Scattelogical ramblings and desultory humor - Almost May

Gloria - I just stick them in where ever I have an empty spot and plan to keep them pruned and feed them a whole lot. The medlar, apricot and peach are in half of my front yard which is about 20' x 15'. (LOL) I look for small cultivars and self-fertile trees. I'm inspired by the idea of permaculture and am working towards a 'food forest". The back yard has four trees around the parameter interspurced with shrubs like elderberry, currant and chokecherry. I also use my neighbor's yard - he has three apple seedlings and grows bunches of tomatoes for me. Last year he had a volunteer pumpkin that provided pumpkins for all the kids in the neighborhood! One year I grew cucumbers in the front yard and anyone passing by got a cucumber - whether they wanted it or not! I call it guerilla gardening.

Yankee Cat: Im inspired!

I don't think I can grow cucumbers in my front yard since I have a formal house. But I think there is a little spot on the side where no one would notice! And some of my neighbors would appreciate a cucumber!

yes. Food forest. Im still learning about the concept which is why I was impressed with the trees you have.

Gloria, I think as long as they're burpless the front is fine... I agree with Gloria, Cat - you certainly make the most of your space. I want to grow more edibles too - especially with the ridiculous cost of food now.

Well Victor, I wasn't referring to the burps. I was referring to the expectations of having a front yard to a house with columns on it.
(in the south).

On the other hand, I remember talking to a Check. refugee many years ago. She lived in Prague during WWII and her family had been very well to do. They started a practice of growing vegetables in the flower beds - partly to camoflauge them from the invading officers roaming the streets and partly because it had become the "thing to do". It was more appropriate to plant the vegetables with flowers than to start a separate vegetable garden.

Just playing, Gloria.^_^

I know, Victor. But it really is a good idea to stick some cucumbers in just about anywhere, burp or not.

My younger one - the six year old - has terrible eating habits. One of the exceptions - cukes! So he grows them in his 'garden' - a half-whiskey barrel planter.

That's cute Victor.

what a great idea. I wonder if he would like those tiny tiny tomatoes?

Yes - both kids love the cherry tomatoes.

The one's Im talking about are called "red currant".

Just tried to copy from Tomato Growers, but there is a warning,

these photographs and descriptions are copyrighted.

so noted.

Anyway, they are about the size of a raisin, very small, very sweet.

I'll check them out - thanks!

Red Currant the only thing I can recall is what they made red currant jelly of.

These are a variety of tomato from South America. named 'red currant' because they are small like the fruit, currant which is used for red currant jelly.

I don't like tomatoes... except for "Sun Golds". They are the only ones I'll grow.
They are sweet. It's like eating grapes.
I pick & eat them right off the plant.

Victor, I probably can out-picky-eat your son. LOL!

What I don't like: cukes, broccoli, eggplant, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower & tomatoes (except the aforementioned SGs).

Now you know why 98% of my garden is flowers.
LOL!

Nancy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redcurrant

Here is redcurrant according to wikipedia. a grape or sort of like a grape.

On vegetables: Our secretary years ago was a single mother, sort of a nervous woman who let her son decide what he would eat. Not one thing green nor any vegetable would he would eat.

At 27 he developed a brain tumor. Was there a connection with his diet?. A very high probability. Kids need to eat /or drink/ vegetables and fruits whatever way there is to get them down the kid.

Hi Nancy,

I just posted the slug/grub with scissors photo you sent me on another thread and gave you full credit.

Have you ever tried 'Sweet 100' cherry tomatoes? I think they're sweeter than the 'Sungold'.

I need to find a truly low-acid tomato or I can't eat them at all. They have really killed my stomach the past three years.

We grew yellow big ones, one year, to help out a neighbor who had problems with the acidity of tomatoes and she said she had no problem eating them. Then the news came out and said the yellow had the same acidity as the red.

Try just one tomato minus the seeds.

http://www.ghorganics.com/RedCurrant.htm

link to red currant tomato. "intensely rich but sweet flavor"

don't know about the acidity. I would imagine the white, green (like Green German and Zebra), and yellow varieties would have less acid.

I doubt I can tell from one. The pattern has been that it starts about three or so weeks after we start eating them. Unfortunately, it didn't stop when I stopped eating them. It seems to bring ona general gastritis that lasts months! Not fun. Thought I had an ulcer and treated for it two years ago but got the same symptoms last year. As much as I love them, I would gladly give them up to avoid this.

http://plantsbulbs.suite101.com/article.cfm/green_and_white_heirloom_tomatoes

Here's a list of low acid Heirloom greens and whites

Having had two neighbors who both suffered from Crohn's Disease it made me wonder, Victor. Seeds are forbidden with that problem and also with Diverticulitis/losis, from what the neighbors said.

