STARTING OUR 2012 FALL/WINTER VEGGIE GARDENS - PT. 3

Cala-how many times is that for Boo? I don't think that cat can be bothered with hunting. Lol

ok stupid question but how do you know when it's time to pick the greens? Do they require a frost? Mine are already HUGE and I'm not sure if I should be doing anything to them to help em along.

Pick your greens whenever you are hungry for greens! You can always trim the outside leaves for eating, and leave the inside growth to develop for later. For some greens, smaller is better for tenderness and flavor. Given that, you have to decide how big gives you the taste you prefer.

Linda- I rake very small raised beds (wide rows) up and walk between them. I use a small 2-cycle tiller or my Earthway high-wheel push plow to cultivate between the rows and reduce the compacted soil. At the end of the year, I knock the rows down and till everything as deeply as possible. I am thinking of getting a 3-point subsoiler, to pull through with the tractor to break up any hard-pan that has developed after the past several years of tilling.

Working in the dirt today. Pictures to follow tonight.

David

The Cosmos growing in cement block holes with the corn, okra, tomatoes, and squash in the greenhouse raised bed surprised me this morning - with a white one! The forecast is looking pretty grim for these parts for the next few days...I'm praying everything stays warm enough in the GH. I plan to add a thick layer of wood shavings on the ground in there, before the weekend. Still, 2 degrees is a sure test of the new GH. I pray what we do will be adequate for keeping everything going this winter. Pics, below.
1. White Cosmos
2. Strawberries about to bloom
3. 7-day doomcast...uh, forecast
4. Lettuce beside new brussel sprouts starts
5. Corn tops among Cosmos

I can't imagine that kind of forecast Solace, lol. Hope your plants stay warm. Your greenhouse looks great, btw!

Nice garden you have there David, the soil looks especially nice.

Well, let's see: I planted about 20 cloves of garlic this past Sunday along with six Romaine lettuce transplants and a bunch of lettuce & carrot seed. I also harvested some Toy Choy, Swiss Chard and lettuce. The Choy and Chard was excellend sauteed.

wow, Solace. I, too, have NEVER seen a forecast like that before!

great thanks, I thought they had to experience a first frost before picking. I wanted to have some for the holiday's but didn't want to jinx them.

I managed to get a bit of work done today. Raked up the rows and planted a bunch of seeds-- finally! Also planted about 100 cloves of garlic. I bought two types, Chinese pink and Spanish roja. I saved space for broccol, but otherwise got everything in the ground. I started hardening the broccoli off this morning.

This photo shows how I rake up the rows. Most rows are double planted, conserving space. I still have to haul more mulch to finish the fence line.

Couldn't get the file to load-- I'll try later. (Looks like it did load... twice)

David

This message was edited Nov 7, 2012 4:40 PM

i start picking mine as soon as they are big enough to make a good mess of greens last week I picked a bunch but wound up with a mixture of all that are growing IE: mustard turnip collards kale it was very good ..Since I have been doing a fall/winter garden we have made a vow to eat a green leafy veggy everyday..So far so good today was salad all from the garden

FYI if your greens are a bit bitter add some sugar or Splinda during the cooking

My first head of broccoli ever!!

I'm jealous! I have some healthy broccoli with big leaves but no heads have developed! I missed a week of feeding with fish emulsion...or maybe they aren't getting enough water. Or maybe it is just not time yet...Nice job, though.

Way to go, Steph!

How many days since transplant out, and how many leaves does it have so far? I've been wondering if leaf production has anything to do with when a broccoli starts developing a head, so I've been counting my leaves. I have 8 so far, and my broccs are about 20" tall.

Linda

I finally dug up the Sweeties last night, from the 18-gallon Rubbermaid tub, and two smaller planters. Got a few nice sized ones, plus a bunch of long skinnies.

