The 2014 Get Dirt Under Your Fingernails Thread

[mom45]

Gosh, I am really dumb on this topic. They are not nearly big enough to cut for eating. Do they require large amounts of water? Tell more please.

How long has it been in the ground? Did you start with roots or seeds? Mine has been in the garden for a long time...10 to 15 years minimum. I harvest as soon as the stalks get close to a foot tall and keep harvesting daily until it slows down significantly. Then I let the stalks grow and leave them alone and let them go to seed as you want them to do that in order to continue to be productive in subsequent years. Here is a link that has some good info on how to grow/harvest asparagus that might be helpful.

Growing asparagus in Minnesota home gardens : Vegetables : Yard and Garden : University of Minnesota Extension

 

[indyjohn]

How long has it been in the ground? Did you start with roots or seeds? Mine has been in the garden for a long time...10 to 15 years minimum. I harvest as soon as the stalks get close to a foot tall and keep harvesting daily until it slows down significantly. Then I let the stalks grow and leave them alone and let them go to seed as you want them to do that in order to continue to be productive in subsequent years. Here is a link that has some good info on how to grow/harvest asparagus that might be helpful.

Growing asparagus in Minnesota home gardens : Vegetables : Yard and Garden : University of Minnesota Extension

Oh! This is only year 2. I started with seeds. Sounds like I have some waiting to do. Thanks for the link!

 

[mom45]

Oh! This is only year 2. I started with seeds. Sounds like I have some waiting to do. Thanks for the link!

We started with roots and didn't harvest until at least the third year.

 

[terrehautian]

This is what my raised bed looked like on 5/30. Two grape tomatoes and two big beef.



This was taken just a few weeks later after I got back from vacation. Too late for cages, it had stakes put in.



Now the tomatoes are so big, I can't even see three marigold plants. Will get an updated photo tomorrow.

 

[mom45]

This is what my raised bed looked like on 5/30. Two grape tomatoes and two big beef.



This was taken just a few weeks later after I got back from vacation. Too late for cages, it had stakes put in.



Now the tomatoes are so big, I can't even see three marigold plants. Will get an updated photo tomorrow.

I always put my cages in as soon as I plant cause this is what happens if I wait. I leave about 6 feet between the rows of tomato plants and squash. By the end of the season, I still have trouble walking through there to pick.

 

[mom45]

Here are a couple of shots I took about a week ago of my garden. The cabbage got put in late as a friend had some extra plants and gave them to me to put in. I doubt they will do anything as it is too hot now for them to make heads and do well. Asparagus is at the back almost in front of the plum trees. Garlic is behind the asparagus. Tomatoes, cukes, zucchini and butternut toward the front. Smaller plants like carrots, dill, green onions and beets are in front of the asparagus but not visible in these pictures.





The plastic bags tied to the fence spook the deer and are the best deer control I have found. This is the third year I have used them this way and have not had a deer in the garden since I started doing this. A spritz of cheap dollar store air freshener on the bags doesn't hurt either, but I think it is mainly the blowing in the wind that keeps them away. They get within about 10 feet of the fence but not in the garden.

 

[terrehautian]

My plants as of today.

 

[mom45]

Those plants look beautiful. Nice and healthy! I can't wait for ripe tomatoes!

 

[88GT]

My plants as of today.

Marigolds seem a little superfluous in that box now, don't they?

You planning on pruning?

 

[terrehautian]

I am pruning out and when they reach top of the fence poles.

 

[Zoub]

My plants as of today.

Do a "weave". Pull those posts and move them to the 4 corners. Then get some heavy bailing string. Trim all the stems and leaves at least 6 to 12" up each main plant from the ground. Then tie your string to one post, call it #1, and weave it in and out of the main stalks between that post and the next post, #2. Tie off tightly to #2. Now tie a second string to #1 and weave again, this time in the exact opposite pattern of the first string. Tie off tightly to #2. Each stalk will now have a tight string on each side of it, holding it up. Do it again about 10" up the #1 & #2 posts. It looks like a 3rd and maybe a 4th set will be needed. Then do the same between #2 & #3. When you are done prune some that mess out to allow plants to have air flow around them and focus on growing main stalks and fruit. As plants grow add strings.

You may want a post in the center and run a few strings across as well but IMHO it is not needed if you do it right and prune it back.

