Monday, January 13, 2014

Catch-up time and photo-dump!

Well,  i guess i'm another 4 months late.  My excuses are a busy summer,  then school started,  then i started working at a paying job again.  I forgot my Photobucket password and i simply did not ant to deal with the whole thing. lol
The garden did pretty well this year.  The stars of the show were the sweet peppers.  I was amazed.  I have struggled to grow sweet peppers for years without any real success.  This time i decided to lay down black plastic- mostly for weed control more than anything else.  What it did for the pepper plants was nothing short of amazing.  I bought some seeds for Ancient Sweet peppers, used up what was left of my Zsa Zsa seeds and my dad gave me a few extra seedlings that he bought at the local nursery.  We had a hot summer too-  the result was that we were up to our ears in peppers.

 Growing up,  my parents always had a few pepper plants in their garden and they often did ok.  We'd get a few off each plant before frost came but i don't recall the fruit ever ripening.  We were always happy with green peppers so that was fine.  This year my plants not only grew and fruited,  most of them completely ripened!  I could not keep up.  I was giving them away,  cooking them,  using them in salads.  I ended up dehydrating the last batch which filled my 9-tray Excalibur.  I packed the strips on the trays,  i did not cut them in rounds because there was not enough space.  After dehydrating,  the strips filled a quart jar tightly packed.  We've been using them in spaghetti sauce ...  i need to find other uses because this jar will last 5 years otherwise. :)

Ok,  so for the pictures i spent the summer taking but not posting.  I'm just going to work straight from my Photobucket page and drop them here,  hopefully i will remember what each pic was all about and i can blabber a little about it.

The last pictures i posted on the blog were of the Adirondack Blue potato plants just breaking the surface of the soil.  So i'll not repeat that but start here:

 photo IMG_20130607_113909_671_zps45b63bba.jpg

The Gojiberries did awesome again this year.  I got two distinct crops, one fairly early and the other lasted through the first couple mild frosts.


 photo IMG_20130607_112638_724_zps32f4dfb7.jpg

This was the early start to the garden.  I didn't use plastic on all the rows.  I had some trouble at first with the wind blowing up the ends of the plastic.  Once the ground staples began to corrode and the plants got bigger,  things stayed down tighter.


 photo IMG_20130607_112656_808_zpsbd787e20.jpg

I did not use plastic on the bush bean rows,  but i probably could have.  Wider spacing would work well,  but close spacing would probably not.

 photo IMG_20130623_140757_660_zps3a7db86d.jpg

This old semi-climbing rose came with the house. I don't know if it is the original plant or if it is the result of the root stock taking over.  The color is really nice but there is hardly any scent.  I like it in a way but i mostly keep it because its one of the few things i kept that is original to the property.  I like a little continuity.

 photo IMG_20130615_192440_229_zps1fccfa30.jpg

I love to see the cracks in the soil when the bean plants begin to break through.  I get a kick out of it every year.

 photo IMG_20130613_111901_797_zpsce6f7e49.jpg

These are the peppers getting some early blossoms.

 photo IMG_20130613_111815_972_zps3277824c.jpg

If i remember right,  the tomatoes and the peppers started blossoming within days of each other.  Usually the peppers are much further behind.


 photo IMG_20130623_160445_798_zpsc11d3c9b.jpg

Looks like all the bush beans are up in this picture.

 photo IMG_20130623_140949_097_zpsfdb8b54f.jpg

These are the Sparkle strawberries that were planted earlier that spring.  Only 2 of the plants failed.


 photo IMG_20130623_141050_744_zpsc559344a.jpg

Another photo of the Goji,  looks like a couple of ripe ones down at the base.

 photo IMG_20130623_141011_596_zps3fe2d946.jpg

We did get some blueberries this year. Not a lot though. If i remember, one plant produced nothing, two others produced only a few and this one had the most.  My youngest daughter didn't pick the green berries off this year,  the plants just didn't bloom well.  There weren't any late frosts either as i recall.

 photo IMG_20130701_131108_659_zps6d6d544e.jpg

I planted some nasturtiums as well.  I love eating the flowers.


 photo IMG_20130701_131043_975_zps92332dcc.jpg

A little further on in the summer.  Still keeping ahead of the weeds at that point!


