What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
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That's a nice looking crop. Do you grow those from sets or transplants?
I grow them from sets, I'm thinking about starting seeds next spring. They were looking a little sad in June so I gave them a couple of handful of high nitrogen fertilizer and they really took off. We can usually store them until April or May. I doubt that we will use them all because I also had a good crop of shallots.
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There very easy to grow from seed, just a little tedious planting into the 128 cell flats I use. If you are looking for a variety, I use 'Patterson'. Good round shape/size and one of the longer storing onions out there.
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- #3,445
Forgetting what time of year it is and decided I should go check on pears. Grabbed these three little ones that were within reach. The variety is 'Delicious', and they do taste good, but have never sized up like they should. Only about 20 pears total this year, late freezes got them as well. These will be ready to eat in 4-5 days.
This is the way to go if you’re doing bulk corn. Spills and splashes no big deal. Big turkey fryer and a big bucket of ice water. Nice when you can cut it off the cob outside too, but most years I need to move inside as the bees get too nasty and numerous. So much less mess and so much faster. We freeze all of ours. Takes up a chunk of freezer space, but we all prefer it over canned corn.
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Flies are always too bad to try and cut outside. I use the stainless kitchen sink with ice for cooling, so a little bit more walking back and forth. This year I cooked and cooled everything before starting cutting. Packed all the cool ears in a big meat lug and put a little ice on top. Went much faster this way, you get into a groove cutting. Agree on the freezing vs canning, just don't like the flavor of canned corn. To me it tastes sort of musty/moldy.
Oh yeah- meat lug is super valuable to this process too!
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Here is the totality of the pear harvest. Pretty meager crop this year. About a dozen total with the few I picked the other night.
Also fairly sure that my Bartlett has fireblight. No symptoms until mid summer, and all on new growth, but to my untrained eye, shepherd's hooks and black leaves/stems equal fireblight. I have a third pear that will be in production next year, so loosing one isn't a big deal. Will cut it down and burn this winter.
I heavily pruned the Honey Crisp last winter, so knew would have a very small crop. What I do have is big though.
Also fairly sure that my Bartlett has fireblight. No symptoms until mid summer, and all on new growth, but to my untrained eye, shepherd's hooks and black leaves/stems equal fireblight. I have a third pear that will be in production next year, so loosing one isn't a big deal. Will cut it down and burn this winter.
I heavily pruned the Honey Crisp last winter, so knew would have a very small crop. What I do have is big though.
If you lived where I do you wouldn’t have gotten that many. Our deer pick them off as high as they can reach on their back legs, day and night.
Deer steaks with a little pear honey sauce lol.
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- #3,452
These are standard trees, and there are actually few that I can even reach without a pole. We've also got lots of deer, but they never go after any of the fruit, apples or pears that end up on the ground.
Once they start there is no end. My wife has grown at least a dozen varieties of Hosta for more than 30 years. For 10 years or so deer never paid attention to them. Now they start eating them at about a foot tall and keep it up until freeze kills them back.
The vine died (bugs) on my last Zuchetta squash so I picked it for seed. Over 4' long.
Too hard to eat fresh, but I might try cooking it like a Winter squash.
And the pecan tree is full of nuts. Actually I saw more a month ago. Some have dropped to the ground. Don't know if it's from squirrels or natural shedding. None were cut up like being chewed on.
Time for the electric fence. Anyone have a preference on wire gauge? I first bought 14 Ga (1/4 mile). It seems like it'd bee hard to handle and stretch. Picked up a spool of 17 ga. Time to decide which to keep.
Too hard to eat fresh, but I might try cooking it like a Winter squash.
And the pecan tree is full of nuts. Actually I saw more a month ago. Some have dropped to the ground. Don't know if it's from squirrels or natural shedding. None were cut up like being chewed on.
Time for the electric fence. Anyone have a preference on wire gauge? I first bought 14 Ga (1/4 mile). It seems like it'd bee hard to handle and stretch. Picked up a spool of 17 ga. Time to decide which to keep.
Yes, I know, but wire for electric fences come in 17, 14 and 12.5 gauge. Don't ask me why.
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- #3,457
I'd use the smaller ga. Easier to splice, stretch and fit on insulators.
Thanks. I bought the heavier wire first thinking it would be better for deer; wouldn't break as easy. But it's so heavy to handle as you mentioned.
Yup it's the electricity that stops the deer, lighter wire is easier to work with. I don't recall what ga. I use but it's thin and flexible. I've had the same roll for years and I am always cutting and splicing it for different configurations. The heavy stuff is great for permanent fencing but pick mine up in the fall and put it back up when things begin to grow in the spring.
Suyo long cucumber is about ready:)
