What have you done for garden prep so far?

[Dani]

Yesterday the tomatoes got pruned and training down to go back into the cage. Still getting plenty of cherry tomatoes but the others are slow producing now. Day before all the squash type plants got pruned and have lots of girls going on there. Since we had a lot of rain July 4 th weekend I started getting water logged squash again and now drying out. Cantaloupe and honey few were very flavorful and sweet on my trellis but the row I planted of cantaloupe a few weeks later have no taste and very disappointing. Those I am pulling as ripe and feeding to the pigs. Still have an over abundance of dukes so cutting those up for Mikey, my goat. He is currently in the isolation pen. He is one that gets pushed around and I'm trying to make sure he gets enough to eat. He is one of my problem child's who has a tendency to get worms and the worm meds do not kill all types so you have to alternate between them.

 

[DrPrepper1]

Yesterday the tomatoes got pruned and training down to go back into the cage. Still getting plenty of cherry tomatoes but the others are slow producing now. Day before all the squash type plants got pruned and have lots of girls going on there. Since we had a lot of rain July 4 th weekend I started getting water logged squash again and now drying out. Cantaloupe and honey few were very flavorful and sweet on my trellis but the row I planted of cantaloupe a few weeks later have no taste and very disappointing. Those I am pulling as ripe and feeding to the pigs. Still have an over abundance of dukes so cutting those up for Mikey, my goat. He is currently in the isolation pen. He is one that gets pushed around and I'm trying to make sure he gets enough to eat. He is one of my problem child's who has a tendency to get worms and the worm meds do not kill all types so you have to alternate between them.

I am glad to read that you can prune down tomato plants. My were so big they started falling down on the ground. I cut them way back about 4 days ago. There were no tomatoes on them, so I figured I had nothing to lose. The one tomato that I did get to eat was excellent.

 

[SheilaT.]

I've been struggling to get the squash to produce female flowers in this heat only one plant so far has fruit on it. One planter of beans has finished so I pulled them out and sowed 4 zucchini seeds if I'm lucky I might just get some fruit late september. Nothing ventured and all that

 

[Brent S]

I probably have 50ripe tomatoes in the greenhouse right now. I hope to pick them tomorrow, but honestly have been so busy with work I almost don’t care. It is tough to neglect one of my favorite hobbies, but it seems hard to keep a balance in life sometimes.

 

[Maverick]

So far everything I planted are doing great, peppers are thriving in this heat with low humidity, the tomatoes love the not so much the low humidity but they are doing good. Been going into the 90s with humidity around 35% at the house and 45-50% at the garden probably because of the underground soaker in the garden.

 

[user 7704]

View attachment 8784 This is part of my harvest today, but we had a storm move thru so had to stop while picking my greenbeans. . . And it had hail. A lot of my 6ft tall corn is leaning over but not all. It's just too wet to try to stand it back up tonight so hoping in the morning I can. They were putting on ears that should be ready in just 2-3 more weeks. It was dusk when I could get back out so will need to check the extent tomorrow, but it looks like everything else will be ok, I hope. I did get all my tomatoes prunes this morning and have a bunch of green tomatoes and blooms. Cucumbers have been producing very well so far and so have the green beans. I pulled up the first row that I planted cause they were done and replaced that row with Crenshaw melons. Planted purple hulls in a row that I had let mustard go to seed and then some Silver (something) Line. . . It's a type of melon I had never heard of so wanting to try it out. I'm just now picking yellow squash and zucchini. The patty squash are producing very well. Got to pick my first jalapeno and two banana peppers.

My cucumbers and squash are almost done for the year. I do have a second round of squash planted. The only squash my family will eat are yellow and zucchini .

I canned lots of dill pickles. I have also given the neighbors lots of them too. I hate plain cucumbers and just grow them for my family.

 

[user 7704]

You could probably find blackberries on line and have them shipped to you. I love Amazon. I planted a little early too, and need to go put in a few more seeds in some thin spots. Overall though most things did fine. I already am behind in thinning and weeding!

