FAVORITES AND TRIALS

[Peaches Lee]

I just harvested a sugar pie pumpkin, a red kuri, and a golden pippen this morning....the wait is going to be tough...I want pumpkin now!! When you say "mini pumpkin" is that a Jack-be-little or something different?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I just harvested a sugar pie pumpkin, a red kuri, and a golden pippen this morning....the wait is going to be tough...I want pumpkin now!! When you say "mini pumpkin" is that a Jack-be-little or something different?

Hooligan, and sweet lightning.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Hooligan, and sweet lightning.

Nice! Enjoy those little pumpkins!

 

[Geggs]

Oh and Welcome to BYC!! @Geggs, I hope you enjoy hanging out with us!

Thanks for the well-wishes oregonkat! I enjoy the forum very much. I have been "lurking" for a couple of years. Finally thought I'd join even though I have no livestock as yet. Not allowed where we live, and a few other practical reasons too, unfortunately. But I do keep dreaming...

 

[oregonkat]

Thanks for the well-wishes oregonkat! I enjoy the forum very much. I have been "lurking" for a couple of years. Finally thought I'd join even though I have no livestock as yet. Not allowed where we live, and a few other practical reasons too, unfortunately. But I do keep dreaming...

Well, you are welcome to live vicariously through the rest of us nutcases!

 

[City farm]

This thread is for folks to share information about some of the vegetable plants that are on their forever favorite list, and the vegetables that are being trialed.

Please, include: Your growing climate, your soil type, and any other info about growing conditions particular to your gardening. Then, list the plant variety, whether it's a favorite, or a trial, as well as any comparison with other varieties of that vegetable you've grown.

Here are my first entries: I'm in zone 4B, garden is sandy loam, good sun, good drainage. Currently converting to Back To Eden style and using a lot of mulch.

Pole Bean: Fortex. I absolutely love this bean. It's super productive, with pods that grow > 10" while still maintaining good flavor and texture. I've been growing and saving it's seed for years. Garden would be very sad without it. Pole beans are a must have for anyone who is limited on gardening space, or doesn't like to bend over to harvest bush beans out of the mud. Pole beans can go from garden to table with a quick rinse.

Blue Lake bush: Second year trialing. I'm using this bean as a harvestable cover crop and soil fixer upper. Pleased with the flavor and texture. But, the short stubby beans (when compared with Fortex) and having to bend over to pick them take getting used to. Fantastic crop growing in the sheet compost area right now. Loaded with blossoms.

Radish: French Breakfast. An other MUST HAVE. Grows long. Excellent flavor, never bites if you keep it watered. I do successive sowings. I don't like other radish b/c they are sharp tasting. I love to slice this radish into long "planks" and sandwich 2 planks with a dollop of peanut butter. I'll eat a whole plate full in one sitting. Radish make great row markers. They sprout before the other seeds, letting you know where you've planted. They suppress weeds, and are removed long before your target crop needs the space. They also repel a few insects.

Pink Banana squash: Totally new to me. Rampant vines. Also growing in sheet compost area. Any other gardeners have experience with this variety?

Tomatoes:

Sun Gold (cherry). Absolutely MUST HAVE. These sweet little nuggets rarely make it into the house. I graze on them any time I go to the garden.

Amish Paste: Heirloom. Have saved seeds for a number of years. Large, beefy size makes them easy to process.

Olpaka: Trialing. Any one have experience with this one?

Anna's Russian: Trialing. Any one have experience with this one?

Potato: My all time favorite: All Red. Second best: Adirondack Red. I absolutely love the vibrant pink color of the flesh. Once made mashed potatoes using AR and Yukon Gold. Lightly mashed them so the colors were swirled. Awesome presentation!

New Zealand spinach. This is the first year I've grown it. It has a nice texture and flavor, does not bolt, and will be good in a stir fry. Will most likely make space for this plant in the future. Slow to germinate and establish.

We love gardening so much we started a fourm on here Free Plant N garden Stands org.
We do have a few in other states on our global map.
I really enjoy our mulberry treats, elderberry and curry leaf tree. Zone 9 not that great of soil but these do great here in Arizona.