In The Garden

Quick post:
     I’ve picked 10 tomatoes so far but the plants are full.  I’m afraid to let them ripen fully on the vine because of the “sucky bugs” You know, the ones that suck the juice from the tomatoes.  I’ve no idea what they are. ? I dislike using it but I sprinkle Sevin Dust on the tomato plants. 
     I also picked 3 more bell peppers that are green, not orange.  I’ve one plant that I have left the bell peppers on longer than the others and they are not turning ornage either.  The sun has partically baked them with a sun spot.  As I said in an eariler post I can’t eat green bell peppers so I’ll be giving these way.
     I’ve yet to get gas for my new (replacement) tiller so the garden is a bit grass.  I am thankful that most of the grass growing amoungst the plants is crabgrass so it is easy to pull up.
The potato plants are still greenish; there is one in the garden that is still flowering.  I can’t believe that, but there it is. :O)
     I was watering the green beans and picking them at the same time Friday night.  I only got 3 pts. and one 1/2 pt.  So far that makes 13 1/2 pts this year.  The plants are still lush, green and flowering so I’ve hopes yet of canning more than 30 pts.
     The weather is supposed to turn HOTTER (100 degrees plus) with no rain in site for next week.  I see the water bill going up. :O)
     When I water tonight I’m going to put some 10-20-10 fertilizer around the plants.  They look like they could use it.

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May YOUR garden produce beyond your expectations.

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06-05-12 and 06-08-12

Black-eyed Susan

06-05-12
It’s been a few days since I’ve had time to get up into the garden.  We’ve had lots of rain for the past few days.  Monday mornings’ storm whipped some of the potato plants to the ground.  The corn and tomatoes made it through just fine.  The corn is starting to get those seed things coming out of the top. (I don’t know what they’re called.)  The tomatoes are getting bigger and so are the plants.  I placed some more twine around the plants this morning to hold up the vines.  My roma tomato plant looks kind of green & brown; not sure if it’s gonna make it.

Crab grass is going to seed around the green beans.  I pulled up a row and a half of it this morning; 3 1/2 rows to go. I’ll be going to work late in the morning on Thursday so the plan is to pull up more then.  I sure hope Sears calls about my tiller soon.

I picked 12 more Sweet Banana Peppers this morning.  I don’t understand why the insides of the peppers are not thick like the pickled ones at the stores and resturants.  Perhaps it’s the variety?  I think next year I’ll buy my peppers from a different nursery. 

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06-09-12

In went up into the garden yesterday evening.  The green bean plants have little green beans on them.  I can’t wait to ‘can’ them, but I think I would love to forego the picking part.  No pain, no gain.

Among the 6 cantalope plants I found 5 tiny cantalopes.  The plants are full of flowers and have been for a few weeks. It’s so exciting to see your plants start producing!

The corn is starting to get tassles so I need to get busy and put some mineral oil on them. (It helps keep the worms out of the corn cobs and makes the worm eggs slide away.)  My Dad put mineral oil on our corn last year and it kept the worms at bay.

I have got to dig up the onions in the morning.  The tops have been dry for a week.  Here’s hopeing that I get some nice onions. *fingers crossed :O)

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May YOUR garden produce beyond your expectations.

Tiller Down – Garden Growing

I had to take back my new mini tiller to Sears today; it would not start.  I was tilling the other day and the tines became filled with Bermuda grass; all wrapped around.  The tiller died and I cleaned the tines but it would not start.  Started yesterday for 1 min. and died again; to never start again.
Here’s something I learned about the gas you put in your gas-powered equipment.  The gas today has some Ethanol in it, usually 10%, but if it is over 30 days old in your gas container (can) or container on you equipment  DO NOT USE IT.  The gas becomes like varnish according to the man at Sears I spoke with.  He said, “that is the biggest killer of these small engine machines.”  The instruction book specified to not use gas older than 30 days but never said why. I do hope that is not what is wrong with my tiller.  The gas was about 45 days old.  We shall see. Sears is sending it off to have it looked at and will let me know before the end of the month.  We do still have the big (OLD) tiller I can use if I can get it started.