I have planted 17 blackberry plants, but they are young and produced about 10 berries total. Those rogue weeds have taken them over in 2 weeks time. They love the rain and I am overrun with them. I'm trying to get them before they are able to go to seed, but there are so many.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

Processed about 30 big onions, still that many left. We are taking a break. Onion eyes.
Best part, I had the angry prepper podcast playing in the background and the wife didn't complain.
Progress. I'll take it.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

The hydroponics did ok this year. We will get mmm 20 some? Cherry tomatoes, they aren't ripe yet. A ton of mint, and a bunch of herbs.
The wife making pesto ice cubes, which I'm not into, and we are dehydrating the rest and putting in jars.

 

[Brent S]

I have planted 17 blackberry plants, but they are young and produced about 10 berries total. Those rogue weeds have taken them over in 2 weeks time. They love the rain and I am overrun with them. I'm trying to get them before they are able to go to seed, but there are so many.

Yeah, my blackberry patch is overrun with weeds right now too. I need a full time Gardner here....

 

[DrPrepper1]

I cut my tomato plants back a few weeks ago, this time I decided to do the cucumbers. I found 2!. I have now yielded 1 tomato and 2 cucumbers. Maybe next year will be better. This year has only proven that I am not Farmer Brown

 

[Dani]

I cut my tomato plants back a few weeks ago, this time I decided to do the cucumbers. I found 2!. I have now yielded 1 tomato and 2 cucumbers. Maybe next year will be better. This year has only proven that I am not Farmer Brown

It takes time and practise. Glad you are still looking forward to next year and not giving up!

 

[user 7704]

Our nights have been cooler and the blooms are staying on the beans. Maybe I'll have a late crop.

This morning you could really tell a difference in temps. It's 89 today though.

 

[DrPrepper1]

It was finally cool enough in the evening for me to work outside. I cleared the garden bed out . Amongst all the over grown vegetation, I found my poor little kale plant that I had given up on thriving... so I left it. The bugs had always taken to it.. now it’s big and looks remarkably well of course earlier I had steamed a bunch I bought from the store , but next week I should be able to have fresh!!! Exciting. I also have milk weed invading the bed. I am on the fence about what to do about it.

 

[Brent S]

It was finally cool enough in the evening for me to work outside. I cleared the garden bed out . Amongst all the over grown vegetation, I found my poor little kale plant that I had given up on thriving... so I left it. The bugs had always taken to it.. now it’s big and looks remarkably well of course earlier I had steamed a bunch I bought from the store , but next week I should be able to have fresh!!! Exciting. I also have milk weed invading the bed. I am on the fence about what to do about it.

I planted a row of kale about four years ago in the main garden. I discovered I didn’t like it so tilled it all under. Damned if the stuff hasn’t come back every season since. I still got three or so popping up like weeds this spring. They must really like Georgia clay. I’m really ashamed of my garden this year. The weeds are so thick I’m going to have a hard time even mowing it. I’ve read that it’s good to let your ground go farrow occasionally and rest. Well, mine has certainly rested this season.

 

[DrHenley]

I’ve read that it’s good to let your ground go farrow occasionally and rest.

I think the word you are looking for is "fallow."

I've had volunteer collards that popped up around the compost heap in the spring for two years now. This year they bolted pretty quickly, so I let them go to seed and will try to plant them for a winter crop.

 

[Maverick]

Peppers gone south on me but the melons continue to do well, strawberries doing good, spring onion, snap peas and green beans and butter beans going to be a good harvest this year but very disappointed in the peppers.

 

[Dani]

I still have not actually planted anything for the fall. I am getting things ready for spring though. With my arm still acting up, I just have to take it slow and easy. While I was processing my pumpkin butter yesterday, I just about lost my ceramic crock pot on top of my glass blender because it started getting tingly and numb. Luckily I was able to catch both before a big hot mess on my hands. Today my only canning was caramel and chocolate sauce because no heavy lifting involved in those.
So I tilled a few rows and started started cleaning out my trenches again. The dirt is lose so it's not really heavy lifting right now. It's been a few days since we last had any rain thank goodness. I'll get my tractor out later and cover my rows with old manure and then compost on top of that to sit until spring. I only got 6 beds done today. . . 34 more to go??

