2025 gardens

[sixdogs]

Below is a picture of a snake gourd grown on a trellis. Actually a 5 ft high cattle panel section. Hanging from the top of the panel makes them stretch plus grow straight. This one is probably 5 ft tall.

It's a little mangy from being ion the barn for a few years but a little scrubbing with a soap and water (not too much) and a stainless or brass copper pad gives a nice smooth surface that will develop a pleasant and mellow patina. Plus, it rattles.

I've got a bigger one with 20 years of patina but that's in the basement so photo in a day or so.

 

[walhondingMF]

Below is a picture of a snake gourd grown on a trellis. Actually a 5 ft high cattle panel section. Hanging from the top of the panel makes them stretch plus grow straight. This one is probably 5 ft tall.

It's a little mangy from being ion the barn for a few years but a little scrubbing with a soap and water (not too much) and a stainless or brass copper pad gives a nice smooth surface that will develop a pleasant and mellow patina. Plus, it rattles.

I've got a bigger one with 20 years of patina but that's in the basement so photo in a day or so.
View attachment 3506307

Do you do anything with your gourds or are they just something you grow for fun?

 

[sixdogs]

Do you do anything with your gourds or are they just something you grow for fun?

I used to sell long ago but not now. They are very marketable and hard for the competition to grow and undercut your prices.

 

[DJ54]

I had something similar come up in my garden 3 years ago, I have no idea where they came from. I'd planted a couple of rows of beans there, and these came up in the row. There were several and I let things go to see what they'd make. Weeds grew really well but didn't want to mow them off because of the vines all through there.

I gave them to my buddy Steve & wife Jeri who came to dig some late Beets for the grandkids to decorate.

I grew some Bird House Gourds back in '17-'18. Got over 200 from 10 seeds planted. Grew them on a trellis and let them hang on the trellis all winter to dry, then pulled in the spring, and scrubbed them off to sell. I read where a person should wear an N95 mask because the mold spores may cause breathing issues. Pretty sure I mixed white vinegar. borax and water in an old 35 gal. water trough, put them into soak a few minutes to get wet, then scrubbed with a stainless-steel pot scrubber, then laid them out to dry.

I had 200 good enough to sell. Posted them on Craigslist and sold them all to a couple for $2 ea. She paints and decorates them to sell at craft shows. I actually knew them, her husband said they grew their own, but when she scrubbed them had some breathing issues afterwards from the mold, so were more than glad to buy these.

If I have room, maybe plant more this year, it's a good way to cover my gardening costs for a couple years for a little extra labor.

 

[walhondingMF]

My pumpkins stated to pop up but not the gourds yet. I planted about a week ago but the package for the gourds did say 7-14 to germinate. I soaked them for 24 hours as suggested as well.

 

[sixdogs]

I had something similar come up in my garden 3 years ago, I have no idea where they came from. I'd planted a couple of rows of beans there, and these came up in the row. There were several and I let things go to see what they'd make. Weeds grew really well but didn't want to mow them off because of the vines all through there.

I gave them to my buddy Steve & wife Jeri who came to dig some late Beets for the grandkids to decorate.

I grew some Bird House Gourds back in '17-'18. Got over 200 from 10 seeds planted. Grew them on a trellis and let them hang on the trellis all winter to dry, then pulled in the spring, and scrubbed them off to sell. I read where a person should wear an N95 mask because the mold spores may cause breathing issues. Pretty sure I mixed white vinegar. borax and water in an old 35 gal. water trough, put them into soak a few minutes to get wet, then scrubbed with a stainless-steel pot scrubber, then laid them out to dry.

I had 200 good enough to sell. Posted them on Craigslist and sold them all to a couple for $2 ea. She paints and decorates them to sell at craft shows. I actually knew them, her husband said they grew their own, but when she scrubbed them had some breathing issues afterwards from the mold, so were more than glad to buy these.

If I have room, maybe plant more this year, it's a good way to cover my gardening costs for a couple years for a little extra labor.

View attachment 3506355

Let them stretch out long and people will pay up for them. Most will rattle when dry and that adds to the so-called "ambiance".

 

[DJ54]

Got 80 tomato plants set out yesterday afternoon. Ground temperature is still in the 60's, so I don't imagine they will grow much for a week or so. Plants were big enough they may be rootbound in the near future so figured I'd better get them out while I had the chance.

 

[sixdogs]

Got 80 tomato plants set out yesterday afternoon. Ground temperature is still in the 60's, so I don't imagine they will grow much for a week or so. Plants were big enough they may be rootbound in the near future so figured I'd better get them out while I had the chance.

Are those determinant height tomatoes and do you stake them or just let them run on the ground? What variety? Did you dig a furrow to plant or plant individually?

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

We are now picking our blackberries. In the last week wife and I have picked 19# had our first customer today that picked 6# and they will need picking before Tuesday evening.

