Here's a pictorial update on the tomato Trellis frame I used this season for the first time. I cut most of the vines back this morning, and thought y'all might wanna see just how much the lines held up.
It was so easy to just wrap the vine around the line and anchor it over the crossbar. Will put this frame over all my tomato beds from now on.
The vines topped out at feet 8 feet.
Honestly, the only thing being bothered by insects around here is the kale by cabbage worms. Not about to spray just because of that. Not very fond of kale, planted it by mistake. (thinking I was buying brocili raab). It sure does grow like crazy though.
Linda, is there supposed to be a picture with your post?
Trellis frame update pics.
Linda, is there supposed to be a picture with your post?
Oh geez, my kale is COVERED in those green cabbage butterfly caterpillers. Darn near impossible to see. But the birds help me, the catbirds love to go in there and hunt for worms.
Rcih, how do you fix kale sweet and simple? [I don't know what to do with it.]
I have been eating some of the kale because that is what I have. But I find kale to be a much stronger flavor than brocoli, which I much prefer. I thought I was buying brocoli raab seedlings or I wouldn't have the kale. The jury is still out as to if I would plant it again next year but I am thinking not. Give us a great receipe for kale and maybe I will change my mind!
As for the cabbage worms, I used to grow brocoli and I can't remember if I sprayed it or not. But since I was only interested in the heads, I didn't care if the leaves had been munched on. But I will probably order some thing with BT to use on the brocoli.
I planted the brocoli seeds. I have them in those cell pack thingys you buy at the nursery that I save and reuse. Fresh potting soil and just plant them. This way I can move the seedlings around until they go in ground.
My hubby will eat just about anything, but even he won't eat kale. I don't like it either.
I like kale two ways. First, cooked with pancetta and garlic in a little olive oil until it's tender. The VITAL thing is that the kale MUST have been exposed to freezing temperatures, otherwise it's way too strong for my taste (and I like kale).
The second way is in a classic soup claimed by many nations, made with onions, potatoes, sausages and kale in a meat and/or vegetable broth. I sauté sliced onion in a little olive oil until it just starts to turn translucent, then add sausage (casings removed - a good Chorizo or Andouille work best) and cook until it's brown through. Then I add the kale, torn into small pieces, and toss it in the hot oil, followed by new potatoes - whole if they're small enough. They are grown commercially nearby, and do well in my garden too, so the "new" potatoes are plentiful in the very early spring, just when the kale is at its best. Then in goes the broth, with seasonings and herbs (I like bay and thyme, with a little crushed red pepper, plenty of black pepper, and good sea salt). All is brought just to a boil, the heat is lowered, and the pot is covered and allowed to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. I correct the seasoning if needed and remove the bay leaf or bundled herbs, and enjoy! The kale doesn't dominate, it just adds some interest to the soup (and tons of nutrition).
-Rich
This weekend's happenings:
Since it was so overcast out Saturday, I worked in the cool of the garage. Have I thanked God enough that my home sits on crosswind tunnels that blow straight through my yard and the house when I open windows and doors? But, I digress....
►Painted some "trellis" ladders I scored curbside almost two years ago. Two layers of Kilz Latex primer, to be followed with Krylon Spray paint to coordinate with the fence. The plan is to lay two bags of MG potting mix at the base of the ladders, slit the top, and sink the two cuke seedlings in. Same for the two zucchini squash, but they'll get the royal squash "teepee" built. The pallets will sit underneath the teepee. Pallet gardening at its best! The ladders will just lean on the fence, after I put a face of hardware cloth on them. And (prayerfully), there'll be space underneath the ladders to start some lettuce and spinach seeds and shield them from the scorching sun, once the cukes climb up and cover the frame.
►Painted galvanized poles for the two bird baths I'm constructing. Holding off on further advancement, to let the 11-yr-old nephew tackle some yard projects!
►Ripped the Ky Wonder Green Beans and sifted the pine bark fines mix. Will mix in copious amounts of Black Kow Composted Manure, and put the eggplants there next.
►Played with the bell peppers that are still alive, but just a tad less yellow than before. Sprayed with the MG Water Soluble fert Friday evening, and not a real change by Saturday morning. Well, maybe just a barely perceptible change. Keeping my eye on them.
Sorry for the sideways pics above of the trellis frame that held up 8 ft tomato vines on single lines. Very efficient and neat system. A total "EZ" button!
Well, no freezing temperatures around here so the taste of the kale is quite strong. I was thinking of possibly using it in a soup though. I am thinking that might work.
