Green thumb is itching, anyone else?

[rancher hicks]

Al - if you haven't tried my "can" method for your tomatoes you need to. It makes watering easy and saves time. It also works for peppers, okra and anything tall.

I'm in 5b with the increase in temp zones but have never planted a fall garden. I am getting ready to plant more lettuce and swiss chard and perhaps carrots. Garlic will be planted in Oct or Nov.

I just paid .85 cent for 6 little shallots so i will try to find some seed for those too and get them started. I still have some more raised beds to put in but need to clear the area first. It's so dry it's hard to dig.

One good thing about the dry is the mosquitoes are less of a problem.

 

[queenchick16]

Yesterday I pulled and braided about 60 onions for drying. They were smallish because it's been so dry here in Iowa. Garlic is next. They're still small but might have a little growth left in them. The melon patch looks good (I've been watering them). Tomatoes suffered this year though and my lettuce bolted
Thinking about starting a fall garden. Never tried that before... Any suggestions? Zone 5b

Al did you start your garlic in the fall?

 

[albert w]

I planted both onion and garlic sets in the spring. It's worked in the past but not this year.
I knocked off work early today because of the heat. I do roofing and painting and it was over 100 today. When I got home everything was a little droopy, so I'll be watering again tonight, which I hate to do because of the price of our city water bill. I re-seeded about half of our one acre this spring and had to keep watering. We had a $270 water bill lol! My wife wanted to kill me! To add to the insult, it's been so hot and dry that the lawn is dead anyway after coming up beautifully!

 

[albert w]

Is there anything I could plant now which would be ready for harvest by fall?

 

[albert w]

Yesterday I pulled and braided about 60 onions for drying. They were smallish because it's been so dry here in Iowa. Garlic is next. They're still small but might have a little growth left in them. The melon patch looks good (I've been watering them). Tomatoes suffered this year though and my lettuce bolted
Thinking about starting a fall garden. Never tried that before... Any suggestions? Zone 5b

Al did you start your garlic in the fall?

Oh! And where do I find your can method?

 

[queenchick16]

Is there anything I could plant now which would be ready for harvest by fall?

I have been a faithful follower of Bob Thomson "the New victory Garden" you can buy used copies on eBay or Amazon. he breaks it down month by month as to what you should be planting . July and Aug. you can plant
Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Carrots
Cucumbers
Kale
Peas
Summer squash


August you can put in
Beans
Cauliflower
Chinese cabbage
Lettuce
Radishes
Spinach
Turnips

he tells you what you should be fertilizing ,mulching etc.
his work is based on his home in new England so I think it would be good for your zone also. good luck Carol

 

[queenchick16]

al there is a used copy on eBay for 4.30 free shipping. Do you ever use that site?

 

[albert w]

Thank you, I'll check it out! I've been gardening and had house plants my whole life but had no idea so many things could be grown this time of year! Wow, how could I not know this...
Thanks again.

 

[queenchick16]

Thank you, I'll check it out! I've been gardening and had house plants my whole life but had no idea so many things could be grown this time of year! Wow, how could I not know this...
Thanks again.

my greatest find this year was burped Easy-peasy. simply amazing. There are 2 pea pods per node. I'll never grow any other. check them out.. also I tried that legume inoculum also.
you can tell me to stop anytime if you want . ps I posted photos of the peas weeks back.

 

[queenchick16]

that's Burpee easy-peasy