Organic Garden Pics

[Vicki]

I told a few people my garden has exploded this year and it really has. I have been gardening back to eden style for the last five years in the greenhouse and the last 3 years in the garden. I start everything from seed and put my best plants in the garden as soon as possible. This year with the heavy rains the plants struggled terribly and I lost about 1/3 of my tomato plants. All from the Roma group but the Amish paste made up for them thankfully. Everything had a slow start that went into the garden but the greenhouse plants flourished. So I still transplant some here and there from the greenhouse to the garden.

Not only did the tomatoes and other plants come back strong but the fruit trees have been lush with fruit too as are the berry bushes and grape vines. I sprayed every two weeks this year with a homemade pest and anti-fungal mixture of garlic, dish soap, vegetable oil, cayenne pepper and tobacco. I may have put a few other herbs in there as well but those were the main ingredients. I use Neem oil regularly too and mix that from a concentrate.

There are potato beds covered with straw on the south side of the greenhouse with beans in containers. I may transplant those beans but might leave them to see how they produce like that. I companion plant and have pretty good results with that. The first picture is from June 23rd and the second from the 4th of July, just twelve days apart. I have a slew of pictures from today I post as well. Here's the first...

 

[Vicki]

Here's a couple more from 5 days ago... blueberries and rasberries.

 

[Vicki]

And from today.

 

[Vicki]

Some more...

 

[Vicki]

Last few.

 

[Giblin]

Wow! Great garden, thanks for sharing.

 

[yellowlabz]

I'm impressed!

 

[PJM]

What a great grape harvest you will have. You have a lovely garden.

 

[Vicki]

Thank you all very much, Giblin, Yellowlabz and PJM. It's so much work but it sure is worth it. I do this all by myself and I sure wish I had help most of the time. The sons have no interest except eating it.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Love your garden!

 

[nomifyle]

Your gardening looks wonderful. Wish I had a green thumb.

Judy

 

[Vicki]

Thank you Packy and Nomifyle!

In the pictures I took today, the first one posted on the left hand side there is a large container. That is Goji berries and last year was the first year it produced, very few berries. It's five years old now and started from seed. I was told it doesn't start producing till it's about five years old so my fingers are crossed. It's been in the greenhouse the last two or three years but I'm hoping full sun exposure will help.

Judy I had no idea I had a green thumb until 20 years ago. I think it's a trial and error type thing where we learn as we go and the trick is to be persistant. I like to eat.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Sometimes I forget what real dirt looks like. I played in the stuff as a kid on my grandfather's farm but after moving to Florida about all I know is some version of sand. It took me ten years to get our old house build up the sand, it is taking me even longer at the place we now live though it has been 10 years here which is hard to believe. My oldest son does his thing … planting fruit trees, fruiting bushes, marigolds, and English roses. Blasted horn worms get most of our tomatoes every year. Nematodes are a … foul word. Finally getting better but most of our annual garden is still in raised beds and containers. Now if you want bananas, plaintains, and carambolas I'm your person. I've also got a fine crop of pineapple plants growing in my bromeliad garden. But geez I sure do envy the soil in your gorgeous garden.

 

[Vicki]

Just want to add that when there's a need, God provides. That Troybuilt rototiller in the pictures I just bought a few months ago. I had a very old one (70's model same Pony) that finally gave up the ghost a couple of years ago. A few months ago I went on craigslist to see if there were any good deals on another greenhouse. None to be found but that rototiller popped up a couple of times and had just been listed. $400 and it looked like it was in good shape. I really didn't have $400 to spare right now but a few days went by and I looked to see if it was still there. It was so I called the number. The guy said he was selling it for his Mom who had just went into a nursing home. She was 88 years young. She hadn't used it in a few years but it was always kept in the garage. It's a late 80's model.

I decided I had to go look at it. It was only about a 40 minute drive for me so I went. There wasn't a mark on the thing and it started right up, one pull. Everything worked exactly as it should so I bought it not thinking it might not fit in my Jeep for the ride home. It did, almost perfectly. Oh my! I noticed the oil was a bit gummy in it so I called a guy I know to look it over and change the oil for me. All he does is lawn mowers and rototillers and he told me, "you really lucked out, you stole the thing". lol

When things are meant to be, they will be. Thank you God!

 

[Vicki]

Kathy, I can relate somewhat. It took me many many years of amending the soil to get it like that. This year was the best yet as I finally threw woodchips all over the garden which was only half the size last year. No rototiller so I did it all by hand. The woodchips broke down well and reaching down into that soil now is like heaven. I need to do that to the other half of the garden and that's on my to do list coming right up. I had a roll of black roofing paper the contractors left for me and had to lay that down under the tomatoes as the weeds were terrific on that end. It worked. I'll pull that up and replace with the woodchips if we ever get another cool day. Mid to high 80's here most days lately. You can see part of my fruit trees in the background in some of the pics. I have apples, cherries, pears and peaches. To be honest, I have no idea how I keep up with all this.

What does carambolas taste like? I'm so glad I don't have the insect problems but I do have wasps. Lots of wasps but if I leave them alone, they leave me alone so were good. They eat hornworms I read.

Thank you Kathy!

 

[Kathy in FL]

Vicki, carambolas (aka star fruit) taste like a cross between sweet citrus and a tart grape. Or at least the ones I grow do.

 

[Vicki]

Vicki, carambolas (aka star fruit) taste like a cross between sweet citrus and a tart grape. Or at least the ones I grow do.

Interesting, thanks! I've never had one. I'd probably like it.

 

[Milk-maid]

Kathy, I can relate somewhat. It took me many many years of amending the soil to get it like that. This year was the best yet as I finally threw woodchips all over the garden which was only half the size last year. No rototiller so I did it all by hand. The woodchips broke down well and reaching down into that soil now is like heaven. I need to do that to the other half of the garden and that's on my to do list coming right up. I had a roll of black roofing paper the contractors left for me and had to lay that down under the tomatoes as the weeds were terrific on that end. It worked. I'll pull that up and replace with the woodchips if we ever get another cool day. Mid to high 80's here most days lately. You can see part of my fruit trees in the background in some of the pics. I have apples, cherries, pears and peaches. To be honest, I have no idea how I keep up with all this.

What does carambolas taste like? I'm so glad I don't have the insect problems but I do have wasps. Lots of wasps but if I leave them alone, they leave me alone so were good. They eat hornworms I read.

Thank you Kathy!

Same here.

When we bought this old house, the garden had lain abandoned for at least 5 years that we knew of. It was completely wild, overgrown and had a lot of black walnut trees coming up.
The first year after cleaning it out and tilling, we laid cardboard all over the entire garden to kill the hard core weeds and let it decompose. We got Aspludt? (tree specialists) to come bring us all the wood chips they had 2 years in a row. We got mountains of it and amended our garden soil. By letting it rest and decompose, we probably raised the black dirt by about 3 inches more. (it was already beautiful to start with) So we have probably 12 inches of top soil in there. It could be deeper, I've just never dug deeper. We grow the greatest weeds :Lol:

>>and of course you know, we have chickens so we are constantly adding chicken poop, wood shavings and straw to the mix. They are considered 'Hot' for the first year, so we leave those piles alone and make new ones each year. They turn into beautiful, rich black soil.

This is also raising the depth of the top soil after they are done being hot and then mixed in.

I always save my egg shells and vegetable scraps so they are added to the mix for calcium in the soil and other nutrients.

I see in your greenhouse that you have walkways with weeds. I got a solution for you, so you'll never have to weed. In our firepit area we dug out a circle, laid weed block and then edged it with that rubber edging. Then put down 5 inches of pea gravel. No weeds can survive that. If they do come up they are so easy to pull out since the weeds can't attach to the gravel.

See photo

 

[Milk-maid]

PS-- Everyone around here has hard red clay soil.

So having this pure black soil is a treat most people can't imagine.

 

[20Gauge]

Sometimes I forget what real dirt looks like. I played in the stuff as a kid on my grandfather's farm but after moving to Florida about all I know is some version of sand. It took me ten years to get our old house build up the sand, it is taking me even longer at the place we now live though it has been 10 years here which is hard to believe. My oldest son does his thing … planting fruit trees, fruiting bushes, marigolds, and English roses. Blasted horn worms get most of our tomatoes every year. Nematodes are a … foul word. Finally getting better but most of our annual garden is still in raised beds and containers. Now if you want bananas, plaintains, and carambolas I'm your person. I've also got a fine crop of pineapple plants growing in my bromeliad garden. But geez I sure do envy the soil in your gorgeous garden.

Yep it is a nice garden. We could never grow things that well in our sandy clay either. Planters or nothing around here.

 

[Milk-maid]

PS-- Everyone around here has hard red clay soil.

So having this pure black soil is a treat most people can't imagine.

This photo is for Kathy since I know she doesn't get to see snow all that often.

 

[Vicki]

Same here.

When we bought this old house, the garden had lain abandoned for at least 5 years that we knew of. It was completely wild, overgrown and had a lot of black walnut trees coming up.
The first year after cleaning it out and tilling, we laid cardboard all over the entire garden to kill the hard core weeds and let it decompose. We got Aspludt? (tree specialists) to come bring us all the wood chips they had 2 years in a row. We got mountains of it and amended our garden soil. By letting it rest and decompose, we probably raised the black dirt by about 3 inches more. (it was already beautiful to start with) So we have probably 12 inches of top soil in there. It could be deeper, I've just never dug deeper. We grow the greatest weeds :Lol:

>>and of course you know, we have chickens so we are constantly adding chicken poop, wood shavings and straw to the mix. They are considered 'Hot' for the first year, so we leave those piles alone and make new ones each year. They turn into beautiful, rich black soil.

This is also raising the depth of the top soil after they are done being hot and then mixed in.

I always save my egg shells and vegetable scraps so they are added to the mix for calcium in the soil and other nutrients.

I see in your greenhouse that you have walkways with weeds. I got a solution for you, so you'll never have to weed. In our firepit area we dug out a circle, laid weed block and then edged it with that rubber edging. Then put down 5 inches of pea gravel. No weeds can survive that. If they do come up they are so easy to pull out since the weeds can't attach to the gravel.

See photo

I was hoping you were going to pop in here. I love the picture MM, very nice and looks so comfy. I do have weeds in the walkways and usually clean those out but really have been busting my butt with so many other things that I didn't bother. Pea gravel sounds good though and I just may try that! Funny I had a crop of onions in the walkway earlier this spring. A serious amount of baby onions I just pulled and tossed. Kale pops up regularly too and sometimes lettuces. I could graze on the walkways. lol

When I'm done for awhile pruning and watering and whatever else I do, I spend a lot of time on the back deck relaxing...

 

[Vicki]

Yep it is a nice garden. We could never grow things that well in our sandy clay either. Planters or nothing around here.

I planted a small tree a week ago or so and dug down not quite 2 feet and hit clay. Orange/red clay as in the heavy stuff. When I had the pond dug many years ago the guy wanted to go 10 feet down and hit hard panned clay at 8 1/2 feet so had to stop. It's mainly clay here as well but a decent amount of topsoil for gardens and fruit trees.

There was a clearance sale at Walmart a week or so ago where all their big containers were marked way down. I grabbed two of them for $7 a piece. They were marked at $30 and up each. I went back to grab a couple more this last weekend and they were all gone. You might have better luck.

 

[Vicki]

This photo is for Kathy since I know she doesn't get to see snow all that often.

My youngest sent this to me in an email and asked is this you Mom? lol

 

[Vicki]

I took a few pictures yesterday and compared them to the ones I already posted. I was surprised to see many of the shots look the same as back in July except now there's plenty of fruit on the plants. I companion plant regularly but had never put potatoes and beans together before this year. The beans are having a hey day stuck between the potato hills so thought I'd share that with you all. I'll post the original picture first and then todays. See what ya think.

 

[momma_soapmaker]

Vicki - your garden is just GORGEOUS!!!

 

[Milk-maid]

Vicki, I'd like to see a wicker basket full of goodies when they are ripe.

 

[Vicki]

Vicki - your garden is just GORGEOUS!!!

Thank you Momma! So now you know where I'm at when not on the "other" board.

 

[Vicki]

Vicki, I'd like to see a wicker basket full of goodies when they are ripe.

I'll try to do that for you tomorrow MM. I've been eating from the garden everyday. Tomatoes and beans especially. I had a 6 year old here today that didn't want to go home with his Dad (friend of my son) and wanted to stay with me because I had him picking pole beans. It was like a treasure hunt for him and he loved it. He took home a quart basket of beans, 1/2 quart of blueberries and a good size cuke. He was so happy that little squirt. It was fun. He said his parents don't have a garden.

i also walked out the back deck this morning to see 1/3 of my peach tree on the ground. So loaded with peaches it couldn't take the weight and it split. it did rain last evening so that probably did it in. The peaches still aren't ripe but are turning orange and red nicely. I'm sure I'll still have plenty to can no matter. I was told I should of picked a bunch off before the tree did that and I did pick some off but guess it wasn't enough. This is a learning experience for sure.

I'll get some new pics tomorrow just for you.

 

[Vicki]

Ok, as promised. I know it's 7 minutes to midnight but it was way too busy today! I had to take a nap I was so tired. Anyway, took a few and those cardboard trays of tomatoes is what I'm dealing with almost daily. At least one tray like that a day and often times two. I didn't even get them today so tomorrow it will be two at least. It's hard to keep up seriously. I only grabbed one ear of corn as I don't eat corn normally but always grow some for seed stock. I grow all heritage plants. The old fashion varieties. I even peeled the corn for you MM. lol

I took a pic of the poor peach tree so you can see the damage it took. I stripped the whole right side of the tree as that was all laying on the ground. I threw all those peaches to the deer. Hope they eat them. They're still a bit green but I threw a few green apples in there with them. I used no chemical sprays but did spray every two weeks with a garlic, soap, oil and herb mixture. It seemed to do the trick. Consistency in spraying I think made the difference. The tree was loaded and we had two nights in a row of heavy rain so, that's what happens.

I typed so much I missed my deadline. But here's the shots...

 

[Milk-maid]

Oh my gosh, that's everybody's dream baskets there! Just beautiful!

I could dive right in to that ear of corn and the peaches. OHhhhh! to die for. Can you imagine a starving person seeing all that delicious food?

What are the white plants? Some sort of eggplant or squash?

The tomatoes look so good. Nothing better than a fresh tomato with a little salt on them. I used to eat them like apples.

We grew them until I found out I was allergic and hubby started having kidney issues at the same time; it was on his avoid list.

In years past, we had to prop up the heavy apple limbs with a pole to help carry the weight. Finally the biggest limb broke in a storm when there was no apples on the tree, so we don't have to do it anymore. It draped over the chicken coop and gave them needed shade.
What's left of the apple tree provides shade on the other side of their coop and they sit under it in the hot afternoons gossiping and resting.
My chickens love eating the apples that fall to the ground.
They are currently enjoying all the grapes from the Concord vine that fall in their chicken pen.

Sometimes fruit trees that produce for you, need a little help when they are laden.

In the front yard right now, we have a pole holding up one of the walnut tree limbs that is laden with walnuts. Otherwise it would be draped on the ground. The trees I have, are at least 80' tall and produce bushel baskets of walnuts.

Anyway Vicki, thanks for the pictures. My mouth is watering just looking at them. No wonder kiddo hangs around. He's eating the goods you produce.

 

[20Gauge]

What an excellent spread. We can only dream of so many tomatoes.

 

[Vicki]

Thank you both so very much! I'd be happy to give you some if we lived closer 20Gauge. I had two friends today that went home with tomatoes. They offered to pay me but what are friends for if not to help now and then.

I had no idea MilkMaid that we sometimes have to support limbs on the fruit and nut trees. I trim them up pretty good every spring but never thought they would be this laden. I read elsewhere across the country the apples, peaches and nuts were prolific so it just must be the year for them. My pear and cherry trees did pretty much nothing this year. It was way too wet where they are. I do have some walnut trees out back but haven't seen them produce yet. They probably are but I haven't ventured out there to look at them. They're probably 15 years old or a tad more. When are they ready?

I love that your girls "gossip". lol That's funny right there!

Ya know, I read the thread on freezing tomatoes and I'd love to do that but my freezers full. My Grandmother who brought me up used to tease me when I moved into this house saying why do you have so much food? Do you think something will happen where you will starve to death? Then she'd smile and shake her head. She always had a stocked pantry so I learned well!

 

[Jeff B.]

Nice garden! A shame about the peach tree. I'm guessing you'll prune it up? You'd be surprised at what tree will survive.

Our herb row is doing very well, but I don't have much in for vegetables this year, only some Jalapenos...

Jeff B.

 

[Milk-maid]

Thank you both so very much! I'd be happy to give you some if we lived closer 20Gauge. I had two friends today that went home with tomatoes. They offered to pay me but what are friends for if not to help now and then.

I had no idea MilkMaid that we sometimes have to support limbs on the fruit and nut trees. I trim them up pretty good every spring but never thought they would be this laden. I read elsewhere across the country the apples, peaches and nuts were prolific so it just must be the year for them. My pear and cherry trees did pretty much nothing this year. It was way too wet where they are. I do have some walnut trees out back but haven't seen them produce yet. They probably are but I haven't ventured out there to look at them. They're probably 15 years old or a tad more. When are they ready?

I love that your girls "gossip". lol That's funny right there!

Ya know, I read the thread on freezing tomatoes and I'd love to do that but my freezers full. My Grandmother who brought me up used to tease me when I moved into this house saying why do you have so much food? Do you think something will happen where you will starve to death? Then she'd smile and shake her head. She always had a stocked pantry so I learned well!

We've found that each fruit/nut tree has a prolific growing year every so many years. Just plain abundance. Then other years not so much. It's a natural cycle I think.

*****Not quite sure about regular walnut trees, but Black Walnut develop big green looking balls on them. They drop to the ground and smell like citrus. You want to collect them at that time and pull off the outer shell before it turns dark.

They are very heavy too. It's almost time to start moving all the lawn furniture and bird baths from under them. They'll break anything they hit.

Most of our nut producing trees are pretty old and really big, between 80-100 feet tall. They are so healthy. I have a young tree that started growing just before we moved out here in 2005. It grew up between two established trees. It's the same height, but gangly. And it's first starting to produce one or two nuts now on the lower branches. It takes time.

Back in the day, when we first moved out here, we'd have people pull up in cars with their trunks open full of bushel baskets. They'd come to the door and ask if they could have some of the B walnuts that were on the ground. They'd pick through and get the best ones and then as a gesture of thanks, they'd rake the yard up with all the older nuts and put them in a pile for us. The nuts are old when the outer shell turns black. Then the nut inside gets bitter. All the neighborhood squirrels get those.

We had people do the same with the apples on the other side of the yard by the street. They'd drive by and see the apples going to waste. They'd always ask permission first before they took any. We were busy renovating the house so we could move in and didn't really get into doing anything except mowing the yard, for over 2 years.

Some people came by just to gather Polk. You can't eat the big stuff and they were hungry for the young shoots. They'd grown up on Polk. (A weed)
Us city folks had no idea and we were busy pulling the 'weeds' all the time. hahaha...
Alas, the berms the Polk grew on, have been mulched and there are none coming up anymore.

Yes, your grandma was a very wise woman. Probably grew up at the end of the depression. My parents were so poor it was like living through the depression, just on a much smaller scale. So I grew up with those same values. I have a hard time throwing out string.. or just anything that can be used again.

 

[Vicki]

Nice garden! A shame about the peach tree. I'm guessing you'll prune it up? You'd be surprised at what tree will survive.

Our herb row is doing very well, but I don't have much in for vegetables this year, only some Jalapenos...

Jeff B.

Thank you Jeff! I will have to do some major work on that tree once the fruit is all off from it but hopefully it will survive. Making peach cobbler today. Glad to hear you grow herbs. Kudos!

 

[Vicki]

We've found that each fruit/nut tree has a prolific growing year every so many years. Just plain abundance. Then other years not so much. It's a natural cycle I think.

*****Not quite sure about regular walnut trees, but Black Walnut develop big green looking balls on them. They drop to the ground and smell like citrus. You want to collect them at that time and pull off the outer shell before it turns dark.

They are very heavy too. It's almost time to start moving all the lawn furniture and bird baths from under them. They'll break anything they hit.

Most of our nut producing trees are pretty old and really big, between 80-100 feet tall. They are so healthy. I have a young tree that started growing just before we moved out here in 2005. It grew up between two established trees. It's the same height, but gangly. And it's first starting to produce one or two nuts now on the lower branches. It takes time.

Back in the day, when we first moved out here, we'd have people pull up in cars with their trunks open full of bushel baskets. They'd come to the door and ask if they could have some of the B walnuts that were on the ground. They'd pick through and get the best ones and then as a gesture of thanks, they'd rake the yard up with all the older nuts and put them in a pile for us. The nuts are old when the outer shell turns black. Then the nut inside gets bitter. All the neighborhood squirrels get those.

We had people do the same with the apples on the other side of the yard by the street. They'd drive by and see the apples going to waste. They'd always ask permission first before they took any. We were busy renovating the house so we could move in and didn't really get into doing anything except mowing the yard, for over 2 years.

Some people came by just to gather Polk. You can't eat the big stuff and they were hungry for the young shoots. They'd grown up on Polk. (A weed)
Us city folks had no idea and we were busy pulling the 'weeds' all the time. hahaha...
Alas, the berms the Polk grew on, have been mulched and there are none coming up anymore.

Yes, your grandma was a very wise woman. Probably grew up at the end of the depression. My parents were so poor it was like living through the depression, just on a much smaller scale. So I grew up with those same values. I have a hard time throwing out string.. or just anything that can be used again.

You too on the string huh? lol Me as well. being a crafter, seamstress, etc has me saving all kinds of things. It gets a bit overwhelming so I have to go through every now and then and chuck the junk.

Yes the trees were Black Walnut and I think we planted 5 or 6 of them in a group. I still haven't taken the time to go look. It's been busy here with many other things to keep up with. I know poke as well. One drop of a polk tincture kicks the immune system into gear. More then that and it could be a hazard to one's health. Still it's good to have on hand.

Not much has changed other then that as far as the gardens go but did some transplanting in the greenhouse and lots of cleaning up. I do think winter may come early this year and with the abundance of crops, possibly a long cold one. Yesterday was so cool it had me thinking about replacing some insulation in the basement. Need to make a note of that so I don't forget.

Thanks MM, love your writings.