I am finally back home.
The garden grew 4' ... or something like that.
I go to San Francisco every year at the same time and when I come back I start to harvest millions of tomatoes ... but not this year.
Everything seems slow.
But i am keeping harvesting lettuce and onions and i ate 3 okra pods on the spot .... sorry no picture.
I am eating all my artichokes and carrots.
First tomatoes are: Gold Nugget (as usual), Gold Gem, Sweet Millions, Peacevine Cherry, Tigerella, Coyote
Tons of onios are getting ready, beautiful artichokes and lots of green tomatoes.
DrThor: Wow! Your plants must've missed you, they got bored and just grew and grew. :) They're beautiful.
Rita, you've been very very busy, lol.
Gymgirl: I have several Listada de Gandia eggplant doing fairly well, some are big and some tiny, yet. I accidently broke one in half the other day and was just sick, because they're not easy to grow (for me anyway), but I took the broken top with all the leaves and stuck it back down in the perlite/vermiculite mix and lo and behold both the bottom of the stem and the top began to put out leaves. :) I have two tiny Casper eggplants up, but haven't started the other types, yet. I still have a lot of seed to start - this time of year the question's not what can I do, but what do I do first, second, etc. So much to do.
Don't have room in ground. I watched some Y-Tube videos and many people grow them in pots. The watering is not a problem, I can water twice a day. Or more if necessary. And I have my trusty Seaweed and fish liquid fertilizer ready to go. I can stake them, no problem. I kinda wondered about that.
FINALLY, at 9:30 pm CDT I finished replanting my corn. Used all new varieties since I didn't have time to test germination of seeds I'd saved from last year (in sealed bags, refrigerated). An out of town trip last weekend, then over half-inch of rain, doctors appointments, physical therapy appointments, etc. kept me out of the gardenfor longer than I wanted. HAD to finish today since an inch or more of rain is expected in the next 24 hours. Started tilling the weedy area where I'd planted corn the first time about 3:30. Worked until 6:00, then went inside an collapsed for about an hour-and-a-half. Ate supper, then went back out to plant. I was able to rake the seedbed rows smooth before dark. I planted using the Earthway seeder and the lights from my garden tractor, with a flashlight pointed into the seed bin to be sure that the seed wheel was loading. I only planted 600 linear feet this time, rather than the 750 feet the first time. I only had three new types of seeds, one with 63 day maturity, and two with 75 day maturity. I may do germination tests on the seeds I tried the first time, then plant some of that in August for a fall harvest. If these don't grow I will be visiting the grocery store produce section more frequently this summer.
David
I've never staked any of my Eggplants but this is the first year that Ive grown Black Beauty, maybe it a larger plant. I grow them and peppers in containers just like a perennial I have about 20 pepper plants in containers from last year.
David if you do a germination test please let us know the results. I think the soil has been too cold and then when it gets wet evaporative cooling makes it colder. It was 47* here yesterday morning and even today when I was planting the ground felt much cooler then the ambient temps.
Drthor, I was just looking at threads from last year to see how far the weather has put everyone here behind. You had tons of tomatoes this time last year! I'm hoping this means a bit cooler of a summer and a longer season into fall?
Planted out a Poona Kheera cucumber in my front garden bed in amongst the flowers, and a Stupice tomato, too - the front yard gets the most sun, and there's a huge warehouse loft building with white walls across the street, which I swear makes it hotter.
The zukes and cushaw grow a foot every time I look at them!
Watched a monarch come out of its chrysalis on the back patio with my morning coffee. Lovely morning!
So my husband put the high nitrogen onion fertilizer on the tomato plants last night before the rain. :( What can I do to counteract this organically??
Stephane I would drench it with water. This might dilute it and leach it out. That's the only thing I can think of to do and tell your husband to stay out of the garden. Every time somebody helped me in the garden I ended up with more work so I don't let anybody go in them anymore. I've put too much time and energy into it to have somebody else mess it up. Maybe your husband can stand there with the hose. Lol
stephanietx
is any of your tomatoes ready to harvest yet?
OH, Steph! Flush, flush, flush! Then, flush some more!!!
The soil temperature finally cracked 70F today. Last year on April 1st, it was 72F!
Well, dont drown the mater, but nitrogen flushes faster than the other 2! It will green up a lot and get bushier depending on how much extra fert he poured out...
Well, hurray for me! :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: I had to get potting soil so I went to our local nursaery and bought two bags. While I was there I bought a yellow zucchini called Buckingham. I though yellow ones were summer squash but they are calling this a zucchini. Definately yellow. In single small pots but I have two nice seedlings in mine. So I will be potting them up and have two pots of yellow zucchini and the three pots of green.
I also bought a six pack of cauliflower seedlings. I have never grown cauliflower, I don't even buy it at the store! :whistling: :rolleyes:
And I really, really had to stop myself from buying strawberry plants that I have no room for.
