Finally!!!!

[Mama]

I went out to check the garden this morning and look what I found!!!! Won't be long now :w00t:!

[JackieBlue]

Nice Mama! Up north here we have to wait till July/August.

[buzzard767]

Way to go, Mama. Fresh tomatoes are just around the corner. :)

[abi_csi]

Beautiful. Home grown tomatoes are the best, i never buy them from the supermarket any more, they're just cold and tasteless. I hope to grow my own next year. A friend of mine has all sorts going on in his garden and he's become obsessed with slug hunting at night. He has to protect his crop now it's like his baby.

[Mama]

Thanks y'all! I checked this morning and didn't find any more new tomatoes but I've got LOTS of blossoms. Two of my pepper plants have blossoms too!

I LOVE tomatoes. I actually picked some up at Publix yesterday that were from Florida that were true vine ripe and garden grown. They tasted wonderful. I can't wait until I have some.

[JackieBlue]

Because of this thread, I actually had a dream about tomatoes last night lol! Hmmmm, I wonder what that means.:yum:

[Mama]

You're Italian? :lol:

[JackieBlue]

You're Italian? :lol:

Actually, yes I am! LOL


With some of this a well...:lucky:

[Mr. Green Jeans]

Very envious Mama! I am still nursing along cold season crops. We are a month away from even planting a tomato. Frost is a possibility tomorrow morning.

[vyapti]

My tomatoes are a foot tall now. I still can't plant them. We're still having nights in the thirties.

[Mama]

I've been having a rough time for years trying to have a decent garden in this red clay dirt so I decided to try putting in a raised garden this year. I bought 3 kits from Sam's and they have been doing outstanding so we got 3 more this past weekend. I've been spending all day setting them up and putting mulch in the walkways. Now all I need is more miracle grow garden soil and some more plants. DH just called a little while ago and said he has to work tomorrow so hopefully we'll be able to get it Sunday. I'd get it myself but 27 bags is a bit much for me to do by myself. Here's what it looks like so far. The tomatoes are growing beautifully....still don't have any red ones yet but I've got tons of green ones.

[mhend]

Your garden looks beautiful Mama!

I only planted two tomato plants this year. I wasn't sure if I could keep all the critters out of them. So far so good and I have some green ones too. Last year, the squirrels, birds, and rabbits ate them as soon as they started popping out.

[Leni]

Raised bed is the way to go. That's how I garden.

[cookingirl]

Such a great job!!! :applause::tiphat:
I am soooo green:mrgreen: with jealousy!!!!!!!!!!:neutral:
Here is the NE, Boston area, we can't even think of planting until Memorial Day!! and this year, I think it will be later cuz the weather has been sooooo cold!:sad:
I live in an apartment--past couple of years I potted a tomato plant...first year it was a reg plant--didn't do so good.. Last year, I did 2, which were labeled patio tomatoes--kind of small, tough skin, but sooo good...;)
I think this year I will try a couple of early girl variety...:wave:
Last year I also grew cucumbers on my balcony.. my trellis, for the vines, was the railing.. No one knew what kind of vegetation I was grwing. :laugh:
It looked like a jungle!!:laugh:
The pickiling cukes were awesome!! and I even passed them around!!:applause:
I think I will try that again, :mrgreen::laugh:
But I have to wait till Memorial Day---ritual
We will hope the weather warms up and gets sunny instead of these clouds and rain....
Cyn

[Mama]

Thanks y'all!

[GotGarlic]

Yay, Mama! We have some blossoms on a couple tomatoes and cucumbers. The garden is looking very promising right now :smile:

[QSis]

Such a great job!!! :applause::tiphat:
I am soooo green:mrgreen: with jealousy!!!!!!!!!!:neutral:
Here is the NE, Boston area, we can't even think of planting until Memorial Day!! and this year, I think it will be later cuz the weather has been sooooo cold!:sad:
I live in an apartment--past couple of years I potted a tomato plant...first year it was a reg plant--didn't do so good.. Last year, I did 2, which were labeled patio tomatoes--kind of small, tough skin, but sooo good...;)
I think this year I will try a couple of early girl variety...:wave:
Last year I also grew cucumbers on my balcony.. my trellis, for the vines, was the railing.. No one knew what kind of vegetation I was grwing. :laugh:
It looked like a jungle!!:laugh:
The pickiling cukes were awesome!! and I even passed them around!!:applause:
I think I will try that again, :mrgreen::laugh:
But I have to wait till Memorial Day---ritual
We will hope the weather warms up and gets sunny instead of these clouds and rain....
Cyn

Hey, Cyn, please post pictures of your balcony garden as it progresses!

