2023 Gardening Thread
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I grew up eating Bitter melon overseas & yes they are bitter, however the second bite is less & less bitter.
Use it in stir-fries, in salads, & soups any where you need a crisp tasty between very crisp cucumber & a summer squash.
I have GERD & instead of Prilosec I use digestive enzymes instead. Short example. This AM we cut up the Bitter melons & I ate some 6 or 7 pieces.
So far I have had 0 upset stomach this morning, it's great for the digestion. Bitter, sweet, salty, tart, Umami all part of our food experience you
can use these flavors to enhance your foods. Remember hearing? Oh you have gastrointestinal upset, well I'll get you some bitters.
You can find them fresh at most oriental food stores, they never taste as crispy & mild as the ones you grow yourself.
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Did not have time, or enough of them, to can. So we dehydrated some tomatoes.
ON BER IN PEPPERS!!! I never knew this was a thing. We have a GREAT crop of bell pepper plants this year. Have gotten quite a few nice peppers from them, too, but many have a rotten spot on the end.... and Carole said "this is just like the blossom end rot on the tomatoes." Now Mr. Genius here SHOULD have made the connection that they are both nightshades, there was no soil prep this year (except a fresh layer of compost), the tomatoes were almost ruined by this stuff, and it is logical to think that one nightshade might be susceptible to the same calcium deficiency, but dunderheads just don't pick up on the obvious sometimes. So......, today it is off to the store to pick up some powdered milk, and I will apply the "wonder spray" of calcium, and file this away for the future.... always add calcium to the soil and then re-treat after about 4-6 weeks EVERY YEAR!
BTW one of the things on my list to do is find a commercial fisherman or fish store and ask for a tote full of fish guts to freeze. I often bury sardines under each plant to assist in growth, but fish waste is free. I saw a vid once of a guy who raises tilapia and recycles the fish pee and poo in the water to his hydroponics. That looked interesting, but you can only do so many things at once! Anyone who has regular access to fish waste in the triangle area would be welcome to pm me.
BTW one of the things on my list to do is find a commercial fisherman or fish store and ask for a tote full of fish guts to freeze. I often bury sardines under each plant to assist in growth, but fish waste is free. I saw a vid once of a guy who raises tilapia and recycles the fish pee and poo in the water to his hydroponics. That looked interesting, but you can only do so many things at once! Anyone who has regular access to fish waste in the triangle area would be welcome to pm me.
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I’m finally getting banana peppers. Anyone have a good pickling recipe? They are not big but have good flavor.
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I know, going off topic, but… have you tried papaya enzyme extract? American Health brand at Amazon is the best. I was on Prilosec ad void get foe. Go 1/2 pill every other day but no more without wicked rebound. Bariaric nurse re commended the papaya, worked like a charm did the same for my mother after chemo drugs.
Papaya was known as an effective treatment for syphilis around the Caribbean before there were antibiotics. There are some true wonder drugs in nature which will never be marketed simply because they cannot be patented.
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We didn’t do a wholesale garden this year and I really miss it. But Diana wanted some green beans. On June 14 I tilled, made four hills and planted four rows of beans about 40’ long. Late yes, but still plenty of time. We got our first picking this morning. Four buckets full like the ones pictured. These are Jade variety and turned out great so far. With the rain this evening I should get another good picking before the end of the coming week. What we picked this morning should make 12-14 quarts canned.
Lima Bean question...
Long story short, this is the first year I've grown Lima beans. My back was out when I really needed to start picking so now I'm a couple weeks late. I'm getting about 1/4 brown pods. What am I supposed to do with these? I'll end up having probably close to a couple gallons of them by the time I'm done.
Long story short, this is the first year I've grown Lima beans. My back was out when I really needed to start picking so now I'm a couple weeks late. I'm getting about 1/4 brown pods. What am I supposed to do with these? I'll end up having probably close to a couple gallons of them by the time I'm done.
looking forward to seeing the responses here.
I would say either finish drying them for dried beans or after shelling, if they are really dry, soak in water for awhile and then cook them.
Peppers are rolling in.. more growing on the vines…
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My very first watermelon! I am very excited about it. It was really sweet. I’m definitely saving the seeds from this one for next year.
Have returned to a succession of sprouts. Breakfast was eating a mashup of broccoli sprouts, apple, orange, cucumber, celery and tomato. Carole has a dressing that is some kind of mayo/mustard/honey/basil thing that is great! I feel so good eating this way. I would still eat like this if I knew I would still die of cancer within a year, the "feeling" of health and vitality is so intense.