Well....Mark went out and scraped up what he could of the fertilizer, which was pretty much all of it, then he applied the correct fertilizer. Then, the heavens opened up and the rains came. He also dug out more of the comfrey and put the leaves in a 5 gal container of water to steep so we could use it as liquid fertilizer for the maters. He also found 3 beefsteak babies on the plant closest to the comfrey. We also harvested some blackberries today. This is just the start. The bush is loaded!
I planted my two yellow Zucchini. They are in pots. And I made a place for the 6 cauliflowers, planted them but realised I had 7 in the tray. An extra seedling. So I put that one in a small pot.
The yellow zukes arent bad. some of em might have a green bottom, but otherwise look like a straight yellow squash- good flavor.
Yes, the picture of the yellow zucchini looks like a common yellow summer squash. Really nice looking plants and I only had green zucchini planted so I just could not resist. But I figgured it couldn't taste bad and should be different from the green.
stephanietx
you are ahead of me with the Blackberries. Mine are just starting to change color.
Okra is starting to make lot of pods already.
Still harvesting a lot of lettuce. This will be the first year that I am eating tomatoes with lettuce together.
Lots of green peppers.
Tomatoes are starting to turn color really fast now.
My zucchini are also growing really well under my organdy ...
What was I thinking when I bought that fabric ... look at those colors ...
Anyway, now it is put at good use; Squash Vine Borer I will full you this year !!!
stephanietx -- beautiful blackberries!
Nice zuke covers, drthor. I don't have any lettuce left (it bolted). I have some purple romaine going in a shadier part of the garden, though, and it is still coming in.
My squash are just starting to develop -- yellow crookneck mostly. I used tulle over the squash until I started to get blossoms, then pulled the covers off. My back-up squash vine borer defense is aluminum foil around the base -- hope that works! I picked a couple little yellow squash even though they were very small, on the premise that it will encourage more production. I think I read that somewhere!
I have only picked 3 or 4 cherry tomatoes so far -- lots more 'maters on the horizon. Can't wait!
Small cukes developing, but they seem to stay smaller than I thought they would -- "Market Mores." The largest is only about 4 or 5 inches so far and now seems stalled.
Two cantaloupes on the vine - one is tennis ball-sized, the other just the size of a shooter marble.
Have had 5 meals' worth of green beans off my vines but they area slowed/stopped now.
Had my best season so far with strawberries. That's not saying much, but I enjoy finding a berry now and then. I have 7 plants.
Picked one small pepper and have another couple starting.
Eggplant still struggling -- I think I put the tulle down OVER some flea beetles because the ravaging just never really stopped, although the plants are still hanging in there.
I just have one cabbage. It seemed stalled for awhile but is now starting to get going.
And one pumpkin -- I threw in 1 seed a long time ago and nothing came up. But now it has started.
Two or three watermelon - also still rather small, I think they like soil sandier than I have it.
Onions are lying on the ground. Have used a couple, and I don't think they're going to get any bigger so may as well start pulling and using the rest.
Okay, that's my update here in San Antonio.
I'm still trying to figure out how it was 47* Monday morning and 77 this morning.
When are squash plants too big to be bothered by vine borers?
I don't believe the squash plants are ever NOT bothered. It's a matter of protecting the plants you have, in order to end up with some larger plants that can withstand the hits better than the younger plants that would be totally wiped out.
The larger/bigger plants have at least a chance of giving you some fruits before the SVB does them in.
DISCLAIMER: "..at least I think that's how it goes..."
Linda
Knock on wood but my plants look great and have flowers just getting ready to open, the zuke even has a female bloosom. I have purple tulle but I haven't used it yet....the cool temps seem to have kept the bugs at bay. I was thinking of injecting the stems with Bt as a preventative. I've never had plants do this well here they are really big.
Congratulations, 1lisac!
Sounds like you've flown under the SVB radar (for the moment, LOL).
If the plants are big and healthy, I think I'd go ahead and inject at least some of the stems with the Bt. Bottom line is that the SVB is always lurking. And, it has TWO very long egg-laying seasons. So, not to be the voice of doom and gloom, I'd hedge my bets now, before it warms up again...
P.S. Glad to see so many of us are using the tulle! I have my bell peppers covered, and not a mark on them since I did!
SVB is drawn to yellow - yellow solo cups/plates with vaseline draws em and you know they are there to poison. luck with bt
I decided I needed to start the rest of my seeds so I am starting inside my cowpeas, bush beans, yard long beans and some Scartett runner beans. They have joined the Armenian cucumbers that I set up the other day but have not sprouted as yet. I start them inside using those veggie six or 4 pack cells that I reuse and just put fresh potting mix in. Then I keep them in my kitchen cause it is warm and the seeds usually sprout quickly. After the seeds break the surface I bring them outside in the sunshine. If its still cold, I bring them in at night and put them out during the day. So lets see how long it takes them to sprout.
I also planted in ground my seedlings that I had I grew myself of cucumbers Straight Eight, Suyo Long and Camilla. And the melons seedlings. Planted them in ground also. I have Avara, Green Machine and Sakura.
I am taking no chances, I sprinkled the Sluggo around as soon as I finished planting. Don't want the slugs to eat up my seedlings. Last year I had bought Burpless Cuke seedlings and the slugs totally ate and wiped out the first batch. I had to buy them again and replant. I learned my lesson. Sluggo out as soon as they are planted.
