2017 Gardening Thread

Discussion in 'Member Casual Chat' started by Deckel, Mar 25, 2017.

  1. daisydotell

    daisydotell Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    My FIL grew pole beans in the fall for the market, and that is what gave me the idea to plant fall beans.
     
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  2. ChrisL

    ChrisL Well-Known Member

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    Those look fantastic. Mine are puny in comparison. :laughing:
     
  3. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Feel like I won the lottery today. The seed store finally had onions in for fall planting and the tree guy I texted this morning came right out, gave me a quote a fraction of what I thought it was going to be to butcher one side of an old elm tree hanging over my house and will be here bright and early tomorrow to do his thing. That tree has been fretting me since I bought the place a few years ago. Last time he quoted me it was very pricey, but now he has a new truck with a massive boom that will reach up into the canopy so it isn't as big a deal for him as it once was. Of course, I have to cut it up once it is down but well worth the savings and I know an old man who will gladly take every scrap of wood I can round up out of it.
     
  4. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    When growing asparagus,

    it there an easy way to spot the spears

    from the foliage?




    Fresh picked it is so yummy and tender just to eat then and there, raw.
    Just like the corn.
     
  5. politicalcenter

    politicalcenter Well-Known Member

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    Got fourty broccoli plants in the ground finally. Started them from seed. I will buy some plants next week and will start harvesting baby limas tomorrow. Gonna pull out my pepper plants and cherry tomatoes this week. Our Christmas limas are just beginning to put on. They always seem to be late.
     
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  6. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The spear is the top foliage before it unfolds when it is first coming out of the ground in the spring. You just cut the shoots off. If you plant it, most of them take 3-5 years recommended in ground with no harvesting before you start doing it to give the plant time to get well established and produce several healthy-sized shoots (and not die when you start whacking it off). Next year will be my first year harvesting at my new house. I probably could have this year but decided to wait one more. I have a bed of it. You can readily tell because it looks like a bunch of asparagus poking up before it gets any foliage at all.
     
  7. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The Christmas limas are always abundant fall producers. I was told that is why they are called Christmas beans---they produce from fall to Christmas. I have maybe a quarter pound of beans I have snatched throughout the season but will probably end up with two or three more pounds between now and the killing frost.
     
  8. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The problem is there are two kinds of foliage.
    The thick Asparagus Fern looking foliage, not edible and spears hiding within.
    My patch is about 6 years hold.
    How to more easily see the spears. Cut back the other foliage?
     
  9. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    When they look like:

    asparg.jpg
     
  10. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Are you saying I should cut down the Not Spears foliage and
    more easily see the spears if not stimulate them more spears? ?
    I know when to cut a spear. The trick is to see it in the "jungle" of
    Asparagus Fern type foliage.
     
  11. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    You harvest the tops of the male plants and that is it. The males are the thick crowns. The female ones, with all the foliage and the red berries should not be harvested (i.e. the skinny ones) . You cut back the crowns from the thick ones in spring when they get about eight inches tall. After that, you leave the plants alone If you over harvest, it risks killing the plants. Some varieties do not require male/female, but you still only harvest in the spring if you want to have that plant around for years. If you have a jungle you should spread the plants out. You shouldn't cut down the fern type foliage. It is best that you not even cut it back after winter hits it until very late winter.
     
  12. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The red berry type foliage, the fern like stuff, obliterates my view of spears.
    Your pictures show naked spears with no fern like foliage. How come?
    Maybe a California, agri zone 10 thing?
     
  13. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Because that is what it looks like when it comes out of the ground in most places in the spring before you get any foliage at all. If yours never dies back, I haven't a clue but here is one guide I found for your area: http://www.ocregister.com/2006/01/14/how-to-grow-asparagus-in-southern-california/
     
  14. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I read the article.
    No help.
    I did all it says and the patch is about five years old.
    My problem is the fern like foliage obliterates a view of the spears.
    Your spears were like palm trees with no fern growth around them, easy pickin's
    Yes I harvest some spears now and then and usually eat them their in the yard.
    Maybe I should just cut down the fern stuff this late in the season and watch?
     
  15. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Since my helpless article suggested that maybe you should reread it, paying particular attention to the part that says, "Alternate harvest: In well-developed asparagus beds, you can harvest half of your asparagus plants in the spring, leaving the other half to grow. Then in early August, cut down the other half of your ferns, which will produce a late crop of spears toward fall."
     
  16. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Now it makes sense. Will try cut off the fern stuff on some
    I never cut the fern parts until late Autumn.
    Gracias
     
  17. Moi621

    Moi621 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    My loquat trees are showing the earliest signs of blossoming.
    That's Loquat, not kumquat
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat

    They fruit once a year and I have not been able to figure out their cycle.
    Sometimes, the fruit is ripe by the end of January.
    Most years, months later. But, diabolically, never the same month.
    No care needed. They grow like weeds here.

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Guess Who

    Guess Who Well-Known Member

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    We bought some transplants since we didn't sow seeds this year. I just can't get into the mood but hubby did put them in bigger pots yesterday.
    I couldn't find eve none heirloom tomato plant though, so it will be hybrids till I plant seeds.
    Have to get greenhouse up in next month or so. Just have to cover it the frame is already there. May use hydroponics not sure yet. We did so well with them. Had plenty tomatoes to can.
     
  19. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I take it you are somewhere warm
     
  20. Guess Who

    Guess Who Well-Known Member

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    Yes but we do have seasons here. And it can get down into the singles. But very seldom does. This winter is suppose to be mild.
     
  21. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Where is here? In my part of here we are going into fall not coming out of winter.
     
  22. Guess Who

    Guess Who Well-Known Member

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    LOL, In the deep southeast.
     
  23. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Interesting. I assume you mean like Florida. Your post made me think you were getting ready to plant your spring garden now which seems odd even for Florida.
     
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  24. Deckel

    Deckel Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Good luck with your future gardening adventures folks. I am out of here.
     
  25. Guess Who

    Guess Who Well-Known Member

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    Hey Deckel where did you go and why?
     

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