Applestar's 2017 Garden

[applestar]

Took some photos of tomato blossoms and green baby fruits today

I was intrigued by these mega-blossoms -- (and of course HAD to include the one not mega with a metallic green bee working it)



These are my Maglia Rosa x (Coyote and Faelan's First Snow) F3 segregates. Early to mature.




Seeing those bright yellow blossoms made the clear flesh Vernissage Yellow's pale flower petals (and of course the striped fruits) stand out --



I wish Rebel Alliance was a little bit more grown up so you could see the multiflorall trusses better --

[applestar]

Thanks to pepperhead212, I'm more aware of the threat pepper maggot flies pose, so I've planted most of the remaining cherry pepper type varieties and thick-walled sweet varieties under an insect screen tunnel.

[bri80]

I was intrigued by these mega-blossoms -- (and of course HAD to include the one not mega with a metallic green bee working it)

I'm curious to see how any fruit that sets from that mega-blossom turn out! That's neat... I've had something similar happen and I got a giant, weirdly shaped fruit from it, but the blossom wasn't that large.

[applestar]

The “Big Reveal” – took the hoops and cover off the Japanese Striped Maize in the center of the Spiral Garden.

I got distracted by the elderflowers and forgot to take a picture while outside, so this is just a view from upstairs window....

[applestar]

Today's harvest,--

[applestar]

Finished planting SF&H --

- Pulled last bolted Michihili and harvested all of the large leaves from Senposal and Osaka Shirona(?)
- cleaned up weeds and damaged leaves
- scattered Citrus tone
- Planted peppers that need to be protected from pepper maggots
=King of the North? 2015
=Trinidad Perfum (patihum) 2015
=Chocolate Cake? 2015

=Sowed dry -- Bau Sin Kai Tsai, Semposai, Komatsuna, Osaka Shirona, Tokyo Bekana, Fun Jen, Misome, Mizuna, Yu Choi Sum, Yokatta-na, Southern Giant Curled Mustard....



Other possibilities for here --
=Sweet Chocoloco
=OKAHIJIKI
=DS Brussels sprouts
=Onions? Carrots?

[applestar]

I've just about given up on growing sunflowers this year. I started out with pre-sprouted seeds -- they disappeared so I sowed some pre-germinated seeds -- last of the seeds in the Lemon Queen packet -- and was seeing them start to sprout, when they were all beheaded. So I sowed soaked Hal-runner white mountaineer bean seeds.

Now I'm seeing beans suffering the same fate -- chipmunks? Voles? Whatever they are, they are eating the cotyledons (which are two halves of the seed) overnight. ...hmmm maybe slugs? But usually they don't eat the entire sprout at once -- I see them nibbled.

Starting to see same thing happening to my black edamame that have sprouted. Ugh!

It really is getting late for sunflowers and I was only going to grow the Lemon Queen this year -- was going to give up but there was that recent thread in which a new member from Maryland or Virginia said they sow/start Sunflower seeds all the way into July. I like growing sunflowers for the birds and wildlife -- I was reminded of that while posting in the Sunflower Hulls discussion.... bah. Maybe I WILL fuss with them a bit more and grow them to first trueleaf then transplant, or try putting up some kind of protection after direct seeding.

Now what to do about the beans -- I have a bush beans I want to grow, and more pole beans. It's getting late for edamame -- I don't have the seeds for early maturing varieties this year and was hoping to acclimate the black ones saved from last year's harvest.

[Taiji]

I've had a lot of trouble this year with something eating my cotyledons too. Not for sure what it is. Maybe more than one pest. I even suspect an occasional mouse. Once in awhile I see one running round; one of the few things that still manage to get in my enclosed garden. I finally seemed to get beyond that problem. I don't blame them because that's where so much nutrition is.

[applestar]

Those pesky little critters that reasonable amount of fencing can't keep out are the worst! More so because they ARE clever.

[applestar]

When I look over the indeterminate Tomatoes in the Sunflower House, the two varieties that stand out as competing for the TALLEST status are Wes and Sergeant Pepper's -- but both these are hearts and have wispy foliage.

