Whatcha Up To???
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Ibtsoom
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Got 2 1/4 inches of rain today. Got home from work and picked a half a 5 gallon bucket of squash and a half a bucket of pole beans. Gotta pick peppers tomorrow and cherry tomatoes. Corn is all tasseled out and looking good. Sure hope it does well - haven't had that much luck with it in the past. There's almost no water standing. My yard inhaled it as fast as it fell.
Rahab222
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My section in Houston got an additional 3.5 inches of rain today. Primarily during the early morning hours from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. I did go out and check my garden, sloshing through standing water and mud. I got a couple of tomatoes and noticed I have quite a few, nice sized cucumbers on the vines. Killed some more stink bugs that have transformed from the red nymphs to the brownish/gray form I am more familiar with since I had an infestation last summer. I think the cooler, spring temperatures must be helping to keep these at bay and from a full onslaught of my tomatoes and peppers. I pulled the Yukon Gold potatoes I had placed in a tulle bag and hung on a nail in the garage yesterday to dry, brought them in the house, washed them and then placed them on wire racks to dry in the kitchen. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to dig these wet. The 1014 onions I wove are still in the garage, hanging. I will have to deal with these tomorrow. I am having to do this in the kitchen because there is way too much moisture/humidity in the air. The sun actually came out for a couple of hours this evening, but a light rain started again at nightfall. They have adjusted the rain forecast down percentage wise, but we are still anticipating continuing rain through the weekend. I am thankful for the rain because so many areas of the state are in severe drought conditions. Flood warnings are still in effect as rivers/creeks/streams/bayous continue to overflow their banks throughout the county. Officials are also sending out e-mails warning people to watch for critters being driven from their homes by the rain - snakes, gators, rats and wildlife of all kinds.
We got 1/10" that day...
Today I tied up the tomatoes again (they're heavily loaded!!!) & then I painted the 'porch pots' their final color before putting them back on the porches.
M
Mr_Yan
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I got a vole this morning. Sometime between 6 and 6:30. Hope this reduces the unsupervised excavation of my garden beds.
Rahab222
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- Planting Zone
- 9B
I picked a vine ripened Big Beef tomato today, a smaller 4th of July and a couple of cherry Juliets. I also got more green beans and strawberries. We only got a little mist in Houston today, so the 4' x 4' bed has had a day to dry out with sunshine; but we have a 60% chance of more thunderstorms on Friday. As soon as the soil in my harvested potato bed is dry enough, I'm going to plant my purple hull and pinto beans. I also need to fertilize.
whistech
Well-Known Member
Be careful fertilizing purple hull peas. If over fertilized, you will have large vines with very little peas. Generally, purple hull and all cow peas need no to very little fertilizer.
I decided to pull up my zuk plant. It was growing out of control everywhere, wasnt making any veggies, and was starting to look poor. It had blooms and would form a small zuk, but then the little zuk would shrivel up to nothing and fall of. Was my first time growing it so nothing is really missed. I will likely plant a okra in its place.
Also had to stake down a couple more plants. We've had heavy rains and wind here near the coast on and off all week.
My 2 eggplants are loaded. Prolly got 10 eggplants hanging and growing. Grape tomato plants are over 6' tall now and loaded. The little maters are starting to turn. We've picked a few but next week we should get lots.
Also had to stake down a couple more plants. We've had heavy rains and wind here near the coast on and off all week.
My 2 eggplants are loaded. Prolly got 10 eggplants hanging and growing. Grape tomato plants are over 6' tall now and loaded. The little maters are starting to turn. We've picked a few but next week we should get lots.
M
Mr_Yan
Guest
@45 ACP nice egg plants
Today I went up to my community garden and put in the two teepees and about 1/2 the twine for my pole bean teepee. This is made of 2 tripods with a horizontal bar between them and twine running from the top bar to stakes in the ground. All the poles in the tripods and the cross bar are made of 1/2 inch EMT.
We planted the pole bean seeds just over a week ago and most of them are up and have a set of leafs.
Today I went up to my community garden and put in the two teepees and about 1/2 the twine for my pole bean teepee. This is made of 2 tripods with a horizontal bar between them and twine running from the top bar to stakes in the ground. All the poles in the tripods and the cross bar are made of 1/2 inch EMT.
We planted the pole bean seeds just over a week ago and most of them are up and have a set of leafs.
Rahab222
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- 354
- Planting Zone
- 9B
Whistech; I get it on the fertilizer for purple hull peas. I've read they will basically grow prolifically in barren soil. That's exactly what I'm hoping since I'm going to plant them where I just harvested my Yukon Gold potatoes. We had another gully washer here this evening. I've been waiting for the soil to dry up a little so I can plant the peas. I'll just have to see what the weekend brings.
45 ACP, Your eggplant looks awesome! I have a couple of friends who garden here and they've never been able to grow zucchini, either. Your dilemma with the zuks sounds like the same one I had with cucumbers last year. This year, I've suddenly got cucumbers all over and I need to run by one of the Mediterranean markets and buy me some grape leaves so I can make pickles.
