What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

[Evo]

Is anyone having any luck with their garden this year? I got one great haul of cherry tomatoes, but they had already set in a greenhouse when I bought them, so that was cheating. All I've gotten so far this year is a handful of small tomatoes, a few tiny jalapenos and a couple of tiny mexibell peppers. No poblanos, no new mexico peppers. I have two 1 inch long banana peppers, 1 cubanelle and 2 bell peppers. The eggplants have lost all of their blooms. Yesterday was the first day we hit 90 this year, not normal.

I'm so desparate that I've started carrying my poblano around the yard to keep it in the sun for as long as possible every day. I will be thrilled if I get a single pepper off the plant.

I estimate that I spent $60 on my garden this year and I'll be lucky to get $20 of produce. But like my neighbor said, it's the fun of growing them. It's not been fun watching everything fall off due to the cold.

I know turbo's garden has turned hydroponic. Any pictures turbo? Are you going to have much to can this year?

 

[turbo]

I have little or nothing to look forward to, Evo, unless we get an intense stretch of sunny days and an extended Indian summer. I have pretty much written off the stunted chili plants, and we haven't gotten a single cucumber yet. The tomatoes (apart from a sporadic cherry) are all green. We're into August and should be buried in produce!

We got all of the German white hard-neck garlic out of the ground today, washed, bunched and hanging in the garage. It will take at least a couple more mornings of hard work to get all the Russian hard-necks out, cleaned, bunched and hanging. My breathing problems have limited me to cooler-weather labor. Once mid-morning heat and humidity rolls around, I'm done. It didn't rain today or yesterday (apart from torrents in the wee hours ~1.5"), but the garden is still a swamp.

 

[Evo]

That's heartbreaking about the peppers. I actually had to buy jalapenos the other day. I should have a ton right now.

At least you got garlic.

 

[turbo]

I know. We have jalapeno, habanero, cayenne, Hungarian wax, etc, and I'll get little or nothing this year. Very sad. I've got some new ideas for chili relishes/salsas and I won't be able to try them.

 

[Proton Soup]

i'm getting a steady supply of yellow tomatoes off the one plant. the pink ones have only yielded 2 so far. it seems that a long stretch of hot dry days rendered the blooms infertile, but once the rain came and things cooled down, fruit started to form. with any luck, there will be a steady supply of large pink beefsteak type tomatoes in a few weeks. the cucumbers have slowed down a bit, but yield was really good there. the basil grows like a weed, but the rosemary is slow go (at least it is perennial and survived the first winter). pepper plants are just starting to set fruit. i started them from seed a bit late. the asparagus seedlings don't look all that well. i think i need to get them transplanted soon. would still take a year or two for those to put out.

edit: oh, and i was weeding the vines off the fence today that were shading my corner plot when a wasp stung me on the thumb. that was not such great luck. fortunately, it doesn't seem too bad, just a little soreness in the joints. i just kept going after the attack with the hope that the movement would help flush out the poison and keep it from getting too stiff.

 

[Dadface]

The tomatoes are fruiting late this year but am hoping for a good crop.Doing very well with chard and courgettes(zuchini) but that's about it as far as the veg is concerned.

 

[turbo]

My wife and I have been getting the garlic dug out, washed, and hanging under cover for the last couple of mornings. We were attempting to get the last of them harvested this morning when (surprise!) thunderstorms with torrential rains came through. It's still raining - we got over 1/2" in about 1/2 hour. My garden is officially a swamp - I'm sure it's been added to maps by now.

 

[hypatia]

My tomatoes have been doing great, so have the cukes and summer squashes. This cool summer seems to have stunted the growth, but not the yield of my veggie plants. My herbs on the other hand, blossomed very early and then the new puppy ate most of them. I could not get too mad at him, because he had the sweetest little Basil kisses!

 

[Andre]

Meanwhile we're having an ideal summer in the Netherlands, max temperatures generally in the mid 70s, sometimes 80s lots of sun and enough showers and short rain spells to soak the soil whenever it was required. The garden is exploding in green. Too bad most of that is weeds as I had not been able to prepare the tiny garden after the move.

 

[dlgoff]

I could not get too mad at him, because he had the sweetest little Basil kisses!

LOL Maybe you should grow mint.

