June roses tickle our noses. This month's gardening thread.

[Faith-manor]

I'll start. I have baby peppers all over. Jalapenos, chili, banana, and even a couple bell. Cucumbers plants are making a comeback. I finally managed enough diatomaceous earth to defeat whatever was eating them. We have started harvesting peas for salads as well as butter crunch lettuce.

Scallions are up as are the radishes. Carrots seem to be very slow to fall germinate.

As for the Amish Paste, I am very worried. Last year we had the drought and wildfire ash so I watered consistently in the evenings, and washed their leaves off. They were slow to mature, but then gang buster producers. This year we are getting drowned with rain. They are struggling so hard. The other say Mark and I covered them with tarps in order to keep the bed from getting any wetter. They got fungus on the lower leaves, yellow with black spots, and I have pruned all of that off. They look scalped. There is some very dark green new growth in the tops. But the cherry tomato was hit hard and fast with it, and by the time I took off the lower branches and all the infected leaves, it looks pathetic. What are the chances they will survive? We are supposed to have two days of sunshine and 75-80 degrees, but then hard rain again. I am considering tarping for that rain again just to see if holding in warmth, and not allowing more water into that bed will help. What do you think?

The broccoli are huge and just on the edge of beginning to form crowns. They are really beautiful. The nasturtium apparently likes these conditions as do the celery.

I have blooms on my cone flower. That makes me happy. The black eyed susans look healthy, but no buds. Not sure what to think about that.

The apple trees look like they will give us 6-8 bushels, maybe even 10. The thought of processing all of them makes my head spin so Mark bought a small cider press. That sounds kind of fun for this fall. He thought he would rope our 9 and 4 year old grandsons into helping this September when they visit.

[popmom]

I think my garlic is ready to harvest. I've never grown it before, so I'm not sure. I came back from vacation, and they all look half dead and are falling over. It's German Extra Hardy. I kept it in the refrigerator last fall before planting, but I can't remember exactly when I planted them. 

Can I eat it straight outta the ground or does it have to be cured first?

[Faith-manor]

Just now, popmom said:

I think my garlic is ready to harvest. I've never grown it before, so I'm not sure. I came back from vacation, and they all look half dead and are falling over. It's German Extra Hardy. I kept it in the refrigerator last fall before planting, but I can't remember exactly when I planted them. 

Can I eat it straight outta the ground or does it have to be cured first?

No idea! I haven't grown garlic yet. I am jealous! 😁

[Lucy the Valiant]

45 minutes ago, popmom said:

I think my garlic is ready to harvest. I've never grown it before, so I'm not sure. I came back from vacation, and they all look half dead and are falling over. It's German Extra Hardy. I kept it in the refrigerator last fall before planting, but I can't remember exactly when I planted them. 

Can I eat it straight outta the ground or does it have to be cured first?

"Half dead and falling over" means it's ready! And yes, you can use it straight out of the ground! (We harvest ours when 1/2 the leaves are yellow / dead looking. They will easily keep a VERY long time, too, though. And just for the sheer botanical joy of it, if you have room to leave one plant in the ground, it will overwinter just fine and grow a new "clump" from EACH of the cloves of this year. 🙂 )

[Carrie12345]

Of my 3 grape vines, 1 shows signs of life. The blueberries are bluing and the strawberries are moving along, but my black and raspberry plants seem to resent my existence as a being on this earth.

I have oregano and chives drying.

I’m fairly new to perennials, and the one that has given me the greatest joy so far has been the catmint.

Phlox(es) look ready to pop!

[Faith-manor]

51 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

Of my 3 grape vines, 1 shows signs of life. The blueberries are bluing and the strawberries are moving along, but my black and raspberry plants seem to resent my existence as a being on this earth.

I have oregano and chives drying.

I’m fairly new to perennials, and the one that has given me the greatest joy so far has been the catmint.

Phlox(es) look ready to pop!

I understand. I have perennials that just look at me like I a! the devil. I get no credit from them fro successfully gardening annuals last year. None. 

Catmint is great! I am also enjoying my chocolate mint. 

[cjzimmer1]

The bare root peach tree that I planted last (and thought was dead because it didn't get any leaves for 3 months and then only on one side of the tree) actually survived the winter and grew a few more leaves and when I looked yesterday it has a single baby peach on it!  I'm sure the "correct" thing to do would be remove the peach and let the tree grow more but I'm not going to. I'm going to relish that baby peach and hope that I actually get to eat it.  I ordered some mesh bags and will bag it so fingers crossed it will survive long enough for me to pick it.

