Better Be Planting This Year. 2022+ And Up MEGATHREAD

Just about to the end of the tomatoes - we already have a bunch canned, so presently it's the sauce chore (good rainy day activity).



I'm using this technique:
www.seriouseats.com

The Best Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe

The best tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes is actually three different sauces in one, blended to make a perfect, harmonious whole.
www.seriouseats.com www.seriouseats.com

The tomato paste part of the chore has already been done:


Tomato trimmings and glop from the food mill:


Now I need to reserve my quart of fresh, and begin the reduction:
 
Habemus Parsley Worms!




I'd seen the black swallowtails around, but hadn't seen any of these guys. Last year, they were happily munching on my dill. Presently, the parsley's going to seed, and I was contemplating pulling it out of there, to use the space for something else. Now I'll leave it be for them, and work a bit to the south in that bed.
 
Almost 10lbs of peppers today. Still have a bunch left but I really don’t need them. My garden is overrun with weeds and I want to get the chickens in there to clean it out. I’m going to offer the rest of the peppers to my family this week and whatever is left the chickens can have. Still have a few straggler tomatoes, maybe 10lbs of carrots, some leeks, ground cherries, and eggplants that are almost ready, and my fall carrots and beets that will hopefully be done in time. Next year I really need to plan it out better so I can progressively move the chickens in as the earlier stuff is done.

I cut up all these peppers to vacuum seal and freeze. Didn’t think to wear gloves. Or to take my silicon ring off. After washing my hands a dozen times my ring finger is on fire and all my fingers are about a tobasco heat level.

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Got the chickens moved into most of the garden today. Looking to turn this
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Into this:

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They do a pretty good job at cleaning out the weeds. And I feel better having lost all that nitrogen to weeds knowing the chickens are going to put it right back into the ground.

Also pulled the last of the basil for the neighbors:
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Boarder700 said:
Got the chickens moved into most of the garden today. Looking to turn this
View attachment 800560
View attachment 800561

Into this:

View attachment 800559

They do a pretty good job at cleaning out the weeds. And I feel better having lost all that nitrogen to weeds knowing the chickens are going to put it right back into the ground.

Also pulled the last of the basil for the neighbors:
View attachment 800562
Click to expand...
Thought about doing chickens but always nervous they were too much work (egg producers vs meat)
 
Night_solstice said:
Thought about doing chickens but always nervous they were too much work (egg producers vs meat)
Click to expand...
Open the door and get eggs in the morning close it at night. Fill up the food and water about every 5 days. I have a mobile coop so I try to move it and the electric fence every 2 weeks. But it’s been more like every 4-5 weeks this year. If I move it every week or two I can put them on lawn and it stays nice. Longer than that they start to destroy it. It only takes 20-30 min to move so not bad - it’s just been a busy summer. The moveable coop with mesh floor means I never have to clean it. They are much more work when they’re babies. And you need coverage if you ever want to go on vacation. They are so complimentary to the garden - take the weeds and waste and turn it into fertilizer.

All in all it’s not bad at all. Especially since my 5 year old let’s them out and gets the eggs now.
 
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The garden wasn't great this year between all the rain and the vole problem I can't seem to beat.

But I have a ton of Paw Paws. This is the first picking from one tree. The other tree is loaded but the fruit isn't quite ripe yet.

I pureed these and put about 10 cups of pulp in the freezer. I've tried a few recipes but mostly put it in smoothies.
 
Cowgirlup said:
View attachment 806928



The garden wasn't great this year between all the rain and the vole problem I can't seem to beat.

But I have a ton of Paw Paws. This is the first picking from one tree. The other tree is loaded but the fruit isn't quite ripe yet.

I pureed these and put about 10 cups of pulp in the freezer. I've tried a few recipes but mostly put it in smoothies.
Click to expand...
Tell me more about your experience so far in growing pawpaws up here! I've read conflicting information on whether they really need full sun, what management they need, and how many cultivars you should have to get a reasonable fruit harvest.
 
MrsStrangeNH said:
Tell me more about your experience so far in growing pawpaws up here! I've read conflicting information on whether they really need full sun, what management they need, and how many cultivars you should have to get a reasonable fruit harvest.
Click to expand...
They do not need full sun. Mine are growing a little sideways because there is a large yellow birch with limbs over them. I'm going to have limbs cut out of that to help the paw paws. But in general that area gets morning sun around 7-8am and is mostly in the shade but 3-4pm in the summer.
It took a few of years before I started getting fruit. There are not a lot of pollinators that seem to be attracted to the flowers. So when they are in bloom I help the pollination along with a small paint brush. But last year and this year I also noticed some kind of bug doing the work. And there are plenty of paw paws higher than I was hand pollinating.

