DO YA WANNA TALK GARDENING?

[porgey]

carolf post=339404 wrote:

Don’t think i will grow from seed anymore, just buy plants from the nursery.

So overall really disappointing this year to the point of wondering if it is all worth all the work and effort that goes into it. 🙁

Not sure what has caused all this maybe the weather has hasn’t been very kind.

What went wrong? Poor germination, poor growth, poor fruit set?

Gardening can be frustrating sometimes but problem solving can be interesting and very rewarding when plants begin producing lots of healthy food. If you are having germination problems with seed you may like to try sowing some seed in punnets indoors before transplanting out in to the garden. This is essentially what nurseries are selling but doing it your self is cheaper and much more beneficial. I use saved dunny roles, cut them in half and fill with well rotted compost to raise seeds in. Its as cheap as chips (actually cheaper) and nothing is wasted.

[lisanne]

Why are all my tomatoes only green? 🙁

[carolf]

Porgey i did grow in pots first. I have no idea what has gone wrong, the Apple tree only had 2 apples, 3 Nectarines didn’t do anything no fruit what so ever, must admit to feeling very disillusioned at the moment. 🙁

Lisanne, maybe not enough warm weather this year, or maybe they are meant to stay green, don’t believe how many different coloured Tomatoes you can get now, but for me Tomatoes are red and that is all i will plant 🙂

[Steve]

Bobbee post=339372 wrote: OK Steve, you must have known I’d ask, what’s a lab-lab bean? And don’t you dare say poor man’s bean, I would like a proper answer please. :laugh:

OK, here are some pics.

My vege garden is here somewhere – under the poor man’s bean…

(there are also sweet potato vines in there too)

Here are the young beans…

The flowers are pretty…

I got my first seeds from Judi B a few years ago. I would have a bucket of seed in the shed left over from last year. They are pretty seed too – black with a white stripe. I had visions of doing something with the seed back then – as in using them for cooking – but they have stayed in the shed… :laugh:

[Bobbee]

carolf post=339404 wrote: Hi Bobbee, was a terrible year for us here as far as veg’s go.

Most of my seeds came from Earth Garden.

Beans didn’t do any good

Zucchini only one plant out of 3 done any good

Squash i ended up pulling out and going to the nursery to get some more, but they also have been pretty average.

Tomatoes from Earth garden didn’t do any good.

Italian Tomato seeds that hubby got at Seymour field day done very average.

Pumpkin no good. 2 pumpkin on 5 bushes.

Potatoes done ok.

Don’t think i will grow from seed anymore, just buy plants from the nursery.

So overall really disappointing this year to the point of wondering if it is all worth all the work and effort that goes into it. 🙁

Not sure what has caused all this maybe the weather has hasn’t been very kind.

Hi Carol, so sorry you have had a disappointing year in the veg garden. It sorta happens sometimes I guess. I agree that the weather ceetainly plays a big part, but so does the condition of the soil. Maybe yours is lacking in something or perhaps has an over abundance of something. Have you had a look at Mauzi’s thread on ‘soil’. It is very interesting and might give you some hints on what you can do.

It is so disheartening to work your butt off getting stuff ready to grow and keeping it all growing and then to have little or no fruiting. But try not to give up because the rewards when they come are amazing. You know what you are eating, no chemicals, fresh veg and fruit and herbs. The taste is amazing and you know what you are eating is good for you.

Have you tried companion planting? That is another way to encourage your garden to grow healthy and strong.

If the pumpkins that did grow are decent pumpkins and taste good then I reckon it would be a good idea to save the seed. Next year you will have seed that is already acclimatised to your little part of the world and they may grow tremendously well for you.

Another thought Carol, do you have raised beds? If not perhaps try them. I am sure some one will be able to advise you on the best mix for optimum veg growth.

Best of luck Carol,

:hug:

[Bobbee]

lisanne post=339410 wrote: Why are all my tomatoes only green? 🙁

Hi Lisanne, Like Carol said maybe they are meant to be green. Or they may just be taking longer to ripen. Do they have any tinge of colour? If so they will ripen inside and still taste great.

Don’t despair though because even if the weather breaks and is totally cold and ‘orrible your tomatoes can still ripen. Just pull the whole plant out and hang it upside down in the garage or shed and the tomatoes will gradually ripen. They are amazing that way.

I have even hung bushes over wire trellis outside and the toms have continued to ripen.

And green tomato pickles tastes wonderful. Mr Bobbs loves green tomato pickles.

Maybe some kind person will have some more technical info for you Lisanne but that’s the best I can come up with right now.

