Lets talk Veggie Gardening

lady- those all seem like great reasons to me, but then I'm already sold. Lifestyles these days are just so time crunched. I have to admit, I don't get all thrilled about blanching peeling and bagging a few bags of paste tomatos for the freezer, much less canning veggies.
But I know for certain everything I put in my freezer or use from the garden is THE freshest, organic produce I could get.
But I planted limas. Now if they grow I have to spend ? minutes shelling them ,instead of five seconds tossing the frozen bag in my cart LOL.
add to your list, less garbage!!!! I will not create waste with my lima bean pods going to the compost.
With you on the chickens--

Sally, Funny I just finished reading your post and Paul came in with the morning paper sat down and read out loud "More area residents are growing their own vegetable gardens. With the rising cost of gas and food." Now how is that for timing lol .
You are right about the time factor, "putting food by" can be time consuming, I use to do it when my daughter was little and I was a stay at home mom. She even helped me pick and wash veggies. Those were the day!
My personal view is I think families should slow down a bit and take time to be a family. Working in a dental office I get so frustrated with parents that have their children involved in so many things outside of school that they can't even find time to have the kids teeth cleaned, I can spend a good 10 minutes on the phone offering appointment times and being told none of those are good, have to wait till the sport is over but before the next one starts but if they go into the championships then that time won't work.
I still remember the picture you posted of your son standing near the nicotiana plant, it gave me the warm fuzzy felling of family time.
Sorry didn't mean to sound like I'm on a soap box, I get into these moods where it would be nice to turn back to the "simpler" ways.
As far as the chickens, I just think they are cute running around the garden.
Oh I did find some purple bean seeds yesterday. Now will I have room to plant some in my tiny veggie garden, they are bush type. I also bought some pole green beans.

Chris and Sally are making me hungry talking about the beans they will be growing. I love, love, love limas.


Ruby

Ruby, can't beat fresh green bean out of the garden. I did find a small spot to put the purple beans. DH doesn't like canned beans, but will eat fresh out of the garden, but he doesn't want them all the time. I had to laugh, the first time I planted beans and peas, I don't grow many cause I know he won't eat them very often, later on in the season he was cooking dinner and decided to go out and pick some fresh peas for dinner, he was mad when all he could find was ones that were dried up on the vine. Like as if they waited around for him to pick them.

Chris- make a spot on the soapbox for me~~LOL
We havne't been involved in much planned stuff. How can you have three e kids and all have actvities and be sane? I'm probably being a sporty-pooper cuz I never cared about spports. Of course lots of kids get a lot of benefit. We could never do it
But enough o that. Fresh green beans are great! Ruby- I didn't like limas as a kid but do now.
I grew pole green beans once but the strings- aack
oh isn't that funny- the things you know that non-cook/non-growers don't know. I am proud that my kids know what some of their food looks like before it got into the bag or can LOL
I ate pea shoots at the farmers market today- tender leaves and tendrils, taste like peas, of course

How are everyone's veggies coming along?

Things are perking up a bit here now that the Spring Deluge seems to have let up. There are golf ball sized tomatoes on a couple of plants, lettuce and kohlrabi ready to be harvested, and baby squash on the trombocino plant. Keeping the weeds at bay has been a chore this year, but at least I'm doing a better job of it that last year.

The only veggies that I have are tomatoes. I got the seedlings at another plant swap a couple of weeks ago. They are supposedly cherry tomatoes. I did get one plant that has some size to it, but no tomatoes yet. I believe it is going to be a Roma, which I love.

My parents always had a huge vegetable garden. There is nothing like eating something straight off the vine or newly dug. Most years I have a green pepper or two but didn't plant any this year.

I do enjoy enjoy hearing about other's successful in the vegetable realm.

Ruby

LOL, Sallyg!! My son was only interested in pizza vegetables. I still can't get him to eat carrots, potatoes and green beans. He doesn't even like corn on the cob yet. I'm the only one who grew up on and still like black-eyed peas (a.k.a. "cow peas.") Don't think many folks here know what they taste like, or would even think of tasting them. I would grow them except I would have to eat dinner alone.

My Celebrity tomatoes are almost 3 feet high, and I bought some more tomatoes (La Roma and something else) to replace the Gil's that didn't grow a centimeter since going out in May. The sugar snap beans were climbing and then....stoppped dead. With this heat, I think I will have to wait till late summer to try again for a fall crop. My cukes--no show. I think that rain washed the seeds out. I don't see anything, and I remember they were fast to germinate.

The cabbage is still there. Don't know if it will mature or the flea beetles or bunnies will attack any minute.