I also did about half of my garden planting yesterday.  I had planned to cut back since the two oldest kids moved out I had way too much last year but now everything looks so empty.  I have to go to the greenhouse later and will see what sad and lonely plants are still hanging around and still them in.  One of my daughters is working at a food pantry this summer so if I end up with too much, I can just it to work with her.  

I did actually remember to pick some honeyberries this year.  They ripen in the middle of the greenhouse season and I usually forget to go check on them but I did get a couple of cups this year and stuck them in the freezer.  The black raspberries spread a lot from last year (which I'm glad because they are my favorite).  It's funny because the plants I planted continue to struggle but the ones the birds planted next to the house are thriving.  I even had to cut a huge chunk down last year because the water guy had to replace the meter and it was right in the midst of the patch the birds plants but they look great so I won't complain too much.  The red raspberry patch is slowly being choked out.  I really need to get in there and work out some of the weeks but they are growing right about a retaining wall that needs replacing.  I keep thinking this will be the year we get the wall fixed so I don't mess with the raspberries because I will just have to redo it after the wall work but then life throws a wrench in getting the wall done.

The rhubarb is doing okay.  I need to pick it but just haven't had time yet.  I hope I get some before the dogs trample it all down.

My volunteer indoor tomato is producing some great tasting smallish tomatoes (golf ball sized) and so that is tiding us over under the garden ones get under way.  I also have some volunteer lettuce and of course arugula (which actually acts as an invasive plant for me and has spread all over but I'm okay with it because I like the smell of freshly mown arugula more than the smell of freshly mown grass).

I love spending time out in the garden but just struggle to find enough time to get out there and get all the chores done. 

[KungFuPanda]

I think I’m all planted for the season. This year my garden has tomatoes, lettuce, arugula, cucumbers, beans, peppers, squash, zucchini, malabar spinach, radishes, beets, onions, sweet potatoes, asparagus, herbs, and cut flowers.  I have three Nanking cherries and a small lilac bush. (This is all at my community garden plot.)  I’m trying landscape fabric for the first time and I’m planting in holes. So far it has helped amazingly with weed control. 
 

I’m trying to add more perennials to my plot to make life easier, so that’s my onions, asparagus, cherries, lilacs, thyme, and oregano. I may add rhubarb next year or move my strawberries over there  Right now the strawberries are in by back yard and the bunnies and squirrels are merciless. They don’t bother my allotment at all and it’s only a mile away. 
 

I’m in zone 7a (updated) so while some of you have been enjoying produce for a while, we’ve only eaten onions, lettuce, arugula, and herbs.  I’m just barely seeing my first tiny tomatoes and peppers form. I have had some strawberries and raspberries.

❓❓❓❓❓❓❓

I have a question for you guys.  How much water do you give your plants each week? I’ve been thinking the goal was to hit 2”, but I’ve recently been told that’s minimal for survival and the plants prefer more.  I’m not one of those people who gets out there daily  I’ve got 2-3 sessions a week in me  (my garden plot is 20x25)

 

Edited June 5 by KungFuPanda

[Faith-manor]

23 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I think I’m all planted for the season. This year my garden has tomatoes, lettuce, arugula, cucumbers, beans, peppers, squash, zucchini, malabar spinach, radishes, beets, onions, sweet potatoes, asparagus, herbs, and cut flowers.  I have three Nanking cherries and a small lilac bush. (This is all at my community garden plot.)  I’m trying landscape fabric for the first time and I’m planting in holes. So far it has helped amazingly with weed control. 
 

I’m trying to add more perennials to my plot to make life easier, so that’s my onions, asparagus, cherries, lilacs, thyme, and oregano. I may add rhubarb next year or move my strawberries over there  Right now the strawberries are in by back yard and the bunnies and squirrels are merciless. They don’t bother my allotment at all and it’s only a mile away. 
 

I’m in zone 7a (updated) so while some of you have been enjoying produce for a while, we’ve only eaten onions, lettuce, arugula, and herbs.  I’m just barely seeing my first tiny tomatoes and peppers form. I have had some strawberries and raspberries.

❓❓❓❓❓❓❓

I have a question for you guys.  How much water do you give your plants each week? I’ve been thinking the goal was to hit 2”, but I’ve recently been told that’s minimal for survival and the plants prefer more.  I’m not one of those people who gets out there daily  I’ve got 2-3 sessions a week in me  (my garden plot is 20x25)

 

The hard thing with gardening is plants vary in how much they want. Sigh. 

My tomatoes are drowned. We keep getting these downpours with not enough time in between to dry the beds out. I don't know if they are going to survive. But my peas seem to think this all fun a games.

