What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

In summary, we put in a huge garden and had a green thumb from the get-go. We still have a garden, although it's a little smaller now. We mainly grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers. I've been a pretty avid gardener at times but not for eating, just for looking.
  • #2,941
turbo said:
Our summer started out cool and wet, then we went into an extended drought, followed by very wet weather from the remnants of two hurricanes. The plants were very lush and green and were still flowering when I pulled them out (just in time to avoid a hard frost). Still, the chilies never developed the heat that I am used to.

I wonder also if the truck-load of manure that I tilled in last fall gave the chilies too much nitrogen... I wish I could have left them in the ground longer - we're heading into a very warm spell. Currently, it's sunny and 80 deg in the shade, and a week of this might have helped a bit.
No, you didn't pull them out!
 
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  • #2,942
Evo said:
No, you didn't pull them out!
Yep, I did. The tops were already withered and blackened by frost, and the next night's frost was expected to be much harder. It was. Squash, cukes, peas, etc... bye-bye. Broccolli and kale can hang on 'til snow, as can root vegetables such as beets and carrots, otherwise the productive period of the garden is gone. Time to harvest the apples and process them for freezing and button up the place for cold weather.
 
  • #2,943
turbo, may be you should use a plastic sheet for a few days. One year I pulled some plants only to have a warm, mild spell before the really cold weather set in.

Another year, I kept tomatoes in the ground until November. I'd covered them with plastic sheet, and I seem to remember using a 100 W lamp under the sheet. They kept producing and I had shopping bags of tomatoes, although at that point, most were green.

I've still got my peppers in the ground. The days are cool, and the nights are clear and usually upper 30's or low 40's. I'm thinking of using the plastic sheet again to warm up the air around the peppers and keep them warm at night.
 
  • #2,944
My peppers had a hot day on my trek deck, and when I came home all three plants were wilting from the heat, being given off by the deck planking. I watered them and put them on the lawn. This stressing gives them more heat, they look fine this morning. Too much heat for too long and pftttt, no more ghost plants, so you walk a tight rope when you do this.

I should have taken a before and after picture to show you. I will try to remember next time.

Rhody...
 
  • #2,945
I'm going to take your advice of starting some ghost seeds now rhody. I have the heating pad, pots, soil, and seeds (:smile:) but still need to round up a good grow light.
 
  • #2,946
dlgoff said:
I'm going to take your advice of starting some ghost seeds now rhody. I have the heating pad, pots, soil, and seeds (:smile:) but still need to round up a good grow light.
I just got my confirmation and pwd to the Ghost Pepper Guide from Ms Music's link ghostpeppers.com, but the site has been hacked, only the first page is showing. Will let you know what I learn when the owner, Paul, fixes it, I sent him a heads up e-mail.
Today was ideal for growing hot and dry. Did the peppers get there yet Don ?

Rhody...
 
  • #2,947
rhody said:
I just got my confirmation and pwd to the Ghost Pepper Guide from Ms Music's link ghostpeppers.com, but the site has been hacked, only the first page is showing. Will let you know what I learn when the owner, Paul, fixes it, I sent him a heads up e-mail.
Today was ideal for growing hot and dry. Did the peppers get there yet Don ?

Rhody...
No mail yesterday but I'm expecting them this afternoon. My taste buds are already watering. [URL]http://www.fishesninverts.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_drooling.gif[/URL]

Edit: They arrived this afternoon. Thanks a lot. I used an X-Acto knife to slice one of the green ones starting from the bottom. The last slice was the top half. The best word I could come up with to describe the flavor and heat; delightful. Now I am even more excited about growing these little morsels. :approve:
 
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  • #2,948
My wife and I went for a country drive yesterday. As we always do this time of year, we checked out a few apple orchards online beforehand. My wife is always looking for a bargain and always asks if they have seconds (or sauce apples) for a reduced price. When she called one they told her that "anything left on the ground is free". She asked if there was much left and they replied "it depends on how energetic you are". We were energetic.

