This year was my first attempt at vegetable gardening and I have
learned some lessons the hard way.

1. Tomato cages are only good in theory. I went with 6' tomato cages
because I live in Texas and wanted as much foliage to grow as possible
to shade the fruit. Yesterday, my 8.5' tall tomato plants fell to the
ground because the cages wouldn't support them anymore. Next year I
will get out the table saw and the brad nailer, buy some fence boards,
and make some super-sturdy 8' teepee trellises to hold them up. My
solution this year was to drive some cedar spikes in to give the cages
some support, then hack back the tops of the tomatos. I will maintain
them at 6 feet this year.

2. People plant in rows for a reson. I planted my tomatos in a 4-3-3
cluster for aethetic as well as shade reasons. However, it makes
picking the fruit a bitch. Also, the ones in the middle aren't making
it. This is fine because of the next point...

3. Plants yield more than you think. Our household is just me and my
wife. 10 tomato plants are WAY too much. Luckily I know how to make
sauce and salsa and I know how to can. The neighbors and co-workers
are loving me, though.

4. Cucumbers keep growing and growing and growing. And growing, and
growing. I'll have to learn to pickle, but these would be big-ass
pickles. 10-12 inches long or so.

5. Cilantro, yes. Lettuce, no. Home grown cilantro is great here. I
think it is too hot for the lettuce. It was bitter, so I yanked it.

6. Don't underestimate bermuda grass. Next year, I'll use a
pre-emergent and put down newspaper. This year, its hoe, hoe, hoe.
But, I don't wear a big red suit. Nor do I have reindeer.

7. Don't wait to put down the soaker hose. I don't have room to
manuver and put it down now, so its overhead watering.

8. Pick just before red, don't wait. They will ripen in the kitchen,
but something will eat them if they get too red on the vine. I just
wish whatever animal that is having them would finish the job before
taking a bite out of the next. (Every tomato that goes fully ripe is
getting one 1" bite taken out of it)

9. There is no shame in planting from seedlings. Our seed planting did
not turn out so good. Only the cukes and cilantro came up well. I'm
sure I could do the research and get better results, but one step at a
time. Maybe I'll build a greenhouse "wing" onto the shed I'm building
for doing seedlings.

"Jay" wrote in message
. ..
| This year was my first attempt at vegetable gardening and I have
| learned some lessons the hard way.
|
| 1. Tomato cages are only good in theory. I went with 6' tomato cages
| because I live in Texas and wanted as much foliage to grow as possible
| to shade the fruit. Yesterday, my 8.5' tall tomato plants fell to the
| ground because the cages wouldn't support them anymore. Next year I
| will get out the table saw and the brad nailer, buy some fence boards,
| and make some super-sturdy 8' teepee trellises to hold them up. My
| solution this year was to drive some cedar spikes in to give the cages
| some support, then hack back the tops of the tomatos. I will maintain
| them at 6 feet this year.

You can throw up your teepee around the cages this year. This is the
technique I use. Cages provide good early support, then when the plants
outgrow them, the vines can be ties to the teepees.

| 2. People plant in rows for a reson. I planted my tomatos in a 4-3-3
| cluster for aethetic as well as shade reasons. However, it makes
| picking the fruit a bitch. Also, the ones in the middle aren't making
| it. This is fine because of the next point...

Try planting in a two across in a wide row where the plants are staggered on
30" centers.

| 4. Cucumbers keep growing and growing and growing. And growing, and
| growing. I'll have to learn to pickle, but these would be big-ass
| pickles. 10-12 inches long or so.

Cukes that size may be over-ripe. If you see well-formed seeds when you cut
them, pick 'em sooner.

In our last fun filled episode, 15 Jul 2004 09:11:14 -0700,
(Jay) proclaimed:



5. Cilantro, yes. Lettuce, no. Home grown cilantro is great here. I
think it is too hot for the lettuce. It was bitter, so I yanked it.

Two words: Winter Greens.



I plant lettuce and spinach in January and pull it up before the
end of May, and I;m further north then you. I'm in SC.

Penelope, same goes for dill iffen you want weed and not seed.
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

On 15 Jul 2004 09:11:14 -0700, (Jay) wrote:

This year was my first attempt at vegetable gardening and I have
learned some lessons the hard way.

Often seems as if that's the *only* way with gardening. :-) But these
are the lessons that stick. I *still* find it hard to believe a frail
5" tomato plant will require 6' industrial-strength support and 10
square feet of ground space come July. As for cucumbers, just be glad
they aren't zucchini!

Frogleg wrote in message . ..
On 15 Jul 2004 09:11:14 -0700, (Jay) wrote:

This year was my first attempt at vegetable gardening and I have
learned some lessons the hard way.

Often seems as if that's the *only* way with gardening. :-) But these
are the lessons that stick. I *still* find it hard to believe a frail
5" tomato plant will require 6' industrial-strength support and 10
square feet of ground space come July. As for cucumbers, just be glad
they aren't zucchini!

plus, it is hardly "the hard way" - too big plants, too many tomatoes,
etc. the hard way is zucchini with rotten stems, bean plants covered
by a cloud of mexican beetles, groundhog breakins, obsessing about
chipmunks, wilted pitiful yellow things throughout the garden,
rootbound cabbage plants which have not grown an inch in six months,
armpit-high weeds, broccoli skeletonized by worms and slugs. etcetera.
can you relate?

On 15 Jul 2004 09:11:14 -0700, (Jay) wrote:

This year was my first attempt at vegetable gardening and I have
learned some lessons the hard way.

1. Tomato cages are only good in theory. I went with 6' tomato cages
because I live in Texas and wanted as much foliage to grow as possible
to shade the fruit. Yesterday, my 8.5' tall tomato plants fell to the
ground because the cages wouldn't support them anymore. Next year I
will get out the table saw and the brad nailer, buy some fence boards,
and make some super-sturdy 8' teepee trellises to hold them up. My
solution this year was to drive some cedar spikes in to give the cages
some support, then hack back the tops of the tomatos. I will maintain
them at 6 feet this year.

[...]
9. There is no shame in planting from seedlings. Our seed planting did
not turn out so good. Only the cukes and cilantro came up well. I'm
sure I could do the research and get better results, but one step at a
time. Maybe I'll build a greenhouse "wing" onto the shed I'm building
for doing seedlings.

The only thing I didn't see was a reference to zucchini the size of
bombs and still expanding. Do try some next year...