What have you done for garden prep so far?

[user 7704]

I'm glad I got the extended warranty because mine has been repaired 4 times on it alone.

Samsung has done the rest even since it's been off warranty. They basically rebuilt the refrigerator instead of replacing. Stupid. They have spent lots more on repairs than it would to replace.[/QUOT

Okay. My refrigerator from he'll continues. I called the extended warranty co and explained all of problems. They repair guy comes today and since they only wrote icemaker that was then only part he could fix. I called the warranty people and They had to schedule a new repair. The man is standing in my kitchen and couldnt fix it. BUT.......i now have ice. I dont have a refrigerator , but damn it , I have ice. Unbelievable. I had to toss a refrigerator full of food. AGAIN. The warranty will now have to pay the repairman another service call etc. Very poor money management.

Yeah, I'm rather pissed. My other fridge is full, so I'm living out of coolers. Going to have to cook lots of food tonight before it ruins.

 

[Brent S]

I’m having squash, tomatoes and cukes rotting on the vines right now. Just producing more than I can keep up with. I’m just not energetic enough to can much this year. Really should do some tomatoes at least, but too many projects going on. I did weed the greenhouse yesterday. I planted green beans in there. Hope to have enough to make a big pot this weekend. The main garden is starting to look like a jungle, I really need time to weed it again.

 

[user 7704]

My squash and zucchini’s aren’t flowering yet, but are looking a bit haggard allready. Hopefully I will get something from them this year. Finally have some tomato blooms! I bought two red tomatoes from the store that looked good but had zero taste.... I did see some decent sized broccoli heads on the plants in the greenhouse yesterday, but no cauliflower yet. I noticed a lot of small holes being eaten in many of the plants leaves. I’m deciding if I’m going to spray anything or not. Will probably just let nature take its course as I don’t like using pesticides on things I eat.

Broccoli gets worms very easily. I can't grow them.

 

[user 7704]

Yesterday I cut out all the yellow from my squash. Its been very wet and I did end up losing one of my Jalapenos. . . looks like maybe a second. With all the yellow squash and zucchini, I ended up slicing some yellow for the freeze drier, mainly gave away 1/2 of them to family and then sauteed 1 yellow and a zucchini then made zucchini bunt cake sprinkled with powdered sugar.

I'm giving away lots of squash and zucchini. My neighbors are elderly and appreciate them. I'm getting 4 boxes of tomatoes next Wednesday to can.

 

[Brent S]

Broccoli gets worms very easily. I can't grow them.

I try to not use any pesticides but a light dusting of seven dust when you see something like the worms will usually get rid of mine in one application. I got a decent amount of broccoli early this season and may plant a few more for the fall. I’ve never gotten cauliflower to produce yet. Nice looking plants but no heads to eat.

 

[user 7704]

I try to not use any pesticides but a light dusting of seven dust when you see something like the worms will usually get rid of mine in one application. I got a decent amount of broccoli early this season and may plant a few more for the fall. I’ve never gotten cauliflower to produce yet. Nice looking plants but no heads to eat.

The Japanese Beetles have made lace out of my bean leaves. I can't use any pesticides because of The bees and chickens. Hopefully the rain was so hard, it drowned a few

 

[user 7704]

The Corps of Engineers came to and pushed down a few trees and made it where I actually have sun on my entire garden. Last year, the rain made the trees grow like crazy and the were shading about 1/4 of the garden.

 

[Brent S]

I braved the jungle of the garden tonight and picked onions, cucumbers, banana peppers and cherry tomatoes for a salad tonight. I also got two cantaloupes and cut them up to chill in the fridge. Saw several watermelons and honeydews that looked ready too. I picked two yellow squash for frying with some potatoes in the morning too.

 

[user 7704]

I braved the jungle of the garden tonight and picked onions, cucumbers, banana peppers and cherry tomatoes for a salad tonight. I also got two cantaloupes and cut them up to chill in the fridge. Saw several watermelons and honeydews that looked ready too. I picked two yellow squash for frying with some potatoes in the morning too.

Sounds like your garden is doing good. I'm surprised mine has dried so much after having 7+ inches.

I have a watermelon about the size of an inflated golf ball.

Hopefully since they droppe so many trees today, I may finally breathe some life into my tomatoes. Some are still very young.

 

[user 7704]

Well, the weather was wrong again. They said no rain for 10 days and we had .6 last night and a storm and are expecting more today.