So the ones that are more obviously trying to take over the most CRW remesh panel trellis space by spreading out with big leaves are Michalych and Amy Sue (Giant Syrian x Marianna's Peace)... and if they were also on the CRW remesh panel, Cheste and Grandma Oliver's Chocolate, and maybe Ernie's Plump would be as well.

I thought from all the descriptions that Rebel Yell would be one of them, but it is being pushed aside and dominated by Cheste.

[applestar]

Ground was dry and this was my chance to pull all the garlic before the tomato roots would be adversely affected from digging them up.

[applestar]

Tomatoes with green fruits in the Sunflower House and the Sunflower House Extension

First -- The Map


SFH

Dwarf tomatoes

- Dwarf Blazing Beauty
- Dwarf Chocolate Lightning
- Dwarf Orange Cream
- Dwarf Uluru Ochre



indeterminates, determinates

- Cheste (gerardo'Jul2016)
- Grandma Oliver's Chocolate (gixx'13)
- Ernie's Plump (meb'16)
- Ramallet Mallorquín Pequeño Multiflora (gerardo'Nov2016)
- Sergeant Pepper's (itali'16)
- Amy Sue (digitS'15) {Giant Syrian x Marianna's Peace F5? F6?}
- The Witz (digitS'16) Woodle Orange x ? F7/F8
- Mikhalych (tillyboris 2016)


cherry tomatoes

SFHX
- Maskotka (Clara 2016)
- WS.FFS F4 heart 8.16.16 ChLn
- NOT Raymondo's Australian Mist RPL (Aug'16)
- Rebel Alliance F5 (Marsha'16)
- Isolde (clara 2016)
- Vernissage Yellow Clear Flesh (VGC'15)


I am excited to see ALL THESE fruit shapes in the MRxCF F3 segregates. A little surprise, too, which I'm not sure how to interpret -- I will followup about that later. (Click for enlarged, zoomable view)




Since they started fruiting, I gave them all a side dressing of Tomato-tone. I want to put down kelp meal as well, but keep having to do other priority chores. I think I have to water as soon as it is light since the last rain didn't supply as as much water as needed -- only just enough for them to recover from being dry.

[applestar]

Ground-level views of the Spiral Garden 2017 Corn Patch



I am LOVING the Japanese Striped Maize -- it was a seed gift from a friend

[applestar]

I was intrigued by these mega-blossoms -- (and of course HAD to include the one not mega with a metallic green bee working it)

I'm curious to see how any fruit that sets from that mega-blossom turn out! That's neat... I've had something similar happen and I got a giant, weirdly shaped fruit from it, but the blossom wasn't that large.

I've been carrying around an electric toothbrush to buzz the mega-blossoms so all parts are fully pollinated, and also encourage fruitset when humid and pollen tends to clump, but so far, every time I try to buzz floral trusses, I end up disturbing tiny wasps, hoverflies, as well as the shiny green metallic sweat bees -- already hanging onto the end of the anthercone. So my efforts seem superfluous.

I'm beginning to think the blossoms with brown, bruised looking anther cone tips may have already been worked on by the bees. They cling to the end and buzz repeatedly while turning around and around....

Bee Types | Great Pollinator Project
https://greatpollinatorproject.org/polli ... /bee-types

Family Halictidae—Sweat Bees
Green metallic bees [...] Species in the genera Augochlora and Augochlorella are entirely brilliant green.

[applestar]

Ramallet Pequeñito en Ramos Multiflora (gerardo'Nov2016)

[applestar]

Today's top priority project was building a larger insect screened tunnel for the SVB-vulnerable Sweet REBA acorn squash (C.pepo) and Sibley Banana/Pike's Peak squash (C.maxima).



I have high hopes for REBA in the tunnel since it is supposed to be resistant to Powdery Mildew.

The Thai Kang Kob x Seminole crosses in the foreground are oddly yellow. I wasn't sure why since they were planted next to crab remains trench compost, but I needed to side dress the corn anyway, so I gave some to the squashes and hilled them, and fed the melons, too.

