N & C Midwest: August is here!!! 2017

Wow, I can't believe how fast this season is going, and my stuff is so late!  One squash so far, zero cukes.  Cherry tomatoes and peppers coming on, but it was been an interesting spring and summer so far.  Things are growing out there.  I think it is time to start some fall lettuces and try those red mustard greens!  And another run at the Romanesco, since nothing came of the gigantic plant in spring.

I have one square of Yukon Gold to finish harvesting, the other 3 or 4 are late entries.  

What is going on in your boxes/containers/Earth?

Scorpio Rising wrote:Wow, I can't believe how fast this season is going, and my stuff is so late!  One squash so far, zero cukes.  Cherry tomatoes and peppers coming on, but it was been an interesting spring and summer so far.  Things are growing out there.  I think it is time to start some fall lettuces and try those red mustard greens!  And another run at the Romanesco, since nothing came of the gigantic plant in spring.

I have one square of Yukon Gold to finish harvesting, the other 3 or 4 are late entries.  

What is going on in your boxes/containers/Earth?

August? YIKES! Gotta think up a new avatar. I'll grab my camera and head out before it gets too hot.

Migosh, Scorpio, I've actually had 4 cukes and 3 tomatoes. There's a zuke out there ready to pick, too. I guess I shouldn't complain anymore about my pitiful results.

countrynaturals wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:Wow, I can't believe how fast this season is going, and my stuff is so late!  One squash so far, zero cukes.  Cherry tomatoes and peppers coming on, but it was been an interesting spring and summer so far.  Things are growing out there.  I think it is time to start some fall lettuces and try those red mustard greens!  And another run at the Romanesco, since nothing came of the gigantic plant in spring.

I have one square of Yukon Gold to finish harvesting, the other 3 or 4 are late entries.  

What is going on in your boxes/containers/Earth?

August? YIKES! Gotta think up a new avatar. I'll grab my camera and head out before it gets too hot.

Migosh, Scorpio, I've actually had 4 cukes and 3 tomatoes. There's a zuke out there ready to pick, too. I guess I shouldn't complain anymore about my pitiful results.

I know!  Crazy!  I too need to figure out something for my avatar!  But yeah, you are faring well!

Looks like it will be one of those lackluster seasons....Spring was ok not great.  Summer so far a couple pounds of green beans, 4 yellow squash, funky looking cukes yet loaded with flowers. 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, still waiting on some decent size green tomatoes.  Herbs look the happiest at the moment.  Earlier harvest of onions and garlic was good. Need to reorder strawberry plants next Spring.  I don't know what the heck is going on with carrots and beets. Not doing much. The first time success of onions was a biggest surprise. Garlic was good.  Overall not terribly impressed.

llama momma wrote:Looks like it will be one of those lackluster seasons....Spring was ok not great.  Summer so far a couple pounds of green beans, 4 yellow squash, funky looking cukes yet loaded with flowers. 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, still waiting on some decent size green tomatoes.  Herbs look the happiest at the moment.  Earlier harvest of onions and garlic was good. Need to reorder strawberry plants next Spring.  I don't know what the heck is going on with carrots and beets. Not doing much. The first time success of onions was a biggest surprise. Garlic was good.  Overall not terribly impressed.

Yes, I agree, LM.  I got some decent lettuce this year, zero spinach (bolted), garlic is good and onions are good. Sugar snaps were tasty.  Lots of cherry tomatoes.  One large Great White which I ate yesterday.  Not sure either what is happening with my carrots or beets.  Good turnips.  Potatoes looking promising.  Peppers going OK, lost a couple plants.  

Herbs need replanted.  Melons just starting to build fruit.  Thinking of fall direct seeding.  Radishes, mustard greens.

Cool and overcast here.  Had a brief rain.  There are some ripe maters and peppers out there.  Probably some chard to take.  Maybe a cuke baby???  HOPE!!!!  Need to pull some beets and carrots, and replant same, along with radishes, mustard greens (my first time) and lettuces and spinach.  

I did have my first Sakatas Sweet melon Saturday, and it was delicious!  I do love those melons, prolific and sweet!

Scorpio Rising wrote:Cool and overcast here.  Had a brief rain.  There are some ripe maters and peppers out there.  Probably some chard to take.  Maybe a cuke baby???  HOPE!!!!  Need to pull some beets and carrots, and replant same, along with radishes, mustard greens (my first time) and lettuces and spinach.  

