Hows Your Garden?

[ranger]

I tried gardening for the first time this year. I didn't think anything would grow so I really didn't pay attention to what I planted where. THEN we've had this amazingly hot, sunny summer in Seattle, and almost everything I planted grew _{except I don't know what anything is...}

Gotta love the small print!LOL

[ranger]

Well, the deer got the main garden - poor things are so encroached on with all the development our 50 acres looks like paradise to them, I suspect. But what we just said the hell with and put in pots strewed about the fenced-in dog yard seems to be doing well. Lots of cherry tomatoes - off one plant! And we'll soon be overrun with habaneros. Lots of basil. A fair amount of cherry peppers and *crosses fingers* green peppers if they don't peter out. The cukes just croaked - even the gorgeous lemon cucumber, which are delightful if you have a "problem" with cukes - no burpies! It was too wet to plant green beans, which normally go bonkers here; good thing we still have pints and pints and pints put up from last year!

We have an acre of land and about 5 acres of empty land behind us, but we are basically in the middle of a good sized city. And there are 3 deer that live in this area that I see in my yard once in a while. We have to maintain a 4 foot fence around the garden to keep the deer out - the critters that ate my garden were rabbits or groundhogs or some small mammal that burrowed under the fence. It doesn't seem to matter. Every year I threaten to plant grasseed the next year, and then springtime rolls aroud.....

[Jestgar]

Gotta love the small print!LOL

:lol:

I've discovered I'm growing at least three different types of squash. Good thing I like squash.

Kinda fun to see the vegetable I recognize appearing on the plant that I don't.

[ranger]

Got to comment on the cat situation. I love cat's - have actually had them, but they are everywhere this year. Someone dropped off a couple of strays that stayed, and numerous nieghbors let thiers run wild. My next door actually puts food out for the strays- she feels sorry for them! I have asked her to not do this, to no avail. I'm sick off weeding my garden and coming up with a handfull of cat dung or finding a dead bird on my walk. And we have a skunk problem (safe to say cat food is very attractive to them). Woke up at 4 am to the smell. I refuse to sleep with closed windows as she does, wasting that lovely night air to close her windows and waste energy on AC. And, she likes the smell of skunk! This is starting to sound like a rant - better stop. Actually, we are good friends!

[Jestgar]

I like the smell of skunk too, but I don't want them in my yard.

If you have any raccoons in your area you need to talk to your neighbor. Raccoons love catfood, and they will kill cats. I admire her for feeding the strays, but she should bring the food in at night to protect the cats.

I've also recently discovered that skunk spray can be toxic to some cats, so that's another reason to limit the outdoor feeding.

[tyme2shine]

I noticed that most individuals were rather big fans of cherry tomatoes. I was wondering what kind of other items do you grow in your gardens. Also, what types of recipes do you make with the fruits and vegetables?

[Jestgar]

I have peas, beans and carrots, which I eat raw, lettuce, and squashes, which I plan on grilling. I have a few cukes and a few onions as well. Basils didn't grow at all.

[missy'smom]

I noticed that most individuals were rather big fans of cherry tomatoes. I was wondering what kind of other items do you grow in your gardens. Also, what types of recipes do you make with the fruits and vegetables?

The cherry tomatoes grow like weeds and re-seed themselves so I just accept their offering!

The cucumbers from the garden have been made into:

*cukes in olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper and shiso(from the garden)

*cukes in equal parts mayo and yogurt, salt and pepper and dill to season

*today I marinated a few in miso, soy sauce, mirin, sugar mixture and will check them in a week to see if they have pickled-first time trying that so it will be interesting to see the results

*I may try to make freezer pickles with the cukes too, using erythritol instead of the sugar

shiso was made into a pesto with a dry goat cheese instead or parm. and ground sesame instead of pinenuts

I plan to make a sage, walnut pesto to freeze for fall eating

daikon radish leaves were made into a topping for rice-soy sauce, sesame oil and chili seasoned them

zucchini is just getting sauteed in olive oil with various seasoning blends and onion and/or garlic

I may try to sneak some zucchini muffins in and not tell kiddo what they are, shhh...

