GardenBanter.co.uk

GardenBanter.co.uk (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/)
-   Edible Gardening (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/edible-gardening/)
-   -   Picking the garden (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/edible-gardening/212804-picking-garden.html)

George Shirley[_3_] 31-05-2016 12:39 AM

Picking the garden
 
Picked a small bucket of sweet chilies, eggplant, kale, two or three
sorts of lettuce and one lone cucumber. Had a good bit of the pickings
in our dinner salad this evening.

Black crowders are making like crazy and the vines have climbed the
trellis and I'm now working them in and out. Tomatoes are a bit slow in
ripening but that is expected with all the rain and overcast we've been
getting.

Figs are getting larger every day and it looks, I hope, to be a good
harvest. The pears are about the size of a quarter and looking good.
This will be our first pear harvest on that tree if they make it. The
coloring now is a russet and we hope they are tasty. Supposedly good for
eating out of hand and canning both. Tree looks really healthy but I'm
doing my best to keep pruning off the "rain" limbs so the tree stays
open to sunlight.

The blueberries aren't doing well at all, will have to do some research
to see why they aren't. The "wild" tomatoes that came up this spring are
putting on fruit and, today, we ate the first "Indigo" tomato we planted
earlier.

George

Boron Elgar[_2_] 31-05-2016 03:07 PM

Picking the garden
 
On Mon, 30 May 2016 18:39:53 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

Picked a small bucket of sweet chilies, eggplant, kale, two or three
sorts of lettuce and one lone cucumber. Had a good bit of the pickings
in our dinner salad this evening.

Black crowders are making like crazy and the vines have climbed the
trellis and I'm now working them in and out. Tomatoes are a bit slow in
ripening but that is expected with all the rain and overcast we've been
getting.

Figs are getting larger every day and it looks, I hope, to be a good
harvest. The pears are about the size of a quarter and looking good.
This will be our first pear harvest on that tree if they make it. The
coloring now is a russet and we hope they are tasty. Supposedly good for
eating out of hand and canning both. Tree looks really healthy but I'm
doing my best to keep pruning off the "rain" limbs so the tree stays
open to sunlight.

The blueberries aren't doing well at all, will have to do some research
to see why they aren't. The "wild" tomatoes that came up this spring are
putting on fruit and, today, we ate the first "Indigo" tomato we planted
earlier.

George



I am not jealous of your Texas heat or rain, but just a tad so of your
earlier producing garden.

So far all we are harvesting are asparagus (at an end) radishes and
mixed fancy-pants lettuce. Spinach and romaine will be up for grabs in
a week.

The prune plum has fewer than half a dozen fruits. Go figure. Donut
peach has fruit, but both of these fruit trees are turning into items
best admired for their spring bloom than production. IT is very
difficult to grow stone fruit here in NJ without a very strict spray
regimen, and I confess, if Safer doesn't take care of things, I just
let Mother Nature take its course.

We'll be fine with the blueberries this year, the blackberries are
covered in flowers The tomatoes - and there are many varieties this
year, as doing well, but we won't get fruit until July,

Long beans are coming up, cukes are coming up, acorn squash is fine,
an unknown, family-passed-down bean that a friend from Alabama sent
are coming up, too, as are some beans I picked up at Monticello..
Pepper, hot & sweet are taking their time, but I have patience. What
gardener doesn't?

Regular wax and green beans are not doing so well. It took a while for
the soil to heat up, so they are just popping through, and then they
were raided by a possum (said possum was have-a-hearted and taken 5+
miles away. I'd have let it stay if it hadn't decided to use the lower
garden as a toilet. We tried mouse traps to scare it off and that
worked for a bit, but it outsmarted us. Damn illegal to move it, but
by law we are only allowed to do on-site kill. Long story.)

Meanwhile, the flowers are glorious right now, with rhododendron,
peonies, roses, and irises going gangbusters.

Spring is a nice time for me in the garden and I am always filled with
hope - before the intense heat (remember, much of my gardening is done
in tubs) and the bugs, squirrels and birds get to things.





songbird[_2_] 31-05-2016 03:18 PM

Picking the garden
 
George Shirley wrote:

Picked a small bucket of sweet chilies, eggplant, kale, two or three
sorts of lettuce and one lone cucumber. Had a good bit of the pickings
in our dinner salad this evening.