This would basically be a modification of the Florida Weave, which is my favorite way to grow...................just in straight lines, not squares

 

[teddy12b]

I've never pruned tomato plants before. Never did a good enough job on a garden to merit it until this year. What do you do to prune a tomato plant? Do you just start cutting branches without flowers or tomatoes? Do you just start removing the little buds? Ours are looking pretty overgrown right now and I'd rather not waste an otherwise excellent potential for a good harvest.

 

[88GT]

I've never pruned tomato plants before. Never did a good enough job on a garden to merit it until this year. What do you do to prune a tomato plant? Do you just start cutting branches without flowers or tomatoes? Do you just start removing the little buds? Ours are looking pretty overgrown right now and I'd rather not waste an otherwise excellent potential for a good harvest.

That's what I do. It's not the "correct" way, but it works and it doesn't affect harvest yield. When I am done, I have cut about 75% (or more) of the plant off. I leave some of the non-flowering stems for photosynthesis if it seems a little on the skinny side. I can prune this way at least twice in a season, point being that hacking the crap out of it once doesn't bother it, and it can actually grow out of hand again to the point of needing some more hacking.

 

[BigMatt]

I have two acres of sweet corn in so far. It is in two different plantings.

The first planting started tasseling the other day so I should have some corn in three or four weeks.

I am selling through the local farmers market and the Greenfield Lion's club.

I will be planting pumpkins tomorrow for Halloween.

These pictures are from a few days ago.

 

[88GT]

I have two acres of sweet corn in so far. It is in two different plantings.

The first planting started tasseling the other day so I should have some corn in three or four weeks.

I am selling through the local farmers market and the Greenfield Lion's club.

I will be planting pumpkins tomorrow for Halloween.

These pictures are from a few days ago.

I'm jealous. Of course, I don't need near that much corn, but I never have very good luck with what I do plant.

 

[eldirector]

W00t! Got our first "harvest".

2 cucumbers (eaten already), and a couple of peppers. Picked enough beans for 5 meals, and the first head of broccoli for my wife.

 

[mom45]

I ate my first cherry tomato yesterday while weeding. Cucumbers are on the vines but not big enough to pick yet. Harvested a bunch of garlic bulbils yesterday so I am getting ready to go remove them from the seed pods/scapes so they can dry for use and/or planting later. I harvested several pounds so this is going to take a while. The smell is going to make me hungry so I figured right before lunch was a good time to do this job.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I ate my first cherry tomato yesterday while weeding. Cucumbers are on the vines but not big enough to pick yet. Harvested a bunch of garlic bulbils yesterday so I am getting ready to go remove them from the seed pods/scapes so they can dry for use and/or planting later. I harvested several pounds so this is going to take a while. The smell is going to make me hungry so I figured right before lunch was a good time to do this job.

I've always cut the tops off my garlic about when the coiled part starts to uncoil. I had read that allows the plant to put more into the bulb part in the ground. When you leave those on the plant, do you still get good-sized bulbs for eating? Also, the only way I plant garlic is to use individual cloves, planted in the fall. I've never planted the bulbils from the tops.

 

[mom45]

I've always cut the tops off my garlic about when the coiled part starts to uncoil. I had read that allows the plant to put more into the bulb part in the ground. When you leave those on the plant, do you still get good-sized bulbs for eating? Also, the only way I plant garlic is to use individual cloves, planted in the fall. I've never planted the bulbils from the tops.

I've grown garlic for several years now. I've never tried planting the bulbils before but have read that it can be done, just takes longer for the cloves to get big. The first year, I planted 10 pounds of garlic so I had a lot to harvest. I have done it both ways, cutting the scapes early and leaving them on and notice very little difference in the size of the heads. The last time I had bulbils, I ended up using them all in cooking and they were delicious...milder than the cloves but very good. The more I am reading about how long it takes the bulbils to produce matrue heads, the more I am thinking I should just use them for cooking. I have three 40 foot rows of heads to dig this year. Some of that will be replanted this fall and the rest will be used. I peel a lot and put it in olive oil and freeze it for cooking. It seems to store longer this way than just drying the heads. I also peel it and put it in a jar covered with honey. The garlic is great put through the press for cooking with and the infused honey is awesome in my sourdough bread in place of sugar or in marinades and such.

 

[findingZzero]

Me & daughter. Daughter & I have been eating salads out of her raised bed all Spring and early summer. Especially like the fresh arugula. Tonight we will have some of the hardier lettuces and a beet. She's got tomatoes in pots along with peppers and herbs. Rabbits/chipmunks got the basil.