I did have my first Sakatas Sweet melon Saturday, and it was delicious!  I do love those melons, prolific and sweet!

SR ... My Sakatas Sweet Melon plant (from the seeds you sent me) is still quite small and no sign of fruit. I doubt that I'll see any fruit this year. The plant from the larger seeds that you sent me has one melon on it but it's only about the size of a baseball. I'm hoping the critters don't get at it before I get a chance to taste it.

In NE Kansas, August has brought much cooler weather. So grateful for a break from the heat!

Most of my flowers died in the heat, or are severely stressed. The veggie plants mostly did okay, though they experienced heat stress, too, and production slowed way down in July. Now, with the cooler weather, the tomatoes and peppers are bouncing back. I'm seeing a ton of new tomatoes and peppers all of a sudden, and I even spotted a couple more blossom heads on the broccoli, which I thought was all but done for the season.

Last night, we had what we on the Great Plains call a gully wash - over 5 inches of rain in 2 hours. So I was out today, picking tomatoes before they begin to split, and adding back some nutrients to the growing mix that the rain probably washed out.

it's been a while since I've posted...trying to keep up with all the recent rain...this year SFG beds are holding their own against my old-school plot...here are a few recent pics.

beautiful carrots picked a bit earlier...just not as good as last year...I do these in 12" deep boxes.

earlier harvest...first of the english cukes, pickling cukes, dill, and early roma-type tomatoes.

king arthur peppers and health kick tomatoes

tomaotes (carbon, krim, kosovo, health kick, beefsteak)...weird, very little cracking/ splitting this year even with all the rain.

nature's handiwork

future BLT's

apex of picking...everything ready this right before the rainstorm...making bunches of tahini salad (diced cukes and tomatos), BLT's, cucumber and onion salad (vineger and cream versions), raita (shredded cukes in plain yogurt), pickled beets, curried veggies, pad thai, etc.

Nice!!! Carrot photo is beautiful.
That tomato looks like it has zippers.

trolleydriver wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:Cool and overcast here.  Had a brief rain.  There are some ripe maters and peppers out there.  Probably some chard to take.  Maybe a cuke baby???  HOPE!!!!  Need to pull some beets and carrots, and replant same, along with radishes, mustard greens (my first time) and lettuces and spinach.  

I did have my first Sakatas Sweet melon Saturday, and it was delicious!  I do love those melons, prolific and sweet!

SR ... My Sakatas Sweet Melon plant (from the seeds you sent me) is still quite small and no sign of fruit. I doubt that I'll see any fruit this year. The plant from the larger seeds that you sent me has one melon on it but it's only about the size of a baseball. I'm hoping the critters don't get at it before I get a chance to taste it.

Yes, you will get to eat the one from the original seeds is my guess!  When it turns yellow-ish and smells melony it will be ready!

landarch wrote:it's been a while since I've posted...trying to keep up with all the recent rain...this year SFG beds are holding their own against my old-school plot...here are a few recent pics.

beautiful carrots picked a bit earlier...just not as good as last year...I do these in 12" deep boxes.

earlier harvest...first of the english cukes, pickling cukes, dill, and early roma-type tomatoes.

king arthur peppers and health kick tomatoes

tomaotes (carbon, krim, kosovo, health kick, beefsteak)...weird, very little cracking/ splitting this year even with all the rain.

nature's handiwork

future BLT's

apex of picking...everything ready this right before the rainstorm...making bunches of tahini salad (diced cukes and tomatos), BLT's, cucumber and onion salad (vineger and cream versions), raita (shredded cukes in plain yogurt), pickled beets, curried veggies, pad thai, etc.

WOWOW!!!!!  Landarch!  You have a haul!  The carrot photo is a County Fair winner, IMHO.    I agree with CC, that one mater is like FRANKENMATER!!!  Cute!

kids giggled when we picked this one

landarch wrote:it's been a while since I've posted...trying to keep up with all the recent rain...this year SFG beds are holding their own against my old-school plot...here are a few recent pics.

...

You may not post often, but when you do, you sure make it count. Very nice haul!

landarch wrote:kids giggled when we picked this one

CitizenKate wrote:

landarch wrote:it's been a while since I've posted...trying to keep up with all the recent rain...this year SFG beds are holding their own against my old-school plot...here are a few recent pics.

