let's see your veggie garden {pics} 2021-25
- Thread starter deluxestogie
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MadFarmer
Well-Known Member
Do you have problems with squash Vine borers in AL?
Some of my squash stems have split at ground level, but we had 30 mph+ winds that started one morning and lasted until evening. Twisty, swirly winds but fairly constant in strength. No big limbs down knock on wood. Most of the plants were down and I straightened them back up but a few days later the squash plants started laying over again and I noticed the splits. I suspect they were caused by the winds that ripped tree leaves loose and scattered them all over the yard and laid over most of my plants. I put more soil in the pots above the splits and the plants seem healthy but still very floppy due to the fact that the stalks flattened out at the split and lost the inherent strength of the tube shape. At the time, my suspects were wind or squash borers. Since I've had no further trouble since that windy day I'm going with wind damage. Being elevated in pots confounds the issue as they can't brace themselves with the leaves as they normally could, especially when they wilt. They try, but I'm currently having to water twice a day since it's been above 90F for the past several days and no rain for quite awhile. They could use another drink but I'm trying not to water in the heat of day. The ground is so dry that it just sucks the moisture right out of the grow bags. The potting soil dries out, the plants wilt and can no longer brace themselves so the squash flop over. The squash need the most watering with tobacco being the second and tomatoes third. So far. The problem I'm trying to address now is the tobacco in one gallon pots. When the soil dries out and gets really light, the top heavy plants fall over with the slightest breeze and the whole row goes over like dominoes. I set about half of them in some clay pots I had but ran out. Thunderstorms given for the next few days so I've either got to come up with more clay pots, tie the grow bag cloth handles together to the bags inside clay pots, or move the tobacco into the garage until the storms pass. I tried putting rocks on top of the soil but the center of gravity was still too high and they still blew over. It's an hour and a half drive plus time in the store just to get some more clay pots so I'm trying to make do with what I have until I have another reason to go to town. There are some pluses and minuses with the grow bags and I'm afraid I overlooked and/or was unaware of some of the minuses. I'll know more about it next year.
edit: sorry, longer post than I intended. Wow. Short answer, I haven't seen any.
For the tippy tobacco pots, pound in a tomato stake at each one, and tie the pot to it. Plan B might be sections of unused box fence to make a clamping bracket for each side of the pots, the length of the row. Pin it down with anything handy.
Bob
Bob
The tobacco plants are sitting on concrete to help with grasshoppers. I will move the clayless bags into the garage until the storm passes and I will get more clay pots later. The 2 gallon clay pots in the photo seem to hold a 1 gal. grow bag pretty well and have a reservoir for water. The pot and water helps the stability issue.
I found some 7 gal. plastic pots (I had a small stash in the shop) that hold the 3 gal. grow bags. They have a buit in reservoir for water, plus they have tall sides and the squash plants are able to brace themselves against those taller sides (at least until they wilt, but the water reservoir can stall the wilting until I can bottom feed again). 6 out of 8 squash plants are now sitting inside 3 gal. grow bags inside 7 gal. plastic pots.
Battening down the hatches for a few thunderstorms
Tomatoes. Because they were there. Trimmed lower limbs with leaves touching the ground and pulled suckers. One plant had some flowers this morning.
I found some 7 gal. plastic pots (I had a small stash in the shop) that hold the 3 gal. grow bags. They have a buit in reservoir for water, plus they have tall sides and the squash plants are able to brace themselves against those taller sides (at least until they wilt, but the water reservoir can stall the wilting until I can bottom feed again). 6 out of 8 squash plants are now sitting inside 3 gal. grow bags inside 7 gal. plastic pots.
Battening down the hatches for a few thunderstorms
Tomatoes. Because they were there. Trimmed lower limbs with leaves touching the ground and pulled suckers. One plant had some flowers this morning.
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BarG
Founding Member
BarG
Founding Member
BarG
Founding Member
BarG
Founding Member
I dare anyone to go buy a board right now and act like they didn't just get raped .
Homegrowngoodnes
Well-Known Member
Homegrowngoodnes
Well-Known Member
Anyone remember that online game from years ago called farmville? It always seemed that you would be too busy to bother with it for a while then you finally get back to it your crops died. There was this thing where your friends could send you a thing to bring them back and make them ready to harvest. Too bad that's not a real thing! Haha.
