Gardening

[RoadToad]

How are y'all's gardens doing? My tomato plants came through just fine, and I'm glad I planted when I did, because they've really shot up. I'm having one of the best years in a while! Tomatoes are doing great, garlic looking good, basil come up gangbusters. I'm growing fennel for the first time this year, and it's coming up great. My wife is getting into working in the garden now, so that has been a lot of fun, and between us we get a lot more done! She's planted some beets, crookneck squash, spinach, and bib lettuce. Only problems we've run into are, the rabbits are eating the beets, and we keep killing sage plants. I'm wondering if it's because of the fennel, with is supposedly "allelopathic," ie it kills plants around it (it's right next to the sage). I've also seen some ants in that area, so it might just be them. I was also thinking it might be the humidity. As for the rabbits, she heard of putting vinegar-soaked cotton balls in pill bottles, drilling holes in the sides, and putting them just under the ground around your garden. Supposedly the smell will keep rabbits away. We're gonna give it a shot.

[SLP]

We skipped out garden this year. We did plant some Meadow tea a couple of years ago that is really coming in nicely now. It makes some delicious tea, a real summer treat.

[Chubminnow]

Mine's doing pretty good...Tomato plants are doing REALLY good! Cucumbers are just starting to show themselves a little. Been having some rabit problems getting into my jalepeno pepper plants. Can't wait to taste that frist tomato, also looking forward to putting up some kosher dill pickles this year.

[riverrat12]

Got a question guy's and gal's. My grandpa used to grow potatoes and I loved a fresh potatoe so I tried a few this year. At what point do I dig them??? I have a few flowers on top. I can't remember when grandpa said to dig them though...been almost 40 years ago. Any Irish potatoe farmers out there LOL.Chuck

[jcb]

Got a question guy's and gal's. My grandpa used to grow potatoes and I loved a fresh potatoe so I tried a few this year. At what point do I dig them??? I have a few flowers on top. I can't remember when grandpa said to dig them though...been almost 40 years ago. Any Irish potatoe farmers out there LOL.Chuck

I'm told when all the flowers die and the plants begin to wilt.

But I hope yours are doing better than mine. Curiosity got the best of me and I dug around one last week. Hardly any tater growth at all. I talked to a farmer and he said taters may not do too well this year because all the nights that were supposed to be in the 50s a while back were in the 60s and 70s. They need those cool nights. Hope I'm wrong...

[Col Forbin]

All of mine seems to be doing pretty good, except the Okra which is coming up slow (I have never grown it before though). My beans, cucumbers, eggplants and peppers are all looking good. I was having a slight issue with the leaf hoppers/flea beetles, but I tried the hippy approach with some neem oil - which seems to work as good as the sevin applying once a week.

[riverrat12]

I'm told when all the flowers die and the plants begin to wilt.

But I hope yours are doing better than mine. Curiosity got the best of me and I dug around one last week. Hardly any tater growth at all. I talked to a farmer and he said taters may not do too well this year because all the nights that were supposed to be in the 50s a while back were in the 60s and 70s. They need those cool nights. Hope I'm wrong...

Thank you sir, I remember carrying a salt shaker around peelin taters with my thumb and a water hose luv'n life...man that was good times. I'll let you how mine do. Chuck