The other thread was getting too long, so here's a new thread.
We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1318281/#top
Today's measly harvest of mostly green tomatoes from tomato plants that I pulled due to disease. There's also a few purple beans and some sun scalded maters, too.
I have to pick beans again. I wanted to take a break from Fortex because last summer they didn't do well for me and a lot of them were soft and hollow, but I'm not as fond of the ones I'm growing now, so I'll probably go back to Fortex next year.
What are you growing this year?
It's a French variety called Aiguillon. They're bush beans and very prolific, but not as tasty as Fortex.
Thanks for the new thread, Stephanie.
I'll start thinking about a fall garden around the end of August. LOL
LOL Honeybee! I am only thinking about it because I started some peppers for the fall. Not sure what else it's time to start just yet.
I'm thinking of planting a small herb 'garden' one that I can move indoor during winter. This will take some creativity... I'm thinking, thinking. ^_^
Lily? Start with DEEP pots for herbs. There is a sweet basil names 'compact box basil' chuckl. Oreganos are grateful, but sweet marjoram may work better. Parsley is used in kitchens its first year, becomes bitter 2nd year, but the butterflies dont mind at all. Tea hyssop smells awesome. blue basil will root in water in a kitchen window from cuttings and transplant out in early sprinng. Chives- onion and garlic are a constant sow and use by 4" to 6" ht.
Lily - you are in the same zone 7b as me. The only herb that doesn't over winter for me is basil.
I can gather: Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, Thyme, Oregano all through the winter.
My French tarragon survived last winter. Its getting big enough that I should be able to harvest some of that this winter, too.
Alabama gettin rain slams, hope you are ok down there! Are you lookin for anything specific herb wise? Do you have room outside for a kitchen garden? Let us know...
Lily,
As Honeybee said, there's little in the way of common culinary herbs that won't overwinter outdoors here, and the opposite is usually true -- they tend to take over everything if you don't keep them in check. Herbs here get BIG. Those silly little tiny herb garden kits you see for sale? Forget 'em.
Stevia is borderline here; basils -- any of them -- are far too frost tender. My French Tarragon is huge -- granted we had a mild winter but it didn't seem bothered at all and came back with a vengeance this spring.
Lavender is one exception to the outdoors rule. It'll do okay for a while and then you'll get a year like this one and the excess water will kill them. If you really want to keep lavender and aren't willing to deal with occasional die-offs and needing to restart them, I'd put it in a pot with some extremely well draining soil.
Nicole? you sure it is french tarragon? french tarragon doesnt make seeds, Russian tarragon makes seeds. This far south fr tarr is delicate, and r tarra is what we usually have that survives...
It's definitely French Tarragon. It's not evergreen for me, but perennial.
lucky, lucky you!
I have two different kinds of lavender and both have overwintered well for years. I can't tell you which variety they are although I once knew, but they seem very healthy.
I have "vera" about all I have been able to grow of that .
Half dozen yellow currant tomatoes harvested today . Lemon cherry type turning ripe now also .Red tomatoes are beginning to lighten . next few days red will be showing ,
Many thanks to those suggestion as far as what herbs to plant for our zone, special thank to both NicoleC and HoneybeeNC. I'm taking names and record that info. in my memory. lol I do have onion, parsley and dills over-wintered outdoor. Basil is quite tender and won't survive our winter that's true. But that's one of the herbs that I'd like to cultivate all through the winter months.... Kittriana, thanks for your suggestion and the information about lavender is all so accurate, and the monsoon rain that hit us in Al. recently would do them right in. We're seeing flood in areas that seldom experienced with flood before. GG, you must have the same variety of Lavender that I saw in Tenn. one spring a few years back. They were luxuriance and beautifully healthy. I wish I know what they are.
While I was running across the northern states recently, I saw a plant I would love to grow. Named Russian sage- aromatic silvery leaves and gorgeous blue flowers, and usable!
I'll bet you can grow it in Texas too. It does great here in Alabama. I don't have any, but a friend has promised me some of hers, it gets pretty darned big. Just not sure I have room for it.
It has the aroma of rosemary, will probably take trimming really well.
Stephanie,those tomatoes don't look too measly at least to me. Do have any idea what kind of disease your plants had? A couple of my PL have spots on the lower leaves but not bad. Did you leave any of your plants in for fall?
kittriana - That Russian sage would look beautiful against my fence! Now I HAVE to find some! LOL
Looks as though High Country Gardens has Russian sage:
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/index/page/product/product_id/2239/category_id/1029/product_name/Perovskia+atriplicifolia+'Blue+Spires'
Did you notice it says currently unavailable.
Seedfork - Yes, I did notice that it's not available. I've made a note in my computer to contact them in the spring.
I've started looking for plants like this that bloom for an extended period, are perennial, attract honeybees, and (if possible) are also edible.
I looks a lot like an artemesia, but it isn't. Nice looking plant there. I'll have to keep it in mind of something dies and I have a big spot. :)
Lisa, it was turning yellow, so it may have been blight. Not sure. None of the other plants have it. Nothing in for fall VEGGIES yet, just my pepper and jalapeno seedlings in my middle bedroom under the lights. I did take some cuttings of some of my tomatoes that I need to get potted up. That's on my agenda for today. I can do that inside and stay cool. :) (There is a method to my madness...LOL)
I think I'm going to soak some okra seeds and plant those tomorrow. It's almost time to plant potatoes, too.
Cabbage and some carrot seeds went in today.
Coming out, a few dozen mature corn cobs now set up for drying and turning into corn meal (and much more in the garden not yet ready). My first 'mater yesterday (Cherokee Purple) and my first bell pepper (Jackpot) today.
And almost 30 pounds of banana peppers, sweet basil, cucumbers and zucchini went to the community garden.
Great job, Nicole! I'm sure the community garden folks appreciated your contribution.
Nice discussion here. I love the Russian Sage. I have the variety 'Filigran'. Might harvest some seeds this year, if anyone is interested. I started mine from a small plant in 2010 but I understand it is easy to grow from seed.
Good work with the donation. I grow only one hot banana pepper and one 'Giant Marconi' since I'm the only one here who eats peppers. I do grow a few tomatoes, leeks, onions, chard, cabbage, radishes, beets, herbs of various kinds. Will plant garlic this fall.
I picked some for a stir fry.
Looks good, Rita. You have quite a nice variety there.
I love stir fry veggies. Never tried eggplant stir fried but am planning to have my little harvest for dinner tonight. Peppers. eggplants (two different varieties), zucchini and green beans. Will add some cut up fresh onion but that is from the store.
I do too. I'd rather have that than meat. Your dinner sounds yummy.
I eat meat. But I don't need it most of the time. At least not in the summer when the garden is doing so well.
I eat it as well but like the looks of those fresh veggies even better. :
Great looking veggies, Rita! I love my veggies stir fried more than almost any other way. I can't stand mushy veggies, but love them crisp-tender like in stir fry.
I cut up the veggies and then was thinking. This is the first time I have had eggplant from my garden. So instead of stir fry I added marinara sauce to the pan until I had enough to coat everything. Then I covered and simmered at a low heat until tender. Just tasted a piece of eggplant. Oh yummy!
Time for dinner! :biggrin: :thumbsup:
I might get booted off of here for this ,, , my favorite .. green beans steamed in butter !!! yum ,,yum !!!
yup, steamed in butter, with almond flakes and just a touch of almond flavoring. Or steamed crunchy in butter same as asparagus, though with onions and red potatoes. sigh
