P.A. Garden Diary 2009 (lots of pics!)

[splat42069]

Thanks Crobi. I don't kno what its like in New England but id sure like to see:) Someday I'll get to travel across the world. But for now ill take the Pennsylvania summer weather for gardening

This garden is more then I wanted(since I don't really like tomato's(wife does) but ill get threw it). My pride and joy is the peppers and zukes.

[Diane]

Everything looks great!!!

I still have not been able to harvest any toms or cukes yet. I've gotten a few Sarrano & Jalepeno peppers & a handful of greenbeans but that's it. This year, Mother Nature has reminded us New Englanders that she is the boss.

Sounds like my garden. Have you thought of growing berries? It's nice to harvest those while waiting for the veggies.
I have also harvested 12-15 small/med potatoes with many more to come.

[splat42069]

I don't have much time but I went into the Garden today and found my first ripe BigBeef tomato. I was a happy father lol.

Also picked a bunch of Sweet Cherry100 maters for Pickled Green tomatoes.

The last picture is of the ones that got done about 2 weeks ago.

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2678.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2677.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2679.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2681.jpg[/img]

[splat42069]

I just tried my attempt at a Stuffed Green Pepper. I went out and picked 2 of my biggest California Wonders and tried this recipe I got from www.allrecipes.com.

Heres some before and after pictures. I'm enjoying this right now its actually very good. Good combination between the hamburger/rice mixture and alittle splash of green pepper on every bite.

On the first picture on the right is a Big Bertha, IMO it kidna taste grassy and I wont plant this one again. My plant is over 3ft tall and the peppers from it are not very good at all. The 2 on the left are the ones I used for this tasty homemade dinner.

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2682.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2683.jpg[/img]

[kgall]

Splat...Did you boil the peppers before you filled them? My recipe calls for boiling them 5-7 minutes and they always split on me. I now boil them for only 3 minutes and they never split and have just the hint of firmness to them. My husband loves them!
My green peppers aren't doing well!

[splat42069]

Yes Kgal I did boil them but I think for alittle to long. The one on the right did split on me and I tried all I could to not split the other one. I actally after they were done boiling I put them in the freezer to stop them from cooking anymore.Sorry to hear about your peppers. I really hope they come around!

I took some pics today of all my plants around the yard and house. I also found out the type of peppers I have now. I found the little markers for them.

These first pictures are Peppers.

Lafeyette..
[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2689.jpg[/img]

Golden California Wonder..

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2684.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2685.jpg[/img]

California Wonder...

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2694.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2700.jpg[/img]

Big Bertha...

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2696.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2698.jpg[/img]

Cubanelle...[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2688.jpg[/img]

Here are the Tomato plants..

3 Big Beef and 1 Sweet Cherry 100.

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2692.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2693.jpg[/img]

These next ones I'm still trying to figure out what variety these are, I got them from a friend and she didnt know. They were transplanted about 2 weeks ago after only being about 6 inches big. They have really taken off!

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2710-1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2687.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2704.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2706.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2707.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2708.jpg[/img]

Here are pictures of the cantelope I planted the same time as the GCW,lafeyette,and cubanelle peppers. Its starting to flower everyday but still no signs of fruit. Its also growing up the fence I have around them.

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2701.jpg[/img]

Cucumber plant... The little one in this picture hasnt grown for over a month. I'm wondering if its even gonna do anything. The bigger one is about a week old and is still growing nicely.

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2702.jpg[/img]

Zuchuini plant. I trimmed off the dead leaves about a week ago and its starting to look nice again. Still fighting this damn Powdery Mildew problem tho. But as you can I have tons of male and female flowers forming on the plant.I cant believe the size of the base of this plant. Its atleast 2ft long. I will deffinately grow 1 or 2 more of these next year. I love it on the grill marinated in Italian dressing.

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2690.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2691.jpg[/img].

These next pictures are some bonus plants I got from that same friend with the unknown mater plants.

These are Moonflower plants, waiting to be transplanted. And Chicks/hens plant I think its called?

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2712-1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2713-1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/splat42069/100_2714.jpg[/img]

Well guys and girls thats all all for now. Questions and Comments are always welcome!

[Diane]

I usually bake my stuffed peppers. I nuke them first for a minute or two.
I had good results with the crock pot too. Yours look yummy.

I would pick that month old cuke. I might be holding up new ones.
Your peppers look great. I'm going to look for big bertha next year.
There was an article someone posted that said powdery mildew spores are killed by water.
I know it's contrary to what we've been told in the past.

[splat42069]

I usually bake my stuffed peppers. I nuke them first for a minute or two.
I had good results with the crock pot too. Yours look yummy.

I would pick that month old cuke. I might be holding up new ones.
Your peppers look great. I'm going to look for big bertha next year.
There was an article someone posted that said powdery mildew spores are killed by water.
I know it's contrary to what we've been told in the past.

I boiled the peppers for about 5-6 mins then filled them with the filling and baked at 350* for 30 mins.

The Big Bertha plant is huge,but the peppers IMO taste like grass, I don't really care for them.

The California Wonders peppers are real crisp and tasty, ill deffinately grow them again next year.