 

[turbo]

The rain finally let up, so I could finish getting my garlic harvested. Here is some of it, hanging in the garage to cure. I planted German and Russian hard-neck varieties last winter, and every single clove sprouted and developed into a nice bulb. I got over 150 Germans and over 300 Russians. I may have to find people to give garlic to, because although I generally use a lot in my salsas, chili relishes, pickles, etc, canning looks to be out of the question this year. The cold wet "growing" season stunted my plants, I have pretty much written off the chilies. I'll get some tomatoes and maybe a few cukes, but not enough to let me make pickles and sauces.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't have much in my garden. Not a single tomato since the deer ate the plants just as they were blooming. I have one or two yellow peppers of some sort growing...I can't remember buying this type of pepper though and suspect I wound up with a mislabeled plant...it looks sort of like a banana pepper, but much fatter. I don't even know if it'll be sweet or spicy until I try it.

 

[Borek]

I may have to find people to give garlic to, because although I generally use a lot in my salsas, chili relishes, pickles, etc, canning looks to be out of the question this year.

You can pickle garlic alone.

 

[lisab]

You can pickle garlic alone.

Haven't seen you for a while...been on vacation, Borek?

 

[Borek]

Yes, we get back yesterday. Trying to catch up with life, universe and everything

 

[Evo]

Welcome back borek! How was the vacation?

 

[Borek]

Great - we had perfect weather, unheard of earlier this Summer. Yesterday it was raining again.

Will try to post some pictures later.

 

[lisab]

I was out of town for several days last week. While I was gone, we had rain at my house, followed by a couple days of warm sun. My cherry tomatoes went crazy! I picked several pounds today but also picked many with split skin . Some are obviously rotten. But most split only in the last day or so...are these safe to make tomato sauce? After all, they are fairly acidic, which would tend to inhibit bacterial growth...right?

 

[turbo]

My wife and I make sauces out of tomatoes that are split or damaged, as long as they don't have visible rot-degradation going on. Many of our tomatoes last summer got collar-rot due to the very wet weather, so we trimmed out the dark spots, scalded and peeled them, and made sauce. Ain't dead yet, so it must be safe, right?

 

[Astronuc]

I was out of town for several days last week. While I was gone, we had rain at my house, followed by a couple days of warm sun. My cherry tomatoes went crazy! I picked several pounds today but also picked many with split skin . Some are obviously rotten. But most split only in the last day or so...are these safe to make tomato sauce? After all, they are fairly acidic, which would tend to inhibit bacterial growth...right?

The split tomatoes should be OK, if the split during the last day or yesterday - as long as there is no mold or fungus or rot. I've eaten such tomatoes off the vine.

The last few days have been wonderful - sunny and relatively dry. We could have used days like these 3 months ago when the weather was cool and wet. Now the best days are at the end of the season.

 

[Evo]

For turbo, for next year.

http://seedrack.com/08.html?gclid=CN6W_KPO4JwCFSYoawodPGTAJg

 

[lisab]

Update on the split cherry tomatoes: I went ahead and made sauce out of the split ones.

I traded a few pounds of (unsplit) tomatoes with a neighbor for several chili peppers. Made a batch of chili that was so delicious...the tomato sauce was just a little sweet, but it was balanced by jalapenos...and wow, it was dang good .

 

[turbo]

For turbo, for next year.

http://seedrack.com/08.html?gclid=CN6W_KPO4JwCFSYoawodPGTAJg

Thanks! I think that's where my greenhouse guys get their seed, or someplace similar. The Carribean Red habanero looks suspiciously like the Savinas - a trademarked strain. And they are hella-hot!

 

[turbo]

Update on the split cherry tomatoes: I went ahead and made sauce out of the split ones.

I traded a few pounds of (unsplit) tomatoes with a neighbor for several chili peppers. Made a batch of chili that was so delicious...the tomato sauce was just a little sweet, but it was balanced by jalapenos...and wow, it was dang good .

We have more tomatoes ripening than we can eat, but not enough to can - the solution is to make lots of fresh salsa and share. We made salsa out of jalapeno, Hungarian wax chilies, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, etc, with a touch of dill, and took it to our organic-gardening neighbors along with a bag of tortilla chips. Party-time! The older grand-daughter (now 6) liked the liquid part of the salsa, but said that the chunky stuff was "too hot". She'll come around eventually.

 

[OmCheeto]

We have more tomatoes ripening than we can eat, but not enough to can - the solution is to make lots of fresh salsa and share. We made salsa out of jalapeno, Hungarian wax chilies, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, etc, with a touch of dill, and took it to our organic-gardening neighbors along with a bag of tortilla chips. Party-time! The older grand-daughter (now 6) liked the liquid part of the salsa, but said that the chunky stuff was "too hot". She'll come around eventually.

Speaking of hot, when is it time to harvest the Thai's?

 

[turbo]

Speaking of hot, when is it time to harvest the Thai's?

Those look ready - at the peak of color. Try a few in a stir-fry and report back.