Also, my raised beds are pretty much rotted out. I have done a few braces and such to keep them from collapsing, but they are done. This is the last planting in them. So, just for grins, I ordered some "Birdie" metal planters I found on sale. Here is a pic of one I put together last night. I have three more, one small (one meter diameter) and two rectangular (six feet by 3 feet). I do plan to replace the six I have with more pallet frames, but I may see if I can find scrap roof metal to use for the panels. Carole is big on things "looking pretty" so we will see how that pans out.
If I can't find any at a reasonable cost, I will just go ahead and cut down the pallet panels and use them. I want to get a couple of long (16 feet) cattle panels and make some covering trellis units this winter as a kind of greenhouse.
I have started to settle in on a pattern for broccoli sprouts. They become edible in a matter of 3-4 days and I feel GREAT eating them.
Carole is on her first two trays of arugula microgreens. I had let those areas go while recovering from surgery as I did not want to dump them on Carole to remember while she was tending me, but we are starting to move back in on them. Next stop will be ramping up those two areas, strategically setting up the raised beds, and then trying out a few hydroponics, for which I have the buckets to make a vertical tower.
There is so much to learn!
Also, my raised beds are pretty much rotted out. I have done a few braces and such to keep them from collapsing, but they are done. This is the last planting in them. So, just for grins, I ordered some "Birdie" metal planters I found on sale. Here is a pic of one I put together last night. I have three more, one small (one meter diameter) and two rectangular (six feet by 3 feet). I do plan to replace the six I have with more pallet frames, but I may see if I can find scrap roof metal to use for the panels. Carole is big on things "looking pretty" so we will see how that pans out.
If I can't find any at a reasonable cost, I will just go ahead and cut down the pallet panels and use them. I want to get a couple of long (16 feet) cattle panels and make some covering trellis units this winter as a kind of greenhouse.
I have started to settle in on a pattern for broccoli sprouts. They become edible in a matter of 3-4 days and I feel GREAT eating them.
Carole is on her first two trays of arugula microgreens. I had let those areas go while recovering from surgery as I did not want to dump them on Carole to remember while she was tending me, but we are starting to move back in on them. Next stop will be ramping up those two areas, strategically setting up the raised beds, and then trying out a few hydroponics, for which I have the buckets to make a vertical tower.
There is so much to learn!
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I got a smoking deal on Birdies last fall. I figure the price is worth it as they will out last me.
Birdies Raised Metal Garden Beds
Birdies is Australia's leading and original manufacturer of raised garden beds. For over 13 years, they have led the industry with the highest-quality, longest-lasting metal raised beds with the most configuration options, sizes, and colors.
shop.epicgardening.com
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Took a vacation day from work. Beautiful day to do so. Started out collecting 2 dozen eggs from the chickens. We have one broody bird that I think was keeping the others from laying in the normal spot and I discovered they were laying in the small coop instead. All but one float tested as good.
Then it was tractor time. The damned PTO guard was going. Had to take two big bolts out to get to the guard bolts. My dad couldn’t budge them with the breaker bar, but I could. Got to the two smaller ones on the guard, and Jesus….. what I didn’t know and couldn’t see was there were nuts on the other side that tightened as I tried to loosen. Sheared both. Guard off. They’ll just punch out.
Then the PTO was a pain, wire brush, Blaster, and a screwdriver and a hammer got it on.
Dug holes for trees. Next to last, I forgot to lift the damned auger and did something such that the last hole wiggled the tractor. The stupid plastic shaft guards are rubbing but I don’t think I bent the shaft. We shall see.
Scraped down the pile of compost dirt that had grass growing and got a load of dirt. Parents planted 10 fruit trees and put fresh compost and water in the holes. Hopefully they thrive, planting in spring hasn’t worked.
my mother also planted a bed or two of peas. Need to plant carrots, but broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts are in for fall.
Came home, to the trailer, wife says, please shower you smell like diesel.
A bad day at homesteading is still better then a good day at the office.
Then it was tractor time. The damned PTO guard was going. Had to take two big bolts out to get to the guard bolts. My dad couldn’t budge them with the breaker bar, but I could. Got to the two smaller ones on the guard, and Jesus….. what I didn’t know and couldn’t see was there were nuts on the other side that tightened as I tried to loosen. Sheared both. Guard off. They’ll just punch out.
Then the PTO was a pain, wire brush, Blaster, and a screwdriver and a hammer got it on.
Dug holes for trees. Next to last, I forgot to lift the damned auger and did something such that the last hole wiggled the tractor. The stupid plastic shaft guards are rubbing but I don’t think I bent the shaft. We shall see.
Scraped down the pile of compost dirt that had grass growing and got a load of dirt. Parents planted 10 fruit trees and put fresh compost and water in the holes. Hopefully they thrive, planting in spring hasn’t worked.
my mother also planted a bed or two of peas. Need to plant carrots, but broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts are in for fall.
