Gidge
NES Member
More bounty from the garden ... these are supposed to be pickling cukes, but they seem much larger than pickling cukes, yet much smaller than traditional cukes.
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Better Be Planting This Year. 2022+ And Up MEGATHREAD
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What variety? I think my wife pulled 10 cucs out of the garden yesterday.
We are doing Boston Pickling and Beit Alpha. All of them have to be trimmed down to fit in a pint jar, with the Alpha more so.
Gidge
NES Member
No idea regarding the variety - we bought the plugs from a local garden center and they were labeled "pickling cukes".
They still taste great despite their large size, so I don't think we let them go too long or they'd taste woody. I don't see something of this size fitting in a mason jar for pickling. I'm glad I planted them.
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Trim the ends for size and use the leftovers for relish?
Got some powdery mildew on my peas. My support was only 4’ and they got to about 9’ before toppling over last week. I think the stress from that along with the hot humid days and dewey nights got to them. Apparently the lack of rain contributes too because the spores don’t get washed off the leaves. I sprayed them down this morning. Lots of treatment options online. One that popped up a lot was a milk spray. Weird, but I tried it. Hopefully it doesn’t all smell too horrible tomorrow. I will rinse it in the morning. Any other suggestions are welcome. If it doesn’t clear up in a couple days I will pull them all. At least I got a lot out of them already.
7’ tomatoes
Beans were getting a little yellow. Gave them some fertilizer.
Some peppers are ready. They are really little, but so are my pepper plants in general. Any thoughts or advice there is welcome too. These are supposed to be purple…
7’ tomatoes
Beans were getting a little yellow. Gave them some fertilizer.
Some peppers are ready. They are really little, but so are my pepper plants in general. Any thoughts or advice there is welcome too. These are supposed to be purple…
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At least you provided a purple disclaimer right up front!
;-)
Bend the
Is that a bell or hot? Bell I would say, if ready, use it in a salad tomorrow. Hot? Same readiness test and then slice it into rings and snack on it for the rest of the night.
There are also 'quick pickling' recipes that only require fridge storage if you like that sort of thing. Can still be used in salads or put on a sandwich.
/edit to clarify that you aren't bending the plant, just the pepper
It is a bell pepper - prudens purple. I did pick a couple to eat tonight. There are tons and I figure picking some would be good to keep the flowers coming. I had not heard that bending though so thank you! I will use that on the next ones. I do have some jalapeños too. I also picked a couple of those for dinner. The wife made pork bulgogi for dinner. Pork raised by my best friend, mushrooms from the csa, peas, carrots, radish, and cucumber from the garden. All local and grown by myself or a friend - except the rice, gochujang and kimchi.
I love the quick pickles. Tomorrow my wife is going to make a mix of cukes, radishes, and jalapeños. Perfect for that kind of dinner.
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If you haven't already, search for Pepper Geek on the tube. They are (or were?) Out of CT so not too far growing wise.
I want to try growing peas but didnt find a space this year. Supposedly Neem oil can help P mildew. I'm surprised I haven't had any this year... though im pretty diligent about bottom watering in the morning.
Nice on the tomatoes! I had a 6fter fall today. Pushed over by a squash and climbed on by zuke. Also had heavy fruit. I'm just leaving it on the ground for now and let whats on it ripen.
I had/have some yellowing beans. I think in my case it was just under watering. They are usually (supposedly) self sufficient in the nutrient dept.
I've grown the purple bells before. I think our growing season is just too tight for them to get massive. So just harvest when theyre ready and enjoy. Bells are tricky in general. I'm going to stick to hot peppers myself though i did get a fair amount from the purple bells.
Oh and the milk is weird, I wouldnt do that
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I would go ahead and pick those ‘ground’ tomatoes and either eat them green or ripen them indoors. They will get nasty on the ground before they ripen.I want to try growing peas but didnt find a space this year. Supposedly Neem oil can help P mildew. I'm surprised I haven't had any this year... though im pretty diligent about bottom watering in the morning.
Nice on the tomatoes! I had a 6fter fall today. Pushed over by a squash and climbed on by zuke. Also had heavy fruit. I'm just leaving it on the ground for now and let whats on it ripen.
I had/have some yellowing beans. I think in my case it was just under watering. They are usually (supposedly) self sufficient in the nutrient dept.
I've grown the purple bells before. I think our growing season is just too tight for them to get massive. So just harvest when theyre ready and enjoy. Bells are tricky in general. I'm going to stick to hot peppers myself though i did get a fair amount from the purple bells.
Oh and the milk is weird, I wouldnt do that
My beans may have been water too.
