I think this is call Hen and chicks" or something, but the way the flowers grow is kind of cool and the hummingbirds love them.
What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
- Start date
Harvest Day.
First picking of my Blue Lake pole beans. I'm new to these Italian pole beans so I missed a lot. They turned brown before I got to them so there's a lot of seed for next year.
First of the okra too. Missed 4-5 pods, but they'll be seed for next year.
Dug my garlic too. Soil wasn't as loose as my potato row despite amending the patch. Not enough though. Smaller heads than expected. Plus I didn't cut off the scapes soon enough.
A few big ones, a lot of little ones.
Now how to dry? I'm guessing don't wash them and just gently knock off the dirt?? I'm planning on storing in the basement on those produce cardboard flats you can get at the grocery store. I have a DH running and it's cool down there. Some of them have lost their skins and some seem soft like they are rotting already. I'll use the soft ones first. What about those without skins? Will they dry properly?
First picking of my Blue Lake pole beans. I'm new to these Italian pole beans so I missed a lot. They turned brown before I got to them so there's a lot of seed for next year.
First of the okra too. Missed 4-5 pods, but they'll be seed for next year.
Dug my garlic too. Soil wasn't as loose as my potato row despite amending the patch. Not enough though. Smaller heads than expected. Plus I didn't cut off the scapes soon enough.
A few big ones, a lot of little ones.
Now how to dry? I'm guessing don't wash them and just gently knock off the dirt?? I'm planning on storing in the basement on those produce cardboard flats you can get at the grocery store. I have a DH running and it's cool down there. Some of them have lost their skins and some seem soft like they are rotting already. I'll use the soft ones first. What about those without skins? Will they dry properly?
Just looked them up. Any cross pollination problems? Where did you get the seed? I might try a short row next year.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,324
For garlic, if they have lost the outer skin of the head, they won't store. Use them first, and if there are too many to use, roast them in the oven with a little olive oil, then freeze in ziplock bags. I try to use a thin layer in the bag laid flat so when I need some, I can just break off a chunk.
As to curing the ones with good skin, I use a piece of twine to tie a bunch together and hang them in the machine shed. Mine are already dry, but they will stay hanging in the shed until it freezes in Nov/Dec. Then they go in a plastic bucket in the unheated basement stairwell in the garage where they stay just above freezing.
And yeah, the recommended practice is just to brush as much dirt off now and hang to dry. Leave the roots intact also until you are ready to use them.
By the way, it looks like you may have been a little late in harvesting the garlic. Don't wait until all the leaves are brown. When the bottom 2/3 or so of the leaves have turned brown is when I harvest. Still a couple green leaves on the plant. If you wait too long, the outer wrapper skin starts breaking down and they won't store a long time.
As to curing the ones with good skin, I use a piece of twine to tie a bunch together and hang them in the machine shed. Mine are already dry, but they will stay hanging in the shed until it freezes in Nov/Dec. Then they go in a plastic bucket in the unheated basement stairwell in the garage where they stay just above freezing.
And yeah, the recommended practice is just to brush as much dirt off now and hang to dry. Leave the roots intact also until you are ready to use them.
By the way, it looks like you may have been a little late in harvesting the garlic. Don't wait until all the leaves are brown. When the bottom 2/3 or so of the leaves have turned brown is when I harvest. Still a couple green leaves on the plant. If you wait too long, the outer wrapper skin starts breaking down and they won't store a long time.
Seed Saving
I understand how to save seeds from beans, peas and okra. Leave them on the vine/plant until they're dry. What about squash? Just leave on the vine as long as you can? I've got Zuchetta that I'd like to get more seeds from. Like this but longer and further along.
Just let the squash get hard and in the Fall harvest it? Not sure it'll make it into the Fall though. Beetles are back. I sprayed again today and will check/spay again tomorrow. Hope to save it.
I understand how to save seeds from beans, peas and okra. Leave them on the vine/plant until they're dry. What about squash? Just leave on the vine as long as you can? I've got Zuchetta that I'd like to get more seeds from. Like this but longer and further along.
Just let the squash get hard and in the Fall harvest it? Not sure it'll make it into the Fall though. Beetles are back. I sprayed again today and will check/spay again tomorrow. Hope to save it.
Yes learning year for garlic. More compost to the soil. More gypsum too? And I'll follow the fertilizer recommendations you made earlier. Hopefully the ones with stalks will be saved for seed. Maybe some of the Spanish Roja toes will survive for seed too.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,327
I'm not sure with zucchini, but I think they are mature when they start turning yellow and soften. At that point in time usually, you'd cut them open, remove and wash the seeds, then lay out to dry.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,328
Anything with good skin on it should be fine by planting time in the fall.
As to the gypsum, yes. In addition to the calcium it supplies, also some sulfur which can add a nice flavor, and gypsum helps with your clay soils. Garlic isn't a large consumer of calcium, but having available calcium helps cell wall strength and all veggies can benefit from that. As cheap as gypsum is, I'd add it to all your beds when tilling.
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I'm helping an older friend with his firewood and I noticed he had peaches on one of his two trees. Since mine didn't produce, I asked him what he was going to do with them. Nothing was his reply; said I could have them. So I picked up a dozen or so off the ground. Cut off all the brown spots and squirrel marks. Washed them and put then in a pot with 2" of water. Started to cook them down with the pits for peach syrup. Mom use to make syrup out of the skins and pits (and probably lots of sugar). My peaches have never been pretty enough to peel, as the aren't either, so I cooked down everything for about an hour.
I thought about changing course and make preserves instead. Since I added water and did not peel, this is probably not an option. We'll see. Need to cook down hours to break the peaches down.
I thought about changing course and make preserves instead. Since I added water and did not peel, this is probably not an option. We'll see. Need to cook down hours to break the peaches down.
I only plant one variety of bean each year so no problem w crossing. I get my beans from local co op. I have been raising them for years and don’t bother w saving seed. There are always a bunch of dried pods after I tire of picking and I will be glad to save some for you, but you will need to remind me with a direct message in late fall. Generally they produce nearly till frost (November) but a lot of the pods will be dry before then.
Here is a place you can get seed and their price isn’t much higher than I pay but then there is shipping.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Saving the Past for the Future
www.southernexposure.com
Anyone raise this melon. My grandfather raised them when I was a kid (he died in64) . I got these seeds from Baker Creek, they called them Tigger melons. I used Coffee mug for size comparison. They vary from tennis to soft ball in size.
I’ve never seen them. Do they have a nice flavor? Chuck
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,333
Heard of them, but never grown. Melons are usually an afterthought in my garden as we just don't eat enough and most go to waste.
Cut one open and show us the inside.
Cut one open and show us the inside.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3,334
Red raspberry season has started. Will be picking them from now until a killing frost, or until we run out of freezer space.
Not my yard, but a customers. I don't know the the name of it, but the size surprised me.
@ripjack13 , if I had wanted to add text at each photo, it would have let me without any problems. Next time I post multiple pictures is another day. Can't wait.................. Nubs
@ripjack13 , if I had wanted to add text at each photo, it would have let me without any problems. Next time I post multiple pictures is another day. Can't wait.................. Nubs