Tomato, I was determined to try this variety. So....
African Queen meets Terra Preta. The portrait,
above, shows
the first fruit is measuring close to 6 inches across. Below,
two more African Queens waxing large...The plants are
very healthy, and are very special to me, having grown these from
rare seed. We have had very little rain this
year, and
for tomatoes that is a good thing. They are Less likely
to develop those maladies that wet leaves are
prone to. Photo DML June 24, 2010 |
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Above, a portion of our 20010 Terra Preta
Tomato Harvest: African Queen Tomato poses with the Big Beef, Cherry and mid
range fruits. Photo DML 07/06/10 |
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third year of Terra Preta, foreground Basil and Onion
bed. Behind we see the Bell Peppers, (4 varieties,
including Big Bertha, Purple Beauty and Golden Wonder), and Black
Beauty Eggplants, and of course, the Honey Bees! Photo
DML June 24, 2010 |
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Here we
have two varieties of Sweetpotatoes, flanked by Trombetta
zuchinneta, and tomatoes. Photo DML
Sept. 2, 2010 |
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Above, a closer look at the Terra Preta
Trombetta vine, with the Tomato trellis behind it. To give
an idea of size, this vine is growing over a 10 foot extension
ladder, which you can glimpse the top of.
Photo DML Sept. 2, 2010 |
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Above, three varieties of Tomato, A hybrid
beefsteak, a mid size fruiting hybrid and the third is the African
Queen heirloom variety I have
grown from seed. The fourth, a Cherry tomato is thriving in
the mint and catnip bed. Photo DML June 24, 2010 |
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Below, 2009 Terra Preta Garden, or,
Year 2 ATP (After Terra Preta) |
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Above,Three Celebrity tomato plants above at
eight weeks from transplanting starts. They are six feet and
climbing. At the front of the bed, a Black Krim heirloom
planted from seed has taken over where the Sugar Snap Peas held sway.
Germination in the Terra Preta soil is notable for its'
speed. Many plants are up within three days of
planting. June 10, 2009 photo HEL |
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First fruit of the Celebrity weighs in
at 10 ounces, see quarter on skewer (at right) for size
comparison, June 17, 2009 photo HEL |
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The Bell Pepper
(see fruits below) and Eggplant bed, eight
weeks after planting starts, Our Terra Preta project is now in its
second summer. June 14, 2009 photo
DML |
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Terra Preta Bell Peppers, July 14,
2009 photo HEL
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The first fruits of the summer 09
Terra Preta harvest, Garlic, Japanese Eggplant and tomatoes and Basil. These
first tomatoes weigh in from 9.8 - 12.4 ounces. June 18 2009
photo DML |
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Organic
Terra Preta garden harvest July 5,2009 showing just a portion of the tomatoes
harvested that day, with four pounds of eggplant,
destined for Eggplant Parmigiano, later that same day. photo
DML |
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| Above, Organic
Terra Preta garden sweet potatoes, two varieties, Centennial
and Georgia Jet, midsummer 2009. Beyond, the catnip is in
bloom as well as parsley on the left.
photo DML |
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Harvesting Dwarf Grey
Sugar Snap Peas, now at 7feet tall, and growing! The seed
packet states plants grow 3 feet tall, staking not required....is
it the Terra Preta soil? These plants produced prolific amounts of sweet edible
pod peas. We are glad we did not plant giant peas! . May
7, 2009 photo HEL |
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| Tita and I examine
the 'dwarf' Edible Pod Peas blossoming. April 25,
2009. We
can just see a glimpse of The Celebrity tomatoes, behind the
peas (far left of photo) at four weeks...see photos above
for the growth they achieved in the next four weeks from
planting. photo HEL |
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Below, 2008 Terra
Preta Garden, or, Year 1 ATP (After Terra Preta) |
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Acorn Squash, with
close up below showing tiny squashling, the bees love the blossoms
October 11, 2008 photo HEL |
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Terra Preta Bell
Peppers, some plants are as tall as I am. The pepper in my
left hand came from a low branch. the pepper in my right is still
on the bush finishing ripening. They are thick walled and very
sweet! Not bad for mid November!
Photo HEL 11/11/08 |
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Aerial view
of Terra Preta
Garden (clockwise from bottom) herb bed, Bed of Kale infants and
onions, Acorn squash bed, Trombetta Zucchini Trellis, Bed ofBell
Peppers, Eggplant, Bed of Bush Beans October 2, 2008 photo
HEL |
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Another shot
of the Garden showing the bed of Baby Kale and onions, Bed of Acorn
Squash and Basil, and at the back, the bed of Sweet Potatoes. Note
on the right, Italian Trombetta Squash hanging, the fruits of
these zucchini reach more than two feet long. October 2.2008
photo HEL |
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