:)


Black crowders are making like crazy and the vines have climbed the
trellis and I'm now working them in and out. Tomatoes are a bit slow in
ripening but that is expected with all the rain and overcast we've been
getting.


i'm just planting ours today...


Figs are getting larger every day and it looks, I hope, to be a good
harvest. The pears are about the size of a quarter and looking good.
This will be our first pear harvest on that tree if they make it. The
coloring now is a russet and we hope they are tasty. Supposedly good for
eating out of hand and canning both. Tree looks really healthy but I'm
doing my best to keep pruning off the "rain" limbs so the tree stays
open to sunlight.


hope these all grow grow grow!


The blueberries aren't doing well at all, will have to do some research
to see why they aren't. The "wild" tomatoes that came up this spring are
putting on fruit and, today, we ate the first "Indigo" tomato we planted
earlier.


blueberries, hmm, acidic soil and plenty of
organic material in the soil, mulched on top,
perhaps the many rains are leaching all the acidity
away?


songbird

George Shirley[_3_] 31-05-2016 08:13 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 5/31/2016 9:18 AM, songbird wrote:
George Shirley wrote:

Picked a small bucket of sweet chilies, eggplant, kale, two or three
sorts of lettuce and one lone cucumber. Had a good bit of the pickings
in our dinner salad this evening.


:)


Black crowders are making like crazy and the vines have climbed the
trellis and I'm now working them in and out. Tomatoes are a bit slow in
ripening but that is expected with all the rain and overcast we've been
getting.


i'm just planting ours today...


Figs are getting larger every day and it looks, I hope, to be a good
harvest. The pears are about the size of a quarter and looking good.
This will be our first pear harvest on that tree if they make it. The
coloring now is a russet and we hope they are tasty. Supposedly good for
eating out of hand and canning both. Tree looks really healthy but I'm
doing my best to keep pruning off the "rain" limbs so the tree stays
open to sunlight.


hope these all grow grow grow!


The blueberries aren't doing well at all, will have to do some research
to see why they aren't. The "wild" tomatoes that came up this spring are
putting on fruit and, today, we ate the first "Indigo" tomato we planted
earlier.


blueberries, hmm, acidic soil and plenty of
organic material in the soil, mulched on top,
perhaps the many rains are leaching all the acidity
away?


songbird

We acidify that blueberry patch every year, reckon we will have to wait
until the next bout of thunderstorms pass through, if they every do pass
through.

Just back from another round of testing for the heart, nuclear stress
test, no big problem with the nuke or the rest, will have to wait until
tomorrow for the results. Last time was in 2014 and came okay then.

Eight of us in a small room, all veterans and all geezers. Nice visit
but had to stay there to long to suit me. Got there at 0915, left around
1330, that was tiring. We old veterans were having a good time. One guy
was actually older than me, the rest were a few years behind my
enlistment in 1957. Three old sailors, including me, one lone Marine,
and some doggies. Wasn't to bad as we were all in a good mood. Hope I
won't have to go back for awhile.

George

Pavel314[_2_] 01-06-2016 02:54 PM

Picking the garden
 
On Monday, May 30, 2016 at 7:39:56 PM UTC-4, George Shirley wrote:
Picked a small bucket of sweet chilies, eggplant, kale, two or three
sorts of lettuce and one lone cucumber. Had a good bit of the pickings
in our dinner salad this evening.

Black crowders are making like crazy and the vines have climbed the
trellis and I'm now working them in and out. Tomatoes are a bit slow in
ripening but that is expected with all the rain and overcast we've been
getting.

Figs are getting larger every day and it looks, I hope, to be a good
harvest. The pears are about the size of a quarter and looking good.
This will be our first pear harvest on that tree if they make it. The
coloring now is a russet and we hope they are tasty. Supposedly good for
eating out of hand and canning both. Tree looks really healthy but I'm
doing my best to keep pruning off the "rain" limbs so the tree stays
open to sunlight.

