The green beans get their own trellis or other support . I let them go
over onto the tomato cages because they were making the corn that was
supposed to support them fall over . This has adversely impacted the
sunlight to the tomatoes , and yields have suffered .
Several other things I'll do different next year ... like not grow corn .
Mine sucks , and the yield/area isn't that great . Lettuces and spinach
will be in the ground before the snow if any melts , I'm tired of it
bolting as soon as it starts to produce . I pick lettuce , spinach , red
beet , bok choy as soon as the leaves are big enough to make a salad . Too
bad it all bolts before the tomatoes are ripe . Potatoes are still on
trial , we'll need to see what the yield is .
Right now , the list for next year is topped by strawberries worked hard
to get them established ! green beans Kentucky Wonder , I'm letting some
seed tomatoes variety not decided green onions we love 'em and a few
varieties of squash , including summer , zukes , acorn , and pumpkins .
--
Snag
Blue Agave Rocks

On 8/5/2014 12:06 AM, Terry Coombs wrote:
The green beans get their own trellis or other support .
I made my trellises from half inch diameter steel electrical conduit and
bought nylon (long-life) trellis netting from Amazon. Works great for
cukes, climbing beans, etc. Even used the conduit fixtures to tie the
pieces together. Made them five feet tall by four feet wide, drove 1/2
inch rebar into the ground and set the conduit right down over the rebar.
I let them go
over onto the tomato cages because they were making the corn that was
supposed to support them fall over . This has adversely impacted the
sunlight to the tomatoes , and yields have suffered .
Several other things I'll do different next year ... like not grow corn .
Mine sucks , and the yield/area isn't that great .
I found out years ago that growing corn is hopeless in a small garden.
For a few years we did the old Indian thing, plant corn, climbing beans
and squash around the base. Corn grows tall, beans climb, squash shades
the ground. Even put a fish or two into each bed. Worked well enough to
get some corn, beans, and squash and taught my kids how my ancestors
gardened. Finally gave it up as there are more modern methods nowadays
that produce more produce.

Lettuces and spinach
will be in the ground before the snow if any melts , I'm tired of it
bolting as soon as it starts to produce . I pick lettuce , spinach , red
beet , bok choy as soon as the leaves are big enough to make a salad . Too
bad it all bolts before the tomatoes are ripe . Potatoes are still on
trial , we'll need to see what the yield is .
Right now , the list for next year is topped by strawberries worked hard
to get them established ! green beans Kentucky Wonder , I'm letting some
seed tomatoes variety not decided green onions we love 'em and a few
varieties of squash , including summer , zukes , acorn , and pumpkins .
What's your USDA heat zone Terry? We lived in 9b for years and moved to
8b a few years ago. Lettuce here grows for months before bolting in the
heat of summer. We planted chard last fall and are still harvesting some
on a weekly basis. Our chard is sheltered from the sun from noon on to
darkness and that is probably why it is doing so well. Now that it is
August the chard is slowing down a good bit.

A friend gave me starts of "bunching" onions twenty odd years ago, still
got them growing, even after a move. When we harvest a bunch we leave
the roots on one onion and trim the top back to just above the white
part and replant that one. A few weeks later we have another bunch
growing. Grew leeks last winter, they got huge, found out we don't care
for the taste. Planted Texas 1015Y sweet onion seed, got golf ball sized
onions. Won't do that again, they're cheaper at the supermarket here.

That's what gardening is all about, trial plantings sometimes make
sense, sometimes they don't. Keep on trying, it's still a lot of fun and
sometimes you're amazed at what you get.

George

On Tuesday, August 5, 2014 1:06:28 AM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:
The green beans get their own trellis or other support . I let them go

over onto the tomato cages because they were making the corn that was

supposed to support them fall over . This has adversely impacted the

sunlight to the tomatoes , and yields have suffered .

Several other things I'll do different next year ... like not grow corn .

Mine sucks , and the yield/area isn't that great . Lettuces and spinach

will be in the ground before the snow if any melts , I'm tired of it

bolting as soon as it starts to produce . I pick lettuce , spinach , red

beet , bok choy as soon as the leaves are big enough to make a salad . Too

bad it all bolts before the tomatoes are ripe . Potatoes are still on

trial , we'll need to see what the yield is .

Right now , the list for next year is topped by strawberries worked hard

to get them established ! green beans Kentucky Wonder , I'm letting some

seed tomatoes variety not decided green onions we love 'em and a few

varieties of squash , including summer , zukes , acorn , and pumpkins .

