What did you do in the garden today?

[CNJ]

I had a recent rice fail - I intended to make fried rice, the crunchy kind with peas and little pieces of egg in it. But it remained mushy, the eggs made it even more mushy - apparently I have no clue about how fried rice is made. So I added some curry spices and some dried cranberries, and made it a different thing - turned out good!

You should check out You Tube, we are in the information age where we don't have to buy a cooking book for recipes, its free on the internet.

 

[TJAnonymous]

So I've got something weird going on... I noticed 1 of my 4 cauliflower plants was looking a little wilted. I watered it and forgot about it. A few days later, I realized it was still looking wilted so I took a closer look. I saw a stream of black ants coming out of the ground around the stem. They had actually chewed through the entire stem! It looks like they were trying to do the same thing to the plant a few feet to the right. I had a little bit of Sevin spray so I dumped it on the stem/soil around the base of the 2nd plant. Then I brought out some Borax and Diatomaceous Earth and dusted the entire area. That was yesterday. This morning I took a look and saw that the ants are still alive and have almost chewed through the 2nd plant. This time I took some Sevin dust out there and worked it into the soil around the base of the plant and all around it. I also treated the 2 remaining cauliflower plants. I'm hoping this 2nd plant recovers.... And I reseeded where the first plant was eaten.

 

[Paz]

Seems that it has many medicinal uses & is edible. They say rub it on a bug bite or pick it when small & use it as a spice. I also read if you harvest when it’s older you must cook it really well as it contains cyanide. Lol, I’d probably skip eating it & try it on a bug bite instead.

Oh no! But my grandfather used to send me off to the fields, as a young boy to pick it for him to make soup!

 

[Paz]

I believe that was a bone marrow transplant for the bubble boy, and he had no immune system so was doomed from the start. I would try gene therapy, or hope it’s available for my husband. When you’re at deaths door already what’s the risk?

It was a gene intervention, they used a special virus to cut up and repair the parts of the boys’s genome that causes the bubble boy disease. But when cutting and repairing, they also changed something that causes cells to multiply, making them multiple without control and creating cancer.
To the researchers favor, I must admit that the gene intervention did indeed cure the bubble boy disease.

 

[Paz]

Neat. What’s it taste like? Is it bitter? Not a fan of bitter (broccoli rabe makes me gag, lol).

Kinda like garlicky arugula.

 

[CNJ]

Yesterday while I was watering my plants, I bumped into a Brads Atomic Grape tomato plant and an unripe tomato fell off. I was surprised to see that it was about the size they start to ripen. Although the TYLCV tomato virus is running rampant in my yard, I might still be able to taste these exotic tomatoes.

I have about 15 TYLCV resistant tomato varieties planted , but left the infected plants, so I could taste them.

I already got tired of eating squash, so I made Kim Chee with these to preserve them. I pick them young, so I don't have to take out the seeds.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I had a recent rice fail - I intended to make fried rice, the crunchy kind with peas and little pieces of egg in it. But it remained mushy, the eggs made it even more mushy - apparently I have no clue about how fried rice is made. So I added some curry spices and some dried cranberries, and made it a different thing - turned out good!

I think the way berry plants propagate is to send roots out at a bit of a distance, and new ones will spring up there. I don't think where you have the leaf mulch makes a difference in encouraging them where to come up. Maybe move the mulch to where they're coming up?

That's my intention, as well. I hope I've timed it right!

I'm amazed, less than a week after I planted my indoor seeds, my San Marzano, Sungold, leeks and Dahlia seeds sprouted. No action yet on squashes, melons or luffas, but I wasn't expecting anything this early, so I need to set up my grow lights.

The dregs of last year's plants were three quarts of sauerkraut that had been fermenting, some leeks that were still in the garden, and several quarts of grapes that I had frozen. So this weekend I pulled up the leeks and used them in a recipe, made grape jelly, and filled the canner.
View attachment 3472203
First cans of 2023!

Making fried rice is not all that difficult. The first thing you need is to plan ahead. Use leftover rice or make it early in the day so it has time to cool and dry. Prep everything you want to add into the rice. Stir fry the protein including the egg. If you are not using a wok where you can put the cooked protein on the side, then remove to a dish. Quickly stir fry the vegetables, don’t overcook. I would not cook the peas at this time because they cook quickly. After the other ingredients are cooked, add the rice and the seasonings and stir fry and try to let some of the rice get a little crunchy. After you get the rice where you like it add the other ingredients to warm it up. I hope this helps. I make fried rice a lot and it’s a great way to use up leftovers. You don’t need a wok, a decent sauté pan works just fine. Also, never use black pepper. Use white pepper instead. A word of caution on the plethora of recipes available on the internet. Many of the recipes I have come across are frequently missing an ingredient or the measurements are way off. Experienced cooks can easily pick up on these things. But they can be confusing for those with less knowledge. I’m not an expert but have been cooking since I was 10 years old, so I guess that’s 61 years of experience.

 

[jerryse]

Yesterday - Not a lot. I had writing to accomplish, first and foremost, then went to work.
But I ordered lumber to build: a yard swing frame; and an extension onto my grape/wisteria arbor for the hardy kiwis that still need planting. I did a little watering of some cuke seeds, as it's been windy. And I lamented over why my second and third succession-planting of peas did not do as well as my first, despite more care and preparation.

I received some new Egyptian Spinach seeds in the mail. Looking forward to trying those out this year.

Today, after I do my writing, a friend is delivering my lumber out here to me. My truck only has a 6-foot bed. I will probably play around with that, to see how high the swing will be. I need to mow. I also need to go across the street and visit my neighbor's chicken house to see what he likes and doesn't like about his build.

I'm struggling emotionally. LOL All my gardening plans hinged on my rototiller. I sent it to be worked on so it would be ready to go for spring. After only about 2 hours on it, it failed and it's in the shop again. So I have TONS of stuff I need to get in the ground and the clock is ticking!

FYI I repowered mine with a Harbor Freight engine more than once. 40 year old Troy Built horse model. I bought it new.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Chasing a neighbor's heifer out of my yard - for hours.
I love cattle, but I am beginning to have murderous thoughts toward this walking hamburger.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Putting in posts to extend my grape / wisteria arbor so it can accommodate my hardy kiwis.