 

[Evo]

Speaking of hot, when is it time to harvest the Thai's?

Gorgeous Om.

 

[Astronuc]

Om, harvest the red ones.

 

[Astronuc]

For turbo, for next year.

http://seedrack.com/08.html?gclid=CN6W_KPO4JwCFSYoawodPGTAJg

 

[OmCheeto]

Those look ready - at the peak of color. Try a few in a stir-fry and report back.

Did that, two nights in a row. I think my Thai Hot's were crossed with something mild. I've had more burn from Taco Bell.

 

[Evo]

Finally! My poblano has finally started setting peppers. The plant has produced nothing all year, not it's fault, I guess, since the weather has been too cool for warm weather plants like peppers and eggplants to set. My patio makes the cool weather worse because the plants only get a few hours of direct sunlight a day.

Also, I wanted to clear up rumors of my marriage to Kurdt. (I have no idea how these rumors start ). If there had been a wedding, surely there would be pictures.

 

[OmCheeto]

Finally! My poblano has finally started setting peppers. The plant has produced nothing all year, not it's fault, I guess, since the weather has been too cool for warm weather plants like peppers and eggplants to set. My patio makes the cool weather worse because the plants only get a few hours of direct sunlight a day.

Also, I wanted to clear up rumors of my marriage to Kurdt. (I have no idea how these rumors start ). If there had been a wedding, surely there would be pictures.

Rumour? Look what pops up when I google Kurdt Evo Bora Bora:

ps. what my Thai Mild's lack in heat is made up for in their prolificy, er, prolificness, um, there's lots of em.

 

[Evo]

Rumour? Look what pops up when I google Kurdt Evo Bora Bora:

ps. what my Thai Mild's lack in heat is made up for in their prolificy, er, prolificness, um, there's lots of em.

Ahahah, cute!

Your thai peppers were very profuse, I'm jealous! I've gotten a total of 4 cubanelles (they smell incredible). Each bell pepper has produced one pepper for each plant. The New mexicop pepper, just gotten one starting. The banana peppers, 2. In other words a crop failure.

 

[OmCheeto]

Ahahah, cute!

Your thai peppers were very profuse, I'm jealous! I've gotten a total of 4 cubanelles (they smell incredible). Each bell pepper has produced one pepper for each plant. The New mexicop pepper, just gotten one starting. The banana peppers, 2. In other words a crop failure.

It sounds as though you got the crop I had for the last 19 years. We had record heat this summer. I've never had 4 tomato plants produce more than I could eat. My friends plum tree produced so much, that her kitchen, dining room, and living room are all helping out drying the fruit.

ps. There were other images on the first page of the Kurdt Evo Bora Bora google search, but they looked more like symbols of typical marriages:

 

[Evo]

I have counted 19 baby poblanos, I hope they grow quickly in case w have an early freeze, My tomatoes are blooming like crazy now, of course.

I guess not all Bora Bora marriages are as happy as mine and Kurdts.

 

[dlgoff]

I've gotten a total of 4 cubanelles (they smell incredible). Each bell pepper has produced one pepper for each plant. The New mexicop pepper, just gotten one starting. The banana peppers, 2. In other words a crop failure.

Sounds like my garden this year. Let's see, just guessing

4 bell peppers plants @ $0.79 $3.16
1 mexicop pepper plant $1.29
2 banana pepper plant @ $0.79 $1.58
Total plant cost $6.03
Cost per pepper $0.60

Not too bad.

In my case, I had to replant several time due to rain and rabbits.

 

[Evo]

Sounds like my garden this year. Let's see, just guessing

4 bell peppers plants @ $0.79 $3.16
1 mexicop pepper plant $1.29
2 banana pepper plant @ $0.79 $1.58
Total plant cost $6.03
Cost per pepper $0.60

Not too bad.

In my case, I had to replant several time due to rain and rabbits.

My plants averaged $3 each, I was shocked that they were so expensive this year. So, not counting the pots, soil, fertilizer and insecticides, my tiny bell peppers cost me $3 a piece.

 

[turbo]

I just made up a small batch of refrigerator pickles. My neighbor gave me a large bag of very large cucumbers (ours have stopped producing), so I split them into 6ths (spears) and de-seeded them, leaving just the crisp flesh and the skins, packed them into jars with lots of sliced German garlic cloves and fresh cayenne peppers, sliced lengthwise with all the seeds intact. Added fresh dill florets and sprigs from our mini-greenhouse along with some dried dill seed, and covered with boiling brine (1/3 C Kosher salt, 2-1/2 C cider vinegar, and 6 C water) Instead of processing them in a boiling water bath, I topped them with re-usable plastic lids and will store them in the refrigerator for a month or so before using. I made 2 quarts for us, a quart for the neighbors, and another quart for my father without the cayenne - he's losing his fondness for hot stuff, with age. The garden has been producing very slowly this year with the exception of the great garlic crop, so my adventures in pickling have been severely restricted. Maybe next year...