--

Snag

Blue Agave Rocks

Try several varieties of tomatoes, this year I have several slicers, two paste and a couple of cherry tomatoes. I try to get at least one modern disease resistant tomato in the slicers. The paste tomatoes generally fruit at once so there are a lot for canning at one time (I can the slicers too when there is an abundance). You might also look at a variety called "Longkeeper". If I start these mid-summer I'll have tomatoes until Christmas at least.

Corn and potatoes take up a lot of space and are relatively cheap. I usually buy them at the farmer's market.

Try your cool weather crops in the fall. Many of them are far sweeter after a little nip of frost and are not killed until a hard freeze. Lots of years the spinach will over winter and provide early pickings in March.

Terry Coombs wrote:

The green beans get their own trellis or other support . I let them go
over onto the tomato cages because they were making the corn that was
supposed to support them fall over . This has adversely impacted the
sunlight to the tomatoes , and yields have suffered .

there are smaller versions of beans which don't
climb so much (or not at all).


Several other things I'll do different next year ... like not grow corn .
Mine sucks , and the yield/area isn't that great . Lettuces and spinach
will be in the ground before the snow if any melts , I'm tired of it
bolting as soon as it starts to produce . I pick lettuce , spinach , red
beet , bok choy as soon as the leaves are big enough to make a salad . Too
bad it all bolts before the tomatoes are ripe . Potatoes are still on
trial , we'll need to see what the yield is .

without an electric fence growing corn here is
often a waste of space. we don't eat a lot of it
at the moment and nobody here uses cornmeal a lot
either, so it isn't a high priority crop in
comparison to tomatoes or beans.


Right now , the list for next year is topped by strawberries worked hard
to get them established ! green beans Kentucky Wonder , I'm letting some
seed tomatoes variety not decided green onions we love 'em and a few
varieties of squash , including summer , zukes , acorn , and pumpkins .

each year can be so different from the last that
it is really tough to plan for the seasons exactly.
this sort of variation is why i plant multiple crops,
multiple varieties and in different types of soils
as i can find the space for them. each year i learn
more, something new, and figure out how to work a
little smarter (even if i'm not quite coordinated ).


songbird

songbird wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:

The green beans get their own trellis or other support . I let
them go over onto the tomato cages because they were making the corn
that was supposed to support them fall over . This has adversely
impacted the sunlight to the tomatoes , and yields have suffered .

there are smaller versions of beans which don't
climb so much (or not at all).


Several other things I'll do different next year ... like not
grow corn . Mine sucks , and the yield/area isn't that great .
Lettuces and spinach will be in the ground before the snow if any
melts , I'm tired of it bolting as soon as it starts to produce .
I pick lettuce , spinach , red beet , bok choy as soon as the leaves
are big enough to make a salad . Too bad it all bolts before the
tomatoes are ripe . Potatoes are still on trial , we'll need to
see what the yield is .

without an electric fence growing corn here is
often a waste of space. we don't eat a lot of it
at the moment and nobody here uses cornmeal a lot
either, so it isn't a high priority crop in
comparison to tomatoes or beans.


Right now , the list for next year is topped by strawberries
worked hard to get them established ! green beans Kentucky Wonder
, I'm letting some seed tomatoes variety not decided green
onions we love 'em and a few varieties of squash , including
summer , zukes , acorn , and pumpkins .

each year can be so different from the last that
it is really tough to plan for the seasons exactly.
this sort of variation is why i plant multiple crops,
multiple varieties and in different types of soils
as i can find the space for them. each year i learn
more, something new, and figure out how to work a
little smarter (even if i'm not quite coordinated ).


songbird

There is a learning curve ... I'm groping kinda in the dark , this area is
so different from everywhere else I've ever lived . This year was better
than last , and I'm figgerin' out what's good use of the space I have for
maximum reduction in cash outlay for food . Pole beans are an efficient use
of space , they go up and not out . Lettuce needs to be planted where it'll
be shaded most of the day , that's going to be difficult apparently too
much sun is why mine bolts so early . Hmmm , plant it on the east side of
the pole beans ... and near the top edge nearest the woods , that'll limit
the direct sun .
Zucchini , squashes , and cukes take space , but we like 'em and think it
worth it - and they'll go in a different part of the garden , this year I
had/have problems with fungus . Tomatoes and beans won't be near each other
again , I learned that lesson this year with the beans shading the tomatoes
.. Corn will not be on the list next year , mine sucks and we don't eat that
much - jury's still out on potatoes , but I suspect we may not grow them
next year unless I get a really good yield this year . Garlic and onions
will definitely be on the list , garlic is going in this fall . Tomatoes
will be separated a little more , the cages need a bit more room so I can
get between them . I'll be focused on max yields again , since we now have
room to store canned stuff - and all the equipment to do so .
--
Snag
And the strawberry patch will be allowed to double in size ... my original
14 plants from this spring are more like a hundred plants now .

