Posted on 03/27/2015 1:25:20 PM PDT by greeneyes
For those who are planting I want to mention my best discovery last year - bush cucumbers. I don’t know a variety name but I found a small pot at a greenhouse last spring. I got so many cukes it was hard to keep up. Just used a large tomato cage. Easy to pick and it was so prolific I had lots of young ones ready at the same time for pickles too. Also gave lots away. I’ll never grow vining cukes again.
Thank you Texokie. I’m getting ready to plant some pole beans in the community garden and some bush beans here at home.
I’m in Western Colorado, about 30 miles from the Utah border in the high desert at the foot of the rockies. There is currently a “hops rush” going on over here. Apparently the do quite well. I had been trying to get hold of cuttings, but could only find seed, and everything I read said starting hops from seed was pretty difficult. I’ll get some pics up by the next garden thread.
/johnny
My back garden that I'm actually going to start cultivating this year. All plants in picture are volunteer at this point. The area I'm working is inside the carpeted area, and I haven't really cleaned the carpets off yet. They still have leaves and plants on them.
/johnny
Less & less water in CA.
Back in the 70’s, before all the development along the river here, hops, and little wild strawberries grew there. We’d see them when we’d ride horses. I always wondered if they originated with the shingle camps, which were the first settlements here.
Looks good. Waste not, want not.
/johnny
I’ve begun work to get my place certified organic.
It takes three years to obtain that certification so I decided a couple weeks ago to get started.
My plan is to begin growing tomatoes on a commercial basis. Start small, invest the profits, and when the time is right say goodbye to the 9-5 rat race.
You can share the envy. ;)
This is my cured pork, pre-cooking and then it will smoke so that I can eat it tomorrow and the next day, and the next....
The smoker/whatever I picked up off the side of the road. That's my favorite recycle. I've used that device for smelting copper and aluminum. That's how I burned a hole in it. Oops. So now, I mostly smoke meat in it or cook meat. It works great for that. I never use the gas stuff on it. I always have some hardwood laying about.
/johnny
How very cool! I need to keep my eyes peeled for those! Thanks!
You are most welcome!
How cool is that? You’ll have some good stuff coming out of both gardens!
The pork, slowly smoking. I'll cover it about 4pm and let it slowly cook until 6 or 8 or get it in the AM. ;)
BEANS - 2nd Installment
POLE BEANS - Supporting Guide
* provide a trellis or other vertical support at planting time. In general, bush beans do not need any support.
*Apply mulch ONLY after the seedlings emerge to conserve moisture, to reduce weeds, and to keep the soil cool during summer hot spells - high temperature can cause blossoms to drop off.
*Pole beans trellis - One option: Install studded steel T-Posts of 8 feet tall at 4 foot spacing between each post. Secure wires every foot off the ground between each pole. Take 3 tall bamboo poles and weave them vertically between the wires.
HOW TO CARE FOR BEANS
* All kinds of beans like soil that is slightly acidic. The best pH range is between 6.0-6.8
* Beans generally do not need extra nitrogen for good growth but it helps producing more pods.
* Using fertilizer rich in nitrogen once at planting time AND when the plants reach their bud stage helps produce more beans.
* Do a light application of a fast release once a week. (Presenter stated she uses the liquid Miracle grow mixed to proper porportions)
* Water the plants in the morning. Water thoroughly during sunny days such that the moisture does not soak the foliage.
* Give the plants about 1 inch of water once a week. However, if you do container gardening, you may need to water daily, especially if your pots are porous. You will need to judge that yourself. The presenter stated that she uses an automatic water system with a timer. [Texokie note: they have these little clay dinguses at some of the lawn and garden stores that change color to indicate if the soil is too dry]
BEANS - PROTECTION FROM PESTS
* Always use certified disease free seeds and avoid sprinkler systems. Watering needs to take place at the base of the plant.
* Several types of insect pests attack beans. However, most of them can be easily removed by hand. Frequent inspection and prompt removal are important steps.
* Treat the plants with organic insecticides and fungicides as needed to keep these problems under control.
* Beans are especially attractive to aphids, mites, cutworms, Mexican beetles, and Japanese beetles, and are weak against white mold and mosaic viruses.
* Get rid of cutworms with a vegetable insecticide. Get rid of aphis and mites by hosing them off your leaves with water.
* Neem oil and sulfur OR copper are usually adequate fungicides.
End of 2nd installment on BEANS
/johnny
Do you have a problem with too many seeds in your wasted hay sprouting? We only used our wasted hay once on our garden. Never again, we had tons of alfalfa and grasses coming up. Only straw after that.
That looks like it is a great smoker.
Northern Michigan (still lower peninsula) has hops fields all over now. We started noticing them about 6 or 7 years ago. Michigan has become such a brewing state and the hops grow really well up there. So neat to see mature fields, they are extremely tall and beautiful plants.
Oh definitely if I put it on the garden before it’s had a chance to completely rot down. Five years is about how long it takes to get right.
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