FALL/WINTER Gardens 2014-15, Part 1

not sure, they are so thick and feathery--would it block out too much sun from them?

then again, here is someone who has done just that. I suppose it would keep away the carrot fly (as they suggest), because of the cosmos foliage being sort of similar to, and intermingling with the carrot foliage, thus confusing them

http://www.bcliving.ca/garden/plant-companions-carrots-cosmos

I was thinking the cosmos might be dying down by the time the carrots would be looking for light. You might have to be careful about whether you're pulling cosmos or carrots, though, with the feathery foliage, lol.

Caveat: I have lots of cosmos experience; I have exactly no successful experience with carrots! Just so you know....

Funny cross-post.

well then that settles it, carrot seed going in the ground tomorrow in between the cosmos plants, lol! i guess when the cosmos starts dying back, i will chop the stalks manually before i decide to yank anything, so that i know what im pulling ;)

It can take up to 3 weeks for carrots to germinate. By that time, the Cosmos should be past their peak. It sounds like a win-win situation.

Linda & Turtles, thanks for the compliment, maybe I will enter it :) (Turtles, I want a mango colored wall!)

Brenda, yep lots of heirlooms. The ones I'm most smitten with right now have to be the 'yellow bell' stuffer, and 'Tlacolula' ribbed. Just gorgeous those two, and taste good too! Go for it w the carrots and onions, let me know how they do. I'm planning on some half-long carrots, but not until mid-august according to my zone planner.

I LOVE turnips! And parsnips too! Especially in soup, but I've seen people boil and mash them like mashed potatoes and im curious about that too..

Linda & Turtles, thanks for the compliment, maybe I will enter it :) (Turtles, I want a mango colored wall!)

Brenda, yep lots of heirlooms. The ones I'm most smitten with right now have to be the 'yellow bell' stuffer, and 'Tlacolula' ribbed. Just gorgeous those two, and taste good too! Go for it w the carrots and onions, let me know how they do. I'm planning on some half-long carrots, but not until mid-august according to my zone planner.

I LOVE turnips! And parsnips too! Especially in soup, but I've seen people boil and mash them like mashed potatoes and im curious about that too..

Pic is of my stuffed tomatoes, forgot to get a shot of them w bubbly mozzarella on top. Yum!

As a kid I hated when Mom made stuffed peppers. She still loves them; I still hate the limp meatloaf stuffed things.

I make my own version. I'm not sure if I came up with the idea on my own or saw something somewhere, but they go mighty fast as party appetizers.

For example:

Banana peppers (fresh) opened long ways and stuffed with seasoned black beans and sprinkled with feta cheese.

Black Hungarian peppers (fresh, moderately hot) stuffed with brown rice and Thai basil, sealed with goat cheese and garnished with paprika.

I have some chorizo in the fridge and I am wondering how it would be stuffed into sweet banana peppers with chopped tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream...

Mom likes mine better, too. :) They are more work, but at a dinner table you could prep the peppers and ingredients and have people stuff their own.

Oh no, I want the veggies fresh and crunchy and the cheese intact, so it's easy to handle with fingers and gives texture. (I cook the beans or rice or whatever beforehand, of course.)

I forgot, with the Hungarian black peppers I gave the rice blend a dab of balsamic reduction to add sweetness before closing up with goat cheese. I think any sweet/acid mixture (like lemon & honey, molasses and vinegar, etc.) would have worked in it's place. The sweet & fat balances the hot.

Hmmm... sweet pepper, spicy raw garlic, wild rice with sweet basil for the starch and... hickory syrup? black walnut pieces with a drizzle of walnut oil? pine nuts and olive oil? The possibilities are endless.

Oh, I got my grower's permit today. $9.25 Some days I love how easy going Alabama is.

Yeah for ALA. I'll have to give your peppers a try since I have bunches.

THANKS FOR SHARING!

had to re sow a few of my beet seeds in one of my containers. going from days where its no higher than 80, then suddenly bam--mid 90s, literally cooked a few of them, so i moved the container back so that it gets shaded sooner in the day

ok so different verdict on whats been taking my beet seedlings one by one...that *%&#@ damping off! (guess it was the long dry period followed by the sudden soggy downpour that done it?) Gave the plants and soil surface a spraying of hydrogen peroxide to see if that would fend it off

Nicole, funny you mention that.. I thought they were okay (I rarely like a recipe the first try, without tweaking it and trying again). My kids on the other hand HATED them. Truly. It was the meatloaf-esque filling I'm sure, although they do actually like meatloaf, jut not inside of their veggies! I do think couscous would be great, maybe even the rice and herbs you suggested. My mom used to make tomatoes stuffed with tuna and topped with cheese, sounds weird but honestly they were yummy.

