Edibles - '08 - Part 2

Schichkenlady....lol....but beware monocrop or semi-moncrop horticulture! When you asked about hornworms at 6:37 AM this morning I had to go out and look of course. They aren't a concern (now) but Blight is. Had Early Blight in early July. Knocked it down but it's baaackkkk......not deadly serious yet but it's a race to the frost line to see what gets the plants first. The economics for market growers or those, like me, just trying to defray costs, of tomatoes are certainly appealing enough--a return of over $2 a sq ft at bargin basement prices (if things go well).

Victor...used, preserved and gave away the crop last year. This year a restaurant will take whatever it can use. We'll freeze some and give a bunch away too.

Patti....you'll like the white grow bags with handles (but the black ones are adequate too and a quarter the price). I haven't decorated with them much as you plan on doing but did some. Fun to dig a hole the grow bag just fits in and put a plant in so it appears to be, from a distance, growing in the lawn. Have a 5' tall brugmansia in the front lawn in a sunken grow bag. Certain someday a brug person will drive by and do a double-take--"What is a zone 9-10 plant doing growing in the ground in zone 6?"

I thought my tomatoes were doing well. You have me beat by 2 feet, David.
I like the tomato tunnel idea.
Watch out for splitting with all this rain. Pick any ripe ones now. I don't have an irrigation system, just hand water when needed. My early '4th of July' are coming in fast, I went out yesterday to gather every one.
Andy P

Andy.....yup... splitting is a problem already. Sungolds, Ester Hess Yellow Cherry and Jaune Flammee were splitting before the rain last night. Picked everything ripe this evening and much of it won't last more than a day because of the cracks. Also going to have a problem with Early Blight. Forecast here is for scattered thunderstorms until the end of next week....oh well....

Bhut Jolokia peppers are unfazed by everything. Most problem free plants in the garden:

I picked my sungolds early last year.... to avoid the splitting... and let them ripen on a sunny window sill.... avoided the whole splitting problem with them

Who would do this to horseradish? Nothing else has been bothered. Patti

That is downright artistic how whatever did it chewed the leaves from the bottom up. Something has been chewing on my one brug in a similiar but less extensive manner.

David_Paul, artistic? too funny, but you are right. I just hope I have roots after the first frost for my much loved horseradish. Patti

Never mind - the rapid and extensive discoloration, wilting, and death of plant tissues.

Heres Ninny - other than yellow leaves on a tomatoe plant, what is blight?

This message was edited Jul 25, 2008 2:07 PM

mmmmm horseradish on Beef-On-Weck ...... mmmmmmmm

My first tomatoes of the season, yay!
1 roma and 1 noid

Nice, Jen .... I am doing "hot house" tomatoes in the GH for the first time this year, and my Roma has its first fruit almost ripe! The BeefMaster is still a bit away.

Yours looks nice and sweet.

The blight we Northeasterners are afflicted with is Alternaria solani.

It's everywhere.

At least in my limited experience.

Dahlia Timona Pastel slumming with the edibles in the vegetable garden:

My finest cuke has matured and arrived. Here is a shot glass to measure it by. Thought it was a good laugh ? lol

My friend said everyone is complain about tomatoe plants as the leaves are yellowing and falling off. He said some of his tomatoe plants have "no" leaves. I am starting to feel the yellowing and "Blight".

How's everyones gardens doing after all this heavy rain? Besides the new crop of weeds.
My peppers grew so heavy some plants fell over, the blackberries are huge. The cantaloupe have spread out of bounds even though I gave them extra space this season.
My understanding of the tomato blight is it's a soil born virus that gets splashed up on the leaves in the rain. A mulch should take care of the problem. I didn't mulch this year but I have minimal blight, go figure.
Andy P

All y'all are makin me hungry with all these great pics and especially the recipes.

Someone should start a NE Forum thread where everyone posts their favorite heirloom recipes from great grandma .....

:-)

Ditto on the blackberries. Zucchini going crazy. Tomato plants getting big with lots of small fruit starting.

Andy.....I don't mulch either and Early Blight is and on again off again problem. True enough, the spores splash up from the soil but Alternaria solani also is blowin' in the wind. I see infections sometimes start 5 feet up from the soil.

Sweet Pickle Peppers:

I HAVE BLIGHT ! Tons and tons of leaves yellowing on the tomatoes. It is begining to be sad looking.

I am going to my friends house about 20 miles north west of me. I am going to look at his tomatoe plants that has no leaves. I am getting paranoid. I will take the camera and come back with pics.

Sorry to hear that Sherrie!

Cauliflower

Green Pepper

Zucchini

Watermelon

Wax Beans

Summer Squash

Honey Rock Cantaloupe

'Time to pick the blueberries'

YUM

Nice! How big does that watermelon get?

It's Crimson Sweet and can grow 15-25lbs. I also have Sugar Babies growing too.

oh and by the way.... I planted my sugar baby seeds in spring.... and pulled them thinking they were weeds... LOL

it took me a few days to even realize it.... OOPS

that's why I can not direct sow anything

I think a skunk is eating my cucumbers! Now that really stinks! (Sorry Victor)

I agree Yank, that stinks! Hee hee hee

Yuck! Tell them to stick to their cabbage...

OMG! They might eat my cabbage, too?

No, I was kidding. Was referring to 'skunk's cabbage'.

In the high brow, designer vegetable department I have developed a new squash for music lovers. I'm calling it the pan flute squash. If I can get another couple of conjoined segments I could become almost famous!

Laurel

One, I find it much easier to start melon seeds in pots, recycled yogurt cups with holes drilled in them. They sprout faster and I have no cutworm problems. Although something ate one seed this year, bird? The pack only had 15 seeds.
May, that's a funky looking squash. Two for the price of one.
Pixie, Sugar Baby watermelon are an old variety. I remember my neighbor growing them in New Hampshire when I was a kid. Darn good melons.
Andy P

I think I may try Sugar Baby next year.