I never thought I would care about growing things, but it really has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. I also eat a lot better tasting and healthier things now. I brought in 6 tomatoes tonight, and had one on my sandwich for dinner moments ago. It was less than ten minutes from vine to stomach . The greenhouse was the best thing I've done for yield, as it protects from bugs, sun, drought and temperature.Nice harvest; We have a mild enough winter in Texas to grow year round; Our only challenge has been due to drought; Rabbits were eating all of our seedlings; Have rain now and replanted; Lettuce, radishes, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach , potatoes - All in great shape
All my landscaping is done with some kind of edibles. It's really cool to have a small vineyard in the front. I've also got a large blueberry patch, a hillside covered in blackberries, and several areas with assorted fruit trees. I still have a large area that I'm not sure what to do with yet. I guess I'll wait till I find something on sale!Good point on the bugs for the greenhouse. I'm going to just try an open (though fenced in) garden first, but if that doesn't go so well, it wouldn't be too hard to do a greenhouse in the same area and utilize the garage for one of the walls. We'll see how it goes.
We plan to grow some things just along the outside perimeter of the house, in beds, like melons and squashes (and pineapple).
We already have wild blackberries too, but I want to extend these to the whole perimeter of the property.
I like the protection of the blackberries, as a natural thorny barrier. The blackberries I have that were store bought are thornless and have berries four times larger than the wild ones. I got a five gallon jug of wine from them this year, and still have a gallon bag in the freezer for desserts. It is kind of nice not getting cut up when picking them.Good point on the bugs for the greenhouse. I'm going to just try an open (though fenced in) garden first, but if that doesn't go so well, it wouldn't be too hard to do a greenhouse in the same area and utilize the garage for one of the walls. We'll see how it goes.
We plan to grow some things just along the outside perimeter of the house, in beds, like melons and squashes (and pineapple).
We already have wild blackberries too, but I want to extend these to the whole perimeter of the property.
My blackberries send out long runners that when they touch the ground they root and now my 7 plants are like 35. There are some wild thorny ones growing in the same area, so will probably cross pollinate??? Either way, they are growing great and obviously like the soil and climate here. All I do is add some water between rains when it's really dry. I like low maintenance plants.I planted three thornless blackberries in my backyard. When Ike blew in, fence fell and took only one out completely, so then I had two. Hunny overtook my sick barn for the geese, so when I had a sick goat, brought it to the backyard. FYI, they LOVE blackberries and apple trees including bark. I wrapped some wire and corrugated metal around the apple tree trunk and well the blackberries, we'll just have to wait and see when spring comes. I do still have the wild berries that I can pick at least. Since we had the possible bobcat kill of the goose, hunny has brought the geese back in with the chickens so I have my sick barn area back, but with a bobcat lurking around, just not comfortable putting any in there. I only have one, Dexter, who has some hoof rot because of how much rain we have had. Brought him in the back since it is higher than the pasture and been giving him antibiotics along with a hoof hardener. It is slowly healing.
I've never tried a rutabaga yet but will give it a go. I'm hoping to till the bed the beans are in and plant some more stuff this weekend. Lettuces are a must and more carrots.The only none fall items I have still growing out in the garden are some bell peppers and habaneros. It has been mild so far here too and I just cover them with old feed sacks and mulch heavy with pine needles. Have been picking greens (collard, mustard, and turnip) like crazy and processing them up right now. Rutabagas are getting close and lettuce is being eaten as fast as we can eat it. . . . and I eat a lot of salads.
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