Author Topic: 2020 Gardening Thread (Read 3972 times)

jadziadax8 · « **Reply #100 on:** August 19, 2020, 07:18:17 AM »

The tomatoes are coming in fast now. I made three quarts of marinara yesterday. I made baba ganoush on Friday from all the eggplants and harvested three more yesterday. The cucumbers have slowed down a bit, but they’re at war with the hops, so I think that might be the cause. The peppers are also ripening nicely.

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #101 on:** August 19, 2020, 07:57:38 AM »

We have had green beans for dinner for the last three nights. Amazing. Maters and cukes slided up and sprinkled w/ salt on the side. Grilled zucchini as the main. Nom.

Mrs. DantesDame · « **Reply #102 on:** August 19, 2020, 09:05:44 AM »

I keep bringing home tomatoes and peppers (of varying kinds) and Dan keeps saying "I'll make something!" - he's been saying that for over two weeks now Anyway, I just like the grow the stuff. Eating it is secondary.

The eggplant is finally producing, the zucchini has a couple of young ones just coming in and the pumpkins are forming nicely.

I apparently made a mistake in the type of cucumbers I grew this year. I am getting a lot of them, but they grow in a U shape, don't color in nicely, and are full of seeds. Blech.

On the plus side, the carrots look good from above ground, we had a butt-load of rain the last few days and today was cool enough to spend about half of the day "doing garden stuff"

CLAY · « **Reply #103 on:** August 19, 2020, 09:25:29 AM »

Quote from: Andrew on August 16, 2020, 09:35:39 PM

In the front yard planter area I try something different every year, and every year I fight the gophers till the end.

This year it is sunflowers, and pumpkins. I had a gopher or two and all have been marked for death. Not a peep, no holes nothing in over two months..... Until one of the sunflowers just lost all life and began to lean. A slight tug and it just popped up from the ground, it had been chewed right up to ground level, maybe half an inch in the dirt. Out came the traps, as I wanted to save the rest. THis morning I am proud to report there is one less ground dwelling rodent in the garden

Down in the backyard, planter boxes are safe from the subterranean rodents. But I do have another problem neighbor that seems to like to shit on the lawn. From what I can ascertain the critter is a gang member and wears a mask, once and a while it even visits the front door (glass door) just to say "Hey guy I just crapped in your yard, have a nice day". Anyone have luck getting rid of racoons ? Wifie does not think it's a good idea to shoot the dam thing, something about laws and neighbors

They are mostly easy to live-trap. In Michigan I believe catch and bring somewhere else is illegal- it just moves the problem. I've always just handled them, usually discreetly via car exhaust and a large garbage can that the whole trap fits in. Pipes re hard- they move fast.

Mrs. DantesDame · « **Reply #104 on:** August 19, 2020, 02:55:20 PM »

Quote from: CLAY on August 19, 2020, 09:25:29 AM

I've always just handled them...

No pipe for this one, Clay?

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #105 on:** August 23, 2020, 09:36:34 AM »

Strong recommendations for the big kahuna green beans. Nom. They're prolific growers and kinda huge.

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #106 on:** August 23, 2020, 09:38:10 AM »

Today's take.

jadziadax8 · « **Reply #107 on:** August 29, 2020, 02:47:04 PM »

Wednesday I used up a bunch of tomatoes making some Harry & David clone pepper jam. Today I picked another 6 lbs or so. This time it'll be mango salsa.

jadziadax8 · « **Reply #108 on:** October 06, 2020, 05:39:04 PM »

Abundant eggplants are abundant. The long, skinny ones aren’t great for parmigiana, but make excellent stir-fry.

Mrs. DantesDame · « **Reply #109 on:** October 07, 2020, 11:24:42 AM »

We have been swimming in tomatoes! I gave quite a few away, learned how to make tomato soup from scratch, Dan dried some for pasta sauce and there are still some hiding in the fridge

The garden is done producing, with the exception of Brussel sprouts. I plan on planting the garlic soon, and once the frost sets in, I'll consider re-arranging some of the plantings. I created a new space for the current bushes and blueberries, and will move the rhubarb to a better location as well.

Meanwhile, there are loads of grapes for munching on while I'm messing around with stuff

jadziadax8 · « **Reply #110 on:** October 07, 2020, 08:49:25 PM »

Quote from: Mrs. DantesDame on October 07, 2020, 11:24:42 AM

We have been swimming in tomatoes! I gave quite a few away, learned how to make tomato soup from scratch, Dan dried some for pasta sauce and there are still some hiding in the fridge

The garden is done producing, with the exception of Brussel sprouts. I plan on planting the garlic soon, and once the frost sets in, I'll consider re-arranging some of the plantings. I created a new space for the current bushes and blueberries, and will move the rhubarb to a better location as well.

