Garden Geeks thread

[walrus]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Out early before its too hot, got 40 something Tomatoes in the ground, and 20 something peppers. Used 10 to 15 5 gallon buckets of compost now its time to clean out the coop to start some more compost for next year

[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Had Church in the AM. Started at 3PM. Planed Cukes, Summer Squash, Beans, Wax Beans, Zucchini, and top dressed the Peas with compost. I think the Arugula and Lettuce are a bust. 5 weeks in and barely germinated. Nightmare Spring. Cold and dry then cold and soaking rain. Now HOT all at once. Took Wally's advice and planted the seeds in a mound of compost. Hoping for the best.

[FreshFish]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

took a stroll through the vegetable garden after I got home from work. Much to my delight, found about a dozen ripe strawberries!

Picked 'em, rinsed 'em, ate a few and shared the rest. Wow! Not only the flavor but also the "feel" of the berry in the mouth as well. Much softer, less firm, than store-bought.


I've noticed this wonderful thing about many of the different edible plants we grow: you literally cannot get them in stores.

One thing about store food which is only obvious when you think about it, is that the stuff has to survive harvesting, shipping, and stocking, and then still be palatable enough to the customer, to be worth buying. That means certain varieties of broccoli, cucumber, beans, etc. that might be highly desirable for their consistency and flavor will never make it fresh to most stores (unless they buy locally and sell out quickly), and even the best frozen food is, well, frozen and thawed.

Many years ago we grew broccoli and I was amazed at how good it tasted compared to what I was used to (we've since quit growing broccoli because it's more space, time, and effort than it's worth to us). Cucumbers too. Green beens are the best: "haricot vert" is the name on the seed packet (it's French for "green bean"), and we've figured out how to plant the seeds in batches several weeks apart to extend the harvesting season. Just the right amount: pick 'em, rinse 'em, steam or stir fry 'em, eat 'em. Just enough for several meals a week, not so many that there are extra to preserve and store.

I have a special memory of the year that we grew cantaloupe leaves.....and one perfect albeit miniature melon. It wasn't just the savory sweetness, there also was something melting in the consistency, not as chewy as store-bought.

Experimenting with a new kind of eggplant this year.

[FiveHole12]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Been gardening since I was a teen, and you're correct FreshFish... there is absolutely nothing in the store that tastes like fresh veggies, whether home grown or at the local farm stand.
However, call me crazy, BUT... I absolutely LOVE canned green beans over fresh green beans. No idea why, just the way it is.

[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Been gardening since I was a teen, and you're correct FreshFish... there is absolutely nothing in the store that tastes like fresh veggies, whether home grown or at the local farm stand.
However, call me crazy, BUT... I absolutely LOVE canned green beans over fresh green beans. No idea why, just the way it is.

salt.

I love those and canned carrots. They have nothing to do with the real vegetables but I love the taste.

[Carter]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Been gardening since I was a teen, and you're correct FreshFish... there is absolutely nothing in the store that tastes like fresh veggies, whether home grown or at the local farm stand.
However, call me crazy, BUT... I absolutely LOVE canned green beans over fresh green beans. No idea why, just the way it is.

Blasphemer! I won't touch a canned green bean, or any preserved green bean for that matter. I just think nothing compares to getting them fresh from the garden, preferably my own garden. Still, there's a lot of good stuff that other people love and I detest, so I guess that's what makes the world go round. Enjoy 'em.

[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Blasphemer! I won't touch a canned green bean, or any preserved green bean for that matter. I just think nothing compares to getting them fresh from the garden, preferably my own garden. Still, there's a lot of good stuff that other people love and I detest, so I guess that's what makes the world go round. Enjoy 'em.

They are not like real green beans. Kind of like pickles aren't like real cukes.

[FiveHole12]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Blasphemer! I won't touch a canned green bean, or any preserved green bean for that matter. I just think nothing compares to getting them fresh from the garden, preferably my own garden. Still, there's a lot of good stuff that other people love and I detest, so I guess that's what makes the world go round. Enjoy 'em.

How do you survive the winters up there? Meat and fish only? That's a lot of killing to keep from eating preserved food.
I enjoy my green beans year round.

[FreshFish]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

We have a different kind of "harvest" from mid-May through mid-June, and that is the delightful aroma of fragrant flowers. The daphne and lilac are gone now, just in time for the roses to open. We have a few wild roses around the yard that we let grow and they've turned in to sizable plants by now, and they waft a wonderful scent through the house when the windows are open and a light breeze is blowing.

[walrus]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

So cold and rainy Squashes and Cukes came up and promptly damped off, try planting again tomorrow and hope it warms up

[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

My garden appears to be doing very well (besides the cucumbers that died), but I think I killed my blueberry plant. Still no leaves on it.

p.s. I like frozen green beans over fresh.

[FreshFish]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

I like frozen green beans over fresh.

depends upon which varietal. there are many different kinds of green beans. I'm not a big fan of pole beans and I love the bush beans we have.

also depends upon how they are prepared. I can see how a flash frozen bean that was just picked might taste better when steamed than certain fresh kinds boiled.

[Carter]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Man, we are getting drowned in rain here in south central Wisconsin. From Thursday through yesterday we had 6.5 inches, and we've had 3 inches this AM with perhaps 2 more inches expected yet today. More forecast for tomorrow. Our garden was growing nicely, but Jesus, how much can it take. We've built up the top soil really well but maybe 10" down it's solid clay. It's gonna hold this water like a bathtub. Crap.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

I never liked garden green beans until I found one called Masai.

These are thin and seem to be what is served in restaurants when you get green beans as a side.

Very nice stir fried or steamed and aren't tough to eat like the standard blue lake or pole beans can be.


Getting the same rain as Carter and all of my peppers are laying over. Gotta get out there and stake them.

[Carter]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Gotta get out there and stake them.

Don't get stuck! My favorite bean is a French filet bean called Fortex. It's a pole bean, which means the vast majority of picking is done standing up (yay). The beans are thin and long and absolutely never get tough or stringy. We get the seeds from Jung's, and they cost about twice what other bean seeds cost, but man they're worth every penny.

Hmmm, I just looked up Masai and they too are a French Filet bean. Maybe we're on to something here.