Asparagus hints for CyndiM
- choose a sunny spot
- really prepare your earth deeply and add manure before you plant
- sandy soil is best but my patch is in Leeds County clay
- plant the roots about six inches down and cover tips with about 3" of soil
- finish covering as the lead stem grows
- do not harvest anything the first year
- you can sneak a stalk or two the second year
- when harvesting, cut stalks at ground level on a slant to prevent rotting
- allow the stalks to produce ferns but be sure to cut them off in the fall
as they are a great place for asparagus beetle to spend the winter!
(By the way, asparagus plants are male and female - the female crowns produce thinner stalks and also produce the ferns that have red berries.)
Oh joy! Garden talk is so welcome and refreshing after the long, cold, winter months!
I have onions, Swiss chard, and edamame in, and my rhubarb is nearly ready for harvesting! I am sooooo looking forward to the first piece of rhubarb custard pie and so worth the cheat. We'll most likely get the rest of our garden this next weekend, since the temperatures look like they'll be holding steady.
I planted my largest pot with a colorful assortment of annuals today and bought 3 huge, gorgeous hanging baskets today. It's a start!
Hi friends!! does anyone have peonies? I have an old fashioned variety (REALLY old-fashioned, as the tubers are from plants that are 100 years old!) As I watched for them this spring, it looks like the tuber-root thing has emerged up from the soil? do I try to cover it with soil so that it is not exposed? I guess I could Google this but it's nice to say Hi to my old ( I mean PREVIOUS ) South Beach friends!
I bought 2 different mint varieties last year, rooted lots of stems, grew those divisions in little pots, and took them to work and planted them in the herb garden, I am dying to find out if they are coming back! and planted 2 in my yard, I do see fresh green leaves growing out of the old stuff so that is great.
Rhubarb...every year I want it, and I always forget to buy some for my own rhubarb plantation Love rhubarb compote over vanilla ice cream for major cheat pleasure. Do you use all you grow, or do you sell it to neighbors?
It's good to hear from you, Holly! As peonies go, they don't like their nubs to be covered. If planted too deep, they won't bloom. That's really neat that your tubers have been around so long.
I don't have enough rhubarb to share with my neighbors yet. It seems every year several of my plants don't survive the winter, unfortunately. And I love the stuff, so I'm lucky to at least get enough for me!
We are still in early bulb season. I have multiple daffodils blooming, traditional yellow but also white, cream with orange centers, double yellows and double whites.
I also have some pasque flowers. These were new to me; I ordered them last year after seeing an advertisement and they are lovely.
A few random grape hyacinths, but as I already said, tulips don't make it here.
I picked up some pansies but don't know where to put them.
Holly(Vermont Mom), I'd suggest just getting yourself several rhubarb plants and getting them in ASAP. In my area they are super hardy and like to stay in the place you put them. Here they get a huge taproot that goes straight down. My grandmother had scads and many plants have survived 40 years with only natures water. I have transplanted some and it took several years for them to come back because I had to sever the taproot but they are strong and beautiful now.
I always try and share because the plant does better if you keep picking. Always take the big blossom off when it tries to go to seed which is often early in the season. If you get 3 plants started you will have lots to share with your neighbors within a few years!
My garden is very, very happy right now. I just hope that continues. We are one of the only places in the northeast that is still dry. I had to water last night because the second planting needs a boost. I'm not complaining, there is blight up north so maybe the lack of rain will save us. We had lots and lots of greens - mustard, kale, lettuce. My tomatoes are loaded and my winter squash and black bean plants are trying to take over. I'm on second plantings in several beds.
Two questions:
edamame - it looks great, has been growing quickly and is loaded with pods. The past week it has stalled though. I thought I was within a couple of days of picking, but the pods just aren't getting any fuller. Maybe I expect too much or will they have a last minute growth spurt?
