Veggie Tales - March 2018
LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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Chris (6a NY)
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Veggie Tales - April 2018
Comments (421)Thanks for the welcome! @itsmce - 14 of my tomatoes are in the ground, I ran out of space in my beds. It's a work in progress. We built our house on 24 acres, 2 years ago, on the 2nd highest hill in Missouri (I'm kidding, mostly) so I'm still getting things cleared and setting up. My goal is to fill the remaining space with more beds, after getting my greenhouse up this fall. We bought a 60x18 hoop house 3 years ago and it's been sitting, patiently waiting every since. I'll definitely get some pics up tonight to share, I'm kinda proud! @LoneJack, I love the Ozarks too. It has been and always will be, home. We float and fish the rivers frequently, have a lake home on Tablerock and love the seasons - unless we don't get a spring, which seems to happen frequently. Raised beds are sure a whole lot easier here... last year I went at it with the ground.. the garden did OK, but it sure was hard on my knees when it was time to pick pests or weeds. That coupled with the fact that it was on a hill, made watering tricky. The winters here literally grow rocks, so even if you manage to get a nice plot turned up and cleaned, by the next year it's full of rocks again. Still, despite the rocks, our soil is GREAT. Lots of worms, not too much clay, so I level and set my beds and don't use anything but gravel around the outside to keep the dirt in. Most are much deeper than 10". Zucchini never goes to waste in my house! Pasta, bread, fried, frozen, pickled, relishes, chickens, it all gets used one way or another. We love it! I was really shocked that my plants did so well through 4 hard freezes. I did nothing to protect and they're all healthy and thriving. I'll have to hit you up for advice on sweet potatoes, we love them too, but I haven't grown them yet. As for the chickens, if I let mine free range, I'd have the same problem as you! We've got foxes, bobcats, and my german shepherd... she'd eat them, given the chance. We built a chicken fort-knox with a large extended run. My plan is to eventually build tunnel runs around the garden's perimeter... One day! @jacoblockcuff - I'm in Nixa, about 10 miles south of Springfield. I think we've definitely seen the last frost, now the only question is will we actually get a nice spring, before the temps start hitting 90's and 100's? Speaking of blackberries, we've got about 10 acres of nothing but wild blackberries, AND my favorite.. black raspberries. I make a ton of pies and cobblers every year. I want to try some jams this year, if I get the time. I'll stop by the Ozarks sub forum!...See MoreVeggie Tales -August 2018
Comments (229)Wow. Another week gone by and a lot going on. This year has been a fairly disappointing harvest for me so far due to all the pests, however. I caught four rats this week in the Ratinator and was able to drown them out of my garden. And I have two Jarrahdale pumpkins that must be 20lb a piece. Don’t think I’ll get much melon but we will see I guess. The one spot of success this year was the purple corn and the beans! Having a drip system set up made me realize how much I’d been underwatering food crops. I picked about 2lb of beans today and there’s tons left. Also got about 10-12 ears of the corn, although some of it wasn’t as big as I’d hoped , I had to get it picked before the rats got it. Darn critters. Anyhow. Got six new chicks this week so that’s been keeping me busy. First time raising them from babies. I think having a constant supply of fresh eggs has eased the pain of getting hardly any tomatoes this summer. However the basil is doing amazing - I have a pound of pesto in the freezer and will be able to make as much pesto as I can, provided I have the cheese! So I’m doing that tomorrow. I asked a local landscaper to come by and give us a quote for the front yard and he didn’t even bother. So we are thinking about doing that ourselves, and I’m also rethinking my plan to do an expensive retaining wall in the front, maybe thinking we will cut back the cactus as much as we can(it is edible and delicious) and then use the sloped part of the front yard for herbs. I got a lot of cuttings of African blue basil and Cleveland sage from a friend today, both are perennials in this climate and loved by pollinators. Always the same issue - not enough space!! Wondering how people prefer to plant for maximum yields? Especially in small spaces. Any advice welcome. Hoping everyone is doing well. Lookin forward to this heat being over......See MoreVeggie Tales - December 2018
Comments (388)stacy You have a real challenge there, trying to grow heirlooms and not having control over what's around your own space. My uncle ran a community garden here 35 years ago and I had a plot there for two seasons. I've been fighting blight for about 8 years. I've found that I can grow tomatoes in a new plot, and I can lower the problem, but not totally eradicate it by rotating crops. But it's apparent to me that you must rotate crops if you want to grow heirlooms today. I grew 10 different beefsteaks, a yellow pear and a yellow Kellogg's Breakfast tomato last year. I had two plants, each of most of those. I've decided that I won't buy transplants in the future. So I grow my own from seed I saved, although I do add varieties from purchased seed. I've also decided to stick to heirlooms as much as I can, because it gives me the ability to save seed and in many cases they're the best tasting varieties. I intentionally set 4 tomatoes out in mid June with the idea that I may get the big tomatoes that I seem to get in the first flush. That worked great. The plants were the last to start showing blight and it was minor. This year I plan to repeat that and try setting out a plant in the 3rd and 4th week of June. It's my opinion that what you learn growing heirloom tomatoes will make you a much better gardener with your non heirloom varieties. If you can grow heirloom tomatoes you can grow anything! Grow at least a few in the middle of your plot, while leaving room for a few next year....See MoreVeggie Tales - March 2021
Comments (517)Cindy, the overnite low temps predictions here (near Richmond) range from 27 to 29 for both Fri and Sat mornings. Those numbers may be more fined tuned as the front approaches by Thurs nite, hopefully those low temps will be of short duration, and upgraded to 30F. In the past my fruit tree blooms have survived below freezing temps as long as it wasn't below 27-28F and of a short duration of just a few hours, not more than 6. Wind and humidity also plays a part in the variables. You tree cage looks perfect for covering with a blanket, just secure it in place good as windy conditions may be going on too. Keeping fingers crossed!!...See MoreLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoChris (6a NY)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoJamie
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoSunflowers
6 years agoJamie
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago14tomatoes_md_7a
6 years agoLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years agoitsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agoJamie
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agoitsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agodirtguy50 SW MO z6a
6 years agoisgen
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago14tomatoes_md_7a
6 years agoLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years agoLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoSunflowers
6 years agoLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago14tomatoes_md_7a
6 years ago14tomatoes_md_7a
6 years ago14tomatoes_md_7a
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoJamie
6 years agoJamie
6 years agoKevin Zone 6b - PIT, PA
6 years agoNorm Wilson(zone10/Sunset zone24)
6 years agoChris (6a NY)
6 years agojacoblockcuff (z5b/6a CNTRL Missouri
6 years agoPeter (6b SE NY)
6 years agoKevin Zone 6b - PIT, PA
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoitsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
6 years agoChris (6a NY)
6 years agoSunflowers
6 years agoPeter (6b SE NY)
6 years agoSteve Lng Islnd NY Z-7a SunSet Z-34
6 years ago14tomatoes_md_7a
6 years agoNorm Wilson(zone10/Sunset zone24)
6 years agoninecrow
6 years agoJamie
6 years agoJamie
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoKevin Zone 6b - PIT, PA
6 years ago
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Kevin Zone 6b - PIT, PA