You can see that the Nutterbutter butternut squash are doing well, and the seeds I sowed in addition to the one have also sprouted.

I'm bummed that only one Borlotto bean out of the 5 or 6 I sowed under these T-posts managed to escape the chipmunk raids, but thankful that "Baby Fweddy-Fwed" -- a.k.a. the bunny wabbit - hasn't found it.

[applestar]

The Japanese Striped Maize in the VGSIP are not showing much red stripes, if any, but look at this MONSTER!! It's beautiful



(There is a volunteer tomato that sprang up behind the SIP. Tiny blossoms so it might be Petite Pomme Blanche ...or Coyote.)

[applestar]

Kitchen Garden Patio SIP progress photo and the Purple Coneflower in bloom (big one was originally a gift plant from a member here plus seed-started babies)


...yep, that's "Tim"F2 there...

[applestar]

...three kinds of mint... Spear, Pepper, Apple

I was looking for "mojito" mint which is supposed to be a hybrid (Mentha x villosa)
...then came across this:
Mentha x villosa alopecuroides Apple Mint PFAF Plant Database
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinNa ... pecuroides

[applestar]

One of my friends likes to send me "seed challenges" So I attempted to grow Okahijiki/Land Seaweed along with other greens earlier in spring (cool weather crop). But couldn't get them to germinate or sprout after two tries.

Well, I am trying again after finding this note:

Mustard 'Oka Hijiki' (Salsola Komarovi) Vegetable Plant Heirloom, 1.5g (~150) Seeds
https://www.theseedsmaster.com/index.php ... uct_id=865

Super nutritious, grass-like mustard green also known as 'seaweed on land'. 2in (5cm) long, deep green matchstick leaves are wonderul source of calcium, potassium and vit. A. Young leaves are tender, salty and tart with a succulent texture,
[...]

Growing: Prefers mild and cool temperatures. Pre-chill seeds for 7 days at 41F (5C) for better germination. Germination temp. 68-86F (20-30C) for 14 days

Also started a bunch of cruciferous seeds -- broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and some kohlrabi -- so I can make an attempt at fall crop.

[applestar]

I just realized maybe I should be posting the tomatoes in the tomato garden progress forum....

Well, maybe soon. For now, here are some more developing green fruits --
- Bear Creek (tbug EGT'15)
- Cheste (gerardo'Jul2016)
- Ernie's Plump (meb'16) -- fun shapes!
- Grandma Oliver's Chocolate (gixx'13)



I guess I might've shown these dwarfs before? They are growing well and I must have started them early enough because they are fruiting with the earliest of the indies... or else these are earlier varieties.
- Dwf Uluru Ochre (asmx 2016)
- Dwf Chocolate Lightning (tbug)
- Dwf Blazing Beauty (itali 2016)

[applestar]

VG.PSRBs (Veg Garden Pallet Sided Raised Beds) are coming along



I posted close ups of the Japanese Striped Maize in the VG.SIP before. In addition to the fertilizer strip, their remote reservoir bucket has a resident overwintered feeder goldfish -- 3-4 inches long -- that help with the mosquito problem, and I feed it any pest caterpillars and other bugs I find.


Here are the JSM in the Spiral Garden. Whether due to lucky seeds or difference in soil nutrient/mineral content, or cooler soil, drier conditions... who knows? Some of these have red stripes:

[wisconsindead]

Super cool looking corn.

[applestar]

They sure ARE! I can't wait to see the cobs/kernels themselves. I think they are flour type/decorative, but I don't care.

My medley crosses will be interesting too, and they are hopefully mostly sweet -- I sorted out and only planted wrinkled/shrunken-looking kernels. I also planted a little patch to carry on the Glass Gem/popcorn type. And then there are the Mexican Pink/Purple which were huge flat kernels. I really have to try to take a picture of them because I think the foliage is sort of blue-green looking compared to the others.

[applestar]

I absolutely had to put up a nylon netting trellis for the Korean cucumbers in VGD.PSRB TODAY. Of course no task in my garden is simple, to do A I have to do B and C, possibly D.