:hug:

[Bobbee]

Steve do the lab lab beans taste good? They look very much like some I had growing a couple of years ago and I can’t remember if we like them. Have the feeling Mr Bobbs was mightily unimpressed with them. :shrug:

I do have a few roundish black bean seeds that have a white stripe along one side, that are not named :blush: :blush: Do you think they might be lab lab?

Lady B, Mr Bobbs dug the next 2 lots of spuds yesterday, King Edwards are ok, normal sized spuds and decent productivity for the amount planted. But the kennebecs went mad just like the desirees. Largest weighted in at 906 g and at least half of the 3 metre row are close to that weight, 650 g to 850 g. Good solid potatoes but we haven’t cooked any yet so can’t tell about taste. :tup:

I believe they are one of the older type spuds, but not sure about that. We have a row of nicola spuds and a row of mixed left overs from last years crop still to harvest. Oh and half a row of the low GI potatoes that we bought from the supermarket and planted to try so that I can maybe enjoy a potato too. :tup:

:hug:

[carolf]

Morning Bobbie, All my beds are raised, last year was really good year, but not this year seems to be the harder you try the worse it gets. 🙁

Have just about pulled everything out now, and with all this rain it would be finished anyway. We have had 170ml sunday night monday and have nearly another 80ml overnight and doesn’t look like stopping, but i do love rain and i can’t leave the place because we are flooded in. :cheer:

[Steve]

Bobbee post=339443 wrote: Steve do the lab lab beans taste good? They look very much like some I had growing a couple of years ago and I can’t remember if we like them. Have the feeling Mr Bobbs was mightily unimpressed with them. :shrug:

I do have a few roundish black bean seeds that have a white stripe along one side, that are not named :blush: :blush: Do you think they might be lab lab?

I didn’t think they were anything out of the ordinary taste wise. If I had a choice for eating beans, I’d go the normal bush or climbing bean. The yield compared to the size of the bush is low and the time to bear is long.

But for something like a green manure crop they’d be ok – similar to cow pea I’d say. I’ll chop mine back and it will provide a lot of organic matter for the soil.

Here is a pic of the seed:

[porgey]

There stunning looking beans. The Yin Yang bean looks terrific but the subtlety of the pictured bean looks even better. The climbing bean of choice for me is the Lazy Housewife Bean and the Pioneer Bush Bean is the winner on taste. I will have lots of seed of both soon so if anybody wants some just pm me.

[Wombat]

I bought some “Lazy Wife” beans last year on the insistance of Mrs Wombat, but can’t say the taste did much for me……

nev

[Bobbee]

They are the ones I have Steve so thanks for the name, and yes I reckon they will make a pretty good green manure crop. :tup: After a bit of chat and gradual recall we both remember that the lab lab were conspicuous for their non flavour. 😛

Porgey I’ll have a thorough check of our seed supply before I put up my hand for any bean seeds, if you don’t mind that is. :whistle:

Mr Bobbs dug the nicola spuds today and they are a bit of a let down, sort of ho hum in both size and quantity. I reckon we will let them off the list for next year. :S

The low GI spuds bought from the super market for eating have also been harvested and are about average size and average quantity, nothing to get excited about except that they are low GI. Haven’t cooked any yet but have high hopes for the taste. :tup: Will let you know if anyone is interested. :tup:

:hug:

[lmd80]

We have been growing tomatoes too and had a couple before the plants died! Maybe too much water? We have had a lot of rain! Same with the strawberries, they are just starting to fruit again but didn’t get much while it was wet. I got quite excited about zucchini and squash, both of which produced huge vegetables and then got covered in a white mould. I have tried a milk and water spray with no success and now just cut off the affected leaves and rely on new growth. Currently growing sweet potato, eggplant, capsicum, potatoes and pumpkin. We also have not had any pumpkins from the flowers.

[Bobbee]

Imd80, cutting off the affected leaves of the zuccs and squash is a good idea and I would be spraying the plants with the diluted milk mix also, as a preventative for the new growth and a general slower downer of the mildew. :tup:

That’s just my opinion of course. Other folk may have better ideas on the topic. :blink:

:hug:

[Lady Bee]

Bobbee post=339500 wrote:

Mr Bobbs dug the nicola spuds today and they are a bit of a let down, sort of ho hum in both size and quantity. I reckon we will let them off the list for next year. :S

Bobbee, we always plant Nicola as an early potato (put them in late August/early September, harvest them December/January. For our later crops we tend to focus on Desiree. Tried a few other things this year, but not much luck so will stick to those two varieties I think.

[Author]

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