The blueberries aren't doing well at all, will have to do some research
to see why they aren't. The "wild" tomatoes that came up this spring are
putting on fruit and, today, we ate the first "Indigo" tomato we planted
earlier.

George


My wife just harvested an unusually large number of broccoli heads in the past few days; many are now in the freezer. The pea pods are ready to pick and throw into the salads. I just planted the pumpkins and squashes a couple of days ago; 13 varieties in 21 hills. What we can't eat are wintertime treats for the sheep.

Paul
Maryland, North of Baltimore

T[_4_] 04-06-2016 02:05 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 05/30/2016 04:39 PM, George Shirley wrote:
Picked a small bucket of sweet chilies, eggplant, kale, two or three
sorts of lettuce and one lone cucumber. Had a good bit of the pickings
in our dinner salad this evening.

Black crowders are making like crazy and the vines have climbed the
trellis and I'm now working them in and out. Tomatoes are a bit slow in
ripening but that is expected with all the rain and overcast we've been
getting.

Figs are getting larger every day and it looks, I hope, to be a good
harvest. The pears are about the size of a quarter and looking good.
This will be our first pear harvest on that tree if they make it. The
coloring now is a russet and we hope they are tasty. Supposedly good for
eating out of hand and canning both. Tree looks really healthy but I'm
doing my best to keep pruning off the "rain" limbs so the tree stays
open to sunlight.

The blueberries aren't doing well at all, will have to do some research
to see why they aren't. The "wild" tomatoes that came up this spring are
putting on fruit and, today, we ate the first "Indigo" tomato we planted
earlier.

George


My stuff is just starting to sprout (from seeds I potted two weeks ago).
We are not suppose to transfer to our gardens till the second week
of June, do to freezes overnight.

But, I did notice I will have some purslane to pick this weekend. :-)

And I dumped two gallons of high test vinegar (20%) on the weeds, so
the tide has turned on them! The ones I sprayed look really pathetic.
Chuckle. The dandelions will be the last and hardest to kill. I
hope I don't have to dig every last on up with my axe!

Be careful posting this stuff. Folks may show up for dinner! :-)

Definition of a small town: when you visit your neighbors, you
have to lock your car doors, otherwise you will wind up with
a back seat full of zucchini.

My neighbors have no fear from me, black thumb and all. I hope
to turn the tide this year with my holes as pots, peat moss,
and weeds at the bottom of the holes. You know, there is a
certain enjoyment stuffing weeds down holes.

-T

I wish I had 1/20 of your and Songbirds gardening skills.



songbird[_2_] 05-06-2016 02:11 PM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....
But, I did notice I will have some purslane to pick this weekend. :-)


ours is just starting to show up.


And I dumped two gallons of high test vinegar (20%) on the weeds, so
the tide has turned on them! The ones I sprayed look really pathetic.
Chuckle. The dandelions will be the last and hardest to kill. I
hope I don't have to dig every last on up with my axe!


they're breaking up that soil for you.
some people eat the greens or make coffee
substitute from the roasted roots. can't
say i've tried either of them. worms like
'em after i leave them to dry on the surface
for a few days/week.


Be careful posting this stuff. Folks may show up for dinner! :-)

Definition of a small town: when you visit your neighbors, you
have to lock your car doors, otherwise you will wind up with
a back seat full of zucchini.

My neighbors have no fear from me, black thumb and all. I hope
to turn the tide this year with my holes as pots, peat moss,
and weeds at the bottom of the holes. You know, there is a
certain enjoyment stuffing weeds down holes.


for sure! some i have to bury deeply enough and put a layer
or two of cardboard or craft paper or newspaper over them to
keep them from coming back up too easily. i had a whole
five gallon bucket of old onions and garlic that needed to be
buried the other day. prime worm food... :)


songbird

T[_4_] 08-06-2016 06:41 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/05/2016 06:11 AM, songbird wrote:
The dandelions will be the last and hardest to kill. I
hope I don't have to dig every last on up with my axe!



they're breaking up that soil for you.


Ha! I wanted to dig a hole and had a dandelion dead in the
middle of the target. So, I axes an eight inch square around
it about two inches deep. When I pulled up the piece, the
the root threaded though it like a needle.

