Weekly Gardening Thread
Weekly Gardening Thread
I hope all of you will stop by.
This is typically a low volume ping list. Once a week for the thread and every once in a while for other FR threads posted that might be of interest.
If you would like to be added to or removed from the list please let me know by FreepMail or by posting to me.
Send seeds? Befriend seeds? Just want 10 seeds?
If you have garden seeds you can offer other FReepers for free, for a SASE, and/or in exchange for other seeds, please send me your info. (Private Message Mrs. Don-o) and I will add you to this list, which I will post on the garden thread from time to time. Please also Private Message me to be removed when you no longer have the seeds to offer. FReepo-seedoholics can contact each other by Private Message to arrange any transactions. Remember that old seeds may have reduced germination. (Although I’ve had great luck with them. And for free, you can’t lose...) If possible, list year and variety. Mrs. Don-o I CAN OFFER a few of these seeds (say, 10) for free to anybody who wants to send me a SASE: Basil (“Genovese” 2010) Beans (“Jackson Wonder Butterbean “2011) Broccoli (“Bonanza” 2011) Chard (“Bright Lights” 2010) Fennel (“Florence” 2011) Kale (“Redbor Hybrid” 2010) Squash (“Acorn 2009”… and I had really good germination with it, this year!) Squash “(Georgia Candy Roaster” 2011.. a terrific winter squash!) Tomato (“Brandy Boy” 2011) INTERESTED IN Seeds for Fall Anything (surprise me!)
From the forecasts, TS Don will not bring much needed rain to Texas. SIGH.
I'm in Massachusetts too and don't have any red tomatoes yet, but more cukes than I know what to do with so I've been canning like crazy and will do more this weekend. My peppers are starting to look better, but are still in trouble.
Our garden is growing nicely, and we have noticed something we have never seen before. . . or at least something we never paid attention to before. Our potatoes have seed pods that look like little green tomatoes. I had to look it up on the computer to learn more. I’m sure this is a well known fact and we are the last to know, but we think it’s pretty neat!
I’ve pretty much given up on the Spring garden. I’ll nurse my Bell and Thai peppers through the Fall. At least long enough to see if they revive and start producing peppers. Everything gets pulled up.
My seed trays have sprouted. This weekend I’ll put them in 4inch peat pots and pray for a break from this ghastly drought.
Tomatoes:
Virginia Sweets 80 days
Jetsetter hybrid 64 days
Katana hybrid 60 days
Peppers:
Biker Billy Jalapeno
Big Early Hybrid
Chinese Giant Hybrid
Cucumbers:
Baby Cocina
Yamato Sanjaku
Soyu Long
Georgia Collards
Shoya Long Eggplant
Waltham Butternut Squash
Assorted bunching onions and radishes
Hope the heat doesn’t kill em!
It’s been miserably hot here in Central Missouri this past week. Is also starting to get dry at my place.
The sweet corn is starting to fill out the ears and I’m trying hard to get enough water on it to make a good crop. The summer squash is dead, cucumbers not far behind, green beans suffering and the bugs have turned my brassicas to lace.
On the bright side, the tomatoes are flourishing. Picked close to five gallons of whopping big Purple Cherokee and Better Boy this week. The Brandywines are loaded and just starting to ripen. The Ambrosia cantelopes love the hot weather and are loaded with fruit. The late-planted okra is knee-high and starting to take off.
We’re getting a little break in the heat this weekend - highs are only supposed to reach the low 90°s. ugh...
Tomatoes have finally been ripening for me. And the cucumbers continue to slow down, but are still producing fairly well. Here is the harvest for this week, minus a few tomatoes that have already been sacrificed to our meals. And about a half dozen tangerine beefsteak tomatoes that are in the freezer.
And my first attempt at barrel pickles.
Within the last two weeks, I think Red Devil posted about how much zucchini he had... if it wasn’t him, then he is getting the blame (LOL!). I have two roadside stands near us and I purchased a ton of it. I found this recipe that I named “Red Devil Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread” and it has gotten raves from my family and two or my neighbors. I wanted to share it with anyone interested:
RED DEVIL’S CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD”
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I used walnuts)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used the mini’s)
1 tbs orange zest (I used the dried)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue beating until well blended. Mix in the oil, vanilla, zucchini, nuts. Add the chocolate chips and orange zest — stir those in (I added a tsp of flour to the chips so they don’t settle). Stir in the sifted ingredients and pour into the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer or sharp knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool.
** We tried it warm and it was sinful and we also tried it chilled... delicious! You can cut the recipe by half if you don’t want to freeze one, share it with neighbors or have three kids who devour pretty much everything in sight!
** I am sorry but I don’t have the calorie counts etc... Red Devil is getting the compliments for this recipe but he is also getting the blame that I gained a pound and a half this week (LOL). I had to blame someone...
FLORIDA UPDATE: got my seeds planted this week in my little cups. Roundup is doing it’s job in the garden.. Setting up for a Sept planting in the garden!
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2572/cupsw.jpg
FLORIDA UPDATE: got my seeds planted this week in my little cups. Roundup is doing it’s job in the garden.. Setting up for a Sept planting in the garden!
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2572/cupsw.jpg
Anyone else try the Yellow/Orange skinned hubbard squash? Last season (spring season in south FL) I had the best luck with them.. I had well over 40 of them.. Many over 5 lbs each... This season (Fl fall season) I am going to try realy hubbard.. Yes the blue ones... My sister sent me some. If they turn out 1/2 as well as the orange once from the spring garden I will have way to many... the real blue hubbard are 10+ lbs each... http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/608/squashi.jpg
http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/5563/squash1.jpg
Some Greenbeans from South FL, this was the spring 2011 garden planted late due to the record cold in Jan and Feb.. Normaly we plant Jan 15th but I had to wait till the first week of Feb due to the record cold from Global Warming! :-}
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4986/greenbeans.jpg
this was an 18’ row...
My sister, whose unbelievable garden makes mine look like a child’s hobby, last weekend gave me half a dozen or so HUGE yellow squash and zucchini that my family won’t be able to eat all of even if we had it for every meal for a week.
So I’m wondering if anyone has any good recipes for dehydrated squash chips or what kind of success can I expect if I freeze some? Canned becomes too mushy in my experience, so any alternatives? Thanks.
Something ate my mature Bell Pepper Plants: Squirrels and Rats.
Wael, not the whole plant. Just most of the branches 3/4 of the way to the top. Plants are three feet plus high.
Bob Webster, our local weekend San Antonio gardening guru, answered a caller’s question, what’s eating his pepper plants? Without hesitation or more than minimal hedging just to be safe, he was adamant. If leaves and branches disappeared during the day, the culprits were squirrels. If they disappeared over night, rats did the deed.
We do have a healthy squirrel population which at this time of year increases with the Spring litters. But, my damage is done at night, so rats it might be.
Anybody have a pet safe solution?
How is your new weed eater working out? Is it ez to crank? I have an slope out by the road that is too dangerous to mow with the rider and may have to buy a gas weed eater.
