2025 gardens

[jyoutz]

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.

I have the usual full garden planted, but growth is behind for this time of year. We’ve had too many cold fronts and cold nights this spring. Back in late April I planted the cold weather veggies (onions, potatoes, greens. Then we had hail on May 4. The following weekend I replanted everything except onions and potatoes. Then 2 weeks ago I planted the warm weather crops. Everything is growing, but slowly because of the cold nights. But normally the cold fronts quit after Memorial Day, so I’m expecting the plants to perk up and growth to accelerate.

 

[sixdogs]

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.

We planted some Roma tomatoes and can't recall the last time I did. How do you stake or cage those?

 

[workinonit]

We dug our potatoes Saturday. Really bad growing season for them and then got 2.5" of flooding rain at the end over a 2 day stretch. We got probably 150 pounds.

 

[masseyrider]

We dug our potatoes Saturday. Really bad growing season for them and then got 2.5" of flooding rain at the end over a 2 day stretch. We got probably 150 pounds.

Haven't even planted taters yet, 2-3 weeks late, and they're predicting rain for the next few days at least. Temps at least 10-15 degrees F below normal.
Nothing better than fresh young taters fried in butter and a sprinkle of dill and some sour cream.
Mmm... Doggies!

 

[workinonit]

We like them all kinds of ways but stewed by themselves or in a pot of green beans is my favorite for new potatoes.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I have some russet style taters planted 6-8 weeks ago. Tater bugs got hold to a dozen or so, sprayed them with seven. So I decided to try and get some new taters. I dug up two vines notta... Only thing there was the original piece. Some of them have bloomed (not the bug eaten ones. Gonna let them sit a while longer. Then I expect I'll have to do something. I was worried fire ants would come in and start molesting them like they did last year. Haven't seen any activity of that yet. Maybe cause their ain;t nothing under them... ???

 

[jyoutz]

We planted some Roma tomatoes and can't recall the last time I did. How do you stake or cage those?

I have 5’ tall cages made of concrete reinforcement mesh. The holes are large enough to reach through and the wire is sturdy enough. I hold them up with rebar. Been using these for years for all kinds of tomatoes.

 

[DJ54]

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.

Youtube videos will show you how to do the Florida Weave. I just tie them off every post.

 

[DJ54]

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.

No, neighbor brings a lot of them, and I have a buddy who works for a lawn service that Vacs up leaves. Not sure what chip drop is, but wood chips will take nitrogen out of the soil to decompose if stirred in the soil itself.

My buddy tried wood chips and his only complaint was in a heavy rain they will float and make mounds that need to be scattered afterwards.

I let my neighbor use my leaf vac to gather his. It has a 12' hose on it. Years back I gathered them myself, just had him blow leaves in windrows with his mower. Easiest is to get hooked up with a lawn service that does leaf pickup. A local town used to take leaves in for free to make compost, then sell in the Spring. Now they charge $50 for a 1 ton dump truck with sides to dump. Matt brought 10 loads last year, so saved them $500 on dumping fees by dumping here.

 

[DJ54]

Broke out one of the David Bradley's yesterday to cultivate the cabbage patch. Had to set 18 new plants because either the crows or Starlings pulled some smaller plants out. Ground temps are pretty cool yet here at 65º. Great for cool weather plants, but I'm pretty sure my beans I planted 10 days ago rotted. Picked up another pound yesterday to try later.

 

[Torvy]

We planted some Roma tomatoes and can't recall the last time I did. How do you stake or cage those?

We have used some 4ft tomato cages.

I'm trying staking the rows this year and using wire between the posts every foot for them to climb

 

[sixdogs]

We have used some 4ft tomato cages.

I'm trying staking the rows this year and using wire between the posts every foot for them to climb

I made some out of leftover cabinet hardwood from a shop. 5 ft tall with 20" cross pieces every 6" or so. I'll take a pic this afternoon.

I'm going to build a few more this year out of leftover spruce just because I have it and it doesn't rain much over the summer to rot them. I have 9 welded wire cages and three wooden ones. It's all the tomatoes I need or want and this is how limit myself.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I built our trellis using cattle panels 50' X 16' 6 I think it was. I'm planning to take out the snappers about August and plant sugar snap peas using the same trellis. It will be my first attempt to try reloading it that way. I am thinking I will use my HF flame thrower to kill the weeds out before planting.

 

[ruffdog]

Entire garden is planted and is looking good. It looks like the Kohlrabi bolted like it did last year though. I read that temperature swings may cause that. At least the radishes didn't bolt like last year.

 

[masseyrider]

My garden looks fantastic. Never has it done better. The best in generations. The greenest thumbed person could not do any better. I deserve all the accolades for this super fantastic splurge of growth and colour...



At least that's what the pictures look like on the seed packets.
With the weather we continue having IT will soon be too late to plant many of the standard garden essentials.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

My daikon radishes bolted right outta the gate. Never got a single one in a 15x60 ft slot. they have all gone to seed. Gonna harvest those once they have dried out. Try again in the fall.

 

[walhondingMF]

Broke out one of the David Bradley's yesterday to cultivate the cabbage patch. Had to set 18 new plants because either the crows or Starlings pulled some smaller plants out. Ground temps are pretty cool yet here at 65º. Great for cool weather plants, but I'm pretty sure my beans I planted 10 days ago rotted. Picked up another pound yesterday to try later.


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Not far from you. My gourds never germinated because the ground is still to cool here. Going to have to replant also.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Anyone ever tried planting Lufa's? I planted two kinds. They say they are edible when small. we'll see.

 

[sixdogs]

Anyone ever tried planting Lufa's? I planted two kinds. They say they are edible when small. we'll see.

I grew them. Planted a package of seeds and had maybe 40 luffas. I don't remember the details but dried and peeled them and they really did produce luffa sponges. I recall several women wanting them and said they were great for their skin.

Make sure you don't plant on ground that was in vine crops the year before to reduce the risk of powdery mildew damage.

 

[walhondingMF]

Maybe I can get some advice here. Our hydrangeas have been great for several years. Early last year, all of the plants on one side of our porch never reached full growth, had yellower leaves and even dropped off a lot of them. Some of the stalks completely died. They are smaller and are recovering this year but are far behind the plants that showed no change. Here are a few pictures. First picture is a plant showing problems and the second is the very healthy plants. The issue has moved now to the "good" side of the porch but only in 1 plant. We have had amazing success with them since we planted them. Am I looking at some kind of disease here?