Re: N&C Midwest: August 2019

**Scorpio Rising** 8/24/2019, 10:09 am

OG, I need to try those Daikon again next season. I ignored mine a couple years ago and they went to pods (also delish) and got hard...bad me. I have some empty squares that need weeded, then putting in some lettuces, radishes, and turnips. Might try spinach AGAIN! I also need to decide on a location for my 4x4 cold frame...want to try it this fall and see what that brings!

OhioGardener 8/24/2019, 10:49 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:I also need to decide on a location for my 4x4 cold frame...want to try it this fall and see what that brings!

I am going to try something this fall for the first time, and see if I can grow lettuce & spinach by setting a cold frame right on top of one of the raised beds. I don't know if the soil in the raised be will be able to maintain enough heat to support the plants, but I think it is worth experimenting. If it works, it will be a lot easier to maintain than the one I have sitting on the ground. If it doesn't work, I'll know what won't work.

I saw this one at a local garden center, and it would fit perfectly on the end of one of my raised beds, since it is 39" wide by 47" long by 15.75" high. If it could be set up with an automatic opener, that would make it a perfect test bed.

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Juwell10

**Scorpio Rising** 8/24/2019, 1:59 pm

Nice, can’t see the link or picture though...mine is a 4x4, so worst case scenario it converts to a bed! A guy I work with built it. He is used to doing finished stuff, so it was hard for him to just take a step back, lol! It has clear plastic “doors” that I need to figure out how to prop/keep open....

OhioGardener 8/25/2019, 1:20 pm

This has been the Year of the Tomatoes! Or, has it been the Year of the Peppers? Or, the Year of the Beets, and Beans? Of course the Lettuce, Chard, Kale, and Cucumbers are in the race, too! This year has been the most productive gardens we have ever had, but I am sure next year will be even better. DW says it is the microbe's fault, but I dunno...

We have frozen 12 quarts of green beans, canned 20 pints of Jalapeno peppers and 12 pints of Banana Peppers, and frozen 6 quarts of beets and 8 pints of carrots. A lot of the bell peppers have been diced and frozen, but don't have a count. Can't even count how much cucumber, lettuce, radish, spinach, peppers, and squash we have eaten.

The raised beds are overflowing with vegetables - Tomatoes, Beans, Beets, Carrots, Peppers, Radishes, Lettuce....

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Garden15

The Tomato plants are 9.5' tall, and loaded with tomatoes. We pick over a gallon a day of them.

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Tomato39

The peppers are 43" tall, and full of peppers - Jalapeno, Banana, and Bell

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Pepper28

The Beets and Beans are doing great! This is the 2nd planting for both, and the beans are beginning to bloom. There is a 2nd planting of carrots next to the beets, but they are very small yet. Six squares of Beets, three squares of Carrots, and nine squares of Blue Lake Bush Beans in this bed.

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Beets_10

countrynaturals 8/25/2019, 1:37 pm

Way to go, OG! winner

If it weren't for the deer, this would have been my most productive year, too. Sad

**Scorpio Rising** 8/25/2019, 1:40 pm

Nice haul, OG! I just threw out my 2nd squash plant that succumbed to SVBs while we were on vacation. It had Carnival winter squash on it, I got 4 that are decent. Plucked a big zucchini, now I have 3 to make stuff with, zucchini bread is on the list, especially with this lovely weather we are having!

Also pulled my first carrot, and 2nd golden beet. Letting peppers turn color. They are lovely. Harvested one large Ambrosia cantaloupe, and a Minnesota Midget. And some cukes.

Amended soil in 6 empty squares, decision, decisions! Garlic ordered...

OhioGardener 8/25/2019, 5:08 pm

Today was Highbush Cranberry Picking Day. After they are frozen to soften them part of them will go into a Cran-Apple Pie, and the rest of them will be made into Highbush Cranberry Jelly. They are a delicious treat!

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Highbu10

**Scorpio Rising** 8/25/2019, 6:06 pm

So will have to look into that, never heard of it. Sounds great, not so into cranberries...

I just planted my empty squares except for those reserved for the garlic; radishes, lettuces, perpetual spinach (thanks, OG!) and Tokyo Cross turnips. Looking forward to fall harvest! Looks like my Yukon Gold might be ready next weekend...drying and dying down....

My fall garden is always hit and miss!

Just started the grill, burgers with garden dills and onions!

OhioGardener 8/25/2019, 7:01 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:So will have to look into that, never heard of it. Sounds great, not so into cranberries...

We got hooked on Highbush Cranberries while we lived in Alaska. They grow wild everywhere there, and they grow bigger there than here -- probably because of the 24-hour sun during the summer. So, when we got our current homestead, we decided to start some here. Unfortunately, there are now two varieties of them here in the northern half of the U.S.: The Viburnum opulus is a European version, and is inedible at best and stinks like old socks when cooked; and Viburnum opulus var. americanum, the North American native plant, the same one that grows wild in Alaska. I ordered two of the Americanum variety years ago, and they started producing after about 3 years. They make delicious jelly. Once of the nice things about the plant is that if you don't pick the fruit off the plants, the birds use them for winter food. The Cardinals and Blue Jays especially love them.

OhioGardener 8/25/2019, 7:05 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:I just planted my empty squares except for those reserved for the garlic

Did you happen to see the new video Baker Creek posted about picking the right garlic? Very interesting.

**Scorpio Rising** 8/25/2019, 10:47 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:I just planted my empty squares except for those reserved for the garlic

Did you happen to see the new video Baker Creek posted about picking the right garlic? Very interesting.

