Better Be Planting This Year. 2022+ And Up MEGATHREAD

[FunnerGunner]

Not native to NE but will produce better. I read it in a book.

To expand, if you save seeds from your strongest plants they should be more adapted to grow under the conditions they were grown in and should thrive.

This is also why buying seeds from a locally harvested source would provide a similar benefit compared to mystery seeds.

 

[FunnerGunner]

First foray into pickling. Been making garlic and some sriracha-garlic pickles with my heirloom cukes.

View attachment 641987View attachment 641988

recipe?

 

[FunnerGunner]

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green beans coming back after no more rabbit!

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some jalapeños doing nicely
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this guy fell over in the strong winds recently, lost one tomato but no root breakage. have the tomato on the window sill to see if it will ripen, if not trying a fried green tomato for the first time at home!

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onions doing well this year! however, I'mnot quite sure how to tell when these are ready.
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yellow bell peppers growing nicely, still a bit to go before changing color.


harvested the first two zucchini yesterday, no pic and already ate them. planted from seed on 6/1. yellow squash within next few days.
planted 35 sugar snap peas and 20 crunch peas yesterday for a harvest before first frost. planting Nantes carrots in containers today.

anyone else having fun in their garden this year? I was not when everything was being eaten on me. all my hard work seemingly for nothing. but it is coming back now pretty well! the ebb and flow of life I suppose, right?

Lots of fun (and lots of watering).

For onions, generally wait till theyre about 50% brown and flopping over.

 

[Medicine Man]

To expand, if you save seeds from your strongest plants they should be more adapted to grow under the conditions they were grown in and should thrive.

This is also why buying seeds from a locally harvested source would provide a similar benefit compared to mystery seeds.

Well if you’re going to change your story…

Yes, obviously if you save seeds from the plants that were successful, they will most likely produce strong plants. It does not matter where they are grown.

We’ve done this for millennia with plants, animals, and humans.

But your original point that a fruit from Chile grown in California won’t produce seeds as good for Massachusetts as a Massachusetts grown Chile fruit is ridiculous.

 

[Boarder700]

I think the point is that most successful plants here might not be the same as the most successful plants in another part of the world. That’s what I got from the original post.

 

[FunnerGunner]

Well if you’re going to change your story…

Yes, obviously if you save seeds from the plants that were successful, they will most likely produce strong plants. It does not matter where they are grown.

We’ve done this for millennia with plants, animals, and humans.

But your original point that a fruit from Chile grown in California won’t produce seeds as good for Massachusetts as a Massachusetts grown Chile fruit is ridiculous.

That wasn't me. I was just explaining the point i think he was trying to make.

Basically its how heirlooms and hybrids are successful. Natural selection based on factors such as climate. Its why we have things like heat or cold resistant varieties.

 

[Medicine Man]

Oh sorry about that. I should pay better attention.

My point still stands about the origin of the seeds and hardiness.
Most of what we grow for foods are essentially weeds that thrive in a wide range of climates.

That’s why we grow them. They’re easy.

Seeds are dispersed through a myriad of ways. Some of these ways take them thousands of miles from where they started.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

Oh sorry about that. I should pay better attention.

My point still stands about the origin of the seeds and hardiness.
Most of what we grow for foods are essentially weeds that thrive in a wide range of climates.

That’s why we grow them. They’re easy.

Seeds are dispersed through a myriad of ways. Some of these ways take them thousands of miles from where they started.

My point i was pitifully trying to make (and probably won't do now) is that just because a plant grew well in California does not mean that it will grow well here.

 

[Medicine Man]

Couple of pictures of two raised beds I installed in a backyard that is only 200 sq ft.

One is 5x10
Second is 6x8



Bed 1.

Cherry tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, basil, parsley, summer squash, winter squash, carrots, nasturtium, Swiss chard, prickly pear.



Bed two;

Cherry tomatoe, echinacea, nasturtium, cotton candy, Cherokee black, and mortgage lifter tomatoes, beets, basil, and St. John’s wort.

Lettuce was grown in both beds.

Containers;



Bell peppers, cherry tomato, lunch box peppers x2, Swiss chard, cucumber.