In this case, I HAD to scrub the fence. Last year, I missed my chance because one day the plants were tiny and the next day they were all over the fence.

Last year, too, I was dithering because I couldn't decide what cleaning product to use. Last time before that, I used a fairy heavy concentration of Dr. Bronner's peppermint liquid soap, which worked fantastically, but made lots of suds requiring several rinsing, and I was concerned that all insects would have been killed -- not just bad ones but beneficials, too. And I NEED these borders guarded by the Garden Patrol since it's the Death Zone beyond this point, and I imagine the pestilent bugs resurrecting like zombies out there.

Today, as soon as I decided that I could NOT hang the brand-new shiny white netting trellis without washing the fence first, the answer materialized right there in my head -- Epsom Salts! Salt is algaecidal, Epsom Salts are beneficial to the garden in small quantities while still being salts, detrimental to slugs. There are hordes of slugs hiding between the base of the fence and the raised bed pallets. Win-win-win!

I mixed up 1 Tbs Epsom Salts in 1 gallon of water -- a typical dilution used by gardeners who extoll Epsom Salts, then a tiny dibble of peppermint soap. Just enough to make it cloudy. Scrubbed on with a retired soft kitchen dish washing brush, it worked like a charm

[applestar]

Edible landscaping concept --



Triple Crown thornless blackberry canes trained on an inexpensive white arch arbor over the gate and interwoven to form a screening hedge/corral surrounding the central AC unit.



Currently working on building up an independent arch arbor out of the blackberry cane wickers as they grow and age....

[applestar]

I was tempted by this thread into sowing some Okra seeds. Both the Okra and the Butta summer squash have sprouted.
Subject: Okra question

Sat Jul 08, 2017 8:18 pm

I soaked and sowed some Clemson Spineless and Alabama Red, but it turned out my seeds are kind of old, so I'm not sure what kind of germination I will get. I sowed extra, extra, which should mean there will be more than enough, but we'll see.

I will have to get new seeds for next year, or if these germinate, save at least one plant for seed-making (sacrifice and allow first pod to mature to ensure pod will have the chance to fully mature before frost)....

...forgot to mention one of the volunteer squash I was letting grow had the telltale wet sawdust on its stem -- I dissected it to see and found 2 SVB's, so the summer squash may have no chance.

[applestar]

Started July 9th .... today



Broccoli, Limba (Fedco’13)
Broccoli, Purple Peacock (Fedco’13)
Kohlrabi, Superschmelz (Ellie’14)
Cauliflower, Early Snowball 2013
Cauliflower, Snowball (ellie)
Chinese Cabbage, Kyoto No.3 (Kitazawa’15)
Kale, Lacinato (SESE’09)
Kale, Flowering Peacock Red (Pinetree’13)
Kale, Lacinato
Kohlrabi, Azure Star (Park’13)
Kohlrabi, Kolibri (Pinetree’14)
Cabbage, Brunswick (LinFL’16)

[applestar]

I mentioned elsewhere that my plants must be secretly monitoring what I post about them on the internet, because they seem to respond. Well, look at the Japanese Striped Maize in the VG.SIP today:



When I looked closely and counted, I realized that 8 out of 9 plants in there -- I.e. all except one -- are showing red stripes now....

[applestar]

VGA high raised bed, viewed from

Southeast


Northwest

[bri80]

I mentioned elsewhere that my plants must be secretly monitoring what I post about them on the internet, because they seem to respond. Well, look at the Japanese Striped Maize in the VG.SIP today:



When I looked closely and counted, I realized that 8 out of 9 plants in there -- I.e. all except one -- are showing red stripes now....

That is cool. I wish I had the space to grow corn! Especially some awesome variety like that.

Mind if I ask what VG.SIP stands for?