...

You may not post often, but when you do, you sure make it count.  Very nice haul!

Agree!  Love your little man carrot!  LOL!

Carrot porn.

"Cute" carrot man! Only Landarch can make a zippered tomato look like art.

TRUTH!!!!  

OK, bathed in DEET, I went out and picked tomatoes, a few carrots, a small patty pan squash, peppers, and my first cuke!!!!   Also tried to get a start weeding.  

Lots of grass in my new box, I attribute that to mowing and aiming the grass seed into the pile....now I know.....

Cuke was great, I am afraid that I will not get many however.  Just a late start for me. Carrots are good, maters and peppers are OK.  

Melons looking good despite a late start as well.  Had my first Sakatas Sweet a couple days ago.  Not sure what will happen with the watermelons.  Minnesota Midget is looking good!  Charentais not sure.  No experience!

Like others I am having a mixed season; bountiful salad greens and spinach early on, carrots doing well, beets small but numerous.  Chard, peppers and to a lesser degree tomatoes find me locked in pitched battle with Bambi and her evil friends.  The only pepper untouched is the Habanero which is loaded with fruit.  I have gotten some hot banana but that's about it.  Kale has been prolific!  Did my first fall planting this past weekend.  'Sunsugar' cherry tomato producing steadily; the first slicers beginning to come on but I think it will be a down year for toms.

herblover wrote:Like others I am having a mixed season; bountiful salad greens and spinach early on, carrots doing well, beets small but numerous.  Chard, peppers and to a lesser degree tomatoes find me locked in pitched battle with Bambi and her evil friends.  The only pepper untouched is the Habanero which is loaded with fruit.  I have gotten some hot banana but that's about it.  Kale has been prolific!  Did my first fall planting this past weekend.  'Sunsugar' cherry tomato producing steadily; the first slicers beginning to come on but I think it will be a down year for toms.

Yeah, I have 2 jalapeño plants and cannot believe how many peppers those things produce!  I looked up a recipe for quick pickled jalapeños and I think I am going to do that this weekend!  It is a cold pack no canning.  I have maters too, but like you the slicers just came on.  

I just do not like kale......it grows like crazy....

Scorpio Rising wrote:

herblover wrote:Like others I am having a mixed season; bountiful salad greens and spinach early on, carrots doing well, beets small but numerous.  Chard, peppers and to a lesser degree tomatoes find me locked in pitched battle with Bambi and her evil friends.  The only pepper untouched is the Habanero which is loaded with fruit.  I have gotten some hot banana but that's about it.  Kale has been prolific!  Did my first fall planting this past weekend.  'Sunsugar' cherry tomato producing steadily; the first slicers beginning to come on but I think it will be a down year for toms.

Yeah, I have 2 jalapeño plants and cannot believe how many peppers those things produce!  I looked up a recipe for quick pickled jalapeños and I think I am going to do that this weekend!  It is a cold pack no canning.  I have maters too, but like you the slicers just came on.  

I just do not like kale......it grows like crazy....

Yes, jalapenos are prolific!  I only grow them every 2 to 3 years for that reason.  Big bagsfull in the freezer keep me well supplied.

I am interested, HL, do you freeze them whole?  I think I can use my whole baggie this weekend using the recipe on Allrecipes for the pickled jalapeño s .  I will put it in Recipes after I make it.  

My big plan this weekend is to WEED....my new bed 3x7, I used my own compost exclusively, well it must have been studded with grass seeds.

So i am gonna weed.  And compost.   And weed wack.  And plant my fall stuff!!!!

Lettuces, spinaches, radishes, and my new thing:  mustard greens!  Might try a fall kale?  Will it be more tender?  I don't know, I grew the summer ones on my patio!!!! They were right there!  Under tulle!  I picked it one time.....tough.  Maybe i will replace it with chard?  

Advice????

IMO, chard and kale are two different animals. Chard  is more like spinach and kale is more like cabbage. You can use Kale for anything, SR...coleslaw, sauerkraut, stir-fries, smoothies, etc. I pick mine when they are young if I'm going to eat them raw. They are more tender. Also, IMO, Fall grown greens are superior to Summer grown greens, and kale gets sweeter when touched by frost. What variety are you growing? I like Dwarf Blue Curled.