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20 Jul 08 - 10:32 AM (#2393435) Subject: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Well, I know that there are other threads about gardenin' but our veggie garden had finally decided to, ahhhhh, feed us... Yellow squash, cukes, zuchinni, pole beans (smeraldo), Yukon gold taters comin' in now... Tomatoes and okra soon... Yukon Gold taters, spinich, asparagus,onions, beets and lettuce allready harvested... Yummy.... So, what's in ya'll's veggie gardens??? B~ |
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20 Jul 08 - 10:40 AM (#2393437) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: CarolC We've been getting tomatoes for several weeks, now, but lately they've been cracking and ants have been taking up residence inside of them. I thought cracking was a sign that the plants weren't getting enough water, but my plants get plenty of water. The rest of the veggies (peppers, eggplants, and watermelons) won't be ready for a while yet. I'm going to be putting in the fall gardens soon. I'm going to see how many kinds of veggies I can grow all winter long. There's a lot of things that won't grow in the summer here that are supposed to do well in the winter. |
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20 Jul 08 - 10:42 AM (#2393438) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Alice no veggies, but my raspberries will be bumper crop, as they have been every year |
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20 Jul 08 - 10:43 AM (#2393439) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Sorcha Veg gardens are a pain. Time consuming. I just go to the farmers market. IF I remember early enough on Sat. I did plant one packet of multi coloured carrots and 2 tomato plants. The weeds are eating the carrots, and the toms just aren't doing well. |
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20 Jul 08 - 10:50 AM (#2393444) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Irene M Tomatoes crack when the water supply fluctuates. The influx of water into the plant makes it expand, only the fruit cannot expand and splits. Slow and steady water supply is best. Drippers are what I use, run off a dustbin of water that I top up daily, sort of water-butt style. The first courgettes are forming, runner beans are starting to flower. I grow carrots and potatoes in old florist buckets, and the carrot thinings are good so far. Made the first lot of blackcurrant jam. The redcurrants look like they may need picking next weekend, followed by more blackcurrants, then bullace, plums and eventually, apples. Picked the first blackberries yesterday and put them in the freezer. I add to the bag until I have enough for a batch of bramble jelly. Still waiting for summer, here in the UK. Mind you, the plants like the rain and I don't have to go out and water, so I shouldn't moan. |
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20 Jul 08 - 10:56 AM (#2393451) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: CarolC Is it possible for the plants to dry out even when they're getting watered daily and are heavily mulched? |
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20 Jul 08 - 11:50 AM (#2393474) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Depends on your soil. A little water often may be draining away, you may need to do a really heavy soaking a couple of times a week. For all tomato gardeners getting that early blight (the creeping yellow foliage up the plant), spray store-strength (3%) hydrogen peroxide directly on the plant. Don't do it too often or it will knock out beneficial bugs, but the anti-fungal properties of hydrogen peroxide knock out the early blight. Be careful mixing peroxide with other stuff, don't leave it standing in your sprayer. If you have more dollars, there is a product called Veggie Wash that does the same thing. Our main plant here now is eggplant, so many off of just three bushes that I am tempted to put a stand at the curb. :-) Johnny-one-fruit, though. Eggplants only, the tomatoes are prolific but still mostly green. I have a few carrots, an experiment, haven't tried them yet. Lots of banana peppers, a few green bell peppers, lots of jalapeno. Only harvested one squash before all of them bit the dust. Wrong place, I think, and the borer got them. Chard is a bit stressed but we get greens every couple of weeks. Got several gallons of wild mustang grapes from the vines across the road. Several pints of jelly and jam (this was our first time canning these). SRS |
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20 Jul 08 - 06:58 PM (#2393709) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bee I don't have much room for a veggie garden, though I'd like one - just a few tomato plants this year (and the garden herbs). But I usually have a couple mounds for squash and pumpkin. Last year a powdery mildew of round white spots turning to black decimated my squash vines, and no amount of fungicide (I tried three different kinds, and a vinegar spray someone suggested, before giving up) had any visible effect. So I've left off for this year, and next year I'll start them in a different area and blast the young plants early and often. Anyone had experience of controlling such blights, or killing old spores - cause I'll bet there's plenty just waiting? |
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20 Jul 08 - 08:12 PM (#2393742) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: katlaughing I have had a few grape tomatoes off the potted plant we started this year, but the news ones are really tiny, though red, and I've noticed the blooms on both tom. plants are not producing. I think they may have dried out too much as I missed a couple of mornings of watering and the heat and sun, at this altitude, are brutal. |
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20 Jul 08 - 08:23 PM (#2393748) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Bee, Try some dish detergent (1/2 cup = gallon of water) on them squash plants and see if that clears things up... I've used this on lots of stuff that seems to be suffering from fungi or root problems and it seems to work... Why??? I don't know... B~ |
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20 Jul 08 - 09:18 PM (#2393765) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Kat, when it gets hot they won't pollinate on their own. Get a cotton swab or some of the Blossom set spray and do it yourself. My garden is kind of tipping over and collapsing under its own weight. There are tomato cages in there, but you wouldn't know it, and the cantaloupe is trying to climb everything. I've redirected it over toward the rosemary. I'm not sure that all of these tomatoes are going to be the type that will last through fall for more fruit, I may have to start some more plants. With such a long growing season we easily get two good crops. The fall garden is often better than the spring/summer one. Less heat, more rain. SRS |
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21 Jul 08 - 03:40 AM (#2393899) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Sooz So far we've eaten: lettuce rocket spring onions radishes beetroot potatoes broad beans sugar snap peas blackcurrants raspberries shallots herbs Coming shortly: runner beans tomatoes courgettes carrots squash Harvesting and eating food from the garden is so satisfying - worth all of the effort! |
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21 Jul 08 - 06:00 AM (#2393957) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Mr Happy Spuds - had the first coulpe've newies last night with me roast beef & runner beans, followed by stewed rhubarb - delishuss!! Runner beans Tomatoes Sweet peppers Radish: Long white icicle & scarlet globe Mangetout Cherries Victoria Plums Apples Rhubarb Some've the runners were showing signs of vitamin deficiency a month or so ago, yellowing leaves - solved the prob with added phosphate from that easily renewable source - banana skins! |
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21 Jul 08 - 07:03 AM (#2394010) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Mr Happy Just been researching Wikipedia for Rocket, its not there. I know its a leaf vegetable - what's its other names? |
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21 Jul 08 - 07:16 AM (#2394019) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Ruth Archer rocket= arugula. |
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21 Jul 08 - 07:24 AM (#2394026) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Mr Happy Ruth, Many thanks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruca_sativa |
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21 Jul 08 - 07:31 AM (#2394031) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Ruth Archer no probs. It makes a wicked pesto. :) |
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21 Jul 08 - 08:25 AM (#2394068) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: lady penelope Well you learn something every day eh? I always wondered what arugula was! I've been successfully growing rocket on me kitchen window sill - just eating it as I wanted it. I have a basil plant I do the same with, only it's getting wee bit big so it may have to brave the big wide world outside for the rest of the summer at least. My toms are coming along quite nicely, thanks for the handy tips on the splitting and blight, I had problems with splitting last year. Trying radishes for the first time and they seem to be going great guns. I'll have to wait for a couple of years for my rhubarb, only planted it a couple of months ago! Oh well, I'll have to keep nicking me mother's... *G* Next thing to try is spuds, blackthorn, possibly some blackberries, chives and garlic. Mind you, I really must finish clearing and laying out my back yard... |
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21 Jul 08 - 09:05 AM (#2394089) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Mr Happy In spite of the copious amounts of precipitation lately, as I've loads of stuff in containers as well as in the front & back gardens, its still been necessary to do lots of watering |
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21 Jul 08 - 10:36 AM (#2394178) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Bee, A recent organic gardening discovery is that hydrogen peroxide, sprayed on undiluted at the grocery store 3% strength, will knock out powdery mildew. Do a thorough application and wait a few days to see that it clears. Leaves hit too hard by the mildew that are past the tipping point may still die, but it should clear younger leaves. There is a commercial product called Plant Wash (I've never seen it and don't know the cost) is said to be as good or better. Up to the last few years organic gardeners typically used potassium bicarbonate mixed with a little dish soap in water, or in a pinch, baking soda in that recipe, to treat powdery mildew. It had iffy results, at best it might slow its spread. The discovery that hydrogen peroxide knocks out many plant fungal and bacterial problems is big news. But keep in mind that repeated applications might be overkill and can kill beneficial bugs also if you're not careful. The store strength is the best one to use--hydrogen peroxide is available at higher concentrations for industrial applications, but there is a risk of chemical burns and injury from breathing it in. SRS |
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21 Jul 08 - 02:58 PM (#2394435) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Irene M I gotta ask. Peroxide = blonde leaves? Sorry |
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21 Jul 08 - 02:59 PM (#2394438) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Irene M Me again... and dark roots? |
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21 Jul 08 - 04:19 PM (#2394492) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: katlaughing Thanks, Maggie, I'll try that with the qtips. I don't know how my ex and I did it. We were just kids and had a huge garden one year. The only that we didn't get to harvest was a huge watermelon that we found a mouse had made into its cafeteria. And, we didn't know anything about how to treat, fertilise, etc.:-) I forgot to say Rog's oldest grape vine had a bunch of grapes coming on, then suddenly they were gone. He thought at first birds had eaten, though that did not happen the past two years. The other day, he looked closely and told me he saw some kind of fluffy looking stuff. I haven't gone to look, but I'll bet its some kind of fungus. I'll have to get out the peroxide. |
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21 Jul 08 - 09:49 PM (#2394708) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: MarkS We put in a drip irrigation systemt this year and have to say it works great. Couple hours a day (turn it off if has rained the day before) and no worries about proper watering. Also it uses a lot less water than sprinkling from above. Now that the rows are clearly marked with the drip lines, the plan is to till in organic material from our manure pile (4 horses, we got lots) over winter. That should really improve our sandy soil and jump start things next spring. Oh, anybody had any experience with a propane flamer for weed control? Mark |