If you have room, plant a container or two of flowers - attracts bees for pollination and is soothing for the soul!

I've been container-gardening for 22 years. LOVE it!

Lee

[Guts]

that's a beautiful garden mama with the way prices are going up, we all might start gardening. I hope you will post some more pictures as your garden grows.

[cookingirl]

Lee,
I do plant flowers also. last year, at one point I had 12 plants, assorted veggies, herbs, and flowers on my balcony! I used refilled gallon water bottles to water them--took at least 12 per night!
had wild flowers, oregano, cukes--3 types, omatoes, basil, azalea, and a variety of others...T"was a lot of work, after my work to water them..but I did enjoy them..so pretty.....
I used to have a garden, think I inherited my mom's green thumb!
at one point have 12 tomato plant, pickling, reg, plum, cherry tomatoes, cukes--pickling, reg and english, basil, oregano, sweet peppers, marigolds for veggies...
flowers--hydrangeas, inpatients, black eyed susans, daisies, clematis, bleeding hearts, salvias, purple cone flowers,,,,but then me and my dad moved to an apt building..container gardening, I am not so sure of..
nothing panted yet, just in my house-----bamboo, a beautiful orchid, from trader joes's--12 blossoms~~~~.orchid colored--gotnit with 6 blossom---soo pretty..:wink:

[Mama]

Thanks GG and Guts. I'll keep you posted on the garden.

I had a pretty busy day today. DH has to work tomorrow and I've got to go get a bunch of stuff from Sam's and Petsmart but if I have time, I may go ahead and at least get some of the dirt...I'd like to get the rest of it planted ASAP.

Sounds like you have quite the green thumb cookingirl.

I'd love to see pics of everyone's gardens :clap:

[buckytom]

wtg, mama! if you can't bust the clay or rock, raise the beds.

i also have clay soil but i've been able to build up a foot and a half of topsoil.
and i keep adding. and adding.

most veggies don't really have roots deeper than 16 to 20 inches. they'll go deeper if they can, but will happily go wider if that's where the nutrients are.

[Mama]

Thanks BT! My mama had quite a green thumb...she could grow anything anywhere...sadly, I didn't inherit it. I got pretty disgusted the past few years and as a result haven't had much of a garden. Having to pay a $1 a piece for both green peppers and tomatoes really pissed me off so I decided to try a raised bed garden this year as a last resort. I may have to invest a lot this first year to get it started but it looks as though I may get most...if not all...of my money back. If not, at least I won't have to spend much next season and I'll be getting a lot better quality produce than what I've been getting in the stores.

[Leni]

As I said Mama, the way to go is raised beds. Reason? You can create your own soil and not have to fight what nature has given you. You can also make it as deep as you want. Most veggie roots do not go deeper than 12". I''m sure you will have a very productive season. Enjoy, especially the tomatoes. One cherry that I totally recommend is Black Cherry. Like eating candy that is healthy.

[Nancy-MD]

Beautiful veggie garden, Mama! I have a veggie garden too. I'll have to get some pics of it. It's coming along nicely. I have radishes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes, one grape tomato plant and cucumbers. I grow herbs in a big pot near my kitchen door - chives, thyme, oregano and flatleaf parsley.

My flowers are doing well too. Some early spring perennials are already done.

[lilbopeep]

My Iris' are up!!

[Mama]

Thank you everyone!

That's great Nancy and Peepers!

Leni, I couldn't find any black cherry tomatoes so I got 2 husky cherry red and 2 patio tomato plants

Here's the finished garden:

I had 6 sections left to plant in my garden so, here's what I planted in each section:
1. Okra and 2 cherry tomato plants
2. Sweet potatoes and 2 cherry tomato plants
3. Collard Greens
4. Squash, eggplant, zucchini and cucumbers (2 of each)
5. Cantaloupe and watermelon
6. Strawberries

[Mama]

I think I'm gonna have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year!

[Mama]

Here are the peppers, the first 2 pics are cowhorn, then banana and finally an itty bitty green pepper :w00t:

[Wart]

Here are the peppers, the first 2 pics are cowhorn, then banana and finally an itty bitty green pepper :w00t:


That's enough. HEAR ME???

Between the latitude, the cold, the wet, and the wet, and school, did I mention the wet? I couldn't get the garden planted before yesterday.

