What you got planted ?

[DerekP Houston]

talk about leeks, i have about 50 of them planted in a old compostfilled cattle tank. they will be huge by fall. nothing better than leek and potato soup. finally got some rain. the garden sure likes the water from the sky better than the water from the gound. had a 100 mile an hour wind striagt out of the north the other night. my two huge colorado blue spruce made it through the storm but they are leaning more to the south than they were before. didnt lose one tree or bush. the garden is very protected so didnt do anything to that. made my wife and i very nervous, thank God for prayer.

If it weren't for all the mosquitos around us I would love to save rainwater for watering the garden, it does make a difference imho. Hope those spruces don't keep tipping over, it is a shame when older trees get knocked down like that but it does make for good lumber and firewood =). Around here folks don't realize even though we don't get cold weather often, the few storms that do blow through weigh the limbs down with the excess water weight and snap them straight off. I have a feeling I'll see a few more trees split down the middle from poor management this winter as well (we get a single month in Feb).

[johnson1942]

your correct about water with the wind. it was a good thing that the 100 mile an hour wind was a dry wind, as i was thinking if it starts to rain with the wind all you know what would break loose. the tree could not have taken the extra weight. the hard rain came after the wind went down.it rained hard again last night with out wind, we were really dry but this will make everything good again. my garden does well because i have a good well but the bushes and trees really like the rain. supposed to rain tonight again.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I plucked the first yellow summer squash today...it's kinda small and will be eaten raw in a salad...yum

[Shiloh]

I gave in to the rabbits and weeds. My hours vary and I can't keep on top of the weeds. Turned it into a hosta garden. Weeds intertwined with the hosta's and they got huge. Now it is grass except up next to the garage. Host's went to the neighbor lady. By the fence so we can enjoy them still.

Shiloh

[gwpercle]

Tomatoes are starting to ripen. Picked two. Yesterday had the first tomato sandwich . I didn't have any lettuce so made two sandwiches with thick sliced tomato , crispy bacon and Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese , on white bread toast , with plenty mayo. It was better than a T-bone steak (almost) ! It was real good anyway ! I don't miss the lettuce and the cheese just kicks it over the top !

Gary

[Col4570]

I had own grown Lettuce on a Bacon,sliced Boiled egg and Mayonaise on Crusty White Bread sandwich for Lunch today.Can,t wait for the tomatoes to ripen.Cayenne and Jalapenos just Flowering,a few have formed small fruit.The Rabbits have taken my Spring Onions and Leaks.I have put in some more Leaks with Wire Mesh round them.There has been an explosion of Rabbits this Year.

[DerekP Houston]

A jungle at the moment! I'm going to till under the entire plot and see if I can't get some more okra transplants from somewhere. About the only thing surviving in my yard right now with the heat and I need at least a dozen more to start making gumbo and fried okra.

[MaryB]

I need to brew one day yet this week but rest of it I need to spend catching up on weeds. And tie the tomatoes up higher... and pull the peas, till that row and the radish row and maybe put something else in that can tolerate the summer heat. Need to really thin the carrots badly, been eating a lot of baby carrots but one row is very crowded. All 3 of my hop plants are finally taking off and growing about 4 inches a day! And I need to put up climbing strings for the pole beans. This variety can climb to 12 feet so I am going long on a slope up to the eave on the shed they are planted next to. These are supposed to be a very good variety for dried beans so I planted 1/2 pound of seed!

[Col4570]

I have a good crop of Rhubarb,one recipe is to cut it in one inch chunks into a Meat Pan,cover with Sugar toss in Butter and roast in the Oven.The Rhubarb caramelises and is nice when served with Custard.

