The Gardening Thread

#1,301
#1,301
zhangliao04 said:
Would be tough for me to get out that far from the Maryville area. Would love to have this over here. You are lucky!
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But you do have a mushroom plant down at the river going north on John Sevier. Gramps used to get loads of soil delivered each spring for his tomato beds.
 
#1,302
#1,302
zhangliao04 said:
Thanks for the peach information 🫡. I will do my best to keep these guys as happy as I can. I have some Dr. Earth’s fruit tree fertilizer. Will put it down over the next few weeks and then next spring. Need to fertilize my berries as well.

My blueberries and raspberries are in a raised bed filled with a 50/50 soil/mushroom compost mix. I still get mushrooms growing in there from time to time. Not so much lately with this 2nd hot and dry spell. I will fertilize the berries with a good 10-10-10 for the fall/winter feeding and then again in spring when leaves start to appear. A fertilizing in May also helps. Raspberries try to take over the bed so I pull up ones where I don’t want them growing lol. Built a trellis for them this year. Helped a lot, but built too high so I will need to lower the arms a foot or two.

I read about how blueberry bushes tend to have an iron deficiency. During my readings I found a research article that stated having grass around blueberry bushes helps with iron deficiency. This is due to the grass emitting a ligand that attaches to the iron in the ground and allows for the uptake of the iron into the roots. Blueberries don’t make this ligand, but grass does and in more than enough amounts for the grass. The paper stated they had better growth with the blueberry bushes surround by grass (pretty much as close as you can get it to the base of the bush) than those not.

How are your carmine jewel cherries doing? My Romeo and Juliet are doing fine. Have growth all over. At least a few inches from each growth spot. I think these hot spells have slowed growth down because the period of cooler weather and rain that we had they really grew out. So I expect more growth here soon when temps drop.
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I will prob let the grass grow back in as the blueberries get bigger. That's the way they grow at my brothers down the street, and he never does anything to them. No fertilizer, no extra watering. Then again, my dad planted them in '96-'97ish. And they are all 7'-9' tall. 8-12 bushes and loads and loads of berries. I just planted them too close together for the mower, and I haven't needed a working weedeater lately. But, the green grass is no more than 2 feet from the base of the plants either direction.

My Carmine Jewel has done well and is healthy. The second heat drought recently really stressed it and it finally dropped leaves but it is already budding back out. It hasn't put on much growth yet, but seems happy. I snipped the top off when I planted it to encourage bushing out. I'm not sure how much growth it should have had anyway. I'm impatient and was hoping for superman growth, so I've had to reel in my expectation on all my new orchard plantings.

One thing I have learned is if you don't plant within range of existing water hoses, you must add new sections of hose. I carry buckets of water to a few of the trees and bushes.

I wish I wasn't so far along in life that I could add an apricot and/or a plum. Ripe crabapples and plums off the tree is a definite memory. And maybe a Japanese Persimmon for the deer.
 
#1,305
#1,305
I don’t remember who here has said that they live in the Asheville area. Or even if that is a true fact. But if you do I hope everyone in your household and that you know are safe.

Edit: Remembered it was @VolNExile and read their updates. Glad to see you all are safe.
 
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#1,307
#1,307
Jackcrevol said:
Our Stripeys just gave up and fell off. I dont blame them, i'm done too.
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Just called it quits yesterday on the peppers. Got other plans for the backyard I’ve had planned for a while now. Will probably not be growing anything new next year except for the already established berry bushes and peach trees with #2 on the way.
 
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#1,308
#1,308
zhangliao04 said:
Just called it quits yesterday on the peppers. Got other plans for the backyard I’ve had planned for a while now. Will probably not be growing anything new next year except for the already established berry bushes and peach trees with #2 on the way.
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I try different things each year. But as long as I can get a decent run of maters, green beans, squash and okra I'm good. I did find a good combo of watermelon and cantalope that finally grew really good for me. Problem was the deer acknowledged their success as well. Got 2 watermelon and two cantelope out of about 12-14. Sweetest and best musk melon I ever had. They are keen on when melons are ripe.

I have done a bit of research and will pare my tomatoes down next year to be more specific to my plateau climate and weather patterns. Late to warm up. Intermittent wet and drought cycles. Late summer scorching heat. And just plant more of fewer choices.

My reds will be Peron and Missouri Pink Love Apple. The grape/cherry will be A Grapoli. Cherokee Purple likely unless I find a better substitute. (Paul Robeson did not like it here). Cherokees can be finicky I've found. Orange Peach will be my orange/yellow choice. I planted it again this year as it went nuts for me, but the main stem accidentally snapped and my grafting did not prevail. Haven't decided on a paste or if I'll plant one. I can get good pastes down the road for $3/lb. Actually got them late off last round of picking and got them for $1/lb. My cuke choice has done well for two years in a row and will stick with them. I ditched trying to grow a snacker, and just plant picklers. They taste just as good and don't get bitter on me. Would like to throw in a gherkin for fun.
 
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#1,309
#1,309
For my small garden patch, maters were middlin'; peppers are still producing with poblanos coming on strong; squash was a bust. I'm thinking about planting haricot verts next year.
 