I feel like all you can do is Google pictures of underwatered and overwatered of each and every plant, and then try not to go crazy extreme one way or another in between Mother Nature's attempts to prevent humans from eating fruits and vegetables.

At this point, I feel like I need to dig into my raised beds and start a blast furnace blowing into the soil. 😠

[KungFuPanda]

51 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

The hard thing with gardening is plants vary in how much they want. Sigh. 

My tomatoes are drowned. We keep getting these downpours with not enough time in between to dry the beds out. I don't know if they are going to survive. But my peas seem to think this all fun a games.

I feel like all you can do is Google pictures of underwatered and overwatered of each and every plant, and then try not to go crazy extreme one way or another in between Mother Nature's attempts to prevent humans from eating fruits and vegetables.

At this point, I feel like I need to dig into my raised beds and start a blast furnace blowing into the soil. 😠

I wonder if some perforated pipes would help?

When I first started gardening in earnest, I never watered. Water just fell from the sky. I attempted a hugelkulture bed but it stayed too soggy. I’ve had to supplement ever since I started my community garden plot. The combination of less rainfall and full sun demanded a little attention. 

[Faith-manor]

38 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I wonder if some perforated pipes would help?

When I first started gardening in earnest, I never watered. Water just fell from the sky. I attempted a hugelkulture bed but it stayed too soggy. I’ve had to supplement ever since I started my community garden plot. The combination of less rainfall and full sun demanded a little attention. 

I might try that.

[Scarlett]

I know nothing about roses…..but this house had several bushes when we moved.  Now pink one is my favorite.

Edited June 6 by Scarlett

[popmom]

@Scarlett pink roses are my favorite! Those are beautiful. 🙂

[Scarlett]

[Scarlett]

And yet the leaves develop this fungus like thing….I always think this means the end for the bush but the blooms just keep coming.,

[Faith-manor]

8 hours ago, Scarlett said:

These are gorgeous, Scarlett!

[wintermom]

I finally have the weather and the time to get going on my gardening!! So exciting, however while I was away for a week, some of my perennials were causing some mischief. My hops plants went crazy and grew far more than I had anticipated. I feel like I have the plant from "Little Shop of Horrors." 

This "Bush Beast" jumped from the nice trellis I provided and began a hurricane action around the pergola. Along the way, it encaptured all my tomato cages that were stored for the winter within its grasp. I'll know better for next year!

 

Edited June 6 by wintermom

[kbutton]

My native prickly pear cactus is going nuts. It was half this size last year. Our lavender is trying to take over the world. The rose went crazy recently and is between bursts of blooms.

My pollinator garden is starting to take off, and the shade garden is flourishing.

Veggies are doing fine—our maples have filled out, which is giving us slightly more shade than we used to get, and DH over planted figs, so it’s getting crowded. The long-term plan has been to relocate the garden, and I think we will need to move that plan up—we need to rip out some concrete to do so.

[popmom]

I love seeing all the pics!

[prairiewindmomma]

I am out cutting roses for the house and my beloved Gertrude Jeckyll rose has mosaic virus. I am so heartbroken. We have a lot of roses and stone fruit trees in the neighborhood, so it probably picked it up from pollen, but I am having to destroy the plant today and remove the nearby soil.😭 David Austen roses are my “thing” and we have a lot of special memories tied to my ^dd^ and I am terrified I am going to lose all of them. It’s not just a plant, iykwim.

[prairiewindmomma]

On 6/5/2024 at 3:47 PM, KungFuPanda said:

 

❓❓❓❓❓❓❓

I have a question for you guys.  How much water do you give your plants each week? I’ve been thinking the goal was to hit 2”, but I’ve recently been told that’s minimal for survival and the plants prefer more.  I’m not one of those people who gets out there daily  I’ve got 2-3 sessions a week in me  (my garden plot is 20x25)

 

This really depends on sun exposure, plant preference, soil drainage, and some other stuff. 2” is only fine for my lavender and dry mediterranean style plants. Most of mine are happier with double that….full sun/no rain/healthy soil. In super hot weather (95F +) we water every other day—full soaking watering, where we can detect dampness a few inches down. Too often people dont water deeply enough. You want the plants to develop a full robust root structure.

[prairiewindmomma]

Fwiw, the water department in most cities totally lie about stuff thriving with 1-2” a week. We’ve done side by side experiments with the kids and you can see a huge difference in plant healthiness.

[Rosie_0801]

It's drizzling today, but I spent quite a bit of the last three days hacking at cotoneasters. They've done good service in shading my avocado, but my avocado is not a baby any more and has more appetite for sunlight. And cotoneasters are weedy buggers, so will hereafter do better service stacked in my neighbour's wood shed.