Very, very interesting -- already getting ready for fall gardens. . . Trying to wrap my head around that idea. Actually I've attempted it before, just can't get myself to plant cool weather crops when it is 100 degrees outside.
I planted cole crops this spring and I too had my share of cabbage worms, except not one was found on my kale. I still have beautiful kale in my garden -- not really knowing what to do with it, but I do put a small newer leaf in my smoothies. If there are enough fruits in that smoothie, it will be drinkable. You guessed it -- not too fond of that super healthy, but strong veggie. Wondering if I leave it in the garden through the summer if it will get that much needed freeze and be somewhat palatable.
Oh, for those who are interested. I planted royal purple bush beans this spring. We picked them this week. Those beautiful purple beans like to hide under all the leaves, close to the ground. I wasn't too crazy about the flavor -- too beany. In fact I am considering pulling them up or rototilling them in.
Now I must go plan my fall garden. . . maybe. Okay, I'll give it more serious thought.
Hi greta!! How are you girl?
Well. I feel like I have moved to hot Texas today here on Long Island, NY as we are haveing a heat wave. Only a short one though for two days and then back to normal temperatures.
I have already put my brocolli seeds in and I hope they don't fry in this heat!
Do you have a way to provide them some shade?
Stephanie, they are in the shade as I started the seedlings in re-used cellpacks like you buy annuals in. I save them, put in fresh potting soil and plant.
So far so good even with this heat as I see tiny seedlings this afternoon. Our temps are supposed to be back to normal by Saturday and nice and comfortable.
My seed packets arrived today!!
Lots of goodies you have there. And looks like your four footed helper is making sure the seeds are well looked after!
He is always sooooo very helpful! LOL
Sorted my fall vegetable seeds this morning. Nothing to sow until August, which will probably be when the tomatoes are about done.
I'm still gun shy about throwing seeds out into my new Raised Beds. I'm still addicted to fluorescent lights and drip trays!
Making my list, and checking it twice. About to start sowing some seeds next weekend!
Got a visiting DGer coming by tomorrow to help me construct my second raised bed. I can finally get all the remaining containers of pine bark fines and sand off the patio, and into the ground where it belongs. Gotta grab LOTS of bags of Black Kow Composted manure, cause these beds are for the broccoli, cauliflowers, and cabbages, the HUNGRY HIPPO water HOGS!
I'm getting excited about growing stuff in the ground for the first time.
P.S. Since I posted about the yellow bell pepper plants, they've perked up a bit. Still not vibrant green, but not so yellow anymore. It's rained hard twice since then, after I watered them with the MG Water Soluble Fert for Veggies. I also spritzed them with a solution of 1 Tbsp. of Epsom Salts to 4 cups of warm water. Supposed to encourage bloom set. And, I'm supposed to repeat this in 10 days. Since I sprayed, the small, nubby blooms that were on the plants before I sprayed have burst open into large blooms. We shall see!
Thanks for ya'lls participation in this thread. Keep posting your moves, so the other growers (and I) can get a better sense of the sowing/planting schedules for the fall/winter gardens!
Hugs, my friends! ^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^
Linda
Linda, which veggie seeds will you be sowing?
Bee,
Here's part of my list (posted above):
From The Sustainable Seeds Company
(Tatume Squash)
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage
Early Round Dutch Cabbage
Brunswick Cabbage
Early Wonder Beets
Detroit Dark Red Beets
Snowball Y Improved Cauliflower
Texas 1015Y Onion Seeds
Red Creole Onion Seeds
Little Marvel Peas
Wando Peas
From Johnny's Select Seeds Company
Waltham Butternut Squash
Acorn Squash
Arcadia Broccoli
Green Magic Broccoli
De Cicco Broccoli
Cassius Broccoli
Fava Beans
Space Spinach and other varieties
Da Cheong Chae-Mini Asian Pac Choi
For the Spring Tomatoes, I'm going to try some of the Dwarf Tomato Varieties. I ordered:
From Tatiana's Seeds (Canada)
Dwarf Wild Fred
SunSugar F1
From Victory Seeds
New Big Dwarf
Tasmanian Chocolate
Rosella Purple
Then, there's:
Mustard & Collard Greens
Seven Top Turnips ( large tops to go with the greens and spinach - all mixed in a crockpot!)