Broccoli - I don't usually grow brassicas but had some seeds. I planted in late April. The plants are huge but have tiny heads. I think I need to pick them anyway because it is warm and they have little yellowing bits. Not sure what I did wrong or if it was just the weather this year.
Cyndi I harvested my buddy John's broccoli while they were away. He had large heads on plants that were closer to the ground. I called Joe as he knows more about this stuff than I do. He told me to prune down the taller stalks with the smaller heads. They should cluster into bigger bunches again. I'll ask John when he gets back next week how they are doing.
I did harvest a HUGE zucchini which will be made into yummy zucchini bread and zucchini pizza tomorrow
Subdivision lot that only has sun on part of the back yard for veggies. Tomatoes STILL are not red tho in sun when it decides to shine.. Usually we've eaten lots. Peppers few and thin walled. Why with 8 inches of rain above normal for this place and time of year?
Herbs have been abundant. Annuals have really grown, overflowing paths and pots, 25 pots filled and looking great.
We had YELLOW peonies this spring - a hybrid between regular peonies and a tree peony The leaves are so lush and stay beautiful green well into September. The ones planted out front of our patio are so tall that only our head show to those walking in the street. Would you ever believe they could be a privacy fence?
Right now the perennials blooming are ruby Cone Flowers, white Shasta daisies, gold, red, and orange day lilies, White and yellow and lavender cone flowers. Red Bee Balsam and gold black eyed susans and blue Geraniums.
Of course annuals galore spilling out over the paths, and out of the 25 pots I planted this spring and early summer. All seating places (we have 5) have great views, and we have some privacy from neighbors with tall Japanese Silver Grass, and on other side some shrubs under the huge maple.
Our garden is doing excellent this year, despite all the rain. Everything is in raised beds, so maybe that helps. Our tomatoes just started turning red this past week, which is a lot later than usual.
Cyndi, I pulled all my edamame plants out of the ground last week and stripped them. Rabbits were eating all the foliage and the pods weren't getting any plumper, but the beans are ok. This was my first experience growing them, and I'm not sure if I'll bother again next year. Too labor intensive for my liking for what you get, LOL!
Thanks Jekel and Cottage. I picked the little broccoli heads, cut out a bunch of the plants, and left a few just to see what happens this week. They have one week, then I replant that bed. The edamame is on the meal list this week, along with eggplant, kale, garlic, and a few tomatillos. I am making the avocado pasta sauce with every enthusiastic herb. It's a good way to use them
The tomato plants are full but there is blight within 50 miles. I hope we make it to ripe this year.
I am doing a lot of companion planting and succession planting this year. One of my unemployment projects is getting good notes on what works and what doesn't so I can implement it when I am working and have less time. So far, so good. I see plenty of greens, beets, and turnips in our future.
We were blessed (or cursed) with rain every day for about 4 weeks so I didn't need to water the 25 potted annuals (and hostas). As I was dressed for Church I checked patio pot, it was too dry. DH and I rushed to give water to 22 pots before we just had to leave for the 16 mile trip to Church.
Enjoy the easy weeding pots give, but the watering can be exhausting as we carry waterin cans to some of the pots.
Blight? Dreaded fear when growing tomatoes. I agree, nope we get some harvest, first.
I have two huge gardens, fifth year and I learn more and more each season.
The only two tomatoes that have ripened were rotten out of 50+ plants. We've had fried green tomatoes though once and they were yum. I'm hoping this week....but it rained AGAIN last night. Noah has started the ark. Once they start ripening I'll be making lots of sauces, soups etc for winter
Peas were a loss. Potatoes are great garlic and onions ms doing well. Herbs, Beans and cukes are good not crazy...we'll be eating beans every other night this year (as will my adult children)
It's too early to tell with the pumpkins, cantaloupes, gourds, etc. first naggers crossed!
It's keeping me busy and really helping me with my weight loss on so many levels.
Garden Thread
We'll most likely get the rest of our garden this next weekend, since the temperatures look like they'll be holding steady. 
) South Beach friends! 