LotsOfApples.jpg
 
  • #2,949
Borg said:
My wife and I went for a country drive yesterday. As we always do this time of year, we checked out a few apple orchards online beforehand. My wife is always looking for a bargain and always asks if they have seconds (or sauce apples) for a reduced price. When she called one they told her that "anything left on the ground is free". She asked if there was much left and they replied "it depends on how energetic you are". We were energetic.

LotsOfApples.jpg
Nice Haul Borg(s) family,

Ghost apple sauce perhaps ?!

Rhody...
 
  • #2,950
Borg said:
My wife and I went for a country drive yesterday. As we always do this time of year, we checked out a few apple orchards online beforehand. My wife is always looking for a bargain and always asks if they have seconds (or sauce apples) for a reduced price. When she called one they told her that "anything left on the ground is free". She asked if there was much left and they replied "it depends on how energetic you are". We were energetic.
Lot's of apple sauce, apple crisp, apple pie, stewed apple, and/or apple cider!
 
  • #2,951
Get one of these and freeze bags of peeled apple slices for pies, apple cake, etc over the winter.

3b704310fca0d4b782785010.L.jpg
 
  • #2,952
rhody said:
Nice Haul Borg(s) family,

Ghost apple sauce perhaps ?!

Rhody...
Astronuc said:
Lot's of apple sauce, apple crisp, apple pie, stewed apple, and/or apple cider!
turbo said:
Get one of these and freeze bags of peeled apple slices for pies, apple cake, etc over the winter.

3b704310fca0d4b782785010.L.jpg
I could use one of those. I have started looking at recipes this morning. Thankfully, we have some room in the freezer and we will be bagging apples today. Both crispers in the refridgerator are full along with the big basket from the picture. We still have three boxes to deal with. But, the price was right - free!
 
  • #2,953
Nice haul of apples Borg!
 
  • #2,954
Borg said:
I could use one of those. I have started looking at recipes this morning. Thankfully, we have some room in the freezer and we will be bagging apples today. Both crispers in the refridgerator are full along with the big basket from the picture. We still have three boxes to deal with. But, the price was right - free!
I forgot baked apples. My mom used to make them. She would core the apple and pack the hole with a mix of raisins, sultanas, spices and sugar. And then back the apple. Served hot à la mode (with vanilla icecream).


I have a few more habaneros that are almost orange.


August was the wettest month in terms of precipitation since 1895 when folks started keeping records. We had 212% of normal (average) precipitation. It did a lot of damage. Some areas W, NW and N of us received even more. One town had ~80% of homes damaged or destroyed.
 
  • #2,955
Two one gallon bags of apple pieces are in the freezer with room for about four more.
Last night, we had fish with fresh cooked apple sauce - followed by apple pie.
This morning, I made myself oatmeal with an entire apple cooked in.
Tonight we're having baked chicken with apples and rice baked with apples - followed by the rest of the apple pie from yesterday.
I'm beginning to see a theme to our meals for the foreseeable future. :rolleyes:
 
  • #2,956
Ham and apple sauce, with sweet potatoes or yams.

And pork with apples, cranberries and red cabbage, perhaps with a sweet and sour sauce are options.
 
  • #2,957
With all this talk about apples, I just ordered a new Fiskars' pruner to trim my fruit trees with. I have been borrowing my father's pole pruner, but the external lever and external actuating rope make it a real pain to use - they keep getting hung up on other branches.
 
  • #2,958
Turbo, I don't know how you can eat habaneros! Cut one open, and it is like opening one of my daughters magazines with the perfume inserts. Smells nice and fruity for a half of a second, then *GAH* you get hit with a gag me perfume smell.

I need to find a HOT pepper that doesn't smell like a perfume bottle.

