Someone I knew years ago grew chard and beets near each other. She was giving the advice not to do that, if you save seeds. She was upset by getting somewhat smaller chard with smallish beets. I thought it sounded great.
Today's harvest
- Thread starter GotGarlic
- Start date
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Pepper it just kills me that you and Larry live within (a long) driving distance to me AND your picking your produce already. My tomato now has flowers - the eggplant not yet - neither the cucumber nor squash. sigh...
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
drgnlaw Count your blessings - how often do you get heat waves 16 days long? Only 7, so far, but every day in the 10 day is forecast in the 90s. 
They said it was going to rain around 3:00 pm, and they were very close! It is coming down hard now!
I harvested the Metechi today - I went out when I saw the noon news, and the radar showed a major storm coming through my area, and it looked like around 2:30 it would start. Took me about 45 min. to harvest, clean, and ready them for hanging. By the time I got in, it was really dark, though it hasn't rained yet. By the time I got in there was a severe TS warning for a large area, including my area. I hear thunder, but no rain, yet.
Here is a funny looking one I pulled up - happens about once every 5 years or so, when a clove gets planted upside-down. Usually, they don't grow this large.
Metechi - Clove was planted upside down! by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Metechi, harvested 7-06. 48 heads, plus the 6 to use right away. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
I'm lucky I did this...the rain is coming down so hard now that a friend, with a 300 gal tank, that she had used up all the water from, in this drought we've been in, texted me that her tank was full already! I have a "small" 85 gal tank, and I know that's full!
They said it was going to rain around 3:00 pm, and they were very close! It is coming down hard now!
I harvested the Metechi today - I went out when I saw the noon news, and the radar showed a major storm coming through my area, and it looked like around 2:30 it would start. Took me about 45 min. to harvest, clean, and ready them for hanging. By the time I got in, it was really dark, though it hasn't rained yet. By the time I got in there was a severe TS warning for a large area, including my area. I hear thunder, but no rain, yet.
Here is a funny looking one I pulled up - happens about once every 5 years or so, when a clove gets planted upside-down. Usually, they don't grow this large.
Metechi - Clove was planted upside down! by pepperhead212, on FlickrMetechi, harvested 7-06. 48 heads, plus the 6 to use right away. by pepperhead212, on FlickrI'm lucky I did this...the rain is coming down so hard now that a friend, with a 300 gal tank, that she had used up all the water from, in this drought we've been in, texted me that her tank was full already! I have a "small" 85 gal tank, and I know that's full!
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larry_stewart
Master Chef
garlic looking good!!. I also had a similar situation. Picked my garlic yesterday, let it dry a bit, but todays forecast said late afternoon storms, so I was able to get them into the garage before they got water logged. I dodge a bullet by getting them out when I did, I was afraid that extra bit of rain may have pushed them over the edge.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
Larry, I've seen a number of possibilities mentioned with curled eggplant and tomato leaves:
Cucumber mosaic virus (as well as other viruses these are prone to) - yours don't have the blotches usually seen with this, but it does show up on eggplants. Things like spider mites and aphids will spread these types of disease, and, like with tomatoes, some varieties are more resistant, but you never see that in descriptions!
Herbicide drift - something that I've heard a lot of lately, but this would have affected other plants, as well (which hopefully it didn't)
Planting in "hot" compost, or over fertilizing.
I had one plant this year - the Rosita - that looks like it got some disease, while the others didn't get any. It had a bunch of lower leaves that turned brown quickly, so I cut off anything that was bad, sprayed with Serenade (won't help if it's a virus, but it's worth a shot), and we'll see if it survives. Yours looks a lot better that mine, except for the curl!
I just harvested 6 more cucumbers this morning, from just those 2 Wisconsin 58 plants. And there are a bunch more of different sizes on them.
More Wisconsin 58 picklers, 7-07, plus a couple of Sprites ripening - the ripest one I ate in the garden. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Cucumber mosaic virus (as well as other viruses these are prone to) - yours don't have the blotches usually seen with this, but it does show up on eggplants. Things like spider mites and aphids will spread these types of disease, and, like with tomatoes, some varieties are more resistant, but you never see that in descriptions!
Herbicide drift - something that I've heard a lot of lately, but this would have affected other plants, as well (which hopefully it didn't)
Planting in "hot" compost, or over fertilizing.
I had one plant this year - the Rosita - that looks like it got some disease, while the others didn't get any. It had a bunch of lower leaves that turned brown quickly, so I cut off anything that was bad, sprayed with Serenade (won't help if it's a virus, but it's worth a shot), and we'll see if it survives. Yours looks a lot better that mine, except for the curl!