In the mean time the grass in growing in the garden as are the vegetables.  It is almost time to dig up the onions.  The tops are drying out.  I pulled up two today to have for supper and they were small.  I don’t expect to have much of an onion crop this year since it was so dry. 
My Dad is anxious for me to dig up the potatoes.  I pulled one up on Thursday and the potatoes were small.  I am hoping this rain we’ve been getting will help the along.  The plants are still green, but are starting to sag to the ground since the blooms died.
I went out in the light rain around 7 p.m. yesterday to sprinkle 10-20-10 fertilizer on the ends of the corn and green bean rows.  I don’t know why but the back ends of the rows are not doing as well as the front ends of the rows.  The garden does tilt slightly toward the front, perhaps it is getting more water there.  10-20-10 melts when it gets wet and soaks into the ground.  We got another good rain last night. YEAH!  Today was hot again though.  I love to garden but I love cool/cold winter weather just as much.

I recently posted a picture of last years Queen Annes Lace out by our mail box.  This years is bigger and prettier.  It is rounded instead of flat.  I did some research on the internet and couldn’t find any Queen Annes Lace that looked like this. I thought it might be something else but I ran out of surfing/hunting time this morning.  I am keeping an eye on it to see, as it ages, if it will go flat like the others growing 7 ft. away from it.   Here’s two views:
 

It RAINED!

It Rained and it’s gonna rain again tonight!  I dug down into the dirt in the garden this evening and it was moist down over 2″.   I don’t know how much rain we got last night, but the lightning show was terrific.

I am proud to finally say that the Blue Lake Green Beans are blooming.

I am so looking forward to canning some green beans this year.  Three years ago I canned 52 pints.  The past 2 years I’ve grown Purple Hull Peas along with the Green Beans.  The Peas produced like crazy and the Green Beans hardly produced at all.  My guess is that the insects that pollinate the Beans were too busy pollinating the Purple Hull Peas;  they must be sweeter or something.  Last year the bees, bumble bees, wasps, hornets, dirt dobbers,..well anything with wings, were all over the Purple Hull Peas but not the beans.  This year there are NO peas in the garden.

Here’s a couple of fruitful plant pictures.

Oh I Wish It Would Rain

It has not rained in over 2 weeks now and the ground is very dry.  I’ve noticed that the ground in the deep woods along our lane to the house are looking dry.  Even though, the queens anne lace, yarrow, and the black-eyed susans are blooming like crazy along the road sides and fields.  There is a queens anne lace that bloomed last year right next to the mailbox and this year it is back; so pretty.
This is last yrs. bloom:

    The garden is doing well.  I am having to water something everyday.  I’ve a rotation on the watering of the corn, green beans and tomatoes to every other day.  I keep waiting for the green beans to bloom, but I’ve not seen any.  I just know that they would if the rain would shower on them.  There is just something about rain water that is better than tap water that just makes plants come alive.
     The potato plants still have blooms on top of them.  I’d say the blooms have been there a couple of weeks; looks like a flower garden. 

     My orange bell pepper plants are making, but the peppers are green so far.  I am new to growing these and I don’t understand why they’re green and not orange.  Perhaps they will turn orange as they mature. (?)  I know if they don’t I’ll have to give them away; green bell peppers don’t like me.
     It is time to plant the okra and I’ve got a bit of a grassy patch in the garden where they go.  This morning 7:00 ish  I headed up there to till and in the end it didn’t go well.  I started with the grassy patch (did I mention Bermuda Grass? Previous Post) and just as I finished that the tiller died.  I discovered it had Bermuda grass wrapped all around the blades; so I cut that out with some sissors.  The tiller wouldn’t start.  I looked at the blades and discovered that one of the locking pins was not sitting right  so I took it out with much effort.  I compared it to the other side and that sides pin moved freely.  So I reset the blades by pushing them toward the center (the blades are removeable for putting on an attachment) and replaced the locking pin.  The tiller did not start.  The tiller went back into the shed and I am in my cool house in front of my fan.  Bad side…I did need to till a few patches of grass here and there.  Good side of this story…I did what I went out to do.