So, I repeated about five more times at about an inch deep
at a time (that is all I could beat through). Each time
it just threaded through the hole.

I finally got the root out. The root didn't do a thing to the
soil around it. The whole experience was a bit amusing.

Oh yes, I found that swinging an axe actually helps my blood
sugar. (I am one of the 20% that exercise backfires on
T2 Diabetics.) So, the weeds now tremble in fear from me.
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.



Ecnerwal 08-06-2016 10:56 PM

Picking the garden
 
In article , T wrote:
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.


Get you a mattock.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

songbird[_2_] 09-06-2016 01:54 AM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....
I finally got the root out. The root didn't do a thing to the
soil around it. The whole experience was a bit amusing.


how did that hole get there? dandelion
might have drilled it for you, but once that
root is down there then worms will follow
the root and perhaps another plant will get
in there.

those tap roots are what i was talking about.


Oh yes, I found that swinging an axe actually helps my blood
sugar. (I am one of the 20% that exercise backfires on
T2 Diabetics.) So, the weeds now tremble in fear from me.
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.


i did a few hundred deep knee bends today
picking strawberries. :) i'm sure i will
be feeling it tomorrow...


songbird

T[_4_] 09-06-2016 08:08 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/08/2016 02:56 PM, Ecnerwal wrote:
In article , T wrote:
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.


Get you a mattock.


Sort of like a pick axe. Hmmm. THahnk you!

-T

"Cats ... vices to live by" ???? You do realize that
Tofu -- colorless, flavorless, gelatinous goo, that rots in
your stomach and gives you gas -- is God's punishment for
humans domesticating cats ????? :')

T[_4_] 09-06-2016 08:09 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/08/2016 05:54 PM, songbird wrote:
those tap roots are what i was talking about.


I was hoping purslane would accomplish the same thing.
parts of my yard are not glowing red, so maybe a bumper
crop?

T[_4_] 09-06-2016 08:16 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/08/2016 05:54 PM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
I finally got the root out. The root didn't do a thing to the
soil around it. The whole experience was a bit amusing.


how did that hole get there? dandelion
might have drilled it for you, but once that
root is down there then worms will follow
the root and perhaps another plant will get
in there.

those tap roots are what i was talking about.


That is one tight fit. And once the worms get down there
(root has to die first), what will the eat? Decomposed
sandstone? Rocks?


Oh yes, I found that swinging an axe actually helps my blood
sugar. (I am one of the 20% that exercise backfires on
T2 Diabetics.) So, the weeds now tremble in fear from me.
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.


i did a few hundred deep knee bends today
picking strawberries. :) i'm sure i will
be feeling it tomorrow...


Plantain herb will help fix that.


songbird


Oh, in case I forget, death to weeds!

-T


Boron Elgar 09-06-2016 09:37 PM

Picking the garden
 
On Thu, 9 Jun 2016 12:08:28 -0700, T wrote:

On 06/08/2016 02:56 PM, Ecnerwal wrote:
In article , T wrote:
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.


Get you a mattock.


Sort of like a pick axe. Hmmm. THahnk you!

-T


Great tool. I swear by it.


songbird[_2_] 10-06-2016 01:35 AM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
On 06/08/2016 05:54 PM, songbird wrote:
those tap roots are what i was talking about.


I was hoping purslane would accomplish the same thing.
parts of my yard are not glowing red, so maybe a bumper
crop?


hope so, any ground cover is better
than bare dirt if you're not using the space,
but if you can get something else going there
instead (buckwheat or winter rye are both
excellent) it's much better. also looks like
we have a good crop starting up of purselane
this season.


songbird

songbird[_2_] 10-06-2016 01:49 AM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
On 06/08/2016 05:54 PM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
I finally got the root out. The root didn't do a thing to the
soil around it. The whole experience was a bit amusing.


how did that hole get there? dandelion
might have drilled it for you, but once that
root is down there then worms will follow
the root and perhaps another plant will get
in there.

those tap roots are what i was talking about.