I just harvested 6 more cucumbers this morning, from just those 2 Wisconsin 58 plants. And there are a bunch more of different sizes on them.
More Wisconsin 58 picklers, 7-07, plus a couple of Sprites ripening - the ripest one I ate in the garden. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
I got my first jalapeños today! There are 3 plants, in one of those that 3 Earthboxes under cover, that I uncovered today, for the second time. Also a bunch of Superthai peppers, on two plants, but those are a variety I ripen and dry most of. There is also one Byadagi just starting to flower. Some of the plants had grown to the top, so I clipped the top spot of all of the plants, to branch them out.
First jalapeños of the year! 7-09 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Some of the jalapeños are pointed, so I'm wondering if I got a stray seed for a fresno, or just a stray genetic thing with one of the plants. I'll look closer, next time, to see if all are the same plant, and I'll see if the flavor is that of a jalapeño, or other pepper.
First jalapeños of the year! 7-09 by pepperhead212, on FlickrSome of the jalapeños are pointed, so I'm wondering if I got a stray seed for a fresno, or just a stray genetic thing with one of the plants. I'll look closer, next time, to see if all are the same plant, and I'll see if the flavor is that of a jalapeño, or other pepper.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Are peppers like tomatoes in the sense that they have to show at least a little color in order to completely ripen off the vine? Or can they ripen even if showing no color change at all ?
(Nice Peppers , Pepper)
(Nice Peppers , Pepper)
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
That's always been my experience, Larry. Things like jalapeños and poblanos I pick as soon as they are fully grown, as I want them green, but occasionally (I'm sure this has happened with yours), when I cut into a totally green one, there may be some orange tone inside, and those are the type that would be ripening, even without any signs of color change. And a lot of them I use both ways; when seeing all those fully grown green Thais, I got the thought of making a batch of green curry paste, having just had that Thai curry last night! When they start ripening, in large numbers, I pull them when just showing a bit of red, along with all the reds (it starts happening really fast!) since last picking, and let them sit in a tray together, until totally ripe, then I dry them.
In the fall, I pick everything, when a frost is eminent, and often some of the totally green ones will ripen, though slowly, and almost dry, before all of the green is gone. So those are the ones I usually freeze, or, if I have too many (that is, more than I normally use frozen), I do something sort of unusual - I dry the greens, and grind them up to make what the Indians call "white pepper powder". It's different, and delicious.
In the fall, I pick everything, when a frost is eminent, and often some of the totally green ones will ripen, though slowly, and almost dry, before all of the green is gone. So those are the ones I usually freeze, or, if I have too many (that is, more than I normally use frozen), I do something sort of unusual - I dry the greens, and grind them up to make what the Indians call "white pepper powder". It's different, and delicious.
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larry_stewart
Master Chef
Yeah, sometimes I get those ' sleepers' too where they appear to be solid green, but just have that slight pigment or internal pigment and off they go. I usually notice this at the end of the season, like you, I just harvest what I can before frost settles in, usually keep them in a basket on the kitchen table while im figuring out what I want to do with them, next thing I know theyre all red.
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
I picked 12 more eggplants today, from just 3 plants! I could have left some of the ichibans on another day, but there were so many on both of them, I just figured this would help those grow more.
5 Ichibans, 7-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
5 more Ichibans, plus 2 neons, 7-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
You can see why I've been growing Ichibans since back in the 80s! Usually the heat stops them, but it doesn't seem to have made them drop any blossoms yet, this year.
Just 6 varieties of tomatoes ripening (4 picked from today), but they are on their way! Picked a couple of blushed ones by accident, that were right next to one of the others.
Tomatoes are starting to ripen quickly! Just 6 types of plants, so far, out of 21, so just the tip of the iceberg! 7-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
5 Ichibans, 7-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr5 more Ichibans, plus 2 neons, 7-11 by pepperhead212, on FlickrYou can see why I've been growing Ichibans since back in the 80s! Usually the heat stops them, but it doesn't seem to have made them drop any blossoms yet, this year.
Just 6 varieties of tomatoes ripening (4 picked from today), but they are on their way! Picked a couple of blushed ones by accident, that were right next to one of the others.
Tomatoes are starting to ripen quickly! Just 6 types of plants, so far, out of 21, so just the tip of the iceberg! 7-11 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
bbqcoder
Senior Cook
Nice tomatoes! I’m still harvesting garlic.
My corn is looking nice.
Also made a nice bean tower.
My corn is looking nice.
Also made a nice bean tower.
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
9 more cucumbers today, 5 dark ones all from the one County fair. Still a bunch of all different sizes on the two Wisconsin 58s.
I'll have to make some more pickles soon!
