What's Growing In Your Garden? Horticultural Science

[Racoon]

Garden update: You can see the raspberries flourishing in the background, and after a week or two they will be cut way back. They tend to block out quite a bit of light.

But a small container of organic raspberries is like $4 ;), so they're worth keeping around for awhile.

 

The tomatoes are doing great, and the peppers advancing slowly despite an extra hour or two of sun more, thanks to the neighbors fence and building..

 

[Turtle]

i have about a dozen plants growing from the small-round-whitish seeds from the birdseed. i think it's millet! B)

 

one of my black-oil sunflower plants came up triploid! :eek: i think that's the right term; it had 3 cotyledons, not 2. :doh:

 

we continue to have unseasonably wet & cool weather which seems to have slowed things a bit.

 

all i'm growing to eat >>

- acorn squash

- popcorn

- red radishes

- millet

- sorghum (milo)

- tomatoes }cherry, beefmaster, & roma

- medium jalepeno pepper

- cucumbers

- black-oil sunflower

- giant sunflower (all seeds from conjoined-twin-head plant)

 

:)

[Chacmool]

all i'm growing to eat >>

- acorn squash

- popcorn

- red radishes

- millet

- sorghum (milo)

- tomatoes }cherry, beefmaster, & roma

- medium jalepeno pepper

- cucumbers

- black-oil sunflower

- giant sunflower (all seeds from conjoined-twin-head plant)

Make sure you put that sorghum to good use, dear Turtle. ;)

 

Umqombothi (Oom-comb-bo-tee) - African Sorghum Beer

* Using an open dish, mix the 3kg malt and 2.5kg mielie-meal (maize) or sorghum together with lukewarm water.

* Leave mixture in a cool place overnight, or until mixture tastes sour.

* Boil 25 litres of water in a pot and pour the mixture into it. Cook for about 40 minutes while stiring often.

* After cooking, pour the mixture into an open dish and allow to cool down.

* When the mixture has cooled, add 2kg of malt to the mixture and mix thoroughly.

* Add 40g of of yeast, mix again and leave overnight.

* The following morning strain and serve.

:shade: :hihi: :beer:

[DougF]

Not much rain here in the Leesburg area this year.

We have moderate/severe drought conditions although this

month shows a remarkable increase in participation.

this year I have let my garden go a Little slack :doh: I have

1- tomato {beefmaster}

2- bell pepper

15- pineapple

the tomato plant is doing OK if I can keep the birds away. :hihi:

cutworms ate the two bell peppers (literally cut them off at the ground

what a wast.) :rant:

the pineapple are doing OK a Little small this year do to the drought

I think (they are about 1/2 the size as last year) PS last year three

pineapple this only two have produced fruit (Note: I have found that it takes

three to five years for pineapple to bear fruit) I was hoping for more do to the fact that I just love homemade Hawaiian pizza. :epizza:

 

But those homegrown tomato's make it all worthwhile. :angel:

 

Congratulations on all of your very impressive gardens. :shrug: :rose: :xx:

[palmtreepathos]

Last night Japanese beetles ate the silks off of half of them.. =-( I treated the rest with diatomaceous earth and set watermelon traps. we will see what works if anything

 

Watermelon traps (my first try) attracted only flies and tiny slugs yet after the diatomatious earth powdering no more silks disappered and we have a nice crop of corn inspite of the Japanese beetles. Also it rained and that may slow them down, but I am not sure about that.

 

3 weeks since last post and how things have changed, having received about 5 inches of rain! the garden looks like a jungle. The greenbeans hit the top of the 7 ft trellis and now hang 3 ft down its side. And don't turn your back on the zucchini or they become melons...:lol:

 

Right now skeeters and mushrooms are what's growing everywhere. The wetlands (400 ft from the garden) was the mosquitoes only hope a month ago now they are free to terrorize the neighborhood. I am suffering from a malarial type infection from being fed upon. oh boy, chills sweats backaches ugh! (This too shall pass with a little homeopathic care.)

 

Is it just my North Georgia neighborhood? I haven't seen a single fire/ant mound this year! 2 years ago the big slugs that were common disappeared. hmm... wonder what is up with that?

[freeztar]

Is it just my North Georgia neighborhood? I haven't seen a single fire/ant mound this year! 2 years ago the big slugs that were common disappeared. hmm... wonder what is up with that?