Various Carrot varieties
Lettuce (Romaine)
more Okra (Clemson Spineless, Red Burgundy, Cowhorn, Hill Country Red, Cajun Delight, Stewart's Zeebest)
Eggplants (seedlings going into the new bed tomorrow after it's put together and filled). About 6 different varieties, including Hansel & Gretel, Pot Black, Ping Tung,
Bell Peppers which have been in about 3.5 weeks now. They're starting to make blooms, and trying to green up for me.
I think that about covers the list of what should be growing between now and the end of April? May?
Oh, and I have about 9 rooted tomato cuttings that are going back in tomorrow, too, so praying for a fall harvest of tomatoes for the Thanksgiving table.
I think this is enough...
This message was edited Jul 20, 2012 10:30 AM
Linda, you can always direct sow some seeds and plant some under lights. That way if you have a failure out in the garden, you have back ups. Then you can wean yourself off of planting under lights except for maters and peppers in Jan.
Linda, you and I will be growing some of the same vegetables, so we will be able to compare notes ^_^
Here's my list with proposed sowing dates:
Pak Choi - Toy Choi Hybrid (8/6/2012)
Brussels Sprouts - Catskill (8/13/2012)
Peas - Thomas Laxton (8/13/2012)
Kohlrabi - sweet vienna (8/13/2012)
Cauliflower - Snowball Y (8/20/2012)
Broccoli - Arcadia (8/27/2012)
Beet - Detroit Dark Red (8/27/2012)
Oh, I have baby Pak Choi seeds also. I wasn't sure if I should show them for fall as I had read that Pak Choi is very finicky and hard to grow. I wouldn't know as I have never tried before.
newyorkrita - I didn't know Pak Choi was hard to grow. I've never tried growing it, either. We'll have to compare notes once they are ready to harvest (if the grow, that is.)
From what I read, they want the weather to be just right or they bolt. I guess we will find out.
newyorkrita - yes, I just did some quick research and found the same thing. I also saw articles that suggested adding borax to the soil. I've added this to my shopping list.
Humm, I had not heard that. Really I just got the baby Pak Choi seeds on a whim as I thought it might be a nice green to try and grow.
I just went and really looked at my brocoli baby seedlings. Really tiny but seem to be doing great. So many seeds came up that I will have to do some thinning when they get big enough.
newyorkrita - broccoli seedlings transplant very easily. Just take as much of the adhering soil as possible, and plop them in a new hole slightly lower than they grew before.
Thanks but I really don't have room for the extras. Will have more than enough as it is. I do have other things planned that I also need room for. Don't I wish I had a big plot to plant everything I think of lol!
newyorkrita - I have a huge garden, and still don't have enough room!
I think that is always the way, Never enough room no matter how much there is lol!
Rita, your climate is so different from mine, I *almost hate to say anything.lol
I find the baby and dwarf choi do well. They do mature and bolt quickly, but if I plant small amounts in succession, it works out better then planting a large bed all at once. Hope they do well for you :0)
I made my fall seed order this morning, I hope it gets here quickly, because some I could sow right now.
The squash bugs are so bad, I've pulled all the summer squash plants and ordered some parthenocarpic to grow under cloth.
parthenocarpic zucchini, Caveli and Perfect Pick
watermelon, Sweet Favorite and Trillion
muskmelon, Superstar
cauliflower, Cheddar
winter squash, Autumn Crown and Rumbo
carrot, Hercules
parthenocarpic cucumber, Little Leaf
Romanesco
shelling peas, Wando and Early Frosty
Thanks, lulu, I have the seeds so I figgure I will just try try. The sucession planting is a good idea. I will try that.
A big "shout out" to DGer Kevcarr59 and his wife, Betty, from Buda, Tx., who spent all day working with me Saturday!
Kevin and I put together RAISED BED #2, a 4x8 footer on 16" corner posts. Then we set it in place. This week, I'll face the outside of the box with the extra cedar fence boards I have, to match the new fence and RB #1.
We had so much fun Saturday!
My nephew, Elijah (11 years old), got to handle a drill with Kevin, dig holes for "hole composting" of some veggie scraps and coffee grinds, and finally, SPRAY PAINT some old drawers I scored a month ago. The drawers are so adorable, and will be used as seed starter trays for 1/3 of my fall seeds.
Elijah and his two sisters will plant seeds in the drawers, this next weekend. They'll sow broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, mustard and collard greens. I scored an old liquor crate yesterday, and will sow onion seeds this weekend too.
Elijah will drill the drainage holes in the bottoms of the drawers, since he was off in a tree and didn't get to that part...
Here's a picture of our handiwork. I figure I can add color to the yard, even without flowers! Flowers to come, NEXT spring...
