Gardening

[Cayuse]

I'd like to see more pictures of the artichoke if you have any.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I think it is ready to pick.

 

[Cayuse]

Will go pick it? Do you like artichoke? I have never had it before that I remember. It does look like a nice one!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Will go pick it? Do you like artichoke? I have never had it before that I remember. It does look like a nice one!

You just steam them, pull off the leaves and dip them in melted butter or dressing. Or steam them and quarter them to add to a salad. I'm going to cut mine today and see what it does. Or, I might just cut it and let it dry and be ornamental!
Checked my tomatoes last night and saw the tell-tale black worm castings so looked for the hornworms. Found 5 of those monsters. The chicks were so excited to fight over them!

 

[Cayuse]

Now that I see how they are cooked, I'm sure I never had one. But I like steamed veggies so maybe someday I'll try one. Especially with butter!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Cherries are finished. I made jam. For some reason it turned out very thick. Maybe not enough juice.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Pulled up some of the onions today. Very nice crop this year. Some are baseball size.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Yard long green beans are starting to come on. And notice the artichoke; I left it laying on the counter and it is starting to bloom. There are several still on the plant; I'm just going to see what they do. It is getting hotter now and the new artichokes aren't holding up to the heat well. So, it's probably not a viable plant for western Oklahoma.

 

[MerMaeve]

Holy smokes, those are the biggest beans I've ever seen! One bean is a whole meal!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Holy smokes, those are the biggest beans I've ever seen! One bean is a whole meal!

I've grown them for several years. Save seeds. They are very reliable and cook up tasty and tender in a few minutes.

 

[Cayuse]

The artichoke is actually pretty, I would make a centerpeice out of it somehow.

 

[Willow Flats]

Sample of things I picked this morning. Still have some asparagus coming up and my husbands hot peppers to pick. My large tomatoes are not ripe yet.

Marsha, I love your long green beans! Mine are just your regular pole beans. I took a picture because I wanted to stick the little pig cutting board in there like you have. Twins!

My friend's sister started a seed catolog at our library a few years back. She used those old time card catolog files and puts all kinds of seeds in them in alphabetical order of course. The dividers give you all the care info you need and each little manilla seed packet specifies the name and whether its for spring or fall planting. They are all free and you just list in the binder what you took so she can replenish them without going through all the drawers. The library was closed this year because of Covid when I started to plant and I have been checking out books to read on my tablet, so I need to get down there and see what she has for fall.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

That is a nice haul! Your carrots are so pretty and straight.
Great idea about the seed catalog! Your whole family must be wonderful gardeners.

 

[Willow Flats]

That is a nice haul! Your carrots are so pretty and straight.
Great idea about the seed catalog! Your whole family must be wonderful gardeners.

It's just me and my husband and I do the main garden all myself which was easier before I had horses! Its not as tidy as it used to be. I have it set up so that there are always some type of vegetable to eat year round. My husband used to plant corn out in the field but now plants all kinds of melons. Watermelon, cantaloupe and honey dew. This year he got me to grow some radishes which I don't really like, but I tried roasting them in the oven after I saw a recipe and they were actually pretty good. Like a roasted potato only more moist and they still had some spice to them, but not strong like when they are raw.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The artichokes are so pretty in the garden. I've decided to just leave them on the plant and not harvest. It will be interesting to see what they do after blooming.

 

[Cayuse]

Very exotic looking flower on the artichoke, it looks like a sea creature!
I picked my first summer squash and had it for supper. It was pretty, but not as tasty as I had hoped it would be.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Who is eating from his garden? I'm getting some green beans and tomatoes. Sometimes a squash. And black eyed peas are coming on.
My brown cotton is blooming; I'm hoping it is really brown this year and not cross pollinated; there isn't much white cotton right around me this year.

 

[MerMaeve]

We're starting to get cucumbers, zucchini, a few green beans, one tomato so far, basil, cilantro, and zinnias and other "butterfly" flowers from the flower section.

 

[Cayuse]

We've had cukes, really good crispy ones and some fair summer squash. Green beans are about ready. Tomatoes still green.

 

[MerMaeve]

We've had cukes, really good crispy ones and some fair summer squash. Green beans are about ready. Tomatoes still green.

I know, Mom made cukes and ranch with a part of a store cuke and two of our garden cukes and the difference was astounding! The store one was pale and limp and ours were green and crunch.