Squash Keepers
I have found my North Georgia Candy Roaster squash have kept through the winter longer than any others that I have grown. Other than just "keeping", it is also one of the smoothest (no strandy fibers) and sweetest of squash. It (Cucurbita maxima) makes by far the best "pumpkin" pies I've ever baked. It also makes a great side-dish, boiled and chunked, mashed, etc.
Its huge leaves are also edible, though I don't particularly care for them, unless they are quick-fried in a pan of hot oil, making a crunchy snack.
The plant typically produces two very large squash per vine, and it spreads a bit, though less than most pumpkins. Although the vine can climb, the steadily increasing weight of its massive fruit will invariably pull it back down to earth. The leaves themselves are held on foot-tall stalks, and fully shade the underlying soil.
Bob
EDIT: One added benefit of its long shape is that I can slice off a portion to cook, then just cover the cut end with plastic wrap and slide it into the fridge for next time.
I have found my North Georgia Candy Roaster squash have kept through the winter longer than any others that I have grown. Other than just "keeping", it is also one of the smoothest (no strandy fibers) and sweetest of squash. It (Cucurbita maxima) makes by far the best "pumpkin" pies I've ever baked. It also makes a great side-dish, boiled and chunked, mashed, etc.
Its huge leaves are also edible, though I don't particularly care for them, unless they are quick-fried in a pan of hot oil, making a crunchy snack.
The plant typically produces two very large squash per vine, and it spreads a bit, though less than most pumpkins. Although the vine can climb, the steadily increasing weight of its massive fruit will invariably pull it back down to earth. The leaves themselves are held on foot-tall stalks, and fully shade the underlying soil.
Bob
EDIT: One added benefit of its long shape is that I can slice off a portion to cook, then just cover the cut end with plastic wrap and slide it into the fridge for next time.
Adora Waywander
Member
Ooooh good idea!Free Starter Domes
Bob
My first pea harvest of the season.
Bob
Last night, I decided to make scrambled eggs with my fresh green peas. I beat the egg, added a little milk, beat it again, then thoroughly stirred in all those peas (shown in my previous post). As I scrambled the egg/pea mixture in a hot skillet, every single pea separated itself cleanly from the scrambling egg. I ended up with tasty scrambled egg and side-dish of lightly seared green peas. It was good, but not what I had envisioned.
Bob
Bob
Little spherical vegetables don't usually hang well in scrambled eggs or omelets, been there done that, better to put them on the side or sprinkle on top.
Try this sometime, it's a favorite recipe. It should work fine with some adjustments using fresh peas instead of dried green lentils. It is an unexpected and delightful dish for breakfast, lunch or supper.
Salade De Lentilles Vertes Du Puy Aux Œufs Pochés)
100 g (3 ½ oz) green lentils
1 small carrot, diced
1 bouquet garni
1⁄4 yellow onion, diced
1 c water
salt
1 spring onion, finely minced
1⁄2 T minced flat‑leaf parsley
2 large eggs
vinaigrette:
1⁄2 T Dijon mustard
5 T olive oil
1 T sherry vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place lentils, carrot, bouquet garni, onion, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the lentils are just tender. Remove the bouquet garni. Salt the lentils and mix. Set aside.
2. Prepare the vinaigrette.
3. Fill a saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add a splash of vinegar and reduce heat so that water is just below a boil. One at a time, break eggs into a small bowl and slip gently into water. Poach until the whites appear cooked, but the yolks are still liquid, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Combine the lentils, spring onion, and vinaigrette. Divide lentil mixture on serving plates as flat‑top mounds. Add a poached egg to each mound, garnish with parsley, serve immediately.
Yield: 2 servings.
Adapted from Cuisine en Famille, Bernard Loiseau, 1997, page 65
Try this sometime, it's a favorite recipe. It should work fine with some adjustments using fresh peas instead of dried green lentils. It is an unexpected and delightful dish for breakfast, lunch or supper.
