> Congratulations Terri! Those vines do look big. I have been thinking of having a second plot dug next year just for melons and pumpkins. But more towards the front of the property. Not so wet there.
Believe it or not, I think I've heard of vine okra before. I may be imagining things though. Seems like something I heard from my grandmother when I was a kid.
Finally! I have a veggie garden!
Wow Terri, that watermelon looks impressive!! 15ft is about the space of my whole veggie garden at the moment...!
Liza, I bought a gourmet lettuce mix from containerseeds.com and it has romaine, looseleaf & buttercrunch lettuce types in it, just got it to try some different ones. I also bought another mix with tom thumb, little leprechaun & little gem romaine but none of those seems to be doing as well.
I got my first female squash flower and took catmad's pollinating advice just to be sure the flower would be pollinated... but it has shrivelled up and I am now concerned from another post elsewhere I have blossom end rot - hoping it's just a bad one though...
gmun, 15ft is just one of these watermelon vines. Its funny, my tomatoes are sulking (all but Sungold) but my watermelons are thumbing their nose at the tomatoes and yelling "Let's Party"! I may be giving away watermelons this year instead of zucchini!
Mother Earth news calls it climbing okra, and it's great fried- shake with a bit of flour/cornmeal mix, or even Masa Harina better flour, tastier than eggplant, freezable for later.
That's interesting kittriana. I really do think I remember my grandmother talking about "okra vines".
I'm pulling everything but the okra up this weekend. The grass is trying to take over. It's dry enough to walk on without sinking so I guess I'll cover with some kind of landscape material or even black plastic until I can get something done about raising it. I'd spray to kill the grass but I don't want to risk the okra since it's still doing so well.
Lucky you with your melons Terri. I bought one from the store this week and it was pretty blah.
Miss Abigail had a melanoma taken off her toe today and got her teeth cleaned. Not that there was really anything wrong with her smile but the toe needed to be done so might as well do both while she was asleep. Hopefully that will be the only one and it won't come back. She was a very good girl about everything. But she always is.
"This is so pointless I know. But I'm a (dare I say it) middle aged, woman and for my whole adult life I have longed for a veggie garden."
See what you started "mouse"? LOL
Vortreker, consider very seriously what veggies you like, some can be grown on a patio in a pot, I know that wherever I move to, I will always have onions, and garlic, an chives. I find a place they become permanent in my yard, even if that spot is nestled next to and out from under a bush, or out on the apartment porch with the succulents I found and brought home, basil, esp sweet is hard for me to grow. Red leaf basil was invasive for me at one home, but here I have 3 plants struggling. I love aromas, there is usually a mint that I can make jelly out of to add as sugar to hot tea this winter. Lemon balm, simply for the aroma. that is how you start.
LizaMouse, VORTREKER, I was just thinking the same thing. What a good thread this is!
Hope the doggie is doing fine!
I'm going to be pulling the last of the determinate tomatoes this weekend. They've done a really good job despite the curling leaves and tomato horn worms. Next year will be better!
I only have a few okra, 6 plants, may have less since I just got around to seperating 2, and relocating 1, pinched off the lower leaves and buried 2 of them a bit deeper than previously, we'll see, will retrench my water ditch when my g'son gets up, big grin here, helping him train to dig ditches since he signed with the Marines and will go in Oct. Little Knothead.
Am supervising the hired help, they've been lazing aroun far too much, Baby B the lawn mower-way too smart for her Paint blood, opens gates and tries to get into the feedshed every possible chanc, but she's rough on bermuda, none better. And my Gypsy-Rottweiler/White wolf cross, sweetheart and Game Warden, dirty dog. she hates water hoses. I'm 58, don't think that qualifies as middle age, my paternal grandparents didn't give up their garden til they were in their late 80's-early 90's. They just found ways to bank the plants and reduce the knee/backaches, and invite the g'kids to 'learn how to' sessions. Seriously tho, we loved the chance.
Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am at how this thread turned out. I'm more of a lurker type. We have a nice friendly bunch here though. Kit, Gypsy is a pretty girl. I don't see the rotty in her though! I like your lawnmower. A neighbor near me has a goat that he stakes out at different areas of the yard as his lawnmower. He eats in a big circle during the day. At night he goes back in the goat pen and then they move him to a different place the next day. They always have a bucket of water set out for him to wash it down.
Terri, somehow Abby's cornea got injured during the surgery. By late Thursday night it was swollen closed. It looks like maybe her open eye got laid on the grate on the table where the tech did the dental. I'm not happy, obviously. I can't be too vocal though because, if I never mentioned it before, I work there. Her doctor gave us salve and it seems a little better today. He will stain it again Monday to see how it's healing. My poor girl has had a bad two months. But the toe looks good.
I got out there today and pulled up everything but the okra and one squash plant that actually has a squash on it. Discovered perhaps the saddest casualty of the whole thing....a deflated baby watermelon. Then I ran the Mantis (I LOVE my Mantis) around a little over half of the area before I pooped out from the heat. I still have the low end left to do which is where most of the grass is. But the ground is soft so that helps. I don't think I'm going to try to do anything to that end this summer except keep the grass out. I'll build it up in stages over the winter. But the higher end doesn't need too much raising so I'm going to get some soil delivered this week and start over. I'll have to look at my guide from the LSU ag. extension to see what would be good to plant. I'm still putting some tomatoes in buckets though.
Kit, my okra plants are in two's because they got big enough that I was afraid to pull one up without disturbing the other and I couldn't bring myself to cut one down. It hasn't seemed to bother them any. They're big and bushy and still producing okra like crazy. The mint jelly in hot tea is a great idea! I'm definitely going to try that. And I think 58 absolutely qualifies as middle age!
Poor Abby, I hope she is doing ok...
And your poor watermelon, a "deflated watermelon" that's not a good image!
My veggies seem to be doing ok although I'm not really sure how - the weather is tropical up here! Heat index hitting 100 or close to it almost every day and we've also had loads of rain (such a good thing really!) so my plants seem to be melting then drowning just now!! However, they seem ok and I do have lots more tomatoes turning red, so they are still well.... and still delicious!
Hey Liza, how's it going?
How is everyone's veggies doing?
I finally ate a zucchini last week and it was gooooood! I have 3 more growing on my plant now and have family coming from Scotland this week so I'm excited about feeding them my veggies (probably too excited...). Cherry tomatoes are doing well have had lots of these and keep counting (I have 33 red ones and 154 green ones at the moment!!); romas have done ok, have had a few to eat but they're slower; had a few baby carrots today - also delicious and surprisingly my lettuce has been doing pretty well even in the heat we've been having so lots of fresh salads; my herbs (cilantro, basil, mint, dill) have also been good and we have enjoyed a few small (but cute) bell peppers - I had a purple one, which was very cool (although I was a little disappointed it was green inside)!
My cucumbers have been a disaster, although I keep thinking they are going to die and then some new green leaves appear (the other ones are kind of brown and shrivelled) and then they flower, but I haven't eaten a cucumber yet... strawberries were a real disappointment, hardly any berries and same with the blueberries.
Hope everyone is doing well :)
Hi gmun! My computer has been on the fritz and it's only limping along now. It's old and sickly. On the other hand, Abby has been well and that's the important thing.
Holy moly that's a ton of little tomatoes! I'm glad so much of your stuff has done well! I bought seeds for those colorful bell peppers but they never got planted. The purple ones are so pretty but I had heard that they're green inside. I was disappointed to find that out too. I'm still picking okra and have three new tomato plants in 5 gallon buckets on the deck. This summer has been so wet here. I'm not going to be able to do anything with the existing garden this season except start building it up. I covered most of it in straw for now.
Hope you're having or had a good visit with family and hope they like tomatoes!
Hey Liza, everyone loved the tomatoes! How are yours coming on? I guess mine must be coming to the end of their lives up here soon, although the weather is still hot so I don't really know how much longer they'll go on... they are still flowering and producing more tomatoes so I will just enjoy them as long as I can!
It's good your okra has been a success! I have still not tasted it... keep forgetting until I come on here.