Tomatoes in my containers are growing great with this heat, they will be due for another shot of fert. soon. Pole beens have all sprouted and are getting their 2nd set of leaves. So are the Purple bush beans that Sally tempted we with a picture of earlier in this thread. Bad Sally! (grin)
Eggplants that I started from seeds are healthy but haven't grown much, have to read an artical that I printed out about growing them. Peas are getting tall but no flowers yet. Lettuce is ready to pick some baby leaves for sandwiches.
Cukes are adjusting to the heat.
It is early in the season in my part of the country so I'm not expecting much right now. You all will be picking things about a month before me.

Mr Big peas are getting peas- love 'em, huge pods
Cukes sprouted but zukes and pumpkins DOA old seed.
Tomatos sleeping
Chard- nowhere to be seen, tend to have trouble sprouting that
Radishes- got woody. I can not grow good radishes.
Purple bush beans and limas are up

I have two kinds of squash growing that volunteered from last October's fall decorations sent to the compost pile in December. I think one was a cheese wheel and the other, one of those green Japanese ones. Shame on me for not knowing, but I hadn't actually intended to grow anything. The leaves are huge and healthy, as are the flowers. I have hand pollinated a few of the female flowers in hopes of getting some mature squashes or pumpkins, whatever they turn out to be. I put some fencing up for the tendrils to climb, but the vines are marching right up the stairs and threaten to take over the deck and yard. Can I cut off the end of the vines if they get too long? Is there much chance of success? This is the first time I've done this. I'll bet they take a bunch of water to keep up this amount of growth. I simply must get and learn to use a digital camera. I have a camera on my cell phone, but don't know how to get the picture uploaded. I was also surprised when I got my cellphone bill with a charge for "casual use". I never was able to even email the picture to myself. I couldn't find what key to use for the @

Don't feel alone in not knowing much about your cell phone. Mine has all the new fangled gadgets available, but I never use them.

I hope the squash work out for you. Sorry but I don't know whether cutting them back will damage or not. Some one more knowledgeable than myself will have to answer that for you.

Ruby

I just harvested 9 cukes from my 2 A & C Pickling Cucumber plants. Nine! In one day! And there are a ton more babies that will be ready soon. This is my first year growing this variety and I am really liking its productivity. I got the seed from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Definitely gonna grow this one next year.

I've also harvested the first squash of the season-- one patty pan and one trombocino. And we've been picking alpine strawberries every day for my toddler son's breakfast or afternoon snack. They're the perfect bite-size for him.

I have to say, though, I'm about to just yank the rest of the broccoli out. I have plants started back in March that are still not even close to budding up. What gives? This is my first year trying broccoli... and maybe my last. The only broccoli I got was a couple of puny heads from nursery transplants. I guess I'll try a fall crop and see if I have better luck that way.

Pam, how's the winter squash vine coming? They do take a ton of space and a ton of water. I think that once you have several squash growing, it would be fine to go ahead and clip the vines. I've heard of people doing that late in the season for things like pumpkins so that the plant can put its energy into ripening what's already on the vine rather than growing new foliage and flowers.

How exciting for you. The only veggie's I have going this year are a few tomato plants that I received at a plant swap a few weeks before the swap at Jody's. They are growing well but don't know what they will end up producing.

Sounds like you are doing really well with your things Joya.

Ruby

Cucumbers, cucumbers, cucumbers... I have tons and tons. I've made dill pickles, cucumber relish, gazpacho every other night, I've given cucumbers away-- and I still have too many! I guess next year I shouldn't plant so many!

Also been getting tomatoes from Early Girl and La Roma for a couple of weeks now. I think tomato plants are a pain in the behind to grow and I secretly hate dealing with them (gardener's sacrilege, I know!) but mmmmmm, there's nothing tastier than a homegrown tomato.

I've had some squash from the trombocino plant, which is pretty tasty. The plant's just not a producer, though. I thought so last year, but figured it might be because it was a bit neglected. But, this year is proving it to me. I have it on a trellis and am pamering it, but it is still slow to produce. I just pulled the third squash of the season off of it, and there are no more babies on the plant.

I'm also getting squash from my 'Coosa' plant. It's a Lebanese variety that I got from Baker Creek and boy, is it tasty! One of the best tasting squash I've ever had! Very sweet and dry and nutty. It's not a real heavy producer, but it's chugging along slow and steady.

And, on a final note, watch where you plop your butt in the garden! I sat on a northern black widow last night while I was weeding and got bitten on the back of the thigh. It won't kill me or anything, but I'm in a good deal of pain today.