My garden pickles turned out amazing though! There were green beans, carrots, parsnips, mustard tops (to replace dill) and jalapenos from the garden. Then onions, mushrooms, and garlic from the grocery store. I swear my jalapenos are much MUCH hotter than a serrano.
 
  • #2,959
It's hard for me to generalize about chilies, Ms Music. I don't know what I don't grow. I can't generalize about the strength of chilies, but I love when they have a nice sweet rich smell when I cut them.
 
  • #2,960
Borg said:
I could use one of those. I have started looking at recipes this morning. Thankfully, we have some room in the freezer and we will be bagging apples today. Both crispers in the refridgerator are full along with the big basket from the picture. We still have three boxes to deal with. But, the price was right - free!
At one time I had 16 red and yellow delicious apple trees. With apples running out of my ears, I had to find ways to use them and found that http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/applesauce/" were the best choices. Both are very fast and easy to prepare and if you have a deep freezer, you can bypass the canning process. I would freeze it in "Tupperware" containers that would keep for years.
 
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  • #2,961
I got home after dark, so I'll have to check at sunrise, but we had a sunny day, so hoping that a few more habs have ripened. I guess I'll need to bring them inside soon.
 
  • #2,962
I just cut up the remaining peppers for seeds, took almost an hour. I must have three or four hundred of them. I got about thirty peppers from my three pants. Have a half dozen new ones started as well. Now, to figure out how to grow a Ghost Tree, the pepper guy in Seattle claims his is four years old.

Rhody...
 
  • #2,963
rhody said:
I just cut up the remaining peppers for seeds, took almost an hour. I must have three or four hundred of them. I got about thirty peppers from my three pants. Have a half dozen new ones started as well. Now, to figure out how to grow a Ghost Tree, the pepper guy in Seattle claims his is four years old.

Rhody...
Methinks that one needs an arboretum.
 
  • #2,964
Astronuc said:
Methinks that one needs an arboretum.
Methinks you might be right Astro, I have this crazy idea of making some extra dollars per year to fuel my track day passion, keep the bike up to snuff and improve it, and to attend race events such as the Isle of Mann, Ulster GrandPrix, Northwest 2000, Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta etc... you get the idea.

Depending how good I get at doing what I do, with a little ingenuity, a little luck, I might be able to pull it off. I want to do things that have never been done before, one of a kind, again, that's just my style. So will see what becomes of it over the winter. Right now it is an idea in my head. I might be able to pull it off. Who knows, even maybe to inspire others to take some risks of their own for their passions if I succeed.

Rhody...
 
  • #2,965
The trees and flowers don't even know it's Fall yet, but the temps are supposed to go down to 30F tomorrow night.

010ag.jpg
 
  • #2,966
rhody said:
Methinks you might be right Astro, I have this crazy idea of making some extra dollars per year to fuel my track day passion, keep the bike up to snuff and improve it, and to attend race events such as the Isle of Mann, Ulster GrandPrix, Northwest 2000, Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta etc... you get the idea.

Depending how good I get at doing what I do, with a little ingenuity, a little luck, I might be able to pull it off. I want to do things that have never been done before, one of a kind, again, that's just my style. So will see what becomes of it over the winter. Right now it is an idea in my head. I might be able to pull it off. Who knows, even maybe to inspire others to take some risks of their own for their passions if I succeed.

Rhody...
Maybe PF needs a botanical research facility and gardens, a race track like the one at Daytona, . . . .
 
  • #2,967
Oh dear, the squirrels are shoring up their nest for the winter. The bottom has started falling out due to the windy weather we've been having. Last year when they started working on their winter fortress, they ended up knocking the whole thing out of the tree and never recovered.

This one is looking pretty risky, a heavy rain, ice, or snow could knock them all down, about 30 feet. :cry:

My neighbors and I have been discussing going to Home Depot and building them a nest. Since we're all old and can't climb trees, I'm thinking that discussions over coffee will be as far as this project will ever get.
 
