official veggie gardener's thread

[snoopdoug1]

There are directions on the bag. Honestly though for that size osmocote would be fine and you'd be assured of not burning your plants and won't have to do anything the rest of the season. You'll see results from the fertilizer within a week or two at most.

But that stuff is expensive I'll see what I can find. Thanks again.

 

[snoopdoug1]

Got some osmocote and threw it down. Let's see how this works!

Thanks again for the help spidey!

 

[spidey07]

Got some osmocote and threw it down. Let's see how this works!

Thanks again for the help spidey!

Everything should look much happier inside of two weeks.

 

[BoomerD]

Finally gotcha...you little fucker!

Nasty little fuckers...raiding my garden...

for reference, the trap is a Victor rat trap, 7" x 3 1/4".
Probably a "roof rat," which are very common around here.

I killed 2 little babies last year, one medium sized one, (body about 4 inches) and one like this one...body about 6 inches.

 

[DrPizza]

Didn't do a garden this year - was much too busy putting up fencing for the goats. Fenced in the area where last year's garden was. Son of a gun! Goats don't like tomatoes! I have a shitload of tomato plants growing with a lot of tomatoes on them.

 

[spidey07]

Didn't do a garden this year - was much too busy putting up fencing for the goats. Fenced in the area where last year's garden was. Son of a gun! Goats don't like tomatoes! I have a shitload of tomato plants growing with a lot of tomatoes on them.

Aren't nightshade's poison to many animals?

 

[DrPizza]

Ah ha! I didn't even think about that. Smart little goats. It's amazing how I can walk through the field and see a handful of varieties of plants that they completely ignore. Yesterday I ripped out about 100 of the same type of plant; not quite sure what it is, but whatever it is, the goats didn't like it. It was growing in last year's garden area, and near where the tomatoes were.

 

[BoomerD]

Fucking rats...got another one this morning...

Last year is the first time I ever saw one around here. I contacted the city to see if they offered any help...I got a written notice of "code violation, rats on the premises" as my response.
I have a vacant house behind me, (bank owned, about to be rented) and one now beside me. (has been a rental, last tenants moved out a month ago.)
My little "rat dogs" have been going crazy at both fences, letting me know that the rats are back...
I can't get the bank's property management company to do anything about their property, and the one next to me...the owners are Mexicans and don't care.

Pisses me off...this is a nice sub-division.

 

[Marinski]

do you guys prefer raised beds or going directly into the ground? I have 2 raised beds 4 x 8 and around that I was going into ground, some of the space I havent dont anything with. i got about 20' x 20'. Im thinking either add a few more raised beds and put some rocks chips around that or just forget the beds and go into the ground.

 

[spidey07]

do you guys prefer raised beds or going directly into the ground? I have 2 raised beds 4 x 8 and around that I was going into ground, some of the space I havent dont anything with. i got about 20' x 20'. Im thinking either add a few more raised beds and put some rocks chips around that or just forget the beds and go into the ground.

Raised beds are better. The soil gets warmer.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Can someone identify this tall grass? I've looked around on google and .. possibly it's Elephant or Bana Grass??

 

[lykaon78]

My tomatoes are splitting from the bottom-up. I've read its a calcium deficiency. Is that correct and are there any quick remedies?

 

[spidey07]

My tomatoes are splitting from the bottom-up. I've read its a calcium deficiency. Is that correct and are there any quick remedies?

Splitting is irregular watering/uptake. They split from growing too fast for available water. For example, a week of heavy rain followed by none will give splitting just like watering heavily for extended periods and then not.

Calcium deficiency normally causes blossom end rot, where the blossom end turns black and rots from the bottom of the fruit and then up towards the stem.

 

[DrPizza]

Someone posted something about tomato blight above. I was talking to the Amish farmer I get produce from - he swears by trimming the bottom branches off his tomato plants to give them more airflow under the plant.

Also, people have posted in this thread about pruning the tomato plants. He's experimented with it and says that while the pruned plants produce larger tomatoes, the unpruned plants have a higher overall yield.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

well I've officially lost control of my tomatoes. I've staked tied , retied and restaked more times than I can count.

I can't even keep up picking the cherry tomatoes. I had to toss a couple dozen that split.

I picked about 2 dozen big boy and early girl tomatos that I had to puree and freeze to make sauce when I have time.

And today I picked 4 more full size tomatoes and another 20 cherries! It never ends all the plants are still full of fruit with more flowers still coming.

I've picked about 8 beautiful eggplant in the last week so this weekend is def eggplant parm time! I have about at least 8 more fruits growing as well.

I picked at least 2 dozen cukes and they continue to come in steady everyday or every other.