 photo IMG_20130701_131021_614_zps55dae46e.jpg

More 'nasties' awaiting planting.  They are hanging out with the Schizandra seeds which did not germinate over the summer.  They are still living outside on the off chance that spending a winter outdoors will kick them into gear.  If i see no results this spring,  i'm going to buy some seedlings from Oikos Tree Crops.


 photo IMG_20130623_160525_521_zps8bba21cb.jpg

Basil.  I love the stuff.


 photo IMG_20130701_131352_448_zpsa9f5eaff.jpg

I think these are cucumber blossoms.  Another successful planting.  Between peppers and cukes we had some great salads!


 photo IMG_20130701_131312_269_zps755df826.jpg

Summer Squash.  I grew Yellow Zebra again this year.  I really like this variety.  Excellent flavor and texture, produces well but not overwhelmingly.



 photo IMG_20130701_131238_720_zpsfd171ba3.jpg

Summer squash again i think.   The plastic mulch kept the rows nice and clean.


 photo IMG_20130701_131131_259_zps650258b5.jpg

Shiso.  These plants went bonkers,  growing almost 4 feet high.


 photo IMG_20130701_131544_895_zps375d3051.jpg

Peppers...looking sharp.


 photo IMG_20130701_131517_633_zpsd5e325bc.jpg

Red Russian kale....   this is a staple.  I hope i never have to go without seeds for this variety.


 photo IMG_20130701_131503_851_zps9e5c107a.jpg

Broccoli.  Not sure what type or types.  I think i bought a mix for next year.  (this year- 2014)


 photo IMG_20130701_131442_649_zpseee04f66.jpg

Tea hibiscus.  This is the type that grow those bright red calyxes used in herbal teas.  They didn't do very well.  The plants grew tall but i never saw a flower and therefore i got no calyxes.  The leaves developed these circular marks all over them.  You can see one on the middle left leaf.  It got worse as the season went on and i never found the time to research what caused it and what to do about it.   The plants were placed close to the Jerusalem Artichokes and may have been too shaded for optimum health.


 photo IMG_20130701_132010_790_zps895010d2.jpg

The strawberries did well,  i think i got a few large berries and about 6 or 8 small ones.  I let my youngest daughter eat them,  i did take one for myself toward the end of the season.  Very tasty.  I ordered more for this coming year.


 photo IMG_20130701_132026_640_zpsf689f00c.jpg

Again,  this is the blueberry plant that actually produced normally.   I've got to look it up,  but i think that was year 4,  this will be year 5.  The plants are supposed to reach 4 feet in height,  but these guys are all still a foot and a half at most. They produced well their second and third years,  but don't put on much growth.  I selected them for the berries and their modest mature size.  They are planted in the box in front of the house and i was kind of looking for that landscape shrub look- but its just not happening.   They aren't filling the space like i wanted them to.   Maybe a few more years?  I like them so i won't rip them out but i'm just a slight bit annoyed.


 photo IMG_20130701_131742_856_zps094c0681.jpg

The climbing rose again,  blooms beginning to fade but still nice.



 photo IMG_20130701_131618_696_zps27a371df.jpg

Adirondack potato plant.  I threw in some radish seeds because the seed potatoes were beginning to rot when i planted them and i wasn't sure any would grow.  We ended up with enough potatoes for a few side dishes and a small pot of beef stew.


 photo IMG_20130710_104846_660_zps5455c5c6.jpg

Blurry pic of Golden Zebra summer squash.


 photo IMG_20130712_135923_354_zpsb7932811.jpg

Small picking of radishes.


 photo IMG_20130708_103123_459_zps0725c32f.jpg


I want to say these are Romas,  but i'm not sure.  My dad gave me a few seedlings of a cherry tomato called "Stocky- somethingorother"  i forget the name.  Those did pretty well and were early.  So these are either Romas or the stocky cherry.



 photo IMG_20130703_162217_791_zps838fc68b.jpg

A few nicely sized radishes.


 photo IMG_20130717_150212_233_zpsa0c698f7.jpg

This was when the summer squash and the cukes began taking off.


 photo IMG_20130715_193606_638_zpsf98d5e78.jpg

Nice head of broccoli.  We didn't get much more.  After a year off,  a woodchuck once again discovered our garden and feasted.


