j3707
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Re: j3707's 2016 Garden

Here are a few more of the flower pictures from this weekend:

Red Elderberry (with peach in the background)
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Big Leaf Maple
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Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale)
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rainbowgardener
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Hi j -- Sorry I hadn't seen your reply. I don't know that I have a plan, so much as a fantasy. I'm picturing a 200-300 gallon tank set up next to our garden shed and partly shaded by it, with tilapia. But I know you need to have brood tanks, pumps, filters, etc and I'm not very knowledgeable about all that yet. I know you can do aquaculture, where your fish tank water circulates through a hydroponic grow bed, but it all seems complicated. When we had a small artificial pond before, one thing we had to do to help keep it clean was just remove some buckets of water and add fresh. So the low tech way of that would just be to water your garden with the removed buckets of fish tank water. Also the fish poo gets filtered out of the tank, so that would be a good garden additive. This might be when we got rain barrels to have rain water to add to the fish tank. With the small pond, I just had buckets of water sitting over night to evaporate the chlorine out. But that was only a 50 gallon pond. On this scale I would need more; a couple rain barrels should do it.

I have time, it may be 2018 before I am seriously working on it. In 2017, I want to get the chicken coop and hens. Seems more manageable place to start.

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rainbowgardener
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Just since you got me thinking about it, I think here is my fish tank!

Image

kiddie swimming pool 6' in diameter, 20" tall would be about 350 gallons of water, for $60. All of the regular 300 gallon water tanks I looked at were very spendy. This comes with its own filter pump.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/45932242?wmls ... =sem#about

j3707
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RG, it is interesting to think about the options. I like your low tech approach.

High tech has its place for sure...likeTilapia with lasers! 8)
laser.jpg
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j3707
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Here's a quick update: we've had very nice weather and the garden is happy. Over the last week we have harvested some nice spinach and kale. Here's a picture of the new bed.
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That darn Towhee ...now it's been pulling out my pole beans when they just break the surface. I am starting some in cells now and will transplant to the garden when they are a few inches tall. In the meantime I scattered some buckwheat seed.

Mr green
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Nice garden! Looks like you can be eating steady meals from it for a while now! Or atleast part of the meals. Sorry to hear about the beans.

j3707
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Thanks Mr. G, I am looking forward to those meals...and especially interested to try kholrabi and turnips for the first time.

That Towhee is a pest, but the situation is also amusing.

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applestar
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Everything looks like they are growing well. :D

...I'm curious -- Those boards are for walking on? Some areas still look hard to access. I tend to make (mounded) shorter row beds spaced with paths so the bed is accessible from both sides. Rows with fence on one side are narrower since they only have one-sided access. For a single very long wide row bed, I made it into a spiral for fun ("Spiral Garden").

I've "painted" myself into a corner before, especially with new beds that I haven't used before and had not considered all the ramifications after the plants grew up to mature size..... :> :wink:

j3707
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applestar, I think a spiral is a great idea, maybe that will be my next garden project (but I've got a pond project before that...)

The boards are the path down the middle. That kale crowding the walkway just gets picked and eaten.

It's intended to be an intensive growing space, so that was my primary thought when laying it out. Putting the path on top of the soil gives extra soil volume for plants on either side of the walkway to stretch out their roots. The boards are temporary, I will replace them with stepping stones and use the path for insectary plants that will tolerate minor foot traffic. If needed, more path area can be put in.

As it is, I can access everything pretty well. With the path down the middle and access from the outside walkways (btw, that chicken wire is also temporary), nothing is more than a 2 foot reach.

j3707
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This year I want to incorporate more container culture (at first I typed pot culture, but I think that's a different sort of culture nutz: )

I bought some 65 gallon fabric pots to put on my asphalt driveway near the hugel bed. These are for heat loving plants like tomatoes, melons and peppers. Watermelons can be difficult to grow here, I hope being on asphalt will help them ripen up.

I've raised my own tomatoes and melons for transplanting, yesterday I put them in the 3 fabric pots.

Tomatoes are: bobcat, fantastic, sungold cherry and oregon spring.

Melons are: Blacktail Mountain watermelon and Minnesota Midget.

I also want to plant Sugar Baby watermelon and a pepper or two.
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j3707
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Here's an update on my other raised bed...the one "mulched" with black plastic.

