PNW: July 2013

What kind of plastic are you using, boffer?

6 mil general purpose/construction plastic from the big box stores. I'm getting 3-4 years use out of it in my climate.

You don't find it problematic re not letting the soil have good air circulation?

Marc, honestly, I hadn't considered it.  

Seeing is believing?  It's not an original idea, and has been similarly used in gardening for a long time, so it has a long track record to recommend.

It helps warm the soil, keeps down weeds, and retains moisture.  After harvest, I pull back the plastic to add compost, leave it exposed to get saturated by rain, then cover it back up.  The only disadvantage that I've encountered is that mice think it's their playground underneath the plastic (warm, dry, and predator safe), and they help themselves to the seeds that I plant.  I learned my lesson the hard way, and only plant seedlings in the plastic now.

Marc,

Always cut a few slits in the plastic sheeting to allow ventilation.

wow Debs look at all those beans  

last night we spoted a few tiny ones forming  maybe even one we could eat....its weird we look at the garden every day....nothing...then boom...you get a bean that wasnt there the day before.....

we also found a Delica (SP?) squash and black b. zuk that wasnt there yesterday.....i was getting worried because Boffer has ton's of squash growing.... 

our son does have a nice size pumpkin growing   he is growing it for the *BIG stuff* contest this year  I will post some pictures....we.... ..him and I ...have been feeding it special food  our own recipe...... .

happy gardening
rose

FamilyGardening wrote:wow Debs look at all those beans  

Thanks for pointing that out, Rose.  I swear those beans weren't in the picture when I looked at it this AM.

FamilyGardening wrote:...its weird we look at the garden every day....nothing...then boom...you get a bean that wasnt there the day before........

See above.  

Oh look at what you all have been up to!  Thanks for all the garden updates everyone - it's so nice to read what you're planting for fall and see how well your summer gardens are doing.  Seems to be a magical year here.  

boffer, I love the squash pics.  I was thinking my spaghetti squash was coming along pretty well until I saw yours!   Today I found female and male flowers open at the same time, and some small bees flying around the coreopsis flowers I placed in front to entice them over, so hopefully they got the job done and I'll get a couple of squash going!  Oh, I also think I came up with where I can build a cattle panel arch to grow beans and squash over and let the kids run under.  We'll see.

You know Debs, I thought you were saying you got everything planted so late...  How is it you have beans already?  I planted Dragon's Tongue bush beans June 6th, and try as I might I can't find any flowers yet.  

FamilyGardening, I spend a ridiculous amount of time looking at the veggie plants I've got growing and just love the new surprises every day.  Things change so fast it's startling sometimes!  Those squash flowers that were open this morning were already spent when I checked them this afternoon.  But then I spotted my first baby cukes that weren't there this morning!  It's a good thing the "watched pot never boils" saying doesn't apply to veggies.  

Harvested some purple plum radishes for my dinner salad yesterday (speaking of things changing quickly - I had been thinking these were just going to bolt but then they seemed to bulb up overnight):

The pot trellises I mentioned earlier.  I wasn't sure when I bought them if they'd work since they would be freestanding and not supported against the back of the box, but they work just fine. Which is good, because they are tall enough to work as a trellis for Oregon Sugar Pod II peas next:

My stupid, floppy broccoli.  You can see it defied my attempts to keep it upright:

Mini pumpkins have outgrown my banana pepper plant, but sun is up high enough pepper is still getting it's rays:

Earlier I mentioned Wally's world only carrying MiracleGro peat moss. Next try was Yard n' Garden land and turns out they stopped carrying peat moss. Third time's a charm and I got some at good ole Freddies. Gonna finish up the strawberry cheesecake and blueberry cheesecake popsicles I started with my kiddos and get them in the freezer. Then I have a date with a bucket and the wheelbarrow in the garage for some MM making.  

gwennifer wrote:...Then I have a date with a bucket and the wheelbarrow in the garage for some MM making.   

You gots the feevah!  

Sounds scandalous!

gwennifer wrote:You know Debs, I thought you were saying you got everything planted so late...  How is it you have beans already?  I planted Dragon's Tongue bush beans June 6th, and try as I might I can't find any flowers yet.  

 I KNOW! I credit the hot days and the neighbor lady's horse.

My dragon tongues planted on 6/30 (I think) have not blossomed yet either. The burgandy beans planted the same day as provider (I don't remember when, maybe late May??) are still just a mass of blossoms.

Burgandy (purple) snap beans


Red Russian Kale

I don't know if it makes you feel better or not, this is the biggest kale in the box. (planted July 1)

[quote="FamilyGardening"]....

HappyCamper.....what color flesh does that beauty have?....is it sweet tasting...I just love the look of it!....our favorite is Acorn squash, but we are willing to try something different  if its a good producer and over winter keeper  
quote]

FamilyGardening, Sorry I didn't get back sooner.  They have white flesh on the inside like a Black Beauty zucchini.  I kept one throughout this last winter and then opened it this March, while it didn't mold, it was "pithy" inside and a little dry.  I used the seeds to start the plant in the picture with a few saved for next year.  The outsides are a light green with a whitish color.