That is one tight fit. And once the worms get down there
(root has to die first), what will the eat? Decomposed
sandstone? Rocks?


depends upon the worm, but some will feed off what the
roots give off and any other bits of stuff in there. when
you cut back some plants (simulate grazing :) ) they will
balance the roots out with the foliage so that means some
roots will die back, which yes, become worm food eventually.
it's a pretty good way to build up topsoil and you can see
how well it works by examining the history of the Great
Plains and see how fertile those prairies were (and how
deeply too).


Oh yes, I found that swinging an axe actually helps my blood
sugar. (I am one of the 20% that exercise backfires on
T2 Diabetics.) So, the weeds now tremble in fear from me.
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.


i did a few hundred deep knee bends today
picking strawberries. :) i'm sure i will
be feeling it tomorrow...


Plantain herb will help fix that.


plantains seem to be loved by bunnies, grasshoppers
and worms. when i weed them out i just turn them
over and leave the roots up in the air to dry out.
if they have been let go to seed or have seed stalks
on them i pull those off and put those on the weed
piles. the birds pick at them...


Oh, in case I forget, death to weeds!


if the spot ain't got nothing better i'll leave the
weed alone as long as i can. i'm too far behind now
to plant or transplant in most spaces, but as i do
get time i replace weeds by ground covers i do like.

we have some thymes that do well here and cover up
a lot of area and don't need a lot of weeding. and
i've also got some creeping phlox, creeping jenny
and i will also toss out old seeds from melons and
squash and see if any of them will get going in the
wilder areas. if they smother some stuff in the
process of growing that's all good...

the weeds i have to keep after are the thistles
(sow thistle and the purple globe thistle) and
some others that are really a pest because they
were brought in with a wildflower seed mix and the
one i don't like happens to be the one that survived
and spread all over the place and is almost impossible
to get rid of... the one i'm reactive to...

love in a mist and poppies we have both thrive and
grow in the crushed limestone. they don't seem to
need much dirt at all. spread like crazy too. but
we like them as they wander around and when they are
done flowering all those stems are free organic
material i bury. :) the love in a mist pods are
often used for decorative things by flower arrangers.

ok, ramble time over. peace, even to weeds...


songbird

T[_4_] 11-06-2016 09:16 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/09/2016 05:35 PM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
On 06/08/2016 05:54 PM, songbird wrote:
those tap roots are what i was talking about.


I was hoping purslane would accomplish the same thing.
parts of my yard are not glowing red, so maybe a bumper
crop?


hope so, any ground cover is better
than bare dirt if you're not using the space,
but if you can get something else going there
instead (buckwheat or winter rye are both
excellent) it's much better. also looks like
we have a good crop starting up of purselane
this season.


songbird


Thank you!

My wife is scared to death of buckwheat as thee is
a severe allergy in her family to it (but not her yet).

Is Winter Rye the same stuff that gives you diabetes,
such as what is used in Rye Bread, etc.? Is so, I'd
rather plant something I can eat. My purslane is
already giving me seeds, so maybe ...

T[_4_] 11-06-2016 10:16 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/09/2016 05:49 PM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
On 06/08/2016 05:54 PM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
I finally got the root out. The root didn't do a thing to the
soil around it. The whole experience was a bit amusing.

how did that hole get there? dandelion
might have drilled it for you, but once that
root is down there then worms will follow
the root and perhaps another plant will get
in there.

those tap roots are what i was talking about.


That is one tight fit. And once the worms get down there
(root has to die first), what will the eat? Decomposed
sandstone? Rocks?


depends upon the worm, but some will feed off what the
roots give off and any other bits of stuff in there. when
you cut back some plants (simulate grazing :) ) they will
balance the roots out with the foliage so that means some
roots will die back, which yes, become worm food eventually.
it's a pretty good way to build up topsoil and you can see
how well it works by examining the history of the Great
Plains and see how fertile those prairies were (and how
deeply too).


Oh yes, I found that swinging an axe actually helps my blood
sugar. (I am one of the 20% that exercise backfires on
T2 Diabetics.) So, the weeds now tremble in fear from me.
By the way, an axe is not a real effective way to remove
weeds, but it SURE is cathartic.

i did a few hundred deep knee bends today
picking strawberries. :) i'm sure i will
be feeling it tomorrow...


