What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

I only plant them in late summer now because I grow so many other things in summer. Lot's of bean shelling, tomato canning etc to do.

I now start seed inside in July (because of our heat) . I plant them out late August/early September and they will grow all winter. When I cook a batch to eat I do enough to freeze a couple meals too. They warm over wonderfully.

About every 3 years I save seed. You can put them in the freezer and they keep many years. I saved seed last year. I always save seed from the 3-5 plants that grew the best through the winter. I've done this many years now and I feel like it helps with hardiness and health of the plants.

In the beginning I planted them in spring. By the following spring they could easily be 3-4 ft tall! They grow amazingly well.

I do think those in the coldest areas could benefit by planting in spring. But experimenting is always good!

I had 5-6 years old collard seeds. as I didn't expect them to germinate and I put a handful of them in a flower pot. I think all of them germinated but made a big mess. I could not separate them (only 2-3) to transplant them so I fed my chickens. those 2-3 I transplanted.

 

[NanaK]

I had 5-6 years old collard seeds. as I didn't expect them to germinate and I put a handful of them in a flower pot. I think all of them germinated but made a big mess. I could not separate them (only 2-3) to transplant them so I fed my chickens. those 2-3 I transplanted.

Bet the chickens loved that.

Sometimes if a end up with a lot of collard seed saved. I pull the oldest seed and sprinkle it in the grazing frames in the chicken run.
They love the sprouts!

I have found the Brassica seed stay viable for many years.

 

[Acre4Me]

Sunshine today yeah. A story that may make you smile. I have a birthday coming up. Several years ago I realized that my birthday is 9 months and 1 day after my Dad's birthday. Hmm I think I know what he got for his birthday.

Spouse has 6 siblings. 4 of the kids were born late September… Christmas/ NewYear’s…hmmm.

I was recently talking with a mom that has 9 kids (aged 20’s to age1), and nearly all are Aug birthdays. She’s just shrugs her shoulders smiles, snd says “I’m married to a farmer, he’s around more in the winter”.

 

[CNJ]

I bought a wax gourd (winter melon) from my local supermarket, it cost around $20, it's a novelty in my area, they don't sell it at Costco. We have to grow our own or buy it at a high price to make a New Year soup dish. At least I will have seeds from this locally grown winter melon for the end of 2024.

 

[Sally PB]

Yeah, I'm also 7B and was "reassigned" to 8A. I'm not buying it... I will continue to use recommendations for 7B.

I'm 5B reassigned to 6A. I will continue to garden as if we are "5Bers," but for some reason, I like thinking of myself as being in zone 6. Why?

I think it's because I like the number 6 better than the number 5. Maybe because it's a perfect number?
"In number theory, a perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its positive divisors, excluding the number itself."

The first 5 perfect numbers are: 6, 28, 496, 8128, and 33,550,336. I looked that up. I only knew 6 and 28.

 

[Birdsonghill]

Our weather is very similar. I've never covered collards and don't mulch them. They were fine at the 19f we had a short while back. They are really hardy. They are the best tasting and cook faster after a frost.

I have grown many varieties of collards for fifty years in zone 7b and never lost them to freezes down to zero without covers or mulch but they look better and have less damage if covered when very cold weather below 15 degrees F. They have survived ice events if the stems did not break under the weight. The Alabama Blue heirloom collard is very ornamental when it goes to bloom with a plethora of yellow blooms over blue and green foliage. Tree collards can get 6 or 7 feet tall here and live multiple years. I like the cabbage collard varieties that are light green and more tender than some others, very much, as well. Lucky me, most winters here don't get below about 15 F and all collards I have tried did well. I am happy so many people are talking about collards! Try an heirloom variety or two and help keep bio diversity and explore the possibilities for your garden. Now I want to mention my favorite Kales. Portuguese "sea" kale, Casper variegated kale, dinosaur kale, Russian red kale and premier kale. Garden crosses can be great so look for sports. Mustard varieties are my favorite day in and day out cooked greens.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I'm 5B reassigned to 6A. I will continue to garden as if we are "5Bers," but for some reason, I like thinking of myself as being in zone 6. Why?

I think it's because I like the number 6 better than the number 5. Maybe because it's a perfect number?
"In number theory, a perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its positive divisors, excluding the number itself."

The first 5 perfect numbers are: 6, 28, 496, 8128, and 33,550,336. I looked that up. I only knew 6 and 28.

How I wish I could simply identify as Zone 9 or 10 and it be true...

 

[Tstraub]

I have been overwintering a couple pepper plants and tomato cuttings this year as a trial to see if it is worth the effort to keep plants alive from year to year or simply start fresh in the spring.

I expected the peppers to go dormant but man they are bushing out and starting to blossom. Only one of 3 pepper cuttings survived the rooting process. Tomatoes are living but getting leggy. I considered plugging in another light or two for the tomatoes but the peppers are doing so well I don’t think will change anything. As long as the tomatoes survive they should snap out of it when they go out to the garden.

 

[Birdsonghill]

I have grown grape. cherry and tommy toe tomatoes under T5 HO 55 watt bulb lights very successfully. Each 6000 K bulb has about 5000 lumens so a five or six bulb light fixture will yield 25,000 to 30.000 lumens and grow about anything. With Fluorescent lighting the lights need to be adjusted to just a few inches or less than 6 inches, above the growing plant tops for best growth. Also get a spare set of bulbs to change out to about 3300K bulbs for better blooming and fruiting performance after the plants are well started and beginning to bloom. Alternately get a LED light with ample lumens(24,000) and about 180 or so watts with a full spectrum for plants. Metal halide and HPS lights used in succession ( for starting and then fruiting) work very well if over 250 watts that yield enough lumens. The threshold is about 24,000 lumens for great results similar outside growth. Coverage and plant numbers are varied by the type of light and size you choose. Don't forget ventilation, moving air keeps them strong and healthy, pay attention to the recommended distance between the light and plants tops for the type of light you choose. If you spend more time with the plants breathing on them or have them in the house with you they are happy and respond to your co2 and constant care.

 

[fuzzi]

That looks very delicious.

They were!