Last fall I put several wheelbarrows full of chicken compost and litter into this bed and covered it with black plastic over the winter. In spring I cut the circles and planted a mix of kale and broccoli. On the back edge I have some cucumbers that just came up.

My reasons for trying plastic mulch this year: In winter, to keep weeds from getting established in the bed. In spring, to warm the bed up quickly. In summer to retain moisture (this bed tended to dry out quickly last year). Finally, to block weeds, especially bindweed and horsetail which are a nuisance in this part of the yard.

So far, so good. The slugs have not been as big of an issue as I thought they might be. We had some hot days and that may have driven them from under the plastic, if they were there at all.

We have been harvesting kale and some broccoli leaves from this bed for several weeks now.
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j3707
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Last night we went out to thin the carrots and plant some bush beans in the new raised bed. As we were getting to work, my daughter said she saw a rat! That got my attention quick...in the past we had some rats start a nest under the chicken coop and get way too fat and sassy on chicken feed. I got rid of that nest, built a new coop and haven't had a problem since. So I grabbed a stick to flush it out and hopefully get a good look at it.

Well it didn't streak out of there like a rat usually would. I'd flush it and it would move down to the other end of the bed. We still couldn't see anything more than a brown blur because the leaf cover is so thick. Finally we saw it... a little cottontail bunny.
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Believe it or not, I've never had bunnies attack my garden before. Since this bed is right near the woods, I suspected they would show up, but just decided to wait and see.

So after the thinning and planting, I put up netting all around the bed instead of chicken wire.

We planted the bush beans in the space I had originally planted bush peas. I had sown some buckwheat which was about 8 inches high and nearly ready to flower. We knocked most of it over and planted the beans. I think it may have been better to leave the buckwheat standing until the beans were at least a few inches tall.
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I'm happy to see our first good sized broccoli head --- this is my first year growing them, I think it looks ready, but I don't want to pick too early. This is on a medium sized plant. The bigger plants are just starting to develop heads. The bunny ate one of them :x
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A week or two ago, I planted tomatoes at the ends of the bed amongst the turnips, spinach and kholrabi. I pick back the greens that are trying to crowd out the tomatoes. In a couple weeks, the tomatoes should be tall enough to fight their own battle. I like the hopeful flower peeking out in the second picture.
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Asica
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You have very nice garden.
With broccoli you have to pick it before it blooms. Also leave the plant, the side sprouts will keep on popping, they taste even better.

j3707
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Thanks Asica!

Do you like to eat broccoli leaves?

I see there is a company selling them in bunches like kale or chard...sounds like a good idea to me.

https://thebroccoleaf.com/

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rainbowgardener
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I do eat the broccoli leaves, while I am waiting for it to produce heads, just don't take too many. But broccoli and cabbage are closely related and we eat cabbage leaves. For eating raw, I just pull out the heavy mid-rib.

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applestar
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Looking good! The bunny/rat must have been a surprise -- I know I have to guard against them and I do have rabbit fence around my garden beds, but they can get creative and find holes I didn't notice. They are around but I haven't seen them in my garden yet... Possibly because my next door neighbor feeds feral? Local? Cats. But still -- Time to tighten up security!

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KitchenGardener
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Your garden looks great. I love how neat and orderly it looks with its rows. Sadly, I ate the last of my broccoli last night in a stirfry, and as is my typical practice, had a bag of broccoli leaves that I cut up and threw in at the end like cabbage. It was so good I ate it all. Now I wish the side shoots would hurry up! Enjoy your bounty!

j3707
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Thanks 8)

I sauteed some broccoli greens - there was just a hint of bitterness. The next day, my wife sauteed some of the broccoli head for a snack, she said it was really sweet! So next time I'll try both together, like you do kitchengardener.

Do any of you taste bitterness in the broccoli leaf? Any idea if it is variety related or is that how they all are?

applestar - I saw a full grown rabbit near the garden bed yesterday, good thing I got that netting up.
Last edited by j3707 on Sat May 14, 2016 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

j3707
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I always like to see volunteers of things I've planted before. A day or two ago, I was picking some broccoli and kale from the plastic mulched bed, I saw this volunteer plant:
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I grew some in this bed a couple years ago...can you guess what it is?