Meanwhile, there are loads of grapes for munching on while I'm messing around with stuff

I made meatballs tonight smothered in marinara I made from the tomatoes from the garden. If you want to get rid of tomatoes, marinara is the way to go. It's astonishing and a little disheartening to watch 6 lbs (~3 kg) of fruit become a quart (~liter) of marinara.

CLAY · « **Reply #111 on:** October 08, 2020, 07:49:16 AM »

Quote from: Mrs. DantesDame on August 19, 2020, 02:55:20 PM

Quote from: CLAY on August 19, 2020, 09:25:29 AM
I've always just handled them...

No pipe for this one, Clay?

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Our garden is really done now. I might try to sneal in some radishes on one of our planters around the (now covered) pool. We wound up with SCADS of Romas as well, and a bunch of good, hot, flavorful jalapenos, so now we have 18 quarts of salsa with varying levels of heat. My wife also made about 6 quarts of chili base.

A month ago I also had probably 8-10 REALLY good watermelons. The problem with the melons is that they are SO big and SO many, I ended up giving nearly all of them away to staff at school. I really enjoy that as well- to me that's reason enough to garden. Brighten someone's day with produce.

The thing I have left now is rhubarb. My wife isn't a fan, so I'll probably put a post on FB offering it to my local friends who can stop by and pick up some. I'll gladly cut it- I'm just hoping it gets used before the first hard frost hits.

Then it will be time to pull the plants, pull up the tarp, wind up the drip irrigation line, dump in the compost and till it up before winter.

Mrs. DantesDame · « **Reply #112 on:** October 08, 2020, 02:08:42 PM »

I just put garlic bulbs on the list of things to buy - and then plant - this month.

Also, I forgot that I have a lot of carrots still in the ground. The couple I've pulled out earlier weren't all that exciting, so maybe I'll wait a bit longer.

We just bought a Crock Pot, so I'm excited for some slow cooked veggies and such!
(we already have a Crock Pot, but it has a US plug and needs the Big Transformer, which is under the TV, so not exactly convenient to use. Anyone want a Crock Pot?

)

jadziadax8 · « **Reply #113 on:** October 08, 2020, 05:58:35 PM »

Quote from: CLAY on October 08, 2020, 07:49:16 AM

The thing I have left now is rhubarb. My wife isn't a fan,

Three words:

Rhubarb

Simple

Syrup

It makes a GREAT cocktail mixer. Plus, I like eating the rhubarb after the syrup drains out.

CLAY · « **Reply #114 on:** October 09, 2020, 03:41:19 PM »

That's the one thing I use it for, I've got a bottle in the fridge.

And you are correct it's amazing. In fact I think that's going to be the next drink.

Jay547 · « **Reply #115 on:** October 23, 2020, 04:19:21 PM »

My final harvest for the season. It's supposed to be below 40° tonite so I got what was left. This was my first time growing the Jay's Peach Ghost Peppers. They're said to be superhot. I got just enough for a small bottle of sauce. My tabascos didn't ripen in time. We just have too much shade from our trees now. It's really slowing our garden.

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jadziadax8 · « **Reply #116 on:** October 23, 2020, 09:15:35 PM »

I’m planning to harvest green tomatoes and make more salsa verde tomorrow. It’s been so warm this autumn that everything wants to keep going.

CLAY · « **Reply #117 on:** October 24, 2020, 03:08:16 PM »

We've had a couple of big freezes. Last Saturday I pulled everything, removed the cover and the drip, added the compost since Spring, and rototilled the whole thing.

Jay547 · « **Reply #118 on:** October 24, 2020, 04:30:08 PM »

I'm making some pineapple-peach ghost pepper sauce with the peppers I posted above. Decided to smoke a ham while I was at it.

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jadziadax8 · « **Reply #119 on:** October 24, 2020, 06:48:07 PM »

It got cold last night, so I harvested as many green tomatoes as I wanted, along with the rest of the peppers. I already got all eggplants last weekend to make kefte and baba ghanouj.

Tomorrow will be more salsa verde. I managed to find more Ball jars at Walmart yesterday.

st2sam · « **Reply #120 on:** October 24, 2020, 07:06:54 PM »

Quote from: Jay547 on October 24, 2020, 04:30:08 PM

I'm making some pineapple-peach ghost pepper sauce with the peppers I posted above. Decided to smoke a ham while I was at it.
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Just wondering Jay?
The ghost pepper sauce will go with the smoked ham?
(nice little setup you have there)

jadziadax8 · « **Reply #121 on:** November 01, 2020, 02:24:21 PM »

The garden has been put to bed for the winter. We dumped the compost bin in the garden, took all the dead tomatoes, peppers and eggplants and put them in the new, more capacious compost bin and have bid it all good day, sir!

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