Posted on 08/02/2013 2:00:43 PM PDT by greeneyes
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Getting a nice crop of basil and making lots and lots of pesto. Flowers doing very well.
Dug up some spuds and planted beets, spinach and chard in the opened-up space. Corn is looking really good. Lots of cukes, zukes, patty pan, eggplant and green beans and the last of the spring beets. Bell peppers are really bizzare this year, decent-looking plants but no flowers. Hot peppers are a mix, jalepenos and serranoes are doing well but habenaros aren't doing squat. Looks like a middling tomato crop. Some good turnip green thinnings tonight.
Ok, I’ve found some accessions I’m interested in at GRIN. Do they cost or charge shipping?
Did you have to file a research plan for these that was lengthier than a paragraph or two?
I’m interested in some rice accessions and some flour corn as well. Along with a nematode resistant scotch bonnet I found. Disease resistance and ability to be grown with few inputs is my criteria.
No cost, and while they ask you to pretty please let them know the outcome of your research, you don’t have to file anything.
Wow. That’s so cool.
I feel somehow weird actually benefitting from my tax dollars somehow in a personal individual manner...
I also see you can order cuttings of various varieties of fruits and trees. I’m definitely going to do that this winter/next spring. I’ve been wanting to work on a cross between Dormanred raspberry (tolerant of our heat, soil diseases and stuff) that’s a cooking raspberry (IF you like them tart you’re in business with fresh Dormanreds, otherwise it’s cooking for you!) and something with a little more fresh eating vibe. I’ll probably have to keep the ‘other’ plant in a pot to put inside when the temps get and stay over 90/70.
I’m psyched!
Basil is so pretty. Next year I am going to plant lots of it around the patio and tomatoes.
Better get a machette to use on them.
I used to have a Samurai Sword but I sold it on ebay.
Where does one BUY a machete anyway?
Hardware/BIG BOX Home Improvements stores have them around here. (Southern Ohio) Also Guns and Ammo stores and Military Surplus stores usually have them.
My hubby has bought several for various purposes from www.coldsteel.com. We have many,in varying sizes tucked in and round the house, garge and storage barn. Very handy.
Yep we use 'em to cut brush and such and of course they are a must have if you are going to be prepared for the inevitable Zombiepocalypse. ;-)
Wow, thanks!
This really has been a rough growing season. The squash bugs have been unrelenting. I don’t know what attacked the pole beans. Corn was unsuccessful, tomato plants got leaf curl. We’re getting some bell peppers that taste very good, but the jalapenos were epic fail. Thyme and curly parsley are mingy.
The first Black Cherry tomato is about ready to pick. I’m thinking in the morning. Can’t wait! And it’s mine, all mine! I planted bell peppers, jalapenos and banana peppers and the bananas are the only ones doing anything.
Just sat down after putting up 6 jars of corn cob jelly. Not my poor icky corn but still it’s the only jelly I’ve been able to make this year.
Ah, tomato ecstasy will soon be yours!
Speaking of government, I downloaded the Department of Agriculture’s canning guidelines. Before last year, I knew zilch about food preservation. The guidelines are pretty comprehensive for my purposes. It’s nice to benefit from our tax dollars. Before the advent of PC’s, there was some entity in Pueblo, CO that had useful information for consumers (your rights as an airline passenger—that is, when we still had rights—and other things of that nature).
Cut the last of our wheat today, and got a surprise. We’ve known for several weeks that here were narrow trails leading into the patch, and we had just figured it was a rabbit and maybe also D.Metria stalking mice. NOPE!
There was a small area that was flattened, and several piles of deer pellets, all basically in the same spot. We think a doe had her fawn in there, as the wheat, nor anything else, was eaten at all.
The garden gate is a weak spot, as it is only 4’ high. I may need to do something about that one of these days.
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