I had purchased 1 tree and it got damaged and I didn't think it would live. So the following year I got another one. The 2nd one grew quickly and produced fruit just fine. Then finally last year the 1st damaged tree rebounded and started having fruit.

I don't fertilize them. If it's really dry I will water them a little.

Both trees have babies growing off the roots which could be good trees. I read the attached info. If you think you want to try them I'm happy to cut the root attaching them to the tree. That would give them some time to grow their own roots and I can bring them to the GTG on the 12th.

www.gardeningknowhow.com

Can You Root Pawpaw Suckers – Tips For Propagating Pawpaw Suckers

Can you root pawpaw suckers? It is difficult to propagate the tree in this manner. According to people experienced with this tree, pawpaw sucker propagation tends to have a low success rate. But it ca
www.gardeningknowhow.com www.gardeningknowhow.com
 
Cowgirlup said:
They do not need full sun. Mine are growing a little sideways because there is a large yellow birch with limbs over them. I'm going to have limbs cut out of that to help the paw paws. But in general that area gets morning sun around 7-8am and is mostly in the shade but 3-4pm in the summer.
It took a few of years before I started getting fruit. There are not a lot of pollinators that seem to be attracted to the flowers. So when they are in bloom I help the pollination along with a small paint brush. But last year and this year I also noticed some kind of bug doing the work. And there are plenty of paw paws higher than I was hand pollinating.

I had purchased 1 tree and it got damaged and I didn't think it would live. So the following year I got another one. The 2nd one grew quickly and produced fruit just fine. Then finally last year the 1st damaged tree rebounded and started having fruit.

I don't fertilize them. If it's really dry I will water them a little.

Both trees have babies growing off the roots which could be good trees. I read the attached info. If you think you want to try them I'm happy to cut the root attaching them to the tree. That would give them some time to grow their own roots and I can bring them to the GTG on the 12th.

www.gardeningknowhow.com

Can You Root Pawpaw Suckers – Tips For Propagating Pawpaw Suckers

Can you root pawpaw suckers? It is difficult to propagate the tree in this manner. According to people experienced with this tree, pawpaw sucker propagation tends to have a low success rate. But it ca
www.gardeningknowhow.com www.gardeningknowhow.com
Click to expand...
That would be so awesome, thank you!
 
This was my first time growing spuds. I just cut up a sprouted organic potato from the store and planted the eye bits in a 10 gal grow bag. They did pretty well and I’ve still got some left in the bag to grab today. (Baby reds)
BarnBuilder said:
Last year I left a 25' row of potatoes winter over with only leaves as mulch and was able to harvest about 70% of that row
to be use as seed potatoes this year.
Click to expand...
 
Anyone here getting ready to start onions? Thinking I’ll probably plant in about two weeks (from seed) I’ll grow them indoors for 6 weeks than transplant and cover with a cold frame. What say NES? Too early?
 
Spartan65 said:
Anyone here getting ready to start onions? Thinking I’ll probably plant in about two weeks (from seed) I’ll grow them indoors for 6 weeks than transplant and cover with a cold frame. What say NES? Too early?
Click to expand...
Typically I wait until end of January, maybe first or second week of February as I find the ground isn’t really workable until at least the 2nd week of march. Most people tell me I’m starting too early at feb 1st, but I’ve had luck. However first week of January might actually be a little too soon. But hey, worst case scenario you’ve just got some large onions in your house for an extra 2-3 weeks if the ground isn’t ready haha. Long as you’ve got the space indoors then it’s not the end of the world
 
Pulled the last 20 lbs of carrots out yesterday. This was the first time I attempted leaving them in the ground so late. I just had them covered with about 8x layers of row cover and they were still in perfect shape. I could have left them but I couldn’t pass up a day in December that was warm enough for me to wash them outside. Also a nice day to get it all covered until next year.


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Cartoons said:
When do you all start your Peppers from Seed?
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Last year I started inside 4/3 and put outside 5/29 in southern NH. I could probably start a bit earlier, but electricity is expensive, and it’s easier to start them with the tomatoes. Can’t start the tomatoes any earlier because they are already huge by the end of May.
 

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