I had the ground ready to go about two weeks ago, then it got wet. Then it stayed wet.

Then it got sopping wet.

I had to re-turn the garden with a shovel to try and get it dried out enough to plant.

Its mixed emotions, glad to see you're progress, irked as all get out at my being at least two weeks behind.

[Mama]

Sorry Wart :lol:. I'm just pretty darn excited. I've never had much a of a green thumb and for years I tried...unsuccessfully I might add...to try to have a decent garden in this red clay dirt down here. Never had anything to brag about. I wish I had started a raised bed garden years ago.

[Leni]

I hate to hear that Wart. Here I can and do garden year round. I love gardening and especially the results.

DH and I went way overboard buying tomatoes this year. I must have something between 50 and 60 plants. It's a good thing that I have a dehydrator. The problem was that each of us bought without the other around. I must have a dozen Japanese Black Triffle. I've never grown them before.

Mama, I think that you can buy Black Cherry and Black Pearl seeds and maybe plants from Burpee. Your garden looks great! It looks like you are going to have a surplus. DH loves okra and I haven't planted any. Thanks for reminding me.

By the way. I just picked my first red tomato yesterday.

[CaliforniaCook]

Beautiful pics, Mama. (I see a caprese salad or gazpacho in the near future.) Appreciate your sharing, as I'm in a condo. Time for me to go to the Farmers' Market. Hey, if you need any recipe ideas, give a shout out. Luv tomatoes,

[belaine]

We have raised beds for the first time. Gopher got in one of them last week and got my parsley, basil and one tomato plant grrrrrrr. I must learn to post pictures.

[Leni]

When you set up a raised bed in an area with digging varmits it's a good idea to lay down chicken wire, hard cloth, whatever has holes small enough to keep them out.

A friend gave me a tomato breakfast idea. A friend sent it to her and she said that it was really good. Cooking the tomato really brought out the flavor.

Preheat the oven to 450
Hollow out a tomat
Put whatever you want on the bottom, cooked bacon, ham, etc
Crack an egg into the tomato
Salt and pepper

Put the tomato into the oven for about 10 minutes or so. The white should be set and the yolk still runny.


I just bought some tomatoes from the local farm stand. I'll make this tomorrow and will let you know what I think.

[Mama]

Oh wow leni, that sounds really good!

[lilbopeep]

When you set up a raised bed in an area with digging varmits it's a good idea to lay down chicken wire, hard cloth, whatever has holes small enough to keep them out.

A friend gave me a tomato breakfast idea. A friend sent it to her and she said that it was really good. Cooking the tomato really brought out the flavor.

Preheat the oven to 450
Hollow out a tomat
Put whatever you want on the bottom, cooked bacon, ham, etc
Crack an egg into the tomato
Salt and pepper

Put the tomato into the oven for about 10 minutes or so. The white should be set and the yolk still runny.


I just bought some tomatoes from the local farm stand. I'll make this tomorrow and will let you know what I think.
Please post a pic if possible Leni. That sounds great!!

[Leni]

DH wanted Farmers Breakfast instead. Maybe tomorrow.

[Mama]

Update on my garden! I'm gonna try to wait to pick the tomatoes until my Birthday on Thursday!

[Leni]

I finally made the egg in the tomato. I can see where it would have come out better than it did.

First: the tomatoes were too small. The whites spilled over into the pan that I used. Best to use stuffing tomatoes anyhow. They are easier to hollow out.

Second: next time I'd use tomatoes that I grew that ripened on the vine. The ones that I used did not have much flavor.

Third: I had put crumbled bacon into the bottom of the tomato. I think that I'd include basil and maybe mushrooms.

Finally, I cooked them too long. I kept thinking that the whites weren't set yet but it turned out to be clear tomato juice. So the yolks were waxy instead of runny. DH did not care for all of the tomato juice. I'll have to experiment with that.

[mhend]

Mama, your garden is just lovely! Fresh, off-the-vine tomatoes sounds like a wonderful birthday present! :)

[lilbopeep]

Ignore the rustling in your garden and the barking of any dogs it is nothing to be concerned about. :whistling:

[Leni]

Peeps, naughty, naughty, naughty. ;)

I just picked my first Sungold cherry tomatoes. They were wonderful!

[lifesaver91958]

Beautiful garden Mama!

[lilbopeep]

Peeps, naughty, naughty, naughty. ;)

I just picked my first Sungold cherry tomatoes. They were wonderful!
:blush: :brows:

[Mama]

Thanks Mary, Peepers and LS!