[Brittany1116]

It's June, I'm in Florida, and for the first time ever I have broccoli heads. I am shocked. I got starts from Azure and transplanted too late and I still have 8 heads growing on my plants right now. I have never successfully grown broccoli, regardless of the season or variety. Oddly enough, the squash starts I got at the same time died within 12 hours of arriving at my house. 

Cosmos popped up. Grabbed a bell pepper and a tomato plant from last farmer's market. Still getting dark little plums from 2/3 of our trees. 

[wintermom]

I was dreaming of travelling to Costa Rica, and in one weak moment at gardening centre I bought a little hibiscus tree. I need some beautiful big flowers right now, especially after all the rain and overcast we've had this week. 

It looks like this (but this isn't mine).

[Faith-manor]

Well, I am stumped. I feel like have a whole lot of nonsense trying to grow these tomatoes. Last year I fussed and yelled at them, and thought they would produce nothing, and was entirely wrong. And they were LUSH by this time last year. But my Amish Paste look like total crap. They keep getting taller, but refuse to put out new branches or leaves and have these bizarrely skinny stems. We have had a very mild spring and maybe that has something to do with it. But they are also in a new bed, and honestly, I thought it was "sunny" when we built it, however I had only spent afternoons in that part of the yard, not morning, and at 9:29 am EST, those plants are in the shade. We do have a week of very sunny days coming, and 90° temps. Maybe that will perk them up???? They have been given some composted chicken poo and fish emulsion water every 10 days. I am wondering if I should take that interval down to 7 days. I was also told by a local grower that banana water might do the trick.

Something ate all my green bean leaves. 4" tall plants.nothing but stems. I have re-seeded in a different space. This was definitely insect attack though I have not been able to find adult insects or eggs. It was not squirrel/chipmunk/rabbit. No teeth marks or tracks, and we have not had a single rodent in the yard according to the camera.

Everything else is happy. We have been eating lettuce and peas out of the garden. Radishes are growing well, broccoli looks great, fledgling carrots seem to be thriving, scallions seem like they are growing nicely, baby peppers everywhere, and two chili peppers already ripening, celery is going crazy.

Edited June 16 by Faith-manor

[KungFuPanda]

On 6/10/2024 at 7:59 PM, Rosie_0801 said:

It's drizzling today, but I spent quite a bit of the last three days hacking at cotoneasters. They've done good service in shading my avocado, but my avocado is not a baby any more and has more appetite for sunlight. And cotoneasters are weedy buggers, so will hereafter do better service stacked in my neighbour's wood shed.

I’m absolutely jealous of anyone who can grow avocados or citrus in their yard. 

[KungFuPanda]

33 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Well, I am stumped. I feel like have a whole lot of nonsense trying to grow these tomatoes. Last year I fussed and yelled at them, and thought they would produce nothing, and was entirely wrong. And they were LUSH by this time last year. But my Amish Paste look like total crap. They keep getting taller, but refuse to put out new branches or leaves and have these bizarrely skinny stems. We have had a very mild spring and maybe that has something to do with it. But they are also in a new bed, and honestly, I thought it was "sunny" when we built it, however I had only spent afternoons in that part of the yard, not morning, and at 9:29 am EST, those plants are in the shade. We do have a week of very sunny days coming, and 90° temps. Maybe that will perk them up???? They have been given some composted chicken poo and fish emulsion water every 10 days. I am wondering if I should take that interval down to 7 days. I was also told by a local grower that banana water might do the trick.

Something ate all my green bean leaves. 4" tall plants.nothing but stems. I have re-seeded in a different space. This was definitely insect attack though I have not been able to find adult insects or eggs. It was not squirrel/chipmunk/rabbit. No teeth marks or tracks, and we have not had a single rodent in the yard according to the camera.

Everything else is happy. We have been eating lettuce and peas out of the garden. Radishes are growing well, broccoli looks great, fledgling carrots seem to be thriving, scallions seem like they are growing nicely, baby peppers everywhere, and two chili peppers already ripening, celery is going crazy.

When I was just learning to garden, I once spent a winter planning the perfect spot for a new bed. It got as much sun as my tree-lined yard could give it. I failed to consider that the angle of the sun would change and how dense our tree cover is. By summer that spot was FULL shade. I’ve decided the research wasn’t a waste and that’s an ideal greenhouse location for us. 

[Faith-manor]

1 minute ago, KungFuPanda said:

When I was just learning to garden, I once spent a winter planning the perfect spot for a new bed. It got as much sun as my tree-lined yard could give it. I failed to consider that the angle of the sun would change and how dense our tree cover is. By summer that spot was FULL shade. I’ve decided the research wasn’t a waste and that’s an ideal greenhouse location for us. 