Kub. I'm in a different zone then you so I won't be picking for a while. I have green Early Girls and Plum Dandy ,2 of each plant I grow them in the self water containers that Gardeners Supply sells. They are easy to take care for, no weeding, fill the reservoir maybe once a week if it is hot, and dry, feed once a month. I don't know how many tomatoes you plant?

I have been picking peas and lettuce that is about all. I made a mistake and bought bush beans instead of pole so I have these poles sticking up and nothing growing up them, next year I'm buying my seeds out of a catalog where they provide more information.

Have little cukes, but not big enough to eat yet. Once everything starts to get to picking size I'll have a hard time keeping up with them.

Here is Plum Dandy

I have eight tomato plants in the garden-- same as last year, even though I swore I was going to plant less. My main gripe with the 'maters is the size. They get so huge and jungly. I'm trying pruning this year, but... I don't know how much good it's doing. They still seem to be getting huge. Last year I tried tomato cages and the plants got so big they basically pulled the cages over and sprawled on the ground. This year I'm using tall wooden stakes and they're faring a little better-- at least they're still upright. Add to that the million problems the fruit can have-- blossom drop from heat, BER, split fruit from too much rain-- the million pests like hornworms, aphids, grasshoppers (driving me crazy this year), and the fungal diseases caused by evening thunderstorms soaking the leaves at night and I just think they're a pain. I don't use any chemicals in the garden-- maybe it would be easier if I did. I see some home gardens around here with 50+ tomatoes planted and I just shudder to think of inspecting that lot for hornworms every day. But I guess those people spray.

I didn't know how much I hated growing tomatoes until last year. Before then, I'd only ever grown in containers on our apartment balcony and I had a much easier time of it. Maybe containers are the solution after all.

Kubileya- I felt the same about trombocino. For all the room it wanted I wasn't seeing much. I was trying to pick them the right size, but they're so long it makes a lot. I ended up having three big ones at the end of season though. Long-keeping! and makes a big helping of squash when you cut a mature one.
Just waiting on stuff- purple green beans will be soon.

Yesterday I picked, shelled, blanched a froze some peas.
I see that some green and purple beans are ready to pick. And a picture of the Cucumber Pearl, might have him for supper tonight.

Had a small bowl of purple beans, getting ready for the second. One small but tasty cuke. And watching some big ol Bounty banana peppers growing!

we just started harvesting our Juliet tomatoes :)
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/40127/

I harvested the first purple beans the other day, too. There's more of them coming, but the yellow beans will be a while yet.

I'm picking lemon cucumbers like crazy now. Roma tomatoes, too.

Still picking that delightful Coosa squash, but I'm just now getting the first female flowers on my patty pan squash.

I've decided to call this the "Year of the Pests." Yeesh, I've dealt with nearly Biblical swarms of grasshoppers, blister beetles, harlequin bugs, %$^&!! moles/voles, flea beetles, japanese beetles, plus lots of powdery mildew throughout the garden. Still trying to kill off those harlequin bugs-- I've tried pyrethrum, neem, and insecticidal soap with no luck. I may break down and use Sevin on my otherwise organic garden if I can't get them under control soon. It's time for me to start seeds for fall veggies and I don't want them to get eaten by those little bastards.

Harlequin bugs--they can go nuts esp on brassicas.
I'm keeping eagle eye out for squash bugs. Have picked off about five. (two mating pairs! nick of time , eh?)
Cucumber beetles- where do they all come from? I've found that they go in my gourd flowers when they open in the evening so thats where I pick some of them off.

Last year was a real buggy year for us, especially with the harlequin bugs and hornworms. So far, so good this year; although we did just have a beetle alert in our veggie garden. They were attacking our, going to seed, mizuna greens and lettuce so I didn't mind as much!!! I did put out one beetle lure though. As for the harlequin last year, I just hand picked them off the best I could. If I recall, it seemed like there were ALOT...eewwww...good luck kubileya

Does anyone have any tips on growing watermelon from present or past experience?

Eeewww is right! I only found about ten harlequin bugs to squish tonight. The way they pop is so gross! I was reading up on plants that were supposed to repel harlequin bugs and one website listed turnips. But, they've gone to town on my rutabagas and that's basically just a big turnip, right? Apparently my bugs don't know they're not supposed to like them.

I'm proud to report that today was the first day I had my little vegetable stand open. I made a whopping 50 cents. Woohoo!

I don't pop bugs -much- I try to take soap water out there and drown them. But I do rip their heads off if no soap water handy.
Potatos? I started mine late, about a month atfter I usually do, so they are still green and no sign of flowering, so I'll wait to dig, at least until I finish this bag of store bought.
Have a couple big banana peppers- but no idea how to know when they're ripe. Guess I'll try one tomorrow.