I like them for the round shape and they make great individual Zucchini Boats for a fun thing for dinner.  They work well for a few slices on a plate (grilled or fried or stir-fried) as a second veggie for dinner.  If you have never made one, Google "Zucchini Boat" recipes, they are very good and you can stuff them with almost anything! (I use leftovers)

HappyCamper.......thank you for telling us about the *Zucchini Boat* as this year is our first year growing Zucchini.....hubby and I do not care for store bought Zucchini and have never tried a fresh from the garden one....the kids have never tasted it before......we are or I should say.... the kids and I are looking forward to the black b. Zucchini that we just spotted out in our SFG three sisters bed   

GWEN....how was your date out in the garage?  
love the pic of your purple plum radishes  how did they taste?....the only raddish that didn't bolt this spring was the French breakfast....we are going to re-sow some more watermelon ones and hope we get to try a taste this time  

Deb's.....sure glad your garden is coming along so well even with a late start ...seems like everything is growing pretty on time really with the rest of us  

Boffer .....even though you are in the cooler part of the PNW like we are....you have a lot of hot summer veggies growing  ....im a tad bit jealous

SG...how is the neighborhood veggie/fruit "swap" going?

hugs
rose

well.....the cole crop bed in the back garden.... blew up  ....after all the fret of the seedlings not taking off and taking forever to head up.....we were able to harvest some nice veggies and transplant most of the fall baby seedlings  there are still about 6 or so broc or caulis that are still trying to head up....hoping the don't bolt  

we harvest all of the cabbage....


 

another cauliflower and a few med size broc heads  and the rest of our cabbage



we were able to plant the rest of our fall crops....of carrots, spinach, onions and leeks....still need to plant the lettuce and transplant the kale and collard greens....
the sugar snap peas are up  

we are starting to harvest our first green and yellow beans and still need to harvest the rest of our potatoes.....

squash, pumpkin and zuck have babies

lots of flowers on the cucumbers and have had 2 to eat....that were fantastic!...we want more!

corn in the back garden is tasseling and the later planting of corn is growing great!

I think we may have a couple turnips that are growing....

we have been dehydrating.....herbs, green onions, kale and cabbage  and freezing the broc's and cauli's.......

looking forward to being busy we hope canning beans soon  

happy gardening
rose

 Wow!  That is one HUGE cabbage, congrats!

What I planted today:
Kohlrabi
Hi-Shi-Ko green onions
Spinach
Mesclun mix
Oregon Sugar Pod peas

I pulled alot of spring crops and harvested seeds from some more lettuce, kale, peas (little marvel) and arugula.

Are giant cabbage leaves like those worth eating or do they get too ... something, I dunno? Bitter? Fibrous? Stinky?

Yes, that cabbage is huge!!! What can you do with the leaves?

Rose, another cabbage head pic. Fun! So the book says one per square with cabbage - that plant is obviously larger - did you plant them that intensively?

I didn't get my garage time after all. Maybe today. *sigh* Don't know how the single moms do it - I'm kinda one by way of a workaholic husband and when I finally get the kids in bed and the place picked up and dinner dishes done, all I want to do is plop down somewhere and relax.

The purple plum radishes are spicy. I can't remember but I think it was member daniel9999 from last year who was saying they have different degrees of spiciness depending on when they are grown or something? Or maybe they get spicier with age? Mine bulbed up last week and I've been pulling them this week - most of them are not bulb shaped but are growing long like carrots. The package says sweet and crunchy. My watermelon radishes planted the same day in the adjacent square have not bulbed.

happycamper, thanks for the planting update! I always enjoy reading what you've been up to. I saw Little Marvel peas at the store but can't remember - are they a bush/vine and are the pods edible?

Rose, that's a biggun!  I looked for Josh's pic from last year that is similar, but most of his pics have been removed.  Therefore...yours is the biggest!   

Only in the PNW?:

TT with plants growing on the top AND bottom!



Ferns and dried up moss



The moss came off easily with a scrub brush; I pulled the ferns off, but I know I left a lot of roots inside the weed cloth.  This is one of my newer boxes, and it is the worst.  Apparently ferns like MM too.  I have a little moss on the oldest boxes (6 years), but no ferns.

I got to nibble my first green beans of the year today.    I guess I better get my canning station dusted off.  I'm aiming for 40 pints of canned green beans, then the rest will be dilly beans.

wow Boffer who would of thought that under your table tops you would be growing stuff  those ferns are crazy!

we have been gone all weekend and came back to find BEANS....lots of yellow pole beans and a few green and purple bush beans  wow...when those beans decide to grow they take off......

our tomato plants went crazy as so did the corn  

we are in a bit of shock of how much growth the gardens went thru since Thursday night....crazy!

gwen.....those cabbages we harvested was from our back garden....we planted 4 in a 2x6 area of the cole crop bed...

happy gardening
rose

I sure miss waking up at 4:30 AM to a beautiful sunrise. I love morning light.... not the kind I have to switch on. Everett has settled into a marine pattern. Thick AM fog that does not burn off to blue sky, but a chilly gray cloud layer that withholds its moisture. By late afternoon the July heat is intense and the sky finally turns blue. I think the plants get confused.