Strange Zucchini Update

Today I showed a picture of my strange round zucchini to a elderly friend.  She pulled out her seed catalog so we could look for a variety that looked like my squash.  We found a squash called Eight Ball Zucchini.  Here’s a pic from the web.

Here’s some info at the Burpee website.  BTW, Burpee also created a squash called Roly Poly.
http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/squash/summer/zucchini/squash-summer-eight-ball-zucchini-prod000913.html

I bought last yrs Regular long zucchini as starter plants.  These just came up from last years zucchini that was tilled up in the garden.  I am greatful to Kelly at Birds Blooms and Bugs for her comment about my strange zucchini being from a Hybrid.
“Your volunteer seed was possibly from a hybrid zucchini. The seed from hybrids won’t produce a zucchini like its parent, but like one of its “grandparents.” So you may have some type of heirloom throwback. Very likely good to eat though!”

Here is some info from Specialty Produce.
http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Eight_Ball_Squash_6296.php
Current Facts
Eight ball squash are a hybrid zucchini variety, with a round shape reminiscent of a billiard ball.

Description/Taste
The eight ball squash is similar in color and taste to the longer, Italian zucchini. The squash have a shiny, speckled, green skin, and creamy, white flesh. They are firm and very mild-tasting.

Applications
Eight ball squash may be substituted for zucchini in most recipes. The size and shape of this summer squash variety are ideal for stuffing; slice off the top stem end, scoop out some of the interior and fill with meats, cheeses or nuts and grains. Eight ball quash may also be steamed, baked, roasted or grilled as you would other summer squash. Dice and stir-fry or saute with garlic, onions, fresh herbs and spices. Slice thinly, layer with other sliced summer vegetables and bake. Keep dry and refrigerate until ready to use.

Strange Zucchini

These cute round things came off of the volunteer plants in the garden that I guessed in a eariler post are squash. They look more like zucchini pumpkins. Has anyone had this happen before?
Oh and, those are my first Sweet Banana Peppers of the season.

Where’s the Rain

We’ve not had any rain in over two weeks.  I had to give the garden a good soaking Thursday.  While I was doing that I finally set out the yellow squash plants I’ve had for a wk. or more. (So lazy) Two of the volunteer squash plants have zucchini growing on them, but the vegetables are growing in a ball form.  The plants are blooming constantly; four or five blooms per plant.

I am hoping that this good soaking will help the green beans to start blooming. 

Here’s another pic of my “gee I’m so proud” potato plants.

Tilling and Bugs

Potato Blooms

I finally tilled the garden this evening.  We’ve been having chances of rain for the past couple of days and all we got here were sprinkles.  The temps have gone down for this week to the mid 70s.  I am loving it!  The garden is flourishing and as I was tilling I saw I had a sweet banana pepper on one plant.  I pulled up a few radishes yesterday.  I really need to plant more.  The volunteer squash plants continue to bloom, but no squash yet.

I mentioned potato bugs in my last post and today I worked on getting rid of them.  Instead of opting for pesticides I went plant by plant looking for eggs and bugs.  I used my scissors to cut the adult bugs in half and I trimmed the leaves off with the babies & eggs on them; placing them in a bucket.  I took the bucket and dumped it in the woods AWAY from the house.  I’m sure I didn’t get them all so I’ll have to keep an eye on the plants.  I would still love any suggestions on removing them other than picking them off.

Here’s a pic. of the bug whos babies were eating the leaves off my potato plants.
COLORADO POTATO BEETLE

Tater Bugs!

   It’s been a VERY busy last few days.  My Dad is now home from Rehab and is doing well with his new knee.   The garden is showing my lack of attention.
   Potato bugs are on my potato plants.  Any suggestions out there on a quick REMOVAL and killing the eggs??  The plants currently look great and a few are flowering.
   The garden is in desperate need of tilling and I HATE hot weather so I am waiting till this evening.  Todays high is supposed to be 91 degrees. UGH!
   The rest of the garden is looking really good.  I am quite pleased. 

Green Beans
Flowering potato plants.