My beans may be water too. I have been watering them regularly. But I don’t think we have had 1” of rain here since May. I got such a good deal on Neptunes harvest fertilizer I figured I would try some. And I’ll let you know how the milk smells tomorrow. My first instinct was to pull the peas and give them all to the chickens. But lots of sources - scientific and anecdotal recommended the milk. So I figured I would give it a try. I like weird.I want to try growing peas but didnt find a space this year. Supposedly Neem oil can help P mildew. I'm surprised I haven't had any this year... though im pretty diligent about bottom watering in the morning.
Nice on the tomatoes! I had a 6fter fall today. Pushed over by a squash and climbed on by zuke. Also had heavy fruit. I'm just leaving it on the ground for now and let whats on it ripen.
I had/have some yellowing beans. I think in my case it was just under watering. They are usually (supposedly) self sufficient in the nutrient dept.
I've grown the purple bells before. I think our growing season is just too tight for them to get massive. So just harvest when theyre ready and enjoy. Bells are tricky in general. I'm going to stick to hot peppers myself though i did get a fair amount from the purple bells.
Oh and the milk is weird, I wouldnt do that
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Any reason you cannot re-stake and get everything off the ground?
I've had a couple tomato plants that fell over using those garbage green stakes that are so prevalent and cheap. Been replacing with wooden stakes as I can find the wood and get it ripped down. One note for next year is to either put in the wooden stakes when the seedlings go from inside to outside, or put in a full length cattle panel trellis with t-posts from the start.
I have some tomato plants that just never got staked and are kind of all over the place. Got my hands on some boards this weekend that will be ripped down to stakes and may leave one or two plants just kind of sprawling to see what comes of it. I understand that the plant intends to spread its seed while I intend to harvest the fruit. Back end of the garden that will not impact anything else so we'll see if I get anything from them.
Currently pulling French green beans, Summer squash, pickling cukes, BlueBerries, Grape tomatoes and redskin Northland potatoes.
I initially did that but the top bent in half due to the attached zuke and weight of the fruit and that scared me so I laid it back down. Its going to be a recurring problem. I think this one section of the garden is just way too crowded -- lesson learned though no promise it wont happen again
So my powdery mildew milk spray didn’t ever smell bad at all. But it also didn’t fix the problem. It did seem to make it better. If I did more applications maybe it would have worked. But I have been really busy with work and not had time to really pay attention. The wife pulled these off this morning and I will rip the plants out later. All in all I got more peas from them than I was expecting anyway. Especially since I didn’t plant them until May. Better support, earlier planting, and maybe a little more spacing next year.
I have a question for anyone who has had success with watermelons. This is the one thing my 4yo is most excited about - because he loves Kentucky Ballistics. I have several plants and they all look great. All flowering - at least some with small watermelons already. But they are still growing like crazy. Some of the vines are probably 12’ long and growing fast. Should I clip the vines and start pulling flowers? I have never had success with watermelon and don’t know anyone who has. It seems like I should probably cut them back and let them focus on one or two fruits per plant. Any advice?
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No advice as ours are hit or miss. We've had soccer ball sized and golf ball sized. Never cut back and just let 'em do what they will.
SpaceCritter
NES Member
Given the weather, I figured I'd better get whatever garden chores I was going to in early. So I headed out to work on the cleaning-out-the-boxes chore to prep for the next batch of stuff, and general looking around. We already have little pumpkins, plenty of blossoms on the cukes (which the bees are diligently pollinating), likewise the melons, and scads of tomatoes a couple of which are just starting to ripen.
Then I saw it. Poops. Look like bug poops. But kinda big. Like caterpillar poops... but kinda big...
And then I saw it.
Tomato.
f***ing.
Hornworm.
That one went bye-bye.
I'm sure there are friends.
C'mon parasitic wasps!
Then I saw it. Poops. Look like bug poops. But kinda big. Like caterpillar poops... but kinda big...
And then I saw it.
Tomato.
f***ing.
Hornworm.
That one went bye-bye.
I'm sure there are friends.
C'mon parasitic wasps!
Add to my peas is two days of cukes. Two days! My cup runneth over! I was real worried about those cukes because they were so rootbound when I planted them. But look at them now!
Looks like a got a pickle party in my future - the good kind. And less anyone think I’m a free loader here - my check is in the mail - almost.
And an example of my watermelons trying to take over the world.
Looks like a got a pickle party in my future - the good kind. And less anyone think I’m a free loader here - my check is in the mail - almost.
And an example of my watermelons trying to take over the world.
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Cut them and ripen what you have.
So I have 2 hubbarb squash in this location and one of them put its leaves down like it does it in the sun/heat but didn't come back up tonight. I watered them this AM. The leaves appear to be drying out a bit and theyre still green but lifeless. Anyone have this happen?
I had a number of nearby sumacs do a similar thing this year as well which leads me to believe its a disease in the soil.
The other squash is fine for now... though a few of the leaves closest to the stem have browned and are falling off. I have strawberries back there that produced this year and some other stuff thats doing OK. Thoughts?
I had a number of nearby sumacs do a similar thing this year as well which leads me to believe its a disease in the soil.
The other squash is fine for now... though a few of the leaves closest to the stem have browned and are falling off. I have strawberries back there that produced this year and some other stuff thats doing OK. Thoughts?
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First year doing taters. Wife couldn't stand not seeing what all was in there so she pulled one of the buckets.
Cucumbers and snap peas still going strong. Cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen, black strawberry here. We got to try a yellow gooseberry the other day. Not much on the bean front yet, just a few off the vine.
This heat is oppressive for sure. Had a couple tomato plants fall over and haven't gotten out to stand them back up yet.
Cucumbers and snap peas still going strong. Cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen, black strawberry here. We got to try a yellow gooseberry the other day. Not much on the bean front yet, just a few off the vine.
This heat is oppressive for sure. Had a couple tomato plants fall over and haven't gotten out to stand them back up yet.
Attachments
Anyone else keep a harvest log? Heres mine so far (in lb):
Potato - 20.5
Beans - 1.5
Tomatillo- 1.5
Smr Squash- 6.2
Peppers - 1
Cucumber- 0.8
Strawberry - 8
Tomato - 4.2
Raspberry - 1
Potato - 20.5
Beans - 1.5
Tomatillo- 1.5
Smr Squash- 6.2
Peppers - 1
Cucumber- 0.8
Strawberry - 8
Tomato - 4.2
Raspberry - 1
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True, lol. I just dont always get around to picturesI thought this thread _was_ our log!
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Why does Veronica remind me of a Mandelbrot Set...???
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I've always had best success growing carrots in a high sand content compost media in containers.
1 part sand
1 part compost
1 part potting soil
mix well... then mix again.
Also, start direct sown carrots May 1st. Tent if temps drop with clear bags.
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Anyone have tips for root veggie storage? I have been ignoring my carrots and beets while I try to feed my family with the more perishable peas, beans, cukes, and squash. But I don’t know how much longer I can leave them in the ground. They are starting to pick themselves. Other than tomatoes, I despise canned veggies. What are my options? I used to get fresh root veggies from lilac hedge farm in rutland all winter long (meat farm but they resold local veggies). So I know there must be a way to keep them for a good while. But I don’t have any experience. I’d be open to freezing them too as I have a lot of freezer space - at least until my next batch of chickens and the pig are ready.
Pickle processing
Peas are gone, but tomatoes are massive!
Pickle processing
Peas are gone, but tomatoes are massive!
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I’ve been quite busy, some comments on what I’ve read and wanted to respond to. Take it for what it’s worth…
Carrots:
The biggest pain with carrots is the root fly maggot . You can mitigate it a couple of ways.
1. Intersperse radish seed at the same time as you plant your carrots. The radish will germinate first and draw the root fly maggot to them.
2. Put up burlap fencing around carrot seedlings. Be sure the is fencing 18 inches high as the maggot cannot fly this high.
Carrot root fly can only fly short distances. Putting up barriers every 18 inches around plants prohibits the root fly maggot form getting to your roots/carrots.
Root crop storage:
Most root crops are best stored in the ground where they grew.
If you mulch your root crops they can survive most freezes. In fact, the carbohydrates in the root crops, once exposed to a freeze, will convert to sugar and be significantly sweeter if allowed to winter over.
Carrots are like candy.
Carrots:
The biggest pain with carrots is the root fly maggot . You can mitigate it a couple of ways.
1. Intersperse radish seed at the same time as you plant your carrots. The radish will germinate first and draw the root fly maggot to them.
2. Put up burlap fencing around carrot seedlings. Be sure the is fencing 18 inches high as the maggot cannot fly this high.
Carrot root fly can only fly short distances. Putting up barriers every 18 inches around plants prohibits the root fly maggot form getting to your roots/carrots.
Root crop storage:
Most root crops are best stored in the ground where they grew.
If you mulch your root crops they can survive most freezes. In fact, the carbohydrates in the root crops, once exposed to a freeze, will convert to sugar and be significantly sweeter if allowed to winter over.
Carrots are like candy.
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