Honestly, I am considering a small green house next year. I can put peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots in that big bed because they don't mind the less direct sun. Move the tomatoes back to their old bed, but also grow some in a green house. We have enough old windows to make a green house with a raised bed inside, about 8x8. I have 6, 32" wide, 36" tall windows. I think that in a sunny spot, this would be enough light, but we have grow lights that could also be hung from the ceiling, and operated by a power cord run to our outside outlet. I would have so much more climate control, and we do have a 28" wide old door from this building which we were going to get rid of so really it is just a matter of a little framing lumber. I don't need anything fancy, and dirt/grass floor is fine with me.

It is amazing to me how quickly climate change is wrecking Michigan growing conditions. It isn't bad per se. So many states have it far far worse. But just from my parents' and grandparents' generations to now, it is incredible how much change there has been, so much less predictability, so many more large populations of non-beneficial insects combined with pollinator loss. Last year I had easily 2-3x more pollinators than this year, and I have far more pollinators attracting plants now. Cone flower, Black Eyed Susans, milkweed, massive spring dandelion crop, double the amount of marigolds. 

It is tough. One theory for my area is that the crazy warm up in March when we would normally still be covered in snow and not having temps above 35 until the end of the month but did result in two weeks of above 40 followed by a week in the 50-70s 😱, warmed everything to soon, from pollinators hatching early to soil bacteria becoming active. Then we had hard freezes the last week to April, temps down to 25 degrees. Maybe it killed soil bacteria and pollinators, and recovery is slow.

I do know that a greenhouse would allow me more control. But, how does one introduce pollinators indoors IF you are going to keep some plants in there, and not transfer to garden beds? Tomatoes don't need them, and cukes need wind so may a fan for that. But what about peppers and such? Mark is allergic. I can't keep a bee hive in there!

[KungFuPanda]

1 hour ago, Faith-manor said:

Honestly, I am considering a small green house next year. I can put peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots in that big bed because they don't mind the less direct sun. Move the tomatoes back to their old bed, but also grow some in a green house. We have enough old windows to make a green house with a raised bed inside, about 8x8. I have 6, 32" wide, 36" tall windows. I think that in a sunny spot, this would be enough light, but we have grow lights that could also be hung from the ceiling, and operated by a power cord run to our outside outlet. I would have so much more climate control, and we do have a 28" wide old door from this building which we were going to get rid of so really it is just a matter of a little framing lumber. I don't need anything fancy, and dirt/grass floor is fine with me.

It is amazing to me how quickly climate change is wrecking Michigan growing conditions. It isn't bad per se. So many states have it far far worse. But just from my parents' and grandparents' generations to now, it is incredible how much change there has been, so much less predictability, so many more large populations of non-beneficial insects combined with pollinator loss. Last year I had easily 2-3x more pollinators than this year, and I have far more pollinators attracting plants now. Cone flower, Black Eyed Susans, milkweed, massive spring dandelion crop, double the amount of marigolds. 

It is tough. One theory for my area is that the crazy warm up in March when we would normally still be covered in snow and not having temps above 35 until the end of the month but did result in two weeks of above 40 followed by a week in the 50-70s 😱, warmed everything to soon, from pollinators hatching early to soil bacteria becoming active. Then we had hard freezes the last week to April, temps down to 25 degrees. Maybe it killed soil bacteria and pollinators, and recovery is slow.

I do know that a greenhouse would allow me more control. But, how does one introduce pollinators indoors IF you are going to keep some plants in there, and not transfer to garden beds? Tomatoes don't need them, and cukes need wind so may a fan for that. But what about peppers and such? Mark is allergic. I can't keep a bee hive in there!

I would just start plants in a greenhouse, overwinter tender things, and grow stuff that doesn’t need pollinators like lettuce or herbs. I’m not gonna  be hand pollinating tomatoes and such. I grow my sun loving plants in a community garden plot because my sunniest spot at home only gets 5 hours of sun. 
 

With the climate change I worry about the orchards. Fruit trees need x chill hours to produce and once a place is too warm you have to change what you grow. 

[Faith-manor]

2 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I would just start plants in a greenhouse, overwinter tender things, and grow stuff that doesn’t need pollinators like lettuce or herbs. I’m not gonna  be hand pollinating tomatoes and such. I grow my sun loving plants in a community garden plot because my sunniest spot at home only gets 5 hours of sun. 
 

With the climate change I worry about the orchards. Fruit trees need x chill hours to produce and once a place is too warm you have to change what you grow. 

