Progress in the Garden..??

[101matt 17]

To keep everyone informed about what is growing and what may effect your area,Im starting this thread.

 

I was told that a few others in my area are already dealing with potato bugs.

So Im watch my garden for them!!

 

 

I have about 40 ft run and they are doing great so far,oinons are doing fine also..

 

keep everyone informed if a certain "Bug" or problem arises!!

[Rod 10]

Looks like a nice start on your garden 101matt!

[MikeE 10]

I don't have the space that you do Matt, so I'm doing containers, and just trying to learn this season. My taters are doing real well. 4 containers put out in late March, survived 2 light frosts (covered them) and are getting pretty big. Earthed them up 4x already. Started 3 more containers 2 weeks ago and they have popped up. Have some minor leaf chewing going on but no panic yet. Sugar peas are my favorite. Those things are going crazy and could actually harvest a small mess now. Beans are frustrating. Not a lot of girth yet, but I'm not the most patient guy. Lol

 

I do have a question about lettuce. I'm growing giant Caesar and it's gotten pretty big. At what point will it start getting tough and bitter? I've heard thatbis liable to happen, so I wanted to check with the expert.

Edited May 9, 2012 by MikeE

[101matt 17]

Mike E .Im not an expert.lol ..start taking off a couple of leaves now and check for taste..

Excelent on the Taters!!

 

Even doing a couple of "So Called Late" planting of taters in buckets is a great Idea,After the tops die you can just move the bucket into the basement and you have a self contained ROOT SELLER!!

At least this sounds good?

 

anyone think its not a good Idea??please post

[Regulator5 11]

Matt, I think you can do the same with carrots (probably any root vegetable) as long as they don't freeze. I haven't done it personally but many of the old timers I know leave the carrots in the garden and just bury them with straw to help keep them from freezing. An enclosed porch or whatever is handy should be great, especially if have flourecent lights to turn on and then you wouldn't have to worry about the plants dying, they'd continue to grow. Just a thought to add to yours.

[WV Scout 10]

My tomatoes and peppers are outgrowing the peet pellets. I have to go get some peet pots. Have not had a chance to plow up the garden. It has been nothing but rain here; plus my work schedule has not been much help.

[Xplorer 10]

I understand that you remove the potatoes, carrots, etc., don't wash & then store in the root cellar. The stay longer because the skins are not disturbed. Wuld be great to know if you idea works Matt.

[tinderwolf 11]

Just finnished planting the rest of my garden, snow peas, tomatoes, peppers, squash, carrots, onions, radishs, corn...we will see.

[ricksconnected 11]

yep im jealous.

[Guest survival101]

Mike, if I'm not mistaken, lettuces tend to "bolt" in warm weather. Undesirable because it makes them tough or bitter, I think. Best to plant lettuce with an eye toward cooler weather, spring and fall. There are some nice spring mixes to help extend your planting season.

[juzcallmesnake 1,514]

got a bumper crop of yellow squash and my fig tree has already given me 6 big ripe figs

 

and the limbs are covered in them so fig preserves I hope in a few weeks.

 

lots of green tomatoes from a dime to a silver dollar size.

 

eating the last of the romaine lettuce.

 

we got baby okra and chili pequines / birds eye peppers still green.

 

a few bell peppers just sprouting and my onions are getting bigger

 

the yard log green beans are growing bujt I have yet to see the first bloom

 

and the bush beans are not making yet.

 

going to start some sauerkraut soon I want to can some up fresh

 

by the end of the month my 3 burner propane stove will be in so It's canning time real soon.

 

64 tomato plants I figure lots of sauce and chunk tomatoes and salsa yeeeehaawww.

[101matt 17]

Excelent stuff right there!!!

My update!!

 

 

 

 

 

spuds are doing great and oinons!.Toms and bell peppers are in the upper part!

Planted 2 rows corn.1 row carrots,1 row of bush beans ,doing 3 sisters in the corn rows..

[Guest survival101]

Our radish seedlings have turned yellow. Never grew radish before. Either the soil is to "hot" with nitrogen for them or the water or sun exposure...

[jerry9491 10]

Apples trees full of little applets, grape vines looking good, tomatoes, potatoes, all coming fine, got an inch of rain last night so we should be good for awhile.

[101matt 17]

bush beans and corn POPED up in 6 days...Ya baby!!

The first blums are coming on my Toms,I had 4 blums on the photoed plant but pinched off 2.I learned long ago that it reduces the strees on the plant and you get better quality!

 

 

 

 

 

And yes Im Thankfull...picking up bamboo in the morning..YA Baby..

Im still working on the posting thing/ok so turn your head to the left..

[Rod 10]

bush beans and corn POPED up in 6 days...Ya baby!!

The first blums are coming on my Toms,I had 4 blums on the photoed plant but pinched off 2.I learned long ago that it reduces the strees on the plant and you get better quality!

 

And yes Im Thankfull...picking up bamboo in the morning..YA Baby..

Im still working on the posting thing/ok so turn your head to the left..

 

Got any French dressing? Those greens made me hungry!

[101matt 17]

Rainbow lettice is on the way!!

ROD try some creamey Ranch with a couple of spoon full of French oinon dip....OOOOOOOO

Next Time I visit friends in Lebanon I will pm you..

[101matt 17]

Putting Herbs to use..