Plantain herb will help fix that.


plantains seem to be loved by bunnies, grasshoppers
and worms. when i weed them out i just turn them
over and leave the roots up in the air to dry out.
if they have been let go to seed or have seed stalks
on them i pull those off and put those on the weed
piles. the birds pick at them...


Oh, in case I forget, death to weeds!


if the spot ain't got nothing better i'll leave the
weed alone as long as i can. i'm too far behind now
to plant or transplant in most spaces, but as i do
get time i replace weeds by ground covers i do like.

we have some thymes that do well here and cover up
a lot of area and don't need a lot of weeding. and
i've also got some creeping phlox, creeping jenny
and i will also toss out old seeds from melons and
squash and see if any of them will get going in the
wilder areas. if they smother some stuff in the
process of growing that's all good...

the weeds i have to keep after are the thistles
(sow thistle and the purple globe thistle) and
some others that are really a pest because they
were brought in with a wildflower seed mix and the
one i don't like happens to be the one that survived
and spread all over the place and is almost impossible
to get rid of... the one i'm reactive to...

love in a mist and poppies we have both thrive and
grow in the crushed limestone. they don't seem to
need much dirt at all. spread like crazy too. but
we like them as they wander around and when they are
done flowering all those stems are free organic
material i bury. :) the love in a mist pods are
often used for decorative things by flower arrangers.

ok, ramble time over. peace, even to weeds...


songbird



You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

songbird[_2_] 11-06-2016 12:16 PM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....
My wife is scared to death of buckwheat as thee is
a severe allergy in her family to it (but not her yet).


interesting! i've never heard of an
allergy to it before. they are no fun for
sure as i have reactions to some plants too
ones that i actually like (lilacs, lavender,
yarrow).


Is Winter Rye the same stuff that gives you diabetes,
such as what is used in Rye Bread, etc.? Is so, I'd
rather plant something I can eat. My purslane is
already giving me seeds, so maybe ...


it doesn't bother me. no, the point was, when you
have extra space that you don't have planted with
veggies is to fill it with a benificial ground cover
plant, to help suppress weeds and create topsoil/humus.
weeds are opportunists, fill the niche with a more
useful plant and you get topsoil faster. winter rye
is one of the most common used plants to break up
hard soil. it sends out huge amounts of roots. i've
done it here in this clay in the fall, turned it under
in the spring and the soil was great that season. you
don't have to let it get to seed/head stage, just chop
it back and turn it under before the soil dries out.


songbird

songbird[_2_] 11-06-2016 12:19 PM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!


keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird

T[_4_] 14-06-2016 01:46 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/11/2016 04:16 AM, songbird wrote:
interesting! i've never heard of an
allergy to it before. they are no fun for
sure as i have reactions to some plants too
ones that i actually like (lilacs, lavender,
yarrow).


My wife mother was given something in the hospital
with something else she as allergic to. The reaction
was secondary effect of the original allergy.

T[_4_] 14-06-2016 01:48 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/11/2016 04:16 AM, songbird wrote:
Is Winter Rye the same stuff that gives you diabetes,
such as what is used in Rye Bread, etc.? Is so, I'd
rather plant something I can eat. My purslane is
already giving me seeds, so maybe ...


it doesn't bother me. no, the point was, when you
have extra space that you don't have planted with
veggies is to fill it with a benificial ground cover
plant, to help suppress weeds and create topsoil/humus.
weeds are opportunists, fill the niche with a more
useful plant and you get topsoil faster. winter rye
is one of the most common used plants to break up
hard soil. it sends out huge amounts of roots. i've
done it here in this clay in the fall, turned it under
in the spring and the soil was great that season. you
don't have to let it get to seed/head stage, just chop
it back and turn it under before the soil dries out.


My Purslane is already producing seeds. So when I pick it,
I make a pint of rinsing it off over a patch of the yard
that doesn't have any growing in it yet.

I will have to look into the Rye solution too.



T[_4_] 14-06-2016 01:53 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!


keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.

George Shirley[_3_] 14-06-2016 02:33 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 6/13/2016 7:53 PM, T wrote:
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!


keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.

