Small Garden in East Texas

[SmokyMose]

You Texas folks are way ahead of us here in Indiana. I'm still in seedling mode and wouldn't think of tomatoes until mid May.

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• SmokyMose
• Apr 19, 2017

I may put some things in the raised beds this weekend, but it's a gamble against the weather...

 

[bdskelly]

You Texas folks are way ahead of us here in Indiana. I'm still in seedling mode and wouldn't think of tomatoes until mid May.

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• SmokyMose
• Apr 19, 2017

I may put some things in the raised beds this weekend, but it's a gamble against the weather...

Don't ya just love those seed starters? They take the guess work out of it. And the grandkids love to pour the water on the discs to watch them swell up. B

 

[SmokyMose]

Yep, we've been using them for 3 years now. No mess, it's neat enough to leave on the kitchen table, and when you're ready you just stick them in the ground.

 

[gary s]

I picked some  squash and zucchini the other day

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• gary s
• May 13, 2017

My wife picked a few green beans today 

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• gary s
• May 13, 2017

 

[sqwib]

Looking good, Love me some Zoodles after looking at your pics.

Dam I still don't know how you get veggies off so quick for Zone 8

 

[gary s]

 
Looking good, Love me some Zoodles after looking at your pics.

Dam I still don't know how you get veggies off so quick for Zone 8

O K  I'll tell you my secret !!!    I planted early. Every year I roll the dice and plant early sometimes it works out

sometimes not. This year it did. and we had an unusually warm spring and end of winter.

My Onions are ready to pull I have some the size of softballs.

Getting a few ripe tomatoes.

Once my onions are pulled and I get all the beans, I'll re-till that end and plant Okra, Lettuce and more beans.

With health problems and my wife getting sick and having surgery, my weeds got way out of hand, looks terrable

But oh well still getting lots of veggies  and doing the best I can.

Gary

 

[ws dave]

Funny to find this thread on the front page because today is planting day for me. Don't have much room here so my garden consists of a cart I built and a few potted plants but it's about all I need. Last year was my first attempt at growing veggies and some thrived and some flopped so I switched it up a little this year. This year I have a few different lettuces, onions, and herbs in the cart and tomatoes and strawberries in pots. I just like making fresh salads after work so this works pretty well. I would love a set up like Gary's but nobody would eat it here.

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• ws dave
• May 15, 2017

This is last year's crop, this year's stuff is just starting to sprout. I like the wheeled cart because I can put in the garage at night when it gets too cold and it keeps the deer away having it up where it is. Love the flower beds too Gary, the landscape beds are my favorite kind of gardens (and the reason why I don't have room for a real veggie garden lol)

 

[gary s]

Got my Onions pulled yesterday and the rest of the green beans. Onions laying in the yard drying.

I will finish cleaning up that end and till it again next week. Then Plant Okra & carrots and  lettuce, beans again

Gary

 

[gary s]

We have to pull the tomatoes before they turn red or the dang birds get them.

Gunna do a little canning today been putting up about 4 - 5 quarts a week

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• gary s
• Jun 16, 2017

 

[Bearcarver]

 
O K  I'll tell you my secret !!!    I planted early. Every year I roll the dice and plant early sometimes it works out

sometimes not. This year it did. and we had an unusually warm spring and end of winter.

My Onions are ready to pull I have some the size of softballs.

Getting a few ripe tomatoes.

Once my onions are pulled and I get all the beans, I'll re-till that end and plant Okra, Lettuce and more beans.

With health problems and my wife getting sick and having surgery, my weeds got way out of hand, looks terrable

But oh well still getting lots of veggies  and doing the best I can.

Gary

LOL---Planting Early around here would be Planting before Memorial Day, or really risking it would be "mothers' Day".

Bear

 

[gary s]

Did  Dill's about a week ago  12 Quarts

11 pints of Bread and Butter today

B & B

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• gary s
• Jul 8, 2017

 

[sqwib]

Looking good, making any Chow Chow with the green maters this year?

I have a recipe I'm gonna try this year just still a bit unsure of the sugar.

• 9 lbs green tomatoes
• 6 lbs onions, peel and slice fine
• 1 cup salt
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• [sup]1[/sup]⁄[sub]2[/sub] cup pickling spices
• 2 [sup]1[/sup]⁄[sub]2[/sub] lbs white sugar
• 2 [sup]1[/sup]⁄[sub]2[/sub] lbs brown sugar
• [sup]1[/sup]⁄[sub]2[/sub] cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 red pepper, cut fine

[h3]Directions[/h3]

1. Soak the tomatoes and onions in the first amount of water and the salt over night.
2. Drain well in the morning.
3. Put the spice in a cloth bag, tie shut and crush with a rolling pin.
4. Put the vegetables in a pot with the vinegar and second amount of water, putting in the bag of spice.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer for half an hour.
6. Add the sugars and simmer another half an hour.
7. Stir together the cornstarch, dry mustard and tumeric.
8. Add a little of the simmering liquid to make a paste, then stir it into the tomato mixture.
9. Add the chopped pepper.
10. Simmer for 1 to 2 hours til thick.
11. Spoon into prepared jars and seal according to manufacturers directions.

 

[gary s]

I made a shelf to hold all the canned stuff  (Middle Shelf)

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• gary s
• Jul 14, 2017

 

[sqwib]

That is fantastic.

 

[gary s]

After a little Back and Forth on weather to plant a fall garden I decided I would.

Gunna start tilling it up this evening.

Pulled the last Cucumber today and took down the vines, Okra is still producing everyday 

Noe sure what all I will plant but probably go with a couple kinds of lettuce, some Spinach, Beans , Carrots, Turnips  and maybe something else  We'll see

Pics to come

Gary

 

[sqwib]

Don't forget the broccoli and zucchini
You can also plant a cover crop like crimson clover and oats. Adds nitrogen and Trace minerals after a killing Frost
I just did a few sections of my hugelkultur beds.
Can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

[gary s]

All Tilled up and planted for Fall

Garden is 16' X 32'    Okra still producing.

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• gary s
• Sep 8, 2017

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks Great Gary!!!

Should be harvesting again in what---2-3 weeks???

Bear

 

[gary s]

 
Looks Great Gary!!!

Should be harvesting again in what---2-3 weeks???

Bear

I wish !!    Still getting lots of Okra. Put up a couple of quarts of pickled yesterday

Gary

 

[sqwib]

I would love to grow okra but I'm the only one in the family that eats it.

What ways do you use the Okra, maybe I can sway the Better half to try it.