Gardening - Vegetables, Fruits, or Flowers

[Vanimal46]

I discovered during the pandemic how much joy gardening brings to me. I love tending to it, watching it grow, and of course eating what you grow! Nothing better than garden fresh tomatoes in the summer time. 

I’ve added another tomato plant today and 3 pepper plants since I had room in the plot. 

[ashbury]

37 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

and of course eating what you grow

Given the change in pronoun, I will be pleased to bring you a wheelbarrow of our excess zucchini later this summer.

[gunnarthor]

I love gardening, too. We planted a ghost pepper this year! I actually have a really good line of raspberries growing - red, black, and gold. Delicious. Can't grow blueberries worth a darn, though.

[Mike Sixel]

My peas did not grow this year, pretty sure there was an issue with the seeds I got....about 1/5th came up. Sigh. 

The spinach and cilantro are out of control. The tomatoes are not loving this cool weather (its been an awesome week here weather wise), but are growing. We have more mint, oregano, and thyme than anyone could use, but our rosemary plant is very unhappy.

The stupid squirrels pick our strawberries, then don't even eat them. I covered them yesterday, we'll see if that work.

Unsure what's up with my rogue potatoes (every year I think I pick them all....). Six plants are up, two are already massive. I tried to dig up new potatoes yesterday from one, but didn't find a single potato. I know there are some in there......

And, my zuchini is odd right now, but that might recover.

I love gardening....

[Craig Arko]

56 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

My peas did not grow this year, pretty sure there was an issue with the seeds I got....about 1/5th came up. Sigh. 

The spinach and cilantro are out of control. The tomatoes are not loving this cool weather (its been an awesome week here weather wise), but are growing. We have more mint, oregano, and thyme than anyone could use, but our rosemary plant is very unhappy.

The stupid squirrels pick our strawberries, then don't even eat them. I covered them yesterday, we'll see if that work.

Unsure what's up with my rogue potatoes (every year I think I pick them all....). Six plants are up, two are already massive. I tried to dig up new potatoes yesterday from one, but didn't find a single potato. I know there are some in there......

And, my zuchini is odd right now, but that might recover.

I love gardening....

You’ll be well prepared if you ever get stranded on Mars.

[Mike Sixel]

34 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

You’ll be well prepared if you ever get stranded on Mars.

Ha.

[Vanimal46]

When will I know when it’s time to pick romaine lettuce? 

[Mike Sixel]

I'd eat those big leaves now. Cut them near the bottom, they grow back 

[Vanimal46]

I’m enjoying the fruits of my labor so far with romaine lettuce and radishes! The peas aren’t really producing so I have a decision to make… It’s looking like in the next week or two I’ll be enjoying the first garden tomatoes of the year!

[Mike Sixel]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

I’m enjoying the fruits of my labor so far with romaine lettuce and radishes! The peas aren’t really producing so I have a decision to make… It’s looking like in the next week or two I’ll be enjoying the first garden tomatoes of the year!

Interesting. I think I'm at least two to three weeks from tomatoes, and those are the small cherries..... Likely they'll be very full in August when we go to Norway.... Glad you are enjoying it. It's definitely a good hobby.

[Vanimal46]

My row of peas never took off this year. Little did I know it was because 2 volunteer tomato plants were sprouting in that space instead! I’m going to be loaded with tomatoes now… Looks like it’s going to be a good pepper season in Minnesota as well!

[gunnarthor]

That looks pretty good. Our garden got away from us this year. We planted a ton of flowers a few years back and now they are everywhere. It's a strange looking garden. But we got some good tomato and pepper plants to grow. 

[Mike Sixel]

Started eating the smaller tomatoes this week. I'm guessing the first big ones will ripen while we are in Norway at the beginning of August. The grape plant looks like it could feed all of Oregon. I'm curious if they will all taste good. So many grapes.

The potatoes that surprising were there again? I've only pulled up one plant, and the potatoes were tiny. Likely eating them tonight (when I pull up another plant or two). 

The peas failed this year. They look like they've failed in every garden I've seen on walks at at neighbors. No idea what's up with that.

I think I accidentally killed our red poppy plant. Sigh. 

[Dave Borton]

On 5/27/2023 at 12:36 PM, ashbury said:

Given the change in pronoun, I will be pleased to bring you a wheelbarrow of our excess zucchini later this summer.

"Everyone, lock your cars!" (Stolen from Garrison.)

[Dave Borton]

Just harvested 50 garlic with 3 RIP because of wild spade. Oh well.

Chesnook Red are very nice - about 4 yrs with same seed, larger every year.

Bud 16. Picked the variety up at Garlic Festival in Hutchinson last August. Gorgeous, large. Mine are gorgeous, medium. Not my soil. Tested. Not the moisture. Watered 1" per week. Side dressed with alfalfa and bone meal. My friend teaches at UM Ag School. Let him play detective.

Will be ordering some Korean Red and Georgian Fire from Keene. I have bought from them in the past and was very pleased.

https://keeneorganics.com/product-category/certified-organic/

Bud said buy local (not at Johnny's i.e. too far away). Garlic like regional brothers and sisters.