Look online for heirloom radishes. That's how we got our sweet radishes,
just like the ones we grew fifty years ago. Some how hot radishes became
the standard but we never liked those anyway.

T[_4_] 14-06-2016 02:34 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/13/2016 06:33 PM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2016 7:53 PM, T wrote:
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.


Look online for heirloom radishes. That's how we got our sweet radishes,
just like the ones we grew fifty years ago. Some how hot radishes became
the standard but we never liked those anyway.


Thank you!

songbird[_2_] 14-06-2016 03:03 AM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....
Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.


i like radish sprout leaves more than i like radishes.


songbird

T[_4_] 14-06-2016 03:15 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/13/2016 06:33 PM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2016 7:53 PM, T wrote:
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.

Look online for heirloom radishes. That's how we got our sweet radishes,
just like the ones we grew fifty years ago. Some how hot radishes became
the standard but we never liked those anyway.



Which ones do you like?
http://www.rareseeds.com/search/?F_Keyword=radish

George Shirley[_3_] 14-06-2016 03:28 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 6/13/2016 9:15 PM, T wrote:
On 06/13/2016 06:33 PM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2016 7:53 PM, T wrote:
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.

Look online for heirloom radishes. That's how we got our sweet radishes,
just like the ones we grew fifty years ago. Some how hot radishes became
the standard but we never liked those anyway.



Which ones do you like?
http://www.rareseeds.com/search/?F_Keyword=radish

We've grown Long Scarlet and China Rose with good results. A lot of the
hotness of radishes can be caused by letting them get to big. I prefer
them when young and sweet.

T[_4_] 14-06-2016 03:34 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/13/2016 07:28 PM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2016 9:15 PM, T wrote:
On 06/13/2016 06:33 PM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2016 7:53 PM, T wrote:
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.
Look online for heirloom radishes. That's how we got our sweet radishes,
just like the ones we grew fifty years ago. Some how hot radishes became
the standard but we never liked those anyway.



Which ones do you like?
http://www.rareseeds.com/search/?F_Keyword=radish

We've grown Long Scarlet and China Rose with good results. A lot of the
hotness of radishes can be caused by letting them get to big. I prefer
them when young and sweet.


These two:

http://www.rareseeds.com/long-scarle...Keyword=radish
http://www.rareseeds.com/china-rose-...Keyword=radish

The china rose one like cold weather too!

I wonder if it is too late to try this year? Our growing season
is really short. Early October comes the first freeze.

Thank you!

Boron Elgar 14-06-2016 12:28 PM

Picking the garden
 
On Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:53:21 -0700, T wrote:

On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!


keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.


French breakfast radishes.



Boron Elgar 14-06-2016 12:30 PM

Picking the garden
 
On Mon, 13 Jun 2016 21:28:14 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

On 6/13/2016 9:15 PM, T wrote:
On 06/13/2016 06:33 PM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2016 7:53 PM, T wrote:
On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.
Look online for heirloom radishes. That's how we got our sweet radishes,
just like the ones we grew fifty years ago. Some how hot radishes became
the standard but we never liked those anyway.



Which ones do you like?
http://www.rareseeds.com/search/?F_Keyword=radish

We've grown Long Scarlet and China Rose with good results. A lot of the
hotness of radishes can be caused by letting them get to big. I prefer
them when young and sweet.



Yup. We pick them quite small - little delightful flavor bursts with a
hint of salt sprinkled on or sliced onto buttered bread.

T[_4_] 14-06-2016 08:26 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/14/2016 04:28 AM, Boron Elgar wrote:
On Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:53:21 -0700, T wrote:

On 06/11/2016 04:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
You cut the top of a dandelion (the only one I will not chop at
with my axe) and they will grow back and back and back. Them
I pickle.

Death to weeds, except purslane, which is yummy!

keep finding other plants to try instead, from
bulk seed, radish, daikon radish, the leaves/sprouts
are good at first too. :)


songbird


Is there a good tasting radish? The ones I get from the
store have zero taste and are only hot.


French breakfast radishes.



Thank you!