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22 Jul 08 - 12:16 AM (#2394772) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage I'm working on a gray water drip system for next year, pulling together the parts and designating the bed placement to put in after it cools off some (do the initial digging and then it's easier to dig an plant in the spring). Shower and dish water. Flame thrower for weed control? I suppose I could consider it. Not many weeds in the garden right now, but it would weed, bake the eggplant, and grill the tomatoes on the vine all in one fell swoop! SRS |
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22 Jul 08 - 02:32 PM (#2395289) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Help... We have some kind of fungus on parts of all of our tomato plants that I have never run into... Some of the leaves are turning yellowish with small brown spots... The stems also have the spot5s... We cut the bad parts out this morning but am open to suggestion on what tghis is and how to treat it (organically)... B~ |
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22 Jul 08 - 02:54 PM (#2395305) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Hydrogen Peroxide, straight, 3% grocery store strength, sprayed on the plants. Don't do it daily or you'll hurt beneficial bugs, but give it a good coverage to start and then return to check after a few days. Or look for Veggie Wash and follow the directions. It has the same effect as the peroxide, but apparently has more ingredients. SRS |
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23 Jul 08 - 02:29 AM (#2395695) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: GUEST,Norval Bobert: Check this site: Tomato Disorders |
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23 Jul 08 - 04:46 AM (#2395752) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: gnu Norval... thanks! |
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23 Jul 08 - 08:24 AM (#2395873) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Yeah, thanks, Norvel.... Very helpful website... |
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23 Jul 08 - 09:05 PM (#2396441) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage I have a disorderly Roma tomato out in the middle of the rest. Some are "determinant" plants, they only last so long. I wonder it that is the case here. I'll check out the site also. Mine have gotten the peroxide treatment and the Roma still decided to crash this week. SRS |
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24 Jul 08 - 10:52 PM (#2397273) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve In case it is of interest to y'all: We planted several test plots of various varieties of corn in this year's veggie gardens. Raccoons visited last night and broke several stalks of one variety, weeks before any ears had even begun. Then today the lunatic fringe of New Hampshire's tornado system swept through, shoving much of the corn flat to the ground.What interested me was that the plots in which I had interplanted dwarf peas and bush beans, the corn stayed happy and tall. None were damaged in the big winds. So in the morning we'll see how much we can reset and hill with even more compost, and which are needing to be removed and planted to something else. I did spray all of the corn with repellent, and sprinkled a different repellent in granular form on and around the corn patches. We'll need to take further action with the critters, but I'm hoping it will buy us a little time to do so. maeve |
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25 Jul 08 - 12:01 AM (#2397317) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Relatively speaking I have a tiny little garden, though there are "annex" plots all over the yard with other stuff. This is the one that neighbors poke through and tonight a four-year-old girl came to visit and enjoyed looking at eggplant ("Can I touch it?") and picking tomatoes ("Look what I got, grandma!" when she ran back next door). I love watching children go through that discovery process, and it is so easy to give pleasure when all it entails is picking a few small tomatoes and patting a purple globe hidden under large leaves. I did alert her grandmother to the one biology question that came up. My dog rolled over to have her tummy rubbed and Audrey wanted to know how I knew she was a girl. "That's the vagina, and that's what girl dogs look like." I don't have a male dog for comparison, but I'm sure someone at home will think of a way to make the contrast. They used to have a Boston Terrier who came to stay on some weekends, and someone can remind her that he used to lift his leg. Her mother is apparently pretty forthcoming on the science information in the household, so I don't think there were any shocks at home this evening. :) Makes one feel rather subversive, though, actually teaching a little biology in the vegetable garden. SRS |
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25 Jul 08 - 12:18 AM (#2397330) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Oops. This is the garden (photo hosted at Mudcat Gardeners group). |
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25 Jul 08 - 11:40 AM (#2397660) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bee Thanks, Bobert and SRS, for the fungi advice. Saved and labelled for next year's attempt. |
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25 Jul 08 - 11:40 AM (#2397661) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: GUEST,GI Joe any one had problems w/ moles??? I know they only eat the insect grubs, but it is the field mice that use the tunnels and attack the veggies. ex potatoes w/ teath marks where they have been chewing.. I just put up one of those windmills that send vibrations into the ground via a iron pipe Bought it from Lehmans that sell to the Amish people... Has any one tried them???? Next year will put down Bacillus Thuringes It should kill the grubs.. Has anyone tried Ether ?? the stuff thats in compressed spray cans the start engines ..... Thanx |
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25 Jul 08 - 08:35 PM (#2398056) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Yes, I have a problem with moles. My dermatologist checks them out every couple of years. . . |