Tomatoes, thank the universe, are self pollinating! So yay for that! I asked about it just a few minutes ago in the Michigan Gardening Forum on facebook.

We ALMOST did not get enough chill hours. 52 hours over the bare minimum. But to make matters worse, we had the hard freezes in April, and at 28° after blossoming even at the early stage, that is a 10% loss. If at the pink stage, 50% loss on some varieties. At 25-26% it is 90% loss regardless of the stage of the blossom. So all the trees got women up because of that third week to March 70° temperature nightmare, followed by a too warm April that then did a "hold my beer" moment between Heat Miser and Cold Miser causing the hard freezes, then followed by nothing but rain and gloomy skies all of May. I would like Mother Nature to get her quarreling twins under control!

Mark built a stand that went up the center of the Honey Crisp tree with a hose mounted to it, and a sprinkle that throws water 20 ft. The cross pollinator, Courtland, is only 15 ft. away. We turned those on at dusk each night and as the temperature cooled, it formed ice crystals on the blossoms which insulated them to 32 degrees. The trees in the morning looked like ice sculptures, gorgeous ice sculptures. The ice crystals melted throughout the day which allowed the blossoms to warm up slowly. We did it every night of the hard freeze, and when it was over, we had only 6 blossoms fall of the Honey Crisp. The Courtland wasn't entirely covered on one side with ice due to some branches being completely out of reach of the water. But, the ones close to the apple crisp were fine so we do have a half crop of Courtlands. The Courtland have never been that great of an apple really. So it isn't sad. We often allow people to take those for horse treats. But Mark might see if they can be made into a decent cider. He just bought a small masher and cider press.

Honestly, I am very concerned about Orchard loss, garden loss, crop loss going forward. People believe that the world produces enough food to feed all 8 billion adequately and healthfully. We don't. Food distribution, crime, and politics make it seem like there is plenty of food, but it just doesn't get where it need to go, and for sure, this is a VERY  big issue with all aid sent to many countries. But, no one is paying attention to the fact that we are seeing increasing massive crop loss, and burning of habitat to produce monoculture. Monoculture can provide calories. It cannot provide nutritional value across the needed spectrum.

Now, we can't produce enough crops of rice, wheat, corn, and soy beans to even provide that to 8 billion if we had a perfect sharing and distribution system. This is the thing people are denying. The earth has been looted and pillaged. There are ways to heal her, and the end of monoculture, allowing rainforest regrowth, sequestering carbon, regenerative farming with livestock (yes, you really do need some cows and sheep and pigs and bison because their plop plops are what will rebuild the top soil biome and their hooves aerated soil without deep tilling which is actually a dangerous practice because it brings weed seeds to the surface that were too deep in the ground to sprout thus the need for Monsanto plus), conservation practices, and shutting Monsanto down with its dangerous glycophosphate. Reduction of carbon emissions. But the thing is, the wealthiest 1% of the population of the earth produce 30% of all carbon emissions, and they control everything and have no intention of stopping. We fight for just the smallest changes. We can't blame farmers for trying to make a living and feed the world in the way that every industrialized nation's department or ministry of AG has told them they should.

Mark has promised to buy a piece of property for me to have a mini orchard on, dig a deep well, and make sprinkler systems for each tree. I can continue to fuss with raided beds, trying to control their environments, and I can have a little cobbled together greenhouse. So one family with four adult kids and some bonus ones as well, can have nutrient dense produce to supplement their diets, and have some canned/frozen/dehydrated for winter. But that is just one family with a crazy, determined mother whose career is never going to be revived and has decided to do this instead. One. That vast majority of folks can do nothing about their situation and have to depend on the grocery store. That clock is ticking. Lake Mead is running dry, the Colorado River, too small snow packs in the west...California which produces 70% of all the produce sold in the USA is on the brink of no longer being able to do that, and frankly, we must subsidize farmers to retire or go do something else and NOT farm dry regions. Everyone who still has some decent growing options and still gets enough rain and has deep underground a queries (looking directly at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, New York, and the New England states) needs to be subsidized to amp up to feed the nation, and NOT with monoculture. That said, some of what Nebraska, North/South Dakota, Colorado, and others face can be abated by a return to breeding and grazing bison whose plops plops are just amazing at feeding soil and planting native prairie grass seed so future dust bowls can be avoided. There are no-till methods of farming in pasture that work quite well. We need crop diversity, and we have to get the pollinators back so that we have nutritional variety.

Gah! Here I am "preaching to the choir" as the saying goes. Rant over.

