Garden 2021

[UrbanHunter]

We got hit with high winds and rain last night... I lost about 2' off the top of 2 tomato plants on the south side, they were loaded with green fruit. That is the risk with gardening, you are at natures mercies..... On the bright side we did get an inch of much needed rain...

 

[Amish Heart]

Wishing for more rain here, but not today, and not that much! Driving around, though, I see most wheat has been harvested, but not all, so I'm sure some farmers want to get that done before the rain. Humidity is somewhat perfect today to do that.
So am cutting cabbage today. Anyone cut the main head and leave the side leaves to hope for small side heads?

 

[Bacpacker]

Filigree farms has a huge amount of garlic types. I've shopped with them many times. I need try and get some of the Martin's type.

 

[LadyLocust]

A confused bean. After all the issues I've had getting pole beans going (birds get them) I replanted outside, figured it was something else getting them so planted a few inside so they can fill the wall. Of course then the ones outside sprouted. BUT, one of the beans I planted inside is confused and sending its roots upward and bean/leaves down. Any y'all ever seen this?

 

[Neb]

A confused bean. After all the issues I've had getting pole beans going (birds get them) I replanted outside, figured it was something else getting them so planted a few inside so they can fill the wall. Of course then the ones outside sprouted. BUT, one of the beans I planted inside is confused and sending its roots upward and bean/leaves down. Any y'all ever seen this?
View attachment 68436

Only thing close...

I had chestnut sprout and I planted them upside down.

Ben

 

[Terri9630]

A confused bean. After all the issues I've had getting pole beans going (birds get them) I replanted outside, figured it was something else getting them so planted a few inside so they can fill the wall. Of course then the ones outside sprouted. BUT, one of the beans I planted inside is confused and sending its roots upward and bean/leaves down. Any y'all ever seen this?
View attachment 68436

My onions did that. I had to turn lots of them over.

 

[Newbri]

Yesterday unexpected rain drowned my pots. At least I thought. Only to come out this morning to see that either the cucumber or the watermelon sprouted. I don't know which, cuz I didn't label them.
Maybe I should have, but hey! If they go all the way, it'll be a surprise.

The beetroots aren't doing good though. I think I know where I went wrong. But I'll give it another couple of days.

The parsley is doing good. No complaints there. Just seeing what will happen.

And finally I'm experimenting with growing garlic. The cloves that are in water right are germinating. Well, one is.
And I was ambitious and planted a lime seed.

 

[joel]

My nesting onions are doing good.

 

[Newbri]

Yep, I saw some plants at Tractor S the other day, Bonnies, and they looked dead and droopy to me, still priced at $3.98 each. Ha. A lady was watering. Good luck bringing a dead one back to life.
Seeds worked super well for me this year, starting them in the little greenhouse. There were only a couple of veggies I bought as plants. I did buy sweet potato slips this year, but they were cheap. And strawberries.
It's great you're growing something, Newbri. Just warning you, though, it an be addictive. Look at Urban.

Thank you, Amish Heart. I realized that, yes indeed.... it's addictive. I keep thinking about what else I can grow and how and where and how I can keep costs low while doing it.

The funny thing is that what I want to grow I don't even eat them regularly but, ya never know! But I'm thinking ahead; maybe I can sell extras, maybe I can gift them/share them with other people.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Well the rain and high winds have passed, the area lost lots of trees and tree parts, I had some damage, but it was minimal in the grand scheme of things. Here is my tomato patch:

The hanging cucumbers are growing very well, it is interesting to have to look up to find cucumbers

With a little light they become clearer:

Right now all the cucumbers are under 4" long, but I don't think it will be long before I can be harvesting cucumbers and salad. I have a couple of large-ish red bell peppers, but they are still green and I am not sure if I should harvest them now or wait for color.......

The tomato area has a 10'X8' footprint to provide some perspective on how compact a space I am trying to make work......