 photo IMG_20130709_220006_255_zpsade154e6.jpg

Just a pretty moth i spotted.  Never got it identified but there is a page on Facebook i could submit it to,  i just never got around to it.  It laid eggs a few days later,  then disappeared.  The eggs were a pretty jade green.  I never saw the larvae but the eggs did hatch at some point because they left behind little bits of shell still stuck to the wood.


 photo IMG_20130718_142709_237_zps71024b9d.jpg

More cucumbers!



 photo IMG_20130718_142344_067_zps5221ccdf.jpg

The spots on the tea hibiscus leaves.


 photo IMG_20130718_142121_160_zps03ce885c.jpg

Ancient Sweet pepper fruit.


 photo IMG_20130718_103639_082_zpsfa9b40fd.jpg

Some ripe blueberries.


 photo IMG_20130731_140411_973_zpsa9d6b45f.jpg

First crop of all three types of bush beans.  Very yummy.


 photo IMG_20130730_100217_475_zpsd58a49fe.jpg

Elderberry.  Later,  the birds discovered them and wiped them out.


 photo IMG_20130722_172549_448_zps5720bade.jpg

Another box of cukes.


 photo IMG_20130718_181835_300_zpsf9a757d3.jpg

More bush beans.


 photo IMG_20130814_101728_710_zps52856559.jpg

A morning glory flower from volunteers.  I planted some seeds in a three-pot plant stand about 3 or 4 years ago.  Since then,  i get these flowers as a bonus because they keep reseeding.


 photo IMG_20130805_171442_492_zps43584e46.jpg

First tomatoes.  These should be from that "Stocky" plant.


 photo IMG_20130805_112816_596_zps2d9c1347.jpg

Growing like crazy.  I think the weeds started getting away from me in the rows without plastic.


 photo IMG_20130731_140434_506_zps7f907731.jpg

I grew Daikon Radish for the first time this year.  They did great and were tasty in salads,  by themselves and i even put some in a pot roast.  There was another box of cukes and i think this was the beginning of the sweet pepper stampede.


 photo IMG_20130825_143120_779_zpsdc4f886c.jpg

More to come...


 photo IMG_20130825_143032_076_zps4d705aff.jpg

Zsa Zsa peppers,  pale green when ripe.


 photo IMG_20130818_141418_955_zps5a2d3819.jpg

Hummingbird moth on what i think is phlox.  This is at my parents' house.


 photo IMG_20130815_115035_772_zps7efa0681.jpg

Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes.   Very tasty.


 photo IMG_20130825_185010_500_zpsbcf7b185.jpg

I think this is a Cherokee Purple.  I failed again this year to tie up or properly stake the tomatoes,  so it all became a mess.  The vines grew so thickly we could not even reach many of the tomatoes.  I didn't prune or anything.  I just let it go.   We got plenty of cherry tomatoes but for the most part,  the rest went to waste.  I didn't really have time to process them anyway.  I need to have a better plan from here on out.



 photo IMG_20130825_143534_931_zpsf572d382.jpg

I never knew that woodchucks like unripe butternut squash.  I ended up picking all the undamaged ones i could find and let them ripen on the picnic table.  I got enough for quite a few gallons of butternut squash soup.



 photo IMG_20130825_143457_215_zps24b8460d.jpg

The Raveena eggplant did very well.  This one got a little too big.  I picked the rest at a smaller size.  I used them in stir-frys.



 photo IMG_20130825_143208_399_zps11ff532a.jpg

Ancient Sweet peppers get very large.  They are also very tasty,  have few seeds and very little pithy ribs.


 photo IMG_20130906_120649_133_zps897ad734.jpg

Ripe peppers.  The white ones are Zsa Zsa,  the long red is Ancient Sweet of course and the other two were from the plants my dad had extras of.  The Zsa Zsa peppers were good but not as good as the other two types.  They were from my last seeds and Pinetree no longer carries them.  The very pale green color is nice but i won't miss them.  I am glad i finally had success with them.


Ok,  well we lost power for some unknown reason.  We have battery backup but who knows how long the outage will last and the internet access.  I also cannot access older photos i took  with my cell phone,  so these are all i have until i can figure what is going on.   I'll hopefully do another update soon-  not in another 3 months!