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25 Jul 08 - 08:54 PM (#2398071) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Everything you want to know about moles (voles)... Ummmmmm, moles are big... Like 6 inches long... They have front feet that look like paddles... They make tunnels... They eat grubs... They have no interest in yer potatoes or yer hostas but... They do the hard work if diggin' tunnels and then voles move into those tunnels and take up residence... Vole are like mice but thay aren't... They have a much shorter tail... They love anything that you have planted... Yes, they will get into yer potatoes... They will also eat the roots of hostas and other beding plants... There are lots of things you can do but nothing is 100%: 1. Plant yer ornimentals in "Permitil" which is like a gravelly stuff that moles and voles don't like digging thru... 2. Plant yer ornimentals in plastic pots with wire mesh inside... That will keep the sunamiches out... 3. Get cats... 4. Put mice traps with peanut butter for bail over holes with palstic pot over it so that kitties don't get zapped... Put rock on top of pot to keep kittie from gettin in there... 5. Put down "Grub-X" on yer lawn... This kills the moles food source and if he ain't happy then the voles won't be either... 6. Then, of course, there are various poisons, ehich we don't use ot reccommened... The end... B~ |
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26 Jul 08 - 01:35 AM (#2398153) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Poignant story--my ex was stuck with my daughter's roommate's pygmy hamster. Had the darned thing for probably 3 or 4 years. It got out of its cage one night and got behind the dryer and got the peanut butter on the mouse trap. No more hamster, but he went fast. It was an annoying, stinky little monster, ugly growths coming and going on it's body, but it seems to have been a source of entertainment, especially when it chomped on my son's friends who tried to touch him. Ah, well. . . the ex-roommate moved away to Alaska, got married, probably never gave it another thought. SRS |
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26 Jul 08 - 10:37 AM (#2398296) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: GUEST Thread drifting SRS but isn't that how a lot of us end up with 'pets' we never intended? Our cat was inherited as 'a 17 year old cat that won't live long' more than a few years ago and it's still going strong - the little bugger! Mike |
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26 Jul 08 - 11:49 AM (#2398320) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Right up there with "free (stray)" dogs or cats. All but one of mine arrived under their own power. The top of the heap is the beautiful, smart, injured Am. Staffordshire Terrier who, after she was treated for a glancing blow from a car before she got here, got all of her shots, neutering and dental work from hitting the street with her face when she was hit, PLUS putting up a new fence PLUS the invisible fence collars that finally keeps both dogs in the yard, amounted to several thousand dollars. . . Makes the cats seem positively cheap by comparison, and the Animal Shelter dog, while the most annoying of the lot, cost far less than any of the others. And to bring this back around to the subject, the dogs are the reason I haven't had a garden in the back for several years now. SRS |
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26 Jul 08 - 05:33 PM (#2398455) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Well, for the last three days I have been convertin' a block outbuilding that was used for curing meat into a "potato house"... Yup, look as if we are going to get about 3 or 4 bushles of potatoes and so the only place I could think of for storing them was in a refrigerator but this building needed to be wired and that's what I have been doing... Not to mention rescuing an old, but useable, refrigerator from the old hotel I own... But we now have am official potato house and That is good... Plus there is enough room for another upright freezer which will be nice because we are freezing alot more veggies than usual because of the food prices... We have had good rains all summer so I guess that is the reason that we are getting so much produce... The chicken manure doesn't hurt either... Unfortunately we haven't gotten our first ripe tomato but I believe that we will very soon as we have tons of green ones and looks as if our stripping the fungi affected leaves has worked 'cause the plants look good... B~ |
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26 Jul 08 - 05:39 PM (#2398459) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Megan L Bobert if the tomatoes wont ripen go out and swear at them till they blush, thats what our neighbour used to do. |
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27 Jul 08 - 11:35 AM (#2398751) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: GUEST Megan- Tomatoes are indeed modest by nature. We've gotten the same results using lavish applications of compliments. |
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27 Jul 08 - 12:10 PM (#2398764) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Think I'll go with GUEST on this one seein' as I ain't into swearin'... And if that don't work, there's always spray paint... Went out and plugged the new (old) refrigerator in this morning'... Had to lay it on it's side yesterday for a while so I let it stand all night which is what yer supposed to do after letting 'um lay flat but... ...all is well... It's working just fine and ready for taters... B~ |
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27 Jul 08 - 01:29 PM (#2398800) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage It's supposed to be 105 here today. I think I'll go pick vine grilled tomatoes for dinner tonight. I took a leaf from your book, Bobert, and am testing the "cut off the sick leaves" approach on the tomato. I noticed that the leaves that were browning didn't have fruit or blossoms on them. It may be a combination of blight and sacrifice to get the fruit to ripen. I finished building a table top outside for my kitchen stuff, the roaster, the convection oven, we'll see what else is suitable out there. I'll bake outside and keep from heating the house so much. I wanted a sturdy table that the weather wouldn't affect. The equipment will only go outside when it is needed. I'm going to start this afternoon with two items, a loaf of bread and a lamb/tomato/eggplant casserole. SRS |
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27 Jul 08 - 01:31 PM (#2398801) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve Guest= maeve without her cookie. |
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27 Jul 08 - 02:38 PM (#2398833) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert It's been a week now since we removed the fungus leave, SRS, and the plants look great and we have our first tomaoto ripening so by the end of the week we'll be havin' tomato sammichs... We had friends up today and loaded them up with our excess cukes, beans and potatoes... We've got 20 pounds of beans allready in the freezer... These are the flat pole beans... No strings... Just cut 'um into 2 inch long pieces and stirfry 'um with onions and garlic... Yummy... We're gonna have a ton on limas... Nothin' better than ***fresh*** limas... Little butter and salt and yummy... B~ |
