Weekly Gardening Thread Vol. 21 (Keywords) May 25, 2012

May 25, 2012 | JustaDumbBlonde

[tubebender]

This website defiantly needs like and DISLIKE buttons. On the other hand Benderville has only 11 Air Conditioners for the few transplants dumb enough to move here from Mt Everest. We got blown out of the garden today due to a brisk cold north wind and a drizzle.

My Kohlrabi is doing fine thank you...

[Ellendra]

The cukes, zukes, and watermelons seem to have stopped at 2 leaves per plant. I’m hoping that just means they’re focusing on roots right now, and will take off once they feel well established.

My tomatoes aren’t doing so well. The seedlings I planted just sort of vanished, so I replanted frm seed. Still waitng on those. I thought the cuttings I planted were all dead, but when I went to replant I found that one had only died back to the mulch, and below the mulch it was still clinging to life. No leaves on it, though, so I don’t have very high hopes for that one.

My strawberries are gearing up. Yesterday i picked a big bowl full, and then today I filled an 8-cup measuring cup with them. Soon they’ll be ripening so fast I’ll need help keeping them picked!

I hope to move a lot of the strawberry plants out to my land this year. Dad is talking about tearing that garden bed apart and replacing all the dirt because he thinks doing that will get rid of the weeds. He does things like that. I’d joke about him being the sort of person who would use dynomite to get rid of a mouse, but according to some of the stories from his younger days, he’s done that already.

[mplsconservative]

Wow! I’ve never seen a pomegranate bloom before and I honestly never thought about it. Those flowers are just beautiful - like a cross between a rose and a peony. Thanks for sharing!

[shatcher]

Interesting idea. Thanks. I don’t have enough pots for all of them, but I could do it for some.

[CynicalBear]

Landscapers have pots and pots and pots. Have them save them for you rather than throw them away. I have gotten hundreds like that. I cut the bottoms out so the roots can go out if needed. If you have to transplant them you only disturb the bottom few roots. Just size the pots to the type of plant. My tomatoes are in 4 gal pots, beans in one gallon etc.

[CynicalBear]

I suppose I should say I’m sorry but I grew up in those harsh winters and now that I’m retired and in the South it is truly sweet to be able to have a garden most all year. I convince myself that I earned it you see. Sugar peas do especially well in the fall and winter though I do need to protect them during the occasional cold spell. got down to near 20 two days last winter.

[Arrowhead1952]

Been picking tomatoes all week, and my wife loves them. We are eating salads, sandwiches and burgers with fresh ‘mater slices. There is nothing better.

[ApplegateRanch]

Glad I didn't succumb to temptation! Got a hard, killing, frost not 10 days ago, right on our "last frost date"; got another light frost last night. Also got an inch and a half plus of badly needed rain since late Wednesday night. Not far from us, they got 1-2" of snow; we also got a bit of light hail. Hard to believe it hit 90 on Tuesday!

I did transplant pink banana squash into the garden a few days ago, but planted through black plastic. It was wide enough that I could cover the seedlings for the night. At least the onions, potatoes, spinach, carrots, peas, broccoli & Brussels sprouts loved the cool turn, as did the newly transplanted English violets.

Today, we bought 4 - 6" pots, with 3 plants each, of cilantro. I could really care less about the cilantro leaves, but I want the seeds: whole coriander seeds for brining & rubs for our pastrami. The first experimental attempt came out great.

[fanfan]

Do those grow down there? They sell them here in eastern Canada and I have yet to see one survive more than a few years.

[ApplegateRanch]

I don’t want to hear your corn is tasseling or your tomatoes are ripe!!!

Amen, Brother! AMEN!

[FreedomPoster]

Oh, my! DO WANT!

That looks great.

[Petruchio]

That weird looking squash is a Summer Squash.

Cut into slices and fried in Butter with chopped Onion. YUMM!!

[ApplegateRanch]

Link to the recipe: http://blackgirlchefswhites.com/wordpress/2011/04/07/homemade-pastrami/comment-page-1/#comment-2939

Not hard, nor time consuming, but does take a couple weeks or so.

[rightly_dividing]

Thanks for the ID. It was labeled as yellow crookneck squash and the picture on the label said yellow crookneck. It came from Bonnie at the seed store. Thats ok though, if its squash, it get eaten around here. We usually cook them with onions, bacon, and butter, and some canned seasonings, like Tony’s or Greek.

[ApplegateRanch]

Take a look at #48 to see the first finished pastrami. It came out great. The point end is ready to smoke; another flat is in brining; and two whole, trimmed, briskets are waiting in the freezer.

[txhurl]

One thing squash cooks up real well with is leeks. Cut them up the same size, simmer with butter and white wine, add some cream and parmesan at the end. MMMMM MMMMM

[rightly_dividing]

I had to look up leeks to see exactly what they were. It turns out they are close to onions which was what I was guessing. I will have to look in the store, or ask, to see if they carry any. That recipe does sound good, well, anything with cream and parmesan has got to be good.

We should have a bunch more squash soon. We love yellow squash and could eat 5 lb per week, as we did in alabama. They are a bit too high priced in Texas, but I get them when the price has been lowered.

[SumProVita]

I missed this thread last week because my computer was being repaired. Progress report from here:

Kohlrabi,kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, asparagus, three varieties of lettuce, and broccoli are being harvested daily...along with some very yummy red onions. We also picked three nice zucchini last night. Spaghetti squash, watermelons and cantaloupe are growing very nicely. The tomatoes are really beginning to grow now...though I got a late start with them. Cucumbers are growing well....but hubby is behind on making the new A-frame that we want them to climb this year.

I planted creeping red thyme under my new grapes and it is looking very nice. The grapes look terrific. I also planted geraniums nearby. They are supposed to be good companions. I have never had any real success with French tarragon but have planted Mexican tarragon and that seems to be doing VERY well. Everyone tells me that it has an even better flavor than the French. I also put some Stevia in a pot with a few begonias. I plan to use the chopped stevia in big bowls of fresh fruit.

The herb garden is lush. the over-wintered parsley is producing a ton of seeds...so I will put a few of the new plats int he asparagus bed for the summer.

The new pup (you asked what kind back awhile: he’s an Akita) is learning not to go into the raised beds but I am still keeping him on a leash when in the garden. ;-)

Also, I ordered the hazelnut bushes from Arbor Day Foundation as part of their Hazelnut Project and they never grew. They were not dormant....but dead. My sister ordered the same...with the same results. Hopefully, they will replace them for us. The new chestnut and apple trees are flourishing.

[SumProVita]

Wow! That really sounds yummy.

[dennisw]

Pastrami looks great. People all over America are trying to make it. Fat protects meat so I would not trim it before freezing. But looks like you have more pastrami brewing!