Garden thread 2010 (vegetable)

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Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Here is a link to last years garden thread. CLICK (It was the thread update, but it has pictures)

It is a nice warm spring in Minnesota, Today I got over 400 onion sets in, carrots and broccoli. The hot weather stuff will have to wait until the end of May. (In Minnesota we define "hot weather" as being over 60 degrees F)

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:56 am

Oh! With the warm March/April, I thought it was too late for the cool weather plants so only put in my onion sets and the peas last weekend. Although I did freeze my fingers off during my run this morning.

I always love your harvest pictures. What else are you thinking this year?

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Nothing crazy Bo. We ran out of caned tomatoes in February, so I think we are going to plant a few more vines. I'm giving up on potatoes, those damn Colorado potato beatles are giving me fits.

I went heavy on the onions, set 400 today. That should last through the winter.

(I will be at the Twins game on May 11th, meet you there for a visit?)

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 1:35 pm

We started a little early this year, and most of our plants from seed.
The weather cooperated. We've got peas, various peppers, tomatoes, leafy lettuce/cabbage types, and some herbs going.
The squirrels did some massive damage two nights in a row, but have since left the garden alone.
I've been out of town for a few weeks, and am curious to how things are going. My wife is supposed to send me pictures today.

I don't think it's legal, but one of her friends brings seeds back from China when she visits, and gives some to my wife.

I'll have more 'mystery' vegetables in the garden this year.

Q: 'What is this?"

A: 'Chinese vegetable'

Q: 'What is it called?"

A: 'Don't know english name. Don't worry. You won't like. I eat'.

(I'd still like to know WTF it is.......)

Very Happy

Oh yeah, my wife is Asian, and loves to eat sweet potato, pumpkin,and pepper plant leaves.

My battle last year was to get her to leave enough leafs on the damn plants so they'd grow. More than once my favorite pepper plants looked like charlie browns christmas tree......3 leaves on a tall plant with 7 or 8 huge peppers dangling in the nakedness.
Everytime the pumpkin plants blossomed......she'd eat the flowers. Never saw any pumpkins. Sad

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:54 pm

^ I found the best thing for keeping squirrels and cats off the veggie patch is to lay some Pyracantha fronds in between the young plants. Covered in the thorns from hell they hate them and stay well away. Wink

The only Chinese vegetable I know is pak choi cabbage which is lovely.

I'll not be doing too much. Started a few tatties but that's about it for this year.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:37 pm

It must be a time of year thing, I was wondering 'what no gardening thread?' as I was killing dandelions by digging their roots out.

I think the thread title is vegetabilist, we don't all grow to eat. I just try and stop nature overwhelming the garden.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:44 pm

We have several different varieties of tomatoes and chillis on the go in the greenhouse together with beetroots, green beans, squash,cucumber, courgettes (zuchini for our cousins),spinach, leeks,peppers,aubergine, salad leafs, kale. Plus lots of flowers!!

And Mrs MM has just planted one area with Kestrel spuds.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:05 pm

@windypops

I researched some home remedies on the 'net, and told my wife to experiment with some of them.
She dumped coffee grounds around one plant. Sprinkled ground red pepper around another, and squirted hot sauce around one more.

Maybe it was coincidental, but the little buggers have left the garden alone since then.

Maybe it was the sight of a hungry looking chinese lady, probably mumbling in Mandarin, and wandering the backyard with spices in hand with a large gas BBQ grill not too far away that did the trick?

Squirrel Stir Fry recipe

Find Squirrel. Beat it with large shovel until not moving and tender.
(Hit again to make sure....)

Skin and gut flattened squirrel. Save internal organs for soup to feed husband. Prepare the skin to be turned into a pot holder.

Cut meat into small portions while cursing at husband who is away on business trip. Marinate in Lao Gan Ma sauce.

Heat too much oil in a Wok, until it's smokes.
Add squirrel meat to pan, fry lightly.

Add assorted garden vegetables and unknown weeds from yard.

Douse with soy sauce, add MSG to taste, and at least three handfuls of salt.
Stir until all veggies are cooked.

