Gardening

[Marie Mallory]

That was kinda my point @Marie Mallory. Cabbage, especially storage cabbage, takes up a lot of garden space and many times people cannot eat an entire head at once. If you can divide it into smaller servings and you have space in your garden, that's great!

Don since we aren't what we use to be ,not so particular so we freeze the coleslaw if we can't eat it in a few says. it taste ok after being in freezer for awhile.

On another note, I'm looking for my seed pellets to start some seeds inside now. May have to order some.
Now that Jake isn't building, rebuilding or surviving a 'fun' river trip we may be able to.
I raked up a lot of leaves a couple months ago and made some good compost. I nee to turn it a couple more times now that I haven't touched it since squat injury.

 

[Mary Stetler]

Parsnips are wonderful veggies if you like soups and stews @Tony Page. We grew them in buckets last year and they did great. The key is to leave them in the garden (or pot/bucket/ grow bag) until they have come through at least one frost. Get them harvested before the ground freezes if it does at your location as it make sit easier. We sometimes leave them in the ground all winter here, and sometimes they survive all winter and sometimes they don't. They are dug in the spring if you do that. The freezing makes them generate antifreeze in the form of sugar, and they become quite sweet. Parsnips can also be cooked and mixed with potatoes and carrots along with a roast. You might be able to find them in a grocery at this time of year for you to try before you buy the seeds. We grow them every year and save the seeds, as the seed life is only about one year, so if you buy the seeds, use them all up as they may not germinate well the second year.

I used to grow Shumway seeds, but I don't think they ship to Alaska, or didn't last time I checked.

What he said ,Tony Page. They are not spicey but sweeter and stronger flavored than a carrot. Well worth trying. My daughter grew them, Now they kind of grow themselves as she leaves a few plants to winter over and seed. Some of her parsnips are huge compared to our carrots.

 

[Marie Mallory]

I need to start some seeds , I keep putting it off, then get busy in greenhouse we haven't used in a few years, it needs some cleaning and rearranging.
I've been set back for past couple months from squats, now my lower back hurts a lot, last night I kept waking in pain form that.

 

[Marie Miller]

I harvested a bucket of spinach for a friend today. She could not get mushrooms at three grocery stores. I can share.

 

[Tony Page]

A old photo of a prior garden. This may be when I tried straw bale gardening. I wish I had recorded the date on the photo, it's at least 15 years ago.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

Wow, that's a nice sized garden plot, @Tony Page . I'm curious about the lights along the horizon in the background... is your property on the water? (My eyesight is terrible so I may not be seeing clearly.)

 

[Tony Page]

Wow, that's a nice sized garden plot, @Tony Page . I'm curious about the lights along the horizon in the background... is your property on the water? (My eyesight is terrible so I may not be seeing clearly.)

Back then there were Growers with ginormous hot houses that stayed LIT All Night. I believe what you're seeing is the lights from hot houses filtering through the fence space between the slats. My garden was roughly 55x70 ft.
Unfortunately the owner of the hot houses who grew flowers mostly for florist couldn't compete with the South American Growers. Since he was on a main road I suggested to him to put a table on the main road and to start growing spring plants for the public. He was successful but he got tired and wanted to retire so he sold his property to a builder who put senior citizen Apartments there.

 

[Don Alaska]

A little offshoot of gardening, but I was wondering how many here have a greenhouse or tunnel of any kind? I know @Jake Smith and @Marie Mallory have one, and @Beth Gallagher has erected a small patio one. Does anyone else? @Tony Page might find it a good investment as he struggles with health issues and enjoys his plants. We have four greenhouses--one is 16'x32', one is 6'x12', one is 8'x16'. and the last is 6'x18' and is attached to the south side of our house. We erect low tunnels over our outside squash and cucumbers and sometime the bush beans as well.

 

[Bill Johnson]

A little offshoot of gardening, but I was wondering how many here have a greenhouse or tunnel of any kind? I know @Jake Smith and @Marie Mallory have one, and @Beth Gallagher has erected a small patio one. Does anyone else? @Tony Page might find it a good investment as he struggles with health issues and enjoys his plants. We have four greenhouses--one is 16'x32', one is 6'x12', one is 8'x16'. and the last is 6'x18' and is attached to the south side of our house. We erect low tunnels over our outside squash and cucumbers and sometime the bush beans as well.

I'm green with envy.
Always wanted one, but now too old to manage it.

 

[Bill Johnson]

Yep,it was popular on the old forum , where’s John bunner . ? he was interested in canning / fermenting as well

I just watched a program on The Food Channel about making Bavarian sauerkraut.
You don't shred the cabbage. Either ferment the heads whole or half or quarter them.
Would love to try it, but I gave away my large crock.
Might try a version of it in a gallon jug.

 

[Ed Wilson]

My brother has a deer problem. They like to nibble on his tomato plants and other vegetable plants, but leave his corn alone. We made a deal that I will grow his tomato's here and trade for his corn; share cropping in other words.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

I just watched a program on The Food Channel about making Bavarian sauerkraut.
You don't shred the cabbage. Either ferment the heads whole or half or quarter them.
Would love to try it, but I gave away my large crock.
Might try a version of it in a gallon jug.

That sounds interesting, Bill. Which program was that on? If you decide to try it, please post on the canning and preserving thread... https://www.seniorsonly.club/threads/canning-preserving-food.23/

 

[Tony Page]

I put an order in today to pine tree garden seed for what I call Direct to soil type seeds, however I couldn't help myself and I did order two additional varieties of tomato seed.

Most of the seeds I ordered were in the Squash Family, like zucchini summer squash and vegetable vermicelli. I also ordered certified potatoes that I plan on putting in potato pots.

I started about 70 seedlings on January 31st, celebrity Plus tomato seeds are already pushing through the soil got my first "pop up" today.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

I couldn't resist the Walmart Garden Center earlier today. Thankfully they don't have much springtime plants in stock yet; just a few overpriced patio tomato plants, a few annual flowers and some herbs. I picked up a pretty Boston fern hanging basket for our patio. On my way through the store to check out, at least 3 people commented on the fern. I guess I'm not the only one wanting to get out in the yard!

 

[Don Alaska]

I will be planting seeds soon now--onions, celery, and the hottest peppers will be first. We won't be planting outside until the end of May or beginning of June, and I have a granddaughter wedding to attend on June 2, so it may be after that except for the greenhouses. Both wife and I have decided we need to reduce the number of plants we grow, so we reduced our planting soil order to 8 bales as we usually get 10 or 12. I have to get out to the shed and pull in the pots, six packs, and flats and let then thaw before I wash them all.

 

[Marie Mallory]

I will be planting seeds soon now--onions, celery, and the hottest peppers will be first. We won't be planting outside until the end of May or beginning of June, and I have a granddaughter wedding to attend on June 2, so it may be after that except for the greenhouses. Both wife and I have decided we need to reduce the number of plants we grow, so we reduced our planting soil order to 8 bales as we usually get 10 or 12. I have to get out to the shed and pull in the pots, six packs, and flats and let then thaw before I wash them all.

We too are reducing numbers. We are just growing the basics, mostly.
Jake plowed in some rows today in garden area. Plus planted about 60 seeds in peat pellets today also.
Not too sure since they have all been in freezer for about 10 years. We did thaw them first, will grow inside till mid March.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

Putzing around today I noticed three of the Earthbox garden containers parked next to my potting bench. I had forgotten about those since they came from my MIL's house when it was sold last year. So now I'm thinking I'll just buy some fresh raised bed soil and have a few tomatoes and maybe a couple of cucumber vines using a trellis. The Earthboxes are self-watering and have covers to keep moisture in and weeds out, so they are very easy to maintain.

 

[Tony Page]

So far of the 70 seedlings I started 51 of them germinated. Some of seed packets date back to 2014, Only 3 packet are this year's. Most are at least 5 years old.

I stop at the Dollar Tree the other day they had a display of flower and vegetable seeds 3 for $1.50. I couldn't resist I purchased15 packets of seeds, this is after I just received 20 packets from Pinetree.

I'll share the seeds with my daughter. I'm hoping to start some more pots.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

So far of the 70 seedlings I started 51 of them germinated. Some of seed packets date back to 2014, Only 3 packet are this year's. Most are at least 5 years old.

I stop at the Dollar Tree the other day they had a display of flower and vegetable seeds 3 for $1.50. I couldn't resist I purchased15 packets of seeds, this is after I just received 20 packets from Pinetree.

I'll share the seeds with my daughter. I'm hoping to start some more pots.

When I was at Walmart yesterday, I stood in front of the seed display for at least 15 minutes, just looking at all the wonderful stuff. I finally selected some green beans and 2 varieties of cucumbers but ended up putting them back. I think they were $1.96 per packet this year.

 

[Krystal Shay]

When I was at Walmart yesterday, I stood in front of the seed display for at least 15 minutes, just looking at all the wonderful stuff. I finally selected some green beans and 2 varieties of cucumbers but ended up putting them back. I think they were $1.96 per packet this year.

I do the same thing. I love looking at all the vegetable seeds and flipping through the seed catalogs. My brain always has big ideas about putting out a big garden and canning again. I have it all visualized in my head, as I look at the seeds; beautiful rows of luscious vegetables. Then that little thought bubble above my head pops, and brings me back to reality.