BYC gardening thread!!

[hippiestink]

We can pumpkin for pies and meals. Then I cut extra pumpkins into quarters and eighths for the chicken pens as a winter treat...seeds and all. They eat all but the thin rind.

We freeze pumpkin. Cut up the pumpkin into manageable chunks, lay on a cookie sheet and bake. When soft, scrape the "meat" into freezer bags. Freeze. Lasts perfectly well that way for at least a year, so it gives you a supply of pumpkins until the next fall's crop comes in.

And once the shells are baked, the chickens eat just about all of it. And, of course, the seeds and "guts" you remove before baking. (Unless, that is, you also roast the pumpkin seeds for your own consumption!)

Same thing for any squash seeds. Chickens will not leave them alone until the pile is gone once you put them out there. (I usually place stuff like this on an old 5-gallon-bucket lid. Keeps the gooey stuff contained and dirt-free (until the birds walk on it during the feeding frenzy, anyway...)

This is helpful when you get a renegade zucchini that grows into a 10-lb weapon hiding under the leaves. Slice it in half lengthways. (Don't peel it.) Scoop out all the seeds. In the remaining channel where the seeds were, pack your favorite meat loaf recipe, cover with tomato sauce and bake. Top with cheese for the last 10-15 minutes of baking so it melts and turns golden. Then cut the "boat" into slices and serve. If people cut off the zucchini peel, give that tot he chickens too.

I can pumpkin chunks for soups and I freeze puree for pies. It's not safe to can purees like pumpkin or mashed potatoes according to the USDA website, probably due to the viscosity.

Go ahead and plant them outside if your able to dig. You could also plant some in a pot (same planting depth) and have some earlier blossoms inside.

x2 Bulbs are resilient little things. We have wild bulbs like crocus and daffodil here that overwinter perfectly fine in the ground, and we live in a place that snows and rains pretty much 365 days a year.

 

[lazy gardener]

Oops! That reminds me that I should probably plant the tulip bulbs that are lounging in the wine fridge.

(Out of sight out of mind)

Thanks!

I have a lot of bulbs that I didn't get into the ground this year. I'm a bottom feeder: can't pass up a mark down! So, I buy bulbs when they're marked way down, then get too busy to get them in the ground. I think fall is a busier time for me than spring! Any how, those bulbs are still nice and firm, so hoping they'll hold till the ground thaws. Now... where to put them. Getting a puppy has added an extra layer to the difficulty keeping my flower beds intact!

 

[NanaKat]

Quote: I can the pumpkin in 1 inch cubes and drain it when I make pies. I let the mixer puree the pumpkin as the ingredients mix for the pies. The blades of the mixer catch any pumpkin strings for easy separation. A quart jar will make three 8 inch pies.

 

[dan26552]

Got tomatoes started.

 

[hippiestink]

Garlic is sprouting. Eight out of the fifteen are showing little shoots, i'm hoping more follow.

 

[dan26552]

Garlic is sprouting. Eight out of the fifteen are showing little shoots, i'm hoping more follow.

Woot! What type?

 

[hippiestink]

Woot! What type?

Romanian Red. Does great in the cooler temps here and makes some giant cloves. Hardneck variety too if you like hardnecks.

 

[dan26552]

Romanian Red. Does great in the cooler temps here and makes some giant cloves. Hardneck variety too if you like hardnecks.

Nice! I can't grow hard neck (Or at least thats what I'm told) I live too far south

 

[hippiestink]

Nice! I can't grow hard neck (Or at least thats what I'm told) I live too far south

Eh, I'm of the opinion that you just need to experiment and find what works in your area. I picked the Romanian Red because I know Romania is about the same climate as us and it's native to that country.

 

[dan26552]

Eh, I'm of the opinion that you just need to experiment and find what works in your area. I picked the Romanian Red because I know Romania is about the same climate as us and it's native to that country.

I do experiment, I have two small beds of hard neck garlic that appears to be doing just fine