Garden thread

[cluckmecoop7]

I’d like to join your thread! I’ve been looking through the seed catalogs and deciding what I will plant this spring. I usually start the seeds inside around mid January and plant in March. Right now I have cabbage, kale, collards, lettuce and broccoli growing outside. I prefer the winter garden because it’s cooler and fewer bugs, but my favorite veggies are the summer ones. Tomatoes, cucumbers and squash. The last few years the squash vine borers killed everyone of my squash, so I’m making plans for them too. Any ideas?

I'm wondering how to grow kale! Could you please tell me about it? That would be great if you could! I want to try growing it this year.

 

[21hens-incharge]

All I am doing so far is looking at seed companies.

This year I NEED a good tomato harvest. I am down to 9 pints of canned tomatoes. Last year the clay soil split and killed 4 of my plants. I did not have much to can.

I heaped a bunch of composted horse poo, fall leaves and chicken coop shavings and poo there this fall. I do not expect that section to be usable this year.

I will be doing a cover crop of buckwheat and red clover to help the soil too.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

To keep the conversation going, what is everyone's favorite veggie they grow in their garden?

Mine is either carrots or cherry tomatoes (unless you include raspberries, cause those are the best!).

I don't really no about that..... BUT - my favorite veggie to grow in the garden is probably radishes. I'm gonna hopefully grow a lot this year.

This year I want to grow the following:

1. Lettuce
2. Radishes
3. Carrots
4. Peas (not sure what kind yet)
5. Tomatoes
6. Cucumbers
7. Squash
8. - .......... I don't no what else yet. Ideas?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

All I am doing so far is looking at seed companies.

This year I NEED a good tomato harvest. I am down to 9 pints of canned tomatoes. Last year the clay soil split and killed 4 of my plants. I did not have much to can.

I heaped a bunch of composted horse poo, fall leaves and chicken coop shavings and poo there this fall. I do not expect that section to be usable this year.

I will be doing a cover crop of buckwheat and red clover to help the soil too.

This will be my first year canning. How do you can?

 

[Melodychick]

I'm wondering how to grow kale! Could you please tell me about it? That would be great if you could! I want to try growing it this year.

I just threw the seeds in the soil and watered. Kale likes cooler temps, so down here they will bolt quickly and peter out as soon as the hot summer starts, probably about the time you would be planting them! The chickens and ducks absolutely love it they hardly leave enough for me, so today I threw some more seeds out. Hopefully they will soon sprout

 

[Melodychick]

8. - .......... I don't no what else yet. Ideas

eggplant, potatoes, onions

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I just threw the seeds in the soil and watered. Kale likes cooler temps, so down here they will bolt quickly and peter out as soon as the hot summer starts, probably about the time you would be planting them! The chickens and ducks absolutely love it they hardly leave enough for me, so today I threw some more seeds out. Hopefully they will soon sprout

Thanks for the info! By the way, I just noticed your username. One of my pullets is names Melody!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

eggplant, potatoes, onions

Thanks!

 

[21hens-incharge]

This will be my first year canning. How do you can?

There are 2 methods....water bath and pressure.

Water bath is good for jam, jelly, pickles, tomatoes and other high acid foods.
Pressure canning is something I have not done. It is however the only safe way to can low acid foods like green beans and peas (and a million other things).

Ball has a good website and books with recipes for canning. I use mine every time I can.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Ok, thank you very much @21hens-incharge. I will look into it more.