[applestar]

Vegetable Garden SIP

...from p.11 June 19 I think -- forgot already

Subject: Applestar's 2017 Garden

I got the VGD.PSRB planted. This year's "share with the neighbor" fence crop will be the Korean cucumbers. I rarely grow hybrids, but I decided to stick with productive, disease resistant varieties when doing this. If some of the tomatoes --particularly Bear Creek -- and the Giant Marconi peppers and Hari eggplants manage to top the fence, they will provide nice addition for offering.



In VG.SIP, Japanese Striped Maize and Korean Melon are settling in. We are having mostly overcast days so I removed the screen cover. If the melon seeds in the other corner don't sprout, I will have to sow some more.

The ants had moved out of the used SIP potting mix pile (to underneath the mulch bag -- so I didn't have to deal with the ants while I worked to fill the VGB.PSRB.

I got overheated and tired -- not hot but so muggy today -- wasn't able to quite finish up. We are expecting thunderstorms later/soon so I did want to take care of all of the potting mix, which I was able to manage.

I had a "grand plan" for this patio corner, but had to put it aside since it was holding up the rest of the planting. This SIP will be designated "Kitchen Garden Patio SIP" (KGP.SIP) and, along with the other planters and containers, will be planted with Mexican/Southwestern cuisine ingredients

[applestar]

15 pages in this thread already! I started a Tomato Garden progress thread so I can post details about the tomatoes and other solanacea without overwhelming this thread
Subject: Applestar's 2017 Tomatoes (and peppers and eggplants)

[bri80]

Vegetable Garden SIP

So maybe I'm dumb, but what's SIP??

[applestar]

Oops sorry I got used to talking in these abbreviations. Sub-Irrigated Planter.
Here's a bit of discussion about them Subject: Self Watering Container and Sub-irrigated Planter

[bri80]

Oops sorry I got used to talking in these abbreviations. Sub-Irrigated Planter.
Here's a bit of discussion about them Subject: Self Watering Container and Sub-irrigated Planter

Hey, cool! Very creative!

[applestar]

Plants that prefer warmer root zone than my garden and climate can supply seem to do really well in these -- peppers and eggplants for sure. Most likely melons as well. I'm also trying them for ones that really suffer from our summer drought since the reservoir can maintain steady moisture levels.

[applestar]

I finished hilling the corn in the Spiral Garden and sowed some bush beans in available spots ....you don't see any? Well I MADE them fit


Okra and summer squash seeds sprouted

[applestar]

A number of green fruits are starting to color break, but it looks like the first to actually BLUSH among the SFH/SFHX in-ground tomatoes is the Not Raymondo's Australian Mist Currant-leaf RL. I don't know if the color didn't show up well in this morning's photo or if it's the angle, but I could clearly see the yellow color from the upstairs window this afternoon.



...runner up prize might go to Maskotka, but this one needs to go full red, so not really.

[applestar]

Here is my lean-to overhead trellis idea for the cucumbers in VGD.PSRB (pallet sided raised bed) on the left and cherry/indeterminate tomatoes in VGB.PSRB on the right. Neither of them are completely finished since I want to add the front edge bamboo to the 4'x4' VGD which I built first.

I really like the look of the 4'x6.5' VGB trellis, but it is not completely secured yet. My neighbor's lawn service came and started spraying so I had to skedaddle. The odor lingered for a while, making me suspicious that they didn't keep their sprayer wand low again, so I ended up spending my time rinsing off my blackberries and other plants with hose end sprayer after they had gone and the air had settled.



I expect some of the fruits (Korean cucumber, indeterminate and cherry tomatoes, Korean melon) will end up being left laying on top of the wire fence, though I intend to try to be vigilant and train any wayward floral/fruit trusses into hanging the fruit underneath.

...yes I HAD to take extra pictures of the Japanese Striped Maize

The PSRB was my answer to have solid skid panels against the picket fence as a barrier, and to raise the planted plants way above the ground level. The beds were filled semi-hugelkultur so there is over-abundance of biological activity underneath to act as bio-remediation. The SIP in the middle is isolated from the ground. I'm not entirely sanguine but by planting broadleafs susceptible to herbicides, these beds are used to check for possible contamination of the VG beds that are further in, and I do share the harvest over the fence with my neighbor.