It seems that the old timers that had a touch of bursitis were better at predictions than the new tech they have today.

 

[user 7704]

I had 4 cases of tomatoes delivered today. They are big and beautiful.

Too bad today is school so I'll be on the road about 3 hours. That eats into my canning time. Tomorrow is doctor day so that's another half day.

I spent way more $$$ than I should, but tomatoes are our staple food along with potatoes and green beans. These are our SHTF survival foods. My luck we will have an earthquake and break all the jars.

 

[user 7704]

These tomatoes and beauties

 

[user 7704]

Stopping for the day. 30 quarts if tomatoes. Would have done more but it was a school day for my son.

 

[user 7704]

I dread going to my garden in the morning. We had a storm with strong gusts. The wind turned over all of my container tomatoes on the deck. I'm sure the beans will be blown over and the tomatoes will be also. I reinforced the cages but the gusts were estimated to be as high as 60 mph

 

[Brent S]

I dread going to my garden in the morning. We had a storm with strong gusts. The wind turned over all of my container tomatoes on the deck. I'm sure the beans will be blown over and the tomatoes will be also. I reinforced the cages but the gusts were estimated to be as high as 60 mph

My garden would have been fine, the weeds are so thick it would take a tornado to knock anything over!

 

[user 7704]

My garden would have been fine, the weeds are so thick it would take a tornado to knock anything over!

I have some weeds too but i cover my gardens with newspapers to keep down the weeds.

 

[user 7704]

I had two quarts of tomatoes that didn't seal. I'm going to reprocess those and I'm finished with the 4 cases.

Mine are beginning to ripen so I will be able to open kettle can them a few at a time.

 

[Mountain trapper]

We decided not to raise pigs this year so my wife was using the pig barn to store her garden tools in. A few days ago she went out there for something and discovered about 20 tomato plants growing in the pig pen. The plants are doing well considering that they haven't been watered all summer. They're growing in about a foot of pig poop so they should be well fertilized. I started watering them and unless we get frost soon we should get a lot of tomatoes.

 

[user 7704]

We decided not to raise pigs this year so my wife was using the pig barn to store her garden tools in. A few days ago she went out there for something and discovered about 20 tomato plants growing in the pig pen. The plants are doing well considering that they haven't been watered all summer. They're growing in about a foot of pig poop so they should be well fertilized. I started watering them and unless we get frost soon we should get a lot of tomatoes.

Are they getting sun? That's amazing

 

[Brent S]

I had two quarts of tomatoes that didn't seal. I'm going to reprocess those and I'm finished with the 4 cases.

Mine are beginning to ripen so I will be able to open kettle can them a few at a time.

I usually throw those in the fridge and use them next. I wish I had more time, I’m letting loads of tomatoes, figs and apples go to waste right now. At least the wildlife here is having a feast.

 

[user 7704]

For the first time, my tomato vines are full of tomatoes. They were planted late so they are just beginning to ripen.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Are they getting sun? That's amazing

Yes. They're in full sun all day and its so dry that the ground is cracking open. I don't know how they survived without any water.

 

[user 7704]

Yes. They're in full sun all day and its so dry that the ground is cracking open. I don't know how they survived without any water.

I'm surprised it's not too much nitrogen too. Great job.

 

[Dani]

I have had to totally give up my garden this season. . . So am totally jealous reading about everyone elses. My tomatoes were great this year too. At least I was able to process what I needed for the year early on. Yes, I am living vicariously thru all of you.

 

[user 7704]

My squash and cucumbers are history. My tomatoes are just starting to produce and I replanted some green beans to see if I can get a late crop.

 

[Brent S]

I picked two paper garbage bags of apples today, but didn’t touch a tenth of what’s ripe right now. I will make some pies but will take most to the food bank here.

 

[user 7704]

My dinner tonight was 3 heirloom tomatoes with salt. It was all I needed.

 

[DrHenley]

My dinner tonight was 3 heirloom tomatoes with salt. It was all I needed.

I make a meal out of tomato sandwiches whenever I can find good tomatoes. Freshly ground fancy peppercorns and pinch of salt really go well with them.

 

[user 7704]

Mayonnaise is evil. I always hated it. I'm a Miracle Whip person. I cant taste now, but mayo is right up there with real butter. I hatwd ir too

 

[Brent S]

I make a meal out of tomato sandwiches whenever I can find good tomatoes. Freshly ground fancy peppercorns and pinch of salt really go well with them.

So does bacon and lettuce!