Ecnerwal 15-06-2016 01:02 AM

Picking the garden
 
In article , T wrote:

I wonder if it is too late to try this year? Our growing season
is really short. Early October comes the first freeze.


....Most radishes (other than some "storage" varieties) are ready to eat
3 weeks after planing, more or less.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

T[_4_] 15-06-2016 07:24 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/14/2016 05:02 PM, Ecnerwal wrote:
In article , T wrote:

I wonder if it is too late to try this year? Our growing season
is really short. Early October comes the first freeze.


...Most radishes (other than some "storage" varieties) are ready to eat
3 weeks after planing, more or less.


Wow. They grow that fast?

Do they like poor sandy soil?

songbird[_2_] 17-06-2016 05:26 PM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....radishes...

yes, the grow quickly... :)


Do they like poor sandy soil?


dunno, i never put them in the gardens that
have that type of soil. they'd probably grow
if they got enough water. might not have much
flavor.

note that some radishes are excellent for
busting into hard packed ground. they are
often included in a mix of seeds people around
here use to seed a pasture. diakon radish.
they can get pretty big too.


songbird

George Shirley[_3_] 17-06-2016 06:22 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 6/17/2016 11:26 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...radishes...

yes, the grow quickly... :)


Do they like poor sandy soil?


dunno, i never put them in the gardens that
have that type of soil. they'd probably grow
if they got enough water. might not have much
flavor.

note that some radishes are excellent for
busting into hard packed ground. they are
often included in a mix of seeds people around
here use to seed a pasture. diakon radish.
they can get pretty big too.


songbird

I tried daikon radishes once upon a time when I was young and foolish.
About burned my taste buds off my tongue. I found them hotter than horse
radish, when daikon must be kin to.

George, in hot, humid, SE Texas

songbird[_2_] 19-06-2016 09:17 PM

Picking the garden
 
George Shirley wrote:
....
I tried daikon radishes once upon a time when I was young and foolish.
About burned my taste buds off my tongue. I found them hotter than horse
radish, when daikon must be kin to.


i just sprout 'em and eat the sprouts, after a few
weeks i may chop 'em under and replant if i want more
but usually i'm too busy and forget about it. :)


songbird

T[_4_] 26-06-2016 09:47 AM

Picking the garden
 
On 06/19/2016 01:17 PM, songbird wrote:
George Shirley wrote:
...
I tried daikon radishes once upon a time when I was young and foolish.
About burned my taste buds off my tongue. I found them hotter than horse
radish, when daikon must be kin to.


i just sprout 'em and eat the sprouts, after a few
weeks i may chop 'em under and replant if i want more
but usually i'm too busy and forget about it. :)


songbird


Would this work on my devastated radish patch now that I
have the earwigs on the run? Just replant?

songbird[_2_] 26-06-2016 11:42 AM

Picking the garden
 
T wrote:
....
Would this work on my devastated radish patch now that I
have the earwigs on the run? Just replant?


the radishes may recover, but yeah, you can
also replant. they sprout and grow quickly,
just not sure how well they will do in the
very hot weather. pick, 'em as soon as they
get big enough, would be my guess.

the daikons here are already a foot high.
nice tap root. :) too hot for me to eat now.
i just like the sprouts.


songbird

George Shirley[_3_] 26-06-2016 12:37 PM

Picking the garden
 
On 6/26/2016 5:42 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote:
...
Would this work on my devastated radish patch now that I
have the earwigs on the run? Just replant?


the radishes may recover, but yeah, you can
also replant. they sprout and grow quickly,
just not sure how well they will do in the
very hot weather. pick, 'em as soon as they
get big enough, would be my guess.

the daikons here are already a foot high.
nice tap root. :) too hot for me to eat now.
i just like the sprouts.


songbird

Hot as it is here radishes do not flourish in the hot summer of Houston
area. We're getting some mid-afternoon temps up to 100F, hopefully it
will get hotter in July and I won't be going outside for awhile.

I'm thinking of planting some New Zealand spinach again. It took three
years to get rid of them in Louisiana but the leaves are tasty and they
carry a goodly load of vitamins. Dear wife might try to off me if I do.

George


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:33 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter