 sj |
||
|
||
BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting?
|
|
|
Subject: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 May 05 - 02:01 PM Time again to compare notes amongst we Mudcat gardeners. I've been picking large sweet onions out of the garden for weeks now. This is partly for use, but mostly strategic late-season thinning so that some of the small ones will hopefully now fill out and also become 1-pounders. I've been cutting and using chard for several weeks also. The old plants wintered over and are going full-tilt now. Of the crops that I have planted since the last frost, the tomatoes are taking the lead, though the peppers are making good headway. I picked my first ripe cherry tomato two days ago (Tuesday). It will take ages for the eggplant to get big enough to flower, and the squash are small and won't bloom for a while. I popped the flower heads off of the garlic last week. My neighbor tells me this will make the bulbs bigger. We shall see. I have lots of herbs that came back from last year. Thyme and lemon balm are particularly prolific this spring. What do you have in your garden? (And Bobert, what are you trying to transplant?) SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 19 May 05 - 02:12 PM You're just gloating about your Texas weather, incha? Most of us in the northern hemisphere aren't harvesting anything other than roses and herbs. I'm going to put out my tomatoes this coming weekend (Victoria Day in Canada). I'm putting in all heirlooms this year, hoping to save the seeds (let me know if you want some): Green Zebra, Yellow Pear, Chadwick's Cherry, Black from Tula and Memorial Polish Paste. Can't wait to slice them up and drizzle on the basil oil ... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 19 May 05 - 02:13 PM *sigh, fret, whinge* and I'm still wating for it to be "safe" to set things out. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Giok Date: 19 May 05 - 02:23 PM I'm just surveying the terrible damage that the late frosts have done to my plants and wishing I didn't care about the blackened and shrivelled shoots on the ash trees, the dead sumac, and the blackened blossoms on the rhododendrons. Giok ;~( |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: jeffp Date: 19 May 05 - 02:24 PM We're taking it easy in the garden this year. We have 2 dozen garlic plants in a tub which are growing very nicely. We'll harvest them in late summer, then replant in late fall. My Cascades hops are already up to the balcony. The Willamettes are considerably slower. They'll be harvested in the fall. The thyme, mint, sage, and parsley are all thriving without much assistance. That's pretty much going to be it this year. jeffp |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sooz Date: 19 May 05 - 02:57 PM I'm hoping we've had our last frost now, but it will be two weeks before we're sure. The potato leaves are frost scorched and most things are a bit slow but we will have salad leaves, radishes and herbs for the weekend. First tomato in about 8 weeks if we're lucky SRS! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: CarolC Date: 19 May 05 - 03:01 PM Rosemary, thyme, parsley, onions, and carrots from last year. I harvested the seeds from last year's volunteer lambs quarters and planted them. I have a nice (but small) crop of those. Lettuce and chard are coming up nicely. Other greens are coming up, but slowly and less robustly, even though I planted everything at the same time this year. We've been harvesting strawberries for a few weeks. The strawberries have established themselves nicely since I planted them last year. I probably won't do tomatoes this year because although they started out very robust last year, they did end up suffering from several problems as the summer progressed. There are several kinds of legumes (clovers and some others) that have volunteered in the garden containers and I have decided to leave them in. My hope is that they will reduce the need for nitrogen supplementation in the containers this year. The portulaca have come back from last year all on their own, although they are not blooming yet. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: mandoleer Date: 19 May 05 - 03:21 PM The first potato plant appeared in February! Seems to have given up, though. One growing in the compost pile seems to be keeping going, and there's another one where I used to have a compost pile - over 10 years ago! - coming up quite nicely. I don't grow vegetables, I let them grow if they want to. I usually get a nice little harvest of new spuds from the compost. Why the other one has appeared is completely beyond me. (I used to have rhubarb, but at 1lb of sugar to 1lb of rhubarb to make it edible it was a waste of time. Took years to get rid of it.) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Allan C. Date: 19 May 05 - 03:21 PM I'm raising blisters - and a fine crop it is! Actually, I've concentrated much more on flowers than vegetables. I'll probably write something about that in a different thread. However, I have a couple of rows of Kentucky Wonder pole beans planted, quite a few varieties of peppers, some parsley, basil and dill, and enough tomato plants to supply us with all the sandwich material we (or anyone for miles around) could possibly want between now and frost. As for the herbs and tomatoes, I'm trying out Carmen's container gardens. She bought three specially designed planters a couple of years ago. I'll try to remember the brand name and post it - especially if the planters do as well as advertised. Just to be sure, I set out a few tomato plants in a more traditional garden plot. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Nancy King at work Date: 19 May 05 - 05:01 PM Asparagus, lettuce, spinach, chives -- a dandy salad! Too bad I don't seem to be able to get lettuce and tomatoes at the same time here in the DC area... I've planted peas (which came up rather spottily -- we'll see if there's a harvest eventually), cukes, tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Guess I'll try and get the beans in this weekend. Last year some critter ate every last bean plant, so I'm hoping for better luck this time around. Nancy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 19 May 05 - 05:26 PM Got a fine crop of greenfly, the blue tits are loving them.... Got a better crop of cat poo.... seem to be Crap Central for at least 6 cats. But I still have 8 - 10 different flowers including violets, periwinkles, clematis, pyrocantha (although that's slow this year, still budding, whereas last year it was nearly over by now) and fuschia. The chives are struggling through the ivy and the rocket has moved pots, so salads will be cheerful again next month (my rocket is vicious). LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 May 05 - 05:28 PM I'll be heading out to the garden soon with the 1 lb margarine tubs and a cheap bottle of beer to entrap the snails and slugs. This is about the time they start appearing and they can do major damage. I had a potato coming up in the temporary compost pile, but it has suffered some kind of setback. I don't know if I want to try to transplant it to the regular veggie bed or not. I've had to but a wire enclosure around the garden to keep the dog out. That's new this year--a dog. Big Pink Lad: I saw an article in Martha Stewart Living recently about some of the Siberian tomato cultivars that are quite striking in their appearance and flavor. Are you doing some of those? SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: CarolC Date: 19 May 05 - 06:07 PM Last year I thought there was a squirrel taking one bite out of every strawberry, pepper, and tomato in our garden. This year, I have discovered that at least with the strawberries, it wasn't a squirrel at all. It was slugs, eating one hole, about a quarter of an inch deep and a quarter to a half inch wide, in each one of our strawberries. I caught the culprits in the act. But they are mostly not a problem right now. I think the mockingbird that likes to hang out in the tree near the garden containers has eaten the slugs. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sorcha Date: 19 May 05 - 06:18 PM Herbs are all doing great! Today is Frost Day here, so it's safe to put out the stuff I bought today. Raspberries, strawberries, aubergine (and a red water lily for the pond). |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 19 May 05 - 06:21 PM SRS ... I too got a dog this year. Beagle, a bit of an idiot. I too have had to put a fence round my raised beds. Fortunately it only needs to be a foot high as the little bugger never looks up! The Black from Tula variety is one of the Siberian/Russian tomatoes. I had a salad of these heirlooms last year at teh Cafe Brio in Victoria, BC; one slice each of four different ones, red, yellow, green (though ripe) and black (which looked off-putting) total size about one very large tomato. It cost $14.95 (!) but my goodness it tasted fabulous. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LilyFestre Date: 19 May 05 - 06:23 PM Nothing is going out just yet. Last year the final frost was in the second week of June. I have herbs that go out in the morning and in at night. Michelle |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bobert Date: 19 May 05 - 06:36 PM SRS, an others, Sniff... I'm going to have to forgo a veggie garden this year because of the move down to Luray, Va. But, the P-Vine and I have now taken 8 trailer (10 foot covered trailer) loads of our gardens down to the new place... I've lost count but its in the 200 plant range... We still have about another 100 including the last ones to go which will take 6 men and a boy to dig out and load... We've moved about 50 different ferns, another 30 different hostas, another 20 evergreen and dicidiuos azaleas, though we have over 100 babies that we've been nursing all winter from cutting. We've move several criptomeria, a dozen rhodos, various grasses and ground covers, pulminerias, all of our wild flowers. Welll, not all of them since all we need in some of them are enough to get us started... But all the trillium, some blood root, some tooth wart, twin leaf, shooting star, trout lillie, marsh lillie, jack-in-the-pulpet, May apple, wild geranium, larkspur, etc. etc.... I'm also scouring the woods looking fir seedling from my two Japanese maples.... They are too big to move but I think there are half a dozen abbies to take... The biggies will be some of our specimen evergreeens, including the unbrella pine which is 8 feet tall, a Oregon Green Pinas, a large criptomeria crestada, a 10 foot magnolia, and miscellanious stuff to big fir big pots.... Anyone wanta volunteer to come hang in Luray and help with all the replantin'??? Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 May 05 - 06:41 PM Bobert, do the new owners of your West Virginia property know that they'll be moving into a moonscape once you finish moving the green stuff? You must have written a special addendum to the purchase paperwork to get to take all of these plants. And think of all of the planting you have to do when you get there. Whew. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 19 May 05 - 06:44 PM Slugs. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sorcha Date: 19 May 05 - 07:22 PM Not many slugs here, thank goodness! BPL, ya need to watch those heirlooms for wilt and stuff...they are NOT VFN resisant.....the black Russian varieties are neat! So are the white ones! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Rustic Rebel Date: 19 May 05 - 07:30 PM Carol you plant lamb's quarters, I weed it out. An abundent wild plant up here.(MN) The only thing I've harvested so far is asparagus. Looks like I could pick some rhubarb soon also. I don't plant for at least another week or two but progress has been made and the garden is tilled! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 19 May 05 - 07:49 PM Until we have proper fencing, I've long since given up growing stuff to feed the deer. And although I'm not going to put any tomatoes in pots on the deck this year, I did manage to keep a steady supply of rosemary throughout the year out there and my chives are just fine..... except for the aphids. Sorcha and BPL, I grew black krims a couple of years ago and I wasn't all that impressed with the flavour. Is there another black variety? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bobert Date: 19 May 05 - 07:55 PM SRS, Believe it or not, even after we've taken what we want, the garden these folks will get is probably still the finest in the county... We have so much that all we are doing is a little thinin'... We haven't put the house on the market yet but, believe me, no one will know that we took anything... This is one rich place and stuff just grows and grows and grows.... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Alice Date: 19 May 05 - 08:34 PM Well... the dandelions got cut down in the first mowing of the lawn this week. Other than that, nothing can be planted until June, so harvest time is a long way off. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Tinker Date: 19 May 05 - 08:53 PM Some critter tried to harvest my Solomon's seal last night. Chewed off the blossom and pulled it out by the root. UGH!!! Hopefully it'll retake. Sage, thyme, chives, lemon balm and catmint are all abundant, but otherwise it is just time to get things out here. Harvest is aways away. Tinker |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Guy Wolff Date: 19 May 05 - 09:21 PM Well the social side of the gardening season has just opened in the east with the show called "Trade Secrets" .. Lots of exotic and herrloom verities did abound ... I am not much of a plantsman but I know that they come for pots AFTER the plants are bought .So as a flowerpot maker I'm harvesting gardeners !!! We did The Gramercy Garden Show on Lexington Ave. put on by the Brocklin Botanical Garden and then the Boston Spring Garden show put on by the Mass Hort. Both shows were amazing. If you get the chance to hear Karol Klyne or Dan Hinkley speak they are both full of great tips and brilient information. On the East coast the next big get together is The North Hill Simposium at Mt Snow June 24th ( reservations needed) Also in June Old Sturbridge Village has a gardening get together the weekend of the 11th ,12th and 13th . Christie Hingebottum is their horticulturalist and she is a delight . I am also helping with a show called " A Place To Take Root " witch is on the History of flowerpots in North America. That show is at the US botanic Garden Wasington DC for the next 5 months. I think we will gleen lots of information on flowerpots from that show .. As far as my back hillside goes the Trillium are comming up nested in the poison ivey as always . Rather poetical in a way .. All the best , Guy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 19 May 05 - 09:41 PM The kale and broccoli will soon be finished. Snowpeas and sugar snaps are in bloom. Turnips and radishes are over with and snap beans, cukes, zukes and yellow squash are up. I held off on setting out my tomatoes and peppers because it has been a very cool spring, but I hope to plant them out this weekend. The chives are in full flower and the french sorrel is getting big. Basil and summer savory just went in the ground. I have already broken flowerbuds off some of the garlic, while others are not showing any buds at all yet. In the flower garden, hesperis, ox-eye daisies, coreopsis, roses and peonies are blooming to beat the band. Phlox drummondii in assorted colors is blooming. The larkspur and yarrow are coloring up, and the asiatic lilies are starting to bud. The pansies and violas in all my pots still look good, but will be ripped out next week to be replaced with warm weather annuals. Bobert's solomon seal likes it here, and I think his hellebore will too, once established. The moth mullein is starting to bloom, but I can't find any of my "Southern Charm" verbascum. The hydrangea is starting to bud. Several hundred people toured my garden and 9 others this past weekend for the Hillsborough Spring Garden Tour. The weather was great and I had a grand time smoozing with gardeners from all over the region as they came through. Hello Allan and Carmen, and hang in there Leo, it will warm up! Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 05 - 01:20 AM I want to drive up and haul away some of the stuff in Bobert's yard--except it probably wouldn't grow down here. It sounds like a wonderful place that you're leaving behind--I hope where you're going makes up for it! (And does the bear shit in the woods make good fertilizer?) I could have picked the dandelions in the back yard, except that now there's a dog peeing back there I guess I'll leave the dandelions in the lawn. :) SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: MBSLynne Date: 20 May 05 - 02:53 AM We have TONS of rhubarb. There's brroccollii (never sure which letters are double in that word). The herbs are doing great, but because I grow them to sell and business is booming, I'm having trouble keeping up with demand. anyone want a list of the 50 or more herbs I'm growing? nah...I thought not. Our front porch and wall are absolutley beautiful...we have a wisteria which produces an incredible number of flowers which smell heavenly, and I planted a clematis montana rosea at the foot of it..that is now climbing up and through the wisteria and producing masses of flowers too...both are climbing up the Virginia creeper which covers the front of the house. Altogether they look stunning. Love Lynne |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 20 May 05 - 03:02 AM Oh yeah, I forgot my rhubarb! How could I? Made two pies last weekend and its one of the few things that holds no appeal for the deer. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: John MacKenzie Date: 20 May 05 - 03:23 AM Had our first Rhubarb Crumble last night, lovely! G.. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: open mike Date: 20 May 05 - 04:21 AM peonies and iris are booming and blooming asparagus is gone i planted acouple of root crop plants today: sweet potatoe (which sprouted last winter under the sink & was in a flower pot indoors til now) and bolinian sun root -- sanchifolia-- which i think is asputh american cousin to jerusalem artichokes--sunflower family. harvested some oregano, and comfrey to dry. what's this about basil oil?? fava beans are flowering as is the calla lillies and pansies, violas and johnny jump ups and ther eis a great crop of weeds... i have pulled and pulled and pulled and mowed and kused the weed eater. i think my hands are permanently stained. i try to wear gloves, but can't get the right grip with my hands covered like that.... there are small green cherries... and it looks like there will be plaenty red ones if i can beat the birds to them...got to hand some c.d.'s in teh tree to scare them off! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 09:36 AM Lynne - you forget where you are posting - OF COURSE we want a list of the herbs you are growing...well - I do at least. (though too dang many are not hardy at my place.) Lost half my basil to frost wednesday night. Our hydrangea is just barely starting to leaf out, Daffies still going strong. the earliest Rhodie (PJM) is almost done - azaleas just starting. Buds starting to swell on the later rhodies. Lilacs were thinking about blooming - colour showing but buds just sitting there and not opening. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 05 - 11:09 AM Leo, it always sounds like you live in Alaska or the Himalayas, not in upstate New York, when you write about how cold and difficult it is to get started every spring. Last weekend the starter cord on my weed whacker broke, so I had to stop what I was doing to fix it. [Note to self: buy set of longer allen wrenches instead of borrowing from the neighbor.] Now that I've fenced in the garden I'll have to take the string trimmer in to keep the grass paths down. It would be too much work to get the mower in there. I have these pots from last year that I hadn't done anything with and now they are a charming mix of seedlings from things I forgot I had growing out there last year. Bright red petunias in with white alyssum and portulaca and marigolds. Maybe I can transplant some of the flowers growing up through my brick patio cracks. Tons of lemon balm coming up. I have two large (maybe 20 gallons?) clay pots in front of three windows that are where there used to be a garage door. In order to mask the fact that concrete runs right up to the house at that point, I put ornamental sweet potatoes in those pots and they're just now spreading out. I want them to spread and disguise the concrete area. Instead of potting mix I used a homemade mix of topsoil and my finished compost, so lots of interesting seeds are sprouting under the sweet potato. I am considering whether to leave or transplant a tomato coming up in one spot. It isn't like I'm short on tomatoes this year. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 11:24 AM We are on a ridge - which puts us several weeks behind and several zones colder then locations even a couple miles away. Penn Yan is solidly a zone 5, and gramma's cottage on the lake can be treated as a zone six with confidence. from experience we know that on our property we have to figure zone four is "iffy" and for confidence zone 3. The grape vines are just beginning to leaf out, the apples are just blooming. Forsythia has just barely gone by - it would have lasted longer but we did have a hot day in the last week. But on the other side of the hill (the sheltered side) grapes are almost fully leafed out, apple blossem is gone by, and forsythia is a fading memory. "frost free" for us is Memorial Day weekend - (I had to dig my car out of a snowbank on Mother's day one year - granted - it melted overnight) heck - most of the seasonal garden stores around here don't even bother opening until Mother's day. A killing frost in September isn't unusual though sometimes they hold off until beginning of November (very unusual though) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: John P Date: 20 May 05 - 11:27 AM I love living in Seattle. We are eating the lettuce, chard, and cilantro that's been growing all winter. The garlic chives are ready. We put in spinach, parsley, and more lettuce a couple of weeks ago and it's almost ready to start eating. The thyme seems to be good year 'round. The mints are springing up all over the place. I think I'll have to contain them in a big pot. The strawberries are starting, and there's some other kind of berry that my wife got from a friend last year and stuck in the ground. It's flowering now, so we'll be able to find out what it is soon. We just came back from a couple of weeks in England and found the yard in bloom -- foxglove, rhododendrons, roses, sage, rosemary, rock rose, iris. The magnolia, tulips, and fosythia went off just before we left. Spring is good . . . John Peekstok |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Nancy King at work Date: 20 May 05 - 11:30 AM Janie -- glad to hear the garden tour went well! Do you have pictures you could post? I for one would love to see 'em! Nancy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 11:32 AM In general it actually is an "early" spring for us this year - Our magnolia usually hits peak flower sometime between Mother's Day and Memorial Day. this year it was Mother's day. A couple of years ago "spring" occurred in 5 days - the succession of flowers that usually takes about a month went by in one fwell swoop |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Donuel Date: 20 May 05 - 11:49 AM I Planted 2 dwarf japanese red maples that have lace like leaves, a purple leafed hazelnut tree and a cherry tree. The rhododendrons are in full splendor while the azaleas are on their way out. Yesterday the fragrance from 3 blooming iris was sweet and heavy. The exotic grafted hibicus are blooming with nine inch flowers. One starts off as an electic coral but by the end of the day changes colors entirely. The 4 foot gardenia is is in full constant and fragrant bloom. I added a dozen or more different shade plants to the front north garden and a row of Coral bells on the side garden. The strawberries are no bigger than a dime and the grape vines are hard to find. A nepalese vine that looks all the world to be a cannibus indica is about two feet tall and vines without any tendrils. I am awaitng a shipment from Logee's Greenhouse that includes 2 banana trees that can withstand DC winters, provided they are well mulched in the fall. Also some showey trumpet flowers and passion flowers are due. Too bad the bananas are inedible. If you are in the area I recommend Behnkes for the best plants. They will always have new things. I loved their cinnamon sage. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: CarolC Date: 20 May 05 - 12:15 PM Rustic Rebel, have you ever tried eating lamb's quarters as a cooked green? My favorite way to eat them is to pick the tender parts and cook them in a frying pan with tomatoes, very ripe olive oil, basil, thyme, some bread crumbs, and parmesan and/or romano cheese. You have to add the cheese after you remove the pan from the heat. (I can't have it with cheese any more because I've discovered that I am allergic to it, but it's still tasty even without the cheese.) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 05 - 12:16 PM John P, I know better than to try to reproduce the northwestern Washington plants down here in Texas, but I do miss the lush springs up there. I put a Japanese flowering quince in my yard here to go along with the native redbud to get that early burst of pink before anything else. Most of the other NW early spring plants would wither and die here. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Mooh Date: 20 May 05 - 12:20 PM Rhubarb looks great this year. Lots of new raspberry plants popping up too. The apple tree is in blossom, and with the tulips and iriss, it even looks pretty in the neglected gardens. I think the bride intends to do the tomatoes and other stuff this weekend. I'd like to do cucumbers again too. Peace, Mooh. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 12:26 PM Donuel - if it is a musa (banana) and it fruits -the fruit should be edible - but may require cooking - and possibly may be considered "inedible" if it is one of the rare forms that contain seeds. As far as I know none of the bananas or plaintains are actually inedible - though some are not very tasty. the flower buds of bananas can be steamed or boiled or roasted or baked as well. (Guess I should have just said "cooked") |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 20 May 05 - 01:00 PM Metchosin - The Garden Path Nursery had great reports on it's black tomato varieties. It's off West Saanich Road if you're in town soon they have losts of plants (and advice). My rhubarb is prolific, but green. I'm going to buy a red stalked plant but I heard the colour might be more to do with my soil than the plant - anyone know if tyhis is the case? I need red rhubarb for a halibut recipe I got from Sooke Harbour House. You sit a chunk of very fresh halibut in blenderized rhubarb overnight and it cures it. The slices are beautifully pink on the outside and white within. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 01:10 PM my sources (a web search) say that colour of the stalks is based on variety - not soil conditions. Other sites suggest cooking a few cranberries in with rhubarb to get the red colour if you have green rhubarb. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 20 May 05 - 03:16 PM My rhubarb was described as 'bright red stalks' by the bloke I bought it from. When it came up green I mentioned it to him and he was surprised enough to refund my money (all $2) He'd forked the roots off his own 'bright red-stalked' plant. Someone told me they go red at the end of the season but ... they don't. Bit of a mystery. Stay tuned. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 03:19 PM rhubarb reverts to type quite easily. I've known that to happen to several people who transplanted offshoots. Or - if he lets his rhubarb flower you may have got a seedling rather then a division - in which case it is much more likely to be green. (rhubarb doesn't breed true) (god my brain is clogged with trivia - no wonder I'm absent minded) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 20 May 05 - 03:30 PM The term for a collector of trivia is 'spermologist.' ;o) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 05 - 03:49 PM A coloquial term I use for the collecting of trivia is my "brain lint filter." There are some wonderful cooking bananas available in the marketplace these days. Some of them sweeten when cooked, others go through a couple of steps (i.e., plantain or platanos) of being cut up, fried, soaked in salt water, dried, squashed, and fried again. Or some combination thereof. It has been years since I cooked any of it but it comes out tasting more like fries or hashbrowns. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 20 May 05 - 03:52 PM BPL - Webster says that's a collector of seed. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: number 6 Date: 20 May 05 - 04:11 PM Harvesting mud .... it's been raining (almost) constantly here for the last 3 weeks. Forecast for the next week, rain with some intermittent sun. sIx |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MBSLynne Date: 20 May 05 - 04:14 PM A lot of the herbs I grow might be considered weeds by some people (but of course we all know that a weed is only a weed if it's growing where you don't want it) so they are generally pretty hardy. I have Agrimony Alecost (costmary) Alexanders Angelica Sweet Basil, Greek Basil (I grow my basils in the greenhouse between the tomatoes and they both do really well as they are companion plants) Betony Borage Burdock Bugle Calamint Calendula (pot marigold) Catnep Chamomile Chives Clary sage Clove pink Coltsfoot Comfrey Elfwort (elecampane) Fennel (both bronze and green) Feverfew Fleabane Rose-scented geranium (in pots because not frost-hardy) Heartsease Hop white horehound Houseleek Hyssop Lady's Bedstraw Lady's Mantle Lavender (Munstead, Rosea and Miss Katherine) Lemon balm Lovage Marjoram Marshmallow Peppermint Spearmint (garden mint) Eau-de-cologne mint Motherwort Mugwort Mullein Oregano Parsley Rosemary Rue Apothecary rose Garden sage Purple sage St John's Wort Salad burnet Skullcap Soapwort Southernwood Wild strawberry Russian tarragon Thyme (garden and creeping) Toadflax Valerian Vervain Viper's bugloss Yarrow Alkanet And I have just germinated some Henbane seeds...the Deadly nightshade hasn't come up. Well you asked for it MMario!! Love Lynne |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: jpk Date: 20 May 05 - 04:18 PM how do i convince my neighbor to leave my asspearagus alone and not pull it up.it's down along the fence lines,she just moved in,and i cannot convince her that it is not a weed. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 20 May 05 - 04:28 PM Take her some as a housewarming gift, jpk. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 20 May 05 - 04:36 PM GUEST - never trust Webster, it was written by a bloke who couldn't spell ;o) The derivation of trivia in this sense is 'seeds of knowledge.' |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 May 05 - 04:38 PM I'm jealous! I am trying lovage again - haven't had any luck with it on three previous attempts. My lavender has currently gone 3 years without winterkill - a record! burdock is a volunteer (grin!) but since a selected strain of burdock is the "gobo" of oriental cooking I have been known to dig and cook it. I do have sucess with chives and garlic chives! Sage keeps dieing off on me, likewise my creeping thymes. lemon balm my B-I-L curses me for every year - I brought home one sprig 30+ years ago - and we rip it out by armfulls every year now. Likewise the sedum acre that I brought home one cutting of roughly the same time. and the tarragon overwintered! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Bee-dubya-ell Date: 20 May 05 - 06:56 PM Harvesting lots of Squat this year... Both the Diddledee-Squat and Doodley-Squat varieties. Both of my vegetable gardening plots, each consisting of about twenty 4'x8' raised beds, still have large trees lying in them courtesy of Hurricane Ivan. The time we usually budget for gardening has gone into storm cleanup this spring. But, on the flip-side, the hundreds of wild blueberry bushes on our property are loaded like I've never seen them before. We're getting a few early bloomers so far, but the peak is still a month to six weeks away. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 05 - 07:41 PM BWL, they won't be there in 4 to 6 weeks--that time/space continuum deal you did to fill the jello pit at the tavern drew down your future supply, if you recall. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 20 May 05 - 07:51 PM More slugs. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 20 May 05 - 08:07 PM MMario, I have the same problem with lemon balm here and to a lesser extent, oregano. I don't even count those as a part of a garden, just something again, that the deer aren't intrested in, along with pampas grass, stinging nettles, creeping blackberry and comfrey. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 20 May 05 - 08:31 PM Nancy, Dani took some pictures, which I haven't seen yet. She is out of town right now, but I'll check with her next weeek. Ooh all you gardeners--isn't it great to be back in the dirt! Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: number 6 Date: 20 May 05 - 08:48 PM Guest ..... slugs, got some of the biggest ya ever seen im garden. They seem to thrive in the muck (result of all this wet weather) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 20 May 05 - 08:52 PM Maggie - Those Jello Pit blueberries were from the 1999 and 2007 crops if I remember correctly. Eddie's in the Space-Time Continuum and all that.... This year's crop should be safe from chrono-spatial irregularities. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Pauline L Date: 20 May 05 - 09:52 PM Sob. I love to garden, but I no longer have a yard or garden. As the song says, Need a spot to call my own As the time is soon at hand |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 May 05 - 11:25 PM Pauline, then get yourself a nice big pot and put it on your doorstep and make sure that whatever you put in it is healthy and pretty and going to help soothe your gardener's soul. BWL, I wondered if you'd remember that those blueberries were due from 2007. Been out tearing down a section of duplicate fencing, and in this case, it's old and full of carpenter ants. I must repair a portion of it in the morning before it gets too hot. My chard looked a tad wilted this afternoon when it was 95 out there. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Donuel Date: 21 May 05 - 07:41 AM MMario, The banana tree is from the mountains of northern Japan. It is being sold in great quantities in the US this season. At Logee's they are about $10 each while Home Despot sells them for $20. I bet you are right that they may be some kind of plantain vs. a fruit of instant gratification. THIS MORNING IT IS 38 degrees F here. But there is a mist through the trees with sun beams tracing rays to new growth that are rehreshed from a 2.5 inch rainfall yesterday. The pool is still a warm 80 degrees retaining its heat from last weekend under its solar blanket. If I took the blanket (glorified bubble wrap) off it would be steaming like crazy. If I dressed warm I could take some pictures today. The average temperature for today should be 77 but will again fall short. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bobert Date: 21 May 05 - 07:59 AM 44 degrees 70 miles west/north/west of Donuel here on the Blue Ridge Mt but gonna be a sunny day... Man, we got the 2 1/2 welcome inches of rain as well and are happy to have it... Not as much as the gardens though.... Don't ask me to name all the Iris's but they are all in bloom and magnificent... I reckon we've got about a dozen differnt ones. My favorite one is the purple and white.... The rhodos are also in full bloom as are the Martha Hitchcock late blooming azaleas... The linten roses have turned into that soft pinkish white and are just lovely... Also the Gibralter decisdious are in bloom as well as a few native North Carolina mountain azaleas we scavenfed a couple years ago from the P-Vine's sister's place outside of Boone.... We are taking another load of stuff down to Luray today where a good portion of the garden is and will see if there's anything I missed down (up?) there... Glad to hear that the Solomon's Seal is happy, Jeri... When it's happy, it's real happy... If yer soil ain't acidic 'nuff mulch them with a bunch of composed oak leaves.... That's like akin' Slomon Seal out to dinner.... Same with Linten Rose hellibore.... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: John P Date: 21 May 05 - 10:15 AM My cat loves to eat lettuce. Actually, her favorite is radicchio, and she'll settle for spinach if she has to. Has anyone else ever seen this? Our lettuce plants all have little kitty bite marks in them. John Peekstok |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,robomatic Date: 21 May 05 - 10:37 AM A northern garden without rhubarb is not a garden. Remember to plant with a supply of manure below. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: jeffp Date: 21 May 05 - 12:21 PM One of our cats loves lettuce too, especially leaf lettuce. One of our other cats would raid the scallions. Go figure. jeffp |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: jpk Date: 21 May 05 - 05:26 PM we got plenty of avids and shoefly's here in purgatory. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sorcha Date: 21 May 05 - 07:01 PM I'm about to go whack off some rhubarb for the freezer. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 21 May 05 - 07:06 PM Sorcha don't ever say that in the UK! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 May 05 - 10:20 AM Up to 99 today. I need to pick some chard early while it still looks like it's worth picking. It gets awfully limp in the heat of the day. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 May 05 - 01:22 PM Sweat. Lots of it today. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Little Robyn Date: 22 May 05 - 04:06 PM Feijoas. Hundreds of them. They're nearly finished now but we've made feijoa jam, feijoa cake, feijoa juice and just about anything else you can think of. We're getting sick of them! The apples are nearly finished too tho' there are plenty of crab apples left on the tree. Robyn |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: number 6 Date: 22 May 05 - 08:24 PM Mud more mud ... raining (as usual today) ... forecast for tomorrow, more rain. Jeeeesh. sIx |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 May 05 - 12:37 AM Feijoas. I'd never heard of them before. Interesting. I baked my brains this morning to mow the front and side yards, but waited until evening to mow the back. With the new dog it was a family operation--rounding up the various by-products and chew toys before running the mower, then giving it a nice sprinkle afterward. The dog has about a 1/4 acre to run around on, a real nice size for her. I suspect my landscaping plans will be altered according to fencing necessities and durability of plant stock. Knock on wood, but I have a real pretty garden under my bedroom window, with white impatiens and various types of daylilies that she hasn't shown much interest in. Maybe the smell of the cedar mulch in the bed is enough to make it a little less appealing. There are a few cherry tomatoes on my windowsill and I've seen some banana peppers humming along, ready to pick in a few days. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: MBSLynne Date: 23 May 05 - 02:48 AM Ooooh! They sound nice! Don't suppose you could grow them in England.... Love Lynne |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Wilfried Schaum Date: 24 May 05 - 02:44 AM plums and grapes, for marmelade and juice |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Charley Noble Date: 24 May 05 - 08:11 AM Rhubarb is also alive and well in Midcoast Maine as of two weeks ago when I harvested a batch. I still haven't made the time to bake the traditional rhubarb/custard pie. We really won't see much of anything else for a few more weeks. The kitty gang has harvested one starling and at least one mole. I almost caught a woodchuck. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 May 05 - 01:31 PM Slugs! We set up a little "beer garden" last night and lured a few of the gastropod neighbors to their death (but at least they died happy!). I didn't get as many as I hoped. I suppose this is good--if they're not here. Something tells me they were just hiding (or eating my chard instead). SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Donuel Date: 24 May 05 - 04:04 PM I hate stepping on slugs. Uggh Yechh Last year we had a plague of spiders. There was some explanation for the phenomemnon but I do not remember what it was. It was bizarre to see virtually everything connected with webs last fall. Creepy crawly and hairy beneath everything they hide. Big spiders look scary but cursed be the spider mite. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Rustic Rebel Date: 24 May 05 - 11:40 PM Hi Carol, I like to eat the lamb's quarter when it's young and tender but I like it raw. I can't get into cooked greens. Must have been something from younger days and canned spinach! Your recipe sounds good though, I'll give it a try. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage Date: 25 May 05 - 12:14 AM I sometimes steam my chard, but lately I've simply cut it into 1/2 inch wide strips and dropped it into whatever soup I'm fixing. And the stems are wonderful when used in place of celery if you're making soup or a stir fry. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Little Robyn Date: 25 May 05 - 02:43 AM There's info on feijoas here. Feijoas I believe they're also known as pineapple guava. Robyn |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 25 May 05 - 03:04 AM I had a feast of wild strawberries today!...well a small handful really, but at least they tasted better that the imported ones from the store. And because its that time of year..... My slug song Mighty Hermaphroditey (To the Tune of the Beverly Hillbillies) Oh I'm mighty Hermaphroditey And I leave a slimey trail And I don't know how to tell My horny "head" from little "tail". But it doesn't really matter For each paramour I find, Slip-sliding down the garden path, Is also gender blind. Well that's the way we romp and play Yes, me and all my kin So kindly spare the salt and beer It's like to do us in And remember in the garden, When you see that silver line, Our speeds not slow, as swingers go Some think it's 69. And because I don't know when to quit…. The Banana Slug Song (To the tune of Chiquita Banana) I'm Hermita Banana and I've come to say We slugs swing in a special way Before el fresco dining on the doggy doo We Pulmonata Lumbada the whole night through You will find us in your garden We have the telescoping eye-ayes For Kamasu-ta-ra positions We would surely win the prize But Bananas like it cool not at the very, very tropical equator So check your Organic produce, in your refrigerator. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 May 05 - 08:29 PM We aren't the tropical equator down here, but the slugs I see are much smaller than the big honkers I grew up around in western Washington state. I've been seeing a few of a pest called land planaria that apparently eat earthworms. I've seen them stuck to the undersides of bags of mulch. Best to bundle the whole thing up and throw it in the trash. If you squash it it comes back from all of the segments. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 26 May 05 - 12:40 AM Good grief, I think I'd prefer a big banana slug any day.....I've never seen a planaria that big in my life! Wow! I'm impressed. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 26 May 05 - 05:08 PM If you squash it it comes back from all of the segments. That can't be right, M ... Are you sure you're not thinking of the hydra or the Lambton Worm? ;o) Solved my rhubarb problem. Dug it all up. The stalks were boiled with balm leaves and are now well on their way to rhubarb champagne. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 May 05 - 05:56 PM Planaria regeneration. Flatworms. One way to take the fun of out "sex ed." |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 26 May 05 - 06:15 PM Good grief. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 May 05 - 07:00 PM Yeah. Not only are they slimy and ugly, they eat and poop out of the same hole and they are hard to kill. Charming creatures. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 26 May 05 - 11:47 PM SRS, speaking of orfices that serve a dual purpose, when was the last time you watched a chicken lay an egg? LOL |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LadyJean Date: 27 May 05 - 12:08 AM Last year I bought a house with a big back yard, because I wanted a garden. WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!!!!!! I'm enjoying a wonderful assortment of aches and pains from digging the beds. There's bindweed, so I've resorted to weed killer. (Dandilions can be dug, ditto plantain, chickweed etc. Bindweed does not play fair!) The neighbor's dog comes through the hedge and relieves itself in my flower bed. I found this out last fall when I sat in some. Three days after I put in my strawberries, it snowed! On the other hand. My peppers and broccoli are looking good. My six little lavender plants are growing bigger every day. My viburnum, that I nearly gave up for lost, is looking good. I'm going to get fruit off my currants this year and most of the strawberries survived. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 May 05 - 12:11 AM Isn't that great? Finally having the space to grow your own stuff. Even if it costs as much or more to grow it as to buy it in the grocery store, growing it is always more entertaining and it's so much fresher to eat it right out of the garden. Throw the dog poop in the compost. It'll do the garden good in a year or so. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Alba Date: 27 May 05 - 07:12 AM ....meanwhile in Northern Maine.....I am waiting and waiting and if the cold temps, strong Wind and Rain keep up I will be harvesting...MUD! Usually by now all the Fields have been turned and the Corn and Potatoes are in and coming along nicely..but..the Farmers too are waiting. I don't even want to think of the impact all this rain is having on this year's bug population. I'd say in that particular area there will be abundance... So I am reading the posts here with interest and, in some cases, with a wee bit of envy ***bg*** Jude (S.A.D.) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bat Goddess Date: 27 May 05 - 07:56 AM Alba, you'll have to join (as a friend in southern Maine did recently) The Maine Black Fly Owners and Breeders Association. But what I want to know, is there a market for the little critters? Right now it's too cold for mosquitoes, but the rivers are running high and the ditches are overflowing. My road (mostly gravel) is washboarded, rutted and potholed again and my car is not pleased. On the gardening side, though, I've got thirty-some (it seems to change every counting) pink ladyslippers happily blooming up the high side of the driveway. (We're on a hill.) They're surrounded by star flower, foam flower and false lily-of-th-valley. God planted them, so I can't take credit, and they are only harvested in photographs and cheerful gazing. The annuals I bought last weekend are NOT in the ground and are looking drowned. Nothing has been planted in the boxes around the side of the deck, etc. cuz they'd wash away. I'm starting to mildew. Linn |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bobert Date: 27 May 05 - 07:57 AM Well, fir the first time in the last 20 years, because of the move to Luray, I won't have a veggie garden this year... sniff... But it has been a coolish spring here in the Shenandoah Valley and we still have several late blooming azaleas just blooming which is nice. Usually the late bloomers would be just about done by now... Meanwhile, everyday another iris blooms... The Rhodos are hanging in there nicely. This has been a good year for them. Everywhere we drive we see other folks Rhodos doing very well, as well... As fir snails (slugs), I hate's 'um almost as much as I hates voles.... Oh, speakin' of varments... The danged deer came by and ate a nice native hydranda we have out on the road... They usually don't mess with them but I reckon this deer just hadn't gotten a rule book... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 27 May 05 - 08:11 AM Post 100 and today I harvested 6 bags of garden rubbish, some beautiful roses that are fragrancing the path, some lovely manky pond weed and a pyrocantha display that is outdoing previous years! It's obviously enjoying the cutting back it had in March and it's got its own harvest of bumble and honey bees... my garden is fairly buzzing! LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Partridge Date: 27 May 05 - 11:52 AM I've been trying to clear the dandilions and docks from my veggie garden.......dont think I'm winning. But I have mananged to plant potatoes, red onions, shallots, garlic, cauliflower, carrots, sweetcorn, coriander, parsley, chives, broccoli and sprouts. Already established I have rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, rasperries and black currants. It quite a big garden and the cats in the area use it as a toilet. At the moment I'm harvesting winter cabbage and purple sprouting broccoli Its hard work, but the rewards taste great! Pat x |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 27 May 05 - 12:05 PM Put my beans in last night (oo-er missus!) Six varieties: magpie, giant favas, canellini, carlins, soldier beans and 'gasless' jacob's cattle (which I hope are true to type as a certain member of my household and beans don't mix ...) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 May 05 - 01:38 PM I brought sweet onions and a couple of sweet banana peppers to work with me today and already had someone say "no, I don't need them, my mother is a gardener and gives us tons of stuff." This is way too early in the season to encounter surplus! I may have to set up a stand at the bottom of my driveway to get rid of some of this. :) SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 27 May 05 - 01:55 PM we aren't harvesting them - but we have a bumber crop of woodchucks this year - at least three momma 'chucks with a total of probably 8 wee-chucks. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LadyJean Date: 27 May 05 - 11:58 PM My friend Karen's woodchucks eat plaintain and dandilions. So they are encouraged to stick around even Harry Potter, who also eats potted plants. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 May 05 - 02:46 PM I was using the string trimmer in the front this morning and disturbed a bunny nest. Didn't hit the bunnies, and stopped trimming when I realized their domain was once again one of my front flower beds. This is the second crop of baby bunnies this year. We had at least three last year. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: mandoleer Date: 28 May 05 - 06:35 PM Reverting to flatworms, some years ago someone trained flatworms to run a maze. (How they got a grant for this is beyond me, but I like it...) Having done this, they ground some of them up and fed them to some untrained flatworms that had never seen a maze. Those fed on their trained colleagues (colleagues? we're talking flatworms here..) could follow the correct path in the maze almost immediately while the un-colleague-fed ones got lost until several runs had been made. Spooky or what? (Source for this was New Scientist not urban legend - can't remember the issue.) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LilyFestre Date: 28 May 05 - 10:22 PM Mmario, You aren't kidding! The woodchucks are EVERYWHERE this year! Lots and lots of baby bunnies too! Michelle, who lives about an hour south of you! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 May 05 - 11:27 PM I have read or heard about that flatworm in the maze experiment. Pretty gruesome, when you think about it. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Kaleea Date: 29 May 05 - 12:24 AM Wild onion, wild garlic, wild parsley, some kind of purply-brown basil, mint. Would you believe?!!-- volunteer trees came up this year: memosa, hackberry, white oak, cottonwood, elm, mulberry, ash, Redbud, & a little bitty evergreen at the base of a big pine tree-on top of the roots, no less! Many in the middle of bedding plants. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 29 May 05 - 03:05 AM The flatworm thing does make you think........mooooooooo! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jun 05 - 12:36 PM Squash, squash, and more squash. Peppers, this year mostly the yellow banana variety. We've started giving some of this stuff away. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 21 Jun 05 - 01:05 PM PFFFFFLLLLTTTTTT! parsley. Mint. borage flowers. The tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, eggplant and cukes are all flowering - so far only the tomatoes and peppers have set fruit. Primroses haven't quite died off yet, though a couple days of heat knocked out the azaleas, rhodies and most of the tree peonies. Have some herbaceous peonies left - but again - if it get warm a day or so will lose them too. Dogwood. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sooz Date: 21 Jun 05 - 01:24 PM Wonderful early potatoes, salad leaves (especially rocket) and herbs. Broad beans soon and raspberries (blackbirds permitting). |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 21 Jun 05 - 01:32 PM I forgot! wild strawberries! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 21 Jun 05 - 01:43 PM Harvested my first squash and cukes today. The garlic is almost ready to dig. Pulled out the snow and sugar snap peas Sunday to make way for a 2nd crop of cukes and squash. Snap beans are almost ready to start harvesting. By the weekend I hope to have sown another crop of bush beans and to have started rooting a 2nd crop of tomatoes from suckers. In the flower garden the first dahlias are starting to bloom. The larkspur is finishing, as are some of the yarrows. The poppies have gone to seed and I am racing the gold finches to save some to sow this fall. Stokes aster, butterfly weed, various lilies, monarda, gloriosa daisies, and Queen Anne's Lace are all at their peak. the hummingbirds and finches think they have died and gone to heaven. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 21 Jun 05 - 01:53 PM UK- The lavatera is ten foot high and dripping with huge pinky/mauve blooms. The pale pink rose has climbed about twenty foot in the old pear tree. The plum tree (deceased) is hosting some exotic looking mushroom fungi. The lilac poppies just starting to bloom. The ladies mantle is spilling out of every crack in the paving. The mexican orange blossom is perfume personified. The campanula is a sea of bluey purple. The apple tree blossom just showing pinky white now. The castor oil plant is heavy with black berries. The geraniums are basking in the heat. The petunias are wilting at a rate of knots in the heat. The marigolds are lunch for the snails. The jasmine is filling the midsummers air. The ivy is rampant as ever. The ageratum is dried and shrivelled, something went wrong there. The rosemary is full of flower and sniffable. The lavender is gorgeous and darkest blue. The curry plant is exotic and makes me sneeze. The thyme is invincible. The mint is barely contained, the pineapple mint is abundant and the morrocan mint is catching up fast. The squirrels are burying nuts in all my pots and digging up the crocus bulbs. The wood pigeons are feasting on the huge cherry tree down the way. All is well in paradise. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 21 Jun 05 - 01:56 PM Cherries are ripe and the apple is just blossoming? that doesn't sound right for ANY location! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 21 Jun 05 - 02:08 PM It's right for southern England. They are cookers and very late! They will also be full of codling moths because I was lacksidasical with my waxy things. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jun 05 - 02:19 PM Who is that GUEST UK gardener? A regular sans cookie? Sounds like a great yard! I forgot about the garlic. I dug it up a couple of weeks ago. I have stuff all over the house and the garage drying. Onions in a box in the corner. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: gnu Date: 21 Jun 05 - 02:31 PM Maple seeds. Billions and billions of maple seeds. I have developed an excellent method for gathering them. Just paint the concrete foundation of the house and every one of the little bastards will stick to it. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,UK gardener Date: 21 Jun 05 - 02:51 PM Thanks stilly but it isn't great, just cram packed. I didn't mention the dandelions in the lawn and the brambles tunneling under the fence and the berberis that had me in casualty last year. There's also a pretty good sized bamboo swaying about. Bridal wreath hanging over the path and slowly browning, but it looked good a couple of weeks back. A gorgeous bronze cordyline aiming for heaven with two 'babies' coming out of the root. Wild geranium everywhere, a bluey mauve, where there isn't something else. That all started from a cutting from an old lady who died this year, she would like to know it is still going strong. A twisted willow in a pot that snaps off in high winds. A big green fleshy clump of oriental poppy that is going to burst forth magnificently later. A buzz bomb lily that only opened today, reddy orange, kind of sunset colours. A white deutzia that is in full bloom now, next to a pale pink spirea ( i think). A massive butterly bush that will be honey scented and awash with dark purple flower later (black knight). And honeysuckle that has gone crinkly at the edges and looks like it is giving up the ghost any time now. Oh and a fuschia that survived the winter against all odds, but isn't doing a great deal at the moment. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,translator Date: 21 Jun 05 - 03:31 PM cordyline possibly? the buzz bomb lily referred to? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,UK gardener Date: 21 Jun 05 - 03:41 PM Yep the cordyline australis, the one top left of the picture. Mine is about ten years old and in an old wooden barrel, it's about eight foot tall now with the babies shooting up from the bottom, never changed the soil, just top dress and feed it. It would be far better in the open , but too late for that now. And that is the buzz bomb lily , think it begins with an 'h'? Very short flowering period, but worth it, I love it. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST Date: 21 Jun 05 - 03:43 PM hemerocallis/daylily the flowers last but a single day - though a flower scape may have 20-50 blossoms and there may be several scapes on a plant. they have varieties out now that re-bloom as well. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 21 Jun 05 - 04:52 PM I have some of those multi-blooming perennial daylillies in the yard. They are such great colors. I forgot to mention the ongoing bunny factory that has established itself beneath the salvia greggi in my front yard. I think we're up to three batches of bunnies now. They have a tunnel under the bushes by the front porch, out of sigth of the hawks that inhabit the woods across the road. I also have some huge tarantulas this year. They're wonderful! (I think they're eating the Mediterranian house geckos and getting fat). SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LilyFestre Date: 21 Jun 05 - 04:59 PM Lettuce is up and ready....chives are loving the cooler weather and I've been picking lots of daisies and little yellow flowers...not sure what they are other than pretty! :) Michelle |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 21 Jun 05 - 06:09 PM I'm harvesting spiders and snails now..... and some really evil spicy rocket! LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 21 Jun 05 - 06:39 PM UK Gardener, Sounds like in your climate, as is true on parts of our Pacific coast, many fruits and flowers appear simultaneously that on the East USA coast bloom or ripen at different times. I'm guessing your climate is rather mild, without huge extremes in temperature and humidity? My day lilies (buzz bombs? never heard'em called that before.) are blooming heavily now, but the wild geraniums, azaleas, and all fruit trees finished blooming 6 to 8, even 12weeks ago. I envy you your campanulas. I try to grow them here, but they barely hang on--too hot and humid in the summer. When I see photos of English gardens with all the delphiniums and campanulas, I gasp with pleasure. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: maire-aine Date: 03 Jul 05 - 01:44 PM My black raspberries have started to ripen, right on schedule. They usually come in over 4th of July weekend, but I was afraid they'd be late, because it's been awfully dry this year. I picked the first ones yesterday. I don't even bother taking a dish with me-- I just pick 'em & eat 'em right off the plants. They're sooo sweet. I love this time of year. The only problem is that they only bear fruit once a year-- no second crop in the fall. Maryanne |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 03 Jul 05 - 01:56 PM My garden looks downright miserable this summer. A combination of not enough rain and bad air, I think. The tomatoes are very small (thought they still taste good). Squash are coming up big time, and the garlic and onions are dry and being put to good use. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Gorgeous Gary Date: 03 Jul 05 - 04:18 PM We're about to gain a small backyard garden and a couple of decorative concrete planters with the townhouse we just bought. So methinks we're going to have to learn how to garden. That or extend the brick patio to cover the whole backyard... -- Gary |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: dianavan Date: 03 Jul 05 - 11:46 PM I have to admit that this is the first year in over 30 years that my motivation to get out in the garden is at an all time low. Maybe its because the weather is cold and cloudy. Maybe its because work is so demanding. Maybe its because I'm still taking these blood thinners. Whatever, I am not very interested this year. Maybe its because I'm afraid of cutting or scratching myself. I did manage to bake a rhubarb crumble. Isn't it amazing how dear those homemade desserts become to your children once they have left home? My strawberries didn't really produce much of anything. The cauliflower has bugs. The Mizuna was tasty. The lettuce looks a little tough. The beans were doing fine and then they just keeled over. Guess I'll plant some more. The tomatoes and the cucumbers look like they are worth saving. All in all, a disappointing year for me. I even divorced my houseplants and let them die. Some I had for twenty years. I did manage to plant a few of Bobert's climbing hyacinth beans. They have sprouted and look quite healthy. I'm anxious to see the blooms. Oh yes, the flowers and herbs. No matter what I do, they seem to bloom. The wallflowers were so pretty! I also love my little fox gloves (not the tall, wild ones) but a short variety for the garden. For some reason I also love the delicate Columbines. Exactly at this moment, there is only lettuce, rhubarb and herbs to eat. Everything else is waiting for sun and TLC. I'm beginning to wonder if a vegetable garden is too much work for me. I wonder if I should just convert it all to flowers and shrubs. I think I'll wait until I retire to make that decision. Once I retire I might have more time. Maybe if I just get my butt out there, I will regain some energy. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,harp missy Date: 04 Jul 05 - 02:37 AM My harp is about to burst into bloom again! :) Last year a woman came into the music shop where I work with a harp that had been badly damaged--the bottom of the pillar was fractured. We assessed it and had to give her the bad news that the cost of repairing it would be higher than the price of the harp. :( It was truly tragic. She asked if we would take it and dispose of it for her, because she didn't feel emotionally able to just throw it away. I took it home (I wish it had occurred to me to suggest this to her) and routed four holes in the soundboard. Then I filled the harp with earth and planted morning glories in it :) It was really cool--they twined all up the strings and curled around the tuning pins and the levers. Then all of a sudden, one day I looked out the window and about eight huge purple flowers had come out simultaneously! It was quite a beautiful sight. This year I planted clematis, and a few buds are just beginning to form. Any day now... M |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sooz Date: 04 Jul 05 - 02:45 AM Raspberries, potatoes, beetroot and broad beans which we eat "mange tout". Oh, and some very pretty sweet peas. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 04 Jul 05 - 11:25 PM This evening the ex came over for dinner with the kids and me. I don't barbecue the country style pork ribs very often but I usually do something for the fourth of July. So for a couple of days I've been contemplating the menu. Yesterday I was in the garden and found several squash ready to pick, but decided to leave them there for one more day. Why? Because I had company coming, and it's fun to sometimes send someone else out to have the pleasure of hunting for and returning with the goodies from the garden. I had this task in mind for my son (he's 13) and I sent him out with his dad as company. It's not like they've never done this before, but the garden is pretty much my domain. I have to make myself stop and think about it and share the pleasure. Dylan beamed when he showed me one red tomato and several Italian squash (zuchini). I cut up a couple of squash to saute with olive oil, garlic, and tomato sauce to go with the rest of dinner. Anyone else have this Easter Bunny instinct, to share the hunt in the garden fun with visitors? (This is also part of the reason I have tomatoes and peppers growing in my front yard. They're a great conversation starter and sometimes to reach down and pick a something you grew and give it to someone is the greatest sociable gift.) SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Nancy King Date: 04 Jul 05 - 11:38 PM Did some badly-needed weeding this afternoon and discovered a perfect little zucchini -- the first one of the season! Yay! I'd already found a cucumber that had grown WAY too big, and a couple of nice moderate ones. Those peas that bothered to germinate mostly came ripe when I was out of town for a couple of weeks(timing is everything...), but I did get a few. Ripped out the sad-looking vines today, ready to put in some bush beans, beets, and who-knows-what-else. The asparagus was great this year, as was the lettuce and spinach, but those are all just memories now! Tomatoes are still bright green, but showing good size, and there are a couple of nice green peppers coming along. All in all, not too bad -- and not too much animal damage so far. Now that I've actually said that and put it in writing, of course.... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Ebbie Date: 05 Jul 05 - 12:18 AM Gads. I LOVE your gardens, one and all. The only fresh thing I've gotten is some Alaska King Crab that a friend brought me yesterday, already ccoked and cracked and briny. King is sweeter than the Dungeness and of course, MUCH bigger. You wouldn't believe this one chunk of a honker- tightly packed pink and white flesh, about six inches long by 1 inch diameter. Good though. *G* |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LilyFestre Date: 05 Jul 05 - 01:23 AM I'm not sure if you'd call this harvesting but in a 10 mile stretch of road, I counted 38 ground hogs....you could harvest them and make a mighty fine batch of stew....freeze the leftovers for winter use. They are EVERYWHERE! Michelle |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: dianavan Date: 05 Jul 05 - 03:01 AM Alaska King Crab???????? You can have all my rasperries for just one big leg! I'll even throw in some rhubarb, kale, swiss chard and mizuma. My uncle used to return from the season with his boat loaded with crab. We would fill the tubs with ice and beer and melt lots of butter and garlic and just feast to our hearts content. My mouth is watering! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 06 Jul 05 - 01:20 AM I'll have a heaping plate of crab legs, but I think I'll pass on the groundhog stew. It's a little too gamey for my taste (and is probably so gamey from eating in someone's garden!) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 06 Jul 05 - 08:25 AM Black Raspberries and sweet cherries - the sour cherries are ripe too. But none of those are "planted" - have some almost ripe cherry tomatoes, the cucumbers are setting and so are the peppers and eggplant. Whether or not I manage to coax any through to harvest is a mystery. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: TheBigPinkLad Date: 06 Jul 05 - 02:02 PM dianavan ... what's mizuma? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Nancy King Date: 06 Jul 05 - 07:42 PM I KNEW IT! I should never have said anything about "not much animal damage..." Sure enough, the deer ambled by last night and defoliated a bunch of cukes and pole beans. Sheesh! Anybody know Jon Campbell's song "When Bambi Got the Vote" (or "Since Bambi Got the Vote," or something like that)? My Ex got custody of the tape with that song, and I think I need it again. Anybody? Nancy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: dianavan Date: 07 Jul 05 - 03:21 AM Mizuma is a Japenese green that grows easily. Its leafy and something between a lettuce and a brassica. When young, the delicate leaves can be used in salads. Its really great in Miso soup, too. When it gets bigger, you chop it 1" pieces and steam it or it can be cooked like collards. If you let it go to seed, you may get some volunteer. Its very hardy and I always keep a patch in my garden. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Flash Company Date: 07 Jul 05 - 11:12 AM Picked about 8lbs of Raspberries since arriving home on Saturday. FC |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 07 Jul 05 - 01:04 PM I'm finally getting handfuls of little grape tomatoes. I now have about six cups this year. . . |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 22 Aug 05 - 01:26 PM Don't know about the rest of you, but our summer has been abnormally hot, and it has kept me out of the garden--especially the flower garden. We have had day after day of mid to upper ninties with high humidity. It doesn't cool down much in the evenings. The weeds and grasses are taking over. Normally the dahlia's would be stunning by now, but I haven't kept them dead-headed. In the veggie garden, I haven't fertilized like I usually do--fish emulsion/kelp sprays, monthly additions of bat guano. The tomatoes and snap beans have done OK anyway, but the cukes, zukes and squash are not producing well. Maybe just getting too old to manage the extent of gard beds that I have. I just ordered seeds for the fall garden. Assuming it cools down a little like its supposed to, I'll be direct seeding kale and turnips soon, and will start lettuce indoors at my office where the AC will keep the soil cool. Garlic and onion sets are on their way, but I'll hold off a bit on planting them. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 22 Aug 05 - 01:36 PM One pleasant success this year has been ginger lilies. A friend gave me a 'start' two years ago. I was afraid I had not planted them in a good spot, but they have really taken off this year. The color and fragrance are wonderful, and they seem like they are going to spread. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Rumncoke Date: 22 Aug 05 - 01:59 PM The Victoria plums are ripe. For me it is the taste of English Summer. Bliss Anne |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Aug 05 - 03:00 PM Too hot here for most of the garden also. I still get an occasional zuchini and there are a few straggler cherry tomatoes in the front yard. The eggplants have come out about the size of goose eggs. Like Janie, I await the cooler fall season to put in the next batch of garden stuff. We'll have until as late as Christmas to be harvesting out there, so there is potential for good gardening yet. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 22 Aug 05 - 05:08 PM Blackberries. The bush outside my backdoor is black with them, and the nore I pick the faster and fatter they seem to get. It's a bit like the Magic Porridge Pot right now, but with Blackberry Crumble. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 22 Aug 05 - 05:25 PM Wow. Blackberries are an early summer harvest for us in the southeast USA. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,UK gardener Date: 22 Aug 05 - 06:09 PM Everything is dripping with the incessant rain and looking forlorn. The buddleia although blooming is weighed down with the wet and needs a good burst of sunshine to perk it up, the black knight looks sad. The hibiscus (blue bird) is doing well but also needs some rays. The lavatera is over and straggly, must get chopping back soon before the winds rock the roots. The jasmine ( fiona sunrise, gorgeous lime green leaf) is leafing well, but no balmy nights to waft it's scent. At least the rain makes all the ivy look glossy. Good show from the gladioli that I begrudgingly planted, the corms were a present, I think they look too prim and proper, ok peachy colour though. Geraniums still putting on a good show after a severe hacking back, although my petunias are all but drowned. Lilies been and gone for another year. Some yellow climbing roses still blooming strong through and around the dead plum tree, which hosts some spectacular, but no doubt lethal looking fungi. Rosemary and all the mints behaving well and a boon in the kitchen, made some ice cubes with sprigs of pineapple mint in each one for the hell of it. Bizzy lizzies spilling out of old kettles, lovely apricot colours and seemingly rain resistant. All the 'structural' plants, cordylines, fatsia japonicas, choisyas etc look very handsome wet, so all is not lost. Just need a dryish spell now to sit out there and ponder on life. The honesty is seeded and I love the papery moon cases, will leave that to spread itself about. The asters, a heathery mauve are coming along nicely and the calendulas are my sunshine at the moment. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Sorcha Date: 22 Aug 05 - 06:48 PM Eggplant/aubergine only. The damn tomatoes didn't do well again. Stoopid weather. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Mr Red Date: 22 Aug 05 - 07:01 PM quatrafoils |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 22 Aug 05 - 07:03 PM which are...? J |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: bobad Date: 22 Aug 05 - 07:10 PM Let's see now: eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers, banana peppers, cucumbers, leeks, onions, garlic, scallions, cabbage, swiss chard, zucchini, carrots, various herbs including parsley, coriander, basil, oregano, thyme etc. The muskmellons are close to harvest and the butternut squash and pumpkin, turnip and beets have a way to go yet. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 22 Aug 05 - 07:12 PM Where you, bobad? Sounds like a good year for you. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: bobad Date: 22 Aug 05 - 07:19 PM I'm in eastern Ontario, been here 15 years and this is one of the best growing years we've had. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Tinker Date: 22 Aug 05 - 10:25 PM Janie the weather here has been so dry as well as hot and often humid that very little is doing well. The phlox is the only thing that is abundant this year. Some how I have three white ones that have serendipidously appeared amongst the pink. Hopefully they will survive and prosper. The deer beheaded them early on and I was afraid they would be blossomless this year. It only served to spread out the blossom season. It was less humid today and I went out to atetmpt pruning back the monster dog rose. Four leaf bags later I might be about half way through the process. Perhaps by Getaway time I'll find my way to the heart of the thing and decide what to do with it. I've got a few straggly cherry tomatoes but the zuchini and cucumbers have said enough. The establilshed herbs are doing well, but some of the new ones look like they may not make it. The verbenea I put in the Godess Garden is totally burnt out. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 22 Aug 05 - 10:46 PM Bobad-I'm jealous. We actually had a good start to our season--a long, cool spring (but just a tad dry.) But then we slammed into summer in June. Seems like it went up to the mid to upper 90's then and stayed there. We have had some dry spells, but no real drought. The main problem with my garden this year has been the heat keeping me from taking care of it. Tinker-Dog Rose? Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Essex Girl Date: 23 Aug 05 - 09:48 AM Courgettes have been flourishing since I was at Sidmouth. The neighbours were all enjoying them while we were away. Runner beans are doing well as are the lettuces. Rhubarb, apples and tomatoes are growing well, and the hedgerows near us are heavy with blackberries. We had an excellent crop of raspberries in June. The only thing that wasn't a success were my peppers, which grew and grew but still have not fruited. Linda |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 23 Aug 05 - 05:32 PM Still on snails, spiders and cat poop..... LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Bobert Date: 23 Aug 05 - 08:16 PM Well, well, well... A subject that I can sink my teeth into... Well, since moving down (up) to Luray from Wes Ginny we have been blessed in meetin' Clifford... Clifford is 'bout 70 year old and puts in amonster garden every year and sells, if you call it that, just about evry veggie that can be growed 'round these parts... Plus, I tilled up a 10' X 5' space and me and the P-Vine put in obe yellow squash plant, a couple cucumber plants and a zucinni plant... Well, this little plot is gettin' use 4 or five cukes and another 4 or five yellow squash every day and show no sign of givin' out... Its incfredible.... Plus we a zuccini 'bout every 5 days... But that ain't the entire story since Clifford has adopted us... He has the P-Vine down there helpin' him pick produce every other mornin' and gives her 10 pounds of beans 'er a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes 'er whatever he has lots of... We've canned 14 guarts of tomatoes allready... We went back to the Wes Ginny house today and brought up (down) the freezer, which is out on the porch defrostin', so the P-Vine can start puttin' stuff up in the freezer... Oh yeah, we got beets comin' out our ears as well as taters, same late corn but the best part is fresh tomatoes and cukes every day... Yum... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: el_punkoid_nouveau Date: 24 Aug 05 - 02:06 PM Slugs and snails... and cabbage white caterpillars... We also have French beans, with the runners coming on; cucumber and a few tomatoes from the greenhouse. We still have strawberries coming on as well, and we have an amazing crop of Blackberries. Next year, I will have more time to get things going... epn PS I forgot the zuccinis (courgettes)! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: number 6 Date: 24 Aug 05 - 09:49 PM My garden turned out pretty good considering we had an absolutely terrible start to the season here .... not a food garden .. just an urban mixed flower garden. Starting to cut some of them, and hang them on the garden wall. sIx |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Sep 05 - 09:52 PM I've had it with spindly dried stalks and grass taking over everything. I pulled up the posts and rolled up the chicken wire (there were no chickens around and it didn't keep my dog out, once she figured out how to leap over it). I pulled and stacked the tomato cages then got out the lawn mower and leveled it all except the eggplants. They have some life in them, and always do better in the fall. So they got some water. It's still hot and dry, we haven't had rain in a month. I'm watering the trees in the front yard this evening. I'm soooo ready for fall! (What with the dog, I'm not sure where I'll plant this fall's onions). SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 10 Sep 05 - 11:08 PM Dust. Smallish tomatoes. Assorted wilted, wrinkling sweet peppers. Dahlias are very sad looking from drought and no deadheading. Too dry to do fall planting. We had an abundant winter and spring. I shall rejoice in that. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 10 Sep 05 - 11:09 PM Currently Harvesting - Slug infested tomatoes - cut out the bad - boil the rest down for catsup, with sugar, vinegar, all-spice, cloves, cinnamon, and wheeeiiiiirrrrrr in the blender.