 

[Brent S]

I still have not actually planted anything for the fall. I am getting things ready for spring though. With my arm still acting up, I just have to take it slow and easy. While I was processing my pumpkin butter yesterday, I just about lost my ceramic crock pot on top of my glass blender because it started getting tingly and numb. Luckily I was able to catch both before a big hot mess on my hands. Today my only canning was caramel and chocolate sauce because no heavy lifting involved in those.
So I tilled a few rows and started started cleaning out my trenches again. The dirt is lose so it's not really heavy lifting right now. It's been a few days since we last had any rain thank goodness. I'll get my tractor out later and cover my rows with old manure and then compost on top of that to sit until spring. I only got 6 beds done today. . . 34 more to go??

I liked the taking it easy thing for the arm, right up until the tilling rows thing... lol. You’re worse than me with the taking it easy thing. That’s why I like a glass of wine in the evening, it makes it easier to slow down.

 

[Brent S]

Had a great day. Weather was perfect so dropped a large dead pine tree, cut up a huge pile of lumber we had made when tearing down the old storage building that we rebuilt bigger. Got that stacked under cover to keep warm with this winter, completely filling all the firewood bins I have, yeah. I still need to cut up the pine tree but at least it’s on the ground now. Then we took half a day and transferred all the tools and supplies from our older bucket truck and loaded it all into the new bucket truck we just got. Felt good to get it all organized and neat. (I’m not sure why because the guys will have it all jumbled up and trashed in no time.....). I like things pretty organized so you know where things are, but not everyone around here feels the same, lol. I also took the 1500w inverter off the truck to play with. I just bought one from amazon for the camper but it was a pure sine wave which is better for electronics. Not sure what I will do with this one but figured I will keep when I sell the truck. So, with my feet weary I just had a dinner of Walmart rotisserie chicken and made an early glass or wine. I’m done doing anything else for the night.

 

[Dani]

The way I look at it is if I don't do it, it will never get done. At least we have plenty in storage that I can actually take a season off and I am not feeling overwhelmed by having to do everything at once. So slow and steady it is. I did go out and count my raised bwds. . . 45 total so 39 more to go. I'm ok with that. Tonight's dinner was an easy throw together of chicken spaghetti and a salad. I already had 4 cups of deboned chicken in the freezer that I pulled out yesterday to start thawing out. Thought about chicken and dumplings but then thought heck no , not after today.

 

[user 7704]

Opened the gate so the chickens can get to ot.

 

[Dani]

@robinjopo how are the green beans growing inside?

 

[user 7704]

@robinjopo how are the green beans growing inside?

As of 2 days ago about 2 ft high. I've been in bed. And hospital today. Have a bacterial infection

 

[Dani]

I am so sorry Robin! I was really hoping you would have been feeling better by now. Just get better soon.

 

[Proud Prepper]

As of 2 days ago about 2 ft high. I've been in bed. And hospital today. Have a bacterial infection

Get yourself better. Drink chlorine dioxide. Google for safe protocal amounts.

 

[OldCoot]

Yesterday picked a bucket of filet green beans and around a bushel of Lacinato kale & collards. Cooked up a pot of kale/collard gumbo with sausage for lunch today.

 

[user 7704]

I am so sorry Robin! I was really hoping you would have been feeling better by now. Just get better soon.

Thank you. My kitchen (and entire house) are a disaster area.

I noticed I'm on the same antibiotics they give you for anthrax. Fun.

 

[Dani]

Thank you. My kitchen (and entire house) are a disaster area.

I noticed I'm on the same antibiotics they give you for anthrax. Fun.

Girl, if I lived closer i d come help you. For whatever reason some men think the house is women's work and normally don't lift a hand to help when their wife is down. I get that. Just take it easy when you get back home. Not like anything is going anywhwre. . . It can wait till you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.

 

[Brent S]

Glad your finally getting medical attention. It’s tough for me to decide what is worth just working through at home or going to the doctor for. Either way, most times do your best to stay as hydrated as you can. Like I said, iced gatoraid is good stuff when your down. Hope the antibiotics do the trick for you soon. As far as the kitchen and house go, there’s a time and place for everything. This isn’t the time to worry about that.