Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[itsren]

My grandpa always grew watermelon when I was a kid, but we tried it last year and had no luck with it. Although, we didn't have great success with any crop last year, except zucchini and peas. It was hard with us both working longer hours. I am going to try again this year though, just to see.

Last year was a bad year for the garden. What little did do well - ended up being eaten by some feathered friends before I got to it. I think my 4 successful crops that actually made it into the human food chain were garlic, tomatoes, beans, and swiss chard and that's only because they are planted out of reach of the feathered friends. And - I had to give the garlic away after learning I was allergic to it.

Gosh, I went through 2 huge pea packets last year, and they did terrible. I'm now waiting to see if I'm going to have bad pea luck this year, too - because I'm not seeing much of anything yet. I'm giving up growing broccolli and cauliflower. 5 years trying - I've learned it's just not worth it! My lettuces, turnips, radish and pumpkins just didn't do well last year. Corn did OK, but the feathered friends got into before we could.

 

[CarolynF]

The waterer and feed cup I showed a pic of are of Lucy's water and food in the top, they're hanging on her hardware cloth front. The babies below have a hanging feeder and a gallon traditional waterer for now

oh... okay, I misunderstood. I've been whizing thru the posts the past few days so it's no wonder I got it confused!

 

[itsren]

It may grow but not very well unless in a green/hot house. Also the corn drops protein levels and will cause egg production to fall. Don't believe it feed a bunch and keep track of egg production for the next say 3 weeks compared to before the corn. And even canned corn will do that. See we had been given a bunch of canned corn. DW decided she was going to give the chickens a treat. Like about a gallon of canned corn, we nearly lost all egg production for weeks.

Good to know. Thanks CR. I didn't know that about corn - my girls ate all the corn I planted last year.

What about asparagus? My girls have been eating my new shoots. I *think* I have finally devised a way to keep them out. We shall see. NOT happy about a $60 asparagus bed being raided by chickens. I'm hoping it recovers. Right now there's only a few shoots coming back up.

 

[CarolynF]

Last year was a bad year for the garden. What little did do well - ended up being eaten by some feathered friends before I got to it. I think my 4 successful crops that actually made it into the human food chain were garlic, tomatoes, beans, and swiss chard and that's only because they are planted out of reach of the feathered friends. And - I had to give the garlic away after learning I was allergic to it.

Gosh, I went through 2 huge pea packets last year, and they did terrible. I'm now waiting to see if I'm going to have bad pea luck this year, too - because I'm not seeing much of anything yet. I'm giving up growing broccolli and cauliflower. 5 years trying - I've learned it's just not worth it! My lettuces, turnips, radish and pumpkins just didn't do well last year. Corn did OK, but the feathered friends got into before we could.

You're so right about last year's gardens. The year before, too. Yuk! The weather in this region seems to go in cycles. We get 2 or 3 years of great garden weather, then 2 or 3 really rotten years. Since the last two have been so horrible I'm really hoping for good this year.

Last year my tomatoes all ripened in September... finally. But my peas did pretty well and the kale always does well. We've never had good luck with broccoli but my GF seems to. The chickens love the leaves, though, so it doesn't go to waste. Right now my peas are about 2"-3" high, the spinach is doing great and I have a lot of seedlings coming up. I planted beets, delicata squash, zuchinni, and kohlrabi seeds this week. I put black pots over the squash seeds since the nights are still cold. I also bought a 4-pak of tomatoes last week and transferred them to larger pots.

 

[itsren]

And... there's no excuse for not planting at least ONE or TWO tomato plants!!! Try Better Boy and Sweet Million, they are our favorites!

Just don't plant about 30 - unless you're a farmer! After 3 years - I'm STILL pulling tomato plant weeds - in hopes to get to them before my chickens do. Those pesky things will grow everywhere if you get overwhelmed with the harvest and let them fall to the ground. The darn things even grow in the shade!

 

[itsren]

You're so right about last year's gardens. The year before, too. Yuk! The weather in this region seems to go in cycles. We get 2 or 3 years of great garden weather, then 2 or 3 really rotten years. Since the last two have been so horrible I'm really hoping for good this year.

Last year my tomatoes all ripened in September... finally. But my peas did pretty well and the kale always does well. We've never had good luck with broccoli but my GF seems to. The chickens love the leaves, though, so it doesn't go to waste. Right now my peas are about 2"-3" high, the spinach is doing great and I have a lot of seedlings coming up. I planted beets, delicata squash, zuchinni, and kohlrabi seeds this week. I put black pots over the squash seeds since the nights are still cold. I also bought a 4-pak of tomatoes last week and transferred them to larger pots.

Really? Question - are you growing organic? Because, honestly, I'm about ready to stop growing organic. I see nothing coming up from my organic peas. I know the other seeds are GMO - but, man, I'm am tired of things struggling so much to get different organic seeds to germinate. When I first started gardening, I didn't grow organic seeds and had great results (without the use of fertilizers).

 

[itsren]

Well, I'm out-a here. Off to a doctor's appt. Wish me luck that I don't have strep throat. I really don't want that shot in the butt!

 

[lilfarmmomma]

Quote: My peas did well, but got eaten by my DS, so only about a 1/3 made it into the house. We did ok with green beans, but not as well as I would have hoped. The zucchini did awesome, we had to give a bunch away. Thankfully, I know lots of peeps who like it. Sorry to hear that you are allergic to garlic. I have never tried to grow it, but plan to this year, as we use a LOT of it. My tomatoes did very poorly last year, but I am pretty sure that was user error. I just could not remember to water them. My jalapenos did ok though, got enough to make a couple of dinners. I plan on canning and freezing a lot this year, to try to get us through the winter with a smaller grocery bill.

 

[itsren]

My peas did well, but got eaten by my DS, so only about a 1/3 made it into the house. We did ok with green beans, but not as well as I would have hoped. The zucchini did awesome, we had to give a bunch away. Thankfully, I know lots of peeps who like it. Sorry to hear that you are allergic to garlic. I have never tried to grow it, but plan to this year, as we use a LOT of it. My tomatoes did very poorly last year, but I am pretty sure that was user error. I just could not remember to water them. My jalapenos did ok though, got enough to make a couple of dinners. I plan on canning and freezing a lot this year, to try to get us through the winter with a smaller grocery bill.

Garlic takes a full year, but grows very well in this environment. I thought I got it all pulled and given away to my friend, but I have a few more in the bed it was planted in again. I sifted that dirt, too, so I'm surprised they are there. My friend and her husband were very, very happy to get all that garlic.

 

[sallypup11]

Third day out..... the turkey babes are driving me bat house. They must have imprinted on me?? I thought turkeys were dumb. I shut my house door as I head out to garden or whatever and just like that, turkeys bleating at the top of their lungs. Right now they are bleat/screaming. I made sure they had water and food and they have pasture to go in and the hoop house if they need it. They shut up when I do down there but I can't live there so shut up!! Please.