 

[Newbri]

I love your set-up, UrbanHunter. It's giving me ideas

 

[UrbanHunter]

I have almost finished cleaning my indoor gardening area, the shelving units have all been cleaned and the lights are are checked out. I still need to set up all the timers, but they are close to being ready for customers.

I did have to order more ties for the tomato plants, they are all loaded with fruit now so they want to bend over. I'm trying to tie them up before they hurt themselves, but I only had 6 rolls of velcro tape and I am down to my last roll.

While I was there I ordered a bunch of emitters in a variety of flow rates up to 4 GPH (which I will never use) and a few assortments of 1/4" barbed fittings.

 

[UrbanHunter]

At lunch I was looking at my passive hydroponic tubs that were a failed experiment due to water level fluctuations and something @Neb had said hit me, I also had some 1/4" drip fittings and it hit me, can I install a drain through the wall of the container and not have it leak? If so I can run a pump to maintain a constant fluid level and flow, I still need to figure out how to have easy serviceability (remove tubs to service/harvest/plant) and connect the lines. So I drilled a hole in one, pushed and elbow into the hole, set the tub into a tray (don't want water on the floor), and then filled it up to the top of the elbow (pointing up). If it doesn't leak it will give me a way to make another run at hydroponics.

 

[Neb]

At lunch I was looking at my passive hydroponic tubs that were a failed experiment due to water level fluctuations and something @Neb had said hit me, I also had some 1/4" drip fittings and it hit me, can I install a drain through the wall of the container and not have it leak? If so I can run a pump to maintain a constant fluid level and flow, I still need to figure out how to have easy serviceability (remove tubs to service/harvest/plant) and connect the lines. So I drilled a hole in one, pushed and elbow into the hole, set the tub into a tray (don't want water on the floor), and then filled it up to the top of the elbow (pointing up). If it doesn't leak it will give me a way to make another run at hydroponics.

I inherited ebb and flow gear from an ocra grow room that shut down. I never tried it myself after learning that hydroponics is a way of life. If the water chemistry goes awry everything dies fast.

But I do want learn from your adventures.

Ben

 

[elkhound]

@Peanut ok...i have the corn patch replanted again...and put poles in with fishing line across it and going up and down angles at different heights. i used what i had to do this.

 

[Rebecca]

My strawberry plants are doing well this year. Just picked slightly over 6 pounds of strawberries. So pleased with them. Guess I'm making strawberry jam today. Later in the year I'm going to add a third raised bed of strawberries. They need little attention once established and seem to do well here.

 

[Bacpacker]

We picked our first bell peppers and cucumbers. Okra is blooming

 

[Amish Heart]

Too many cucumbers, so the chickens are getting a bunch tomorrow. Also picked alot of zucchini and yellow squash, still have some in the fridge, so I loaded up the dehydrator with them. Picked 5 strawberries and had them with yogurt for lunch. Starting to pick the last of the snap peas and putting them out to dry for next time.

 

[Neb]

@Urban Hunter

At about 8:40 into this video



You can see the netting used to keep the caterpillar off of the plants.

Ben

 

[UrbanHunter]

This afternoon I went out to check on the cucumbers, there are about a dozen small squash sized cucumbers and they are bunching up on the chains so I decided to tie them up a bit to support them more. As I was almost finished I dropped my tie up tape, as I was on my hands I looked over and saw 3 fully ripened tomatoes, June 27 Hardness zone 6 and I have bright red tomatoes! As I looked around a little more I realized that I have about a dozen cucumbers (over 3") hanging and the tomatoes are everywhere, so when they start coming off we will get busy fast...

The last raised bed that I restored now has new squash, beets, and carrots up, all planted on June 19, so 8 days for them all to come up, I expect the beets and carrots to come off in September or October. I expect to start harvesting the late squash by the 2nd week of August, so they may produce for 2 months before winter gets them.

All of my new irrigation fittings arrived last night, so I need to start mapping out my irrigation plan so I can install it over the upcoming long weekend.

