Gardening 2016: Fruits, Veggies, Flowers

[Queen K]

That's funny because we did exactly that too. Cukes, tomatoes, WOW, what a difference! Only I cheated and used store bought peppers to add colour, and the black olives were already open, so I added some. Wrong olive, I know, but it was still nice.

I have three nice sized zucchinis now, all the cherry tomatoes I want as I bought several varieties of them to keep coming in at different times. It's working, the tomato plan is working! White peach tomatoes are proving to be incredible this year. Nice flavour.

We are digging Norlands on a "as needed" basis". Cukes are being harvested constantly.

Leeks are filling out. Having homegrown garlic has proven a boon. We dried so many hot peppers last year, we finally ground them up and now have organic hot pepper seasoning for two years. Our jalpenos are coming in like crazy now.

I have two sets of leeks, one to over Winter and one to dig up and turn into leek soup.

I'm giving parsley away like crazy.

Shallots are cleaned, cured and now stored in the basement, but they won't last long as we keep cooking with them. Why grow them and then buy onions?

My hedge of sunflowers has been spectacular this year, and we have chickadees and American Goldfinch in them all the time. As planned.

[Donald G]

To Queen K ...

Do you mind dropping a dozen of each washed, peeled, ground up and diced fruit and vegetable off at my place when you get a minute ?? Pre cooked and made into various salads would be a nice touch but is not mandatory.

[Nomaster]

This year I'm growing the following in my garden:
Raspberries, strawberries, black currants, white currants, two different grapes, blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries, Marion berries, haskap berries. That's it for fruit I have lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, beets, tomatillos, squash, patty pans, hubbards, corn, peas....
Flowers- lavenders, borage, yarrow, hollyhocks, sunflower, chives,cleome...

Kind of keeping busy.

[Queen K]

Nomaster, have you let some lettuce go to seed at all? I let mine to go seed so that I have fresh seed for year 'round planting and for for scattering it in odd places.

Sounds like you've done well with the fruit, how are the Marion Berries producing for you? Have you tried Tayberry yet?

[Nomaster]

Yes, I'm doing that.
Also, I was late picking some radishes so I see they are flowering now.
I'm letting things get a little wild so that the bees and butterflies have flowers.

My borage is buzzing!!

Also, I'm doing a lot of green manure, chop and drop fertilizing of my soul.

I'm into permaculture. Google it or got to YouTube,Tumblr, etc to see the methods.

The MarionBerries are brand new and not producing yet. tayberries? Never seen that name.

The Haskap berries are in yr 1 and I understand they take 3 yrs to be productive.

[Queen K]

Marion Berries were bred in Oregon, as Tayberries were bred in scotland. Tays are a raspberry/blackberry mix and as prolific as they are thorny.

Don't need to google permaculture but I don't practice it as I used small intensive gardening methods as it is. Every year I try new plants, this year it is American Gooseberries, but so far I haven't had a harvestable berry out them.

[Nomaster]

Cool.

[Queen K]

I've got three Haskap bushes, next year will be year two for them. they produced a handful this year and it's hard to know if I want to keep them just from seven or eight berries.

[Donald G]

Unread postby Queen K » Aug 4th, 2016, 7:25 pm

this year it is American Gooseberries, but so far I haven't had a harvestable berry out them.

Look for goose tracks.

[Nomaster]

Has anyone here tried growing Hopi Corn?
I have some sweet corn that is looking good and close to picking time.
I'm wondering if it's hot enough for Hopi Corn here or did I plant too late (I planted the 2 different kinds in the same area of my garden and on the same day.)

[Nomaster]

Do any of you here do canning?
I'm doing sauerkraut and would like to find weights to weigh down the contents of the jars so that they are fully submerged in the cabbage juices and salt.

Anyone know where to buy canning weights or airlock systems?

[Nomaster]

I have a lot of cabbage so I am doing sauerkrauts and will do Napa Cabbage Kimchi soon.
FYI. If you're interested in lactic fermented veggies.
http://www.foodrenegade.com/3-biggest-f ... dy-making/

[oneh2obabe]

Get a plate big enough to fit the crock and use 1 or 2 gallon-size Ziploc bags or a milk jug full of water as the weight.

[Nomaster]

I guess I should buy crocks. Thanks.

[oneh2obabe]

You don't need crocks - bowls work just as well. All you need is a plate that fits snugly. If you don't have one, use a foam plate and cut to size.