#1,310
#1,310
GVF said:
… Haven't decided on a paste or if I'll plant one. I can get good pastes down the road for $3/lb. Actually got them late off last round of picking and got them for $1/lb.
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If you decide to plant a paste, look into San Marzano Redorta. Bigger and tastier than regular San Marzano. Did well for me until our weather went to hell in June/July (plus groundhog.)

Pretty sure I got mine from Tomatofest: San Marzano Redorta Organic Tomato Seeds | TomatoFest. Don’t know why it says indeterminate, b/c it was definitely a bush. Although it did keep producing over multiple weeks, but again, weird weather.
 
#1,311
#1,311
VolNExile said:
If you decide to plant a paste, look into San Marzano Redorta. Bigger and tastier than regular San Marzano. Did well for me until our weather went to hell in June/July (plus groundhog.)

Pretty sure I got mine from Tomatofest: San Marzano Redorta Organic Tomato Seeds | TomatoFest. Don’t know why it says indeterminate, b/c it was definitely a bush. Although it did keep producing over multiple weeks, but again, weird weather.
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Do you not remember who told you to try that one ?? lol. I did have mixed results with it though.
 
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#1,312
#1,312
Tin Man said:
For my small garden patch, maters were middlin'; peppers are still producing with poblanos coming on strong; squash was a bust. I'm thinking about planting haricot verts next year.
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Those are pretty good beans I think. There's another appalachia pole bean I bought seeds for but haven't planted them yet. I think I'll mix them in next year. Called Greasy Grits. Highly rated for flavor.
 
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#1,313
#1,313
Tin Man said:
For my small garden patch, maters were middlin'; peppers are still producing with poblanos coming on strong; squash was a bust. I'm thinking about planting haricot verts next year.
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Gotta love those pablanos. I'm addicted to Chile Pablano from the mexican restaurant.
 
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#1,314
#1,314
GVF said:
Do you not remember who told you to try that one ?? lol. I did have mixed results with it though.
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Haha, was that you?! Yes, I guess it was.

When VolNExile goes into actual exile, what is left of her brain just goes phlbbbtt!
 
#1,315
#1,315
VolNExile said:
If you decide to plant a paste, look into San Marzano Redorta. Bigger and tastier than regular San Marzano. Did well for me until our weather went to hell in June/July (plus groundhog.)

Pretty sure I got mine from Tomatofest: San Marzano Redorta Organic Tomato Seeds | TomatoFest. Don’t know why it says indeterminate, b/c it was definitely a bush. Although it did keep producing over multiple weeks, but again, weird weather.
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One reason I haven't decided to do a paste next year, and I have plenty of time to talk myself out of it...is that the Peron tomato I'm gonna try is spposedly a great flavored multi-use mater. Fresh, canned, sauced.
 
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#1,316
#1,316
VolNExile said:
Haha, was that you?! Yes, I guess it was.

When VolNExile goes into actual exile, what is left of her brain just goes phlbbbtt!
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Yes-that was me. Haven't you learned by now I try all different kinds of heirlooms. When I locate a foolproof one for the plateau wild growing season, I'll settle into just a few varieties. Mine always look great then comes July. We don't get proper warm till mid may, then have 6 weeks of perfect tomato weather. Then we get satan's summer. Then when everything says eff it, good gardening weather and rains comes back. My green beans gave me the finger this year after about 16 pints.

I am changing course for next year. My garden will settle down like concrete over the season. Gonna try and get everything up this weekend. Posts, etc. Mow it down. Till it. And sow some of the green manure seed mix for the fall/winter. About 6 weeks before planting you just flaaten it over and let it brown up, and just plant through it. Also serves as the garden mulch for the seaon as it decays. Gotta start some soil improvement and this is an inexpensive and effiecient method.
 
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#1,317
#1,317
GVF said:
Yes-that was me. Haven't you learned by now I try all different kinds of heirlooms. When I locate a foolproof one for the plateau wild growing season, I'll settle into just a few varieties. Mine always look great then comes July. We don't get proper warm till mid may, then have 6 weeks of perfect tomato weather. Then we get satan's summer. Then when everything says eff it, good gardening weather and rains comes back. My green beans gave me the finger this year after about 16 pints.

I am changing course for next year. My garden will settle down like concrete over the season. Gonna try and get everything up this weekend. Posts, etc. Mow it down. Till it. And sow some of the green manure seed mix for the fall/winter. About 6 weeks before planting you just flaaten it over and let it brown up, and just plant through it. Also serves as the garden mulch for the seaon as it decays. Gotta start some soil improvement and this is an inexpensive and effiecient method.
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Sounds like a plan! 👍🏻
 
#1,318
#1,318
I’ve allowed some of my pablanos ripen to full glorious red. Yes, they’re spicier. The flavor of chipotle is evident.
 
#1,320
#1,320
Tin Man said:
I’ve allowed some of my pablanos ripen to full glorious red. Yes, they’re spicier. The flavor of chipotle is evident.
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A red ripened poblano is actually called an ancho pepper which also gives you a nice tasty pepper powder.

Chipotle peppers are from red ripened jalapeños.

Also, if you already knew this call me stupid and ignore me 😂😅.
 
#1,325
#1,325
@GroverCleveland When is the best time to plant tulips, early or late fall. Best place to get bulbs? I may try my hand at a few dozen. Nothing magnificent like you do. Any other tips?
 
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