Came home, to the trailer, wife says, please shower you smell like diesel.
A bad day at homesteading is still better then a good day at the office.
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Melon baller for removing seeds from peppers. This is a game changer!
Had a partial row in the blueberry orchard where a particular variety had all died, so I decided to put it to use. I had a couple pounds of elephant garlic corms from this years crop, so I put a double row on the mound with the drip irrigation line down the middle.
The corms will only produce a "round" garlic, similar to an onion, instead of cloves the first year. I'll leave them till the second year and get regular heads with cloves. I soaked them overnight in water to soften the hard outer shell, planted and then turned on the drip irrigation. I have a batch of "rounds" from this years crop ready to go into one of my raised beds today. They should be ready around June next year and I'll take them up and be able to put something else in that bed.
If anyone local would like to try some elephant garlic corms, let me know, I still have plenty. I can also bring some to the CFF lunch next Friday if you let me know.
Double row - "Rounds" - Corms
Just finished filling up a 4' x 4' raised bed. Got one more 4' x 8' bed to pull the tomato plants out of and fill up with garlic. The weather is finally getting suitable to do stuff outside.
The corms will only produce a "round" garlic, similar to an onion, instead of cloves the first year. I'll leave them till the second year and get regular heads with cloves. I soaked them overnight in water to soften the hard outer shell, planted and then turned on the drip irrigation. I have a batch of "rounds" from this years crop ready to go into one of my raised beds today. They should be ready around June next year and I'll take them up and be able to put something else in that bed.
If anyone local would like to try some elephant garlic corms, let me know, I still have plenty. I can also bring some to the CFF lunch next Friday if you let me know.
Double row - "Rounds" - Corms
Just finished filling up a 4' x 4' raised bed. Got one more 4' x 8' bed to pull the tomato plants out of and fill up with garlic. The weather is finally getting suitable to do stuff outside.
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Happiest thread on this forum!
my wife LOVES this stuff. 2 trays not 5 over here, but I feel ya
OP
Lynn was saying prepping it made her eyes and hands burn.
Cleaned off the pepper plants before the frost.
OP
Think I am just going to let the remaining ones go and compost the plants. They’re mostly some mild red scotch bonnet looking ones. Picked and made a fair bit of sauce this year. Need to plan for next, which I think will include some bell peppers. Got plants at Pittsboro feed which we’re supposed to be bell, but weren’t. Think I’ll start them from seed this year. We’re also going to expand our grow rack system and get more LED grow light panels and tray warmers. Something enjoyable about starting plants in or around February. Our barn has a workshop area that is insulated and has a mini splint for HVAC, which makes it an ideal place to start plants and brood birds.
Friday I mulched up the leaves in the yard with the mower, then raked them all up and put a thick layer of leaf mulch on my different garlic beds. The leaves help keep the winter weeds from sprouting, helps hold moisture and breaks down to help the soil. Today, I can't even tell I got the leaves up last week.
I didn't mulch them but put all the leaves in the garden last year. I did a no till this year and it worked out well. I want to try garlic this year and will be doing the leaf thing again.
@Sp00ks, Sept/Oct is when I plant my garlic and then take it up around June when the tops starts to yellow. I grow elephant garlic which has heads about the size of a baseball. If you plant the small corms that grow on the heads, it takes 2 years to develop a full head, the first year they just make a round bulb similar to an onion.
I just run over the leaves with the mower to help break them down some. I used to put all the leaves through my chipper/shredder, but it's too much trouble to drag out.
I just run over the leaves with the mower to help break them down some. I used to put all the leaves through my chipper/shredder, but it's too much trouble to drag out.
Mom putting her raised beds to good fall use…collards and mustard greens will be ready for the thanksgiving meal
OP
For us, the season is pretty much over. That super cold spell with three mornings in the mid 20s kind of did in any remaining stuff this year. Beds are getting cleared out. We’re going to build a bigger / better seed starter stand this winter, order seeds early and maybe start more of our own stuff. Overall, this was a rough year, especially for things like carrots which didn’t germinate.
Went to the farmers market in Greensboro today. Got some sweet potatoes, which we forgot to order and plant (doh, they usually grow really well for us) and some apples. Tis the season. You could tell by what the vendors had out that 2023 was a rougher year for produce. Some years do good, others not so much. The weather is a real roll of the dice.
Went to the farmers market in Greensboro today. Got some sweet potatoes, which we forgot to order and plant (doh, they usually grow really well for us) and some apples. Tis the season. You could tell by what the vendors had out that 2023 was a rougher year for produce. Some years do good, others not so much. The weather is a real roll of the dice.