Cucumbers on 7-12, all 5 below from one County Fair! by pepperhead212, on Flickr
More tomatoes today, but only the ones in the shade - I'm waiting for the other side to get out of the sun! The Green Tiger is just starting to ripen, while some years it has ripened before sunsugars.
Tomatoes on 7-12, green tiger just starting to ripen. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
I'll have to make some more pickles soon!
Cucumbers on 7-12, all 5 below from one County Fair! by pepperhead212, on FlickrMore tomatoes today, but only the ones in the shade - I'm waiting for the other side to get out of the sun! The Green Tiger is just starting to ripen, while some years it has ripened before sunsugars.
Tomatoes on 7-12, green tiger just starting to ripen. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Picked my beets since I didnt see any evidence of growth, and need to clear the space for something else.
With the beets came their greens Literally a sink full), which I blanched, pureed and froze, for future Indian dishes. Small variety eggplants with curry leaves, cooked them up this morning. 5 gallon bucket of chard for Spinach (Chard) pie ( another one of this months projects). Dumped my firstt bucket of potatoes ( no pic). Usually I buy more seed potatoes than I need, so I plant the extras in 5 gallon buckets. Each week I dump a bucket for what I need to cook with. This lasts me till September or so, when I actually harvest the potato beds. First Okra will likely be picked tomorrow. They have such a nice flower, shame it only lasts a day. And soon to be picked red onion, probably the nicest onion ive ever grown. Not sure the others are quite as nice , as they're a little submerged so cant get a good feel for how they are. The small black tub filled with reed-like plants ( just behind the bucket of chard) is actually Water Chestnuts. Ive been wanting to grow then for years. Finally got my hands on them. We'll see what happens.
With the beets came their greens Literally a sink full), which I blanched, pureed and froze, for future Indian dishes. Small variety eggplants with curry leaves, cooked them up this morning. 5 gallon bucket of chard for Spinach (Chard) pie ( another one of this months projects). Dumped my firstt bucket of potatoes ( no pic). Usually I buy more seed potatoes than I need, so I plant the extras in 5 gallon buckets. Each week I dump a bucket for what I need to cook with. This lasts me till September or so, when I actually harvest the potato beds. First Okra will likely be picked tomorrow. They have such a nice flower, shame it only lasts a day. And soon to be picked red onion, probably the nicest onion ive ever grown. Not sure the others are quite as nice , as they're a little submerged so cant get a good feel for how they are. The small black tub filled with reed-like plants ( just behind the bucket of chard) is actually Water Chestnuts. Ive been wanting to grow then for years. Finally got my hands on them. We'll see what happens.
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pepperhead212
Executive Chef
Looks great Larry! That's funny - I worked my way from the bottom up, and I wondered what that was above the chard! I'll be curious how the water chestnuts do - that's another thing I've wanted to try, and thought that it might do well in hydroponics.
More eggplants today, including the first Indian Hari variety, which I could have left to get larger, but there are so many on the plant that I wanted to start harvesting them.
More Ichibans, and the first Hari to be harvested. 7-12 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
More eggplants today, including the first Indian Hari variety, which I could have left to get larger, but there are so many on the plant that I wanted to start harvesting them.
More Ichibans, and the first Hari to be harvested. 7-12 by pepperhead212, on Flickr
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Ive been wanting to try it for years. People always say how easy it is and how invasive they are. People claim they just toss a few in an old tub and bh the end of the summer they have hundreds. I finally found someone ( actually from Jersey) who shipped me a dozen or so, that were already sprouted. The directions on how to grow were clearly poorly translated from another language to English. I ate one to two, just cause its been a long time since I had fresh water chestnuts. The rest went into 2 tubs ( after I rooted them indoors for a week or two). Kinda like potatoes, garlic, onions ... I have to wait for the tops to discolor and die off before I harvest. Its probably going to be a one time, been there/ done that, cross it off my bucket list things to do ( unless the results are incredible). But, so far, so good. The plants look healthy. I see evidence of spread and we'll see what happens at the end of the season.
Kathleen
Cupcake
I picked three okra. It's not much, but the plants have a lot of flowers which are beautiful. A little eggplant is growing nicely. A cucumber is on the vine and growing larger. Little cherry tomatoes are on the vine. They need to become red though!
OP
OP
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
This was our harvest Saturday. Two okra, which DH grilled last night with the chicken, and lots of peppers. DH has been picking green and a few purple beans every morning; I made about a half pound into a pint and a half of Szechuan pickled green beans and we've been eating the rest. Tomatoes are taking their sweet time, but they're looking good.
Kathleen
Cupcake
Please post your recipe for the Szechuan pickled green beans!
OP
OP
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
It's from a book, but I know it's online. I'll make a post with a link and a photo of mine in the preserves forum (or whatever it's called lol).