 

Yeah, I haven't seen many fire ants this year, nor lightning bugs (fireflies for those not in the South). I also didn't see any Japanese beetles until a couple weeks ago, quite late for them. It is a bizzarre year, hopefully the rain will continue.

[Turtle]

Last August(post#164), I reported on a Sunflower that grew a conjoined-twin head. Michael suggested >>

I would be inclined to keep the seed and see if they breed true next year.

I am sure florists would appreciate them.

 

Following this suggestion, I planted only seeds from the conjoined-twin this year and they are starting to bloom. Of the half-dozen or so with flower heads, one is a twin! :bounce:It is not conjoined, but rather has two completely separate flower heads. All of the sunflowers this year have thinnish stems and are rather short. Sorry no photos:camera: as camera is kaput. If I'm lucky I might cajole a racoon into trading a photo for a couple of scans. :)

[Racoon]

If I'm lucky I might cajole a racoon into trading a photo for a couple of scans.

 

 

Absolutely Turtle-San :warped:

I am at your service! and I need a few scans.

 

My yellow pear tomato is so overgrown right now that its crumpled over the tomato cage and shaded/covered my eggplant and bell pepper. I may yank it due to the fact I won't ever eat all these tomatoes...

Yellow pears are good tho'.. But I'll have tomatoes coming out the wazzu :)

 

Picture to follow.

Turtle, PM to follow.

[InfiniteNow]

My yellow pear tomato is so overgrown right now that its crumpled over the tomato cage and shaded/covered my eggplant and bell pepper. I may yank it due to the fact I won't ever eat all these tomatoes...

Yellow pears are good tho'.. But I'll have tomatoes coming out the wazzu

Do you know how to can your tomatoes? This would allow you to put them into the cupboard and use them throughout the year. Also, fresh salsas are great. I'm sure you could make some great stuff with everything else you have growing. Stuffed tomatoes are pretty good too (cook up some ground meat, rice, and whatever else tickles your feather and add it to a scooped out tomato... then put it in the oven for a bit).

 

 

I eat my tomatoes like apples, right off the vine then down my chin.

[palmtreepathos]

Those are sooo good , just like candy mmmm

 

here is a recipe that would use them all at once and be done with it...lol

 

Yellow Pear Tomato Preserves

 

8 cups yellow pear tomatoes

1 lemon

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons gingerroot or thinly sliced candied ginger

 

Wash & dry tomatoes.

Cut a thin slice from blossom end and press out seeds and discard.

Combine tomatoes, sugar & salt, simmer until sugar is dissolved.

Boil for about 40 minutes.

Add thinly sliced lemon and minced or sliced ginger.

Boil about 10 minutes longer.

Pour into hot jars and seal at once.

Sure-Jell optional for thickness

 

my hubby weedwhacked mine before it fruited. Guess I should have told him it was there cuz I planted it... lol he thought it was just a weed... grrrr Wish I had a neighbor who would toss some my way

[Turtle]

Drying is an effective way to preserve tomatoes as well. Slice thick, place on rack, lightly salt, and bake at low ~125F for 10 to 12 hours. Store in jars or plastic bags. Cooling racks for cake/pies works great for this. My excess Romas from last year yielded about 3 quarts of dried fruit.

 

Here's the twin-head Sunflower photo(left). Muchas gracias j'amigo. Will append some other photos of my garden as soon as I fix 'em up. ;) :)

 

addendum: a view of my garden.

blue dots in foreground mark the milo (sorghum)

yellow dot in foreground is popcorn

red dots in midground mark tomatoes

pink dot in background marks acorn squash

 

cukes are in behind squash & out of sight, and the sunflower in front came volunteer. Rather than cages for the tomatoes, I prefer to tie them to tall stakes and pinch off any sucker shoots. Plants get more light, fruit is less crowded, less breakage, and easier harvest. All have copious green fruit. I put up the white shades to reflect the light back into the garden. This is a good technique for any garden backed to a fence, and especially good here as the garden is variously shaded throughout the day by the house.

 

PS There's bio-char in there somewhere! :D

[palmtreepathos]

Drying is an effective way to preserve tomatoes as well. Slice thick, place on rack, lightly salt, and bake at low ~125F for 10 to 12 hours. Store in jars or plastic bags.

Thx for the tip!