Just now! I am growing German Hardneck that I always grow, and a new one called Georgian Fire. Both hardneck. I tried softneck 2 years in a row, and too cold. Thanks for sharing!

**Scorpio Rising** 8/27/2019, 10:26 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:So will have to look into that, never heard of it. Sounds great, not so into cranberries...

We got hooked on Highbush Cranberries while we lived in Alaska. They grow wild everywhere there, and they grow bigger there than here -- probably because of the 24-hour sun during the summer. So, when we got our current homestead, we decided to start some here. Unfortunately, there are now two varieties of them here in the northern half of the U.S.: The Viburnum opulus is a European version, and is inedible at best and stinks like old socks when cooked; and Viburnum opulus var. americanum, the North American native plant, the same one that grows wild in Alaska. I ordered two of the Americanum variety years ago, and they started producing after about 3 years. They make delicious jelly. Once of the nice things about the plant is that if you don't pick the fruit off the plants, the birds use them for winter food. The Cardinals and Blue Jays especially love them.

I love that! And that’s funny, how one variety is so different? I had also given some thought to blueberry bushes, just seemed like a lot of messing with pH, etc.

**AtlantaMarie** 8/28/2019, 8:36 am

SR, blueberries are great if you can keep the critters from them. We use pine bark nuggets for mulch & sometimes (when I remember) apply an azalea feeder in the spring before they start leafing.

**Scorpio Rising** 8/28/2019, 7:20 pm

AtlantaMarie wrote:SR, blueberries are great if you can keep the critters from them. We use pine bark nuggets for mulch & sometimes (when I remember) apply an azalea feeder in the spring before they start leafing.

Well, that is another challenge! Good to know, AM, I would like to try them! Doesn’t sound as horrible as what I was imagining....

OhioGardener 8/28/2019, 8:10 pm

We have tried to raise Blueberries, but the deer eat the plants off right down to the ground. So, I quit planting them.

countrynaturals 8/28/2019, 10:21 pm

OhioGardener wrote:We have tried to raise Blueberries, but the deer eat the plants off right down to the ground. So, I quit planting them.

Love blueberries, but never could find a variety that could tolerate our hot summers. Sad

**AtlantaMarie** 8/29/2019, 7:20 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
AtlantaMarie wrote:SR, blueberries are great if you can keep the critters from them. We use pine bark nuggets for mulch & sometimes (when I remember) apply an azalea feeder in the spring before they start leafing.
Well, that is another challenge! Good to know, AM, I would like to try them! Doesn’t sound as horrible as what I was imagining....

We use them as our front hedges. IF we can keep the birds & chipmunks away, we can get upwards of 6 gallons from 8 or so bushes. Somewhere I've got a thread showing my plastic snakes, etc.....

nrstooge 8/31/2019, 1:22 pm

I picked more Chard and Kale this morning, then transplanted the rest of the fall items/greens. Our evenings have been dipping into the 50s, and the peppers are just blooming.. glad I purchased greenhouse plastic to cover the 6x3 planter and tomatoes, the brussel sprout is finally taking off (but it will be fine in the cooler fall weather). I also purchased some row cover to extend the season. I've been enjoying growing on my apartment patio.

**sanderson** 8/31/2019, 2:19 pm

OG, Please post the garlic video to the main Garlic thread. Thank you https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t11766-mary-mary-quite-contrary-how-does-your-garlic-grow?highlight=garlic

**Scorpio Rising** 8/31/2019, 5:43 pm

nrstooge wrote:I picked more Chard and Kale this morning, then transplanted the rest of the fall items/greens. Our evenings have been dipping into the 50s, and the peppers are just blooming.. glad I purchased greenhouse plastic to cover the 6x3 planter and tomatoes, the brussel sprout is finally taking off (but it will be fine in the cooler fall weather). I also purchased some row cover to extend the season. I've been enjoying growing on my apartment patio.

Nice! I love chard, not so much kale...agree, evening temps have been cool. What did you transplant?

AM: I am doing some due diligence...thanks for the encouragement!

OG, I haven’t gotten my garlic yet. I usually plant it after Halloween!

**Scorpio Rising** 8/31/2019, 5:52 pm

OK, just made this for the first time in my life! 8 c of shredded zucchini in 2 batches. Really easy and very delish!

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 6e6d3a10

I made 4 loaves...freezing 2, eating one and giving another! Delish!

OhioGardener 8/31/2019, 9:23 pm

Love seeing beneficial insects in the gardens! Having been an organic gardener for many decades, I am always looking towards improving pest control. Today I was checking on a volunteer cherry tomato that came up in a flower garden, and noticed Braconid Wasps have been doing their job in controlling the Tomato Hornworm. At this point the hornworm is no longer able to eat, so they are no longer a danger to the tomato plant. And, very soon there will be a lot of new Braconid Wasps coming out to search for more hornworms. When the wasp emerges from the little white cocoon, the end of it is open and we know they have completed their cycle.

I did not find any hornworms that were not infected with the Braconid Wasp, but I did see the Sphinx Moth flying about so there will be more soon.

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Bracon10

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Bracon12

N&C Midwest: August 2019 - Page 2 Bracon11

**Scorpio Rising** 8/31/2019, 9:49 pm

Hi, OG!

**sanderson** 9/5/2019, 2:48 pm

OG, Can you post that in this thread? Thank you

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t8498p50-tomato-horn-worm-id

OhioGardener 9/5/2019, 7:56 pm

sanderson wrote:OG, Can you post that in this thread? Thank you

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t8498p50-tomato-horn-worm-id

'Tis done!

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