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 10 Sep 05 - 11:47 PM Sounds nice! I used some of my frozen cherry and grape tomatoes (from our early summer harvest) in soup last week. Since the skins pop off pretty easily once they've been frozen I didn't bother to blanch them, but popping that many little tomatoes out of their skins was quite messy. Next year I'll go back to blanching. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: number 6 Date: 11 Sep 05 - 01:49 AM Cutting the perrenials ... and now hanging them to dry. sIx |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 11 Sep 05 - 04:57 AM Still on slugs and snails, and after yesterdays rain (thunderstorm that rolled around for over 4 hours!), they're more abundant than ever. My pond appreciated the rain, it's starting to look decidedly unhappy for the first time ever... I suspect there is just too much in it at the moment and come the first frost, there is some heavy duty weed gathering to do (I wait til the frost because then all the watersnails go to the bottom). The rain has brought my Japanese anenome into flower, they're so white they glow in the dark evenings.... the moths like that. I have some major clearing to do this autumn.... I may even go out and buy some more bulbs, even though they don't seem to do too well in my garden. I've got another patch I can clear for them though. Maybe that will work... LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: JennyO Date: 11 Sep 05 - 05:10 AM Other end of the season here for us in Oz. The last three days or so have seen the first of the snow peas forming. Three or so more and there will be enough to pick. Right next to them the pink jasmine is blooming - shame it only lasts a couple of weeks in early spring - and my little peach tree is coming out in pink flowers. Freesias are popping up here and there in the lawn. There are a number of lemons ready to pick and a multitude of buds, flowers and new little lemons forming on the tree. Mint is spreading far and wide, and oregano and marjoram lasted right through winter. The rosemary bush is getting bigger, and buds are breaking out all over on the plants that have been dormant. It's a lovely time of year! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Genie Date: 11 Sep 05 - 05:59 AM Stilly, All this week and last, I've been eating the most delicious blackberries and peaches I've ever tasted! Now I'm starting on wonderful champagne grapes, Niagaras, and purple Concords, which will be around till at least the end of Sept. These were all grown my preferred way -- i.e, they are "weeds." LOL Volunteers, every last one of them! §;-D OK, to be accurate, the grape vines weren't originally volunteers (10-20 years ago). But once they took root the first year, all I've ever had to do is cut the li'l buggers back so I can find my house! LOL The blackberries, of course, are such survival experts that they're officially considered "noxious weeds" in Oregon. But I didn't get them cut back this year till July and August, and by then they were already giving me many pints of luscious berries. The peach tree was a bit more of a surprise, to say the least. A couple years ago, I noticed this "shrub" becoming very tall and gangly and growing like -- well -- like a weed! I thought it must have been some little "bush" I'd planted that thought it was a tree, so I asked my then housemate to cut it down completely. Fortunately (in this instance), he seldom followed instructions, and the tree survived. Before I could get it cut down this year, I noticed it had teeny little fuzzy balls all over the place. I wasn't sure if they were peaches or apricots or some wild cousin, much less whether they would have any taste. But this "weed" turned out to be a full-blown, well-fruited peach tree -- so laden for its young age that its branched bent to the ground like a weeping willow. The peaches were nice size, juicy, and sweet! I had tried growing a domestic peach tree in Portland, OR, many years ago, but it soon succumbed to a dry summer-very cold winter year. I figured this new one must have grown from a peach pit in my compost pile and had the advantage of growing from seed. (Natural selection?) So, I'm going to plant all the pits from the peaches of this "self-starter" tree and see if big peach trees can again spring from little peach pits. Genie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Sooz sans cookie Date: 11 Sep 05 - 07:21 AM Shallots - Mike's peeling them right now, ready for pickling. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Myrtle Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:21 AM Cucumbers, tomatoes....lovely sweet cherry ones, apples, runner beans, marrows and the juiciest brambles. My two whippets are enthusiastically trying to harvest the local rabbits, but so far, I'm pleased to say, with no success! regards, Myrtle. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:50 AM Genie, what a great story about that peach tree! Volunteers down here are usually tomatoes and cantaloupes. Didn't even have any of those this year. Lots of voluntary lemon balm--I'll harvest and dry that this week so I can take back my brick patio. :) SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,UK Gardener Date: 11 Sep 05 - 10:04 AM The slugs and snails that haven't made it to LTS's garden. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Rumncoke Date: 11 Sep 05 - 11:55 AM Apples and huge blackberries. The early blackberries were much smaller, I think this is a man made variety and the other bush is a natural one. The 'wild' one has decided it wants to take over the garden - it might even try to invade Poland it has that sort of attitude. Alas, I will show it the error of its ways, and my secateurs befor the end of the month. I have another kilogram of cotton yarn to ply - it is already paid for weeks ago so must take precidence even if Moscow is being brambled. Here on the South coast of England it has been very dry - the soil is like dust where my neighbour has had the hedge dug up and replaced by a fence - we have a couple of feet more ground available on that side now, but it is sad stuff. The men doing the fence cleared out the suckers from the forsythia - but they also cleared all my black currant bushes and one of the red currants before I saw what they were doing. All that is left is one redcurrant bush - I supose that getting rid of the hedge is a good thing - it lets in more light now even though the fence is almost 2 metres tall - the hedge was much higher. Anne |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,noddy Date: 12 Sep 05 - 04:04 AM potatoes which is great since I did not plant any . lots of cabbages ...lots and lots.... courgettes ....and marrows if I do not eat them fast enough. Nice selectio of herbs. the odd lettuce or three. Did not plant much this year as I knew I would be away a lot. Failed grape harvest failed radishes!!!!! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,Boab Date: 13 Sep 05 - 03:26 AM Tomato canning, Plum jam making [Loads of plums still hanging there--] blackberry jelly ["bramble"], great potato crop, nice carrots, ditto cucumbers, MISERABLE onions!, late pole beans, leeks growing well---won't touch them till the cold arrives, curly Scotch kale for a curly Scotsman. Apples failed. Dwarf peach lookuing good---lots of fruit---hoping for more warm sunshine. Some lettuce still viable. Sad news---soon be time to disable the irrigation system--awwwww! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,MG Date: 13 Sep 05 - 04:43 PM blackberries of course...Asian pears...and the crocuses are coming up in my front yard. mg |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: GUEST,mg Date: 13 Sep 05 - 04:44 PM Oh, and Genie and anyone coming to Sunnycamp..anything that you have excess of please bring along and we'll put it in a salad or a pie or something...we always try for sort of a harvest festival type of theme. mg |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: LilyFestre Date: 14 Sep 05 - 08:27 AM We have tomatoes and tomatoes and more tomatoes!!!!!!!! We also have zucchini, summer squash, hot peppers, rosemary, parsley, chives and fresh eggs! :) Michelle |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Sep 05 - 12:27 AM It's time to dig up a new bed for the fall veggies. It hasn't rained here in weeks. Five or six of them at least. Means I need to water the area heavily before digging. And I need to figure a way to plant a garden and keep the dog out. This will be my onion patch going in. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: JennyO Date: 15 Sep 05 - 11:27 AM The peach tree is a picture - covered in little pink flowers, and I picked the first of my snow peas yesterday. Jasmine is still going strong. I dug some beds today in preparation for planting. I have some little capsicum plants that I grew from seed in the makeshift greenhouse, and I might plant a few out and see how they go. They are still very small. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 19 Oct 05 - 11:52 PM Looks like a good year for pecans. They are just starting to fall. I like sitting out under the hemlock in the evening, shelling them to freeze the halves. I still have a few peppers and tomatoes bearing (in spite of drought and neglect.) I still don't have a fall garden started--oh well. Next year. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Metchosin Date: 20 Oct 05 - 03:39 AM Well I know one thing I won't be harveting. A bear came by and during the course of one night, stripped every single apple off my King apple tree. A neighbour had phoned me to let me know that there was one about, but I was more concerned with keeping the garbage cans and dogs out of reach and hadn't thought about the dammed apples. I'd been keeping a close eye on "my crop" and had checked for ripeness a few days previously, but had decided to give them a week or so more before picking them. He/she had obviously been keeping his eye on them for some time too. Last year I hadn't bothered to pick the apples at the very top and had left them for the birds. We were surprised last winter when the tree mysteriously developed a 45 degree tilt, so we figure now, he must have whetted his appetite with last winter's slim pickings. This spring we put a temporary prop under the trunk and main branches, as the tree is a pretty good size, until we had a chance to get a machine in to dig it up and move it to a better location in an upright position again. I was actually enjoying the tilt, because it made pruning easier. I figured that for at least this year, it would make picking a lot easier as well and despite the position, the deer were still having a difficult time getting at the majority of the apples even when the stood on the hind legs. Guess the supported incline made it far easier for the bear too. I was pretty certain wherever we moved it, we were going to have to enclose it with deer fence, but I never thought we might have to electrify it. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Janie Date: 20 Oct 05 - 08:47 AM Oh No! Best not to argue with a bear over an apple, I expect. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: bobad Date: 20 Oct 05 - 09:00 AM Season winding down here in eastern Ontario. Had our first frost last night. Brought in the last of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, still have carrots, cabbage, brussels sprouts, turnip and chard. We had the longest growing season in memory this year. Will be planting next year's garlic soon. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Gardening: What are you harvesting? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Oct 05 - 10:25 AM The garden this summer and fall has been a wash. We've had a drought and the water I put on it didn't seem to help, so I stopped. And we have dogs in the back now, who have their own level of impact. When the rains return I'm going to dig up the bed for onions and rim it with old fence supports and make a raised bed. I'll put chickenwire around it to keep the dogs out. In the next year I'm going to have to bite the bullet and decide how I want to zone this large pie-shaped yard and go ahead and put in a few concrete edges around where I want the compost, a dog run, etc. Until it rains I might as well try digging in concrete. We're still eating last winter's onions and garlic. They've been great, and I have tomatoes in the freezer from last spring. I wonder what Bobert is doing this fall, what with all of the moving and transplanting? I hope he stumbles upon this thread and fills us in. SRS |