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27 Jul 08 - 02:47 PM (#2398841) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage I hate lima beans. |
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27 Jul 08 - 03:46 PM (#2398890) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert I did, too, until I grew them and had them fresh... The rest are crap... Try one, you'll like it... I promise... |
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28 Jul 08 - 01:09 PM (#2399558) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage I thought you might say that. How do you eat them when you grow them fresh, and do they revert to their old awful selves if you freeze or can or dry or whatever the beans you grew? SRS |
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28 Jul 08 - 06:31 PM (#2399866) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bee Eat 'em boiled with butter and fresh black pepper - broad beans are good like that as well... er...IMO. All you old-hand gardeners who live in long-season places won't be interested in this or already know it, but for more Northern amateurs, there's a neat solution to unripe tomatos (besides using them green). I've done this several times. When you find a heavy fall frost is predicted, and you have plants covered with nice green tomatos, haul the plants right up roots and all. Shake some dirt off and hang the plants roots up in a sunny room. Pretty well every tomato will ripen fully over a few days, with no rotting and none of that hardness you get in some tomatos not vine-ripened. |
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28 Jul 08 - 09:04 PM (#2399970) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Well, SRS, what Bee said about 'um fresh... But if ya' blanch 'um and put 'um in ice water, then dry 'um and put them in vacuum packs, put 'um in Mr. Freezer then come next January when you have a hankerin' for a good lima just let 'um thaw and they gonna be like right off the vine... Yummy... B~ |
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29 Jul 08 - 01:15 AM (#2400078) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Bee, I have done that tomato trick here in Texas in the fall. I learned it when I was a kid in Seattle. Mom used to hang the whole plants from the ceiling in the basement when it looked like the first frost. Bobert, I'm never liable to have a hankering for lima beans, so even blanching and freezing are more work than I'd go to for such a tormentor from my childhood. SRS |
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29 Jul 08 - 06:33 PM (#2400765) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Spider mites. Damn. They're moving in. Gotta get out the Dirt Doctor info and choose my attack. |
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29 Jul 08 - 08:10 PM (#2400840) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Insecticidal soap... Nighty, night, spider mite... |
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29 Jul 08 - 11:08 PM (#2400947) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Garlic pepper tea and a little orange oil or fish fertilizer, and every three days for nine days. Probably have the garden too wet, over-compensating for the heat. I'll back off on the watering. SRS |
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30 Jul 08 - 10:01 AM (#2401233) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage So, I said I'd back off watering--I need to say that more often. We got our first good rain in about a month this morning! It was wonderful--first hearing it on the roof, then looking outside to see if it really was rain I was hearing and not just the air handler noise from the heat pump. Watching the yard I saw one of the dogs come trotting around the end of the garage and duck in the door, then both of them sat in the door staring out, like they'd forgotten about rain. I hear claps of thunder in the distance--too bad I have to work today, I'd like to just wallow in the cooler temperature, the overcast, and sound of thunder all day. :) SRS |
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30 Jul 08 - 11:50 PM (#2401917) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage More rain this evening. I guess the trick to get rain is to sacrifice your garden to the spider mites. Found one of my biggest tomatoes with the top half eaten off, great big bites. Probably a squirrel. I left that one out there, hoping the little bas**** eats the same one and leaves the rest if he comes back. SRS |
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31 Jul 08 - 06:17 AM (#2402057) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve That long-awaited rain is good, eh? Enjoy it, SRS. |
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31 Jul 08 - 06:20 AM (#2402059) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Joseph P I'm having to make do with just a box of herbs, my girlfriend has taken over the rest of the 'garden' (about 1 or 2 m2 of soil in total) with bedding plants. Sadly the coriander has gone to seed, the basil didnt take to the hot weather, we just have a load of parsley, which i hardly ever use! |
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31 Jul 08 - 12:24 PM (#2402343) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage I've been seeing balls of caterpillar poop on the ground under a couple of tomatoes, but it took a day to recognize what I was seeing, and I went looking for that monster caterpillar (tomato hornworm) but didn't find it. I think the garlic pepper tea with orange oil and fish fertilizer must have knocked it out or scared it off. No sign (with flashlight at night and in the bright light of day) or additional damage. Geez. I must have a bug sign out there that says "free food here." SRS |
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02 Aug 08 - 12:04 PM (#2403660) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Whoa, but it's hot out there! 105+ for several days, predicted through Monday (calling for a heat advisory). The produce is cooking on the vine this weekend. I have onions, tomatoes, and two types of peppers--it's salsa on the vine! SRS |
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03 Aug 08 - 12:06 PM (#2404291) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Well, Damn. I just found fleas on the pit bull. In all of these years none of the animals have had them. It's hot and dry out, not typical flea weather. She's getting another bath today, and I'll let the shampoo stay on her for 5 minutes. I'll bail all of their hay out of the garage stall, and pick up beneficial nematodes to spray around the yard. I'll also use some orange oil. I'll pick up some new vacuum cleaner bags and give the house a good once over. Pick up flea collars at the vet for all tomorrow. Damn. SRS |