Jmc sorry about the damping off, that sucks!

I took advantage of baker creek's free shipping yesterday and ordered some seeds for fall (as if I don't have enough seeds!). Can't wait to plant them! Especially the long beans, the catalog boasted that this specific variety is heat AND insect resistant!!

I order seeds too yesterday ... Free shipping ... weeee

I made my own grow pots for my potatoes, peppers and tomatoes this year and had little pieces left over. I made little grow bags for seed starting. I hope the wicking action will help. I am just starting to think of cold weather in the fall and am starting herbs, lettus and greens to tuck in the spaces in the back yard raised beds. I am also going to make some 4 ft mini hoop houses over some of the raised beds to try some greens this early winter. Last year I threw some row cover over my chard and oriental greens and picked my last greens Dec 1 after the snow had fallen. I am also going to try carrots the first time this year.

In addition, I am starting some dwarf tomatoes for growing under lights after the frost. Ill keep pictures posted.

This message was edited Jul 26, 2014 9:57 PM

This message was edited Jul 26, 2014 10:00 PM

I intended to take clipping from my spring tomatoes to root for some fall ones, but time got away from me & now they're all dead. But at the farmers market yesterday, I traded some jam for some tomato starts & now I'll have some fall tomatoes.

Still have to get seeds for all my other stuff. I've been a little slow in my garden planning.

Jo-Ann

Today is "LEAF" day until 2 pm (central time).
I will direct seed some Swiss Chard.
Going out to harvest my summer bounty too
Happy gardening

those carrots are popping on up out of the soil now! along with the kale, and swiss chard :)

Gonna have to restock up on sluggo plus, as i found a couple of sprouts that had been completely severed from their root system.

Good job, holly! Wow sure do wish I could sow (other than seeds lol)! I'll be watching your dwarf tomato plants this winter.. Am growing 'cherokee tiger black dwarf' and it's given me 4 tomatoes and more soon, on an 18" plant! Red pixie dwarf is a little bigger at about 36". I'd be stoked to grow tomatoes through the winter!!

Jomoncon, I also considered cloning my mature mater plants, but have decided to keep tending them til fall. Hope this wasn't a stupid choice!

We're expecting lower temps this week as well as a rain chance, so I hope to take advantage of the weather and gonna add a "roof" to my tomato rows so it will be more of a tunnel. Hopefully I can drape some tulle over top and the resulting shade will help them pull through this texas summer inferno. If it doesn't look ridiculous I'll consider posting pics! Lol

Becky, they make shade cloth which will be more effective than tulle.

NO pic is too ridiculous to post, LOL!

I directed seed cucumbers and winter squash today (fruit day).
First time I am doing this, since I will not be around the world this fall.

StillPlaysWDirt: I actually rooted one of the suckers from my Great White tomato a couple of weeks ago before it pooped out to whatever it succumbed to, and placed it in a gallon container, and now its taking off and going great, reached a height of about 2Ft now.

Good call Steph. I was trying to be le cheap, have been eyeing clearance tulle from Wally World, but I think I'll go w this "summerweight" multipurpose fabric I just found instead since it is actually cheaper!

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Link-Product?pid=11749

Linda, when it's done, I'll post but NO laughing!!

Jmc, good job! I don't fear rooting the suckers, I fear ripping out my 6 ft plants and regretting it! Gonna keep them going and hope it works :)

A sheet would work, too, but it might get heavy if we get any rain.

I thought about a sheet, but the area I most want to cover is 4x34'. Luckily I found the summerweight fabric and it's a 6x50' piece for $20 with shipping :))

Wow Becky; where'd you find that?

Yeah, please post a link to that fabric.

Here's the link again, the 6x20 is $7.95, and the 6x50 is $12.95. I figure even if it's thrashed by the end of the year, it was only $20 (shipping included).

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Link-Product?pid=11749

Carrots, peas, broccoli and beets are sprouting. Hooray.

after learning that beets, chard and kale can be transplanted (i thought they were direct seed only), i started a fresh batch of seed in a container of new potting mix on monday. and will move them to their proper place once they get a sustainable size (i am having the hardest of times with trying to direct seed for some reason, lol)

Jmc1987,
Glad you're having so much success with transplanting beets, LOL! I am thoroughly tickled with your reports. You're still planting them in individual pots for transplant, yes?

I'm about to start dropping seeds here for my cole crop plants.

I spent last weekend washing up yogurt cups and drip trays. Took all day, and lots of hot water, LOL!

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Here's what I've been up to lately...

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