Garden 2019.

[Sewingcreations15]

Glad you got a good crop of capsicums @Tank-Girl. We bought some sweet potatoes so we will cut them in half and plant them shortly.

 

[LadyLocust]

@Tank-Girl I had never heard of wrapping the stems with foil before- interesting! Not sure the size of mesh on your bags, but I put those little mesh gift bags over seed heads of things like onions or whatever to catch the seeds for me. I'm not always prompt about gathering seed so if I don't get to it for a couple days (ahem or weeks) I can still get some seeds.

 

[Terri9630]

I usually use half to 1/3 of a empty toilet paper roll to protect seedlings from cut worms. I've never tried foil.

 

[Support Gunner]

These bad boys got some heat to them.

 

[GrannyG]

These are so interesting...they stated..
bet not too many people are aquainted with these. i first bought them about twenty years ago from the amish people. they called them transylvania travelers. the story is they came from transylvania then to germany and was brought here by the amish (german), anyway they are like a bunch of cherry tomatoes that have melted together at a central point. the reason they are called traveling tomatoes is you can pinch off one cherry and eat it an put the rest of it back in your pocket. they come apart without opeing to the flesh if that makses sense. the four pieces in the front are one tomato disassemled. baker creek just oifferend them this year. ( i am ahead of my time). they call them riesentomate. probably the most unusual thing i have ever grown. they are prolific also but very prone to ber.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

I am already feeding my excess zucchini to the neighbors goats. There are tomatoes turning color and I ate the first red cherry tomato yesterday.

I would take some if I lived closer.

 

[Bacpacker]

These are so interesting...they stated..
bet not too many people are aquainted with these. i first bought them about twenty years ago from the amish people. they called them transylvania travelers. the story is they came from transylvania then to germany and was brought here by the amish (german), anyway they are like a bunch of cherry tomatoes that have melted together at a central point. the reason they are called traveling tomatoes is you can pinch off one cherry and eat it an put the rest of it back in your pocket. they come apart without opeing to the flesh if that makses sense. the four pieces in the front are one tomato disassemled. baker creek just oifferend them this year. ( i am ahead of my time). they call them riesentomate. probably the most unusual thing i have ever grown. they are prolific also but very prone to ber.

I get the bulk of my seed from Baker Creek. I'll buy some of those for sure. Looks interesting. Bet they taste good to

 

[Tank-Girl]

Got my left over sweet potatoes planted to produce slips.

New tomato garden weeded and radish row watered.

We get cloud build up every morning so I hold off watering but by afternoon it's bright and sunny.
I figured from now on if it isn't raining regardless of what the sky looks like I'm going to water.

Picking the first greens from the silverbeet and taking the odd leaf from the nappa cabbage.
Delicious.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Getting raised beds ready for fall spinach, swiss chard, onion sets.

 

[Meerkat]

I get the bulk of my seed from Baker Creek. I'll by some of those for sure. Looks interesting. Bet they taste good to

BacP so it must be me not the seeds. I know how good your gardens look ,guess the proof is in the pudding. I still have some Baker Creek seeds.

 

[Bacpacker]

Meer I have found over the years, and this year in particular that some seed just won't grow in a given area. Sometimes that don't matter and they will grow anywhere. And then some years like this one, some stuff just don't produce even when it has in past years. I try and plant by moon phases and signs, sometimes that seems to work others it don't.
We've had good rain for the most part all season, plenty of heat. But some of my crops this year just suck, plants look good, but little to no produce. Jalapenos are still booming and have been for over a month, but ZERO bell peppers. Tomato plants finally look pretty good, but still not much produce.
Sure glad I'm not totally dependant on it this year. Already making plans for this fall and winter to get it ready for next spring. Will also look very closely into planting dates for starting seed. That was one of my failures this year. Started my mater seed too late and it got hot before the plants got a good start in the ground.

 

[Support Gunner]

We always start ours inside around the first week of march.

 

[Bacpacker]

You must be somewhat north us me. Thats about when I planted seed to go under the lights. Seems like I was 6-8 weeks late.