Salade De Lentilles Vertes Du Puy Aux Œufs Pochés)
100 g (3 ½ oz) green lentils
1 small carrot, diced
1 bouquet garni
1⁄4 yellow onion, diced
1 c water
salt
1 spring onion, finely minced
1⁄2 T minced flat‑leaf parsley
2 large eggs
vinaigrette:
1⁄2 T Dijon mustard
5 T olive oil
1 T sherry vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place lentils, carrot, bouquet garni, onion, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the lentils are just tender. Remove the bouquet garni. Salt the lentils and mix. Set aside.
2. Prepare the vinaigrette.
3. Fill a saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add a splash of vinegar and reduce heat so that water is just below a boil. One at a time, break eggs into a small bowl and slip gently into water. Poach until the whites appear cooked, but the yolks are still liquid, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Combine the lentils, spring onion, and vinaigrette. Divide lentil mixture on serving plates as flat‑top mounds. Add a poached egg to each mound, garnish with parsley, serve immediately.
Yield: 2 servings.
Adapted from Cuisine en Famille, Bernard Loiseau, 1997, page 65
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GrowleyMonster
Creator of the Imperfecto
Just made Deluxe Hoppin John for dinner, with the very first harvest from the new house. (a jalapeno) and we have about 17 more on the bushes, and some tomatoes starting to fill up, too. I put a raised bed together and planted it with mixed seedlinga and a ground cover of white icicle radishes. Today I bought the stuff for making the second raised bed (4 x 8 x 2 feet typical) and finished filling and planting the first one with Okra, New Mexico chiles, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, daikon radishes, Icicle radishes, and one Connecticut BroadLeaf seedling. Meanwhile along part of one fence I have jalapenos, tomatoes, okra, and one hill of zucchini. Trust me, one hill as twice as many as you want. We got a very late start this year due to moving and stuff. After hurricane season is over we will plant some bok choy and cabbage and lettuce. This winter we want to plant some citrus and maybe a cherry tree so we have cherries for cocktails. Some onions, too, maybe some yukon gold botatoes. By next spring we will have probably 5 raised beds 4 x 8 x 2.
Asshole owner of the rental house next door keeps spraying herbicide along the fence, too lazy to pull the brambles and stuff by hand. Hard as hell to grow alongside that fence. I am leery of raised beds over there because it is a very tight fit backing the pickup truck as it is, without raised beds to smash into. Mrs Monster is planting me a herb garden. At the back of the property I hope to get some bakky going, as well as along the shady side of the house, some Connecticut Shade for those beautiful yellow wrappers.
We planted some asparagus but it didn't come up. Ditto raspberries and blackberries but one neighbor (our property borders 5 lots) has planted blackberries along our shared fence so at least we will get a few this y
ear to snack on out of hand.
I would like to plant some dwarf cavendish bananas but had poor showing from them at the other house, only about 8 blocks away, so maybe no on the nanners. Too bad. I love me some nanners. I grew the hell out of them on my farm in Belize back in the day.
Asshole owner of the rental house next door keeps spraying herbicide along the fence, too lazy to pull the brambles and stuff by hand. Hard as hell to grow alongside that fence. I am leery of raised beds over there because it is a very tight fit backing the pickup truck as it is, without raised beds to smash into. Mrs Monster is planting me a herb garden. At the back of the property I hope to get some bakky going, as well as along the shady side of the house, some Connecticut Shade for those beautiful yellow wrappers.
We planted some asparagus but it didn't come up. Ditto raspberries and blackberries but one neighbor (our property borders 5 lots) has planted blackberries along our shared fence so at least we will get a few this y
ear to snack on out of hand.I would like to plant some dwarf cavendish bananas but had poor showing from them at the other house, only about 8 blocks away, so maybe no on the nanners. Too bad. I love me some nanners. I grew the hell out of them on my farm in Belize back in the day.
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smallwanderings
Well-Known Member
Wade Giant corn from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. The yellow plant came up that way and has not changed. I guessing a sport. Also in the picture, two Jade green bean plants.
smallwanderings
Well-Known Member
The explanation for the yellow plant from an email from Baker Creek: "We see this on occasion in corn. It's presumably genetic--a lack of chlorophyll. It could also be a nutrient deficiency, caused perhaps by cool soil, but if it's only one seedling out of many, it's likely the first one I mentioned. Such seedlings don't grow much and soon perish."
koceff
Well-Known Member
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