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17 Aug 08 - 11:11 AM (#2416056) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve I went digging to find and refresh this thread. Our corn (maize) is growing tall and strong. It's so beautiful, with liquid greens in the leaves, and that tumbling corn silk like a child's hair. Peaches and Cream is nearly ripe, with Delectable, Painted Mountain, Bodacious, and Colored Dent following close behind. Each patch contains 35-50 plants of one variety. We have 7 corn patches on trial here in our Maine gardens. What beauty have others found in their vegetable gardens? |
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17 Aug 08 - 12:02 PM (#2416089) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: GUEST,pattyClink Joseph (and whoever else has it) FREEZE THE PARSLEY! Wash it, chop it, shove it in a Ziploc, flatten it, and stick it in the freezer. It stays nice and green, fine for cooking. Break off chunks to cook with all winter. Use it in chicken soup, 'bouquets garni', marinara sauces, and you need a ton of it for New Orleans Red Beans and rice. |
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17 Aug 08 - 12:24 PM (#2416102) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve I'm with you there, pattyClink. Parsley is wonderful to have on hand in the winter. It's great with potatoes too, and in in pesto. |
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17 Aug 08 - 01:02 PM (#2416115) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Thanks, maeve! Your corn sounds wonderful! My garden is still going strong, though it has a bit of a "wounded warrior" look. Everything is big and hulking now, tomatoes leaning over, eggplant leaning on tomatoes, carrots and oregano way down under stuff, long forgotten. Cantaloupe crawling everywhere, a few fruits coming along. Peppers and tomatoes ripening so fast I'm picking two and three times a day. Tomatoes are getting a second wind with cooler weather and rain, new green branches coming up from the ground where they have come to rest. I am to the point of having to poke around under cantaloupe and eggplant leaves to find hidden ripe tomatoes. Lots of eggplants--I have given them away by the pound to a friend who is trying new recipes that he is canning. One is for a Mediterranean spread (tomatoes, peppers, garlic, herbs all combined and the recipe says not to open it for a month until it has time to really blend). My next door neighbor came over yesterday for some jalapenos and I convinced her to take several extra so she can slice and freeze them. She was thrilled to see what eggplant look like on the plant--this really is one of the reasons I put the garden where I did--so few people these days actually get to experience the pleasure of seeing where food comes from! SRS |
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17 Aug 08 - 01:43 PM (#2416146) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maire-aine I don't do much gardening, because there is a big farmers' market only a mile away. And it is all locally grown produce, mostly within this county. So I buy what I need, and nothing goes to waste (waist yes, but not waste). I did, however, have a good crop of black raspberries-- just wish they were the kind that produces a second crop in the fall. I planted a few tomato plants, and just picked my first 2 ripe tomatoes. These were heirloom varieties that were new to me, and they didn't produce much fruit, so I don't think I'll plant them again. I do have a lot of the usual herbs-- chives, parsley, oregano, thyme. They're doing great, except the basil which has suffered from the dry spell. Maryanne |
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18 Aug 08 - 08:07 AM (#2416690) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve The pole and bush beans are finally getting enough sun for the pollinators to do their thing. Tiny little beans in purples and greens can now be seen. The scarlet runners have joined the cardinal vine (morning glory family) in enticing hummers to take one more sip of nectar from scarlet flowers. Heavenly Blue morning glory blooms have opened in a blue that is indeed heavenly and happens to match the blue of the bedstead gate. I've begun digging mounds of potatoes in white, yellow, red, brown, and dark purple. I love washing the dirt away, revealing the wet colors like beach pebbles in the surf. These we'll eat and sell. The later 'taters will be cured and stored for our winter larder. I'm freezing the Julie grape tomatoes whole for making sauces. They're really more of a small Roma paste than the usual grape tomato. One of our favorites this year is "Lemon Boy" with sunlit yellow, large, low-acid fruit. I'm anticipating Garden Peach and Black Cherry, both with amazing flavors and beautiful fruits. They were the latest to be planted, and will be moved into the greenhouse if necessary to get their delicious fruits ripened. |
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18 Aug 08 - 08:54 AM (#2416734) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage You couldn't pay me to plant morning glories. Your climate must keep it under control? They're like kudzu when they get going in some places. We had a horrible time getting rid of them when I was a kid and we lived in Seattle. Seems the next door neighbor planted them because she thought they were pretty and they went nuts, climbing walls, buildings, trees. As bad as Himalaya blackberries in that environment, or Scotch Broom. I see that one offered as an ornamental down here in Texas. They must be nuts. :-/ SRS |
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18 Aug 08 - 09:09 AM (#2416750) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve SRS- I know what you mean! The named varieties behave fairly well here, and any unwanted volunteers are hoicked out without hesitation. There are a couple of different wild bindweed cousins that also have pretty blossoms but are the family from hell. They die on the spot when we see them. |