I need to learn how to make a teepee, too. My green beans are growing prolifically. I think I'm going to have to blanche some and put them in the freezer.
45 ACP, Your eggplant looks awesome! I have a couple of friends who garden here and they've never been able to grow zucchini, either. Your dilemma with the zuks sounds like the same one I had with cucumbers last year. This year, I've suddenly got cucumbers all over and I need to run by one of the Mediterranean markets and buy me some grape leaves so I can make pickles.
I need to learn how to make a teepee, too. My green beans are growing prolifically. I think I'm going to have to blanche some and put them in the freezer.
M
Mr_Yan
Guest
Here you go @Rahab222 http://www.animatedknots.com/lashtripod/ - instructions for lashing a tripod
This is another blog post with a step by step method of building a bean covered teepee
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Rushed to cut the grass & took all the hanging baskets down, then moved the plant stands to a protected area... Storms are suppose to be heading this way (accompanied w/strong wind gusts).
Rahab222
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 354
- Planting Zone
- 9B
I actually worked in the 1/3 flooded back yard today. LOTS of mosquitoes biting me! I FINALLY got my purple hull peas and pinto beans planted in the 4' x 4' box where I harvested my Yukon Gold potatoes last week. These boxes have a raised bed mix in them, so the soil is loose and well drained. The instructions on the peas and beans said to, "Keep well watered until germinated," so I decided to take full advantage of the damp soil. I also planted two squash hills in my new, extended box where I had saved space for these.
I also fertilized my tomato and pepper plants with Osmocote pellets. I placed them around the base of each plant and then dug them into the soil about 1 inch. These are supposed to be a slow release fertilizer that last up to 4 months. I'm just not sure that my tomatoes are getting all the nutrients they need, but they are overdue to be fertilized - should have been done two weeks ago. I didn't want to introduce anymore liquid to the garden in any way, shape or form, so I broke out the pellets. I'm starting to get a lot of yellow leaves from 13 inches of water since Monday and we have more coming in tomorrow (Sunday). Especially because of all the rain, I think my plants needed some nutrients.
I did all of this in about an hour because the sky kept rumbling and lightening was all around me.
I also fertilized my tomato and pepper plants with Osmocote pellets. I placed them around the base of each plant and then dug them into the soil about 1 inch. These are supposed to be a slow release fertilizer that last up to 4 months. I'm just not sure that my tomatoes are getting all the nutrients they need, but they are overdue to be fertilized - should have been done two weeks ago. I didn't want to introduce anymore liquid to the garden in any way, shape or form, so I broke out the pellets. I'm starting to get a lot of yellow leaves from 13 inches of water since Monday and we have more coming in tomorrow (Sunday). Especially because of all the rain, I think my plants needed some nutrients.
I did all of this in about an hour because the sky kept rumbling and lightening was all around me.
I mulched the melon rows today & cleaned the greenhouse. Mrs Ranch dead-headed her flower beds & did a light pruning.
E
ErnieCopp
Guest
Picked my first vine ripe tomato today, and about three others that need a couple of days on the window sill. Finding quite a few Hale's Best Cantaloupe and Nutmeg melons big as baseballs, but Persians only the size of walnuts and Watermelons the size of grapes. Beets and Carrots in the Picker boxes getting too old too soon, so will pick them small.
Blackberries winding down, Raspberries i transplanted survived well, but not producing much fruit this year. Grapes are the show-offs this year, really producing huge amounts. Pretty good blossom crop on the Mexican Lime, so hope most of them set. I was not able to locate a Thornless Mex Lime when i bought it, so i combed through all the trees in the Nursery and chose the one with the fewest thorns on it, and that has paid off. Three years here now, and still very few thorns on it. I plan to just cut out the branches that have very many, and so far that seems to be working.
Garden work has slowed down a bit now, while waiting for stuff to grow.
Ernie
Blackberries winding down, Raspberries i transplanted survived well, but not producing much fruit this year. Grapes are the show-offs this year, really producing huge amounts. Pretty good blossom crop on the Mexican Lime, so hope most of them set. I was not able to locate a Thornless Mex Lime when i bought it, so i combed through all the trees in the Nursery and chose the one with the fewest thorns on it, and that has paid off. Three years here now, and still very few thorns on it. I plan to just cut out the branches that have very many, and so far that seems to be working.
Garden work has slowed down a bit now, while waiting for stuff to grow.
Ernie
I watered everything this morning & then I got started with the spraying... As I said in my '2014 Spring Garden thread', the corn started setting silk so I sprayed Bt on the entire garden (concentrating on the corn to keep any 'earworms' from ruining our crop). Then I switch in an insecticide & sprayed inside the green house, before moving unto the flowerbeds & the trees (both the fruit & the oaks).
Then I made some stuffed jalapenos to go with our dinner.