I was thinking the same thing Mary. I've been so looking forward to some vine ripe tomatoes out of my garden. The timing couldn't have been more perfect!

Peepers...come on down...I'm sure I'll have plenty!

[lilbopeep]

Thanks Mary, Peepers and LS!

I was thinking the same thing Mary. I've been so looking forward to some vine ripe tomatoes out of my garden. The timing couldn't have been more perfect!

Peepers...come on down...I'm sure I'll have plenty!
I would fry up some of those peppers and red tomatoes with onions and garlic!! YUMMY You can do some fried green tomatoes!!

[Mama]

I've already had some fried green tomatoes! I'm looking forward to that first tomato sandwich!

I've got to get out there in the morning and pick the mustard greens and then clean, chop, wilt and freeze them. I probably won't have a lot of packages for the freezer but it's my first time growing them and I've learned a lot. I hear the ones in the fall are sweeter. Hopefully I'll get to find out if that's true.

[lilbopeep]

I've already had some fried green tomatoes! I'm looking forward to that first tomato sandwich!

I've got to get out there in the morning and pick the mustard greens and then clean, chop, wilt and freeze them. I probably won't have a lot of packages for the freezer but it's my first time growing them and I've learned a lot. I hear the ones in the fall are sweeter. Hopefully I'll get to find out if that's true.
They come up twice?

[Mama]

They come up twice?

No, you have to reseed them in the fall but because the weather is getting colder as they mature, it's supposed to make them sweeter...that's what they say anyway...

[lilbopeep]

No, you have to reseed them in the fall but because the weather is getting colder as they mature, it's supposed to make them sweeter...that's what they say anyway...
Oh. Personally I like bitter greens with mashed taters. Nice contrast but thats just me.

[Mama]

I harvested the mustard greens this morning. Ground to freezer was about 2 hours. I ended up with a little over 4 pounds.

[Mama]

It's really starting to come in good now :w00t:

This morning I got 12 tomatoes, 1 green pepper, 4 banana peppers and a bunch of lettuce! I might just be able to call myself a gardener pretty soon :lol:

[lilbopeep]

Beautiful Mama!! Thats my basket right?

[Mama]

:lol: Thanks Peepers! I'm pretty excited. This is the first real garden I've ever had so it's been a lot of fun and a real learning experience! Here's a few more pics from this morning.

[lilbopeep]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH OH OH OH I want some squash flowers to fry!! Mom would pick all the male flowers and just dip in egg and lightly seasoned flour and fry in butter. YUMMY!!

[Mama]

I don't know the difference between the male and female blossoms LOL. How do you tell the difference?

[lilbopeep]

I don't know the difference between the male and female blossoms LOL. How do you tell the difference?
UMMMMM the pregnant ones are females? LOL I don't have a green thumb like mom did. LOL Maybe one of the more knowledgeable gardeners can tell you. Sorry.

[loboloco]

Mama, not jacking your thread, but thought some would like to see my 'take'. This is only the tomatoes and cukes, and then only the 'pickling' type. Burpless, my mother takes most of those.
Corn has been picked and we are now leaving the rest for seed. Beans, peas, squash, and butterbeans are mostly a mess at a time right now.
Cantaloupe, one or two a day. sweet taters not ready yet.

[Mama]

NICE lobo! That's quite a haul!

[Leni]

I've got a collender full of cherry tomatoes, Sun Gold, Black Pearl, and Black Cherry. We're eating them at every meal. All this from only five plants.

[Deelady]

Wow! Simply beautiful Mama!! I am esp. jealous of your HUGE basil plants!! My small itty bitty one is holding on for dear life!! lol Any pointers for basil to make sure it thrives and produces large leaves??

Great harvest loboloco!!!

[Mama]

Wow! Simply beautiful Mama!! I am esp. jealous of your HUGE basil plants!! My small itty bitty one is holding on for dear life!! lol Any pointers for basil to make sure it thrives and produces large leaves??

Great harvest loboloco!!!

Miracle grow garden soil.

[Deelady]

I used that as well when I potted it...not luck :(

[Mama]

Well....bummer....is it in a container or in a garden?

[loboloco]

NICE lobo! That's quite a haul!
We are getting this every other day now. should last another 4-6 weeks.

[Mama]

We are getting this every other day now. should last another 4-6 weeks.

SWEET!

[Deelady]

Well....bummer....is it in a container or in a garden?


I put it into a large pot. It did ok for the first month but I never got enough to bother picking any. Now I am fighing it daily to stop flowering....