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18 Aug 08 - 08:05 PM (#2417339) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Joybell What a fun thread. May I come on in and play. It's Winter here in Aus. I'm sorting seeds and planing for the Spring. My patch of broccoli is about to produce edible bits. Put in three varieties of raspberries yesterday. I'm concerned about environmental weeds too and I'm careful about what I let loose. True-Love is building a food-cage. I'll be able to hide in it an pull faces at the swamp wallabies peering through the wire. We've planted lots for them and the other wildlife. They don't need my lettuce. The smaller lizards, and the small insect-eating birds, will still be able to help with removing pests. I know chickens aren't vegetables but I'm quite excited about fitting them into our garden. We bought an old trailer (caravans we call them) to use as a chicken house. Surround it with a covered run to keep out wedge-tail eagles, brown falcons, ravens, foxes, snakes. We'll turn the cupboards into open nesting boxes and add some perches. They probably won't need the stove or the 'fridge but the sink might make a useful water bowl. Cheers, Joy |
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18 Aug 08 - 08:33 PM (#2417361) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Funny, joybell, We're getting ready to put in our fall brocolli seedings in about two weeks, along with spinoch, cabbage, lettuce and maybe a few more beets, all of which we can harvest before winter hits... Today we harvested: 3 zuchinni 6 yellow squash 5 gal. bucket of tomatoes 3 cucumbers a handfull of okra We are still waitin' on our limas to fill out... We pulled up our pole beans because we froze about 20 pounds and got tired of picking them and eating them... We have about 50 pounds of onions pulled and stored and maybe 200 pounds of potatoes in the "tater house"... We'll can and freeze tomatoes and maybe make some "V-8" Juice with the extras... We've given away lots and lots of stuff allready and I'm sure before it's over we'll give away alot more... B~ |
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18 Aug 08 - 11:38 PM (#2417447) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage The novelty wears off when you end up picking stuff several times a day, doesn't it? But I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more tomatoes. They go in spurts. Joy, Mudcat Gardeners is a Google group set up for sharing photos. Feel free to join! SRS |
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19 Aug 08 - 02:57 PM (#2417938) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: MAG I pulled the seeds off the sweet cecily and planted them. The angelica plant keeps coming back year after year after year, although it's supposed to be a biannual. (biennial?) 6 tomato plants, 3 varieties, the super fantastics are coming in big. (Bacon basil tomato sandwiches w/ slathers of mayo on oat bran toast) The blackberries tie my gut in knots these days and rightnow I can't give them away. still a few blueberries. birds got the raspberries. can't get rid of the horseradish; one small plant years ago and I can't kill the runners. A few small leaves in salad add a nice zing though. Collected seeds from the scallions; I've got tons. anybody want dug up Lily-of-the valley? or know when is a good time to dig 'em up? Is now a good time to plant chervil and lovage for next year? I'm told I can eat the berries off the Oregon grape, but I haven't had the nerve to try it. ah, summer. |
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19 Aug 08 - 08:23 PM (#2418217) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Joybell Thank you SRS. I'll take a look. Beets. Not a common item here -- except for what we call beetroot. True-Love remembers them. I'd like to give them a try. Cheers, Joy |
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19 Aug 08 - 08:40 PM (#2418227) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Yeah, I think that beetroot is prolly the same as beets... Real dark purple roundish root 'bout 3 inches (50-60 mm) in diameter??? Tops dark green with purple viens... Also edible... B~ |
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19 Aug 08 - 10:44 PM (#2418316) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage The Mudcat Gardeners thread showed 52 views in the last 24 hours. That's a lot! I wonder how many people read these threads who never remark, but follow links to see what's up? I picked a basketball-sized cantaloupe this afternoon. It will take a while to ripen completely, but it was out there a lot longer than the last one that had a nice consistency and flavor but wasn't real sweet. Leave them too long and something attacks them. SRS |
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20 Aug 08 - 02:50 PM (#2418824) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve Dug and washed Red Thumb, La Ratte, and All Blue potatoes for our little farm stand this morning. I love seeing the colors come gleaming through when I wash them. Also on the stand are half a dozen kinds of tomatoes including Lemon Boy, Sugary, Juliet, Early Girl, Green Zebra, and Super Fantastic. Bright Lights Chard is pretty and delicious too, and the zinnias in the bouquets pick up some of the same colors. Green Flash and romaine lettuce and fresh bantam eggs finish the picture. |
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22 Aug 08 - 10:35 PM (#2420467) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve Four days after I mentioned tiny little beans forming I picked about three pounds tonight: Royal Burgandy bush, Masaii Green Vert Filet bush, Blue Coco, Gold Bacau, and True Vermont Cranberry. They're washed and bagged ready for the farm stand in the mornng. We also picked some sample ears of corn. They were a little young, but nearly perfect. Score one for us. We'll go make the rounds again before bed, patrolling to keep out the raccoons and whitetail deer. |
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23 Aug 08 - 08:17 AM (#2420605) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: maeve I don't want to hog this fine thread. Anyone else having fun wth veggies? A beautiful juvenile black-billed cuckoo just flew into the house and stunned himself. We set him in a little box for warmth and support, then backed away. He has recovered well, and after a half hour has just flown off into the pines across the road. Making this land back into good bird habitat has been vital in restoring the balance here. It's the insect-eaters that have dramatically reduced the pest insects populations, and the seed eaters help reduce the weeds. That young cuckoo will be around for a while it seems. I'm glad. |
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23 Aug 08 - 09:14 AM (#2420625) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Bobert Plastic grocery bag of lima beans here this mornin', 2 zuchini, 1 yellow squash, 4 tomatoes and a dozen or so okra... Gonna put in brocolli later thyis week but at least found a six-pack of seedlings... Also gonna plant lettuce, spinich and beet seeds when I put the brocolli in... No more beans though... Maybe 6 cabbage plants... Then that's is it for this year... Thank God... B~ |