 

[timmie]

hubby and daughter brought in okra, maters, sweet and hot peppers today.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

hubby and daughter brought in okra, maters, sweet and hot peppers today.

timmie,
what are doing with all your maters?
Can't find my spaghetti sauce recipe.
Or my favorite salsa recipe.
Going to be looking through cookbooks tomorrow after I get home from Doctor's.

 

[LadyLocust]

Meer I have found over the years, and this year in particular that some seed just won't grow in a given area. Sometimes that don't matter and they will grow anywhere. And then some years like this one, some stuff just don't produce even when it has in past years. I try and plant by moon phases and signs, sometimes that seems to work others it don't.
We've had good rain for the most part all season, plenty of heat. But some of my crops this year just suck, plants look good, but little to no produce. Jalapenos are still booming and have been for over a month, but ZERO bell peppers. Tomato plants finally look pretty good, but still not much produce.
Sure glad I'm not totally dependant on it this year. Already making plans for this fall and winter to get it ready for next spring. Will also look very closely into planting dates for starting seed. That was one of my failures this year. Started my mater seed too late and it got hot before the plants got a good start in the ground.

How is your bee population with the wet late spring back there? I've heard the bees have had a rough go of it this year back east.
There is an odd section between our lawn and the neighbor's field. There are a few tall shrub-like trees with spaces in between. When we were very first moving in, he came over to tell us where the property line was. In this maybe 10' wide section have grown horrible weeds. I saw him in his yard as I was driving to work (live about 1/4 ml apart) so I stopped and asked if he would mind if I cleaned it up. He said he'd like to see where just so we were both clear. Yesterday morning as I was mowing he walked over. I showed him where and mentioned one end would actually be a good spot to plant corn. I think he also saw that we've been cleaning the place up, edged the pathways, etc. He said sure. Evidently, at one point the folks who rented here were piling their garbage on his side then cut down one of his trees. He was probably thrilled when I said I just want to keep the weeds down in most of it. And at the one end plant corn

 

[Support Gunner]

You must be somewhat north us me. Thats about when I planted seed to go under the lights. Seems like I was 6-8 weeks late.

Central Illinois.

 

[timmie]

salsa and rotel tomatoes

 

[Peanut]

How is your bee population with the wet late spring back there? I've heard the bees have had a rough go of it this year back east.

I'm down to one hive. My uncle came up a couple of weeks ago to help me rob it. I had 4 honey supers sitting on the hive all year.

There wasn't a single drop of honey in those 4 supers. They had pulled a little wax in the bottom super but that was it. The hive was packed with bees, no beetle or moth infestation... a clean hive. There just weren't quite as many bees as there should have been. Come spring I'll purchase a new queen, get new blood into the hive.

 

[LadyLocust]

@Peanut. I get worried when bees struggle. We have a friend who runs bees. Over the fourth, I asked him how his bees were doing. He said fine. I think he thought I was talking shop. I clarified "the bees are healthy? I've heard back east it's not so." Then he lightened up on it and said the late rains back east were causing issues, but his (we're out west) were fine.
Not sure where you are but I hope you keep them going.

 

[WVDragonlady]

@Bacpacker check to see if your state or county has an Extension Service. If they do they may have a gardening calendar. It should tell you when to start seeds and when to plant for your area/state

 

[Support Gunner]

Im growing a 2 for 1. Lol

 

[Bacpacker]

How is your bee population with the wet late spring back there? I've heard the bees have had a rough go of it this year back east.
There is an odd section between our lawn and the neighbor's field. There are a few tall shrub-like trees with spaces in between. When we were very first moving in, he came over to tell us where the property line was. In this maybe 10' wide section have grown horrible weeds. I saw him in his yard as I was driving to work (live about 1/4 ml apart) so I stopped and asked if he would mind if I cleaned it up. He said he'd like to see where just so we were both clear. Yesterday morning as I was mowing he walked over. I showed him where and mentioned one end would actually be a good spot to plant corn. I think he also saw that we've been cleaning the place up, edged the pathways, etc. He said sure. Evidently, at one point the folks who rented here were piling their garbage on his side then cut down one of his trees. He was probably thrilled when I said I just want to keep the weeds down in most of it. And at the one end plant corn

Now that you mention it I haven't saw many bees this year, of any kind. That could be part of my problem. I'd like to get a couple hives, but just don't have any time to fool with them.