Sally, some banana peppers turn red the longer you allow them to ripen. We never let them go to total red, but wait until they start to "blush" a bit. They usually go from a deeper limey green to a slight paler tone when ripe.

The banana peppers are our favorites and I can't believe it, but I still have some seedlings struggling along in cups. The poor things never got planted! I wonder if I can still try?

It's worth a shot to plant those seedlings, I think. We still have at least 2+ months before the first frost. I think that may be time enough to get some peppers from them.

My peppers aren't doing so hot this year. It seems they're a favorite of the moles/voles. I found one green pepper plant with its roots totally gone, just the stem sitting in a hole. I have one tiny banana pepper plant that's putting out fruit, one huge and bushy 'mystery' pepper (can't remember what it is) that's growing like crazy but hasn't put out a single pepper yet. I have a gypsy pepper that got attacked by the m/voles and has had a slow recovery, and an orchid pepper seedling that has mysteriously disappeared.

thx wind

I believe I have read that if peppers stay in pots too long and cramp the roots they will never recover. I did have peppers last year that never grew at all after I planted them, and two this year doing that. But hey, anythings worth planting if you have a spot.

Too busy canning, feezing, eating?
Anybody going to do fall crops, lettuce, spinach?

I've already put out broccoli, brussels sprouts, and collard seedlings. Also planting an early cabbage, mustard greens, more carrots, and lettuce. I have parsnips from the spring that will stay in the ground until early to mid-winter.

My biggest disappointment from this summer's veggie garden is the squash. I love summer squash. Love it! But, the moles/voles pretty much decimated all but one of my plants this year. They've also been tunneling through the roots of my eggplants and peppers, but those plants are hanging in there.

I had great looking green bean plants, but lots of wiggly half pollinated? beans
I'm nursing along my first and last zucchini fruit of the year.
Potatos were small attributing that to a brand new plot.

Some body smack me and make me pull the rusty beans and plant spinach-- and then water it.

I guess my veggie garden is about done. We had our first frost the night before last. I had picked the last of the green tomatoes and made green tomato salsa last week, but I guess this means no more peppers and eggplants until next year. The only thing left in the garden right now are the parsnips. Some unseen munching force (rabbits, probably) destroyed most of my fall cole crops, but there are a couple of broccoli plants and one lone collard still hanging in there.

I actually made a little money at my veggie stand this year and used it to order next year's seeds which have already arrived. I guess I like to get an early start! Actually, I just like pulling out the packets, looking at them, holding them, thinking of what I can do with them in Spring-- it's really a sickness, I tell you!

I have an Asparagus question, How do I put my Asparagus to bed for the winter. When I cut off the tops must I wait till they are all brown or can I cut them when they are still green.Then do I mulch them?

Holly, I looked this up http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1603.html
It says not to cut them down till the 1st week in April.
Since this is my first year for Aspargus too, I needed to do some reading also.

K... parsnips yummy! I watched a gardening show a long time ago where the folks across the pondm our English fellow gardeners were growing parsnips in tube-like pipes, trying to grow the biggest-longest and strightest. Pretty interesting to watch.
Nothing like a few parsnips in beef stew, or boiled and then fried in butter.

Thanks Lady, I need to read up on them. I've had an Asparagus bed in my garden for years but didn't do much with them at all. My veggie garden had turned into a huge perennial weed bed until the last couple of years when we started to clean it out. I removed the weeds growing around the Asparagus and started to harvest them and I was rewarded by them doubling in qty. This year I'm clearing out more of the garden hopefully I will have it all cleaned out for next spring. Ric planted horseradish which is another plant I need to read up on I have no idea what to do with that.

Holly, Last spring I traded some extra water lilies, that I separated, with a lady that sells plants just outside of town. I got a few Asparagus, (I'm the only one who eats them) and some rhubarb plants.
Make sure Ric grinds the horseradish outside, I hear it is very strong and will cause massive tearing just from the fumes. Do you have one of those old hand cranked meat grinders that you clamp on the edge of a table, most folks use those? Fresh horseradish when eaten gives me that top of the head exploding feeling. Had some in a resturant in Canada where they ground it fresh, the waiter served it with a warning. lol

Lady My mom has one of those old meat grinders. She has had it as long as I can remember and still uses it when she makes ham spread. I'm sure I could borrow it. We all love Asparagus but were buying it even though it was growing in the garden. It just wasn't enough to harvest for a meal, should have been if we had taken the time to care for the bed. In just the last 2 years that I stated to weed it out we have been having plenty for ourselves and just a little extra to give to the kids.