Calendula was used in German folk medicine as a remedy for wounds and glandular

problems. (Wood). Used historically as ‘poor man’s saffron,’ calendula adds both color and

flavor to some foods, typically rice and chowders. It was prevalent in European marketplaces

during the Middle Ages and was a common soup-starter..

Externally:

1. Applied externally to wounds as an antiseptic, bacteriostatic (inhibits growth

or multiplication of bacteria), and hemostatic. Calendula can be used to treat

minor scratches and serious lacerations, it prevents the appearance of pus and

inflammation, encouraging the body to heal the tissues at its own pace. It has a

specific affinity for swollen, hot, painful, pus-filled tissue, especially where there is

no vent. *Calendula has been shown to help activate the body’s own cells, which

gobble-up foreign debris or invaders at the sight of infection then help to activate other

defense mechanisms. (Foster)

Internally:

2. it is therapeutic for swollen glands and lingering, unresolved infections, cleansing

the lymphatic glands and ducts. It helps resolve stagnation in the lymphatics from

wounds, gland removal, or sickness...

 

 

 

sweet tatters...

 

 

 

So put the flowes to work,they can be used for many things...

[juzcallmesnake 1,514]

how to "save" onions

 

pull the onion leave the green stem and brush the dirt off but do no wash an plat them together like plating hair

 

hang from the ceiling in a covered dry area like in a store room that does not freeze, or touch anything as if they do they will go bad.

 

when you need an onion cut it off later they may have a soft spot cut that off they should last until next season.

 

you have seen or have bought garlic done the same way.

[101matt 17]

Thanks Snake,just pulled some up,will try it..

 

update..no major bug problem yet..its been a little wet but its all good so far..

 

lower garden...

 

new side garden.will be my late harvest if we have a long summer.

 

upper garden..

Plenty of grass covering to help with the weeds.

 

 

Toms getting there..

 

 

Hot peppers comming along also..

 

So HOW IS YOUR FOOD SUPPLY COMMING????

 

Oh the bambo was used in the onion rows for my half runner beans,I will harvest the onions as we need them,and have pole beans growing in same ground for later!!

 

Iam useing Bluelake,Painted Poney,Rattlesnake,White Hastings(blue tip)and yellow eyed for my pole beans..

 

I alway use "Top Crop" for my bush beans..

 

what are you growing???

[juzcallmesnake 1,514]

well it is hot enough here that some are not doing well yellow squash died so replanted yard long beans

are doing ok and blue lake beans choke cherries are doing good and we have tons of tomatoes and figs

waiting for them to get ripe okra is doing well and cleaned and reorganized the green house.

 

had a Ham sandwich with the tomatoes {Cherokee purple} romaine lettuce salt and pepper mayo.

tasted wonderful

 

hope we have enough okra to pickle we are still eating on the pickled beets delicious.

 

The best way to save okra is to cut them fresh and do nothing to them

put them in a paper sack and freeze when your ready to use them

trim and wash the natural fibers prevent freezer burn as does he caps.

Edited June 9, 2012 by juzcallmesnake

[tinderwolf 11]

Garden is doing alright. Yellow squash is taking over and I greatly underestimated how much space it would need! Planted carrots for the first time seem to be going well but unsure when to pull them. Its been more than thirty days for my radishes but I pulled some the other day and they were still skinny little tubers and not round...sugguestions? just let them go? Corn is waist high. Finally got one or two tomatoes budding from the flowers. Planted some straberries and rasberries in pots and they really don't seem to be doing well, still green though.

[Gillie 10]

I harvested my turnips this week. Last night we cut them like french fries and friend them in coconut oil and I couldn't believe how tasty they were. We also had a salad with the romain lettuce and cucumbers that came from the garden this week.

 

Had terrible luck with squash but still trying. Cantalope looks great, eggplants and watermelon not so much. Deer ate the tops off of my carrots once but they're coming back and I sprayed a little cayenne pepper on them. Corn ears look fully developed but I'm told that I'm waiting for the silks to turn brown or something. Tobacco and strawberries are doing well. We will have tomatoes out the a$$ this year but I like it that way and I want to can some. I have about 8 cherry tomatoes and 5 beefsteak and husband has 9 german johnsons. Blackberries, apples, pears and peaches looking good. My green beans didn't transplant well so I planted some more directly in the garden but i've read that it's not too late for that so I hope they produce.

 

I'm leaving one or two of everthing to go to seed so I can learn about saving the seeds. This has been a lot of work so far but it's really empowering to be able to produce some of your own food this way.

 

I wish I could have chickens.

[MikeE 10]

Harvested the first redskin potatoes last weekend. Sugar Peas are all gone but they did pretty well. Just hate to see them die off so soon. They're my favorite. Have been getting cherry tomatoes for a few weeks. Beefsteaks are a couple weeks away. Already cleaned out my romaine lettuces. F'n chipmunks harvested my spring lettuce. Carrots are a week or two away. Have been eating (perpetual bloomer) strawberries off and on for a month. Onions have been about 1/2 consumed. Got my cukes in late and have lost a couple plants to the deer. Laid down some blood meal and haven't had any more losses from deer and poison peanuts have helped with the chipmunks....while I was able to shoot one last year, that must have been a lucky shot. 0 for 2 this year. Little shats are fast. lol

Edited June 20, 2012 by MikeE

[wally 432]

its still too cool to plant anything here even though today was 73d i want to do just corn this time around.