 

[Bacpacker]

Central Illinois.

I thought so. You are what zone 6? Maybe even southern Zone 5? I'm Zone 7 down here.

WV, we do have extension agent here. I do need to pay them a visit

 

[Peanut]

https://whnt.com/2018/10/01/cullman-county-mans-watermelon-breaks-state-record/

Just in case anyone missed this… While waiting at the doctor’s office today I picked up a farm type magazine. I saw the above article from oct of last year. It floored me, I knew folks grow some big watermelons in my home state of alabama but nothing like this…

A 288lb watermelon… I’m pretty sure he didn’t do as well this year, its been a bad year for watermelons…

I thought it funny that he names his big melons after members of the group "Oak Ridge Boys".

 

[Tank-Girl]

I had very bad germination from the radish seeds I brought from The Seed Collection and this morning I discovered that someone's dog flat footed it over the bed and trampled what had.
I will replanted with seeds I got from another supplier and I'll cover them this time.

I still have to find a spot to plant out a 200 flat of spring onions.

I need to plant loofah seeds along the base of a trellis so I have something to feed the chickens this summer.

Pumpkin seeds need to be planted bit I don't know where.
The cabbages haven't finished neither has the broccoli.

The disappointing sugar snap peas are done so I'll plant Rattlesnake beans on the that trellis.

Put more mesh bags on the baby capsiums. I have to wait until they get to golf ball size so I know they aren't going to yellow and fall off the plant.

The larger potato varieties are going to be a bust this season.
The plants are dying dnd the crop under them is small on size and number.
They just didn't recover from the frost and then the thrip attack right when the potatoes where flowering which is when the potato is setting their tubers.
Kipfler potato plants look a lot better but I haven't lifted a plant yet to check.
If they are still in the process of making I don't want damage a plant just to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

3/4's of the chicken wire from the roof down put around the garden beds to keep out the kangaroos out was done Tuesday. Today we are hoping to finish the whole front off today so we have gates that swing outwards for access.

 

[Peanut]

Last year I grew jalapenos on my porch in a couple of pots... had all the peppers I could want and more.

This year I grew a couple of cayenne peppers. They grew to about 3ft tall before they started to bloom. I ended up with a handful of peppers, not even enough for red pepper flakes to get me through the winter...

 

[LadyLocust]

I forgot to pick the zucchini yesterday and I think they grew by 1/3 since yesterday so they are bigger than we wanted. The wind keeps blowing over the tower I planted pole beans around so I picked what was dry and got those cleaned. There are more, but after righting the thing a half dozen times, I left it laying down. I just didn't want the dry beans soaking moisture from the lawn. I will try to prop it with something tomorrow. I was doing other stuff today as well so didn't get that far.

 

[Bacpacker]

Picked more okra and tomatos today. Started getting a few maters from the last batch of plants I put out. Yellow "Pork Chops" never heard of them before, but free seed for trails is well worth a shot. I also picked my Butternut squash today. Got 14 off of three plants, so I'm happy with them. More Jalapenos too. Dumped out my 2 -5 gallon buckets I had planted yukon gold potatos in. I harvested about enough for one meal. I'm going to try this again next year with either Red Pontiacs or Kennebacks. If they don't do any better I'll just call this something that don't work as good as I hoped.
Tonight I dug the last of my onions. I ended up with a half bushel of Red Torpeo and Yellow Copra onions. Lay them out to dry and clean up a bit tomorrow. Then they'll go to storage. I ended up with almost a bushel from 2 rows 50-75" each.
Took down my cattle panel I had the cukes growing on and removed the post, stored them for next spring.