Pics of Your 2014 Vegetable Garden

[kenny]

I tried it in a jar but I think the worm was too small to eat the cornmeal.
I felt cruel keeping it in a jar so I killed it.

Like THAT makes a lot of sense.

 

[monarch64]

Aww. It makes some sense. Like when I pick up a waterlogged earthworm from the sidewalk after it rains and throw it back into the grass where it will probably get spotted by a bird and eaten. Or something.

So are you still able to control the hornworm population by hand-picking or have they gone away?

 

[kenny]

So are you still able to control the hornworm population by hand-picking or have they gone away?

I spend around 20 minutes every other day looking for leaves with holes, then search nearby for a worm.
I put a yoga mat down and lay on that.
It's actually a calming thing to do, meditative even.

I find from 2 to 4 each time.
They are usually under half an inch, but found one that was almost 2 inches though they can reach 5 inches.
I drop them in a bowl of soapy water so they sink and go to wormy heaven.

Also I read you can spray the plants with water and the worms will reveal themselves by reaching up and swaying back and forth as they try to grab onto something dry.
I tried that but I'm catching them so small that their movement is not noticeable.

This little guy on a dime (no that's not a quarter) is not the smallest one I've found.

 

[minousbijoux]

Now that is dedication, Kenny. And multi tasking to get your meditation in as you garden. Do they slow down their appearances at some point, or are their eggs constantly replenished all season long?

 

[kenny]

Now that is dedication, Kenny. And multi tasking to get your meditation in as you garden. Do they slow down their appearances at some point, or are their eggs constantly replenished all season long?

I have no idea.
I never paid such close attention to them.

Previous years I'd only pay attention and pick one off when it was huge and zillions of leaves were gone.
This year I want healthier plants and a … bumper crop.

 

[minousbijoux]

Is that last year's crop drying in the sun?

 

[minousbijoux]

or weapons with which to bang the unsuspecting horn worms over the head?

 

[monarch64]

A crop of bumpers, ha ha ha! Good one.

 

[House Cat]

So are you still able to control the hornworm population by hand-picking or have they gone away?

I spend around 20 minutes every other day looking for leaves with holes, then search nearby for a worm.
I put a yoga mat down and lay on that.
It's actually a calming thing to do, meditative even.

I find from 2 to 4 each time.
They are usually under half an inch, but found one that was almost 2 inches though they can reach 5 inches.
I drop them in a bowl of soapy water so they sink and go to wormy heaven.

Also I read you can spray the plants with water and the worms will reveal themselves by reaching up and swaying back and forth as they try to grab onto something dry.
I tried that but I'm catching them so small that their movement is not noticeable.

This little guy on a dime (no that's not a quarter) is not the smallest one I've found.

Hi Kenny,

These are actually cabbage loopers. You might have seen white moths (almost look like butterflies) near your plants from time to time, these are the larvae. Loopers will actually bore holes into your tomatoes and they will rot from the inside out.

A good control, rather than hand picking is self rising flour. You can google this. Some people make a spray, others just dust their plants.

A baby hornworm will have the horn from the beginning. Google photos of baby hornworms. They're kind of cute. Hawk moths are out in crazy numbers right now due to our drought. I have found 5 in my yard already (two of them mating). They are formidable and the girth of their bodies rivals a hummingbird.

Now I have revealed the bug geek in me...but I really don't see any other way if you're a gardener.

Here are my tomatoes. I am growing three Black Krims because they are my favorite variety. I am also growing two San Marzanos for sauce, one Sungold (favorite cherry), a green zebra (my favorite green), one Brandy Boy because it is more prolific than a Brandywine and I get the flavor, and one Celebrity because I need at least one hybrid cranking out tomatoes at all times.




The second photo shows you my 14 (pretty much) empty beds! I have been swamped with school work so I only have a couple of squash and a few peppers in. Next week I will plant the rest. I DO have a full herb garden WAY in the back, but you can't see it. I also have two beds occupied with strawberries. I am grateful for a long growing season!

 

[minousbijoux]

House cat - so impressed with your setup! My whole area has yet to be rescued from the weeds this year, sigh.

 

[kenny]

Hi Kenny, These are actually cabbage loopers.

Thanks for the correction, House Cat.

Glob!… I love the Internet!

 

[TooPatient]

I just planted my first batch of tomato sprouts in the garden. Didn't bother to count how many. Lots...
Juliet, roma (2 varieties?), jellybean, heirloom rainbow babies, sweet 100, and more. Not sure exactly what varieties -- next year I use something other than paper shoved under the dirt to label what I plant
Started with 10 varieties. I think I've got at least a few each of about 8?

More seedlings about to transplant to bigger pots in the mini greenhouse.

More seeds about to go in to start.