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23 Aug 08 - 01:23 PM (#2420758) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: MAG I'm just getting tomatoes right now; busy yanking weeds right and left - feverfew and sweet rocket seeds into the trash; they are too prolific. 2 basil plants are cleaned off at the moment - have to wait for more. yanking up oregano and composting it - another too prolific thing. I let the mint go; it's nice to walk on. |
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23 Aug 08 - 03:15 PM (#2420810) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Attacking an invasion of lace fly (not lace-winged fly, that one is beneficial). Lacy fly is like aphids on the move. Hard to get rid of, but my eggplant have dropped a couple of immature fruit, so I have to nip this in the bud, so to speak. SRS |
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23 Aug 08 - 03:42 PM (#2420821) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: CarolC I just dug three new vegetable beds about 30 inches away from our house (we have a small yard), and I didn't think until after I had them dug, that there might be a problem with them being that close to the house because of whatever chemicals the termite people use on houses. Anyone got any idea how far away from a house vegetables should be grown? |
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23 Aug 08 - 04:05 PM (#2420835) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage I don't know about termite treatments, but I have found that veggies too close to the house don't get the air circulation they need, and they suffer from the solar heat gain of the siding (brown brick, in this case) keeping them too warm in the summer. I have a couple pepper plants too close to the house, and lost some squash altogether. I'm going to stay three or four feet away next time. SRS |
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23 Aug 08 - 04:17 PM (#2420843) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: CarolC Solar gain isn't a problem in this location. It only gets morning and early afternoon sun most of the year, and the siding is light beige vinyl. I actually have in mind to use this location for plants that need less sun and summer heat than the rest of the yard provides. And I have some other beds the same distance from a board fence that are doing spectacularly (the tomatoes are 7 feet tall right now, and still growing), so I don't think there's a problem with air circulation. I'm not going to move the beds I've already dug unless the roots of the plants would come into contact with a pesticide. |
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24 Aug 08 - 01:54 AM (#2421054) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: CarolC I don't know if I need to be concerned or not. That's why I'm trying to find out how far away from the house the pesticides would tend to travel. Typically, they're applied through tubes down into the soil around the foundation. I don't know if they're only applied on the inside of the foundation or on the outside, and I don't know how far away from the foundation they would tend to leach. I can't really get rid of the pesticides because they're protecting our house from termites. If they would tend to leach over to the area where I put the new beds, I'll just move the beds further away from the house. I guess I'll call the exterminator who did our house before we moved in and see if they know. |
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24 Aug 08 - 02:03 AM (#2421057) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage Visit the Dirt Doctor and look up termites. He has answers for that also. I'd think you can compromise--treat the topsoil, the deeper stuff is still there blocking out termites. |
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24 Aug 08 - 07:58 PM (#2421475) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage I'm practicing my canning skills--had enough tomatoes this afternoon to can two pints. Small potatoes, so to speak, but I want to be sure I'm doing it correctly before I commit vast quantities of time and produce to this task! I love that tinny "pop!" a few minutes after it is out of the processing pot! SRS |
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25 Aug 08 - 10:48 AM (#2421765) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Stilly River Sage This morning's garden foray required the front of my t-shirt pouched (sorry, no apron handy for the Aunt Em look) to collect all of my beautiful shiny eggplants, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, and tomatoes. And I spotted another cantaloupe, this one back behind the heat pump. SRS |
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25 Aug 08 - 12:22 PM (#2421824) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: Darowyn Despite the lousy august weather, we have some good crops this year. Rocket and other types of lettuce came up too quick to keep up with, and some ran to seed before we could eat them. We grow spinach, swiss chard and kale as salad leaves too. They have a bit more go to them than lettuce. Tomatoes are flourishing but have been slow to ripen especially the stripy ones. The Grand Prix cherry tomatoes are the sweetest we've ever tasted. We have grown yellow globe courgettes this year and they have done well- very tasty. We need some advice though. Wendy planted some seeds from a Butternut Squash from the supermarket, and we have three huge plants. The earliest of them has two squashes which are already as big as the ones in the shops. How do you know when the pick them? The grape vine has been a bit disappointing. Last year we made twelve bottles of wine. This year the grapes are bigger and are turning black already, but there are only about a dozen bunches. I don't really think it will be worth making wine this time. I've got a mango seed germinating in the boiler cupboard- but I think that would really be pushing our luck! Cheers Dave |
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25 Aug 08 - 04:49 PM (#2421990) Subject: RE: BS: Veggie Gardenin'... From: CarolC In case anyone else finds him or herself dealing with the same question I was looking for an answer to, I'll give it here. I called the exterminator who did our house and they said that a vegetable garden needs to be a foot to two feet away from the foundation perimeter. I told the lady on the phone that my garden beds are 32 inches away and asked her if that was ok, and she said it was fine. |