Tomorrow, if the weather holds, I will spray RoundUp (my favorite liquid edger) around the fence, stone walls & the 'driveway'. The big battery is charging now...
Then I made some stuffed jalapenos to go with our dinner.
Tomorrow, if the weather holds, I will spray RoundUp (my favorite liquid edger) around the fence, stone walls & the 'driveway'. The big battery is charging now...
Rahab222
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 354
- Planting Zone
- 9B
Today was a "harvest day" for me. I'm posting a picture of what 14 inches of God's rain in a week did for my Houston garden. All of this was picked or plucked on Weds., June 4, 2014. In addition to all of this, a friend of my brother's let me come out and pick blackberries on his land today. I got enough to make (8) more half pints of blackberry jam and I'm giving the rest to Mom to make us a cobbler. Tomorrow night, I will be making salsa. I'll post the recipe if it proves to be any good. It's the quickest, simplest canning recipe I could find for salsa. I've also been giving quite a bit away to family, neighbors and a couple of our family's doctors. Naturally, everybody loves the fresh produce!
Very nice Rahab!!!
E
ErnieCopp
Guest
Is that a Black Krim tomato in the foreground? Those are my favorite tomatoes, but the blossoms have not set well with the cool nights we have had, and so far i only have one that is close to ripe.
A beautiful harvest, for sure.
Ernie
A beautiful harvest, for sure.
Ernie
whistech
Well-Known Member
Rahab, looks like you had a productive crop. Thanks for posting.
E
ErnieCopp
Guest
Brought in Beets, Carrots, Green Beans, Basil and Cilantro this morning, but some of those are about done because of the heat. Lots more bean blossoms but stem joints getting brittle, so easy to damage bushes. Will have tomatoes, peppers and Squash to pick tomorrow.
Seeing more and more melons, but still need a good while to ripen.
Ernie
Seeing more and more melons, but still need a good while to ripen.
Ernie
I only sprayed 1 tank of RoundUp as I ran out... (I'll pickup another 5 gallons tomorrow).
Picked up dead wood in one of the pastures & burned it.
Built a concrete footer at the boor of the barn (a coon has been digging under the door & pooping everywhere)... disgusting animal. I was unsuccessful at trapping it last week so I'll see it that works, if not I'll just kill it outright.
Picked up dead wood in one of the pastures & burned it.
Built a concrete footer at the boor of the barn (a coon has been digging under the door & pooping everywhere)... disgusting animal. I was unsuccessful at trapping it last week so I'll see it that works, if not I'll just kill it outright.
M
majorcatfish
Guest
rahab thats a wonderful spring harvest ok early summer harvest for you all down your way....
keep up the good work
keep up the good work
M
Mr_Yan
Guest
need to get my spinach out as it is starting to bolt. I did just see that my pea pods are starting to form - I foresee stir-fry in the near future.
Rahab222
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- Messages
- 354
- Planting Zone
- 9B
Ernie; That's a Purple Cherokee tomato in the foreground of the photo.
On Friday, I took some more tomatoes to our Family Doctor for his weekend. I picked two more sacks of tomatoes in the garden and made (5) half pints of strawberry jam. It turned out GREAT! I'm still looking for more blackberries - cheap
Free is better. I had to stop early today to drive down to Freeport to watch my 17-year-old niece graduate from high school. She is her Class of 2014's Salutatorian and got to make a speech. The administrators lost her speech (which they held in a folder for her, following approval, so that nothing could be changed.) Lacking a script, she spent 3 full minutes at the podium/microphone doing "selfies" with her cell phone. After that, she was forced to ad lib and did a great job. Saturday will be a busy day as I have got to get all these tomatoes canned through salsa or crushed tomatoes. I hope to be able to smoke them on the pit first. If not, I'll just have to fake it and see what I make. I also need to water (yes, my garden is dry after 14 inches of rain last week. This is really hard to believe.) I also need to fertilize and cut off some of the yellow branches resulting from too much water.
On Friday, I took some more tomatoes to our Family Doctor for his weekend. I picked two more sacks of tomatoes in the garden and made (5) half pints of strawberry jam. It turned out GREAT! I'm still looking for more blackberries - cheap
Free is better. I had to stop early today to drive down to Freeport to watch my 17-year-old niece graduate from high school. She is her Class of 2014's Salutatorian and got to make a speech. The administrators lost her speech (which they held in a folder for her, following approval, so that nothing could be changed.) Lacking a script, she spent 3 full minutes at the podium/microphone doing "selfies" with her cell phone. After that, she was forced to ad lib and did a great job. Saturday will be a busy day as I have got to get all these tomatoes canned through salsa or crushed tomatoes. I hope to be able to smoke them on the pit first. If not, I'll just have to fake it and see what I make. I also need to water (yes, my garden is dry after 14 inches of rain last week. This is really hard to believe.) I also need to fertilize and cut off some of the yellow branches resulting from too much water.