I figure if I grow enough tomato plants spread out around the garden, SOMETHING is bound to give me tomatoes


Oh!!!

And I got a package of eggplant seeds to try out!



Pictures in a few days when I can move again... (I've been out doing heavy weeding/planting for over 3 hours)

 

[davi_el_mejor]

We are almost all planted! The zucchinis need a few more leaves before we transplant And we only started one more crop that we weren't planning on! It's a record They're tiny egg shaped cucumbers that look like tiny watermelons. If they don't do well, oh well, they were just for fun

Before (can't seem to make upload the correct way... turn your head and use your imagination)



Peppers (hot and sweet)



Tomatoes



Beans

 

[monarch64]

Looks great, Davi! I still have to get my peppers in the ground. It is certainly hot enough here now. TooPatient, how is all your stuff coming along? Kenny, do you have those pesky worms under control still? (You might be in Vegas, oops.)

Our strawberries we planted last year bore fruit this year as predicted. However, the birds have gotten to them faster than we could, so all I've harvested so far have been 3. Since then zero ripe ones. I love birds but can't they go bother some wild strawberries in a field somewhere instead? We went to a farm supply store last night and bought netting to help keep them off the blackberries at least.

Some of these pictures were taken over a week ago, but you get the idea. Things kind of exploded since then. My spinach is already bolting but I got several nice salads out of it (so did my neighbor and her house guests) and will sow more again in August. There are slim little peapods on the sugar snap vines, and I have a nice row of mixed lettuce greens (Parisienne? I think?) ready to harvest this evening.

Oh! On Tuesday I got my Master Gardener Intern certificate! It was a wonderful class, and it is a great volunteer program. I highly recommend getting involved in your local program if you haven't already. We had a nice potluck dinner at the fairgrounds and then we did a plant swap after the new class of interns was recognized. I traded a chocolate mint plant for a hosta. We only have a few areas of part shade and I've never tried to plant anything pretty in those spaces. We'll see if I can get this hosta to survive!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

This is the future home of zucchinis and cucumbers



Itty bitty baby zucchinis and you can see the itty bittier baby cucumbers too... those two little leaflets bottom middle

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Monarch - Your spinach looks FANTASTIC... too bad it's gross

will the garlic make the peas taste different being planted as close as they are?

 

[monarch64]

LOL! You don't like fresh spinach in salads? Or in a good crockpot spinach/artichoke dip?

I don't think the garlic is close enough to the peas to make a difference in flavor. The angle that photo is taken from makes them look closer together than they actually are. That raised bed is 8' long, and the garlic is at one end, peas at the other, so probably at least 3 feet between them. I'll let you know in a few more days when I start eating the peas right off the vine!

I like your trellis system for the Z's and C's! I'll try to find a picture of ours. It's basically a privacy fence, right on the property line.

 

[TooPatient]

Yay Monarch! Great garden and that class sounds amazing.

My rosemary that thrived for several years is dead. All of the plants
No idea why. The winter wasn't bad and they've been through worse. The best I can figure is the early hot weather then back to cold (including freezing after some time of not). We need to get more planted since we use lots.

The thyme is struggling after being so well established. Same issue as the rosemary?

Oregano and sage are HUGE and growing fast. Spreading using heaps in the kitchen.

Garlic and some scallions are still alive after planting last fall. My chives are great but I need lots more

I'm desperately trying to get the lemon balm OUT. I didn't plant it but it is everywhere.

Tomatoes are growing. I've still got more to find room to plant. Bell peppers and jalapenos ready to plant in garden. Brussels sprouts are still growing. Hoping they will fruit before it freezes this year.

We've got strawberries everywhere. About to have some ripe!
Blackberries keep trying to take over yard but are getting ready to fruit.
Blueberries are getting ripe!

Watermelons sprouted and then died. Cucumbers too... May plant more.

I think I even saw a couple of quinces out on the tree!

Need to get the corn in as soon as I can walk a bit better.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

The beans are starting to sprout



The squash and "cucumbers" are in too. Worried about slugs, so we took the cornmeal route this year (thanks to you guys )



Such happy little baby plants



Not a veggie, but still edible! The nasturtiums are coming up very nice!

 

[monarch64]

Yay! I planted nasturtiums this year too. Already have blossoms but haven't eaten any yet. I like your block and trellis setup, there!

 

[momhappy]

Gardens are looking good everyone
This year, we planted cherry tomatoes, beans, peas, radishes, carrots, yellow & red peppers, jalepenos and several different kinds of lettuce. I started a little bit later then normal, but things are looking good so far.

 

[TooPatient]

Great garden Davi!

I love your block planter! Great idea!

 

[Skippy123]

Oh! I need to add to this, right now, I have tomatoes, chard, mustard greens, green beans, cilantro, basil, thai basil, cucumber and onions. I usually grow herbs but this is my first doing veggies.