Some of my Pepper plants have open flowers already. And my Suggery grape tomato not only has flowers but 5 green fruits already. And I see Sungold has open flowers today also. And Viva Italia has been flowering. The rest of the tomato plants are doing well, growing and much bigger than they were when planted.
My Zucchini have buds forming, I can see them. But my eggplant isn't doing much of anything yet. Just sitting there.
I've picked 2.3 lbs. of Mule Team tomatoes, and I LIKE them! They are a great blend of meaty and juicy without being runny. And, the skin is NOT tough! It is a good balance of sweet to tang, too.
I get the feeling these are gonna beat our heat and keep cranking out tomatoes.
My bells have settled in and are producing blooms.
Last year's white Hansel? Gretyl? eggplants have fruits. It was so mild, they over-wintered on the covered patio and came back.
My onions are stalling, but they're alive. I need to move them into more sun.
The Black Beauty eggplants sowed in the EBs are full of blooms. I divided them out last weekend.
I pulled the last of the carrots, and stored them in the "froot" cellar I made in the fridge. Thank you Alton Brown!
Inside I have flats of bells, more Eggplants and a couple tomato plants ready for hardening off tomorrow. Have to wrap them in tulle for their field trip!
Topped off a raised bed with some coffee grinds and discovered three of those big brown larvae. But, I was prepared this time, and didn't drop them when they wiggled. It was the last thing they did...
Tomorrow I need to paint some planters and plant caladiums and daffodil bulbs. Then, soak some okra seeds, long beans, and zucchini squash.
That's my update!
Linda
This message was edited May 18, 2013 6:15 PM
Ordered seeds at Burpee because they have that $2.00 flate rate shipping. Got Sweet Sucess Burpless cucumbers. Will save them for next year. Also got 2 types of yellow summer squash. Golden Egg Hybrid and Summer Saffron. Both are non crookneck types. Golden Egg really does have an oval shape and the other is just typical squash or zucchini shape. I have been reading about planting squash for a fall harvest but not sure if they mean summer squash or those hard shelled vining types. I don't want to grow the winter squash, I don't really like winter squash.
Very different year in gardening for you, isn't it, with all the seed starting? I think it's so fun to watch for "lift off" of the seeds, watching them grow fast. It's kinda like waiting for babies to be born, lol (well...kinda). You are going to have a tremendous garden!
The only seeds I ever start are the easy ones ha-ha.
Linda,
Great update. Your seed-starting efforts are sure paying off. I have never heard of mule tomatoes, but am glad to know it's a good one.
I love seeing your success at eggplant. Mine are struggling but I am encouraged when I see other folks' eggplant coming along. I think maybe I put mine out too early so it got cold-stressed, then it was further stressed by flea beetles, and the tulle I put down either had some loose spots so the flea beetles got in anyway, or I trapped some under the tulle. But it is looking better this week, anyway, so maybe it will catch up.
On your planters - daffodil bulbs now? I guess I always thought the bulbs had to wait until fall.
We leave em in ground all year down here- they can bloom twice a year most seasons- daffs, narcissus, lycoris, cannas, iris, - we just dont get the ground frozen deep enough nor long enouch to affect them. Crocus we have to throw bags of ice on em long enough to get their chill hours, or take up and chill and repla.t tho.
I realized that I did two planting of garlic last year. I pulled out the ones I did in September and I soon realized that they are ready ... but I am glad that I stopped to pull.
I need to harvest garlic on a ROOT day so it will store well. Next week I have lots of root days.
I am harvesting yellow granex onions that are start to fall over. No need to store these right now. My husband is a "onion monster" ... until the cucumbers will start.
I also harvested a few okra pods and tomatoes.
Yes the tomatoes are starting to ripen every day now. Finally !!
So far I am so impressed by the taste and color of Jeunne Flamme ... amazing !!
This is the first eggplant that is starting to ripen. It is Malaysian Dark Red Eggplant http://www.rareseeds.com/malaysian-dark-red-eggplant/
My eggplant plants never look so good. I did plant them in the opposite side of the vegetable garden ... away from flee beetles ... so far the beetles have not found them ...
No spray and no cover on them ...
Okra pods
Cucumber growing crazy ... I hope soon to start to harvest.
Tomatoes .. weeeee
LiseP
flee beetles are really small and they will go trough the tulle ... sorry
Also, SVB will be able to lay eggs through the tulle holes if he can get close enough to a leaf ...
Every morning I am "manually" pollinating my zucchini under my organdy cover.
I do have a few growing .... weeee
I am so impressed by this and I am upset I was too lazy and I didn't use it before.
Organdy is very light and it will move around with the wind without damaging the leaves.
Also the water goes through 100%
So far so good
Good friends that you need to have in your garden
The blackberries have started ripening!! My bushes are loaded and I don't even like them. LOL
Yesterday's berry harvest.
The Texas Legends are starting to flop over. I'll be harvesting soon!