Serve with white rice, and eat while mumbling about bad 'western food and supermarket' where you can't find fresh dog meat, scorpions,
snake, and all the normal 'choice cuts' of pork, beef and chicken go into inedible HOT DOGS.

Very Happy

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:03 pm

^ Too funny!! You owe me a keyboard ! Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

We ate at a "Chinese buffet" last night, next to the hotel. The kids were impressed that they had a soft serve ice cream machine.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 2049

After many decades I found the perfect anti-squirrel, anti-cat, anti all the rest of the bastards.

Get two large liter (or bigger) soft drink plastic bottles.

Put in one crushed head of garlic and 4 tablespoons of red pepper in each container. Put it out in the sun for 2 or 3 days.

Pour the stinky, somewhat fermented mixture into a hand spray bottle through a sieve or cheese cloth so the chunks won't clog the fine spray. Keep the remaining for later.

Add a few drops of horticulture oil to the spray bottle. This oil will help the mixture stick to the plant. You can use any oil really but remember that you will be eating the plant.

You will be able to smell the mixture for weeks and the squirrels and cats and skunks and badgers and birds and anything else will avoid your garden.

. . . . . .

On the other topic, I used to trap squirrels and relocate them. Now I just kill the fuckers anyway I can.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Gold Hat wrote:

I used to trap squirrels and relocate them. Now I just kill the fuckers anyway I can.

Fucking tree rats.

Several years ago, when I cared about living things, I trapped and relocated the little bastards several miles away. I was surprised on how they repopulated the area so quickly, so, I had a theory. Using the scientific method I spray painted one of their tails white before I shipped it out. It was back 3 days later.

I now use a Ruger 10/22 for all situations related to tree rats.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 11:42 am

@goldhat, I found a similar concoction on the 'net I'll try if they regroup and attack again.

I do have a silent, decent quality pellet pistol. It's actually quite fun and relaxing to sit quietly in a lawn chair, beer and cigar in hand, and take out the furry little buggers as they scamper by within range. Time for a .177 calibre lobotomy.....

I have a 10/22 and an old Mark II bull barrel model, also, but couldn't get away with firing them where I live....at least on squirrels.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:17 pm

Would you believe squirrels are considered 'cute' where I live? I would be lynched for killing one. Now of course I know better, but only after having signed up to Eater. Wink

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:36 pm

No veges in my small garden plot. About to dig out all the weeds and almost dead salvias and put in a whole stack of bulbs (hyacinths and jonquils) so that they will start sprouting in Spring.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:10 pm

Stepan Fetchit said:

Quote:

I don't think it's legal, but one of her friends brings seeds back from China when she visits, and gives some to my wife.

Bringing propagative seed into the US with out proper documentation such as phyto-sanitary certificates and properly declaring said seed is a serious violation. It can be costly.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:49 pm

A whole new batch of Cannabis Indica. Well hidden in a rarely visited spot, among stinging nettles and elder bushes, because me old folks are of peasant stock and know Cannabis family member when they see it, although they only worked with ordinary hemp (Cannabis Sativa), used for fiber&paper.
My pa would eat me liver for breakfast, with nice fresh scallions, garlic, radishes, lettuce and sorrel leaves if he ever finds out about that side of me botanical passion. Ma would only destroy the plants and call me a junkie and pothead.

Oh yeah, poppy too, although I use it only for the seeds. I like pastry sprinkled with poppy seeds, and poppy pie rolls. Laughing

They are in plain sight, no need to hide them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makowiec_%28pastry%29

*** BANNED *** Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 2049

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WERE TWO SHEDS

AND GOD SAID IT WAS GOOD (but still needed some work.)

NOW . . . . . .

v

v

v

v

v

WAIT FOR IT

v

v

v

v

v

v

THERE ARE TWO RAISED BEDS . . . . . .

GOD IS PLEASED

And lots of bunched onions

And asparagus

And Ontario's provincial flower - the Trillium.

[/b]

And I haven't even planted seed yet Laughing

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