Leaf lettuces: Grandpa Admire, Divina butterhead, and Flashy trouts back.

These are the first lettuces of the season. I did manage to get a few squares of Asian greens going in March but they are short lived once the heat is on. This was a tub of short season yellow potatoes. The red tomatoes in the back ground are normal in late August in Everett, not late July.

Royal Burgundy Bush Snap Bean

Both the bush beans, Royal Burgundy and Provider were planted on the same hot day in late May. We have been eating sweet, tender Provider for a couple of weeks. These pretty purple pods are just coming on. On the other edge of the box, the bush snap beans I planted June 15th are showing signs of budding, though they are a long way from making beans. White seeded Empress (1 square, all of which will become seed.... how did I let myself get so low?), Dragon and yellow bush filet bean, Solae. Against the back fence is an eight string pole for the French filet bean, Fortex. I am hoping Fortex hurries a little with all the heat she has been soaking up. I did not get her planted until July 1st.

Provider Snap Bean and the smallest of the Thompson's Broccoli (OP)

Down the center of the bush bean box I planted my winter (should that be fall?) broccoli on July 1st. I was worried it would not start any fast growth before being overshadowed by the beans but the cool mornings have been good for the broccoli (I think). It finally looks like more than a row of sprouts. This pic represents the smallest of the broccoli plants. It was actually a pic of green beans that "accidently" included an image of broccoli. I have 5 squares of full season Thompsons OP (which gave me a 9 inch head in 2011) and three squares of (new for me) short season Solstice OP.

Plain ol' Swiss Chard for the winter garden.

Usually I moan about not getting my winter garden going, not my spring garden but everything has been turned on its head for lucky '13. On July 15 (7 days ago) I pulled out all the peas and Fava beans, replacing them with cool crops for later this year. It is really weird having a garden full of sprouts in July. Besides the chard there are squares of kohlrabi, Chinese kale, mixed Asian greens, watermelon radish, and bok choi. I put short season cabbage where the garlic was but as of yesterday afternoon it had not yet sprouted. There are six squares of overwinter broccoli where the fava beans grew. In the same box the Portugues kale is growing gang busters because I forgot I had it. The red Russian kale and the Italian kale (you may know Italian kale by one of its many "a.k.a's, Black Dragon, Tuscany, or just Black) have baby salad size leaves but I'm not touching them until they are bigger. I want green winter smoothies.

Deb's.... if this is climate change, I'll take it!

Lovely update Deb's  I really enjoy reading your posts.....its fun to hear about the different names of the veggies you have going....and thank you for reminding me about saving seed....that is one area we are working on....im finding the beans that we planted from saved seed from last year is doing really well and started to produce before the new seeds. 

Im also glad to learn what others plant in succession....hope that's the right word for it......meaning you planted early cabbage after pulling the garlic  and some fall/winter cole crops after pulling your peas and fava beans.....so far we have learned that if we plant beans after the potatoes we can get a late harvest in.....we planted spinach after pulling our garlic.....we put in fall/winter cole crop seedlings after pulling our spring ones.....learning succession planting is a must for us if we want to be harvesting food thru each season  and I agree that the weather we are having is welcome to stay  

Boffer.......our goal this year is to can as much beans as we can...we LOVED our can beans from last year......for 40 pints ......about how many SQ's of beans are you harvesting from and are they pole or bush?......maybe both  

this is what we have growing for beans......how much do you think we can get from them?....in pints for canning......as we have no idea....and just planted as much as we could..... 

4 QS's of pole green beans in our SFG
4 SQ's of a yellow pole bean in a SFG box
3 SQ's of bush green beans in our SFG bed

and about 25 SQ's of bush green/purple beans in our back garden

we have other beans for drying.....

happy gardening
rose

FamilyGardening wrote:...Boffer.......our goal this year is to can as much beans as we can...we LOVED our can beans from last year......for 40 pints ......about how many SQ's of beans are you harvesting from and are they pole or bush?......maybe both ...

I grew up eating home canned green beans.  (Don't tell anyone, but I prefer them to fresh!)  I like to can them in pints because a pint jar makes two perfect size servings for us.

I had to go count squares: I have 22 squares, 3 varieties, of pole beans; no bush.  Plus, on July 1, I planted a row 10 feet long next to an existing fence.  I've never planted beans this late, but thought I'd try it since everyone thinks it's going to be an above average summer.

Be diligent in your harvesting; over-ripe green beans are yucky!