How is your vegetable garden coming along??

[JustAnotherNut]

My garden isn't huge, but of good size about 25x60, I've worked this hard clay for the 27years we've lived here and I find that every year some things grow and produce really great, some things make a decent showing and some things just don't bother........and every year those change.

One example being winter squash that I've had trouble with for several years, but I'm a diehard and keep planting it anyway. Finally, this year has paid off. Having overplanted more seeds than I would have ever needed and nearly every dang one of them have sprouted and now taking over a good chunk of real estate out there.

Well, mostly the spaghetti and hubbard squashes. I had also planted some sweet meat and sweet dumpling, but in containers and not nearly as vigorous

Everything else out there is in the mediocre or non-existent stage......and that includes zucchini.

Anyone else having a great squash year??

 

[Compost]

My garden isn't huge, but of good size about 25x60, I've worked this hard clay for the 27years we've lived here and I find that every year some things grow and produce really great, some things make a decent showing and some things just don't bother........and every year those change.

One example being winter squash that I've had trouble with for several years, but I'm a diehard and keep planting it anyway. Finally, this year has paid off. Having overplanted more seeds than I would have ever needed and nearly every dang one of them have sprouted and now taking over a good chunk of real estate out there.

Well, mostly the spaghetti and hubbard squashes. I had also planted some sweet meat and sweet dumpling, but in containers and not nearly as vigorous

Everything else out there is in the mediocre or non-existent stage......and that includes zucchini.

Anyone else having a great squash year??

My squash aren't doing much, a few flowers but no fruit yet except one little summer squash. I'm doing an experiment with the zucchini- cutting off most of the leaves. This supposedly helps more sun hit the fruit and, important to me, it means less leaves to rub up against. The leaves make me itch!

 

[JustAnotherNut]

My squash aren't doing much, a few flowers but no fruit yet except one little summer squash. I'm doing an experiment with the zucchini- cutting off most of the leaves. This supposedly helps more sun hit the fruit and, important to me, it means less leaves to rub up against. The leaves make me itch!

When I have had good years for zucchini, I didn't have a problem getting tons of fruit with the leaves left on. But I agree they are prickly

 

[Compost]

When I have had good years for zucchini, I didn't have a problem getting tons of fruit with the leaves left on. But I agree they are prickly

Agreed, good zucchini years you get tons of fruit no matter what you do. With less leaf cover I hope to find fewer of those gigantic zucchinis that hide in the leaves. You know the ones. You have to be sure to use your legs to lift them. LOL

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

.

I've got one plucky pumpkin plant that came from a seed that has survived two harsh SD winters in a raised box! I saw a volunteer this spring that looked like a pumpkin and said "Ill be damned!" That thing actually survived a winter that brought us minus thirty to minus forty degree temps! It's thriving and has at least ten healthy looking squashes on it!

I gave up on everything else -- except tomatoes -- because the weeds are so fierce this year, and I'm a tired old lady and I can't find anyone who wants to earn money by pulling weeds.


.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Agreed, good zucchini years you get tons of fruit no matter what you do. With less leaf cover I hope to find fewer of those gigantic zucchinis that hide in the leaves. You know the ones. You have to be sure to use your legs to lift them. LOL

Those boats though are great to scoop out the center seeds and stuff with whatever you like.

I've stuffed em with meatloaf, chicken alfredo and a red sauce with pasta. they were so good.,

They are also good to slice about 1/4 inch thick, dredge in seasoned flour, beaten egg and panko then fried crispy


Or shred to use for fritters, or bread or cakes

 

[JustAnotherNut]

.

I've got one plucky pumpkin plant that came from a seed that has survived two harsh SD winters in a raised box! I saw a volunteer this spring that looked like a pumpkin and said "Ill be damned!" That thing actually survived a winter that brought us minus thirty to minus forty degree temps! It's thriving and has at least ten healthy looking squashes on it!

I gave up on everything else -- except tomatoes -- because the weeds are so fierce this year, and I'm a tired old lady and I can't find anyone who wants to earn money by pulling weeds.


.

I have never heard of a 'plucky' pumpkin but to survive your winters I guess it fits


I can definitely understand the 'tired old lady' part....it's truly a thing.........have you tried mulch to help keep down the weeds?? Or maybe use cardboard, on top of the soil around the plants when you first plant them to get ahead of the weeds??

 

[mudwhistle]

.

I've got one plucky pumpkin plant that came from a seed that has survived two harsh SD winters in a raised box! I saw a volunteer this spring that looked like a pumpkin and said "Ill be damned!" That thing actually survived a winter that brought us minus thirty to minus forty degree temps! It's thriving and has at least ten healthy looking squashes on it!

I gave up on everything else -- except tomatoes -- because the weeds are so fierce this year, and I'm a tired old lady and I can't find anyone who wants to earn money by pulling weeds.


.

That's what hoes are good for.

 

[Unkotare]

It would cost more to start a garden than the deals my wife finds in the local grocery stores.

 

[Unkotare]

That's what hoes are good for.

But don't let them get dirty.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

It would cost more to start a garden than the deals my wife finds in the local grocery stores.

That would depend........but in Japan, if you don't own land or enough yard to do so, then you're in a small apartment.....aren't you?

If you do have a yard or more, then any cost would be the seeds to plant and maybe a tool or two. Seeds from alot of fruits & veggies from the store can sprout, grow and provide a harvest, and that would cut costs even further

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

I have never heard of a 'plucky' pumpkin but to survive your winters I guess it fits


I can definitely understand the 'tired old lady' part....it's truly a thing.........have you tried mulch to help keep down the weeds?? Or maybe use cardboard, on top of the soil around the plants when you first plant them to get ahead of the weeds??

.

I may start with the cardboard or newspaper next year.


.

 

[Unkotare]

That would depend........but in Japan, if you don't own land or enough yard to do so, then you're in a small apartment.....aren't you?

If you do have a yard or more, then any cost would be the seeds to plant and maybe a tool or two. Seeds from alot of fruits & veggies from the store can sprout, grow and provide a harvest, and that would cut costs even further

I have seen several stories about restaurants in Japan that hydroponically grow all the greens they use in their dishes. Maybe a gimmick for the green crowd, but it looks cool. People without land can always get planter boxes for a balcony, but you wouldn't be able to grow anything too large. Genetically I should be growing potatoes, but there is a cost/benefit time factor.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I have seen several stories about restaurants in Japan that hydroponically grow all the greens they use in their dishes. Maybe a gimmick for the green crowd, but it looks cool. People without land can always get planter boxes for a balcony, but you wouldn't be able to grow anything too large. Genetically I should be growing potatoes, but there is a cost/benefit time factor.

Agreed about the containers for balconies....but there is additional cost for the containers & soil.

Do you not have taters in Japan?? I've not heard of any such dishes with them, so I would suspect you'd have to have some shipped? Yep that could cost a small fortune, atleast up front to get them. There's not alot of work or time involved. Just plant a spud and cover with an inch or two of soil, then as it grows cover it some more until there's a good 18 to 24 inches of soil depth, then leave it until the plant turns brown and dies back........then harvest. Keep a few of the smaller ones set aside for planting next season and you don't have to buy sets ever again. You can hill them up even higher if you choose to keep it going to increase the yield.

When watering......give them a good soaking only when they are dry. Not just on the top of the soil, but scratch down a couple of inches to see if the soil shows any sign of moisture, and once the plants start to show signs of brown or dying back, then don't water anymore, the roots (taters) should get enough of what it needs from is stored in the plant.

The biggest time factor in growing potatoes is the initial digging of the hole or trench, planting and covering with soil......then the harvest trying to scratch the soil away to find the potatoes.....ALL of them or you'll have volunteers coming up next year. Heck I'm pretty thorough to get them, yet still get volunteers. Just don't dig them to harvest or you could easily cut into them.

Depends on how big of a plot you've planted as to how long it would take, but I have 2 beds devoted to potatoes that are about 25ft long. I had dug a trench, dropped in the spuds, then covered.....took less than 2 hours for both and I'm a crippled old bat,

Those 2 rows were planted a couple of weeks apart. The plants in the first one never did flower and look bug damaged, but I'll wait till the plants are dead before pulling. I may or may not get any from that one and I'm holding out hope the second bed does better. IDK, we'll see what happens.

For watering, I just hook the hose to the sprinkler that covers everything and let it go for an hour or more, depending on the weather.....about once a week, maybe twice if it's been hot

To hill them, I just raked the soil I had first dug out to cover them, and took about a half hour.

Now I'm just waiting for them to die back, so I can harvest.

 

[Unkotare]

...

Do you not have taters in Japan?? I've not heard of any such dishes with them, so I would suspect you'd have to have some shipped? ...

Holy shit, again? I'm Irish American born and raised in Boston. What the ****? Also, there are hundreds of Japanese dishes with potatoes.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

This is the spaghetti squash explosion with vines going back toward the fence and thru the raspberries. I can't even get back there to see what's what, but they are growing in and thru the pea fence so I can't even pull it out to give more room

2nd pic is of one of the largest so far. There is another one just a bit bigger, but further hidden in the tangles. And you can see all the other up & comers in both pics.

3rd pic is seed planted at the other end of the pea fence. At first I had thought it was an acorn, then realized they don't have necks. So hubbard it is. The one is the biggest of the bunch so far, but they have another good 3 months to grow.

The last 2 pics are of squashes not doing as well as the others, but still trying. And I think they are both sweet dumpling squash....mini variety of delicata.

That little straggler in the tire in the last pic???? That is my one & only zucchini this year, I should just pull it.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Holy shit, again? I'm Irish American born and raised in Boston. What the ****? Also, there are hundreds of Japanese dishes with potatoes.

Then by all means........excuse my ignorance

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Anyone have any idea what this squash is??? It is growing out of the same spot as the hubbards. The only squash seeds I have are the hubbard, spaghetti, sweet meat and sweet dumpling and this doesn't look like any of them

 

[toobfreak]

I find that every year some things grow and produce really great, some things make a decent showing and some things just don't bother........One example being winter squash that I've had trouble with for several years

Do you have a long summer season? You might try starting your plants indoors in small pots then transplanting them outdoors once frost has passed.

You need a very friable soil with good drainage, well mulched and kept moist. Add lots of compost and bone meal.

What are you planting with the squash? Could an adjacent plant not be compatible? Do you have ample bees around?

How has your weather been? You have male and female flowers which can be harmed by bad weather at the time of blooming.

 

[toobfreak]

This is the spaghetti squash explosion with vines going back toward the fence and thru the raspberries.

Your soil looks too dry and the squash need more room to sprawl. You should be using a moisture and pH probe to assure proper water content and nutrient availability.