Gardening

[Willow Flats]

We had asparagus and artichokes at the first of the season. Now we are eating green beens, eggplant, carrots, tomatoes, red bell peppers, hot peppers (for husband) and lots of strawberries, watermelon and cantaloupe. The honey dew melons aren't ripe yet. I picked blackberries and made a pie and a cobbler today.
Picking berries is a lot of work!

 

[Willow Flats]

Marsha,
You commented on my straight carrots, but check out this tripod I picked today!

 

[YKate]

I've been getting zucchini for a few weeks now. Brussel sprouts are out there but not ready as are the tomatoes

 

[Cayuse]

My green beans are a bust. Most horrible beans I ever ate (make that the most horrible beans I ever TRIED to eat, they were inedible)

 

[Willow Flats]

My green beans are a bust. Most horrible beans I ever ate (make that the most horrible beans I ever TRIED to eat, they were inedible)

Sorry to hear it. Were they pole peans or bush beans? Did you pick them late? If I don't pick mine early they get really tough!
My tomatoes aren't doing as well as I'd like this year, but the strawberries are going crazy. You just never know how things are going to shake out in the garden. The birds kept eating my bean shoots this year so I had to keep replanting!

 

[YKate]

Sorry about the beans. So many factors can damage your crop; If it's too hot, not enough rain, too much rain, maybe bad seed. I've had years like that and then the next year it's a go.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

A couple of years ago my neighbor planted black eyed peas. He got the seeds in bulk at the feed store. The peas were inedible. The next year he bought a bag of dried ones from the grocery store to plant and they were fantastic. I saved some of those seeds and planted them this year, with very good results. Sometimes, I think, we just get bad seed. The seeds I save from my original yard longs are better than the varieties I've tried since. I always let some go to seed.

 

[Cayuse]

Well, I'm not entirely sure if they where bush or pole beans because we bought them started and the flat had lost it's tag. I am leaning toward bush beans. They did not climb much, a little, but not as much as we thought they were going to. I don't think I picked them too late, they were smallish, but they were tough and woody like I waited too long. The H20 situation seemed ok, too. I dunno, it's a puzzle
We had our first tomato tonight and it was GOOD!

 

[MerMaeve]

Home grown tomatoes have the best flavor and inside color. Mom makes a PNB, lettuce and tomato sandwich....it sounds gross but it's not that bad actually.

 

[Cayuse]

It's nice to have a tomato that's red inside istead of pale pink!

Home grown tomatoes have the best flavor and inside color. Mom makes a PNB, lettuce and tomato sandwich....it sounds gross but it's not that bad actually.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

This time of year the yard and garden begin to get tedious. I'm so glad there are seasons so I can anticipate a change. A townhouse looks rather good about now...

 

[Cayuse]

My green beans all wizzled up and died. The tomatoes are the best we have ever grown. I wonder if it's because we put them in a raised bed.

 

[Dragon Hill]

Tomatoes are a lot harder to grow than most people think. Your raised bed probably did help them quite a bit.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Tomatoes are a lot harder to grow than most people think. Your raised bed probably did help them quite a bit.

We have all raised beds and it never helps the tomatoes. I think it has a lot to do with climate.

 

[Dragon Hill]

And whether or not you amended your soil when you built your raised bed.

 

[Willow Flats]

Tomatoes grow really well here but they need lots of sun and consistent watering. Sometimes I mulch with straw around them in my raised beds to keep the moisture in. If they dry out between waterings and then they get water it can make them split. I also use chicken manure when I prepare the bed for planting...and switch the beds each year where planted.
Just finished making quesadillas. We have the tomatoes but my cilantro is done so had to go without.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Willow Flats, those tomatoes are gorgeous! What variety? Porter has done best for me.
Our nights stay too hot here in Oklahoma sometimes for tomatoes. They will get a new lease in the fall, and make a nice crop right when it starts freezing at night!
My next round of yard longs is popping out of the ground. They should have time to mature and produce. Picked the Gala apples; not as many this year due to a late cold snap.
Here is a dwarf bird of paradise I planted from seed. This is the second blooming and it's much better than the spring. It looks nice next to the rocks in the dry stream bed.

 

[Willow Flats]

Willow Flats, those tomatoes are gorgeous! What variety? Porter has done best for me.
Our nights stay too hot here in Oklahoma sometimes for tomatoes. They will get a new lease in the fall, and make a nice crop right when it starts freezing at night!
My next round of yard longs is popping out of the ground. They should have time to mature and produce. Picked the Gala apples; not as many this year due to a late cold snap.
Here is a dwarf bird of paradise I planted from seed. This is the second blooming and it's much better than the spring. It looks nice next to the rocks in the dry stream bed.View attachment 42150

That is really striking! Love the colors and looks so nice with the natural landscape!

 

[Willow Flats]

Marsha,
I tried a new one this year called Beefmaster. Then for the cherry tomatoes I planted the same ones I do every year the Sweet 100's. They are never fail and super sweet.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Marsha,
I tried a new one this year called Beefmaster. Then for the cherry tomatoes I planted the same ones I do every year the Sweet 100's. They are never fail and super sweet.

Beefmaster doesn't seem to do well in my area. But the Sweet 100's are good here.
Cleaned out an iris/wild blackberry bed today. I cut all the canes down to the ground. I think I will give it a light top coat of compost.
I bought an elderberry plant this spring. It is temporarily in my tire garden. I need to figure out where to put it permanently. It doesn't really go in my landscaping, but I coudln't resist it.