[Mama]

I'm new to this gardening thing but I got this from The University of Georgia's Agriculture site (http://www.ugaurbanag.com/content/herbs-landscape):

Container Plantings
Herbs grow well in urns, hanging baskets, strawberry pots, and other containers as long as the light, moisture, and fertility requirements are met. Use a good lightweight, well-drained artificial soil mix, not garden soil, for container-grown herbs. Container-grown herbs do not have access to surrounding soils, are more likely to dry out quickly, and must be watered regularly, even daily. Containers should have drainage holes so excess water can escape. Regularly empty any water in the saucers under containers to prevent roots from deteriorating. Uniform monthly fertilizing keeps herbs lush, but be careful to avoid fertilizer salts build-up. Water containers sufficiently so the water runs through the holes in the bottom of the container.

This might help too:

Growing Basil In Pots

Basil is a very popular herb for growing in pots. It goes well in almost any dish made with tomatoes, cooked or raw. It also tastes great with fish, meat, rice, and even some fruits!
Basil needs heat, and will not grow in cold climates. You cannot successfully grow basil indoors unless you keep your home warm, or unless you have one room in your home that you can keep warm enough. If you set your air conditioning to under 75 degrees, you will probably have serious problems growing basil indoors.
Basil can be grown from transplants or seeds. Starting the seeds is not particularly difficult, but if you can find the variety you want as a transplant in your local nursery, it is probably best to save yourself the trouble. Of course, buying seeds and starting them yourself might be cheaper, but only if you already have everything you need other than the seeds. I would stick to using plants if you can find what you are looking for. If you simply must start your basil from seed, follow the directions on the packet.
You should use a standard potting mix with a bit of sand and dolomite lime added. Simply fill the pot with soil and plant the basil transplant at approximately the same level it was in the starter pot. Pack it in a bit, then water lightly to settle the soil. It's that simple to transplant basil!
Basil grows best when it is very hot, and when the soil is allowed to go dry between waterings. Overwatering this plant will cause a serious lack of flavor, and may even kill the plant. Of course, it does need to be watered, and you shouldn't let the soil stay bone-dry. But going a day or two between waterings is good for basil.
Never plant basil before the night time low temperature is consistently above 50 degrees F. If you must, you can cover the plants at night, but the warmer the weather is, the better they are likely to do.
You should fertilizer basil when you plant it with a high-nitrogen plant food. Then you should fertilize it once more in the middle of the summer. It does not need to be fertilized often.
You should harvest the last of your basil before there is any threat of frost, no matter how light. Even the lightest dusting of frost, something that most other plants would not be harmed by at all, can devastate basil. Even the lightest frost can turn basil into a shriveled black nightmare. Trust me, bring your basil in before any threat of frost!
To harvest basil, simply snip off the number of leaves you need. To stimulate nice, busy growth, you can also pinch off an inch or so of each branch, but don't get carried away. Basil is subject to diminishing returns. If you pinch too much, you'll only encourage it to flower and stop producing as much foliage. You should harvest the larger, darker leaves, as they have the most flavor.


Source: http://www.container-gardening-tips.com/container-herb-gardening/growing-basil-in-containers.html

[Leni]

Hi fellow gardeners.

The female flower will have a small round thing at the base of the flower. That is the ovary.

Basil wants to flower like crazy so you will be fighting an ongoing battle with them. The blossoms can be used just like the leaves. You want to use a 30-10-10 fertilizer.

The first number is nitrogen which promotes the growth of leaves which is what you want here. The numbers will be on the bag of fertilizer. The second number is for flowers and the third is for stems and roots so choose according to what it is that you want from the plant.

Most people have a tendency to overwater a plant. I would recommend that you get a water meter. They are not that expensive and really will make a difference.

I love this for the fresh veggies.

Slice tomatoes, cukes, red onion, and bell peppers together into a container. Add 1/2 red wine vinegar and 1/2 water to the container until the veggies are covered. Add in whatever herbs you want or not as you choose. Put this into the refrigerator. I serve this on a bed of lettuce and add more veggies as needed. Same for the liquid. By the end of the season the liquid is a wonderful mixture of all of the veggies and is a great base for whatever.

Mama, your garden looks beautiful. For a first timer you are doing a great job. I would suggest that you trelis or make a tepee for that plant that is going all over the place. That will keep it in place and keep the fruit off the ground. If the fruit is heavy it can be tied up using old nylons or something similar.