There's a video on the Engineeredgardener website, showing him harvesting Sweeties from 3 Rubbermaid-type containers. His were a lot bigger, and I'm wondering why I didn't get a better yield. He got 13.6 lbs. from two containers.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=youtube+harvesting+sweet+potatoes+the+engineeredgardener&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDoQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DY7BuD8F4Anc&ei=VN6bUKSlGaLw2QX724DQAw&usg=AFQjCNGffLmnzFoM9bCuehhly3voemZyJw

I grew mine in a mixture of old MG potting mix, pine bark fines and perlite. Next time I'll use more MG garden soil with the pine bark fines, and probably no potting mix.

Any comments on getting a bigger yield next time (will root slips for planting out in early April) would be welcomed!

Linda

Same pic from different angles...actually, now that I look at what I got from the one tub, it might be around 10 lbs, so I guess that's not a bad haul after all, huh?

This message was edited Nov 8, 2012 11:33 AM

This message was edited Nov 8, 2012 11:34 AM

This message was edited Nov 8, 2012 1:18 PM

Linda, no matter the poundage, those are some good-sized sweet 'taters. I have some slips ready to go, want to plant them in the greenhouse. This will be my first time growing sweet potatoes, and I hope mine turn out as nice as yours did.

nice looking sweet potatoes. I've taken to dehydrating them and we use them much more frequently.

Thanks, Guys!

I'll stop sweating it, then. Will definitely do this again in the springtime. No fuss, no muss! Did you see all the vines he had piled on top of his tubs, on the YouTube video? I guess I had about that same amount, except mine went trailing down the fence line. Made for nice visual interest through the summer.

I have something heading! Since I lost the list and have no idea what anything is it could be one of several. Also have mystery greens and some sort of cabbages..a few tomatoes. Beets and turnips both have bulbs...I'm itchin to pull up one!

the mystery greens...maybe collard? Pretty sure they aren't turnip but...

Pic #1 Turnips. Best picked before 4" dia. or they get woody. Cook the green tops...
Pic #2 Green Head = Broccoli...
Pics #3 & #4
►Mustard Greens. Most people pick em young and do the saute'. I pick 'em at that size and larger, and cook 'em in the slow cooker overnight. "Lilly Mae's Greens" Recipe in the tags...
►Looks like Purple Cabbages front & rear. Purple Veins & Stems = Purple heading cabbages (see pic below).
►At least one other type cabbage in the middle...
►Possibly some Brussels Sprouts growing in the middle, too (bowl-shaped, long, floppy leaves)

Second frame
Pic #1
►If those are baby turnips, you should be able to feel under the soil at the base for swelling bottoms. Looks more like baby mustards or collards, all bunched up.

Linda, I direct sowed the broccoli on 9/15. The plants are about 2.5 ft or so tall. No idea on the number of leaves.

Here are the rows a couple of weeks ago, when I discovered the cabbage loopers on them.

Those look gorgeous, Steph. Mine aren't tall as yours. I think I'm having a drainage issue under my raised bed. The lower leaves keep turning yellow. it's either drainage or nutrients. I'll feed 'em this weekend.

What was your feeding plan?

Feeding plan???

Oh my!

One thing I learned last fall/winter was that the winter veggies LIKE to eat on a regular basis.

In exchange for food and water, they cooperate, grow and, ultimately, sacrifice themselves in gratitude for our loving care, LOLOLOL!

Linda

PICTORIAL UPDATES, Week of 11/05/12:
#1 Green magic Broccoli
#2 Cauliflowers
#3 Mustard Seedlings
#4 Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach seedlings
#5 Soloist (Chinese) Cabbage

My "plan" was to get them planted. I haven't had time for much else! LOL We'll see what happens. I have added lots of compost to the garden this year, so they must be liking that.

PICTORIAL UPDATES Week of 11/05/12 #2:
#1 Broccoli leaves turning yellow RB #2
#2 Carrots Long Varieties
#3 Collard Seedlings
#4 Beets
#5 Carrots Short Varieties

PICTORIAL UPDATE, Week of 11/05/12 Final:

Pics #1 & 2 Yard Shots

Do I need to start a new thread?

This is getting a bit long.

NEW THREAD STARTED:
STARTING OUR 2012 FALL/WINTER VEGGIE GARDENS - PT. 4

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1287376/

LINDA ^^_^^