The bowl with the fewest amount came from our Caddo plants, the remainder came from our Ponca. They both taste mighty good. The Caddo seeds are larger but still swallowable. I used my hand as a reference, the caddo's are about 2" long. Our Natchez used to be that long.

I'm planning to juice them and try to make some BB jelly and also a carbonated fruit drink base. I have a carbonation "machine" just need to get something tasty to experiment with.

 

[DJ54]

Are those determinant height tomatoes and do you stake them or just let them run on the ground? What variety? Did you dig a furrow to plant or plant individually?

Indeterminant. I use heavy duty cages, set a T-post every 5 plants, then make 3 runs of Florida Weave around cages and tie off on posts. Variety is Celebrity Plus. Advertised to be a little more tolerant to blight than regular Celebrities, and I do believe they are. I run a string than use an auger on my cordless drill to plant them 30" O.C.

Rows are 6' apart. Even caged they get quite a bit of foliage, and this was last year during the drought. I mulch everything with around 6" of leaves I collect in the Fall. Sheds a heavy rain, yet lets the water down through and olds the moisture. If it weren't for the leaves last year they'd have been brown. I did water them enough through the summer to keep them alive. They came back to life and produced heavily after the rains from Helene came through.

 

[sixdogs]

Indeterminant. I use heavy duty cages, set a T-post every 5 plants, then make 3 runs of Florida Weave around cages and tie off on posts. Variety is Celebrity Plus. Advertised to be a little more tolerant to blight than regular Celebrities, and I do believe they are. I run a string than use an auger on my cordless drill to plant them 30" O.C.

Rows are 6' apart. Even caged they get quite a bit of foliage, and this was last year during the drought. I mulch everything with around 6" of leaves I collect in the Fall. Sheds a heavy rain, yet lets the water down through and olds the moisture. If it weren't for the leaves last year they'd have been brown. I did water them enough through the summer to keep them alive. They came back to life and produced heavily after the rains from Helene came through.

View attachment 3521980

Very impressive. Do you have pictures of your cages before the foliage? I think I have seen before on TBN but can't remember where.

 

[DJ54]

Top pic is from 2 years ago with everything installed, and approx. 12-14 dozen tomato plants.

Hard to see the cages in the second picture, although they are multicolored, T-post haven't been driven yet, nor any Florida weave. This was last year.

 

[sixdogs]

I don't understand the Florida weave or what holds it up. I do remember the thread and was impressed by it but somehow it got away from me. It's a great idea.

 

[Torvy]

I buy all my seeds from Gurneys. They are all produced in Ohio.

Gurney originated in Yankton, SD (southeast near the Missouri River). We used to buy from them often when I was a kid.

 

[jyoutz]

Gurney originated in Yankton, SD (southeast near the Missouri River). We used to buy from them often when I was a kid.

Yes I remember when they were located there. But they relocated to Ohio a couple of decades ago. Probably a more favorable growing climate.

 

[Torvy]

Yes I remember when they were located there. But they relocated to Ohio a couple of decades ago. Probably a more favorable growing climate.

I think there was an ownership change, iirc. I don't think it's in the family anymore.


We have Roma tomatoes blooming. I like them better for sauces and salsa. Potatoes are in bags this year, so we'll see how that works out. Various hot peppers and onions are growing as well. We have perennial herbs (sage, oregano, rosemary) doing nicely. Lavender didn't do as well. Also have some mint out near the fence line. That way it can spread as much as it wants. Basil is a bit behind.

Wife is trying some melons this year, too. This climate is new to us. We get 12" more rain annually here than in Ft. Worth. Soil is different, too.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Are all those leaves from your place? I wonder how adding mulch would do in my garden spot? I would have to use something like chip drop. Just not sure if they contain herbicides/diseases etc.

 

[masseyrider]

Are all those leaves from your place? I wonder how adding mulch would do in my garden spot? I would have to use something like chip drop. Just not sure if they contain herbicides/diseases etc.

It's still too cold and wet here in Kanuckistan's banana belt.
After today 4 days of rain and cooler temps. predicted.
OH F'N joy.

 

[Torvy]

Just picked a handful of blackberries. I've only got 2 plants and they are only a couple of years old. We have many wild ones, but size and taste make them better bird food.

I know one is Natchez, the other is similar, but a cross-polinator. "Thornless" types.

Blueberries are still ripening. Same age as Blackberries. 4 bushes all different varieties. The Tiff Blue plant struggled last year, so we didn't let it set fruit again. Our soil is acidic, so the berries are happy. We have some strawberries, too, in big pots. They aren't as good. I may need to try other varieties.

 

[Engineer42]

Our romaine lettuce and spinach was ready for its first picking last week. This is the same plants yesterday when we got back so it it looks like it will be ready to pick again in the next few days.