The Sprout-2016

It finally dried out enough to get some tilling done. Got the main garden area done, along with my little pepper patch place. Tilled lengthwise and then crosswise on both spots. Hope we don't get flooded again this year.

Dang I got tired...but the tiller is better than a mule and a plow.



Probably put in some 'taters and lettuce in a couple of weeks or so. SWMBO is planning her cucumber spot...and this, and that, and then other stuff.

Anyone else got stuff going?

Here's a pic. of the garden area and the Mule.

Here's hoping you get a good growing season Mike. I would like to see your little Texas garden in full harvest.

I'm growing some weeds with the odd plant in-between.
Tomatoes, capsicum (Bell pepper), Chilli in pots, strawberries, horseradish, wild corn and taro for the wife.



The tomatoes are almost ready for picking. Just a few ripe here and there at the moment.



Capsicum



Planted corn last year or was that the year before. This one just showed up with no invite.



Taro. The wife grows this for the leaf only.

Minus 15 degrees Celsius outside right now. Start tomatoes, peppers and basil indoors early April to go outside late May. Cool stuff into the ground early May and i'm way ahead of most people.

It is a nice thought!

dave

Strawberries are on, you snooze you loose. I saw the wife pick a good handful the other day and all I could find in the kitchen was the stalks.

Needles to say I eat this one just now as it looked so good. I can confirm it was very nice.



The horseradish was planted last spring so it should have a good root by now. Will dig it up in a few months time.



The chilli is slow to grow but should get sometime off them this year. I have them in pots so I can bring them inside when winter comes.

Dave, you're gonna be way ahead of me for your region. I'm usually late getting stuff out.

Lookin' good Chris. Is it early summer or mid summer there? Been a pretty mild winter here this year...not even any ice storms, just a bit of ice around the edge of the pond a couple of times. Supposed to get up in the 70s F again in a couple of days...and it's February....

Oh, that's not me behind the plow in the black & white pic. in the original post...that's Dad just before he went off to WWII.

I'm the one with the blinders and harness on.

We are in the last month of summer here. December and January seemed cooler than normal.
I'm thinking March will be like summer here, so have a bit more garden time yet.

I may put up a poly tunnel next season, to get a head start on things and to give the chilli plants a bit more heat.

Got some onions, broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage in. Seed 'taters are cut and sitting to harden up for a couple of days before planting.

Good to see some planting.

I picked a few tomatoes. They look ugly but taste better than any store bought ones.



Tomato on toast for breakfast. Tasted great.

cleanshaved said:

Good to see some planting.

I picked a few tomatoes. They look ugly but taste better than any store bought ones.

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Tomato on toast for breakfast. Tasted great.

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Those tomatoes look fantastic! I am envious; absolutely nothing beats a freshly grown tomato. I can't wait for tomato season here in the US.

Geez, Mike. I can't start my patio container garden around here until Memorial Day.

auk1124 said:

Those tomatoes look fantastic! I am envious; absolutely nothing beats a freshly grown tomato. I can't wait for tomato season here in the US.

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+1,000. Those tomatoes look great, Chris.

Been a very mild winter here Tony. 73 degrees this afternoon, but getting cloudy and supposed to rain a bit tomorrow and Monday, so the potatoes will probably go in mid-week...maybe. And this is the middle of February. Last year it was nasty cold. Now that it's starting to get dark the bass are starting to pop the top of the water in the pond.

So far, besides what is in the ground now, we have listed to pick up:

Tomatoes (I usually get Celebrities)
Cucumbers
Green beans (Blue Lake)
Corn (some yellow this time, SWMBO got the white ones last time and wondered why they didn't look "ripe" )
Okra
Radishes (which should be in already)

For the little pepper patch:

Jalapeno
Habanero
Serrano
Sweet Banana

May add a few things a bit as time goes on.

I have not heard of Celebrities Tomatoes.
We went with a mix of Beef steak (photo above), Russian Red, sweet 100 and a black or purple one. The wife grabbed those so not exactly sure on the type.

My father grew beefsteak that were one slice to make a sandwich. Mine are not that big but are full of flavour and sweet.

Chris, Dad used to do Beefsteak and Better Boys, which are popular in this area also, but he usually went with Celebrity for the disease resistance and being easy to grow. He grew up on a farm in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, so I listened when he was planting.

From your pic, I think I'll pick up a couple of Beefsteaks to go along with the Celebrities, just for old times sake...haven't planted them in years and need to try them again.

Something a bit different this year.

Oh, SWMBO just jumped up from watching TV and ran over to the list...added squash.

I knew we were forgetting stuff.

Mike it always good to add something slightly different to the mix.
We don't do a list (but should), we just do a few laps around the garden centre and stuff ends up in the trolley. Then we go back a few weeks later to see if there is anything new out or something that we have missed.

cleanshaved said:

Good to see some planting.

I picked a few tomatoes. They look ugly but taste better than any store bought ones.

View attachment 639017

Tomato on toast for breakfast. Tasted great.

View attachment 639019

View attachment 639020

Click to expand...

Wheres the bacon?

DoctorShavegood said:

Wheres the bacon?

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I tried to grow some in my garden but planting a ham hock just did not grow.......

Guys, you've got me motivated. I'm hoping part of my back yard has at least 6 hours of full sun to grow tomatoes. Shade around these parts is important in staying cool but doesn't make for a good garden.

Good to hear Aaron. If you can get 6 hours you should be fine. Some tomato fertilizer, water, sun and you will be reaping what you sowed.

Speaking of fertilizer my tomatoes need some and also my Chili plants.

Spring fever! A few new ones and a few that i used up last year and wanted to replace. Have all kinds of seed packs in the fridge that get used year after year until they're empty.