On Wednesday, August 6, 2014 10:21:28 AM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:
songbird wrote:

Terry Coombs wrote:



The green beans get their own trellis or other support . I let

them go over onto the tomato cages because they were making the corn

that was supposed to support them fall over . This has adversely

impacted the sunlight to the tomatoes , and yields have suffered .



there are smaller versions of beans which don't

climb so much (or not at all).





Several other things I'll do different next year ... like not

grow corn . Mine sucks , and the yield/area isn't that great .

Lettuces and spinach will be in the ground before the snow if any

melts , I'm tired of it bolting as soon as it starts to produce .

I pick lettuce , spinach , red beet , bok choy as soon as the leaves

are big enough to make a salad . Too bad it all bolts before the

tomatoes are ripe . Potatoes are still on trial , we'll need to

see what the yield is .



without an electric fence growing corn here is

often a waste of space. we don't eat a lot of it

at the moment and nobody here uses cornmeal a lot

either, so it isn't a high priority crop in

comparison to tomatoes or beans.





Right now , the list for next year is topped by strawberries

worked hard to get them established ! green beans Kentucky Wonder

, I'm letting some seed tomatoes variety not decided green

onions we love 'em and a few varieties of squash , including

summer , zukes , acorn , and pumpkins .



each year can be so different from the last that

it is really tough to plan for the seasons exactly.

this sort of variation is why i plant multiple crops,

multiple varieties and in different types of soils

as i can find the space for them. each year i learn

more, something new, and figure out how to work a

little smarter (even if i'm not quite coordinated ).





songbird



There is a learning curve ... I'm groping kinda in the dark , this area is

so different from everywhere else I've ever lived . This year was better

than last , and I'm figgerin' out what's good use of the space I have for

maximum reduction in cash outlay for food . Pole beans are an efficient use

of space , they go up and not out . Lettuce needs to be planted where it'll

be shaded most of the day , that's going to be difficult apparently too

much sun is why mine bolts so early . Hmmm , plant it on the east side of

the pole beans ... and near the top edge nearest the woods , that'll limit

the direct sun .

Zucchini , squashes , and cukes take space , but we like 'em and think it

worth it - and they'll go in a different part of the garden , this year I

had/have problems with fungus . Tomatoes and beans won't be near each other

again , I learned that lesson this year with the beans shading the tomatoes

. Corn will not be on the list next year , mine sucks and we don't eat that

much - jury's still out on potatoes , but I suspect we may not grow them

next year unless I get a really good yield this year . Garlic and onions

will definitely be on the list , garlic is going in this fall . Tomatoes

will be separated a little more , the cages need a bit more room so I can

get between them . I'll be focused on max yields again , since we now have

room to store canned stuff - and all the equipment to do so .

--

Snag

And the strawberry patch will be allowed to double in size ... my original

14 plants from this spring are more like a hundred plants now .

Lettuce should be about finished by the time pole beans are planted.

I'm with you on the squashes. This year I have nine different kinds including two winter squashes. Squash is bad to get powdery mildew and die before it's time. I usually plant a couple of hills every two weeks until the middle of July or so.

I grow sweet potatoes instead of regular ones. Regular potatoes are usually cheap, so I buy what we need. Sweet potatoes have a lot more nutrient value(plus they're better for my diabetic diet).

I'm envious of the strawberries, they don't do well for me. I'll have to settle for blueberries. I've got about 700 plants or so.

Steve Peek wrote:

I'm envious of the strawberries, they don't do well for me. I'll have
to settle for blueberries. I've got about 700 plants or so.

I'd swap some of my strawberries for some of your blues ... we have wild
huckleberries out in the woods , but the critters get 'em before I have a
chance . I mean , I'm nice enough to leave blackberries for them , you'd
think the least they could do is leave me some blueberries !

--
Snag