What's in the Garden?

[Dawgluver]

Hello, all!! I think the hot dry weather this year causes cukes to be more bitter, even tho we water them. We had some bitter ones, but it seems the smaller ones are better tasting.
The plants even look yellowed now; we did plant more, and hopefully with the cooler weather now, they will be a bit sweeter.

I had better luck with the burpless ones, but this year only planted straight 8's.

That's what mine are, Peek, Straight 8's. We had temps in the triple digits for quite awhile. I've never had them this bitter, have you?

 

[Addie]

That's funny, Addie, that was one of the recs on one of the sites I looked at! They also called it an old wive's tale.

Like I said, I do it out of habit. But I have never had a bitter cuke.

 

[CWS4322]

Today's gathering was restricted to about 1 doz tomatoes, 4 green peppers, enough cukes for a batch of bread and butter pickles, onions, and 7 doz ears of corn. I'm freezing most of the corn and starting the B&Bs tonight. I'll probably just eat the tomatoes. There are a lot more to come, yet. The DH is going back out to the farm tomorrow to gather more stuff (the stuff gathered today must be processed first). I'm going back out Thursday evening/Friday to get stuff for processing this weekend. And it is only Monday.

 

[Hoot]

We have had a lot of dry weather over the summer here too. Waterin' is good, but it sure ain't the same as rain.

 

[CWS4322]

We have had a lot of dry weather over the summer here too. Waterin' is good, but it sure ain't the same as rain.

We've been irrigating (watering) since about July 8th every other day. It seems to have worked--the corn is amazing, the beans are great, and our cukes are producing (as is everything else). We've had rain 5 days in a row now (not heavy, but rain!!!). We have possible rain in the forecast almost every day this week. I don't know if we're out of the level 2 drought or not, but the rain has really helped. I might have to mow the lawn. It hasn't been mowed since June.


My disappointment is that it looks as if I might only get 3-4 eggplant. Only 3 of the 20+ eggplant plants survived.

 

[Hoot]

We finally been getting some rain here but it is not gonna do the corn or peanuts much good now. Our blueberries were smaller this year than usual too. Oddly, most of the tobacco around here seems to have fared ok...

 

[CWS4322]

Our berries all dried up. Maybe next year. We can't grow peanuts--I tried!

 

[Dawgluver]

My blueberries were lovely when green. As they ripened, something et them despite all the bird netting and covering. Am thinking it will take me and my shotgun babysitting them.

 

[chopper]

My blueberries were lovely when green. As they ripened, something et them despite all the bird netting and covering. Am thinking it will take me and my shotgun babysitting them.

Oh so sad.

 

[peekaboo]

That's what mine are, Peek, Straight 8's. We had temps in the triple digits for quite awhile. I've never had them this bitter, have you?

No, Dawluver; I've usually had good tasting cukes, too. They did get bitter when they got too big, tho.

I see some of you have had the animals munching in the garden also..we've had deer, squirrels and rabbits eating the almost-ripe tomatoes, but have gotten quite a few for tomato/spaghetti sauce, and we should get more before too long.
Last summer we hardly had anything and literally nothing to share with neighbors, so this year is certainly an improvement over that!!

 

[Kylie1969]

We finally been getting some rain here but it is not gonna do the corn or peanuts much good now. Our blueberries were smaller this year than usual too. Oddly, most of the tobacco around here seems to have fared ok...

Wow, you grow tobacco Hoot...is that easy to do?

 

[Hoot]

Wow, you grow tobacco Hoot...is that easy to do?

We used to grow tobacco when I was a young'un. The method is much different today. For a long time, nobody grew much tobacco near here at all. It seems to have made a comeback in recent years.

 

[taxlady]

I'm growing herbs. I have a tiny, 14'x16' yard. Here's some stuff that just came back by itself:

and here are my herbs, finally taken out of their little plastic pots and put into clay pots:

And two kinds of mint. One kind I rooted from mint from the grocery store, the other one, with the horizontal runners hanging outside the pot, is chocolate mint. And, in the crack between patio stones, volunteer parsley.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'm growing herbs. I have a tiny, 14'x16' yard. Here's some stuff that just came back by itself:

and here are my herbs, finally taken out of their little plastic pots and put into clay pots:

And two kinds of mint. One kind I rooted from mint from the grocery store, the other one, with the horizontal runners hanging outside the pot, is chocolate mint. And, in the crack between patio stones, volunteer parsley.

They look great, Taxlady!

 

[Cheryl J]

Aww, dawgluver....sorry about your blueberries. I'd have been cryin', I love blueberries, but it's too hot for them here.

taxlady, wow, beautiful looking herbs ya got there!

 

[CWS4322]

I'm growing herbs. I have a tiny, 14'x16' yard. Here's some stuff that just came back by itself:

and here are my herbs, finally taken out of their little plastic pots and put into clay pots:

And two kinds of mint. One kind I rooted from mint from the grocery store, the other one, with the horizontal runners hanging outside the pot, is chocolate mint. And, in the crack between patio stones, volunteer parsley.

+1
I've seen those in person, and they are nice!

 

[taxlady]

Thanks ladies. Herbs are so rewarding. They look nice and don't take much effort and the squirrels don't seem to like them. And, of course, they taste good. I already made one batch of pesto from that basil. I think I need to make another batch soon.

 

[Chipotle Tom]

I've got a lot of basil, some sweet potatoes, green bell pepper, and cubanelle peppers growing in the garden right now. I'm starting my planning for the fall garden though.

 

[Dawgluver]

Sounds wonderful, Tom!

We have cukes, toms, and cherry toms coming out of our ears....it's scaring me. Luckily the last few cukes have not been bitter. Beans have been doing nicely too. Peppers are not as prolific as they were last year, but the ones we have are lovely.

 

[CWS4322]

Beans up the ying yang, tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, okra, corn, bok choy, potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, peppers (hot and sweet), kale, Swiss Chard, pattypan squash...I probably have forgotten something...Back out to the farm to get more stuff to "put up" on Sunday.