[smokeywolf]

Mary, you've given advice this forum on solar unit/system design, electronics, gardening, canning/cooking/smoking/grilling, beer brewing. I'm starting to think there is little that you've not had experience with.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I also need to get out to do some weeding/thining. I let some volunteer ground cherry plants grow in among my bell Pepper plants...now it is a jungle. The Garlic is getting near ready to harvest. We had Hail with the storm two nights ago...not a lot, but it was golf ball sized and I found two that were nearly tennis ball sized, but were disk shaped instead of round. Four dents in my car, the steel on the 71 chev pickup wasn't phased. For the most part, the garden plants are OK, lots of tree leaves in the lawn.

Attachment 171724

[DerekP Houston]

My volunteer pumpkins and tomatoes had some fruit on them yesterday, not bad for an ignored jungle in the back!

[GRUMPA]

Only thing we have growing this year is a dozen Tomato plants. Wife tried planting string beans on the side and between the rabbits and the poor soil she gave that idea up pretty quick. The Tomato plants we grow in tubs with decomposed chicken house bedding and a mixture of peat moss. The Maters seem to thrive growing (Beefsteak and cherry) 48" in a month. Lots of flowery buds but they drop of from not being fertilized so it doesn't look like we'll get as many as we hoped. Most of the flowers that grow on the outer edges of the plant seem to get fertilized, the ones closer to the center not so much, very few actually.

This year we're trying our luck with Roma tomato plants, never tried those before. Although they grow at half the rate as the other two they grow rather bushy and are healthy.

[farmerjim]

"Lots of flowery buds but they drop of from not being fertilized so it doesn't look like we'll get as many as we hoped. Most of the flowers that grow on the outer edges of the plant seem to get fertilized, the ones closer to the center not so much, very few actually."

Tomatoes are self fertile. They are normally fertilized by the wind shaking the plant before the flower even opens. If you do not have any wind shake the plants. In greenhouses they use sticks or leaf blowers to fertilize tomatoes. Most tomato varieties are sterile if the temperatures go above 90 or below 50. There are heat set varieties that will set up to 96, and most of the the heat set will also set below 50.
Most Roma varieties will also set in the heat. They are great for cooking. The wife made some spaghetti sauce with some last night. I am diabetic so she put it over Spaghetti squash for me.

Good luck with your garden.

[DerekP Houston]

When I did the indoor gardening thing or my granny had trouble with tomatoes I was known to use an old electric toothbrush to self pollinate the flowers. Works like a charm just time consuming. after the storm wash out and the weeds I'll need another 12" of compost dumped on top before I try again with any fruiting vegetables that need lots of nutrients. The worms are loving my garden though, I could grab a handful and go fishing barely moving the soil.

[gwpercle]

I had own grown Lettuce on a Bacon,sliced Boiled egg and Mayonaise on Crusty White Bread sandwich for Lunch today.Can,t wait for the tomatoes to ripen.Cayenne and Jalapenos just Flowering,a few have formed small fruit.The Rabbits have taken my Spring Onions and Leaks.I have put in some more Leaks with Wire Mesh round them.There has been an explosion of Rabbits this Year.

A large Havahart animal trap has solved rabbit , raccoon, possum and feral cat problems around our house.
The feral cats and raccoons were relocated the rabbits were delicious !

[CHeatermk3]

Grumpa, get you some tomato blossom set spray. Just spray the flowers(don't need but a little bit) and you'll have tomatoes!

[DerekP Houston]

Found another pumpkin out back, going to have to cook these things eventually.

[MaryB]

I can also do carpentry,plumbing, house wiring... basic auto mechanics when I was healthier... Jill of all trades and a master of none(except electronics! Did that as a career for 30+ years)

Mary, you've given advice this forum on solar unit/system design, electronics, gardening, canning/cooking/smoking/grilling, beer brewing. I'm starting to think there is little that you've not had experience with.

[MaryB]

Use it to make a milkshake!

I have a good crop of Rhubarb,one recipe is to cut it in one inch chunks into a Meat Pan,cover with Sugar toss in Butter and roast in the Oven.The Rhubarb caramelises and is nice when served with Custard.