I have already tried it and if I can stop snacking on them I may amass a bag or 2 before frost. :hihi:

 

The garden here in N. Atlanta is under some real stress, Having to water every other day even with the mulch, this heat and drought is brutal. The second planting of cucumbers are plagued with big fat green larva, 4 of 5 have them. The larva eat the innards, I eat the outsides and the pond residents eat the larva. On the other hand okra is growing hand over fist. sometimes I have to pick it twice a day .

 

I planted eight fennel plants (bulb type) and am going to harvest one! This is one of the squirrels favorites so next year I will try planting them in 4 inch milk carton sections, that may confound the critters and increase the harvest.

 

I planted 4 moringa trees in March and have harvested leaves most of the summer, they are about 6 feet tall now and one of them is putting out buds for the edible pods. They are purported to taste like asparagus. The nutrtition level claimed for this tree in amazing.* Not sure how I will handle winter yet. They will die back to the ground if they freeze, so I may build my little greenhouse over them this year.

 

As I am typing this I hear wind and RAIN! all of 10 minutes worth, tomorrow it will be as if it hadn't rained at all. Hurricanes are our best bet for shaking the drought, yet at what cost?

 

*THE MORINGA TREE, MORINGA OLEIFERA, IS CALLED MOTHER'S BEST FRIEND

[DougF]

Very interesting I've never heard of a moringa tree before.

[palmtreepathos]

Hope this works better....

 

Beating the drum for the Moringa tree! - Enviro Australia

 

ZijaPower.com - Video

 

Moringa Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Answers

 

This plant leaflet is very small and easily harvested fresh. (see video) I put a cup of the leaves in a large bowl of cream of broccoli soup tonight and hardly noticed that they were there. It seems starchy and creamy foods mask the raw taste. I haven't tried them cooked as a dish yet. I am dehydrating excess leaves for mixing with grains for bread and I sprinkled it (dried) in the sauce on a pizza and the hubby didn't even notice.... :eek_big:

 

I would like to add them to juices and fermented veggies as the summer progresses. It blends well in salad mixes.

 

Many people in America have malnutrition. Unlike starving, it is from a diet high in nutrient robbing refined starches and very low in nutrient dense greens. It causes many chronic health concerns. It is only possible to effect good nutrition by eating nutrient dense foods.

[Turtle]

Drying is an effective way to preserve tomatoes as well. Slice thick, place on rack, lightly salt, and bake at low ~125F for 10 to 12 hours. Store in jars or plastic bags. Cooling racks for cake/pies works great for this.

Thx for the tip!

I have already tried it and if I can stop snacking on them I may amass a bag or 2 before frost. :)

 

Our pleasure! ;)

 

...Not sure how I will handle winter yet. They will die back to the ground if they freeze, so I may build my little greenhouse over them this year.

 

I am baking 2 nice acorn squash from the garden as I type.

 

Wash squash, split in half, and scoop out and save the seeds. Place squash havles in shallow pan, fill with applesause, and bake at 375F for about i hour.

 

To eat the seeds, soak briefly in brine and then bake on low until dry. Makes a nice garnish to the baked squash too.

 

I'm thinking of doing a small greenhouse this year too. Tough call as I rent and Spring is renewel time. Maybe something that breaks down. :)

 

Oh! timer went off. time to eat. :eek_big: :shrug:

[freeztar]

The garden here in N. Atlanta is under some real stress, Having to water every other day even with the mulch, this heat and drought is brutal.

 

I know what you mean. :)

Even my potted pepper plants are wilting. This is, what, the 15th day of +100 temps!!!* Flash lightening was occurring earlier this evening, but no juice. :)

It's pretty bad when you see normally hardy weeds wilting. :eek_big:

 

Does anyone in the metro-ATL area even abide by the watering regs? It seems not. Weekends=water, around my place. :shrug:

 

 

*My temp. readings are from my car, so it may not indicate precise temp.

[Ganoderma]

wow thats a lot of reading! great posts. i am curious what are peoples favourite tomatoes? i am going to be sowing some "Ildi" tomatoes. Very large bunches of cherry sized yellow tomatoes. look good.

 

was wondering if people knew if carrots NEED a cool period to flower. i have some "purple haze" carrots (they are purple and big now) that i would REALLY like to harvest seed from....1.5 years now and all they do is die back and grow new shoots...arg.

 

got some new guava, papaya, custard apple and some herbs coming through now. cant wait till they are harvest able. at least papaya is quick.

 

anybody here grow Luffa sponge? they are pretty damn cool plants with more than just edible uses. i have a few spare seeds if anyone wants to give them a shot...they need a warm long season.