All this is being grown in a yard that is less than 4000 square feet including the house.

I’m helping her, but this is her first year growing.

I post this to show what can be done even in the smallest of yards. You really don’t need much space.

 

[SpaceCritter]

Well, I found another hornworm.

But this one had the wasps

so I left it be.

 

[enbloc]

 

[Boarder700]

Starting to get some good sized peppers now. Everything is producing well except those eggplants. Way too much foliage and dropping all their flowers. I think either too much nitrogen or stress from the potato beetles. I’m leaning towards the beetles because the peppers are getting along great now. Anyway, I still think they will fruit - just not there yet.

 

[enbloc]

I'm getting quite a few potato "berries" that contain TPS (True Potato Seeds) and look like little green cherry tomatoes.
In the past I never did anything with them. This year I will keep them and try a test row of the seeds...
Cross-pollinated between Red Norland & Yukon Gold though. Yukon Red? Gold Norland?

Looks like this. Not My Photo...

 

[Boarder700]

I'm getting quite a few potato "berries" that contain TPS (True Potato Seeds) and look like little green cherry tomatoes.
In the past I never did anything with them. This year I will keep them and try a test row of the seeds...

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Looks like this. Not My Photo...

That’s really cool. I had no idea.

 

[enbloc]

That’s really cool. I had no idea.

Potatoes and tomatoes are both in the Nightshade family. The haulms of both plants look very similar and so can the "fruit"...

My guess is that Medicine Man knows a lot more about this than I do...

 

[FunnerGunner]

I'm getting quite a few potato "berries" that contain TPS (True Potato Seeds) and look like little green cherry tomatoes.
In the past I never did anything with them. This year I will keep them and try a test row of the seeds...
Cross-pollinated between Red Norland & Yukon Gold though. Yukon Red? Gold Norland?
View attachment 642800
Looks like this. Not My Photo...

Yea ive had the same this year. Been pruning them and the flowers off to hopefully get better yield.

Honestly dont remember so many the last 2 years. Not sure what the cause is.

 

[enbloc]

Yea ive had the same this year. Been pruning them and the flowers off to hopefully get better yield.

Honestly dont remember so many the last 2 years. Not sure what the cause is.

Does that increase yield?

 

[FunnerGunner]

Does that increase yield?

Thats what i've read. Flowers/true seed take energy away from developing the tubers. How much return you get for pruning them, I have no clue.

 

[Medicine Man]

Potatoes and tomatoes are both in the Nightshade family. The haulms of both plants look very similar and so can the "fruit"...

My guess is that Medicine Man knows a lot more about this than I do...

@enbloc
You’re doing fine without me.

Yes potatoes are a member of the nightshade family and as such they flower and produce fruit that is similar to a tomato.

From a non hybrid potato, these seeds should come true.

Seeds are only one way plants reproduce. Plants can also reproduce through cuttings. A lot of plants can reproduce if they’re roots are cut. Potatoes are one of them and that’s essentially what you’re doing when you plant a potato.

However, the entire purpose of flowers is to reproduce and the plant will put tremendous amounts of energy into making sure those flowers work.
As @FunnerGunner mentioned: With the flower removed, all the energy goes into growing the tubers.

 

[APFSDS]

I finally picked some cukes! I have honestly never had a freshly picked cucumber, and they are amazing. I normally don't like the store-bought kind, but love these. I'm about to have more tomatoes than I know what to do with as well, one plant is really producing.

 

[FunnerGunner]

I finally picked some cukes! I have honestly never had a freshly picked cucumber, and they are amazing. I normally don't like the store-bought kind, but love these. I'm about to have more tomatoes than I know what to do with as well, one plant is really producing.

Yea my boston pickling are coming in strong now. I'm just eating them fresh for now and theyre still good.

I'm also pruning them back (shouldve done it sooner) since they are starting to cover everything nearby.

 

[brew3x]

Is it possible to save seeds from store bought veggies to plant later?

You can save seeds for any plant that is listed as open pollinated or heirloom.
Hybrid seeds most likely will end up with traits from one of the parent plants, usually undesirable qualities.

 

[APFSDS]

Yea my boston pickling are coming in strong now. I'm just eating them fresh for now and theyre still good.