HoneyBerry
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I'm guessing kale on the left & collards or cabbage on the right.

j3707
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You got that right --- but there's smaller mystery plant in between them. You can see it better if you click on the picture. (I should have been more clear about that).

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applestar
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Is it borage?

HoneyBerry
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Arugula? Radish?

j3707
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applestar wrote:Is it borage?
You got it applestar. I'll let it stay there, the bees sure like it. There is another one at the back of the bed where I have cucumbers planted. It self sows quite well.

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applestar
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:-() I like the flowers but couldn't get used to the fuzzy leaves. :roll:
It self sows quite well
^^^^^^^
THERE's an understatement! :lol:

j3707
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A cool, rainy day in the Pacific Northwest...

We're getting near the end of harvest for my turnips, kale and broccoli. I pulled the biggest turnips first, a couple baseball sized ones. I'll pull the rest by the end of the month. Broccoli heads are mostly harvested, side shoots on the way. This morning I noticed one kale plant going to seed. I figure I'll replant those areas the first week of June, but not sure with what.

Our deep freezer is slowing filling up with produce.

Here's a picture of this morning's harvest:
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applestar
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Nice! Image

j3707
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Harvested quite a bit from the new raised bed today.

I pulled out all the beets, some were big enough to keep, some I just threw to the chickens. I'm pretty sure it was the hot weather in April that stunted them. All my beet and chard leaves looked scorched. The beets were able to put out new leaves, but not much in the way of roots.

Carrots are coming along OK. Seems like they need a little more time.

I harvested all the kohlrabi. Some bulbed up, some didn't. Not sure if that was the early hot weather, too much nitrogen or if they were spaced too closely.
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We sauteed some cubed kohlrabi with walla walla onion and cream....very tasty!

I packed some shredded kohlrabi leaves into a couple quart mason jars with about a teaspoon of salt per quart. I'm waiting for it to develop its own juice overnight, then I'll top off with water and put a lid on it. Hope to get some kohlrabi kraut! I'll have a report in a month or so.

Harvested all the walla walla onions. I'm letting them dry on our porch. I waited a bit too long...some of the necks were bent over and starting to rot at the top of the onion bulb. All the bulbs look OK though.
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applestar
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Looking good! it must be nice to be able to recycle scraps to feed chickens. Mine have to go straight to the compost pile or vermicomposter, but it would be nice to have that extra, productive level.

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KitchenGardener
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Lovely garden.

Can you say more about your Walla Wallas? I am growing them and was under the impression that they will tell me when they are ready by having their tops start to die back. Is that right, or do I have to ascertain somehow when they are ready and pull them before they rot? If so, eek, that's pressure and how do I tell when? Pointers for me?

j3707
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applestar, it is nice...and any they don't eat just turns into compost for the fruit trees in the chicken run.

KG, I have read about the tops dying back as well...but this is the advice I am using:
Harvest and Storage
Dry onions grown from sets take three to four months
to complete their growth. You will know they’re ready
to harvest when most of the necks and tops have fallen
over. Once this happens, the onions will not get any larger
and should be pulled and allowed to dry in a shaded area
with good air circulation. After the outer skin becomes dry
and crispy, they can be stored in mesh bags in a cool, dry
location. This should only take a few days if the weather is
warm and dry. Sweet onions do not store well, but yellow
onions, followed by red and white types, are best for storage.
Never try to encourage bulbing by knocking over the tops
of onions yourself. This won’t stimulate bulb development
or growth and can bruise the neck and lead to rot.
https://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/ ... FS097E.pdf

j3707
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Based on a comment I just read from applestar on a different post, it seems leaf miners are probably responsible for my beet and chard leaf damage. Someone I know had mentioned that to me, but the extent of the damage and timing had me thinking it was sun/heat related. I've grown beets and chard for several years and never had leaf miner damage...this year EVERY SINGLE beet and chard plant was hammered.

j3707
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I scattered buckwheat seed on some bare spots here and there. I've done this in the past, but always cut the buckwheat back before it goes to seed. This year I have let some get further along. An attractive plant and great cover crop.
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KitchenGardener
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Thank you for responding to my onion question - helpful, and according to that, my onions still are not ready (don't rush on my account, I only want to eat you... :roll: )

Great to see what buckwheat looks like. Gorgeous flowers. Off to look for cover crop seeds...

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applestar
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You have me wondering if I had any buckwheat seeds left as well :-()



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