Still, I need to figure out from the pile of construction leftovers and the old windows how to make a greenhouse that won't be so entirely ugly that the nice neighbor across the street will not hate me! 😂

[KungFuPanda]

Wait. Self pollinating means you only need one plant to get fruit. It doesn’t mean you don’t need bees or wind or whatever pollinator it requires.  You could get lucky with gravity I guess, but I’m pretty sure you still need a pollinator for self pollinating plants.  I once planted one tomatillo plant and learned the hard way that they are NOT self pollinating. 

[cjzimmer1]

1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said:

Wait. Self pollinating means you only need one plant to get fruit. It doesn’t mean you don’t need bees or wind or whatever pollinator it requires.  You could get lucky with gravity I guess, but I’m pretty sure you still need a pollinator for self pollinating plants.  I once planted one tomatillo plant and learned the hard way that they are NOT self pollinating. 

Tomatoes don't need bugs or wind.  I grow them in my sunroom during the winter, I have neither of the things and get all the tomatoes I want.  I also grow a variety of cucumbers that needs no pollination.  

But yes you are right, tomatillos absolutely require 2 or more plants.

[wintermom]

I just built, bought the plants and planted out a new rock garden this morning. A father's day treat for me!! I'll share photos when I can. It was an extension of an existing flowerbed that just needed more space.

Edited June 16 by wintermom

[Faith-manor]

18 minutes ago, wintermom said:

I just built, bought the plants and planted out a new rock garden this morning. A father's day treat for me!! I'll share photos when I can. It was an extension of an existing flowerbed that just needed more space.

Can't wait for the pics!!

[Halftime Hope]

Well this is the year for trying new things.

My white onions flopped over early, and they're all hanging in my pantry. On average, they're golf-ball sized since we got them in the ground so late. That said, I didn't have to fight any bugs for them, so I'll be growing onions from now on!

The white 'new potatoes' are also a massive win for a first time crop. I've pulled about 5 pounds from 6 plants that succumbed early; the rest are continuing to grow new green leaves and have not flowered, so I'll leave them be. Digging potatoes is fun, akin to finding treasure. Next year I'll try an above ground style of planting for at least some of them.

Finally, I'm growing a little wren family in my greenstalk. 😉 I don't know when the 5 little eggs will 'ripen'. Thank goodness the mama wren is so conscientious!

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

7 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I’m absolutely jealous of anyone who can grow avocados or citrus in their yard. 

I'm super duper jealous of anyone who doesn't have runner grasses.

Also of people who have topsoil.

[KungFuPanda]

I have topsoil, but I have every invasive, both native and non-native. I have English ivy and poison ivy in my back yard and some grass I can’t identify at the allotment. It has insanely deep roots. 

[Rosie_0801]

I have a whole lot of English ivy too. The bees love it. But I am cutting it back this winter because it is trying to take over my washing line and that isn't manners.

[SHP]

Sometimes, paying a professional to come in and spray everything is the best choice. 

[MEmama]

My perennials are doing amazing--maybe the mild winter+record amounts of late winter/spring rains are to credit. My hydrangeas are huge and have tons of flower heads, and plants I'd nearly given up on are thriving. 
 

I'm really happy with my side of the driveway garden (shown) that I started just a couple years ago. The peonies are in full bloom, and mid summer perennials getting ready. We've also been continuing to rip out lawn to extend our front garden, including butterfly/bee plantings near a second birdbath.

Veggies are doing well, the green beans are awaiting a new tower and already have flowers. I found our first tiny tomato today and peppers are forming as well. Herbs abound, joyfully jostling for space in the herb/cutting garden box. My raspberries are going gangbusters, it's going to be a banner year.

Out of necessity I've neglected my garden for the past couple years, but I seem to be forgiven lol 

[Faith-manor]

15 hours ago, MEmama said:

My perennials are doing amazing--maybe the mild winter+record amounts of late winter/spring rains are to credit. My hydrangeas are huge and have tons of flower heads, and plants I'd nearly given up on are thriving. 
 

I'm really happy with my side of the driveway garden (shown) that I started just a couple years ago. The peonies are in full bloom, and mid summer perennials getting ready. We've also been continuing to rip out lawn to extend our front garden, including butterfly/bee plantings near a second birdbath.

Veggies are doing well, the green beans are awaiting a new tower and already have flowers. I found our first tiny tomato today and peppers are forming as well. Herbs abound, joyfully jostling for space in the herb/cutting garden box. My raspberries are going gangbusters, it's going to be a banner year.

Out of necessity I've neglected my garden for the past couple years, but I seem to be forgiven lol 

Looks wonderful!

[popmom]

@MEmama your garden is beautiful! What are the pink flowers with you yellow centers in the second pic? Is it a type of peony?

[Faith-manor]

Last day of June before our July thread.