[RpR]

Hmm, I am heading down to my garden in Hutch later today.

Good soil down there but last years drought was SOB on its best days.

Corn, at least some is shoulder high alread; turkeys did not stomp corn over this year.

Potato bugs are back, I usually pick and squash them but did not have time last week.

[Dave Borton]

On 5/28/2023 at 10:33 PM, gunnarthor said:

I love gardening, too. We planted a ghost pepper this year! I actually have a really good line of raspberries growing - red, black, and gold. Delicious. Can't grow blueberries worth a darn, though.

If you are in Metro Area, Hugo Feed Mills have pepper plants. This year he had 403 varieties. https://www.hugofeedmill.com/peppers-tomatoes/

[Dave Borton]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Started eating the smaller tomatoes this week. I'm guessing the first big ones will ripen while we are in Norway at the beginning of August.

Wife has family in Kristiansand, Oslo, Ramsdal (summer home only accessible by row boat), and Tønsberg. Where you headed?

For my money, Norway is the most gorgeous place on earth. Loved, loved, loved  Bergen.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, davidborton said:

Wife has family in Kristiansand, Oslo, Ramsdal (summer home only accessible by row boat), and Tønsberg. Where you headed?

For my money, Norway is the most gorgeous place on earth. Loved, loved, loved  Bergen.

A couple days in Oslo to get over the flight, a couple in Bergen, a few on a boat to the fjords and to the Lofoten islands, five there, including golfing in the Arctic circle. 

[Dave Borton]

On 6/1/2023 at 12:14 PM, Craig Arko said:

My peas did not grow this year, pretty sure there was an issue with the seeds I got...

Same w/my corn (35% germ). I had to find another sh2 variety, shorter maturity to plant within it.

Going to plant yellow peas at the end of July in area of just-dug garlic. Gets nitrogen back in soil; other half of garlic bed will be field peas (black eye peas) which are really good and productive. Use them like steamed green beans.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, davidborton said:

If you are in Metro Area, Hugo Feed Mills have pepper plants. This year he had 403 varieties. https://www.hugofeedmill.com/peppers-tomatoes/

I am glad you mentioned that to him,; some years back another person on a garden site mentioned it but I had totally forgotten.

 

Dedicated nurserys in St. Cloud or Hutch area are fading to maybe one eigth of what  once was and so many now have same poo, differnt location.

I used to go to Bachman's on 55 and hit one jin Zimmerman a couple of years back but I need to find different ones.

Thank you.

[Dave Borton]

3 hours ago, davidborton said:

Just harvested 50 garlic with 3 RIP because of wild spade. Oh well.

Chesnook Red are very nice - about 4 yrs with same seed, larger every year.

 

Today's score. 10 ddays of drying on bird feeder hook, clean 'em up and share w/bud and daughter. Largest get saved for planting.

[Vanimal46]

This week’s pepperoncini pepper harvest!

We found a recipe for refrigerator peppers and gave it a try! In 3-4 weeks we’ll see how good they taste. 
 

[Vanimal46]

On 7/11/2023 at 5:24 PM, davidborton said:

Today's score. 10 ddays of drying on bird feeder hook, clean 'em up and share w/bud and daughter. Largest get saved for planting.

That’s awesome David! You could start a stand at the farmers market! 

[Dave Borton]

On 6/3/2023 at 11:24 AM, Vanimal46 said:

When will I know when it’s time to pick romaine lettuce? 

 

Beautiful tilth in that soil.

I have worked like a bugger for past 10 years to improve mine. Prior owner had 70 years of chemicals; every year, rinse, repeat.

I sow winter rye for green manure every year, sickle, and turn over in the Spring. Straw mulching around plants. Turned over. Aged horse manure. Still working on it.

[Vanimal46]

 

Salsa is on the agenda this weekend! I dug up 2 white onions earlier this week and let them dry out for the occasion. I’ll have 10-12 more tomatoes to pick tomorrow along with 5-6 long peppers. 

[Mike Sixel]

I'm guessing my tomatoes and grapes are starting to peak...... But most will still be in great condition when I get back. Neighbors have permission to eat what they want in exchange for watering. For the second year in a row, the zucchini just isn't working. Year one we had so much....

[Dave Borton]

Spent the morning at the Univ of Minnesota Agri fields. Bud is a horticulturist out there, working on industrial hemp and sorghum (we squeeze it every fall for syrup).

Come along. We also spent time with a plant geneticist who is working on crossing sweet corn until he gets 50/50, burgundy kernels/yellow kernels. Click on pics for narrative.

Dave

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WZ4YMw537NvgVDNs8

[Mike Sixel]

Our relatively young grape vine just produces and produces and produces. Couldn't be easier!

[Vanimal46]

I am wrapping up the season by digging up the rest of my carrots. It’s going to get cold here in a hurry. My tomato plants were starting to look brown and tired. What a bountiful harvest this year!