  • #2,968
Evo said:
Oh dear, the squirrels are shoring up their nest for the winter. The bottom has started falling out due to the windy weather we've been having. Last year when they started working on their winter fortress, they ended up knocking the whole thing out of the tree and never recovered.

This one is looking pretty risky, a heavy rain, ice, or snow could knock them all down, about 30 feet. :cry:

My neighbors and I have been discussing going to Home Depot and building them a nest. Since we're all old and can't climb trees, I'm thinking that discussions over coffee will be as far as this project will ever get.
Our gray squirrels have lots of spruce branches/twigs to make their nests out of. Those twigs are spiny and tend to lock together easily, and once the squirrels have a large sphere of those wrapped around a large tree-branch, they stuff it with nice dry oak leaves. Other leaves soak up water and get soggy - oak leaves (especially white oak) don't, so they are a nice water-resistant covering to keep the squirrels toasty. I don't mind gray squirrels so much, but up here we have all red squirrels. Red squirrels tear up your house, rip out insulation for nesting materials, and chew on electrical wiring insulation "just because". I'd rather shoot those little creeps than die in the middle of the night due to an electrical fire.
 
  • #2,969
Well, I drove home in a mix of rain and snow. I pulled into the driveway, and there was snow on the cars and porch.

I guess I need to bring my pepper plants inside.

It seems well have an early winter. It will be interesting to see what the snow will be like this winter.
 
  • #2,970
Just hung up the last of the peppers. I still had quite a lot of habaneros, cayenne, hot Portgual, and jalapeños, and a few cherry bombs left. A few cayenne and Portugals were red, but the rest were green.

The night at 25 froze the plants and killed the tops. And now it's snowing.

The kale however is still doing well and will survive the winter.

Surprisingly the fennel and other herbs are still doing well.
 
  • #2,971
Astronuc said:
Just hung up the last of the peppers. I still had quite a lot of habaneros, cayenne, hot Portgual, and jalapeños, and a few cherry bombs left. A few cayenne and Portugals were red, but the rest were green.

The night at 25 froze the plants and killed the tops. And now it's snowing.
That's about what I got this year, Astro. I sent a jar of mild, green habanero relish to rhody as a favor. Last years's jalapeno relish was hotter, and I still have a few jars of that in the pantry. I really need a decent year for peppers, so that I can make up some hot relish, and I won't be so stupid as to give it away because the next growing season (or two) may be crappy. I have cases and cases of canning jars in the cellar and in the garage, so I'll plan ahead (like the grasshopper) and not get short again.

I Won't Get Fooled Again.

 
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  • #2,972
I was having such a bad today today, then the UPS guy showed up and...a dear foprum friend had sent me a bonsai cherry tree! It's gorgeous! Just when you least expect it, someone does something unexpected and lifts you up.

They wish to remain anonymous.

I don't know how to thank you for the thought and care behind this undeserved gift. :cry:
 

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  • #2,973
Evo said:
I was having such a bad today today, then the UPS guy showed up and...a dear foprum friend had sent me a bonsai cherry tree! It's gorgeous! Just when you least expect it, someone does something unexpected and lifts you up.

They wish to remain anonymous.

I don't know how to thank you for the thought and care behind this undeserved gift. :cry:
Well someone thinks one deserves such a gift. :smile: Cute tree, or shrub. I imagine there is a mutual appreciation of plants.
 
  • #2,974
Evo said:
I was having such a bad today today, then the UPS guy showed up and...a dear foprum friend had sent me a bonsai cherry tree! It's gorgeous! Just when you least expect it, someone does something unexpected and lifts you up.

They wish to remain anonymous.

I don't know how to thank you for the thought and care behind this undeserved gift. :cry:

Wow, it's beautiful :!)!
 
  • #2,975
i had my first success with gardening this past summer, grew hot peppers, tomato, and garden beans well into fall.

now i have garlic and chinese cabbage grown in the yard and they're doing pretty well
 
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