Garden surprises

It seems that every year I receive at least one surprise from my garden, this year is no exception. I started some Brussels Sprouts seeds that I transplanted to my garden in January. I have waited the arrival of some orbs but never saw any, the plants turned out to be collards. Instead of a side dish for dinner I am eating chopped collards in my salad.

About the time that I planted the above mentioned items I acquired a nine pack of broccoli plants (a gift from my daughter) that were grown by Bonnie Plants. These went into my garden where I awaited some nice fresh crowns. No longer! The broccoli have revealed themselves to be cabbages. I have no problem with cabbages, I planted six in December and have harvested them already. We had great cabbage with corned beef for St. Patrick's day. I just was not planning on nine more cabbages this year.

I sure hope that my tomatoes do not morph into chili peppers, I might give up gardening.

I can see how that would happen with store bought plants what with kids moving the markers around.

I know it's frustrating, old man, but I know the feeling well. I tend to mix up my tomato varieties as well as all the leafies...and I grow them all from seed. You'd think I could keep it straight but it seems that when the sun is coming in the window where the seedlings grow, I don't want any shade on them so I remove the markers, just for a little while. haha

Looks like sauerkraut is in your future. I can never get cabbage to grow up. Even covered the cabbage worms find them.

CC

Some seedlings look so similar. I think people remove the label from pony packs to read them, then forget the packs from which they removed it. This is the first year I labeled every. single. seedling. pot. Even each cell in reused pony packs. I wash and store them when no longer needed. Only the ones identifying different varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and garlic stay in the garden until they are pulled.

We do not call the things that show up unexpected surprises we call them volunteers.  We don't exactly compost we just put stuff in a pile and take from the bottom.  No science involved.  Among the partially decomposed stuff and worms is an occasional dormant seed or few.  In several of our older beds we just put a layer of this still decomposing compost and cover with either straw or banana leaves which ever are handy.  Any ways long story short we have had unexpected guest in several places.  Cantaloupes, and melons, assorted squashes etc have all volunteered we picked several wonderful cucs that had vined up a neighboring tree and were hanging from low branches like they grew there.

Cajun Cappy wrote: We don't exactly compost we just put stuff in a pile and take from the bottom.  No science involved.  Among the partially decomposed stuff and worms is an occasional dormant seed or few.  In several of our older beds we just put a layer of this still decomposing compost and cover with either straw or banana leaves which ever are handy.  

Ooooo....l like that ALOT! Easy peasy. This turning the pile thing used to be fun and great exercise but not so much anymore.

CC

I turn my compost pile infrequently, I have found a simpler method. Many years ago my wife gave me a "garden claw" thinking it would be the answer to all my gardening needs. I kept it around and used it from time to time so that she would not be disappointed. It had no real value to me as a garden tool until I tired of the frequent need to turn my compost pile. You may have seen or even own a garden claw (I have seen them called by several names); a tool with multiple tines that point down and are attached to a shaft and handle. The tines are thrust into the ground and the handle rotated to loosen soil (works great on already loose soil, otherwise not so great).

I discovered that I can rake a shallow depression in my compost pile, pour new material into the depression then using the garden claw I can work the new material down into the pile. About 5 minutes of work is all that is required to loosen my 3' X 5' heap that is usually 1 1/2 to 3 feet deep.

I empty the pile every 3 to 4 weeks, sift the material to get the stuff that needs more time on the pile then place that on the bottom and spread some of the finished compost over that and start again.

With the garden claw I can keep air flowing in my pile without a lot of work.