My squash have slowed down but are still producing. What does it mean when the leaves get this white stuff on them? Looks like someone shook baby powder on them almost? I'm guessing a fungus. I just cut them.

By far my best year of gardening ever.

 

[spidey07]

Someone posted something about tomato blight above. I was talking to the Amish farmer I get produce from - he swears by trimming the bottom branches off his tomato plants to give them more airflow under the plant.

Also, people have posted in this thread about pruning the tomato plants. He's experimented with it and says that while the pruned plants produce larger tomatoes, the unpruned plants have a higher overall yield.

Yes, removing the bottom set of leaves or two sets is good. You also don't want the leaves laying in the soil (that's where the fungus lives and thrives). I don't prune anymore and that's exactly what I've experienced regarding to prune or not prune.

My peppers are going nuts, more fruit than I can probably eat. 8 plants plus 4 jalapeno.

 

[BoomerD]

Since we ended up with 8 fucking cherry tomato plants, I'm having to give them away every week. It's getting so the neighbors don't answer the door...:biggrin:

Too bad they're not really worth a shit for salsa or sauce...(PITA to peel the little bastards for sauce, too much liquid for good salsa)

I have peppers, peppers, peppers...and I like it. Serranos, Fresnos, jalapenos...and 2 species of bell peppers.
Throw the jalapenos and Fresnos on the grill...get some fire-roasted action going..mmm...mmmmmmmm! OR, just eat them right out of the garden with a bit of salt...or chopped in eggs and potatoes...or in tacos...or..............

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Since we ended up with 8 fucking cherry tomato plants, I'm having to give them away every week. It's getting so the neighbors don't answer the door...:biggrin:

Too bad they're not really worth a shit for salsa or sauce...(PITA to peel the little bastards for sauce, too much liquid for good salsa)

Halved cherry tomatoes + celery + red onion + little manchego cheese cubes + balsamic vinaigrette = awesome salad.

 

[Anubis]

ive got tomatoes coming out of my ears, the grape tomato plants are about 8 feet tall now. i picked over 200 today and will most likely pick that many again tom

 

[TraumaRN]

So far harvested most of my onions, most of my celery. I've harvested tons of cherry tomatoes. Probably 300 from 4 plants with at least a couple hundred left on the plants.

Starting to really harvest my San Marzano and my Paul Robeson purple beefsteaks as well. Been roasting big batches of cherry tomatoes as they make a surprisingly decent sauce after being roasted.

Harvested lots of peppers as well. I plan on roasting and freezing the peppers soon as well.

Harvest 2 pints worth of dried black eyed peas so far.

Also have most of my fall plants started. Fall carrots, cabbage, broccoli, basil, snap peas and green beans all up and doing well. Going to plant fall lettuce/spinach and radish within a week or so.

 

[snoopdoug1]

well I've officially lost control of my tomatoes. I've staked tied , retied and restaked more times than I can count.

I can't even keep up picking the cherry tomatoes. I had to toss a couple dozen that split.

I picked about 2 dozen big boy and early girl tomatos that I had to puree and freeze to make sauce when I have time.

And today I picked 4 more full size tomatoes and another 20 cherries! It never ends all the plants are still full of fruit with more flowers still coming.

I've picked about 8 beautiful eggplant in the last week so this weekend is def eggplant parm time! I have about at least 8 more fruits growing as well.

I picked at least 2 dozen cukes and they continue to come in steady everyday or every other.

My squash have slowed down but are still producing. What does it mean when the leaves get this white stuff on them? Looks like someone shook baby powder on them almost? I'm guessing a fungus. I just cut them.

By far my best year of gardening ever.

What recipe do you use for the sauce? I just used a bunch of my tomatoes trying this one out... it's cooking now but I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-tomato-spaghetti-sauce-10837

 

[HydroSqueegee]

powdery mildew. killed my pumpkins last year.

 

[mmntech]

Just harvested one of my jalapeno peppers for a delicious bbq pizza. Wow, they're good and spicy. Wasn't expecting they'd turn out so well since the plants haven't been producing a lot of fruit. I potted them this year. Had two each in large pots. I think I'll put just one each in smaller pots next year.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

 

[TraumaRN]

Picked an overflowing bushel worth of tomatoes today. Along with 20 peppers hot and sweet varieties. 2 cantaloupe, 10 more cucumber, a gallon + a quart bag full of green beans, and a half dozen more onions.

Also of note, I've made 2 gallons worth of slow roasted tomatoes in the last week that are now dated, sealed and frozen.

Friday will be canning tomatoes. Should probably have nearly 1.5 bushels by then. My dad will also contribute at least a bushel of tomatoes. Then probably labor day weekend we'll both have another bushel EACH of tomatoes for canning.