I'm also pruning them back (shouldve done it sooner) since they are starting to cover everything nearby.

Mine are starting to overgrow their allotted area. It's OK to prune them back some?

 

[FunnerGunner]

Mine are starting to overgrow their allotted area. It's OK to prune them back some?

If you prune the main stem I believe itll stop its growth there. I was focusing on the side shoots but its such a mess I'm not exactly sure what parts I took off but it needed to be done.

 

[edin508]

I finally picked some cukes! I have honestly never had a freshly picked cucumber, and they are amazing. I normally don't like the store-bought kind, but love these. I'm about to have more tomatoes than I know what to do with as well, one plant is really producing.

I won't eat store bought tomatoes or cukes, ok sometimes cukes because I love em. The homegrown just tastes so damn good.

 

[enbloc]

Rain! Thank you God!

 

[daveyburt]

^Amen

ETA: My garden is starting to empty out. All the early season stuff is going/gone. Just pulled all the garlic. Onions will be out tomorrow. Brocc is sending up it's last few small shoots - hoping my broc seedlings continue to do well for a small second crop.
Beans are still popping, eggplants have a contender about ready and plenty more flowers. Carrots still coming and a ton of Ancho, and italian sweets coming, hots just starting to fill out. Cherry tomatoes from last years drops are all still green.

I don't have room for squashes so, might be an early wrap this year.
I put up about 2cu/ft of vac-packed harvest so far. Peppers and beans will add a lot to that. -hoping for a little more brocc.
Onions, maybe 20-25lbs all said and done. Garlic, maybe 5 lbs.

I tried celery for my first time this year (bought as plants) They're healthy in the full sun but, no bigger stalks yet. Is my celery slightly 'tarded?

 

[flippinfleck]

^Amen

ETA: My garden is starting to empty out. All the early season stuff is going/gone. Just pulled all the garlic. Onions will be out tomorrow. Brocc is sending up it's last few small shoots - hoping my broc seedlings continue to do well for a small second crop.
Beans are still popping, eggplants have a contender about ready and plenty more flowers. Carrots still coming and a ton of Ancho, and italian sweets coming, hots just starting to fill out. Cherry tomatoes from last years drops are all still green.

I don't have room for squashes so, might be an early wrap this year.
I put up about 2cu/ft of vac-packed harvest so far. Peppers and beans will add a lot to that. -hoping for a little more brocc.
Onions, maybe 20-25lbs all said and done. Garlic, maybe 5 lbs.

I tried celery for my first time this year (bought as plants) They're healthy in the full sun but, no bigger stalks yet. Is my celery slightly 'tarded?

You vac seal your peppers? We did so last year, debating on doing it this year. Texture was definitely a little different.

How do you like the frozen peppers? Hots, bell, ?

 

[daveyburt]

You vac seal your peppers? We did so last year, debating on doing it this year. Texture was definitely a little different.

How do you like the frozen peppers? Hots, bell, ?

Agreed, they get a bit squishy. I use them more for chili, meatloaf and they ain't bad in an omelette. I usually dry my small hots but, all larger peppers get frozen.
I pick, wash, dry, and chop, loosely de-seed larger pieces [in the case of a larg(er) pepper], then directly into the vac sealer to freezer. I try to process/seal right after picking but, sometimes a day or two elapses where they sit whole in the fridge. If any of them wrinkle while sitting, I eat those.
When I use them, I further chop them while frozen, then directly into the recipe/pan.

They're passable with a real quick sear in fajitas but, in that case, it's more obvious they were frozen.

 

[daveyburt]

So - with the .05" of rain last night, I'm looking for inputs from the experts - what have I missed?

-I've gathered a tail feather from a hawk
-Charred the bark of a native tree and muddled with native berries for face paint
-Fashioned a beaver skin tambourine with acorn danglers (hopefully a standard Vic Firth 2b will work)
-I didn't have any rabbit skin leggings but, I do have my slippers (which are wool) and a pain of hiking gaiters - hope that's ok?
-Not sure how to do the chant dance but, looking down, then up seems to be common
-Ripped this for the bluetooth speaker