[Juliebove]

I just picked the first few things today. Three medium sized tomatoes, two lemon cucumbers and three pears. I do have some onions, a pepper, some other tomatoes, and mint growing out there.

I generally just eat the vegetables in salad. When I have had large amounts of apples and pears, I have made things like applesauce, Applets, apple crisp, pie (before we knew of the food allergies), pear bread and canned pears. I also have a dehydrator and use it for fruits.

[Chuck8268]

..joining in...

Mines been a washout too .... not enough sun, too much rain, infestation of earwigs! (ate all the flower petals)

BAH!!!

Group garden therapy

How I miss my garden when I lived in the suburbs.

At the mountaintop the deer and bears will decimate you,lol.

But fortunattly many farmers on the flatlands with fresh home grown produce.

Chuck

[purple]

I wish I had time to read all of your posts...will in the future! My first garden is doing great. I had a few trial and errors but I learned! So far I have picked zucchini, peas, cukes, beets, green onions, broccoli, carrots, red potatoes and lettuce. Almost ready are: corn, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, green beans, onions and garlic. I am already thinking about next year and expanding. My cukes are crazy right now. I want to learn how to can. Next year my new projects will be (I hope):

enlarging the garden

building wooden tomato cages

trellising cukes

seed saving/planting indoors

easier watering (the hose/watering can take too long!)

learning how to fertilize

rotating crops

trying new veggie recipes

time the planting so I can have salad and salsa veggies at the same time

early spring and fall planting (for zone 5)

container tomatoes so we can have them sooner

in door seed planting sooner and "potting up"

planting something new and lots more of our faves!

canning the following:

roasted tomato soup

salsa

pickled beets

sweet pickles

green beans

peaches

berry jam (we have lots of wild berries in the area)

Lots to learn this winter!!!

[PattyBoots]

Cherry tomatoes aren't just for salad - sautee them quickly over high heat in butter or olive oil (or a combination - YUM), seasoning liberally with basil (fresh if you have it) and salt and pepper and garlic, until the skins crack. Great by themselves or on pasta.

[missy'smom]

PattyBoots, you reminded me that last year I made roasted cherry tomato sauce for pasta. Just roasted the tomatoes in a pan with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Then just tossed it with pasta.

purple, I was wondering how your garden was doing!

[purple]

PattyBoots, you reminded me that last year I made roasted cherry tomato sauce for pasta. Just roasted the tomatoes in a pan with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Then just tossed it with pasta.

purple, I was wondering how your garden was doing!

Thanks! And I want to try your tomato soup recipe IF the tomatoes would turn red

I picked a roma today...not big enough for soup

I decided today that I could freeze some.

[ranger]

We've been eating zucchini - only put in 3 plants, so doubt if I'll have enough to put away. The critters are stil getting in there, so no lettuce, chard, or green beans ( normally, I can green beans). Roma tomatoes and beefsteaks just started to ripen. I'll can them plain so I can use them anyway I want through the year. Peas all done. Love them, but a pain. Corn just forming ears. But THE PUMPKINS! They've run amuk! I have one that reached the garden gate one way, and the other way, reached the fence, went over the fence, and is growing outside the garden. The distance from the gate to the fence is 40 ft.! And it's got a long way to grow. My husband wants me to cut it off because he mows that area, but I can't bring myself to do that. Today, I'm going to turn it to get it out of his way. I want to measure that bad boy when it completes its jouney.

[purple]

Well I got to read all the posts...lots going on. Here are my cat/garden stories. Yesterday while in the garden I watched my cat take a flying leap over the zucchini...she was after a grasshopper. Last week I had 2 cats bring me birds on the same day. We have 5 cats and they all love to play hide and seek, roll in the dirt, catch critters, potty on occasion but not much. One cat walks in front of me the whole time while I am weeding and paws at my tool. I have to step over him often or move him. I am glad they are on guard