 

[Evo]

After a year of nothing, all of my plants have gone wild. Every plant is suddenly so top heavy, I spent most of the morning staking branches.

The biggest dud this year was the poblano, not a single pepper, I now have over 30 of these beauties.

A cubanelle (these are awesome in flavor).

Mexibell's in the front (taste like a cross between a bell pepper and a jalapeno) and jalapenos in the back.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/586/006nf.jpg

Banana peppers.

New Mexico pepper

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2112/006mu.jpg

Gratuitous shot of the Fruit Bat.

 

[27Thousand]

I've often had spurts where I really enjoyed growing plants. However, I'm not in a position to do that right now.

I used to be really into all sorts of tropical plants indoors.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Kurdt and Evo got married in Bora Bora and I wasn't invited?



*stomps off*

 

[Evo]

Kurdt and Evo got married in Bora Bora and I wasn't invited?



*stomps off*

Kurdt went without me too! I got the photo in the mail.

 

[Moonbear]

Yeah, I suddenly have vegetables growing too, but wonder if I'll get any to finish growing/ripen before we start getting frosts. I have about 3 bell peppers and a few banana peppers and several jalapenos (I haven't been letting them get very big and hot because I've been anxious to cook with them before the deer come back). I also suddenly have a lot of tomatoes, but they still seem small, so I have my doubts that they'll grow and ripen before frost hits.

 

[Evo]

Yeah, I suddenly have vegetables growing too, but wonder if I'll get any to finish growing/ripen before we start getting frosts. I have about 3 bell peppers and a few banana peppers and several jalapenos (I haven't been letting them get very big and hot because I've been anxious to cook with them before the deer come back). I also suddenly have a lot of tomatoes, but they still seem small, so I have my doubts that they'll grow and ripen before frost hits.

Same here. We're known for having serious ice storms the first week of October, just two weeks away.

 

[GeorginaS]

Of my eight tiny balcony tomato plants, they produced, precisely, one tomato each. Hah! Now, they're still very green (the tomatoes) and the plants are dying off. I think because it's cold at night. Not sure. Do tomato plants have a finite lifespan?

I've brought my small collection of small tomatoes inside and sat them in the dirt in my herb planter. They're turning red. I'm pleased.

I'm also pleased that friends and co-workers had bumper crops of tomatoes this year and are begging for people to unload on. I volunteered.

 

[baywax]

Since this is almost the only thread in which I can talk about the weather... what's with the weather?

Did the New England area ever warm up?

We had the hottest summer on record... with about 1800 forest fires fought with a ballooning $450,000,000 provincial budget.

The pine beetle infestation (knocking out our pine/spruce forests and forest industry) has been iradicated... this is because all the (suitable) trees have been eaten by the little buggers.

We still have green leaves... nothing's turning much yet. I was too busy for a garden other than one alien looking geranium. However, I was fortunate to have received many garden gifts from several people. Concord Grapes, Cherry Tomatoes, Zuc, and some figs etc...

Thanks to the green thumb gang!

 

[Evo]

I have no idea how this happened. One of my squirrels has his head and front paws shoved through the center of his tail. So his head and hands are trapped inside the tail.

 

[Astronuc]

Did the New England area ever warm up?

For a couple of days. Actually we had warm weather for about 2-3 weeks - and a few days actually got up into the low 90's F. But it certainly was no where near as hot as it has been most summers during the last decade - when out backyard temps would routinely get into the 100's F for a week or two straight.

 

[Astronuc]

I have no idea how this happened. One of my squirrels has his head and front paws shoved through the center of his tail. So his head and hands are trapped inside the tail.

Split-tail squirrel?

Interesting picture. I've seen squirrels using their tails like umbrellas in the rain, but never like that one.

I'll show it to a wildlife rehabilitator I know. She specializes in squirrels.

I don't think it's stuck. Squirrels are pretty smart critters.

Did you notice if it unstuck itself, or did it go running off with its tail aournd its waist?

Perhaps its a tutu-tailed squirrel.

 

[lisab]

I have no idea how this happened. One of my squirrels has his head and front paws shoved through the center of his tail. So his head and hands are trapped inside the tail.

It's truly an Evo-squirrel...it has a Mobius tail.