 

[Amish Heart]

Opposite here...a few red cherry tomatoes, tons of green tomatoes. But I'm picking large cucumbers like crazy. Sent the neighbor boy home with some today, he loves them. Zone 6A

 

[UrbanHunter]

@Amish Heart , I think my cucumbers will be following your soon, here is 1 of my 4 plants. The wife suggested I start watering them twice a day because every afternoon they look a little wilted.

Yep, between canning and prepping I think this summer will be busy.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Got the first green pepper this morning.
Cherry tomato plant is just full of fruit but not turning yet
I played pollinator for the zucchini and now have 2 growing
Everything else is growing really well

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today at lunch I placed deer netting over my grapes, the birds have already started eating them. They got my plum's this year and I would like a grape... It is primarily a privacy fence but after 10 years I would like to say I had 1 ripe grape.

 

[WVDragonlady]

I may have to do that for my blackberries. The catbirds love fruit of all kinds

 

[Patchouli]

Is anyone here growing the thinner-skinned cucumbers? I finally found some seeds for a few different types but haven't started them.
@WVDragonlady do you post photos of your garden, plants, etc?
You had to play pollinator for your zucchini? I tried that a couple of years ago. Do you usually do that? Mine was #fail.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Is anyone here growing the thinner-skinned cucumbers? I finally found some seeds for a few different types but haven't started them.
@WVDragonlady do you post photos of your garden, plants, etc?
You had to play pollinator for your zucchini? I tried that a couple of years ago. Do you usually do that? Mine was #fail.

I didn't do the zucchini last year and only got 2 fruits
So this year I decided I'd do the pollinating and it seems to be working so far. I've only been getting male flowers and now have some females, so I took the "done" males and peeled them open ( they still had pollen) and rubbed them against the females

I only grow things in containers and I haven't thought about taking pics

 

[Patchouli]

I didn't do the zucchini last year and only got 2 fruits
So this year I decided I'd do the pollinating and it seems to be working so far. I've only been getting male flowers and now have some females, so I took the "done" males and peeled them open ( they still had pollen) and rubbed them against the females

I only grow things in containers and I haven't thought about taking pics

Things in pots dry out here so fast, usually too hot by this time of year, some veggies will not fruit above certain temps. Heckfire squirrels like to ruin everything too. Or any other kind of rodent. Thankful the possums have been keeping tabs on things this year.
Thanks for instructions!!!
Do you use buckets? Large flower pots? Do you use potting soil for your veggies?
What all do you grow in pots?

 

[UrbanHunter]

Is anyone here growing the thinner-skinned cucumbers? I finally found some seeds for a few different types but haven't started them.
@WVDragonlady do you post photos of your garden, plants, etc?
You had to play pollinator for your zucchini? I tried that a couple of years ago. Do you usually do that? Mine was #fail.

Yes, the cucumbers in my pictures earlier are similar to the English cucumbers in the store. I have been looking for years and this is the first time that I am actually getting what I wanted. I picked 1 today, it was small and I only picked it because it was touching the dirt in the container. Took, it in the house, washed it (all the fine spines washed off) and showed it to the wife... cut it in half and ate my half right then..... She says she loves them. I have been buying 1 or 2 every week it will take about 3 weeks before I break even. Funny, she likes them so she told me to order more, they were all sold out...

It will be in the mid 90s+ here on out, so I will water them in the morning around 05:00 and again at noon, my cucumbers are hanging (don't hold much water) above my tomatoes so they are getting full sun, which helps and hurts..

 

[Patchouli]

Thanks, @UrbanHunter . I thought I had bought some thinner fleshed cuke seeds but I can't find 'em! In fact, I think I had started some from seed. I didn't do well at my seed starting this year.
I love the ones I buy at the grocery so I'm sure I'd love them homegrown too. The English ones are really long, but I've been buying the ones that are 5-8 to a bag, about 4" long, very small for cucumbers but at least they don't have that nasty oil on them and taste bad. I quit buying the regular ones a few years ago.
Cucumbers are my favorite veggie though they really don't have much nutritional value. I like them with tomatoes, onion, fresh dill, olive oil, vinegar.