Thanks Gloria - I'll check them out. Pirl - I never have a problem with any other seeds so I don't think it's that. I know someone with Crohn's - it's a horrible disease.

Yes, Victor, it certainly is.

Gloria, our first attempts at veggies were in a city neighborhood. Perhaps not as fancy as yours. I learned to grow food among the flowers. Cucumbers look lovely and are all but bug free if grown vertically, so on a fence, trellis, etc. is great. I have had good results combining them with cardinal flowers, moonflowers and morning glories. We have grown pickling cukes, arugula, tobasco peppers, and rosemary (mostly to give away because of the Maypop garden) in our raised stone entry planters here in Atlanta. The cukes look great tumbling out of our Tenn. orchardstone planters and across the PA bluestone walks. Of course, come July, someone has to go out and vine wrangle so the guests can make it to the front door! Our first house was a tiny cottage in the city (Atlanta). I had baby bibb lettuces lining the curb, two zucchini plants flanking the front walkway, red okra (which is a hibiscus) as a background planting, tomatoes hidden behind the okra, Jerusalem artichokes on a privacy fence...all in the tiny front yard. They were happily growing with dahlias, zinnias, lilies, marigolds, etc.. Nothing fancy, but we got "Yard of the Month" at least once a summer!

L

MaypopLaurel:

That front yard sounds great to me!

I don't live in a fancy neighborhood, in fact there is a 50 unit project next door to me. But there are 3 historic houses on this side of the road (across from a restaurant and a church) and people around here have very particular ideas about yards and yards of mowed lawn that go with historic houses. if you have a house with columns on it, you have to have a lawn and you have to mow it. You can't plant lettuces along the curb. (it wouldn't be fit to eat anyway, with all the pollution from the highway.)

But I do have 2 acres behind me, so there should be room for some cukes if I got around to planting them.

Victor - the SunGolds are low acid... that's why I like them.

My sister on the other hand is the Tomato Queen. She loves them all. When she was little, she used to eat them like apples. UGH.
She has grown up to 15 different varieties at one time.
She had one called Swedish Heart (or something like that). When you sliced it, the pieces were heart-shaped. Very pretty... but not for me.

Nancy

Nancy - which vegetables do you like?

weggies.... ummmm... LOL!
There are some I do like. Cooked - not raw.
Carrots
Peas
Spinach (I'll eat a little raw, but prefer it cooked.
corn (is corn considered a veggie?)
As far as broccoli is concerned, I will eat a little sometimes... only the tops-not the stems.
Best served with mashed potatoes, so I can hide them. LOL!
I know, bad, isn't it?

On the other hand... I love, LOVE fruit!!!!
I think the only fresh fruit I don't care for is pears. But I like canned pears. Go figure.
Oh, andI'm an "apple snob". I prefer NY Macintosh... in the fall. Any other time of the year, or from any other place - they are just not the same. Heeheehee.

Nancy

Gloria,
Cukes in a hanging basket are fairly attractive and work out very well.

I love NYS golden delicious apples, Nancy. I like most apples.

I'm glad to hear you do like some vegetables and I do believe corn is still listed as a veggie. Most of our tastes are acquired as youngsters. I never thought the day would come when I'd love broccoli, asparagus or spinach because I hated them as a child.

I pretty much like anything but Lima Beans and canned peas. But then again I don't care for anything canned really....fresh is best!
I refuse to eat canned or frozen carrotts, they have to be fresh or I turn my nose up at them, same for spinach.

My mother and one of my sisters used to share a can of spinach. Evil smelling! Only canned corn is tolerable but fresh is still preferred. Just the thought of canned carrots is awful.

Lima beans, fresh from the garden - uncooked - are a delight. The smaller the better.

My finicky son does like some of the stranger veggies that most kids don't - broccoli and asparagus! I love lima beans - cooked in chicken broth. We do the same for brussel sprouts.

Can't stand lima beans! Yuck! Acck! Poo! I'm working on learning to eat more weeds,

Lima beans are bland, kinda like chick peas.. If I am hungry I will eat them but ughhh.

Hence the chicken broth.

Chick peas are good - in hummus or in a tomato gravy.