I am thinking of pulling up a few (dying) flowers this weekend and planting a few cooler weather veggies in the flower bed to see how that goes. I have enjoyed the summer veggie experiment so maybe keep it going a little bit longer...
"This is so pointless I know"
LOL--I still smile every-time I read this first post.
Your grandmother is smiling down at you also.
VorT, I know she is too. Smiling down at my never-ending okra. The rest of it may have drowned, but I know now that as long as I have okra seeds, I'll never starve. I am...the okra queen. LOL!
gmun, I'm so happy that your summer veggies turned out so well! I'll always...ALWAYS...remember that your sister thought your tomatoes were grapes! I'd definitely try some fall plantings if I were you. My original intentions were to plant beets now so you can plant them for me. They'd probably do well up there. Maybe brussel's sprouts? They're supposed to be better tasting after they've been "frosted". And rhubarb! For Thanksgiving pie! Is your groundhog still around?
My container tomatoes are looking pretty good out there on the deck. I'll keep you posted but I think I'll get some tomatoes. I bought some herbs to go in the pooped out flower pots. I still have months to go before a chill. And much as I love summer, this one has been hot and wet and I'm ready for chilly breezes and open windows. I bought a screened door for the back so I'm excited! Haven't had a screened door since I was a kid.
A very late reply... we were enjoying some september weather at the beach this past week. Very relaxing.
Glad to hear your container toms are looking good. MY little cherry ones certainly provided a full crop and they are still producing although not for much longer now I would think. Funny you mention the fall plantings.... I pulled out the dying flowers and have made a little veggie garden in half of the flower bed with peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach and BEETS so I will keep an eye on them especially for you! I had a really hard time NOT buying lots more seeds but I really don't have much space! Definitely in the future though... hope the fall veggies turn out well!
It sounds as if you are going to keep at this and I hope you get some tomatoes and I'm sure that in future years you will get way more than okra although as the okra queen you will still be happy with lots!
We don't have our groundhog anymore, sadly we think he might have become road kill... he has been replaced by an annoying little bunny though but most things are fence protected.... my biggest problem has been caterpillars!
Happy fall gardening!
Hi to anyone out there that's still watching. What's everyone up to?
My fall tomatoes did way better than the summer ones. And tonight I ordered seeds to start now. Hopefully if I get the tomatoes out earlier this year, I'll get some before the heat zaps them. And I ordered grape tomatoes too.
As you saw from my other post I'm playing in the snow rather than growing anything just now!
I'm waiting to hear if my US visa can be extended until the summer and then going back to Scotland so I'm not sure what to do... if I have to go home in March I'll try my window-box gardening there but if I end up staying here until June I might just try some fast things (lettuce maybe) but I might not have the time to grow things and get to enjoy eating them - any suggestions on fast growing veggies anyone?! Don't think they'll let me take my plants home on the plane......
I didn't realize that you were just visiting here. The clock is ticking...you'd better try that okra before you go! Somehow I don't imagine okra is a supermarket staple in Scotland. I don't know what you could grow up there quickly before you leave; but, I do love window boxes. I've had strawberries and herbs in them as well as flowers.
Ha ha, I don't imagine it's a supermarket staple in Scotland either!
My parents live here and I was getting treatment for Lyme here as there is way more expertise here, especially in this area so it's been kind of a long-term visit, but I'm finally recovering and going back to Edinburgh to do my PhD starting in September. You can post your lovely hot-climate photos and make me very jealous when I get back there!!
Lyme's disease was common in Tennessee. We don't have it in Louisiana though. I'm surprised. We have every other scourge or plague you can think of. I'm glad you're doing better.
Thanks :-)
They say Lyme is very rare in Scotland too, but newer info is suggesting it's just not detected very well. I'm pretty sure I've read it's been found in all US states (maybe not Alaska...?) but it's definitely more common in some areas. I was talking with friends in Australia last week and they were talking about tennis b/c the Australian open was on and apparently a female Aussie tennis player has just come back after recovering from Lyme, so it's making the news there too. Like everything else, it's awareness that will help people, so any publicity and info is good!