 

[monarch64]

Skippy, you definitely need to post pics! Glad your veggie garden is doing well.

Here are a couple pics from the weekend. I brought my neighbor lettuces, beets, and sugar snap peas Saturday afternoon. Her husband (our friend and neighbor) passed away unexpectedly very recently and I have been trying to not smother her but to check on her and bring her something to ease the pressure of all that sadness when I visit. She traded me some oranges her 96-year-old aunt had shipped to her from California. She and I recently completed the Master Gardener class together. You never know who will come into your life and what effect you'll have on one another. I find gardening buddies everywhere--kind of like diamond buddies!

My 2 year old daughter and I have been eating the peas straight from the vine. That was one of my favorite things to do when I was little!

 

[Skippy123]

Skippy, you definitely need to post pics! Glad your veggie garden is doing well.

Here are a couple pics from the weekend. I brought my neighbor lettuces, beets, and sugar snap peas Saturday afternoon. Her husband (our friend and neighbor) passed away unexpectedly very recently and I have been trying to not smother her but to check on her and bring her something to ease the pressure of all that sadness when I visit. She traded me some oranges her 96-year-old aunt had shipped to her from California. She and I recently completed the Master Gardener class together. You never know who will come into your life and what effect you'll have on one another. I find gardening buddies everywhere--kind of like diamond buddies!

My 2 year old daughter and I have been eating the peas straight from the vine. That was one of my favorite things to do when I was little!

I will, I will! I got great tips from you and curiopotter so I will for sure post pics; I am so excited about my hard work and the pay off!

aww, that is great you are doing that with your neighbor, you are so thoughtful and that will be a good thing for you two! please post what you learn.

Your post reminded me that my boys loves love eating green beans raw and fresh. I want to do peas, how cute that she loves them right from the vine! great pics!

 

[canuk-gal]

Skippy, you definitely need to post pics! Glad your veggie garden is doing well.

Here are a couple pics from the weekend. I brought my neighbor lettuces, beets, and sugar snap peas Saturday afternoon. Her husband (our friend and neighbor) passed away unexpectedly very recently and I have been trying to not smother her but to check on her and bring her something to ease the pressure of all that sadness when I visit. She traded me some oranges her 96-year-old aunt had shipped to her from California. She and I recently completed the Master Gardener class together. You never know who will come into your life and what effect you'll have on one another. I find gardening buddies everywhere--kind of like diamond buddies!

My 2 year old daughter and I have been eating the peas straight from the vine. That was one of my favorite things to do when I was little!

What a beautiful gift Monnie! There is nothing like the love and comfort of the bounty from an organic garden--it was in my childhood as well.

in yum and kindness and health--Sharon

 

[monarch64]

Skippy, I haven't seen Curiopotter around PS forever! Glad you are still in contact with her, and I hope she's doing well. My neighbor and I already finished the class, now we are interns and will be volunteering and continuing to learn the rest of the year. The class was great, I highly recommend it if your local extension offers it. It is a nation-wide program. And yes I bet the boys would love peas out of the pod! They are so sweet, it's barely like eating a vegetable!

Sharon, thank you. It's nice to be able to share, and what better to strengthen the spirit than good, old-fashioned nourishment. And wine.

 

[canuk-gal]

Skippy, I haven't seen Curiopotter around PS forever! Glad you are still in contact with her, and I hope she's doing well. My neighbor and I already finished the class, now we are interns and will be volunteering and continuing to learn the rest of the year. The class was great, I highly recommend it if your local extension offers it. It is a nation-wide program. And yes I bet the boys would love peas out of the pod! They are so sweet, it's barely like eating a vegetable!

Sharon, thank you. It's nice to be able to share, and what better to strengthen the spirit than good, old-fashioned nourishment. And wine. [/quote]



The earth allows great gifts...I "knew" you gardened for many reasons... perhaps grapes next season?

cheers--Sharon

 

[monarch64]

Skippy, I haven't seen Curiopotter around PS forever! Glad you are still in contact with her, and I hope she's doing well. My neighbor and I already finished the class, now we are interns and will be volunteering and continuing to learn the rest of the year. The class was great, I highly recommend it if your local extension offers it. It is a nation-wide program. And yes I bet the boys would love peas out of the pod! They are so sweet, it's barely like eating a vegetable!

Sharon, thank you. It's nice to be able to share, and what better to strengthen the spirit than good, old-fashioned nourishment. And wine. [/quote]



The earth allows great gifts...I knew you gardened for a "reason"... perhaps grapes next season?

cheers--Sharon

Not enough space for grapes, unfortunately, but that would be just grand.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Monarch! Your garden looks so healthy and happy! Your peas are enviable.