My Amish Paste tomatoes have finally decided to grow and be healthy. I have a few blooms, and the cherry tomatoes are blooming nicely.

I harvested all of my broccoli crowns. 12 nice size ones, blanched and froze them. Now we are eating on the small little crowns they are producing as side shoots. I will probably pull them this week. 😥 I want to sow another round of carrots and radishes and could use the space. As it is, I have no where near enough carrots. 

We have earn all the radishes from that first sowing, and the pea plants are almost done, yet we can't complain because we have had pea pods and shelling peas nearly every day for a month.

I have a pepper extravaganza going. Nine banana peppers who will soon be picked and pickled. Another week or two and a blitz of jalapenos will be ready. The early ones will also be pickled and cold bath processed for eating on tacos throughout the winter. The later ones will be made into salsa when I have ripe tomatoes. The chili peppers are crazy. If I wanted green chilis to can, I would have 55 right now and more blooms popping open all the time. Most of them though are going to be allowed to ripen. I don't have tomatillos this year for making green enchilada sauce (which I love), and they are hard to source in my area. Still, if I happen to hear of any, I might make myself a few pints of it.

Last night I made a stir fry with scallions, peas, 1 jalapeno pepper, 1 bell pepper, butter crunch lettuce (would have preferred Bok Choy but can't buy that around here and didn't have the presence of mind to grow it myself), basil, and radishes all from my garden! I added bean sprouts from my kitchen window jar, and a can of water chestnuts from the store. We ate it with a little chicken breast on GF rice noodles (sesame oil, garlic garlic garlic, hint of dark brown sugar, hint of ginger). It was divine!

Onwards and upwards. 

How are your gardens or harvests going? I know it is very late season for our southern gardeners.

[Faith-manor]

Here is a photo of today's haul. It is a nice size basket, so it was more than it probably seems.

4 cups of broccoli buds, 2 cups of butter crunch lettuce leaves, an enormous pile of basil leaves, the 1st jalapeno and banana peppers of the season, 4 nasturtium blossoms, 4 snap peas (poor plants are close to the end now), and the last 2 radishes which are buried under the basil.

 

[popmom]

Our spring was unusually cool, and June has been unusually hot. My garden is struggling. Only one ripe tomato so far, but lots of green tomatoes. My peppers are so tiny. Not only are the plants tiny, but they are making the tiniest little poblanos. They start turning red when they are 2 inches long. And they are a light green. Maybe I got seeds mixed up. 

I finally planted some okra. It's coming up nicely. Thankfully okra loves the heat. 

I am loving having fresh garlic! I am hooked. I will plant even more this year. 

[Faith-manor]

55 minutes ago, popmom said:

Our spring was unusually cool, and June has been unusually hot. My garden is struggling. Only one ripe tomato so far, but lots of green tomatoes. My peppers are so tiny. Not only are the plants tiny, but they are making the tiniest little poblanos. They start turning red when they are 2 inches long. And they are a light green. Maybe I got seeds mixed up. 

I finally planted some okra. It's coming up nicely. Thankfully okra loves the heat. 

I am loving having fresh garlic! I am hooked. I will plant even more this year. 

I haven't tried garlic, however I am definitely intrigued.

[cjzimmer1]

1 hour ago, Faith-manor said:

I haven't tried garlic, however I am definitely intrigued.

Definitely you should try it. I grew a couple two years ago and then last fall I put in about 50 cloves. They aren't ready yet but I recently harvested the garlic scapes and made garlic scape pesto. We stuffed ourselves silly with that stuff it was so good. I ended up buying more scapes when I happened to be at the farmers market so now I have some for the freezer. Definitely wish I had more but alas scape season is over. But still looking forward to our fresh garlic in about another month 

[Faith-manor]

2 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Definitely you should try it. I grew a couple two years ago and then last fall I put in about 50 cloves. They aren't ready yet but I recently harvested the garlic scapes and made garlic scape pesto. We stuffed ourselves silly with that stuff it was so good. I ended up buying more scapes when I happened to be at the farmers market so now I have some for the freezer. Definitely wish I had more but alas scape season is over. But still looking forward to our fresh garlic in about another month 

Okay, I need a "Garlic Scales for Dummies" type explanation. It sounds yummy.

[popmom]

44 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Okay, I need a "Garlic Scales for Dummies" type explanation. It sounds yummy.

Toward the end of the growing season, hard neck garlic sends up scapes. It’s a tall, sort of green onion looking thing that’s different from the leaves. Once they curl, you cut them off so that the plant will put more energy into bulb formation. I think it’s only hard neck varieties that have scapes. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. I want to plant both types this fall.